tweeter faves...

Have you seen that commercial where the dad is updating his twitter with, "I am sitting on the patio."? I'm not gonna lie- I love the immediacy of twitter even in those banal moments. I got into a debate once with someone who hated the "here's what I had for lunch" kind of posts. I was all about it, them, not so much. It's a quick peek into someone's life and it's really interesting to see people inspirations, reading lists, pets being tute. It's intimate in a way, and also a bit voyeuristic. I'm drawn to the pics more often than not. These are some of my latest favorites....

From the top left clockwise- @eggagogo, @katebingburt, @designcrush, me! @miniaturerhino, @sevenspoons, @bloodmilk

are you zee tweeter? Tweet me!

My Irene...

I don't know what I was expecting with Hurricane Irene, I'd never been through one before. The news really seemed to be fear mongering, and the day of my neighborhood was still bustling. One store owner was saying he was going to stay open and I could hear one of my neighbors singing, "I aint afraid of Irene..."

With all the rain one of our bedroom walls started to basically swell with all the pressure. Along the whole length of the wall water was dripping, and in some parts spraying and straight squirting out- right onto our bed (so gross!) We scrambled until the wee hours of the morning to move the bed and other furniture, pop the water blisters under the sagging paint and lay towels and buckets to soak up the water.The wall is still drying and looks nasty- I just hope the landlords fix it!

On the up side we did our best to relax- baked cookies and watched the Sons of Anarchy on netflix. Walking around the neighborhood the day after most of the damage in Crown Heights, Brooklyn was lots of debris and fallen trees. (P.S. the cookies are from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar- best choc chips ever!!)






Felt so bad for these car owners!
Did you guys get any damage? What was your experience?

lately

Lately, I've been inspired by our CSA veggies. Cherry toms are my favorite to cook with, with just some olive oil, salt and pepper. Easiest, tasty meal always. This one has purple basil, also from our CSA.




Making messes as per usual. Check out all that thread!! I've been embroidering up a storm for a super secret project. P.S have you seen the latest issue of Uppercase Mag with a wee pic by moi? & on their blog too!



Believe it or not, I was trying to organize. I have too many books, but I can't seem to part with them. I'm always finding them on the street and they're great inspirations and material for projects...



Just made a bunch of Zodiac Embroidery Kits for Purl Soho's online store and NYC shop!



So, what have you been up to lately?

friday link love....

my favorite finds this week...

+ I would love to Build my own Canoe! Reform School is out of stock on their Canoe Plans, but I would also just love that image hanging in my house!

+ Iguana and cat, cow and leopard, elephant and sheep bffs?! Holy cute. National Geographic posted an interview with Jennifer Holland about her new book Unlikely Friendships. The cover is a monkey hugging a pigeon, come on!

+ The Teal Cat Project is such a great idea - recycling cute cat tchotchkes to help feral cats. They're looking for bloggers and tchotchkes too...

+ Occulter's newest project, Half a Person, is a bust candle of Morrissey, complete with a little band aid over his nipple! Why did he do that? Jeremy's show at Occulter may just have scored him with one of these pieces.  I call Morrissey his boyfriend, because he really loves him...

+ Lastly, these pics by Anna of Door Sixteen show so well what its like riding the subway in NYC . When people ask me about NY I usually end up telling stories about the weird happenings on the trains. It's just such apart of your daily life here, and literally bumps you into so many people...

via door sixteen

Exploring NYC: Roosevelt Island

If my boo had his way we'd never be home, instead we'd just be wondering around the city exploring all the amazing things it has to offer. He'd been wanting to take me to Roosevelt Island to take me to an abandoned asylum, which we never made it to (next time!) since we had so much fun taking our time enjoying the day....


The highlights were...

• a picnic lunch in a little square where we fed the birds and squirrels.
• The Roosevelt Island Garden Club, where plots are rented out by individuals, so there are so many different types of gardens- secret gardens, over grown, neat and pretty with fragrant flowers, japanese style, and vegetable gardens. So nice & lots of cats roaming about too!
• miniature frogs ! 
• Riding the Arial Tram to NYC at night! I had no clue this thing even existed. Such a great way to travel...

MR + DIY Wedding...

So happy to share these pictures, which come from a lovely couple who used a Message in a Bottle Kit to write their vows out and then threw the tiny glass corked bottle into the ocean.  Very romantical!! Many, many thanks to Jodi & Cindy for sending me these pictures- look at that water! Don't you want to jump in!?

I felt like a hero...

I found a baby squirrel, left for dead, in Union Sq. yesterday. It was cold, and I thought the dogs or rats would get him, so I put him in my Enhabiten zip case to warm up! So young, his eyes hadn't even opened yet. He had little whiskers, peach fuzz on his muzzle and his miniature nails were incredible.  On the way to the vet he wiggled about and made tiny squirrely noises.



After calling a vet they sent us to the Wild Bird Fund, who rehab all kinds of birds and wildlife. Right now is baby season, I guess, because the woman who took in our squirrel piglet said they've gotten about 150 the past few weeks.



The Wild Bird Fund is running out a vet's office right now, but building their own wild life rehab center. NYC is the only major city in the US that does not have a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center- yet! I gave them a donation & loved hearing about all the animals they've taken in. There are even dozens of cats just wondering about the vet office...

Visit their blog and donate if you feel so inclined... I'm thinking of volunteering just so I can see this little guy again. I want to hold him- I didn't really touch him. Don't you just want to cuddle up with him and rub that piggy belly!?!

RIP Hair 2007 - 2011

A few weeks ago I cut my hair from long, long, long to pretty short. I know 17 inches of some crazy curls aint no bid deal, but you get attached (no pun intended)! I had to document my long locks before I chopped it all off and donated to Locks for Love....

The cuts not quite right, so I'm actually getting in cut today.  I have this fantasy of shaving the back of my head and getting "Bitches get Stitches" buzzed in.

Last time my hair was this short I'd dream about having mermaid hair and combing long locks. It feels good though, still not used to it, but it's good. And anyways, it'll grow back....

Find me...

....at Purl Sohooo!!

So happy to see the first set of Zodiac Embroidery Kits at Purl Soho! They don't mess around- best craft store in NY for sewing/knitting/and fancy beautiful fabrics.  And the Purl Bee, their blog, has a such a tight aesthetic, awesome tutorials, and challenging projects.

If you visit NY you gotta check out Purl!!

the fuzzy ones...

There are lots of things I miss about living far from my family, but one that pulls on my heartstrings is being far from the cuddles of these goofy, little fuzzy ones....

Buddy Lee




Dexter Lunacy




Don't forget about this one... Killer Kat!



Link me your pets! It'll be that kind of day....

MR loves blood...

Mrs. Bloodmilk, who makes jewelry I covet, linked me in this picture & I had to share. I love seeing a peek into her space and where the piece I embroidered for her now lives. I spy with my little eye some Charmaine Oliva & Ellen von Unwerth too.

Heres the winking sample I made for her & the original piece...

Thanks so much for sharing Jess!

Now seriously you must, really right now, check out the BloodMilk blog- it's full of the best finds, surreal photographs, and great writing... go!

Happy weekend to you! 

Mess is more!

You can find a little picture of my messy studio in the latest issue of UpperCase Magazine!

When I saw the call for pictures of messy work spaces I was all about it. My studio is sometimes so chaotic and I embrace the mess. See this post as Exhibit A. Loved flipping through all the good stuff in this issue... checkit!!

And here is the original photograph...  sewing paper is about the only time I use my sewing machine.

You see a sneak peek of the issue here on zee flickr.

California lovvvve....

You must know that I have big California Love. Born and raised valley girl here! Like totally.  I love visiting my home and family, especially for special events like my cousin Natalie's wedding....

and no wedding feels right without a photo booth!!  Here my parental units & my cousins and I hamming it up big time....