.

Thank you for helping make 2007 one of the best years of my life, both personally + professionally.
Enjoy your New Year's celebrations, be safe + I'll see you in 2008!
~Shona

BROWN + GREEN: WINTER UNIFORM

To be honest, I never know if I am coming or going with a color trend + have no clue where we are with brown + green, but suddenly it seems to be all I'm wearing this winter.

Wes Anderson talks a lot about his character's "uniforms" in the director's commentaries for Rushmore + The Royal Tenenbaums + I often think about my own uniform because I seem to have one every season. This winter it's a skirt (actually, year round it's a skirt), my Earth boots or clogs, tights + a vintage sweater vest or comfy cardigan, in various shades of brown + green.

I took Monk for a walk today + in addition to the browns + greens found in nature, I noticed them on houses around my neighborhood.

*A quick note to Susan @ Sulu-Design, who asked to see my new haircut, the first photo was taken with that intention, but I'm having a flat hair day, abstracted the photo + will get back to you on that.

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My friend sends out the most beautiful letterpress cards. I love seeing examples of other people's work, so different from mine.

Our friend moved her dance studio to the town square + now we can walk to class. They had a grand re-opening/ after-Christmas party, which allowed us to have a couple more drinks since we walked.

I have a slightly new addiction...Hot Yoga, yoga in a 105-110 degree room (even better on a cold day). It's sooo good + you leave feeling like you can take on the world.

A quick comment on Christmas (a week after the fact). I did not take the handmade pledge (I could not get it together this year) + pretty much went with a gift card Christmas, but I really would like to see this movie because it seems sums up how I've been feeling for the past few years. Each year I want less + less + would prefer sharing a really good meal with people I love.

COLLECTION

I added The Principles of Uncertainty to my Maira Kalman book collection today. Later: I read it in one sitting + love, love, loved it.

And I admit that I am being a complete bum, not doing a whole lot except watching movies. Recently viewed:

• Superbad (rented it twice, a third time + I might buy it)
• In The Land of Women
• Reign Over Me
• Knocked Up (is it wrong to say that my brother got me "Knocked Up" for Christmas?)
• Pretty in Pink
  

I did pick up Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers again + will finish reading it in between more movie watching. I'm giving myself a MUCH needed break after a very busy year.

Oh! wait, I did do something productive...I got my hair cut, a bob (just below the ears) with layers to give it a little pizazz.

NEARING THE END OF THE YEAR

The day after Christmas I am sitting around enjoying some of my gifts + watching a PBS special on Bob Newhart, he makes me laugh so hard.

Our Christmas plans were completely altered at the last minute + we ended up having an impromptu brunch at our friend's house. NOTHING was open on Christmas so we had to pull together a meal from the contents of both our kitchens, which was so much fun. Later my boy + Monk went to Memphis for a couple days + I have to work.

We are having unseasonably warm weather
+ there is light! Beautiful light!

CONKY LOVES FEIST

After a more relaxed day at work (people must have gotten the magic Christmas pill from another Dr. because we did not prescribe it) I came home to a surprise package from Trudi @ Double Happiness. She sent mix CD's of Canadian singers Feist, Tegan & Sara + my new favorite Amy Millan (she sings a song called Ruby, which made her think of my car). She also tucked in a Conky finger puppet from my favorite Canadian TV show, Trailer Park Boys, a Feist button from the concert she recently attended + the kindest note, written on one of her Sakura Bird cards. Thank you, Trudi.

I'm now going to listen to my new CD's, clean the house + take a few days off. May your next few days be merry + bright!

4 REALLY NOTEWORTHY THINGS HAPPENED

I said I would not post unless something REALLY noteworthy happened + after a REALLY draining day at work (I work with several Psychiatrists + everyone called asking for the magic pill that would help them get through Christmas) I have 4 things to share.

Kristen @ Taylor Made Designs completely floored me to the point of tears with her surprise gift, a box full of Taylor Made yummyness- Tag-it tags galore, handmade books + a beautiful "S" print with a snake which makes me think of Sammy The Snake from Sesame Street (his name starts with the letter "S," just like mine). A million thank yous to Kristen + I know I say this time + time again, but seeing something on a website does not even compare to holding it in your hand.

My boy broke our gift deal + had our $2.00 rusty Eames wire mesh chair re-enamled. He found a local place that takes small powder enameling jobs + over time plans on having several of our rusty flea market finds spruced up. I quickly forgave him for breaking our deal.

I feel like I was a bit of a ba-humbug yesterday, but today things have turned around. My boy + I have this tradition, which amazingly we had independent of each other prior to meeting. The Christmas season does not really begin until I hear Bruce Springsteen's version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town on the radio, or in some other unplanned way + today was the day!

My boy thought that I should mention that an issue of Dwell arrived because he thought that was really noteworthy.

May your days be filled with REALLY noteworthy joy!

THE POINT WHERE I SERIOUSLY DIVERGE FROM HAVING A CRAFT BLOG...

...and make statements like, "I've been reading, just not commenting."

I really don't want very much for Christmas, my list consisted of 3 items. I bought gifts for my family + have agreed with my boy that we are going to put our gift money together to do something about the sad state of our stereo (above). Together we have over 2000 cd's + our stereo does not reflect our love of music at all. I call it Frankensteined, my boy's grandmother would have called it a Rube Goldberg device.

I have not put up any Christmas decorations since we are not sure where we put the decoration box after the move. As you can see from last year's decorations, there is not a whole lot involved anyway. Maybe one day we'll buy a tree.

As for actual Christmas day, I think we are going to Memphis for dinner with my boy's family. All is going really well, but Christmas is really leaving me feeling discombobulated this year, but I decided not to stress over it.

3 really wonderful things I want to point out from my blog reading.
~Kristin @ Moontea Artwork got an order from Anthropologie! Beautiful Valentines cards.
~Beth @ stitch.rip.repeat got a letterpress from her boyfriend for Christmas. I agree with the comment about SOMEONE being an eager beaver + opening their gift early, but I can't wait to see it!
~Kathy @ While Tangerine Dreams got a beautiful new spinning wheel. My "Knit Babes" group has decided to do a spinning session so I'll get to learn how to use one of these devices.

I don't like to post for the sake of posting, so unless something REALLY noteworthy happens in my world, I'm just going to keep wandering around blog land.

LITTLE BIRD FLYS HOME

On my last day in LA I had lunch with 2 high school friends, Carol + MoJo, whom I've kept in touch with since graduation. We met at Carol's new(ish) Undesigned clothing shop in Los Feliz. I had only seen her clothing line on her website + seeing the entire line in person blew me away. I wanted one of each, but a little bird, made from her fabric scraps, was all I bought. Trust me, it was an exercise in restraint.

Over sandwiches at The Mustard Seed, the 3 of us caught up. They told me all the news about other friends I keep in touch with through them (lots of weddings + babies) + we pretty much laughed for several hours.

After my last decadent dinner with my family, a very rich crab dish my mother has made every Christmas season for 30 years, I'm back to real life- lots of laundry + vowing to go to every Ju Jitsu class this week after all the really good food I've eaten + eaten + eaten.

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When you travel you eat + I have been eating well, so well that I really felt I needed to start off the day with a hike. I sat on top of a rock, overlooking everything, taking in all the sunshine I could + thinking that being on that rock was better than say...being at Fred Segal.

A 2 1/2 hour lunch in Burbank with an old friend. Afterwards I had many hours to kill before I needed to be in Santa Monica for dinner so I drove + took it all in. Cahuenga to Mulholland to Laurel Cyn. to Melrose to Robertson to Olympic to the beach. Actually, I did drive past Fred Segal, thought about going in, but then thought about being on top of that rock.

I did go to a few shops, most notably International Silks + Woolens, the type of fabric shop that has been open for so long that half the inventory is vintage by default. I really wish the crafty gals could have been with me. I went specifically for buttons, an entire wall of buttons. Overwhelming to say the least.

I eventually landed in Santa Monica for dinner with another old friend (the friend from Iran I wrote about in this post). Her mother + sister came over + everyone told stories about life in Iran, speaking in both English + Farsi as my friend translated. I always feel so welcome with her family + always enjoy listening to their stories (even though I don't understand everything that is being said) + the food, OH! all the wonderful food. I might have to go on another hike in the morning.

* 2 notes about this post~
I was too busy driving, taking everything in + did not take many pictures +
I had a little too much fun with Wikipedia.

"FUNDAY"

My dad took the day off of work + declared today "Funday."
The family (sans my brother) drove 1 1/2 hours north to Mt Pinos
+ spent the day hiking in the snow.

My parents.

The child they recently adopted now that my brother + I
are grown ups (in years, not maturity).

More of that glorious sunshine, streaming through the giant pine trees.

And tiny flowers poking out of the snow.
*
We gorged ourselves on a wonderful Thai dinner afterwards.

MORE KNITTING

My intention was to run in for a couple skeins of yarn, but I ended up momentarily joining a knitting group. It all started when the very nice owner of the yarn shop asked me {cue the Jewish mother voice} what I was making. A scarf. Do you have a pattern? No. Then what are you going to do? I don't know. What do you know? 2 stitches. Knit + purl? Yes. Sit down, my dear, + let me teach you something new.

I bought a very beautiful muddy yellow Katina Ceilan raw silk + the shop owner determined that since it would not keep me warm I was going to learn a decorative drop stitch pattern. For the next 1 1/2 hours I sat with the nicest, most welcoming group of women + just like that, I seemed to fit right in. Incidentally, among my family we are laughing about my scarf resembling a macrame wall hanging, but I am happy with my progress.

{trying to be creative with a potentially boring subject matter}

One woman was very funny, bitching about being cold while sipping from a Starbucks cup (it's been in the high 60's). She told me she used to live in Montreal but it was too cold + she moved to Africa, but it was too hot + I'm guessing that certain times of the year LA is just right. The other women concentrated on fixing their knitting mistakes + I taught them a term from my yearly knitting group, "TINK" (knit backwards), it was the least I could do.

After awhile another woman showed up with flaring nostrils, she was pissed! "He dumped me + my therapist told me to get mad." The woman who had lived in Montreal + Africa shot back with, "well don't get mad at us!" She sat down + began to list all the things wrong with her ex + one of his faults was that he did not own a TV, but ate all his meals on a TV tray. I really had to refrain from laughing.

As if I needed to be hit in the head with a reason to abandon cheap yarn, I also get why people join knitting groups. I think if I lived in the area I would stop by more often + I'll probably stop by again sometime this week. It really was one of those great unexpected moments. I have no plans on jumping off the printing ship, but I am having so much fun knitting (and printing is not exactly portable).

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I don't want to move to a city where the only cultural advantage is being able to make a right turn on a red light.
~Woody Allen in Annie Hall

LA is the butt of a million + one jokes, many of them true, but I do love my home city. The song I Love LA can bring tears to my eyes, especially when played after The Lakers have won a game.

The truth is I have not gotten out very much, there are so many places I want to go- galleries I've read about on other people's blogs + I have not seen the completed Disney Hall in person yet. Then there is the attraction of the beautiful mountains right outside my parent's back door. I can stand on top of a rock, high above everything, + take it all in.

And there is the sunlight! All this glorious sunlight in December. I also forget how much I love oak trees. The photos above are from today's hike in the Santa Susana Pass. I have plans with friends + will get to see more of my city.

Yesterday's LA Times Mag. had a great article on a couple who quit their day jobs to live "A Handcrafted Life."

This morning I got to listen to Morning Becomes Eclectic, my favorite radio show.

CLOGS GROW ON TREES IN MY WORLD

After a yum-a-licious breakfast at Follow Your Heart (tofu benedict, my favorite) + a stroll around a crafts show to see my dad's friend's work (he's a woodturner), I made the local thrift shop rounds.

I snagged a pair of almost new Dansko clogs for $3.49 (1/2 price on all shoes) in my size. I really have no clue how or why I have continuous clog finding luck, but I'm not going to question it.

Stuck in the waaaaay back corner of a rack was this vintage dress. I did not care if it fit (it doesn't, I'll have it altered) because I fell in love with the pattern, it's absolutely beautiful.

While shopping I chatted with my boy, who was at our town's Christmas parade. I love that cell phone technology has progressed to the point that our several calls a day are covered by our plan + gone are the days of long distance calls every few days + only after 7pm.

Tomorrow I'm going on a long hike + to a yarn shop for more "crack." I wish I knew how to read this hat pattern (found via Vanilla Bean Knits, who finished her beautiful sweater).

LATER: I have wanted [what I call] a Frida Kahlo shirt for awhile + finally found one in my size. I'll have to wait until Spring to wear it.

KNITTIN', DRINKIN' + LISTENIN' TO WILCO

This is how I spent 4 1/2 hours of my day, on a plane, finishing the organic cotton scarf (that's me wearing it while trying to be stealthy taking a photo in the LAX bathroom), drinking 2 cocktails + obsessively listening to Summerteeth. I am always over stimulated when I arrive, so it takes a couple days to get acclimated. I will say that when I got off the plane Beautiful Day by U2 was playing in the terminal + today was definitely a beautiful day in LA.

And nothing says home to me like a meal at Follow Your Heart + this photo is for my boy, who could not come on this trip. It's the very famous (locally) FYH vegetarian Ruben sandwich, his favorite. Eat it up~ YUM!

A WORD OF WARNING DURING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

I was very opposed to the Santa with guns ornament on the office Christmas tree, especially when I noticed that he shot his foot off.
~OR~
What happens when the office smart ass gets ahold of a Sharpee

~AND~
In addition to being the office smart ass (a title I am carrying over from my first go-around with this company, given to me by my former boss) I am also becoming the office salvager. It pays, I came home with these 2 gigantic framed maps they were going to pitch. Too much completely usable stuff gets tossed in an office.
~~~
I'm off to LA for a week, but will continue to post.

BURRRRRRRRR

The Sears scarf is finished, just in time for frosty mornings.
I am in love with this Orange + Yellow Bird print by Sugarloop,
and it's the same colors as my scarf.

THAT GIRL IN GREEN SURE IS SWELL

This is the second time I have received a package from Wendy @ Girl in Green + her generosity is above + beyond (lots of port2port goodies in addition to a couple of her beautiful original photographs). She was part of the Storytellers CD swap + around the deadline she announced that she was pregnant, which definitely takes precedent over a swap!

She moved to L.A. this year + her CD story is a "confused love letter to California," which I completely understand. This will be the perfect soundtrack for me this week as I prepare for a visit to my home town on Saturday.

Thank you Wendy.

THE ANNUAL BIRTHDAY KNITTING GROUP*

*I love this line from Elizabethtown,

"Welcome to the annual meeting of people who annually meet,
and we'll see ya'll next year."

Every year the core group of The Book Babes (7 of us) get together to celebrate the birthday of the woman who started our guild, she will proudly tell you that today is her 71st birthday. Last year, for her 70th birthday, she wanted to learn how to knit so we decided to form an annual birthday knitting group since most of the core members are actually weavers, spinners + knitters.

One of our members spinning.

(L) One of the kid-sized hats Claudia is knitting.
(R) A photo of my next project. I learned how to read a simple pattern (K3, P1) + with my amazingly wonderful organic cotton yarn I'm coming along, but not far enough along to show.


This is my knitting hat, or as my boy + I have started calling it, my Esther Williams hat because it sort-of looks like a swim cap. It makes me smile when I put it on.

The hat may be acrylic, but using the better yarn DOES make a difference. The Sears scarf is finished + I love it, but no more cheap acrylic for me, no sir.

OK, I GET IT!

My annual knitting group meets tomorrow + I was told that really good yarn DOES make a difference. I went to The Knaughty Knitter (a little shop in my neighborhood owned by a couple I used to work with years ago) + I now understand why you knitters out there are so ga-ga for yarn shops. I decided on 2 skeins of Blue Sky organic cotton, but not before touching everything in the shop. OH! pretty pretty. I'll finish the Sears scarf, but I don't think I'll ever go back to acrylic again.

On the same outing I took all the paper goods to the recycling center + came back with a stack of Dwell magazines. Does this ever happen to anyone else?

A HUGE thank you to Ambika @ (Into) The Fray. I won a pair of her earrings~ they arrived this morning + they match today's outfit. More pretty pretty.

We are going to see Beowulf in 3-D at the Imax. I'm hoping they still hand out glasses.

Have a wonderful weekend.

LATER: They do still give glasses (only now they are plastic) + as for the movie...it was pretty amazing.