I was so thrilled when I found out that
Chelle Lynn was going to be my swap partner in Katie's (Skunkboy Creatures) craft
swap a couple weeks ago. I saw her etsy shop and wanted everything in it! I
knew she'd send something wonderful.
I sent along the book from a few posts
back and a few letterpress gift tags (I couldn't let a chance to share some
letterpress pass me by). In return I got the cutest piece of artwork from
Chelle Lynn. I absolutely love it! Thank you!
Alphabet swap is off and running.
Aerros
& Arrowplanes
I sent
Kendra a package filled with blue paper airplanes strung on some blue yarn. And
many paper arrows adorned with song lyrics about airplanes.
Age
My package
from Kendra arrived on a day when I was home sick from work. I was feeling
pretty miserable, but then the mail arrived. Not only did she send my first
alphabet swap package, but also the Polaroid camera from my last post. Her
package was based on the theme age, and she drew on conversations she’d had
with other friends when they turned 30 to create age-inspired art on two mini
canvases. They are beautiful and I can’t wait to find the perfect spot to hang
them.
I love my friends.
I made a book this weekend! I guess I’ve done some simple books more recently, but I hadn’t broken out the pva and book linen in months. I’m so glad I finally did!
I tried
knitting a few years ago. I think it’s a beautiful craft but I just never got
the hang of it. More recently, however, I’ve fallen in love with yarn and I’m
looking for lots of ways to use it. You know, so I’ll have an excuse to buy it.
Inspired
by all these pretty photos, I’m learning to crochet.
And these
pom poms will be featured soon in a very special project.
It even
looks wonderful simply wrapped around kraft paper packages. Yarn, I love you.
an
A-themed package is on it’s way! more photos to come…
Birthday weekend (yes, it was a whole weekend) was amazing! It started off with a sweet lunch and cake and flowers with my office on Friday. Then Eric created the most beautiful spread of wine, cheese, and desserts for a party on Saturday night. I chose a dense, flourless chocolate cake with peanut butter icing; he baked it perfectly. You’d think a cake like that would be the centerpiece, but there was a whole display of bread and butter radishes. Three different varieties. With bread. And butter. And four different kinds of salt. I could eat radishes all day and all night, they make me so happy!
Sunday was
for coffee, farmers market, dumplings and bubble tea for lunch, and then a
drive to an adorable old schoolhouse where we spent the night. When I say “old”
I mean 150 years old. That’s way old! Eric cooked up what we had found at the
farmers market that morning while I cozied up in front of the fireplace with a
glass of champagne and The New Yorker. Is there a better way to spend a rainy birthday? No, no there's not.
We spent
Monday exploring Charlottesville, VA. Two coffee shops, two vintage stores, one
yarn store, three used book stores, and a delicious sushi dinner later, and I
can confidently say that this was one of the best weekends and best birthdays
ever.
What a perfect way to kick off a year in which I want to accomplish so so so much!
Thirty
Things to do While I’m Thirty
1:: Take
one photo every day 2::Crochet pretty cowls 3::Alpahbet swap 4::Eat breakfast
with Eric on weekdays 5::sew pretty headbands 6:: read 50 books more
7::Cherry Blossom 10-miler 8::Put stuff in my etsy shop 9::Sell at at least one
craft fair 10::Photo shoot at Palace of Wonders 11::New Yorker covers project
12::Sew a skirt 13::NYC inspiration trip 14::Paint recipe art 15::(Re-)Learn
calligraphy 16::Become more comfortable with Illustrator 17::Make at least one
batch of macarons 18::Attend some combination of 5 yoga and/or dance classes
19::Send a letter or card once a week 20::Find vintage typewriter, suitcases,
record player, polaroid, and/or sewing machine 21::Print & frame 4 photos
each month 22::Make 6 mix CDs 23::Blog at least 10 times per month 24::Learn 5
new bookbinding methods 25::Seriously consider a new tattoo 26::Read and use
The Printmaker’s Bible 27::Learn how to roast a chicken the way Eric does it
28::Collect printing blocks and type 29::Make notecards to keep on hand
30::Send holiday cards
During our
family Christmas celebration there were several coffee and tea themed gifts. I received
a tea box from Eric and tea from his parents, we roasted coffee for my parents
and eric’s parents also gifted my family some coffee. I gave Eric a book about
coffee and we gave his brother a coffee grinder. And I think I’m forgetting
something now.
So when Kendra
and I exchanged holiday gifts last week I wasn’t surprised to see another theme
sprouting. This time: unicorns! I stitched her a unicorn bag and she gave me
these ridiculously cute unicorn glasses. Yay for unexpected gift-giving themes!
On Sunday
I’ll turn 30. I’m really looking forward to it. My twenties were great and I’m
satisfied with where they’ll be leaving me.
I am not
without plans for the year. When a few of my friends turned 30 earlier this
year, I made them each a 30 Things to Do While I’m 30 book. Last week I put one
together for myself. I still have a few spaces left to reach 30 and I’m taking
these last few days to make sure I’m not forgetting something. I’ll share the list once it’s
final…probably on Sunday.
Just a
little update to share what’s been going on in my printing world. I’m working
on a lyrics poster and I brought in some friends to help me set type this week.
It was the first time Eric had seen me print and I think he’s gained a new
appreciation for the art.
It was
mostly an educational/test print session so we used fun magenta ink. I want to
make a million of these cards with the fancy lady on them. Perhaps some new
personal stationery is in order.
We’ve been
at our little house on Rosedale for a little over two months now and we couldn’t
love it more. Well, maybe if we had a dishwasher, but otherwise it’s
perfection. When we first considered this neighborhood over the summer we
realized we might see our friends a bit less frequently since it’s a bit out of
the way. It was the most difficult part of the decision when we found a spot we
loved.
In the
end, we’ve seen our friends so much more in the new place. With lots of room
for cooking and entertaining and with exciting nightlife just a couple blocks
away, this house has hosted more friends and family in two months than our last
apartment had in three years.
Here’s to
even more ridiculous times with loved ones in the new year and beyond.
"You can
tell when someone makes a lot of mix cds. I have the same blank cd tower on my
desk.” That’s what Kendra said as she was packing up to go back to Austin by
way of Philly yesterday. We talked music a lot while she was here this week. We
both missed some important music this year (Kendra: Phoenix & Amy Millan;
me: Lady Gaga & The Avett Brothers). Then I tried to come up with my
favorite albums of 2009.
This list
is so totally unscientific. These albums/compilations are those that blew me
away and first came to mind when I tried to pick my nine favorites (only those
released in 2009, not those I discovered in 2009). I think that’s a perfectly
adequate way to do a year-end review.
TOP
9 in OH NINE
manners::passion
pit
fantasies::metric
middle
cyclone::neko case
masters
of the burial::amy millan
technicolor health::harlem shakes
wolfgang
amadeus phoenix::phoenix
grrr…::bishop
allen
I’m going
back in time a bit with this one, but on Christmas Day Eric made me smile so
much. First, he got me a gift certificate for Style School, an online crafting
class I am so excited to start (January 10 – yay!). He also gave me a special
little tea box. He made it himself with a cardboard box he found in our house,
an old shirt of his, and many, many staples. He traced some printed letters
from one of my favorite typefaces (awesome, right?). He made the “M” by joining
2 “A”s and the “I” by joining 2 “T”s. He knows how much handmade gifts mean to
me and went out on a limb putting this present together for me. I loved it!
Inside he
placed a selection of teas (from my own tea stash in the cupboard – haha) and a
few band-aids. When I asked him why the band-aids, he explained that he used an
awful lot of staples and he wasn’t sure if they might cause injury. He is a
keeper. And so is my adorable tea box. Thanks, honey!
My friend,
Kendra, is in town for the week. She used to live in this neighborhood a few
years ago so we have plans to see what’s changed since then and visit some old
favorites. And I start the new job. So it’s an exciting week!
Kendra and
I have a fun project we’re working on together in 2010. We’re doing an alphabet
swap. She’s lived in Austin for the last year and a half and in that time we’ve
been pretty solid pen pals, both with snail mail and email. I credit her partly
with getting me through studying for the bar exam; I would email rants and
complaints about my summer and she would email back about her wonderful
internship in Geneva. A few weeks ago when I was spending late nights getting ready
for my first craft fair and she was writing grad school papers, we’d keep each
other motivated over email to stay up working just. one. more. hour.
(a postcard in a fun mail package from Kendra)
Right. The
alphabet swap. I read something somewhere about an alphabet swap, and I have no
idea what it is, but we made up our own version. Every other week we’ll send
each other little packages based on a letter of the alphabet. During the first
two weeks of 2010 we’ll exchange letter-“A”-themed parcels, then “B,” and so on
throughout the year. Yay indeed.
What do I
love about starting a new year? Getting a new moleskin planner, for all the
scheming and lists, & important dates for the next 365 days. The mail lady
delivered my 2010 planner today – what a treat! She also brought some
beautiful, brightly colored wool felt pieces. I’ve got big plans for those bold
colors – maybe I’ll write them down in my new planner.
Along with
the new planner and the new felt come those pesky resolutions. I’m not usually
big on New Year’s resolutions, but this year I’m taking the time to come up
with a few.
First, the
obligatory health resolution. For the most part I’d say I’ve been doing a good
job in the nutrition category, but I have a weak, weak spot for Coca Cola. I
know that it’s horrible for me so in the new year I’m going to substitute it
with more water, tea, even coffee. And for the fourth year in a row I’ll be
running the Cherry Blossom 10-miler so I’ll be in shape from January until
April, but maybe this year I’ll try to keep up the workouts in the months beyond
the race.
Next, I
want to read more. I started Cannonball Read with good intentions and I hope I
can pick up the pace a bit. I’ve read several books but haven’t quite reviewed
them here yet. Keeping track on the blog will keep me accountable so here’s
hoping for more literary adventures in 2010.
Finally, I’m
taking on The Cult of Done Manifesto. You can find it here. I have a tendency
to bite off more than I can chew or fall prey to perfectionism. In 2010, I’m
going to take on smaller projects so that I can move from one to the next more
frequently. So maybe I won’t learn how to knit beautiful sweaters this year,
but I can crochet a few granny squares. And maybe the home décor won’t be
perfect, but I will frame and hang what we’ve already got.
Off I go
to embroider these resolutions onto a piece of felt. No, wait. I’ll just use my
favorite pen to write them down in my new planner. Done.
After baking
cookies, making caramels, and drinking hot chocolate for 10 days in a row, and
after spending the last few days with a house full of family and many visits
with friends, today was a little more difficult than planned. At least I got to
put it off for a few hours because my parents’ 8am flight was canceled and
rescheduled for 3pm. We went on a long family walk with the dog and stopped
along the way for pastries and coffee.
Then, on a
stroll through Eastern Market, I finally caught up with the mysterious
letterpress man. I picked up a few beauties that will be perfect for printing Valentines
(thanks, Dad!). Wooden case upon wooden case of type will keep me coming back
every once in a while. Or maybe every week.
Eric and I
had a wonderful Christmas. We had snow, our families came to visit, we were
dogsitting the sweetest pup, and we had many, many, many hours together in the
kitchen. Also, we may have split a bottle of champagne after everyone else was asleep one night. And then 2009 was almost over. My life this year has been filled with
so many amazing people and events and I have lots of reasons to believe 2010
will be just as good, maybe even better.
I’ve been
a bit absent here. While all the crafting and letterpress this fall were fun
I’m a law school graduate with law school-sized debt. So I’ve been job
searching. Imagine: you went to law school, you don’t want to be a lawyer, you
want a position of which there are only so many in your city, you don’t want to
move, and the economy is bad, particularly for folks with fancy degrees who don't want to use their fancy degrees. Oh, and you try to keep negativity out of your blog. You can see the dilemma, right?
The story
has a happy ending. My non-crafty part-time job recently turned into my full-time dream
job, or at least the perfect first step to my full-time dream job. I will use
my law degree, though not to practice law, my coworkers are beyond fabulous,
and I get to travel and work with students. After this post, I probably won’t
write much about that job on the blog. You come here for letterpress and mix
cds, right? Who am I to bore you with tales of my new nine-to-five life? Come
back for more letterpress, crafty, kitty, music posts over the next few days
and into the new year. Maybe I’ll even start reviewing some of those books I’ve
been reading.
For now, I
am beyond thrilled to start a new job in January and to leap into 2010. And
also to enjoy the next 7 days of sleeping in; I’ve got a bit of a Christmas
hangover.
DC
Rollergirls Craft Fair & Holiday Bash
December
12, 8pm-11pm
McFaddens
(2401 Pennsylvania Ave., NW)
I’m putting
finishing touches on stuff for the craft fair tonight. I spent the day printing
on Wednesday and came up with these prints. I love what they mean to me. I’m
always trying to create something new to show my love to friends and family or
make my little world more beautiful. Eric does the same with food. So I thought
up these coordinating prints. I can’t wait to frame them!
I’ve also
been working on some new birthday cards. Mostly, I’ve just loved printing with my
two wood type alphabets lately and wanted to make beautiful words with them.
I wanted
to print a variety of gift tags for the craft fair on Saturday. These bright
orange literal “gift” tags make me smile and will brighten my table on Saturday
night. Now to dream and scheme other ways to make my table pretty pretty.
As party
favors for Sunday’s birthday brunch I made a few mix cds for friends to take
home. I’ve loved the Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros’ song Home for the
last couple months. And since we moved to a new home recently, I decided to
make a whole mix based on the theme of home. I used this sweet new font I found
and then handwrote some of the lyrics from the edward sharpe song. Then I copied
the whole thing onto kraft paper and attached to a cd sleeve. So easy and fun! If you
want your own copy, click on the song titles to connect to the song on iTunes.
Enjoy!
home | edward sharpe & the magnetic
zeros
via
chicago |
wilco
when
they fight, they fight | the generationals
wasp
nest | the
national
come
on home |
honeyhoney
i
feel like going home | yo la tengo
i’ll
take us home |
matt & kim
oklahoma | bishop allen
let
me go home |
camera obscura
to
wild homes |
the new pornographers
where
is home? |
bloc party
yankee
bayonet (i will be home then) | the decemberists
eviction
party |
darlings
basic
space | the xx
to
go home | m.
ward
