abby try again

Inspiration and such

     I am trying to look forward to spring and "Springy" things but right now it is super windy and trying to snow outside! (Not sticking of course.) I am loving the colors in these vintage wallpapers I got from Aunty Cookie many moons ago.
     I've been stamping journals like crazy and have a few more additions:

You can click this link to browse my shop.

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    So, I watched In the Realms of the Unreal again the other day. It is an amazing movie and I suggest it to all.  I am so inspired by this man who created for himself and no one else. His art is breathtaking-I am in love with the colors he uses as well as the strange subject matter. I shot these photos of the film-these are all very inspiring images to me:

     I LOVE  Jesus/Mary  imagery and  flags so this is really just the bee's knees to me. So strange and so pretty and Abbie-like me?!

These portraits are beautiful-I love the yellow, blues, and reds. I also like art with text for some reason.

These flowers have such amazing details-hard to see here. The colors pop!

What is inspiring you lately?

hmmmm

    This is what I want right now-a giant americano with a touch of nonfat milk. Yes, that is my drug of choice when I have to get down to business.
    So, a huge thanks to all of you who placed orders recently (and anytime, really). You guys are awesome and that was unexpected! I have a little workshop going on right now in the living room, which thankfully James does not mind. Many of you asked if you could get a certain color journal with a certain image on it. That is no problem! Just email me at [email protected]. If you want a poppy pod on a white journal, a blue bike on a green journal-or whatever-just email me and I can see if I can do it for you.
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   So last night was the shins concert!
    It was soooo good.
   I didn't take a camera-but there are some lovely people who did and you can see the amazingness here, here, here, and here. Check out the crowd!
   Such a great live show! Thanks to those of you who got us the tickets!!!
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   Sometimes when you are a blogger you get some pretty interesting emails. Some are cool, some are not-I tend to get about a million times more spam than I did in my pre blogging days-so the other day when I got an email titled "for your consideration" I almost immediately trashed it. Those are usually the ones telling me I can help someone inherit a million dollars by giving them personal info-you all know these ones. But when I looked at the sender, the name seemed legit so I opened it.

    It was from a man whose wife reads my blog. He enjoyed my polaroids and invited me to participate in this project. After browsing around the site, I felt this was an interesting thing to be a part of. I submitted two photos and you can see them if you browse the categories "depression"; and "home";. This project has been on my mind all week, I am starting to look at things around me in a different way. Family is something to everyone, love it or hate it and I enjoy seeing the different interpretations of words associated with it.  I am very interested to see the book. This is something I will be following.

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  Also, yesterday we kinda had a bombshell dropped on us at work. I don't think it is something I should blog about, but it will mean some giant changes at my work-hopefully for the better.....
Anyway-must be wrapping and mailing....

shop update

Working on more journals and slowly updating the shop-thanks for the opinions-love to hear more!

your opinions please

     So I got a HUGE order of moleskines today, and i mean huge-like 60! Many of them are for a wholesale order for a shop in Seattle and one in Japan-but I am experimenting with many.
    I painted the covers and have been stamping on them. I like the green one with a white typewriter and must admit it looks better in "real life".
   Then I tried putting some rub on letters on them-oh boy these look not how I like:

The letters are just not me-don't they seem terribly out of place? I think I need to go back to my stamped letters-these are just all wrong I think. What about you-the colors, the letters-what do you think?

    I am also working on vintage wallpaper ones-those I am very happy with.
    So-be as nice or as cruel as you'd like-my head hurts from thinking about these.....

life is good

***edit:I just poked around over at shari's blog and realized she posted a similar photo on Sunday-sorry to be a copycat, shari!    

Some family members got together and bought James and I tickets to the shin's concert for this Wednesday! I feel really bad because I know they were pricey-but I must get over that and enjoy myself. Thanks guys, you are the best!

     The trees in Portland are really beautiful this winter. They shapes and silhouettes are all that I look at when I walk around. I am not sure if they always look like this in winter, or if this year's weather had anything to do with it. There is just so much variety in this city and I can't help but to stop and stare sometimes. This tree above is a digital image taken in my neighborhood last week. It reminds me of the cover of that one shin's album.
       This is a polaroid I took on Christmas day of a different tree and it looks similar:

I took it with my old landpack camera-the film is so expensive, I don't take many photos.
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      I finally watched The Science of Sleep the other day. I  am glad to have watched it on dvd because there are some great special features on the disc, including an interview with a woman who crafted many things in the film. She is quirky and speaks very candidly about her creations. Well worth  watching.  The whole time she is sitting next to a ship with  knitted sails-how cool is that?
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     James and I went thrift shopping today.  It's about the only shopping we ever do besides grocery shopping. I recently realized that as far as the kitchen goes, I really am missing many vital pieces. I found this lovely little enamel piece for 99 cents today! I think I want to make some creamed spinach or cauliflower with Gruyere....any suggestions?  I think I will scour Molly's blog for ideas....

calling all portlanders...please

Okay, I feel lame for posting this here-but-last hope....
Anyone have any tickets to the Shins show (feb 21) that they need to get rid of?
Or do you have a friend who bought too many....you know.
I would love you forever
or at least be very, very thankful! You can comment here or email me at [email protected].
I am lame-but I just thought by some slim chance this could work!
Thanks!

things i love

Well, happy valentine's day to you all! I am still not quite sure how I feel about this holiday-I like the idea of a holiday about love, but really it feels just too close to all the other holidays, maybe I am just getting old.

I am trying though-and that is what is most important I guess.

I even made myself heart french toast-I know-I am impressed!
I cooked a special meal for James last night, since I will be working tonight. It was all good but-I don't know-there is something weird about a "love" holiday.
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Anyway
because I can -here are some of my favorite photos-that i "love"

1.look at this amazing quilt-so beautiful!

2.a darling little vignette

3.an interesting kitchen

4.natural beauty

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send someone a funny card from the history channel

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I found more polaroids

have a lovely day!

i love this town

*PS***James took the last photo and wants credit for it-there ya go James!

*****thanks for all the well wishes from the last post, you guys are awesome!***

     I love Portland.

     James and I took the bus down to the Pearl today, hoping to eat at our favorite spot, Fuller's coffee shop. It has swively stools, bad coffee, delicious pancakes, "regulars", coat hooks, and cheap prices. We love it. As we approached the cafe, I noticed paint buckets on the counters and men in overalls walking in and out of the doors carrying ladders. In an instant my hopes for a lovely breakfast were dashed. James suggested a nearby cafe, one that a co-worker had mentioned to him.

    Now I don't really believe in fate, but after today I almost, ALMOST believe.

    Old pennants hung from the ceiling, vintage luggage decorated the space above the bar, behind us on the wall kitschy plates took up about every square inch of space and we were promptly seated in a super cute booth. This place was made for us. Byways cafe is now my new favorite place. I had seen it somewhere before, but never put two and two together. Here are some more pics from this place.
    For me, there is almost nothing that beats a good breakfast place.
   

What about you?
   

i am so excited!

    Suzy Small, an "internet friend",  wrote an article about Japanese craft books in the latest issue of Adorn magazine and she was nice enough to put a little blurb from me in it! Thank you Suzy!
   Now it is not so much, but there are some photos of my work in there and I am just extremely flattered to be published anywhere-especially for my creative talents. Suzy is so very sweet and am honored to be in print! If you read this, you know I love magazines-and to be in one (a real one) is exciting!

Anyway, this wouldn't be possible without this blog and its readers who have bought my products and given me support over the past couple of years-thanks!

  I am still updating the shop-above are my favorite buttons and soon to be pins-take a look if you would like! Thanks!

slowly but surely

     So, slowly but surely I am coming back. I feel as though I've been at work for the past two weeks straight. Gotta love that, but really, I am trying to get used to a schedule that never stays the same. This takes time for me....
    Anyway, I listed three new hairpins today in the shop. Really, that is all I have time for. I have about twelve more to go, maybe I can muster up the courage and patience to list them over the next few days.

    I have about another week or two before I am getting a big order of journal and onsies-I am so excited! hopefully I will have the energy to do something with them :)
    I have been a bit absent online lately, sorry for that and I hope to catch up on reading and commenting.

    I am trying to battle a cold that keeps wanting me to catch it! Everyone at work is sick (why I've been there and not here lately) and I am stocking up on the fruit and scarf wearing-ohh-maybe I can even take a nap today?
   Well, here is a link to my shop if you are interested! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are all well!