unruly-things

a dim glow shines from jolly jack-o-lanterns,
while witches, goblins, and ghosts dance together.
the moon is full and very bright,
here's a little story about my halloween night.

I'll bake up some cookies, pumpkin and raisin
hopefully spooky things don't start to happen.
we'll probably drink a halloween brew
made of pumpkin and cinnamon and probably cloves too.

under blankets we sit, all warm and toasty
watching spooky movies, hopefully not too scary.
because eerie, horrifying, movies at night
give me dreams which cause such a fright.

we'll likely be joined by an unlucky black cat
sometimes we call him more appropriately, a rat.
we'll remember last year when we dressed with delight
as the devil, his angel, and the grim reaper, we partied all night.

it's halloween and it's meant to be fun
when a ghost scares you don't turn and run.
so play some tricks, give out delicious treats
and have a lovely, safe, and exciting halloween.

that are a bit "halloween-y"

orange and black tights.
these goodies.
a spook and a clock.
her costume, and hers, hers too.
spooky crafts.
this bag of treats.
classic ghost stories.
pumpkin centerpieces.

{image from domino}

bright colors are certainly in for fall/winter. wow, was one of the words that came to mind when browsing Free People's current collection. the colorful imagery combined with their unique pieces is simply amazing. since I hadn't visited the site in awhile, I spent some time browsing and wishing. I'm totally crushing on these tights and this necklace.
{images from free people}

while the traditional black and white is truly wonderful, I'm loving the more subtle and tiny houndstooth prints from this season.
{just as I say that I'm feeling subtle houndstooth, how cute are these?}
{images from nordstrom}

I've always loved these little birds by Ann Wood. they are so simple and sweet. Ann has announced that she will have all of these cuties, from this picture, for sale tomorrow, October 30 at 2pm EST, in her etsy shop. if you've got your eyes on one of these little guys, jump on etsy quick tomorrow, as they always sell out super fast.
{image from ann wood}

blogging.
l.o.v.i.n.g.
listing.
wanting, needing, having.
inspiring.
anticipating.
feeling.
changing.
missing.
remembering.
illus.trating.
de.sign.ing.
grow.ing.
eating. imbibing.
cooking.
capturing.
listen.ing.
everyday living.

cheers to one year of blogging.
{image from here.}

I'm loving:
the warm shades of bright red and yellow leaves.

I'm craving:
a piece of this, warmed up of course. {via unique eggbeater}
a nice cup of hot oolong.
snuggling underneath a warm, woolen blanket.

I'm wanting:
boots, to keep my feet warm.
warm legwear.
a warm sweater.

this would warm my cheeks:
winter warmer

I'm satisfied:
with my yummy salad recreation.

I'm hoping:
to stay super warm this wkend. have a fabulous one!

{this pic is for you, Ali. I took it, and it reminded me of yours with the polas.}

I am totally totally totally in love with these sparrow shakers. dlb's mom collects salt and pepper shakers, and these little birdies are thinking about making their way into her Christmas gift! and maybe a set for myself as well.
{image from patina, via design*sponge}

ok, ok... maybe I'm starting to get into the Halloween spirit a little bit. I always dreamed of hosting my own Halloween bash, complete with ghoulish treats and devilish drinks. these sweets are pretty fantastic and the drinks are very spooky.
{image from martha}

I adore these images from the Paul Smith Black Collection. don't they make you want to walk the streets of London, taste pastries and cappuccinos, then spend a long afternoon reading and chatting about art, food, and all things nice?
the Autumn/Winter collection features functional favorites with feminine 1940's twists. I just love that mini heart printed silk dress paired with red tights and lace-up heels.
{images from paul smith}

I love skeleton keys. one day dlb was cleaning out his car, and he found a super cool skeleton key in the back, in between the cushions and things. since he'd just bought the car, less than a year ago, we knew it wasn't ours. though it intrigued me. and I want to find more, and display them, as a big skeleton key family.
I've always been intrigued. by skeleton keys, and antique doors with key holes, and unopened letters, and things like that.
{keys print by kate nydam and a skeleton key set}
{ps, I did like that movie with Kate Hudson, sort of. it left me feeling silly for letting it scare me}

my sleep has been interrupted lately. my cat has learned how to shake door knobs...at 2:30 in the morning...when he wants to come in our bedroom. it's hard to believe that a cat that small can make so much noise. maybe it's just that when abruptly woken from a nice dream about sunny days and bike rides, that noises just seem a little more annoyingly loud.
I rarely sleep on my back, but I did last night. with my arms over my head. and my feet touching his.
how do you sleep?

I wouldn't mind calling this one my own.

I'm absolutely in love with these coats from Soia & Kyo. the fabric choices are fabulous and I love the classic looks with big buttons. not to mention, their cute website sure makes the coat buying {or in my case dreaming} experience a whole lot nicer, too.
{images from soia & kyo, via shiny squirrel}

I always seem to fall for circles. I've never been much of a square person. maybe it's something about the quality of a perfect circle. I simply adore these circle necklaces.
{clockwise from top left: silvery moon by Holly West, sterling silver double necklace by Kate Szabone, three rings necklace and tiny orechiette choker necklace by Nina Dinoff.}

in order to make more room for new designs and inspiring things that I've been planning to develop, I've reduced the price on the wildflower cards in my etsy shop. check them out, if you haven't already, and look out for something new to arrive soon.

so I haven't posted anything about Halloween yet, mostly because I just kind of have forgotten about it. last year I had multiple parties to attend, a costume figured out, and my mind set on delicious treats. but this year, maybe it's because I've grown out of Halloween, maybe it's because I'd rather spend my money on something better than a costume I'll wear one time, or maybe it's just because I don't have anything planned, but for whatever reason, my most favorite holiday as a child, has become just another day.

but I wouldn't mind filling up my treat basket with a few of these.

I'm always a big fan of shirtdresses. they are so casually comfortable, but yet versatile enough be dressed up as well. I especially love this one from Nature vs. Future. not only is it 100% organic cotton, but it's also been given a little twist on the original classic. and I love that fabric
{image from greenloop}

I love these school girl inspired looks from A.P.C. I'm especially digging those burnt orange/reddish tights and those wool shorts.
it almost makes me nostalgic for those college days. last night, I was reminiscing on art classes and night after night of endless projects. I miss those days with sculpture and silk screen labs. I miss having tools at the blink of an eye. and sometimes, I think I was more creative back then. at least I spent more time developing my art work!
{images from a.p.c.}

I love these pieces from the newest collection by Kate Towers. such bright color. such pretty imagery. I'll be seeing the rest of her collection tonight at Portland Fashion Week.
excited? yep.
{images from kate towers}

a weekend haiku for you:

memories I made.
crepes, friends, new jeans: all highlights.
monday came too soon.

{picture taken of me by dlb, on another fabulous weekend awhile ago. still my favorite photo of me, as of yet.}

I'm hoping:
to recreate this shot over the weekend. {yep with my bike, dlb.}
for at least a portion of sun.
to make some shoe purchases.

I am anticipating:
date night with dlb: dinner and a movie
{pdx locals, any suggestions on a dinner spot, vegetarian friendly, seafood ok, and either in NW or SW? oh, and while I'm at it, are there any good places with food of Spain or tapas?}

I'm frustrated:
with Flash.

I'm tasting:
the best apple ever. don't remember the type, but it's really good, and cost too much.

I'm wearing:
a bright pink shirt.
{I'm trying to brighten up my wardrobe, which is filled with black and gray.}

I'm really loving:
our new couch. and chair.
ginger snaps and lemon poppy seed cookies.
dlb.

I'm wishing:
for a holiday. right now.

lately I've been baking, at least 3 times a week. my grandmother fears that I'm going to get fat with all the baked goods I've been making. at least when I get home, dlb has usually eaten everything, but he graciously leaves me one or two cookie. boys and sweets. :)
so, I'm dreaming about all of these lovely kitchen supplies from Sur La Table. not that I need everything, like that bright yellow lasagna dish or those chicken in a basket salt and pepper shakers, but they're just so darn cute.
thanks for linking to this, Jess! I see Sur La Table on my walk home from work, but haven't been inside... yet.
{images from sur la table}

dark shades of purple.
vibrant green.
subtle blue.

I have a new favorite photographer from flickr. Cindy, aka Cinnamon, has the most vibrant ability with her camera. I love her portraits. I love the contrast of light and dark. I love the waist down shots, always my favorites. I love that her daughter is learning to be a photographer.
these are just two of the many pictures I favorited yesterday. see her work here. and see her just as fabulous daughter's work here.
{images from cinnamon, via creature comforts}

I can't help but think about cute umbrellas and wellies as the rain continues to progress here in Portland. Orla Kiely has the cutest rainy day things in her signature stem print.
{images from orla kiely}

I've always enjoyed these images. I've seen a few of the big bloggers out there, who have posted their belonging on flickr or other sites, and really enjoyed viewing their stuff. actually, I took this picture in August with full intentions of blogging about it, then I forgot. {I have a new cell phone now, and now I'm more of a mint person, rather than gum.} as big as my purse is, I know it surprises few that I don't carry crazy things in there. I usually have an umbrella, at least mostly these days, and usually my camera. I guess I was going for a light load this day.

so I I thought I'd make this a tag. ask you ladies to post about your belongings, show your stuff, show your creative clutter keepers, which I need help with majorly. and consider yourself tagged.

update: I couldn't remember where I'd seen this before when I posted this yesterday. but you can check out these lovely ladies purses, here at figments.

since I was so busy yesterday, I didn't get a chance for much of a blog break. here's Monday, in recap:
• setting our holiday site live.
• busy, busy bee.
• walking home, listening to my nano.
• yellow leaves skipping around my feet.
• testing out my new camera phone.
• purple leaves and bright green grass.
• discovering a cookie monster.
• recharging him with lemon poppy seed cookies.
• rogue wave. {which I must say was better than I imagined it would be.}

just another cute, creative thing from kate spade: behind the curtain.
{image from kate spade}

I keep seeing this fun little game showing up on various blogs. so, I thought I'd give it a try. so here's my ipod shuffle:

01. keep the car running - arcade fire
there was a period of time when this cd first came out, that dlb and I didn't listen to much else. I think he had over 100 listens on his last.fm page. for one week. Keep the Car Running has such an upbeat feeling. and I just love it.

02. little motel - modest mouse
another cd that got lots of play in our apartment is the latest one from Modest Mouse. often overlooked, Little Motel is a great song. slow and full of heart.

03. ghost - rogue wave
I'm a big fan of Rogue Wave. {seeing them live on Monday! yay!} ever since a good friend and co-worker of mine got me into them, I can't stop listening. their sound is so fun. Ghost is from their latest album.

04. there there - radiohead
I knew the hit Creep and I had OK Computer when it was released in 1997, but after that, there was a point where I just kind of dropped the ball on my interest in Radiohead. Hail to the Thief is packed with stand outs, but There There has such a great feel to it. it's swanky, it's mysterious, it's sad sounding. I don't know why it took me so long to soften up to Hail to the Thief. I liked a few songs, but I always found myself falling back to the old Radiohead that I loved and was familiar with. though, after much more listening, and many more attempts, I do have to say that this cd is what really got me hooked.

05. limit to your love - feist
la, a-la, a-love this song. it reminds me of driving across colorado, through fields and fields of corn and hay. I'd been driving for hours, eight hours I believe, and I was literally ready to close my eyes and drift into a deep sleep. needless to say, I needed a pick me up. and Feist did just the thing. it helps that her catchy tunes are so fun to sing along with.

06. lightness - death cab for cutie
from possibly my favorite DCFC cd, Transatlanticism. I love the melodic guitar riff in between the chorus and the verse. honestly, I don't typically listen to this song. it's slow, like quite a few of DCFC's songs, but after this listen, I've added it to my playlist.

07. walking down the hill - travis
I just recently got into Travis, via dlb. their sound is so good, and almost comforting. it's easy background music for whatever, driving, cooking... and it's fun to sing along to.

08. scythain empire - andrew bird
from Fingerlings 3. after seeing Andrew Bird live, and hearing him perform his loops and whistles, I'm hooked on the Fingerlings cds. hooked. I love this song, maybe even more now than I ever did before.

09. pink bullets - the shins
quite possibly the song that got me hooked on The Shins. I had just downloaded last.fm and was listening to a similar artist station, and yea, I'd heard of The Shins before, but I'd never really listened to them. so, I'm listening to last.fm, and here comes this song. and I loved it. it was an instant heart. {if you're not familiar with last.fm, it's awesome. get it.}

10. one flight down - norah jones
oh, what a great one to end with. I could, honestly, listen to Norah Jones all day. I love her smoky voice, her seamless piano playing, and her ability to capture daydreams in the simplest of melodies. I've always wanted to be a jazz pianist. I'm classically trained, and don't play much jazz. but the day I buy a piano, is also the day I'll buy a Norah Jones piano book.

I'm thrilled:
to see the entire collection of photos from D+R's wedding.

I don't miss:
working in retail.
ISM and the big D.

I'm planning:
big surprises and gifts galore.

I'm listening to:
in rainbows
aesop rock

I'm looking forward to:
baking sticky buns.
long bike rides.
sunny days this weekend. {fingers crossed}

I'm wanting:
this.
these.
some of these.
and especially this.

{the photo is of my little cousin, dancing her heart out with her new friend and other flower girl.}

Joy posted about Uppercase this morning, and I just had to share. I LOVE these books, and I love the photograph styling on this site. it makes me want to add to my current collection of books I bought because the cover was pretty.
{images from uppercase, via oh joy!}

even at the silliest moments, I'm struck with love.
{it was so freaking cold and windy, our umbrellas were literally turned inside out. but the laughter warmed our cheeks and hearts.}

it's 10:43pm.
my inbox dings, revealing one new message.

in rainbows has downloaded to my desktop.

track 1.... 15 step.
1 minute in and I'm already in love.

I constantly love the styling of the photos from J. Crew.

such pretty imagery.
vivid green leaves.
lovely details.
{images from lyell, via montmartre}

bliss = finding broadcasts online.
happy = getting addicted all over again.

dlb has gotten me into NPR and This American Life, and little did I know how much I'd like it.

hear This American Life here.

I tend to get stuck on a band. then I listen to the cd over and over. and eventually, I'll tire of it. but I haven't gotten sick of the melodious, catchy, heartfelt music of Zach Condon and his band Beirut. their sound is different, a wise combination of Eastern European influences mixed with traditional folk music. but I love it. and I can't stop listening.
listening: scenic world
watching: the flying cup club
{image from here}

it's Monday again. I'm always amazed at how quickly it comes. and how quickly the weekend vanishes and I'm dreaming about the next one. *sigh* I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend. filled with relaxation, laughter, memories, and fun.
the laundry jerk.
the pumpkin patch and picking flowers.
nutty caramel apples.
veggies. fruit. honey.
learning to ride my bike.
and learning to deal with seat pain.
smoked rye and mac & cheese.
a warm, relaxing bath and iron & wine.
curried butternut squash soup. {my first time cooking squash!}
houndstooth mini and tights.

{...and I had a weekend filled with food it seems!}

I'm always on the hunt for cute, fashionable things, at a great price. Delia's, while geared toward the younger crowd, has some adorable things. dresses, jackets, skirts.... and I'm in love with these particular dresses.
{images from delias}

I'm craving:
cheesy pizza.
bridgeport's new ipa.

I'm crushing on:
this outfit. these boots.

I'm feeling:
tired. happy. excited. overwhelmed. nervous.

I miss:
the simple technology of my old cell phone.
my Daddy.

I need to:
upload photos from the wedding/weekend/week.
work on my poster for super diamond.
make a business plan and stick to it.

I'm already excited:
about Christmas. snow. family. presents.

I'm looking forward to:
sleeping in tomorrow.
snuggling with my man tonight.
sauvie's island tomorrow.

{image from shane goguen}

thanks to Marta and Ali, two of my favorite daily blog reads, I've been inspired to create my own "list of 100 things about myself". I like things like this. I like going back to read these months down the road to see what I was feeling. thinking. so here it is. my list of 100 things about me:

01. I love baking. I don't do it very often.
02. I've been dreaming about baking chai cheesecake.
03. I'm a big planner. I'm working on being a do-er.
04. I'm a bit of a magazine freak.
05. I love being in love with my best friend.
06. silly things scare me. bugs. heights. flying.
07. I drive a tan Honda Civic. the trunk is silver.
08. my skin is more pale than it ever has been.
09. I'm in love with the NW.
10. I'm not a movie-goer. I prefer DVD, snugly blankets, and dim lights.
11. I regret that I haven't stayed in touch with more people.
12. I love filling up journals with magazine clippings.
13. I wish I was a better photographer.
14. I'm fascinated with the universe. stars. gravity.
15. I love discovering new music.
16. I dance when I'm home alone and bored.
17. I'm way ticklish.
18. I always wanted to be a shoe designer.
19. I have a weird thing about the consistency of certain foods.
20. I've never seen Top Gun all the way through from beginning to end.
21. I get stressed way to easily.
22. I used to wear baggy pants and dye my hair with streaks of green.
23. that was also when I listened to punk and ska music.
24. when I was a little girl, I refused to wear anything but dresses. I even slept in them.
25. I used to think my voice sounded like a boy's, so I talked with a high pitch.
26. I don't own any khaki pants. 27. I don't own any boots. 28. until last week, I didn't own a fleece.
29. I love shells and sharks teeth.
30. I love my kitchen. it's colorful and cheery.
31. I'm a pescatarian.
32. I eat shredded mozzarella cheese from the bag.
33. my dream house has plank style hardwood floors.
34. I am a total organized-perfectionist when it comes to most things.
35. just recently I started to enjoy cleaning.
36. I used to dislike the sound of my name. 37. I used to dislike the spelling of my name.
38. I change my mind a lot.
39. I spend more time browsing the internet than I should.
40. my attention span is minimal.
41. my hair style is low maintenance.
42. I'd like a bit of fame and fortune.
43. I'm gullible.
44. I love wrapping presents.
45. I like tiny, white, twinkling lights at Christmas.
46. I'm a fan of Jack Bauer.
47. I'd like a Prius.
48. my new favorite color is yellow.
49. my shoe size is 10.
50. I used to slam my competition at hoola-hoop contests.
51. I can't stand my belly button being touched.
52. I love being crafty.
53. I fainted when I got my ears pierced.
54. I like birthdays. cakes. icing. candles. presents.
55. I like getting attention.
56. I try to be more green.
57. our feet are always touching when we sleep.
58. my favorite salad dressing is Caesar.
59. I hope to grow a garden.
60. I like pumpkin spice cookies.
61. I like irish martinis.
62. I drink a lot of beer. micro-brewed beer. sweet stout, please.
63. my handwriting can be illegible. but I like it.
64. I love hand massages.
65. I drink 64 oz of water everyday. 66. I have a tiny bladder.
67. illustration makes me happy.
68. I have the weirdest cat, ever. 69. moose reminds me of a squirrel.
70. I once caught a 42" snook.
71. piano music makes my heart ache.
72. I love lavender. 73. wildflowers make my eyes sparkle.
74. I dream of a living room with black, yellow, and gray.
75. sometimes I wish I didn't look young.
76. I always wish I had more clothes.
77. sometimes I get so tired, my eyes burn.
78. I only like using black pens. medium point. nothing too inky.
79. I love, love, love white chocolate with raspberries.
80. I like to taste new things. I've got my limitations though.
81. I'm obsessed with covered buttons. 82. I could spend hours in a craft store.
83. I have a weakness for sweets. 84. I absolutely despise going to the dentist.
85. both my cell phone and my ipod are red.
86. certain words brighten my day: smitten is one of them.
87. I love his beard. 88. I love his chin.
89. I like the color of my eyes.
90. my favorite artist is Zero 7.
91. I know the 50 Nifty United States in alphabetical order.
92. I can tie a cherry stem into a knot in my mouth.
93. I love reminiscing with family and friends.
94. I sweat the small stuff too often. 95. I cry easily. {whether happy or sad}
96. I love emergin-c.
97. I can't wait to have my own office in my home, and to decorate it.
98. I can't stand clutter.
99. I have bad habits I need to break.

lastly...
100. I love blogging my heart out.

{image of me, by dlb, from the roadside suspension bridge somewhere in Idaho. a little thing I was scared of. I didn't want to get caught for trespassing.}

I love this print from Sea Spray Blue. it makes me want to grab my favorite book, a soft blanket, and my man, and enjoy the outdoors.
{via decor8}

it's October. the air is getting cooler. the holiday's are upon us with anticipation of pumpkin pie, green bean casserole, vegetable stews, spice cookies, and mashed potatoes. it's that time of year that spending a little more time on a warm, delicious meal seems just right.
so yesterday, I bought this.
and I cooked this.

radiohead have recorded their new album.
they've called it in rainbows.
it comes out on 10.10.

oh my.

{update: and yes, the new album is free. unless you want to purchase the box set, which is probably got a heat sensitive cd, like NIN did with their latest release, or something else making it worth the buy, the new album is available for download from their website for free next week. sign up for a pre-sale and get a code sent to your inbox when the album is ready for release. check out this article about the new album, courtesy of Ali, here}

sunshine. rain.
birthday parties.
pesto pizza.
fresh peaches. juicy pears.
my new fleece.
shoes. jackets. blankets.
microbreweries.
leaves changing color. pumpkins.
cozy nights with a kitty purring by my side.
loving my best friend.
cooking. baking. candy making.
rhyming games.
lighthouses. mountains. wildflowers.
smiles. laughter.
weddings. cousins. family. friends.
spending this past week with Daddy.

{consider yourself tagged. thanks Marta.}