I’ll always remember this summer.  If only for the most blissful weather our fair city has seen in the language of sun, because Seattle? We made pure poetry. But there was more. Much more.  The sunshine was just a background note to an emotionally pivotal season in my life.   Overwhelming, physically trying, new life holding, spiritually renewing, deeply traumatic, in the depths, safe at last.  I was being shown the entire range of human endurance in an intense concentration of time.  And I survived.  The reward of all this was a great jolt out of “regular” existence to a very real sensation of being here.  What all that means, or how to exactly describe it.. I haven’t figured it out yet. I can call it an awakening, but not the kind where you are scrambling for the frontlines making sure that everyone knows.  And not the kind where you write a book about it, because in this case, I’m not sure that words can properly color in all the lines.  This is the kind of summer you might not see in movies, unless it is the kind of closing scene that is really a beginning – where the heroine is shown gazing over the endless horizon, her head held high and though it is silent except for the wind blowing through the grass and her hair… you just know. That it is then that after seeing everything she went through back there that there is a quiet pact being made between her and her maker.  And you leave the theatre with the same resolve and the silent understanding these are the best days of our lives.

No day is too regular, no person in my orbit less than spectacular.  I feel like I knew all this somehow, but I wasn’t fully living it like maybe I used to.  That’s the best part of this “new” version of seeing things is that strangely, it isn’t new at all.  It’s so very familiar.  And a lot of what I feel that I am now is so much of what I was as a little girl.

So I want to thank you summer, thank you possible tragedy, thank you birth.  For turning into a sweet, sweet reminder of life.  You are a gift, and I will wear you as a locket worn under my shirt, never to take off.  I will take you out, open you for a few moments and remember.  Now that the last sunny day is gone, a new season begins.

I wake up understanding that I am lucky.  And when a slight fear creeps in whispering to me that things can’t possibly get better, something amazing is occurring – they just do.

My oldest friend Lyndsey is just getting into photography and was back in Seattle this past weekend for some photo shoots.  We met for lunch and cupcakes (lucky me!) and as we were catching up, I was lamenting the fact that always being behind the camera, I never have any shots of me with my family.  Then it hit us. She had a little more time. She had her equipment with her.  So we ran to gas works park for the last few minutes of sundown. This is the first preview shot I’ve seen.  I’m still squealing and cannot wait to see the rest of what she captured.

(Isn’t there something so amazing about finding old friends and seeing what amazing things they are up to? I’ve been finding a few of you old friends recently and grin. Makes my heart just that much bigger. Thanks Lynds!!)

p.s. I’m redesigning the blog and so excited to clear some dust around here, visually speaking.  A makeover is long overdue, so excited.

This is what I wake up to, every morning…

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I know these days won’t last long, so I’m reveling in them. Someday, probably not too far off into the future, I’ll get the back into making art, and lots of it, but for now, this is what I’m making. (CUTE PEOPLE!)

It reminds me of all those morning walks. Of staying out late in the city streets with Mars, holding hands.  Of what it means to be alive. What else makes you feel alive?

+ letting go of identities.

+ pedaling on my bike until I can’t take it anymore…  and then coasting for an entire block or two.

+ having the same haircut I had when I was seven. (my long red hair and bangs.)

+ living minutes away from the water, for the past several years. I get antsy without a coast nearby.

+ waking up before everyone else, or staying up later than everyone else. and then doing something crazy with someone else.

+ feeling resentful feelings towards a person, a memory, or a situation all dissolve… at my will.

+ this time of the year.

+ being vulnerable, and then realizing that the possibility of appearing weak, open and emotional is a sign of true strength.

(In one of those “in another life” scenarios, I would love to be a music video maker. Producer? Film maker. You know.. the person in charge of creating a scene, choosing the music, the lights, the costumes, the location, the shots.)

Our little Eli is ten weeks old tomorrow! We can’t get enough of him, he can’t get enough of us, it’s a good deal.  He’s sleeping through the night, fallen into a pattern of predictable daytime naps, and giggles and coos whenever he sees us. We’ve even heard a few silly chuckles from him already and hooo boy, I can tell that this is going to be one fun little life to raise.  My heart just might explode.  boom*. HAPPY!

1. little house in the wisteria, 2. Untitled, 3. Hong Kong, 4. Myself in expired SX70 film, 5. Coffee, animal crackers, rainy day., 6. Untitled, 7. umbrella ladies, 8. the getty, 9. homestead., 10. Electric, 11. bonjour, 12. Untitled, 13. 275.365 – Glazer’s Instax Windows, 14. Untitled, 15. valiant charger, 16. Untitled, 17. first day of school, 1970, 18. Untitled, 19. Untitled, 20. listener, 21. ., 22. IMG_8844, 23. Untitled, 24. public market, 25. the palms hotel, 26. Seattle’s monorail – 1960s film, 27. Soffy & Hamster, 28. A Sweet Coffee, 29. Untitled, 30. Floating, 31. Bucolismo encontrado, 32. Life these days…, 33. fern and vetch, 34. Untitled, 35. Untitled, 36. Untitled

One thing about selling my jewelry designs on supermarket is having a fantastic opportunity to lust after get to know the other designer’s work and adding them to my wish list. These are some of my top favs right now…so if you need any gift ideas for Jenny, hint hint hint.

Any of the gold necklaces by Stone & Honey. I am so in love with these pieces! I would wear these every. single. day.

Watercolor Print Angel Dress by Astridland. Gorg! I would pair this with some black skinnies and boots for fall.  Perfect for date night.

So I have a little collection of modern, designer made musuem-esque shaker duos and these porcelain polyhedron salt & pepper shakers from TaiDesign would make the perfect addition. I’m really selective with what I collect (I hate clutter) and these make my carefully edited list. Love!

Last and absolutely lovely is this Coat Range by Brave Space. As a northwest girl true and blue, I love having elements in our home that reflect Seattle’s green beauty.  Brave Space identifies their snow capped mountains as the Grand Tetons, where I have so many great memories from family trips! I think it’s just a sign that this was meant to be in our entryway.