gurlpurl

Tis the season...

2006-12-07T08:54:00.000-08:00

For giving! The Heifer Project

is one of my all time favorite charities. Please take a gander at their website, and consider donating. Last year, when I was teaching Sunday school (YES ME!) we did a Heifer Project fundraiser and raised over 10k!! We purchased two whole "arks". It was an amazing experience for all involved. We were able to have a volunteer visit us from Heifer and really explain to the kids how much of a long term impact the Heifer project has on the communities it helps.

the wonderful thing about....

2006-11-13T21:21:00.000-08:00

Fall is Here!

2006-11-03T13:16:00.000-08:00

We have had a ton of fun celebrating Halloween! Sebastian went as Tigger, and I as a witch! Early in the day, we made cupcakes...Sebastian did an amazing job decorating them. We didn't have too many trick-or-treaters...but one young girl came as a murdered bride and recited poetry for me! That took the cake and I dumped two handfuls of candy into her bag for such a fancy performance. While I was hading out treats, Matthew took Sebs around the neighborhood. Needless to say, Sebs LOVED it. I think Halloween is his favorite holiday. In fact, he has asked me every morning since, "Is it Halloween trick or treat today mom?!"

Yesterday was my 28th birthday! I think it is super special to that have my birthday fall on All Souls Day! (Thanks MOM!) As usual, my family and friends have given me the most wonderful gifts...a jacket, brownies, purse, books, and a gift certificate for a massage and body polish at a fancy local salon...(ooh lala!) On Saturday at 8pm we have invited our friends for a low key shindig. Should be fun. I might make them watch episodes of Father Ted and/or LOTR. Haven't decided yet...hmmm...

Dream Big

2006-10-04T00:55:00.000-07:00

"Hey gurlpurl! What have you been dreaming of lately?"
"Oh, nothing much...just trees, chickens, and blank pages."
"Really? Chickens you say?"

"Yes, and perhaps some sheep...a nice old barn....yes. That's it! What I want more than anything right now...is to dangle my feet off of the ol' barn while playing my guitar"

"Do you want to see what human eyes have never seen? Look at the moon. Do you want to hear what ears have never heard? Listen to the bird's cry. Do you want to touch what hands have never touched? Touch the earth. Verily I say that God is about to create the world."
-- "The Theologians"
Borges

new new hairdo + knitting fun

2006-09-20T14:31:00.000-07:00

Knitting update: River Forest Gansey in Cascade 220 (in a wonderful Mossy color) Handknit Holidays

Last Wednesday, I allowed a well mannered pair of scissors near my noggin, and here is the happy result. Look ma! No split ends!

2006-09-16T21:06:00.000-07:00

In honor of my mother I am asking for donations for Portland's Light the Night Walk.
All donations will be MATCHED dollar for dollar by Moss Adams! Fancy AND generous! You people are GREAT!

Sebastian rocks my world...

2006-09-14T23:34:00.000-07:00

Race For the Cure

2006-08-30T09:26:00.000-07:00

My little sister Kerry is doing an awesome thing, and training to run in the Susan G. Komen's Race for the Cure!!! So, if you would be so kind as to support her team...that would be GREAT! Every little bit helps! Thank you! (please click the above link!)

Little Miss Sunshine!!

2006-08-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Kerry and I went to see Little Miss Sunshine...and it was super keen! We love, Love, LOVED it! I didn't think I was going to love it as much as I did...or even a tenth as much as I did for that matter, but...WOW! Hollywood can still make a great movie!

The one and only worrisome side effect from seeing this movie, is that it has made me miss "Skippy" (my old VW bus...identical to the one in the movie...)
*sigh*
Skippy where are you?!?!!!

Too Fast!

2006-08-15T19:47:00.000-07:00

Life seems to be moving at the speed of light these days! Look how big Sebastian got in just a couple of weeks! Simply amazing!
Today we (Sebs and I) baked a nice 2 layer chocolate and cream cheese frosting (thanks Betty Crocker!) cake...once it was cooled down, Sebs had a fine time decorating the thing. Chocolate isn't his favorite, so we are sharing it with the neighbor's tonight...where are the Mosmans when you need 'em?!
I am now an offical Mary Kay lady (yet again!) and aspire to drive that Pink Caddy! Thank you for your support! ;)
Nothing much new to report...life goes on...work...Sebs...work...Sebs...you know the score! Fall is fast approaching though...my favorite time of year! Meaning..football...knitting...baking....and lots of wonderful family and friends time! Wooly sweaters, knee socks, rain boots! I am sooooo there.

2006-07-26T17:10:00.000-07:00

Well folks, above are pictures of my 15 minutes of fame. Memoir and Duchess are to be featured in the September issue of Venus Magazine!

oh my goodness...

2006-06-29T21:17:00.000-07:00

After two botched attempts to make it to Uwajimaya in time to get into the bookstore, we finally made it today and my goodness, I do so love Japanese crafting books...I picked up two "Zakka" books and a "Cotton Time"...Cotton Friend (my old standby) was misssing from the rack...
Yesterday Susan Beale came into the shop to interview me for Venus Magazine! Venus is going to do a full page on Memoir and our new lines of custom stationery!
Tomorrow morning is my interview with the Midwifery College...which shall begin an entire new chapter in my life. One that I hope will lead me to many amazing places, and through some beautiful experiences. Wish me luck!

gimme your stuff!

2006-06-27T09:35:00.000-07:00

Gimme Your Stuff is this amazing stuff exchanging blog, and we have decided to take part. I plan on exchanging all sorts of handmade items by different indie artist whose work I carry in the shop. Stationery, jewelry, accessories, as well as some good old Oregon-specific treats! I will even send some yarn I've spun, and something knitted...
I hope to exchange with someone who is interested in these kind of items...
I've dreamt of living in Sweden, Norway, Finalnd, Scotland, Ireland, France, and Australia...so exchanges from these places would be totally amazing!

Pandemonium 2006!!!!

2006-06-24T11:43:00.000-07:00

Paper scraps EVERYWHERE, but a great time had by all!

I heart Yarn

2006-06-22T20:46:00.000-07:00

Ah! Cascade Sierra Yarn is the perfect summertime knitting treat. Here is my first panel (in carriage rib stitch) that I am hoping to knit into a messenger style bag.

Being a lover of all things Scottish, tweedy, and made of wool, I couldn't resist making a lace scarf out of Harris Yarns (via Rowan)

Sock #1 made with a suprisingly soft KnitPicks "Sock Garden" yarn. I knit this during the train ride to SF last week.

I spun this

2006-06-22T17:04:00.000-07:00

I just love the hum-drummy-drum of my Ashford Traveler Wheel...the roving was 100% wool (i heart sheep!) and hand dyed. Pinks and greens and blues? My favorite!

Knitting adventures

2006-06-22T08:09:00.000-07:00

We are heading to the beach this morning...but tonight I am going to finally post pictures of all of the yarn I have been spinning up...as well as a few knitting projects I have been working on over the past few weeks...yee haw!
Oh! And perhaps some garden pics? My garden is outta site this year!

Sebastian turns 3 today!

2006-06-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

I can barely believe that 3 years ago today I became a mother!

Sebastian is just the most amazingly wonderful person I've had the honor to know. I am constantly impressed and inspired by his curiosity, gentleness, smarts, and kindness.
Happy Birthday Sebastian Otto Ervin Hogan!

2006-06-14T16:29:00.000-07:00

So...tomorrow I shall hop on the Coast Starlight AMTRAK and rail my way down to San Francisco. A 17.5 hour trip! Childless, so there should be lots and lots of knitting and reading involved. After arriving at 10am Friday morning, I will then visit family, sleep, and drive back to Portland come Saturday morning. My mom and dad will be at our house to welcome me back home...they will be here all next week! YIPPEE! (Sebastian cannot stop talking about them coming...)
Sebastian turns 3 on the 20th! I can hardly believe it!
3!
And I've decided that I want 3 more?!?! Go figure.

2006-05-25T10:52:00.000-07:00

We have been busy! Building towers, "digging in the garden", and trying to catch up on sleep!

2006-05-12T21:42:00.000-07:00

suadade

2006-04-26T16:22:00.000-07:00

From wiki...
"In his book In Portugal of 1912, A.F.G Bell writes: "The famous saudade of the Portuguese is a vague and constant desire for something that does not and probably cannot exist, for something other than the present, a turning towards the past or towards the future; not an active discontent or poignant sadness but an indolent dreaming wistfulness."

Saudade is different from nostalgia. In nostalgia, one has a mixed happy and sad feeling. A memory of happiness but a sadness for its impossible return and sole existence in the past. Saudade is like nostalgia but with the hope that what is being longed for might return, even if that return is unlikely or so distant in the future to be almost of no consequence to the present. One might make a strong analogy of Nostalgia as a feeling one has for a loved one that has died and saudade as a feeling one has for a loved one that has disappeared. Nostalgia is located in the past and is somewhat conformist while saudades is very present, anguishing, anxious and extends to the future. "

For our 5th anniversary (April 20th for those of you who don't know...) Matthew gave to me a cd containing two lectures given by Nick Cave. One is about writing the LOVE song....and the other is entitled "the word made flesh" (or vica versa i can't remember!)

In regards to writing the love song, a GOOD one, Cave says that there must be "suadade"...a longing...a sadness..that love songs are always sad. the good ones stay with you, as you change they change...

Borges swims in it...the love of dreams, and myths, both, intellectual and untouchable loves...

so, as i have given much, much, much thought to these very subjects...longing, sadness, love...especially over the past couple of years.

i might be one of those (un)fortunate souls...born into a state of suadade...

i long for the sea,
i long for thee,
i long for the cool shade of enormous trees,
i long for a time that isn't this time...

suadade. the hope for something that you know won't happen...you know deep down that it will never, ever in a million years happen...
but deeper down, in your heart of hearts you can clearly picture it...
and it haunts you.
like a ghost...lost.

and you try to tell yourself that life goes on..?

YES!

life; beautiful and amazing, glorious and glowing, ever mysterious, ever changing... it moves,
and i have moved...and i am much better for it...

why is longing for something bad... if you can make that longing into something beautiful?
i feel that suadade can be a catalyst for amazing acts, for charity, art, new love, spirituality...do we not all also harbor that same longing for God?

perhaps that is where the lines cross?

let me see your beauty broken down...

2006-04-15T14:47:00.000-07:00

"With thee conversing I forget all time,
All seasons and their change, all please alike.
Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet,
With charm of earliest birds; pleasant the sun
When first on this delightful land he spreads
His orient beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flower,
Glistring with dew; fragrant the fertile earth
After soft shower; and sweet the coming on
Of grateful evening mild, then silent night
With this her solemn bird and this fair moon,
And these the gems of heav'n, her starry train:
But neither breath of morn when she ascends
With charm of earliest birds, nor rising sun
On this delightful land, nor herb, fruit, flower,
Glistring with dew, nor fragrance after showers,
Nor grateful evening mild, nor silent night
With this her solemn bird, nor walk by moon,
Or glittering starlight without thee is sweet."

.....from Paradise Lost by John Milton (1608-74)

"an investigation of the word"

2006-04-14T16:59:00.000-07:00

I am in the midst of reading, and attempting to comprehend, Borges' "Selected Non-Fictions"...
What genius and imagination! What sheer effervescence!
( and what am I doing..silly little me.. trying read through, and understand these essays?! )
This week I have finished "A Doctrine of Cycles", "An Investigation of the Word", and am just now moving onto a favorite, "A History of Eternity".
I cannot put into words what his writing means to me, or exactly how it has inspired my life and dreams...

2006-04-08T17:31:00.000-07:00

Does this change everything?

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/04/0406_060406_judas.html

Herb Walk in Tryon park...yea botany!

2006-04-07T12:48:00.000-07:00

this is a picture of our cute plush goodies by My Paper Crane...

This is more of an exercise in brushing up on my Latin... yesterday my class went on a wonderful hike in Tryon Park (nestled in SW Portland, next to Lewis and Clark college) and we spotted the following plants:
Trillium ovatum: if you were to pick this amazing flower...it would take 7 years for it to grow back! The oldest recorded Trillium ovatum in Oregon is over 100 years old!
Viola glabella, wood violet: edible and medicinal...we spotted yellow ones, but they come in colors ranging from purple to white...lovely little plants.
Hydrophyllum tenuipes, waterleaf: edible and rampant...
Veratum sp., hellebore: POISON one or tow bites of this would do you in. For good!
Plantago major, plantain: medicinal...the ones we saw were only babies.
Urtica dioica, nettles: edible (once cooked, stinging rat bastards raw, unless of course you are a nettle fairy and can pick them without being stung!) medicinal...a cup of nettle tea-a-day keeps the doctors away..YAY!
Galium aparine, cleavers: edible and medicinal, cleavers rock and I bet there are some growing in your yard right now...they're in mine!
Asarum caudatum, wild ginger: holy moly...this plant smells like a food of the gods...and it tastes like it too...
Lysichiton americanum, skunk cabbage: stinky. there's not too much you can do with it, pretty, but stinky. An amazing creature, it tries to mimic the smell of carrion as to attract the bugs to reproduce it. A member of the Lily family the flower greatly resembles a Cala lily...grows in bog-gy type places.
Berberis nervosa and Mahonia nervosa, Oregon Grape: Not only the state flower of Oregon, but a highly useful medicinal that pretty much replaces Goldenseal, works wonders in conjunction with Thuja plicata (Red Cedar).

to be continued...

why-o why-o

2006-04-07T12:13:00.000-07:00

these are just a couple of pictures of our recent trip to the farm. we miss it so!

how i would have loved you

2006-03-30T16:32:00.000-08:00

i often wonder how in the world i have become so busy?! this past week has found me:
worrying over our dying automobile (no money to fix it, of course)

weeding our new community garden spot and tending to our starts (which include broccoli, carrots, snap peas, bush beans, heirloom tomatoes, purple potatos, basil, motherwort, lavender, rosemary, evening primrose, spinach, and walla walla onions!!) sebastian LOVES to help me in the garden, and with the seedlings...i have to show him every single worm that i come across...he "planted" some nice rocks too...even waters them every day!

my apprenticeship position at NWSH is now in full swing, and i am going to be learning SO much...i am very excited..along with the actual classes beginning tuesday, the hour long drive out into the country is beautiful...and i am very much looking forward to being out of the city 3 entire days a week.

i am also buying memoir from spud, and moving it around the corner with into my friend seyta's space...so we will be able to have both of our shops in one space, saving much on rent and bills...which will make it possible for me to go to school and sebs to stay home with either matt or myself! we are going to become "the enchanted kingdom of duchess and memoir" ...at least that is what we are going to put on the door. :)

holy week is fast approaching and i am truly looking forward to it. i've even signed up for the over night vigil on maundy thursday. (1 am to be exact!)

i think that might be it...? either way i should run as there are actually people in the shop! xo,b

down yonder in the holler

2006-03-19T06:57:00.000-08:00

we have been in tennessee for the past week...wandering in the woods, eating pie, playing with all of the animals, taking drives deep into the countryside, and enjoying family. we have had many adventures, which i will write about upon our return....today we fly back home to portland. i already miss tennessee...

it is snowing!

2006-03-09T14:40:00.000-08:00

sebs and i played outside all morning whilst huge snowflakes fell around us...hooray for snow! tomorrow, matthew turns 30!

just another day

2006-03-02T14:35:00.000-08:00

Last night, in celebration of our new electric rice cooker, I made a super spicy tofu stir fry, with fresh organic broccoli, bok choy, tofu, and lots of yummy spices! It was delish! (and as I am fasting during the day all through Lent, it was a much appreciated meal!)
Sebs was quite happy with his Annie's mac n'cheese...aka "bunny noodles!!"
Funny how I often end up cooking at least two, if not three different meals every night...

In the world of craftiness; I spent most of this morning spinning some roving into yarn...and I am halfway done with Sebbers "stripey sweater", I've only to finish the sleeves and sew it all together. That is pretty good considering I just cast-on 3 days ago!
As I spin, garden, become a herbalist, and bake more and more, I cannot help to think about having a wee micro-farm of my very own, a few sheep, chickens, goats, and organic veggies and fruits! Sebs only request is for us to grow "blueberries!!!" He has a very tiny, and very cute green thumb! He loves to dig with me in the garden, (he gets a big old soup spoon) and asks questions about every which plant or root or bug he comes across...He also loves chickens, (we visit them everday at Pistil nursery) so perhaps his chores on the farm will include egg gathering in the mornings...
Speaking of...

As I heard the rain pitter patter upon our roof, I peeked outside to check on the seedlings I planted yesterday. They had made it through the night unharmed. Thank goodness! Our snap peas, broccoli, walla walla onions, and spinach all looked perky and happy...yay for raised beds!

Then, Sebs and I were off to run a few errands...the Herb Shoppe, Another Moon Bookshop, Lint, and even a sneaky pit stop at the Albina Street Press for some coffee and a zuc muffin for the wee man.

I am spending most of the day at work, and tonite I will make some spaghetti for din din. We bought some Irish uber sharp cheddar cheese the other day, and I am thinking of adding it to the sauce to give it a nice zing....

Next week is Matt's 30th birthday, and the day following Sebastian and I are heading out to the lush forests and farmlands of Tennessee....we are really looking forward to it...

What else? Oh! I have now officially begun my apprenticeship at the Northwest School of Herbalism...I feel quite called to it, and am so very excited to begin classes next month! Jo Powell is my teacher, and she is a heck of gal to say the least...she really cracks me up. She has studied with the best Western herbalists in the country, (Michael Moore, Rosemary Gladstar...) so I just know this is going to be an amazing learning experience!

I have been keeping very busy on the reading front, from modern British druidry, to herbalism, and another go at "Paradise Lost", I have been keeping the wheels up there turning and turning...

2006-01-20T12:36:00.000-08:00

rain, rain, rain.

i can barely remember the last day that a drop of rain didn't fall from the sky...for years, the northwestern weather hasn't bothered me in the very least bit. but now, as dreams of moving elsewhere are coming into fruition, i can barely stand it!
one more year,
amidst ferns and moss and sea.

i am growing ever more excited about my impending apprenticeship position at the northwest school of herbalism. i have my first class next saturday, and from there will begin to help on the farm, go to classes, play office- gopher, and eventually help with teaching classes.

today i am thumbing through hildegard's medieval herbals classic, "physica"...it is amazing that in 1080, people had just a complete understanding of the medicinal side of plants.

this evening the family is going over to our next door neighbor's house to celebrate gus' 3rd birthday! pizza and ice cream for all...it is a very good thing that i have just started going to the gym again!

well, there are people in the shop...so i should run...

OMFG!

2006-01-14T11:38:00.000-08:00

i know! i know! it has been FOREVER since i've written anything here....my sincerest apologies...truly! life has been a whirlwind as of late. for instance... here is a summation of a day that happened to us a couple of weeks ago:

woke up, did the normal morning type kid things with sebastian.
got a phone call telling me that our newly adopted pooch, Ronan, has needed a $10k hip replacement surgery for the past two years...her previous owner did not disclose this to the humane society of course...so i almost passed out right then and there.
next we all piled into the car to pick up matt from work.
upon arrival, the engine began to pour steam....matt walks up to tell me he just lost a shift at work.

i go into my shop, and am told that my pay must be cut in half.
we walk to the auto parts shop 1 mile away. they told us to try to put water into the radiator to make it home.
we tried. we didnt make it.

called AAA (thanks mom!) they can't pick us up for another hour and a half.
we run into starbucks, as it is now pouring rain.
sebs is acting really strange, and as i try to console him, he barfs on me. twice.
then matt grabs him and gets puked on too.
we clean up the mess.
decided to not stink up the place and wait outside for the tow truck.

the nice tow truck driver approaches me as i exclaim, "don't come any closer! we're covered in barf!"
we thankfully still get a tow to the mechanic.
they can't look at the car for a week.....

that said, there is a silver lining to every story isn't there?
of course!
well, since we were now truly in the poorhouse, we had to come up with a brand new monthly budget... we figure out that even though it'll be tight as h.e.double hockeysticks...we will have 2 days off...together! which is quite priceless.

anyhow...
since then I applied for the apprenticeship position at the NW School of Herbalism www.nwherbs.com ...and am now in the final stages of acceptance! i will be spending the next 10 months in the garden, learning ancient materia medica, herbalism, farmers market stuffs....after which i can teach, run a small organic herbal farm...whatever i like. a dream come true! so hence....

we've decided to move back to Tennessee! along with my sister of course.... at the end of this year. matt will attend the john gumpton school of mortuary science (he is following his dream of being a funeral director) in nashville....and i will work on running/starting a tiny organic herbal farm! (we are even looking into really neat "intentional communities" in the nashville/tn area!

then... this morning i was told that i was accepted into the Folk Alliance Convention as an act! www.folkalliance.net i can hardly believe my luck!

through fire....

i am ever amazed at life!

2005-12-22T15:33:00.000-08:00

idol worship

2005-11-22T16:52:00.000-08:00

i can hardly believe i forgot to post about one of the most amazing moments of my entire life! at trinity cathedral this past sunday i listened to THE dr. james lawson give a sermon. he was completely amazing, and i was in complete awe. (he was one of the architects of the civil rights movement, and basically taught mlk jr. about non-violent resistance.) i even took communion from him! i think i was smiling during the whole mass...it is surely something i will never forget. if only there were more people like him on this planet....
if i can get a copy of his sermon, i will post it here, as it was very powerful indeed.

my first migraine

2005-11-21T20:38:00.000-08:00

Last nite, after my EFM class (Education for Ministry via the Episcopal Seminary) I came home and watched Bergman's "The Seventh Seal".
(While poor, poor Matt tried in vain for 4 hours to put Sebastian to sleep.)

I have nothing more to say aside from that I hope to never have to play chess with death...as long as I live.

i may dream a million dreams but how can they come true?

2005-11-18T15:00:00.000-08:00

if there will never ever be another you....
what i am reading right now:

the gospel q
book of common prayer
paradise lost (i've never read it before! for shame!)
and am going to try to get to a copy of "in cold blood" that a friend of mine zoe lent me....

what i am listening to this very second:
chet baker-let's get lost

what i am wishing for:
a week alone in my studio!

what i am up to tonite:
seeing harry potter with my sister

i've forgotten to bring my knitting with me to work and am now hoping to occupy these idle hands with something worthwhile....i don't think i've even brought a book with me to work today! creezus!

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i'm so hot for you

2005-11-03T18:20:00.000-08:00

and you're so cold.

oh mick and keith and charlie....

why are you as cold as a tombstone?

and that cover of "the night time is the right time"!

i raise my glass to the old-timers! cheers!

portland is better for your little visit....a entire arena full of smiles and nostalgia!

2005-10-31T11:26:00.000-08:00

terrible flu...trixie two's

2005-10-31T11:08:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween Everyone!!! busy....busy...busy.... that has been my life of late...and it doesn't help matters that i have been struck with a terrible flu this past week...right in time for my mother's visit! we have been trying to get out of the house at least once a day...i usually end up dizzy and woozy...but a trip to Sauvie Island for pumpkin picking and a trip to Target just had to be done before today. tonite i shall transform into a witch, sebastian a fireman, and kerry a 1960's bombshell....i even get to do her bouffant! we are also celebrating my birthday today with spookily decorated cupcakes and a sushi lunch! mmmm...on that note...

check it out!

2005-09-09T14:13:00.000-07:00

as posted today by Portland Picks.. "Make It A Memoir
We can’t get enough of handmade items. There’s something about a blouse that’s hand-sewn that makes us feel original, smart, sexy, and funky all at once. And when we can find hand-knit scarves and sweaters, and original items like handmade jewelry and stationery, we’re practically in heaven! Lucky for us, we found Memoir, open just five months! The entire shop is stocked with handmade items, most of them made by women. You’ll find clothing and accessories and home items. Standouts include silk-screened journals, albums and note cards by Jen Corace, tops and skirts by Makool (hoodies with fun appliqués, like a blazer adorned with an ice-cream bar), coasters and handbags by Robot Candy (quirky designs like lotus flowers and Asian chickens), and bags by Queen Bee.Ooh, and check out designers unique to Portland like Austin Craft Mafia, Amet and Sasha, and Blackbird Fashion (the world’s cutest skirts with appliqués of a horse, a poppy, even a hot and girlie skull-and-crossbones).We are also big fans of the Memoir line of knitted scarves by owner Brooke Krawetz. They’re nubby and romantic, and Brooke promised that she’ll be doing sweaters and skirts for fall!Memoir3731 N. Mississippi Ave.Portland, OR 97227503.528.1000"

hello again!

2005-09-06T21:41:00.000-07:00

finally, some pictures from Memoir...
over the next couple of weeks we will be featured in Portland Picks and The Mercury!

2005-08-05T16:57:00.000-07:00

it's friday, that means kerry is going to come over, and in the morning we will all go to the farmers market together! hip!hip!hooray!
for the first time ever i had my eyebrows professionally shaped and waxed. i feel quite glamorous. although, next time i do something like that, i will have someone watch sebs... kerry will be so proud that my eyebrows are in order. she is always teasing me about them. i like crazy eyebrows! oh well.

cait and ashley left last nite for vermont. they will be missed!

i designed and sewed a really cute 6-gore skirt, that i hope to make for the shop this weekend. we are becoming increasingly steady, and there is very good word-of-mouth out in pdx about the shop, which is super nice. the shop is really coming along!

well it is time for sme ice tea. damn this hot weather!

2005-08-02T18:09:00.000-07:00

yesterday matthew took sebastian over to visit his sisters and mom, as they were in town from houston, and bend respectively.
that gave me the chance to hook up my new serger and serge! i serged for hours and made some very cute coasters and "farmer's market" (i totally made that up too!) bags for the shop.
around 5 spud and i went to see charlie and the chocolate factory. i liked it well enough, but it was a wee bit difficult to NOT compare it to its older 70's counterpart. as much as i like johnny depp, he is no gene wilder. that said, it was a pretty fun movie. i mean it IS a kids movie, right?
today, as it was pretty slow at the shop, i took the liberty of rearranging the entire space. ahhhh...much better. earlier i stopped over at duchess, to visit seyta, and to give her a few edawrdian garments i have been stowing away, so that she can draft some new patterns to sell at the shop. thankfully she liked everything! i'll post some pictures of the finished dresses as soon as i can.
what else? we finally finished moving all of the stuff from the apartment of doom, to our new hobbit house. it is a lot of fun setting up house. and it is great to have a backyard, frontyard, garden, and decent neighbors, with a kid only a few months older than sebs!

2005-07-28T16:53:00.000-07:00

i have come to the realization that i need to buy some books by members of "the inklings"...other than tolkien and lewis...charles williams, nevill coghill, and owen barfield. mythology & theology, poetry & linguists.
i cannot wait until classes start this fall.
and my dearies, brooke is going catholic. yep. that's right. i am taking the final step, (or better yet, the first) and will be able to take my first eucharist as a catholic, sooner than later. (mom i hear you giggling!)
kinda wild?
www.saintclarechurch.org

2005-07-23T13:04:00.000-07:00

i have been listening to a lot of dock boggs at the shop lately. and have come to the conclusion that i need a banjo!

this afternoon, the air has been full of cursing, as i had to rip out the SOCKS that I have been trying to knit for my MOM'S birthday.....for the 4th time! ...sorry mom! i am a terrible sock knitter it seems!
tonite kerry and i are going to stay home and watch OPB. all of the BBC shows are on, and we can geek out. speaking of geeking out, i like to listen to the radio broadcast of the "chronicles of narnia" every saturday morning on the local catholic radio station....sebs likes it too. its fun to listen to someone telling a story, i think there should be waaaay more radio shows like that....maybe some day i'll make a podcast of the lord of the rings or something like that. ha!
sebs and i went to the hollywood farmers market this morning, we have been reading "blueberries for sal" together, and he has been begging me for blueberries all week long. i kept telling him that we had to wait until saturday so that we can buy them from the farmers market. well, this morning right after he woke up he squealed to me," farmer's market! blueberries!" and off we went....i love fresh from the farm organic produce...is there anything better? we scored 2 pints of blueberries, green beans, garlic, onions, lettuce, and broccolli. YUM! dinner is going to be amazing tonite!

2005-07-22T16:06:00.000-07:00

sebbies and i went for a long, long, long walk this morning. all the way from our house to Mabels. (that's at least 5 miles round trip! ) on the way, i stopped off at ptown scooters to look at the scooter of my dreams, Stella. *sigh* i have to start saving my pennies right away! nothing worth anything is easy... saw cait this morning, and met her new employee elisabeth, who is super cute and nice. sebs gave all his lovies to cait, and they both picked blackberries in her backyard. then it was time to walk all the way back home....
it is quite humid today, as it was 93 degrees yesterday and last nite we have thunder storms and some rain. YUCK! humidity is the worst!
tonite, kerry, ashley, matt, sebs, cait, and I are going to go out for din din, and maybe a wee bit of a band practice?
i am the shop until 7, and am almost finished with the bias garter stich scarf.

2005-07-14T17:09:00.000-07:00

tonite is the mississippi avenue music walk. it happens every second thursday, through the spring and summer. the normal street fairish stuff: art, music, hobo's, screaming children and badly behaved parents. i have to be here until at least 9pm and kerry is being a saint among saints and watching sebastian...matt is working at bridge city comics. last nite i attempted to put together my new spinning wheel so i could make some yarn here in the shop...but NOOOOO...the lady whom i had bought it from decided to send me the instructions to a different model and i think that i have put it together BACKWARDS!! ACK! we'll see tonite...i am going to try to get some oil for it from cait..(.i should probably call her first though...anyway...she should come over with man tonite!) it looks like not only will i be knitting everyone gifts for xmas this year..i will have actually SPUN some of the yarn! i also met the really nice girl who owns this great dress shop around the corner called ""duchess". she is having her grand opening tonite, and i cannot wait to go over and see more of her amazing dresses. (they are all remade of vintage pattterns, to size 20!!) ok, now off to helping hang the installation thats going in tonite....

2005-07-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

today has been a day of errand running... this morning we went for a nice walk, then to the bank, our old apartment, groceries, and i even picked up an order from queen bee, all before it was time to go to work. today sebastian is with me at the shop, and he is like a tornado...i know whats coming but have no idea where exactly he'll destroy next! ...yesterday was our first official day in our lovely new home! cait and ashley helped TONS, aye, the bane of having a pickup truck is that you are always asked to help move stuff! anyway, much thanks to them! the house is soo cute, it FEELS like home already. I am excited about the studio space and practice spaces as well as our clawfoot tub. so much possibility...sewing, serging, band practice, spinning....tonite kerry is taking sebs and i to an office party at the zoo. should be tons o' fun!

2005-07-09T12:43:00.000-07:00

all day today and tomorrow i am working at the shop...i really enjoy working weekends because i get to see so many people! weekdays around here are terribly slow still, so its nice to see a parade snobby hipsters, pregnant ladies, crying children, more hipsters, and the occasional old married couple.
i am reading dietrich bonhoeffers "letters from prison" today, which is quite amazing of course, and always puts me in a far more humble mood. there is something to be said of humility these days. being "humble" isnt a valued trait in this country, or our society in general, yet, it is the one we need now, most of all! we are all so self centered, self righteous, and preoccupied with how great we are and how much we own...
rant.rant.rant.
on that note i must run as there are people in the shop!

in other news

2005-07-07T08:32:00.000-07:00

last evening kerry, sebs, and i went for a nice swim at the matt dishman community pool. sebs had a blast and squealed the entire time. he's a guppie like me! i am going back to work today, and i couldnt be more excited as my ashford "traveler" spinning wheel might arrive today! for those of you who might not already know this, i am secretly turning into a crazy fiber lady. i am obsessed with all things related to natural fibers; knitting, crochet, spinning, felt...i dream of yarn! i have even entertained the thought of moving to the country and buying a flock of sheep! crazy huh?! well i should run now, i have a bit of knitting to finish and sometime this morning i would love to visit cait over at mabels, where the poor gal is slaving away from 8am -9pm!

the call

2005-07-06T21:05:00.000-07:00

*sigh* what a very long, and gruesome trip it was to san francisco... my sister and i got "the call" last wednesday, and by that afternoon, we were already headed south on I-5 in a rental to be at our fathers' bedside during, what looks like, are his final days. oy vey...the life of a daughter of an alcoholic. egad. what a completely long and sad way to go. for the past 3 years, my sister and i have received the call about 3 times...the doctors always said that he wouldn't make it, that his liver is shot, his kidneys have failed, jaundice, blood poisoning... but he always pulled through in the end...although each time, it seemed to take decades off of him. and each time his doctors told him that one more drink could and would kill him. it was like playing russian roulette...i suppose that my dad felt lucky, because he kept playing... it seems though, that this time he's lost, indeed in that hospital bed lay a shell of a human that once was... he could not move, talk, understand, remember anything or anyone, he is gone already... all i can say at the moment is that i am VERY tired, i feel sort of hazy, and everyone else seems a little crazy to me too. thank goodness for good friends (c&a&spud!), good relatives, (mom, kerry, barry!!), and of course Matthew and Sebastian who are being saints among men to me, even in my hazy-crazed crankiness.

good morning

2005-06-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

well i've sold the musicman 210 in my quest to become an all acoustic kind of gal...(am i really ready for that? necessity says so.) so it's time to put my nose to the grind to learn a lot of old-timey songs on the geetar and to practice harmonies with my sister...cait on the ukelele and the yarnbirds already have our first gig in october! last nite cait and i went to fabric depot and scored some really great fabric and patterns to make purses and knitting bags/needle rolls for our shops. i am working the shop all day today and kerry is helping me out there too. we received our shipment from if'n books yesterday and i want one of everything! handmade paper goods are sooo lovely! i have been knitting a cardigan (bartlett sport weight cone in dark red) and a present for my mother, not to mention a few items for the shop... and i will be starting on a stitch diva pattern for a cloche hat sample so that i can teach some crochet at mabel's! woo hoo!

busy busy busy

2005-06-22T09:37:00.000-07:00

although monday was sebastians "real" birthday, we had a lovely party for him at mabels on sunday! there was a lovely handmade banner hanging upon our arrival that read "happy birthday sebs!". we shared cake and ice cream and a lot of sebbie kisses. sebastian received soooo many presents from our very generous family and friends, that we are still reeling at our new toy arsenal! i think that everyone who was able to make it had a lot of fun . the very next day found matthew, sebs, spud, cait, ashley, and myself in a very cool rented nissan minivan driving to seattle. we paid a short visit to capitol hill, ballard (to visit velouria and pick up and order for memoir which wasn't ready!) , and of course, fremont to visit my old bosslady, kathy, whom we had the misfortune of having "just missed her" and had to endure a few very painful minutes with natalia, the most annoying and stuck up sales girl EVER! egad! after that it was time to head to centralia!!! my favorite place in the northwest for mexican food and thrifting...(it is a huge thrift secret OK? so don't go telling everyone that the thrift stores there are still amazing..) .i scored a ton of great vintage fabric the,t come monday, i will cut up and sew together to make some great knitting needle case holders and purses...with the help of cait of course! i opened the shop yesterday to the racket of construction going on next door ... and two huge pickup trucks parked directly in front of our front door...and happily, a nice little visit from cait! we also had craft nite last nite, kerry and i and spud hung out until about 9pm.... kerry having broken up with john, (the seemed like a nice guy at first but ended up being a crazy arsehole of a boyfriend.. ) is now sans cutlery and a tv...poor gal!

freaks and geeks

2005-06-18T15:17:00.000-07:00

last nite kerry picked me up from work and we had a slumber party at our place...we ate yummy mississippi pizza pub pizza (1/2 vegan) knitted, and watched "o brother where art thou"...(we love to sing along with it!)
this morning we met spud at the farmers market and i bought some wonderful organic lavender and sweet peas for the shop...the atm spewed out more money at me than i thought existed in my account, and the shop has been steady-ish all day long.
tomorrow is fathers day and i am really hoping that my stepdad got his present today!
tomorrow is also sebastians birthday party at Mabels!! i can barely believe that i am the mother of a 2 year old AND that i am actually considering having another!

2005-06-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

can you belive that this fella turns 2 on monday?!

2005-06-17T09:13:00.000-07:00

memoir pics will be posted sooner than later i promise! i am having daydreams of heading over to Uwajimaya with cait and splurging on some japanese craft and knitting books...they are the best!

WOW

2005-06-16T08:49:00.000-07:00

ok, it has been waaaay too long since i posted last...this week i am going to turn this blog around into my crafty/memoir blog so stay tuned ....and many apologies! xo, b

brooke and books

2005-03-30T10:28:00.000-08:00

finished!
here is a list of books that i adored and finished over the past couple of months...no small feat for the mother of a toddler!
1.dorian gray
2.idyll's of the king
3.mysteries of faith
4.murder on the rue...
5. the Apocrypha (yes the one from the hebrew scriptures)
all of the except #3 i had read before, but as with any good book you get more out of them the second or third time around.
as for my next venture finishing:
NON-Fiction (collection) by Borges, it is SO scholastic...i usually end up jumping around and never finishing. he is one of my all time favorites and lover of dreams.
Oxford Book of Classical Verse...i am about a quarter of the way throughIlliad (yet again...new translation this time round)
Metemorpheses- Ovid was amazing, and this will be the second go round for me too.
anyone else around here truly obsessed with literature of old? that seems to be all i have ever cared for, aside from raymond carver and murakami...
please forgive any spelling errors as i am running on a major week long lack of sleep....

friday nite

2005-03-12T08:11:00.000-08:00

what i feel like doing tonite 1. now that i am an actual theology student i feel the need to start smoking a pipe while wearing a cardigan (that i knit for myself of course!) 2. to read the gospels to myself, in my new corset and victorian getup, and drinking a fine glass of cognac. the pipe smoking might go well there too 3.a nice walk would be lovely, now that its cooling down out there. it was 75 degrees today...in the beginning of march, in portland oregon...(it's like one of my worst nightmares come true!) have you ever heard the song "lochness" by some velvet sidewalk? its one of my all time favorites. i am planning on going to the Vampire Ball tomorrow nite, and what else? lots and lots of reading. i am also hoping to be able to sleep in tomorrow morning...please keep your fingers crossed on that one. xo, b

2005-03-08T16:03:00.000-08:00

well today we will finally get into our space for the shop and be able to putter around until we get the lights put in. My friend Tae Won Yu is finishing up our logo...and the lovely Chad and Emiko over at Food Fight Grocery will make our ads! I have tons of inventory laying around the house...and we are hoping to move into a 2 bd. apartment sometime soon...(any leads?) I posted an ad on Craigslist yesterday to see if anyone was interested in taking over our lease...It would be great to get into a smaller place and to not have a roommate anymore. (Even though our roommate is my lovely sister!) I am also pondering buying tickets for the vampire's ball this saturday but have yet to make up my mind...going solo is kind of boring when it's something of that calibur! I have my first information session at Marylhurst on Thursday too...Thursday also happens to be my Matt's AND my father's birthday. Did you ever have the feeling that there's a zamp in the lamp? Or a geeling on the ceiling? xo, b

2005-03-02T09:16:00.000-08:00

yesterday i recieved in the mail a lovely note and package from my friend david, containing none other than a copy of a VON LMO cd! i am uber excited...i cannot wait to give it a listen!yesterdays lease signing went fine, although i think our realtor is a snob..that comes as no suprise tho....oh! and we bought a g4 powerbook for the shop. i heart having a mac! i also bought matthew a mini ipod for his birthday...(the 10th) and i couldnt wait for him to open it so i just gave it it to him when i came home. i was jumping up and down as he opened he, he thought i was going crazy until he saw what it was, and then he practically yelped for joy. ( to all of you who are either single and working, or have a two income houselhold this might not seem like a big deal but when you're a married couple with a toddler living off of $1200 a month...it IS a big deal!)i've been feeling an itch to get out one nite this week....but i am totally booked with other stuff until saturday nite...sigh.

2005-03-01T07:52:00.000-08:00

here is mr. cutie booty patootie.. he looks like a wee elf!

2005-03-01T07:49:00.000-08:00

the most recent pic of myself...people keep asking me for pics...so here you are..and i look really weird!

spinning

2005-03-01T07:27:00.000-08:00

these past few weeks have been completely wonky! sebastian has beeth teething something fierce, and refuses to sleep, or go to sleep on his own for that matter. last week, matt and i didnt get more than 3 hours sleep a nite because sebastian was soooo cranky!

the store is coming along nicely. spud and i are finally going to sign the lease today! woo hoo! the oregonian did a nice a&e piece last week on the "hot" new N. Mississippi neighborhood, and even wrote about the building that we're moving into! we received the lovely logo ideas from tae yesterday.... and i picked out paint chips a few days ago. lovely shades of chocolate browns, lavenders, some periwinkle, and an orange....should be really nice. i can hardly wait to get the store up and running. it seems so unreal at this point.

i have officially applied to marylhurst university, and am going for a second bachelors in religious studies, and then will apply to their doctorate of divinity program . this is a HUGE step for me, and i feel very excited about it. i know its the right thing to do, i am just flying by the seat of my pants on how i will get school, work, and sebs all taken care of properly. my only consolation is that people DO do it.

i have also taken up spinning my own yarn this past week...and i am already quite addicted. i am very lucky to live in a town where there are more than 10 yarn shops! yesterday i headed down to northwest fiber works, and bought some lovely rovings to spin. one is dyed pink and red, and another, turquoise/purple/yellow/olive. i would love to make something for matt out of yarn t hat i spun, and knitted....but they didnt have any guy-ish type colorways! (hmmm....and if you ever need an idea about what to get me for my birthday or xmas....yarn...yarn supplies....knitting books...all winners!) i wish i had the same patience and desire for housecleaning as i do for knitting and spinning....
well time to get some yummy coffee! xo, b

score!

2005-02-15T11:47:00.000-08:00

well my valentine gave me a huge cone of wonderful bartlett wool red fingerweight yarn. we went out for a very yummy sushi dinner, and even watched the first episode of horatio hornblower with kerry and john. we figured since john had never had the pleasure of horatio's campiniess and hotness...we'd indulge him. it turned out however, that kerry and i enjoyed it far more than john...matt on the other hand...it was his idea in the first place!
today we got a wee refund from the state so off to target (gasp! horror!) to buy a much needed new coffee maker (our lovely french press b usted a while ago...much sad making.) and i scored a chenille slipcover for the couch for $55!! i am quite proud of my ability to hone in on the score....it's nice to know that i still have it in me.
i also bought the latest issue if interweave knits hot off of the presses today!
i must run...xo, b

secret saint valentine

2005-02-14T12:12:00.000-08:00

i was given a vintage typewriter, by a secret valentine.
it is the exact same model as my grandmother had...and in it's case!
hmmm...?

in other st. valentine's day news, matthew bought me a mini vegan chocolate cheesecake shaped as a heart with a little xo on it.

and what else? oh! i am working on a sweater for myself! (finally!) it's like the one i made for my mom for xmas, but black! hey mom...you need to send me a pic of you in the sweater so i can put it up!

also i have been a very terrible daughter and havent yet sent my dad his belated birthday present! and it;s just sitting here right in front of me...its staring at me and pleading with me to send it to it's rightful owner.

ok.

xo, b

good grief

2005-02-12T15:38:00.000-08:00

life is so completely heartless and messed up sometimes...
it's difficult to want to help someone through grief, when you can't really.
sigh.

this morning is a beautiful one. the fog is still sitting on the ground, making the world look like there is a forest fire nearby. i was able to put together a new song this morning while sebastian danced to it. he does this awesome little baby bop dance, it melts my heart to see it. these bright moments, so warm, so rare...they are what life is all about.

yesterday, i taught sebastian to make his monkey "ooh ooh ohh" sound when I ask him, "what sound does the president make?" pretty funny...i need to put that on video.

i've been so very tired all week long...i dont know what it is, but i have just felt completely drained. so unlike me...

i will make an attempt to get out tonite or tomorrow nite. no guarantees!

i've been reading ezra pound's collected works before bedtime and during my nightly bath. i love, love, love him. he's just...dreamy. pound and borges are my two all-time favorite poets. i am also halfway through oscar wilde's dorian gray...i love it.

i talked to my old band mate and best friend star today...gave her a huge update about whats really going on in my life. i often wish she wasnt living in los angeles...i miss her so.

dorian gray

2005-02-12T15:31:00.000-08:00

separate lives

this is very interesting since i have just started re-reading dorian gray a couple of weeks ago! i scored equally as dracula and dorian gray...spooky!
this is a result from a quiz i took the other day:

You scored as Dorian Gray. You are the immortal, narcissistic bachelor from Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. Your physical beauty is matchless and your reputation, spotless. Meanwhile, your portrait suffers continual disfiguration as you pursue a secret life of debauchery, revealing the true content of your damnable soul.

Dorian Gray

58%
Count Dracula

58%
The Invisible Man

54%
Frankenstein's Monster

34%
The Headless Horseman

34%
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

17%

What's Your 19th Century Horror Character?
created with QuizFarm.com

if you're going...to san francisco

2005-01-21T14:17:00.000-08:00

i almost forgot...spud and i are taking a wee trip next week to visit out loved ones in san francisco. oh, home..i do miss it so! and i get to see joe and ron and liz and gerry and otto...and hopefully rendezvous to my favorite haunts in the city and on the coast...i can smell the fog already. *sigh*

cabin fever

2005-01-21T14:14:00.000-08:00

everything concerning opening up the shop has been going at full speed...we met with our lawyer a few days ago... (i can finally say..."i need to speak with my lawyer first.."!!) and everything is right on track. We should be able to move into our space on n. mississippi by the first of febuary. it's hard to believe! i've been doing tons of buying, scanning ebay for deals on a cash register, bought a serger, and am now planning on what i'll be sewing for the shop. it's going to be great being able to have my workshop within the store. i can just sit and sew or knit and make lovely items while people meander through. perfection!
yesterday, i got the first of our many orders in the mail, and am having a ton of fun fondling all of the merchandise and imagining what it will look like in the shop.
we are still looking for someone to make up our logo design and print materials....any takers!?! well i should run, sebastian is mashing some buttered toast into our couch. more later. xo, b

gothic stich n' bitch tonite

2005-01-17T10:32:00.001-08:00

hello ladies and gents,
o.k., here's the scoop. BACKSPACE 8PM MONDAYS. bring your lovely self, a friend if you'd like, and your knitting, or crochet, cross stitch, whatever handiwork it is that you are into (or just a curiosity and willingness to learn). i'll be there knitting a cable scarf in blue. hope to see you there! xo, brooke ps. think of some good names we can call ourselves! (i.e. victorian sewing circle and terrorist society ...)

sunday

2005-01-17T10:32:00.000-08:00

went on a lovely walk this morning, happily alone. i caught the train to downtown and walked all the way to trinity cathedral. it was a great time as i had almost the entire downtown of portland to myself! there were no cars on the road, and only a few souls were up and about walking. the ice was attached to almost every surface, making a kind of glassy wonderland. (even old town!) the stillness, and the drip drip of the ice slowly melting made a great song to my steps

a store is born

2005-01-17T10:30:00.000-08:00

on thursday i got a call from the realtor and our proposal was accepted by the landlord...we got the space on n. mississippi! this is soo exciting! memoir should be open by the end of next month. (i dont know how...but it will.)can you hear my sigh of complete relief?

2005-01-12T18:52:00.000-08:00

sniffles i've got the sniffles and an itchy throat...woe is me! time to have some udon soup and chamomile tea...
12:04 pm
here i am, coffee in hand...its windy, and grey, and cold outside. i should be out walking around town, but sebastian is taking a nap...so here i am.i just got the sweetest phone call from matt while he was at work. he is rarely able to call from work, so it's always nice to hear his voice in the middle of the day. he needs me to bring him a notebook for a class that he has tonite, in return i talked him into going to the excalibur with me between classes. it's new comix day and we have to go and check on our box to see if there are any goodies! needless to say, i didnt have to ask him twice.
what else? i'm wearing my stripey over the knee socks that are keeping my feet nice and toasty. i love winter clothing. coats, and dresses, and long skirts, and scarves and mittens...what could be better?
everything with "memoir" is going smoothly, i have yet to hear from our realtor whether or not the landlord accepted our proposal, but i have a feeling that everything will be fine. i've been spending grotesque amounts of time online searching for items to carry. i cant wait until we have a full roster and i can search a bit less for new things. still if there are any graphic designers out there who need a tiny bit of work, craftsters, or even a good lawyer or law student to go over our lease...drop me a line!
ta-ta for now

2005-01-11T14:35:00.000-08:00

this is a pic of me the other nite ebfore i went grocery shopping, you see when you an old married woman like me sometimes you need to get all dolled up, even if you have no place to go. or the place you do go is just the grocery store.

2005-01-11T14:32:00.000-08:00

messy morning head, about to run off to the realtors to sign the lease proposal for the space for "memoir"

2005-01-06T17:58:00.000-08:00

more stax...

goth nite

2005-01-06T17:47:00.000-08:00

sometimes i forget how shy i am. last nite for example, i decided to go to embers for their infamous "goth nite" and put on a dress and made myself presentable to the public...i wore my 100 year old victorian coat and everything. i went alone. i was too nervous/shy to dance for the first, ummm...3 hours! but finally a nick cave song came on and i was inspired to skake a leg so to speak. (although goth dancing is fun it looks a bit silly compared to 1960's motown back up singers or some such, but i dont really care...) although there were a couple scary incidents (like 50+ y.o. man buying me a drink and not leaving my table even when i excused myself and left it for over and hour to dance...i had to be resued by a friendly stranger) i think i met a few truly lovely people and i may even go back next week.
as much as i am constantly being disappointed by the human race, i never lose hope. never.

r.i.p.

2004-12-30T16:21:00.000-08:00

i have a HUGE JERRY ORBACH sized hole-in-my-heart.

sigh.

XMAS!

2004-12-25T07:26:00.000-08:00

OK, so yesterday I made: lamb and spinach sfeeha's, arabic bread, lebne, hummus, and tabouleh. John brought over dried figs, some amazing pears and tangerines, goat cheese, and tons of yummys. we had a yule log cake that was uber yummers. i havent cooked that much in forever!
this morning was present opening time and we made a $40 limit to our gifts to eachother this year...it really made this years present giving a lot less stressful! (not to mention a bit more creative and meaningfull) i scored nick cave's novel, "and the ass saw the angel", red lowtop converse, and a staple singers cd!! we have been listening to our traditional elvis christmas cd (kerry and i grew up on it) and OH! i should mention what i gave matt, well a vintage viewfinder with some vintage reels to go in it ( and they were handmade ones too!) a joe sacco graphic novel ( that he already had! i am a dork) and another little graphic novel, from reading frenzy.
sebastian scored all across the board including a vintage 49ers jersey, some shape sorters, and ton of great books.
well its definetly coffee time, i now regret breaking my new vegan vows for last nites feast...dairy no more! merry christmas and happy new year to ya'll! drop me a line! oh yea spud and i decided that we are going to call the shop "memoir." yay!

a store!

2004-12-22T15:39:00.000-08:00

sorry about the lack of posts here everyone, life has been a wild mess as of late. the good news is...my friend daniel and i are opening up a shop together! we will carry handmade goods from our favorite people as well as our own lines of stationary, clothing, and gifts. tonite, we're hoping to decide on a name ( i think it's down to 2) and a neighborhood...Mississippi or the Pearl. my very own shop....i must be the luckiest gal alive!

i also want to thank everyone who has been so generous in their gift-giving and card-sending. I HEART MAIL! it's super cute to hear sebs say, "MAAIL!!!MAAAAIIIL!!!" when the postman comes. well that's all for now, back to holiday knitting and business form-filling.

2004-12-14T09:07:00.000-08:00

a portrait of me when i was pregnant with sebastian. it was taken by a friend, and has been hung in a few shows around town. my mom has the only copy, so i took a picture of it. (being pregnant rocks!...until the whole giving birth part anyway.)

2004-12-14T09:05:00.000-08:00

here is mom and dad and sebs in front of the STAX museum...is the DOPEST place on EARTH! i almost cried a FEW times it was SO amazing. so if you ever find yourself in memphis, tennessee...please check it out.

what fer?

2004-12-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

sebastian received his first official haircut from a young gal at jc penney's in kentucky...she had never before given anyone a mohawk, let alone a toddler! doesnt he look fabulous?!

tennessee

2004-12-07T13:51:00.000-08:00

wow, this has been such a great trip! sebs and i have gone on tons of walks in the woods...being on 130 acres does have it benefits! sebastian has had a kind of difficult time dealing with the affection of all 5 dogs...they rarely leave him alone (doggie slobber kisses...) and will stay very close to us when we are out and about on the farm. they've knocked him over i dont know how many times, and often he ends up reaching up for me to pick him up.
we havent made it to memphis yet, but are planning on going this friday. i am really excited to see the stax museum and will hopefully be able to talk my mom into making a pit stop at yarniverse. i have been knitting up a storm! i have gone through literally15 skeins of yarn (at least!) since i've been here..my wrists are becoming sore, but i am loving every minute of it. i know all of the gifts will be appreciated...
i have also been able to listen to some of the great cds i have bought over the past couple of years and had never gotten around to really listening to them; including but not limited to: the fiery furnaces first record, pj harvey's uh huh her, nick cave's latest double cd set, and a lot of others...i am really impressed with them, and am sooo happy to have finally, truly given them a spin.
well, its time to work on some of my own songs...xo to family and friends whom i dearly miss.

ttfn

2004-11-25T21:21:00.000-08:00

well my friends, sebs and i will be leaving portland tomorrow morning (7am....) for my biannual trip to tennessee to visit my beautiful parents. we'll be on the farm for a few weeks, with a jaunt to the new Stax museum in memphis, and (hopefully), a trip to visit friends in NYC!!!!

every time i visit the big apple, i never ever ever ever ever ever want to leave. i often try to talk my dh into moving there, but there's no allure for him. "too big...too expensive..." reasonable arguments, but when have ever been a reasonable kind of gal?!

we'll be back home on the 17th of december...until then, i may not post too much... i will however have my knitting needles flying (idle hands are the devils playthings...right?)... working on about 10 presents, none of which i can talk about yet, (since they are gifts,) but, i WILL post pictures as soon as i am able...i'll miss all of my friends while i am away...xo, gurlpurl aka brooke

to be missed

2004-11-22T13:43:00.000-08:00

i just snuck downstairs on tippy toe ( sebs is all sickies and FINALLY fell asleep a few mintues ago...) to check the mail, and i got a flyer from Mabels Cafe and Knittery saying that they are having a HUGE sale... the DAY AFTER Thanksgiving...the day that i also happen to be leaving in the wee hours of the morning for none other than rural TENNESSEE!!! i preceded to throw my fists to the heavens and whispered softly (as not to wake his majesty the baby)..."OH MERCIFUL GOD WHY HADST THOU FORSAKEN ME?!?!WHY, LORD...WHY?? " i heart mabels, and had decided months ago to make every xmas and hannukuh present this year by hand...having purchased incredible amounts of yarn already....would have loved to gotten in on the yarn sale...but alas, it wasnt meant to happen. to keep my mind off of my sad fortune, i in turn checked my yarn order from Elann and to my complete joy, they shipped my yarn today, which means (hopefully) that i'll get it by the time i leave for tennessee! OH LORD WHY DID I EVER DOUBT YOU?

where are u?

2004-11-19T13:55:00.000-08:00

i actually got an email back from everett true! i emailed him to see if he wanted a copy of the branches demo...and he did! stop my beating heart!

2004-11-19T13:28:00.000-08:00

...his belly button is outta site cutie bootie patootie...no?

2004-11-18T09:13:00.000-08:00

a nice stripey knitted capelet made from a bunch of scrap yarn...it makes me happy when i wear it....so freakin' cheerful!

2004-11-18T09:12:00.000-08:00

a green capelet inspired from an 1890's pattern i found! the brooch is from my mom...yay!

finally!

2004-11-18T09:08:00.000-08:00

OK... finally i took some pictures of a few of the items that I have been crocheting and knitting over the past month or two...enjoy!

2004-11-18T09:06:00.000-08:00

fun crocheted table runner...and some sock yarn!

2004-11-18T09:04:00.000-08:00

my black crocheted cloche hat! saucy!

can i get a witness?

2004-11-10T13:56:00.000-08:00

the plan for this evening: (aka:plan baked alaska) bake yummy treats, brew a pot of tea, knit socks, play scrabble with andrew, play guitar, sing, and listen to some new music. but first i must: go to grocery store, feed the wee man, finish laundry, and brush my teeth! being a grown up is a mix of the everyday drudgery and mystical moments (to be cherished forever). the good thing about being a grown-up versus a wee bairn is that you can appreciate the magical moments much, much more. like today i was reading ovid aloud to myself...just for a few minutes, and it was soooo grand! so, with that said, i shall depart and begin plan "baked alaska".

no more candy

2004-11-08T13:41:00.000-08:00

oh my goodness.... i never thought that i could eat enough chocolate, but alas, i fear it is so. no more candy for me...please!! well, in the past two weeks i have had quite a lot of out of town visitors....(hence the lack of posts..) first, tobias came down from lake city, warshington...we had a great late nite talk, watched some karaoke at the alibi, and pretty much just kicked it most of the nite. then the lovely star was here "on location" in portland last week, and we were able to have a few good meals (and desserts). we chatted it up BIG TIME...it was sooo great to see her, nothing's changed between us really, good friends are like that i suppose. even if you dont see them for, let's say 3 YEARS or so, when you do, it's like you were never ever apart. we are trying to figure out how we can go on a road trip together...hopefully to nyc? i miss the big apple...i have a fantasy of having a wee shop there... matt is home sick today, poor guy, i must run and make lunch...

2004-11-08T12:39:00.000-08:00

hay there!

2004-11-08T12:38:00.000-08:00

spooky lady?

2004-11-08T12:37:00.000-08:00

sebs hearts muddy pumpkins...