Bluebirdbaby

a trip up the coast

we ventured up the coast yesterday to visit some galleries, get some pizza and ice cream, and walk around with our cameras.

the little one was in a bit of a mood, but i was able to capture these images that pretty much said it all...

 

a sketch date with my girl

we spent a rainy friday afternoon sketching up in my studio. just the girl and i.

she drew horses, and i doodled. we giggled and had snacks and listened to tunes.

it was a perfect afternoon.

i just can't believe how big she's growing. and reading, and writing, and her pictures are blowing me away.

this growing up thing is crazy sometimes...

 

hope you're all enjoying your weekend! xo

traditions

more old film.

this is our after thanksgiving dinner tradition...a walk down the road. it's always much needed after all that food.

it was a sweet walk, i remember. and sweet to be with family again.

but really...i just love the light in these photos.

i hope you all have a happy weekend! i've been painting the living room for days...you'll never guess the color! (the little one is very happy about it...)

around

Shots from a roll of film last November. Just around the house. Nothing special. Just daily life. xo

food

We've been enjoying some simple meals around here lately. I always start the day with two fried eggs. Always. It is a rare occurance if I eat something else, and even then, I feel as if it throws my whole day off. Two fried eggs are like waking up on the right side of the bed for me. Plus, our chicken's eggs are amazingly delicious, and slightly addictive. Throughout the day I have numerous cups of PG tips (more than I care to admit here), and am usually snacking on chocolate here and there.

Lunch has been leftover soups, baked eggs, simple spinach salads with turkey and a pesto mayo dressing.

Dinners are always different. I love that. Last night we had a cutting board filled with crackers, chianti cured salame, manchego, olives, and quince paste. Oh, and a glass of French wine. Yum. Other nights it's Mexican with friends featuring local meat, homemade guacamole, and plenty of hot sauce. Then the next night could be a frittata with chard, prosciutto, and sheep's feta. And the little one loves homemade mac and cheese, which I make using goat cheddar and mozzarella, with lots of butter and salt.

Tonight I'm thinking of making this herbed flatbread. Grain free too. We still have jars of pesto I made last fall in the freezer. It's fun to use those every week and think of our once green garden.

What's been on your menu lately?

tea with lari

I had the pleasure of finally meeting a local artist I had met on flickr so long ago. We sat down to tea this morning in her lovely home, chatted about photography and art and travel, took some pictures, and then I got a studio tour.

Lari is so incredibly talented. I was inspired by her work and her eye, and I can't wait to meet up again. (In two weeks I'm getting a lesson! So excited!) Check out more of her work here, and see some originals for sale here!

Thanks again Lari! Can't wait for next time...

a simple meal

we enjoyed a simple meal over the weekend. this skillet rosemary chicken was amazing. easy to cook and so yummy to eat! what recipes are you loving this winter?

and the room is almost done! it's so exciting. i love the white. i am on the hunt for some really bold artwork now, and i'm considering having my friend draw something directly on the wall. blank slates are fun! up next is pickling the floor, then i'm moving on to the living room. can't wait to enjoy many dinners in this room when it's done!

happy tuesday!

 

gathering

We've been talking a lot about strengthening our social community for a year now. 2011 was the year of big bashes, lots of music and dancing, BBQs, bonfires, karaoke, and potlucks. This year, we have grand plans for simple entertaining; shifting the focus from large gatherings to intimate dinners and quiet evenings. I think we're all ready for this shift, and I'm excited to see what this year will bring.

To start, I've spent the week so far painting the new dining room. I'm almost done, which is very exciting...I've never painted for 4 days straight before. It's tough work! After the walls are finally done, the floor is next. Then the table will hopefully be finished and in the house, we'll be on the hunt for mismatched wooden chairs, although ideally I'd love folding chairs like these.

With the new dining room, we can gather with a few other couples, have a simple meal, and maybe follow that with some music making or game playing. We're so excited for this simple shift.

 

For the past couple of months, we've been starting this trend with various friends. Mostly to lighten the load of cooking everyday of the week...we've been spontaneously gathering at various houses to enjoy a meal prepared by everyone, with a single ingredient brought to use. It helps our budgets and we also end up having a good conversation, or delving into some kind of art project. It's always fun, and so mellow with no expectations or grand plans. I love that.

I'm looking forward to a mellow 2012, full of good food, good people, and good conversations! And I can't wait to show you all the finished dining room! I'm off to paint another coat...

xoxo

a girl's night

sandy left friday night for a weekend retreat. the little one found ourselves alone with 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 7 chickens. we called it a girl's night and had a feast of smoked salmon, goat cheese, quince paste, and kale chips. i sipped on wine and she slurped her kefir. we had fun, the two of us.

i'm currently spending my days working on photo stuff, doing some shoots, taxes, and painting the new dining room. it's been pretty busy. i just started feeling better a couple of days ago, but i still don't have my full energy back. it's good to breathing normally again though!

hope you all had a happy weekend!! xoxo

noticing

this sickness is definitely getting the better of me. everything is shifting, but not in a pleasant way.

i've been spending so much quiet time at home this week. and i am not normally a quiet person. it's been interesting to just relax, and be, and enjoy everything around me. i've noticed how much in this house i am grateful for on a daily basis. i love it all. it is home.

i have some exciting home improvements i was counting on starting this week,  but just like everything else, they have to be put off for a time when i am feeling better. and that's okay too. it just means i get to enjoy what we have right now a little bit longer...

and i'm off to start preparing a super special dinner for a super special man. sasa's birthday is today, and the little one and i are going to pamper him and feed him and shower him with gifts and love until he closes his eyes tonight.

happy birthday, my love. xoxo

sick as a dog

well, new year's did me in!

i've been sick as a dog since. sasa had this a couple of weeks ago and he said he is just now starting to feel better.

i took this picture in the late afternoon when i headed upstairs to take a nice long bath filled with eucalyptus oils. i've never noticed that light before. it was beautiful. definitely one of my resolutions to take more late afternoon baths in 2012.

what are your resolutions for this year?

Hello 2012!!!

We had a rockin' party last night. Stayed up way too late. Drank lots of wine and champagne. Danced. Sang. And had lots of fun in the photo booth...

There were close to 1,000 shots we took with the booth last night. I try to respect people's privacy, so here's a small sampling with most of the people you already know! What a great way to welcome in the year of 2012! Happy New Year!!!!

The Holidays

Well, Christmas was awesome. Really awesome. The little one got a kitty (a couple days early). The kitty is the sweetest thing ever. We had so much fun! Here are some pics from the day...

I hope you all had a great Christmas too! We are now prepping for our annual New Year's Eve BASH! Complete with photo booth, sequined everything, and lots of good music. Can't wait...!!

Holidaying

Well, I love getting things out in the open. Writing, processing, getting it all out there...it all helps in taking a step back and really observing the situation and how you'd like to proceed with it. Nothing has changed except my attutide about it. I've always made the best of whatever I'm given, but even with doing that I can still feel mournful for what I know could be. But, enough of that! It couldn't BE because it ISN'T! So I am making the best of what I've got while accepting that it's exactly what it is, and could never be anything else.

That probably sounds like much more nonsense all written out than it actually is in my head. But there it is. Thanks for being there through it all. This space is such a gift.

We've surely been making the best of our time this holiday season. Lots of baking, present making, cookie delivering, tree decorating, and holiday music singing (shall I mention the night the little one and I had an impromptu caroling experience? we skipped merrily while singing around the neighborhood like silly people in the dark!). And there are the things like the Christmas cards that will never be finished or even make it in the mail (how about New Year's cards?!), the tins of treats I wanted to make and deliver, the presents I can't afford, and all the rest that just aren't meant to be. And that's okay. Because with what we have, we are having so much fun with it. And that's the best.

I haven't even been capturing all our daily activities with my camera. Taking even a second away from those moments seems like too much. Sometimes I pull my iPhone out and capture the goodness. So above is all the goodness from cooking baking (twice!), packaging, delivering, and holiday cheer around town. We have been having so much fun...!

What have you been up to this holiday season?!

juliana

a shoot for my personal portfolio. check it out over here...

enjoy!!

The winner! and my studio! and some links!!

Thanks to all who entered the giveaway! Random number generator chose commenter #93, which would be....

Susan said...

oh my goodness... what NOT to choose?? i love the surprise bowls and cups, the mini mushrooms and the red birds on parade bowl, just to start. i will be back to visit this shop, for sure!!

thanks for helping me discover it and should i be so lucky to win.

 

Susan...I'll send you an e-mail! Congrats!

 

Have I ever shown you guys my studio space? I can't remember if I ever did. My gals affectionally refer to it as the "girl cave" where we have art night and chill. We have lots of fun up here. And I get a ton of work done too. Everyone is happy! Well, here it is...

 

My favorite corners?! The little one's horse wall (she has also drawn me amazing photos of cameras) which are mostly old except for the top right corner. I love that one. I also love my bookshelf under the window with all my art books. I love my plants. My inspiration wall is crazy and out of hand, but I love it like that. It's like a visual of the inside of my mind. Crazy and awesome all at once.

So that's where I spend my days working. I'd really like to paint the room, but I just didn't have time before moving up here. So it will stay this color for a while. It's growing on me. At night I always have candles going, and it's pretty cozy up here.

And here are some links I'm loving at the moment:

• i've never been into music like this before, but i am loving this today. feels like my mood at the moment. strong, confident, and a bit crazy!
• i love this beautiful selby film for ZARA. i want her glasses.
• finding her blog visually inspiring
• i'm painting the downstairs the next few weeks. can't wait to have a dining room like this!
• have you seen the new marcel?!! we were literally on the floor laughing...
• a friend suggested our annual new year's eve bash should have a dress code of sequins...i was thinking something like this
• inspired by her work and can't wait to meet up with her after the holidays!
• audrey's the cutest
• i want this print for our new dining room!
• this pic of maria's is amazing. the mood she captured is unreal.
• this looks like something i'd wear everyday
• this movie was amazing and so absolutely gorgeous. 

What are you loving my friends? Also, thank you for the super sweet and encouraging words on my post a few days back. They mean the world. You sure know exactly what to say. Thank you. xoxo