my current crush {four}

Currently in love with this souk pillow cover from West Elm. Normally I would say that $59 is a bargain, but these days it seems like that's way too expensive, especially since you only get the cover and then pay extra for the pillow insert. Oh well, if it ever goes on sale, I'll make it mine.

giveaway!

And the winner is... Stitchgirl52!

tabula rasa... { and a giveaway }

First of all, please overlook the fact that this photo is out of focus. My perfectionism has taken a holiday! ;)

In honor of the NEW YEAR, I'm trying to clear out my Etsy shop! I've reduced the prices for the four remaining items. It's time to start fresh! Tabula rasa. Clean slate. I've been working on some new illustrations but they are all in various stages of incompleteness (the story of my life).

I'm also holding my very first GIVEAWAY! If you would like to own the illustration pictured above, leave a comment for this post and make sure I can contact you (through your blog or e-mail). I will choose a winner at 11 p.m. on Saturday, January 10th by using a random number generator. The illustration shown is an original and is mounted onto metallic silver paper and lovingly housed in a 5x7 black frame.

Thanks to everyone for being a part of my online life. Thank goodness for the blogosphere!

can't stop thinking about...

I can't stop thinking about this web video: The Story of Stuff

warmest wishes

Happy Holidays to everyone I know and also to everyone in blog-land. Warmest wishes, today and always.

I am the diamond glints on snow

We continue to get snowed upon and are completely buried in it. But that's not what this post is about.

I had a weird moment last night: I took both dogs outside at 1 a.m. so they could do their business and while standing in the the yard I saw a red streak of light, directly above me in the sky. It was a totally blinding flash that lasted only a split second and it completely freaked me out.

I'm the type that needs a scientific explanation for everything. After doing a bit of research today on the web, I now have to assume that what I witnessed was part of the Ursid Meteor Shower, which is actually supposed to peak tonight. I'm not totally sure if that's the explanation. I suppose I should stand outside tonight* and look for the same crazy effect.

Curiously, though, the streak didn't seem to be high up in the stratosphere or mesosphere, it seemed to be a couple hundred feet above the house. What the heck? Of course the flash was probably amplified by the blanket of pure white that our neighborhood has become. I'm sure the snow helped to refract some of the light, making it seem brighter and closer than it would have been sans-snow (???).

The title of this post was taken from a poem written by Mary Elizabeth Frye
*update: I wasn't able to stand outside that night. I was lost in deep, deep, lovely sleep.

thanks for the cookies!

Sometimes the best gifts are the kind that are destined to end up in my stomach. J's mom has a true talent for baking and we're always so happy when she sends us cookies for Christmas.