While I have huge admiration for the time and care that goes into a gorgeous garden, whenever living, green things get near me, they decide to give up the ghost.  I overwater, I neglect, I do exactly what the internets tells me to do–and still they go brown, drop leaves, and die.

Kristi of Not So Crafty, however, has this magic touch and I’ve admired photos from her garden for a very long time.  I’ve often been inspired by the rich colors of her flowers in addition to the amazing photography that provides such detailed, vibrant shots.  When I saw her sunflowers, I immediately thought of several beads I could use to try and replicate the deep reddish browns.  

This necklace was the result.

Subtly summer, I’d like to think.

I bought this hat shortly after the one and only time I fainted.  Granted, we had to take two ski lifts to get to the site of the wedding so the thin air as well as the heat may have had something to do with my passing out–but I swore I wouldn’t let it happen again.  Given that we had a trip to Priest Lake shortly after, I bought a hat from the gardening section of my local Fred Meyer and never looked back.

Because I had two events that were primarily out doors this weekend, I dug the hat out of it’s hiding place in the hall closet and wore it pretty much w

ithout taking it off.  And I’ll definitely be taking it as we head back to Priest Lake for the holiday this weekend.

No, I don’t mean the walk of shame you’re thinking of.

I mean the commuter walk of shame.  You know, sneakers, nylons, and some form of office wear that looks somehow ten times frumpier when combined with said sneakers.

Now that I’m walking to work, though, it’s a look I’m having to contemplate.

After spying these shoes, though, I think I might be able to bear it.

Perhaps it’s my love of Amelie, or perhaps, like Polaroids, the immediacy and spontaneity of photobooth pictures gives me an affection for the medium that bog standard digital photos won’t ever have.

Whatever the reason, it made me smile to read on Mingaling that they weren’t splurging on flowers or much else for their wedding–but the photobooth was a must.

Even better, because the Showbox has a photobooth, the boyfriend and I had just recently handed over our $3 for four discolored pictures before the Ladytron show started.  They didn’t turn out so hot but they still made me laugh.

Which, happily enough, reminded the boyfriend of the other photobooth pics we’ve taken.  All of these were at the old Cha Cha on Capitol Hill.  It’s since moved up the hill because its original location was torn down to make room for mixed use condos.

If only there were a place in our current neighborhood with one of the things.

The very first time I set foot in an H&M was in Amsterdam in 1999.  I’d never heard of it but my friend who was enjoying a year abroad repeatedly told me I’d love it.  She was right.

When H&M opened in Prague, I didn’t bother going for at least a month because I knew it’d be thronged.  By the time I did go, it was still insanely busy but it was very much worth it as it was one of the few places I could afford to shop on the wages I made there.  I still have a pair of velvet pants I bought there 4-5 years ago now.

I can’t believe it’s taken so long for the chain to come to Seattle.  And again, I’ll probably wait at least a month to go.  Maybe.

Pratishtha tapped me to do the summer music tag that’s been going around.  It used to be that my Sunday would include nursing a hangover and scanning music blogs for new bands and singers.  Lately though, between sick cats, house guests, cleaning the carpet and trying to fit in some sewing here & there, I’ve barely had time to listen to the music I have much less find new stuff.  So sadly, some of my choices aren’t that different than the couple of bands I named when I was last tagged.

Combat Baby – Metric

L.E.S. Artistes – Santogold

Just Fine – Mary J. Blige

Academia – Sia

Cappucino – the Knux

Kiss Kiss – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Say Aha – Santogold

All links will take you to YouTube videos.  And yes, Santogold is on there twice.  I think, if any album is going to define my summer, it’ll definitely be hers.

In our mail earlier this week:

Because I’d spoken with the hostess at a get-together earlier this month, I knew that the ‘country club attire’ request was a slight alteration from the white party she’d originally talked about throwing.  I know, I know–I might as well climb on a jet ski in St. Tropez while wearing a bath robe.  Unlike Diddy, no one will be ejected for not wearing white to this event.  The intention is much more tongue in cheek than that–hence (I’m assuming) the change to the attire request specifying ‘country club.’

And of course, even though it’s not until August, I had to start looking for a dress now.

To my surprise, this turned out to be quite a bit harder than I thought it could possibly be.  It’s summer & white is supposedly a popular color this year so I figured there would be plenty of options.  The options available however, leave a lot of be desired.

Of course, it’s always when you have something specific in mind that it’s impossible to find what you’re looking for.

Half of what I find seems to be chocha risky.  Given that we’re likely to be playing croquet and other lawn games, I certainly don’t want to worry about flashing people while bending over my mallet.

When not crotch-flashing, the dresses seem to land at the other end of the spectrum and look like tents.  Pretty, white eyelet tents with strategically placed pleats, but not anything I’d want to wear without having the excuse of eating for two.

The dresses that land in the middle of this REI/hooker spectrum are covered in ruffles and square necklines better suited for the peasant, boho look that really should have gone away two years ago.  I’m starting to despair of finding anything that suits the theme or suits me.

Proof that I have not abandoned my sewing machine.  True, there were a few weeks where the poor thing sat covered and untouched but plans were germinating, a custom order was requested and the moment I had time, I finally got my hands on the thing.


I was dying to combine the remainder of the seersucker I used in my apron top with the eyelet I seem to have a never ending supply of.  This simple fabric case/clutch is the result and is in the shop now.

Here’s a peek at the custom order that has since been mailed, a hoodie appliquéd with hexagons.  The handbag is currently being reworked from an old design and should be in the shop today or tomorrow. 

Probably tomorrow.

The Smithsonian has joined the Library of Congress in providing parts of their collection on flickr.  Unlike the Library of Congress, some of their images are contemporary being that they’re culturally relevant.  For me, these images courtesy of the National Museum of the American Indian, bring back a lot of memories.

The drums are what I remember most from the pow wows I used to go to…but the costumes are a close second.
Because I was too young at the time to have much money of my own, I never bought the amazing jewelry, clothing and other gorgeous crafts that are always available at pow wows.

I basically lost a Friday night to browsing these photos so don’t go to the Smithsonian’s photostream if you don’t have hours to spare.

New baubles added to the shop as of today.  Dominica–if only because these colors remind me of the few equatorial locations I’ve been.

Lourd Pietra, with little silver weights rescued from a decorative length of ribbon my mom gave me the last time I saw her.

And Vivianne Quartz, my favorite in their simplicity–and possibly a favorite because these milky quartz twists are one of my favorites in my stash.

You may be thinking I’ve abandoned my sewing machine but I promise I haven’t!  News on that front should be ready by the weekend.

Enjoy your Friday!

Emily Abigail tagged me this past weekend and part of this was drafted that day, hence the to-do list that reflects something more exciting than going to work, doing laundry and sewing.

1. What did you do 10 years ago?
Ten years ago I was finishing up my sophomore year of college, moving back down to Seattle from my small college town and preparing for a summer of work at Fircrest School.

2. Five items on your to-do list today:
1) Exercise
2) Tidy up
3) Drop 3 pairs of shoes off at Nordstrom Rack for repairs.
4) See Lisa Congdon’s show at Velouria.
5) Draft a couple of blog posts!

3. Snacks I enjoy:
Tortillas and hummus (I’ve never much liked pita).
Licorice.
Carobs & raisins.
(What can I say, my mom was a natural foods kind of person
long before Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods were known.)

4. What would you do if you were a billionaire?
Like Emily Abigail, I’d pay off my student loans, help my mom & her husband
finish paying for their house and probably buy property. 

5. Places I would live:  San Francisco.  Barcelona.  Victoria.  Seattle.

6. Bloggers I am passing the challenge onto are:
Anyone who wants to do this!

Dawn managed to snap a few shots at Lisa’s fantastic show.  It was wonderful meeting her and surreal to see the adorable Memphis, Soren and Jason in person after seeing so many great photos of all of them.  Lisa was equally wonderful, so gracious–with the best tattoos and jewelry.

The boyfriend tried to get me to sign up for a credit card (when I finally agreed to get one a year or two after returning from abroad) that had an air miles bonus.  It makes sense for him, given how much he travels for work & that he flies his mom out here once a year.  For me, however, I figured I might as well be realistic and get a card that earns some kind of shopping bonus.

Despite my realism, I’d completely forgot about this bonus until I got my 20 Nordstrom notes in the mail.  Unlike Macy’s or Banana Republic, whose cards earn you a discount only after a certain amount has been spent, this bit of paper could be used towards a purchase of any amount.  The only thing it couldn’t be used towards was my balance.

I know, I know, I’m a bit of a sucker.  While I initially thought about getting underwear or some luxurious chapstick that would be the equivalent of or less than the amount of the certificate, I of course found nothing so reasonable.  Instead, I bought these shoes.
In other shoe news, this tip from Sal totally works. I took my sneaks out of the freezer this afternoon & couldn’t believe their lack of funk.  Even better, they were nice & cool as I headed to the gym.

My love of silhouettes was established with one of the in this space.  However, this new, larger scale take on silhouettes took a moment for me to fully appreciate.

This cityscape necklace glimpsed on Etsy’s front page reminded me of how much I like one of the boyfriend’s many Threadless tees. 

The Stone Jungle design by Andre de Silva Cruz is pretty much always sold out–the boyfriend nabbed his during one of the rare reprints.  It’s popularity is apparently one of the reasons it was turned into a wall decal by blik.

Proof that even when you’re not a twig, it’s possible to look cute in a shift dress.

Via the Commodified.

While I’d made a point of printing out a list of shops in the Lexington area that were vintage and consignment, by the time we’d gone to the wedding, eaten breakfast in Louisville and headed back out I realized I’d forgotten the list at home.  Sigh.

So we ended up at a few Goodwills, which were entirely picked over and tried to go to the Salvation Army, which was closed.

After a conversation with a friend at the wedding, the boyfriend recalled a cool vintage shop in the Meadowthorpe neighborhood of Lexington called Pops.  The day we were set to leave, after a visit to the Lexington cemetery, we headed over there.

Finally, the jackpot!  The front of what looks like a deceptively small shop is dominated by albums, old video game systems and record players.  The back, however, is filled with vintage clothes.  The prices were on par with what you would pay in Seattle, which surprised me, but the selection was fantastic.

This top looked very 1940s and had the waist not been so tiny, I would have grabbed it.  Same with these boots, which I loved but would have never fit my feet.

For the one thing I did buy, you can take a peek here.

Adore this little painting, especially on a rare sunny day when the green of the city looks truly green and not just washed out & drab.

An original piece by Kermit Biggs, the flecks of gold and scalloped edges of color are lovely & happy in a way that isn’t twee or obvious.

& being 5 by 7 means ‘Dotty’ will fit even in the smallest spaces.

Happy Saturday all.

Our cat is so much recovered (though he’s still not voluntarily eating) that he jumped on the bed last night to sleep with us.  Today is my last day at my old job.  And I just hit 700 hearts in my shop.

That seems like enough reason to have a sale, don’t you think?

For one item, take 10% off.

For two items, take 20% off.

And for three items, yup, you guessed it.  Take 30% off.

Use the code celebrate when checking out and wait for your revised invoice before paying.

And happy Friday!

To all of you who asked about or offered nice thoughts on the cat, thank you.  He is much better simply because the boyfriend and I took turns playing nurse every hour on the hour–draining his nose with a syringe, dosing him with liquid food and pressing a warm compress to his face.  Though we’re sleep deprived, it’s more than worth it to see him on the road to recovery.

He’s enjoying the hot water bottle I got from Suzanne very much.

In other, more typical news, I received the next pattern I hope to attempt–though I’ve yet to decide on a fabric.

It’s my usual vintage size 14.  I imagine a stiffer weight of fabric would be more suitable for those pleats but I haven’t even had time to browse my usual online resources.  Maybe later, when I’ve had a little more sleep.

Warning: sappy post ahead.

One of the fantastic things about my boyfriend is that I never have to think about what he’s wearing.  His look is classic for work and also when casual (with his Cons & jeans.)  I know he’ll look good when he steps out the door.  Even the items where he gets playful never give me pause–if anything, they make me wish I had a reason to wear cuff links or that I was as hard on my wallets as he is.

Because if I was hard on my wallets, I could find a reason to replace them with things like this.

From the MoMA store, the boyfriend sent me the link to this wallet as the potential replacement for what he was currently carrying.  Because the link automatically takes you to the $100 dollar bill version, I initially thought that was the one he wanted.  When I told him I really liked the envelope version, he told me that was the one he ordered.

He gets comments on it every time he takes it out.  Now I just have to justify being one of those couples that matches.

Because the wedding was some distance from Lexington, a lot of people put up in Louisville for the night.  The suggested hotel, and where the bridal party stayed, was 21C.  A combination between gallery and hotel, the web site was instantly tempting:

21c Museum Hotel in Louisville, KY is the first of its kind – a 91-room hotel dedicated
to world class luxuries, Southern-style hospitality and contemporary art from living
artists. The hotel features a 9,000 square foot contemporary art museum funded and
managed by the International Contemporary Art Foundation.

You are surrounded by art the moment you walk through the door.  The lobby was filled with art; a video of a sleeping couple is projected onto the floor, a sculpture of a woman crawls along the ceiling, and even the elevator alcove features an interactive piece that I didn’t fully understand until someone started bouncing up and down next to me.

A camera in the wall captures the image of anyone walking by and the falling text moves with any action you make.  Stepping into the elevator found yet another piece, a visual illusion involving lights and mirrors that made it look as if the elevator shaft was lit within.

This is not to say that the rooms paled in comparison–they were modern and simple with plenty of space and wonderful, comfortable beds.  Of course, given the long day of heat and cicadas, all I wanted to do was try & capture a worthy submission for one of my favorite flickr groups.

Sorry for the lag in posts.  I was unexpectedly exhausted (probably from the heat) and ready to drop in the few hours I thought I could spend online.  After a two hour delay and reroute through Charlotte, we came home to find one of our pets incredibly ill.  2AM in the emergency vet’s office is not the time to be online so the rest of the Kentucky adventures might have to wait until the end of the week.