A New Camera!

I’m going to bite the bullet and buy this camera tomorrow:

A Panasonic Lumix that has a fancy Leica lense.  Best Buy has one with 8 mega pixels for under $200 so I’m gonna go for it. Starting tomorrow, hopefully, I can have pretty pictures on here again. yay.

Just in time for…packing.

Yep, me and the mister are headed back to my homeland, Providence RI.  But I’ll be back to Brooklyn so much I figure it will be more like splitting our time between the two cities, rather than hunkering down and never leaving Rhody.  Its just that now my home base will be A. bigger, and B. cheaper. I cannot wait for an actual –gasp– office space of my own.

Illustration Friday

                                         

“Canned”. Just a quick one.

Like Buttah

One of the fun parts about my sister’s wedding was that I got to get a new dress! After trying on many dresses we decided on the Signature Wrap Dress by Butter by Nadia. It. is. fabulous. Its pretty simple really: a blue green jersey circle skirt to the knees, with two long, wide pieces attached to the top. But the exciting part is that you can wrap those two pieces all different ways, and so potentially could wear a different dress every time!

I actually tried it on first with my mom at Calypso, but ended up buying it months later at Neda in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn.  After trying one on in the store, they let me look through some swatches and pick out a different color.  The order came to the store a few days later.  Its not cheap, but the dress really looks amazing on.  Its one of those pieces that can look great on almost any body.

They come in jersey and satin material, and in a long and short length.  And in all different colors– there’re are even some striped ones now.  There are some ridiculously cute tutorial videos on the site to help you figure out how to wrap it.  Though once you get the hang of it, its pretty simple.  

I was a bit worried about being a bit too boob-alicious for the wedding.  Many of the styles have an open back which isn’t so conducive to bra wearing.  Normally I wouldn’t have worried much about that, but this was a daytime wedding afterall.  I ended up wrapping it the first way, slapped on a NuBra (it sticks to you, so no straps) (it was surprisingly comfortable, but that’s a different post,) and was ready to go.  I had about 7 minutes to get ready and this dress didn’t fail me.  It was a bit boob-alicious, but what can you do? I changed it up for the reception later on– more of a halter top.

Apparently a Butter by Nadia store is coming soon to Brooklyn!  Yay!

Delicious Wedding Photos

It so pains me that my camera is MIA.  I have so many things to show you!–  my lovely garden, the crocheted scarf that not only did I finish, but also looks good! various yummy dinners, various fun gatherings.  Its killing me that none of it is being documented. Well, with pictures anyway.  On a recommendation from the wonderful photographer Julia, I’m looking into getting the new panasonic.  But this means coughing up hundreds of dollars.  Last week I wasn’t desperate enough, but its starting to be more and more tempting. 

Anyhow, in leiu of all those other photos, happily I have all these fun photos from my dear sister’s wedding.  My brother Sam was the official photographer and so most of these are his. He did an amazing job. There were hundreds and hundreds of photos, and so here are just a fun few…

 

Hair as far as the eye can see

On the recommendation of many people, I got a Furminator!  Well, sort of.  

In a fit of desperation– I need a cat brush NOW!– I walked into Petco.  And walked out of the store 52 dollars lighter.  What?  Yup.  They were behind the counter, which took a while for me to figure out, and by the time I made it to the front of the line and explained what I wanted, when I glanced down at the total it wasn’t shocking enough to make me stop everything there.  I know– it should have been.  But don’t worry! I asked about their return policy– basically you can return anything, even opened, for 30 days.  Even so, by the time I got to the subway I was basically hyperventilating over my $50 brush.  I calmed myself by promising I would return it, but not before trying it out.  

SO I tried it out! And really it just looks like a regular metal brush but with more, and tinier teeth.  Whatever. It works really well.  The cats don’t love it, but they don’t love being brushed in general.  Yes, brushing them is a pain.  And you still have to vacuum and clean up hair.  (Though it is supposed to cut down on shedding.  We’ll see.)   But at least with this brush, you get so much hair in a few swipes, dealing with the frustration of brushing is more gratifying.  More bang for your buck.  

But not enough to warrant 50.   

I was very proud of myself for actually returning the darn thing.  And now SO proud of myself for ordering another from EntirelyPets.com.  And after reading a review on Apartment Therapy’s Re-Nest, I got a Pet Hair Magnet for the couches.  (I know it sounds ridiculous, but its supposed to work. Again, we’ll see.) Total: Just shy of 30 bucks. That included shipping.  

They’ll be here in 4 to 6 days.  yay.

Ergh

Sooo. The cowl/hood project: em not going so well.  I fell in love with this grey purple wool-ease yarn and decided that it was fine that it was “super bulky weight.” (The color is called Fig, how was I supposed to resist that?)  I’ll make it work! Um not so much.  Right now I have the beginnings of a pretty stiff, armor-like, cowl.  yeah.  So I’ll be pulling it out and making a regular short scarf– the kind that has a little button so you can fasten the ends together.  And maybe some wrist warmers too.  I think that will work ok.  

Incidentally have people tried Ravelry? Its pretty fun!

Nest

I just found out about Nest: Bringing Warmth Home  ( from… some where– I can’t remember.)  From their site: 

Nest seeks to connect knitters and other fiber enthusiasts with people in need of warm items for the coming winter… Use whatever pattern and natural fiber you like. We are looking for hats, fingerless mitts, mittens, cowls, and scarves for all ages.

They’re based in Maine and plan on distributing the warm items by the middle of September. So the deadline is September 1st!

 I think this is such a good idea.  I’m going to buy some yarn today and start on a cowl hood and maybe some fingerless gloves– two projects this pattern-phobe/novice crocheter can handle.  I’m a little late in the game, but I can finish something by then.  

Check out their site for more details.

UPDATE: I just got back from the store and realized my new yarn is the same purpley grey color as the sand dollar– I knew that image would fit in somehow.

Aw Shucks—

I’m blushing: The lovely and talented Peggy has nominated me for a “Brillante Weblog Award!” As I told her, even having people here reading any of this is sort of a surprise in and of itself, so this is exciting.

The rules of accepting are as follows:

1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Add links to those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

So I get to talk about the blogs I love! Which is something I’ve been meaning to do ever since I started doing this. I’ve been so inspired by all of these people and I think I put off writing about them because I just admire them so much its a little intimidating to deign to write about them. But now I have to.

I remember two years ago being like “Blogs? Oh god, I don’t read those. Why bother?” But then I stumbled across Posy Gets Cozy. And oh my was I hooked. My first blog and still one of my all time favorites, its a must read every day. She writes with such humor and candor, plus the photos are gorgeous ( she makes organizing her kitchen shelves look incredible!!) and her work is out of this world! AND she’s just finished a book!

2. Perusing Etsy, years ago, looking for a present for a dear friend of mine, I found Ashley G. Its been so wonderful to read about her work and her life. To watch her business grow and her work evolve has been exciting and inspiring. I am now part owner of this perfect print, which made the loveliest anniversary present:

3. I “met” Emily from A Black Apple after posting a message on Etsy looking for an apartment in Brooklyn. She replied that she was moving and that her roommate would be looking to take her place. I didn’t end up moving there, but I have read her blog ever since! From prints, to paintings, to stuffed dolls and ceramic models, the things this lady comes up with never ceases to amaze me. What’s great is that no matter the medium or project they are all so distinctly her own.

4. I discovered Wiksten just this year and have been drooling over her clothes ever since. I’m saving up for a dress like this:

Everything about her site and her work just seems so perfect and clean and simple. I strive for these qualities, but they mostly elude me. So its nice to see someone pull it off so effortlessly.

5. Two Straight Lines: an awesome mom who sews and crafts. I’m rather terrified of sewing, so its so great to see someone whip up all kinds of gorgeousness. Plus she does the best art/craft projects with her kids. Homemade valentines, cool rockets and sweet terrariums. So inspirational. ( Plus her kids have red hair, and what can I say? I’m a sucker for redheads.)

6. KozynDan is all inspiration for me. I stumbled across this duo on Flickr of all places, but then kept seeing their work every where. I love that they create together and separately. I love that they travel for their art. And I love that they seem to have struck the perfect delicate balance between pure creativity and branching out to more commercial endeavors. They make it all look so easy and fun!

7. And The Simple Dollar. Like a lot of people, organizing my money is a huge source of frustration and stress for me. But every post lays money managing out in such a simple and straightforward manner, (plus sprinkled with personal anecdotes!) that I’m beginning to have hope for a freelancing, math-phobic lady like me.

I think I’m alternately inspired, and then just down right green-with-envy when I read about these people’s lives. But in the best of ways: they’ve helped me reevaluate my life, its direction and what I really want. They’re proof that you can forge ahead and build a life that’s right for you. They don’t know it, but they’re a wonderful support system– for some reason its just so encouraging to read about the simple details of other people’s lives. The ups and downs, the fun pretty times and the struggles. Thank you ladies and gents.

Back to Brooklyn

I’m back in Brooklyn, finally.  And its good to be back…?  Well, its wonderful to see my kitties, who were so happy to see me again they practically licked my arm off.  But it is hot here in Brooklyn.  And that’s a little ugh.  And a little sticky.  

So I was very lucky to have spent the last two weeks in Vermont!  The first preparing for a wedding and the second enjoying  it.  My sister, the lovely Faith, and her lovely husband-of-one-year, Bruno, finally got around to actually having a wedding!  And it was absolutely wonderful and amazing.  

On the work front things have been great.  I finished character designs for an animated web-game and got to do an illustration of Hillary and Barack (yep, we’re on a first name basis.)  It seems I have more political illustrations coming up.  I really enjoy doing portraits, so I’m happy about that.  I also have a couple of flash animations for teenwire.com in the works.  This lady is keeping busy!  Which is how I like it.  Anyhow I’ll post images here once I get the go ahead.

On a very sad note, amidst the festivities I seem to have lost my camera.  This is certainly going to put a kink in things.  I’m hoping it will turn up still.  But if not, I’ll have to cut my losses and just get a new one. ugh.