True confessions

Ahem. I don't think I need to say any more about this. Except that
it's a sickness.

starbucks self portrait

just a glimpse into my day as I had my Tuesday off...
this was a sweet moment, waiting for my friend to join me at the table and my latte to cool a little.

Marukai

So if you've been around me much, you've probably heard me mention Marukai. Only you would hear me describe it as "the Japanese dollar store where nothing is a dollar"
haha
well, at least it used to be a 98cents Marukai store - but by the time I discovered it, everything was $1.50 ... and recently they've dropped the discount moniker and have aimed straight for the name "Marukai superstore"!
Whatever you call it, it's fabulous. And it's addicting. I can't remember how many people I have turned onto this place, but we all are addicts. Talk about adventures in shopping - try mixing the fun of the dollar store, with the overseas exotic Japanese flair, add in some beautiful inspiration, some confusing packaging and lots and lots of plastic bins and weird kitchen and grooming tools, and you've got the recipe for fun, in my book.











(hint: great place for stocking stuffers!)
today's trip was great... I ventured over into the area where they sell dishes and couldn't help but to pick up about 10 mini plates and tiny bowls for organizing all the fun things i collect. (that was after I got some scissors, hula hoops, and origami paper)

Old times

So today I was able to steal some time at the old studio.. And I dug around and found some of my old inspiration photos and clippings...This is from a French magazine article on some garden competition years ago.. It was passed onto me, but I have always been mesmerized
by this image... I could stare at it for hours and never tell you exactly why...

The opposite of inspiration

Okay... So this is NOT inspiring, but it is so funny, that it had to get posted. I do not need a cactus chandelier ever, but I did love staring at this one tonight as we were out in Burbank after a play.

Why I haven't posted for two days

I have no shortage of things to write about, but well... We were adopted by a puppy yesterday... And here we to all over again with potty training!
At first, we were calling her HONEY, but that proved a little confusing around here (where everyone is "honey")... So now we are calling her LULA... After our first favorite neighborhood cafe in Chicago.

My hubby said, "I foresee doggie purses in our future." (and I swore I would never have a dog less than 30lbs, let alone carry one in a purse... But the idea of another chance at free hands sounds like a good idea. I did promise my sister I wouldn't carry the dog in a baby sling.)

i'm a little behind...

I really want to post the tutorial that I made for you all on how to make the tiered skirts... but I made it in a pdf form and don't know how to post those available for your download... can anyone wiser than me give me some help????

inspiration point

Today, I made some time for me.
Which is good, because no one is really going to force me to take it on my own, usually when I have a free afternoon - I get errands done... but not today.

Today, I drove to the top of Palos Verdes, to where I spent ages 11-19... and I soaked in the sun and the ocean and the breeze and views. It was amazing.

I was flooded - with so many memories and images over those hills and over those years. Since my parents moved away, we don't really get back there very often - and therefore, I forget easily how beautiful it is up there...
I wrote this while sitting on a rock on this overlook, I don't usually get this deep on my blog, but it seems fun to share this:
=============















So here I am.
an adult. comfortable.
in both my grace and my disgrace
wearing the calmer version of my skin

sitting on the hill of my adolescence
overlooking the sea of memories
the landmarks of my past
my formation
my awkward youth

wondering how getting here could have
possibly involved so much angst
so much self torture
when I had thousands of moments
in lonely (lovely) silence
with nothing on this hilltop but me and this wind

I thought I hated this mountain
but I see now I was hewn from it
I really just hated my self
(oh dark, little fool)

in reality - I was formed here
with the ever present breezes
and the natural smell of dirt and chapparal

there is the memory of burning
both in me and on this canyontop
and we are both more beautiful for it

we are sadder
but we are wiser (and deeper)
and we understand BEAUTY
and the JOY of season

the beach where I imagined myself as queen
lies silent below me on this perch
and the castle remains there
with its promises of my future
prophesies that did come true
(I had no idea)

and through all my wanderings,
my adventures and mishaps,
my snowstorms and deserts,
my encounters with death and partnerships with life...
this rock has been here, never changing,
while the world spins around it

I believe this may be the center of the world.
or maybe just my own.

Millefiori

Okay... so I cannot stop thinking about millefiori (Italian for "million flowers") pendants tonight. I'm not sure why - but I am on this mad search for the best one.

Back in my summer in Florence, I bought a handful of them in the San Marcos marketplace, I loved the glass and saved two "tree of life" pendants - one for my best friend, Amy, and one for myself. Amy keeps bemoaning the fact that in her adventurous life as a relief worker in Thailand, that she somewhere lost hers - and I guess that got me to thinking about how much I love this glass.
There is something so other-worldly about it... like you could just dive right into the glass itself.
And the way they make it is the most amazing process, with little strands of glass that are laid on top of each other - to make these designs, then they are fired and sliced.... so so so lovely.

I found this site tonight, with a great selection and great prices, but I am having the hardest time making up my mind...

Neglecting housework

So tonight, I left the house in shambles, read some blogs, and made these funny guitars from scraps I have. I saw some online at etsy that were too cute (much cuter than mine) but these were free and could be whipped up tonight in time for the kids to play with them in the
morning.
I had a quiet evening, nursing my 4 bee stings that I got today (see my other blog for that detail!) and eating frozen grapes to try and cool down while I sewed....
Now I'm up too late... Again.