wisdom

Lee Krasner, Listen (1957)

I found this quote via etsy on kendra zvonik's page.
"I never violate an inner rhythm. I loathe to force anything . . . I don't know if the inner rhythm is Eastern or Western. I know it is essential for me. I listen to it and I stay with it. I have always been this way. I have regards for the inner voice."
-lee krasner

I really love that. I like the idea of inner rhythm even more than "inner voice." It does feel more like a rhythm to me--sometimes a lull, a beat, or sometimes a song. It's almost harder to ignore than to just go with it. I do this to myself...I ignore that inner voice. There are days where I procrastinate everything I want to do--whether it's exercise, art, being present. It's like I don't think I deserve to do what I really want to do. Hmmmm.
Today I will remember Lee Krasner's words today. Especially tonight during my art journaling class. Yay!

Already November

It's been over a month since I've blogged. Life has been busy, and I've been bogged down with teaching and life. But I've been doing some fun things...such as going to my hometown, Ames, Iowa, for Halloween with the whole family. Here's a beautiful field right by my parents house.
Big, lovely tree right next to my parent's house.
Sweet nieces Lucy and Lola....
Lucy playing dress up with scarves. She was a gypsy for halloween later that evening :)
So fun to watch my nephews play together...brothers and cousins...
Such cuties...
Doug and I went to Gilbert, a little town just down the road from mom and dad's. You only find a mooning pumpkin man in small town Iowa :)
Gilbert has this great shop, JB Knacker filled with vintage goodies and salvaged stuff. Such fun stuff with excellent prices. Wish there were more of these in my neighborhood in Denver.


And here we are all dressed up for my favorite holiday. We found the lederhosen at a thrift store and couldn't pass them up.

Designer Etsy

I have found some amazing designer pieces...they're up in my shop.

First and most lovely, a Claire McCardell Jacket. Wow.

From wikipedia..."

Claire McCardell (1905 – 1958) was an American fashion designer and was arguably the leading force behind the development of American ready-to-wear fashion. From the 1930s to the 1950s, she revolutionized women's wear by designing clothing that was simple, functional, and stylish, all within the constraints of mass-production. Her ideas have so influenced and pervaded contemporary fashion that Life magazine, in 1990, named her one of the 100 most important Americans of the twentieth century. Four years later, New York Times senior fashion writer Bernadine Morris even dubbed her "this country's finest designer."

A quintessentially American artist often compared to Frank Lloyd Wright and Martha Graham, Claire McCardell was the chief purveyor of the "American Look," a style of clothing with roots in sportswear that was both casual and chic. Democratic in spirit, she brought high style to everyday clothing. Her work led the way in releasing America's fashion aesthetic from French dominance.

McCardell was incredibly versatile, designing raincoats, ski outfits, and wedding dresses, in addition to the standard coats, suits, and dresses. Her prodigious imagination was evident in the overall look of a piece, as well as the details of its construction, making the practical visually exciting."

An early Nicole Miller Disco Dress!
A late 1970's-early 80's Diane Von Furstenberg sundress. Love it. So flattering.

a peek.

It was a good weekend. Absolutely perfect weather. I had so much work to do, but I had fun doing it. Doug was gone all weekend working at the Boulder Marathon. I missed him, but it was sort of fun to miss him, if that makes sense.

I took some time to meander around town a bit. Here are some fun finds that will be in the shop soon. A few are already up!
Amazing 60's Ninas.

Great autumn-hued 70's mules. These are surprisingly comfy.
Basic black brogues. Adorable.
Lipstick red, perfect vintage hand-bag. It's hearty, big, almost a soft patent leather, and has lots of pockets.And here is Doug in a Pendleton shirt I found at an estate sale for $1.00. I love grey. As I've written about before ;) As a young girl, when I imagined my husband, I imagined him wearing this kind of shirt, with those leather elbow patches. An outdoorsy man, rugged, and yet sensitive at the same time. That's what I got :)
Good night. I hope you all have an inspired Monday.
xo
Amy

Baby Wolf

Dear darling Baby Wolf Loom,

I am so sorry I have abandoned you. You are tucked in the basement, in a dusty small room, and I left you with an unfinished scarf. It is lovely green wool blend, soft and perfect for fall. But I started it last December. And when I moved, I didn't finish. I meant to. I'm sorry. This is embarrassing, but more than embarrassing, I am so sorry you have been unused, unloved, and hidden. Barely even able to see sun! I promise, oh I do, that I will get you out soon. Finish the scarf, put on a new warp...

Fall always reminds me how much I love weaving on you. I've been seeing so many awesome woven goods on etsy. It gives me a slight pang. I know how to weave. I used to be so proud to call myself a weaver. I used to use you every day. I would display you proudly. Pat you on the way up the stairs, dust off your heddles. I will never forget the joyous process of learning to weave at Rosemary's Fiber Shop in Ames, Iowa. By fiery Rosemary herself. Ah, the days.

But I have not given myself time to be a weaver lately. Why? Oh why? Is "no time" really an excuse??

Weaving connects me to something deeper in myself. The feel of the yarn, threading the loom, the rhythm of throwing the shuttle back and forth.

How much will I talk about NOT creating before I actually do something? Geesh. I think that writing it, for just my eyes to see in public, might help me. We'll see!
Again, Baby Wolf, please forgive me. I will come down and say hello tomorrow. Start my repentance.
xo
Amy

comfort.

How about this beauty from Honey's Gifts
Or maybe this lovely? From The Little Things from T With this cute plaid maxi skirt from The Vintage Gang
Love this pendant from Zephyr Woods. I actually got this exact one as a gift for my best friend for her birthday last week.
Love these folksy combat boots from Pascal Vintage. How about cleaning up the yard, raking those early fall leaves, and then some cider? Or maybe a wheat beer?
Oh. And can't forget this cool cuff. I love all that is woven. From Barefoot Weaver

Jersey Shore Inspiration...End of Summer

My husband and I are at his grandmother's house in Stone Harbor, NJ. It's cloudy, windy, but lovely. I'm laying on a tiny little bed, typing away while listening to the waves. The beach is less than 100 yards away. Last night we had steamed clams and pizza. For lunch, amazing Philly cheesesteak sandwiches from Bradley's. Tonight, flounder and corn. Funny that all I'm talking about is food. I do find myself hungry a lot here, and we have such different options than Colorado! In some ways, I feel like I'm in another country. People talk funny here, and there's just a different feel. I love it.

Here are some lovelies I found on Etsy. All of these images, art, and vintage items remind me of where I am....

1. Vintage deck of Atlantic City playing cards from Oh Sweet Josephine 2. Sapphire by the Sea hand painted collage by Magic Markings Art 3. Tangerine Sky Dragon by Bionic Unicorn 4. Trio of Sand Dollars Lavender Sachets by Dear Harbor 5. Vintage 1960's Bib Necklace by Posies for Lulu Vintage 6. Knitting book from Knitty Loves Vintage 7. Seagulls fine art photo by Julie Kruger 8. Lichen Summer Scarf from Avalanche Looms 9. Starfish along the shore story book illustration by Kelley Street Vintage

a bit of confusion.

this painting called "taos lights" by TR Mack Studio reminds me of how i feel. i feel like i'm growing, but in so many different directions that sometimes it's confusing. i'm teaching two psych classes this semester at a college, and i like it a lot, but somehow it's squeezing out time for etsy, for my creativity. i've agreed to teach three classes next semester, one of which i get to totally create myself. which is overwhelming and exciting. as i grow older, i realize so much of life is that way. nothing is all good or all bad, everything comes with some lesson, some price. not in a bad way, but this constant balancing act can sometimes feel overwhelming. but also exciting. arrgh! see, it's always both!

lazy and rainy.

Sunday.
xo
amy

1. fiestaware 2. sleepy hollow pillow by dedeetsyshop 3. image from thegirlfromcherryblossomstreet. 4. rainy day print from missbrigette 5. rainy days vinyl wall decal from tweetheartwallart

Etsy Picks....a Lovely Gray Day...

Wow. This was fun! I've always loved inspiration boards, and just found a way to do them! Yipee!! Gray is one of my favorite colors. I love how it looks with yellow, pink, white, red. Everything, really. I don't think of it as a downer color. I actually think I feel the best when I'm wearing something gray. Anyway, here's to gray. Or grey. Cheers to these lovely Etsians :)

1. A Cloudy Afternoon Necklace at BirdinFlightBoutique 2. antique crocheted slip at Another Feather 3. Rimma by tushtush 4. Angora Grey at ecologicalartist 5. vintage 1970's peep toe heels at greatestfriend 6. vintage 1970's cathedral long sleeved dress at greatestfriend 7. Pink Simplicity Flower Brooch at BabbleandBlush 8. Clutch Purse-Dove Grey Feathers at treacletoffee 9. Oil Painting on Canvas Lemon Zest, 16X20 from The Common Gazelle's Shop

Everyone Loves Vera, Including Me.

I know everyone loves Vera. Anthropologie had a Vera Exhibit back in June. There are tons of Vera items on Etsy. But I just had to say, it's a Vera kind of day.

The first three Vera's are from my shop(sorry for the shameless self-promotion)! I love the turquoise, emerald and white cityscape (my favorite trio of colors). The mod pink, mustard and purple is great, too. And I have to say, how often do you see a Vera BLOUSE??



Awesome Vera stuff at The Lucky Fish!
And more great Veras at LuLuBliss.
Also, right now, Anthropologie Vera stuff is on sale! Fun! This one is called "Pomona"! My namesake :) Have a great day :)

My Etsy Sidewalk Sale

Okay. So I don't love August. But there are a few things I do like about August. Sales. End of summer sales. The cute dress that was just a few bucks too much in July is 20% off in August. Some parts of August ain't so bad.

I'm having a big sale at my shop on Etsy through Sunday, August 16th. Stop by for some bargains!

Happy Wednesday :)

End of Summer

On a walk yesterday, I was talking to my husband about August.

Oh, August.

June is the beginning of summer, everything is suddenly greener, sunnier, your face starts getting a little rosier. July is hot, filled with festivals, afternoon Mojitos, long, long days. But August. August feels like it's always just waiting to end, to get through, to get to Fall. But it never feels like the end of summer. Because it's the hottest month. Muggy. Buggy. Angsty.

School starts for me on Monday. I'm teaching two classes at a community college. It should be fun, and I'm looking forward to it. But I'm also sad about summer coming to an end. We still have Stone Harbor in September. I can't wait for that. That will drag out the dog days just a bit longer.

The Last Days of Summer, photography by Alicia Bock.

Bunches of Stuff

Posted lots of cute things on my Etsy shop today! I promise, by the end of the week, I'm having a big end-of-summer SALE.