i’m back from the pacific northwest!  what a gorgeous and relaxing getaway. . .  i saw a waterfall for the very first time!

now that i’m back. . . among many other tasks, i’ll be catching up on email today, so if you are waiting on me- i’ll be in your inbox shortly! xoxo.

another post to come soon too. . .

i am so so proud of my bff this morning.  she is a talented photographer & awesome new mommy.  i hope you get a chance on this lovely friday to flip through a beautiful new book , fresh m.i.l.k (moments of intimacy, laughter, and kinship), that she has contributed to (by winning a competition!!).  i guarantee that it will give you warm fuzzies and make you smile.   i can’t wait to get the hardcover in my hands.  love you, bff.

(if anyone in the san diego area is in need of a portrait photographer, i have the woman for you.  please contact me.)

thanks to twitter (again), i stumbled upon this gem.  if there ever was a reason to don that apron and get busy in the kitchen, this store is it.  i’m planning to bake my very first cake tomorrow- if only i had known about bake it pretty before last night!  if all goes well with tomorrow’s cake, you can be sure that there will be a vegan carrot cake topped with gnomes, rabbits, mushrooms, trees AND skinny candles coming right up!

that’s where i’ve been.

i just discovered that my favorite t.v. personality/celebrity, ellen, is VEGAN!! AND she had a VEGAN wedding!!! i heart ellen.

photo found here

click here for ellen’s better than cheddar nachos.

i love to go through my favorite listings and shops on etsy.  every now and then, i will sift through the thumbnails and feel happy to know that the pieces have found homes, though on many an occasion, i feel a twinge of sadness that they are not in my very own home. . .

above are four of my recent favorites.

1.  the normanville by little houses
2.  necklace from 5gardenias
3.  have bite by ivivaembroiders
4.  big top acrobat necklace by mamaslittlebabies

also, many new sale items have recently been added to the sale section in my etsy shop!

perfection from jimin park. yummy.

one of my very favorite things to listen to in the studio while i’m working is the This American Life podcast.  i normally don’t get to listen to it when it’s broadcast on the radio on weekends.  and EVEN when i am free at that particular time on the weekend, i usually save my listening for the studio anyway because it brings me such joy.

i laughed myself to tears while listening to this week’s episode, 20 acts in 60 minutes.  after learning that some of the staff at chicago public radio were beginning to experience lay offs, i knew i had to support this american life in whatever way i can.

today i would like to reflect on what i can do to help others live their dreams.

i forgot my camera last night- doh! no video or good pics. sigh.
here is a shot from my camera phone.
it was an amazing show played to a packed house. i’m still thinking about it. i’ll be thinking about it as i walk dogs today as well. hope everyone is having a great week so far! xoxo

i’m thinking of investing in a seasonal affective disorder (SAD) sun lamp for light therapy this winter. i’m already starting to feel a certain lethargy and blah-ness this season. has anyone out there ever dealt with this? i’d really appreicate your thoughts and experiences. you can email me at annie@imogene.org

i did finally manage to roll out of bed and force myself to begin my day. in the car, on the way to the studio, i heard this song on the radio which WOKE ME UP and got me dancing! i saw these guys back in highschool in a little community college auditorium- crazy!

(mature language)

have a nice day, everyone!

i’m it!  eliza tagged me, so here goes:

favorite artist/designer:  Andy Goldsworthy, Aubrey Beardsley, Elsa Mora, Marc Jacobs
I love to create using.: Metal
what inspires me:  nature, textile patterns, pop culture
favorite medium besides my own:  fibers
most inspirational city:  amsterdam
ideal weekend off: farmer’s market, dog park, thrifting, cooking, knitting, reading a good long novel and snoozing
favorite color: don’t have one!
favorite musician: (of all time)- jeff buckley (currently)- hmmm. . . pandora.com has been good to me, so many musicians. . .
favorite movie: eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, annie hall
favorite song:  currently- jeff buckley’s “i shall be released”
favorite song lyric: “the best thing you’ve ever done for me is to help me take my life less seriously, it’s only life after all” indigo girls
If I could have any other job it would be:  photo stylist
I wish: I was in amsterdam

I tag:   rachel, melissa, and kathy

i picked up a butternut squash at the farmer’s market on saturday and had no clue what do with it. i was thinking of making a soup until i found this recipe on recipezaar:

leftovers for lunch!

thai tofu and squash curry
From Canadian Living magazine
45 min | 30 min prep

SERVES 6

1 lb firm tofu or extra firm tofu, drained
1 small butternut squash (about 2 lb/1 kg)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
14 ounces light coconut milk
1/2 cup vegetable stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce or soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 sweet red pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons salted peanuts, chopped
Pat tofu dry with paper towels; cut into 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes. Set aside.
Peel and seed squash; cut into 3/4-inch cubes to make 3 cups. Set aside.
In skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion, garlic and curry paste, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
Add squash, coconut milk, stock, soy sauce, sugar, fish sauce and salt; bring to boil.
Reduce heat to low; partially cover and simmer until squash is almost tender, about 12 minutes.
Add red pepper; simmer for 5 minutes. Add tofu; simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes.
(Make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate, uncovered, in airtight container until cold. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Reheat to continue.)
Stir in cilantro and lime juice; sprinkle with peanuts.

This was SO EASY and was soooo tasty.

i’m so proud to be a part of the baltimore museum of art gift shop. starting today, you will be able to find select pieces from my line in the shop!

did you know that general admission to the museum is FREE everyday? this was not always the case- back in the day i had to pay a pretty penny to enter the museum. not so anymore! kids these days have it easy, don’t you think?

current exhibition: franz west, to build a house you start with a roof: work, 1972-2008

while you’re there, don’t forget to check out the sculpture garden (a great place to relax and read a book or sketch) and gertrude’s restaurant. for vegetarians, i recommend the zucchettes a.k.a. the “i can’t believe it’s not crab” cakes and for vegans, the middle eastern platter. i hear my tummy rumbling. . .