ladaisi

Oh, Pinterest!

2012-02-10T04:19:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite morning rituals is to steal twenty-ish minutes for coffee and Pinterest. I use the blue coffee mug because it's the biggest one I own, not quite big enough to be American, but big for European standards (speaking of, why is it that Europeans prefer such small coffee servings? I go out for coffee and they bring me this dainty little teacup and I always feel like asking where its mother is, and why can't I have that cup instead). And then I sip and pin.

I should probably call this a guilty pleasure rather than a morning ritual. I don't usually have time for it, but, like Tim always says, you have time for what you make time. And, judging by the fact that my Pinterest account just informed me that I have 17 pinboards and over 3019 pins total, I think it's safe to assume that I make far too much time for this little hobby.

But I can't help it. I love my pinboards. They're what get my creative juices flowing.

A recent pin on The Occasional Feline Board.

Truth be told, I don't actually pin as much as repin. When I first got my account, I "followed" everyone I could find (don't you just love all the virtual terms we use these days? I'm following you - a vague way of saying I'm stalking you, or I stopped by your web-page once, I think). That way, whenever I log in, there are thousands of new things for me to see. Many thanks to all of you taste-makers whose inspirations I'm stealing on a daily basis. I love you.

Pinterest has everything. It's like flipping through an endless book of ideas, which you then get to organize into categories - a huge bonus if you're weirdly OCD like me.

It goes something like this: Oh! I need a teeny-tiny RV to park on a beach somewhere and what incredible photography and why is that model standing like that - nobody stands like that - and maybe I should paint something similar for my empty walls and I simply adore that Mason jar chandelier and Modcloth dress and artist who paints dream-catchers and sells them on Etsy for a living and oh-my is that dark chocolate cake really the size of the WHOLE WORLD and where can I get one and look at that yummy Cajun crab cake with jalapeno remoulade - I must make this! (Translation: Tim must make this; I must eat it. No really, I started my Food Board because I thought the pictures were pretty. And then Tim found it and is now using it as a cookbook. Which makes me oh-so-happy. Tim actually just started his own Pinterest account. I think it's because I make him look at all the things I pin anyway. Especially my Outdoors Board because it is full of places I want to go.)

You can see how this could get out of hand.

And before you know it, twenty-ish minutes becomes a collective hour or two of stolen moments all day long. But I think the trade-off is acceptable. I lose a bit of time that should've been spent populating a boilerplate or writing or doing the laundry (joy), but I get an endless variety of creative ideas in return! So. It all works out in the end.

And on that note, I've got to go. I'm out of coffee.

Good Lord, What Have I Done?

2012-02-09T05:01:00.001-05:00

Hush little baby, don't say a word ...

It's nice to know, after hours of toddler madness wherein you suddenly realize you read too much Calvin and Hobbes while pregnant and unwittingly transmogrophied your child into Calvin's duplicate, that peace will eventually come in the form of nap-time.

We've Made It To The Coastline

2012-02-08T01:31:00.000-05:00

It snowed the last few days ...

And the fjord froze over.

Wake up to the sound of your fleeting heart
Wake up to the sound of your fleeting heart
When you go, what you leave is a work of art
On my chest, on my heart ...

She went out to the hay in the morning grace
She went out and got lost in a tall hedge maze
Where'd you go? Where'd you go? Why'd you leave this place?
On my heart, on my face

And my love is yours but your love's not mine
So I'll go but we know I'll see you down the line
And we'll hate what we've lost but we'll love what we find
And I'm feeling fine, we've made it to the coastline

Ooh, ooh, ooh ooh ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh ooh ooh

Past all the signs of the slow decline
Live like your love wasn't meant for mine
Now you've gone, now you've gone to a different life
To the loneliest side

Wake up to the sound of your fleeting heart
Wake up to the sound of your fleeting heart
When you go, what you leave is a work of art
On my chest, on my heart

And my love is yours but your love's not mine
So I'll go, but we know I'll see you down the line
And we'll hate what we've lost but we'll love what we find
And oh, I'm feeling fine, we've made it to the coastline

Ooh, ooh, ooh ooh ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh ooh ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh ooh ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh ooh ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh ooh ooh

{Featherstone - Paper Kites}

.. Which, incidentally, has nothing to do with this post.
I was just listening to the song this morning.

Monday Amenities Post 14

2012-02-06T00:31:00.000-05:00

A CREATIVE LINK-LIST

{ Things I've been pinning lately ... That I kind of love }

♥

This black and white photograph
This dream-catcher
This bedroom
This beach house
This cloud-concept illustration
This painting by Pavel Guzenko
This vine peace wreath
This felted textile succulent
This ceramic-tile floor
This vintage banana crate
This test-tube chandelier
This silk paper flower tutorial
This wood-panel table (diy)
This hairstyle chart

This bohemian tree-house

This tuffet collection
This seafood salad with lemon
This dark chocolate crepe cake
This colorful door series
This funky caravan
This basket swing
This quote
This faust-like feline
This photograph that could've been my family

Also, you simply must watch this:

Marshall Soulfoul Jones
- Touchscreen -

A friend of mine recently posted this on fb and it too good not to share.
I do so love the irony.

...

Happy Monday!

I am in serious need of a dream catcher.

2012-02-04T05:10:00.000-05:00

Lorelai: I had the weirdest dream last night. We were in our house but it wasn't our house, it was a Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Rory: I'm hooked.
Lorelai: I had to get dressed but my clothes were in the back and the guy manning the giant oil vat would not let me through.
Rory: That's so weird! When you said oil vat that just reminded me I had this dream last night. We were swimming in a pool, only it wasn't water it was like oil or honey or something.
Lorelai: Hey, you totally did the thing! Where one person is describing their dream and it reminds the other person about their dream and suddenly it's all about their dream and the first person is just standing there like 'Um, hey man what about my dream?'

Yes, I have been listening to Gilmore Girl reruns while working this week.
Incidentally, I also had a really weird dream last night.
Which I am now going to tell you about (my apologies in advance).

It all started at this little St. Andrew's cafe on Guernsey Island. We were sitting outdoors, having crab cakes (which we actually did last April, and they were the best crab cakes I have ever had). After we'd left the cafe, I realized I'd lost my sunglasses and would have to go back and find them (even though I don't actually like those sunglasses - why do these things never occur to me in my dreams?).

Naturally upon re-entering the cafe it immediately transformed into a giant white mansion of a building in western North Carolina (reality has no place in my dreams. Or geography, apparently.) The building was incredible: white and spacious and beautiful, and, like Howl's moving castle, it continued to expand as I wandered around in search of those stupid sun glasses. At some point I actually forgot I was looking for them at all, but by then Isaac had dumped a huge box of practically invisible toys into the carpet and I spent the remainder of my life trying to clean them up (an actual fear of mine). Tim, of course, went off to fry some chicken in the kitchen (?).

As I wandered around (I apparently forgot about the sunglasses and the toys), I realized there were people of all nationalities coming and going from the building, buying and selling merchandise, eating, working, watching TV. I had a conversation with an old woman that went something like this:

Me: ""What is going on here? This is the weirdest house I've ever seen!"
Old Woman: "Do you see that other house, across the courtyard over there?"
I looked up, and there, on a huge white balcony, was a very classy gray-haired woman in a long black dress throwing a fancy little dinner party with harps and cocktail waiters and funny looking hors d'oeuvre. "Uh, yes," I said.
Old Woman: "She owns both these buildings. Her husband left her the property when he died, and she turned it into a little city. It is now known as the tri-county area."

Of course, I was entirely satisfied with this answer (makes perfect sense, no?), or perhaps I was too tired to care. Whenever I am tired in my dreams, I tend to walk around with half-mast eyes (no really, they are actually half-mast, I can barely see and am always bumping into things), and have trouble listening or articulating. It's incredibly inconvenient, especially when your family is waiting for you in the car (because they are going to the beach) and you can't seem to walk the three feet between the bathroom and the front door no matter how hard you try so they leave without you. I hate it when that happens.

I decided it was high time to go retrieve my husband. I didn't want chicken anymore so there was really no point in him cooking that much anyway. Of course I had to stop on the way and buy this giant square tapestry that a little Arab boy was selling at his kiosk (Well, what kind of dream would it be if I didn't try to buy a tapestry?!)

"Oh, this is absolutely perfect for my living room in Denmark!" I said, stopping to stroke the fabric. (Apparently I still live in Denmark, even though I am in the NC tri-county area).
The Arab boy glared at me and snapped, "HEY! Don't touch my stuff!"
"But I want to buy this," I said.
"MOVE ALONG!"
"Can I come back and buy it, then?"
"NO!"

As he was literally shouting at me, I figured I should leave. But only after casting a nasty side-long glance at his father and uncle, the two Arab men sitting on a park bench not far away. They'd apparently decided to make the kid sell their wares and watch from a distance, only they were clearly not paying enough attention to notice that he wasn't actually selling anything at all, the little brat.

(Huh, I'm still abnormally upset about this. And I don't even like tapestries. Weird.)

After that, the whole evening was a bust. I ran into two guys trying to fix a stereo system they had broken, then I tried to steal a plastic toy and had a stroke of conscience and put it back, then I ran into one of my parent's old friends who I hadn't seen since I was like nine (who was buying her weekly groceries, what else), and she told me that the entire building was designed by Tim's old boss, and then I found Tim and we left the madhouse and Isaac turned into a cat.

And then, thankfully, I woke up.

On that nonsensical note, I must leave you. We've made plans. We are going (drum roll please) outside.

Tim just said:

"Okay, I don't want to frighten you, I just want to warn you: it is nine degrees out there."

(He just looked over my shoulder and saw me typing that and walked away in a huff. He is convinced the entire purpose of my blog is to mercilessly mock him. So I told him: anything you say on the record can and will be used against you!)

I love you, honey. ♥♥♥

That's Very Richard Simmons Of You

2012-02-03T01:41:00.000-05:00

Good-morning.

I have been up since 4:30 AM. I've had a weird case of insomnia for two months solid, which basically means that I get a three-hour benadryl-induced sleep each night, and then wake up at four-ish. Worse still, the sleep is accompanied by very weird dreams, which means I usually wake up tired and confused. (Why exactly were we swimming in a large vat of oil?)

It is now 7:30 AM. I have cleaned my entire house, completed a forty-minute work-out, showered, done some reading, checked my emails, spent an oh-so-brief amount of time on Pinterest, had breakfast, and am now drowning myself in coffee because I am about to open A Behemoth Donor Data Project that I may not finish before I die.

Today is going to take a lot of coffee.

Which naturally makes me think of the Gilmore Girls ...

... So I'm going to paste up a few of the best coffee quotes from the first season

(lucky you).

Lorelai: Please, Luke. Please, please, please.
Luke: How many cups have you had this morning?
Lorelai: None.
Luke: Plus...
Lorelai: Five, but yours is better.
Luke: You have a problem.
Lorelai: Yes, I do.
Luke pours her coffee.
Luke: Junkie.
Lorelai: Angel. You've got wings, baby.

Luke: So what'll you have?
Lorelai: Coffee, in a vat!

Lorelai: I already had the longest day of my life and it's only ten o'clock.
Luke: There's no coffee.
Lorelai: That's not funny.
Luke: I can give you herbal tea.
Lorelai: This is not an herbal tea morning. This is a coffee morning.
Luke: Every morning for you is a coffee morning.
Lorelai: This is a jumbo coffee morning. I need coffee in an I.V.
Luke: I can give you tea and a balance bar.
Lorelai: Please, please, please tell me you're kidding.
Luke: I'm kidding.
Lorelai: You're sick.
Luke: Yep.
Lorelai: You're a fiend!
Luke: For here or to go.
Lorelai: To go please.
Luke: You want to know what this stuff does to your nervous system?
Lorelai: Do you have a chart? Because I love charts.

Lorelai: So, I brought us some coffee.
Rory: Why, I'm shocked.
Lorelai: Triple caps, easy foam. If that doesn't work, we'll stick our fingers in a light socket.

Max: Okay, Okay, um, how about coffee? Do you like coffee?
Lorelai: Only with my oxygen.

Lorelai: Luke, that is an exceptionally good batch of coffee.
Luke: Yeah? I added a little nutmeg.
Lorelai: That’s very Richard Simmons of you.

Lorelai: Rory, honey, love of my life, you realize you’ve completely cut us off from Luke’s, where the happy coffee is.
Rory: I’m sorry.
Lorelai: No, it’s okay. Okay, we’ll just um, well, we’ll figure something out.
Rory: Sorry.
Lorelai: No, this is good. This is like ‘G.I. Jane’ but we get to keep our hair.
Rory: I just couldn’t.
Lorelai: Oh honey, say no more. Think of this as an adventure. Two girls battling the elements, desperate for survival.
Rory: Or coffee.
Lorelai: Same thing.

Rory: Just have a lot on my mind.
Lorelai: Anything I can do?
Rory: Flag down the coffee.
Lorelai: Arm going up now. Honey, you gotta wake up!

I Have Not Yet Managed to Kill My Plants

2012-02-01T02:35:00.002-05:00

Happy February!

Just thought I'd write a little January review, as tribute to the month-long Monday that most people dislike and many would prefer to vote off the calendar altogether.

It's been chilly, there have been snowfalls, and the fjord is partially frozen over into three lovely shades of blue.

The view from my living room windows of the cathedral and fjord.

The foliage has turned brown and white,

although underneath that soft layer of snow

there is some seriously hard-core grass that is still green.

On sunny days, at noon, I can sit in my living room, close my eyes, and pretend it's summer. Because I live on the top floor and my apartment has windows for walls, I can almost convince myself I'm at the coast.

I started up another glass bottle collection, like the one Tim and I have in our storage unit in Georgia. Somehow it makes me feel a little closer to home. I only have four bottles so far, but I hope the collection will eventually take over the entire windowsill. There is something so peaceful and inspiring about the way light plays on glass ... it makes me want to paint.

This month, I finished a series of sketches that may be the beginning of an etsy shop, as soon as I find a scanner and printer (someday I fully intend to have my own: the Superhero Scanner-Printer Duo that does not have mind-numbingly stupid technical difficulties, cannot run out of ink, and will never require Tim to say, "Huh. Let me just play around with it," - famous last words that always precede The Grand Fiasco in which Tim takes apart the entire device and then begins repairing it by a process of elimination that swallows up enormous amounts of time, energy, and money, only to discover that the thing is essentially unfixable and we have to buy a new one, or duct tape it back together. Don't tell him I said that).

I also mailed out the children's book to six different literary agencies. I have only heard back from one so far: my first rejection. It was fairly generic (my thoughts in red):

.... Unfortunately, this project isn't a fit for me or the agency (why, why, WHY?). As you know, these decisions are highly subjective (please for the love of all things happy, EXPOUND on this!), and another agent may have an entirely different opinion (you're killing me slowly). After all, it takes just one "yes" to find the right match (and thus, with a sigh, she died)...

Etc., etc.

That's okay. I shan't give up!

In other news, I've started homeschooling Isaac. Unfortunately he's been wait-listed for the nearby preschools and they're telling me it could be May before there's an opening, so we're on our own for now. Since he's only four, that basically means minimal time (or less, depending on his attention span) of alphabet, colors, counting, reading stories, making puzzles, and building things with blocks (which he promptly knocks over). Last week, I taught him how to write his name. He has trouble with the 's.'

This is Tim reading a bedtime story to Isaac.

Or rather, I should say making up a bedtime story for Isaac.

Since it's a library book and we can't read Danish,

we make up all the stories.

Sometimes they're quite odd ...

... As you can see ...

By Isaac's expressions.

Also ~~unrelated:~~ this month we bought some furniture. A gray couch, a white table, benches, and a pallet-board coffee table (which is currently in sore need of four wheels and a glass top). And it was about time, too. We owed several people long-overdue dinners, and I say overdue because the polite period between when you are invited over to someone's home and when you invite them to your own home in return had long since lapsed (according to Miss Manners), the reason being that we had no seats and three forks. Subsequently, the month of January transformed us into semi-adequate hosts. We've had five or six dinner parties thus far. These are my new coffee-cups, which I love because the pattern reminds me of sea biscuits:

Also ~~unrelated:~~ I went on 'happy' pills to help with my seasonal depressions, and they've finally started kicking in. I am much less prone to the depths of despair (as Anne would say). Also, my doctor says 'receipt' whenever she means prescription, which I think is kind of charming.

Also ~~unrelated:~~ someone gave us a Danish coffee-maker. It's huge. And quite intimidating to look at, but the main thing is it makes a lot of coffee. What's more, I just discovered that you can't buy American-sized coffee filters in Denmark and I've only got six left. No, five, because I had a coffee-grind-incident this morning and thus the stuff I am currently drinking is twice-filtered. Also I ruined the cream carton. I keep telling Tim that he has got to open those things as soon as he buys them, that way I don't a chance to try and open them myself. Because when I open them, they become perfectly useless. Big gaping holes from which it is impossible to pour anyhing. (This may be one of the things Tim likes least about me: my inability to open anything in the correct fashion.)

Also ~~unrelated:~~ I found a dog I love. We'd happened upon it a few months ago, locked up in a little yard by itself and in sore need of petting. Surprisingly, it's still there. I'm sorely tempted to pull off a heist and keep it in my apartment.

So there you have it. My January. I've got to say, I accomplished much less than I thought I would (as expected), but the main thing is ... my boys are happy, my house is clean, I got a pay raise, the book I'm reading is wonderful, my favorite pants have not yet fallen apart (despite the fact that they are kneeless and holey and covered in paint and coffee stains and don't actually fit me anymore because of the weight loss), my hair is growing back out, and I have not yet managed to kill my plants.

{ January, a perfect success. }

... how was yours?

The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin

2012-01-31T01:09:00.000-05:00

This morning I stood at my kitchen window (while making coffee, of course), and watched a tiny red squirrel with tufts for ears crawl into a hole. Naturally the hole was some kind of vent in the roof of the opposite building, which, incidentally, is just like my building. The good news is, I no longer think those strange nibbling and scurrying noises I hear at night are my neighbors. At this point I probably should not admit that I periodically imagine them dawning Sendak-inspired Wild Thing costumes, prancing about into the wee hours, and gnawing at pipes and things. (And if you think that's awkward, try running into them during the day and realizing - with shock, no less - that they actually look quite human!) Oddly enough, this imaginary ballet frightens me much less than The Thing That Lived in My Attic in Georgia (you can read about it here and here). Whatever that thing was, I would've happily traded it in for a nice little family of fuzzy red squirrels.

... with tufts for ears.

photo source

Monday Amenities Post 13

2012-01-30T01:31:00.000-05:00

A CREATIVE LINKY-LIST

A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something.

... Frank Capra ...

ART :

Catherine Campbell Portfolio.
I love this artist.
(see above illustration)

BOOK :

I am currently reading the Flavia de Luce Book 4: I Am Half-Sick of Shadows (said the Lady of Shalott ... the title alone should bring thrills to all Tennyson and Anne-with-an-E enthusiasts). I started it last night and I could hardly put it down long enough to write this post. For the rest of the week (or until I've finished), I'll be perfectly useless. All that to say ... you simply must read it.

Other blog posts pertaining to this beloved series:

Flavia de Luce : A Book Review

Pie

DIY :

Plumber Bookshelves.
Must have this in the coffeehouse.

Beaded Bubble Wands.
I just think they're pretty.
Could be fun for a picnic, or a beach wedding.

Swallow Mobile.
Love.

FOOD :

Cherries. Pretty, with minimal preparation. Basically perfect.

Maggie Austin Cake Design.

Gorgeous.

Frozen Banana Bites.

Need I say more.

Martha Stewart 43 Pizza Recipes.

YUMMM.

MOTHER NATURE (and architecture):

Dornob.

An entire website filled with tree-houses, boat-houses, green homes, and urban design.
May I just say: SQUEEEEEE ♥ !

MUSIC :

My latest obsession is Walk off the Earth.

{ I love them }

Especially the Gotye cover that got over a-bajillion you-tube views.

{ I'm listening to it right now, actually }

PINTEREST :

I made a new Pinterest board
(because clearly I need to spend MORE time on that site).
You should check it out:

So Apparently I Have A Mild Chair Obsession

source

STYLE :

It snowed last night, so naturally I just found a bunch of summer clothing that I want and need (need being used in the loosest sense of the word). For example:

The Lory Dress: a lightweight striped maxi that I would never spend $242 on.

This incredibly cool t-shirt fringe scarf (above), that I will definitely be making.

This little black dress with lace which is unavailable

because some feather-brain didn't add the original link.

This adorable bathing suit.

(Again with the link thing, people. How am I supposed to spend money I don't have on a bathing suit I don't need if I don't know where it's from? The eternal question yet again!)

These Corduroy Vans, in a different color.

(And speaking of shoes, aren't these the ugliest shoes you've ever seen?

They look like they were made by a rhinestone-obsessed llama who hates feet.)

And of course, this Vintage Blanket Hobo Bag

(which I will never own because I need other things ... like a car.)

WEBSITE :

The Dog-House Diaries.

A web-comic series written by three singularly funny guys

obsessed with sandwiches.

Be prepared to waste considerable time here.

Two final thoughts before you leave:

source

and also :

... Your day will go the way the corners of your mouth turn ...

Happy Monday!

Book Post Series: Polly, of This Enchanted Pixie

2012-01-27T02:49:00.000-05:00

This week's review: Polly - This Enchanted Pixie

ABOUT :

An English girl-and-homeschooling-mama living in Wales with her Mr. and three children. Likes art, crafting, thrifting, music, and dance.

BLOG

ETSY

TWITTER

FACEBOOK

PINTEREST

What book(s) made the biggest impression on your life?

To Kill A Mockingbird. It taught me to judge people as individuals and not as a group and I learned that while there is (and will always be) injustice in this world, that every so often it is defeated by a greater application of justice and fairness.

What five books would you recommend to a stranger?

Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton

The Time Travellers Wife by Audrey Niffennigger

Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk

Letter To My Daughter by Maya Angelou.

Have you ever bought a book for the cover alone?

Um, more than once!! I have mulitple copies of some favourite books just for the covers!! One of my favourites is this edition of Alice In Wonderland - and nope – I can’t read Spanish!!

Where do you usually buy your books?

There’s a great little second hand bookshop/cafe nearby that I love to browse – it has hundreds of wierd and wonderful books! If I want a specific book I usually buy from Amazon.

Do you have any favorite children's books from your childhood?

The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Bylton – I spent so many hours enjoying all their magical adventures, and wishing I could do the same! My eldest daughter loves it too and I’m currently reading it to my five-year-old.

What's on your reading list for 2012?

Harry Potter – I have never read any of the books, but my eight-year-old discovered them last year and is desperate for me to read them!

Do you like to read books out loud?

I do – thankfully I have kiddos who love to be read to, so I get to do it often!! They think it’s hilarious that I read out loud to myself though!

Do you ever listen to books on tape?

I tried a few times, but i always seem to fall asleep :/

What is your favorite reading spot?

Curled up in my wicker chair, with the fire roaring.

If you could be a character in any book, who would you choose?

Cecile from Bonjour Tristesse – I read and reread this book as a teenager so many times and imagined her life as mine!

...Thanks, Polly!

An American Family

2012-01-25T02:24:00.000-05:00

We were up far too late the night before last, eating and watching movies and dancing to YouTube videos. Also Tim took some orangey-looking photos of me and Isaac.

... And it occurred to me what an odd little family we could be within the next couple years. Picture this: my scientific nerdy husband who probably works in a government lab, myself, the artsy boho running a coffeehouse, our little redhead son, and some Asian kid (or whoever we end up adopting).

I think it sounds almost perfect.

And it reminds me of this quote from You've Got Mail, where Joe Fox is explaining his somewhat-peculiar familial quirks to Kathleen Kelly, and sums up by saying, "We are ... an American family!"

... Well, I hope it happens.

Monday Amenities Post 12

2012-01-23T02:23:00.001-05:00

... A Creative Link-List ...

You may recall my having mentioned a certain little book-related tumblr last week?

... F### Yeah Book Arts ...

Well, I have become singularly obsessed with this tumblr since,

and am going to dedicate the entire Monday Amenities this week

to my favorite links from the first hundred pages or so.

You can either click on them here, or visit the original website and browse.

You won't be sorry, I promise.

I Will Do One Thing Today Notepad

Shredded Book Art

Book Art by Pierre Ceriano

Poetic Justice Gun Insert

I love to Read by Penguin Books

Paper Tea-Cups

Paper Trail by graphic artist Ian Wright

Book Ski Landscape by Kyle Kirkpatrick

Book of Butterfly Life by David Kracov

Comic Book Farming

Vending Machine Printing Press

Daisy Book

Things I Wish I'd Said

A Christmas Book Village

Envelope art by Cui Lunn

I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone

Raised Print by Mar Arza

Clamshell Book Sculptures by Odelae

Book Page Dress by Katie Rose Cottage

Maurice Sendak Globe by Wendy Gold

The Chromatic Typewriter by Tyree Callahan

The Library Phantom (she leaves paper sculptures in Edinburgh)

Animated Heart by Jamie Caliri

Many Thrilling Book Adventures

Miniature Books by Wirrow

The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories

Staggering Book Installations

Sara Burgess Paper Cut

Peter Callesen's Paper Art

James Jean's Figure Studies

People Cut From Books, Folded Into Scene

The Small Times, A Mini Newspaper

The Books Move When Nobody's Looking

... Hope you loved these!

Self-Inflicted Hibernation

2012-01-21T09:41:00.000-05:00

I am not smiling in that first photo.
I am trying to get my tears to unfreeze.

Today brought snow to Denmark.

I should have been more prepared, I'll admit. It began snowing earlier in the week. I could see it starting to come down and fervently tried to ignore it (I spent two hours pinning photos of beach houses on Pinterest), but then Tim came in and said, "WOW! The snowflakes are as big as my head!" After that I lost all touch with reality. (I live in a nice little state of denial every November through March, which is why it comes as such a nasty shock to me when I am forced to venture outside my apartment and realize it is not, in fact, the middle of summer.)

And then Saturday came, with overcast skies, white snow, slushy slippery streets, and the worst kind of wind in the history of all winds: biting, slicing, kung-fu-category wind. Seriously, if it weren't for the wind, I might not mind a Danish winter. It gets just as cold in Georgia and I survive that. I strap myself to three space-heaters and if I ever have to go outside, I only walk the three feet between my front door and car. That way, I don't have to actually dress for the weather. Of course, I don't have a car here, so my summer wardrobe (sun-dresses, flimsy tank-tops, what have you) is completely useless to me.

But even when I am at my smartest (sweater, fleece jacket, Land's End snow coat, stockings, jeans, two pairs of wool socks, a huge scarf, a hood, mittens, and my hiking boots, and yes, for those of you who know me well and are now thinking 'Yeah right, Lauren's never worn that much clothing in her LIFE,' I DO wear it in Denmark), and I am STILL COLD. Because of the wind.

For the first time in my life I wish I was fat (naturally after moving here I lost an unnecessary 8.5 lbs and am now the skinniest I've ever been), or owned a big huge shaggy dog (so he could periodically sit on me when I lose feeling in my arms and legs), or could grow a nice heavy-duty beard to keep my face warm, at the very least. But nooooo. I'm considering ordering one of those full-coverage arctic sleeping bags (with the hood), and just hopping around everywhere I need to go.

And if you think that would make me look silly, picture this: Here comes the short American who lives on the third floor, bundled to the nines like a big round thing that would probably roll if kicked, bravely venturing outside her front door into the horrid cold. Oh, nope, wait, a mere three feet from the door she stops, starts screaming RETREAT! RETREAT! and then runs back inside her building, full force, leaving her small child behind. This happens five, six more times that week, and then finally she disappears forever. She may have died up there on the third floor, and you'll never know.

... It's either that or I'm getting on the first bus I see, and I will stay on it forever or until it dies, whichever comes first.

Lucky Little Isaac hasn't got this problem. He's like his dad. He is his own, fully-functioning space heater (the one piece flight suit doesn't hurt, either). By the time we've walked a mile, he just starts peeling off layers because, get this, he doesn't need them. Some lady in the library the other day started yelling at me in Danish, and I turned around to see that my kid had been leaving articles of clothing behind him all the way through the courtyard and foyer, and well into the children's section - a hat here, a glove there, a shoe ... somewhere (where is that thing?). I suppose she was too polite to just approach me and say, "Hey lady, your kid is shedding."

Now, whenever we enter any place of business, we must immediately say, "Isaac, do not take off your clothing." ... And sometimes Tim will add "Or your mother will wear it herself."

That having been said, I am going into self-inflicted hibernation.

I will resurface in the spring, or sometime next July.

Goodbye, world.

Other Blog Posts About Being Cold:

Hypothermia: Subnormal Temperature

Happiness Is A Space Heater

Ode To A Summer Dress

One Dr. Zhivago Hat, Please

And yes, for anyone who asks,

I am still thinking of getting one of these.

Even if my family disowns me for it.

(And even if I can't quite figure out how to get it on.)

(source for the what's-it-thingy)

Book Post Series : Caitlin, of To Make Love Stay

2012-01-20T02:23:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned before, I'll be putting up the occasional guest-post book-review throughout 2012. That way all of us book-lovers get lots and lots of new recommendations ... plus a chance to write about the books we love most! Let me know if you're interested in participating!

This week's review: Caitlin - To Make Love Stay

ABOUT :

Caitlin loves Rob (her husband), Cypress (her beast), tattoos, travel, photography, reading, blogging, and lilacs (among other things ... )

BLOG

TWITTER

FACEBOOK

GOODREADS

What would you consider your favorite book?

It's a tie between "Skinny Legs and All" by Tom Robbins and "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote.

Why is it your favorite book?

Interestingly they are two very different books.

"Skinny Legs and All" is a tie for favorite for a few reasons; first, the descriptions are absolutely stunning if not completely baffling. Second, the kind of wrench that Tom Robbins throws into traditional concepts of faith, religion, sexuality and femininity is unlike anything I've come across in literature. He gave me an entirely new perspective to the Abrahamaic religions and how the organized arms of those religions have historically and systematically destroyed the idea of the divine feminine, spirituality, and natural human sexuality. He also writes extensively of love, and of truly loving who you're with and appreciating who they are. It's all fiction/satire but he does it absolutely seamlessly. Tom Robbins has totally rocked my world in every book but "Skinny Legs and All" really takes the cake.

I really enjoy "In Cold Blood" because of how Truman Capote lays out an absolutely true crime account almost as fiction. I find myself riveted every time I read it, though I know how it ends, having seen the movie and read the book a zillion times. What I also like about it is that Truman Capote writes in such a way as to make allthe characters sympathetic, including the two men who murdered in cold blood (ha, see what I did there?) four innocent people.

How did you find it?

My mom recommended the first, and I sought out the second after seeing the movie "Capote" in class.

Do you use a Kindle?

I bought a Nook, and now I use the Nook app on my iPad primarily.

Do you like it better than actual books?

I don't think the two are really comparable other than books get read. I like having the nook/iPad because I can carry around a literal library's worth of books in a tiny, slim package. I travel for work so this setup is much more convenient for me than having one or two bulky books in my bag (and having to buy another for an exorbitant price at the airport when I finish). My eyes aren't bothered by the backlit screen so I guess I'll say it's different, not better.

What book made you laugh the hardest?

"Bossypants" by Tina Fey, hands down.

Cry the most?

Tie between "Tuesdays with Morrie" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

What is one of your least favorite books and why?

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and whatever other crapstorms came after it. I really wanted to like these books but I absolutely hated them. The writing style did not appeal to me in the least, I thought the translation was awkward, and the story just did not keep me interested. I also thought his descriptions of rape were alittle much. When I read the second book I literally could not finish it, and skipped ahead to the end to find the "twist" so that they pain would be over. After seeing "Dragon Tattoo" as a movie (the American version anyway) I'm convinced that the story is better adapted for the screen. It was a much more enjoyable movie than book minus the rape scenes.

Which author do you quote most often?

Tom Robbins. I actually quoted him in my wedding vows.

If you don't mind, I'd like to share some:

"We waste time looking for the perfect love, instead of creating the perfect love."

“When we're incomplete, we're always searching for somebody to complete us. When, after a few years or a few months of a relationship, we find that we're still unfulfilled, we blame our partners and take up with somebody more promising. This can go on and on--series polygamy--until we admit that while a partner can add sweet dimensions to our lives, we, each of us, are responsible for our own fulfillment. Nobody else can provide it for us, and to believe otherwise is to delude ourselves dangerously and to program for eventual failure every relationship we enter.”

“Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as its accomplice. Instead of vowing to honor and obey, maybe we should swear to aid and abet. That would mean that security is out of the question. The words "make" and "stay" become inappropriate. My love for you has no strings attached. I love you for free.” (this was in my wedding vows!)

Do you have any favorite children’s books from your childhood?

All of the Berenstain Bears books, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, The Redwall Series, Harry Potter (though I still enjoy that as an adult), The Boxcar Children, anything by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

... Thanks Caitlin!

The Apartment on Knud Den Stores Vej

2012-01-19T03:00:00.000-05:00

Or Small Things Throughout My House ...

Or A Series of Exceptionally Bad Photos ...

Or Did You Just Move In?

(My Internet guy actually said the last one. Which was a relief because ... I always feel like I need to explain the lack of personal items and wall decor when we have visitors. Then again, I kind of like it like this. Also, as I am leaving in another two years, I don't feel particularly inclined to collect things at this point in my life. Also, I DON'T LIKE A LOT OF STUFF LYING AROUND! There is an entire blog post hidden in that last sentence; remind me to tell you about it later.)

The paper crane that Ayla taught me how to make.

And the calendar that Ayla gave me.

(Ayla, if you're reading this, you are single-handedly decorating my home.)

This is the plant living on my kitchen counter.

In the Fuel Cells and Solid State Chemistry Department mug.

I do so love my nerdy husband.

My scarves.

Also one of the two doors I taped up in book pages.

(The lining was coming off and there was just no fixing it.)

What book had to die in the process, you might ask?

A lovely little British mystery novel by Dorothy Sayers.

And yes I do recommend it. Highly.

As reading material or wallpaper.

One of the elephants I just painted on Isaac's bedroom wall.

(If you're familiar with Trafalgar Square Etsy,

then you know from whenst I copied this.

And yes, it did make me feel a bit like a rat,

but hey, I'm cheap like that.)

This was the other one, flying away with a yellow balloon.

This is Isaac's bedspread,

and the weird deflated elephant thing my sister gave him for Christmas.

This is the bell I put on Isaac's door knob,

so that I'd know when he woke up each morning.

It doesn't work.

In fact, I'm thinking of firing it.

These are the incredibly cool stained glass pieces my aunt made for me.

They do look better in sunlight.

I'll take another photo of them if we ever get sunlight.

This is my couch and the pallet board coffee table we built.

It isn't quite finished.

But Tim broke the hammer, so ...

As you can see, I am in need of colorful throw pillows.

This is Isaac drinking milk.

He is a permanent fixture in my home.

And probably the most colorful.

... So there you have it ...

Oh, Tiny Violins!

2012-01-18T05:23:00.000-05:00

Well, it's official.

As of last night,

I have officially mailed my children's book out to six literary agencies.

Needless to say, I'm a mess.

(source)

Intimidated ... excited ... nervous ... terrified?

Yes, I think terrified would be the word.

And the worst part is, after an entire year of illustrating and painting and writing and editing and putting the blasted thing together, and an entire week of researching agencies and writing a query and synopsis and bio (while pulling out all my hair), and an entire two days of trying to figure out how the heck to make my email account conform to all the different stipulations by each agency (because, as you all know, ATTACHMENTS ARE FORBIDDEN!), I have now graduated onto the worst part of it all ... the waiting.

... During which time I try really hard not to think about my children's book at all. Because if I do, I will inevitably be taking up residence on this horrible roller-coaster ride of conflicting emotions. My book is awesome! Of course someone will pick it up! My book is downright awful. No one will even look at it.

... You get the picture.

So there you have it, my Current Frame of Mind (or rather, the Current Disaster That Is My Head). Naturally accompanied by the nubs that are my fingers, as I have practically gnawed them into nothingness.

Happy Wednesday.

(source)

A Wild Thing

2012-01-17T03:19:00.000-05:00

. : ISAAC : .

Latest Interests: Japanese movies and comic books. He loves them. I actually prefer them as well, because (in the case of movies, at any rate), the art is colorful, detailed, and expressive (oh so expressive), the soundtracks are usually pleasant, and I can turn them on without being distracted because, hey, I have no idea what the plot is about. And even if it were in English, I would still have no idea what the plot is about (there are some seriously confusing things happening in those movies). Our absolute favorite is Ponyo (Ponyo LOVES Sôsuke!), which, as far as I can tell (and I've watched it a good hundred times), is about a little boy and a goldfish who becomes a real girl (there's also some stuff in here about tsunamis, a nursing home, a man with really big hair, and a floating goddess). We're also mildly fond of Howl's Moving Castle but I'll go ahead and admit right now that I can't make heads or tails of it. The plot makes zero sense.

... Not to worry, Isaac's still mildly obsessed with cars and elephants as well. And balloons. He really likes balloons.

Newest Adventure: At the risk of coming off as that bad mom (you know the one) whose kid didn't sleep in his own bed until age four, Isaac just got his own bedroom (oh wait, that's exactly how it comes off sounding). In my defense, the bakery rental and our cabin in Georgia did not really have the space (or an extra room, for that matter), so he had to wait until we got into this apartment. He spent his first night alone in there on January 11th. As far as I know, it went well. Only problem now is that I have no idea when he gets up in the morning, but I'm assuming it's before 5 AM because by the time I make an appearance, the contents of the refrigerator have long since been distributed and hidden throughout the rest of the house.

... So far, he's got a rug, a little chair, and a borrowed bed in there, but next month we're going to hit up Ikea (again) and get him some other stuff. I think I might paint elephants on the walls as well.

Recent Food Preferences: Well, let's see, that would be milk. He can't seem to drink enough of the stuff. He's also somewhat fond of sunflower seeds, soup (which he calls soap), yogurt (which he also calls soap), pasta (but only in spiral shapes if cooked and straight spaghetti if uncooked), and just about anything if it has peanut butter on it.

Recent Fashion Preferences: He mostly wears a full-body snowsuit these days. It's his favorite piece of clothing (I'm not kidding, and it hasn't even snowed here yet). When I make him take it off, he prefers to wear summer shorts and a t-shirt (odd kid, that one), but only if they are both completely dry and stain-free. If he gets the slightest bit of water on himself, he must change immediately.

A Few Other Things, Mostly Unrelated: Takes excessively long showers, in which he likes to generously distribute my shampoo and conditioner down the drain. Is extremely opposed to the use of the vacuum cleaner, and (I think) somewhat resents its presence in our house altogether. Likes to pretend he is a pirate (with his forefinger in the shape of a hook and the repeated use of the phrase AAARGH, A PIE!! - which is apparently interchangeable with the word pirate), a puppy (who must crawl on all fours, bark, and fetch balloons), and A Wild Thing (complete with Maurice-Sendak-inspired fingernail claws and yes, he does bite), and you never can quite tell when he'll transform.

... He's a tad bit kooky, I'll admit.

Monday Amenities Post 11

2012-01-16T02:47:00.003-05:00

... A Creative Link-List ...

[ source ]

ART:

Esao Andrews

Unusual. In a weird way.

I tried to post links to my favorites, but apparently it didn't work.

ARCHITECTURE:

This tree-house (house-tree?) was on someone's tumblr,
so I couldn't find the original source.
But isn't it just perfect?

Also ...

The Backyard House : Built from Recycled Barnboards

What a nice little getaway in your own backyard!

BLOG:

79 Ideas

A lovely little blog by a graphic designer,
incorrigible optimist (she said),
and 79 billion ideas per hour.

DIY:

Paper Butterflies Tutorial

I simply love these!

And they're so much simpler than paper cranes, too.

Paper Album Tutorial

It's official. I'm a bit paper-obsessed.

ETSY:'

Marika Paz Illustration

She has some adorably whimsical drawings.

FOOD:

Avocado Chicken Parmigiana

Because who doesn't love some avocado with their chicken ...

(kidding, but this one actually looks yummy)

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

Simple.

SAYINGS:

Gratitude turns what we have into enough. - Anon

Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness

and just be happy.
-Guillaume Apollinaire

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.
- ee Cummings

Also ...

WEBSITE: F#%& Yeah Book Arts. Don't mind the title, this site is truly inspired!

... Till next Monday!

I Think Daisies are the Friendliest Flower, Don't You?

2012-01-13T14:29:00.000-05:00

Tim bought me flowers today. ♥

Daisies, because, well ... hello. Have you met me?

And yellow flowers because ... I need more sunshine in my life.

And if I can't have sunshine, I'll settle for the color yellow.

{ He knows me so well. }

The Day I Met Antonio Banderas, and He Was Weird

2012-01-11T06:41:00.002-05:00

Or Bizarre Encounters with the Opposite Sex

Yesterday, while out walking with Isaac, I was approached by a man who looked like Antonio Banderas. (You didn't really think I met Antonio Banderas, did you?) Mid-fifties, slick black hair, long gray pea coat, black dress shoes. (To give you a visual.)

He said, "You have a beautiful daughter."

I stopped in some confusion, glanced at my son, and then glanced back at Antonio (we'll just pretend). He was, in fact, speaking to me (as opposed to someone who actually had a daughter). I briefly considered ignoring his oversight, but then decided I might as well correct him. Wouldn't want Isaac to get confused by overhearing his mama say something like, "Yeah, she gets that all the time."

"Actually he's my son."

"No, really?" Antonio said, with some surprise.

I blinked. A myriad of responses flew through my brain: Yes, really. He pees standing up and everything (a lie; he's too short). Actually I've forgotten, maybe I should check again. Ah, now that you mention it, I think he may be a girl. Shoot, this is really going to put a damper on his joining the Boy Scouts. Oh, I don't know. Are you really a man?

Instead I just smiled and kept walking.

After a somewhat awkward pause (we were walking in the same direction, you see), Antonio said, "Should I buy you a drink?"

This was followed by another long pause. I wasn't sure if he was asking me out, or if he was apologizing for assuming my child was a girl. So I just said, "No, that won't be necessary."

At which point Isaac ran off in the direction of a store that used to keep toy trains in the window display, so I followed him. Ten minutes later, Antonio was walking alongside us once again.

This time, he tried a new tactic. "Are you Danish?" (Now why do people keep asking me that? I'm exceptionally short, a brunette, and have a distinct American accent. I haven't got a shred of Scandinavian in me. Possibly some German, though.)

"Uh, no."

"Do you live alone?"

And onto our fourth awkward pause. I mean, who asks that kind of question, really? If you want to know if I'm available, ask that. It's way less creepy, I promise.

"Actually, no," I finally said. And then, "I live with my husband. He's a bodybuilder, a bull fighter, and was casted in the Godfather but had to cancel the gig because he wouldn't stop bringing his dobermans onto the set." (Actually I just wish I'd added that last bit after 'I live with my husband.' Antonio's response would've been classic.)

At this point, Antonio finally seemed to realize he was making little to no progress, and excused himself by saying, "Oh, okay. You have a lovely evening, then."

Yepp. Me and my daughter will have a lovely evening. Bye.

Oh, How Pinteresting!

2012-01-10T03:13:00.001-05:00

{... A post about many things ... and nothing in particular.}

(... no reason, really)

First things first, my internet is down and I'm not sure when it'll be up and running again. Actually, allow me to rephrase that: we don’t have internet yet. We have been trying to get the internet since November 1^st and apparently have yet to succeed (this is a prescheduled post).

When we moved into the new apartment, the Telia people brought us a router and hooked it up themselves. We used it for a couple weeks, and then one day, for whatever reason, it stopped working. When we called the company to ask why it was down, they said, "I'm sorry, we have no record of you using the internet with us." (They actually said this.) Then they sent us another router. (?) I was positive that when we returned from holiday in the States, there would be a pile of fifteen to twenty routers sitting outside our apartment door. Fortunately I was wrong.

Instead, we arrived home to find ourselves still internetless. Upon calling Telia to ask why, they said, "Something must be wrong. We'll have to book a technician to come to your apartment. It'll be February 15th (or sometime next November)." FEBRUARY 15TH? I think not! I work online. I write these stupid blog posts for you, online. I keep in touch with friends and family, online. Also, Pinterest is online! And in case you hadn't noticed, Pinterest has taken over my brain. I can't possibly give up pinning until February!

... So we are looking into other options.

In the mean-time ... We finally bought some furniture. We got a gray Ikea couch, a white Ikea table, two wooden Ikea benches, an Ikea rug, Ikea bed posts, and an Ikea down comforter all for the low low price of about $200! And that's entirely due to the Danish government and this wonderful little thing called Family Allowance (we are officially an Ikea Family now). Of course, since we have yet to actually buy homey things (pictures, candles, plants, a small dog named Cyrus, what-have-you), it still looks like we just moved in yesterday. At some point, that uber-white apartment will get some color in it.

This couch is as Ikea as it gets.

Tonight we will build our pallet-board coffee table.

I'll let you know how that goes.

In other news, Isaac has started calling his dad Tim and has reverted back to called me Daddy. I don't think this could possibly be construed as a positive change, although, technically, it is my fault. Sometime last weekend, I taught Isaac to say "Tim! Move your butt!" (stupid, I know), and ever since then he's been saying Tim. This is somewhat embarrassing for Tim in public. Fortunately, if Isaac has anything really important to say, he seems to think it carries more weight if he whispers it (?). He is forever pulling my head down to his mouth, and saying things like "HOUSE! BOAT! CAR!" and "PIE!" By which he means pirate, but for some reason he never quite finishes the word. The main thing is, he got the pie part down. Also it's nice that he finally graduated from wanting to be an elephant to wanting to be a pirate. He makes this little pirate hook with his first finger and says, "AAARGH, a pie!" Which is just ... darling.

Yes, I will use any reference to my kid to post photos of him.

And now onto the final topic of business ... Danish candy. The word ewwww comes to mind. For all you Danish people who saw my Facebook posting about this (particularly Solvej and Mikael), you can stop reading now. If you don't, bear in mind that a) you were forewarned, b) I may draw yet another connection between Scandinavian confections and urinal cakes, and c) I do not particularly like American candy either.

This is a picture of Danish candy:

Here is another. I have labelled this one for you:

Now let me just ask, based on looks alone ... why would anyone ever want to eat this? And by the way, they do taste like they look. It's like they can't decide what they want to be when they grow up, but I think it's a tie between seaweed, rubber, and some kind of mold.

(Don't get mad; I told you to stop reading and you didn't.)

One final thing ... here's a photo of Tim's face while eating Danish candy:

If you're still not convinced, you can come visit me and see for yourself.

Monday Amenities Post 10

2012-01-09T06:00:00.002-05:00

... A Creative Link-List ...

Elaine Hughes

ART:

Oh Golly Gosh

Visual Story Collages by Elaine Hughes.

I love-love-love her work.

ARCHITECTURE:

So I found where I am going to stay when I visit Sweden.

A Giant Bird's Nest Hotel, of course!

How wild is that.

100 Abandoned Houses

A Picture Website

A bit sad but kind of cool to see all the same ...

Imagine what you could do with these fixer-uppers,

if you only had the time and money.

(And you weren't forever jaded by the very first fixer-upper you bought in your twenties. You know, that little asbestos house you wanted in the that hell-hole of a town despite the fact that you didn't have the time or money to put into it,and it ended up having way more problems than you could possibly ever imagine, and then the economy failed, and you turned into Walter Fielding and almost died. That one.)

BLOG:

Sunday Cross-Bow

A darling little style blog by Emerald.

She dresses up and models all her own things!

DIY:

101 Free Pretty Printables

We've hit the mother-load of free paper links!

- envelopes, cards, tags, labels, etc.

Tall Painting You Tube Tutorial

- paints poured from coffee cups to create a funky design.

The thought of pouring and flinging paints around appeals to my inner child.

ETSY:'

Jessica's Little Shop of Illustrations

Ink and watercolor designs!

I like her world maps and fashion illustrations.

FITNESS:

7 Waist-Slimming Ab Exercises

They make me want to cry.

If ya know what I mean.

FOOD:

Bacon and Egg Savory Cupcake Recipe

(sounds gross but looks yummy ...

In a 'Hey it's midnight how about some Waffle House' kind of way)

Mushroom, Asparagus, and Wild Rice Salad with Feta

I think I need to eat this.

HOME:

I want to live in this

Perfect Little Pond-House.

Doesn't it look like the ideal getaway?

I told Tim I was going to need one of my own,

and he said he could build it in a week.

If only I had some sunny acreage lying around ...

Then I told Tim I would also need to live

The Airstream Life.

Because who could pass that up.

I will just never be satisfied with a normal home

- they're just entirely unappealing if they aren't in trees or have wheels

or sit smack-dab in the middle of a sun deck!

Have a nice little hut with your porch, why don't ya?

Tim's response: 'It's a good thing you're cute.'

10 Most Awesome Floors Ever Created

(that's what the article is called.

I don't actually like all of these floors.)

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Here's a useful guest-post by Chez Spud -

A whistlestop tour on basic photography tips.

STYLE:

Behati Prinsloo, wearing The Perfect Tie-Dye Dress Ever.

Why is it that whenever I find my ideal clothing,

some Namibian model is wearing it.

Life isn't fair.

THINGS:

The SoundWagon Record Player.

A mini battery-operated Volkswagen with built in amplifier and speakers.

You just set it on a stationary record and it plays the thing!

Just thought I'd take a little poll.

Do you like these Creative Linky-List Posts?

Should I keep making them?

Homesick

2012-01-05T16:25:00.001-05:00

This morning I woke up bright and early. Then I checked my clock and what I assumed was seven in the morning actually turned out to be 1:30 in the afternoon. That's what a nice dose of jet lag will do to a person.

You can imagine my bewilderment when a mere two hours later, the sky went black outside - a lovely little reminder that yes, I am back in Denmark.

Despite the fact that I was fully aware it would go dark halfway through the day, I did sort of feel like the universe was playing tricks on me. After three solid weeks of autumnish weather and semi-sunshine in Georgia, the icy winds and overcast atmosphere in Denmark makes me feel like some kind of scientific study six hours ahead of her own schedule.

The day officially began when I walked into my living room ~~and had a panic attack~~. Mommy's Little Helper had woken up an hour before and decided it would be most useful if he did the unpacking. So I spent the entire day untangling The Mess that was my apartment (literally and figuratively. The kiddo got ahold of my craft box and wound up the entire house in a nice little knot of yarn. Luckily he also tied himself up in the process so I didn't have to bother with him all day ... kidding, I untied him right after dinner).

I played The Paper Kites and finished unpacking.

I unpacked all the clothes.
I unpacked the books I brought with me from the storage unit, despite the fact that I have read them hundreds of times before and may not read them again while living here. It just feels more like home having them with me.
I unpacked The Gilmore Girls and turned them on in the background. (LORELAI: But what is a Danish without coffee? RORY: The eternal question springs up again!)
I unpacked the stained glass pieces my aunt made for me and hung them in the doorway leading out to the back porch.
I unpacked the Christmas gifts and Isaac's toys and my paintbrushes and a little bronze turtle and a string of paper cranes.
And I unpacked the photos I had printed over the holidays. Including this one:

{ Noah, Isaac, me, Sarah, Steph, Matt, Tim, Luke, Mom, Dad, Peter, Lydia }

And then I felt sad because I'm here and they're there.

Speaking of ... A mere eleven hours after arriving back in Denmark, Isaac showed me a picture of my parent's house, whispered "Outside, car, go home" in my ear, got dressed, packed his little toy bag, and went and stood next to the front door and waited there for a good half hour. I didn't have the heart to tell him that we probably won't go back until next Christmas.

... I'm just going to pretend that's not true.

Monday Amenities Post 9 ... on Tuesday!

2012-01-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

... A Creative Link-List ...

ART:

Yoko Furusho Art : Send Your Love to Japan!

I simply love this art.

It's just so much FUN!

My favorite is pictured above.

Daphne van den Heuvel Illustrations.

Seriously, I can't stop looking at them.

I especially love The Jane Birkin Illustrations and I Love Stripes.

BLOG:

Lloyd's Blog.

Written by Lloyd Kahn, editor-in-chief of Shelter Publications.

Lots of fascinating things to see on this blog.

It's where I found the house-bus.

DIY:

You simply must check out DIY posts on A Beautiful Mess.
I like these:

Make Your Own Floral Suitcase
Make Your Own Loose Leaf Tea Bags

FOOD:

As you have probably guessed, I am a bit obsessed with

What Katie Ate.

Plus, these Apple, Ginger, Cranberry, and Vodka Cocktails
look

loverly.

Potato Mushroom Pie.

MMMMMMM.

101 Cookbooks Magic Sauce.

It IS magic.

HOME:

(on wheels and trees, no less!)

I must admit I was a tad bit excited to find this article:

Old School Bus Turned Into A Tiny House

... Mostly because my dad had a thing for old school buses ...

And we lived in them from time to time.

Natural Architecture: Home-Grown Artistic Tree Houses

This is seriously incredible.

"...Patrick Dougherty shapes living trees into natural buildings."

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Edwin Tse Photography.

...Captures some really beautiful life moments.

This is one of my favorites.

Also This.

See you next week lovelies!
(I am probably flying back to Denmark as you read this.
I am probably exhausted. Go lay on your bed and enjoy it for me.)

January in Georgia

2012-01-01T19:45:00.000-05:00

The shells in mom's bike basket.

Black-Capped Chickadee.

Noah's shovel.

Logs.

Mossy stump.

Pine needles.

The ivy.

My parent's red house. Covered in ivy.