sadieDELUXE

the shift

2011-09-14T11:17:00.000-07:00

I have officially moved to Lost Boys & Lovers! I love all of you so much, so please come over and follow me there as this new adventure unfolds.

Autumn approaches....

2011-09-07T15:58:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh, my dear friends. I've been a bit absent from the blogosphere, I've been traveling and swirling around the West Coast, seeing friends and dreaming of the future. I went to Portland for a hot minute and collaborated with some beautiful, talented women on a photoshoot for Lost Boys & Lovers. It was, to say the least, a joyous and wonderful (windy) day. Keep an eye on the LB&L blog, as soon I'll be moving over there for good. In the brief meanwhile, here are a few photos from our day in the Pacific Northwest (thanks Kelly!).

the only constant is change

2011-08-24T00:08:00.000-07:00

Hey friends, I wanted to remind you that everything at sadieDeluxe is 50% off until the end of the month, so stop by if you can. After the sale (well actually, starting now), I'm going to shift all my listings to Lost Boys & Lovers and use that shop for everything now - vintage and handmade.

You have all been so patient with me through my branding/identity ~~crisis~~ journey and I love you all for that. It's all worth it in the end, I just know it. If you haven't yet, please check out my Facebook page as well, as I plan on streamlining updates there, as well.

In other news, I am relishing in August delight and the end-of-summer breezes that sneak by now and then. It is exhilarating, almost, the preparation for Fall. The changing of the gardens, the harvesting of fruit, the fading of the evening light....all of it is somehow so dramatic and seductive....Autumn beckons with her beauty, promising us sustenance and family intertwined with that painfully deep introspection and catalytic movement. Siiiighh.....

guest post

2011-08-16T08:30:00.000-07:00

Hey friends! Head over to House of Milk to read my guest post today. (Below are some outtakes).

HALF OFF!

2011-08-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

50% off everything in my vintage shop right now with code FIDDYPERCENT. please tell your friends and check it out!

Shop here

Gather Jewelry

2011-08-12T08:47:00.000-07:00

Gather Jewelry is live with some beautiful lookbook shots from our photoshoot last month.

From the homepage (pictured above), click on the "night/light" link to see night and day looks in Gather jewelry, and click on the "bend" link to see some other trippy formations. Biggest shout outs to Erin and Leora, the photos look amazing.

bounty

2011-08-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was one of my best days ever with my garden. Thanks to endless sun and warmth, the garden has grown rapidly over the past couple months with hardly even any extra work from me. Of course I make sure to give it lots of love and care, but as a first-year gardener I am constantly astounded by the bounty that can grow in my tiny rectangle of dirt! So exciting.

First thing yesterday I made a big jar of pesto using green and purple basil from the garden. I blended it with garlic, cashews, parmesan and a bit of salt and it is delicious. That was project 1.

After that, we all went out in the garden to discuss the readiness of our giant watermelon.

It seemed ready, but it is always so sad when one harvests a not-quite-ready watermelon. After much thought and discussion, we decided to go for it.

Success! It was not only giant, but perfectly ripe and absolutely delicious. We've eaten half of it so far. Finally, Asher and I spent the evening making some pickles (photos above), which I've never done before. They came out pretty good, but I want to try some other recipes.

Do you have any pickle recipes? If so, share them below or link me to them...I want to try a couple more recipes out this week. My cucumber plant is going crazy.

Coastal

2011-08-08T09:04:00.000-07:00

Last week we went camping on the California coast for my birthday, just south of Mendocino. As expected, it was beautiful and slightly cold...and we happened to be there in the midst of abalone season, so we were surrounded by many a diver talking loudly of their harvests. The trip felt complete with tide pools, big breakfasts, beachside naps, and s'mores.

Happy Monday to all of you....may this week bring you much joy as the season slides ever-so-slowly into the spider-laden delight of late-summer.

they say

2011-08-01T09:43:00.000-07:00

Today is my 29th birthday.... here are a couple photographic memories of my younger years (hehe).

Me at 24 with tiny cute blonde Asher.

I believe this was my 7th birthday at Cape Cod. in my teeny bikini that mom brought me from Barbados.

Now we are off for a coastal adventure with the family....the car is nearly packed and I have to go finish a few more things...back later this week with updates.

Love XO

Feisty

2011-07-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

Super cool designs and (super cute babes) from Feisty Ink designs - SHOP - BLOG

Re.NEW

2011-07-26T12:45:00.000-07:00

I just bought these sweet shorts from Amber at Renouveau Clothing - I love her handpainted stencil and am so excited to finally have my own pair of custom high-waisted cut offs. Truly, Amber is pretty wicked when it comes to the art of reconstructing - you can see some examples in her shop, or at a number of Chico boutiques if you happen to be local.

Amber and I worked together on this event earlier this year, and Erin Lizardo (Social Form Creative Group), who did the photography, re-edited some of the photographs for her design portfolio. Amber & I modeled, and the clothes are all vintage or Renouveau Clothing, and some of the jewelry is by Lost Boys & Lovers. I know these aren't new, but I love what Erin did with them and thought I'd post them for some good old fashioned eye candy:

Mara Hruby

2011-07-25T18:05:00.000-07:00

Mara Hruby is the woman wearing the Eye of Horus earrings (that I want very badly) in this post. She is a woman of much beauty & brains & talent.

Video found today on MaraHruby.com

food. flowers. foxes.

2011-07-25T12:28:00.000-07:00

flowers from the garden

food from the garden

Asher reading his Fox book from Missa. in his hat from Missa.

2011-07-22T10:09:00.001-07:00

source

back view

2011-07-21T11:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peek of what Erin, Leora and I have been working on the past couple days. I provided the body, Leora provided the jewelry, and Erin is the make-it-happen mastermind. Make sure you keep an eye on Gather to see what else turns up....

(EDIT: read Leora's post on it here - darth vader & Asher, etc.)

2011-07-17T01:16:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: Marvin Thomas

2011-07-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

back porch

2011-07-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

I want to say so many things, but the more I say, the less I feel.

It is too much for words. It is unborn.

I cannot prematurely give life to it, it is brewing. I feel acutely more aware of certain emotions. I have been having visions that I keep thinking are from my past but I suddenly realized that perhaps they are from my future. Everything is mostly glorious. Deep rich sparkling emotion...like tears - full-spectrum tears: The light in the rivers. Those sparkles from the sun. The fire trapped in the water. That is it – it is tiny slivers of fire encased in tiny drops of water and it is the most beautiful, beautiful thing.

july, 2010

Again.

2011-07-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

Every year, the same thing happens. Summer finally appears, thick and hot, taking over spring quietly one night while we're sleeping. Then we all wake up sweaty and squinting, clothes come off, music comes on. Everyone is everywhere, talking about everything.

Here we are again. July is in full bloom, the weekdays simply marking the days of rest between the wondrous weekends. I am (once again) immersed deep in memories of my making, and simultaneously lost in future visions and the task of sustaining the present.

It is a wild-heart chase, the season of death-by-laughter and perfect rivers. It is so easy to love and be grateful, the remembering is all so delicious, and the tomorrows are all so simple.

(text adapted from this blog entry in 2009; photo shot from the car window in los angeles, april 2009)

Happy birthday, mama grace

2011-07-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Soft spot

2011-07-06T12:07:00.000-07:00

A little peek into one of my favorite corners of my house....

Soon I'll post photos of it at night time, when I light up various tiny lamps & fairy lights and candles. Oh, the glowing hearts of our homes.

The Law of Attraction

2011-07-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Last month I got to shoot some photos with one of my all-time favorite photographers, Matt Sharkey. The way this came to be is a longer & more intricate story, with lots of lovely twists and turns. In a nutshell, however, it is a story that illustrates the possibility in all things, the twinkling eye of the universe, and the doors that open as we follow our hearts.

Here are a few photos from the shoot....what initially drew me to Matt is his ability to capture boundless light and heartfelt joy through his photos. He is amazing, and it is such a pleasure to see my own skin through his lens.

(photos via Matt Sharkey)

Summer teeth

2011-07-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

This happened over the weekend.

Today we continue with the heavy heat and slow afternoons. My clothesline broke last week (sad) and now my honey has rebuilt me a much-improved version II, about which I am SO very excited. I know I don't need to tell any of you about that smell one gets from hanging her linens out to dry. Yum.

I've been listing a lot of new vintage in the shop, so stop by if you want. I'll probably list more today. In my underwear. Between guava popsicles and buckets of ice water.

Friends & Fridays

2011-07-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

First of all, thank you to everyone for coming back and leaving sweet comments. I love you, I really do. Life is so good, and it is so nice to share it with each other. This weekend is going to be very, very hot in my little hometown, and so I'm hoping to spend most of it creekside or on shady porches. This is the view from my little front porch right now:

Yesterday I took Asher on a thrifting/errands adventure of epic proportions, and he was so good. Really, he's quite good a lot of the time. I don't say this to brag, I say this incredulously, and with quiet gratitude. After a couple rough years in the toddler era, spending an entire day with my son wherein he is mellow and we can share thoughtful conversation leaves me feeling buoyant and light. It is amazing. Man alive I loved me some breastfeeding, but this kid thing is pretty f*cking sweet.

This is what I wore when we went out. Rule #1 on errand day: be comfortable. (Misery sets in almost instantly, otherwise).

The feather earrings I'm wearing are from Leora wayyy back before she even had Gather. I got them in one of my first-ever Etsy trades back when I was still living in Portland. I love them.

My skirt used to be a shirt, and my Portland roommate cut the sleeves off and wore it upside-down, as a skirt. Somewhere along the way I inherited it, and hemmed the bottom to make it look a bit cleaner. Upside-down rhinestone cheetah shirt skirt? Yes.

My granny sweater is thrifted and I love it for its length and coziness, though it puzzles my honey (why are you wearing that sweater when your other clothes are so cute? he asks). My purse is 60s/70s leather, also thrifted, and is my new favorite....and my Chucks were thrifted (though brand new) back in Portland. One of the Goodwills in Portland used to get a lot of sample kickbacks from the local Nike HQ there, and Converse is a Nike brand (and 6 is apparently a sample size), so I used to find some really sweet sneakers there.

Finally, my rings are both handmade by two fine Portland ladies. The Love Knuckles were custom made for me by Winnie at Winifred Jewelry, and the large square ring is also custom made by Melissa at Stone & Smith (I call it my cloudy skies rings, since it reminds me of the cloudy skies of Portland).

And now that I told all those stories, I see now that my outfit is a celebration of my life in Portland... so cheers to that - and cheers to all you Portland ladies reading this.... and happy Friday to everyone.

Growth

2011-06-30T08:45:00.000-07:00

I realize now that I've never taken a good photo of my garden since we built it. But you can see that phase of it here, which is a good reference point for these photos. I'll have to also take some pictures of the rosebushes as they are positively huge and bursting and some of them have even thrown vines over into my garden.

The broccoli has been a pleasant surprise, I think - so far my two plants have been providing enough broccoli to feed my boys consistently for the past month or so. They both eat a lot of broccoli (thank goodness, since they both fear my favorite green - chard).

The artichoke has been so hardy....isn't it beautiful? Even in the first month when I felt that nothing was growing, the artichoke seemed oblivious to everyone else and continued to stretch out its dagger-like leaves in determined joy. I have heard that it's best to let your artichokes go to flower the first year, then harvest them the second. Has anyone else heard this?

Is a month long enough?

2011-06-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

Oh blog-land, I miss you. My month off has been delightful, but I'm reopening my door before the end of summer so that I can connect with all you women of the interwebs and so that I can share my own heart & stories if I feel like it. There is so much that can be said, and so much that can be done. And of course it cannot fit into one small post.

June did not disappoint. It was full of stars and sleep, sun and heat, awakenings and determination. Asher & I packed up our supplies and headed with a girlfriend to the Mendocino fairgrounds to vend our wares at a very large festival. It was a LOT of work, and I admit to being very intimidated by all the "professional" vendors that surrounded us. But it was successful, both financially and personally! Asher was such a good sport, and we made so many new friends....and learned so many new lessons. Our booth went up effortlessly and came together perfectly, we strung lights and hung lavender and the magic glowed:

California dreaming is in full effect at the moment. Today is a thunderous and rainy interlude in amongst all the hot days we've been having. Soon I'll show you photos of our garden progress, and of Asher's new haircut (blessed be, we can see his face!).... and as more stories arise, I'll share them.

Hopefully you've not wandered too far away in my brief absence, and if you have, come by when you can - the more the merrier.

Before parting today, I have two announcements. First is that Amber at Violet Folklore is building a new fan page on Facebook, so please head over and support her if you want. She's also transitioning through some major life movements, so remember that anything you buy from her is supporting a hard-working mama.

Second, I am having a 25% off summer sale at sadieDELUXE, so check it out if you're feeling inspired to pick up some goods (enter code ILOVESUMMER at checkout)....

White Rabbit 1960s cut-out go-go boots

River Walk vintage granny mocs

Aqua Aura Quartz bullet

Instant Collection - vintage coffee mugs

Aragonite crystal bullet

One Love handmade red/green/gold feather & concha earrings

Summer vacation

2011-05-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

June is upon us and soon soon soon I hope it will be dreadfully hot so that I am sweaty and sticky and that there is nowhere else to possibly be but creekside.

I have been thinking about many things over the past few days, and I've decided to take a short blogging break for the summer. I will certainly be back, dear ones! I feel compelled to take this season off so that I can work on some things behind the scenes, and so I can spend as much time outdoors and with Asher as possible. This is my first summer where I am not stuck in as much of a rigorous work routine as I've been in the past, and I want to make the most of these summer days with the boy. If any of us remember anything, it's the magic of summer vacation in childhood. I want to actively shape that memory with him this summer.

Before I go, though, I have a few things to post about. First and foremost, my beloved model Leandra is leaving sadieDELUXE! Be still my heart. I am sad to see her go, but simultaneously filled with joy as she heads south to pursue her dreams. So many thank yous, Leandra! I will miss you, and so will everyone who looks at my shop. You are a beautiful blessing to this world.

Second, I recently bought a hole punch/riveting press from local artisans Zeeko Salvage. This is one of the things that will be taking up my time during my blog vacation! Zeke and his wife Erica make all sorts of cool shit from all sorts of other cool shit - reconstructers extraordinaire. This particular press is made from an old mailroom handle of some sort, and I can use it to punch holes and set rivets in my leather harnesses. YAY. I'm setting up a new workspace as we speak, and reorganizing all sorts of systems, so it's sure to be a productive adventure ahead. Many thanks to Zeke for the beautiful custom-made tool.

All that being said, I suppose I will say goodbye for now, though I'll undoubtedly be back in the blink of a warm-summer eye. I'm going to still be working on the shop a lot and posting my listings on Twitter, but I'll be off the blog and the Facebook for a little bit until I spring back with renewed vigor. If you'd like to contact me, email me! I love emails. My email address is on the sidebar.

Many fruit-filled blessings to all of you in this beloved season of earth-magic.

Members of the family of light

2011-05-25T23:14:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: Johnny Dutro

Oui!

2011-05-25T23:04:00.000-07:00

My bullets were featured on this sweet French blog a few days ago - Merci, Marie-Laure!

Gratitude

2011-05-25T10:08:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

At last - I am here! This spring/summer transition has been an interesting one for all of us, I know - the lingering winds and rain are unusual, and just when it seems that it is time for our hearts to fully unfurl to the sun, the sky begins to dump again.

In my blog-absence, I've been amassing a great deal of treasures from some of you women out there in the Etsy/blogosphere... and this, among other things, has prompted me to express my deep gratitude once again for all of you. Though I've been terribly unattached from my camera, I have, in a heaping pile, some books and textile treasures from Bee, the book I won from Claire (with a kind inscription and some wonderful pagan holiday cards!), some epic jewelry from Gather, and a collection of gifts from a dear customer (that's you, Jen!) with whom I've been able to form a relationship just through our communications on Etsy. It is this - all of this - that makes me so thankful for this time and this world and the things that are (and the things that are to come).

Additionally, I had a dear friend call me in need of a gift for her sister. I find it such a great honor when one of my own friends wants something from me to give as a gift - these are some of my most favorite orders.

So, thank you ALL for the love and connections and art and inspiration. It is a big part of my life and I am grateful.

And finally, I wanted to let you all know that I marked down a bunch of stuff in the shop and dumped it all in the good ole $6 Sale Bin.

Shop update

2011-05-18T09:44:00.000-07:00

so much new stuff!

Shop Here

in the morning

2011-05-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

This morning I went to a friend's house for tea and talk (I think most of you ladies know how beloved a morning tea & chatter ritual can be....especially when it fits in amongst the wild-ness of schedules, work, and children). We drank warm tea and admired the bursting flowers and baby cherries growing on the tree, and I modeled some tops that Alicia's been designing (I, ever the Etsy-aficionado, have been encouraging her to get them up online asap, so hopefully these photos will help).

Here's an outtake from our mini-shoot....

And here I am in the one that I bought from her (and she made me the pants). Super comfy stretchy cute-ness.

Annnnd do you see a Gather cuff somewhere in there??!

<3

crystallizing

2011-05-10T10:50:00.000-07:00

New bullets in the workshop....look at that obsidian dagger! So intense, I might have to keep it for myself.

New stuff....

2011-05-09T12:40:00.000-07:00

Shop Here

Inspiration

2011-05-09T10:38:00.000-07:00

Bre at Scout & Catalogue has published her Summer 2011 lookbook photos, and items will be available in her shop by the end of this week. S&C is one of my favorite handmade businesses - I love the aesthetic, the product, and the story behind all of it. Bre's work is gorgeous and her blog and her work are a constant inspiration to me.

All images copyright Scout & Catalogue

And so it goes

2011-05-06T10:10:00.000-07:00

Dear ones - I've been gone from here, I know. But who can blame me? Blog land is no match for these days of bright sun and warm winds. The bees are plentiful and the afternoons are thick with heat. Oh Chico you are so HOT and I love it. Yesterday I found a gift of wildflowers on my porch and stuffed them into a vase at the kitchen table, amongst jars of roses from my own yard. From a string across the dining room I have more roses hanging, their petals drying slowly so that I may brew them and drink them in tea. Asher and I sat on the porch with our shirts off and sweated as the sun sank lower in the sky. For dinner, I roasted heads and heads of garlic and we ate them all from a collective bowl, drowning them in olive oil and smearing them on bread.

And today is Friday (my favorite day!) - the dawn of rest and relaxation and creative cultivation. There are so many projects to be done, so many messes to be cleaned, and tonight we will cook dinner in the yard.

Wearing:
denim cut-off shorts, thrifted
sheer lace top, garage-saled
handmade earrings

Are you an Etsy seller?

2011-05-05T11:04:00.000-07:00

Then you need to go read Amy's post!

the shift

2011-05-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

Today, instead of feeling overwhelmed by the piles of stuff gathering in various corners and pathways of my house, the unfolded clean laundry on the couch, the dirty laundry in the bathroom, the gritty dirt on the floor - instead of feeling overwhelmed, I felt so grateful to have all this stuff, all this space, all this time to clean when I want to, to make art where I want to, to leave piles where I want to and to have all of this be wrapped up in a beautiful, window-ed structure that is my home and my protection.

full bloom

2011-04-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

Here is a small taste of the blossoming wonderment in my yard.

So many flowers! A couple weeks ago, when all the blossoms were opening up and the surrounding orchards began to burst in to flower, Asher became overwhelmed with allergies. He was drowning in mucous, his eyes were watery, and he was generally a little bit spaced out. Apparently Chico is one of the worst places in the country for seasonal allergies because of all the blooming species and all the orchards. We gots some serious pollen. I felt so bad for Asher, though! I kept him home from school for a whole week, because his energy was so low, and then finally (after asking friends for a naturopathic referral to no avail), I turned to Google to answer my search.

In minutes, I found a local naturopathic clinic staffed by 3 doctors who had all trained at the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, OR. This immediately felt comforting to me, because in my 5 years in Portland, the NCNM student clinic had acted as my primary care provider for Asher. They were always loving and gentle, would follow up with phone calls and recommendations, and would refer me to the ER or prescribe antibiotics when necessary (I'll get into the ER story another time, maybe). Mostly I felt really safe with them and like Asher's health was in good hands. Plus they had discount rates for office visits and prescribed medicines. If you live in Portland, I highly recommend exploring this as an option for affordable health care. They have various clinics located in all four quadrants.

But back to Chico - I made Asher an appointment with the local naturopath, and we went in for a visit. After some time checking out his lungs and ears and eyes and some questions, she prescribed a one-dose homeopathic medicine (which she gave him in the office), a gluten-free diet (so his body could stop fighting a low-grade food allergy and rally for the pollen, instead), and a three-day upper-respiratory viral treatment (syrup).

I kid you not when i say he was 99% healed the next day. DAMN. So obviously the homeopathic medicine was exactly what I needed, and I did the 3 days of syrup and we are now almost done with week two of gluten-free. HE IS SO MUCH HEALTHIER!! I am so, so excited and grateful. He's back to school without dragging his little snot rag around, and he's even begun preaching a bit about what is gluten-free and what isn't. And I gave him a nice bunch of GF cookies in his Easter basket last week.

Anyway, I've been here for over a year and I'm so happy to have potentially found a natural doctor to work with on a continued basis. And I'm so happy that Asher is no longer a slave to the pollen. Here he is under our weeping cherry, which I should have photographed while it was flowering, but your imaginations will have to take you there - this is all I got:

Denim delight

2011-04-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

Lots of denim coming to the shop soon!

Resurrection

2011-04-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

Happy belated Easter! Many thanks to all you fine ladies, sisters, and mothers who commented on my Easter post. We ended up doing a little Easter-egg hunt for Asher in the garden - I filled plastic eggs with raisins and ginger candy, and he was thrilled. He had already planted grass seed in a basket at his school, so by Easter morning, the basket was full of live green grass. And, when given his neo-pagan pop-quiz, he passed with flying colors:

me: Okay, so Asher, what is Easter a celebration of?
asher (climbing up the doorframe): Spring and fertility!

I know I've been a bit absentee on the blog lately, but I'm feeling good this week and I think I'll have lots to share (and some time to share it). I'm done traveling for a while, so I get to really focus on some stuff on the homefront - which is always my favorite thing to do.

Our garden is growing and there are flowers everywhere. The horse chestnut tree in front of my house is in full bloom and filled with bees, and the ground beneath it is covered in pink petals. Here's me yesterday (resurrection exhibit a: the outfit post):

Asher's holding his little golden cat that he got in his Easter basket - it's one of those ones you see at Japanese restaurants that waves and waves. I'm wearing a thrifted tank top, a head scarf that I cut from an old vintage dress, and a soft, screen printed skirt from my friend Alicia. And, of course, my boots.

Yesterday I made myself my first meal with garden produce - I had enough chard to make lunch...and Asher's been devouring the strawberries as soon as they're red.

My favorite fast-meal lately has been poached eggs on chard, with or without avocado. So delicious. Here's how I do it:

Wash and chop chard, and toss it in a heated, oiled skillet (I use olive or coconut oil).
Sautee the chard, and lightly salt it while cooking.
Add a splash of tamari, and a splash of red wine vinegar
Pull chard off the heat while it's still vibrant and green, before you over cook it (this happens fast!)
Add poached eggs on top of your pile of chard
Add avocado if desired
Eat!

And finally, in further celebration of resurrection, I decided to pull my guitar out of the recesses of my closet. Hooray. I've hardly played at all since I moved, and I'm pretty rusty, but I'm feeling inspired to start again, so I know I need to take advantage of that feeling while I have it.

I grew up playing the piano, but only figured out the guitar a few years ago. In a burst of discovery, I learned quickly and spent late nights making terrible recordings of my new songs. It was really fun. Now I'm going to have to go back to square one, I think, and re-master the chords and callouses. And on that note (pun intended), I'll leave you with one of my aforementioned recordings, which I recently unearthed from my old files. In fact, if you want to hear all the songs from this era, I uploaded them to Soundcloud here (!!!).

Tell my girl by sadiedeluxe

Shop update!

2011-04-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

Shop Here

FP

2011-04-21T22:13:00.000-07:00

Today my harness was featured on the front page of Etsy, thanks to Baily Belle Creations (yay!).

You can view the treasury here.

Summer mode

2011-04-19T08:28:00.000-07:00

Leandra gets dressed for summer...

Coming soon to the shop!

My Vintage Addiction - Interview

2011-04-18T08:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday, y'all! I'm happy to report there is a sweet little interview on my vintage life & love over at My Vintage Addiction today. Please check it out if you get a chance.

oh em eff gee

2011-04-18T00:16:00.000-07:00

I almost died when I saw these babies over at Dig Vintage:

They are too big for me. Do they fit you? Because you should snap them up right now if they do. Last year Nicole did this very same thing to me, with these:

You lucky 7.5ers! I'm so close....but just not close enough. xo

busy busy like the bee...

2011-04-15T10:31:00.000-07:00

I have so much to do! I'm sorry for the minimal and mildly boring blog posts this week, but I know you understand. Like everything in life, this, too, ebbs and flows. I uploaded a few more final harnesses last night, along with a few new shirts. And I have oh-so-many photographs of more beautiful dresses, just waiting for the right combination of time and energy so that they may be presented to all of you.

Happy Friday!

blue buddha burning man outfit (not new - but i edited the photo & think someone needs this this year!)

simple brown leather harness

bohemian maiden crop blouse

tooled & braided leather carlos harness (click on link to see where it gets its name...)

sweet lace bolero shrug

crystal dragon harness

Leather wear

2011-04-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

There are some harnesses available in my online shop now..... more soon! (she says hopefully, staring at the pile of work on her desk....)

Your thoughts on Easter

2011-04-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

Mamas & sisters - I'm looking for ideas on how to re-invent Easter for my little guy. I want to give him the satisfaction of an Easter basket, because I hate for him to be left out, but I feel little connection to Easter itself and find its particular Hallmark propaganda even more annoying than Valentine's Day.

So I ask you - ideas, please? Of course I want to make it a celebration of Spring....but I would love to hear ideas & new traditions that any of you have created.

(image source)

friday in photos

2011-04-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

pack & ship

drying the lavender

fresh amazing flowers

homemade strawberry lemonade

happy Friday, y'all. cheers to reading & resting. xo

Gratitude

2011-04-07T08:01:00.000-07:00

Last night I used good ole' random.org to select a lucky winner for the earring giveaway.

As I scrolled through to count who the number would land me on, I started feeling sort of sad that I can't send ALL of you a pair of earrings. Because I am so, so grateful to you ladies for coming here, reading, engaging, commenting, and loving. I've had this blog for a pretty long time now, and it brings me much joy & inspiration - and so I want to say thank you all so much. Truly.

Sooooo for the giveaway, I got number 14:

Which means Cat wins the earrings!

Again, true & heartfelt appreciation to all of you for entering. I promise there will be more earrings and more giveaways in the future. And Cat - please email me with your address so I can get these beauties in the mail.

(photo source)

Luke Rathborne

2011-04-06T22:30:00.000-07:00

A couple years ago, I posted this entry about my cousin Luke, who had been featured in Interview Magazine as an up-and-coming musician. Lately, he's been gaining a bit more momentum with lots more press & lots more shows (and Eva Mendez apparently loves him!!)

Here is his "Dog Years" video that's getting a lot of good things said about it right now. I think it's really beautiful.

p.s. is he cute or what??

Home again, home again

2011-04-06T10:43:00.000-07:00

I'm home! And the sun is shining and the plants are growing and everything seems so very beautiful. I have way too much work to do, but I wanted to post a little hello to all of you. Here I am today wearing some good old fashioned blue jeans and a reconstructed one-shoulder doily-collar tee shirt by Nicole. When I am rich and famous I will only wear Flaming Hag, I swear.

Can you see my little plantlings in the background? I'm so excited about the garden experiment. And the other day I found a canning pot at the thrift store for $8.

How was my trip? (You may ask....) I think it is best said like this:

Cheers to home & family, lemonade and sunshine, Wednesdays that feel like Mondays, and the beloved movement of life.

A feathered reminder

2011-04-04T09:30:00.000-07:00

Two days left to enter my feather earring giveaway! Enter here.

On Eliminating Caffeine (a tale from last year)

2011-04-03T08:58:00.001-07:00

Note: This was a blog entry I wrote in May of 2010 for another person's blog, and it slipped through the cracks and never got published. Since I'm traveling right now and don't have much to post, I thought I'd share these old thoughts with you in case someone finds them useful.

Several weeks ago, I decided to phase out caffeine. I needed to take a break. Although I am not a heavy coffee drinker, I do drink coffee occasionally. And I drink endless, endless cups of PG Tips. It is my favorite – my lover who never leaves me. Because it is tea, I feel justified in drinking it at all hours of night and day.

After a recent move and tons of subsequent life shifts, my body was, for lack of a better term, freaking out, and I needed to boost my immunity and balance everything out. Eliminating caffeine was an important part of this, particularly because as women, caffeine affects our hormone levels and our lunar cycles – a KEY element in feeling healthy and balanced.

Caffeine can inhibit our blood’s absorption of iron – which should be especially noted during your period, since this is a time when iron is most valuable to the female body. Inhibiting access to iron can leave us feeling stripped of nutrients and can make our PMS symptoms worse than they need to be – from crankiness to cramps and beyond.

So, I began to phase out my beloved drinks.

Easier said than done.

Let’s also recognize that most people have a ritual with their caffeine (like we do with most drugs). For me, one of my rituals was preparing my tea before I sat down at my computer every day. Another was stopping by my honey’s house and drinking coffee on his back porch in the sun before we both started work. Both of these rituals were remarkably pleasant, and it was hard to give them up in my head.

Additionally, one might ask why not just keep my rituals, but drink mint tea instead? And this is where I struggled most – I craved that dark, robust, deeper flavor of black tea or coffee. Each of them seemed to warm me in an earthier depth than any herbal tea ever could. Herbal tea is less earthy. Even when warm, it reminds me of flowers, of wind, of sunshine. (I love this, too, but not for my morning rituals – especially in February/March, when this was all going on). There was a distinct connection between these drinks and these rituals. They went hand-in-hand.

Over the next few weeks, however, I managed to slowly distance myself from my addiction to caffeine as well as from my attachment to my rituals. Here are some things that worked for me:

Interim transition to Yerba Mate

Although Yerba Mate still has caffeine, it has other xanthines in it as well, and is supposed to be a “cleaner” buzz than that from coffee (less jittery, etc.). According to Wikipedia, “Mate contains three xanthines: caffeine, theobromine and theophylline, the main xanthine being caffeine. Caffeine content varies between 0.7% and 1.7% of dry weight^[14] (compared with 0.3–0.9% for tea leaves, 2.5-7.5% in guarana, and up to 3.2% for ground coffee)^[15]; theobromine content varies from 0.3-0.9%; theophylline is present in small quantities, or can be completely absent.^[16] A substance previously called "mateine" is a synonym for caffeine (like theine and guaranine)^[17]

Studies of mate, though very limited, have shown preliminary evidence that the mate xanthine cocktail is different from other plants containing caffeine most significantly in its effects on muscle tissue, as opposed to those on the central nervous system, which are similar to those of other natural stimulants. The three xanthines present in mate have been shown to have a relaxing effect on smooth muscle tissue, and a stimulating effect on myocardial (heart) tissue.”

Truthfully, I enjoy the Mate buzz. I really do. And just as truthfully, I am not that into the taste. It’s fine – I don’t hate it, but it doesn’t move me and connect with my soul like black tea does. My favorite way to prepare Yerba Mate is to brew the tea and then stir in a teaspoon of cacao powder. Add your choice of sweetener and your choice of milk, and voila! A delicious morning cocktail. The chocolate makes all the difference for me. I used the Yerba Mate as an in-between zone before I completely phased out the caffeine.

Noticing My Cravings

I tried to pay close attention to my cravings and think about them more. For me, this meant noticing the moment that I wanted tea or coffee, and sort of talking myself through it. Not surprisingly, as I worked through the cravings, they tended to last for only a few minutes, and were much more easily surmountable than they had been initially.

Consciousness is KEY in health.

Barley Coffee/DandyBlend

My favorite tool during this detox was DandyBlend – a healthy, herbal-based coffee substitute. (Thank you to my own mama for turning me onto this). There are a few different barley coffees on the market, but Dandy Blend is the only one that incorporates dandelion root for added health benefits.

This stuff is delicious! And best of all, it is deep brown in color and robust in flavor. Just like tea or coffee. So aside from having something warm to drink, it also satisfied my associative cravings for that deep flavor that I got from my caffeinated beverages. I brewed it hot and added a bit of sweetener and milk.

Dandelion root is used in various forms for health support, particularly in liver cleansing and detox. You can read a little bit about the benefits here:

“For many people, dandelions are simply a yard pest. However, dandelions are very rich in nutrients. Traditionally, the roots and leaves of the plant have been used as medicines for breast maladies, bloating, digestive disorders, aching joints, fevers, and skin disorders. The leaves of the plant are very rich in vitamins, including A, C, D, and B-complex. They also have high levels of minerals like iron, magnesium, zinc potassium, manganese, copper, choline, calcium, boron, and silicon. The most active ingredient in dandelions, eudesmanolide and germacranolide, are found only in dandelions.”

Water

As with any health regimen, detox, or cleanse, I tried to drink more water than usual. This helped to flush my system and also curb cravings for other liquids.

After about 2 weeks of DandyBlend (which followed about 1.5 weeks of Yerba Mate), I found that my caffeine cravings were nearly gone, and held much less power over me. Additionally, enough time had passed to where my “rituals” seemed further away and less important, thereby making them easier to let go. The negative side effects that I had been experiencing from caffeine left my system entirely after about 4 weeks. I felt my hormones level out and begin to re-balance.

At this point, I am back to drinking caffeine if I want it. But having broken the daily ritual and addiction cycle, I crave it less and only drink it occasionally. Having cleansed my system also heightened my sensitivity to it again, so I am more cautious of how much I drink. I still drink DandyBlend when I am experiencing a ritual craving more than a caffeine craving, and I still love it.

Coming soon

2011-03-31T12:58:00.000-07:00

Wings & Things - A Vernal Giveaway

2011-03-30T07:21:00.000-07:00

I promised a while back that I'd do a Spring Equinox giveaway, after having so much fun with my Summer Solstice giveaway last year. Well, time has slipped by a little bit - but not terribly so - and I think I can still begin a giveaway today and justly claim that it's in conjunction with the Equinox.

I wanted to do another box filled with treasures, but said box and said treasures weren't quite coming together, and I wasn't feeling inspired to forcefully cultivate them. Sometimes I can feel my fingertips vibrating with treasure-making-madness...but not so with this giveaway. And I hate to offer up things that don't come from an inspired place (that's not really how I roll).

Nonetheless, I want to give away something, and I decided these earrings are just the thing:

Simple yet stunning - neutral enough to be loved by nearly anybody, and practical enough to be worn every day. Light as a feather (of course) and they hang about 4" long.

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment. Extra love-bonus-points if you follow my blog or spread the word, but I want to keep it simple this time (a good theme, I think, for this season of re-emergence).

Comments will close on Wednesday, April 6, and I'll announce the winner on the 7th.

she promised me spring

2011-03-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

It is sunny today! I am overjoyed and filled (finally) with the light I've been longing for. Well actually, to be honest, I managed to find the light all on my own, even through the rain, last week. So now the sunshine is a delicious, golden bonus. With springtime high-tailing it into my world, I've been doing lots of the usual spring things - cleaning, writing, crying, loving, planning, etc. A new project this year is going to be my first-ever bona-fide vegetable garden. Thanks to some lovely, hard-working boys I know, I now have 4 custom built raised-garden beds in the front of my house (the back is too shady). We put the beds right next to my patch of rose bushes (aka my rose farm):

Over the course of about 2 days, thanks to mild breaks in the torrential downpour, the beds were built and fenced in all their dirt-filled beauty.

I have never had a garden, as I mentioned above - so I know I'm going to learn a lot this year - and probably make a lot of mistakes. I'm grateful to lots of you ladies reading this who keep your own blogs with gardening tips - I'm reading all of them and taking it all in. Asher is very excited, and I am, too. He and his little neighbor bff had lots of fun hanging out during the final building push yesterday....bouncing and running (as usual - it is REMARKABLE how very much little boys will run & bounce. And run & bounce. And yell).

So my dear friends and readers, do not hesitate to fill my comment thread with tips and tricks on gardening! I will share some of the fruits of my labor (ha) with you as the seasons progress. Over on the other side of my front yard I've planted lots of flowering plants that call in the bees and the humming birds.

And finally, on an unrelated but important note, I wore my OMG-amazing 1970s levis gaucho overalls from Nicole this weekend. And my giveway necklace from her, as well. Super stylin' cute sauce.

Everything I'm wearing in these photos is vintage, save for the American Apparel tee shirt. My coat & boots are some of my oldest beloved vintage staples - and I'm not sure how much longer they'll live - but I'm determined to wear them until they absolutely fall apart.

Wishing all of you bright spring light and productivity and love. xo

shop update

2011-03-27T01:44:00.000-07:00

Shop Here

The Year of the Yang Metal Rabbit :: 2011

2011-03-25T11:25:00.000-07:00

Dear friends - this is information from one of my dearest and oldest friends, Leah Barlow. I have left it entirely intact and it is all written by her. It is beautifully articulated and remarkably useful....I thought many of you might appreciate it at this time. And it is on this note that I leave you for a joyful weekend (text below the image is all from Leah. Art by Andrew Jones):

As requested I have written a synopsis of this year’s portents according to the Chinese zodiac as taken from Liu Ming’s annual presentation on the subject. Many thanks to Liu Ming for his generosity of knowledge, depth of wisdom, and brilliant dark humor. Please visit his website if you’re inclined to find out more about him or his teachings: http://www.dayuancircle.com/
Enjoy!

The Year of the Yang Metal Rabbit :: 2011

As we move out of the Metal Tiger, we find that Metal Rabbit still presents us with an elemental conflict – Wood is Rabbit’s native element. Metal destroys wood. Therefore the full potential of Rabbit is not actualized or is tainted. – We have been in elementally conflicting signs of the zodiac for 7 years, hence bad leadership, criticism, and insecurity.

Meanwhile, there is great potential for peace (Rabbits are peacemakers). The key to this potential lies in the Gan Ying principle which is basically the principle of reciprocity – as within, so without – collectively we’ve become disempowered and morbid, blameful and fearful. This energy is used by inappropriate leaders to stay in power. Change can be implemented by addressing this internal dialogue. Choose hope and empowerment! Lead by example, but keep it practical and within your area of influence so as not to become overwhelmed and resort back to hopelessness. In order to get new leadership we need to provide the correct environment for change (not blamefulness and disappointment). Even self-criticism will only perpetuate the problem. Instead examine your natural capacity and ACT!

Rabbit is about small group mentality (they keep to the rabbit’s den). This is where the energy will be focused this year – family, community, locality. Make alliances and tighten your circle now to prepare for the tremendous opportunity ahead (the year of the Dragon!)

We will see this focus on local identity play out in the political sphere – problems will tend to be internal rather than global (Egypt, Libya, Bahrain). There will be more ethic clashes and challenges of leadership than international disputes. In general, Rabbits avoid confrontation, but because of the elemental balance this generality might not hold true – especially in the first quarter of the year.

Ultimately the chi of the Rabbit is down and in. It’s a good year for solitude and self-reflection. Try cultivating a meditation practice – you might find it easier than you have in the past. The most beneficial practices will be the simple and gentle ones (like Chi Gong).

Don’t be too fanciful or grandiose in any undertaking – take care of yourself & enjoy the little things.
Domesticity is especially appealing in a Rabbit year. Entertainment will tend toward the home where there is a sense of comfort and safety (not to mention family).

Those born in a rabbit year are peacemakers especially in the context of the family. They will have a particularly strong bond with the mother, perhaps because of their intuitive nature.

In fact, one of Rabbit’s biggest claims to fame is its intuitive nature. Intuition is the ability to sense that which is not necessarily on the surface. Rabbits recognize subtlety, hidden meanings, and the subliminal and they act based on this knowledge. People with intuitive powers may find that they get more recognition for their intuition in a Rabbit year. Pay attention to your own intuition and don’t be afraid to use it.

We will also see this shift from the obvious to the subtle in the fact that those who tend to operate “behind the scenes” (advisors, assistants, consultants) will be the ones wielding the real power this year.

Some things to be mindful of:

Security is a central concern for Rabbit. Even romance will be informed by Rabbit’s necessity for security – if they feel a relationship does not offer them a sense of security (financial or otherwise) they will be tempted to leave. Gift giving is especially effective this year as gifts are a gesture of security and alliance. Also, generosity is especially enabling this year – implement generosity so that people have an opportunity to activate their capabilities.

Because of the diminished chi of a rabbit year, Immunity will be compromised. Minor infections can escalate easily, so take care of your self and rest often. Also, surgery is particularly risky this year – especially if it’s unnecessary. At the very least, make sure you know and trust your surgeon.

Lastly, do not forget the importance of cultivating a positive attitude and leading by example. Abolish criticism and blame of yourself, your government and the media and replace it with action and hope. This personal choice will affect change more than anything else you can do right now.

the end result

2011-03-24T11:41:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are some photos from the photoshoot I did last week with some girlfriends. The shoot was for Cabrina's new line of chain Body Lace. Cabrina has a metal shop on etsy, and she is always open to custom designs. I'm really pleased with how the photos came out - I've never done a project like this before, so it was really fun and exciting every step of the way. BIG thanks to all the ladies who modeled and helped.

These 10 photos are the ones I edited, but there is a whole lookbook of 40-some photos posted on Facebook - the other photos were all edited by my friend Ceri May (she's also one of the models), and she did an amazing job). If you have time, go check out all the other ones, too!

Things that happen when children learn to read

2011-03-23T13:40:00.000-07:00

Scene: driving in the car on the way home from school.

Asher: Uhh, mom? Do you have a Chevron card?

Me: Umm, no.

Asher: Well why not?

We: Well, because I don't really want a Chevron card. I don't need one.

Asher: But if you get a Chevron card they give you CASH!

new digs

2011-03-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

Shop Here

And I'd also love to remind anyone who doesn't know - I've started a fan page here.

the full spectrum ache

2011-03-21T10:46:00.001-07:00

I am feeling less wordy than usual today. Plus, my "L" key is kinda broken and it makes it very hard to type. So, instead, I leave you for today with this inspiration:

time:space

2011-03-20T23:52:00.000-07:00

"Later they discovered that most of the airborne radiation had gone into mushrooms and lichens and trees, not affecting us quite us directly as my mother had feared, but rather infiltrating the whole foundation upon which our lives are built."

-Milla, The Girl Who Married a Bear

(art by Robin Quinlivan)

sneak peeks & pretty girls

2011-03-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

This week I spent an entire day hard at work (with a team of fine women) shooting photos for a friend's line of jewelry. I'm really excited to show the final photos off soon....but I don't want to show anything until everything is polished and ready. In the meantime, here are some behind-the-scenes shots:

I loved the getting-ready rituals. Nothing like a handful of girls decking each other out in lingerie and chains. Here's me, behind the camera (thanks to Rachel for these ones):

More on that after the weekend, I promise. AND....stay tuned for a sadieDELUXE spring equinox giveaway next week. My last one was on the solstice, so I figured why not make a seasonal event out of it?

Happy Friday to all, and may this big bright full moon bring magic to your stomping grounds. Or, if it brings mostly cramps and insanity....well then join the fucking club. Haha! (Cheers, ladies....Here's to being the only lunar primates on earth. xo)

dresses galore

2011-03-17T22:57:00.000-07:00

Shop Here

xoxo

last night

2011-03-16T10:30:00.000-07:00

I finally uploaded a few new things to the shop.

Summer Supply Kit - vintage bohemian bucket bag
The Datsun Pickup - cotton south america summer hoodie
Coffee & Tea - chunky knit cozy cardigan
Woolen Love - wool blanket cape with knit collar
Cocoon - alpaca wool poncho

addendum

2011-03-15T22:47:00.000-07:00

Portland photos from Sophie. Cute, and cute.

snapshots from the road. and life.

2011-03-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are a few photos from my short trip to Oregon last week. Asher was an expert traveler and for that I am so very impressed and grateful.

in the car, heading north on I-5. sunglasses? check.

goldendoodle & balloon

boxer buns

The trip was a lot of relaxing - which is one of our favorite things to do. I also, of course, got to see a handful of my favorite girls in the world. Asher talked everyone into playing cards with him - both tarot and regular - and it was fun to be "back in the city" now that I've been a small town girl for a whole year. A few more random shots...

photo by asher - new earrings from Catherine!

sophie - by asher

mirror mirror

We stayed in both Eugene and Portland and I went to as many thrift stores as I possibly could in those few days - I came home with a huge bag of vintage and had to ship a giant box home as well! Here are a few peeks at the new textiles:

ummm, hello cactus house dress

piles and piles

omg tiger swimsuit

Asher and I took the overnight train home to Chico from Eugene, and I was so loaded down with luggage - I was of course promising myself never to carry this many clothes again. This happens every single time I travel. Luckily there were lots of nice people this time and various strong persons helped me carry a bag now and then. And at the end of the trip, we had hardly set foot off the train when we were met by man, truck, & new puppy....which is certainly one way to make a 6 am arrival a bit more bearable.

baby dog & big dog

matching

I know there are more photos from Portland, but they're on Sophie's phone and I don't have them yet. We did drink hella Stumptown coffee and eat some Voodoo Donuts. Booyah. I'm so glad to be home, and Asher and I have been planting lots of flowers and doing lots of laundry. And on an unrelated and final note, I have been living in and loving these thrifted Minnetonka moccasin loafers (SO. COMFY) and this vintage sweater coat I found in Eugene for 6 bucks. It's lined in shearling and is freakishly warm.

Thoughts on birth and death - and a small book review

2011-03-13T23:35:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking a lot, recently, about reviewing a book I recently read called The Mercy Papers. This is a modern memoir written by a women close to my age, and it spans the last three weeks of her mother's life. It is a memoir of death.

Memoirs are my favorite. I cannot read enough creative non-fiction - it fuels me and brings me joy and understanding of things I might never know. Particularly, I am drawn to memoirs written by my own generation, and even more particularly - written by women of this generation. Robin Romm, the author of The Mercy Papers, was born and raised in Eugene, Oregon - where I went to college. This memoir takes place in Eugene in 2004. In fact, in the Fall of 2004 - right when I was hiding out in a damp corner of Eugene bringing a child into this world. This coincidence in time and place is interesting because, at the ripe old age of 28, I have yet to experience death in a close way. It has only barely entered my life, floating by in distant orbits, and never near enough to really hurt. This book made me think about this fact, and it made me realize that the closest experience I've had with death is actually with her beloved sister - birth.

The Mercy Papers is beautifully written. I read it quickly and with hardly any interludes at all - Romm's use of language and her talent as a storyteller are both bright and clear. What struck me most about this book, however, is that it is framed as a memoir of love and loss; and while it is, in a way, it is also a poignant illustration of our cultural fear of death. With modern Western medicine, and the "field of science" so heavily activated, death has (in America) become something we can (at times) stave off - it is an undesired endpoint, despite its essential function and its inevitability.

Romm's final days with her mother are filled with fear of the final moment - nowhere in the story does she acknowledge her mother's approaching departure, but instead she locks herself inside a headspace of "life vs. death" - battling for something so implausible that even her mother has acknowledged the concession. Romm is blinded by this fear, and in her final weeks medicates herself with Xanax, and refuses to "say goodbye" to her slowly-departing mother. As a reader, my heart grew heavy at every moment that Romm lost to fear, when time seemed so precious. I was, at times, astonished at the self-absorption that Romm commits to, thereby entirely missing out on the crucial crossover of her mother from here to there. A few others share this sentiment about the book, though largely Romm's writing is (for good reason) celebrated. She is good at her craft - and again, I don't blame her for this approach to death...it is deeply embedded in our modern culture.

As I mentioned above, I have not experienced death closely, and so I don't feel entitled to speak much of it or its emotional impact on people. I know that it holds infinite gravity and trauma for those who are involved, and I am in a position of privilege to be speaking of someone else's experience. And because of this I want to say that my criticism is not of Romm, it is of a society that has created death as an opponent - one that can be manipulated, or that is completely disconnected from the rest of life. In my personal experience with birth, I traveled to the bridge - the open space beyond here - and so I, for one, know that it exists. I know thousands of others share this faith, and I think that this (though so very opposite of death) is an indicator of the full-spectrum of it all. I think it is a great weakness that our culture has chosen to dishonor death.

Now, I say these words at a time that death is plentiful and widespread. The death count in Japan is nowhere close to finished, and this is not to mention the other, smaller tragedies that are flooding the world at this particular time. I understand that death is not a bright and joyous portal to the next place in time or space - it is beyond anything I can say in words. (And so thank goodness for all you other brilliant women who supply words where I cannot):

I recently read two posts by Maria at Adelaide's Homesewn - her Thoughts on Grief - Part 1 and Part 2. I recommend that you read both of these, as Maria recounts her own experience with death and grief in such a concise, eloquent way that it seems to apply soundly and reasonably to everyone. I wanted an excuse to share these particular posts with my own readers, and this seems like an appropriate time to do it.

Finally, a friend of mine posted some of her own thoughts on birth and death online just today, and I wanted to share some of her words, as well:

When the birthing field has activated, birth is eminent. It can be prolonged, stress-filled and painful, but that is optional. For too long have we bought the painful birth story. This has been sold to us by master story tellers, weavers of deception. Truth be told, we have lost our connection to our mother, the giver of our physical body. The intensity of what is happening is what is required to wake us up, which says a lot about where we are at. The technocratic world has assisted beautifully in furthering our disconnection by plugging us into it, rather than source (which is the only thing that can truly feed our souls passion). Not being connected keeps us lost in the matrix, wandering around disconnected from source wondering where love is and why we feel so alone. I know in my heart that we as a race can collectively wake up, or else I would not be sitting here writing this.

The time has passed for denial. We are in active labor. It is time to find the precious balance of getting our heads out of the fucking sand and really embodying the higher ways of being human, which ultimately makes us responsible. This to me means leaving behind all the things that hold us back at a core level. Just walk or dance away, put it in a pile and light it on fire, do what you must..just do it. The walking part is important. We must physically move. This is what allows us to literally "move" through this process. When we walk away, immediately something new will come into view and allow us to build something else. It is time to leave it all behind. It is seeing what is happening, feeling it and then living from a space of grounded authenticity-not fear. We have to leave the old ways behind to birth into the new. We must surrender.

I feel humbled in the face of these realities really. I am writing all of this in a state of inspired passion, because I want to live. I am thankful for all of life. I feel so much beauty in my heart dreaming of all the things we can create with each other. I also know that we are not alone and can remind and empower each other in this. There is nothing freaking comfortable about where we are. Ultimately, how perceptive we are to the enormity of what it is we are doing will determine how we translate this process as transformation or suffering. We are vulnerable babies in the birth canal and our mama is struggling to give birth. Her labor is intense and her pain is great. The lingering question is how will you assist her in birthing you?*

I suppose at the end of all of this, I don't have a succinct closure, or something to sum it all up. This is all just an open platform of my thoughts. I loved reading The Mercy Papers, although I was saddened by the writer's view of death. I am endlessly grateful to authors who can so eloquently share with me an experience that belonged to someone who was not me. I feel like this can teach me so much more than I could read in any type of textbook. Stories are what teach my heart the things that exist on different planes.

And on this note, I was recently inspired (first by Amber, then by James....and by other various sources) to write my birth story. I am, in fact, slightly shocked that I never wrote it down. And then I worried that I was too late - my son is 6 and approaching 7. But I realized that it is not too late, and if I don't do it now, he'll just keep getting older and one day it might actually be too late for real. So I am working on that, dear readers, and I hope to soon share it with all of you.

Thank you for reading all of this. xo

*By Rue-Anna Sullivan

All art by Sylvia Ji

Flaming Hag Loves Lost Boys

2011-03-11T11:25:00.000-08:00

Here is Nicole from Flaming Hag Folkwear in her Lost Boys & Lovers harness! And see it with another outfit here.

Coming soon

2011-03-10T15:29:00.001-08:00

i hope!

on the road

2011-03-05T08:40:00.000-08:00

Getting in the car today with my dad & Asher to head up I-5.

I'll try to keep you posted!

Bits & Pieces

2011-03-04T11:24:00.000-08:00

Apologies for being a bit slow on the posting lately, but sometimes life happens faster than blogs. Today I've composed for you a nice random stew of images and thoughts and poured all of it in this blog post. First, here I am this very morning fully wrapped in purple. This shirt is from Skyline Fever on Etsy, and I just did a trade for some earrings and got this very darling, soft, flutter-sleeve tee in return. I imagine I will wear it endlessly. Etsy barter win, once again! The skirt is a reconstructed American Apparel dress, boots are my vintage dailies, and tights are from F21.

Speaking of Etsy, I was recently possessed by some spirit that convinced me to buy underwear on Etsy. I have always sworn this off for a few reasons - the main one being that boutique underwear is NOT a justifiable expense. Further, I have loads of cute panties, and my man is generally more impressed by my naked bunz than bunz enrobed in any sort of fancy knickers. But I digress - I recently bought these, all the way from the Ukraine, and they arrived yesterday in their full handmade glory, and packaged with love.

They came in a custom-embroidered, handmade bag! Made with so much love, I could see quite clearly. And you know what, ladies? Even with shipping, this ended up being cheaper than a pair of fancy skivvies at Victoria's Secret. I am so pleased with my purchase. (During my same bout of illogical panty-purchasing, I also got these, and these).

On a more general note, Asher is still enthralled with the Tarot, and has begun drawing his own deck. Our new deal is that every night we can read about 5 cards each while we are going through the deck. This means we read about 20 cards per night. And by "read about" - I actually mean "look up in the book" - I haven't done any actual intuitive readings with him yet, though he's clearly providing me with some pretty thorough lessons in Tarot cards that I truly appreciate.

Finally, it is official - spring has sprung. Exactly two days ago I begun to hear the swirling singing of birds in the morning. So much chirping that the sound is thick and tangible, like a bright blanket in the sky. My trees have begun blossoming and the bees are here, buzzing and throbbing in their devotion to the season of hard work.

And this, my friends, is no less exciting than it was last year. Dusk lingers longer now, the bugs are marching out with renewed vigor, and the greenery unfurls in confident splendor. My own heart lifts with that universal lightness - the strings begin to vibrate slowly and in unison - cementing the certainty that in each of us, the whole world exists.

(May this season bring each of you this same glowing lightness and richness in bloom).

photographic glow

2011-03-01T11:26:00.000-08:00

digging up some old photos....all with a fiery glow:

buddha & henna candle in the plant room

me & mom & candles, many moons ago

portland night w/outfits & prosecco, 2008

these magic moments

2011-02-28T14:04:00.000-08:00

I mentioned last week that I had connected for a bright and glittering moment with a handful of magical women down in Nevada City. Well, each of us was from various places, but the group gathered for a night down there, and I was able to travel down and spend some time. These ladies:

had all been traipsing through various parts of Northern California like a band of modern gypsies. What a beautiful bunch!! My goodness!

I drove down and met them at the National Hotel, where Asher got instantly sick and tearful, and the rooms wallowed in old, old energy. The National is a beautiful, big, cold, and creepy building. Nonetheless, Asher napped through our dinner at a Thai restaurant (thank you, pillow dining), and I brought him to the cottage of women who convinced me to put him in Milla's bed while I spent a few moments with them. Thank you all for being so firm about bringing me in! Once seated, it was hard to tear myself away. Asher napped some more, then woke up and began bouncing on the bed right away with the other children.

Here are a few fuzzy photos from Nicole's blog that captured some of the time I was there:

The crew at the National. An abundance of vintage goodness & beautiful hair.

Back at the cottage. I love how Missa & Clover sit as the golden-haired centerpiece amongst us darker-haired girls!

Did I say enough about our hair? It was ridiculous, the amount of beautiful hair between all of us. And there was also a crew of bearded men taking all these photos!

After some honeywine and heart-filling conversation, I finally scooped up Asher to take him home. I couldn't bring myself to stay in the National since it seemed so weird and his fever had gripped him tightest there. So, with a luminous glow, we headed home.

And I have not stopped thinking about all of them since.

:::

p.s. thank you girls for taking these photos!

p.p.s. for more sides to this sweet story, visit Nicole, Amber, Heather, or Missa. Heather has a wonderfully long version of the tale, complete with many photos - like this one of me and Milla!

Milla has yet to tell her version, but she does speak here about the current oppression that Planned Parenthood is facing. You should read that, too.

vintage beauty

2011-02-27T21:44:00.000-08:00

My mom gave me this beautiful book for Christmas, so I thought I'd share some of it with you fellow-lovers of vintage and women. A whole book published in the 1930s with photography of naked women. I love it.

Custom designs

2011-02-27T12:36:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple custom designs I've been working on lately....plus a couple shots of some beautiful ladies in my Lost Boys & Lovers harnesses:

Dear Friday, I love you

2011-02-25T10:43:00.000-08:00

For me, Friday's matter. While I don't subscribe to an average 9-5 lifestyle, weekdays are nonetheless filled with work and school, packing lunches and driving everywhere, swim classes, and so on. Friday marks the beginning of my beloved days of rest. Here are a few photos from my week for a Friday post.

Here I am a couple days ago wearing a glorious exaggerated batwing sweater (vintage) with bell jeans, vintage boots and vintage belt. Simple but cute.

Sunshine & happiness:

And our latest nighttime ritual, which is Asher's favorite (uhh, mom? can we go through your tarot cards?). I shuffle, he cuts, and then we each pull a card until it's done.

Happy weekend!

new Lost Boys & Lovers

2011-02-23T22:59:00.000-08:00

SHOP HERE

Crushed velvet

2011-02-22T11:41:00.000-08:00

Kennedy Holmes in sadieDELUXE crushed velvet leotard. I love her.

things that have been, and things to come

2011-02-22T11:07:00.000-08:00

Here are a few photos of the treasures I have sitting in my small (yet beloved) photographing corner of the house. I have loads of vintage dresses that I've not yet listed, and lots of Lost Boys & Lovers gear that I photographed with some girlfriends over the weekend. So much left to be organized and measured, but as always, we must take it one day at a time.

dresses dresses dresses

rainbow warrior headdress (listed soon)

jewelz & things

shoes

behind the backdrop

Rachel & Cabrina in traveler hoops w/fringe

I took yesterday off, lavishing in the joy of a three-day weekend with Asher. This morning, on the other hand, I'm also lavishing in the joy of morning coffee and endless lists and prioritization of the many tasks at hand.

Also, on another note, I did get to spend a small sliver of time this weekend with a large and powerful contingent of amazing women. I did not bring my camera, but there were at least four that recorded various moments of the evening....I am waiting for these to surface, and then I will spill both images and words about it on my blog.

Nicole gives a hint here:

"and speaking of birds being drawn together (or something like that, i need a segue...), i just spent part of my weekend with a beautiful group of blogg ers,"

And I leave you with this photo (also borrowed from Nicole) as an appetizer:

To you ladies who were there, my heart is filled with gratitude and love (and of course, a hunger for more).

shameless self promotion

2011-02-19T22:13:00.000-08:00

So. I've started a Facebook page for Lost Boys & Lovers. Come be a fan if you'd like!

(Photo: a tangle of Lost Boys & Lovers harnesses)

UPDATE: i think i fixed the link....but if not, you can scroll down and use the Facebook button on the right hand side of my blog. Thanks to Juste Venteaux!

i've seen fire and i've seen rain

2011-02-18T10:53:00.000-08:00

Beltane bonfire, last year (May 2010). Thanks to Brandon for the photos.

bohemian madness

2011-02-17T11:15:00.000-08:00

Bohemian fashion is taking over the internets. At least in my corner of the world it is. Today my embroidered 1970s Levis are featured in the Etsy Fashion email, along with lots of other beautiful pieces!

MOONSSSSWOON

2011-02-16T20:56:00.000-08:00

Fuck yes. Shop it here on Etsy.

(Found via Rad Summer. xo)

front page love

2011-02-16T12:38:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much to elSage for creating this front page treasury that included my Bicycle Summer tee. And thanks to Leandra for making that shirt look so damn good!

rejoice the hands

2011-02-15T10:04:00.000-08:00

I've been keeping my eye on Rejoice the Hands for a while now, and I am continually moved by the beauty of these pieces. While they are quite out of my price range, I still enjoy browsing and drooling and being amazed, particularly by her porcupine quill jewelry.

A successful evening of collaboration and inspiration

2011-02-14T14:05:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, last Friday was the big day (finally) for my Delta of Venus event, which I'd been working on (in conjunction with a few other bad ass mamas) for a few weeks. The event was, without a doubt, a success! The venue (360 Ecotique) was packed for the first half of the show, leaving little room to even walk around. The crowd thinned a little bit later, but remained constant and the flow was good. The show was anchored by 5 remarkably talented women, each offering up her own craft. Keeping it all woven together were some beautiful downtempo beats provided by some sweet local boys. There was a cute girl serving wine, a gypsy woman in the back reading tarot cards, and a general swirl of well-dressed, beautiful people throughout.

Personally, I was thrilled to bring all these ladies together, to meet a few new key players, and to successfully create the exact vibe I had been envisioning. Success!

Here are some photos from the daytime set up - Mari brought endless flowers and we all set up our corners:

Clearing out the (beautiful) space

Kodo Fragrances

Adorn by Mari

My little corner of the world

Many thanks to Amber, for documenting the journey with her camera, as I failed to do so. For tons of photos and more stories, check out her blog entry about it. And I have endless gratitude for everyone who helped with this!! Thank you all so much!! (These next photos are all borrowed from Amber):

Renouveau Clothing

The outside!

Settin' it up

And here are some photos from the event (also borrowed from Amber - thanks lady!)

Sea of people

Me & Miss Jaime

Mari & Cabrina

Laura (in Renouveau Heirloom dress) & Amy (in Renouveau crown)

long ago and far away

2011-02-13T00:44:00.001-08:00

inspiration

2011-02-13T00:29:00.000-08:00

I love love love looking at Ghost Dancer's Tumblr site - a well-curated collection of magic in images:

Rhiannon, designer and owner of Ghost Dancer also makes gorgeous adornments for your body. You can check out her tumblr here, and her jewelry collection here.

Shop life

2011-02-13T00:15:00.000-08:00

Whew! My event last night was awesome - thank you to all my supporters and collaborators...I will do a real post on the event on Monday. I'm excited to have more time now to work on my online shop again....hopefully I'll be posting lots of stuff this week. Here are a few things I managed to get in there last week between all the other stuff:

Softspoken - vintage silk knit Christian Dior top
The Mistress - brown medallion maxi dress
The Lavender Fields - open knit sweater top
The Peacock Queen - keyhole maxi dress

Lost Boys & Lovers at Red Velvet Art

2011-02-10T10:17:00.000-08:00

Lost Boys & Lovers crystal bullet necklaces are now available for Spring over at Red Velvet Art! I am so excited to be a part of Elsie & Emma's beautiful shop.

Red Velvet has come up with a beautiful lookbook for their Spring launch, and their shop is full of killer handmade accessories and clothing as well as a nice selection of vintage. Here is a page from the lookbook with the crystals:

Head over to check it out!

(all photos via RVA)

Blip.style Interview

2011-02-08T11:12:00.000-08:00

I am so honored to be featured as a fashion blip today over at Blip.style! In the interview, I answer lots of questions about vintage & handmade style, inspiration, and beyond. Please head over and take a look. xo

A screenshot of some of the interview....

The Secret Adventures of Miss Muffin

2011-02-07T11:05:00.000-08:00

Friday is a big day here in our little town of Chico. Local artist Sea Monster is having an art opening at the Ray Ray art gallery downtown.

Sea Monster creates wildly magical women and takes watercolor to a level you've never thought possible. Seriously. She has reinvented the wheel that is watercolor painting. The event is the same night as Delta of Venus, and they're only a block apart, so come join in all the many festivities happening that night! Here is Sea Monster's promo video:

Behind the scenes

2011-02-06T20:58:00.000-08:00

Woohoo! This upcoming Friday is our Delta of Venus event here in Chico. Please come by - even if you don't plan on shopping we still want you there! Here are a few behind the scenes shots from our photoshoot the other day:

Sorting the clothes beforehand

Just another day at the park!

Amber + Erin = Awesome

Makin' it happen

Deep blues

2011-02-04T15:34:00.000-08:00

Thanks to MaryBeth for alerting me to the fact that my Lunch Date blouse was featured on Etsy's front page today!! Super grateful for the exposure I've been lucky enough to get lately. And thanks to These Shiney Times for curating the treasury!

an easy day

2011-02-03T12:01:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick outfit post for the day. Things are getting warmer and the sun is staying out longer and I am (as always) THRILLED at the closeness of spring. The impending nakedness, fruit, warmth, and water that will come with the warmer seasons never ceases to thrill me. These photos were from the other day, taken by Asher, after we had finished our running-around for the day.

Wearing:
vintage secretary blouse, american apparel shiny leggings, nine west boots (thrifted), and cotton vest from F21.

cuteness

2011-02-03T11:50:00.000-08:00

The shop is looking good today! I've been listing tons of vintage tops and shirts...more coming soon. xo