Super T

My New Hood :: Rogers Park

2008-11-22T10:52:00.000-08:00

i just want to say that i LOVE my neighborhood in chicago. the people are fantastic, we love the park and the beach, our neighborhood markets and restaurants. here's a quick little clip that i wanted to share ::

About Rogers Park

also wanted to mention that i was the featured artist for this month on the Rogers Park website and mister T was the featured pet! how fun is that? here's a link to the homepage. you can see a link to my work in the upper right and the featured pet in the lower right....

Rogers Park.com

this is all i have for now. more pics to post soon(ish).

A Smashing Good Time

2008-10-07T16:43:00.000-07:00

who doesn't love a kicking the crap out of a big furry piniata? i mean WHO? boy oh boy, i lllooovvee piniatas. especially when it's in the form of a bright yellow chicken!!

so my good friends sara and isaiah (who used to live in bellingham and are now living in california) stopped in for a quick visit this sunday. it also happens to be isaiah's birthday later this month (dirty thirty!) so sara, the sly little girl that she is, got in touch with some of their friends in the area and had them meet at our place for a surprise bday party. this was great fun---i really dug their friends and thoroughly enjoyed shoving them in our extra room for the initial surprise. we all went out to lunch and then we relocated to the park for the final birthday surprise....CHICKEN PINIATA!

Adam: a swing and a miss

Sara with her ninja skills

Isaiah takes the prize

the final blow!

Adam, transporting the chicken the day before

how sweet...

the whole birthday crew

how amazing is this shirt?! what a score...

The Beach is Soooo EMO!

2008-10-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

what a beautiful fall day---just perfect. it's starting to cool down. i wore a scarf for the first time yesterday and today im wearing my slippers as i type. im already thinking about a chicken pot pie (Lonnie's famous recipe!) that i plan to make for dinner. it's windy today (image that, wind in chicago) and the clouds are moody and hang low in the sky, the water rough and uninviting. the leaves are falling and the park is beautiful...

look at that face!

so, as usual i need to travel back in time and share with you some photos that adam and i took early last week. we went up to evanston for dinner--this was our way of enjoying adam's last free evening. he's now at school a good 12 hours a day sadly...but i guess that's the life of a successful chemistry grad! we had dinner, hopped on our bikes and began to head home---and then the most fantastic fog rolled in. it was awesome! holy moly, i tell yeah, you just can't take bad photos with foggy conditions! adam and i (well mostly adam) were running around excitedly snapping everything in our path. here's a couple of shots from that evening....

are we in the jungle or in chicago?

day time or night time?

fog has the most amazing way of making scenes look otherworldly. the next time we have a fog roll in like this i am dropping everything, grabbing my canon and shooting until i run out of cards, batteries or fog, whichever comes first...

this past weekend adam's folks came in for a visit---it was his mom's birthday and they decided to celebrate with us! so on saturday we went to the Lifeline theater to see A Picture of Dorian Gray. unfortunately, this was not very good and the theater was FREEZING! the set was cool though (no pun intended) and i dig the story. anyway, we got dinner afterwards at one of my favorite restaurants EVER---Lula Cafe. they have the most amazing food--you can get anything from a PB&J (not JUST Pb&j, but the best one you will ever have!) to lamb meatballs or crispy pork belly. there are consistently affordable choices or higher end fare---there is something there for everyone. i used to live a block away from this place when i was in logan square (*sigh*) so i can vouch for breakfast, lunch and dinner. oh and the service? impeccable!

on sunday, we cruised down to the lincoln park zoo---have i mentioned that my neighbors are freakin' zoo keepers?! how great is that? angie works with hooved stock (camels, zebras, alpacas, takins) and jon works in the cat house (lions and tigers!!). so angie invited us to come and visit her in the barn where she interacts everyday with these amazing animals. angie was patient and enthusiastic and was glad to answer all of our questions---and she has the most amazing rapport with these animals. it was so fun to witness their interactions AND we got to feed and pet some of them!!! a perfect end to a fantastic weekend...

camel!!

look at those sweet feet!

cuteness times a million

wow

this is a takin (our favorite)--his name is Kubla and he is a goat-antelope from the eastern himalayas. i wanted to give him a big hug pretty damn bad.

A Picnic in the Park with Andrew Bird

2008-09-07T19:29:00.000-07:00

on wednesday we had the privilege of seeing andrew bird-one of my favorite musicians and chicago native-play the jay pritzker pavilion in millennium park (downtown chicago). this is an open air theater and every year they put on a series of free shows every night for 5 days-and this show was one of them! the theater is so completely rad with stadium seating in front and a huge lawn that i would guess is the size of a football field (but again, what do i know?-i hate football and can't remember the last time i was near a field of the football variety). so i packed a picnic for adam and i we parked it on the lawn right in front. the show was marvelous, the sound was fantastic and the weather couldn't have been more perfect (overcast, slight breeze, no bugs!). if you are unfamiliar with andrew bird, he's definitely worth checking out. he plays the violin and guitar and manages to create these amazing loops and layers and narratives. oh and he's a truly gifted whistler to boot. there was video to accompany a lot of the music with huge screens, so it was easy to see him and the rest of the band. awesome!

post-picnic snack nap.

*sigh*...this was so great

the theater and skyline

this weekend has been pretty low key--i got to hang out with my brother and new sister-in-law, danielle. so fun to see these guys :) they both live in the burbs and are extremely busy (ryan is a massage therapist and danielle is an ER nurse) so i was glad to have them all to myself for a night and part of a day. danielle and i did a little shopping---and what did i get you ask? why, a sweet sweet grocery basket on wheels for $5...total SCORE! oh yes, now im ready to get my grocery shop on in the city.

danielle and tucker. xoxo

coming up for air :: the big move is finally complete

2008-08-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

here i am--deciding to write again after a 3 month hiatus. hey there!!! i am now relocated [back] to Chicago--one of my favorite cities in the world--and am close to being settled after 3 hard (but mostly fun) weeks of moving boxes (we live on the 3rd floor, that part was quite a bit less fun), assembling furniture and wracking my brain for creative ways to store stuff in our tiny apartment.

i couldn't write before. everything was much too overwhelming in terms of time and emotion. to bring you all up to speed (in a very vague and glossed-over way) the following are the things that have taken place this summer ::

- we put our house on the market. for those of you who have yet to embark on the adventure of home ownership let me tell you this--selling a house SUCKS. especially in this market. you clean and clean, do yard work, clean some more, rearrange, clean, scramble before showings, etc. not to mention having a buyer only to have them back out at the very last minute--that's always fun! it's enough to turn you into a crazy, neurotic, counter wiping, floor sweeping, babbling nutball.

our sweet house on humboldt st

- we had a KICK ASS bday/going away party in june (which was the topic of my last post---man, that was forever ago) which lured a couple of dear friends to spend the weekend with us; Sara and Isaiah who were making their move from madison, wi to arcata, ca (who left early and hauled major ass to see us--this was the greatest birthday gift of all. it made me positively giddy to have them there), sweet sweet Dylan and Bobby from Portland who i just adore and miss terribly, and our great friends Sarah and Nate who made the trip up from Seattle for the evening. the day started pretty terrible weather-wise but cleared up and was beautiful 30 min before the party started---awesome! we had music, compliments of my friend Shawn who toted it all by bike and kept the party going strong! we also had a keg and double grill action. i couldn't have asked for a better night. AND the keg was kicked by the end of the eveing---yeah!

i turned the big 3-0. very scary

sara and isaiah stopped in on their way to CA- i miss you guys!

adam was a BBQing madman--he's always such a great host!

kristie and tim by the bonfire

stephanie and i, very excited for some reason...

- the next day was our 2nd annual Cascadia Cup, a bellingham bike event fueled by Sparks, beer and silliness. the day consisted of several bike rides which led to different events in each location. there was bike tag, clown bike race (my favorite--the group with the most people piled on a single bike is the winner), a skiddy competition, musical bikes, and several more that i can't recall at the moment. and of course there is a party at the end where more drinking, circus tricks and bike polo ensued. FUN!

jonnie and stephanie, the weirdest dress-up couple i know

adam and victor battle it out during the treacherous bike relay

jonnie and i getting our snuggle on

isaiah and jonnie looking a little drunk and sweaty and happy

- we took a bike ride to LaConner with our good friends Jonnie and Stephanie. i love this ride! i did this for the first time last year with miss sara b., the love of my life. you start by riding the winding road of chuckanut drive which can be a bit treacherous but provides beautiful views of the water and the islands. then you cruise into the flats of skagit valley with its endless blue skies, winding sloughs and fields that seem to go on forever. this is about a 40 mile ride so this is a great excuse to stay at a bed and breakfast (with a hot tub and warm cookies and milk before bed!) before turning around and heading back the next day.

jonnie and adam play chess in Edison before hitting the road again

riding the padilla bay trail on our way to LaConner

yay!

uh...yeah.

- adam and i got to shoot a shotgun with our friend Will. this was a first for me. now don't get me wrong, im not a huge fan of guns, but i think that there is a lot to be said for learning proper gun etiquette and knowing how to handle one. will was a great teacher and took us out to a rock quarry off of the mt baker highway to shoot some clay pigeons. so fun! of course i didn't hit a single one, but i had a great time. i think adam and i also found the perfect shot for our next xmas card...

so trashy

here's will, getting ready to toss a clay pigeon...or is he directing traffic?

ridiculous

- at the end of our last weekend in town, our very sweet next-door neighbor, Alex (who is a chef, does a great deal of catering and is ALWAYS feeding us delicious food) offered to host a paella party in his backyard. for those of you who are unfamiliar with paella, it is a traditional spanish dish that is cooked in a large shallow pan, the main ingredients being rice, seafood, saffron, broth and veggies...it is DELICIOUS and one of my most favorite things to eat in the world! this was a great evening, very low key and we were able to say a couple more good byes before doing the final pack-up and haul-off which would consume our last 2 days in the ham.

alex, working his magic

extreme close-up of the deliciousness

Willie gettin' his sniff on

alex and tucker caught sneaking in some snuggle time

cuteness

so the house hasn't sold yet which has turned out to be A-okay--we have some friends renting right now that we completely trust---this is a huge relief! it's nice not to worry about selling the house for a while. it was beginning to turn me into a total kook as mentioned before and it's such a sweet thought knowing that we still have our cute yellow house in the 'Ham.

so i used to live in chicago about 5 years ago. i was living in logan square with my good friend Guy for about 6 months, met Adam and quickly moved to the PNW to be with him. this was one of the best decisions i ever made for so many reasons :: i found my partner and best friend, learned what it means to be in a fun, committed and respectful relationship. i discovered snowboarding (mt. baker, i love u!) & cycling, met some of the most amazing people and got to live in a place on the brink of perfection (well for adam and i anyway :) in fact, i now know where i want to be for the long term- the west coast (Portland, OR, you're next on the list!)

but for now we have ventured back to chicago and it's pretty damn great! adam will be attending northwestern in an attempt to earn his Phd in chemistry (smarty-pants, i know) and i will hopefully score some great clients which will allow me to work for myself full time OR i will find a job with a firm or an agency for a while--im excited to learn more and work with other creative people that i admire. we are also close to our families which is a HUGE bonus. i have missed my fam terribly over the last couple years and am psyched to reconnect with them again. and then adams folks and 2 brothers are also the best and have become my second family--very excited to spend more time with them as well.

so we signed on our apt from bellingham based on video that my parents took of the place (how cute is that?) and the fact that it's close to Northwestern and is located right on the beach(!). its strange to see your apt for the first time when you're moving all of your stuff... it reminded me of moving into the dorms my first year of college. SO, we are in rogers park which is as north as your can get for chicago--i was a little worried about this at first and was unsure of the neighborhood; rogers park used to be a lot rougher 5 years ago and has a residual bad rep as a result. but i love it. i really do. everyone here has been so warm and welcoming. i dig the diversity and the energy, we have great coffee shops and a couple bars that are quite fab (one of them makes me feel like im in bellingham every time we go in), and---did i mention we're on the BEACH?! its amazing! a sandy beach and beautiful blue water is our new back yard. i never thought i would be living on the beach in chicago! we seriously get zero street noise and all we can hear is the sound of waves, seagulls and kids laughing (or screaming at the top of their lungs, depending on the time of day). not too bad...

our new back yard.

even Tucker likes the beach

the boys on our new deck

clocking in some beach time.

the sky was really awesome that day

so for our second weekend in rogers park we were lucky to get a chance to experience the Glenwood Arts Festival which takes place just a couple blocks west of us right next to the red line Morse stop. it lasts for an entire weekend and consists of open studios, artists/merchant booths, tons of food and live entertainment. several streets are blocked off for the big party and it seemed like the entire neighborhood was there. here are a couple photo highlights ::

this was my favorite attraction at the festival---the puppet bike!

so tuesdays are still free for several of the museums downtown---yay! so adam and i took a day and hit up the MCA (museum of contemporary art) to sneak a peek at the Jeff Koons exhibit. the work is stunning and positively seamless (particularly the giant, shiny balloons made out of stainless steel-such eye candy!) and it left us wondering how someone could be so brilliant, so amazing at such varied mediums...and where does he get the money and the resources to do all of this?! well we soon learned that he is the highest paid artist in the world, has a staff of about 90 people and has foundries in Germany. sadly his work seemed quite a bit less brilliant when these details came to light. you should still check out his shiny balloons though---pretty sweet. it was really hard not to touch them...

this lovely bunny is actually made out of stainless steel

when adam was trying to decide which school to go to this fall, U of Chicago was very high on his list. so on thursday he suggested that we ride our bikes along the lake (on the north shore trail) all the way to Hyde Park to check out the campus (U of C is gorgeous---it makes me feel like im on the set of a Harry Potter movie). this was a big trip--about 40 miles--and we had some saddle-sore booties to prove it. heres a map for a quick visual of the neighborhoods here in chicago. anywho, it was great to ride and its cool to have a path that runs almost the entire length of the Lake Michigan shoreline HOWEVER, as you get closer to the Loop it is utter INSANITY. there are joggers and dog walkers and cyclists on the path, most of which pay ZERO attention to the rest of the folks around them. people are swerving and cutting each other off or zipping by so fast and so close that you are practically brushing shoulders. it was pretty freakin' awful in some spots and, being as spoiled as i was in washington, i was completely appalled at the number of assholes populating this pathway. in fact, i have a little road rash on my elbow and ankle to vouch for some of the shitty cyclist etiquette that i was so lucky to experience. though a nice ride in theory, im not sure if ill be making this one again any time soon. at least not 40 miles of it.

i highlighted rogers park and hyde park on this map...its kinda hard to see

the chicago skyline and the north shore trail

this weekend one of my dear old friends, Mr. Guy Clark (director of the very popular pod cast, The Midwest Teen Sex Show and old Chicago roomie) came out to visit. it was a day of gluttony- eating delicious indian food, napping, laying on the beach (while Guy took a longer nap in my air conditioned apartment) and then drinking a little later. Guy took us to our old hood, beautiful Logan Square and we paid our favorite neighborhood bar, the Whirlaway Lounge, a visit. this tavern is a true gem---ive never been made to feel more at home then when i am at this bar. its owned and operated by lovely Maria who also lives in the rest of the building with her family. when Guy and i first moved to town several years ago Maria welcomed us with open arms, knew our names and drink orders by our second visit and was dishing out hugs by our 4th and 5th. when we celebrate guy's birthday just 2 short months after moving to the neighborhood, Maria already had a cake there waiting for him. we stopped in shortly before christmas that year and walked out with full bellies (maria always has an early xmas party) and a gift each. when i strolled in this time, several years later, i wasn't sure that she would remember me. when i approached the bar Maria smiled and ran right over to give me a big ol' hug and kisses and a drink on the house. i love this lady. she was like a second mom with the added bonus of knowing just how to make my drink.

how precious

adam, me and mr. clark

we love maria!

as for our labor day weekend, the weather has been fab and the beach/park has been packed--people seriously get here at like 7:30 am to claim their spot and even fire up the grill! and they don't just show up with a couple weiners and a grill, oh no. there are here with tables and stereos and balloons and pinatas and every single BBQ fixin' you can think of. and they are here from morning till night. the folks here really know how to rock a summer holiday--its impressive! so today i think we'll clock in a little beach time. as for sunday...

TOMATOES! yes, our entire day consisted of the picking of beautiful, fragrant, organic tomatoes. of course getting there and back was no small task. and by "there" i mean Sandhill Organics in Grayslake, IL which is a suburb straight west of Chicago. Adam's parents have a CSA there and invited us to attend the annual tomato picking event since they would be out of town. since we no longer have a car (yay!) we had to bike 6 miles to the Metra line, take a 45 min train ride and then walk a couple miles to the farm. needless to say i was a little bit skeptical of the trip; seemed like an awful lot just to pick a couple of tomatoes. but adam was excited so we went. and lemme tell you, if you ever have the chance to go tomato picking do it--it was so fun! there were rows and rows and rows of not only regular on the vine tomatoes but TONS of interesting heirloom tomatoes. there were yellow ones and orange one and purple ones and little fuzzy ones. and they had great names like "green zebras" and "Ak 47s". we left with 20lbs of fabulous tomatoes, caught a ride to the train station (thank god!) and made it home with most of the tomatoes in good condition. we have plans to make tons of homemade sauce for the winter, salsa, gazpacho, and caprese salads. know of any good tomatoes recipes? let me know if you do!!!

yum!

YIKES.. i think it's time to bring this monster post to a close. i hope to have less than 3 months in between this post and the next :)...

Bday/Going-Away Party

2008-05-22T11:42:00.000-07:00

Things have been crazy for me, hence the lack of posts. in fact, i haven't written about our impending move from bellingham to chicago because it's just too emotional for me right now. *sigh* HOWEVER, i know there are lots of great things to come and i am looking forward to our city adventure, reconnecting with family, etc.

For those of you who don't know, Adam has been accepted to Northwestern for Chemistry---he's going to get his PHD! as for me, i will be deciding whether to keep up the biz full time or work for a design firm for a bit. lots to consider...

anywho! we are throwing a party on the 6th of June (Friday) here in the 'Ham. All are welcome. It should be quite fab.

Hope to see you all there!

T-Shirt design for MTSS

2008-03-29T22:05:00.000-07:00

so one of my best friends, mister Guy Clark, has managed to make quite a name for himself in the world that is video podcasting. Guy is the writer, director, and editing-slave for his podcast baby, The Midwest Teen Sex Show. Words cannot describe just how funny and kick ass this show is...

click HERE to check it out. You won't regret it.

I also designed a t-shirt for the show. You'll have to watch the "Backdoor Business" episode to get the reference :)

click HERE to view the official MTSS post.

BUY ONE! It's for a great cause :)

The boys rock some serious ups

2008-03-29T21:19:00.000-07:00

so i decided to play with the stroboscopic setting on my flash---Adam and Tuck were more than happy to be part of the experiment...

Tucker x 2

Yay!

I just wanna say...

2008-03-29T20:29:00.000-07:00

that i freakin' LOVE MOUNT BAKER! it's been such a great season...unbelievable amounts of snow and beautiful, cold, fluffy days. we went up on monday...17 inches of fresh snow and sun---gorgeous! i feel like i fall more in love with the mountain every time i go. it's pretty amazing that it can be rainy and miserable here in Bellingham, you hop in the car and drive for an hour, and then you are surrounded by fabulous snow and fun all day long.

thanks to adam and his sweet diligence (and patience!) i can now--after 3 years of hurting myself and being a spazz on the slopes--consider myself a competent snowboarder. and ,thanks to miss stephanie, i've had a snowboarding partner-in-crime almost this entire season. i'm really going to miss snowboarding...

i mean, how cool is this?

i heart chair 8

yeah Steph!

gotta love the lifties...

This Made My Day!

2008-02-27T14:53:00.000-08:00

Check this out:: this was posted by a friend of mine that I met when she was vacationing here in the PNW--she was having a light lunch and I was her lucky server. We hit it off immediately (the initial common thread being that she lives in IL :) ). Anyway, we've kept in touch via email ever since (I hope have a chance to CHAT with her very soon!) and I recently sent her a couple of my photos. Anyway, here's the link:

CLICK ME

It was great to have someone excited about my work----even though it's stuff that I did ages ago. I've felt so distanced from my photographic work as of late but Karen's post and the fact that I'm leaving for NYC tomorrow morning (YAY!!!) has inspired me to ditch the laptop and bring my Rebel instead. I'm really looking forward to wandering the city and getting some sweet shots!

Hopefully I'll be posting some of them soon.

t

A Real Pain in the Ass

2008-01-29T21:02:00.000-08:00

This weekend was an eventful one; visits from friends, dance parties in the kitchen, dog walks in the snow, birthday celebrations and the like. good stuff. And then I got the call on Saturday afternoon--Adam was hurt while snowboarding and needed to go to the ER. He had sliced his ass open on a rock while we had been snowboarding out of bounds with friends. Yes you read this right, his ASS.

Here's Adam's full account of the ass rippin' event:
"I was at the top of the Shuksan arm, a ridge full of popular snowboarding runs just a short hike from the Mt. Baker ski area, with my snowboard mates Misch, Chris and Jonnie. We were all planning to begin our runs from a feature we've been calling the "nipple". I went to the left of the nipple and everyone else decided to go off to the right, separating us from voice and eye contact. The snow was new, deep and dry, so I thought I would try to jump off a finger shaped drop where someone else had gone earlier that day. I peeked around the side of the drop to make sure the snow was good, and it was. After falling a few fun feet I hit the snow and it was harder then I was expecting and I was too hard on my heel edge. My board slipped out from under me and I bounced down the steep terrain and took a butt check. Unluckily, there was a sharp rock lurking under the snow and I landed right on top of it, knocking the thin layer of snow off. My friends didn't see my fall or hear my surprised yelp when I hit, so I took a brief minute to do a systems check and rode to the right around the base of the nipple to meet them. When I saw Jonnie I told him I needed a minute to gather my self and that I felt a little nauseous and dizzy. As an after thought I stuck my hands down my pants to see if I was bleeding, and to my surprise I was and I could feel that I had a cut on my butt. My pants also felt fairly wet and I was worried that it was more blood then snowmelt. From there I went down the mountain in a bit of a hurry and met a ski patroller near the return to the ski area. He kindly looked in my pants, seemed duly impressed and escorted me to the aid room. The rest of the story was fairly well documented by camera."

And there you have it. Adam was in good spirits during out trip to the ER--he got 5 stitches. The staff was very friendly and definitely entertained by Adam's injury--I do believe he was the talk of the ER that day.

I am very thankful that his injury was minor.

And without further ado, here are the fabulous photos. If you are sensitive to icky things, you might want to skip them.

Here's Adam being carefully inspected--doesn't he look like he's posing for a senior photo?

Here's the cut, cleaned out and ready to be stitched

Adam and the doc clocking in some quality time

Suture

I'm hoping for this to be the last of our snowboarding injuries this year :)

Blog? What blog?

2008-01-01T17:20:00.000-08:00

Hmmmm...took me a month to get back on the horse---better late than never, right? I'm gonna go ahead and blame the holidays for my blog slack. Happy New Year by the way! Don't know about you, but I plan to kick some serious '08 ass.

And for my New Years resolution I hope to go freelance full time...oh wait, I just did! Yes, that's right. As of December 31st, 2007 I am officially working for the best boss I've ever had---ME! I'm excited to take the plunge though I have a tremendous amount of work ahead of me. I hope very much to find wonderful clients and interesting work, to take on a variety of projects and continue to learn and grow and build strong relationships, professional and otherwise. Wish me luck and I'll keep you all posted!

As for my holiday...HOLY MEXICO!! Yes...I was in Mexico for a week with Adam and his fam and had the most wonderfully perfect non-christmasy holiday ever! I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to go AND spend time with some of the best people around. Our days were filled with waking and sleeping to the sound of the ocean, treasure hunting for sea goodies, snorkeling, sea kayaking, touring the ruins, peeping lizards, eating delicious tacos and drinking limonatas. Here are some photo highlights:

A view from our back porch. Pure heaven

Some of our beach treasures. Lonnie (Adam's mom) was the beach glass queen.

A sassy skelly from the front of our favorite shop in Akumal

This is a pier in Puerto Morales where we hopped on a boat and went snorkeling. The reef is protected there and we could only snorkel if accompanied by a certified snorkel guide. Very cool. Adam saw a freakin' sea turtle! I was so jealous...

Lizard. Soooo many beautiful lizards!

This is pic of the boys, Max, Stephen, and Adam. I got to go with these guys for a night of drinking in Playa Del Carmen (I was the designated driver, which was still actually really fun). This photo was taken at their favorite bar---the swing bar! We did an awful lot of hovering to score those swings but it was worth it! Aren't these guys adorable? I wish we got to see them more...

And I got to do some knitting on the beach---how fun is that? Answer: Super fun!

Now, speaking of knitting, I cranked out a couple hats for some very special people. i don't know what it is, but making something for someone, and thinking about them while you make it and how much they might like the material and the color/s, etc and then finally seeing it on them and having them actually like, maybe even love the item?! Well. That's just about the best feeling a girl could ask for. Seriously.

So here's Andrew and Lonnie in their new (baby alpaca!) hats. Geez...could they be any more adorable?

And for the wrap up, here's my brother Ryan in his new hat...i think he looks awesome in it even though he's making the crazy face.

And there's more where that came from---slowly but surely im determined to knit all of my peeps something special. Just yesterday I received a VERY sweet gift in the mail from my cousin, Casey---a kick ass stitch and bitch book with lots of great patterns that i am just DYING to try! Casey, I think you just got yourself bumped to the top of the list :)

My T-shirt is in the Running!!

2007-12-01T09:34:00.000-08:00

So in case any of you were wondering, my weird pink octopus shirt that i designed is in the running on Threadless.com. I would love it if you would take a little time, log on and cast a vote my way----if i get enough (high) votes (especially if you click the button at the top that says "I'd buy it!") then the shirt gets printed and goes up for sale!

Here's a quick link for you to do just that---> Vote for Tara's Octopink Shirt!

Thanks everyone for taking the time to support my somewhat feeble attempts at illustration :)

This is How I Feel Today

2007-11-28T08:01:00.000-08:00

So tired of being sick.

Turkey Day 2007

2007-11-25T19:49:00.000-08:00

This year we hosted Thanksgiving at the Humboldt house---a grand total of 13 people. It couldnt have been a more perfect day--crisp and cloudless with the temp in the late 40s all afternoon. Before dinner we met our friends out at the park for a game of ulitmate frisbee, and little soccer, basketball and even hoolahooping. A great way to kick off an evening of gluttony.

We all met back at our house a couple hours later for dinner---everyone chipped in and brought an extra table, chairs, dishes and utensils in addition to the dish or 2 that each person was assigned. The food was stellar---we werent missing a single delicious t-day staple! for dessert we had 2 pumpkin pies, 2 apple pies, a pecan pie, and 2 kinds of cookies with fresh whipping cream (everyone took turns whisking) and tons of ice cream! Of course there was a boat load of wine to be had and lots of lounging afterward. Oh, and the turkey? Couldn't have been better!

Even Tucker had a good time.

More Projects Completed

2007-11-25T19:26:00.000-08:00

In addition to my first Threadless t-shirt submission, I've also managed to complete my first hat---let's hear it for hats!! Yes, it's misshapen and, yes, it's very big. But with the perfect (and hopefully very large) dome and a full head of hair it could be a great match. i have just the boy in mind--->Mr. Dylan, i hope you're ready to rock this hat! (This boy has the ability to make just about anything look super cute)

Here Adam is kindly modeling my newest creation. And check out that hoodie-->Adam embroidered that--i love it!!

I learned a very important lesson from this project---never stray from the pattern the first time around!

Here's some pics of Adam getting his embroidery on. When boys are crafty the hotness is intensified. It's a fact.

Tucker was also there for a little snuggle support.

Octopink T-Shirt

2007-11-25T16:42:00.000-08:00

I'm a t-shirt junkie---most of you should know this about me by now. my favorite place ever to get t-shirts can be found here:
www.threadless.com

so i took the holiday weekend to submit a t-shirt design to Threadless in hopes of getting it accepted and possibly printed---how cool would that be?! anyway, this is what the shirt looks like and ill know in a couple days if it's been accepted.

ill be sure to let you all know if it's made it to the voting stage, in which case i would love it if you all could cast your vote (pretty please!)

click here to view on threadless.com!

How Much Stuff Do We Really Need?!

2007-11-16T09:28:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else feel like this?

I've noticed--and have been thoroughly irritated by--the fact that the business of christmas was already in full force by the very first of day of November--is this now the norm? I mean, why not start in June? i havent even started to think about stuffing my face with turkey and I'm already being assaulted by the xmas goblins...

SO. I dont know about you, but I'm pumped for Buy Nothing Day 2007. Here's a link:
http://adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/

more to come.

Big Daddy Death

2007-11-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

i was in full costume this halloween by about 6:30 in the am; i decided to dress up for work on account of there being a contest and prizes to be had--yeah prizes! it's weird to be pushing 30 and dressed as "big daddy death", sitting at your cubicle sipping coffee through a straw to avoid distrupting your mask or your makeup---i wanted to run out of the office and harrass the neighbors, do a little early morning trick or treating...i freakin' love halloween. i think i need to take the day off and do it right next year...

went out for a little spooky sushi with a couple friends of mine. S was a devil business guy (or something to that effect) and J was a zombie Dimebag Darrell. if this reference eludes you, google Pantera--the metal band of yester year.

i was SO excited to have kids come to my door this year---i love the costumes and the excitement and was giddy with anticipation. i was sorely dispapointed of course---it turns out that the kids get dolled up and are then taken by the truck loads to the mall, dowtown, and other business occupied sectors in Bellingham. how boring is that? are we so freaked out at the thought of approaching the homes of strangers that we "go shopping" for the candy with the kids at 4:30 and then wipe their faces clean just in time for an early halloween dinner at 6:00? i remember cruising the neighborhood with my friends, excitedly exploring the streets for lit front porches and eerily decorated homes. "which house looks like it would have the best candy?" you wonder. i remember passing hoards of other halloween goers in the streets, making sure as not to miss a single home and making second and third trips to the really good ones. and then, later in the night, let the candy trading begin! Halloween just isn't the same anymore and it makes me very sad...

So i decided to hit the bar and see if there were any costumes to be had in the adult category. i met up with my spooky sushi friends from earlier in the day. a very fun evening...

and now for the best costume of the evening. drum roll please..............

AMAZING.

Long But Not Lost

2007-10-24T21:07:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-14T20:35:00.000-07:00

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.

A Sunday Snooze

2007-09-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

Wow. It's rainy and cold here in the 'ham. Is it winter already? I just checked the 10 day weather forecast; rain across the board--till Tues October 9th at the very least....really? Though I've enjoyed the last couple days---hot tea, lots of cooking, snuggling with the dog, movies, books--i just don't know if im ready to hibernate yet. i suppose it's a good reason to work and catch up on things, do all of the indoor stuff that i felt too guilty doing when it was nice outside...

This weekend was a cozy one:

Tucker and i have been wearing our sweaters and dragging blankets around--from the couch, to the futon, to the recliner, back to the couch. I've been enjoying the sound of the rain and the quiet in the house, the faintness of the radio--jazz and npr--wafting in and out; a nice compliment to the band that i could hear practicing across the alley. days like this are sleepy and slow...

i spent most of my day lounging and cooking and thinking. just recently ive started a knittiing class with a good friend of mine (i realy love it so far) so the last couple days have begun with a cup of coffee and my gnarled little mess of practice stitches--the rhythm of the needles is addictive--im determined to perfect some of the simpler stitches...

for dinner i made a vegetable barley soup (which was surprisingly tastey) and some corn bread. good stuff. soup and bread is about all i want to make when the weather is like this.

Geez...im falling asleep just reading my own blog post--what a snoozer! i hope to have something thoughtful and/or interesting to share later in the week. hope you're all keeping warm and are finding a way to enjoy this messy weather.

Pedal-Powered Hogs; Oyster Run 2007

2007-09-26T22:02:00.000-07:00

So it's been a week of work related frustration, sickness and chilly weather. wow, that's a 3 for 3 on the downer scale! HOWEVER, i did get to go for a really great ride with my friend, J-Doggers this past Sunday...

J and I decided to cruise to a sweet little town about 20 miles south of here. we took chuckanut drive along the water and then into the skagit valley flats to Edison, a tiny town with a population of about 150. Little did we know, this particular Sunday was also the day of the annual Oyster Run--a huge motorcycle rally that attracks somewhere in the ball park of 30,000 riders to Anacortes, a town south of Edison. thats a lot of motorcycles and a whole freakin lot of leather. So, of course when we got to Edison it was packed with bikers. we were so wonderfully out of place---it was great! i'd love to organize a group of cyclists to pedal down there again next year--maybe take the next day off, get a room and party with the bikers! Here are some pics from the trip:

This is J-dawg borrowing a biker's snazzy leather vest for a photo op. Look at how excited J is! and look at how not excited the biker guy is...

Now posing with the Hogs--pedal-powered and otherwise

A fresh vegetable and flower stand just outside of Edison. It's so pretty out there. The weather was perfect.

Back in Bellingham--best graffiti ever!

Hey Designers >> A Blog Worth Mentioning

2007-09-24T20:56:00.000-07:00

So one of the most resourceful Graphic Design blogs that I've had the pleasure of stumbling upon (and have already highlighted in my links of things to check out) is authored by David Airey, a designer based out of Edinburgh, Scotland. This particular blog is chock full of interesting topics and tips which prompts interesting discussions amidst other designers and visual arists. i haven't had a chance to check everything out on the site---the amount of information seems endless--but i've really enjoyed and appreciated most of the things that i've read so far. don't know how the guy finds the time quite honestly, but i'm impressed.

Anyway, it just so happens that he also has a pretty fantastic $4,000 prize draw going on right now. here's a link if you're interested--> http://www.davidairey.com/graphic-designer-prize-giveaway/

enjoy!

A Day of Random Things

2007-09-22T23:15:00.000-07:00

Felt a little scattered today---its been a very quiet house; Adam and the roomie have escaped to Canada for various bike related activities. So Tuck (my fiery little schnauzer) and I have been flying it solo. Just a couple things I'd like to share.

Stumbled upon a yard sale today and i found these gems:

i fell in love with the metal skeletons--aren't they great? Both menacing and adorable. Just in time for halloween, though i plan to keep it as a permanent fixture in my front room. The ornaments are antique and are heavy little buggers. There is an outer cracked shell and an inner mirrored surface. They are so wonderful and ive been racking my brain all day for the best place to put them.

SO. lately ive been thinking about the suspension of time...moments captured and filed away, manpulated and deconstructed. The idealization of images and memories; our own concepts of personal history and experience. of course these notions carry over to my thoughts regarding photography and our increasingly aggressive media, I read a book by Susan Sontag a long time ago called "On Photography" and I would like to wrap up this rambling thought with a quote from someone who really knows what they're talking about:

"To collect photographs is to collect the world. Movies and television programs light up walls, flicker, and go out; but with still photographs the image is also an object, lightweight, cheap to produce, easy to carry about, accumulate, store...To photograph is to appropriate the thing photographed. It means putting oneself into a certain relation to the world that feels like knowledge -- and, therefore, like power." ~Susan Sontag, On Photography

While i was thinking about this stuff today, i couldnt stop looking at this cicada suspended in a soap bar. This was a gift that adam and i received from his mom. she always sends us the coolest stuff.

oh yeah, and i also got a new sweater for my dog---he's been a little chilly as a result of his most recent haircut. he's rockin some serious granny style in this pic.

Poor dog.

A Bike Ride, Rotten Crab & a Friend

2007-09-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

The weather often seems to change overnight in Bellingham and sure enough, the switch has been flipped to fall. Yesterday was gorgeous; a mostly clear, cloudless sky, a slight breeze and changing colors. a perfect day for a bike ride. after work i raced home, grabbed the ol' saddlebags and hit the road. i love my bike. her name is Vera and she's a beautiful Bianchi Volpe.

so i took back roads to Ferndale, a town just north of here. it felt great--i desparately needed to clear my head, neutralize frustrations from work, think positive thoughts. as i rode, i took mental notes of things that i might want to take photos of on the way back (the light would be better then). these things included:

a weird america mural at "Jack's Bomb Shack". i wouldve taken more, but it was a creepy place and a guy that i couldnt see started yelling at me.

an abandoned car. youve seen a million photos like this one before im sure. it's a classic!

beautiful corrugated siding. deteriorating objects are definitely a weakness of mine.

i had also passed what appeared to be a dead kitten on the side of the road. it caught me off guard. i couldnt stop thinking about it and i made a mental note to stop on my way back---what if it wasnt dead, but sick? were there more kitties somewhere close by? if the kitten isnt dead, what the heck am i gonna do with it--stick it in my saddlebag?

so i kept my eyes peeled and sure enough, the poor thing is still there, dead as a doornail. and within 8 feet of the dead kitty, emerging out of a gnarled mess of blackberries what do i see? 2 sweet and very scared kittens, one white and gray with striking silver eyes and the other black with blue eyes.

though a fairly low traffic country road, the cars that do travel in this area tend to gun it. and there isnt a home or farm of any kind for miles. the kittens have obviously been abandoned--they had either lost their mother or had been dumped by careless local assholes. so i stop and the kittens race back into the dense blackberry jungle.

now, im not a cat person. im allergic and find their aloofness to be off putting most of the time, but i was determined to save these terrified little fur balls from the murder box death that probably awaits them. and i dont have kitty calling skills--how the heck do i draw them out of these bushes? so i hang out, talking to the bushes like a moron (the rest of the property is marked off by barbed wire fence), "here kitty kitty ....meow, MEOW!". i wait. i have a seat in a gravel driveway. and i hear little mews. there's a load of disgusting rotten crab meat to my left which leads into the blackberry cover and the kitties appear. they look at me quizzically and they start munching on the crab rot. gross.

so i call a friend who brings a truck (to the rescue!!). i managed to snatch one of the kitties after positioning myself close to the crab and channeling my ninja creeping skills. it was the black one, who freaked out and put up a good kitty fight, but then settled down and eventually took a little snooze in the warmth of my armpit.

i wasnt able to coax the gray one out. my friend called the humane society and a cop and humane animal control person showed up. they were both very nice and most helpful---the black kitty is safe and the humane society will be setting a live trap for the gray one. but im still worried. i want to call and see if the gray one is ok. its hard to keep myself from going back. "HERE, KITTY KITTY!"

So if any on you are looking for a sweet kitty to take in, please call the whatcom humane society @ 360.733.2080. the little black one (and hopefully the gray one) will be available for adoption in 2 wks. when you call, tell them it was kitty found on ferndale rd in between marine dr and slater.

thanks again for all of your help, S.H.!

Thomas Allen; Pulp Fiction Photography

2007-09-18T17:07:00.000-07:00

for those of you who read Harpers magazine from time to time, you've probably noticed that it often has some of the most amazing artwork inside. in fact, we (adam and i) have a tendancy to cut out and pin up random imagery from this mag, a lot of which is just too sweet to leave buried in the pages. a while back, adam showed me a copy of his latest Harpers and pointed out some of the most playful and intriguing studio photography that i've seen. the clippings have remained posted in our kitchen for the past year and its taken me until now to get the artists name and check out his potfolio in full.

his name is Thomas Allen and his work is largely inspired by his childhood and the objects that held his interest; view-masters and pop-up books. who doesnt love view-masters and pop-up books? anyway, here are some examples of his amazing photography:

i just love these. such a great idea...

for more information about Thomas Allen visit
http://www.josephbellows.com/exhibitions/2006_3_thomas_allen/pressrelease/

be sure to click the images link for more great photos

T

I have officially lost my blog virginity

2007-09-17T20:02:00.000-07:00

seriously. can you believe it? first blog posting EVER. i've finally taken the plunge, dear reader, and i have to admit--i do feel a little dirty; this means that i will be spending even more time in front of the computer than i already do. additionally, i haven't been much of a blog fan until recently; i've been inspired by friends, peers and other creative individuals who have created very sweet and casual spaces--many of which remind me to stop and enjoy the small things. so i guess that's what i would like this to be about--little things to share, whether it be visual or otherwise. my weird digital sketchbook sprinkled with random thoughts. possibly an update on current projects--who knows! im just looking forward to letting go a teeny tiny bit...

so a couple of pics among many that im dying to share...

so i was in Seattle recently, biking the neighborhoods with my boyfriend and visiting a couple friends of ours. i made my first visit to Shorties to rock the pinball machines. so fun. im a huge fan of the blinking lights.

i was drawn to this image on account of the texture, lines and color. it was taken close to the train station here in Bellingham as adam and i brought our fabulous bike trip to a close. it was one of those shots i had seen a million times but didt have a camera. the light and shadows were just right. i love that.

so that's all for now. and much like the first time goin' all the way, i feel unsatisfied...yet eager and enthused for the next time.

so welcome to my weird blog and thanks for reading.

T