My Mom Thinks I'm Swell

.a farewell and hello.

2011-01-13T14:46:00.000-05:00

Hi! I know I've been absolutely MIA over here for a long time... That is because I'm moving, virtually. Not into a different house, but into two different online spaces.

Starting next Monday, Jan. 17, I'll be posting regularly at my new Home Ground blog.

Starting last week, I've been posting semi-regularly on my new Tumblr site.

The Home Ground blog is a new endeavor for me. It won't be as personal as I have been here, hence the new My Mom Thinks I'm Swell tumblr. Rather, it will be more of an informational, inspirational space. I've really excited about the potential this new site has. Hop on over the the link above for a bit more information on it. I have a welcome post up :)

I really hope you follow me over there. I absolutely, truly appreciate each and every one of you.

Brittany

.they say it's your birthday.

2010-12-27T16:38:00.000-05:00

As I hinted a bit last week, December 22 was my 23rd birthday. We celebrated the night before and all of my favorite friends (only a couple were missing) made it over. There was much dancing (Just Dance 2 for the Wii is my new favorite) and laughing and Rock Band-ing. There was good wine and good beer. I even managed to finish my first whole bottle of beer! It was really good, almost like a wine.

Anyway, my sister baked this amazing Italian-style cheesecake for me. Isn't it beautiful? The cheese were ricotta and mascarpone. I wasn't sure what to expect (neither was she!), but man oh man was it good. She spiced it with cinnamon and made a gingersnap crust. Need I say more?

That night was one of my favorite gatherings ever. Everyone was so sweet and made the night just perfect. At 12:15am the people who were still over screamed the happy birthday song to me. Scariest happy birthday song version ever!

To those who came and to those who didn't even know it was my birthday (I didn't exactly scream it into the world) thank you so much for being around. I'm so grateful for all of you.

.creative odyssey.

2010-12-25T03:39:00.005-05:00

I have some exciting news today.

But you have to go over here to see it.

.still no lights.

2010-12-20T20:37:00.000-05:00

blue spruce

lots of snow

We got our tree over a week ago, but still haven't put lights on it yet. Two of my good friends have let me borrow their extra lights. The only strands we already had are decorating the rest of our house (I might leave them up forever!). Note to self : buy lights once they're dirt cheap after Christmas!

The last two weeks have been non-stop. I know it's that time of the year and everyone's a little crazy right now, but man am I ready for a break! I'm vowing to myself that next week will be calm. I hope you're getting a break in, too.

Our Christmas/my birthday party is tomorrow. It should be a ton of fun! My sister is baking me a chai cheesecake and I do believe I will have dreams about it tonight. So good.

What do you have going on this week?

.sunrise.

2010-12-19T00:39:00.000-05:00

Thought I would let you in on what I've been up to this week. It all culminated in a lovely (and freezing) shoot this morning. We were hoping to get the sunrise, but it was completely overcast... Just my luck, huh? It worked out in the end, though. We got breakfast in Northville to pass the time until it was light enough out to shoot.

We even got a tiny, light snowfall. We also made our own snowfall. Hence, if you saw my tweet earlier, "can I get some snow over here?" That would've been Megan, my amazing photographer, calling for some snowfall.

I'm so happy with how everything turned out. What a beautiful morning!

A big, huge, truly heartfelt THANK YOU to Megan Boltz, Jessica Renaud and Shannon Priest.
_______________

P.S. I'm hosting a newsletter subscriber-only shop preview on Tuesday, Dec. 21! Early Tuesday morning, I'll send out a link to the winter collection through my email list. The lovely (and lucky!) people who have signed up will have exclusive access to the winter collection for the whole day. They will also get a nice little 10% discount for that day only. You're signing up, right?

Just scroll on up to the newsletter signup form on the top right :)

The public shop opening is this Wednesday, December 22 (also happens to be my birthday!), so stay tuned!

Brittany

.tree getting.

2010-12-10T19:57:00.000-05:00

Every year, Eric and I go with his and his uncle's family to a u-cut tree farm in Monroe, MI. It's a lot of fun and utterly exhausting, just like any good family tradition is. His young cousins revel in the chance to run through the trees, Eric often chasing them (I think he spent more time with his cousins than he did with me).

Once we all pick out our trees (his aunt and uncle are always first, he and I always last) and have them bound, we head to the big barn to get snacks and a hot drink.

This year was just as wonderful as the past few have been. We picked a lovely blue spruce this year. I can't wait to get it in the house. We brought it home on Sunday, but won't be putting it up until Saturday afternoon. Eric's busy work/school schedule is very prohibitive when it comes to projects like these.

Do you get a tree for your house? Do you prefer natural or fake trees?

.twelve days.

2010-12-08T13:41:00.000-05:00

dolmen

I know I haven't been over here in a few days. Was I ever busy! Noel Night in Detroit was this weekend and I spent so much time last week preparing. There wasn't a single day that went by that I wasn't working on jewelry! Stressful, but in a very good way.

It was such a crazy blur that I didn't even get pictures of my table. What was I thinking?? Yeah, I don't know either... But I do know that it was really exciting to see people's reactions to my jewelry in person, talking to them about which were their favorites and why. Doing this event really affirmed my desire to start offering home + office parties, as well as trunk shows. I can't wait to get started with that in the new year!

So, the other big reason I'm writing this post (we're getting to the title here) is because I'm hosting a crazy awesome sale at The Home Ground : Shop that starts tomorrow morning. Here's the rub. Each day for the next twelve days (December 9-20) I will offer big discounts on the entire shop. So exciting, right? So, for those of you who have been holding off, this is the time to buy that piece you've been coveting! The discounts will start big and get smaller each day, so you really want to subscribe now, trust me.

Here's the catch (if you can really call it that). I'm only offering these discounts to newsletter subscribers. Yup, truly. So, here's the plan of action :

1. Sign up for The Home Ground newsletter.

2. Pick out your favorite pieces for yourself and the lovely ladies on your holiday shopping list.

3. Wait impatiently for the first email to arrive in your inbox tomorrow morning.

4. Run back over to the Shop and get the aforementioned favorite pieces before the limited editions are sold out!

Sound good?

Well then, go ahead and subscribe!

.i heart stones.

2010-12-02T14:06:00.000-05:00

a little preview of some of the materials i'm using in The Home Ground's winter collection.

what do you think?

.cozy warm.

2010-12-01T16:27:00.000-05:00

the ladies' dressing room. isn't it so cute? i love the turquoise chairs!

i love all of the white in the chapel. it will be especially helpful since our ceremony is at 6pm on november 5th. it will already be dark out by the time we're standing up there.

here it is! the interior of the eagle tavern at greenfield village. i love this place and can't wait to eat and dance and laugh with our closest friends and family. the two fires will be roaring, the bar will be open, and there will be a fiddle playing. no kidding, we're renting an oldtime band for a couple hours.

.pretty.

2010-11-30T11:34:00.000-05:00

beatrix

musette

aren't these two dresses from elizabeth dye just... heavenly? musette is more me, but i love beatrix just because.

let me tell you that musette will be flitting around my mind, in a subtle grey if that were possible, for a while. perhaps even up until the point when i buy a dress.

is this wedding week or something?

hope you don't mind :)

.true love.

2010-11-29T20:32:00.001-05:00

this is where we're getting married. isn't it beautiful?

specifically... our ceremony will be in that gorgeous little chapel. henry ford designed it in honor of his mother, martha, and his mother-in-law, mary. hence, it is called the martha mary chapel. it's very simple inside, which is perfect for us. our ceremony will not be a religious one, so we're thankful for the plain interior. plain, but really pretty.

the reception will be in the eagle tavern. this place is so so cool. it's a tavern that was running in michigan in the 1850s. the building still has two working fireplaces, so those will be roaring for the whole night! we're getting an old-timey band to play for a couple hours, with a fiddle and such. it's going to be so great.

it was far too dark on saturday to take any interior pictures of the tavern, and the chapel was locked. but, i have a bunch of photos of both interiors from this summer, if you'd like to see them.

yay or nay?

p.s. that guy in the picture with the tavern? that's eric :)

.stories.

2010-11-26T10:13:00.001-05:00

i really like this video and i think that you will, too.
brought to you by the great people at etsy.

i hope you had an awesome thanksgiving! mine was everything i could ever wish it to be. eric came home with me this year, so i really had my entire family all around me. and the food was, of course, so amazing and hearty.

just a little reminder : everything in the home ground collection is on sale now through monday! huzzah!

free shipping on every. single. thing.
10% off of everything in the shop
15% off if you spend $40 or more
20% off if you spend $75 or more.

there's also a new events page on the hg site, for those of you who are in the metro detroit area.

.ready.

2010-11-24T12:48:00.000-05:00

after "leafing through" toast's online catalogue this morning, i think i can finally say that i'm ready for snow.

hand painted ornaments? yes please!

and if only i could still knit, these knit stockings are too funny with all their bulges.

after i was finished hanging said ornaments and working on said stockings, i would definitely feel the need to cook. i haven't decided what i would make with this olive oil, but isn't the container just so pretty?

at the end of the night, after the snow has made it quite difficult to leave the house, i'd just slip on these super cozy slippers and watch "white christmas" with a warm cup of tea.

have you gotten snow yet? i know at least a couple of you have.

we've had rain this week. an absolute deluge! but, snow might be coming later in the week. yay!

.lucky us.

2010-11-24T08:00:00.002-05:00

i love knots too bracelet

twisty twisted rope bracelet

custom stamped linen bags

goodness gracious!
do you remember the beautiful knotted bracelet that i featured here a couple of days ago?

well, amy, the lovely lady behind said shop, junghwa, has generously offered a 15% off discount to my mom thinks i'm swell readers through the end of the year!

i know, right? this is exciting!!

run, don't walk, over to her shop and take advantage of this awesome offer!

.of petersite and brass.

2010-11-23T17:55:00.001-05:00

petersite

handmade african brass

i'm super excited about these two pieces that will be made into necklaces for the Home Ground winter collection. aren't they both just beautiful??

the amazing stones in the top photo are petersite specimens. what makes them double cool is that petersite is a stone that is found in michigan. home state love! i just love the inclusions, they look like pine trees. so pretty!

my mom buys these african beads from a man who is from africa and travels back and forth buying beads in africa then selling them here in the states. my favorite style is this, the handmade filigree pendants. the variation keeps each piece unique, which i just love.

i asked my fans on facebook what colors and/or materials they would like to see in the winter collection and i would like to ask you here, too.

so, what colors and materials would you like to see in the winter collection?

answers so far : indigo blue, clear crystal and another pair of grey pearl earrings. to be fair, about three people all said they would like to see more navy/indigo blues. must be a good color this season!

.flock.

2010-11-22T12:22:00.000-05:00

watching massive flocks of birds is one my absolute favorite things. the constant movement, the coordination. i find it so inspiring that they all seem to know where they are going, even as they change direction. like the knowledge ripples through their feathers.

needless to say, when one of these aforementioned flocks visited my house the other day i ran (literally, i almost tripped in my excitement!) outside to get some photos.

.sunday coffee : not the first time.

2010-11-21T16:34:00.000-05:00

today is a natural, neutral kind of day, in the best of ways. hope your sunday was lovely.

twisted rope bracelet from junghwa
turkey feather watercolor from amberalexander
hand knit norwegian socks from xeniahome

.finally.

2010-11-20T20:00:00.002-05:00

i don't want the end to begin! waaahhhhhhhh.

we're leaving for the 10 o'clock showing tonight! oh my gosh i can't wait.

.vintage photo friday : collection.

2010-11-19T15:59:00.000-05:00

this week's vintage photo is actually several photos. i know that a couple of these have been in past vintage posts, but i just couldn't help myself. while gazing at my big inspiration wall above my desk i realized that i couldn't pick just one photo because they all look so nice together. so, here they are in exactly that fashion.

i think my favorite is the picture of the dog, i particularly love the stack of logs in the background. reminds me of my parents' winter store of firewood.

.facet + feather.

2010-11-18T18:44:00.000-05:00

i really love the way these two sets of images play off of one another.

first of all, i'm so into facets right now. as you will see in the home ground winter collection. particularly, i love irregular faceting. the regular, super shiny ones are not so me. so, it's really no surprise that these wooden pendants from studio fludd are just calling to me.

the way the paint has been sanded off of the corners really makes the piece, don't you think. that one detail softens the wood visually and creates a lot of character. (via heysusy)

i found the shop kittens & crumpets several days ago. for the life of me (and i feel really bad) i can't remember the winding path of blog hopping that brought me to her shop, which was on vacation at the time. well, this week she's back! both of these beautiful illustrations are offered as single cards, though i don't know that i could part with one.

i'd definitely be buying them as wall art.

.to quilt.

2010-11-14T11:00:00.001-05:00

full disclosure : i love carrie to bits! but really, she's awesome. obviously. between her photography portfolio and her new venture in amazing handsewn textiles, what's not to love? it's all there : craftsmanship, beautiful design, patience. quilts!

the combination of color, texture and stitch in carrie's work is, at times, surprising (see day-glo linen) but always harmonious, always spot on.

quick! go visit her shop!

.a mix of texture.

2010-11-13T20:49:00.000-05:00

aren't these tea light holders from texture mix awesome? i love the imperfections in the wood, especially the big crack in the round holder. and those coasters... i can't get over that bark! also, check out the geometric tea light holders in the shop.

.vintage photo friday : scholar.

2010-11-12T17:38:00.000-05:00

I found this lovely girl at my favorite antique mall last weekend in Grand Haven. I love that she chose to pose for her portrait with books. not sure what the paper is for, maybe she draws? architectural renderings? this is my favorite thing about collecting vintage photos, guessing who these people were, what they were doing, their favorite things, etc.

also, her dress is fabulous!

.so many.

2010-11-12T17:35:00.000-05:00

400 posts! can you even believe it? this brings me mixed feelings, for reasons that you will soon know, most of them happy. it's been such a pleasure getting to know so many of you through my blog, and yours (as well as flickr, twitter, etc!), and I can't even imagine my world without those relationships.

just wanted to say that :)

.daily film : loom.

2010-11-11T21:53:00.000-05:00

I love the light that comes in through this window. in fact, it's the reason we put my loom here. the weeping birch just outside the window filters the light in the most beautiful of ways.

.daily film : senior.

2010-11-10T18:16:00.001-05:00

ahhhh, to be a senior in high school again... haha, actually i'm much happier now that i'm done with college, or as my friend puts it, a creative professional. but let's be honest, there's really not a single moment of your life that doesn't shape who you are, including all of the awkward and uncertain ones of senior year in high school.

aren't these two so cute?? the top photo is of amy, my sister's friend, and the bottom photo is my sister, erika. actually, that was her in yesterday's daily film image, in the detroit institute of art.

autumn really is a beautiful time of year, is it not? i think the sun is its most butterscotch-y in these transitional months.

.daily film : DIA.

2010-11-09T10:49:00.000-05:00

this is my sister and her boyfriend standing in front of (to my knowledge) one of the biggest paintings on display at the detroit institute of art. as those of you who have been following my little blog know, i love this place to pieces. when i was going to ccs, i came here almost every day i had a lunch break. this painting is about death (that's him in the middle), but i can't remember who painted it or what it's called. i'll find out, i promise.

what's your favorite type of museum to go to? i'm torn between art and science (i.e. zoo, aquarium, planetarium....).

.photo essay : grand haven.

2010-11-08T14:00:00.001-05:00

one of my favorite places to eat in grand haven is elegance of the seasons. their menu changes each day and is entirely seasonal. and delicious. plus, their cafe is super cute with their mismatched tables and chairs.

always a pleasure, we walked along the grand haven pier. it was incredibly cold and blustery, but we made it all the way to the end and back. i was happy to see that they're using cfls to light the catwalk. the lake was very calm, especially for this time of year.

the pine forest next to my parents' house. the light is so beautiful on the fallen pine needles. i love these pines.

we were lucky enough to visit my parents' friends, mark and kathy. they're both ceramic and glass artists (mark does most of the ceramic, while they collaborate with the glass) and have built their outdoor studio from scratch.

this is the third or fourth year they've fired their handmade kiln, and the time it takes them to get up to temperature keeps getting shorter, which is really great. they use a combination of gas and wood to fire that kiln, which has to be under constant watch and feeding throughout the near-24-hour firing.

they use a combination of soda and wood ash to glaze their pieces, resulting in some really beautiful coloring of both the clay and the glazes. the pieces in the last photo are a couple that i picked out for myself to buy. i haven't taken them home yet, as they like to keep everything for their show/sale, which is the first week of december. i can't wait to get that beautiful coffee pot (a generous graduation present from them) and new mugs/tumbler home! now i'll just need a bunch of people over for breakfast to use the full capacity of the pitcher. the coffee will, of course, be made using the ceramic melitta brewer that i got from them last year.

who wants coffee?

.daily film : heritage.

2010-11-08T12:45:00.001-05:00

my parents' house is beautiful all the time, but the light hits everything a certain way in the fall. shining through the pine trees, it turns golden, warm. my dad has been working hard to build up the wood supply for the winter. they heat the house entirely with the wood stove. i love the way the grass is growing into this lower deck.

and the chickens. i love these chickens. i'll have chickens, too, some day.

.daily film : grove farm.

2010-11-05T11:53:00.000-04:00

yes, i know, more hawai'i pictures. hopefully you like them at least half as much as i do? i figured that since it's vintage photo friday (which will be up this afternoon), i should just run with a vintage/antique theme. so, here goes.

this amazingly beautiful place is called grove farm and is a preserved sugar plantation. it's pretty much greenfield village, but in hawai'i. i'm sure you can imagine my excitement when eric's parents told me we were going to this place. and oh man, was it so cool. i don't think i even posted any pictures of grove farm when we got back from hawai'i, which is definitely a shame.

anyway, these particular pictures are from the main home of the plantation. this house has a huge amazing wrap around porch. these are all from the same porch, but each side of the house had a slightly different feel to it. yes, the floors really are that shiny! it was really cool seeing them in person. we had to take our shoes off to go in the house, and the shiny floors captured the heat of the sun a little bit too efficiently. i was walking in the shadows, ha!

can't you just imagine yourself sitting in one of those lovely rocking chairs, reading a gripping hawai'ian novel, sipping an iced tea and watching the wild hawai'ian chickens running around your expansive lawn? sigh...

.daily film : the village.

2010-11-04T08:00:00.003-04:00

no, not the movie 'the village', though i do like it. greenfield village, of course! as you saw yesterday, this week has been very cold in southeast michigan. the perfect weather for lounging in bed and getting out the down comforter. so cozy.

these are a couple of my favorite bedrooms in greenfield village. both are color slide film, which i absolutely love to use! too bad it's so darn expensive to have processed...

isn't the quilt on the first bed just gorgeous? greenfield village has some really great textiles in their collection. love!

p.s. this is where eric and i are getting married! in exactly a year from tomorrow. our ceremony will be in the martha mary chapel and the reception will be in the eagle tavern, which is a michigan tavern from the 1850s. it's so beautiful inside. and there will be two fires lit! it'll be so wonderfully cozy. looking back, i can't believe that i never posted the photos from my "you're getting married here" tour of the chapel and tavern. note so self!

.daily film : frost.

2010-11-03T11:50:00.001-04:00

we've pretty much gotten a hard frost every night this week. it's been so cold! i've been hearing that it's been beautiful in the new england area, and have been pretty jealous. it looks beautiful here, but feels very chilly.

it's good weaving weather. i'll have pictures soon (maybe for tomorrow's daily film post) of the scarf i just started. it's for my beloved sister, erika.

on a side note, the guy who reads my natural gas meter just came by and i could hear him whistling through the window. a nice surprise!

.daily film : crabapple.

2010-11-02T07:33:00.001-04:00

we have two of these in front of our house and i love them this time of year. a perfect dose of color just outside the windows.

.daily film : melitta.

2010-11-01T08:00:00.001-04:00

i love brewing coffee with this beautiful object. my parents are friends with a couple who have built their own ceramic and glass studio. they're super cool. mark, who is the primary ceramic artist, made a batch of ceramic melittas last year. i love mine so much. the naked clay is beautiful. the light coming through the filter is lovely.

i think i need to make this a part of my morning routine more often. i go to my starbucks (since i work there) a lot in the mornings, but on my mornings off, i need to spend more quality time with my melitta.

what's your favorite part of your morning routine?

.daily film : geranium.

2010-10-31T10:00:00.001-04:00

it's been getting cold here. which i'm not very happy about... i don't mind it right now, but it will just keep getting worse. and then the w-word comes. nooooooo!

anyway, because of this change in temperature, i brought my scented geraniums in. i've read that they can survive the winter as houseplants and, since i only have one, i figured it would be quite nice to have them inside. i was right. they're so lovely. especially in that south-facing window when they're backlit by the sun. they also smell really good when they're warmed by the sun. mmmmm!

the way the light filters through them is so beautiful.

do you have indoor plants? what have you found to be an easy plant to care for, i may need more!

.sunday coffee : neutral + natural.

2010-10-31T09:00:00.001-04:00

i can't stop drooling over this whole collection. seriously, there is more. birds, a wolf, a bear... love! woodland fantasy rings by sea of bees.

liane has been an inspiration for me for a long, long time. her blog is a constant source of beauty. nature inspired pillow by enhabiten.

both of these gorgeous glass pieces are from the same shop. I couldn't decide. white on wood is one of my most favorite combinations in the world... you understand. vintage drinking glasses + vintage glass carafe by the old red hen.

i'm seriously considering one of these amazing lace necklaces for my wedding. i would love it. azhar by tree and kimball.

i have a bracelet that has a bunch of images of moths on it and i love it to pieces. i guess i have a thing for moths. this beautiful shop is full of lovely illustrations on ceramic. striped moth espresso cup and saucer by laura zindel design.

rinne allen has such an incredible sense of light and balance. i could look at her photography for days. luckily for me, she's part of a collaborative blog called beauty everyday. tangled branches by rinne allen.

hope you enjoyed this little tour. have a great sunday + happy halloween!

.daily film : maybury.

2010-10-30T14:06:00.001-04:00

a little jaunt through maybury state park, here in sw michigan. these photos are actually from last fall, only two weeks away from today. it was cold, but beautiful, and there were a lot of other people walking around the forest.

i get my card reader back tonight so expect some foliage for .daily film. tomorrow!

.vintage photo friday : tall tales.

2010-10-29T10:00:00.000-04:00

the pretty woman on the left? that's my great grandma bea. i love the shoes she's wearing. i'm assuming that the guy with his hand on her waist is my great grandpa, whom i never met.

i would have really liked to be at that fish fry!

.daily film : root cellar.

2010-10-29T08:00:00.003-04:00

eric and i seriously miss going to greenfield village just about every week, like we did last year. you can feel the history, the people. the stories.

i love that they have what they call 'living houses'. re-enactors and, i'm sure, the rest of the village staff, still use these houses as they were used when people lived in them.

in the firestone farmhouse, which is the home in these photos, they still cure ham and store preserves in the basement. the light is really beautiful coming in from the windows.

we have a fairly set pattern that we tour the village in when we go. we always go here first.

.daily film : acadia.

2010-10-28T14:34:00.001-04:00

my lovely sister is borrowing my card reader. until it returns, i will be revisiting photos from the past. which isn't all bad when said photo is from maine. ah, maine. i really loved that place. especially the ocean.

this little vignette is from the island stopover on our guided kayak trip. we didn't go out onto the real ocean, we stayed in the bay, but it was still amazing.

.daily film : lathe.

2010-10-27T08:00:00.001-04:00

I miss the smell of sassafras wood.

.daily film : window.

2010-10-26T17:17:00.001-04:00

I'm starting a new tradition here at the blog today. In order to encourage (force) myself to get back to making photography a part of my daily life, I'm going to start posting a new photo here every day. Just a little something nice, you know? I think it'll definitely spruce things up around here :)

What are you doing to make creativity and/or beauty a part of your life?

.harvest.

2010-10-22T22:37:00.001-04:00

I'm not sure who this man is. He is in the same folder of family photos that the rest of the photos I've posted so far are in. I love that I'm related to him though, he seems like a really jovial guy. The kind of guy you just want to go visit. I like that he's wearing a collared shirt under his overalls, like he's always ready to go into town or something. The dog behind him seems to be having the time of its life, too! Bounding this way and that across the yard. Maybe he's chasing the shadows of the laundry that is drying on the line behind him?

What do you think his name was? I'm thinking... maybe John.

P.S. No, you're not going crazy. This photo is bigger than they usually are in this space. I just thought he really looked great taking up the whole page.

.to the west.

2010-10-20T22:09:00.000-04:00

tomorrow, I'm getting in my car and driving west until I almost fall into Lake Michigan. I love going home. it's not very often I get to see my family and, if I'm really lucky, a couple of friends who still live over that way. I also get to see my mom's chickens. they're so great. they come and greet me when I get out of the car, clucking and squawking, scratching at the ground. my dad just built them a new coop for the winter, too. the roof is clear plastic, so they'll get some sun. lucky ducks! er, hens.

this sweet little chicken is from modish vintage.

.essay : summer's last hurrah.

2010-10-18T07:00:00.002-04:00

kayaking trip with the fiance, eric. it was a beautiful summer day. if only i didn't have to be choked by a rental life vest the whole time!

the only trip i got to take with my mom this summer. it was really nice, though. i was the first person to test out her new blue kayak. so honored.

these last several photos are from a kayak/canoe trip that i and my co-workers at starbucks went on in august. it was super fun and almost all of us made it. it's not often we're all at the same place at the same time. someone's gotta work the store!

what was your favorite thing about this past summer?

mine : well, i can't leave out hawai'i can i?

btw, we did kayak the wailua river on kaua'i.

distressingly enough, i can't seem to find those photos at the moment.

.sunday coffee : b.

2010-10-17T11:54:00.003-04:00

what do these things have in common?

they all start with b!

brass fire extinguisher : a m radio

hand painted baby's breath bowl : yevgenia

this would be the winner in scattergories!

keeping the bees print : swell papel

bison gocco print : hello jenuine

vintage hat + boot brush : a m radio

amazing sheds made from old boats : craft zine

enjoy and have a bright, beautiful and bountiful sunday!

.one last time.

2010-10-15T20:44:00.001-04:00

i couldn't help but reminisce about the summertime today. it was sunny, warm... definitely had the crisp fall air, but i was at the beach all day in my head. lounging, reading for fun! oh, be still my heart!

i know this post is quite late today. i've been busy with all sorts of home ground related things. tweaking a lot of things that i didn't quite get finished before yesterday afternoon... better late than never?

you might recognize the two women in the top photo as my lovely great grandma bea + grandma betty (grandie to us kids). i'm not sure who the woman in the second photo is, but i have a feeling it's my grandma. the dashing man in the third photo is my grandpa john.

when my sisters and i were little, we would occasionally spend the night at their house. my grandma was definitely a night person, so only my grandpa was awake when we got up. every morning, he would make us cinnamon sugar toast. oh man, was it so good! i still love cinnasugar toast and think of him when i make it for myself.

do you have any food associations with your family?

.the big day.

2010-10-14T15:05:00.001-04:00

I am so excited to finally announce the opening of the Home Ground shop! I've been working quite hard on it and am happy and nervous to have it be in the real world. Together with my amazing photographer, Megan Boltz, and my super great models, Jessica, Abby, Erika and Amy, I have come a long way in the past two months.

I know I've been quiet around here lately, and you can bet that this is why! I've missed being here and visiting your spaces a ton and can't wait to get back into that habit.

I'm offering a nice little free shipping discount to anyone who likes my Facebook page, and an additional 10% off to those of you who sign up for the Home Ground newsletter. I'll start by sending out your nice little discount code, then I'll drop you notes here and there about product updates, interesting things I've found/seen and other nice little tidbits.

I can't wait to see you around the shop. Let me know what you think of it :)

Brittany

.orchard.

2010-10-11T13:33:00.001-04:00

these two lovely ladies are my sister, erika, and her long time friend, amy. in fact, they've been friends for so long that i consider amy a 'family friend.'

we all love her.

and we all love apples.

have you been to an orchard yet this year? if not, you must go!

.voyage.

2010-10-07T22:35:00.001-04:00

i've never actually been on a sailboat, but my mom used to go with her parents quite a bit, as i understand it. judging from the photographs i've seen, it looks like a lot of fun. also, the second photo (my mom) was taken in february; an escape from the cruel michigan winter!

the first photo is my mom and her mom, my grandma. remember her? to me, this photo embodies possibility.

i really love both of these photos. they're pinned on the wall behind my desk with a handful of other vintage photos. some are more family photos and the other are photographs i've collected. i like the mix of familiar faces and strangers. kind of makes the strangers feel like family, which makes it much easier to make up wonderful tales about their lives!

do you have a favorite family photo? are you in it, or is it someone else/other people?

.essay : holo holo.

2010-10-04T07:09:00.002-04:00

i hadn't realized it until i was starting to think about today's photo essay, but i haven't really taken many pictures lately. very strange, indeed. so, i thought about it and decided that it would be really nice to revisit hawai'i. especially with the cold weather creeping up on those of us in the northern half of the world. and for those of you in the southern hemisphere, this is just a preview of the lovely summer you're about to have!

these are from a boat tour that eric and i went on, in kaua'i. the tour company is called holo holo, and they were super awesome. i seriously recommend them if you're ever on the island. the crew was great (and hilarious), and they even turned the boat around to grab a pop can that had fallen overboard. before it even sank! it was very impressive and adventurous. we went on the snorkel tour to ni'ihau, the forbidden island. it was incredible!

enjoy :)

.oveja negra.

2010-10-03T16:08:00.000-04:00

aren't these knits and crochets lovely? they're from etsy shop oveja negra.
i love the simplicity of design combined with the beautiful textures of the yarn she chooses.
i think my very favorite is the grey cardigan, riona.

happy sunday!

.essay : hines.

2010-09-27T13:53:00.002-04:00

some beautiful images from our second photo shoot!

aren't jessica and abby great?

oh, and the jewelry, too :)

jessica.

abby.

antlers.

the home ground shop opens october 14th!

all photography by megan boltz : meganboltz.com

.witches lake.

2010-09-24T10:22:00.002-04:00

ahhhhh, here we are, back at vintage photo friday.

thank goodness, i missed it terribly last week!

i was so hung up on showing that lovely photo of my mom that didn't post anything at all.

you see, we don't have a scanner right now. which is, indeed, sad.

so, for now, i'm relying on a bunch of photos that my great-aunt scanned in.

she gave me a disc of them.

i am grateful, for sure.

sadly, the images aren't named.

and so, i have no idea who these handsome devils are.

i don't really know the history of the men in my mom's family tree.

i love this image, though, because it's kind of the epitome of summer.

i went to a summer camp for a couple weeks each year.

my sisters and i absolutely loved it.

i'll be these guys had a cooler experience, though.

lighting fires in the woods (hopefully keeping smokey the bear in mine),

pitching cloth tents,

and all manner of useful, but very fun, things.

so, in homage to the time that has just passed...

so long, summer!

and to the time that is now coming...

why hello there, fall!

( switch those to winter and spring, of course, if you're in our friendly hemisphere to the south )

i hope you have a lovely friday!

.peek.

2010-09-23T08:38:00.001-04:00

our photo shoot went really well last night.

in between it all, we managed to eat soup, drink tea and enjoy some shortbread.

you're the best, megan!

what do you think?

.location.

2010-09-21T12:55:00.001-04:00

as promised, a peek into two potential locations for the

Home Ground f/w10 photo shoots.

the first one will probably be this sunday.

i can't wait.

these photos above are at an abandoned property.

i drive by once a week on my way to a job.

i've always liked it and always hope to be stopped at this traffic light.

just to have a look.

oh, the light.

these last six lovely photos are in a section of hines park.

i drive by this place on my way to the northville farmer's market.

the rolling hills are so rare in this part of the state.

.sunday coffee : tom phardel.

2010-09-18T23:51:00.002-04:00

This past Friday, Eric and I visited Pewabic Pottery down in Detroit. Pewabic is a ceramic studio that was started by Mary Stratton in the Arts & Crafts days. It's a pretty important place in Detroit. To us art nerds anyway. They just so happen to be hosting a solo exhibit by one of my teachers at the College for Creative Studies, Tom Phardel. Tom is the chair of the ceramics section at school. I've always admired his work, so I was pretty excited to go.

I love his use of gilding. It adds another dimension to his work, one that is completely unexpected. Given the names of some of his pieces in this show, his work seems to reference the idea of temple. The gilding, I think, is a beautiful way of bringing that in, referencing other cultures' use of gold in temple spaces.

The other thing that really stood out to me was the super thick layers of glass on his rectangular pieces. I just so happened to run into him Saturday night at another one of my teachers' show openings. I pretty much bombarded him as soon as I saw him walk in, asking about this glaze. It isn't a glaze at all. The rectangles are bricks that he chooses out of the glass kilns. So, the glass has accumulated, I guess, onto the brick through the use of the kiln. I think. Anyway, it's beautiful, especially with the addition of the gilding.

Hope you enjoy :) I really wish I would have brought the better camera. My little one just doesn't do so well in mixed lighting. So, I apologize for the less-than-awesome quality of most of these photographs. They really don't do his work justice!

Happy Sunday!

.essay : market.

2010-09-13T21:38:00.002-04:00

eric and i went with his parents to one of our local farmer's markets this past sunday morning.

sadly, we were an hour early! this market doesn't start until ten, which seems kind of crazy.

but, i was very happy to see that the only table that was set up was my favorite one! lucas acres, a local farm, is owned by awesome people. they're always super nice, offer me cooking tips, the best ways to use the yummy things they grow and sell to me. i always buy as many things from them as i can, from my list.

ok, i lied. i don't go to the market with a list. i basically just look around and buy stuff that looks delicious. which is pretty much everything.

anyway, i took some nice market pictures for you guys :)

.sunday reading.

2010-09-12T14:32:00.000-04:00

my good friend, matt, linked me to this etsy shop, called nervous system, the other day. i'm so glad he did, too! i love almost everything in here. and i really like that the artists are using science to create art. sometimes i kind of wish i did that.

from the shop announcement:

nervous system creates unique, modern jewelry combining rapid prototyping methods with industrial materials. our work focuses on using generative, computational processes to create designs inspired by nature. we write computer programs that encode a design process that allow us to generate an infinite variety of shapes, patterns, and forms.

so cool, right?

now head over there and check them out!

.vintage.

2010-09-10T18:22:00.001-04:00

Told you my grandma was a fox! I love her bathing suit. Especially standing next to that awesome car. Wouldn't it be cool if my family still had that car?

My grandma Betty, my mom's mom, was an interior designer. She always had the coolest outfits throughout the 60s and 70s. I always love looking through our old photos of her. She also was an avid antique collector, along with my grandpa. My family lives in their old house now, they both passed away a little over 10 years ago. The house is filled with amazing things. Lots of Native American artifacts including baskets, ceramic, tools, a peace pipe, masks, all kinds of things. My friends and I always called our loft "the museum," because that's where all of that lives. I definitely think that I have been influenced by growing up around all of those amazing old things.

Maybe sometime I'll show you some of the more interesting pieces.

What cool things did your grandparents have in their home? Were they collectors?

Next week, as long as she's ok with it, a really great picture of my mom when she was younger. Then, we'll move on to my collected vintage photos filled with very interesting strangers!

.hocking hills.

2010-09-05T17:03:00.001-04:00

as you can see, we had an awesome time in the hocking hills area of ohio. we pretty much went there to hike, and that's pretty much what we did! there are several, i guess, "attractions" (they're all hiking trails) in the area. most of them are extensions of the hocking hills state park. the others are designated at nature preserves, or something similar. anyway, it's pretty much the beginning of the appalachian mountains and there are a bunch of caves and caverns and beautiful cliffs in the middle of the beautiful forest. this was our second time here and i really wouldn't mind going back every year. i probably wouldn't stay there for a whole week, but for just a couple days (i'd say 2-4) it's perfect.

where did you go this summer?

p.s. happy labor day to my us friends!

.home ground.

2010-09-03T17:21:00.003-04:00

your first peek into what i've been working on

http://thehomeground.com

hope you like it :)

.open sea.

2010-09-03T13:42:00.000-04:00

reminiscing.

this is from the trip we took to maine last summer. i loved that place.

it was kind of a life changing trip. in small ways.

it was the beginning of my senior show.

i will always be grateful to the sea.

also doubles as lovely eye candy, don't you think?

what was your favorite vacation?

.fiber, not fiber.

2010-09-02T18:22:00.000-04:00

don't you just want to hug all of these wooly beasts? ok, maybe not the greasy sheep, but definitely the bunnies! two weekends ago (aug 22), i went to the michigan fiber fest. my mom came with, along with my sister and her bf. i didn't go last year, so i was extra excited to go this year! i didn't buy any fiber but i did pick up lots of business cards for future reference. i also got two issues of the magazine wild fibers. it's pretty much like a national geographic for fibers. i've only read a few of the articles, but i like them a lot.

honestly, i love the beasties as much as i love the yarn here. i couldn't resist a few wonderfully textural photos. i do apologize for the poor lighting.

also, whenever i told any of my non-fiber friends about the fiber fest, they thought it was a nutritional gathering. hence the title. sillies!

.summer fashion.

2010-08-20T11:48:00.001-04:00

i think i would like to do this every friday. i have quite a collection of vintage photos (i've been working on it for several years now), including many from my own family's history. i think i'll start off my new friday endeavor with one from the family archive.

this so very 50s-60s newspaper clipping is, i think, quite silly. i love the women all considering the checkered dress, which looks a bit tablecloth-y, don't you think? well, the lovely in the white hat right in the middle of everyone is my grand grandma bea (mrs. robert voshmik in the caption). she was such a cool woman, it is not surprising to me at all that she would've participated in a fashion show. she also wore women's suits as soon as they were available (at least, that's the impression i've gotten). we have a photo of her in one, it's quite fabulous, but you'll have to wait.

happy weekend!

.i spy.

2010-08-18T16:18:00.000-04:00

this week, i thought that i would spot my own bike. i've been parking it in this spot for a few weeks now, it's right against the back stairs of our house. i love how the green of the bike interacts with the greens of the plants. especially with all of the great shapes and textures around. like that geranium. and the wonderful, overflowing lemongrass. i love how huge the lemongrass has grown. i can't wait to use the fat stalks in cooking. it's getting there!

sadly, the back tire on my bike has been destroyed. it really was a self-destruction process. the tires were dry-rotted and the rubber was so cracked that it was flaking off with the pressure of the brake. well, pretty much all of the rubber cracked off, including that of the inner tube, and i not have a flat back tire. it's more than flat, though, it's utterly destroyed. it looks so sad sitting there in my back yard... i hope i can get new tires soon.

for now, i've mostly enjoyed walking to town everyday. it takes longer, but some days that's a good thing.

.tending.

2010-08-14T23:52:00.000-04:00

hello sunday morning! i thought you might like a nice way to start the day. my garden is pretty much in full swing (really, it has been for quite some time). even though i planted everything at least 2 weeks late (hello, thesis show and two-week vacation in hawaii), things are catching up. hope this brightened your morning :)

.patty pan: a recipe.

2010-08-09T18:25:00.000-04:00

on saturday, i moseyed on down to the plymouth farmer's market, hoping to find something tasty. lo and behold, there was an abundance of such things! the plymouth market is so much better this year than it has been the past two years. although, it was pretty decent last year with the addition of a guy who sells lots of different vegetables. he also has a ton of winter squash in the fall. we love it! anyway, the patty patty pan squash and the yellow wax beans for this dinner were provided by a different guy and his wife. they're really nice, so i like to try to buy at least one thing from them when i go.

August Roasted Vegetables

ingredients:

3 medium patty pan squash (mine were the size of my hands)

1 quart of new (baby) potatoes, red or white

1 quart of yellow wax or green beans

half of a medium onion (mine was a candy onion from the northville market)

1 tbsp of fresh thyme

1/2 tbsp of fresh rosemary

1/2 tbsp of fresh garlic chives (all herbs preferably from the garden, of course)

1/4 cup olive oil

your preferred amount of salt and pepper

preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

cut the stem and blossom ends of the patty pan squash off, then cut into eighths. remove the seeds from each section. cut the squash and potatoes into approx. 1-inch pieces. if your beans are pretty big, like mine were, cut them in half. good news: you don't have to peel the squash! i was very nervous when i thought i might have to. how would you even do it?

chop the onion into pieces big enough not to burn. if you like bigger pieces of soft, delicious roasted onion, then by all means leave your onion pieces bigger. i cut mine to about 1/2-inch pieces.

toss the cut vegetables together with the olive oil, spices, salt and pepper in a large bowl, then spread them in one layer onto a baking sheet or roasting pan. as long as your sheet has sides, you're ok. i only have one baking sheet with sides, and no roasting pan, so i used a hodge-podge of cookware: a baking sheet, a casserole dish and a ceramic pie dish. everything worked out just fine, for the record!

throw those babies into the oven! for whatever reason, my oven takes longer to roast things than recipes call for, every time. for this, i read that i should roast the squash at 400 for 30 minutes, but it took my oven 50 minutes to roast this batch... so, if recipe roasting times usually end up being correct for your oven, then start at 30 minutes. if not, start at 40 minutes and work your way up.

let me know if any of you make this recipe, i'd love to know how it turned out! what are your favorite vegetables to roast?

.made.

2010-08-07T13:28:00.000-04:00

i know i only showed you a bit of the rug yesterday. yes, i did that on purpose. sorry to be so suspenseful! you see, i hadn't finished the ends yet, so i waited. clearly, i finished the ends since then, and here is the result! i really like it, especially for my first rug attempt.

i grabbed all the good colors of lamb's pride yarn that i had and brought them to chelsea. i liked how these four interacted, so they were the lucky ones. however, i didn't realize that one skein of the oatmeal was thicker than the other. in fact, i didn't realize this until the thinner weight ran out and i began weaving with the bulky one. oops! i just kept going, since this rug was destined to be mine and the show had to go on.

the second little problem was that i really needed one more skein of the oatmeal in order to make it 3ft long, which was my goal. after consulting with my sister (she came to help me on saturday, thank goodness!), we decided that inserting a nice, wide charcoal band would solve the problem and look quite nice. besides, i had been inventing the striping pattern as i went along, so what was a little more improv? not only did it work, but i think this rug would be too boring without it, so i'm really happy with my less-than-perfect planning.

don't you love it when little (or big) mistakes end up being the best part about a piece?

.demonstration.

2010-08-04T17:42:00.002-04:00

last friday and saturday were, to say the least, quite the experience for me. i was inviting to participate in an artist demo and sale event in partnership with the chelsea sights & sounds festival in chelsea, mi. this was the first year that they invited artists, so i figured it would be a great opportunity to try it out.

i wove en plein air. yes indeed, eric and i loaded up the ford excursion (borrowed from my dad for the week) with all of the things you see here, including the loom itself. there was approximately 1/2 inch of room around the loom. it was a nervewrackingly tight fit! i don't think i've ever had to use my arm muscles so intensely before. and with such high stakes! this was my new baby we were moving around. one wrong move... one collapsing of the arms... i couldn't even bear the thought. well, i did bear that thought once or twice and i immediately felt sick.

we arrived at my little patch of sidewalk at 7am on friday. eric had to work and i couldn't unload the loom without him, so it was quite the early morning. trying not to hurry too much, we unloaded the precious maple cargo and rolled it over to my spot. we then practically ran back and forth between the truck and my sidewalk patch, trying not to make eric too late. once all of it was unloaded, eric took off for work. i stood there, surveying the spot and the things that i chose to bring with me.

since it was still quite early in the morning, it was very quiet in downtown chelsea. this suited me quite well after the hectic two hours that we just had. i sorted through my display things, moving them around the table until i felt like everything had a home. some things were left out, which was ok.

as i was doing this, i realized... how could i have? i completely forgot to bring my past weavings to have there as examples! oh, the horror... yes, i felt stupid. but, one has to move on right?

i had never woven a "real" rug before. i was pretty sure that i had the theory down. it was time to put it on the loom. so i did.

i heard so many awesome stories while i sat there and wove. women and men who used to weave and were inspired to get their looms out again. two separate people who had been to central and south america. they both told me all about the amazing textiles and people they found there. i think those were my favorites.

one older gentleman told me about his grandmother, who had lived in greece. she wove and he even still kept a few things that she had made. so cool.

another guy told me about two trips to russia that he had taken. on the first trip, he met a woman who was a weaver. she only wove horse hair. i'm not sure what type of object she was making, he didn't say. the first time that he went and saw her, she told him that she was waiting for some horse hair to be shipped or brought to her. three years later, on his second trip, she had received the horse hair. however, the horses are so inbred now that there is not enough color variation in the hair. as she felt that dying the horse hair would "ruin the art" (i love that), she decided to retire from weaving altogether.

during all of this interesting talk and conversation, a little girl rearranged all of my embroidery floss for me. i didn't see her do it, but i'm pretty sure i remember a little dark-haired girl standing there while her mother looked at my earrings.

while it was such a great, amazing day, i was utterly tuckered out by the end of it. my entire body hurt from sitting there all day, weaving and talking and attempting stretches. i didn't get a lunch, because i was there by myself. the wonderful women of the chelsea river gallery were gracious enough to babysit my sidewalk patch so that i could take a couple trips to the bathroom.

thank goodness eric came to my rescue and helped me to fold up/load the loom along with everything else.

it felt very silly wheeling my loom around the intersection. we got some very curious glances, as i'm sure you can imagine.

p.s. please bear with me, friends, as blogger recently changed their posting format. i'm still trying to figure it out!

.bikespotting.

2010-07-21T09:00:00.003-04:00

Ever since I got my new bike in June, I've been peaking into the world of biking and bike loving. Bikespotting will by my new Wednesday feature every week. Some weeks may be simply photographs of bikes around my town or the internet. Some may be links to great articles. I think we'll take it as it goes and see where we end up, shall we?

Speaking of loving bikes, I think these two bikes love each other. I'm usually not into his and hers type deals, but this is the right kind of adorable.

Oh, and did I mention I love my own bike, too? Here she is, parked outside the bakery this afternoon while I was inside buying some lovely local treats. Her tires are terribly dry-rotted. They're downright falling apart! Poor girl, I'm hoping to get some new tires next week.

I also desperately need a basket. Eventually, I want to have both a front and rear baskets. For now, I've been hanging my purse and any bag(s) I need to take with me from the handlebars, but this results in much wobbliness. Not good when I'm biking to work through a crowded Kellogg Park. No, sir.

So, baskets:

I just love the look of this one. It's a little smaller than my ideal size, but man it would look so great!

This lovely wire beauty is still about the same size as the wood one. But, the perk here is that it slides off, so I could carry it around, say, the farmer's market if I wanted to.

There's also a huge, gigantic basket made for delivery people and groceries. I think it's so big that I would have to only put it on when I knew I was lugging some serious stuff around. I'm still undecided on the viability of this. It would all depend upon the ease of installation of both baskets...
Don't you just love this rear rack? The wood is such a classic, lovely touch. I'm not sure if I would be able to attach rear side baskets to it, though? Do you know? I would also consider a pair of gorgeous canvas panniers. Those require some investment.

Do you have a bike? What are your favorite load-bearing options?

.escapades.

2010-07-19T06:30:00.001-04:00

On Saturday, we went to Murray's Lake with my sister, Ashley, and her boyfriend, Isaac. We had such a good time! Last year, Eric and I went there several times, but we hadn't gone yet this year. I really have no explanation. I love this place. And Eric has so many great memories from his childhood. There's a tree with his name on it! Not that I condone tree-carving...

The boys briefly bonded over fishing. We didn't last long at this spot. There were no fish, and it was not quite a prime swimming spot.

But, we did eat our sandwiches on the grass there! Ashley made them and they were super delicious. Mine and Eric's were deli sandwiches and Ash made chicken salad for herself and Isaac. It was exactly what I needed.

We finished the rest of our picnic lunch/dinner on the little island at the big red picnic table. Doesn't painted a picnic table in a glossy red make all the difference?

We caught fish! They were all blue-gills and they flocked to the worm as soon as it touched the water. They totally know what's up.

This is another little lake within the park. It's a lot bigger and Eric says that it's much bigger for fishing. I'd love to put a kayak in here and just lounge and paddle around.

I love the old, clean architecture of the bathroom/snack bar building.

My sissy wading. I didn't realize how much I liked this picture until I got home and looked at it on the computer.

I didn't really plan right away to take this picture, we didn't coordinate it or anything. I just saw that they were going to jump together and my lightning-fast reflexes grabbed my camera, turned it on and took the picture. I'm so proud of myself! It was at the perfect time. I think this photo just about sums up the day. Double date fun.

Also, we went and saw "Inception", the new movie with Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, and a whole bunch of other awesome actors and actresses. I didn't really know what to expect, as I hadn't read any reviews or seen any previews for this movie. But...

I LOVED IT. Seriously. Go see it. It's not just a crazy action/thriller (it is thrilling), but it's really smart. Part of the premise is the technology to go into people's minds through a dream state. I won't tell you more, since I really loved everything about the movie being a surprise. There is some cool science involved, and some general really smart thinking. There were no obvious plot holes or science holes that weren't filled. No, I'm not a movie reviewer, but I very highly recommend this movie. I loved it and we're seeing it again next weekend.

I never see movies in the theater twice. In fact, I rarely go to the theater at all.

How was your weekend? Was it crazy hot by you too?

.linen love.

2010-07-12T15:12:00.006-04:00

As part of my new blog schedule, Thursdays will be devoted entirely to linen (and occasionally, when I see fit, there will be other textiles as well). I really do love linen that much.

I've had JoDemontis in my Etsy favorites and bookmarks for quite some time now. Her designs are so fluid and organic, I can just imagine her moving around the mannequin, draping fabric here and there. This is my favorite of the styles she offers in her Etsy shop, the Draped Sack Dress and skirt. The outline is so intriguing and the linen draping must feel wonderful to wear.

It's my cousin's wedding this weekend and I totally wish I had this dress to wear!

.beautiful.

2010-07-10T09:58:00.002-04:00

I have to share this video with you. Especially you, Susan, and you, Mollie, if you're still reading my blog. I just love this.

Also, I love the old photo of him.

Chelsea linked this to me.

.outside the box.

2010-07-05T23:08:00.002-04:00

Get it?!

Yes, I look strange. Trying to make it look like you're trying really hard to lift a box really just makes you look awkward... Just ignore that part and focus on my clever joke.

Look at her! Just standing there in all of her righteous, backlit glory. This is her new home. She is my new home. With care, she will outlive me. Kind of like owning a tortoise. Except she eats yarn and spits out beauty.

.a box.

2010-07-02T13:41:00.001-04:00

Yup, it's home.

I couldn't have done it without my wonderful friend Annie and her awesome husband, Chuck. Thanks guys!!

Now I have to wait until Eric gets home to unload it.

.camp.

2010-06-30T22:53:00.000-04:00

The Saturday after graduation (this is May 15th we're talking... yes, I'm that behind!) I spent the afternoon with my parents and sisters enjoying the campground where they were staying. We made our favorite camp food, hobo pies. Now, I don't know how widespread this type of eating is, but it is so rewarding. Before I go into too much detail, there is something you should know. Hobo pies can be breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert. Yes, I'm serious. Perfect, right?

Suggested potential ingredients:

Breakfast - eggs, sausage, bacon, peppers (a major favorite of mine), cheese, onions, black beans, feta, spinach, mushrooms

Lunch - lunch meat, assorted veggies (zucchini, peppers, onions, etc), cheese

Dinner - PIZZA! (this is my favorite) - still use croissant or biscuit dough, cheese, pizza sauce, pepperoni, canadian bacon, peppers, onions, mushrooms, feta, pineapple

Dessert - basically any pie filling (apple, cherry, grape, etc)

Here's a basic recipe, since it is SO that time of year:

Ingredients:

bread dough (we loooooove croissant dough and biscuit dough)

cooking spray (we like to use olive oil spray)

filling of choice

pie makers

Here's how:

Make sure your pie maker is nice and clean, then spray it with cooking spray.

Tear off a square of dough and line the bottom of the pie maker

Start filling! Be careful though, it's very easy to over-fill your hobo pie. This leads to leaks and trouble.

Tear off another square of dough and place it on top of your fillings, making sure to pinch the two layers of dough together for ultimate filling retention.

You're ready to cook! Slow and steady is much yummier than hot and quick. This is best done after the fire has died down a bit and there are lots of good roasting embers. Think, marshmallow fire.

Be sure to check your pies frequently. This is important! It's very sad to open your pie maker and see black crust. Very sad, indeed.

Once you've cooked your hobo pie to perfection, pop it out onto and plate and enjoy your hard work and ingenuity. Cold beer, iced tea and lemonade all make very good accompaniments.

Enjoy!

.makery.

2010-06-25T15:58:00.003-04:00

Wow, how did I not know about this blog? Another great resource for me while I'm doing all of this research and planning and all. Plus, I like the site design; always a bonus!

I'll be spending the weekend in Grand Haven, attending friend/family events, hitting up the beach, buying jewelry supplies and talking to my mom about how business-awesome she is and how I want to be that awesome. Fun, right?

What the heck are you doing this weekend?

.business (?).

2010-06-23T14:39:00.003-04:00

My loom is scheduled to come tomorrow (assuming the estimated ship date is still accurate). While I am super excited about it (eeee!!!), I'm also starting to look ahead in terms of art/craft business. I really love planning things, love being organized (when it comes to stuff like this, my desk is another story) and really want this to happen. But damn, is it overwhelming!

I've read through Craft, Inc. a few times and am planning on buying her Business Planner as soon as I have the money. Meg's book is a really great resource for thinking, such as setting up your work environment, making goals, pricing and the like. She covers almost everything. But, a lot of her information is in guideline/inspiration form, whereas I'm at the point where I need very specific information.

Thank goodness I have such an awesome, small-business-owning mom. I plan on grilling her this weekend when I go home. Just a heads up, Mom :)

I've been selling my jewelry on consignment to Haven for over a year now (over a year!). They have the perfect market for my work and I love them. But, really, I need to get super serious. I'll be very busy making a big order for Haven in time for Plymouth's Art in the Park. I also might be taking part in an artist event at the end of July. I find out tomorrow for sure and, if so, the details. It would be kind of a big deal, so I'm really crossing my fingers!

I got a couple wedding planning books with my sister a while ago and they completely outline and list everything that has to happen for a wedding. Really, the detail into which they go is crazy! The writers of wedding books totally need to get together with the writers of business books and have book babies. Just sayin'.

I'm sorry this post is a little unreadable. My head is kind of full and unsettled these days.

Here's to deep breaths!

.thesis.

2010-06-19T16:07:00.008-04:00

These are the official photos from my senior show at CCS. Official! The four with the red dots are the ones I sold :) Thanks Jennifer! I hope they're happy in their new home. Here are the details (such as my statement).

They are all inkjet prints onto silk organza. The sky images were taken on color slide film, scanned in and then worked on digitally. I blocked out the power lines in Illustrator, they were originally photographs as well.

.first couple days.

2010-06-01T03:42:00.004-04:00

I just realized that I hadn't posted anything to this blog yet. Silly me! Well, here are a handful of photos from our first couple of days, including our entire day of plane riding. It's a darn good thing I love riding in planes! Especially since we went over the Rockies. And the Grand Canyon!! It was amazing.

.hey there.

2010-05-20T14:57:00.000-04:00

digging my new shades!

.details.

2010-05-18T22:54:00.003-04:00

The little promotional parts of my show. Business cards, artist statement and price list.

Yes, those four red dots are the pieces that sold. Jennifer Mitchell, a local interior designer, and her husband bought all four and I couldn't possible be happier! I was so ecstatic but trying not to burst out crying all over her. It was so great!

And now I have enough money to start a studio. My parents, who are the very best ever (seriously), told me Thursday night after commencement that they are going to get me a loom for graduation. I know, right?! I cried. It was so awesome, too, my sisters wrote a little riddle for me in the card. Except, I thought it was just to be cute. Oh no, it was to be serious. A LOOM! Of my very own. With the money that I will get for the four panels (it would be so wonderful if the remaining three sold, too!) I can start my own tiny little weaving studio. For serious. I know just where my loom will go. I can't wait to start weaving all the time. In the morning, noon and night. Rain or shine, snow or sleet. Love.

.wednesday.

2010-05-18T22:41:00.003-04:00

I still don't quite feel rested. So, I think this post will be heavy on the photos and a bit light on the words. The last two months have been so incredibly busy and stressful and SO worth it, I'm still recovering. And now preparing for Hawaii! I don't think I've said anything about it here, but Eric's parents are taking us and his sister to Kauai for 12 days. We leave next Tuesday. Crazy, right? I still haven't made a list yet and I'm getting a little worried. All will be ok. I will be swimming with dolphins and sea turtles soon. That sounds fake, like a movie or a dream. Unbelievable...

Anyway, I think I'll just recap the last week day by day. I want to share everything, of course.

Last Wednesday, the 12th, was orientation day at my new internship. I'll be working under the Collections Manager, Megan, at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House. I can't wait! As far as I can tell, Joe and I (a fellow fiber student) will be actually working with the objects and artifacts and art themselves. Wow. Dream job, right? Well, for me anyway. Tomorrow is my first real day. I can't wait.

the solarium

a little grove. they're everywhere. the grounds are so gorgeous.

Wednesday was also the day I finished installing my thesis show. Yay! Well, first I finished it, then I had to take them down and paint the hangers white (with very generous help) and then reinstall it. It was quick-ish... I only have photos of the black hangers right now, I haven't done my official photo shoot yet.

my white bleeding heart came back this year. she is so happy! i brought a nice little set of hearts with me to keep the room cheery on the gray, rainy days.

I'm really happy with them.

.under pressure.

2010-04-29T22:34:00.003-04:00

Letterpress studio! I've really come to love this process, especially now that I feel more comfortable with it. Despite the pain, I love carving linoleum, the look it gives, the process. Meditative. I wish I had continued access to the studio. This is my final postcard design for the class, by the way. I also added a layer of text, but I like the text better either by itself or with the shovel without the sunburst. Funny how that ended up. I will have photos of the final piece with text tomorrow probably. Until then!

.lee's final surrender.

2010-04-28T00:56:00.003-04:00

the very last row!!

my friend Jane took some picture for me :) yes, I have awful posture...

I am so beyond happy to be done with this blanket. What an intense project! So worth it, though. I am way impressed with its size. Still can't believe I wove it, really. I can't wait to wash and press it!

.random.

2010-04-27T20:11:00.002-04:00

The end was in sight!

Cement truck beauty. Isn't this great?

Can't stop looking at the sky.

Perennials!!

.park morning.

2010-04-24T12:29:00.003-04:00

I love walking into my Starbucks (also my work) in the morning and finding these sweet pups hanging out right outside. They're so sweet! And their humans are a couple of our favorite customers. Really more like family. The light in the park square in Plymouth is so nice in the early morning, too. A little golden, very friendly. Sneaking through the trees onto the grass and my happy little feet. The beautiful house in the background of the last photo is the Wilcox house. It's been empty since the 80s and I want to start a community garden behind it. There are about four lots of grass over there. The only time it gets used is during the city festivals, when it's used as a parking lot. Ick. Gardens are much nicer than parking lots, agreed?

I hope your mornings are just as great.

.how does your garden grow.

2010-04-22T23:12:00.002-04:00

Amish Paste Tomato

Basil

Dwarf Grey Sugar Snap Pea

My every growing, giant Oregano left over from last year. I still can't believe it!

What's growing around you? To those of you who already have asparagus: I'm so jealous!

.printing.

2010-04-18T17:48:00.001-04:00

Ta-da!

.hi!.

2010-04-16T13:45:00.000-04:00

weaving

.Lee's Surrender.

2010-04-14T21:57:00.003-04:00

.well, sh*t.

2010-04-02T22:13:00.002-04:00

Yes, that was my first ever naughty word in a blog title. This one deserves it. Remember the "Preserve Biodiversity" poster? Notice how easily you can read these words on my linoleum block? That's because I failed to carve it backwards. I carved it forwards instead, which would print backwards. Arrhguuuurrrrrrghghhhhh. What the heck. No, what the hell. This was bad. I'll bet this block took my 8 hours to carve. And it looked pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. Oh my goodness... So, just thought I would let you know why I hadn't printed that poster yet. Alright, that's enough of that.

My show is progressing really well. We picked senior spaces yesterday, so I'll have more about that this weekend. As long as whatever they plan on providing to us for hanging our stuff looks good (we can't hang on the actual walls...), I think my show will be mostly like I envisioned it. I'm finally feeling really excited!

Brittany

Sometimes I like to sign my name, it's like writing a letter :)

.so far.

2010-03-28T14:43:00.002-04:00

I realized that I hadn't posted the four images I've finished all in one place yet. I'm not sure about the third one, which was the first one I did last semester. It's much more zoomed in than the ones I'm working on right now. I think I'll do a couple that are more like that one to see if adding them in will make sense.

They will be gradating from blue and clear and open (like the one on the left) toward darker, cloudy, cluttered and chaotic (like the one on the farthest right).

This all started last July when I, for reasons I can't remember, began to think about prayer flags and did a little bit of research. I liked the idea (and still do) of creating an object that is supposed to emanate good will, which is a really dumbed down summary of prayer flags, I know. I wanted to make objects that would make people feel this good will toward the earth. I thought about different ways to install them (in the forest, in a public space, outside at the show, etc.) but didn't really have any clear ideas of what kinds of images they would have on them.

Then, I had second burst of idea when Eric and I went to Maine. Specifically, when we went on a whale watching tour. Being out on the ocean, surrounded by it, was one of the most incredible things I've experienced. I decided that was the feeling that I wanted my show to give people. A surge of peace and a feeling of vastness. I wanted to use photographs, mostly abstract images of sky and water, printed onto fabric with the big inkjet printer we have here at school to accomplish this.

This has definitely morphed. I decided that it wasn't quite enough to just have pictures on fabric. Initially, I decided that I would use silk organza because of its translucency and its ability to be scoured. When scoured, organza because shinier, more opaque and "silkier." I wanted to shibori the organza using the pole wrapping method and then scour it, so that the parts of the fabric that were resisted would stay the same and the parts that were exposed would become shinier and more opaque. I thought this would be a really nice way to create a layer of pattern on the images, relating them more to textiles. Well, the scouring wasn't really noticeable, which sucked, since I was really excited about how I thought it might look.

I ended up deciding that I would like to not only expose the viewer to a beautiful landscape, but that I would also like to talk about environmental degradation at the hands of humanity. So, that's what the power lines are all about. They represent our collective negative impact on the earth through landscape alteration. I chose power lines for a couple of reasons. The main reason being that they are so pervasive in our lives that we often don't notice them. As objects, they aren't usually on the list of major offenders when it comes to the environment. I think this makes them an even more powerful symbol, reminding us that the small things do matter. It also connects to our (over)use of energy, which is definitely on the list of major offenders. My second reason is that I think the way I'm treating them makes them beautiful. This, initially, kind of camouflages their negativity and makes a little bit more interesting when the viewer begins to really think about what they're looking at, mingling positive and negative feelings together.

The choice of fabric is very important to me. I chose a transparent fabric to stress the fact that everything affects everything else. I had originally intended to group them in a circle-ish shape that was big enough so that people can walk between the panels of fabric. When viewed from any angle, different panels would interact with each other, just as we interact with the world and it interacts with us.

At this point, I have no idea what kind of space I'll be hanging my show in, which will dictate whether I hang them in a grouping like that or if I hang them in a sequence. I feel like doing a gradation kind of forced me to hang them in a line, but maybe not. I need to get them all printed and play along with it. However, if I can't hang from the ceiling and have to use a wall, then I will be forced to hang them in a linear grouping.

Also, the department ran out of my silk organza. One of my teachers ordered it in the beginning of March and Fedex dropped it off on March 13th. It never showed up and when we called Fedex, the woman said the only note of the delivery said, "left at front door." This is Detroit! What was that guy thinking? The delivery address is the dorm building, where the mail room is, and it is open 24/7. What a jerk. So, we ran out. Which means I can't print for a while. Harumph. For now, I can continue to create more images to print, which I would be doing anyway, but it's stressing me out that I can't do anything physical. I can't even figure out my hanging system until I tour the new building, where the show will be, this coming Thursday.

So, that's that. I didn't really intend to write all of this out right now, but it happened anyway. I think an explanation of what the hell all these power line images I keep posting are for is long overdue anyway. Thanks for reading, if you made it all the way through!

What do you think? I'd really like to know your thoughts and reactions.

.number 3 or 4ish.

2010-03-25T22:27:00.002-04:00

Another image for my show finalized. I must keep up this momentum!

This will probably be 3 or 4 in the progression.

In other news, there has been a huge mishap in the delivery of new silk for the department and I won't have any more fabric to work with for at least a week. Eek! We had enough left for one print. Uuuggghhhhhh.... So, I'll print that tomorrow during weaving and then keep creating digital images until we get more fabric. Whenever that is...

.undecided.

2010-03-21T22:04:00.002-04:00

I am having a terribly hard time figuring out my color palette/placement for this next letterpress poster. These are just two of my finalist options. What do you think? Do you have any suggestions? I'd love to hear 'em!

I'm trying to figure out another palette, too... We'll see.

.a few more.

2010-03-20T19:21:00.002-04:00

...And here are the beautiful sepia-ish prints I told you about. I love the deep golden brown ink. I accidentally printed a crooked one, so I'm keeping it for myself on my sort-of inspiration wall. I very much love these.

.solar.

2010-03-19T18:42:00.002-04:00

For the solar plate project in my letterpress class, I decided to print my mom's chicken, Badger. Because she's awesome. Solar printing is a very rare process these days. The way we did it was by first printing out a digital negative. We used that negative to expose the orange solar plate in the darkroom. Once the plate is exposed and developed, you can print from it just like you would any other plate. My friend Kaitlin and I have been solar plate fiends the past couple of weeks, with Jessica joining in this past Wednesday. Each plate only provides about 25 prints before it starts to deteriorate :( This first run was with a black ink, and this past Wednesday we printed with a really beautiful brown ink. I'll have those pictures up either tonight or tomorrow.

I will probably be selling these prints, especially if anyone expresses interest.

I plan on making another plate this week. I haven't quite decided on an image for it yet, but I'm leaning toward one of my Greenfield Village images from last year... Which I can't find. I know I posted at least a couple of posts of photos. Do any of you remember them? Hmmm, mystery. Anyway, I'll be making another plate for another edition of 25.

Hope the weather has treated you as nicely as it has treated me these past few days :)