Holly Stalder

First of all here is my latest interview for Colette patterns with Holly Stalder, or the Portland boutique Haunt that I've mentioned here before.

Turtle Dove

This Sunday as I was heading out to church I asked my sister what she thought of my outfit, and if it was too dramatic.

"It's a little over the top." she said.
"Should I change?" I asked.
"No, I mean that as a complement."

The same could be said of this turtle dove tee Kate Towers made for me, based off of one I loved on her Etsy, you can see it here.

I love it, though I may need to put a cap on my tops with dramatic shoulders. I don't know if you can tell but it is beautifully dip-dyed grey so it's darkest in the center of the ruffles. Kate has some great things up on Etsy right now too, I wish I could justify buying this aptly named Escargot dress!

Something else I am in love with is the Once Upon a Tart book I mentioned earlier in this post. The other week I made a frittata with my dad and it was great--and there so many easy variations you could do. We ate it right out of the cast iron skillet we baked it in which felt rustic, but they also suggest making mini frittatas in cupcake tins which would be cute!

{Via Tartlette, because I forgot to take pictures}

This Could Explain a Lot

Although I will say the version I listened to as a child didn't have the "slut" in it.

"I don't need a man to fill this void in my life--just more pens."

is a thought I had the other day (okay several weeks now since I wrote half of this and forgot about it) as I sat down to my writing desk. That's a lie. My actually first thought was better--but I can't remember it because ironically I could not find a pen or any other writing implement at my desk to write it down with.

Don't we all have those moments when your not really thinking of anything and something great or absurd pops into your head?

Natalie Goldberg says in her book "Writing Down the Bones":

"First thoughts have tremendous energy. It is the way the mind first flashes on something. The internal censor usually squelches them, so we live in a realm of second and third thoughts, thoughts on thought, twice and three times removed from the first fresh flash."

I've been trying to write down these thoughts as soon as the come to me more often, and some of them are pretty funny and I will try to share them from time to time.

I feel like Goldberg's book and I were fated to meet since it was on the book list for one of my classes and then when I got to class I found out we didn't need it, but I read it anyway. I love that it is made up of lots of really short sections that I can read quickly but get me thinking and excited to write.

Here is another little nugget:

"Don't do that to yourself--'I am here, but I should be there.' It was torture for me. Wherever you are is the place to be writing from. Don't use the excuse that you are not in the right place. There is no perfect place. Just pick up the pen, record the details of where you are. Writing will show you that you are in the perfect place right now."

I love this because I actually wrote half this post over a month ago and just yesterday I was thinking about nostalgia, and how dangerous it is to become to seeped in it, at least personal nostalgia. The control freak in me loves it, because I know how all the stories end and they are subject to my complete control, but it's too safe. After all that thinking I signed on to get involved with a community art project though!

The one warning I would give is that this is a "warm and fuzzy" book, meant to help people to get it all out there in their writing. If you want a book to help you edit and refine your writing--this is not your book. But I would recommend it anyway!

Mary Mary Quite Contrary

I stole this idea from my dear Jacqueling because she is a genius. I think I might need to paint the words on like she did though since my chalk is so fat I had to draw the spinach--I'm not sure why it looks like its falling over. And I still need some parsley, rosemary, and thyme to make this my Simon & Garfunkel pot.

Double Dipped Interviews

Whoops, I never posted my interview with British designer Nadia who designs Nadinoo, you can read the interview here.
And then today another interview went up with Teo of Unforeseen Circumstances. Please remember this designer so in the event that I get married you can gift me with some of her beautiful lingerie, it is just an added bonus that Teo was so kind and lovely to talk to. You can read that interview here.
And is anyone else as over blogger being down as I am?

Bustling

I am so excited I have the day off and can go check out the Frances May & Lille Boutique sponsored VPL trunk show! But I'm also hoping to have time to swing by Narcisse and try on one of these gorgeous Bunny and Pear bustle skirts they just got in! I'm not sure you can ever have too many bustles.

{via Narcisse and Bunny and Pear}

Sweaty Eggplant

Blogger deleted my post. Grrrrrr. I made this eggplant tomato basil tart with my sister and Dad for Mother's day. It was delicious. Sweating is the grossest culinary term ever. Over and out.