unruly-things

I wish that I could:
do Christmas all over again.

I'm truly grateful:
for all of my fabulous gifts.
to have such wonderful family and friends.

I really whacked my bum:
while snowboarding at Tamarack.

but I can't wait:
to try it again. really.

there are:
a few tiny calendars left in my shop.

the next shop update:
January 4.

well, friends... it's been a fabulous year. I really accomplished a lot, and I can't wait for the new year. I've got lots of exciting new things happening that I can't wait to share. I've been working on my resolutions. I've got a lot that I'd like to stick with this year. last year, I resolved to do many things that I kept up with for the most part. this year, I'm planning even more. be safe, be merry, and I'll see you next year!

vintage silver and angel white.
{silk dress, chandelier earrings, vintage clutch, peep toe shoes}

I'm feeling:
relieved. the holidays can finally begin.

I can not wait:
to show all of you my new hair cut.

I'm looking forward to:
testing out my snow legs.
having a few days off.

tonight I'm going to:
snuggle with him and our new throws.
hopefully make time to read my book.
bake more pine nut rosemary cookies. {yum btw}

I'm trying not to forget:
my bathing suit. {hot springs after a day on the mountain sound lovely}
our computer camera for family convo on Christmas.

I hope that:
everyone has the most joyous holiday.
each one of you receives the goodies from you list.
you too can enjoy this time with family.

Merry Christmas to all.
{image from simply photo}

but, I'm jammed with work. aside from gearing up for Christmas, and baking yummy cookies, I've got posters to work on, t-shirts to create, email blasts to post, catalog files to fix, and calendars to finish. all before January! and I plan on having time to relax.
so... I've decided to take a little break from blogging to get some things done. as always it'll be hard to stay away, and I'll be reading up on google reader and posting a few things between now and then.... but I'm signing off until after Christmas.
dlb and I will be in Idaho with his family for Christmas. our presents are wrapped and awaiting their destiny. our tiny tree is ready to be planted. and I'm ready to brave the snow! while I'm in Idaho, I'm going to try out my snowboarding legs out to see if they're made for it. let's just hope the mountain doesn't get the best of me.

as I said before, I'm a firm believer that you can never have too many calendars. my tiny calendar is now for sale in my shop. please be sure to stop by and keep an eye out for updates to come. I'm very thrilled at the new things that will be popping up in my shop in the new year and this calendar is just one of the many great things I've been planning. {the image above is just one of the lovely shots from my calendar}

while I'm gone, I encourage you to check out some of the links in my sidebar, which I just updated about a week ago with long over due blog love to mention. there is lots of greatness out there, and these are just a few of my favorites.

until then......

a nice hot steaming cup of cocoa to warm me up. recipes here.
{image from nicamom}

sparkling silver shoes.
{01. volatile, 02. kate spade, 03. moschino, 04. carlos, 05. moda spana, 06. dollhouse, 07. marc by marc jacobs, 08. bcbgirls, 09. kenneth cole}

not only is it a moose, but it's glittery and shimmery. {mentally making a list of ornaments I want to adorn my tree next year.}
{via domino galleries}

I adore these cut outs by essimar. they are so cute and full of personality.
{images from essimar}

last night, we had our departmental holiday party at Sur la Table. it was a group "team building" experience, as my boss called it. we chopped veggies, sipped on wine and champagne, and cooked a wonderful meal together. it was fun, and as I always say, I really enjoy spending time with co-workers outside of the work environment.

that being said, I highly recommend signing up for a cooking class at Sur la Table, or any other cooking school offering classes. I like to think of myself as being a pretty good cook, however, I learned quite a bit last night, like the best way to cut an onion and how to really avoid tearing up! our menu included Roasted Beets & Bleu cheese salad with a tangy vinegarette, Mushroom & Leek soup, green beans with crispy shallots, and Duck in a Pinot Noir Sauce. all of this followed a delicious French cake with vanilla bean paste, grapes and orange zest. yum! to find out if your Sur la Table offers classes, look here.

coming up in the next few weeks at the Sur la Table Portland:
12-20: Bon Appetit Easy Holiday Buffet
12-28: Perfect New Year's Eve Cocktail Party
12-29: Five Quick Hors d'Oeuvres
1-3: Ravioli Workshop
1-5: Cake Decorating Basics

thanks for the sweet comments on my tiny calendar. yes, it is for sale.
you can never have too many calendars to adorn your walls. I've printed them for gifts and I've got a couple left which are now in my shop. I'll be printing more after Christmas, but in limited quantity. purchase them here. you can see additional pictures here and here.

{I've got two in my shop today. there will be another shop update Thursday, December 27, stay tuned}

since dlb and I bought each other gifts that we needed this year for Christmas, I already know what all my gifts are from him. however, I still compiled a gift list for those in case moments, or for myself to remember days down the road. {or, for my birthday next month!}
but gift lists are still one of my favorite things, so here are some of the things from my list, with varied price points, for some last minute gift ideas:
01. moleskin reporter small squared pocket journal - $11.99
for jotting ideas and drawings on the go.
02. gourmet scented pencils - $14
"smencils" for the artist that still remembers Mr. Sketch markers.
03. ornithology magnets - $24
for the seasoned bird lover or for the one who's developing their interest.
04. stila all over glow in peachy keen - $28
face warming powder that adds just the right amount of color, for the beauty-conscious lady.
05. sweet and natural baking - $28
for the baker who's dying for a sweet alternative.
06. striped cashmere sweater - $98
a cozy classic dressed in stripes.
07. camper industrial boot - $245.95
for the girl who loves her shoes both stylish and versatile.
08. the kitchen aid pro 600 mixer - $399
for the power cook.
09. orla kiely stem print blanket - $426
for staying warm on those cold winter nights.

it's pretty things like these that make me wish I was either:
a) made of money or
b) a really good sewer.
option "b" seems to be more attainable. but it is nice to see that the lovely Fall items from Built by Wendy are currently on sale.
{images from built by wendy}

I'm thrilled:
with my tiny calendar.

but I'm a little pissed:
that July isn't quite right. oops.

I'm delighted:
with this post about my eco Christmas.

I'm looking forward to:
spending hours at Powells tonight.
my Christmas swap with Amy.
my hair cut with Kammie on Tuesday. {thanks for the rec, Jess}

I'm sort of looking forward to:
Christmas shopping tomorrow... but not the crowds.

I'm still thinking about:
one or two more things that I want from dlb for Christmas. {I've already gotten three pairs of shoes... do I really need another pair? I'm thinking trail runners...}

update: I've added a new category to my side bar called become inspired. be sure to keep a look out for at the moment ideas and inspiration to pop out from here.

sultry navy, creamy patent, and pale shimmering gold.
{dress, necklace + clutch wallet, flats}

here's a few of my favorites this year:
• Moylans White Christmas - a zesty Belgium White Ale. it's both spicy and fruity, with cinnamon, coriander, and orange peel.
• Full Sail Wreck the Halls - a hoppy holiday IPA. full and piney.
• Rogue Santa's Private Reserve - a spicy American Strong Ale. lots of flavor, full of caramel malt and floral hoppiness.
• Bison Winter Warmer - a classic Abbey Dubbel, yum. sweet fruity character with a hint of toffee and chocolate. at 9% abv, it's definitely a cheek warmer.

I adore the work of Kristy Lombard. I saw some of her pieces at the Museum of Contemporary Craft yesterday and I fell in love. see the rest of her beautiful work here.
{image from kristy lombard}

I got my first mix yesterday for the in the moment swap from Megan. I love the sexy little gold envelope it showed up in. I imported it to my iTunes at work, and I'm dancing in my chair so far. it's a great mix including standouts by some of my old favs, Belle and Sebastian, Travis, and Van Morrison. and oh yes... Danke Schone by Rosemary Clooney. fabulous.
Megan not only finds some awesome things from craigslist which she posts on her blog, craig's treasures, but she has great taste in music. thanks for the new music Megan!

one of those amazing things that people in movies always have in the entry way to compliment the huge staircase and huge driveway for their huge house that hosts their amazing guests at the annual holiday bash. I love the way each glimmer of light from the crystals on a chandelier shine in a spectrum of colors.
{l to r: abc carpet and home, anthropologie, lamps plus, vintage modern inc}

I just picked up this gorgeous calendar from the talented Jill Bliss and Saelee Oh. what a beauty. of all the calendars I've seen out there, this one is one of my favorites. it'll be hard to part with but I'm sending it to one lucky aunt for Christmas!
{image from blissen}

I want these.
{from bobilina studio}

I'm loving riding/newsboy hats. I have a cable knit one that I love, though I'm on the hunt for one that's a little more polished. I like these three.
{from levi's, gap and anthropologie}

deep aubergine, pearly white, and shiny bronze.
{from banana republic and me too}

my weekend... fabulous:
• printing up my Christmas cards. {well, printed some. the others are still to come.}
• listening for birds.
• finding the deal of the century. frye adrienne mary janes for $60!
• hunting for graffiti through drifting flakes of snow.
• dlb cooked dinner for me. so nice and delicious.
• super special apple cream cheese pastry, made by yours truly, for breakfast on Sunday. I heart weekend breakfast.
• our adorable tree. {will post pictures later when I can get a better shot.}
• cocoa, ginger cookies, candy canes, and Christmas music accompany tree decorating.
• finishing up my in the moment mix. {I hope Amy, Megan, and Jackie enjoy every musical minute of it}
• thinking about our new "eco-friendly" line.
• yeowza. I heart dlb.

and today:
• I'm so proud and even if he's not the winner today. just that he made it in the top 10, makes my heart warm. we're such a great team. {if you know, then you know. if you don't, I'm sorry I can't disclose details! get mad at dlb for the secrecy}

if I wasn't already obsessed with my spice collection and made-by-me spice name stickers, I'd totally want this one from Dean & Deluca.
{image from dean & deluca, via outblush}

if I had all the time and money in the world, I would spend days decorating and baking for Christmas. I'm such a procrastinating crafter. I bought stuff, two weeks ago, to create animal ornaments out of yarn, pipe cleaners, beads, and string. but alas... my creative endeavors have gone elsewhere, {my holiday cards, in the moment swap, etc}, and time has gotten me. maybe next year, or the following, when I have a beautiful house to decorate, I'll remember these ideas from Country Living, and some of the other gorgeous ones from the December catalog, always my favorite.
{images from country living}

when I was a little girl, I had a fascination with rocks and gems. I had a rather large collection of exquisite stones that I'd collected and gazed over. my parents would take me to rock and gem shows at the convention center, and I'd beg for the prettiest piece of tourmaline or fools gold. so naturally, when I saw these geode necklaces, I fell in love with their beauty. so delicate but yet edgy at the same time. I love the way the sparkle.
{image from natural historie, via poppytalk}

I'm still feeling:
sick. but better.

I wish I was:
at home with dlb and moose.

I have no idea:
what to eat for lunch. {don't you hate when your sick that nothing sounds good?}

I'm very excited:
for sale items at an additional 20% off.
to purchase and decorate our tree tomorrow.
that dlb is framing our gig posters today. {he's making the frames himself! that crafty guy.}

I adore:
her polaroids. and her shoe shots.
her new prints. and everything else she does for that matter.

I'm reading:
rare encounters with ordinary birds.

I'm happy that:
I have an intellectual thing.

and... I'm thinking about:
a new hair cut. totally new. like, unexpected new. eek!

to you:
happy friday.

{image from ouisequitur. this is quite how I feel. like laying my head down where ever I can}

I love botanical and anatomy charts. I saw this book cover on Cher Ami a few days ago, and a spark went off inside me. I'd like a bird print like that cover. it's so subtle and tastefully done.
so I started searching.
I remember seeing this post last year about botanical charts, and was glad I could find it again. Holly found some great links. I also tried ebay, and I'll keep trying again. I'm on the hunt.
{top row: deyrolle, bottom set: hagemann}

I got this cute email from Urban Outfitters this morning titled, "What's in the bag?" I thought it was well done, but I think we did it better girls.
to see what's in their bags, shop his and hers.
{images from UO}

I feel like poo. that's right, poo. I'm chilled, my throat hurts, and I'm just out-of-it. and even though I've been sitting in front of my computer all morning, I just haven't felt up to blogging. my nice breakfast of pancakes with warm homemade cranberry syrup was good though. and my tea is making my throat feel wonderful. thank goodness for warmth on a scratchy throat.
for dinner I want someone to make these for me. too bad dlb is sick too.
we really need a personal chef.
{picture is of me from our trip to the oregon coast this august}

oh yea. not to mention, I think my either mail program is going a little haywire or blogger just sucks. is anyone else having blogger problems? my inbox said that I was receiving 16 of 16 messages, then one tiny message popped up. also, I've been getting comments on my blog and no email to inform me that they are there! also, I can no longer click the images on my blog or other people's blogs to view them larger, they have to be downloaded to my desktop! {ok that's fixed} eeergg... blogger is irritating me lately.

holiday red, sparkling silver, and dark denim.
{from j. crew}

I love a man in a striped sweater. I like these by Penguin.
p.s. be ready for lots of stripe posts. I'm really into them lately.
{images from UO}

did you know that the average, non-organic, cotton T-shirt is only 73% cotton fiber? the rest is chemicals and resins. An organic cotton tee with a clean, modern print sends a thoughtful, environmentally minded message. I like these by Zooey, though at $82 a pop, it's sure hard to afford to be environmentally friendly. good thing there are some great companies that have some basic organic tees.
{images from nordstrom}
{for more info, click}

he likes to match me.
what a weirdo. :)

being a gig poster designer and lover of music, I'm naturally attracted to the amazing talent of other gig poster artists. I love the work of Hero Design Studio. I especially love this one for Spoon. I like peacocks.
dlb and I have been developing our collection of gig posters. we hope to frame them soon, they are all rolled up and dying to be displayed. and as soon as we do, I'll be sure to photograph them.
p.s. gig posters make great gifts for that hard to please music lover! browse here for a list of great artist sites.
{images from hero design studio}

I'm a sucker for a great pair of jeans. just recently, I bought my second pair of Levis. I really like the way that they fit, not too low, tight in the right places, and the perfect wash.
I've got my eyes on these two pairs. I've been wanting a pair of trouser jeans, and I tried them on at Levi before, but they are just too long. and I'm not even short! and those gray jeans are just so cute.
{images from levi}

I have a thing for big black rings. this enamel dome ring is B E A - utiful.
{from j. crew}

my gorgeous friend Rachel got married a few weekends ago. I got a link for her photos today, and thought I would share. these are the amazing work of Tampa Photographer, Tom Moore, who specializes in wedding photography. I love the way he captured her personality in every shot. I can almost hear her laughter.
Rachel is an incredible woman, and her smile radiates happiness. I wish her and Walker the best of luck! {da da da ti da}
{images from Tom Moore}

this is definitely one of those days: I woke up this morning, aching with grumpiness. aching because I slept funny on my neck, and aching because we went to bed late and was woken up early by our little panther, who decided that 4:30 was a perfect time to play.

this is definitely one of those days: I just want to take the day off from work. I want to crawl back into bed with some fuzzy socks and a warm hoodie and snuggle with dlb. I want Moose to snuggle too, like he did in between our pillows Friday night. he was good that night.

this is definitely one of those days: I feel like listening to sad, moving, quiet, slow music. it's not that I'm depressed or sad, but sometime it just relaxes me to listen to peaceful sounds. if I had a piano, I'd play Chopin Nocturnes.

this is definitely one of those days: I just feel crummy. and it doesn't help that it's Monday and I'm super busy.
ah yes. the doldrums.

side note:
• all swap info was sent out yesterday. if you did not get your swap information, please let me know!
• I may or may not post again today. we'll see how swamped I am. if not, type to you tomorrow.

updated:
yesterday, dlb and I were driving down 14th right at Burnside, next to the Crystal. I looked over out my window, and "holy shit! that's Sam Beam!" yep, there he was, just chillin outside the Crystal, in the rain, possibly outside for some air, or maybe a smoke, but there he was.
and they rocked it out last night.
{hm, I just realized that he went to FSU Film School. he's a Nole!}

{image from Fillmore Photography}

after months of dreaming about getting new shoes, I finally got some. yay!
dlb and I decided that this year for Christmas, other than getting one big thing for each other and having it be secret until opened, we were going to give each other lots of things that we need, {ie me = shoes}. so since today is the 1st of December {wow...} we decided to give some gifts a little early!
dlb - a new rain jacket.
me - sider pelican rain boots + corso como candy