Who Rescued Who?

...beauty without vanity,
strength without insolence,
courage without ferocity,
and all the virtues of man
without his vices."

-Lord Bryon

Good bye Simon!

Stylish and Practical

These grocery tote bags were made by LaLa and we love them. They have contrasting fabrics on the inside, they are lightweight, attractive, and just the right size. You can see my little model stuffed them with pillows so you can get the full effect. We've had them for over a month now, and we've used them with each shopping trip we've made since. If you want a pair, just ask Pat by leaving a comment on her blog. I think she makes two for twenty.

Shoppe Girl

I know I've mentioned LaLa's shop before. It's a place that holds many, many memories and feelings for me. It used to be my grandfathers shop. Although most of my memories are of my grandmother Frances and LaLa Pat. I have memories of my grandmother typing in the office, giving me exciting rides down the isles on hand trucks, and her testing sound equipment. "Testing 1-2-3..." Sometimes she sang into the mic, using her stage voice, the sounds echoing through that enormous space. Ahh! Gives me chills to recall her voice and her delivery of "You Made Me Love You!"

Even before my grandfather passed the reins to my aunt, I recall her orchestration of the shop and overseeing all aspects of the manufacture of the sound equipment. Over time, I've seen her wear all the hats. From designing and bringing to market new products, cutting wood, drilling metal, hiring and training employees, ordering, customer service, etc., etc., etc. All the while parenting, and eventually caring for my grandparents as the aged and eventually passed away.

So the shop holds a lot of stories for me. The biggest one is about possibilities.

Rainbow Cookies

I saw this recipe on LaLa in La.
It is supposed to be a sugar free, fat free cookie but I couldn't handle it at the last moment and put a little in. I think the dates would have added a lot of sweetness, but I didn't have any. Any changes I put in parenthesis.
They are really good!


Rainbow Cookies

1/2 cup dried apricots, cut up

1/2 cup golden raisins (I used dried Bing cherries)

1/2 cup dates, cut up (I used dried cranberries)

6 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate

1 and 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg, lightly beaten (I used two small Bantam eggs)

1/2 cup canola or safflower oil

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

(At the last minute I added 1/4 cup brown sugar, and about 1/4 cup butter cut into little pieces)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In small nonreactive saucepan combine apricots, raisins, dates, orange juice concentrate. Simmer 10 minutes and let cool. Combine oat, flour, salt, baking soda in large bowl. Add egg and oil and mix well. Stir in cooled fruit and seeds. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Flatten with spatula to 1/4 inch thickness. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on rack and store in airtight container.

New Kid on the Block or Get a Grip

I encourage you to make your way over to LaLa in LA. My one and only dearest LaLa has started her own blog, chronicling life in the city of angles, the wild antics of two new kitties and her distinctive hand-made purses. LaLa (Patrice is her real name, my namesake, and she goes by Pat) has always awed me as a designer. Her craftmanship is top notch and innovative, her knowledge of the dressmaking and jewelry trades gives all of her work texture and polish, and her joy in every challenge/project is evident. The last time I visited I got to pour over some of her more recent bags that she's done as R&D and for commisions, and they are breathtaking! The silk pockets, the closures, and just the way the bags sit on your hip make them real works of art. She's just starting out and her SiteMeter isn't working yet so kindly leave a comment so she knows you've visited!

Dear LaLa

Thank you LaLa for the new panties and for all the things you do for me. Here is a drawing of me showing how fun it is to have presents. I love you .
-Annie

Peeling Back the Layers

Annie and I just returned from a wonderful road trip to LA to hang out with LaLa and the new kittens. I enjoyed the travel part more than I thought I would and I LOVED being with LaLa and Annie! Thank you Pat! We'll be back soon. And we'll stay longer if you can take it.

I did this months Virtual Sketch Date while away. Annie wasn't interested in painting this image. She said she really wants to choose what to paint. I don't blame her. It was a tricky, very contrasty image . If I had had more time, I would have taken time to do a variety of approaches, sketches, mediums and had some more fun.

Oh We'll Bake an Apple Pie When She Comes!

"We'll be peeling some apples when she comes!
When she comes!"

We'll be rolling out some pastry when she comes!
When she comes!

We'll be adding some spices when she comes!
When she comes!

Hmm. There's no good lyrics for when she goes.
That's just a sad song!

(O.K. Annie just made up the verse below...)
We don't want LaLa Pat to leave.
Oh, we don't want LaLa Pat to leave.
Oh we don't want LaLa Pat,
Oh we don't want LaLa Pat,
Oh we don't want LaLa Pat to leave!

Come back soon.We miss you already!

Holiday WIP

Thank you so much for the warm and encouraging comments you've been leaving lately about the things I've been making and sharing here! I love to hand-make things for people in my life, and I feel energized and enthusiastic knowing you enjoy seeing them! All my life, especially growing up, LaLa Pat, my Aunt, has made beautiful clothes, toys, jewelry and functional art for me, showing me that anything can be made if you just set your mind to it. My Mom and Dad also made me gifts and those are the ones I remember and cherish the most. I in turn, have made gifts most of my life, and really, buying a gift almost always pales in comparesant to making one.

I believe I have already stated my 2008 holiday mantra here, but for those who missed it, it is officially my Use-What-You-Have-Christmas. My plan, and I've stuck to it so far, is to use only what I already have to make holiday gifts with this year. I'm doing this for two reasons; One, I really could create for an entire year with what I already have in my studio closet, in the sewing room and treasured materials I've tucked away here and there. And two, we just bought a this house and we're flat broke. And I guess there's a third. I hate plastic and junk and I don't think kids or grown-up's need it. And O.K., four. Billys folks love to buy Annie a ton of stuff for her at Christmas and it leaves me off the hook. O.K. I'll stop now, I promise.

So far I've made Annie a few things, with a a set of 18"x18" pillow shams still in the works. Pictured here you will see 10 Owl Ornaments, 8 Fox Ornaments, 8 Teacup Ornaments (with hot chocolate and whipped cream inspired by Posy Gets Cozy), 10 Watercolor Bookmarks, 6 Neck "Cozies" and two sets of Cloth Napkins featuring embroidered leaves, berries and acorns. Not pictured is the huge tureen of home distilled Vanilla Extract that we won't harvest until mid-December.

Thimble Recommendation

I've always had a thimble (or two or three) in my sewing box. I've just never used one. They never feel right to me and seemed more work than they were worth. Maybe it's that I usually have longish nails, or that I'm just not used to it. Well, LaLa recently sent me a thimble and it is fantastic! I can wear it for long periods and it seems much more ergonomic than the thimble of yesterday. Now I get the whole thimble "thing!" It really does help if you are going through heavy fabrics, multiple layers, or repetitive stitches.
I believe this one was by the Clover company.

Thanks LaLa!

Saying Goodbye

But oh the joy to the one
Who captures the moonbeam
And holds it in her hands
For even one moment in time

-A. Walden

Kitchen Curtain Kimono Coat

I got two curtain panels a while ago at the good ol' Goodwill and I finally made them into something. I saw a shirt/coat thing over at Lilys House and I used it as inspiration for mine. I kept the hem of the curtains as the hem of my coat, and I made my own bias tape to finish off the openings and the kimono-style underarm vents, whatever they are called. I did this all as I watched the special on Ansel Adams last night on PBS, which was very inspiring. Ansel Adams was a driven and interesting child growing up in San Francisco, whose father allowed him to not attend school, and follow his own path of education. He had a ton of energy, even as a child, and throughout his life, created with such focus and drive, until he couldn't work anymore. Then he championed passionately and successfully for environment until he died. Wow! It made me want to do something big! Oh well, my little coat project will have to do for now. I wore it today over my overalls, to the East Bay Vivarium where we are doing research on corn snake breeding with a fellow homeschooler. Annie wore her new mola shirt that I made her from a San Blas Island Mola that LaLa passed down to us after many years of love and wear. Looks like Jasper is interested in the kitty motif too!

good morning lala

Have a great day.
You too Roxanne.

My Girl!

My girl has lost her first front tooth! It feels like such a big deal! I think she looks adorable! She lost the bottom two already but the top one is just so visible. This is just a external sign of so many of the ways she is growing and changing. I'm excited for her and for the coming new year.

We are finally all getting over being sick. Thankfully it was mild for all of us, except for a intense fit of grouchy-ness on my part yesterday morning. I was supposed to fly to LA to celebrate Christmas with LaLa this weekend, and instead I was home sick and then made the mistake of standing in line at the UPS Store to ship a few packages. Nothing went well there. Then Billy wouldn't pick up the phone when I tried to call home, then *POW* I just went crazy. When I got home I was screeching and screaming and blowing my top. I was so frustrated and angry at all the plan changes and with holiday pressure and I just wanted to let everyone know. Annie at one point ran in and said "Pop, just do whatever she wants!"
They dressed and promptly ran for the park and by the time they came home, I felt better and I told them both how sorry I was for yelling, and having a fit. Annie said that she knows that I love her even though I was yelling. I still hate it when I get to that point. And yet, it felt so good to let it all out! If only I could just be heard for my needs when I'm in that place, rather than Bill or Annie hearing blame, criticism or fault. I really want to work on it, so next time I won't slime anyone, and just express myself.

Warm Glow

I'm still basking in the warm glow of the holiday! Ahhhh... LaLa, Jordan, Rebecca and the kids drove up from Los Angeles honoring us with a visit! It was so wonderful to have a houseful in this new house! Bill and I worked hard on prep of both the house and the meal(s) and it was so worth it because each meal and all the time we spent together went so smooth and pleasurably. The kids were amazingly harmonious too and so considerate of each other, plus they played non-stop without interruption, except to fall into bed at night. I was so proud of them, and relaxed since I didn't have to mediate or worry. They played with all the toys and games in the house and enjoyed themselves thoroughly. They went native on us the first morning after finding paints on a bench outside, so I snapped a few. Each moment was so filled to the brim that these are all I took and they don't begin to portray all of the happiness, gratitude and beauty I felt then and am still feeling today.

Ooooh LaLa!

Look what arrived in the mail today!!
Eight Perfect Peaches!
When I opened the box, the intense, warm peachy perfume instantly made my mouth water. I unwrapped each one from it's precious receiving blanket, and stopped to take these pictures before standing over the kitchen sink and devouring two, while Annie slobbered one beside me. Mmmmm.
I've been on a quest all summer to eat the perfect peach, and let me tell you, I've kissed a few toads in the process. I had a few really good ones, and we kind of got into the doughnut peaches. You know the little doughnut shaped ones? They we're pretty good. And one day my friend Joan was eating a peach and said,
"You want some of this peach?"
(She knew nothing of my quest), so I said
"Is it a good one?"
"Good enough," she said as she handed it to me and walked away to wash the juice from her hands and arms.
Well, it was one of the best peaches I'd eaten all summer! Wow! To me, a bad peach, all mushy, and bland, is just soooo bad. But a good one? Absoulute heaven! Juicy, sweet, thin skinned with a slight sting to each bite. You know!
So, now that Fall is on it's way, I feeling bummed because I really don't think I've had enough really good peaches.


Until now.

The little darlings!

Thanks La La!

Wow! Annie and I are thrilled to get to visit, and enjoy the benefits of membership, to the new DeYoung Museum in San Francisco. Courtesy of LaLa Pat. Thank you so much La La! We spent the day today looking at the many exhibitions and the amazing sculpture garden. What a thrill to have such easy access to a museum of such greatness. Only 25 minutes away! Golden Gate Park for me is slightly magical, and is filled with so many memories of my own childhood and wonderful stories about my Mom, La La Pat and my Grandparents.

SF Fantasies

Tonight I was poking around in my studio, trying to get an idea of what to keep and what to let go of for our upcoming move, when I found this gouache painting my mom did in '66. I'm not a person who believes in "signs" or "messages", but I did feel comforted and reassured by this little painting. It reminds me of how much my Mom loved the city, and how I love it too!

You know, I was born in Berkeley and have enjoyed San Francisco and the Bay Area all of my life. La La Pat said that she remembers she and Mom taking me over the bridge to the city when I was just a few months old. I've always loved visiting SF and I've actively fantasized about living there, mostly when I was in my teens and twenties. I don't think Bill has any SF fantasies. This worries me... We always thought we would go more rural than more urban. I dread him being unhappy, almost as much as I dread really loving it and having to leave it.

I'm trying to remember all the facts, and I don't have all the details organized in my head but I believe my Maternal Grandmother and Grandfather both lived, met, fell in love and got married in SF, my Great Great Grandmother and Grandfather lived and spent their last days there as well. Pat, can you set me staight...?

The San Francisco Treat!

I just got back from a four-star, foot-loose and fancy-free, feast of the senses (as well as the palette), birthday weekend in San Francisco with LaLa Pat. Wow! I'm still floating!

Some highlights:

Seeing LaLa coming down the walk at the airport!



Al Fresco breakfast at the farmers market, on the pier at the ferry building .



Catching a gong, fireworks and dancing lion ceremony down a side street in Chinatown.



Delightful service and personal indulgences at the Tuscan Inn at Fisherman's Wharf.


Two good laugh attacks. One to tears.



Outstanding wine, asparagus, and desserts at The Slanted Door.



Eating chocolates in bed, resting and chatting.



The weather! Warm, crisp, sunny in the city. Foggy and windy at North Point.



Driving through the Presido with it's amazing views and well kept historic buildings.




Stumbling upon the amazing Masterpieces of French Jewelry show at the Legion of Honor that was so amazing it left me pretty much speechless.




Am I forgetting anything Pat?





Oh yea. It was an unforgettable time...thank you doesn't quite cover it.