Ransacked Goods

Heart Tag

Last month I started noticing this petite heart tag someone made around my neighborhood. Most of them are right before the walkway entrance to someone's home. I'm guessing they were a Valentine's Day gift to the 'hood. Come on, how sweet can you get. I'm only a little upset that I didn't get one in front of our gate. I've always wanted to give moss graffiti a try. Perhaphs I could plant a few messages around my own neighborhood.

Maternity Leave

My maternity leave has officially begun and I'm a week in. It has taken a while to decompress and wind my way down into the transition much like going on a long vacation out of the country. It just takes time to settle into a groove and unplug your brain from another lifestyle. My body is grateful for the break but my brain is still having a hard time slowing down. All in good time. There is nothing like a newborn baby to change your pace to a near stop. My pre-baby  to-do list seems a mile long and growing but I do realize that it's all fairly unnecessary things that can always wait. I started knitting this blanket a few days ago as a way to force myself to quiet my brain and sit still. It's a lovely organic cotton I bought on a whim several months ago. Not like we really need another blanket in the house but that's not a reason not to make one.

I've been indulging in a few restaurants that have been on my must try list for far too long, like Bake Sale Betty and Ici. We are so lucky to have a pool of talented chefs who have worked at Chez Panssie opening up shop around here. Not to mention trying new found restaurants like Gather with friends.

 

Then of course there is sewing in between all of the house cleaning, organizing and prepping. I made this vinyl tablecloth from an Anna Maria Horner oilcloth, simply trimmed with some carrot bias tape. And while I originally bought it for easy clean up from kid art projects we use it all the time. We wondered why we didn't do something like this sooner to protect our table at meal time instead of messing around with place mats.

Archiving

So I'm working on archiving around here - a task that I have put off over and over again. Old home movies, new videos, prints, digital photos, albums... I'm trying to get it all backed up on DVD or organized in books and boxes. Above are super 8 reels from 1974-82 that my dad shot. I haven't seen them in about 20 years but I've had them sitting in this box and they aren't going to last forever. There are notes written on the cases indicating my first steps, my younger brother being brought home, a trip to Mexico, the beach house, birthday parties. Not many people my age have moving documents of these events like we do for our children now. They are worth preserving even though it will cost a pretty penny. I'm eager to pick up the DVDs and watch them in a few weeks. I have a picture in my head of what my great grandmother's house and land looked liked to me as a child that I explore in my head occasionally as I'm trying to go to sleep. Will I be surprised by what it really looked like? As I go through all of this I'm reminded that we can only hold on to so much of the past. We can't nor should we document and preserve every last detail but rather enjoy the present.

Reconstructing the Creative Space

What does your art space look like? Back before motherhood I used to be lucky enough to have a whole bedroom devoted to my studio space. I could work in there all day and then just leave my mess and close the door - creative bliss contained. Now it's a different story. Without the time and space to create as much art as I want, I look in on my supplies now and then and realize my taste have changed. I've purged the giant tubs of papers I used to use for my collage work and just saved the best for someday. Oh, so many unfinished projects hanging around too.

We're in the works cleaning out our garage and converting it into a better office space. I'll be selling my light table and again cleaning out more supplies to make a succinct and focused space. It's hard work letting things go but I'm looking forward to a new space to call my own. The Hubby has already done his share reorganizing his space in our dingy depths, selling bike equipment and organizing tools. Our motto is "if it doesn't make your life better now, ditch it".

Random Thoughts

I'm just a random jumble of to-do lists these days. Good intentions but lousy follow through - I'm being too hard on myself - I'm a busy full time working, pregnant Mommy, with an almost 3 year old. I'm also an artist, collector, crafter, friend, wife, traveler and general neatnik housekeeper. Too many personas to attend to at once, what's a girl to do. So here are some of my random thoughts and places I've visited this week.

• For all my designer, artist and architect friends who have had a rough year - NY Times article Architect, or Whatever. 
• Craft Hope for Haiti shop on Etsy. Don't hesitate, just shop and keep those donations coming.Indie Fixx has some cool auctions up too. I'm proud the company I work for is matching dollar-for-dollar the donations from it's employees.
• Polyvore is very addictive, creating sets, layered and collages products and images of your choice - cool in a materialistic kind of way.
• A new e-book on how to become a textile designer is coming out by Lizzy House. I'm quite intrigued after my stint in fabric design school.
• I'm going to (or should I say the hubby will do it for me) go Rust-Oleum crazy on the adorable cast iron kids bench (above) I picked up at a garage sale for $10. Turquoise or teal, perhaps like this table?
• Curtains for the front room are finally coming together with this fabric from Echino. I'm in love with so many of the patterns.
• Just finished reading Goldengrove on the way home today. Heavy but good.
• I'm posting to craigslist like mad - it's winter cleaning around here and that means purging what's not needed. Chuck it!!
• Rain, rain and more rain here... I'm thinking boots, the Recchiuti hot chocolate I slogged out in the rain for today because I couldn't be cooped up any more, the clogged sump pump that almost flooded our garage again... and how I miss sunshine.
• I know there's more... there is always more.

Flustered Hat

No too much success on the crafting front lately - no time, no energy.... I did finish this hat for the Chickpea but again I'm a bit flustered with knitting patterns and sizing. What was supposed to fit a small child fits me! Well I learned something at least, novice knitter that I am. Plus we have one extra hat in the house now. But the original pattern is so adorable I think I may try it again.

What would I be working on if I had the energy....

This tree pillow which I have already cut out. It's a great knock-off of an Anthropology pillow I love. I've been toying with the idea of making pillow's from their place mats for cheaper alternatives.

I'm making some doll bibs for Chickpea since "feeding" her babies is one of her favorite activities. I'm also on the prowl for the perfect doll highchair.  I also want to make her some proper doll bed quilts with the vintage squares I have. I'm a little tired of finding tattered washcloths and hankys scattered around the house tucking in all sorts of babies and animals.

I want to make Christmas place mats but that seems a little optimistic this year.

I'm sure there is more too...

Big Girl Days

My daughter is only 2 1/2 but I just can't resist days when we're big girls together.We'll pack up for an adventure together, exploring new places. Some days we'll sit in a cafe and color with crayons sipping steamed milk and coffee or gather a pic-nic of some of our favorite foods to share on a blanket. She's a petite girlfriend of sorts. Of course I adore her but she's my little friend too, a confidant to share stories with, a companion in life and a person to admire. She is shaping me more than I could ever imagine. No doubt there are days when she bugs me and days when I can't get enough of her but our journey is still new and there is so much to learn and experience - for that I'm grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and all that your grateful for. Enjoy!

One Tough Rain Filled Morning

What to do when we're being hit with the worst storm we've seen in about 7 months? What to do when your curious and sleep deprived toddler has been up since 5:00am with said storm? Head to the post office in the pouring rain to submit passport documents and deal with government bureaucracy? Uh, yeah, not such a good idea - although when are we not faced with chores and obligations that don't coincide with things we can't control. So my little California Chickpea was terrified of the rain and refusing to wear her rain boots and rain jacket. Which left us with changing wet pants not once but twice and quite a few tears. Again, what to do to make that smile reappear? Pull over, slog in through the wetness and stop for brunch together.

With our tummies refueled and laughter regained we headed home to find better ways to spend our energy. Like calling public works to have the giant fallen tree branch removed from the top of some poor guy's dented car in front of our house. Or clearing the leaves that  dammed up the storm drain in front of our elderly neighbor's house. I wish I had a picture of the wet Chickpea watching me do that under her little "ubunda". Back inside our warm house we made time for coloring and stamping in between watching all the "fix-it men" out front cleaning up the carnage. I'll bet their morning sucked more than mine.

Today was just a reminder that Fall is here and that means being prepaired for rainy day activities to keep us all happy. So my plan is to stock up on some ideas from Kids Craft Weekly for next time. Any other suggestions for thing you love to do when going out is not an option?

Everything Bag

I finished this Everything Bag from Heather Ross' Weekend Sewing. I love the fabric from Anna Maria Horner and I had originally bought it to recover a chair, however my husband begged me to reconsider. We wont get into that, let's just say he's wrong. So in my quest to use what I have and not to hoard, I cut it out for the bag. Over all I'm happy with it but I don't quite know what I'll do with such a massive bag, beach trips, market days, weekend outing? Not very everyday friendly for me at least.

I was a little disappointed in the pattern thought. I read through it several times and just knew that if I followed the directions it was going to look different than the picture. Sure enough the binding was much narrower. I even looked at the flicker group to see what other people did, and I wasn't the only one. And you know that just annoys me a little. We have a sure-fire way of avoiding those discrepancies in the publishing world, it's called "proofing". Ya know, it just would have been nice to know what I was getting. I had even tracked down the book's errata before I started and this problem wasn't mentioned.

So I guess that leads me to another question, professionalism in crafting, how important is it? I really want people in the craft world to succeed with patterns, projects, wears and books like these but how important are the details? Is the point to embrace the journey of where a project takes you, welcoming snags, uneven lines, interpretation and raw edges? Dare I say the "homemade" look. Or do we aim for carefully constructed craft that is both inspired and finished with precision, raising it to a higher level of personal expression and uniqueness? The answer lies somewhere in between I'm sure.

Bumpy Week

I hate to be vague but this was a really rough week at work. Let’s just say that things didn’t go my way and there was a lot of drama that I didn’t ask for. But, thanks be to Thursday cocktail hour before a holiday weekend, it sets everything right even though justice will never be done. There is something about going out for that blessed cocktail hour with coworkers that you have known for years, kicking back a few too many Manhattans and gimlets that puts everything right. You know that there are souls behind the work that you do and compassionate people who know what’s right in the world. Sometimes we place too much value in our jobs and however corny it sounds really we need to value friendship and integrity over anything else. Alcohol and cigarettes, however wicked you think it may be, can put people on an even playing field for a few hours. In a few years I’ll look back at this week and shrug it off as a bump my career with these same few folks, and that will be right with me. So chill out this weekend and remember what’s good in your everyday life.

Poopy Reading: Gross Books for Kids

Buttons by Buttonhead

Okay, so this is an icky post but hey gross stuff happens right, can't deny it can you. So we were given a few birthday books recently (I say we because children's books are just as much for the grown-ups that read them as they are for kids who listen) - lovely ones about sisters that explore, cows that type, and dinosaurs that share - good wholesome stuff. But the ones that have the Chickpea riveted to her fluffy chair are about poop and boogies. When we read them to her for the first time she looked up at us like this was the most amazing thing she'd ever heard. It was written all over her face. The monkey has a cold and there are boogers all over her face, she needs a tissue - sounds like a little someone else I know. But hey this sometimes gnarly stuff is what we're faced with the moment our babies are born, why not read about it? Aren't we constantly saying how amazing it is to watch our bellies miraculously grow through pregnancy, our babies motor development unfolding before our eyes and our toddlers becoming verbal and self-aware. The human body is pretty stinkin' cool so don't be squeamish, embrace it and get a few giggles out of it. I want my daughter to be proud of her body, it's strength, it's character, it's fascinating complexity, efficiency and beauty.

I mean come on, what kind of nut chooses to write about scabs? Maybe if you work for the CDC... Or poop? Don't tell me you haven't been to a dinner party with other parents where the conversation came around to poop. What about farts? My husband's new boss brings her hapless farting dog to work leaving his office smelling quite toxic, you know so he can have a great first impression with new co-workers or type on his computer while gagging and eyes watering over the smell. Every time he tells me a new story about this wretched dog we're both teary, giggling messes, plastered with smiles. Yes, icky stuff can make your day too.

These witty and matter of fact books are most appropriate for pre-schoolers, thanks mostly to some talented Japanese illustrators.

Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi 

All About Scabs All About Scabs by Amanda Mayer Stinchecum 

The Holes in Your Nose by Genichiro Yagyu 

Breasts by Genichiro Yagyu 

The Gas We Pass: The Story of Farts by Shinta Cho 

The Soles of Your Feet by Genichiro Yagyu

Not Your Grandma’s Bag Anymore

The other night I headed to the city for my branding theory class that inevitably was canceled because the instructor was stuck underground on the subway. Instead of an evening wasted in traffic I did a little window shopping at the posh downtown hipster mall, not really my scene but hey, who doesn’t love to indulge in a little guilty pleasure we call consumerism every once and a while. Shiny new stuff is so enticing isn’t it? There are purses, shoes and dresses calling, “you want me, don’t you… don't fool yourself, you can afford me” no matter how absurd they are for my lifestyle now. Wedge heals that I can’t chase a toddler in, the cute purse I can’t fit a laptop into and oh yeah and that dress that I could probably have fit into 6 years ago.

I’ve been much more aware of the fact that my tastes have been evolving since I became a mom. I’m a mom; do I look like a mom? It’s not a bad thing, just an age thing, an evolution thing, a progression kind of thing where practicality and simplicity are queen. So when I saw this little Vera Bradley clutch and I wanted it, it made me pause a bit. Grandma likes Vera Bradley? And if you’re familiar with this long established brand you’ll know what I mean. The prints are over the top and the styles are bordering on 80s vintage in my opinion. I’m not going to start collecting the stuff or anything, they already have their own cult following for that. But obviously they have wisely adjusted their color pallet and added some more contemporary designs to appeal to a broader more youthful market, but wait a minute - hold on a second, that includes me now! Dang, they got me.

So what’s in a brand and how do we become associated with a target audience? Well that I'm still learning but I can ask, how do we “re-brand” ourselves when we become parents and our identity shifts? I know I hold more value in what I do now as a mother than I ever did before I had a child. Can we re-brand motherhood to make it more appreciated? There are some people trying. Our culture feeds on the percieved value of carefully crafted brands and the qualities that they exude. For good or bad, that's the way we have been conditioned and it's not exclusive to any particular group or class of people. What are the qualities in the brand name that is you?

I don’t know if I’ll buy the silly bag or not, probably not. But I'm grateful for the reflection it provided free of charge. Some more food for thought below.

Brand New
No Logo: No Space, No Choice, No Jobs by Naomi Klein
Brand New by Jane Pavitt

Notice to the Public

I take public transportation to work 3 days a week. It's 30-40 minutes of me-time where I get to read, write, knit, or stare aimlessly out the window at the beautiful bay doing nothing if I please. I like my bus line. It's generally on time, I always get a roomy seat to myself and the drivers are courteous and we share general pleasantries like chatting about vacations, the weather and new hairstyles. It's a positive experience in my local community and good for the environment. Who wouldn't want a predictable, quite and civilized break twice a day like this?

So, all of you who are disrupting this busy Mommy's sacred time, you're here by on notice.

You know who you are... First, "Smelly-perfume-hair-product-primping-makeup-lady" take care of your grooming at home. I'm fine with a little dabbing of lip-gloss in public but the bus isn't your bathroom nor should it smell like a salon. I was taught that this behavior was "embarrassing your mother publicly", harsh I know. Second, "Loud-inappropriate-conversation-man" you need to think about what comes out of your mouth before you share it with a bus full of quiet strangers. I know you like to hear yourself talk and you think you know everything but please respect other passenger's mental space too. Some topics I don't want to hear you talk about ever again: how your food allergies affect your digestive system, why your friend is now a convicted sex offender and what you think of the Jews in Israel. Buddy, you make my skin crawl. Thirdly,"Stinky-ashtray-smokers" you of all people should know that you reek and you know that it's poison you reek of. I know your aching for one last breakfast smoke before you climb on that bus for 30 minutes of non-smoking hell but yuck, yuck and more yuck. Please, no one wants to be trapped next to you breathing that in.

Alright, ranting finished. I feel cleansed of the experiences for now... So glad to get that off my chest before the weekend. Above is one of my favorite children's books about riding the bus, Bus Stops by Taro Gomi.

Uninspired at the Museum

 

Today I hit the SFMOMA with a few hours to kill. As usual I left feeling pretty disappointed and blue, which often happens when I go there. I’m not quite sure what it is but I always end up thinking, “boring, lame, not interested, crap…” I should walk in to the museum giving my apologies to the artists in advance, it's terrible.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love art with all my heart and soul. When I was a little kid I never thought of what I wanted to be when I grew up because I always knew I wanted to be an artist, it was just a given not to be questioned. I got my degree from a prestigious art school, I’ve had my share of exhibitions and although my life has taken a different direction and I’m not in the studio all day, there are not many things that I hold closer to my heart than my love of creativity and the arts.

But man, there is a lot of bad art out there. And just because it's in a museum doesn't mean it's good. Really, who am I to judge, art is subjective and in the eye of the beholder, blah, blah, blah... But to me a piece should grab you from across the room and pull you in. It should make you giddy with delight, your heart swell up with hope, your mind overflow with inspiration, your body fill with calm or flight, challenge your perspective and perhaps make your eyes swell with tears (mind you not all these things at once). But simply stated, you should be moved by art and I see very little that moves me these days. Maybe I’m looking in the wrong place, I don’t know? Maybe my life is too over saturated and over stimulated to be uplifted by art. But I know when I see and love a piece because it hits me, and nothing has really hit me for awhile.

I see work that is analytical and visually uninspired, work that had been done before and merely replicated, and the fear and challenge that goes with deeply exploring new idea is painfully obvious. So what’s an art lover to do about it? I'm not quite sure I have an answer. Simply look more? But to wade through all this bad art is painful and monotonous. Perhaps I should just sit back and the good art will come to me? Brilliant art is out there for me to soak up, so I know when I find it, it will be all the more worth it.

Saving on Groceries

So how much do you spend on groceries every month?

I like to buy good food for my family of 3. I try to buy as many organic products as I can (prioritizing produce and dairy), I shop at my local farmer's market and check out the neighborhood specialty shops once and a while. But I'm a realist too, I regularly go to places like Trader Joes and Costco for staples and discounts. We eat the fruit off our trees all through the summer. I think we eat pretty well. But I decided to sit down and figure out how much I was spending, exactly. I had a rough idea in my head of $600-700 a month. We don't go out to restaurants much with the little one so most of our meals are at home. To my surprise we spend nearly $1000 a month on average! That's a much larger chunk of the monthly funds than I was expecting. This poll had 50% of families spending $325-$600 a month! Not even close around here.

So I started doing some sleuthing to find ways of reducing our monthly grocery bill. Most of the information didn't seem to apply to us. We don't eat fast food, or lots of packaged food or very much meat, we filter our own water, I enjoy doing a lot of cooking. Shopping for organics is a value I'm not going to compromise on so that will still have to stay in the budget. I found the best list of tips here and walked away with some ideas that I need to work on. Already with one month of just thinking about what we spend on food our bill has been reduced to $550. What was I throwing into the cart?

• Try to plan more dinners through the week.
• Make double batches of freezable meals.
• Have Breakfast for dinner once a week.
• Shop alone and take my time (when possible).
• Ask myself if I need it or just want it?
• Try new recipes.
• Use the food in my pantry instead of stockpiling it.
• Buy more individual foods, "ingredients".

Market bag from Happy Family.

Poking Around in Petaluma

My friend Nicole of deliajude and I took a wee-bit of a road trip up to Petaluma for a morning away to soak up some sunshine, inspiration, conversation and breakfast. We happened upon the lovely Tea Room Cafe which served up a mean chocolate croissant bread pudding, very "wicked" as my grandmother would say. Then we hit the Vintage Holiday Boutique where we met the very sweet Cathe Holden of Just Something I Made. A few purchases later we were out meandering the town for antiques and some new fangled goodies. Besides catching up with a friend, what I like about this kind of time away is that it's brain food. Yes, it may be consumerism and mindless window shopping and chit-chatting but it feeds my creative noggin and my soul. I need time to feast on new imagery, new products, new textures so I can come up with new ways of creating in my head. For me this kind of stimulation is pure bliss and creativity is my life's blood. So here's a little of what caught my eye.

Yet another twist on the advent calendar...