More Like a List of Things

Hello friends,

Welcome to my corner of the world. Today, a list of things somewhat sporadic instead of a coherent or well-thought story to tell. Instead, thoughts like clouds passing but not like you are looking at the entire sky. A leaf in the late afternoon light. The squirrels arguing over something I cannot understand though one looks at me like I should try to understand him/ her or possibly mediate.

The photos above: An embroidery project in-progress and natural linen and red thread will always make me happy. A collection of eucalyptus buttons from a recent walk in the woods and the buttons still smell like the woods but on my studio table so miles away from the forest. Leg warmers for the little one, inspired by sock monkey colors. I have just acquired Maira Kalman's "The Principles of Uncertainty" and I am liking it very much.

Today is my due date! But the little one has decided he will arrive fashionably late, it seems. So I am employing my anticipation to stitch, sew, write, read, bake, walk, dream, and to notice the quiet moments all around me. There is a pause around me now. A palpable waiting.

And you? What are you pausing to notice these days?

xoxo,
k

House Tour: Our Small Urban Nest

(View of the bedroom into the nursery. Artwork by 3191, HSJ, and Lisa S.)

(New raspberry-colored pillows, fresh off the presser foot.)

(The bedroom: raspberry, gray and white. Artwork by Wild, A. Fox, and Gracia&Louise.)

(Up-close: over my dresser.)

(The living room: Gray, yellow, red and turquoise too.
Artwork by McConnell, Joan, and S. Fairey.)

(Newly made pillows, still feathering the nest.)

(Up-close: yarn stash.)

(The kitchen: wood, white, and red. Sunflowers from the farmer's market.)

(Photos by me, letterpress print by Starshaped Press, and red shelves by my mister.)

(Up-close: vintage Pyrex collection.)

(View of the studio, my favorite lookout perch.)

(Up-close: inspiration lines including cards by some of you!)

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It was so much fun showing you the recently renovated nursery so I thought I'd show you the rest of our place too. We moved here in February and I can finally say that it feels like home. Phew. It's as if I have to live in the space for a period of time before I can truly claim it.

Lately, I'm embracing a clash of geometric patterns, bold colors, white walls, worn furniture, and an ever-growing collection of books. I have a weakness for gorgeous hardcover design books full of photographs and articles. Some of my favorites: Undecorate, Flea Market Style, Apartment Therapy's Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces, Lotta Jansdotter's Handmade Living, and Decorate.

As if that wasn't enough, I'm always inspired by the amazing design boards that surface on Pinterest. And, as we all know, swoon-worthy design blogs are not hard to find (peek at my sidebar for some links). Lucky for us, inspiring & accessible design is everywhere these days and we just have to access computers, bookstores, or magazines for a good luscious dose.

Hope you enjoyed the tour of my own urban nest. (And for those of you wondering, no baby yet!)

xoxo,
k

Autumn Polaroids

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Oh, you know I cannot resist the pull of the pretty analog--letterpress, Polaroid, needle & thread, typewriters, and so the list goes on. But there's something extra special about analog film. It's extra special because you tuck it away in a big box and then you leaf through that big box and then you find things that you didn't notice before. The light, maybe. Or the subject and how he/ she/ it has changed. Or maybe it's the composition.

I took these photos last autumn but they never made it to my scanner so they have been quietly hidden inside the little red Polaroid box until now. They seemed to be tucked there amidst the stack just waiting for this very October to be shared with you. Something about brown plaid and moody skies and plump pumpkins and a blue vintage dress.

Happy Autumn. And Happy (almost) Halloween.

xoxo,
k.

PS-- It was too much fun showing you the nursery. So this Thursday I'll show you the rest of our tiny apartment and studio too (complete with virtual cookies and tea).

Welcome to Our Nursery!

(A view of the littlest room in the house.)

(I made the pillow from quilt scraps. Fabric by Denyse Schmidt for JoAnn's.)

(The big secret? Our clothes rack hangs behind that white curtain. Hush, don't tell.)

(Artwork left to right: Mobile by me, feather block print by 1canoe2, top photo by Andrea C. Jenkins aka Girl Hula, bottom sun print by yours truly. Apologies, I can't find the press name for the letterpress whale card.)

(A simple mobile made of linen, embroidery thread, and fiber stuffing.)

(Another view: A baby-friendly collection of vintage and antique furniture. We had almost everything except the tiny bookshelf from the Alameda Flea Market and the vintage dresser [below] from Craigslist.)

(Embellished sweaters made weeks ago, fabric bunting just finished, and a budding collection of vintage baby hangers.)

(Gifts from friends: a team of toys and softies.)

(Another view: Looking into our bedroom. Far right: ABC print by Sycamore Street Press.)

(Children's books by favorite artists: Nikki McClure and Clare Rojas.)

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The nursery is finished! (Okay, minus a handmade quilt and a hanging mobile waiting patiently by my studio desk. Otherwise, the nursery is ready for the little one.) We converted our walk-in closet into a tiny baby's room. Our small, one bedroom, city apartment is about 650 sq feet but I was determined to create a space in our home that felt like it was designed for our soon-to-be son.

So, we assessed the various corners of our cozy abode and decided the walk-in closet was the answer. For those of you who like the details: The closet is about 8.5 feet by 7.5 feet total-- minus 2 feet for our hanging clothes rack (behind the white curtain)-- we were left with 6.5 feet by 7.5 feet or 49 square feet for the nursery. And, magically, 49 square feet is enough! I chose items carefully, paired down, dreamed up, and shifted things we already owned to keep it all affordable. And now, it is finally complete.

I like to think of it as our vintage-circus-inspired baby boy's room full of animals and stripes and dots and handmade love and bright colors. Admittedly, I was hellbent and determined that neither a small space nor a tight budget would keep me from designing and decorating a little space for our newborn dreams. Voila! A walk-in closet turned nursery.

Welcome to our home, dear friends. I do hope you liked the visit.

xoxo,
k.

October and Sun Prints and Fabric Bunting

Hello friends,

I am spending my first days of October surrounded by my dearest things: writing, reading, sewing, stitching, baking, decorating, and dreaming. I am also trying to waddle out into the beautiful city for short strolls, tea dates, and shopping trips to get the last few things for the little one on his way. Maternity leave is blissful. And quiet. And tender. And full of anticipation.

I am making the (above) fabric bunting with quilt scraps. The quilt is progressing day-by-day but it's so nice to have quicker projects that can be finished in a few hours--like bunting. And I'm embroidering some wishes onto a series of recent sun prints (also above). Sun prints of feathers and leaves with added stitches of very short poems. This one is a wish for the little one, "dream and then dream".

I'm going to post again on Thursday this week. So do come visit for a cup of tea and a nursery tour! We are almost ready for babes around here. Almost. I hope your week is happy, dear friends. Just that--happy.

xoxo,
k

Let's Talk About the Weather

(Views of my week: sun prints in-progress.)

(Figs from the tree in our backyard: soon to be jam.)

(Paper scraps made pretty for garland.)

(Handwritten notes on cards by these folks.)

(Hydrangeas in the late afternoon light.)

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I know, we talk about it all the time, but I want to take a minute to talk about the weather. It's raining today and I am aflutter with the cool temperature and the wet sidewalks and the sound of raindrops hitting the rooftops and cars splashing puddles as they pass. It's cool and calming and forces us indoors for a few hours in our studios or offices or living rooms or kitchens. I'd like to think it forces us to contemplate and get cozy and realize that even a pretty summer must end.

The gray sky is punctuated with full green and yellow leaves dripping with wet. Today feels like the first autumn rain. Like the first winter snow in New York City, it has the effect of heightening the senses and forcing us to recognize that we are at the whims of the weather. It makes the city quieter as it dampens and deafens. Put simply: I love it when the seasons shift.

There is something simple about coming back to the weather. Like a ritual or a practice or a meditation. It forces us to be present in the moment. It forces us to take notice of what is happening outside of our selves on this particular day. And the shift of seasons always heightens my awareness of our dependence on agriculture and its dependence on weather and that, even in these big bustling sophisticated and structured cities, we are all at the mercy of the rain.

Le sigh.

xoxo,
k

PS-- For more inspired weather pondering, visit Anna Emilia's gorgeous blog.