Things

Things that are making me happy today.

Today is the day before Halloween. That is what is making my daughter happy, along with pumpkin carving, and volleyball practice. But these are the things that are making me happy:

My Anthropologie catalog that arrived in the mail today. The combination of intricately unique items in it, and the inspiring layout make me drool. It also makes me sad that I have not been receiving the catalog for ages. I can almost taste the shelf full of loving bookmarked catalogs sitting in a nice neat row. Le sigh. Life is full of such small regrets, I suppose.

Also, that skein of recycled silk with it's circus bright colors, and sheen. New today. Yippee!

This cover made from this crochet pattern is not new. I finished it a few weeks ago, but it is still making me smile.

Wedding Photos

You know how you take pictures of an event and it's like, oh there is Aunt Susan, and here is Uncle Jim, and there we are dancing? And then some photographers take pictures of the same event, and it looks like something really interesting happened. Well, that is what these photos of Cassi and Cameron's wedding are like.

And here is Nicole Nichols Blog. She is amazing.

Oiyi Oiyi

Pretty pretty shawl right his way! Check out Oiyi's Blog for a chance to win her beautiful first shawl, complete with pattern and some really super lovely extras!

Zero History

Reading William Gibson is like slipping into a world that is ours, but is somehow smarter, edgier, and infinitely cooler. Each time I start a new Gibson book I want to chase after people on the street and beg them to read too. I try to explain the genius that is Gibson, and each time, fail utterly. Putting that genius into words only seems to belittle it somehow. If you have any insight, please, let me know.

Gibson always describes what people are wearing. And I love this. Instead of seeming light or shallow, he introduces fashion as a window into the person, as a way of telling who they are by what they wear, or refuse to wear. He tells about their hair, and describes in infinite detail what they do, and how that doing seems to the viewer. His books are about now, but are ever at the edge of, and seem closer to what will be happening, than what is.

I have mentioned before that William Gibson's Pattern Recognition is my all time favorite book whose logo allergic main character Cayce Pollard I took into my heart as soulmate and friend. The sequel, Spook Country though just as well written thrilled me less. Perhaps because the protagonist in this case Hollis Henry seemed to be one of those people to whom things happen rather than on who makes things happen. Hollis plays a leading role again in Zero History, surrounded by a cast of seriously quirky characters who do, in fact, make things happen.

If you have any interest in fashion, marketing, art, pop culture, language, the future, flea markets, design, history, corporate espionage, or military surplus, read these books. Start and the beginning, and when you get to the end, you may want to start all over. That is what I am doing.

It Only Took Me a Year and a Half

I cannot believe it is finally done. Far from feeling anticlimactic, there is a great sense of accomplishment here.

To see progress pictures of this garter stitch fisherman's net scarf made of Aunt Lydias bamboo crochet THREAD click here and here.

This space is for the finished project only.

I Think We Have Another Addict

My husband, Mr. Fabulous himself, had to take a required knitting class for work. No really, he works for a needlework supply company. Having tried to show him how to finish a stitch a while ago, I had my doubts about his abilities. This is the man who still eats Sushi with a fork. Apparently, he just needed incentive. Now, I walk into the bedroom, and find him "getting a few rows in" before work. My day dreams about growing old together just got that much better.

Sharing

Dalton Ghetti, The guy everyone is talking about.

Can you blame them?

The Best Two Dollars I Ever Spent

My fellow magazine Whore-ders will understand my delight at finding this fabulous little rack leaning against a white picket fence at a randomly struck upon yard sale. I literally feel inspired every time I look at this display. Tingles. Seriously. I know, I am very strange.

Sitting in my house filled with so many beautiful things that make life easier, richer, or just prettier; I think it is funny that just a few moments ago I had the unmitigated gall to feel poor because I will not be able to buy those great boots from Anthropologie.

Oregon Jamboree Merchandise 2010

The Oregon Jamboree 2010 has been and gone. Keith Urban has packed up his guitars and is far away from Sweet Home by now. These photos, however are just now making their way into the spotlight for a special behind-the-scenes rundown.

I still think it is gorgeous the way the light shines through the image, and the metallic ink lays on the screen.

The ladies tanks got wrapped with silver barbed with this year. Very tough.

Don't ask me why there is a crow on this shirt. Crows are just cool, ok?

My favorite shirt got a damask print. It took us about 2 hours to get that copper penny shimmery verdigris just right, but it was so worth it.

The merchandise booth had record sales this year, despite the fact that overall ticket sales were down 10%. I think it was the crow, don't you?

Birthday Presents

Lucky, lucky, lucky me.

I'm a lucky son-of-a-gun. I work eight hours, I sleep eight hours, that leaves eight hours for... Well, actually that leaves about 5 hours for housework, chores, and errands, and about 3 hours for anything resembling as fun. But it could be worse, right? After all, we have birthdays! And birthday treasures! And even if you don't like birthdays, you just have to love the treasures.

* The compact says, "Never underestimate the power of a woman." So true.

Some things

Did I say free time? Did I set it down somewhere and forget where I put it? Did it escape out a window? At some point I will catch up.

Until then, a few things:

• Greek Yogurt may be the best food ever invented. I am not kidding. It is better than ice cream. If I had a readily available supply of this stuff I would weight 500 pounds in roughly three days. It is second only to heirloom garden tomatoes. Which brings me to...
• Heirloom tomatoes from the garden are the best food ever. Ours are not ready yet, but someone special brought some from California, and they made my week.
• Water balloons, while extremely time consuming to fill, are BIG FUN for all involved, even if "involved" means "just watching."
• You cannot make everyone happy all of the time, but you can make a ten year old very happy with a trampoline, a basketball hoop, and water balloons.
• My daughter is spoiled, but it is not my fault.
• Sitting in the shade, at a winery on a hill, sipping some good red is definitely on my list of top 10 places to be.
• Steak Tartare is probably quite disgusting.

Home Stretch

The Oregon Jamboree is this weekend. I can see the end in sight. Free time, here I come!