lunch.

First of all...thank you to all of you who helped me choose photos to sell at the art fair. It was SO very helpful...I appreciate your input. (And hey Linda...the link to my flickr account is on the right sidebar of my blog...or you can click here!)

As you know, last Saturday mom and I went to the coolest yarn shop ever in Petaluma. Well, we also decided to have some lunch. At the recommendation of the shop owner, we went to the Wild Goat...a tiny little restaurant BIG on character. It was darling. And cozy. And comfortable. Not to mention, the food was WONDERFUL.

See that Cobb Salad up there on the menu? De-li-cious. SO good. If you ever go...please order it. You won't regret it. We also ordered the Seasonal pizza on a thin crust that was very unique and quite delicious...sauteed pears, Gorgonzola, arugula, and some sort of yummy ham. It was different. And it was good.

While we were there I was inspired by the Wild Goat to start collecting mismatched silverware. I don't have a set of silver. When we got married I didn't sign up for china or silver or anything like that. I signed up for every day stuff...mainly because we have such a small house that I don't entertain so I figured I didn't have a reason to have nicer stuff.

Well...a few years ago I realized that I would like to have some silver for when I DO entertain. I won't live in this tiny house forever...and I really do love to have people over. It's just really hard in this little space to do so comfortably. So I don't. Well, several years back I had found an old silverware design that I fell in love with (I can't recall the name of it...I have it written down somewhere...!) but piecing a set of it together is proving to be more difficult than I thought it would be.

So...inspired by the Wild Goat...I decided that I'm going to piece together mismatched silver and call it a set. None of the silver at the Wild Goat matched...and it looked really cute. So...I figure if it will work for them, it will work for me!

And mom...if you're reading...thank you for a GREAT day! xo

Brainstorm with me, won't you?

I need your advice...

I am sharing a booth at an art festival with a friend in a few weeks. I am selling photos...in note card form and in photo form. Some 5x7's...possibly some 8x10's. Some with frames...some without. All proceeds are going toward my ticket to Belgium. (that I have to buy pretty soon and I'm not quite ready! I'm off to a good start...but I have a lot of funds yet to raise.)

So...

What I'd like to hear from you is...which of my photos do you think I should sell as frameable art at the art festival?

If you've got the time...would you be so kind as to leave me a comment and let me know what you think? If you want you can go to my flickr and poke around...or check out my note cards at Etsy...or go from memory if you have one. I don't...so I hesitate to include that. But if you do...good for you...and would you please let me know your secret?

Wait...what was I doing? Shoot...I hate when that happens. Oh! Yes...that's right. Help. Advice.

Anyway...if you have a favorite...or two...would you let me know which ones they are? It's hard for me to look at them from a buyer's point of view...plus I love to brain storm and you all are good at it!!

Thank you so much...I couldn't do this without you all...for real. Your encouragement and support have been invaluable to me. xo

The Happy {101} Award...for me? Thanks!

So my friend Erin over at Dropped Stitches was sweet enough to honor me with the Happy {101} Award! Wasn't that nice of her? I don't know if I've been given an award before...? So, I'm honored! Thank you, Erin.

OK, so the idea behind the Happy Award is that I am supposed to share {10} things that make me happy. And then I'm supposed to share {10} blogs that I enjoy reading...so...here we go!

{10} happy things...

1. rain. love it. any time. anywhere.
2. coffee. preferably Starbuck's. and even better with a friend.
3. spending a day with my mom. we have a really good time together...and we eat good food!
4. long drives. preferably to somewhere new. and beautiful. and chilly!
5. a weekend away with my husband. we buy new music, hop in the car and find a new place to visit and explore. it's always fun...and refreshing.
6. hugs from my boys. my boys give great hugs. and they are so lovable. a hug from them can make all the troubles of the world disappear...especially when it's unsolicited!
7. taking pictures. i got my camera for my birthday a few years ago...and I haven't been the same since. I love my camera...and the satisfaction of taking a decent picture.
8. cupcakes. preferably yellow with chocolate or white frosting. an occasional pink cupcake with pink frosting is good, too. I'm not picky.
9. chickens. in my backyard. fresh eggs. pecking and scratching in the sun. watching them makes me happy.
10. handwritten mail. in this day and age a real letter through the real mail is a rare thing. so when I receive something in my little green mailbox it makes me smile.

And I'm sorry...I know it's kind of cheating...but I just can't choose {10} blogs. I want to choose them ALL....so if you are reading this...consider yourself a recipient of The Happy {101} Award and make a list of {10} things...it's nice to sit and think about the things that make you happy!

Wednesday in the Word.

Proverbs 31:30

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

quiet.

Creativity takes courage.

~Henri Matisse

Knitterly.

A while back I'd found out about a beautiful yarn store located not too far from where I live...Knitterly in Petaluma, CA. I thought it would be fun to take my mom there for our birthdays. So on Saturday...we hit the road.

Knitterly is amazing. And the owner is NICE. Her logo is, "fine yarn, finest service" and she's not kidding. She was so talkative and friendly...so helpful in telling us good places to eat lunch...not to mention allowing me to take a bajillion photos!

Oh my goodness...and what a beautiful store. It is so photogenic. I love this store...and I don't even KNIT!!

From the time you enter the store you are in eye candy heaven. Everything about her store is lovely...the yarns, the tools, the displays, the walls, the art, the vignettes...everything. Not a detail is left undone. What a treat. Look at these gorgeous colors...yum.

I ended up buying some beautiful yarn (and then my mom bought a second one in case the one wasn't enough!) from Japan that my mom is going to make into a scarf for me. The main color is charcoal gray but it has flecks of every color imaginable so it will literally go with everything.

So if you find yourself in the area of Petaluma, CA head downtown and visit Knitterly. I have no affiliation whatsoever. I was just impressed with the store...impressed with the owner...grateful that she allowed me to take so many fun photos...and I know that you will love it as much as my mom and I did.

One word of warning...do not be in a hurry. You'll need at least two hours to poke around. We may have been there closer to three!

photo challenge: color story

A Day with Mom: In Shades of White...

{diptych}

My mom and I were born on the same day.

That day is April 11.

{person...pushing my luck, I know}

We are exactly 20 years apart.

{up close}

It's a very cool thing to share a birthday with my mom.

It always has been...

{complimentary}

This year we decided to go to an amazing little shop in celebration...

{texture}

...do you have any idea where we went?

{blur}