Long But Not Lost

i've had the pleasure of hearing from two long lost college friends this week--all a result of checking an ancient email address that i've been meaning to put to rest. both are traveling buddies of sorts so i have these wonderful memories of new and exotic places paired with mishaps and hilarity, exhaustion and excitement. traveling is magic and i miss it so much. even more, i miss these amazing friends that i never thought i would let slip away. and here we are 5 years later trying to get each other up to speed over email. i've really done a piss poor job of maintaining connections with the people that i care about. note to self: stop being such a shitty friend.

ok! so enough of that, right?

so my obsession with knitting continues. i'm on the hunt for a sweet fingerless glove class so that i can start cranking some of them out for xmas gifts. I am also in the market for a simple and satisfying hat pattern. i've been a little embarrassed about my new found love of yarn and the craftiness of it. sure some of its' attractiveness is obvious; the color and texture, the social aspect of hangin' with other saucy knitters, going to the shops which are so fun and inviting. but there is the other part of knitting that makes me cringe; that it's for the quiet and domesticated, childrearing, conservative, and mild mannered female. i talked to my mom on the phone today and squealed to her about the new knitting book that i bought earlier in the day. she sounded a little freaked and when questioned said that she thought it was "weird". clearly, she thinks i've gone soft. so i got to thinking today about why i like it so much and i realized a couple things.
1. being crafty is rad
2. people who knit are rad
3. there is a rhythm to it that i find very soothing. it evens me out a little and helps me to focus and simplify my thoughts. you know how some of you meditate? yeah, that never worked for me. but this might be my meditation.
4. it's about the process and it's stripped down---each stitch is carefully set in place. it's tedious only if you let it, in which case it's time to take a break. much like making art or music. i haven't always been great at reveling in and appreciating the creative process and i think that knitting helps this part of me just a teeny tiny bit.



in other news, i took another amazing stroll with Adam and Tucker--it's been freakishly warm and the afternoon colors were fantastic.

Blog Slacker

yes, it's been 2 weeks since my last post--been busy wtih the everyday and have been feeling just a wee bit uninspired overall (i know, let's blame it on the rainy weather!) but im back on the horse, i tell ya, so here it goes...

this weekend was just what i needed; stunning fall weather, lot's of time spent with adam and tuck, caught up with friends whom i feel like i haven't seen in ages, went for walks at whatcom falls and lake padden, and took photos--lots of them. the light was warm and the air was crisp with deep blue skies and LOTS of color. granted, i had a ton of stuff to do indoors, but i just couldnt help myself--i know all too well that the winter will be dreary so im doing my best to enjoy the out of doors while i can.

there was a gorgeous sunset on friday night--we were in the yard and adam and tucker were kind enough to model for me. tucker found the sunset to be quite delicious.





on one of my afternoon walks with tuck i found myself drawn to the deep colors and shadows of the changing trees and brush crowding the residential sidewalks.





and then of course the fantastic textures and striking lines that i often see when we take the quieter gravel alley ways. i love the mismatched sheds and forgotten objects in the back alleys of bellingham.





lately ive been thinking a little about preservation and the suspension of time--our tendency as a species to try to control the world around us, stop time, dwell on the past. photography is of course the suspension of a moment in time. these moments are captured and become objects that are collected and filed away.

in conjunction with these thoughts, i made little objects out of resin which i mixed and left to harden overnight in tupperware containers. with these first two, i wanted to concentrate on color and texture with very little mind to composition so that i could test the viscosity of the resin, drying time, etc. though these were meant as tests, i really enjoyed photographing them and am considering building larger, more involved pieces. adam was quick to point out that they make terrific objects and would look great framed or in shadow boxes. the blue one was quite a bit less successful and i obviously went nuts with the cicada encased in resin. there's a suggested narrative--a quality that i wasnt anticipating. any thoughts on these shots would be appreciated. im really excited to make more. im going to hunt for more appropriate molds for the resin later this week.













im also quite found of this--a random shot that i took in our backyard (painting supplies that have gone overlooked). i love the milky water with strange things lurking undeneath. so eerie and strangely beautiful. i reccommend clicking on this image to get a closer look.



that's all for tonight. sleep well.