green olives design

follow me!

2011-01-07T11:50:00.000-08:00

just give it a second, and you'll be redirected to my new blog!

new name, new blog, new era

2010-08-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

for the past couple of months, i've been working on renaming green olives design. my lack of time hasn't made this easy, meaning it's been a really, really slow process. i decided on "garment house" back in april, but finally got around to setting up a new shop, blog and mailing list! so if you'd follow me, i'll give all the details and share some of my newest designs over on my new blog.

it's the simple things

2010-07-20T09:42:00.001-07:00

a cup of tea, a beautiful sunset, neighbors waving us over to pick vegetables from their garden, little hands helping with dinner, simple desserts, surprise flowers from doug, enjoying a beautiful book... little moments i'm thankful for.

summer is WAY better with a list

2010-07-16T10:09:00.001-07:00

after a couple days of losing our summer groove, and feeling sure we wouldn't be able to make it until school starts again, i decided it was time for a turnaround. with the help of mother extraordinaire sally shim, we headed outside with a blanket, a big piece of cardstock, a silver sharpie (best invention ever), and all our greatest ideas for some summer fun. sometimes just knowing the summer will be over before you know it isn't enough. it was time for us to get serious.

coming up with the list itself was such a fun activity for us, but taking the time to talk about what we'd like to do before school starts again has already paid off. here's a couple of the ideas we came up with:

picnic by the water
ride bikes
go camping
read at least five books a week
hike
visit both sets of families (halfway through this one)
go bowling
farmer's market
outdoor treasure hunt
make our own popsicles (check, my word, were they good!)
make ice cream in our camping ice cream maker
sidewalk chalk (check!)
have a day without electricity
make fresh lemonade
blow bubbles at the park
make a fort out of bedsheets (check!)
eat watermelon slices on porch (check, check!)
fly kites
postcards to loved ones
make sun tea (we do this about once a week, but why not add it too!)
finish reading fantastic mr. fox, then sit down and watch the movie together (check!)
get plenty of sun!

we were so excited about our list, that we ended up checking off four items right away! now, not everyone gets the chance to spend their summers with their kids, or maybe you don't even have children, but i'd still suggest making a summer list anyway. it can really make you appreciate the warmer weather and what little time you have before the schedule goes back to the regular lull of the cooler months.

lindsay and fitzhugh's beautiful park slope home

2010-07-11T15:46:00.001-07:00

via the selby

both doug and i really loved the farmer's sink and all the natural wood. homes like these make me want to build my own.

summer nights

2010-07-10T16:22:00.000-07:00

i'm not a huge fan of the summer heat. but having a front porch equipped with rocking chairs has drastically changed that. nothing feels better than enjoying the peace of the evening after a long, usually hot summer day. now you know why i haven't been able to set down my knitting. rocking chairs and knitting were truly meant for each other.

whaling sweater

2010-07-08T11:05:00.000-07:00

whaling sweater in fisherman's wool

since doug just informed me that our daughter is outside, locked in our car, about to die from heatstroke (long story that child services would TOTALLY understand), i'll make this quick. while moving all my knitting projects to my new yarn basket from my parents, i was a little astonished to see just how close to finishing this sweater i was. there it sat, neglected since the winter. i finally took the couple hours i needed to finish up the neck, seam the underarms and weave in the ends. i'm sooo glad i did.

i used my ever favorite lion brand fisherman's wool, and kind of winged the pattern using pointers from elizabeth zimmermann's "knitting without tears" book. every knitter should own this book. it helped me to knit this sweater by size as opposed to pattern, and i couldn't be happier with the fit. i'll be wearing it whenever i can!

linen romper

2010-07-06T10:35:00.001-07:00

if you haven't noticed already, summer break has pushed my sewing work onto the back burner. we've been a little caught up in taking advantage of the beautiful weather and spending some much needed time together, so i've been trying to just enjoy it while it lasts. the summer always goes to fast anyway.

even before the break, i felt like the business stuff was getting a little ahead of me. i felt a lot of pressure from myself to create, which just killed the beauty of creating itself. i needed to slow things down a bit and instead take some time to work on my skills. i decided to work on a project that would be a fun way for me to learn something new. being unsure of how i felt about the romper craze, i decided i should give making my own a try and see how it went. i finished it just before heading out east, but i finally got the chance to take a picture of it.

this project was a lot of fun to work on and it was nice to have the chance to tackle something where i was unsure what the outcome would be. it's amazing how much fun a project can be when you're not aiming to get it perfect on the first run, or perfect period! i think i did three versions of this romper, with the final being made out of this amazing gingham linen. there would still be some tweaking i'd do to this pattern if i'd ever plan on selling it, but i'm not sure i'd want to do that anyway. for myself, i still have to finish the edges of the sleeves and collar to really wear this one, but i think i might go for it! it's definitely cool and comfortable which will be all i'll want to wear by the end of the summer.

and on that note, i've got some more shop news and a fun announcement that i'll share as soon as i get the time!

happy fourth of july!

2010-07-04T17:19:00.000-07:00

hope you're all enjoying the barbecues, fireworks, parades, food, food and food! oh, and don't forget the independence!

inventory stockroom

2010-07-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

the duluth utility pack from the last post has me poring over inventory stockroom today.

beautiful home

2010-06-30T08:15:00.000-07:00

beautiful photos by emily anderson

aren't these photos of sara and michael hunter's chicago home just amazing? i love the clean/simple/vintage/non-fussy/colorful feel of every room. i'm especially digging the pendleton blankets.

envelopes full of good things

2010-06-29T07:31:00.000-07:00

before we headed out to new york, my mom sent me something that made my traveling life a whole lot easier. she made an envelope pocket FULL of ideas of nyc places to visit and things to try that she had been collecting over the past couple of months (maybe years!). man, did it ever come in handy. not only for all the research she had done beforehand, but also for a sturdy envelope with labeled pockets to carry things in. on the plane ride there, it held cd's, cards, photos, flight and train information without getting lost or damaged. and while we were there, i used it to carry all the postcards and business cards we'd pick up along the way. brilliant! thanks mom!

twenty-eight, so far so, so good

2010-06-28T07:44:00.000-07:00

after telling everyone i'd be turning 29 for weeks, i had the awesome realization that i'm retarded! i'm only turning 28, silly! at least i wasn't goofing up in the wrong direction - what a bummer that would be, huh? nah, i probably wouldn't care.

anyway, i had a wonderful birthday. we had only been home for a day, and since we had just spent the last two weeks doing some of the coolest stuff you can possibly do, i spent a good portion of my birthday stripping the beds, catching up on laundry, straightening up the disaster of a house we were left with from unpacking, arranging the fresh wildflowers the little neighbor girl stopped by with, and going for a nice, long walk with the dog. i loved it. it felt so good to be home, resting, and getting back into the swing. we kind of stretched my birthday out a from friday to saturday, since doug had a bunch of work to catch up on, making his work day long. once it was time to party though, we got food at one of our favorite restaurants, went to Toy Story 3, ate a bunch of popcorn, hung out at our favorite museum, and just enjoyed being home. doug also took me shopping to pick out my birthday present - a pair of Toms i've been wanting - but after just acquiring my Bensimons, I passed and instead just enjoyed the day. because it was a good one.

birthday party! by ellybeth featuring J Crew tops
(polyvore is back, people! i forgot how addicting it can be!)

new england

2010-06-27T16:50:00.000-07:00

after new york, we headed to beautiful new england for a stay with doug's parents. it was wonderful. the weather was great, with only a couple days of rain. we ate outside as many times as we could, judy (doug's mom) grilled amazing food, we went to the seaport, browsed the farmer's market, ate sushi multiple times, held the neighbor's brand new puppies, went on a whale watch, and brought the week to a close with a cookout where we enjoyed eating doug and dave's catch of the day, striper and blue fish, and setting off some crazy fireworks with doug's best friend, chris. even though the week went fast, we felt like we got to relax and spend some quality time with the fam. i even started a new knitting project after judy brought me to the local yarn shop and told me to pick out my birthday present - whatever i wanted! i picked some beautiful lamb's pride wool, and spent the rest of the week working on a sweater that's been in my queue for about a year. now that we're home, working on it reminds me of new england and our beautiful trip back home. i'm sure wearing it will feel the same.

muji, madewell, fjällräven, and more!

2010-06-24T09:38:00.000-07:00

new york stuffs by ellybeth featuring Uniqlo leggings

wow, there are so many things to buy in new york. i was faced with getting everything back home, so i tried my best to be conservative. last summer i don't think i bought any clothing while visiting jenny, and this year i didn't want to return home empty-handed. not that i really NEED anything, but with my birthday just around the corner, i figured i could treat myself to a couple of things. as long as they were easy to pack, that is.

our first stop was Muji, with it being just around the corner from our hotel. i noticed the french linen tunic in striped blue (pictured in pink) right away, but went back a couple days later when i couldn't find anything that i liked better. such soft linen on sale can't be argued with. it's so light and airy, i've been wearing it non-stop. i couldn't resist some of the mini-office supplies at Muji too, which ended up coming in handy on long train and plane rides. i also bought a steel tape dispenser for my studio, and was dumb enough to pack it in my carry-on on the way home, which meant a little extra time in the security line! it is a little weird looking, i guess.

hands down, one of my favorite stores was Fjällräven, a swedish outdoor gear manufacturer, on Moss Street. the flagship U.S. store sits at the bottom of a vintage scandinavian wallpaper lined stairway, where a tree of mini kånken wait to greet you. the walls of backpacks, photographs of sweden, and loads of swedish goods were complete heaven to me. as i was busy formulating a plan of how i could start living in the store without anyone noticing, the owner asked me if i needed anything. ummm, one of everything? but we left only with what we headed there for, a kånken and mini, just perfect for our journeys ahead. oh, and a bar of greenland wax, after the owner totally sold me on it with the super cool demonstration how to waterproof ANYTHING!

jenny and i had planned on taking one of shabd's tie dye classes, but after a mix up on the class time, we just stopped by to say hi instead. i got a chance to meet lena corwin, see her amazing studio, and somehow walk away with one of her beautiful travel posters. aww, it even has a mom and baby humpback whale on it! be still my heart.

being pressed for time at both uniqlo and madewell, i only picked up a pair of grey extra long leggings (uniqlo) that are now the best i own, and a pair of yellow bensimon slip-ons (madewell) which were marked down 50%. the sizes and colors were really picked over, so i just went with whatever fit. it's great to have a pair of summer shoes that are easy to get on, but aren't sandals. i love sandals, but i always end up washing my dirty feet at the end of the long, dusty summer days.

my in-laws live pretty close to an h&m, so i stopped by on one of the days they were having their summer sale. i didn't get much, but i did find a denim dress marked down 50%. after not being able to decide which one to get, the dark chambray or light denim, i got both for the price of one. ooooo, indulgent!

so, most of what i got was very plain and functional - just how i like it!

new york

2010-06-24T08:43:00.000-07:00

Fjällräven, New York flagship store

most of you can tell by my flickr photos that we've been traveling for the last couple of weeks. doug had to make it out to nyc for business, so we all tagged along, with a little detour on our way home to visit family. it was so much fun! so much in fact, that i spent very little time online/on my computer while we were gone, and have had a huge number of photos to go through and upload now that we're home. i could spend days going through the places we visited and things we did, but knowing that will NEVER get done, i'll instead let you go ahead and check out my pictures which should say enough.

we had a whole lot of fun riding the subway (and one time accidentally taking the express train, which just turned out to be fun), walking as many miles as my feet and the mini-feet walking beside me would allow, visiting with friends, eating plenty of awesome food, and enjoying watching the people, vibrant colors and architecture of the city. we didn't have much of an itinerary or checklist, which ended up working beautifully since some stuff came up that would have thrown off the plans anyway. for such a busy city, we really felt like we were on vacation and that the world was right outside our hotel door. we had the freedom to just go with it. i loved that.

i picked up some really great things while we were in new york too, which i'll talk about soon!

hear black

2010-05-31T10:46:00.001-07:00

remember how i was saying i've been having a great month of mail? well the goods keep pouring in! this recent delivery wasn't really a surprise, although i had been looking forward to it as soon as i clicked "commit to buy." being a reader of nate and katie's blog hearblack ever since joanna wrote about their awesome proposal story on her blog, i've been meaning to place an order in their online market for a while now. i definitely had to jump on the chance once i saw they'd be closing up shop, and i'm so glad i did. i knew doug would appreciate some new letter writing material, so i had a couple stacks of the feather cards on the list, but couldn't resist getting the sea rope wreath too. both items are so beautiful, and the wreath already has a designated home on our whale wall.

i highly suggest checking out nate and katie's blog, although beware. your itunes library is going to double in size (all of my best music recommendations come from them), and you'll instantly feel the urge to go camping or on a hike once you file through their breathtaking landscape photos. their shop will be closing soon, so go ahead and place and order while there's still time!

pink + green

2010-05-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

i've been having a really good mail month, obviously. i just received this beautiful pashmina wool scarf from june and mark the other day. yeah that's right, jenny's brother and sister in law! they brought it back all the way from china during one of their recent visits, and i'm not sure the photos capture just how gorgeous this scarf is. or how soft.

along with a great card, the scarf was wrapped using floral tape as ribbon. brilliant june, brilliant!

no offense family, but i might ask to be adopted by the gordys. i'm pretty sure you would too.

oh and that's some bright, new nail polish, hey? matches my gift!

2010-05-26T08:04:00.000-07:00

all images from factory 20's website

i wish every wall of my home looked like a photo from factory 20's site. i love the gray in all of these shots, but the beauty of the old furniture is for sure the star. i actually gasped at the prices on factory 20's site - check out the $325 price tag on the log stool table. i think i'll just make sure to keep my eyes peeled the next time we're out hiking. to me, half the fun of buying something old is the hunt it takes through thrift stores and yard sales to find furniture unique and inexpensive. and now i'm crossing my fingers that i'll come across an industrial stainless steel mixing bowl the next time i'm at the magical thrift store. but of course, wanting one is pretty much going to ruin my chances of ever finding it!

friends far away

2010-05-20T21:08:00.001-07:00

nothing pulls you out of a funk like a good talk with a friend, and a package being delivered to your door from that same person just minutes after hanging up. and it's not even my birthday!

this beautiful shirt jenny sent me was something she scratched from her s/s collection! isn't it amazing?! she wasn't happy with it. how lucky am i to be her friend? also worn, a felt wiksten holiday necklace.

i have adored these socks since jenny knit and shared them on her blog. she actually made them especially for me, which i think is amazing since nothing beats hand knit socks. they are gorgeous and so, so soft. i haven't taken them off since i got them!

so much good stuff. what a friend!

"certain springs are tapped only when we are alone." - anne morrow lindberg

2010-05-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

we went away this weekend. three short days of no tv, more nature, sun, fresh air, stress fighting and tears. sometimes there's no avoiding the nitty-gritty real life once there isn't any noise to distract you from it. i'm positive now that i don't let go enough to allow those moments happen.

i feel like i've got a lot to learn about surrendering to growth and real life. but when it happens, there's a peace i'm given that i can't gain any other way.

anna allen :: interview, and upcoming clothing collection

2010-05-12T11:17:00.000-07:00

if you're like me, you've been eagerly awaiting the opening of anna allen's new store. as soon as i saw anna was about to release her own clothing collection this spring, i asked if she'd be willing to answer some questions about it and tell me what's led her here. in the middle of all the madness, the talented seamstress, knitter and cook has taken the time to graciously answer!

why hello, anna! give me your five minute bio: where you started, where you are now and where you're headed.

I started sewing when I was a little girl, maybe three, after my mom taught me the basics. At about 13, I discovered my interest for the American Civil War. I had been obsessed with American Girl dolls, but was getting too old to play with dolls, so living history seemed like a nice alternative. I didn't realize this would pretty much take over my life for the next 12 years. I was intrigued with learning about 19th century sewing methods, fabrics that were produced during that era, and how garments were constructed. Back then I could care less about modern clothing and wouldn't dream of wasting my money on modern fabric, especially when I could spend a little more on enough fabric for an 1860's dress! As I have grown older, I've discovered I love modern apparel just as much (and sometimes more) than historical clothing.

Right now I am learning SO MUCH! For many years I have talked about learning to draft patterns and have dreamed of selling some of my modern creations. Finally I'm doing it. And although I only have a few patterns made now, I plan to continue creating more designs.

As for where I'm headed, I'm not exactly sure! I know I want to continue sewing, creating and learning, learning, learning! Seriously, there just never will be a time when I'm not learning. Someday I think it would be the coolest to learn tailoring, just for the heck of it. Maybe I'll move to London and be an apprentice... Hah! Are my five minutes up??

whoa, three years old?! for a three year old to be interested in sewing and stick with it that long, you must have had a pretty serious love for it.

When I was little I think it was just the idea that I got to make things for myself that made me stick to it. It didn't matter if it was a simple square pillow or a little dress for my doll. Though I have to say what really inspired me to continue sewing was my love for history.

what did you want to be when you grew up? how does what you're doing now reflect that?

I remember being asked in Sunday school what I wanted to be and I said a nurse, because I thought all girls were nurses when they grew up. Hah! I didn't really think much about what I wanted to be as i grew up, but one day I thought, "what do I spend all my time doing and would do all my life even if I never got paid for it?" All my free time had been going into sewing, and when I wasn't sewing, I was studying how to be a better seamstress. I didn't ever think I wanted to be a fashion designer, so instead I decided in high school that I would start my own business to sell historical clothing. I started right after graduating high school, and nearly six and a half years later, I still love what I do. I'm more comfortable now with being a designer, and to be honest, I find designing the clothing to be a lot more fun than sewing. At the moment, I don't have any plans to go back to school for it, but you never know, I may change my mind.

so, did you go to school to learn to make historical clothing then?

Actually, I never went to school past high school. My family was very supportive about my decision and I am very grateful for that.

i think familial support is crucial. and since your sewing aesthetic seems to have a real appreciation for classic styles and vintage, was there anyone who passed this appreciation down to you?

It may sound funny to say this, but I think it was a result of watching primarily old 1930's and '40s films growing up. In my opinion, that was a time when people knew how to dress really well.

amen, sister! so would you say that era is where your main inspiration comes from then?

There are so many things I'm inspired by! Everything around me is inspiring. 19th century paintings of real everyday life is very inspiring. Old French fashion plates and vintage patterns. I also love to find pictures of people working from the early to mid 20th century, especially the depression era. I am also very inspired by pictures I find on flickr and all the blogs I read. There are SO MANY talented people out there! Whether it's a picture of a room in someone's home, a field full of flowers or some fresh bread sitting on a table. I love peaceful scenes of everyday life. It's like I'm peeking into someones personal scrap book.

oh me too, sometimes the inspiration gets overwhelming! what do your family/friends think of what you do? do they give you a hard time about your online life?

They are all very supportive of me, which I am very grateful for! Most of my friends and family don't think my online life is too weird. I try to keep the online part to a minimum, though, to ensure I still have a "real" life too. But I gotta say I am pretty happy I live in the age of the internet. I don't know what I'd do without it (sad, but true)!

yes, it's great if you can keep a balance. and your everyday life, especially your weekends have always inspired me. would you say you're content and happy with where you are?

Thank you! I try to show only the good stuff about my life, hehe... But yes, I am really happy right now! I'm about to move into an old church in a small town that used to be a religious commune in the mid-19th century. I'm actually pretty psyched about living in an 1860's church! I don't know if I'll be in this spot forever, but for now I'm very content.

wow, i can't imagine a cooler, more inspiring atmosphere! and without giving away your trade secrets, are there any fabric/yarn shops that you'd want people to check out if they were in Iowa?

Actually, there really aren't too many great fabric or yarn shops around here. You might find some good yarn shops in Iowa City or even Des Moines, but I haven't had too much luck finding great fabric stores. I usually shop at Hancock or JoAnn Fabrics for my basic needs. And then I purchase all of my other fabric primarily online. I know some people are hesitant to order fabric online because you don't have the ability to feel and see it in person, but I have had pretty good luck. There have been a few times I've ordered some fabric I really disliked, but that happens. Now, if you go to Chicago or Minneapolis, there are some really nice fabric warehouses and yarn shops.

well, everything you choose for fabric is beautiful. what would be your favorite fabric to work with?

I love anything that is made of natural fibers. I LOVE working with silk taffeta. It's so nice. It's not too light and not too heavy and it has a beautiful drape to it. Cotton lawn is also a really great fabric to work with, if it's a quality lawn. Linen is my more recent favorite, however cutting it out can be a pain! It likes to squirm around and get out of place, but I think it's worth the effort. I also love working with blends of natural fibers like cotton/linen or silk/linen.

ooo, this is making me want to run to the fabric store, so i'd better wrap this up!!! when you're working on a project, what do you do to pass the time as you sew?

Sometimes I listen to music or books on CD. I am really picky about what I listen to. It can't be anything depressing or sad. I need happy and upbeat or loud. But my mood changes a lot. Once all I would listen to was hip-hop and re-mixes of Sufjan Stevens ("Illinoize") and once I listened to the whole MGMT album over and over for a week until I finished a project. When I listen to that album now I think of that project, that always makes me laugh. In the last several months I have gotten into "watching" old movies on YouTube because my DVD player was broken on my mac. But they have to be films I've seen over and over again otherwise I get too interested in them and want to stop sewing!

ha! i can barely talk on the phone and walk at the same time! as far as when you're not working, what is something you do to relax and get your mind off everything?

I love to sit back and watch old movies with my boyfriend. Lately we're starting to get into the silent film era, but I adore the pre-codes (saucy 1930's flicks!) and I got on a huge Hailey Mills kick a few weeks ago (um yes...I am a little kid at heart). I also like to sit back and knit, usually while watching a film. I watch too many movies, need to read more...

i just had to wikipedia "pre-codes," very saucy indeed! and as far as reading more, me too. especially since magazines don't count...

and finally, now that you're about to open shop, what is your new brand name and when can we buy your spring line?

I thought about this a long time and just decided in the end to give it the same name as my own, Anna Allen. Sometimes I feel weird about that, but whatever. It just makes things easier for me; this way I don't have to worry about coming up with something creative. My spring line should be available mid-May, although I haven't set a date yet. I'm planning to get it ready in the next few weeks. I'll start small and hope to continue to build my line into a larger collection over time.

wow, thank you for taking the time to share, anna! i look forward to what you've got in store!

Thank you so much, Elly!

make sure to check out anna's blog and her new bigcartel shop! and don't forget to sign up on her mailing list to be the first to know when her shop opens.

whales

2010-05-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

whales by enormous champion, via lena

this summer, we're going to be heading out east for business, as well as a visit with friends and family. we're all so excited. this might be our main summer break, so doug and i have decided that going whale watching is at the top of the list of things to do while in new england. my daughter (a huge whale lover) and i have never been, so as long as i pop enough Dramamine beforehand, i'm pretty sure it's guaranteed fun.

last night, doug and i happened to catch american experience on pbs about the history of whaling. i usually enjoy any chance i get to catch a good documentary on one of our only television channels, but i'm not sure i'd recommend watching this particular one. i myself had nightmares about the cannibal whalers of the Essex - yikes! but now that i've got you interested, by all means, go ahead and watch it online. and by the way, what's up with american experience's new intro? their old one was way better.

1. jonas and whale 2. whale necklace 3. mini whale silhouette pin 4. marine animals poster

all this whale talk has me digging up old shanties and longing for more drawings and photos of anything nautical or marine to hang in our home. i've already started a collection - some of it already hanging, and half of it just needing frames.

since my daughter's birthday is coming up soon, i've also been looking around for anything whale related as a gift for her. this kid LOVES whales, like other kids love barbies and cars. whales and coyotes, goats and the more standard horses. in my opinion, this makes birthday shopping a whole lot more fun!

but enough of this whale nonsense. i've got something cool coming up - i did a really fun interview with anna allen about her upcoming spring/summer collection that i'll be sharing soon! can't wait!

wiksten spring + summer

2010-05-10T11:31:00.000-07:00

i just got the mailer from jenny, announcing her shop opening tomorrow for the wiksten spring + summer collection. who else is hyperventilating about this? i myself am counting down the hours to be there, along with everyone else to watch the insane split-second sell out that always happens for jenny's collections. i already told jenny i'm in love with all her new pieces, like want-to-have-their-babies in love. i can't decide which one i love the best though, and dominic's beautiful photos aren't helping! gosh darn!

and although i was totally bummed to hear there are pieces jenny isn't going to be selling (oh people, you have no idea. there are things jenny creates that never even make the final cut! i'm talking about things that she thinks are her worst, that i'd be lucky to call my best!!!), but it does make my choosing a fave a little, tiny bit easier.

(all photos are either jenny or dominic's, link to their respective sources and were absolutely used without permission. what? just sayin.)

EDIT: MY WORD, i logged on first thing this morning, and everything had already been sold out!!! What the heck, did people sleep next to their computers?! Although I didn't even get a chance to snag something, I'm glad everyone else wanted something as badly as I did!

more billy button necklaces in the shop now!

2010-05-05T12:49:00.000-07:00

i've had a lot of questions about the billy button necklaces lately, and so i've added some more to the shop. i also decided to offer 10% off your orders, good until friday. just enter FLORA10 at checkout to have the discount applied to your order.

seven years

2010-05-04T12:37:00.000-07:00

i know it's cliched to say, but i loved our wedding. we held the ceremony in an old paper mill in southern minnesota, with just our closest friends and family present. i wore an inexpensive watters and watters gown that to this day i still love, and doug wore a blue floral button-down shirt from urban outfitters. there wasn't a dance or a bouquet toss and we didn't have a cake cutting ceremony, but the day was perfect.

to celebrate our anniversary this year, we got a chance to steal away for a romantic dinner, walk and movie. i was lucky enough to score one of anabela's beautiful, err, i mean handsome "may 4" floral ties and i gave it to doug to wear right before we left the house. anabela even embroidered our wedding day on the cotton twill loop on the back! doug loved it and i couldn't stop looking at it throughout the night.

as i gazed romantically into doug's tie over dinner, he and i did a really terrible job trying to remember how we've spent our previous anniversaries. i remembered just a couple and i don't think doug remembered any, BUT he did remember the one that counts - this year's! high five, doug! and as far as the others we've forgotten, that's what photos are for, right?

whitney, you're a winner!

2010-05-03T08:47:00.000-07:00

may day, yeah riiight. sorry folks! i thought i would have more time over my weekend, but since it was doug's and my wedding anniversary, we were too busy celebrating! and i was going to do this the old fashioned way by drawing names out of a hat, but i couldn't wait any longer! and this free solar-y iphone app seemed fitting.

whitney's the winner, which was obviously meant to be since the post on her inspiring blog for our anniversary date has a photo of the ribbon doug and i used for our invitations! her comment was sweet, singing the praises of her supportive husband. whitney, i'll email you asap for your address.

this was so much fun for me - i have been inspired from your blogs over the last couple of weeks. i don't get around in the blog department, but your comments drew me in and just naturally introduced me to a whole handful of new people. thanks a lot!

shop update

2010-04-30T16:12:00.000-07:00

i just restocked the store, and added a new item to the mix! this is the last of that purple floral fabric, may it r.i.p. i hope to do some more updates this weekend too, but you know how that goes...

earth day giveaway nearing the end

2010-04-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

it's been so fun reading all you comments, but i suppose all good things must come to an end. plus you guys are probably like, "she's going to keep this giveaway open forever, come on!" so hows about i close on may day? go ahead and keep adding your comments (remember to leave a way for me to get a hold of you) and i'll announce the winner saturday!

fiesta de puebla

2010-04-29T08:20:00.000-07:00

while at the library the other day, i noticed a stack of vegetarian times magazines that were in the free pile. i took some of them home, and i'm so glad i did! we've already tried out a couple recipes, and everything has been great. i thought i'd share my modified recipes, but if you're interested in the originals, they're probably online. i'd bet they're even better!

i started out making dessert first, and had it only been me that was eating, i would have stopped there. while flipping through the stack at the library, this is the recipe that made me take a couple home. having tasted tres leches cake for the first time ever only a couple of months ago at a local restaurant, i've been on the hunt for a good recipe to make my own. this one was almost as amazing as the first i tried. i added goji berries with whipped cream since i had them on hand, and it was awesome.

tres leches cake with lime and mint infused goji berries

cake:
1 1/2 cups of flour (i did half whole wheat, half white)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup of unsalted butter, room temp
1/4 cup all natural cinnamon applesauce
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

tres leches glaze:
3/4 cup low fat evaporated milk
1/2 cup low fat milk
1/2 cup low fat sweetened condensed milk ( i thought for sure i had some coconut milk in the pantry to use instead, but i didn't. i think it would be an awesome substitute - i'm going to try it next time)
2 tbsp all natural mojito mix (this is my newest cooking secret! i freeze it in cubes, and use it instead of lime juice. it's just a little sweeter and has a hint of mint. hint of mint, ha!)

infused goji berries:
3 tbsp goji berries
2 tbsp mojito mix

1. preheat oven to 350 F. coat 9" pie pan with cooking spray. soak goji berries in mix and set aside.
2. cake: whisk first four ingredients in medium bowl.
3. beat butter, applesauce and sugar with an electric mixer 2 to 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. beat in eggs one at a time, then beat in vanilla. continue beating on medium 2 minutes, or until batter is smooth. beat in flour, 1/2 cup at a time until batter is smooth. increase beater speed to medium high, and beat 5 minutes.
4. pour batter into prepared pan, and bake for 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. place cake on wire rack to cool, and poke holes all over using a fork or skewer.
5. tres leches glaze: whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl and spread over cooled cake (i just did this in the pan, skipping the cooling rack).
6. top with whipped cream and drained goji berries, and enjoy!

nopalitos-style salad

dressing:
2 tbsp lime juice (or my mix trick)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp chili powder
3 tbsp olive oil

salad:
bunch of arugula (i'm crazy about it)
bunch of romaine
1 diced apple
small jar of artichoke hearts
chives

need i explain? enjoy!

that campfire smell

2010-04-26T12:15:00.000-07:00

for the very same reason that as a kid my clothes were the first into the laundry pile, those clothes are now the last. i think when you're young, it's easy to take nature for granted, but now as an adult who spends far too much time indoors, it seems a shame to wash away the smokey smell. i'd buy a perfume that smells like it, but nothing beats the real thing.

my mother in law sent me an album by "hem" after hearing them and thinking their music and name reminded her of me. i thought that was so sweet.

hello tuesday

2010-04-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

no, i don't have my days mixed up, i just have something new to look forward too every tuesday of the week. i've talked about natalie and her amazing owls go hoot merchandise before, but recently she launched a new blog-project hello tuesday, combining her photo-taking and graphic/illustration skills. i think the above photo is especially great. you should really hop on over, she's brilliant.

i also can't wait to get my hands on some of her newest designs. hands down, doug and i have agreed Tove's Iceberg is our favorite.

i haven't closed the giveaway yet, mostly because i'm still loving the responses and also because i had a super busy weekend. i've been meaning to sew up the "billy buttons" a bit to make them more round, and then they'll be ready to ship! so not to be a broken record, but comment away!

april showers

2010-04-23T10:33:00.001-07:00

image: summer rain by mista moose

yesterday the weather was absolutely beautiful - an ideal spring day. we walked, we picked up trash at the park, we fed the birds; it was wonderful. as the sun began to set, i noticed some very dark, gray clouds moving in. i had heard snow was expected, but seeing the thermometer read 75 degrees, i hoped it would be rain. last night i fell asleep with my hand on doug's chest, listening to the drops hit the rooftop. spring is finally here.

i don't want this post to take away from the giveaway below, and i hope everyone continues to leave comments. i'm enjoying them so much. if you'd like, feel free to spread the word too. everyone loves themselves a giveaway!

earth day giveaway!

2010-04-22T10:22:00.001-07:00

sea green billy button necklace giveaway!

i've been wanting to hold a giveaway for a long time, as a small way of thanking you all for your encouragement and business. and what better day to hold it, but on one that asks us to care for something that has given us so much!

after making a bunch of billy button necklaces for the shop, i realized now would be a good time for a giveaway. i really want to encourage everyone to participate, even if you're new to commenting on my blog. and if you've ordered something from me before, you still should comment. i'm so grateful for your business, you have no idea. also, i understand that a lot of you cannot afford the things in my shop but your support still means so much to me - you should go ahead and comment too! everyone should get a chance, and remember, this is a benefit to me too to see who and how many people are reading this.

there is something i'll ask of you though in return. thankfulness and generosity have been on my mind a lot lately, and i'd love if you took the time to tell me a story of someone who has shown you generosity that has inspired you to do the same. but i won't ask that you share something that i can't share myself. the examples of generosity that have changed my life are the ones where i know the person is giving me something that's a sacrifice to them. two recent examples come to mind.

the other night, i got upset with doug for not understanding me in a stressful moment right before he had to leave the house. he returned with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and ice cream, and the most generous gift of a promise to listen to me without fighting back. i had been mean, but he stretched himself to care. i knew it wasn't easy or natural to him, and he inspires me to be kind even when it's hard.

also, some of you might remember a shop update a while back that jenny made, where things didn't get uploaded on time? the reason they didn't get uploaded was because i was having a major mental breakdown and called jenny right in the middle of her workday and she took the time to talk to me for 8 WHOLE HOURS!!! she graciously called it "something urgent," and not a word was said about the real reason. she's like this all the time, people! i'm so lucky to have a friend to aspire to be like.

i'll let you comment away at least for a couple days, just make sure to leave some way for me to track you down, like an email or link to your blog. but if you're family or someone i know, don't worry, i'll figure out how to get a hold of you. thanks everyone!

the giveaway is over now: whitney's the winner, although i wish i had a necklace for everyone ;) you guys rock!

it's earth day!

2010-04-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

if i were to name my plants, i would introduce this herb to you as "basil rathbone the basil plant." but i don't. cause that's weird.

growing up, my mother told the legend of how she was there, on the very FIRST EARTH DAY. forty years later, i too get a little excited about the day that encourages us to appreciate this beautiful, amazing planet. some people do a lot better job at it than i, but i'm still trying to figure out ways that i can be responsible. and why not do a little extra today! take a walk, ride your bike, feed the birds, plant something.

i heard a hilarious This American Life podcast which mentions the origin of the name Earth Day that i highly suggest downloading (the whole podcast is on the topic of origins, and the first story has been especially relevant to my work). today, i waited in the car (yeah, i drove somewhere. on earth day.) just long enough to catch Writer's Almanac which explained how Earth day started - also worth listening to. also, this documentary got some good conversation going in our house and you can watch it instantly on netflix.

to celebrate earth day i'm going to have a giveaway, but before i get to that, i thought i'd share a simple recipe that i came up with the other night when i was desperate for something really fresh and garden vegetable-y. this almost shouldn't be called a recipe! we've been tending our own little indoor herb garden of cilantro, basil, and chives, and it's been incredibly rewarding. is it normal to form an attachment to your plants similar to a child of your own? probably not. or to thank the plant any time you take anything from it? maybe hold a ceremony? cry a little? yeah, i didn't think so. not like i actually DO that, cause that would be weird.

earth day pasta:

pasta cooked in salted water (i'm on a major strozzapreti kick lately)
grape tomatoes
whole avocado
chives
fresh basil
less than a tbsp of all natural ranch for flavor
olive oil (you can always omit the ranch if this is enough for you)
lemon pepper

cook pasta, cry a little in sheer gratefulness to your herb garden, throw all this crap in a bowl and eat! it's delicious!

you're tops!

2010-04-21T09:15:00.000-07:00

creel bag, coming soon!

i've left my shop a little neglected over the last couple days, and i have some updates to make as soon as i get the chance. i had such a great time opening up the store and want to thank everyone who placed an order! wow, i feel so thankful and fortunate to be able to share what i make with everyone - onlookers and customers alike! it's really incredible. thank you so much for the encouragement and business.

i tried to catch up on most your questions yesterday, and i still have a few emails to go, but i did want to let everyone know that there should be some more necklaces and a couple new items in the shop very soon. two of my favorite items (the nuthatch dress and stellars jay jumper) are in the store now, so head on over if you're interested. also, i've had a lot of questions about when i'll be restocking the trellis top. although i can't get my hands on that fabric anymore, i may try to make some in a different fabric soon. i've got a couple other things on the list to complete before then, but i'll let everyone know once those clear. thanks again everyone!

flora + fauna :: spring collection release tonight!

2010-04-16T12:45:00.000-07:00

yay! i did it! i finally got my mailer sent out last night - ALL BY MYSELF!!! i know, stop the applause. it took me a while, but it was pretty monumental so that made it worth it. usually doug is the brains behind this operation, but last night he took the time to walk me through it. teach me how to ride the bike instead of carting me all around town, so to speak. it wasn't that hard actually since doug wrote out a whole terminal command screen to walk me through it. and when i swore i couldn't understand and screamed, "quit the computer programmer speak" at him, he just calmly answered, "you can do this." what a guy!

i decided to open shop tonight (eastern standard), with the hopes that it will give more people the chance to view it. i would love to pick an exact time the shop will open, but i really don't want to oversell and have to issue refunds. just stay tuned. it will be earlier evening rather than later. i've lost my knack for being a night owl.

thanks for the feedback about times too everyone, i really appreciate my customers and feel like it's the least i can do to find a time that works for most people. we'll see how this goes!

shop news

2010-04-15T10:01:00.001-07:00

hi everyone, i need your help.

it seems that no matter what time i pick to open up my shop, someone is left out or wishes i would open my store at a more convenient time. i'm just about ready to open up shop, and i'm wondering if maybe a weekend would be better than the usual weekday, or if pushing the upload time to be a little later in the day would help. i understand that not everyone works close to a computer, and if you've got your heart set on something, i'd love to give you the chance to get it!

my original plan was to just open up tomorrow at around lunch time est, but instead i'll give anyone who's interested the chance to give some feedback if there's a more favorable time. i do ship internationally, so i think i can work out a time that will accommodate a bigger chunk of time zones. hopefully. thanks guys!

i'll send out a mailer as soon as i pick the day, so go ahead and sign up!

ahoy

2010-04-14T14:47:00.000-07:00

it's braid wednesday. go ahead, there's still time.

barely there

2010-04-14T08:38:00.000-07:00

no one said a thing. i didn't have a bad day. sometimes you just feel insufficient. i guess those days are important too.

beans + rice

2010-04-13T17:08:00.001-07:00

i went out to lunch with doug the other day and had an incredible bowl of rice that inspired me to come home and make another the next day for dinner. for a little extra flavor, i dug around online until i found a recipe for a green sauce that i used love from wahoo's fish taco. mmm... miss that stuff. using just what i had in the house, i altered the recipe i found online resulting in a really simple, great dinner.

wahoo's green sauce:

bunch of cilantro
bunch of chives
bunch of green onions
two smashed garlic cloves
1/2 cup of half and half
about a tablespoon of mayo (i figured that would be enough)
lime
salt and pepper

after failing to find all the pieces to my cuisinart, i realized that this recipe would give me a chance to use my neglected best friend the hand blender. once blended, pour as much as you'd like over cooked rice, shrimp, corn, tomatoes, canned black beans simmered in a cup of beer with sauteed garlic, onions and spices, and you're set! i found the green sauce to be even better the next day, and it made an awesome marinade for the tuna steaks we just happened to be thawing for dinner the next night.

snow and silence

2010-04-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

i'm going to start avoiding machines more over my weekends i think. i blushed after i suggested to doug that we should try not using electricity some saturdays (aside from the refrigerator and freezer - not cool with wasting/rotting our food), but of course the mountain man said he'd totally be up for it. the input from the world can really overwhelm me - pulling the plug can be so healthy. what can't wait until monday, anyway?

caught between the seasons

2010-04-12T07:42:00.000-07:00

winter?

or spring?

all photos property of Anna Ådén

i'm unsure which one it is here, and which i'd like it to be. especially after looking at Anna Ådén's photos of the equally beautiful seasons in sweden. for more breathtaking images, i suggest checking out her photo photo-blog.

spring collection 2010

2010-04-09T16:31:00.000-07:00

the spring preview is up on flickr, finally! finally. i didn't realize how long photographing everything would take since i have four times as many items as i usually do. i haven't set a date to release everything, but i'll let you all know once i do.

and thank you by the way for all your kind comments lately! people just keep stopping by and saying such nice things - it really makes my day. hopefully i should be able to answer your questions soon too.

here comes a visible horizon...

2010-04-09T08:42:00.000-07:00

lately it's just endless, endless, endless work and housework. it's been kind of therapeutic for me though, and thankfully i have phoenix to keep me going - a new to me band from france that doug passed on. and i think he's a little sorry he did because they've been on repeat all day, all night. i'm usually pretty stubborn and skeptical when it comes to new music, but only one song into wolfgang amadeus phoenix and i knew i loved it. they're just so peppy and uplifting - just what i need lately. i think that tonight i might hold an end of the week disco dance-off to fences to see how many moves the fam can pull out! i'm pretty sure neither doug or i will be the winners.

it's hard to choose, but i think girlfriend, love like a sunset: part 2, or countdown may be my favorites though. obviously, i'm no good at playing favorites.

but all this hard work is coming to an end, and i think i'm going to have a little something to share with everyone this afternoon! if you're interested in staying on top of all the green olives shop happenings, just check back here or sign up for my mailing list to know right when i'll be opening up shop.

lands end, l.l. bean - same difference.

2010-04-07T15:56:00.000-07:00

i'm sure that's not totally true, but i did do a double-take while flipping through the mail today. i guess that lands end has a newish collection called canvas, much like the signature line put out by l.l. bean that i mentioned a couple of weeks ago. i just received my canvas spring catalog in the mail, and before i knew it, i was totally sucked into the "hipper-than-before vortex" that all these classic companies have created. no matter if they're trying too hard, their nautical color palette, slimmer shapes and classic feel totally did it for me. and judging by my favorite rain boots in the world, i'm sure everything is good quality.

girls just want to have fu-un

2010-04-06T12:10:00.000-07:00

apparently we were the only people on the face of the planet that got the school calendar with the wrong spring break dates, so i'm all messed up today. i'm trying to look on the bright side, but i've had enough surprises.

to help myself feel a little more cheerful, i painted my nails an obnoxious pink (the 80's obviously didn't scar me too badly), threw on every item of clothing with color from my wardrobe, and in the process realized that letting go of things feels a lot better when you just accept it.

btw, i have yet to try a rimmel nail polish that i don't absolutely love - this "lasting finish pro" stuff is especially great. it dries fast, lasts long and comes in awesome colors.

happy easter!

2010-04-04T14:48:00.001-07:00

i hope everyone had a beautiful easter - we sure did! i stayed up really, really late last night making martha's menswear bunny while watching mystery science theaters with doug, and i'm so glad i did! i had a really fun time working on this simple project and i think the outcome is really darling. i decided against the herringbone wool i was going to use, and grabbed for the vintage inspired floral instead.

i also realized too late that i didn't have an extra basket laying around the house to put all these little treasures in, so instead, i made a paper bag basket instead. so color coordinated!

shop sale

2010-03-31T08:20:00.001-07:00

ugh, let's NOT talk shop, okay? whenever i say "spring collection" i have a tiny panic attack. things have been dragging on and the more they do, the more my anxiety builds. the collection has been done for over a week, but events keep preventing me from photographing the pieces and getting things rolling. sorry about that.

but, i just marked down one more top with the hopes of clearing out my store. i should be able to send it off as soon as the order is placed. since insurance has been slowing down the shipping, please let me know if you prefer it and i'll just add it at no cost. just keep in mind that it will get to you in about five days as opposed to two or three, and apparently you need to be there to sign for it or it will be held at your local post office.

i refer to martha for every holiday, don't i?

2010-03-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

aren't i original. you guys must be getting bored.

i really did try to get some fresh easter decoration ideas together, but i had a very difficult time finding any. or, i checked two blogs and didn't feel like asking permission to use their photos, so i gave up. i'm terrible at blog harvesting, so i don't know what i was expecting. but if any of you have great kid-related easter craft posts to check out, i'd love ideas.

i'm also hoping to make some handmade gifts to add to the basket of sweet little thrifted treasures i've been collecting (vintage handkerchief, note cards and miniature "wee musician" framed print). i've already decided to make a pin-on yarn flower corsage, possibly a menswear bunny, and maybe the stand up version of the pompom bunny i made last year using the instructions in this video. those were so much fun!

stumbled upon

2010-03-29T15:54:00.001-07:00

photos via this post

i found julia's blog today while google image searching for photos of kakelugnar stoves. yeah, i have no idea. man, i love it when you find something inspiring kind of by accident. i found her posts on clothing and interior to be especially great.

rosemaling, kurbits and midwestern water towers

2010-03-29T15:43:00.000-07:00

right: kjersti's photo / left: strikkelise's photo

between outage bursts, i spent a lot of the morning researching rosemaling, the beautiful scandinavian art of flower painting. reminds me of the berggren enamelware coffee pot my mom used to serve grape juice in every morning growing up. or the water tower for the nearby lindström. (i hear they have one in stanton, iowa too!)

i found equally beautiful images of kurbits, another form of scandinavian folk painting. i could spend hours in the basement of the american swedish institute in minneapolis just admiring the kurbits paintings they have there.

painting by hjelt per persson

geez, it sounds like we're in the middle of a tornado! i think i'll pass on leaving the house. instead, there will be more scandinavian inspiration to come.

wind storm

2010-03-29T12:14:00.000-07:00

a wind-storm in the forest, by john muir

i've been trying all morning to update my blog, but we're in the middle of an incredible wind storm that keeps causing power outages. normally i'm all over drastic weather, but when you're trying to work online and you keep getting kicked off, it's hard not to cuss (yes, i watched it, only FIVE TIMES SINCE BUYING IT).

so with the system being down and blogger's photo uploading bug, combined with my week long sore throat/cold-from-hell, i'm in a pretty nasty mood. i think it's time to forget electricity, light some lanterns, and have a picnic lunch on the living room floor.

lyell early spring 2010

2010-03-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

lyell's spring collection is beautiful, but what i find myself really longing for is that heirloom quilt. i've been wanting to get back into quilting again, hopefully using a pattern from denyse schmidt's book. as if i don't have a million other unfinished projects...

spring and mr. fox

2010-03-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

today i'm listening to nice, calm martin simpson, as i rush my way through sewing before my work day closes. i've been putting off finishing my spring collection since it hasn't been going as well as i wanted it to, but enough is enough. it's time to get this wrapped up!

and once i'm done sewing, i'm headed to the store to get my hands on a copy of Fantastic Mr. Fox, which releases today. even though i did all i could to make it, i didn't get a chance to see it while it was in the theaters. since my mother is positive it'll be my newest favorite movie, i'm just going to go ahead and buy it. the book was awesome, the soundtrack is perfect (as always, wes), so i'm pretty pumped.

my mother also sent out a copy of the classic children's golden book "i can fly" recently. how springy and adorable are the illustrations?

and on that note

2010-03-20T11:09:00.001-07:00

in that same issue of country living, i also noticed the most adorable paper lanterns from linda ferrol studio, which made me check out the website. the goods are so amazing, i thought they deserved their own blog post.

best friday night, ever

2010-03-20T10:05:00.000-07:00

madewell shoes via country living's april 2010 issue

girly post ahead! don't say i didn't warn you.

last night, i got a real good chance to get my relaxation on, and i enjoyed every minute of it. doug cleaned the bathroom, drew me a bath, and set out the discarded free magazines we had just picked up from the library. so gentlemen, i really hope you're not reading this, but if you are, you want to know the way to a woman's heart? a scrubbed, spotless bathtub. i'm completely serious, be still my heart! anyway, so i was enjoying the quiet chance to flip through april's issue of "country living" (i know, getting more and more girly as i go) and it brought back so many good memories of going through stacks of my mom's subscription as a kid, sitting next to the lake on our summer vacation. in this issue, there was a really beautiful article about decorating with florals, that included all the good liberty of london for target items (previous post), most of which i missed or had sold out in my store.

i also read a little thing on longaberger baskets (who's home office in ohio is actually a gigantic basket - awesome!). after searching around a little online, i found this article on organizing with baskets from real simple. you know, it's wonderful that everything's at our fingertips online, but it does kind of make me sad that there's almost no need for printed anything anymore. i mean, don't get me wrong, save those trees, but how are soul mates supposed to meet when there's no j. crew reading to bring them together?

liberty for all

2010-03-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

i got a chance to check out the liberty for target collection yesterday, and although most things were cute, i found myself throwing stuff in my basket purely because of the hype. i think i might have gotten my hopes up a little too much for this designer collaboration, or maybe i'm missing something.

first, i found the women's clothing collection to be a little too loud, and the polyester just wasn't cutting it for me. now i don't claim to be a liberty expert (only learning what that term meant maybe a year ago), but i always assume it means beautiful, delicate florals. these fabrics, although they could be classic liberty prints, turned me off paired with the styles of dresses. honestly, i haven't seen a maxi dress that i've wanted to buy, guh, even saying "maxi" makes me gag, but i thought maybe liberty would change my mind. they didn't.

the men's collection was good though, much more classic than the women's. i even picked up a shirt for me, and a tie for doug. although the print is wonderful, i'm still a little unsure about the shirt itself. i usually love the casual feel of wearing a button-down, but for how soft the fabric is, the shirt still feels a little stiff and boxy which to me isn't very feminine. perhaps washing it will help that - we'll see.

i was lucky enough to find the very last wallet in the store - the one thing i had decided to get if i could find one. but again, i'm not sure i'm going to keep it. i LOVE that it's oilcloth. my wallets get so beat up, and oilcloth sounds like a great bet for durability and staying clean. but the hardware is a bit clunky and loose, and the magnets used to close it aren't that strong. if you're like me, your wallet is almost a mini-purse, and with this wallet, once you get all your crap into it, it won't stay closed! what's the purpose of including a coin pocket when even ten pennies make it pop open?

i hesitated saying anything about my reaction to this collection because if everyone else loves it, great! my life definitely doesn't depend on buying more stuff from target, and target's sales don't depend on me liking everything. but for a company like liberty that seems to pride itself on quality and exclusivity, i'm surprised that they didn't just stick to a couple items that were simple and well made for the price. since i'm a borderline miser, i'll always be thrilled that target keeps collaborating with designers that not everyone can afford and i wouldn't buy otherwise. i just never feel good being duped into buying something just because a designer's name is slapped on it, whether it's $200 or $20.

edit: since writing this, i caught up on chelsea and ellenitza's blogs, and they had also said the same sort of thing about liberty for target. they both had some great ideas of other things to check out from the line and elsewhere in the store.

l.l. bean signature and chocolate chocolate chip

2010-03-18T12:07:00.000-07:00

a couple nights ago, i was holding my nightly ritual of eating way too much alden's chocolate chocolate chip ice cream and talking to doug, when i noticed an l.l. bean signature catalog sitting in the pile of mail. i can't tell if it was the alden's induced high i was on, but it didn't take long before i was drooling over everything in the catalog! the photographs were a big part of it for sure, with a very summer-out-east meets toast feel. since i'm working in this color palette and style for spring, i'm sure it won't be long before this catalog is in pieces and taped to my inspiration wall.

oh georgia...

2010-03-17T08:12:00.000-07:00

while waiting to meet with our accountant the other day, doug handed me a book on georgia o'keeffe to pass the time. i found the pictures of her to be really beautiful, especially this one. every time i feel myself getting excited about the warming weather, i see something that reminds me how wonderful the winter is. georgia's sweater makes me realize that i should have really finished up all those sweaters in my knitting basket. i do this every year - remember my too-late-for-winter humanoid last year? oh well, i guess it just gives you something to work on in the summer, and a finished product to look forward to wearing when it gets cold enough.

but on the other hand, here are a couple other photos of georgia that remind me of our roadtrips to moab and western colorado and the beautiful warm weather. i believe doug's fierce love affair with the west is starting to grow on me.

that's how jessica fletcher do, yo.

2010-03-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

i've been zooming through seasons of "Murder, She Wrote" on Netflix lately while i work, and i've strangely found Angela Lansbury's style to be quite inspiring. before i even know it, i've stopped my drafting, cutting, and sewing to apple+shift+3 screen shots of her clothes.

but after putting together a collection of all my faves so far and going through my own pictures, i realized why. that haircut may be my last step in completing my own transformation to cabot cove's famous detective. whaddya say doug, hot or not?

edit: newest episode screen shot - hey jessica, lookin' fine!

good weekend

2010-03-08T08:21:00.000-08:00

(i think sadie likes my wiksten dress)

we had a really enjoyable weekend. how can you go wrong starting things out on friday night with roasted chicken and potatoes and malts while watching "The Blue Planet" by candlelight? the rest of the weekend gave us beautiful weather, a birthday party with the best cake ever, walks to the park, booklearnin', knitting, finishing a super hard puzzle that's been sitting out too long, serious card playing (shipwrecked, to be exact. i skunked doug! he's good though, he is. just not good enough!), and talking. lots, and lots of talking. it's amazing how much there is to catch up on even with the people you share your everyday life with!

also, i'm noticing the light hanging on just a little longer each night as we eat dinner - anyone else noticing that too?

hello spring!

2010-03-04T13:15:00.000-08:00

well, the update is done, and you can head on over to the shop if you'd like to check it out. i had a lot of fun changing up my designs to make a couple more spring-like items.

i usually try to get my orders out the day they are placed, but i'm going to have a house full of kids this afternoon, so it's looking like if anything's going to be packaged right, it'll be sent out tomorrow. unless you don't mind me accidentally packaging up a toddler instead of a shirt. plus, it's my mom's b-day which means phone partay! poor woman, she might be getting more than she bargained for this year.

shop update

2010-03-04T12:32:00.001-08:00

i'm just going through some photos i took of a couple new items that i'll be uploading to the shop here in a bit. i've been saying that we've had warm weather lately, but my goodness, was it ever shocking to get into a pair of shorts for this shoot! i guess it's not THAT warm.

i've never been so happy to throw back on my 100% virgin acrylic sweater!

neckwear/neckware

2010-03-03T08:32:00.000-08:00

valentine's necklace from doug/red chain from knitlulu/gray chain from knitlulu

i've acquired some beautiful necklaces lately. one from doug (very romantic), and two from rachel of knitlulu. everything she makes is beautiful which made it hard for me to choose, so i picked two! i'm so in love with all three additions to my growing jewelry collection.

speaking of lykke li

2010-03-01T09:45:00.000-08:00

olivia via moderniteter

amanda via moderniteter

swedes really have stuff figured out - fashion, aesthetic, furniture, movies, music (oh see, now you thought i'd link to something cooler like first aid kit or loney, dear. no sir!) and meatballs. oh, and rap. don't forget the rap. but those åkerman sisters, amanda and olivia, are jättebra!

i usually have a case of the mondays,

2010-03-01T09:23:00.000-08:00

but this monday, i have a strong urge to get the week going. it was wonderful to take a bunch of time off for visitors, and i guess it was just what i needed to restore, and attack the new month (is anyone else dying that its march ALREADY?!). to start things off on the right foot, i spent a lot of the morning catching up on emails with candles and my mouse in a cup friend to keep me company, listened to lykke li, cleaned, and finished up the loads of laundry i started over the weekend and didn't get a chance to finish. as always, i hope this means the brand new month is off to a great start.

by the way, your paperwhite comments made me laugh! i actually had given a matching amaryllis kit to my neighbor for christmas, and now i'm thankful i did. next year, i'll remember to double up on the amaryllis and leave the paperwhites on the shelf.

paperwhites smell like diapers

2010-02-26T15:39:00.000-08:00

i bought a paperwhite bulb kit after christmas that was on super discount, thinking a live flowering plant would be a beautiful, springy addition to our home in the last of the cold winter months. i was also interested to see if i, the serial plant killer, could get them to bloom. the first couple weeks, i was careful to keep them watered and in a cool, dark corner of the pantry closet - and it worked! i proudly presented the tall green, bloomless stems to my mother in law when she arrived and she smiled and delicately asked if i had ever smelled paperwhites before. she even made it seem like their perfume just wasn't for her. man, was she right. they smell like diapers. straight up dirty baby diapers.

so take it from me, if someone tries to sell you anything that smells like paperwhites, run the other way.

m.i.a. because of the m & f.i.l.

2010-02-24T14:56:00.000-08:00

i've been busy this last week hanging out with doug's mom and dad who have been in town. after waving goodbye to them this morning, the effects from the week's events caught up with me all at once. the time together was full of awesome food, walks around downtown in the snow, browsing the local shops, visiting the magical thrift store multiple times, getting some serious air on the slopes with doug's dad (am i right dave? chest bump), and watching both parents fight over the pink snuggie each afternoon for reading/nap time. i couldn't have asked for more. the house feels so empty without them.

to avoid crawling into bed 8 hours before i should, i decided to work on the shop a bit today, so two dresses are available in the shop now! i was having quite the time with my light meter today, so my apologies.

kärlek

2010-02-12T09:26:00.000-08:00

adorable "love smoke" card from owls go hoot

we have some really awesome plans this weekend for valentine's day and i'm looking forward to it. that sounds too grown up - i'm frothing at the mouth, shaking with excitement, and penciling in getting my valentine's candy sugar rush on. i was going to surprise doug with the ski ridge tour i arranged for him as his valentine's gift, but he basically pinned me down and squashed the breath out of me until i'd tell him. well not really, but he still somehow got me to spill the beans. and i love surprises. or rather, i love being the one that knows the surprise. i turn even more nuts than doug if i suspect something is up, and threaten everything i can think of until someone tells me what's going on.

valentine's day seven years ago was when doug asked me to marry him, which kind of makes it an extra special day for us. for our second wedding anniversary, i made a (dorky) movie for doug, and had the wonderful idea post it on here! (doug, i'm figuring it's a lot better to ask for forgiveness than permission on this one.) watching it is so crazy now, knowing that it was only our second year of marriage and we had been through so much. i am so happy to have had him by my side to brave all the changes with. maybe everyone feels like that.

please excuse me though, i have a date with a box of smarties and bowl of m&m's. i'll probably just cringe through this anyway.

v-day on the brain-ay

2010-02-10T19:39:00.000-08:00

man, there are so many good valentine idea out there on that world wide web, my head is going to explode! the thought of making valentines is always nice somewhere in january, but then you start to zoom through february, and the elaborate valentines you see martha make with ease don't sound fun anymore. but i like to dream. and one day, valentines won't be an almost-afterthought.

growing up, once we got the years of rubber-stamping valentines out of our system, my mom, sisters and i would pour over martha stewart magazines and television show every holiday and start planning all the beautiful things we could make. i especially remember our halloween, christmas, and valentine's projects. one year, my little sister squirreled away in the craft room for who knows how many days leading up to valentines and made everyone in the family personalized cards. i believe mine was either this beautiful hand-stitched card or something having to do with quilling. i think she was ten. and they were all immaculate. even though i have a terrible memory, that valentine's always stands apart from the rest.

but for this year, i kept it simple. there has been a lot of school projects that have taken a bit of the creative steam out of me, so we ended up making some killer, super easy valentines for our family and friends who live far away. unfortunately, i only got two sent out today, but i hope to get the rest sent out tomorrow and i'll just cross my fingers that they'll get to everyone on time. because i can't wait. they are so cute! and i'm just hoping that none of my family reads my blog. i'll share the source for this idea later so i don't spoil the surprise, but a lot of you may have seen it already. this project gets a thumbs up from me, fo sho.

meridian jumper in size small

2010-02-10T11:47:00.000-08:00

yikes, a three day labor of love this one is! this dress took me much longer than i hoped it would, but i've added another meridian jumper to the shop, this time in a small. i should note that i altered the pattern just a little this time so that the collar of the dress was a little lower, but other than that, everything is the same!

tundra dress in size small

2010-02-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

i just added another tundra dress to the shop. it was really nice to get feedback from everyone about what they'd like to see more of in the store, so i should mention that since this was a highly requested design, this might be the last of this dress in his exact, super-soft navy corduroy. i've been holding on to it for a while, and am not sure if i will be able to find more of this fabric.

wow, nevermind. the dress sold before i even posted this! that just made my day!

oh, and one more note - i have been insuring the last couple shipments i sent out, and have been thinking that i might do that for all my orders now. this might raise the cost of shipping just a little, but i'm thinking it's worth it.

shop recap

2010-02-03T08:01:00.000-08:00

polaris dress / svalbard top

my shop upload went well yesterday! there were a couple hiccups and delays getting there, but overall, i had a lot of fun putting this small Northern Lights "Collection" together... hey, high fives everyone! i just said the "c" word without throwing up in my mouth! the quotations help. baby steps.

i have two more items left: the polaris dress in size medium, and the svalbard top in a large. and i hope to make some more items today so that my shop doesn't stay empty, but any suggestions about sizes and items? it's like a shot in the dark trying to figure what people want more of or what sizes are in demand. and thanks for your support everyone!

the beauty of the northern lights

2010-02-01T16:12:00.000-08:00

photo "northern lights over sweden" not mine, found here

as i've been researching names for the items in my shop, i've really enjoyed taking the time to read about aurora borealis and thought i would share one particular picture that i found breathtaking.

even though i grew up in the cold north, i hadn't seen the northern lights until i was in my late teens. the story is pretty incredible actually. i was flying back to school in sweden, and somewhere close to iceland, i looked out the plane window and saw the most incredible site - these wispy green lines racing through the air! i was too speechless to even try to get a picture and am sure that whatever i would have taken wouldn't even come close to this beautiful photo. well, now i'm ready to pack my bags and head to swedish lappland for the abisko mountain station or spend at least one night in the icehotel.

a couple notes

2010-02-01T13:36:00.000-08:00

frost and snow on the truck

i'm in the middle of getting everything ready for the shop tomorrow, and i thought of a couple things. one is that i've decided to use two different prints for this update. i guess that would be me warning you. i've avoided prints before because they scare me and it's hard to find a good one, but i wanted to make sure that these pieces could transition from the winter into the spring and i think i found some fabrics that are appropriate for that.

which brings me to my second point. although i'm calling this a winter collection, i realize that a lot of spring collections are coming out already. but since calling myself a designer kind of makes me gag, and winter's has really just begun where i live, ima gonna do another winter collection! it's my second favorite season after all, so i'm going to take advantage of the seasonal inspiration for as long as i can.

and one more thing, saying "collection" sounds too serious for me to be using, too professional. i have a hangup about definitions (previous statement about the word designer), so i'm not sure if i'm making too much out of it or not. i mean, let's talk about how many times i used the word "boyfriend" when dating doug. yeah, i was a retard. there are a few people who i think can use the word legitimately, but every time i hear myself say it, i kind of snarl. is there a more appropriate word for the couple things i make when i can, or is this just the whole "boyfriend" thing all over again? because we all know how that turned out - i pretty much got over it.

northern lights :: winter collection

2010-01-31T13:05:00.000-08:00

there's going to a shop update this tuesday. 2.2.2010 at 2pm est! i could have held it earlier, but then writing out the date and time wouldn't have been half as much fun.

one more holiday knit

2010-01-17T17:23:00.000-08:00

i finished up some lion brand wool-ease i had lying around on this baby gator scarf as a christmas present. i had almost enough (one last minute run to joann's to see if i could match just enough of the dye lot for the tail) leftover from a mini-sweetgrass sweater i knit this summer, so now she's got a sweater with a matching scarf! the baby gator pattern was really easy, but the bobbles took me longer than i had expected. my original (way too ambitious) plan was to knit these for all her little friends for christmas too, but halfway through the scarf, i knew it was time to abandon that idea and fast. maybe next year.

with love in every stitch

2010-01-17T15:44:00.000-08:00

seamless hybrid, from "knitting without tears" by elizabeth zimmerman

i finally finished a sweater for doug that i actually LOVE! all that work, and this time it was worth it. i really wanted to make him at least one thing for christmas (or as a backup, his birthday which is a couple weeks later) this year. i like taking the time to make things for the people i love. it gives me a chance to slow things down and put some love into a gift. plus, nothing beats using your skills to provide warmth for your family.

i loved the yarn i used for this sweater. it’s 100% wool but still very soft - the kind of yarn that makes you want to hug the person wearing the sweater just to feel how soft it is. i was nervous about the color like i am with all knitted gifts, but now i'm glad i went with the green instead of a more boring grey or black.

even though this holiday season was hectic, i am so glad i found the time to finish this gift. i always have a bit of hesitation to finishing garments because of the dread of it not fitting, but it was so rewarding to see the sweater get tried on for the first time, it fitting exactly how i imagined it would. doug saying it's his new favorite sweater all the time doesn't hurt either.

forced breaks

2010-01-17T13:21:00.000-08:00

even though they're still qualified as "breaks," it takes me a long time to wind down when it's not my choice. so long in fact, that i'll just start to chill out and then it's time to get back to work. sickness is usually the culprit in our house. it never fails, as soon as i start to get into some good sewing, some crud comes along to bring everything to a screeching halt. i'm learning to let go, but i'm finding that i'm more terrible at it than i thought i was. i grumble and complain and at times, refuse to let go of things that no one can change. i even get so mad sometimes that i scream at everyone in the house. yep, i sure can scream. doug calls it my "mom voice." he may joke, but he also listens and cares. i'm so thankful for that.

i'm in search of a balance though. kids make you aware of priorities in life. what message am i sending my kid if the entire world falls apart when someone gets sick. no work is more important than your health. but i think a balance exists between pausing long enough when hard stuff happens, but also not to letting it ruin your life.

honestly though, i'm still getting the hang of interruptions. and i think there's a long road ahead of me.

good morning, norway!

2010-01-14T09:18:00.000-08:00

sunday morning, i woke to the theme song to one of my favorite shows of all time - new scandinavian cooking with andreas viestad (although, all the scandinavian cooks are great, i just own the dvd seasons with andreas, thanks to doug). i was so excited that i actually leapt out of bed, running to the den to find my two favorite people curled up together with their arsenal of dvds lined up and ready for a peaceful morning. so i curled up too, but only for a bit before i got inspired to do something i rarely do - make a good breakfast. there's just something about that show that's so inspiring to me; the landscape is always incredible and the recipes are fresh and simple. whether it's food from the the show or book, we've never been disappointed.

there was an episode from the second season all about smoked fish, where andreas made smoked salmon and eggs. the recipe seemed especially easy and fast, which was essential since watching cooking shows makes you starving! doug almost convinced me to run to the grocery store and pick up some salmon, until i remembered that i had bacon on hand. it was a great substitute, and very kid friendly. now i can't wait to make them again, but this time sticking to the recipe.

hand blender, how did i live without you?!

2010-01-10T13:24:00.000-08:00

for christmas, i asked for an immersion blender. i asked, doug bought. and he didn't just get the crappy one i added to my christmas list, he got me a great cuisinart one. after using it only once, i started to wonder why did i not have one of these years ago?

even though almost nothing is easier than cooking up a warm, one-pot meal like soup, there was one step i'd complain about every time; pouring the boiling hot vegetables and stock out of the pot and into the blender. i had burned myself enough times and hated it so much, that i had even tried skipping that step, which meant watery soups (ewww). this awesome tool takes care of all that in record time, and without any of the mess.

this week, a friend asked me to make vegetarian lasagna for a youth retreat. since i had little time to throw it together, i was hoping to use what i had instead of running to the grocery store. ricotta cheese, check. eggs, check. lasagna noodles, check. spices, check. pasta sauce, hmmm... i got really excited when i found one lone jar of Prego, and even considered forgetting to mention the fact that it was "Made With Real Meat!" but once i started stacking up the amazing amount of canned, diced tomatoes i had, i saw that making my own sauce was the way to go. plus, i was going to get another chance to use my hand blender! making sauce from scratch just got so much cooler.

red sauce is pretty basic, so i figured i just wouldn't even waste time looking for a recipe and instead throw a bunch of stuff into a pot until it was right. i was happy with the outcome, and thought i'd share!

big ol' pot of pasta sauce
(serves: a whole bunch of people)

olive oil
butter
onions
diced mushrooms
dried or fresh basil
dried oregano
tomato paste
red wine
canned tomatoes, (whatever style you have
if you're lucky enough to own an immersion blender;)
salt
honey

1. heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and a little butter over medium heat in a large stock pot. when oil is warm, saute onions with a little salt. i like to actually caramelize the onions a bit for flavor, but cooking the onions until they are just translucent is fine too.
2. add mushrooms (i used one of those small containers) and cook until they also turn a bit brown. once they do, add basil and oregano (however much you prefer, but i don't hold back) and cook just until you start to really smell those herbs opening up - i'd say about a minute or so. if you have it on hand, add some tomato paste which i think helps thicken the sauce.
3. now add the wine - i used up the cup we had left of a good bottle of pinot, but any red that is good enough for drinking works. simmer until all the alcohol has cooked off and when there is very little liquid left.
4. now add your tomatoes with the juice. i had five 14.5 oz cans on hand, so i used them all. once everything is in the pot, bring the liquid to a boil, then reduced the heat to a simmer. cover the pot and simmer the crap out of it! i'm talking working out, showering, hanging out, blogging, picking kids up from school kind of simmering. however, i'm not responsible for your house burning down. just saying. and less time on the stove top is fine too, you're just missing out on being able to say that you simmered the crap out of it and conquered the world all at the same time.
5. the great thing about the diced tomatoes is that you can cook them a lot easier on the stove as opposed to a thick sauce that will "burp" (gross, but seriously). i don't blend the sauce until i'm ready to serve everything up so that i don't get tomato sauce all over the kitchen.
6. when you're just about ready to get things on the table, go ahead and blend the tomatoes and see how it tastes. i usually add a bit of salt throughout the cooking process, but it's fine to wait until you're ready to taste the sauce and adjust how much salt you're going to need. for a big pot of pasta sauce like this, i end up using a good amount of salt, figuring it's still probably less sodium than the jarred stuff. whatever makes you sleep at night, right? also, this may sound kind of shocking, but to tone down the "tomatoey" taste, i'll add a tiny bit of a sweetener. honey is a great, natural sweetener that you're not going to need much of, but shhh, i've even used white sugar. just add little bits until it tastes right.
7. enjoy!

as you can imagine, this recipe is easily altered. go ahead and add anchovies, ground beef, sausage, meatballs, spicy red pepper flakes, ricotta cheese, or whatever you think is appropriate. let me know if you come up with an irresistible twist!

little tiny birthday cake

2010-01-08T14:46:00.000-08:00

it may not have been the best cake of all time, but it worked! i don't think any recipe was to blame, although the fact that i was trying to incorporate my favorite parts of three recipes could have been. i could blame billy though. i went to billy's bakery with jenny in new york and would have eaten every red velvet cupcake in the place if i had a million dollars. no, i'd bathe in a tub full of the red velvet cupcakes if i had a million dollars! THAT'S how much i loved them. after watching him on martha though, i'm starting to wonder if billy does any of the baking (the two tablespoons of baking soda part - like i said, i'm no baker, but does this sound cuckoo to anyone else?). i didn't use his recipe, but i followed the one-bowl method he talks about. although he claims it's a lot harder to overmix the batter, the clumps of butter kind of freaked me out, and i think over-mixing is exactly what i did. the cake was a bit tough, and i had been hoping for a nice, fluffy birthday cake. doug said he loved it though, and that made me feel awesome. now i can't wait to try more of the recipes that were passed along. and this time, maybe i'll leave billy out of it.

aubin + willis

2010-01-08T09:14:00.000-08:00

all images taken from aubin + willis

these are old, but i still find them inspiring. i think it'd be pretty easy to knit something similar to the sweater. doesn't it just look so cozy? i think i'd live in it. speaking of which, i got a little sidetracked over the holidays, but i have finished the body to my bff cardigan that both jenny and i are knitting our own versions of, miles and miles apart. even though i'm a little nervous about it not being quite as roomy as i was originally hoping it would be, i'm loving how it's turning out. maybe it's the stripes, but most likely it's the fact that every time i work on it, i think of jenny.

christmas/after christmas loot

2010-01-03T08:32:00.000-08:00

i got some really beautiful clothes for christmas, thanks mainly to jenny and doug. doug paid very close attention to my christmas list, and jenny picked up a beautiful steven alan shirt from the sample sale she went to. i couldn't love my new clothes more.

i also happened to stop by the gap this week while they were having a big after-christmas sale, where everything on clearance was an additional 40% off. after browsing for a while and scoring some gap holiday candles on super discount (also on my christmas list), i decided to try some things on thinking that my gap dressing room experience would end in it's usual way - me putting everything back. however, i was faced with a moral dilemma when everything fit really well. i have a really difficult time making good decisions when something is on sale, but i also have a very difficult time finding clothes that actually fit me. after walking around the store for a while, i decided to get three things: a really thick shawl collar sweater (i opted for the navy instead of the usual grey i'd pick), a chambray boyfriend shirt (i was on the fence with this one - wasn't sure the fit is right for my body, but this girl LOVES herself some chambray), and a pair of bright yellow corduroys. i'm especially excited about the corduroys. it's always good to have something that brings a little pop of color in the middle of winter.

btw, i'm loving the recipe suggestions from my last post. feel free to keep sharing - i need to build up the baking section of my recipe box.

cake or cupcake?

2010-01-02T18:45:00.000-08:00

all images taken from marthastewart.com

i'm not much of a baker. it's not exactly that i can't bake, it's just that if i do, i end up eating it all! my mother was a very good baker though, and there was rarely a meal where a dessert didn't follow. there was something very comforting about that. since having a child of my own, i've also found it to be a powerful weapon to coach picky toddlers through their meals.

doug's birthday is this wednesday. since he's been living on barely 500 calories a day for almost a week due to being sick, a birthday cake sounds a bit decadent. maybe cupcakes would be a better bet, but either way, i'm looking for recipe suggestions. i'd love to have a tried-and-true cake or cupcake recipe to add to my repertoire. oh, and he said his favorite cake is yellow with chocolate icing. any ideas?

hey twenty ten, let's not start things off on the wrong foot, k?

2010-01-01T10:47:00.000-08:00

i had such higher hopes for this holiday weekend, but in true fales' style, everyone is sick. i don't buy into superstitions, but it's hard not to speculate that twenty ten is here to kick my butt by its rather savage entrance. so far it's been full of laundry, stripping beds, cleaning bathrooms, running to the grocery store (multiple times) and stocking up on the three sick S's: saltines, soup and sprite...

but after his fever broke this morning, doug wrote me the nicest letter about how thankful he is for our family, and it helped me remember those years past where i didn't have us. babysitting into the wee hours on new year's (and crossing my fingers about getting the less-blitzed parent to drive me home) or just watching the clock turn over to the new year on my own - i was waiting for the chance to ring in my new year with someone i love. unglamorous as it may be tearing apart the laundry room for another bottle of bleach, my new years eve was full of stuff to look forward to and a family i love dearly to brave it with, no matter what 2010 has to offer! i'm truly lucky.

post-christmas review

2009-12-30T07:44:00.000-08:00

the season came and went and my oh my, was it fun. busy, but fun. even though i was a little late, i managed to sell and ship most items in my tiny holiday collection on time (you guys are amazing, thank you!), visit with my mom and dad while running around and doing fun holiday activities, help out the local ballet theater put on a beautiful performance of the nutcracker, have a wonderful after-christmas phone date my best friend, and spend a restful and relaxing time with my little family watching awesome movies and sleeping under the christmas tree. i really hope your holidays were filled with as much peace + love.

tis the season for giving!

2009-12-01T10:59:00.000-08:00

i missed the cyber-monday deals yesterday, and thought it would be a good idea to hold a cyber-tuesday sale for buyers like me! i'll be opening up shop today at 6pm EST, where all of my items will be on discount. and because i love you all so much, i'm offering free domestic shipping, with $5 shipping everywhere else! 12 hours only, so hurry on over!

like mother, like daughter

2009-11-19T08:46:00.000-08:00

mom's and my thanksgiving centerpieces, a thousand miles from each other

i recently sent my mom two noritake "wheaton" place settings that i found at my thrift store. knowing that i have too many dishes of my own but still finding the pattern beautiful and seasonally inspiring, i instead let them influence the centerpiece for my own november table. weeks later as soon as my mom got the box of dishes, she ran right outside (in her pajamas) and decorated the table on the deck and took pictures. i died when i saw what she used as her centerpiece! can you tell where i get my love of decor?

quiet and lonely lunches

2009-11-16T08:25:00.000-08:00

lonely lunches while doug was gone

i'm used to eating lunch everyday with doug since he works from home, but while he was gone this last week and after jenny left, i had to get used to eating lunch alone in a freakishly quiet house. i used to love the quiet, but i guess that over the years i've gotten used to so much activity during the day, so the first day alone was especially hard. i had just dropped jenny off at the airport and returning to the quiet, still home seemed like such a drastic contrast to the day before when the house was filled with laughter and great conversation. suddenly the house was so quiet and lonely. before i had even finished eating my first lonely meal, i decided the next couple of afternoons wouldn't be the same, and i'd take advantage of the silence. the next day with the newly fallen snow on the ground, i decided to run down the thrift store and buy some holiday lp's to play all through the day, make a light, girly meal, and open the shades wide to let in the bright wintry light. looking back on the week, i think these lunches helped me to really enjoy being alone. and now that doug's back, i plan on trying my best to recreate those peaceful, comforting afternoons. so doug if you're reading, come on upstairs in five minutes and there will be vegetarian sandwiches, lambic and bing crosby waiting!

wow, talk about the best surprise

2009-11-13T13:10:00.000-08:00

jenny and i just minutes before i had to take her to the airport

there was no time to prepare, no time to obsessively clean, no time to plan meals, which made the surprise visit from my best friend absolutely perfect! doug flew jenny out from new york to spend a week with me and i had no idea - friday night, jenny was there, standing at my front door in the most adorable wiksten skirt, ready to spend the next five days hanging out. i have so many fond memories of this trip, that it's hard to reminisce without choking up about how far apart we live from each other. but i will take what i can get, and this surprise was one of the most enjoyable of my life. doug was actually going to take a business trip out to the city, and it didn't work for me to go with. i tried my best to put on a happy face about not getting to go, but i'm pretty sure doug could tell i was crushed and decided on his own to instead see if jenny could fly out here the same week. jenny was totally up for it, even though she's crazy busy with her fall line and the classes she's teaching at lena's studio. she even trusted doug to go ahead and just schedule tickets and tell her when to be at the airport! she is such a cool friend.

now, let's see if i can talk about the week without tearing up. some of my favorite memories were sitting down to the table eating the meals jenny was kind enough to make for us. she's an incredible cook, and has a special knack for making meals that comfort - exactly what i needed. most nights we would sit together and knit, a first for us, and take advantage of the chance to talk without it being added to a cell phone bill. i loved watching jenny knit. she has a confidence and grace with all hand crafts that is mesmerizing to watch.

one chilly night, jenny and i walked around town and stopped in at the historic hotel so i could show her the lobby. the concierge was so warm and friendly though, and was nice enough to share stories of her celebrity encounters while taking us on a ride in the elevator built in 1905 to let us peek at one of the nicest rooms in the hotel. it was so much fun.

even though i could have showed jenny much more of our town, she knew that stopping at the magical thrift store to see if she could score some treasures to bring back to new york was a must. although she didn't score a set of herman miller chairs, she still had good luck, and now a priority flat rate box full of vintage mugs is waiting patiently to be dropped off at the post office.

i think my favorite day was the one spent learning to grade patterns. it was a really fun day - no rush, lots of good food (made by jenny) and fun discussion. she shared her valuable grading knowledge with me and was such a excellent teacher; patient and easy for me to understand. and like knitting, it was amazing to watch her gracefully and quickly work. when i watched her grade the first pattern piece, i thought it was a really quick process. but then i gave it a try and realized that jenny is just really skilled at what she does! i can't wait to try again - to use a skill that was passed down to me by my best friend.

the only regret i have is not getting more pictures. we were just having too much fun, and i do treasure the few photos i have.

wheatland jumper

2009-11-06T10:50:00.000-08:00

i promise, i will post about something other than my shop soon! since being sick, it's been all business (BORE-RING), but i have been collecting a bunch of photos and blogs i've found inspiring which i hope to get a chance to copy down here. until then, i've added a dress to the shop and hope to make more items over the next week. here's the sizing the wheatland jumper in size six:

18.5" bust
22" through hip
24" length, from front of neck

buffalo check timbermill shirt - size six

2009-11-03T10:33:00.001-08:00

in the shop now. here are the measurements lying flat:

chest: 18.5"
shoulder to shoulder: 14"
hip: 22"
shoulder to armpit: 8.5"
shoulder to hem: 26"

and go ahead and let me know if you'd like any other measurements.

oatmeal sweetgrass sweater in the shop now

2009-11-03T10:23:00.000-08:00

since i don't have a return policy, i've been mulling over a fixed way of letting my customers know my sizing, and I've found that the most tried and true way is to just measure the items lying flat. i've marked this sweater as a small, but it can generally fit someone who's a size six. here are the measurements:

chest: 17"
shoulder to hem: 22"
shoulder to armpit: 8"
armpit to cuff: 21"
hip: 18"

and you can always let me know what other measurements you'd like, and i'll get those to you.

the bed may be unmade

2009-10-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

i may still sound like a happy little donkey, the house is an insane mess, and we're eating fast food every chance we get, but...

i'm wearing a beautiful necklace from sarah fox of cursive design. how amazing is this necklace? seriously. i love it. just love it. it's even more beautiful than i expected it would be.

crazy part is, sarah and her sister kristin and our families used to vacation at the same place most summers growing up. while searching through our stuff before moving, i found a card from her parents with sarah's business name mentioned, and through a little snooping around, i found out that both sarah and i had most of the same flickr contacts, but had not bumped into each other on the internets. yet, at least. what a small world!

and even though life is nuts, i did push really hard to get my orders dropped in the post this morning. it's always a load off my mind to know that everything is out of my house and on its way to my customers! now we're just planning on taking it easy this weekend, finishing up some halloween costumes, watching good movies, doing puzzles and getting some much needed rest. mmm, sounds good to me!

hows about a little shop sale?

2009-10-22T12:07:00.001-07:00

i've been working on another corduroy timbermill dress, this time in grey, and i've decided to put it in my shop as my first green olives sale item! i'm a bit of a perfectionist, and this dress didn't turn out exactly how i was expecting it to, so my loss is (hopefully) your gain!

i've also added a couple new items to the shop, too. enjoy!

couple things added to the shop

2009-10-13T15:53:00.000-07:00

i had been wanting to get so much more done this week, but story of my life, right? i did finish a timbermill shirt in corduroy and sweetgrass sweater in oatmeal and went ahead and uploaded them to the shop. they won't be able to stay there long because i may be headed to a wedding tomorrow, so grab them while you can!

shop update!

2009-10-02T12:53:00.000-07:00

i've added a couple items to the shop. i was hoping to get the thatch jumper in the shop as well, but it's not quite up to snuff, so i hope to go back to working on it and get one in the shop soon!

also, the scarf i'm modeling is available here in case you want to get your hands on one.

i think i've skipped fall and gone right into winter

2009-10-01T08:21:00.001-07:00

this morning i woke up and thought, "hmmm, it's about time i participate in braid wednesday. today is the day!"

too bad today is thursday.

i found this icelandic sweater at the thrift store yesterday. love.

thanks to everyone who signed up on my mailing list! i should be putting something together soon.

i'll leave you with a little something i heard on npr this morning that made my day.