An Assortment

Image by me, taken at the always amazing Volunteer Park Conservatory

Making me smile today:
Art in My Coffee
Any Occassion Greeting Card
An Open Letter to James Cameron From Papyrus
Emiliana Torrini's Sunny Road music video
XX by XX

Coniferae

I had some fun this weekend playing with a few things I brought back from a recent hike. Stippling these pinecones took a long time, but the process is meditative and restful.

Weekend Pairing - First of 2010

Baking bread, listening to Steeleye Span, drawing, drinking tea, reorganizing the apartment--all small things that added up to make the weekend lovely.
On Saturday we made all the necessary preparations and purchases for a super exciting something coming up this week...the boy and I are adopting a kitten! I cannot wait to bring her home.

Lovely Letters

How fantastic is this Organic font? I wish it was available for download, I'd use it in everything!

Fashionable Food

Hilarious photographs by Katrin Schacke where all of the meals are made out of perfectly positioned clothes and accessories. Who would have thought that a purse, gloves, and some beads could look so much like food?

Ann Petty

I was blown away when I saw these huge (8'x6') paintings by Ann Petty at her MFA show last spring. While admiring them, I kept doing the classic museum-goer dance step: running up close to peer at the buttery brush strokes and paint daubs, then stepping slowly back to take in the painting as a whole, then moving up close again--you get the idea. Clearly she's been busy--Sandpoint Gallery is showing an exhibit of new works by both her and fellow MFA graduate Hugo Shi until January 24.

Folkloric 2009 Best Of - Books

My list of favorites isn't books that were published in 2009, but rather books that I read in 2009 and enjoyed the most. I included The History of Love even though everyone and their cousin has already read it simply because it was just that good, and I also threw Tad Williams' really fun fantasty epic in to balance out the sad and serious nature of the rest of the books on the list.
Again, not ranked in any particular order:

Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell
The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker
Resistance by Owen Sheers
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney
The Patron Saint of Liars by Ann Patchett*
Shadowmarch by Tad Williams

*I love Ann Patchett, and have read almost all of her books. I don't think, however, that I have ever like or been satisfied by any of her books' endings. Some of them make me downright mad, like the ending of this book did. I think it's a testament of how good her writing is that her book can make my list regardless, and that she can suck me in again and again.

Folkloric 2009 Best Of - Music

Ranked in no particular order, save for Alela Diane, who is my undisputed #1 of the year:

Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love
Bruce Peninsula - A Mountain Is a Mouth
Bat For Lashes - Two Suns
Alela Diane - To Be Still
Mark Knopfler - Get Lucky
Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
Alasdair Roberts - Spoils
Nancy Elizabeth - Wrought Iron

What were your favorites this year? I'm always on the lookout for new good music!

Holiday Hike

Hope everyone's 2010 has gotten off to a start as peaceful and refreshing as these woods--hiking through them certainly helped me get my head on straight right before the new year.

Twas The Night Before Christmas

From Chris Van Allsburg's The Polar Express

"But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
'Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!'"

I hope your holidays are golden and glowing and glorious--I'll be back to Folkloric at the start of 2010!

Winter Jewels

My 2009 Christmas card, sent off in cheery red envelopes to friends and family.

If you're not feeling ready for Christmas...

Taken on this day one year ago--December 22, 2008.

Some Tuesday suggestions:
To make: Paper wreath ornaments
To eat: Vanilla Roasted Pears
To drink: Hot Mulled Cider with Dark Rum
To hear: Vince Guarldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas
To read: The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
To watch: Gillian Armstrong's Little Women

Weekend Pairing - Happy Holidays

-Went to ACT Theatre's A Christmas Carol--fantastic, just like last year.
-Danced at a lovely wedding--congrats to the the bride and groom!
-Had a lovely pre-Christmas Christmas feast and exchanged presents with the boy--so lucky to have him in my life! ♥
-Watched The Muppet Christmas Carol because Michael Cain + The Muppets = greatness.
-Super corny, but it's got to be said: this time of year always makes me feel like I'm living on a cloud of happiness and love.

Ochre, Raw Sienna. Burnt Umber

Gorgeous photos by Ultrathew of the Summer 20008 Sonia Rykiel runway show. With the rich golden figures emerging out of the shadowy black background, these images actually remind me, of all things, of some of Rembrandt's paintings!
Regardless of any bizarre connections I make, doesn't Karlie look amazing?

Frozen Plains

Dramatic photographs by Shawn Sheu.
The holiday season is making me wish for snow like no other. C'mon Seattle--you can do it! Or perhaps I should be rooting on the weather gods, doing some sort of naked snow dance outside my apartment building? Who knows--but a white Christmas sure would be nice.

Walton Wallets

I love Betsy Walton's paintings, and she's now selling wallets with her designs on them in her shop!