hot chocolate party

One of my coworkers mentioned yesterday that she likes to make flavored hot chocolates by infusing herbs into them- lavender and sage were two that she mentioned. Now I'm lusting over the idea flavored sipping chocolates, and of opening a 'Cafe Spa'- giving chocolate and coffee infused facial and body treatments and serving delicious and unique coffee, chocolate and tea concoctions.

Maybe it's just me, but it feels like the most delicious idea I've had in a long time!

I'm not actually so chocolate-obsessed as this post might suggest, but just the idea of infusing milk with fresh sage and pairing it with a not-too-sweet cocoa, then pouring a round of deliciousness for my friends just sounds... amazing.

The first meeting of my business class is tonight, so I'd better start jotting all of these ideas down!

spring flowers

Ranunculus- one of my favorite flowers, no matter what time of year. I picked these up from my local grocery last week- even though the Bay Area was in the middle of a blistering heat wave. I knew they wouldn't last long (and they knew it to) but I felt the need to rescue them from the dumpster, where they were surely headed. It was a win-win situation: they brightened up my studio for a few days, and they got to enjoy a little shade, a fresh cut and some cool water in the process.

Gardening has been tough this year, with water rationing and the lack of spring rain (April showers there were not.) I've planted a few things, but there are no showy blooms to display here. I can, however, live vicariously through the gardens of others. To name just one, there is the lovely Amy Shutt, whose blogs I have been following for years.

Her catch-all weblog, day-lab, chronicles her adventures as a mother, business owner and lover of all things vintage. She's also lovingly restored rooms in her rented Baton Rogue home, and carefully cleared overgrown gardens and is bringing them back to life. Read through her past entries and see some amazing 'before & after' photos of the spaces she's renovated. I hope you'll be as inspired as I am.

recycled charm

Despite my humble, pre-teen DIY beginnings selling beaded bracelets on the playground, I'm not really one for jewelry. I have a few choice pieces- Maya Brenner's silver California necklace, Monique Leon's Magic Wish Bean necklace- but in general, I just don't wear it.

But when the eco-friendly shop 2ReVert was featured on Etsy.com's front page a couple weeks back, I was smitten. The goods? Fresh pendants, earrings, bracelets and other goods made from recycled skateboards. The jewelry did more than just appeal to my inner 15-year-old tomboy: the 7-ply maple is a throwback to my teenage years, when my father was making a living producing skateboards. The 'board business has since died down, but the sentiment remains. The piece I chose combines some of my favorite elements- woodgrain, the color orange, clean lines, recycled materials- with a nice reminder of the Good Old Days.

How can you beat that? See more at 2ReVert.etsy.com.

a little help from my friends.

clearly i'm not a very diligent blogger, these days. but there are a few folks out there who are keeping rather interesting and refreshing accounts of daily life and the joys held within. while i don't think i'll be able to live up to the goodness of these weblogs, i'm happy to call these folks friends..

first off is a new-ish blog dedicated to featuring independent artists and designers. san labels looks promising so far, and i can't wait to see what new things she discovers.

you can't bring up indie artists and designers without giving props to the ever-awesome taryn hipp. her blog, aptly titled one girl, lots to say is a collection of awesome indie links, personal anecdotes, and witty observations.

one of these days, i'm going to actually make it up to portland to visit my dear friend summer. but until then, i can follow her lovely world by stopping by design is mine, her oft-updated, always amazing collection of favorite things. design is mine is chock-full of things you swear you didn't know you needed- until now!

if you're anything like me, when you're not drooling over handmade goodies and tasty art pieces, you're probably thinking about food! sure, lots of people like food. some people even love it. david takes things to a whole new level with his blog, horny for food. don't let the title scare you; this blog is totally work-safe. while you won't find questionable images of your favorite dishes, you will find smart, irreverent commentary on the state of consumption. david touches on all sorts of topics- from primers on choosing wine and a "how-to" for amateur diners to restaurant reviews and an exploration of the link between california cuisine and gangsta rap. go, read. really, i promise you'll love it.

recycled goodness

i've found that the best cure for a chilly, grey afternoon is to be productive. today, i dug into a huge bag of fabric scraps from the the blissen studios and put together some patchwork pot holders using my favorite patterns.

these little gems are made from 100% recycled materials- the scraps, some old towels for the padding inside, and even the little loop of rick-rack trim.

i've made a bunch of these for myself, friends and family. today's efforts can be seen in my etsy shop, along with some other handmade goodies.

i have many more ideas for ways to use these fabrics scraps, so stay tuned.

knit works.

i've been doing my fair share of making, lately: knitting, sewing, cooking, photographing. it's been a very productive year, so far. most of my crafting efforts can be seen (and purchased!) from my etsy shop.

the red and pink scarf shown here is knit up from my current very favorite yarn, Malabrigo Kettle-Dyed Merino Wool. the yarn is incredibly soft and cozy, a real treat compared to many other pure wool yarns out there. i can't help but snap it up in every color, and rest assured that i will be knitting with it for a good while.

speaking of knitting, i'm slowly putting together a profile on ravelry.com. i'm hoping to use the site to keep track of my yarn stash, track my projects and maybe learn a few new tricks!

among my goals for the next month are to get a minor thread's main shop up and running again, and to update typewright.org with many, many photos. keep an eye out!

tea fortunes.

i've been drinking a lot of tea, lately. and i've noticed that my normally-silent beverage has had some choice pieces of advice for me.

you can see more tea fortunes and other lovely cups-- and add your own-- at the cup of the day group on flickr.com.