To Sense: just a few pennies

Shower invites

2008-08-18T12:44:00.000-07:00

So I've been a busy MOH leading up to my sister's wedding, and I haven't even gotten to post about any of the fun stuff I've done yet! For now, I'm tossing up images of the invitations & recipe cards I designed for her shower...

There were a few hitches in the design process, when I decided to abandon my original printing/mailing idea inspired by these lovelies from Jordan at Oh Happy Day (super blog, btw!). So I'm not 100 percent pleased, but here's a peek:

Invitations:

Front

& Back (yes, you gotta rotate & flip)

And here are the recipe cards (a late-add to the invitations, required by the MOB...)

Front:

& Back:

More post wedding--I'm feeling a little like showing off! (And possibly even re-jump-starting this poor little starved blog...)

Bride-to-be, now deployed

2008-03-10T16:55:00.000-07:00

Just in case you haven't already voted for Cindy & John, here's an update:

My little sister, Cindy, recently got engaged and is a finalist in an online contest for free wedding photography, via Real Photography in Colorado. What makes her different: Cindy was recently deployed to the Middle East on her first mission as a pilot with the Air Force (her FI is a pilot too--you can read more about them here). The contest is finishing up while she's still overseas, and so we're looking for one final push of votes! Traci Turchin, the nifty & friendly photographer who's holding the contest, has decided to switch the contest over to "blind" so that we can't see who's currently in the lead ... which means no more obsessive checking to see who's ahead!

Here's to helping them win! Make sure to Vote for Cindy & John!

P.S. Loyal Reader, if you're out there: Sorry for the spammy post with very pointed links--I just want to make it easy on ya! Stay tuned for better content! -b

3/18 UPDATE: Cindy & John won! Thanks for your help!

Vote for Cindy! (& John!)

2008-02-19T16:47:00.001-08:00

In the wake of my inactivity (wait, how big of a wake does inertia leave?), my sister is planning her wedding! And with a vengeance! She's actually deploying to the War in less than two weeks, and is determined to have a good share of her planning done before then. She's got a ceremony location, and is close to deciding on a dress & a reception location.

Next up: The Photographer. And this is where you can help.

Cindy & her FI John are finalists in the Real Couple of the Year contest, held by a Colorado wedding photographer. The top prize for the contest is a free wedding photo package with Traci Turchin of Real Photography! Winners of the contest are chosen by vote--so hurry up and Vote for CINDY & JOHN!

OK, caps-lock & exclamation points aside--I really hope my sister and future brother-in-law win. (And haha--no, I'm clearly not biased on this topic!) But even though I've heard plenty of stories about their relationship, when I read through their contest entry--I realized that a very subtle theme emerged. From meeting him at track practice (where she felt at home) at the Air Force Academy, to deciding to forsake her Great Britain dreams solo for sharing the Great Plains with him--she's found a home in John.

OK, so I can't take credit for that. It's pretty much literally what Cindy said herself:

"I just keep thinking about heading down the aisle in my elaborate white dress ... and John ahead of me. With him by my side, I'll always be home" Read more...

And really, what more could one ask for in a brother-in-law, than someone who makes a home for my sister? Uh-oh, I'm getting a little too emotional on my poor, long-abandoned blog. Cindy better not read this, or she may recognize my speech in a few months ;)

Of course, creating a home isn't the only theme for "real" love stories. And it doesn't take a contest to legitimize a fairy tale. What theme runs through your own love story? I'm developing a few of my own...

Light it up

2007-04-08T18:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is literal and a little hokey--but here are directions for DIY paper lanterns that I think could come in handy for my vaguely-in-the-future perfect
wedding: Style me pretty actually referenced a 2004 Martha Stewart weddings mag for this info, but... well, it's still good info.

Then again, should I prefer to have actual paper lanterns (as opposed to converted paper bags), here are three online shops where I could buy them: luna bazaar, pearl river and the more obviously named Asian Lanterns.

I heart paper

2007-03-31T20:46:00.000-07:00

Paper stores, how I love you all. It may seem strange to be obsessed with paper (huh? that white stuff that comes out of my printer, you ask), but nothing makes me want to spend my soon-to-be hard-earned money (you like that? I don't have the money yet, but I'm already spending it) than pretty, pretty printed and dyed and cutout papers. It's not that I scrapbook. It's not that I really have that much stuff to do with said pretty papers, other than make occasional birthday cards.

But they are so pretty. They must be worth my (future) money.

Here are two shopsites I luv: Paper mojo and The Paper studio.

Next up: pick out curtains...

2007-03-28T15:42:00.000-07:00

In the continuing spirit of picking out gifts for myself (and insane domesticity), I happened upon this lovely china site, Rosanna. While it's unfortunately set up for little gifts of dessert plates or teacups, wouldn't these designs be fun for a wedding registry? I really, really love their Boho pattern--or should I say patterns?

There are actually six patterns for each set of dessert or dinner plates... Ah me, how I love matching-mis-matched sets.

Another wedding-must for any Martha Stewart wannabe is, of course, a customized monogram on everything. I mean, people might get all confused if they're at your wedding and they pick up a bottle of water, and it says Crystal Geyser on it--they might be like, "Crystal Geyser? Who're they? I thought I was at the Smith shindig!" You can help them out by putting your monogram on that bottle of water, you see. And on envelopes, stationary of all kinds, the cake, the flowers, table and aisle runners, small children attending--really, I mean it--everything.

Luckily, there is this fabulous site, i Do Originals, that will customize or design your monogram for you. Now all kidding aside, I actually think this is pretty cool--possibly

because my common definition for "cool" includes the word "cheap." For 3 buckeroos, you can get a design updated with your intials and colors or you can get 5 completely customized just-for-you designs for 15 bucks. And then you can print that jpeg design on everything.

Countdown to 11

2007-03-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, here are some things I need, haha.

To satiate my recent Martha leanings--and because I need another cake plate like I need a hole in my head--here's where someone can buy me this darling cake plate. Wouldn't it look cute with different ribbons woven through it? Don't you want to buy it for me? Admit it: It's cute-cute-cute!

So, this is Bumble & Bumble hair powder, which I have been dying to try for years--I guess that sounds dumb, but I suppose we could call it an on-and-off-again desire. But a strong desire. Just not one that has ever quite gotten me over the shock of spending something like 20 buckeroos on, like, 1 ounce of powder. That I'm not totally sure will really work or look that great on me. But I have a strong suspicion it will do both and, like I said, a strong desire. (And I happen to know there's a salon near where I live that sells this possibly great stuff).

And, while we're on the subject of hair--I could also use this snazzy conditioner from Aveda. In fact I could really use it, like, now. So I guess this is probably more of a reminder for me to buy it than anything else. But there you go.

So, I guess that's about it--I'm currently all about "domestic" goods (um, hello, I have a few new favorite stores- Crate & Barrel and Ikea--where more shopping can always be done, should someone so desire) and, apparently, hair products. Hmm, there was also this awesome movie, which I actually might have been born to watch and which is also currently out on DVD. Hmm... Also, there are many wonderful flavors of fragrance filed away at Demeter, and while most may a bit pricey, there are some smaller versions that only cost $10.

Hmmm... I should stop now. Trying to come up with gifts for myself only makes me more greedy. Dreaming up ideas for what other people can buy me is always a chore that I take very seriously and generally find rather rewarding. It's a rough job, but somebody's gotta do it.

@work

2007-03-26T20:49:00.000-07:00

Today was kind of my first day at my new job. Sort of. And to kind of unwind, of course, I'm window shopping online again. In honor of my first day (almost-maybe-ish), I want to make note of the silliness--including office toys--at perpetual kid. So that maybe when I actually start working, I could sorta have fun with my office-like space. Ish.

Wedding stockholm syndrome & flowers

2007-03-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

So it takes me an extremely long time to give in & admit to really, really being girly. For quite some time now I've been wandering the web on a wedding streak, checking out blogs and biographies for ideas and tips, perusing vendor sites for reality checks (hello! expensive) and more ideas. And now I have decided that one other use for this mostly defunct blog (turned personal bookmark site) is to actually document the "dream" vendors that I find as I wander the web on a wedding streak. The wedding web wandering has been fun, but since I will soon be working again, all that wandering will be for naught if not recorded.

So.

So I refuse to call it my "dream" wedding. Because, really, I'm not the kind of girl who has been dreaming of "the biggest day of her life" since second grade. (Zac actually says that I have stockholm syndrome when it comes to anything wedding & domestic--I resisted at first, but seem to have thrown myself into the subjects with verve as of late, as if of my own free will.)

So call it my Martha Stewart Wedding--you know, the one I would possibly choose to have were money and time no object, and I knew a certain magazine would help kick-off my career as a wedding planner when they featured my fabulous event on their cover.

First up: The florist. In my MSW, flowers would be one of (if not the) main themes of the wedding. Fresh wildflowers everywhere. In reality, wildflowers aren't very easy to come by and are even more difficult to preserve. But then I read about Blomma Flicka Flowers. Nevermind that they're located in Vermont--this is simply the first florist I have heard of that is using wildflower-looking arrangements--yay!

On another note the post on Weddingbee which alerted me to this great florist also has many links for online flower wholesalers--a possible alternative (though no wildflowers).

faire du shopping en Paris

2007-02-11T16:36:00.000-08:00

Ok, I've decided. I've found my calling: shopping in Paris.

There's a store in Sacramento, Le Petit Paris, that sells all sorts of little things bought in the city of lights. And it appears that the storekeeper goes to Paris every season--and hosts a small tour of women shoppers! How perfect!

For mega-craniums

2007-02-02T00:46:00.000-08:00

...like me, I think I found a new motto, in the form of an alleged Taiwanese schoolyard ryhme.

No more umbrellas!

because I'm a girl

2007-01-11T18:38:00.000-08:00

... and sometimes I get on these kicks where I just window shop all over the Internet, without the actual intent--who am I kidding? I mean dough--to buy anything. So here's what I've been checking out recently (because, hey, maybe I'll actually want to buy some of this stuff sometime)

First we have oh joy!, a design oriented blog that also had some great wedding stuff on it (check out the "Here comes the bride..." category). I also found the kenzieKate blog; the writer also designs wedding invitations.

Linking these two blogs were comments about paper flower pomades which I am totally loving. And to continue my obsession with paper flowers (and origami, and paper goods, etc) I have decided I need one of these flower-making kits.

Also a reminder to self to check out two stores IRL: Bry's Specialty Grocery in Redding and Le Petit Chateau in Roseville. Enough for now!

Counting down

2006-12-06T12:37:00.000-08:00

So maybe all you savvy I'net browsers have already discovered this ("all" and "you" are really meant ironically), but I just discovered it and want to share.

Remember doing advent calendars as a kid? In church, there are the candles; at home, we always had one with little doors to open, sometimes with candy; and at school, they always had you staple together the rings to tear off...

And now, online, we get the Harpold Advent Calendar.

It's nothing too high-tech or shocking, just a little something each day, along with someone's holiday memory and a link elsewhere. So far there's been a paintshop Christmas scene, drag&dress Santa Claus, a poem by Edna St Vincent Millay and even a joke about an Ayn Rand Christmas special. Could you ask for anything more?

Affording that house...

2006-11-10T21:02:00.000-08:00

Wallow in real estate woes no more! A shotgun shack is not a new idea, but I love that it's coming back into vogue a bit and with some style. I just caught a couple of articles about "Katrina Cottages," designed for victims of the hurricane.

Here's another article. And some pics (OK, fine, so you could Google it yourself, but I liked these ones best)

The most famous is going to be sold by Lowe's, with the most expensive version estimated to cost around $46,800. OK, so that's for 900-some square feet, but I'd rather own a free-standing, but small home with a yard than "own" a condo. The basic model has a living area, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and relatively large porch. They totally look like some of the little shacks that you sometimes find abandoned on some forgotten corner of former ranch land in Siskiyou--except that those one are literally rotting and falling down.

Ohh! And these would make perfect cottages for the commune!

new eyes

2006-10-26T19:21:00.000-07:00

I recently "inherited" (the owner is still alive) a couple of vintage cameras- a Brownie Hawkeye and an old Polaroid. I'm totally excited to start experimenting with what sort of photos these cameras produce, but need to do a little research before I can actually start playing (most importantly I need film). In keeping with my current use of this blog, here are some useful links:

My "new" Polaroid takes pack film and a No. 531 4.5 volt battery. This site has some info about films available and development times. Ok, actually Jim's Polaroid site is pretty much useful all around. Bad news, though: Finding the battery may be harder than the film...

Developping... (hehehe)

e-window shopping

2006-09-30T02:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, this may be my new favorite empty pastime- shopping online (but not buying, of course, b/c of that no-income thing).

Found today was this rather cute card site, called Lola Says with cards enscribed with messages to women on all subjects, from the mundane to "You had a C-section!" and "Sorry your job sucks!" and "You're living with your parents!" Each card is complete with little rhyming messages.

And I wouldn't have found this witty card site without the help of Indie Finds. Hmmm... contemplating starting a review blog of such fun online shopping & seeing if I can score some free--I mean, seeing if I can help promote such nifty products. Yeah, definitely.

Finds

2006-09-28T00:24:00.000-07:00

While cruising the I'net today, I happened upon several sites that I need to remember, use and shop from. Since the "day" is, um, officially over, this is what I've found so far:

My first find was very non-Indie of me, but brought me joy. NikeWomen has several fun dance routines, with instructions and for free. Dancing makes me happy to sweat :)

For a special someone (whose birth is nigh), this onesie from willheron.com may be even better than the earlier camouflage idea. What better for "the spawn," as Zac calls "it"? It's truly a sweet mix of mildly offensive and cutesie.

Of course, shopping would not be complete without finding something I really want but simply can't afford--like these keyhole necklaces from Juniper Designs. My favorite of the so-called Pandora's Box designs (I know, oh-so-subtle) is Longing, though I also rather like Hope, Lust, Ecstacy and Vanity. Just a tip. Then again, this may be an instance when I might be able to find the tools I need for about $10-20 to make my own knock-off version (I know, terrible cheapskate). Then again maybe not.

And to continue my free online shopping, I happened upon this fun little blog, Independent luxe. More fun, more stuff.

Getting some higher educatin'

2006-09-07T17:16:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking about becoming a competent web-being and no longer using my blog for things it's really not meant for--and I'm on my way, even--but for now, more misuse.

Here are a few links to higher ed grad programs that I'm researching:
OSU, baby!
University of Vermont!
and, of course, ASU!

Also useful is this directory and this one from the ASHE.

This is exciting! to even contemplate! Keep working at it!! Yay!

Purses, II

2006-09-05T14:05:00.000-07:00

Here's the evening clutch. The handle is stiff and folds into the purse, as desired. As you can see, it has a coin purse attached that matches the interior satiny fabric. It's a nice simple bag, and could be really good for any times you get dressed up or go out (instead of feeling like a dork carrying around your everyday bag).

That's it for the day. I'm tired of struggling with Blogger--I'll email or call if I switch over to Flickr. Today's posts start down at "Grandma & Grandpa's house."

For anyone else who just might happen to be reading, I went down to my grandpa's house in the dessert this last week to help my mom and aunt go through the things that are still in the house, before the family sells it (My grandpa is currently living in Y-town). We separated out things that we thought were valuable or useful or sentimental (or retro) and tried to pack most of them up. I'm trying to share some of the things we went through with my sister, who wasn't there.

Purses, I

2006-09-05T13:53:00.000-07:00

Ok, so my camera's battery needs recharging, so here are pics of the four purses that I packed home with me from this trip to Grandma & Grandpa's. I'll upload pics of the other three later today or tomorrow. I would really like Kelly & Krista to take a look at them too, though they may be too professional/old-lady for them. But it would make me feel better, I think, if they gave 'em a once over.

Mom & Aunt Judy are kind of talking about maybe having Thanksgiving at Salem this year, so if you come, we could go over a lot of this stuff then.

This is the black Gucci bag that I was telling you about. It was in grandma's closet, and is really not that old--probably from the late 80s, early 90s even--and looks rarely used. (Doesn't my arm look fat in that pic?) I wasn't even sure I wanted to take this one and kept encouraging Aunt Judy to take it, but I think we had a hard time leaving a rather serious name brand for the garage sale. Mom swears that all of the Gucci in the house was real and were gifts from Max Factor and his wife, Millie. The pic might not be larger enough, but the black fabric has linked GG's throughout. And the gold-colored logo near the bottom is linked GGs.

This is the light yellow bag with tomato-red lining. It's... a little funky, but fun. This was in one of the suitcases of stuff in the garage, so either from Grandma Mote or Aunt Ann (as Mom would call them). The hardware on this bag looks more like brass in person, and less steely than it looks in these pics.

This is the other black purse, the patent leather one. I found this, I believe, with the yellow purse. The camera's flash makes it look all marred, but it's in shiny-new condition.

More things we packed with you in mind

2006-09-05T12:27:00.000-07:00

This is a cake plate that Mom saved for you--Mom has a thing about cake plates, you know. One of the things that she really, really wanted from Grandma's was the cake plate she remembers growing up with (not this one), and so she packed that one for herself. I tried explaining that we both really like the one she already has, plus she's already bought me one--so really, we probably have enough cake plates. But this one's packed for you, in case you would like it at some later date.

Ok, now things start to get kind of fuzzy. I can't remember exactly what we packed, but I'm pretty sure that our family packed this creamer & sugar set--it's a pretty simple set, glass & dusty in this picture, but we believe it was Grandma's. If we did indeed pack it up, I'm pretty sure we didn't have a specific plan for it. We also packed up two other sets of creamer/sugars--one that was sterling silver that Mom I think wanted to help complete a set that Dad's mom gave to her (?I think) and one miniature set made of white glass that was put with my pile b/c I took most of the white glass stuff--though I'll definitely include a picture of it in a later post.

I think I'm going to change gears and put up some posts of the purses and costume jewelry that I wanted you to see--and that'll probably be it for the day. For some reason just going back through this stuff feels kind of exhausting today, plus I'm thinking about changing over to Flickr b/c Blogger really wasn't built for uploading photos. But just so I can remember, I do want you to see photos of some of the things we thought you might like, but that we didn't pack yet (we know where they are); things that were packed for me that I think you might like; and maybe even some things that were packed for other people just in case you feel like perusing. So many of our decisions were kind of speculative, I know that we can make changes if you have any desires...

Grandma & Grandpa's house

2006-09-05T12:22:00.000-07:00

Alright, since I get to use my blog for whatever I want, this one's for you, Cindy. I'm going to put up the pictures in groups, and you comment as you go, how about? This first group are pictures of things that we packed up with you in mind. A lot of the pictures have my hand in them to try to give some scale, but I'm not sure that really helped...

First up, these are two vases that are marked on the bottom as carrot and celery stick holders that were marked "always on the table at the farmhouse" and belonged to Minerva Weaver, which would be one of Grandma's great grandmas, aka Great Grandma's grandma--our great, great, great grandma, I believe. These were on display in the china cabinet and have a modern look, with their square shape, but stil prett with the lilly-like pattern and the frosted glass (this picture shows them a little bit dusty).

Ok, this is kind of a saddle-shaped dish--two of the pictures are when it was dusty, but show the design better--also from the china cabinet. I don't know what, but there's something pretty about it that made me think you might like it... I could imagine maybe laying flowers across it or using it as a candy/nut dish or something--I really am not sure. The dish is marked Lucy Ann Johnson, who I think was either Grandpa's great grandma or his grandma (all the names are a swirling jumble in my head by now), on his mother's side I believe, which is the Maine side.

This is a little dessert(?) plate or shallow bowl that Mom thought you might like. It's black with an iridescent swirl finish... There were several single saucers/dessert plates in different patterns. I took several that weren't "historical" or in any special place because I have this notion that I want to throw tea parties. This was one of the labeled, more valued pieces--though I don't remember whose it was. A couple of other similar-sized plates that were also marked we packed up in a box for Mom's Aunt Betty... If you're interested, I also have pics of some of those plates for another post (and/or you can always claim some of the ones I took).

Ok, and apparently, I'm going to have to spread this into the next post, as well b/c Blogger keeps saying that it has uploaded my next two photos and then giving me nothing to show for it...

Century plants, my ...

2006-06-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

Ok, so "community journalism" can take you some strange places. One of my co-workers for example recently went on a dangerous assignment to cover the blooming of a Century Plant - which happened to nearly coincide with the 97th birthday of the plant's owner. Pretty nice, eh?

I say the story was dangerous because the spiny plant, also known as the American Agave, poked the intrepid reporter. Besides drawing blood, this also drew suspicion as the entire event took place on an ominous day, that of 06/06/06 - which, if you take all the zeros out, can make a scary number.

Then tonight I happen to catch a glimpse of a local TV station's news story about another family with their own Century Plant that suddenly bloomed. While on one hand, I felt a little vindicated that even local TV news has to cover stories about people's plants growing - on the other hand, I gave an at-home, imaginary high-five to my co-worker for scooping the television station.

And on that most important third hand, I realized - hold up, wait a minute - are these so-called Century Plants really just alien pods suddenly communicating with one another in a towering show of force? Why the rash of blooming agave?

So I did a little research. Apparently the plants are more likely to bloom once in about 25 years, and usually die after blooming (like a wasp - told you this was a dangerous, aggressive plant). In case you were too lazy to click on the article links, but are still reading, the local homeowners claim the plants are growing at rapid rates - 12 inches per day and 20 feet in a week. Quoth one resident upon first noticing the stalk that can grow up to 40 feet tall, "Oh, my God, what is that?" (an alien antenna, I tell you).

Still, why the rash of blooms? Is there something particular about this season's weather cycle that has nourished the plants, making for a virulent harvest of Agave bloom? Is there a reason why, about 25 years ago, quite a few of these were planted (a sale at the local nursery? a strong, seed-filled wind? a passionate and quirky developer?)? Or are there really just two well publicized Century Plants blooming in the area, and the second family one-upped the first after reading the newspaper?

just looking

2006-06-03T20:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, here are some openings and posting pages that I have found recently...

A Position in Natomas.

One in Corvallis.

And another in Modesto.

The USDA publicist job, and others, on USAJobs.

Berkeley's J-Jobs page.

Beyond banjos & slide guitars

2006-06-02T19:51:00.000-07:00

I go on kicks where I listen to one song over & over & over. Really, the 'repeat' button was a wonderful creation.
This week, it was the Dixie Chick's "Not Ready to Make Nice." What a song. I mean, there's nothing left for the three of them to say in press junkets and promotion. It seems like any question that a reporter or host would ask has already been answered more eloquently and completely in that song.
It's such a strong statement about freedom of speech, the power of words and acts of defiance.
The funny thing is, it's also clearly a relationship song--perhaps literally about Natalie Maines and the country music world--but easily extrapolated to other relationship wounds.
And it's a rallying cry for this long-time fan.
Though, to be honest, I hope that they do return to some more of the old-style country that they were digging into in earlier albums... I don't think the genre needs to be abandoned solely to Bush supporters and Tequila-makes-her-clothes-fall-off-bedonkydonk songs.
And it's really beginning to anger me that I'm still not hearing any Dixie Chicks songs on the radio around here--let the requests begin!
Anyways, note to self: Dixie Chicks in concert September 8 at Arco Arena.

And in other not-quite-country music news, I found a few more concert dates for Nickel Creek nearby... We will see them after all, dangit. On July 7 in Clear Lake or on July 1 in Saratoga