Coraline

Saw Coraline last night. It's been on my list for a while now, not because I enjoy seeing nightmarish - albeit visually beautiful - movies involving children but because an old acquaintance played a role in the production.

Her talent blows me away, and I'm so glad to see her involved in such a cool project!

When I say jump

Yesterday, after complaining that we haven't saved any correspondence or little notes to each other over the last eight years (you know, the whole love-letters-in-a-shoebox thing), I was delighted with Ryan's compensatory approach:


While it doesn't even begin to make up for the notes long gone, I think this is a good start!

Roadtrip to Boise

Went to Boise. Checked out the library. It was great to see built what I had drawn. Building will be complete in June or July.

I bring you more of Spring

This on my way into work this morning.

Spring sampler

What to say?

Easter has happened and boy was it good. And a perfect Spring Solstice segue into, you guessed it, Spring! And let me tell you, today is an especially beautiful Spring day. Just delicious.

I've met Kyan (rhymes with Ryan), Hilary & Victor's new babe. He is darling and looks just like his dad.

Sue has commissioned me for several more purse designs and I've been eagerly planning and plotting those. The woman has vision and amazing business sense, is all I can say.

This morning the windows and white cotton curtains are open and I can hear the metallic clink of baseball bats connecting with the ball out on the field across the street.

Last night we had dinner with the Cute Couple. They are neighbors of ours. We often find our car parked next to theirs, occasionally see them out and about (usually having coffee & dessert where we're having coffee & dessert), and say hello whenever we pass going to or from home. They remind us of Jess & Scott, the best neighbors ever. Anyway, we've been talking about meeting for dinner for a while now and last night we finally did. And guess what? She reads the last page of books too! There's strength in numbers.

Speaking of books, reading a great one right now. It was a book club book. Didn't get it read in time for the meeting but am really enjoying it now: American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld. Loosely based on Laura Bush, it is hugely entertaining and makes me love Laura, or at least the fictional version. Did you know she was a registered democrat when she met W.?

Recently I uncovered photos from myself that were taken about ten years ago. Me at prom, me in Washington DC, me at a sleep-over with girlfriends. It was shocking to see my more youthful self; in some ways I feel like I'm out-if-touch with that young, unselfconscious, zesty me. Photos to come.

I could go on here, but I think I'm going to go wake up my husband and get outside to enjoy the day.

Happy Spring!

Bingo bango bongo

Things are getting intense around here.

Spring has arrived, a surprise visit of sorts - the sunlight, warmth, blossoming, catching us all off guard. Its like we've forgotten how to be outside. Whatever the reason (couldn't be the long and grey and damp winter) I want to soak it up and get me a little sunshine while I'm at it. Hard to express, but it really feels too beautiful to enjoy.

Work has recently exploded into a flurry of activity, resulting in longer-than normal hours spent on the job. Not sure what this is a sign of (a turn for the better on the economic front? a turn for the worse on my productivity per hour ratio?) but I have a few hours to put in this weekend at the office and I'm overjoyed. But on a serious note, the office is sending me to Boise purely so I can see my first project in built form and I am excited beyond words.

Babies are sprouting up all over the place. Three new little ones, just this week, have joined our community. This is the most overwhelming bit. Whole new fresh tiny perfect little beings.

As for me, I am propelled forward by the momentum of the season. Good things are to come.

Anna Elizabeth

Perfect and adorable. I want to be there now.

An addition

We've got a new neice, born bright & early this morning! The girl is even an Aries, just like her Aunt Rebecca.

More details, and photos, are sure to come.

So excited to play aunt to such a cute bundle of kiddos.

Congrats to the fam. on the east coast - can't wait to see everyone!

Market dinner

Yesterday afternoon, after conducting some initial bicycle window shopping (more on that if purchasing bikes ever materializes), we headed over to Hawthorne to stroll about, people watch, and pick up some ingredients for dinner. On our way up to the new and improved Freddy's (Yosa's team within her office is responsible for the massively improved renovation), we were detoured by Pastaworks. This is where we ended up shopping for dinner; its just too stimulating in there not to be driven into a food frenzy. We had to buy something.

Straight to the cheese counter we went to sample and then select a most important ingredient! Then to the meat counter, again to taste & choose a complementary salami. Finally off to the olive case to, yes, conduct a very serious taste test before picking the perfect verdant olive (my vote for anchovy-stuffed was vetoed before I could finish uttering the words). I like to think this is how grocery shopping was done in the old days. Smaller stores, high-quality and in-season ingredients. Friendly staff happy to help you make the best purchase possible.

Back at home, we assembled the edible masterpiece, uncorked a bottle of Oregon Pinot, and settled in to our favorite OPB Saturday night television while a blueberry-pear crisp baked in the oven. Good times.

Now I want to repeat the process up at Pike's Place in Seattle, and then in Italy, OK?

A spring tote

I made a tote last weekend with fabric I've had on hand for a good while now. I was just waiting for the right dose of inspiration. And when it came, boy howdy!

The original vision was to make a bag suitable for visits to job sites, a bag that could carry a clip board, camera, hardhat, and a few other essentials. This bag does that.

But it also has potential as a picnic bag (with plenty of pockets for a bottle of wine, a cutting board for cheese, and a rolled up blanket). Or a carry-on tote for airplane rides. Or a grocery tote. Or just a plain ol' carry-it-around-with-you every-day kind of bag because, really, it goes with just about everything.

Plus, not to beat a dead horse here with my obvious new favorite bag, a co-worker noticed it is just as cute & useful turned inside out. Love it.