plain geometry

Lately I have been spending lots of time perusing Etsy, and I thought I would share with you some of my favorite pieces. Notice the pattern: I have mostly been perusing jewelry. I love Son of a Sailor for its simple geometry. And look at those beautiful splashes of color! What a lovely, understated way to cheer up an ensemble!

A Merry Mishap makes charming little geometric shapes from beautiful plums, mint greens, and pale pinks. 

Kim Dulaney has quickly become one of my favorite Etsy designers. Her pieces have just enough edge. 

                 

american wilderness

Ranger Doug sells reproductions of the WPA National Parks posters. I love Ranger Doug. Recently my dad sent me two packages of Doug's postcards (these are big packages; i have a lot of postcards hanging on my wall). The color palate and the block print aesthetic does a lot for me. I am particularly fond of the twilight purples burnt oranges. Also, the services the posters advertise: "field trips,""motor caravans," "nature walks". Oh! Adventure!

I think I love these posters because I want to see the America they portray, an America beautiful and wild and various, in spite of the depression or the war. I want to roam across this America. Nature, big and eternal as it is, forgets war and poverty and suffering, and I, an American wanderer, clamor to be immersed in nature, to exchange self-consciousness for the openness of air, and to feel myself not an American citizen, but a part of the American landscape. 

fancy foxes

A note on Fleet Foxes: I love them and want to invite them to dinner.

Last week, Maggie and I attended the Fleet Foxes concert in St. Louis. It was most blissful and dazzling. Despite Robin's cold and desperate calls for Claritin, the singing was as clear as clean mountain air.

Afterwards, upon the request of Bob (fellow attendee who is a very tall ginger), we waited near the back of the building. I felt like a horrible person among those crazed fans waiting for autographs. I did receive one blessing from the event: I met J. Tillman, drums, and Casey Wescott, keyboard and mandolin. joys!

Again by the request of the ginger, we asked J. Tillman what they were drinking on stage (always a curiosity). He said Robin drinks tea (which we already knew because of the mug and tag), some drink Coke, some drink whiskey, all drink some water, and he was drinking pomegranate juice with vodka (not the norm) in a plastic red cup.

All in all, I had myself a wonderful time listening to some Fleet Foxes.

wizarding worlds

Yes, I am a Harry Potter fan. But who isn't? I've grown up with these kids and envy their lives more than any real person I know. But now that both books and movies are over, I must face the fact that I will not be receiving my "sorry we're so late" Hogwarts invitation.

Tonight I go to see the newest installment in my friend's defeat of evil for the second time (of-coarse I went to the mid-night showing). I like to watch all my movies twice.

Reading and watching Harry Potter has always made me wish I was a wizard. In contrast, Lord of the Rings makes me ashamed to be human. So power hungry, so weak, such greasy hair.

I am looking forward now to the Hobbit movie coming out sometime relatively soon.

Pippin seems happy here. But I am not because they left out the Ravenclaw common room in the last cinematic chance I had to see it (outside of my mind's eye).

Did you know brontosaurus never existed? 3rd biggest disappointment in life.

first yarn production

I have just recently received my belated birthday gift in the form of a Kromski spinning wheel. Even more recently I received the nitty noddy to accommodate it (this is necessary for finishing the yarn). And thus, within two days, I've finished two skeins of yarn, spun from jacob wool. As I will be leaving for a road trip to Colorado tomorrow, I think I will spend my time crocheting myself a scarf, made from scratch. Well, almost from scratch.

I did receive the wool already carded and processed, but fortunately my father's cousin has a llama and alpaca farm in Washington and has kindly supplied me with enough llama and alpaca wool to make an army of sweaters. This wool is straight off the animals - it still has the dirt, dust, and leaves. But now I am fully equip to scour, wash, spin, ply, set, and crochet this filthy wool. I am most excited. My next step is a sheep.

my first skein of finished wool

setting the twist (yarn soup)

I am most content.