.a new leaf.

i've started prepping seeds for my 2013 garden . . . got some started in a seed tray . . . am making lists and circling dreams in seed catalogs . . . i've been in this new, motivated, inspired mindset lately.  i just want to create, to dream, to plant, to begin . . .

the days are getting longer.  spring is teasing me with her coming.  i know that here in the PNW, she's still a bit far off.  we've got more rain and cold to get through, but the light is returning and that's enough for me.

so, i plan vegetable gardens, i clean out my closet, i begin new art projects, i start to plod through the pile of mending, i make soups with what is left of the tomatoes i preserved from last year, i see the garlic i planted last fall peeking out of the soil.

crocuses bloom in the neighbor's front garden and it makes me wonder if i still have time to get my daffodil bulbs in the ground.

my cousin and i are buying tickets for summer concerts already . . . i am dreaming of family camping trips and flying back east for visits in the spring and summer . . . i am ready for a change.

my husband has been biking to work all winter, but i am a fairweather biker.  i prefer the bus on the cold, windy, raining mornings . . . but i am beginning to dream of evening bike rides down to mississippi ave to drink beer on patios and see shows in the small venues.  and it's on it's way.

this is going to be good.

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in preparation for this creative spring that's just around the corner, i've been reading some new books.  i'll put them in my mixed media sidebar - but here they are as well:

The Timber Press Guide to Vegetable Gardening in the Pacific Northwest
i am excited about this book because it offers tips and advice for growing food in the exact region that i live in, as well as month-by-month guides to what to plant when. living in the PNW means i really can have a year-round harvest if i know how to do it.  this book is pure gold.

Print Workshop
this book give examples and simple instructions for all kinds of at-home printing techniques.  i have been more and more interested in the printmaking art form and i needed a little more knowledge in my brain about how to do this business.  this book seemed to have the best approach for my learning style.  since i've renewed my simple line of Hudson Tshirts (awesome shirts with my dog's face on them), i've needed a few more tools in my toolbox in this category.  super exciting!

Cut Up This Book
papercutting is, by far, one of the most magical, awe-inspiring art forms.  it's dreamy how someone can take a flat piece of paper and make it come alive!  this book gives a simple history of papercutting, offers some awesome examples of contemporary paper artists and gives a few projects that one could do at home.  i am hoping with this bit of a push i could set myself on a journey to mastering this magic for myself.  i was lucky to get to see a cut paper exhibit at the MOMA in NYC a few years ago - it was breath-taking.  stoked.

what have you been doing in this long winter months?  how are you preparing for spring?  

xo,

tj

.another 6 months.

hello lovelies!
it seems that another 6 months has flown by!

i am back down to working one job now, doing some massage and creating on the side.  i handmade, bought locally or re-homed most of the gifts we gave this christmas, my garden did so ridiculously well that i could not even keep up with the tomatoes!  let see . . . i traveled a bit - went to thailand, back east for a visit, down to southern oregon to see family . . . mostly we've had non-stop visitors since moving in to our new place last May.  it's been fun being NE PDX's most hospitable bed and breakfast.  i am also now the proud co-captain of my roller derby team, the Heartless Heathers for the 2013 season.  we are about to have our season opener in a few weeks - and i am so proud of how hard we have all been working this pre-season!

so, this was a big HAPPY NEW YEAR jumble update . . .

i will close by plugging a few facebook pages i've started.  the first is Bird on Wire Handmade (which i may just change to TJLoves).  here you can find my lovelies as i create them until i get that etsy shop.

the second is Hudson TShirts. a place where you can become a fan of our alaskan malamute Hudson and the  tshirts that bear his face.  hudson tees were a creation between myself and my dear collaborator, the fantastic textile designer and superhuman whitney. . . the first printing of shirts were a fundraiser for the man-friend and i to raise gas money to move back to the PNW . . . now tees are being printed so that hudson can leave his "print" on the world for years and years to come.

lastly, i've updated a few of the mixed media bars on the side ...  more on that to come.

for now i leave you with a few photos of my life since i last posted:

 strawberry rhubarb jam with rhubarb from my front yard

 an example of how my tomato plants took over the plot- they actually got much worse than this

 the man-friend and i celebrating our 8 yr wedding anniversary in sun river, oregon

 my 31st birthday float trip down the sandy river.  photo by corinne krogh

 climbing with friends at smith rock in central oregon

 at the top of the angles' rest hike in the columbia river gorge with my sisters in sept

 at the highest elevation a person can hike to without technical climbing gear on mt hood oregon, with my leaguemate Roller Eclipse

 my travel companions at the loi krathong festival in chiang mai, thailand this november

an example of what you can get when you shop from hudson tshirts

 my boy in his christmas sweater

the heartless heathers celebrating their win against seattle's hometeam the sockit wenches last month

i've missed you all!  what have you been up to in my absence?

.finished the painting.

remember that post i wrote about a painting i was working on? i finished it!!!!

i took this photo with my cell phone because the man-friend is presently using the camera for a research project for his dissertation . . .

but i wanted to share the final project!


also, i have been crafting and doing yoga more regularly (yes!) while still finding time to nap and roller skate.

balance is a huge goal in my life right now. that and getting rid of excess (see: rolller skating and yoga). my friend, miss c, and i are hosting another ladies' clothing swap soon too! so if you are in the area next friday - hit me up for some free goodies!!!

.painting.

{all images via: we heart it}

working on a painting! it's a big one too!

.tj loves: august and after and CKP.

{image credit: corinne krogh}

my dear sweet cori at august and after has started her FANTASTIC photography website CKP!

she is a LOVELY lady with a beautiful life and fantastic dreams for the future. she and her husband and their cute puppy live in asheville, NC and are building a sweet life together.

go check out her goodies at her photo website now!!!

.30 day journal challenge - almost done! (a little late, i know).

.

i know the 30 day challenge has been over for a while . . . and i DID all my pages (except the last 3 . . i think i am just avoiding ending the thing cause i liked it so much)...

so here they are - a little late (and you can see the pencil on some of them because i can't find my gummy eraser- that's how much of a hot mess i am right now).

Journal Prompt 18: Music is one of my most favorite things ever!! It translates emotions that I can't even imagine putting into words. I love it. Today I want you to create a playlist of some kind. It can be your summer playlist, your July playlist, songs from your wedding day, or favorite songs of all time :) This one will be another fun one to look at down the road :)
i picked our wedding soundtrack . . .
1) candle lighting song "the three of us" by ben harper (instrumental)
2) seating of grandmothers, mothers and entrance of groom: "bridge over troubled waters" by simon and garfunkle (i KNOW! big hippie!)
3) entrance of wedding party: "forever" by ben harper
4) entrance of BRIDE (and flowergirls) "songbird" original by fleetwood mac, covered by denison witmer
5) unity candle ceremony: a song written and played for us by our good friend jacob white.
6) recessional: "tonight, tonight" by the smashing pumpkins (we were children of the 90s, i guess)

Journal Prompt 19: Today I want you to create a "guide to your city." What are the must-see things that you would want a visitor to experience in your city. This can guide can be for your city, town, or state. I am really excited to see these and to maybe even use them in my future when traveling!! Have fun with this!!!

i picked my favorite things about providence, RI where i currently live . . . come and visit and we'll do all these things!!

Journal Prompt 20: Here is the age old question, what is in your bag?? This has always been a great photo prompt that i have seen all over the blog world. Today, you are going to write about the contents of YOUR bag, or illustrate it, or take a picture of it, whatever :D
things in my purse: cds (the new she & him and the new jakob dylan), my ipod, pens, lots and lots of change, free drink ticket from a roller derby party, my passport, car charger for my phone, chapstick made by the wonderful neo hippie mama, cortizone cream for my bug bites, natural hand santitizer from whole foods, cell phone, keys, my wallet with the owl on it . . . sunglases . . . more . . .

Journal Prompt 21: What is your most favorite quote? A quote that inspires you, or your mantra. I literally have 4 journals from college filled with quotes that inspire me and make me smile. Today is the day to share your inspiring words with your friends :)
i have a magnet with this quote on it up in my massage studio. i constantly need it to remind me to calm down, breathe and give myself a little grace.


Journal Prompt 22: Today I want to know what your favorite holiday is!! There are soooo many holidays out there and the cool thing is that they differ depending on where you live, your family, and your religion. Teach me all about your favorite holiday and why it's your favorite :)
i never really got to celebrate many holidays growing up . . . just birthdays and christmas and thanksgiving and easter (but with no easter bunny and no baskets! and def NO halloween!) . . . it has a lot to do with my parents and their religious beliefs. but NOW i get to choose for myself and my family what holidays are important to observe, and while the man-friend and i aren't terribly religious at the time being, we do like to follow the marking of the seasons with different celebrations. the man-friend observed lent this year. and i. really. love. advent. i had never even heard of it while growing up. it wasn't something i knew about until maybe the last 4 years or so - but i LOVE birthdays and christmas and the idea of spending an entire MONTH anticipating the arrival of a holiday? fantastic! i love the symbolism behind each candle and the idea of coming together and talking about them as a family. it's sort of like a version of chanukah or something. i really like it. i mean c'mon, i celebrate my birthday for a week if i can get away with it! why not celebrate christmas for a month?


Journal Prompt 23: Today I want you to fill an entire page in your journal with one of the elements of art. As an art teacher, I have to talk about all of the elements of art...daily.
Here they are:
1. Line
2. Color
3. Shape
4. Space
5. Texture
6. Form
i chose space (negative space drawing of the sunglasses) and line to create the space and textures. i like it.

Journal Prompt 24: What is your most favorite place in the world? Is it a country, a town, a room, a secret place that no one else knows about? I know you have one, I want to see it!!
my favorite place . . . i have really been homesick a lot lately. i think it's summer and springtime that are the worst. who am i kidding? i ALWAYS miss home.

Journal Prompt 25: I want you to think about your day today. If you had to describe to me in one word, or one short phrase what would it be?? Us this phrase or word repeatedly on your page, trying out new fonts :)
well it was.

Journal Prompt 26: Today you are going to write out your favorite recipe!! This can be written, illustrated, cut and pasted, something. It is always really good to document these small little pieces of your life. Don't you think?
BEER BREAD!!! try it! so easy and SO GOOD! it really impresses the men for some reason. let me know what you think.


i have 4 more prompts to post and i'll be honest, i haven't done them yet. but i will!!!!


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yep, been homesick, been hot, got the WORST sunburn at beach day #4 yesterday, working a lot, looking forward to a few camping trips, my birthday and a special wedding anniversary next month and then . . . school starts again for the man-friend. how is summer almost over?

got an AWESOME post card from some very special friends today! they wrote a lovely note and picked an AWESOME card - you can't see it, but the rest of the postcard says "stumptown coffee roasters." the most delicious coffee that could ever be roasted comes from these fine people.
it's good to have love in your life, isn't it?

.30 day journal challenge day 4.

Journal Prompt Number 4: What does your heart look like? It can be literal, it can be symbolic, it can be broken and need fixing...anything!




i'm really happy with the way this one turned out. the process i've been using for this challenge is to read the prompt in the morning, think about it all day and once an answer comes to me i'll sit down with the pen and paper and work it out.

for this one, the idea came while shopping for vinyl records with my roommate, miss A, i was sorting through some emmylou harris albums when i had the vision of a heart shaped record. this isn't what i ended up with, but it's what got the ball rolling. i thought of all the allusions that could be made from the fact that my heart was a record or a phonograph or a record player . . . scratches, skipping, needing to be heard, needing to be dusted and cared for, having a message to relay, a sad song, a happy song, spinning round and round, feeling outdated, feeling pre-loved and thrown away, feeling rehabilitated and renewed, crackling with life, oozing romance and kitsch at the same time. i added the lyrics to an over the rhine song called "born." it is a beautiful picture of a heart growing and learning and loving and being willing to try again. the story for this song came from the couple that fronts Over the Rhine (Karin and Linford) and their relationship when it hit a rocky spot. allegedly, they bought a case of wine and drank a bottle every night until the case was gone - not that alcohol is a way to solve your problems - but this helped them to open up, to laugh, to remember their love . . . and there you have it . . . the urban legend behind this lovely song, this amazing band and part of the inspiration for my journal page.



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now it's off to bed . . . just finished a late night of watching the celtics lose to the lakers. whoops.

.30 day journal challenge day 3 and cover.

so i finally made the cover of my journal for the 30 day journal challenge. i created the drawing and cut it out and used mod podge to glue it on top of images i cut out of an (gulp) anthropologie catalog . . . i really like how it turned out (except for the wrinkles from me being too hasty with the mod podge.

i also completed prompt #3 -
Journal Prompt Number Three: It's always nice to share with someone why you love them. Today, I want you to draw a picture, doodle, sketch, of a person who you love, or admire. Then, write that person a letter telling them why they mean so much to you!
i chose my sister, miss D. she really is a fantastic person! the more i get to know her, the more i really admire her and respect her. she is about 6 years younger than me, but we get mistaken for twins sometimes :) i take that as a compliment. we really weren't close as children, growing up in a house so full of people and having such a big age difference . . . but after i finished college and she started coming up to visit me from time to time, we started being friends (rather than just big sister and little sister) and it's a totally new and lovely dynamic.

she is currently living in juneau, alaska and have the adventure of a lifetime (as is usual for her). this fall, she and a few friends are traveling to Ireland to participate in wwoof and i hope to be able to join her!

you can read more about her adventures at her blogs here and here. she's the bees knees.

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right now i am listening to a johnny cash vinyl and getting ready to work on my journal prompt for today. then we'll be heading off to watch the final game! are you a fan of the celtics or the lakers? me? i am in it for the pizza, the beer and the company!

.parisian masquerade ball.

{image credit: here}

a friend of mine is having her birthday party this weekend - the theme is a Parisian Masquerade Ball! the man-friend and i LOVE any excuse to get dressed up in costumes so we are headed to the local thrift store to find some awesome outfits and then we'll spend the rest of the afternoon making masks out of plaster strips to paint and decorate later.

what should we go as?
the sun and moon?
cat and mouse?
opposite color schemes?
ravens?
owls?

hmmmmm . . .

i'll definitely post photos of what we decide on!

also, i know i owe y'all pictures from our trip to NYC - i've just been suuuuper busy working lately! i have the day off tomorrow so we'll see what happens. i might drive out to bruised boutique to get some outdoor wheels for my skates since derby is about to begin our outdoor season (we practice at a rink outside during the summer) and i don't want my indoor wheels to be torn up . . .

.craft swap!.

so, i am very excited to be joining in with miss janel from run with scissors for a craft swap!

there are going to be about 30 of us all sending in little handmade treasures for miss janel to parcel out and send back to us.

i am really looking forward to seeing what creative and amazing things other people make. and i am also REALLY looking forward to creating 30 of the same, but unique little crafties to share as well.

bet you wanna know what i end up making, huh?

you'll just have to wait and see.

.imago fem.

i've had a painting in an art show this month (showing through march 28th). the show is at the west side arts gallery. it is called imago fem and is involved with the v day campaign to support groups that are working to end violence against women and girls around the world.

the show was made up of about 13 artists who all submitted pieces that dealt with women's issues (self-image, abuse, health, women's rights, etc). i had a piece in the show last year too (it dealt with repairing damage and brokeness). this year i wanted my piece to continue with the idea of hope and to express something all women in the world have in common. our insides. our bones. our core.

my piece for this year (an 8x8 gouache painting) is titled "all that you need"


the show is up until march 28th. a portion of the sales will go to the west side arts gallery and another portion will go to the sojourner house of providence, RI (a center providing support, counseling, legal help, clothing, a place to stay, etc for women and their families who are victims of abuse).

if you are in the area, check it out. if not, consider giving of your time or resources to organizations like this in your area. get involved! spread some love around!

.tj loves: glamour and headshots.

this is incredible.

glamour and headshots is a website where photographer robbie augspurger has posted some pretty awesome portraits.

i was perusing it and found these photos of my friends:

{image credit}

{image credit}

{image credit}

how would you pose if you could have a photo like this?
i think i'd go with something closer to this portrait:

{image credit}

.good day.

new-ish mural on the street where i met the man-friend for pizza (this was taken by ME back during the last time it snowed)

today i slept in, watched LOST on my laptop, met the man-friend for lunch (subsequently received free pizza- yes!), had a great walk in the sun, bought some cute leg-warmers for my sister's new baby, drank my first iced americano of the year (yum!), got a new straw cowgirl had for my HUGE head, took hudson to the dog park, finished planning my garden, planted the first round of seeds in my starter tray, set some beans to soak for a nice batch of vegetarian chili tomorrow, had some dinner, ordered some goodies from neo hippie mama, and am now about to get ready for roller derby practice!

whew.

i do have some awesome photos to share with you . . . a fun announcement about an art show i have a painting in, and hopefully a GREAT announcement about what home team i have been placed on for the providence roller derby and what my derby name will be (still narrowing it down . . . and still accepting ideas, PLEASE give me your ideas!).

so, hopefully i'll fit some of that in tomorrow before or after work at the massage studio.

for now? off to practice giving good solid hits, checks, blocks and whips at roller derby practice.

.pdx beards.

more tj loves:
two of my favorite things combined: beards and portland, oregon!

image credit {thirstyfly}

this print can be purchased here at society6. you can find out more about artist rachel caldwell here. this image was also found on the cover of the weekly portland mercury, so cool. you can see it here.
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mmmmmm. today is snow day. it's supposed to snow 6-12 inches so the city has freaked out, hired the snow plows (they've been driving around the city since like 6 am - how am i supposed to sleep in if THOSE PLOWS ARE DRIVING AROUND?!), issued a parking ban, and cancelled everything! you know what though? i already had the day off. so i am planning to clean my house and do some crafties and get ready for our party friday night.

yes! our party! the man-friend is taking his big exams this week for his PhD! he's been studing for about 6 months straight (well, all his years of college really, so years and years) for these exams. he takes his last written exam today and then on friday he sits in front of a panel and answers questions . . . ooohhhh the stress. i'm sure he'll do fine. and also? i am glad to have him back just in time for valentine's day! we're gonna do all kinds of celebrating!

.day of adventures.

miss N and i were able to hang out yesterday. she finally had the day off (she's supposed to always have wednesdays off . . . but you know), so we went on an adventure! we hit up the modern diner for grits and challah raisin french toast. mmmmmmm.....

next stop was lorraine's fabric the last remnant (pun!) of the once thriving textile industry in rhode island. it's a warehouse full of fabric and notions. and the top floor? $1.99 a yard for EVERYTHING!!! sigh. needless to say, i splurged on some awesome goodies, future plans include a bib for the wee one my sister is set to have in a few weeks!

we made our way to the "new" goodwill in attleboro, MA and proceeded to spend HOURS browsing the goods - both fantastic and hideous.

but the best part? the handful of picture frames i picked up for .99 cents to 1.99 each . . . there's nothing in them yet, but i cleaned them up and stuck them on the wall. i feel so grown up finally having something on the wall in the living room. hey, they are empty frames, but they are a start. right?
plus i got to drink 3 cups of coffee in an entire day.

{all photo credits: ME!}

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now back to tattoo designs and pondering the meaning of tuesday night's episode of LOST.