Miss Modish- Mojo Maker

Own+Adore: Clementine Sparkles!

Miss Cassie and I share a love affair for rocks and gemstones of the especially sparkly kind, only Cassie is the brains, and hands, behind Clementine, so she actually knows what to do with them! She got excited when I posted about this great gem shop in a cat's meow post awhile back and quickly snatched up some sparkly druzies and agate slices from it- these ones in particular:

Ooh, glimmery!

When I saw this photo on her flickr my eyes darted right for that sparkly little black square druzy at the top and I just couldn't get it out of my mind! I thought, woudn't it make for a pretty ring?

And then I (rather quickly) convinced myself that I totally deserve a super sparkly, one-of-a-kind cocktail ring for really working my little butt off these past few months- reward system! And so, I asked Cassie to make one for me:

Ooh, isn't it a beauty?

And Cassie was so kind and thoughtful to work with and didn't care that I needed an extra large man-ish size for my extra large man-ish hands. And I had an idea of what I wanted when I came to her, but her suggestions (like putting it on the skinny diamond-textured band!) really made it turn out even more awesome than I had imagined it would be.

Thank you Cassie, I looove it!

Have you ever ordered a custom jewelry piece? It was a first for me!

The Cat's Meow

:: image from the State Library of NSW

A shorter but hopefully still sweet list of what's making me purr this week...

These crazy vintage moccasin style oxfords that I wish were my size, from Action Vintage

Man oh man, these gorgeous ombre tights by KronKron, at Olive Shoppe, are just begging to become my springtime legs. If only they were begging a little less expensively!

This gorgeous original oil painting by Maria Kitano, found via Rachel B!

This amazing vintage clock from The Vintage Cabin. What's that clock? You think you'd look really awesome in our bedroom on a side table? Ooh, I agree clock, I agree!

These "shriner's fez" necklaces with pretty agates and brass tassles by We Never Sleep

This Slow Breathing print by Samantha French- ahh, sun, water, floating...I want it all.

This pretty "passenger bag" by Sketchbook, love the blue wool and leather combo

And this cute tricks & magic set over at House 8810, because I totally had a magic kit when I was little and it was so much fun!

The dork in me also has to let you know I'm really digging the new Firefox- are you using it yet? It's faster, friendlier and now has a little thing called TAB GROUPS (pictured above)- serious life changer.

make/do tuesday: a present for a friend

My dear sweet friend Ronit's birthday was this past weekend and I just knew I wanted to try and paint her something- but what? A kitty! I thought. One of her kitties! Ok, not so easy... 

So this was my attempt at painting her fluffy black kitty, Pinot. Somehow it became little Pinot in her imaginary parlor, reminiscing about her trip to the beach- hah! I don't know how... I do know that it was a lovely way to spend a long Saturday afternoon and I'm liking painting more and more each time I try it, so thanks for giving me a good excuse, lady R!  

What about you? Have you made something recently just for fun? Do something creative or inspiring over the weekend? Feel free to share your make/do projects and stories in the comments!

PS: for her birthday, Ronit had a "nail polish party" on a Sunday afternoon- we all brought polish to share and did manicures while we drank pink prosecco. So fun!

Eco-Friendly Find: SigniCASE

Despite being a web designer and occasional blogger / web entrepreneur, I am remarkably behind when it comes to tech gadgets. My phone is pretty sorry—definitely not "smart" and absolutely not an iPhone. But if it were an iPhone, you can be sure I'd be picking up one of these awesome cases from SigniCASE.

Etched from natural woods, including bamboo, these cases are eye-catching, functional, and super-fun. Hold up one of these to snap a picture and I think you'll be sure to get some smiles.

Liz Grotyohann is a co-founder of cosa verde, a marketplace for handmade, environmentally-conscious goods.

Good Morning, Monday

{by Jena Coray}

Maybe it's the fact that spring is finally showing some signs of life here in Portland, or just the fact that last week sucked the big one and totally exhausted me with stress (our kitty is doing great by the way- recovering well! Thanks for all the kind thoughts you sent her way!) But today feels bright and shiny and full of potential- that's the thing I like about Mondays. They're an opportunity to get it right, to start fresh, a whole new week to use to its fullest.

So, I'm taking a pause this morning- closing my eyes, inhaling deep and I'm setting an intention to make this week a focused and productive one. I'm breathing-in clarity and calm, breathing-out worry and anxiety.

And I'm starting this morning with planning out my whole schedule for the week over coffee and Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! and you know what? Barring any more animal emergencies, I think this week's going to be a-ok. ;)

Want to set an intention with me? Take a pause. Take a few slow, deep breaths, in and out. Think about what you need to get out of your week, or even just today, and what's going to help get you there. Do you need energy? Courage? Focus? Beathe in those powerful good intentions, and breathe out the things that are going to hold you back from getting there... 

I'd love to hear your intentions in the comments if you feel like sharing. Hope you all have a happy Monday and here's to the start of a great week for us all!

Kitty Photo Friday (& a yarn of a tale!)

This little cutie-pie trouble maker you see here, Neko, is currently at the emergency pet hospital! Apparently she found a piece of yarn (far longer than I am tall) just too tempting to pass up and ATE it. Sparing you the truly disgusting and panic-inducing details of all that occured, I'll say the evening ended up with her having to have emergency surgery to remove the yarn from her intestinal tract. FUN!

She got thru the surgery like a star, is a strong young kitty and is doing a-ok post surgery so far. We should be able to pick her up from the vet later this afternoon- I can't wait! 

Give your furry babies some extra hugs this weekend and hope you all have a good one!

<3 jena

Food For Thought Year After Year

Perennial edible plants are the ones that come back year after year, the set-it-and-forget-its of the plant world. They're (mostly) the ones that I stuck in the ground, watered to get them going, and then just let 'em fend for themselves. While I love my summer annuals like tomatoes, basil and squash, the perennials give and give without asking much in return. Gardening with a 1 1/2 year old on my hip or at my side, I'm so thankful for their food producing generosity.

I did a brief survey yesterday of the perennial edibles in our yard and was surprised at just how many things we can eat. Some of them might be considered weeds like wild onions, violets, and dandelions

While some are trees: maples for sugaring (making syrup), apples, figs, and plums. We have an abundance of blackberries, thanks to the birds that eat the fruit and spread the seed. Then there are other shrubby fruits like blueberries and elderberries. Some perennial veggies are unusual for our culture but widely used in other cultures, like hostas (giboshi and Urui) and prickly pear (nopalitos). More common perennial food crops include ostrich fern fronds (fiddleheads), asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries, Jerusalem artichokes/sunchokes, cardoons, and herbs like lemon balm and rosemary.

Have you seen any repeat performers sending up sprouts with the onset of Spring? Any fave food crops that come back year after year? What's new in your plot of dirt?

Renee Garner has a passion to make things grow, although her brownish thumb wants her to believe otherwise. When mud pies aren't on the menu, you can find her doodling the days away at Wolfie and the Sneak.

The Cat's Meow

:: in special memory of the ever-lovely Elizabeth Taylor. How can you not love a girl in a polkadot robe with a kitten in her pocket? via Carbonated

And now, let's see what's been making me purrrr this week... 

I am obsessed with painters lately. Joshua Petker is my latest fascination, via Down & Out Chic!

These clever pencil shaving necklaces in silver with enamel edges- by Victoria Mason, at Oye Modern

I can't wait for sandal season and with Jeffery Campbells in navy- you can't go wrong. At Need Supply.

 These ceramic house numbers by Heath, available late spring. Mmm... Via SeeSaw Designs!

Mazzy Star's 1st album, She Burns Brightly. I just discovered them as I was only a little kiddo who listened to Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson and whatever else my mom liked when they came out (1990.) They so fit my sort of melancholic "won't this winter ever end?" mood lately.

This amazing uniform jacket that lucky Alice of Forestbound found at a "crummy little indoor flea market"

This pretty teepees and rivers tea towel, hand-printed by Indobay

These stunning rings (& other things) made from wood, by Sticks & Stones, based here in Portland

Big girl overalls with railroad stripes? Yes. By Confezioni Crosby, via Teenangster!

I can't resist Jamie Shelman's new whirling, twirling, flower hoarding kitties for spring.

This simply cute vintage Scandinavian flower vase, from 1001 Vintage

 
And, these cute Andy frames from Spex Club. All of their frames come as prescription, readers or sunglasses!

DIY Dreamcatcher

I'm back with the how-to to make my little dreamcatcher from yesterday. Ok, here we go!

What you'll need to get started: 

• a few pliable twigs/vines to form the dreamcatcher itself
• 4-6 feet of thin strong string- I used embroidery floss
• a bead (for the "spider" in the dreamcatcher) 
• a page of cardstock or poster board for the "feathers"
• paint, or colorful decorating medium of choice!
• scissors
• craft glue

Step one: start to form your hoop! Grapevine and willow are strong and easily pliable- fresh twigs will be easier to bend- dead ones can be soaked in water to make them more pliable (or if you live in Portland, they'll probably be wet already :) I twisted and tied my willow branches to have them drape at the bottom just to add some visual interest. Do whatever feels right with the vine you have!

Step two: start stitching! I'll defer to this article on Native Tech for the how-to's on that, they give great step by step instructions on exactly how to do the stitch. It's easy once you get going! This was my 2nd time trying the stitch tho- the first time, I put the inital stitches too close together and it got too tiny too fast, so spread those initial ones apart like they say!

You'll start to go around in a circle adding stitches on each "round". On the 2nd or 3rd time around, add a bead to your string to act as the "spider" in the dreamcatcher. Along the 4th or so round I decided I wanted the center to be a different color thread, so I simply tied the yellow thread on tightly to the teal thread, cut the tails and kept going as if it was one piece of string.

Step three: make the feathers! I used some stiff mailer things that came in an order for curtains I got, but any thin cardboard, stiff cardstock or poster board would be great. I painted one side quickly with a black/greenish wash- let it dry. Painted the other side of the same board with the same colors, let it dry. Then you'll have nice double sided feather since it will be visible from both sides as it hangs. 

Then I cut out general feather shapes from the board. Get creative, make them as large or small as you want! Just make sure you cut a thinner "stem" at the bottom that you'll need to use to tie the feathers on in the next step. Then decorate your feathers to make them look pretty and feathery! The sky's the limit, these feathers are from your dream bird! 

Step four: The last step is to hang your pretty dream bird feathers from your pretty hoop! Using the same string (maybe in a different color) that you used for the dreamcatcher, tie one end onto the "base" of your feather. Then, put a thin line of craft glue (I used elmer's craft bond fabric & paper glue) along the front of the feather's "stem" and wrap the thread down around the stem toward the end, over the glue, and back up again towards the thicker side of the feather. 

Then put a thin line of glue on the back side of the stem, over the string you've already wrapped, and wrap the string once more, down to the end of the feather. Make sure the glue bond is strong right at the end where it will hang from. Let the glue dry a bit and make sure it has a good hold.

Then, cut the remaining string that's now coming off the end of the feather to the length you'd like for it to hang from your dreamcatcher. Find a good spot along your hoop, and tie it on. Repeat for each feather and voila! Your dreamcatcher is complete and ready to hang above your bed!

Have fun, and sweet dreams! 

make/do tuesday: Dreamcatcher!

I got the idea to make a dreamcatcher a few weeks ago. I thought it'd be something pretty and handmade to hang in our bedroom that is, at this point, severly lacking any sort of decoration. And I've always loved the idea of a dreamcatcher and used to have one above my bed as a kid- they're supposed to catch bad dreams inside the "web" and allow sweet dreams to pass thru the center and down the feathers right into your sleeping head. 

Hey, sounds good to me! 

So, this weekend, I took to the front yard where a big branch from our weeping willow had broken off earlier this winter, clipped some wet branches off and got to work!

I didn't have any real feathers and thought I could paint some instead- the whole thing turned out better than I had expected, and the weaving part is much easier than I thought it would be! Check out my DIY tutorial so you can make one yourself!

What are you making this week? Did you have some creative fun time over the weekend?

Office Daydreams

I've been feeling so much more productive working from my office for the past couple weeks! YES! It's amazing what a clean desk and nice window view can do, much better than working all day from the couch with my laptop on my lap. It's been a lot easier to focus and get stuff done!

I even get a view of the sunrise on special days when there's a break in the rain... 

I love being in here, but after working in here for a bit, I realize this space is missing a few things that could make it like, supreme productivity and happiness zone. And that's what I'm aiming for, I think. Plus, I love a good office write-off! Starting with my desk area by the window, I think I want...  

This bamboo dry erase board (yep you read that right) from Three by Three- I'd love to see every morning what I have to do in BIG letters right in front of me and have a spot to keep quick notes other than post-its that start cluttering up things. A dry erase board is perfect, but typically so ugly- until I found this one.  

And right above the board, I'd love a ticking little reminder to use my time wisely- this great plywood clock would be pretty by the bamboo, I think.

And my current chair is a hand-me-down from the mister's office that is a little too short, a little too ugly and gets caught on the rug all day long. Annoying! I'd love this CB2 chair instead with a slim, modern profile, and hey, wheels are a plus! Plus a pretty pillow from Sukan for some pattern and comfort.

Mostly I'm just obsessed with the chartreuse color. I think it'd look fresh and springy against the darker mustard yellow walls in there. I'd love the matching file cabinet too to go under the printer, where a big zonked out 70's speaker we aren't using now resides.

And the rug we have now is just gross, I want it out of my life. I'm thinking FLOR tiles would look modern and colorful and hopefully be easier to clean than a big rug- plus I love that I can get them in whatever color/pattern/size I want! Anyone have FLOR in their homes? yay or nay?

What do you think- supreme productivity and happiness zone in the making? Any other fun office-furniture stores online I should know about? I'm so used to thrifted/vintage everything, I feel like I don't always know where best to find new stuff!

Kitty Photo Friday

Two little buddies & I are wishing you a warm and fuzzy weekend! See you back here Monday! 

You say Potato, I say Po-Ta-Da!

Spring seems to be teasing us all, and I've had a serious itch to get some dirt under my nails. What better way than to start off with a food crop that literally gets you down in the dirt? Yep! Let's talk tubers 'n taters.

How do you grow potatoes, you say? First, find out your freeze date then count backwards 2 weeks. That's when you want to get your seed set in the ground. For me, that's pretty much right now.

Start with seed potatoes; that means ones that haven't been treated to prevent sprouting. That also means they're disease free. Cut them into 2-inch chunks, leaving 2 eyes on each chunk.

As for soil, potatoes are very adaptable. Many books will tell you the exact soil conditions you need to grow them, but don't worry about that too much, they'll tolerate a lot. Just make sure the soil is loose so the roots can stretch out and grow into those tasty little tubers.

Trench down into the soil about 6 inches. If you make more than 1 trench row, make sure they're at least 2-feet apart. Crowding potatoes means a smaller yield. Lay seed potatoes in the trench about 12- to 15-inches apart, cut side down, and cover with a few inches of soil. They'll sprout a couple weeks later, and when they do, cover them again with a few more inches of soil. Covering them will build your rows up into a mound of loose soil, the mound is where the magic happens.

Keep the vines well watered during summer heat, while they're flowering, and while the blooms are dying off. After the blooms are gone you can ease up on the watering you do.  Wait 2 weeks after flowering finishes to harvest and ta-da! You've grown potatoes!

Look how lush and green they are in flickr user ksuyin's New Zealand garden (picture below). Did you know potato plants were so pretty?

Alrighty now, who's ready for some hashbrowns?

This Mother Earth News article is informative and will answer many of your questions.If your short on space, try out the garbage can method Gayla Trail explains with easy-to-understand in-depth detail in Grow Great Grub.

Renee Garner has a passion to make things grow, although her brownish thumb wants her to believe otherwise. When mud pies aren't on the menu, you can find her doodling the days away at Wolfie and the Sneak.

The Cat's Meow

:: image source, from carbonated

Sorry no post again yesterday, I was hard at work, a busy little bee! Gotta get back to it, but first, a little break for some of things that are making me purr this week...

This cute kitty cat tee by Leah Goren, found on Greedy Girl!

This pretty harmonic mean necklace on a turquoise cord, by sweet Portlander, Minoux Jewlery!

This special print by Susan Schwake from the Working Proof- 100% of gross sales goes to Médecins Sans Frontières, who are currently in Japan setting up mobile clinics...available only thru March 31st!

These simple but lovely wall pod vases from Otchipotchi, via Unstitched!
 

This new Deborah Lippmann shade called "glitter in the air"- I ordered it early last week, maybe it'll show up today!

These gorgeous Turkish bath towels, by Bath Style

This vintage woven bucket bag, makes me want to head to the beach! From Santoki Vintage.

These vintage macrame patterns for lawn chairs that Renee emailed me this morning (that I promptly purchased!) Whaat? So odd, and amazing. I see a project for a perfect writer's shed chair in my future! 

This pretty brass necklace for Japan, by iswasandwillbe- 100% of proceeds from sales will go to Global Giving, another non-profit collecting relief funds for Japan.

These dreamy glowing gemstone rings by Satomi Kawakita (whom I was reminded of in this great new video series from Melissa!)

And, these gorgeous, moody paintings by Katrina Schmidt-Rinke. I'm obsessed with them. They make me want to try out some watercolors!

Is it Friday yet? Have a good day!

make/do tuesday: more painting experiments

My mister brought me home some little wood panels from work, that would have just otherwise gone to waste, so hmm... what to do, what to do with skinny reclaimed wood chunks? Paint them! 

This was just an attempt to play and see how the paint works on wood without any gesso or anything (I wanted a lighter touch with some of the wood grain showing through) It's reminds me of a summer thunderstorm in the desert- I think it needs just a little more somethin' tho so... work in progress!

I also made this little painting to invoke memories of our ever so awesome roadtrip-elopement-honeymoon getaway last fall!

I collected flowers and plants during our trip to dry them and press them- but now, how to display them?! Well, I started playing and it led to this- I'm envisioning it as a series of 4 panels (since we were married on the 4th) with different colors/moods to celebrate the different places we visited and where we picked the flowers from. I thought it'd be a cool little ode to our wedding and a way to remember all the great moments we had on our trip!

So, how about you? Creative for creative sake? Try a new recipe? Make something new just for fun? Do tell, or share links in the comments below!

Eco-Friendly Find: Friendly Banter

I have been smitten with vintage quilts of late, so I was delighted to stumble across these recycled quilt pillows from Friendly Banter.

Each is crafted from vintage quilt squares, and would look oh-so-lovely (mis)matched with a quilted throw on a comfy chair.

Liz Grotyohann is a co-founder of cosa verde, a marketplace for handmade, environmentally-conscious goods.

Take a Backyard Break with Me

On Friday when I let Otis out for his afternoon romp in the yard, it was sunny for the first time in what's felt like way too long. All the birdies were out singing their songs and there was a strong breeze carrying the clouds away and blowing through the windchimes around the neighborhood.

It sounded so peaceful and relaxing I wanted to try to record it for you guys so you could have a little piece of that feeling too, whenever you need it.

So, if you'd like to take a little break with me, find a quiet spot, press play and come hang out in the backyard with me for a bit. (and yes that's Otis panting in the background, not me :)

PLAY: Backyard birdies

Kitty Photo Friday

Three cool cats, as captured by the mister! To see all three hanging out in this close of quarters is quite a rarity, silly kitties!

Sorry no post yesterday, I was too busy with Miss Modish projects and didn't have a post prepared or time to think about one. That may happen from time to time, I hope you understand! And miss Renee is out of town for her brother's wedding this weekend (hi, Renee!) so no Petals & Pedals today.

And here I sit, glued to the news watching to see if the Tsunami waves cause any havoc on the Oregon coast- all of the coastal towns have been evacuated, eek! It's looking not too serious at this point tho, thank goodness.

I just can't believe the images from Japan, like a horrible end-of-the-world movie, so heartbreaking and scary. I happened to catch the news before bed last night and was floored. I stayed up way too late watching, and woke up way too early this morn to watch some more. Sending lots of love and light and prayers to you, Japan!

The Cat's Meow

:: image source, from Jan Willemsen

Although it's dark and dreary outside, I'll continue to dream of sunshine and spring. Sigh... making me purr this week: 

 

The baolith & isosceles necklaces from Stone & Honey's latest collection (it's all fantastic, really)

This gorgeous hand-painted shell by Portland artist, Cathy McMurray

This simply pretty silk and linen dress by Three Little Ducks, found on papernstitch

If I could have a piece by Jennifer Davis in every room of the house, I'd be a very very happy girl.

These super cute monochromatic watches- only $20 a pop! By Streamline, at Quirk. 

This one of a kind, hand-dyed silk dress, by Uniform Natural. Stunning!! 

These scrumptious little carrot earrings from Foundling, made with recycled sterling silver and vintage fabric- so unique! 
 

This "forest" print by Debbie Carlos, from her human nature series

These stunning natural edge cutting boards and serving trays by fellow Oregonian, Red Onion Woodworks- they're almost too pretty to cut on!

This vintage kitty tea towel, which the lovely Caroline said reminded her of me. Totally!

These pretty little striped vases in fantastic colors, by Dahlhaus

And last but not least, this interesting ring by Silva Bradshaw- comes in lots of colors but the green reminds me of a little sprout!

Make/do: desk dance break

I didn't even have time for an hour long project last week, so this is kind of a cheater make/do post, but oh well! I'm about to embarass myself, a lot, to make up for it :)

I have been trying to use the pomodoro method lately to try to be more productive. Basically, one "pomodoro" is 25 minutes "on" of working on one task, timed and everything. And then you take a 5 minute break. And then after 4 pomodoros, you take a longer break. I did it all day yesterday successfully and felt more productive than I have in a long time, so I'm going to try to stick with it! The 5 minute breaks are my favorite, especially in the middle of a big marketing plan :) Here's what I did for one such break yesterday- desk dancing! 

That's Mira, aka "boogie" which is what we really call her, making an appearance. I've never posted a video before! Eek! Now I shall go hide in the corner and die for a second. Then, back to work- of course!

Did you make/do something just for fun lately? Do share! I'd love to see what kind of creative stuff you're up to :)