9.30.2009

Countryside



Last weekend, my roommates and I drove out at 9:45pm to a small farm town in Eastern Washington. As we got closer to Zillah, I saw something I haven’t seen in a long time – a dark sky full of bright burning stars. It brought me back to nights in Ghana where constellations were never hard to spot and sadly, I took it for granted. We pulled over next to some cornfields and three of us climbed on top of Amanda’s car to lie together under the stars. Very Romantic.

The next morning, we cooked eggs and bacon in Amanda’s family kitchen. So yummy! Her family owns a golf course and family fun center & pizzeria in Granger so we went over there to spend the day playing. BUT, before we left the house, we found a vintage red “De Luxe Twinn 5” tandem bicycle. Soooooooo rad and fun. Riding the tandem was rather challenging and slightly scary but very very amusing and enjoyable.

It was so hot. The best part of the day was sitting in the front yard as the sun cast a warm haze and I honestly felt like I was living in a beautiful photograph. My heart has been craving the countryside – slower pace, wide open spaces, really fresh air, barefoot kids that talk to you even though they don’t know you (in a slight country twang). This fed my soul a little bit; but oh, how I wait for the day I won’t have to leave.

9.27.2009

The Butterfly Circus



Eduardo Verástegui plays in this 20 minute short film. Wow - Beautiful and Moving to say the least. Please take a little time to experience The Butterfly Circus.

Eduardo Verástegui also produced and played the lead in one of my favorite movies of all time, Bella. The work he does is so inspiring and I truly admire the life he has chosen to live. What a man!


9.22.2009

Creature of Habit

When I get comfortable with something- a seat in a classroom or at the dinner table, a tasty treat, a pen, and/or other various things- I usually stick with it for a very long time. I have always known this about myself, but I suppose it has just become a little more apparent than usual in the last few weeks. Two specific comforts: music and clothes.

When I find a song I like or love, I listen to it on repeat over and over and over... and over. I usually don't get sick of it for at least a month or two. I abandon many other pretty melodies for the infamous "favorite of the month." Usually I make copies of the song for my car, bathroom, and office. To those who cannot listen to the same song more than once a day, I apologize - my mind works a little different than most. I decided to share my quirks with you. Here is a list of songs I have been listening to many more times (this month) than I feel comfortable to admit:

Hazelton - Justin Vernon
Hurricane - Mindy Smith
Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap
Our Love was Good and Our Love was Right - Bradley Hathaway
Flightless Bird, American Mouth - Iron and Wine

Clothes- haha. I don't mean my day to day outfits... those I can change and have lots of variety with. But.... my lounge clothes- talk about comfort! Today is my third (or fourth?) day in a row to wear the same gray tunic sweater with matching gray leggings (My roommates have noted this because of the distinct color coordination or lack thereof). Before that I had, for about a week, worn the same red shorts with green t shirt every night. It was hot (the weather). Since the weather got a little more fall-like over the weekend, I dug up the ole gray leggings and paired it with my newly found used gray tunic sweater. Not too hot, not too cold. Now, before you go thinking these clothes must get pretty unpleasant in a week - keep in mind I am only wearing them about 2-3 hours a day. (If you want to catch me in my gray gloriousness, pop in around 8 or 9pm... i'll be comfy!)

Goodnight.

9.20.2009

Deep Blue


On September 18th 2009, we went sailing on an 84 year old wooden boat around Lake Union. We had no destination but to be under the stars and on the deep blue. A wise fellow onboard stated, “My favorite part of this ride is that we’ve been going nowhere for four hours.” Moving with no destination - it’s a nice feeling.

We ate hors d'oeuvre, drank sparkling cider from champagne glasses (which I scrounged around Goodwill for to find 18 matching pieces), listened to Josh Phillips’ acoustic guitar and soothing vocals, listened to poetry, shared laughs, stories and quite a bit of love. The air was warm and deep.







{photos by Kristen Stemke}
{see more here}

9.16.2009

Toast + Jam


The last several days I have been delighting myself with Toast and Jam! (I even wrote a little song about it... you can ask me to sing it to you when you see me) Such a simple snack and/or meal:
-Oroweat Whole Grain 100% whole wheat bread (toasted, of course!)
-Brummel & Brown Natural Yogurt spread
-Bonne Maman Apricot-Raspberry Preserves
I recommend serving it on a glass or ceramic plate with a preferably cute design of your choice (as opposed to paper plate or paper napkin). Cold rice milk on the side is always a plus!
Enjoy!




9.14.2009

My Place













{All photos by the beautiful Anuhea Akamine}
{model: Whitney Moreno}

9.13.2009

Cry Often


Crying on my way to work tonight was the best thing I could have done because it:
-caused me to miss my exit off the I5
-which required me to take a different street to work
-which prompted me to stop quickly at a cute little yard sale on that street
-which provoked me to buy a cute $1 framed cross stitch
-which required me to go to QFC down the road to get cash
-which encouraged a conversation with a single mom of two
-which allowed me to buy her family a warm dinner
-which resulted in more tears for everyone
Crying gets a bad rep sometimes but it can help feed hungry bellies.

9.11.2009

Today I



9.08.2009

To See You


Today I drew a little tree on my hand with a little person peaking out the top of the tree bushes. Around the top of the tree, I wrote in cursive “I climbed a tree to see you.” At work, my 9-year-old Caroline looks at it, reads it and turns to me and asks, “You mean the Lord?”

9.07.2009

Seattle Rain

Today was a rather eventful Labor day. Woke up at 8:30am and drove down and up the I405 visiting all the thrift stores on the way (Goodwills, Value Villages, De Pauls). Everything was 50% off today and I was determined to find a couch or some kind of seating for my office. 6 hours later, I pull up to my apartment with a VERY full car. Needless to say, it was a very successful, tiring and wet (rain rain rain) day of thrifting. But *sigh* I sit here now in my mostly finished office and am very happy about it. I am working on putting pictures up soon. Look out for those!

Here are a few things I am currently pretty pleased about:

-my new typewriter which i need to buy ink for
-my new art pieces and furniture
-my new cute glasses from IKEA
-playing with Donovan on Wednesday

Now it is 9:30.... and I have so much to do. I forgot how much there is to do during the school year. Projects, papers, reading, reading, assignments, they are always weighing and looming. But of course, what am i doing? BLOGGING! I love my life :) I suppose it's a short post so it's alright.

9.03.2009

More 8mm Love

Now I am hooooooooooooooked on 8mm wedding videos.... Enjoy! Swoon Swoon Swoon Swoon.



{First seen here}

All By Myself

{at the High Dive}
09.02.09

Jesse + Nicky



I cannot begin to explain how intimate and beautiful Jesse and Nicky's wedding was. Handmade birds hung from tree branches, fresh cut flowers filled mason jars, candles EVERYWHERE. Nicky's dress was breathaking. We spent the evening at Carkeek park in Seattle, overlooking the beautiful Puget Sound. I had the privilege and honor to read a passage on Love for their ceremony. The whole ceremony was moving (to say the least). Jesse and Nicky run their own company, Estrella, selling handmade vegan soaps which smell so good you could eat them! I LOVE these soaps - they leave your skin feeling soft, healthy, and silky. Also works very well for shaving legs :) Order some online and you wont be sorry. Here are some fisheye shots of the night!














Fish Eyes





Carmen + David



A few months ago I purchased a fisheye camera at value village for about $3.99. I wasn't sure if it worked or how the pictures would turn out but I tried out a test roll and was pretty happy with the results. Since then I've been enjoying taking fun fish eye shots - especially at weddings.

What I love more than wedding blogs is real life weddings where I know and love the people involved. This summer I had the honor of being a bridesmaid for my beautiful former roommate and BFF Carmen! Carmen and David are wonderful friends of mine and I LOVED being apart of their special day.

Here are a few fisheye shots of their wedding day!










{my dad married them}

9.02.2009

Oh Lovely



For those who don't know this about me: I have a wild fascination with wedding blogs. No, I am not obsessed with getting married or intending to do so anytime soon. I just LOVE good wedding blogs and I think that's all there is to it. This will be the first of many finds I post from said blogs.

I nearly fell out of my chair looking at these gorgeous pictures of this romantic tree house wedding I saw at Classic Bride. Not only because it's like a dream-come-true, but also because I realized it was photographed by BEN BLOOD who I've unofficially asked about being my own wedding photographer (teehee, remember, I am NOT intending to marry anytime soon). He photographed and traveled with two of my favorite local bands Garage Voice and Noah Gundersen. Anyhow, as if this wedding couldn't be anymore perfect, they filmed it with 8mm film (kill me now). Enjoy these few pictures and see the rest here. AND watch the wedding video of my dreams!








{All Photos by Ben Blood}