Il Postino

I cried watching 'Il Postino' tonight. Ever seen it?

This is a dahlia growing in our yard! They're giant too!

And this is my car under a blanket of leaves. I was very charmed. :)

Last Great Hike - Hamilton Mt.

some Doodles from when in Italy and Bored

These are the first sandals/shoes I've made since being back from Italy. I did flip flops because they're easy and cheap, although I still didn't get them right the first try. I will have to undo the glued-on sole and re-adjust the strap because I made it too tight. The denim is from a pair of Sarah's jeans that she probably wore in either high school or college. I've saved them all these years wanting something special enough for which to use the treasured fabric. The blue canvas came from Aunt Marianne who recently bestowed me with the coolest hand-me-down gift ever: an assortment of textiles that she had collected over the years. Another fyi: I had to finish the shape of the soles free-hand using a sanding machine. Nothing is really easy and quick in shoe-making, not even flip-flops... But its fun and I'm planning on doing a project every week or two with the generous help of Jeff Mandel, a custom shoemaker in Portland with an equipped studio space. I have his blog linked under the caption: "People I don't know" (even tho I now know him).

Postcards from Raechel

I was searching in my basket of old cards and letters I've kept since I was 6 and me and Amy wrote each other. I didn't find the card I was looking for, sadly, but instead was reminded of Raechel's sense of humor. Which turned my frown upside down ;)

Grandma Dine's Handwriting

"Central, Herbert, May Harlem"
Grandma Dine had tons of medical notepads bound in rubber bands and wrapped in old plastic grocery bags. I took out the cutest and most "retro" looking. Maybe she was a kindred spirit in that she needed to often (incessantly, obsessively) scribble down random thoughts [see above and below] on paper. I turned over one of the notepads yesterday and discovered her notes. What a charming and surprising way to be reminded that she was once alive and had life's mundane things to remember such as "envelope, postage and park" [below].

Bargain Extravaganza

I just paid 20% of original price for a pair of Citizens of Humanity skinny jeans. I bought them at the Reno Macy's for $60 with tax as opposed to $163 tag price. Then the store clerk said if I came back on Saturday she could take another 40% off. I was back in Portland by then but went to the Macy's here to see if it would work here. It did! So I got the tax refunded, and only paid $34.23. I agreed to give $5 to food drive, and get to enter into a raffle for $500. I REALLY hope I win. I'm actually going to put off Christmas shopping until Oct. 17th -the day of the raffle ;)

At any rate, I'm obviously proud of my bargain deal to post about it on my uber popular blog for all to read about.

First printed shirt for Mom

Ecco-la!

To Hobart on the Rhino

Des choses dans ma Chambre

Note the vase that Tamara made -its dated 2000

Flowers, ....and a spider!

I was just remembering the two big, deep drawers in our old house's kitchen. The top one with the cake decorations and sprinkles way in the back. What else did we put in there? Bread I think. And then the big buckets of flower and rolling pins in the bottom one. I really wish I could go back to these old places and take photos. And if I could go back there, I'd take pictures of the garden. And every single other detail that I LOVED about that house.

Neat Art - Follow the link

http://www.thecoolhunter.net/art/Artist-Andy-Gilmore/

arraches - very random