Full of Words

I love seeing cool store displays. Here are two of my favorites. The first one was taken at a great store in Seattle called Maxine's. They have a variety of great stuff and it's all decorated so beautifully.
This window is from a beautiful display in Berkeley at a store called Molly Bs. I think it is so creative. I have loved Eloise since childhood so it was extra fun to see the window. This store sells some very beautiful clothes for women. 

My East Coast travels have been fun. There was some terrific art at the American Visionary Art Museum in Maryland.  NYC was very hot but we saw some sights even I had never seen before and we went to Kino-buy-it-all twice. There was a pizza eating fest and a lot of walking.

En route to Vermont I encountered a gift of the most beautiful apron(with pockets!) that I will show you when I am able to upload my pictures (is that the right word?) Riley has been enthralled with Ping Pong and even I am getting better at it. Chloe reports from home that the only things to eat are soy milk, bad water and condiments(mostly salad dressing). I do hope she is exaggerating. 

Hope you are all enjoying some summer time. Please leave me a post and tell me how your summer is going. Until....

Full of Pizza(soon)

Hey,

Leaving again. Tomorrow Riley and I will be on the road. First stop is NYC (with maybe a small stop at IKEA).  NY will be fun. I am meeting my old best friend from before high school, Laura. She lives in Hawaii now and I  have not seen her in over 17 years, but she is always fun. Also some shopping will occur. Can't resist Kino-buy-it-all even though I was just there in SF. Lots of places on my list and pizza eating too. 

After NY we may go to VT with a stop to see sweet Jennifer P. in Ct but just for a sec because the gal is going to PARIS soon with her sister, daughter and more.

My friend Joy in VT told me she  found a new place for yummy coffee/mocha drinks. I can't wait to try them and maple soft-serve.

This strange picture is the beginning of my paper mache doll that I started at Ellen's house. I am going to bring it with me to my friend Anne's house so if we have project time we can work on her and others. Of course I want a whole rabbit family. Anne is selling her homemade bagels and chocolate croissants at the farmer's market. I sure don't want to miss that.

Guess what- I'm having another give away. This one is to win something I bring back from my trip. Tell me if you have been to NY and if so what your favorite part is. If you haven't been, tell me what you would want to do as soon as you got there.

 Be good while I am gone. Not sure if I will be posting or not. I'll have to see how it goes. Enjoy summer.

Full of Self-Pity

A sad morning for me. I once owned two of these watches when I lived in California (not as a child). When I lost  my first one I  was so upset. A few months later I walked into this Rexell Drugstore in Union Square, downtown SF and there was another in the case (probably there for years) waiting for me. I had it awhile, but alas one day it slipped off my wrist. I had been thinking about it for a long time and decided to check on Ebay. There was one just waiting for me, but someone outbid me in the last seconds. I am sure they didn't even want the watch as much as I did but such is life, I guess. DRATS I say just as Lucy would. She is my alter ego so I found it fitting to be wearing her on my wrist. Not sure I will try again. Ebay is not for me. I have to find a BIN that isn't fifty dollars. I wouldn't mind paying 50 if I knew it would work awhile, but these watches are old. Okay I'm sure that's more than enough  about the watch.

Other stuff...mostly working in my classroom. 

Started my paper mache girl but had to go home early from Ellen's because the "children" were playing the Locked in the Closet game. (Note: there is no lock on the closet)

Getting ready to go to NYC, I  think. Please suggest places I can't miss while I  am there. Little stores that have cool stuff, yummy food....

I'll put some art stuff up before I leave. Must go continue to wallow in my sorrow(kidding).

Just a Little Something

Here's my latest journal page. 

Not much is going on. Trying to clean out my new classroom before I add my own stuff. So many art treasures in the cabinets and things you would not believe. I have never ever seen so many markers in my life- and both my grandfathers owned stationary stores. 

Sunday I hope to paper mache some creatures and make some little outfits/hats for them. I'm working with my friend Ellen so maybe I'll actually get some made. I have some great fabrics for the clothes. I hope she will whip up some of her ginger cookies.

Thanks for visiting my blog. 

My Kino-buy-it-all Story

Get the complete report here. I thought it would be a great blog/photo opportunity to have my friend Lloyda photograph me with all the books I wanted at Kino-buy-it-all so I got ready to pose. Lloyda kept fussing about the background, but I said I liked the background. Then when she was just about to take the photo, this salesperson comes running up saying "No photos, No photos!" I was flabbergasted. I said it was only of me and not about the store. She still said no but I was having a hard time understanding why. She asked me if I was buying the books. I said yes and then she said, "Okay, but hurry up."  So my friends,  you are looking at an undercover picture taken at Kino-buy-it-all. Probably the only one you will ever seen. It was taken by agent 784. (Kino-buy-it-all is my nickname for the Japanese bookstore)

One last thing about my trip. Those of you who have known me for awhile and my going away adventures know that I am often welcomed with a new or missing item in my house. One year I was quite sure I would come home to a pet pig. Well this year I came home to a new sofa. (no comment)

I am deciding if maybe I should change my blog to the daily doormat stories of a mom with a teenage  daughter. Does anyone know of a support group? How can someone once so sweet and fun change so quickly? It is not fun.

Have a great Monday (and Tuesday..)

Full of New Books

This is the what I got blog entry. It's kind of out of order but Riley, master photo re-organizer, is still asleep.

These bunny pictures are especially for Kelly who seems to be feeling the nostalgia. They are from a Japanese clip art type book with about 150  bunny images 4x6 size. It was hard to pick just two pages to photo.

Next is a picture of the other books I bought at Kino-buy-it all. That store is something else. I can't even read Japanese and I still want them all. One looks real neat with "romantic" drawings and graphics that are also on a CD. Very curious to see if I can work them with my non-existent knowledge of Japanese. Maybe I should try Rosetta. 

These sweet pictures are from a book I found called Learning to Cook and Serve Our Meals. Many great pictures and funny sentences.

And last, here are my journal pages after the trip. I even added a ribbon headband to my hair that I bought at Scrapbook Territory. Sorry the pictures aren't so great. I  guess I should scan them next time. 

Funny story coming up next time about Kino-buy-it-all, but first I have to alter my face on the photo that goes with the story.

In other news before I forget, you lucky west coasters: There is a zine fest in SF July 19-20. Wish I could be there. Well until the next time. have a good one or two.

Full of California

I'm back. Finally have unpacked and bought a minimal amount of food for everyone. I had a great time in San Francisco. Here I am before the Frida show. It was great. We got there early and really missed the crowds. When I went back to revisit a few favorites I could see the real jam up in the galleries. 

Aside from the Frida show I got to spend time with my friend Lloyda and her darling husband Dan. I took her around shopping which was fun since she says she never goes shopping. Went to Needles and Pins in the Mission. Lots of cool zines there. Also Laku which has really cute stuff (especially for kids) on Valencia.

Berkeley was fun too. Loads of good eating and my favorite bread of all time- Acme. Didn't go by my house there but took pictures of my two apartments in SF. One was looking really good, but the other looked a bit run down. Did lots of walking up hills. So much I could feel it in my calves and shins for two days afterwards.

And now what you have been waiting for. Thanks to everyone who entered the give away. Riley picked the folded papers with the names on them and our winner is evoke-designs by lorraine. Lorraine, send me your new address for your give away. Lorraine is the winner of either a cool Japanese scarf or two zines by Nicole Georges. I love her zines. . Here is a picture of the scarf.

Well I'm feeling very art inspired now so I hope I  will be able to make some super stuff- especially looking to do some drawing. Tomorrow however will be a day sorting out my new classroom(wish me luck on that one)  My new friend Emily has volunteered to help me. She loves packing, unpacking and organizing. Can you believe it?

More pictures next time.

Thanks for saying hey.