December

what Christmas is all about:)

just when I was ready to hibernate and settle in for a long winter's nap, here I am back to feeling like myself again. for THREE weeks, almost all of December, I have been sick and miserable starting with my first experience of migraines leading to a terrible cold and a major pity party (there was a band and everything).

Christmas still managed feel like the holidays and it was great: lots of amazing food, relaxing, family, fireplace crackling, snow! (only for 15 minutes but it was there), eggnog, classic movies and Nat King Cole. I’m also looking forward to what's next: 2016. I really love beginnings. between the coming new year, and getting over my head exploding and the death-cold I really feel a newness coming that I quite like. It’s like a snake shedding its skin, and I feel I'm ready to do so many things or to do things differently and whether I do or not, that doesn’t matter. I don’t let it turn into let-downs; the newness is just too good to let it turn into that.

hiking boots & pinot

wine & shoe shopping!

last night Jake & I went to REI to do some hands-on (or feets-on) reconnaissance for hiking boots. lo and behold we arrived and it was the REI Member Christmas Party! we had no idea and it was the greatest accident ever.

s'mores bar! I made a nutella version

 great music, games, wine, beer, popcorn bar, make your own s'mores bar, oysters freshly shucked, interactive prizes, a snow simulator, bon fires, oh my!

Caleb & Walter quintet

Patagonia featured Talyor Shellfish

popcorn bar!

we did manage to still get some "work" done testing boots (Jake's wearing the 5 10 tennie approach shoe & I'm sporting the Asolo Tacoma hiker). neither of us committed because we still want to test a few more products. I will say that I'm strongly leaning to purchasing the Vasque Talus.

snow simulator fun

this week in coffee

Caffe Umbria

back in historic Pioneer Square again this week, and finding another great spot to get my medication (coffee). Cafe Umbria sits in a stunning space; it has all those lovely European details that take me back to cafes of my mom's hometown in Italy.

I definitely plan on returning to sample more of their diverse menu with gelato, wine, pastries, sandwiches and of course, a gorgeous delicious latte.

documenting moments

east coast, west coast, southern US, northern US, to Africa to Australia. some really great things happening on Instagram lately.

cut & paste

textures don't quite show up digitally, but this piece was fun to make. I tried doing a photo image transfer in the lower corner than didn't quite show up. but now I like that there's a faint, almost distant, rubbing of building windows. 

this one's for my mum's birthday. how cute is she & her cousin? wish I could hang out with those two in Italy in the 60s.

my jealous curator

The Jealous Curator is one of my favorite blogs ever - what an amazing idea (why didn't I think of it). for any type of creator, it's so true to see something and think "why didn't I think of that?!"
in my case this week, I've selected two artists.

the first I actually saw on Pinterest but was in fact posted via Jealous Curator: Shawn Huckins. his paintings are amazing. I've been collecting paint chip samples for decades, using them in collages or saving them because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with them. I just love color families.

Shawn Huckins

secondly, these portraits from Erika Altosaar. such lovely, lovely lines.

hair portraits by Erika Altosaar via Wolf Eyebrows

this week in coffee

Elm Coffee Roasters

you know it was a good crema when it's still there after you've finished.

I visited Elm Coffee Roasters in Pioneer Square with Sera yesterday. this spot has a damn fine cup of coffee, a beautiful atmosphere and very friendly staff (all three exceedingly important in my eyes).

She Explores

Giant Sequoia National Park

after almost one year, I am still unabashedly thrilled to be a part of the She Explores tribe of women. Gale Straub, founder, has created a remarkable community for women who love the outdoors. the photography and stories are gorgeous.

two weeks ago She Explores opened the doors to the Artistry Shop where you now can purchase work from these talented women right from the site. so go check them out and get the Christmas shopping (camp)fires ignited!

me at the Washington Tree