little grey gull

hiatus

2012-11-17T09:41:00.000-08:00

I realize I don't post very often on this blog. But in order to take some pressure off , I am declaring myself on a blog sabbatical.

I've been very busy lately doing things I don't enjoy but can't avoid. I have a new job that is requiring some transition and patience. We've been searching for a house to buy to no avail and every offer that falls through I get more and more discouraged. I've been in a fog since my dad passed away and with the holidays coming up and 2 major trips on the horizon I can't bear posting on here with some cute content I just don't have the energy for right now.

I love having a blog. I can combine my love of writing and domestic life with photograhy and web design. I know that soon I will be back at it, ready for a new year with new changes and adventures. But until then I must retire to my hiding spot and find comfort in the Christmas lights and cookies as pick me ups along the way.

Big thanks to my friends for reading this little blog of mine.

Wishing you many holiday blessings,

Jordan

amazing apple crumble

2012-10-06T16:15:00.001-07:00

I keep having little daydreams about going to the east coast or even the midwest to experience the change in weather. The way that one day, after a hot summer, a cool breeze comes through and immediately the leaves start to fall. How the geese start flocking south and it's possible to wear a warm sweater in the middle of October. All those things happen in San Diego I suppose, it's just a far more subtle change. You would have to be pretty keen on fall just to notice it before Thanksgiving. Fall here is marked by Ugg boots with mini skirts, surfers switching to full wetsuits, and pumpkin spice lattes (preferably over ice).

Yesterday we went apple picking. I've never done it before, but for many San Diegans the hour long drive to the country is a fall tradition. Apple picking in historic Julian is as close to an east coast autumn as we will ever get and it was wonderful. At Raven Hill Orchard, we filled up a bag with small organic apples, just as sweet and crispy as their larger grocery store counterparts. We packed a picnic, took a drive, picked some apples, and found ourselves with a new fall tradition of our own.

I got this recipe from a friend of a friend of a friend a couple years ago and I personally think it is the best apple crumble recipe of all time! It's so simple to make and is crazy good. I usually bake it several times over the course of fall and winter and it never fails to delight the taste buds with the simple goodness of vanilla and cinnamon.

Amazing Apple Crumble
Filling
-6 large apples of any kind (I usually go sweet with gala), peeled and chopped
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 tablespoon vanilla
-1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Topping
-1 1/2 cups flour
-1 1/2 cups brown sugar
-1 1/2 cups oats
-1 cup butter, melted
-1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the chopped apples, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in a bowl, then dump in to a greased 9x13 pan (I usually halve the recipe and use a random cake pan, I've even used mini jam jars). Wipe out the bowl, then mix up the flour, brown sugar, oats, melted butter, and salt. Layer the crumble mixture on top of the apples. Bake for about an hour until top is golden and apples are soft. Enjoy!

the long way home

2012-09-26T17:30:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago my father passed away. About a month before that I went and saw him for what I knew would be the last time. As his last born child, brought into the world 18 years after his other children, I was his little girl. His health problems began when I was young and for the past 20 years I've been living on edge that the day would come.

At his prime, he stood 7 feet tall, he filled a room with his stature, voice, and copious personality. He was a natural born story teller and people seemed to flock around him for his sage advice and, honestly, his perverse sense of humor.

He lived a whole life before I was born. He grew up in Pasedena and truly was a rebel without a cause. He was active in California politics through the 60s and 70s. He had four children from his first marriage then was married to my mother for 34 years. Things were always difficult for all of us it seemed, him a life full of glory ended after a long decline, me as a child feeling the instability of a family balancing the negative effects of health problems. Despite him never being on his feet, he kept me grounded, he kept me sane amongst the chaos. I'll miss his voice the most.

The memorial this past weekend was a casual family party and I expected him to be there, sitting in his wheelchair, smoking a cigar, while he filled the room with his booming laugh.

Along with my mom and brothers and sisters we spread his ashes along the Bear River near Sacramento. It was a place I'd never been before, but where my siblings grew up and where he and my mom built their first house together. I felt lost.

Rather than driving the 8 hours straight home to San Diego, we took the long way home, south east through the Sequoia National Forest. We got a cabin for the night and hiked through the giant trees, feeling dwarfed by the beauty of it all and that feeling that we have no control over the course of nature.

Like the ancient towereing trees, my father was a mighty man. At times he stood tall, at times a lightning strike may have slowed him down, but he always remained hopeful with a sparkle in his big blue eyes.

the little things

2012-09-07T09:50:00.000-07:00

I'm currently in a period of transition and acceptance, a time to adapt to the good things life brings, the unfortunate and sad things, and all the limbo in between. Thank goodness for the little things.

Flowers from my husband, a rarity, but always welcome.

A cat who will sleep anywhere, literally anywhere.

Refreshing iced matcha during an afternoon drive in the country.

Scraps of math left around the house from my husband's engineering projects. Yeah, he does that for fun.

A new hair color, bye bye beach blonde, hello dark blonde for fall (yay for no more roots!).

Also, our little munchkin Pickett, turned 2 years old a couple weeks ago and I forgot to commemorate the occasion. He was so little when we got him yet he still hasn't grown into his ears.

natural home: vodka fabric refresher

2012-08-19T20:20:00.000-07:00

The heat just isn't letting up and our house is more unbearable than ever. I was ranting to my husband last night about the energy flow of our house, yes that's right, energy flow. There are no two windows across from each other and every room, including the living room and kitchen, is divided by a wall or narrow door. A fresh breeze may come in the front door but gets stuck and stagnant quickly with no place to go. I believe the same applies to the energy flow in this house. Although cute and charmingly vintage, ever since we moved in here we've had a hard time feeling settled, keeping things clean, and feeling energized for the day ahead. Yes this place is small, and yes we live somewhat stressful lives, but we know ourselves better than to let that get in the way of daily happiness. Yet when we step through the front door a weight comes down on our shoulders, a negative energy that can't escape because of the windows and walls. Yes I know this sounds a little silly, but I think it has some merit, even if its a way to rationalize that we are probably just lazy.

Moving on from crazy lady talk, I thought I'd share my favorite way to freshen up the house. With a cat, a dog, and a lot of hot air, I need something that will perk this place up. I used to be an avid Febreze user, dousing every fabric surface with it, but over the past couple years as I've transitioned to natural products not full of chemicals and artificial fragrances I thought Febreze would have to be a thing of the past. But a simple Google search for natural fabric refresher turned up the simplest and most effective recipe for a fresh home. I've experimented with variations, but this mix works best for me.

Vodka Febreze

-spray bottle

-cheap vodka

-about 30-50 drops or 1/2 tsp grapefruit essential oil (or any essential oil blend)

Shake the bottle up and spritz on fabric around the house. You can also use it on hard to wash clothes, like winter jackets, that need a pick me up.

Note: you could add distilled water to dilute the vodka, but I've never bothered. Its never been a problem on any fabrics, and for me the simpler the recipe the better. Plus, sometimes I just need the extra strength stuff.

I feel like I'm in college again strolling into the liquor store to buy the cheapest vodka possible (just add kool aid, serve in red cup). I also feel like I'm in college again when, to this day, I spray my dirty clothes with "Febreze" so I don't have to go to the laundry mat. The vodka doesn't really smell like alcohol and evaporates pretty quickly leaving fabrics fresh with a light citrus scent.

breaking a sweat

2012-08-12T15:22:00.003-07:00

So I've started packing boxes and no we haven't bought a house yet. We've barely started looking, and the bank says it will be like two months from when we put in an offer to have the keys in hand, so we are not going anywhere anytime soon. But yes I am packing it up, my brain has moved on from this place. The things we own just sit there watching me as I pout around wishing that the perfect listing would come up any day now. The pressure is building in my head (especially with pinterest taunting me with cute home decor) that if I don't do something productive to keep my mind off the waiting that I will go crazy, like B.Spears crazy. It manifests in different ways, mostly me occasionally dropping to my knees in the kitchen and yelling "house!" before returning to cooking or whatever I was doing. Packing is a daunting, time consuming process, and since I'm (sad to say) over this place, I'm wrapping it up.

Its amazing how much stuff has accumulated here over the past 2 and a half years. We merged our stuff, got married, got a lot of presents, then picked up a newlywed, hand in hand strolling through the flea market hobby that has brought an influx of neat, often useless, pieces into our home.

I've starting packing up the chachkies since they just sit there, then it's onto the closets and cabinets. If it isn't used or adored regularly its going to be donated or packed. Then I will work my way through the garage, and hopefully by that point we will be in escrow somewhere. Then down will come the art off the walls and the rest of the house will follow suit.

At the current rate it takes me just to get one box done, starting this early will leave me just enough time to completly freak out and throw everything in random boxes two days before we have to leave. That's always how it goes for me, good intentions on the front end and massive disorganized panic at the back end.

The heat is unbearable today. I know I can't complain since we are in San Diego, but the problem is most places here, even the stores, don't have air conditioning. So when the intense heat of August hovers over this little town of ours I come to a standstill, sweating, complaining, and sitting in front of the fan. Pickett being the short nose pup he is can't even go on walks without getting heat stroke. But the heat will pass, and soon it will be that perfect time of summer, early September when the ocean is still warm and the tourists have gone home.

a piece of cal

2012-08-02T10:44:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, sad circumstances took us up on a last minute trip to Northern California. Despite the tone of the trip, we managed to get in some antiquing, and take a quick trip over to Berkeley to pick up the coolest thing ever.

My husband attended UC Berkeley and I lived there for year. It's a lively place and an amazing urban college town. Established in 1868, the campus is filled with so much history. My husband, Jesse, is obsessed with Cal football and follows all the games. Every fall, we try to make it up to see a game and hit our old hangouts. Even though we plan on going back in a couple months, I figured while we were close by we could pick up a very special treasure.

Since 1923, Berkeley Memorial Stadium has hosted the Cal Bears football team. This past year it was renovated and retrofitted (it sits directly on a fault line) and during construction some old wooden bleachers turned up. A local wood shop in town, The Wooden Duck, managed to salvage the bulk of it and is now selling it. We knew it was essential to have a piece for our home. We rooted through a giant, filthy pile of beat up blue and yellow boards, all inscribed with numbers, and found a couple pieces to turn into a small bench or side table. Yes its very beat up, but not lacking in potential.

All of the boards had numbers on both sides and even numbers on top of faded numbers. They managed to get a long life out of these boards. Each number a seat for an enthusiastic Cal fan, probably waving a felt pennant and rooting for the Blue and Gold.

We also hit up a little antique shop and founds a few more treasures. I keep finding neat stuff that I claim is for our future house, guess we will see if it works soon enough. My new obsession is American stoneware crocks. They usually have a cream or grey salt glaze, stamped by the maker, and range from small to huge.

I also picked up some big thread spools (I see string art and friendship bracelets in my future) and a milk glass Old Spice shave mug with the logo faded to the perfect shade of grey and pink.

Lastly, we picked up these puppies. Jesse builds beautiful wood encased vacuum tube amplifiers. Vacuum tubes made a lot of electronics work back in the day. These tubes were probably from old TVs, they don't work, but I love to incorporate my husbands interests into our home design, now I just need to find the perfect apothecary jar to display them.

rosemary raisin cookies

2012-07-25T08:46:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite dinners is a simple luxury; cheese, wine and crackers. We usually sit at the coffee table, watch a good movie, and stuff ourselves with creamy cheese and a bottle of good ol' Charles Shaw. Last time we did this, I picked up a box of rosemary raisin crisps from Trader Joe's, it was a new item and I soon discovered the incredible flavor of this savory sweet combination. I became so obsessed with the taste (eating them everyday for weeks) that I decided to make a cookie that could embody the earthiness of the rosemary and raisins, while being soft and chewy.

For the record I am not a baker, or a cook for that matter. But I can claim that I invented this recipe myself, tested it several times, and now it's my go to for an impressive sensory delight. It goes great as a dessert or an afternoon snack with a cup a coffee.

Rosemary Raisin Cookies

-1 cup lightly packed brown sugar

-1 1/4 cups flour

-1 cup raisins

-1/2 cup chopped walnuts

-1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

-1/2 teaspoon baking soda

-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

-1/3 cup olive oil (adds a wonderful peppery taste)

-1 egg

-1 egg yolk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray your cookie sheet (or sheets). Mix up the dry ingredients, add in the wet ingredients. Scoop tablespoon sized balls a couple inches apart onto the oiled cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the edges are golden. Let cool on a cookie rack. Enjoy!

Makes about 16 cookies.

35mm: lost rolls

2012-07-24T09:02:00.001-07:00

I was sorting through the junk drawer yesterday and among the amass of birthday candles, spare keys, and batteries, I found a couple rolls of 35mm film. I knew what they were from, my husband has indefinitely borrowed an Olympus OM-1 from his dad, the same camera used to capture his memories back in the day. We've taken the camera on trips the past couple years, but what was on the rolls I had no idea.

Every time we get a roll of film developed from this camera, I'm blown away. I vow to use it more often, but with it comes the annoyance of manually focusing, no instant gratification screen, and the pain of developing film (not too many drugstores have 1hour photo anymore), and my excitement fades. But in this day and age where instagram and photoshop can make any picture look like it was taken from an Olympus OM-1, there's beauty in owning a gem that can originate coolness all on its own. I think that's worth the inconvenience and I pledge here and now to use the camera more often and make a series on the results. The dot on all the pictures must be some dust in the lens.

holy paint by numbers

2012-07-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

It's been almost two years since I saw it. It sat behind some tarnished silver and a pile of tangled jewelry. I was at a thrift store and I heard it calling to me. It was a painting of Jesus, specifically a paint by number painting of Jesus. There was something about his face, each dimension of his beard painted in a different subtle shade of brown. I'm not too religious, I grew up Presbyterian and I'm sure when kids are in the picture we'll go back, but here and now the pure retro funkiness of this art was calling to me. The thing is, I was at the thrift store that day with my mother, and I knew if I picked up that painting to buy it, I would hear about it. "You can't just hang a picture of Jesus in your house? You don't even go to church, although I wish you would." I'm not sure why I wanted something so not me, but I wanted it badly. When I returned to the thrift store on my own he was gone and ever since it's been a regret that I didn't buy the paint by numbers Jesus.

knock, knock anyone home?

For our first wedding anniversary and every one after, we want to follow the traditional gift schedule, and be a little creative about it, this first year was paper. Jesse handed me a half opened cardboard box stuffed with newspaper "its technically not paper, but close enough." I laughed because my present to him sat so neatly wrapped on the table and I was handed a box that just fell off the post truck. I peeled back the first layer of newspaper to behold "Jesus!" I shouted. I beamed with excitement. Looking down into the box again, a faint glow peeked out from the remaining newspaper, it was none other than Mary to join the gang. I was floored, I couldn't think of anything I wanted more. They're weird, colorful, fantastic, and who care's if I'm not Catholic or whatever, these are art. The beauty of the gift was that I never actually asked for it, he just knew that it was something I was always searching for and took it upon himself to find it. Honestly, gift exchanges between my husband and I over the past 6 years have been hit or miss. He's a dude, I don't communicate too well, and together we procrastinate. Giving a gift that was never ever expected, but awesome, is the best kind of gift. These two paintings will have to wait until we are in a new place, but when they get their own wall it's going to be righteous, literally.

He also got me some Padres tickets and a certificate for a mani/pedi. I got him a voucher to go on a spearfishing tour and some books on growing a beer garden and raising chickens and goats (we are really serious about this homestead thing). We had a nice dinner at Starlight, then enjoyed a slice of guava cake from Extraordinary Desserts at the buy your own bottle bar Bottlecraft.

Overall it was a marvelous anniversary and the first of many.

one year

2012-07-16T12:55:00.000-07:00

Our wedding was one year ago today! It's been a year of transition and adjustment, a year of sweet, simple bliss, a year of comfort and delight, it's the first year of forever. I can look back fondly now on our wedding and not pick it apart with "if onlys." My brain has washed out all the stress and only left the happy memories of that joyful day. I figure this is the last time I get to gratuitously shove my wedding photos in your face, so here goes...

Because we had the ceremony on the deck in my father-in-law's backyard we had to rearrange the bridal party from the typical setup. I really liked the asymmetry. My favorite detail of the whole wedding was how nicely the bridal party pulled together. The girls wore Amasale dresses in different colors with their choice of jewelry and metallic flat sandals. The guys wore their own grey suits, cotton plaid ties, and classic Vans sneakers. We used assorted vintage hankies as the guys pocket squares and wrapped around the girls bouquets. I'm obsessed with the baby's breath and eucalyptus leaves as the bouquets and boutonnieres, they were so easy to make and it was like 20 bucks for all 8 of them!

I wanted the flowers to have that wildflower look, but didn't want to spend too much money. The answer was filler flowers! I went to Francos, the local flower mart, about a week before the wedding and ordered a ton of filler flowers (other than baby's breath, I have no clue what kinds I picked out). My creative aunt and cousin worked hard the day before the wedding, delicately sculpting flowers in good ol' jam jars for that casual summer look. They sat on the tables among succulents in tins and candles on mismatched teacup saucers.

Francos did my bouquet, it took up half of my flower budget, but so worth it.

my rose gold engagement ring and our bands

his is engraved your hand in mine and mine says we walk the miles (props for anyone who knows what that's from)

popcorn bar for cocktail hour
I'm glad we finished our pictures before everything, we really enjoyed the whole evening without feeling rushed

it's ridiculous to look back and think I sat there and glued flags onto straws, but it's all in the details

all the desserts were homemade, pumpkin pie and rice crispy treats from grandma

maybe overdone, but balloons are so fun!

To my darling husband,
Here's to many more years and memories.
I love you,
Jordan

juncture

2012-07-05T23:17:00.001-07:00

For the foreseeable future has come to its apex. This Saturday will mark my sixth week selling succulents at the farmers market and my last (for now at least). The market has been going really well, but upon closer inspection, every week I've been making a profit of about seven dollars. Even though I'm breaking even, I still have to pay for supplies and keep it all up on a weekly basis. I knew that would be the case going into it and it's never been about the money, but I've reached a financial turning point in my life that needs to be more aggressively followed.

There is something about being in my mid-20s that suck. Ever since I finished college it's been like this. Just because I'm married doesn't make this annoying, unsettling "where am I going and why don't I have the career/money/experience to get there faster?" point in life any easier (my husband's in the same boat). Although the succulent business is something I'm still pursuing whole heartily, there is a precipice looming yonder that can switch my life from limbo to feeling a hell of a lot more in control.

My husband and I have a dream and it's a big one, we want to buy a house. Like any normal newlyweds we dream of a cozy little home to own, but always thought it would come 3 or 4 years down the road. Upon further inspection of our finances that dream can come a lot sooner than we anticipated. If we skimp and save every single penny, we can start looking for our dream home by Thanksgiving. I repeat, November, turkey and stuffing, Autumn, orange leaves, and there we'll be getting approved to start shopping for the biggest purchase of our lives.

I've wanted a house to call my own for as long as I can remember. I moved a lot as a child and as an adult, I can't say there has ever been a time where I've truly felt at home. Maybe I just have control issues, or lack thereof, but when you own your own home and live in your own house no one can tell you what to do (maybe I just need a psychiatrist rather than a mortgage). Even if I sound a little crazy, this dream trumps all, even my fledgling succulent business.

We don't want any old house, we want a homestead, at least half an acre where we can have a huge garden, a barn/workshop, chickens, and maybe even some goats. If the property is big enough, when our family expands, so could the house, and the potential to never have to move again is possible. In North County San Diego (the only place I could really call home) there are some neighborhoods that are convenient to everything, but retain that citrus orchard feel with reasonable prices.

a girl can dream

For the record, I am not quitting on my business, no sir I am not, I'm just scaling back and heading in a slightly different direction. Here are the next 4 steps for little grey gull:

1) I want to expand this blog. I do a lot more than grow succulents and buy junk. Expanding my posts to include more of my crafts, cooking, and general life would be a good use of promoting my brand. I guess it can't hurt the internet to add another young woman blogging about her life as an eco-friendly do-it-yourselfer.

2) I want to promote and sell my vintage succulent arrangements for more specific purposes, like events or businesses. Tailoring my pieces to act as centerpieces at a wedding or restaurant is the whole reason I wanted to do this in the first place.

3) I'm looking into an Etsy shop for "assemble it yourself" vintage succulents arrangements and my block printed canvas totes.

4) I am not done with the markets, I just think it would work a better on a seasonal basis. Probably around Christmas time, I will do some craft shows or markets to sell my stuff as holiday gifts (if I'm not too overwhelmed by being a new homeowner).

So, long story short, come see me for the last time at the farmers market this Saturday, and get ready to see a lot more posts about my forcibly frugal life.

all that glitters is junk

2012-06-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

I have this little problem (that I can picture myself one day being on an episode of hoarders) where I like to buy junk. Whenever I have some extra cash, I don't think about blowing it at the mall but at the flea market. These last couple of Sundays I've gone to the flea market without my husband which I quickly learned is a bad/really good idea.

He is always my voice of reason, the "we don't need that" little angel on my shoulder. Sometimes I agree with him and move on, sometimes I reluctantly agree but look back with regret, and other times I persist and throw down cash, opinions be damned. "I need this metal pie safe, it is completely necessary for my well being and you can't stop me." I've gotten a lot better about things I can and can't live without, but lately it seems as if I can't live without anything. My current obsessions are tin/metal, glass, and anything utilitarian i.e. objects that served a specific basic function that nobody really thought about too much.

The problem is, while I sometimes picture these items decorating my current or future house or as a planter for my succulent business, most of the time I want it and buy it because I want it and have to buy it. I recently came into possession of one of those carts seen at flea markets and anywhere with a homeless population (insert image of me turning into a crazy old lady here). I filled it to the brim with treasures my first week out alone, my husband didn't say much about my trove, he's gotten used to the fact that our money somehow turns into rusty metal and random portraits of old men (the native american man in our bedroom needs a companion, duh).

an old chicken feed trough I intend to plant herbs in on our patio

He can't complain, we share this obsession together, for every useless tin can and glass bottle I pick up, he is eyeing the rusty old tools and vinyl records. It really all ebbs and flows for me, there are times where the cart is full and the junk flows like wine and others where life goes on, the cart collecting dust, waiting for new friends to arrive.

I will be at the Golden Hill Farmers Market tomorrow from 9:30-1:30 with several new arrangements. I'm also always available to do custom arrangements in your junk or mine. Or if you are looking for a little piece of history you would like me to keep an eye out for while I'm at the flea market just let me know.

short and sweet

2012-06-24T20:09:00.000-07:00

I had a slow week at the market, maybe the intense heat drove everyone to the beach, jealous. Thanks to The Cheese Store of San Diego for getting an arrangement and displaying it at their booth. Despite the slow week at the market and a busy week at home, I've so been enjoying meeting new people and hearing such kind words from people who stop by.

trading time

2012-06-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy lately, not sure where the time goes. My hours at work were recently cut back and I've been using the free time to make up for all the things that have gotten messy at my house. How does that much animal hair accumulate under the sofa? The good news is the free time is nice for getting down to gardening. I've been building new garden boxes, reviving sad little succulents, and watching my crookneck zucchini come into their own. It may not put money in my pocket, but that peaceful feeling of working outside is a good trade off.

I'm back into my "hit the flea market every Sunday" routine and I found some fun stuff for my arrangements. Wish I could have done more, including planting in the old first aid box but alas, not sure where the time goes.

how cool is this thing?!

Also, tomorrow is the The Old House Fair in our neighborhood. It's a cute little street festival honoring all the historic homes in South Park, including house tours, crafts, food, etc. It's about 2 blocks over from the farmer's market and would be the perfect day of fresh produce and historical enlightenment. I won't be able to make it to the fair, which is sad because old homes are my calling, but there is lots to do for the BBQ we are hosting that evening. I think after a long and unsettling week, a good beer with friends is more refreshing than a craftsman bungalow tour (maybe not by much, seriously I skip a heartbeat for old homes).

san diego succulent society

2012-06-05T09:44:00.000-07:00

Welp, the day after the farmers market, I turned around and put my small profit towards some new babies at the San Diego Cactus and Succulent Society show and sale. Several times a year they have a sale in beautiful Balboa Park. It's magical to behold all the different types of succulents I've never seen before. They all seem to exist in a coral reef on dry land, as if I'm a fish living off their bounty. I'm quite the amateur grower, and have killed my fair share of the ever hardy succulent, so its nice to talk to experts about different types of soil and propagation techniques. Next on my being a business woman list is learning the names and categories of most of the plants so I can sound like a pro.

this pink of the flower is my most favorite color ever

week one

2012-06-04T13:18:00.000-07:00

After much anticipation I successfully finished my first week at the farmers market. It went really well! I broke even, and even put a little extra in my pocket. The weather was June gloom at its finest, so there wasn't a huge crowd, but that means as the summer heats up it should only get better. I was put at the very end in an awkward spot, I had expected to be put with all the gift-y type sellers in the middle, but next week I should be in a better place. It was really fun, I got a lot of positive feedback from passersby, met some new people, and it feels good to be a part of the commerce of our local community. Several people asked me where I buy my succulents and I couldn't help but glow when I told them I grow them myself.

I hate to admit it, but I was a little sad when I saw some of my favorite pieces go, if I lived in a big house with a yard, I would probably be the crazy succulent lady unwilling to share, but I'm sure they went to good homes, and selling things is how a business works. Luckily, there is always the joy of hitting the flea market and finding new favorites, which I will have to do quite often if things go well.

announcement!

2012-05-29T17:34:00.001-07:00

After quite a lot of talk, I will be officially selling my succulent arrangements at the farmers market!

I was able to get a space at our much loved, up and coming, and just around the corner farmers market. Starting this Saturday, June 2, little grey gull succulents will be at the Golden Hill Farmers Market from 9:30am-1:30pm. I will be there every Saturday for the foreseeable future, so I hope things go well! This market is great, it's centrally located, they have amazing food to come grab for lunch, lots of fresh produce, and if you live in the area their CSA box can't be beat.

I've been working hard over this past long weekend trying to get everything together, but it still feels like there is so much to do, and I have to go back to work tomorrow. But I have been anticipating this for a long time, so its just a matter of organizing my hoarding and planting a few new arrangements. I'm so nervous!

the sights

2012-05-09T18:52:00.000-07:00

I was so surprised how sleepy the towns in coastal central California are. I figured since we were seeing beach towns they would be more populated and funky, but everything was very quiet and peaceful with lots farmland and rolling hills. It was just my kind of place.

We visited Hearst Castle, on my bucket list of historical places. William Hearst was a bit bonkers for Gothic art and Spanish architecture, as well as having the resources to add and add to his "ranch" over 28 years to fill with art collected over his lifetime. It was incredible the beauty and condition of every single surface from ceilings to tapestries, rugs, and lamps, each thing appeared to be dripping with money. It was neat, but part of my obsessive love of the old is what story the person or artifact can tell about day to day life of the time period. Although influential, Hearst and his castle was far from realistic. I like my history with a touch of dust, rust, and soot.

I could handle some roaring parties and a dip in the pool at Hearst castle circa 1930.

I saw on Oprah that San Luis Obispo was named the happiest place in America

I think any place with ice cream and baby farm animals is a happiest place for me (Avila Valley Barn)

Montana de Oro was incredible. I was naughty a took a couple bleached, tumbled stones and bits of drift wood from the beach, I couldn't help it.

Overall it was an incredible trip. Although we camp alot, this was different, this was a true vacation, and a welcome one at that.

the site

2012-05-08T18:09:00.000-07:00

We just back from an amazing weekend up in central California. We camped for 3 nights in Pismo Beach and spent the days exploring Hearst Castle, adorable San Luis Obispo, and hiking at Montana de Oro state park. Our camp site was nestled next to a lagoon and just over the hill from the ocean. Oh boy did we really rough it.

After reading the new article in Sunset on camping in comfort, I couldn't resist getting a new rug to keep out the dirt and throw some spare white sheets on the air mattress. I don't think I slept that good in a long time.

No hot dogs or smores for us. I love to cook while camping, which is weird because I don't really like to cook at home. There is something magical about cooking in the fresh evening air, over an open fire, usually with a gin and tonic in hand. We had yummy burgers, steak, and salad, but my favorite had to be the artichokes (trim and steam artichokes as usual at home, then wrap in foil with a drizzle of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, brown sugar, and salt, toss on the fire until hot). So luscious, there's no need for dipping sauce.

I was worried about food staying fresh in the cooler for the last night, so we had my new favorite thing: sauteed sardines with garlic and spinach on grilled bread with bruschetta (saute trader joes boneless skinless sardines with thinly sliced garlic and a handful of fresh spinach). I paired it with a pasta salad I assembled the night of with fresh english peas, bacon, toasted pine nuts, and a light pesto cream sauce. Yeah, not quite sure why I don't cook like this every night, because it was freaking righteous.

Who needs an alarm clock when you've got papa goose, his 4 baby mamas and chicks as a wakeup call. These guys owned the place.

A short hike over the hill, flowers and silky sand galore, the ocean greeted us.

staying put

2012-04-29T09:28:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have been teetering with the idea of moving back to our hometown of Encinitas. Right now we live near downtown San Diego and both work in the middle of the county, so a move north wouldn't really affect our commute. Encinitas has major pros, we could be close to the beach, family, and old friends, but the cons are expensive rent, losing the luxury of walking places, and the annoying effort of moving.

Let me get one thing straight, we love our current place, we love the neighborhood, the house, the charm, everything, but despite living here almost 2 years we have never really settled. We left our heart in Encinitas and for years, through college and beyond, we always said we'll move back. It's a terrible way to think, now that the transient phase of our lives is over, if we can't feel settled or satisfied anywhere but Encinitas we are setting ourselves up for disappointment.

I was talking to an old friend of mine from high school about this curse, the curse of growing up in an amazing hometown, so in adulthood nothing quite compares. Most of my friends have been struck with this. Her boyfriend from Idaho doesn't get it, most people cant wait to get out.

Then I realized, I'm always looking for the next big thing, the next place to move, the next hobby to try, the next camping trip, but I never really sit down and enjoy the now. When I take a second and look around at my life, I see how good I have it. Why push to change that? Home is where my husband, my animals, and my garden is, and I have all that.

So we've decided to stay put. The next big goal, that is totally worth looking forward to, is buying a house in the next 2 years. It definitely will not be in Encinitas, the housing prices are insane and we've come to discover the we want as close to an acre of land as possible, we want our own little Shire per say. It's hard to let go of our hometown, knowing our children won't grow up there, but now it feels like a whole new heap of oppurtunties have opened up and we can move on from outdated dreams.

For pictures sake, we just picked up this weeks CSA from the farmers market and it was a good haul. Another reason to love our neighborhood, a Saturday morning walk to the farmers market for 15 bucks of awesome goodness. Tonight's dinner is pasta with roasted cherry tomatoes, beet greens, and goat cheese, mmm.

Also, this happened the other night and it makes my heart melt. They have become fast friends who play and sleep together, the cat even licks the dog.

happy easter

2012-04-08T08:54:00.001-07:00

I've slowed down a little bit. I was so enthusiastic about my succulent business then boom life hits. A heap of new responsibilities at my day job, my husbands birthday, his grandparents in town, my dad in poor health, an adopted cat joining our family, car problems, having to buy a new car, rain and mud mucking up my plants, and without a dishwasher and washer/dryer our once charming cottage looks as chaotic as I feel. To top it all off I've been fighting a mean case of the yawns.

me as a terrified little babe, sometimes I still feel like this

I suppose that's how life is, things never slow down, but there has got to be a way to enjoy the little things amongst the larger chaos.

That being said, its a beautiful Easter morning, the cat and the dog are getting along swimmingly, and my new (new to me) car is a incredible compared to the clunkers I have driven since my sweet 16. With my work schedule lightening up and a vacation on the horizon, enjoying the little things isn't so difficult.

70 degrees

2012-01-25T15:27:00.000-08:00

I was such a lovely day today, about 70 degrees and sunny. Like I said, once January hits, it's spring in San Diego (give or take a few cold, rainy days). I love San Diego, both my husband and I grew up here (in Encinitas), we went to high school together, we had our first kiss on Moonlight Beach. We live in a 1930's cottage downtown near Balboa Park. Our weekends are filled with taking our frenchie to the dog park and me watching my husband surf. We've entertained options to move elsewhere, like back to the bay area where we went to college, but it doesn't compare. I wear sandals 360 days of the year, that just doesn't fly anywhere else. Anyways, I spent the morning in the garden putting together several new arrangements. I suppose that's why I love succulents, they are San Diego.

just keep growing

2012-01-23T11:43:00.000-08:00

I've crossed my t's and dotted my i's. I received my California sellers permit and business license. I've started submitting applications to several farmers markets around the city. I've been gardening like crazy getting my inventory up to the task. It's like applying for a job, trying to prove my worth to my employer (the market manager) showing him its beneficial to have my succulents in vintage arrangements and biodegradable pots at his market. I couldn't feel more prepared or excited.

some new clippings from my mama plants ready to be on their own

It was a cold and rainy weekend. No complaints, January in San Diego is practically spring, and I hope there will be snow in the mountains for our trip this weekend. I spent Saturday block printing a stamp of my logo, mostly out of boredom, but I can see the potential in stamping canvas bags and paper sacks.

long beach antique market

2012-01-15T20:58:00.000-08:00

We went and saw some friends in Orange County today, and decided to take advantage of the once a month Long Beach Antique Market. I've never been before, but having been to similar ones I knew to expect some really great stuff at a premium. It's not the type of flea market where you can buy a new pair of sunglasses and a bag of oranges (like Kobey's). The vendors are true collectors, they bring the best of the best and charge for it. The pros-so many wonderful things, furniture, knick knacks, salvalged architectural details, spotless quilts and linens, and so on for what felt like miles. Unfortunately, there were cons-it was crowded, the vendors were often distracted chatting with other vendors, so that asking for prices usually involved waving like a maniac or standing awkwardly close to them not wanting to interrupt. Most were unwilling to haggle and made terrible faces at you when you said "How about $8?" instead of $10, not entirely unreasonable. Still, the sea of vintage goods was dizzying and magnificent.

I picked up a few things, but surprisingly nothing special. It was so odd to be surrounded by wonderful stuff and not even see one item that I would have seriously shelled out for. I ended up with a wire milk crate, a couple metal card drawers, an old salt can, and a wooden D (after 6 months I finally got my last name officially changed). I'm happy with my finds, but I think I will stick to sifting through the junk at garage sales and swap meets.