Sunday, August 31, 2008

Very Crunchy Granola

Mom made this today, recipe from my neighbor (mom didn't get the cookbook title). It is so delicious.

Nonstick spray
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup oat bran (or wheat)
1 cup almonds (the recipe also calls for sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds)
1 cup pecans
3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
1 T vanilla
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup brown sugar

(mom added a dried cherry, cranberry, blueberry, blackberry mix she got at the store and these delicious golden raisins she gets at our local Star market).

1. Preheat oven to 325 (13x9) tray
2. Combine oats, bran and nuts
3. Combine oil, honey and vanilla. Pour over mix (using hands if necessary)
4. Stir in salt
5. Bake for 35-45 minutes until , stir twice during backing
6. Crumble in sugar as soon as granola comes out of oven and cool in tray
7. After cooling, add dried fruit.
8. Store in jar in freezer (2-3 qt capacity jars)

I am very excited to take this to work, to eat with yogurt? I get so hungry about 8am when I wake up so early.

granola

Hurricane Gustav

I sure hope I don't have to go to work tomorrow. So weird this is happening again right there!

Getting The Color Right

Choosing a house color and the importance of getting quarts to test the color before you purchase 5 gallons plus. D painted up 6 possible choices and we were looking at them in the shadow and light today. I noticed two of the colors were very grey and was puzzled why he would even paint those up since we are both more green/grey than blue/grey people. We compared them to the original paint chips and discovered that three of the choices were so off that it was a completely different color. Always buy a test quart before you start painting. It may seem like an extra expense but in the long run ... will save you some frustration. And in this case, I am returning these for the right color or my money back. ;0

These first three are the miss-tints.

Churchill Hotel Olive

churchill hotel olive

Mossy Aura

mossy aura

{later}

D made a trip back to the hardware store ... showing them the large painted pieces of plywood and they said ... well, there will always a "shift" in color. And he said not this much "shift". So they remixed those colors and D painted a swath on the two colors in question and they immediately saw the difference. Of course ... this is a big waste of time on D's part. ;( See the new colors below. They remixed a couple of more for a much closer match.

new color more the match

This one is a custom mix, again, not even close.

custom

Falcon's Plume, Smokey Olive and Mark Twain House Olive matched the paint chip

falcons plume

smokey olive

mark twain house olive

MySpace, Really?

When I was adding a techno song to my MySpace, this ad popped up. If you are one of the people who clicked on this and think these men live in Edmonds, Wa ... I've got some land in Florida I want to sell to you.

My Talented Friends

Meggiecat's great interview at CraftStylish (The Taunton Press) on craft business from the "olden days"

Tara's stuffies being held in the third photo on Jenny Doh's DREAM BIG entries submission.

While you at craftstylish have a look at "How to Emboss a Metal Tin" and this one I love "How to Make Simple White Paper Flowers".

Hard Cuts

My weekends and time off this summer have been consumed with home repair and upgrades and this weekend is no different. Ron has been waiting for the weather to cooperate to start pressure washing, prepping for painting. We cleared the house (even more) and made the hard "cut" on the honeysuckle. With the clematis looking very sad, Japanese anenomes trampled to the ground, the backyard looks naked and still a mess. I am thinking we won't be able to have even one dinner out there before the rains come! But these things must be done. I helped scrap old paint so I could survey the damage ;( We picked out a couple of colors. D painted some plywood so we could make that final decision today. Insulation blown in, check. Replacing basement windows, check. Deck restained, check. Lawns thatched and reseeded, check. Most bushes pruned, check. Firewood split, check. Paint house ... check, if the weather holds up.

remaining

hard cuts

I do still have hydrangeas blooming, that is a comfort.

still blooming

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Yellow Dog Democrat

I might be jaded because I am a yellow dog democrat. Were you not moved by Gore's speech and the Obama speech? Great thoughts. Bridging the gap of party lines and attempting to bring this country inline with what we need to cope with in the future. Inspirational and full of hope, ideas and direction. Tonight, I am proud to be an American.

Democratic National Convention

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

My Angel Gabriel

I stumbled Gabriel by Lamb on YouTube. I can't get out of my head, haunting and beautiful. Lou Rhodes, singer and songwriter. The song is a couple of years old, you should listen if you haven't heard it before.

Not Worth Discussing

This is hardly worth stooping so low to blog about this horseshit but on HorsesAss.Org: Smear as a three dollar bill, “$3 bills” depicting Barack Obama wearing Arab headgear and featuring a camel. Oh, boy. I am not even going to go into this.

Wood Grain

Illustrator Tutorial: Wood Grain from Vectordiary.

Wood grain video at Layers.

High res Textures from defcon-x.de. All via jlwDesign, thank you!

iLaugh

zunePhone ad, The Great Microsoft Ipod Parody on YouTube.

Collections

Collections of bottlecaps and robots by Maura Cluthe found via Visual Streak. Christopher Conte battery powered microbotic insect.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Action Poetry

Billy Collins Action Poetry. Thanks, Fred.

Disassembled

Ha. Love This - disassembled household appliances by Brittny Badger on flickr.
Also, Pebble alphabets by Clotilde Olyuff both via swissmiss.

Rich Taste

The world's priciest foods. World’s Most Expensive Foods from Whacky Archives.

Golden Opulence sundae.

Monday, August 25, 2008

2 Girls, 2 Clicks

Flickr collaboration, from one coast to the other coast. (it is funny, I realize my west coast photos are always to the right ;) Mary Jane and Val.

old wood

snow

cup of ....

at a  beach

Self

Chinese Propaganda Posters


Chinese Propaganda Posters. I found this image here, Calendar cards.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Me, Myself and I

Going to bed soon. Vacation is over. Olympics over. Conventions beginning. Onward!

Me, Myself and I

Birthday Boy!

We all had brunch today to celebrate M's birthday ... 17 years of pure joy,

Birthday Boy!

Birthday Boy!

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Piecing It Together

Su Blackwell, Making a Paper TV ad in 2007 video and The Secret Garden

The Paper Quilt Project, 2007

Sarah Sze via Horse Hunting.

Peter Vogel

Peter Vogel at bitforms gallery, pioneering interactive sound artist, have a listen.

Gifts In The Mail!

We got a surprise package from Ruth today. She sent mom a fabulous ring from Silpada with interchangeable colored glass orbs.

my fab mom

mom's new ring

She also sent us our favorite cologne that mom and I are addicted to for an after-shower-splash. We are totally out to the point where we were rummaging through each other's bathroom trying to find out if the other had a "stash". I got my favorite Danish Wedding cookies that I can not buy in WA state (what is wrong with this state?). She also sent me a Frankoma sugar bowl in the wagon wheel design to match the teapot that Katie had given me.



So to make my day complete ... have spent the entire day pruning, severely pruning the clematis to ready the house for painting. You know the clematis will grow all the way to the roof! Haven't pruned it in many years (note to self -- prune clematis every OTHER year). Remember how wonderful it looked? Well, now it looks terrible. I am hoping I haven't killed it! Will need to cut the honeysuckle down. So with the hydrangeas all but gone this year. No honeysuckle or clematis. I am not feeling sad about that! Must be done, painting the house next week.

cut clematis

Clematis Blooming

Tomorrow, volunteer to work at the Mountaineers headquarters with our neighbors at 8am. Celebrate Matt's birthday with a brunch (he wants to have eggs benedict). Birthday party for another friend at 1pm ... then must go to bed early. Going back to work Monday 6am! Trying to head off to an office party right now.

I think to avoid complete confusion, we are going to have a birthday dinner at home for Matt next week, with cake and his girlfriend, Bri.

Tiny Nest

My dad and step-mom sent me this link -- birth of a humming bird, very sweet. The nest is soooo tiny!

The Eye Of Beauty

Paul Lowe's - Crafts Portfolio on Vivian Artists makes me feel like I just stepped into a bright light and makes me want to cry with happiness. His prop sets are breathtaking! Look at his sexy pears on his blog. I guess because it is all beautiful. And in my line of work now I am recently being told that I am not there to make things "pretty" but functional. I hear that statement a lot and it always makes me want to run outside and have a good cry.

Cool vintage things from Time Passages and these great letters from Wishonbish Supplies.

I love Ellen Silverman photographs, especially these two.

Love this from Life Modern. David met Nicole both via Studio Home Creative.

Jubella

Vintage ceramic plates and wood stick at ArABeScHI dI LaTTe, seen below.



Most or all of these delicious links via the wonderful emmas designblogg.

Shocking & Creative Ads

Dark Roasted Blend has a great post on Shocking & Creative Ads from the Urban Jungle.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Taking 50 To Assemblage Level

This is my first attempt at a video. Very embarrassing but this assemblage needs to heard not just seen. I took the 50th birthday present a little further. I wanted to pass on the "5" "0" vintage numbers I bought myself two years ago. Decided to make an assemblage with my favorite wind chimes I found at a garage sell so many years ago. Added 50 monopoly dollars, 50 real cents, a bottle of 50 hydrangea petals, 50 dried hyacinth blossoms, 50 shells, 5-0 in dominoes, fifty spelled out in scrabble letters, 50 "happy birthday" messages stamped on very old papers, 50 cut off a measuring tape .... and one girl diving in, because the 50-year-old-water is fine! So sorry about the weird audio ... obviously, making video is not my "thang". ;) Do you hear my "twang?" (All of this repeated in the video if you don't want to watch).

Oh, and one more thing. I only attached the 50 in the back of the piece. I decided to leave everything else free to be moved, maybe some other things to be added. We will write our message on the back and skip the card.

50th birthday assemblage

Simply Stated

Simply Stated: home and organizing, Real Simple blogs.

Across Peru

Across Peru: "In the summer of 1999, Bruno J. Navarro returned to the country of his ancestors over three weeks."

Font Bots

Jonathon Yule's Font Bots

Deliver Me

Deliver me from Swedish furniture, my Swedish furniture name: SKIMMBERLLII. Thanks, Jason.

To View This Morning

Spaghetti Bench by Pablo Reinoso via beautiful a view to blog.



Doll house keeping and from Small Magazine.

i golfini della nonna: globe

Ran (Blue Lunar Rose) loves Hedgehogs ... isn't this shot adorable?

Noticing Project is a collaborative endeavor between artists Alicia Alferman and Heather Smith Jones. The notion of the project is to look intently and observe the small or ephemeral moments around us.

Felix Doolittle

Personalized Book Plates and lovely personalized writing papers.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

50

Trying to come up with a good present for a good friends' 50th birthday present. Today, a recycled frame relined with rice paper with 50 pieces of rice. Have many more ideas ;)

50th

Flower Within

Always looking for the flower within me and wondering when it will flourish.

finding the flower within

Postcrossing

PostcrossingPostcards Traveling The World. This looks fun, unfortunately I have no time for one more fun effort. ;(

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Words Needed

Writing words for these two pieces I have been working on in my "off time" the last couple of days. Today, insulation blown into walls and a surprise birthday present for my son. Tomorrow, M tries out for Jazz Band (Grandma Alert), Dr. appt ... getting to the end of vacation, panic setting in, trying to cram it all in ;)

circle of life

plug in your energy

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Dropclock

Dropclock, amazing.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Rain, Rain

Lots of rain today. No sun bathing. Cleaning house and taking naps.

too much rain today

The Architect's Brother

ParkeHarrison: The Architect's Brother via my pal across the pond.



George Eastman House database of photographers.

Today And Tomorrow

today and tomorrow via vi.sualize.us.

Poetry Tool

Poetry Tool, The online home of the Poetry Foundation.

Nicole Phungrasamee Fein

Delicate and structured watercolors by Nicole Phungrasamee Fein featured artist at Hosfelt Gallery.

Round And Around

Love! Round And Around from Happy Lovers Town via FFFFOUND!

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Lightning Storm

Alex Garcia saw and it, but I missed it!

Maybe, more today "ALERT 1 - Red Flag Warning RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR SCATTERED LIGHTNING" Please! Give me some lightning!

Yearbook Yourself

Yet another way to waste some precious time ') -- Yearbook Yourself.

Pickens Plan

Have you seen T. Boone Pickens talking about his plan? I finally looked him up and I agree. Why haven't we started using solar and wind to the fullest capacity? We have been talking about this oil crisis for how many years? Why haven't we turned to other resources? Go look over his site ... add your voice.


Visit PickensPlan

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Royal Fun

It wasn't that hot yesterday, but hot enough to tempt me to take to the sofa, under a fan and near the TV. Mom and I spent the day watching most of The Tudors, Season 2. We found it on Showtime (thank you, Dee). During the heat, we powered through most of Season 2. What fun! Okay, let me clarify. What fun to watch, but man, I wouldn't want to be a woman living and trying to survive in those times. I fear I wouldn't have kept my head for long.

Royal Jewels of the World

Royal Portraits

History of the Monarchy.

Royal Magazin - Jewellery and Treasure of Royals and Aristocracy

The Royal Collection, "Shaped by the personal tastes of kings and queens over more than 500 years, the Royal Collection includes paintings, drawings and watercolours, furniture, ceramics, clocks, silver, sculpture, jewellery, books, manuscripts, prints and maps, arms and armour, fans, and textiles."

Friday, August 15, 2008

Shine On -- SPC 08.15

Haven't participated in awhile ... "shine" for SPC. Perfect summer day with the sun is in full shine today with a slight breeze ... reaching high 80's ... my re-stained deck, done ... all shiny and new(ish) ... I am on vacation ... so (we all) shine on.

Greatest summer songs.

Shine on -- SPC 08.15

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Sharon Baker's Studio

Sharon Baker's Studio

Bug Of The Day

Bug of the day.

Secret Tweet

Secret Tweet

Grunge Fonts

New grunge fonts. I love iNked God Font, Cocain Nosejob. a bite and Matejo. Also completely adore the Bandana ...

Nicholas Jones

The Design Files interviews Nicholas Jones

In The Stars

labpartners lovely Gocco prints -- Page No. 5, In The Stars via shayo

Jane Schouten
.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Interlude

Beautiful work and blog - interludio by Mariana Newlands where I found, Grain Edit and local talent, Sasha Barr.

Work-cation

After the back looked great with the new walkways completed ... we had to take it one step further and completely mess is all up again.

D and I decided we needed to pressure wash the deck and re-stain. While D was renting the pressure washer, I guess he decided the grass should be thatched ... so thatching, racking, reseeding in progress. He also decided while thatching the front yard that we needed to dig out a part the yard that doesn't get sun and put down another walkway.

Trying to get estimates for blowing insulation in the walls before the house gets painted, which will all happen in the next two weeks. The next couple of days, M and I will re-staining the deck. Wow, did I say I was on vacation.

Between some of this, I am trying to do some of my own art, some sewing, cleanup the sewing room. Day 4, vacation!

Designing Minds

Discovered on Veerle's blog, this post on Designing Minds - eight student illustrators and eight student graphic designers combine their varying skill sets for a common goal. This collaboration sparks innovative concepts and intense connections. Of course, Veerle's blog is full of tutorials and so much more. Go see.

Steet N Walls

São Paulo artist Fefe Talavera Street N Walls, amazing set.

The graffiti project (on Kelburn Castle) via Yara Kono

French artist, remed

Video of Margaret Kilgallen doing some magic.

Shadows fall magically at AGENCY OF THE URBAN SUBCONSCIOUS.

Anna Hepler

I feel "transfixed" when I watch Anna Hepler's video of her spheres, found the always wonderful Dear Ada.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Ira Glass, Creativity

Ira Glass encouraging us on being creative on YouTube via Uplifting Arts. I needed to hear that right now. I am cleaning and organizing fabric in my sewing room and clearing crap from my art studio, Unclutterer.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

The Brunch

Mom and I were invited to a wonderful brunch today. I saw friends from Seattle PI that I haven't seen in many years and it was great to visit and catch up. Talked about friends we miss (looks like they blog now) that we haven't seen in a long time and should call. Did I ever mention I put my flowers photos on My Seattle Pix.

at the brunch

at the brunch

Making Something

How to Make a Wide Fringed Scarf via label-free. Loved reading this blog and watched her make her trace her own pattern. Canson Sketch Rolls.

maya*made makes party hats via Design Mom

Sew Green also via maya*made.

Can you tell I have my sewing machine out? Not really making something, more like I am making a big mess.

Josh Keyes

Josh Keyes and his sketchbook.

Close And Personal

Unique blog - standinaqueue via Russell Davies' in defence of the ordinary, adventures in the everyday - a blog that wants to be a book.

I got completely caught up in watching video from Stood in the Congo.

The internet makes the world seem small, familiar and personal. Identifying with places I have never been and people I have never met.

Saturday, August 09, 2008

The Tudors

We were watching the CBUT for the opening ceremonies and saw the promo for the second season of "The Tudors" (note for those of you able to watch CBC ... this begin Sept. 30!) So the first question where is the first season! It looks like they will be showing the first season later this month and early September. Guess you could purchase the first season.

Interesting podcast of special features such as The King's Table: Tudor Cooking, Cardinal Wolsey: The power behind the throne and The Six Wives of Henry VIII. So now I know I have something to look forward to in September!

Sitting Pretty

I really would love to have these chairs. Right, Katie? (Can't remember where I found these).

Logopond Awards

I am such a sucker for logos! Clean, prudent designs. Logopond Awards Ceremony 08.

Friday, August 08, 2008

Future Skyscrapers

Arabian Mega Skyscrapers, amazing, huh?

Tim Walker

The genius of Tim Walker. If I had it to do all over, I would be a photo stylist! If I could be a photo stylist. I think I could, I wish I could ...

Texas Bush And Other Fun Plantings

It has been 4 days since I shot the Texas Bush and started this post. My life seems very much out of my control lately. Lots of work. Getting up so early is so demanding that I go to bed early and keep myself on schedule. I feel like I miss out out on much of my life. But... the good news is ... I am on vacation for the next two weeks. My time is my own for two weeks! Woo Hoo!

I love my "Texas bush" ... it reminds me of when I was a kid in Texas! And that makes me happy.

Texas Bush

Wooley Thyme. Planted in the rocks. Corsican mint, Baby Tears, Camomile .., I spent some money on ground covers, to see which ones will take hold.

wooley thyme

Brass Buttons, yes, I bought them from Steppables.

brass buttons

I have Snow-on-the-Mountain under the Vine Maples, that stuff is unstoppable!

Serena Holm

Serena Holm absolutely wonderful jewelry, via the impeccable Dear Ada.

Take The Survey

Be a voice for our industry, take this survey: A List Apart: The Survey 2008.

One Man, One Mission

Very fun piece on KUOW this morning - One Man, One Year, One Mission: Read The OED.

"An example, he says, is "petracore," a word for the scent that rises from pavement after rain has begun to fall."

Oxford English Dictionary

Dictionary.com

Merriam-Webster

OneLook Dictionary Search

Cambridge

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Mixing Karma

Former co-worker made this wonderful movie, Mixing Karma. Still waiting for it to come to Edmonds Theatre so I can see it with some popcorn.

Insane War

Ron Suskind Alleges War Fought On False Premises on Fresh Air tonight, very interesting. But D and I were saying most of this from the get-go of this insane war.

"In his new book, The Way of the World, Suskind writes about a secret meeting in early 2003 in which intelligence officials were told by Iraq's ihttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifntelligence chief, Tahir Jalil Habbush, that Saddam Hussein had no weapons of mass destruction. According to his book, the Bush administration then buried the report."

And on the subject on "insane wars", have been watching, or trying to watch, HBO's Generation Kill. It makes me very uncomfortable to watch ... very much like when I watch The Office. It feels wrong to have a series on about a war that is still very active. But I am hoping to glean something from it.

Nonfrumpy

The director Roland Emmerich, best known for his high-budget, spectacle-filled films like “10,000 BC” and “Independence Day,” told his designer, John Teall, to make his house "as nonfrumpy as possible." There is nothing I don't love about this place!

Kelly Louise Judd

Extraordinary work of Kelly Louise Judd, and her blog. Tea for Birds, below, my favorite! I love the rich colors.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

FontPool

FontPool, can I jump in?

Almanac

Explore the Almanac. A link you should keep.

Bubble Cars

Bubble Cars, I will take any of these!

Uncovered

Sean Connery uncovered. It comforts me to know we ALL have something we would like to hide away from the world.

Animals In The News

This made me cry and this made me say "do we really want to be doing this?" Well, as D pointed out about the cloning dog story, meanwhile she could be saving kids with life saving surgery, disfigurement repair ... donated all that money to PAWS, saved many of animals and gotten herself another wonderful companion. What are we thinking?

On The Edge

I used a variation of the art I painted in Jesse Reno's class the other day for a "bosses on the edge" story. That came in very handy since I am so busy I can hardly keep my head above water. On vacation very soon and looking forward to having some time that feels like my very own.

Monday, August 04, 2008

Materia: 1.3 million cable ties

Materia: 1.3 million cable ties via Design Hole Online.

Jessica Torrant

I really relate to the color and abstraction of these paintings by Jessica Torrant via Perpetual State.

Eric Kass

Eric Kass via Daily Poetics

Watermelon, Feta, and Olive Salad

Mom made this salad last night and it was wonderful! Watermelon, Feta, and Olive Salad from my favorite food magazine, Saveur.com.

Storm Chaser

These photos make me want to chase some storms even though I grew up seeing many of those threatening skies. Tempest Tours. StormEffects photo gallery makes me homesick! Brian Morganti's photo gallery. All via Photojojo.

Wim Delvoye

Laser cut steel, x-rays, Stuffed tattooed pig -- amazing work of Wim Delvoye, Gothic Works. via Wooster Collective

Can also view his work at Sperone Westwater and at Galarie Emmanuel Perrotin.

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Learning From The Garden

12 hours later, we are done with the backyard for tonight after being out there since 8 this morning. Finally got all the little black rocks in the walkway. Everything re-potted in larger pots, laid waste and trimmed everything to the tune of a full back of the truck. My fingers are dirty. My back hurts. And I am so glad that it is all almost finished.

A little bird landed 1 ft. above my head and just sat there and looked at me. I did not move, in fear of scary it away. A hummingbird did the exact thing last month. Just flew a couple of inches above my head and gave the look ... hey, you are in MY yard-space.

I was thinking of all the wonderful things my backyard had taught me ... patience, nature, all about seeds, sharing plants and seed and knowledge, birds, flowers, photographing flowers, how weeds can mimic anything, berries, the love of winter in a garden ... too many things to list. But it has been the best teacher of all!

viola seed

columbine seed