what is this....another musician that I enjoy releasing a new album in spring 2011?

Fiona Apple

doop doop

Who knew?

That drawing paper is sold by the roll. During my book making quest I have had a struggle finding paper that was in bulk and thick enough for sketching/drawing.

To my surprise this high quality paper is sold in bulk rolls for a decent price.

mmmm... paper.

Art Hop

 This is your very exclusive VIP sneak peak at the passport for the Temescal Winter Art Hop.. I know.. it's hard to imagine that you have lucked out this way.. that YOU are actually getting the first look! Well.. you are.

It's just like a real passport!

Inside you will see a list of participating businesses and galleries.Look!! there is even a place for the stamps.

On the back you will see a lovely map that will guide you to glory! Visit 10 places and enter the raffle to win original artwork! One of my books is a prizzzey.

Fancy posters were made too.

Nice eh? 

I didn't even mind the spelling error on the poster.. it's just so pretty it doesn't matter.

the nest

My nest or what I also call my command center... I rule the world from this couch at times, in fact I'm doing just that right now. I thought I would share where I spend many hours these days. The nest is so cozy and warm in front of the fire and it also harbors most of the important things I need while creating art and everything else. Yes, I still use my studio for things but it's a bit cold and not in front of the t.v. or fire.

I will be spending a lot of time in the nest today.. I woke up a bit nervous about the event. I have a lot to pull together before Friday. Not only my own art but everything else. The command center is littered with notes and reminders.

My other nest (my bed) has been helpful as well... what I mean by this is that I work out a lot of things in my sleep or half sleep. When I'm not dreaming super vivid dreams, I'm fixing things with brainstorming and solutions. Are you like this? I organize in my sleep as well and wake up with an idea of how the day should play out. Whether this happens or not is determined by if I keep thinking about it or write it down when I get up. I'm lucky that most things stick in my head.

eeeps.. I better get to work.

Thanksgiving 2010!! 

My mom and I worked all day in the kitchen and around the house getting it ready. Kitchen table had to go in the living room - the couch was pushed off to the other side of the room.

Another angle.. look at the green in the kitchen poking through.

swiss chairs adorned the kitchen for a moment.

I hung a picture... My little house is starting to become cozier and cozier and very, very me.

pre dinner spread. Yum!

Did you see my mantle?? it looks so good!!

I mean.. really look at it.

 My first turkey.. mom did most of the work but I helped. We stuffed our turkey with mandarin oranges.

I like making pies.. but my sister is the best! She makes the best pecan pie you have ever had. It's chocolate bourbon pecan pie!!

Penelope.. the terror.

Just the family!

On the menu:

Turkey

stuffing

mac and cheese

biscuits

yams

green bean casserole

mashed pots

cranberry sauce

gravy

bacon arugula salad

pie

I have so many leftovers it would make your head spin.

Now it's time to focus on wrapping up the show.. Oakland Under $100 is a week from today. I am also in another event the following weekend... and away we go.

Uhhh.. it's 36 degrees right now! whoa.. when I said that I wanted autumn weather I meant I actually wanted to enjoy a bit of it.. not jump straight into winter. brrrr!

Well.. nothing says winter better than going ice skating.. right? A friend of mine who is a reporter is doing a story about ice skating and asked if I wanted to go along. At first I said no and then I changed my mind. I have actually never made the effort to see San Francisco's union square around the holidays. I think one must take themselves out of their comforts and do different things, don't you?

It sure was crowded but a lot of fun.

Many, many very well dressed people were out. I'm not sure you can see it in this picture. Some kids clothes were probably the same amount as my car payment. eeeps! I almost felt like a tourist for a minute.

oooh...big Christmas tree.

Awkward self portrait of me in some pretty cool skates. What out! I'm fire on ice!

I had fun even though I like to take things slow on the ice.. not like my reporter friend who was going around corners like a pro.

Yesterday also marked the Lanesplitter holiday party.. I guess the holiday spirit is out in full force. I was just happy they had their party on a night where I could actually go and not worry about work the next day. People dress up in their best for this event. Here is my little Annie Hall inspired outfit.. my new hat was my true inspiration.

I took this picture to send my friend to see if the outfit worked. Isn't that funny.. I have one friend who I always consult about clothing decisions. I guess it's not to strange since I live alone but it is sorta funny.

Anyway.. it sure was a fun filled day and a good start to welcome the holidays.

gobble gobble! Happy Turkey Day!

Shut the front door!!!

PJ Harvey has a new album coming out in February 2011!!

Let England Shake

heeeeee!!

everyone loves a mini.

It's all cute and small waiting for it's binding. This is the smallest book I've ever done.


Isn't it the cutest little thing you have ever seen.. like it will fit right in your pocket. I envision someone either putting their quick notes in it or phone numbers or even munshkin drawings.

I'm starting to become a bit nervous about the show and pulling everything together... and me. I know I shouldn't be but I have a feeling this show will be the biggest I have done and have some sort of deeper importance. I actually have a friend to help me run things this time. Not only am I facilitating the show, I'm showing art, and dealing with the passports from the art hop. okay.. okay.. breathe.. It will be fine. aaaaahhhhh!!!

aaaaaaahhhhhh.... (me running around in circles doing a small nervous squeal scream with arms flailing about)

Okay.. all drama aside. I know it will be fine... Now where'd I put that xanax??

I've been busy getting everything wrapped up or together for the holiday. Nothing like a deadline to kick me into gear. Here is a list of things I did last night in no particular order.

-cleaned and organized the garage
-patched holes in the drywall in the garage
-finished painting the kitchen
-started pulling the tape off the walls in the kitchen to reveal a decent job with a little touch up needed.
-went to the store and picked up straggler items for the holiday
-stocked up on firewood for the week
-first coat of stain on mantle.. may need only one we shall see today.

I picked the stain color "black cherry"

All naked and waiting for stain.

the moment of truth...

and exhale.. I really like the color choice.

a little detail.


after the stain is completely done comes the tricky part.. getting it on the fireplace without a problem. I tried to put it on before I stained it and it's a bit tight. I'm afraid I will have to use a towel and hammer or rubber mallet to squeeze it into place.

fingers crossed it goes well.

New color in the kitchen. I'm interested to see what it looks like during the day. The photos make it look a little darker I think.


I still need to do second coat and then I'll do the trim. Wasn't originally going to do the trim but now seeing the new color, the trim just looks like plain crap. I'm also stripping the cabinets hardware back to the original glory. Both the the trim and detail of the hardware will make the room pop.

Overall.. I'm pleased with the color, it gives a certain sophisticated feel to a very shabby little house . I do think that it will take some time to get used to since my corneas were burned by the yellow.


In other news!!! I got my mantle back from my buddy Trevor. Holy cow is it nice! The wood is older than the house I live in. It's made from fir and is just awesome.



I need to stain it. Trevor was showing me how it would look with a very dark stain. Apparently fir stains differently than other wood. When using a natural stain or not staining it will give it a orangeish hue. Dark stains, like the one you see below give it a "tiger" style look. I think I'm going to go with a dark stain but not as dark as the one you see.

I LOVE the wood shop!! I finally got a picture of it. I love the way it feels, smells, and looks. Most of the machinery is very old, you can see the deco style details. Love that! Trevor says that the older the machine the better job it does.

They don't make things like they used to.. that's for sure.

I took the old mantle back as well. When I move from this house the lovely new mantle is moving as well. I will find another use for it.. maybe a shelf or.. it's to nice to just give to the ghetto house.

I got a new hat!

it's a soggy Saturday morning... There was a break in the rain when I woke up but now the rain is back and fierce. Today marks the first day of turning on my heat. I've mainly been having fires and putting on an extra hoodie.

Thanksgiving is being held at my house this year. I don't know if I'm happy, sad, stunned, panicked, or... well whatever it is it's here. So I'm trying to get my house in order this weekend and part of next week. What better project than to paint on a rainy day. This weekend is the kitchen makeover paint job extravaganza.. I know you may be thinking I'm crazy but it needs to be done. My ghetto house needs way more than just paint but it's amazing what a little paint can do.

I just recently had a Feng Shui consultation at my place by my friend Shannon who owns Fierce Feng Shui. I certainly learned a lot and I also learned that my kitchen is several different sections of the chart.. but the main area is that it is my wealth corner. I was going to repaint the kitchen anyway but this and Thanksgiving pushed me to do it faster. With the kitchen being the wealth section, Shannon suggested I paint it a nice green. She also said to be mindful of the color you choose.. like desert green. She said this will send the message that your wealth is like a desert. I have picked out my color.. Misty Green - It's a lovely light sage color. I'll keep you in the loop of how the Feng Shui is going etc. But for now.. here are some pictures of before and the first coat of primer done last night.

Although I do enjoy a nice warm yellow kitchen - This was to much. The color was overpowering and saturated.




On the way to greener days ahead..



I would be fibbing if I said I wasn't a little nervous about the green.. but I am. It's not the green it's just making sure I got the correct hue.. nothing worse than painting the whole thing to discover it's not the color you wanted.

I think I'm in love..

with this new book I made. I will have a very, very hard time letting this one go.


Can you tell any difference? It's really big! Full of lovely pages with textures.



I wanted to make one of my books very large - like it will never end. Like you could continue to use the book forever.



This book reminds me of new love. The beauty of it at first sight is breathtaking and maybe even overwhelming. You want to approach it but you're slightly intimidated yet there is a certain comfortable quality to it and you can't quite place it.



You finally decide to just go for it. You start slow and are taken back by the many layers and depth.



You soon realize that the more you pour into it.. the more mind blowing and glorious it becomes.. even in some rough or dark times. It now has become a part of you and you can't recall what life was like before it... the warmth is now with you forever even if you get to the last page.

But really... Look at the size of this book!! It's perfect!

As I said before.. this one may be to hard for me to let go of.

Music serenading me this morning with the rain:
The Section Quartet
and of course
Rachel's station on Pandora (you couldn't tell I'm into it.. could you)

Imitation is the highest form of flattery.... so they say.

more books!!

a stack of books.

Don't they give you that warm feeling like you want to pick them up and feel them.

new binding style.. you like?

Don't forget about the chickens.. they didn't forget about you.

and they study very hard in the restricted section of the library. (I hope you get my Harry Potter reference).

I'm trying to ramp up on as much art as possible before my mom is here for Thanksgiving. Dude.. where did this year go.. right? I have been picked to host our family Thanksgiving this year. I hope my family can survive the "ghetto"... and me. (I think it's the other way around)

Album tonight is:
Tsunami - A Brilliant Mistake

Now you make something..