Yellow Porch Light

Changes

2012-02-12T00:22:00.001-05:00

Despite all else, a goal I have for this month is to work on my own blog design. What can I say? Feeling super ambitious is a good way to fight the February blues. I wasn't in love with the way it previously looked...so I went out and found a template I could live with (it's kind of awful, actually). I definitely don't love this either BUT it will serve as a driving force in the mean time! Here's to wishing myself luck..

Pins and Curls

2012-02-09T07:55:00.001-05:00

Since I noticed Pinterest really blowing up in the past month or two, I reorganized my boards yesterday. I didn't see a more efficient way to do it, so I just repined things where they needed to go. Though it was probably a little annoying to my followers I'm sure (sorry, guys), it needed to be done and I'm much happier with my current organization and am ready to use My Pinterest to have a great collection of inspiration in all aspects of my life.

There also seemed to be a serious lack of boards for curly hair on Pinterest, I found this really killer one and just a couple others, so I started my own. It sort of gave me an idea...hmm.. Maybe there will be some of the lovely Richmond curly mamas featured there as well..

Well, Happy Pinning!

Friday Thanks

2012-02-03T16:03:00.000-05:00

Friday is a day of relief, of preparation for fun, of excitement and anticipation.
Due to alliteration a lot of bloggers, sometimes myself included, are Thankful on Thursdays. When I think of what I'm thankful for right now, those Friday feelings resonate with me. I feel great things for this year. I'm on the brink of something. I will have my degree this year and I have a super secret possibly life changing project in the mix for the coming months. So right now I'm am thankful to the universe that all of my days have that Friday Feeling: there is work to be done, but excitement on the way.
Keeping with tradition, here's a little list of the things I am truly grateful for at the moment:

Good, caring Friends that push me onward
Opportunities and Desires to learn and grow in all aspects of life
My doggie soul mate
Friends in other states that offer escapes and get-aways
My Intuition
Roasted or Fried Artichoke Hearts
A little help from my friends
Non-profit centers that give free business advice
Free time
Life's basic needs being met
Spicy food
A helpful boyfriend
Blue collared roots
The artwork of Renee Stout
The nice warm days we've been having in Richmond...even though it's a little alarming
Feeling engulfed in the things that I love
Student Health Services

He waits for me at the bottom of the steps.

Real Sleep

2012-01-25T09:57:00.000-05:00

source

I'm not a big morning person. I love to sleep. But since diving into adulthood I realized that sleeping is more of a take only what you need kind of thing. Since switching jobs, I have become more of a morning person. If I look back at my former self it's actually pretty unbelievable that I now aim to get up at least two hours before I'm supposed to leave the house in order to be productive. Which for me consists of yoga, a little hooping, tea, shower, packing lunch (sometimes), etc.
Since starting that regiment my level of happiness greatly increased. But there was still that grouchy feeling I got when trying to wake up, still that 16 year old part of me that wanted to blow off everything and sleep until 2pm. Maybe I should do it, just once for old times sake! No.. I kid, I would probably loose my freaking mind if I tried that!

The other day my lovely hoop sister, Natalie, posted this link to a sleep calculator. It gives you suggestions of times which you should aim to go to sleep to get up at a certain time. It's all based on 90 minute sleep cycles. I had heard of sleep cycles before but never paid much attention. Well, I tried it out the first night and felt great when I woke up. It's not always easy to go to bed at one of the right times, especially when you have a partner that sleeps in the same bed as you, but I am staying committed in hopes that I can be more enthusiastic about getting up in the morning. As in, not hitting the snooze button every 9 minutes for an hour like I sometimes found myself doing.

I always kind of wondered how my dad says he only gets 4 or 5 hours of sleep a night and feels fine. Maybe he has inadvertently linked up with a sleep cycle. I would love to be able to feel sustained on that amount of sleep!

DIY Satsuma Candle

2012-01-19T10:02:00.001-05:00

I found tips on how to make one of these/reuse your orange peel here.

How I Found Happiness in the Hoop

2012-01-18T09:08:00.001-05:00

How Hooping ~~Affected~~ Changed My Life, rather.

On Sunday, I met up with some friends for a screening of The Hooping Life as a benefit for Camp Diva. I hadn't seen it before but since I am a hooper this is my history and all of the emotions they conveyed were not foreign to me, so it didn't have as profound effects on me as my personal hooping experiences have. Lately the drive to finish my degree pretty much eclipses all the things I'd like to do with the hoop. Watching the documentary made me want to share my own path to the hoop, which turned out to be much more.

My first encounter with a hooper was at Bonnaroo in 2005. Across the muddy field full of people there was one lone hippie chick waist hooping with a gigantic hoop. It was so peaceful and enchanting. In the inner turmoil that I was dancing with myself that year, it was probably the notion of tranquility within chaos that made her so magnetic. As soon as I got home I googled until I found this tutorial on how to make a hoop. Now I had my hoop. My world slightly accelerated towards happiness, but only about as fast as a gigantic water-filled piece of irrigation can possibly turn.

Fast forward to Summer 2008. I was lurking around quietly, as usual, in Richmond Hoopers group on tribe.net and saw a post for hoop dance classes. I was learning tricks on youtube and wasn't really sure how I felt about going to a class, but decided to go. I got a smaller, faster hoop and stepped through a vortex into an actual community. Firefly, my hoop dance instructor, invited me to potlucks and meetings which eventually led to working to start RVA Hoop House.

At first, when I meet people, I'm naturally very quiet. By being asked to be involved in this group of girls (a foreign language to me) I made a lot of friends with positive and very unique outlooks on life... with whom I'd normally be too shy to engage. They began flipping the trashcans of their lives and pursuing lifestyles that made them happy. At a time when I felt like everything about my life was floating in a stagnant goo of sameness, it was inspiring to see my friends succeed. It rubbed off a little and led me back to school to finish my degree.

While I know all the jokes about an art degree, it's pursuit was what I needed; my lack of creativity was heart breaking. It was a domino in the winding, clanking, awe-striking layout of life. And the hoop, my little plastic catalyst.

Bonus Side Note of Syncronicity: Come to think of it, the day I discovered the hoop was the day after my estranged grandmother passed away. I came home from a 9 hour late evening drive from Tennessee to an all night ride to Pennsylvania, where I inherited her books on herbalism...but that's another story.
Ahh, to be 19..

Here, if you're so inclined, check out the trailer for The Hooping Life. My story is not nearly as life altering as these ones..

Back At It

2012-01-17T20:27:00.002-05:00

First day back to school, first 17 credit semester. I'm excited...I think!

Here is some stuff from last semester.

California Postcards

2012-01-16T13:43:00.000-05:00

I thought I had posted this while in California, but apparently my blogger app was not working correctly. But here are some insta-photos from my trip...

All in all I had a pretty kick ass time in California. We stayed with some really fun friends and got to explore the bay area much more so than in previous trips.

So Thankful..

2011-12-20T11:09:00.000-05:00

As each year passes, America's idea of what 'The Holidays' entail becomes less and less cohesive with my vision. Thanksgiving, a holiday whose roots I have a lot of trouble with anyway, becomes a relay race for us in both of our divorced families. I don't want to complain about it; I have known people who spent the holiday alone, not by choice. We are both so very fortunate to have most of our immediate family members still living. Everything about me wants to make The Holidays my own, live authentically, and create the traditions that feel good to my heart.
I solved some of my soul's problems by continuing to reject the absolute madness and absurdity that is Christmas Shopping by Shopping Little for the second year in a row. Honestly, that was easy. On Winter Solstice, the only holiday I would celebrate in December if it were up to me, I am hosting a ceremony that I am very excited about. Just typing "if it were up to me" sort of felt silly. It is up to me! And that's where the hard part comes in: saying No and not feeling guilty about it.. So this year in a subconscious effort to reject Christmas, we will be having Xmas dinner 3000 miles away in Occidental, Cali with two dear friends! I will still be in town on the 23rd for my Grandma's annual Xmas party. Almost all of my family and a few of my good friends are always there; I really do love that part of The Holidays.

So in honor of the step I took to make The Holidays more my own this year, I decided to make another list of the things I'm truly Thankful for this year...

Hunger for Knowledge
Natty's birthday Drum Circle and Fire
Opportunities to be Who I Am
Ed's Peanut Butter Cookie's
Making it to the Florida beaches this year
Seeing the light at the end of the College tunnel
Living so close to water
Intimate encounters
Boot socks
Warm December days in Virginia
My dog Basil waiting for me in the yard when I come home at night
Having an upstairs studio
Finally getting my dream car
The means to travel
Making new and wonderful friends and deepening the bond between some I already knew
Caffeine!
My new job
Comfy sweaters
Honesty

Winter Solstice and The Mother Of All Releasing Ceremonies

2011-12-19T07:00:00.003-05:00

Photo found on Nationalgeographic.com

Thursday I plan on participating in my own version of The Mother Of All Releasing Ceremonies, as created by Pixie Campbell. I extended an invitation to some of the wonderful ladies in my life. I love being able to quietly celebrate the changing of the seasons juxtaposed next to the absolute craziness that Christmas creates in this country. How do you acknowledge the changing of the seasons?

Dye Experimentations

2011-12-16T14:02:00.000-05:00

I experimented with Madder Root for a project this semester. I used Alum as a mordant and used different types of fibers (Fisherman's Wool Yarn, Felted Alpaca, and different colored Cotton Embroidery Floss) soaking for varying lengths of time.
The first thing I learned about what separates a natural dye from a stain, like coffee or tea staining, that washes out when you rinse away the 'dye' is that you need a mordant for it to work. I ordered a small amount of madder and mordants to experiment with from someone on etsy.

Alexandra Valenti + Sisters Of the Black Moon; Swoon

2011-12-15T22:00:00.002-05:00

The ever-lovely Sisters Of the Black Moon as photographed by the talented Alexandra Valenti. I have seen this shared via quite a few blogs this week, and you can see why. Absolutely gorgeous!

Sigh Of Relief and Something I Like

2011-12-15T13:52:00.000-05:00

Mmmm...the semester is over, and I'm feeling sweet relief of things being completed. I'm ready to get focused on other things for a little bit. Actually I'm feeling a little nerdy that I can't wait to get home a reccaliberate my To-Do list. Hmm...what would I do with out my little white board and my planner!? To me, no digital format can replace the satisfaction of a simple line drawn through a task!

Once I get my work back, I will share a few photos! But for now, here is a blog that sometimes seems to be infiltrating my thoughts...

Fuck! I'm In My Twenties

Longing

2011-12-09T11:45:00.000-05:00

Deborah Valoma - Longing from Ian Lucero on Vimeo.

Being more heavily introduced to weaving this semester, I'm finding a bit of a lust for it.

Continue to Shop Little!

2011-11-30T15:57:00.000-05:00

Last year I made a vow to Shop Little for the holidays--meaning Handmade, Vintage, and Local. I did so because I think it is so very important to support the 'little guy', to chat and shake hands with the guy/girl who is making a living from the purchase I'm making. It's something that a few of my friends were supporting, directly or subconsciously.

This holiday season my heart is filled with a bittersweetness. I had no way of knowing what kind of year this one would be. People all over the country are rejecting Big Box Stores, I even saw a commercial during Ed's football game advertising Shop Local Saturday. I went to Carytown, RVA's local shop hot spot, on both Black Friday and Local Saturday. There was a huge difference in the turnout, which tells me that although people are not yet rejecting Black Friday...at least they are embracing Local Saturday.

I was reminded that I wanted to write a little about this today when I saw Elsie's post of gratitude on the subject.

All of my shopping is done. I was fortunate enough to be able to get all of my (and Ed's) shopping done Little. If you haven't started yet, maybe you will want to join in?

Back in the Hoop

2011-11-14T11:53:00.000-05:00

Erin

Danielle

Hooping is one of my many loves, but it has gotten ignored a lot since I started school again. I took a brief but much needed trip to the Florida Flow Fest. It was tight: 5 girls, 14 hours, 3 days. I can never say no to Florida. Honestly, I could live there. I spent a few hours with my uncle in Hollywood, FL. Hollywood has the best beach in the area in my opinion; it was so flat, clear, calm. At FFF I took a few hoop workshops and a few yoga workshops and a lot of walks. I love the smell of the ocean air and the salt the ocean leaves on my hair. I left feeling inspired...and exhausted, but somehow rejuvenated and ready.

Brecken's Workshop

Hollywood Beach, FL

Treasuries Inspired by My Weekend

2011-10-25T15:50:00.000-04:00

Can you spot me?
(This photo has been so heavily circulated since '09 I unfortunately don't know who to give credit to..)

I had a great weekend! InLight Richmond was on Friday. My hooper friends and I participated in the parade for the 3rd year in a row; it kind of marks the friendship we made in the past 2 years. This event transforms a section of the city into an art gallery/light show. It's really amazing to see. (Check out some photos of the work and the parade here)

Then on Saturday Ed and I went to a Barn Party with some friends. It was so beautiful out there in the country! The bands were great, but it got a little chilly in the tent when we finally went to bed.

I wish I would have had the time and tools to sit down and draw some of the lovely scenery that surrounded me this weekend, but I did not. Instead, I made these two treasuries.

Infini-Tee Tutorial from Maya*made

2011-10-25T08:46:00.000-04:00

I love repurposing t-shirts! Check out this one from maya*made to see how it's done and a couple other ways to wear it. I have a ton of tees that need to be used up, so will definitely be rocking one this fall!

Tumbleweed Connection

2011-10-24T11:17:00.000-04:00

I've recently (re)discovered Elton John's third album, which is an AMAZING Western-themed concept album. I wouldn't quite call them cowboy tunes though... Since, these days, great music is available to in mere seconds, go download this album on iTunes or where ever. Or if you're still not convinced, here's a live performance of one of my favorites:

Reasons I Love Richmond #1: The James River

2011-10-11T14:45:00.000-04:00

From the foot bridge

Despite it being October, it has been gorgeous lately here in RVA. The other day between class and work I decided to go sit by the river and string my loom. It felt so good with the breeze and rushing water. For those of you who haven't visited Richmond, Belle Isle/'the rocks' is like THE outdoor hangout here. It's where the James River runs through the city. There are large rocks for hopping and sunbathing and old run down structures. Though I don't visit the river as often as I used to when I was a teenager, it still means a lot to me. I've laughed, climbed, sang, fallen in love, fallen on my ass, drank beer, rafted, gotten in trouble, and made friends on those rocks. I wish I had more time for them.

Grateful Dead Rock has been around for many years, each time the Steal-Your-Face gets faded out someone comes and paints a new one. Rumor has it when the band was still touring they went to that rock and hung out. Who knows if that is true..

Grateful Dead Rock

My Loom

Because some people that read are not local, I decided to start this feature Reasons I Love Richmond. I'm sure there are other Richmonders out there with similar posts! What do you love most about YOUR city??

Next Up: Much More Dye Experimentation

2011-09-13T15:34:00.001-04:00

from India Flint's website

In my studio class this semester, I plan on doing a lot of experimenting with dye. Especially natural dyes. It's so wonderful what plants can do! I was thinking about going by my old house and collecting a ton of those walnuts that I used to run over all the time when I pulled in the driveway. Hmm..

Here are some online resources and books that I have been looking through when thinking about dye:

India Flint is a natural dye artist. I just started reading her blog.
Here is a forum for natural dyeing.
Free People's blog shared this very to-the-point post about natural dyes the other day.
Paula Burch has a lot of info about dyeing and will respond to your emails.
Formerly Grateful Dyes. VERY friendly, give them a call with your questions. :)
Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece has a variety of methods..
Green Guide for Artists has some info about dyeing (and also features a couple pages on India Flint's work, plus some other interesting things).
I haven't run across a copy of Harvesting Color or The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes yet, but they've both been recommended.

I'd like to hear about your dyeing experiences too!

Wanderlust

2011-08-31T16:42:00.000-04:00

Doesn't that word just describe the feeling perfectly? Social media puts me a whole lot closer to the summer travels of all my friends and I've got major wander-envy. My heart has been aching to go lately. In my head I plan the route, paying careful attention to all the places I've always longed to see; wondering how much? or low long? I want to smell the air of another place, see how the lights of the night look on my face in the rearview mirror. Once I get there I could find that it's no better than here, no better than the pictures...but, at least I would know for sure...

Leaving here, I'd go Southwest, back to New Orleans to spend some more time searching for jazz and history. From there I'd want to go to Austin, TX. I heard I'd like it. Then through the desert to see what dry air tastes like. Dip into Mexico, maybe? Then up, up, up the California coast perhaps and then some. Hug a redwood. Yellowstone, big sky, red rocks...I long to be bored driving through the corn fields rather than bored driving to work. After that I'd slow it down a bit, reintroduce myself to the south by dancing in Memphis, cross-crossing back into the south and down the spout of Florida to relax and soak my tired gas peddle feet in the salt water of the keys, drink a rum runner on Islamorada. Stay a while.

Just a suggestion.........

Here is a pinboard I made of scenery that I want to lay my eyes upon.

Mind As Water

2011-08-23T15:55:00.000-04:00

There's no denying that I am a water sign. The sight of bodies of water as large as the ocean or as small as a fountain make me swoon. A magnetic pull draws me in and begs me to swim, or even just put a toe in. I feel like a child and my heart breaks a tiny bit when I remember the social obligations that keep me from charging the crystal droplets and feeling the cool water rush over me.

These photos are from a project called Mind As Water. The moment I saw the first photo from the project, I was in love and wanted to contribute my own image.

Staying Motivated

2011-08-15T13:42:00.001-04:00

Lately I've felt really productive. Focusing on my yoga practice every morning before work and taking my vitamins have been big priorities. =) My uncle sent me a new yoga DVD which is much more challenging than the one I have. I tried it out this weekend! Just that alone has made me feel so refreshed and ready for the day. Changing to a job that allows me a couple of hours to myself in the morning has proven very useful. ...And lots of Mate and Kombucha!
I'm working through some sewing projects (with the help of Elsie) to polish my skills so that I can offer clothing and other little accessories in my etsy shop.
The practice of painting has been present for me... I've fiddled with encaustic, watercolor, and some acrylic. There was an old board that I had primed and painted a background on years ago that found it's way to my studio; I topped it with somewhat of a simple self portrait.
I've loaded myself down with 17 credits (I start classes next Thursday!) of mostly academic stuff that I need to fill my degree. I'm excited about classes, and life in general really.
I'm not a person who is good with routines, so I've been working hard on getting into better habits. Actually doing more sort of opens you up to, well, doing more...and then more beyond that. Before I was big on put things off until 'later' which only accumulated itself in the same way.
Getting things accomplished makes me feel so happy about life!

Here is my latest listing:

This week..

2011-08-10T23:04:00.000-04:00

This week I posted some necklaces in my shop!

And experimented with encaustic paint...

Lovely Top

2011-08-08T14:15:00.002-04:00

...from the give away on maya*made from Kate at Woolen Moss! It's so incredibly comfortable (it was made to my measurements!) and I absolutely love the way it looks. It's difficult to tell exactly what it looks like from the photo because I chose black, but if you browse through her shop you will get a good idea of the general style.

Many thanks to those ladies! <3

(Photo taken with Instagram find me: @tamberine)

Goals for August

2011-08-03T15:14:00.001-04:00

I have a couple things I want to get done this month before school starts. I just got back from Floydfest, have caught up on sleep, and I'm feeling inspired! This morning was so refreshing. A friend and I went to get portraits done for Mind As Water before I had to go to work. It was a hurdle for me, as I'm sort of weird about any degree of being on stage. The photographer was really nice and I'm super excited to see these photos.

Sharing

2011-07-26T15:32:00.000-04:00

Jill from Lune Vintage had a fun post the other day: sharing random facts about yourself just for the helluvit. Many of hers struck a chord in my heart. Especially the one about cooking. I adore her shop and blog, she has awesome DIYs!

Here was my response, and then some:
-My closet is color coded. It started when I lived at my moms and liked waking up to a blurry rainbow every morning.
-My eyesight is terrible, I wear contacts. -9.50..if that means anything to you, it's pretty damn bad. (Thus, the blurry rainbow...)
-I have to eat something salty after I eat something sweet. Maybe I don't really like sweets all that much?
-I'm super shy at first and blogging(writing) is SUCH an easier way for me to get to know people, even though I was shy about blogging for a long time.
-I'm great with names, horrible with faces...and I know everyone else in the world (pretty much) is exactly opposite.
-My grandmother had a crescent moon tattooed on her forehead. Yep that's right; she got it when she was in her 60's. She wasn't senile, she was pagan. She passed a while ago and, though my mom and I had very little contact with her during my life, in death (I sort of inherited her book collection) she lit a fire in my heart for herbalism and some of the other things she was interested in.

Cowgirl Kick

2011-07-20T11:23:00.001-04:00

As recommended by my honey for the last few years since it was his favorite book, a couple months ago I read Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins. I loved it, so immediately after I picked up Even Cowgirls Get The Blues. (Now I'm reading Skinny Legs and All, but after that I think I'm going to give Tom a rest for a bit and work on some of the others in my queue) Tom is definitely whispering in my ear the things I want to hear! Anyway, the magical setting of that ranch instantly connected my heart to the style I'm seeing more of recently that I call "Cowgirl Bohemian" (for lack of better fashion sense). Right now I feel like taring off through the desert on a long straight road, kicking up dust, and dancing past cacti. I've never been to the mid/south west. I'm dying to see it; to look at the stars and the full moon in the big sky. I might be able to convince Ed that we need to go to Austin, TX...money is not exactly flowing freely right now, so that will have to be put on the back burner. Or maybe even back in the cabinet..

To live freely and vicariously, I made this treasury:

"Hello Cowgirl In The Sand" A Treasury by YellowPorchLight on Etsy

P.S. I was so stoked to see that Free People just added Jitterbug Perfume to their book club!! Oh, how I love their blog!

A Lovely Lookbook

2011-07-18T14:24:00.000-04:00

Check out this gorgeous lookbook. The photos are so dreamy, it makes me want to run away for the rest of the summer.... Can I? Purdy pleeease please!?
(A Beautiful Mess is offering a giveaway from ThreadSence.)

Thrift Score

2011-07-14T15:06:00.000-04:00

I scored these magnificent Minnetonka Moccasins at the thrift store a few weeks ago for $2.50. I couldn't have been more exstatic!!

Rising Appalachia

2011-07-13T15:04:00.000-04:00

Last night the sisters of Rising Appalachia came to a home in Richmond and played a very intimate show for the Artist Exchange. It was simply magical. In the humid southern summer we danced in the front yard, sang on the porch, conversed on the back porch, bathed in candle light. Amongst good friends and wonderful people, I was enamored and inspired. This was truly one of the most memorable shows I've been to in quite some time. This video, though dark (taken with my iPhone), is the sweet sisters take on a song that had also been done by one of my all time favorites, Otis Redding. I melted. If you haven't had an opportunity to listen to these beautiful voices live, please do yourself a favor...they are even better in person than they are in studio. Bliss, absolute bliss.

Another Treasury!

2011-07-12T13:05:00.004-04:00

I made this treasury yesterday...

Moroccan Spice by YellowPorchLight on Etsy

Summer 100

2011-07-11T16:36:00.000-04:00

I've noticed a few blogs do 100 Things I Love About Summer lists. While watching summer through the window I did a quickie list of my own!

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer...you will miss it dearly come December...

GRATEFULFEST!

2011-07-07T15:08:00.002-04:00

Gratefulfest is always great. It's a nice low-key down home family festival. Swimming in the quarry on a hot day is one of the best feelings in the world. Camping in the shade...sleeping until noon. This year was the first year we brought friends from Virginia to this place. It made our campsite feel much more like home. Here are some photos...

Three Nights of Dark Star Orchestra plus tons of all things Jerry Garcia!

A Wild Treasury

2011-06-28T11:15:00.000-04:00

WILD HEARTED by YellowPorchLight on etsy.com

New Work Space

2011-06-19T19:20:00.001-04:00

I'm so excited to finally be finished making the transition to the upstairs room.
Here are a few photos....

Oh Junie

2011-06-10T10:57:00.001-04:00

The summer heat is boiling away barriers for me. I'm amazed at how much can change in a week. Since our room mate is lackadaisically moving out of the upstairs (attic bedroom and bathroom) I decided to swap the stuff he had left with my work space. There's a ton of room up there, it's going to be great! I've already painted, pulled up the carpet, moved most of the stuff. Now my house is in absolute shambles as I'm making the transition and neglecting everything else.

Amid the raucous, I did get offered a job much closer to home and blocks away from school. After a very difficult decision, I decided that in two weeks I'll be leaving the place I've been for 2 1/2 years. They've been very kind to me, but instinct is sending me onward. It's been bittersweet today to hear the folks tell me how much they will miss me. With this new job, though, I'll have much more time to focus on my creativity.

Get On the Bus!

2011-05-26T07:49:00.001-04:00

Last weekend, we bought a 72' VW Bus!! It needs a little work but I did drive it home. We got a great deal on it! I can't wait to start learning more about it as Ed starts to get it in good working condition. I doubt it will be ready in time for the couple festivals we're going to this summer, but definitely next summer!

How-To on a Tuesday!: Yummy Healthy Food for On the Go

2011-05-24T07:58:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year when, if you're like me, you're getting ready for summer festival season. That means camping, traveling, dancing, and having a good time. While this is all often good for the soul, being on the go for what seems like the whole summer season can be really depleting to the body. Especially the kidney energy. It's not always easy to follow your normal regiment of health while on the road and feeling run down. But here is a recipe I learned while studying at Sacred Plant Traditions that might be helpful. It's a 'kidney paste' you make with powdered herbs which doesn't need to be refrigerated thus making it great road food! It's so easy to make! Check it out..

•1/2 c Honey and/or Molasses (I use both, in equal proportions)
•1/2 c Almond Butter or Tahini
•1/4 c Coconut Oil (any oil will do)
•2oz Powdered herb (You may personalize this part as much as your own knowledge of herbs will allow, but here are some choices that will get you started: Astragalus, Ashwaganda, Eleuthro)
•Spices to taste, such as Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cardamom, Ginger, etc.

The only 'prep' you really need to do is to make sure the oil is in liquid form to make it easy to mix. If you're using coconut oil, you can do this with a double boiler, or a microwave. Then simply combine the ingredients, mix well and put into a road-worthy jar!
Since there is so much powdered herb in this recipe, it may be a bit 'powdery' tasting to you. Feel free to make some adjustments to suit your taste but remember that the herb is the most helpful and necessary part!

Work From The Past Month

2011-05-16T13:04:00.001-04:00

Yikes! It doesn't seem like a month since the last time I posted here. I had been keeping myself busy with my final projects. Now that school is over until August, I'm ready to focus again on Yellow Porch Light! Here's some of what I've been up to in the past 30 days....

These are two headpieces (also above) I did for one of my classes. One tree and one roots, made of felt and other findings. They fit together as one or can be worn separately.

Silk paintings in jars..

Little upcycled necklace bags!

A dreamcatcher Ed and I worked on for over our bed. It will be a work in progress as we'll continue to find stuff to put in it..

Thankful

2011-04-15T08:09:00.001-04:00

Going back through my desktop folder for this blog on Monday, I remembered a post from Pixie Campbell last month that I thought was gorgeous. She was going through all the little tiny things that she was thankful for. It inspired me to write down some of the things I was thankful for in the next few days. Well, I forgot about my little list and never posted it. Here are some of the best ones from the list I found mixed with a few from the past couple of days:

a new appreciation for DC

hyperbolic crochet

storytellers

pedicabs

beautiful days

escaping traffic

straight hair when I want it

honesty

a comfy couch

musical friends

working at home when I don't feel good

naps @2:30 with snuggly puppies

embroidery

dirty chais

having dinner when I come home

hippy head band

75% off tags

organic pot pie

Pixie Campbell's thankful post

tea art

natural dying

Ed's home made pizza for lunch

the rolling stones

thrifted red dress

friendly tattoo artists

portobellos

happy hoopers

tax returns!

Fun photo apps
Freedom to roam
Sweet puppies
Rooibos
A porch with no mosquitos

Porch Improvements

2011-04-13T16:51:00.001-04:00

I'm so excited that Ed screened in the back porch for me! He rocks!

Yard Sale Saturday

2011-04-12T11:27:00.001-04:00

On Saturday I woke up a little early (for me) and rode around using a garage sale app. I was mainly on the hunt for supplies for my budding shop, but I got a couple cute cheap things for myself as well..
I also experienced my first estate sale. I expected it to be a lot like a yard sale. When I used to clean houses I always enjoyed the feeling of starting a new house and getting a peek at the architecture and unique furniture. Well this experience was much different. As I sifted through this house, with things just as they were when the residents were living, I learned their names, their interests, and even their signs. It was so personal... I was a little overwhelmed. I tried as best I could to honor the folks whose things I was rummaging through. I bought one of her photos for Eddie that I titled 'Wharf Rat'. Her photography was beautiful and now I wish I would have gotten a few more prints.

Here are some shots taken during my day out...

Consistency..?

2011-04-04T10:21:00.000-04:00

I'd like to blog more consistently. Last week I got an iPhone and today I downloaded a blogpress so I will be able to blog from my phone! Sometimes I feel like I don't have time or other times nothing good to say. I'm going to glean some inspiration from another blog, Oh Shoot, and just make an abridged list of 10 thoughts that are currently passing through.

Trying not to smile for no reason in my office-cube

1. I'm feeling really accomplished after completing a couple slip dresses/tops yesterday. I'm going to dye and alter a couple more and I think they will be ready for etsy...

2. It's time to sign up
for classes again, so I have some decisions to make about how much free time I am going to have come fall....

3. I love my iPhone! What a dork, right?

4. Friday's Furthur show in Hampton was AMAZING! I'll have to admit, I was getting a little bit burnt out on going to the same show all the time.. but this one was great! I got the whole Weather Report Suite, Octopus' Garden, She Came In Through The Bathroom Window!

5. Speaking of the octopus.. people keep asking Why An Octopus? about my tattoo.. A lot of reasons.. for fun, here is some octopus symbolism.

6. I'm slowly but surely reading Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins (from Richmond!). I am really enjoying the book but I'm having trouble finding time to read with all the other things I have going on..

7. I'm upset that I had to work during this visiting artist's talk a few weeks ago...

8. I just noticed that my hair is ridiculously curly today.. I didn't do anything especially different today. I use Miss Jessie's Quick Curls and a little Twisted Sista. hmm..

9. I feel a little 'behind' but I'm just now getting into yoga! I'm really enjoying it! I seriously need to get in shape and I think this is a good segue.

10. I can't wait until 3:30p when I can go home and work on some more projects!

More Slips

2011-03-15T23:38:00.001-04:00

I dyed a couple slips a yummy chocolately brown this evening. I had a half day at work and took a trip to Joann for some tulle and more lace! I'm excited to have all of Thursday and Friday to put some stuff together!

Inspiration.

2011-03-07T13:58:00.000-05:00

Saturday I spent 12 hours making pretty things with my dear friend Firefly! I made her a bag big enough for her laptop while I had a slip tea dying in her kitchen. I'm infatuated with slip dresses and want to design and sell my own. I bought some lace and have my first attempt hanging on the wall pieced together waiting to be sewn.

I am setting the stage (literally) to open my store soon. I am taking a couple days off during my spring break to get some things made and photographed. It's going to be a mix of vintage and handmade items.. with a sort of boho-gypsy, voodoo, hippie feel. Yellow Porch Light is the name, and the idea I'm starting with is to have everything photographed on my back porch. I spent an afternoon clearing off all the crap that was living on the porch. I'm going to give it a good hosing and screen it in within the next two weeks so it stays fairly clean, then start decorating a little. Nothing over the top, I just want it to look cozy.
I'm excited!! Here's a photo of half way through my progress of cleaning the porch the other day.

Museum Trip

2011-02-19T10:06:00.001-05:00

For my Mining the Museum class, we took a trip to the Smithsonian. I was a little grumpy at first about having to skip work and another class to go to DC, but everything ended up working out beautifully and I had a really nice time.

We started at the Museum of Natural History with a gorgeous piece of community work called the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef. I wasn't really aware that this was the main piece we were here to see. I got there a little early and decided to walk around and naturally gravitated to the Ocean exhibit.

Meandering through the giant squid and little octopus, I would catch glimpses of pieces of the reef here and there. I thought it was a real somehow perfectly preserved reef that dangled by a string. Or maybe a replica like the giant whale. Once I made it to the exhibit and got a closer look I realized that the giant reef and the smaller pieces surrounding it were made entirely of crocheted pieces! It was AMAZING! I wanted to crawl inside this thing and roll around. It made me think of when my grandma taught me to crochet and said I had to count the loops and I hated math even at that young age so I made a little green man with long arms and legs instead. Looking at the photos, it sort of feels like Jim Henson's version of a coral reef.. though I didn't get that feeling live. We went to a couple other museums but this piece is what struck me the hardest. Here are some photos of the reef and a couple of the other places we went.

Yellow Porch Light Namesake

2011-02-11T13:00:00.003-05:00

Click on this, it does stuff!

This first photo is a gif I made of me grape pickin' right outside my back door about 4 years ago. Mmm.. those grapes were SO sour. It was really cool to have grapes right outside your door, though!

The Yellow Porch Light refers to the first house I moved into when leaving the nest. It was a teeny tiny house at the edge of a civil war battlefield, owned by my step dad's aunt. His mother and grandmother had lived there for years until his mother ("Cookie") passed away and Grandma had to move in with my mom and step dad.

It was leaky, drafty, and without cable. Oh, I loved it! I had no dryer. I loved the way it felt to go outside on a warm day with a basket and pin clothes to the line. There was a vintage kitchen sink (just like this one) and funky old school flower wall paper. It needed SO much remodeling, but it was very reasonably priced! (And I loved it!)

It was the front porch that I loved (and I miss) the most. It was the full length of the little house and screened in to make for a lovely mosquito-free evening in the semi-southern heat. A hemlock tree shaded one half of it and I kept my hammock there for cool, comfortable lounging. I could look out through the moss covered front yard peppered with ancient giant trees and a plaque that told the history of the battlefield to a fairly busy road to watch cars pass. Cars coasted past sounding almost like ocean waves as I was drenched in the warm yellow porch light.

The memories of being there as a kid are still fresh as well. It was an enchanting place to live. Not to say I lived there stress-free, the relationship that co-existed there was not to peaceful, but I wont let that change my overall memories of the building. Often I wish I hadn't left the place, but I was spending so much time at Ed's as we were budding then. That's okay, I'll always remember the independence I gained there when I think of 'the yellow porch light'.

Here's what photos I could find from my previous humble abode....

Plants on the front porch

Kicked back on the crazy couch

Spider web on the back porch

Basil in the hammock. He LOVED the hammock!

I loved drinking tea in my kitchen.

Busy February and New Blogs

2011-02-11T09:13:00.000-05:00

I've created two new blogs since the last time I posted to this one!
One is for a creative advertising class that is inspired by Noah Scalin's 365 project. We have to come up with ideas about the band-aid brand each week. I'm feeling a little dry on it, and have spaced on the last two posts I was supposed to do. Hoping to catch up this weekend.
The other I started in an effort to be constantly getting rid of clothes. I've already sold 2 things! Another reason why I wanted to start doing this was to get the feel for making transactions. I really want to open an etsy shop very very soon. I don't have much inventory but I'm planning on starting with vintage things. That blog might give me a little push.
Speaking of blogging, I also wrote an article for the blog at work. It wasn't my best, but it was interesting to do. It was about the super bowl and us having units there last year.

The RVA Hoop House had our first Spin Jam last night. Unfortunately I had to miss it, but I'm looking forward to these.

I've got a bunch to do at work, school, and home this month. If I can get everything done I might reward myself with a trip to South Florida on my birthday!

Islamorada on my last impromptu trip to South Fla. way too long ago.

Going Back

2011-01-26T15:06:00.001-05:00

I'm pretty stoked about my textiles class.. I'm excited to start my embroidery project and work a little more with the sewing machine.

Ray Materson is an embroidery artists that was sort of mentioned in class yesterday. He got his start after being sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug related charges. In prison, he unravelled socks to make sports team related pieces on hats and clothing. How inspiring! I don't know his story but I wont get into how sad it makes that someone who hasn't caused anyone else any physical harm can have that much time taken from them... I truly can't imagine.
Anyway, his work as a self taught artist in those circumstances is remarkable to me. Here is one of his pieces. It's not your grandmother's embroidery, that's for sure.

For Me?

2011-01-10T11:40:00.001-05:00

Fortune from Friday's lunch at the Chinese buffet

You're right, fortune cookie, the night life IS for me. Too much so in some ways and not enough in others. Yes, it's true, I have ignored this blog because I didn't quite finish my December goals. I set them a tad bit high (for me) with the holidays and this Sketchbook Project that I had kept cooling on the back burner. And I have a nasty habit of ignoring things I feel like I've failed at or am going to fail at. Silly and backwards, huh?

Though I've been feeling super happy and inspired by all that surrounds me lately, I just haven't put into motion all of those particular things that I wrote a pretty little list of for the whole month starting in the middle (haha).

Now it's about the same time in the next month and I feel like writing another one.. but I'm going to resist the temptation--for now. I'm going to get cracking on whooping the sketcher's block I'm feeling right now and get ready for classes to start again. (Next week?! Already!? It's still surreal to me that I've chosen to go back to school..) I do have a little list of things that I'd like to accomplish, um, some time. As of now, I'll keep it to myself.

Back to the fortune.. I really do need to embrace the night more than I do. It's when I'm at my most creative. It's easy to say, but it's pretty hard to do--especially for someone who is supposed to be at work (30 mins from home) at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday. And Oh, how I love love love to sleep. I could do it all day! So I'm not sure if the answer is to try to wean myself off of having to sleep for 7.5 hours every night.. and even then I'm tired at 6 a.m. Or... what?
It has only been since I evolved into this current life schedule that my creativity had drastically dwindled. I have the same 7-3:30 schedule as my man, which I enjoy. So I usually end up going to bed at the same time as him and the dogs. Unfortunately I think that's where the change will begin.. sorry guys, mama's got some creating to do..

I'm not at the point where sacrificing my Friday and/or Saturday night social life is going to be practical. My social life makes me happy, and believe it or not, leaves me inspired. I know I'd be a grumpy girl without it. So there!

So what have I been excited about lately?

Ordering an LED hoop--I'm doing that today! before the nice fella (local) and his girlfriend run off to their new home in Cali.. I'm so jealous!
The Hooping.org 30/30 Challenge --because it's what I wanted to do anyway =)
Yoga! I've been taking it from a friend and I really like it..
The skirt I made from a t-shirt. I should have taken a picture when I wore it Saturday, but I didn't. It's an old earthy green Soundgarden shirt with a bicycle passed down from my roommate. I think I'm mostly in love with the color.
Sox Trot socks.. I really just can't get over the 3 pair I got while shopping in an all sock store on Haight St. I really should order some more to add to the rotation.
Eye makeup.. yes, it's silly I know but I think.. I'm becoming a 'girl'
Burlesque. I've been to a few shows lately and have been dancing with the idea of taking a class.. only at the end you have to take your clothes off in front of A LOT of people... I want to be comfortable enough to take this class soon.

My December Goals

2010-12-11T14:04:00.000-05:00

These are my December Goals. I know it's quickly approaching mid-December, but that's Ok. That's how I roll! haha. I have these bad boys thumbed tacked to the wall and I'm ready to make them so! I'm starting small because my attention span is HORRIBLE. I kept them fairly simple and I think they're accomplishable without adding any stress to the holidays.

Recent Crafty Projects

2010-12-11T13:55:00.000-05:00

I dyed Ed's cords and chucks with indigo (or was it violet?) iDye for the washing machine. I wasn't particularly happy with the color of either of them.

Though I haven't been as creative as I want to be lately, I've been a bit more creative that what has become the usual. Here's some stuff that's hanging around that I've actually completed lately. Some of it is from class.

Hip Bag made from scraps.

Sort of a failed attempt, it doesn't hold things efficiently but it was fun to make.

Masks for the Masquerade..

Here are a few items I've scored in the past couple weeks to start working with..

Upholstery Samples and Vintage Curtains

Awesome Ties!

Inspiration

2010-11-29T12:10:00.002-05:00

Above are my moccasins that are a recent throwback from my wardrobe as a college student, previously. I almost gave them to thrift about 3 times. I'm so glad I didn't! Man, I love them and their memories!!

Inspired by The Organic Sister's Inspiration Mondays, where she usually features a Bench Monday shot that I also love the idea of, I'm going to list some things I'm inspired by at the moment..
(and above are my moccasins that are a recent throwback from my wardrobe as a college student, previously. I almost gave them to thrift about 3 times. I'm so glad I didn't! Man, I love them and their memories!!)

Shopping Little.. this year I'm going to do 100% of my shopping Handmade, Vintage, or in Local shops. I'm about half way done and I've got to say, it's been pretty easy!
Upcycled T-tubes.. like the one I have on in this photo, which you can't tell but under all the hair, it IS a tube top that I made from a bulky shirt that I had no interest in wearing. Here's another really cute example from Violet Bella that I kind of wish I would have bought. I have 2 shirts on deck that I'm going to cut up when I get a minute (when I'm done with my project for jewelry class).
This shop that I was infatuated with at Floydfest, Gaia Conceptions. Didn't buy anything from her while I was there, either. Damn, I should stop being so cheap!
Oh, and the polypro bug is going around RVA.. I found my groove with it Friday morning in the living room while listening to Rising Appalachia. It seems Ed's big flat screen TV is good for something mounted on the wall at eye level.. it makes a pretty killer mirror in which I can only see my silhouette, not the silly faces I'm probably making! Perfect for hooping as long as I don't try any duck outs.. I was tempted. My polypro was a failed attempt at an LED from a year ago and is kinked. I may get a nice collapsible one from a local vendor soon.

I need to get a little more fire/inspiration going.. I'd really like to get a stock of goods together for starter shop, I know I can do it..

Shop Little: Handmade, Local, and Thrifted this season

2010-11-29T12:05:00.000-05:00

I should have posted this on Black Friday, but I spent most of the day being lazy in bed. Most of the weekend, actually. I decided that this xmas I'm not going to spend a penny on gifts in any big box stores; I'm shopping with the little guys.. which to me is something handmade (by me or the person I purchase it from, I got a couple things on etsy), local (from a small, local, non-chain store/restaurant, or thrifted (second-hand, or vintage).

This has always sort of been a priority for me, and I've preferred these sorts of things to anything from the box. But this year, I'm challenging myself to do every last bit of it this way! So far, so good!
I went out for a few things on dreaded Black Friday.. these local places were pretty dead. I didn't have to stand in line for more than 3 minutes, and never once felt crowded or that someone snatched up something I wanted.

I was really inspired by a radio interview I listened to with the head of the Metals department at school, Susie Ganch. She talked about a project she works on called the Radical Jewelry Makeover and mentioned the term Micro Economy. That term means a lot of things to me and I think it's part of the answer to today's economy..

Sickenin'!

2010-11-22T11:26:00.000-05:00

So I've got the sniffles. I watched everyone around me get sick and kept dosing with Echinacea and figured it wouldn't happen to me because I take care of it at first sign. Oops, I slipped a little. I think I have not been eating as well as I should since going back to school and being on the run a lot more. Plus, my boyfriend was sick and I kept up with all of my home remedies just until he seemed to be better, ran out then stopped a little too soon. I drank some beer (and danced a lot) Friday night and woke up out of no where with a sore throat. It was too late by then.

These are the things I try to do at that first sign of an itch throat or runny nose (or when someone I'm in contact with daily is sick..), try it if you like it will help you if you can stick to it:

Take Echinacea tincture 3x/day. I love the way it makes my mouth tingle!
Drink OJ/eat Vitamin C tablets 2x/day. I'm pretty sure everyone does this one.
Heat up some Lemon Ginger Echinacea Juice with a little Cayenne pepper to drink like tea at night. This is something that is really helpful when you're stuffed up, but I like to use it as a precaution as well. I have started to like the way it tastes!
Choose hot tea/room temperature water instead of anything else whenever I'm thirsty throughout the day. That means no beer, too. =(
Use neti pot in the morning. P.S. Don't buy the 'neti packets'.. it's just non-iodized sea salt which can be found MUCH cheaper elsewhere.
Avoid greasy foods.

California

2010-11-06T21:23:00.002-04:00

This week, I returned from a couple short, but sweet days in the bay area of California. Unfortunately the only picture I took was this one of the rainbow over the hills of San Francisco as I got off the plane and onto the BART to head to Oakland. That's really slacking on my goal of taking more pictures.. but that's Ok.

Flying out there is not too bad, we left at 7 a.m. EST and gained 3 hours to put us in San Fran before noon. We spent Friday hanging out with the other Raider fans that we came with and some that we met up with. Our friends who live in the area, Jose and Renee, took us to one of their favorite soul food joints in Oakland. They're always kind enough to pick us all up and make sure we have everything we need while we're in their city. They're the kind of people you're lucky to know; sweet kind hearted folks.
We woke up and Jose took us all to eat at Jim's in Alameda. Then he dropped me off at the BART station so I could wander around in San Francisco. (This would be a much more interesting story with pictures, I think..) Saturday night we saw Gov't Mule at the Fox Theatre in Oakland.
Jill and I decided to ditch the football game (I missed what would have been my first win) and go shopping on Haight Street. I snagged a couple of awesome items. I really appreciate being able to go to a place that's so concentrated with shops full of things that are my style. Though it's almost as tiresome as scouring the internet for these things.
We went to stay with his friends Jason and Jill in Sonoma for Sunday and Monday night.
I really fell in love with that area. They live in Occidental. It's a charming little place up in the mountains. Up there, you feel secluded, yet you're within a 5 minute walk to a little stretch of shops, restaurants, and bars.
That's what I crave: walking distance to places I actually want to be. I don't think that I'd be totally happy living in the heart of San Francisco (well, maybe). But a place like that would be wonderful. Jason always brings up us moving out there. I wouldn't put up much opposition.

Being a Curly Girl

2010-10-04T13:09:00.001-04:00

Taking care of curly hair is a challenge. Only recently I've been turned on to various methods to cut the frizz and define the curl. It's really very interesting making the switch from what you're used to, to only washing (shampooing, that is) once a week, or using the no poo routine. It started when I got a recommendation to go to a local salon that specializes in curly hair, Imago Hair. Before that, I had only gone to friends of friends (even barbers!!) for trims. At this new place, I was shocked to watch them cut my hair while it was dry! It makes sense though, if you think about it. While I was under the dryer.. it takes AN HOUR.. I skimmed through this book about curls.

This is also a pretty cool site..

It's been about a year since I've changed the way I think about my hair. To me, there has been a big difference. Though I'm still having issues with it, I think I'm the only one that can tell when I'm having a bad hair day.

Some of the changes I've made include..

Leaving in my conditioner
Putting a combo of Miss Jessie's and Deva products In in my hair when it's still dripping, soaking wet.
Patting it dry with the t-shirt
Letting it dry half way with clips at the roots. (this looks really cute at work, haha!)

Still, I at least once a month I play with the thought of putting it into dreads. I've had pretty much the same style since.. forever..

Hmm.. what to do next??

Simple Post, Simple Goals

2010-09-02T20:19:00.001-04:00

I came across this cute little blog and though one doesn't really need any guidelines, she has posted a 'challenge' called 4 Simple Goals. So here are mine:

1. Being more healthy.   This is probably most people's goal who are goal-makers. For me, this is going to include things like dancing, exercising, being more active, and thinking more about my posture. Eating [better] at home and simple things like drinking more water are part of it too.

2. Being more creative.  Being back in school is going to help with this a lot. (Also, I received my sketchbook the other day) I have no other choice but to be creative. I want to get around to some of those projects I have swimming in my head. I want to write more, to take more pictures. My ultimate goal is to start to turn my creativity into something I can sustain a living with......

3. Being more business-minded. Yep, my goal is to fire up an Etsy store by 2011, even if it's just something small and eclectic for now. Some vintage items? Yikes! I'm going to be a busy busy girl!! Within this, I need to start making more moves with business in mind. I tend to make things and give them away a lot. Not that there's anything wrong with giving, I just need to be able to stand firm and put a value on my hard work.

4. Being [more] positive.  I feel like I'm becoming more and more outwardly positive, but I have to match that with being more inwardly positive.

The emphasis of these is in the being. It's not a cut and dry to do list that I can space on daily. They're just ways of being to keep in the back of my head at all times to help with a little self improvement.

Talk About Driven!

2010-08-26T10:19:00.003-04:00

So I've been doing pretty good lately. Trying to eat better, being more creative, getting a little more done. Little by little I feel like I'm making some progress!

I accepted the offer from the Craft/Material Studies department at VCU to be a student there this semester. I'm registered for the Beginning Jewelry class, but since I waited until the last minute most of the other classes I really need/want to take are slam full.

I'm so freakin' excited about this project that I am going to be a part of. I sent out for my sketchbook on Tuesday. (Thanks, Dad)

But.. all this is nothing compared to this blog I just ran across. This chick is doing a 365 project with upcycled dresses. One dress a day, one dollar a day. She takes a really cute picture in the dress before she alters it, then shows the progress, the finished piece, and her wearing it that day. Wow, wow, wow. I have trouble getting one thing like that done every 365 days! Very inspirational!

Inspiration

2010-08-23T22:22:00.001-04:00

This is the foyer bench Ed and I made out of an old door, a toy chest and some paint from the re-store. The paint was in a safety orange paint bucket that I though was going to be a wheat yellow because of a streak on the can, but I guess that can has seen many-a colors, so it's army baby poop green. And I'm fine with that.

Blogging still feels a little strange to me, but going on the suggestion to join in on inspiration Mondays made by one of the blogs I really enjoy, the organic sister, here's the things that are inspiring me today (and lately)...

Full time RVing.  As done by, Tara (above) and a surprisingly large number of other people. Her blog was the first one of it's kind that I stumbled upon. She is a fellow hooper, which is sort of how I came across the blog. I was enchanted by the thought that someone was actually living like this and couldn't stop reading about it. I'm far from that lifestyle at this point in my life--I have a house full of junk and a boyfriend who isn't quite down with the idea of dropping out of our current lives (no matter how many cities I rattle off that we could explore).
This idea is something that has been a part of me since I was little. My dolls had their own RV which they would pack full of their essential life items and animals and make their way to different places in my grandma's house and yard. I distinctly remember a phase in my little girl life where I wanted to grow up to make 'lots' of money so I could buy an RV. When I was about 11 my dad got an 80's Westfalia and I spent the whole day cleaning it for him because I was so excited that someone had thought to create such a thing!
Now I do a lot of weekend travel, skipping out on a Friday-Monday here or there. We're always in a rush, even when we're supposed to be vacationing. Full time RVing would be a dream come true for me. I feel like it would make a big positive impact on my health. To top it off: my mom, without being prompted, told me the other day that she wanted to sell the house, get an RV and move to Hatteras. I hadn't been telling her anything about my obsession! Crazy!
So go 'head and google around, you will see how many people are doing this happily and successfully..
Tales from Technomadia has a great list of excuses
Another hooper/RV mama can be found at The Happy Hoop

Etsy.  I mean aren't we all? But I really have gotten into it religiously lately and have found a lot of interesting sites through their feeds. I'm really thinking about the things I like to create and how easy it is to open a store with etsy..
That being said, I am setting myself up to create more these days. I'm realizing that everything I make doesn't have to be some perfect piece of work. It's all about the process! I'm hoping to put more of this stuff and these skills I've been collecting into good use.
I found out today that I got back into art school for this semester.  School starts Thursday and I'm still on the fence. Ha! That's me for ya, though.

Belly Dance.  I started a class last Sunday and even though we haven't covered much so far, I really dig it! I have a DVD that I really like, but it's a whole different world when someone's standing there making sure you're doing it right. And when you have those GIANT mirrors and that bright overhead lighting! I'd like to find my grace.. and my old flat tummy. I think they're in there somewhere!

Compelled to do an Intro

2010-08-18T21:57:00.002-04:00

I'm pretty good at starting things. Not so good at finishing them. So naturally I feel compelled to do a little introduction as my first blog entry. I'll keep it short. I'm not entirely sure what I want to blog about yet. Certainly not too much directly about me or how I'm feeling.. but at times it may be unavoidable. I'd like to try to keep it interesting to others who might not know or care about me.
I realized I'm a collector of things. Ideas. Objects. Experiences. Knowledge. But I rarely ever do anything with any of it. I'm hoping this will chronicle my growth from a collector to a maker.. with some usefulness to others.