bits and pieces

so this is the new year

2011-01-19T10:12:00.000-08:00

Oh hello. I'm back. I kind vacated this space for a bit as I often tend to do, and missed the boat on wishing you all the various happy fall and winter holidays. And now. Somehow we have already blown through the better part of January! I hope that you all had lovely holidays with those you hold dear. I know I did!

Well, at least I am in time to wish you a happy Lunar New Year! It's coming up in just a couple of weeks, along with a great event over in Chinatown, for those of you who are in the LA area.

I will be participating as a vendor for the LA Craft Experience market that is happening in conjunction with the Lunar New Year festival. So if you are in or around town, come by and say hello! There are a ton of events scheduled for the festival in addition to the craft market, so come down, hang out, and ring in the year of the rabbit! Hope to see you there!

birthday wish.

2011-01-18T08:03:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday, mom!
I hope you have an amazing day and many, many lovely years ahead.

library day

2010-11-14T10:02:00.000-08:00

It was such a gorgeous day out yesterday, and I think today might be more of the same. This is the kind of weather that makes me feel lucky, as if I've won a pass to enjoy the sunlight and my city as I wander about over the weekend. And wander about we did! I had some research to do yesterday and decided to go about it old-school and visit the library with my cousin.

The Central Library downtown is probably among my top ten favorite spots in LA. Yesterday my research took me to the children's department, which is an especially lovely spot in the building--to reach it, you walk through this rotunda:

Gorgeous, right? Apologies for the mediocre image quality, I had actually remembered to bring my camera, but when I pulled it out it was just out of battery! Oops. This one was snapped on my phone.

I fell in love with this place one summer as an intern years ago, working in the photo collection that makes its home in the depths of the building in the history/genealogy department. The photo collection is just one of the library's many special collections, and I remember going through archives of glass negatives from long-defunct local papers, sorting photographs--there were so many files! Rooms full of them.

The library building itself is so lovely, with its garden and unique architecture (there are more floors underground than above).

While interning here, my boss's love for downtown and the library were infectious, and my time with her and at the library instilled in me a deep sense of appreciation for all the history and culture--and food!--that was surrounding us. Come to think of it, that summer is probably also when I first fell hard for downtown in general. She made it a point to show me many of the area's historical gems, and I recall so many lovely long lunches, walking several blocks at a time for some great Chinese food, historical Clifton's Cafeteria, or for gorditas at Grand Central Market. Those were good.

Imagine my delight, then, when as my cousin and I were walking out of the library yesterday, we run into said former boss walking in! It was even more of an odd coincidence, as she had retired recently and is no longer working there. She just happened to be arriving for an event that afternoon. It was so great to bump into her and catch up. What a perfect way to end a library field trip!

and now for a musical break

2010-10-08T11:12:00.000-07:00

I love Jane Lui's voice, and this video of her rendition of Edelweiss is just wonderful! Hopefully she will do a show in LA sometime soon. If you like what you see + hear, the song is also on her new album, Goodnight Company, which is worth a listen. It's out now and free to download on her website! Enjoy!

cookie weather

2010-10-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

Last week, I was in tank tops and flip flops and battling armies of ants that continuously found paths of entry into my kitchen in their attempt to escape the heat. This week suddenly brought gray, drizzly skies and with them an itch to bake some cookies. Crispy, chewy chocolate chip cookies.

Tonight I got home to a chilly apartment and finally got around to baking those cookies to warm the air a bit. I then promptly ate a couple in the name of taste-testing as they came out of the oven--I had to make sure that they weren't over-cooked! Now if only I could get down to working out some cards and other items for the upcoming holiday season.. my craft fair deadline is approaching mighty quickly!

Did the autumn chill hit you as suddenly as it hit us here in LA? Apparently the gray skies are short lived though, as it's supposed to hit 80 again this weekend. Figures. I guess I'll just be sitting around eating my cookies until it warms up again.

hello autumn.

2010-10-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday a couple of girlfriends and I went for a field trip to the Norton Simon. I had especially wanted to go see the Hiroshige exhibit. His work is amazing! I love Japanese woodblock prints, and highly recommend you go see the show if you can, it was so lovely. I also loved strolling through the gardens there, and we may have done a bit of shopping afterwards. It was a splendid Saturday afternoon.

Today I'm taking it kind of easy. The plan was to try to work on some new things for holiday, but I am feeling particularly uninspired, so instead I am making things in the kitchen. Roasted procrastination peppers, anyone?

i want summer back

2010-09-18T00:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am one of those people that has a hard time picking a favorite time of the year. But I've gotta say that this year, I feel like I was swindled out of a proper summer. Oh sure, there were proper summery moments, like dancing the evening away on Catalina in celebration of a friend's marriage, or spending a few hours on a stretch of sandy beach in San Diego, but still. I want more! By Los Angeles standards, we did not have much of a summer. And now it's halfway through September already! Unbelievable. The season simply slipped through my fingers.

But I intend to make the most of my autumn! I've already taken a bread-baking class, which was perfect and lovely and made me discover a need for a pizza stone. Next up will be a 10-week course at Art Center, which I'm super excited about! More on that later.

But. I am even more excited to let you all know that Renegade is returning to LA in a couple of months for its first annual Los Angeles holiday fair! What! Seriously. I need to get down to business if I want to participate in what will surely be a great weekend of crafty fun. I'll keep you all posted!

more time at the sea

2010-08-28T23:19:00.000-07:00

Oops, did I say it was overcast?
It was sunny by afternoon, and a friend and I managed to get to a gorgeous stretch of shoreline down by Palos Verdes, to sit and walk and breathe a bit.

These seaside outings are getting to be a weekly habit, and I sure am enjoying them! Next weekend, I'll be by some water a bit further up north for the Labor Day holiday--I can't wait!

beach days

2010-08-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I spent sometime relaxing on a lovely beach and realized that I need to do more of this before summer's end! The weather here today seems a bit overcast for that, but I wish you all a lovely summer weekend just the same!

nice strings

2010-08-15T11:34:00.000-07:00

Here's a bit of music to help finish off your hopefully lovely summer weekend! I'm a bit late to the party on this one, considering this video is three years old and has a multimillion viewer count, but I just heard it and wanted to share. I love great violin (and all the other string instruments for that matter), and especially love it when it's used unconventionally.

This reminds me of a recent visit to the farmer's market. There was a jazz band playing there, and as a toddler passed by he saw the upright bass, and he looked at his mother wide-eyed and said, 'Whoa, that is one biiiig violin!' It made me smile. His comment and wonder at the huge 'violin' totally made my day.

Renegade Los Angeles

2010-08-07T10:22:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the absence! I seem to have gone through another phase of forgetting about this little online space that I have. It may be a bit akin to how bad I am at keeping my plants alive and watered. Proper maintenance is a bit of a challenge for me sometimes!

So it has been a lovely summer so far, including a great Renegade show here in LA a couple weeks ago. It was at a much better venue this year, and so much more fun! I loved being on the grass and outdoors. A huge thank you to all who came out!

See that garland up there? It wasn't so difficult to make, but it did take some time and a bit of craftiness.. I then almost gave up on it when it responded to being finished by promptly falling off my workspace and into a tangled heap onto the floor--the night before the fair, of course! Let's just say that sewing thread is quite difficult to untangle. I'm glad I worked through it though, because I think it added the perfect touch to my booth and I just loved how the breeze made the circles twirl. Fun!

I loved meeting my booth neighbors, and everyone that came by my booth was so friendly. I bought a couple of jewelry pieces as well, and a birthday gift for my brother. All in all, it was an exhausting but fantastic and inspiring weekend.

breathing room

2010-05-22T23:11:00.000-07:00

It's been almost a week since I got back from Austin, and I just unpacked my craft fair suitcase yesterday! And by unpacked, I simply mean that I emptied the suitcase and put it away. All the stuff that was inside it is now just sitting on my coffee table, in need of being sorted and organized in preparation for Renegade LA!

I had a great time in Austin as usual, and was only able to pull it off with the help of a dear friend who pretty much gave up her weekend (and her air mattress!) to put me up, help me out and hang with me at the fair. Thanks, friend!!

It's always great to see people's feedback to my work, and I learn a lot from each fair that I do. It gets a bit easier each time, I think. Plus I love the idea that I am spreading my cards out into the world, and with that, encouraging people to write more handwritten notes!

My cards are something of a hobby that I do in my spare time, not my livelihood, so I have great admiration for fellow artists and vendors who create and sell their creations for a living! I enjoyed walking around and was proud of myself for behaving pretty well, keeping my spending to a single necklace purchase from Olaria Stud io.

After several weekends of craft fair prep, today was a nice breather of a Saturday, with simply gorgeous weather to boot. A couple friends and I walked over to a lovely brunch, and though the service was a bit spotty, the coffee and food were dee-licious.

Later on in the afternoon I went for a field trip to Griffith Observatory as part of a friend's birthday celebration, and the sights (of the city below) and sounds (of all the visitors) just emphasized the lovely spring weather for me.

I greatly appreciated the fresh air I got today. I so needed it.
I hope you're enjoying some this weekend, too, wherever you may be!

sitting pretty

2010-05-10T09:07:00.000-07:00

Aren't these colors just lovely? I am deconstructing a birthday bouquet that I received last week. It was arranged in floral foam and some of the blooms were beginning to wither, so I salvaged as many as I could. It turned out to be enough for three different bouquets! They are now all spread out through my studio! Sitting pretty, and serving as little reminders of springtime.

By the way, I'm participating in the Paper Pops! curated market, which goes live today on Poppytalk Handmade and continues through June 4th. Make sure to pop in and have a click around, there will be some great artists and shops to check out!

march of the penguins

2010-05-07T08:28:00.001-07:00

Hello! I'm popping out of my cave to introduce you to my new penguin card suite! I hope you love them as much as I do! Those little creatures make me smile. These will be debuting at Renegade Austin next weekend!

music break

2010-04-29T22:04:00.000-07:00

Hallo. I was just taking a quick break from staring at my blank sketchbook page and happened upon this amazing, ukelele-filled rendition of MGMT's "Kids" by Ooks of Hazzard. It is so great! Ukeleles and accordions can make for some fun listening, so I had to come by and share it with you here. It seems that this band is only a couple months old--amazing!

Okay. Back to staring. Err, I mean drawing.

inhale, exhale

2010-04-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I have to remind myself to breathe. This happens most often when jogging, but also in those moments when my mind feels to cluttered with the stuff of the day. This bunch of lavender certainly helped. So lovely and fragrant!

I am up early today and should really be drawing some new cards out before heading to the office, but just wanted to stop by and say hello, oh and to share this amazing video found via a friend of mine: Werner Herzog reading Where's Waldo:

I love it! It totally made my morning. Did you ever read Where's Waldo? I recall spending hours flipping through those super-detailed scenes.

coffee break

2010-04-25T14:11:00.001-07:00

I splurged on a 75-cent piece of fleur-de-sel caramel yesterday and it went perfectly with my afternoon espresso. It was delicious! Somehow yesterday's hours filled up with various outings with friends, so today I am determined to get some real work done. Hope you're enjoying a lovely Sunday afternoon--it is gorgeous weather out in this end of the world!

Oh and don't forget, Mother's Day is just a couple weeks away! I'm sometimes guilty of waiting until the last minute to figure something out for such holidays. Make sure to get mamma something special, or if possible spend some quality time together!

fresh air helps.

2010-04-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

This past week or two, I seem to have lost much of my card-making momentum.
Sometimes, it is so easy to just allow life to take over and suck me dry of any motivation to create. Sometimes, it takes an art-filled afternoon field trip and the company of a great friend to turn things around. The gorgeous, slightly breezy weather also helped!

This also means that I did absolutely nothing on the card-making front yesterday- and on a prime Saturday, just weeks away from Renegade Austin! I'm glad I went, though--the Brewery art walk did wonders for my eyes and spirit. I always find it very inspiring to see artists' work in the context of their live/work spaces and make the connection between their art and a slice of their personal world. There is such a variety of art and people here, it must be amazing to live in the complex.

I'd been to the Brewery once before, but it was a few years ago and I think it was a much shorter visit. It wasn't until yesterday that I realized how large the place is. Huge! Our feet were tired before we could get through all of it, but we both felt like we saw a good amount(read: lots and lots).

As interesting as some of these studios were to walk through, I generally refrained from photographing the interiors, other than a few shots of a performance and some signage. I suppose that in a way I feel like it'd be invading. Even if they are made open to the public a couple weekends a year, many of these are private spaces. I wouldn't really want random strangers photographing my space, you know?

I leave you with this image from one of the studio entrances (Ahem--mother, if you are reading this, please do not scroll down!). Today will surely be filled with drawing and ink and watercolors. I must put some ideas down on paper before they fade away! There is no more time for screwing around.

well done.

2010-04-07T08:17:00.000-07:00

My kitchen table has become overtaken with card-making tools and supplies, including my uncleaned palette from a previous night of watercoloring. It's nice to keep busy creatively, although I am not putting in nearly as many hours as I should, what with only a little over a month left before Renegade Austin. Eek!

Here's a mini shop update for you! A proud little congratulations card of sorts.

tea and mom

2010-04-03T08:51:00.001-07:00

It's never too early to start thinking about Mother's Day! I just re-listed this for all you early shoppers out there. Now off for a hike with some dear friends, then some more card-making scheduled for the afternoon!

morning person

2010-03-21T10:33:00.000-07:00

Sometimes something as simple as the early morning light can be so awe-inspiring to me. It's the simple pleasures, I guess. I don't usually get up early enough to be a very good morning person, but when I do have some extra time in the mornings, I try to make the most of them--even if it is a weekend! Today I got to squeeze in a brisk walk to start off the day.

It felt so nice to break out my Gocco yesterday, which had been lying dormant and untouched for months. Poor thing. I'm starting to come out of procrastination and have all kinds of ideas to put on paper in the coming weeks for Renegade Austin!

not procrastinating

2010-03-16T21:14:00.000-07:00

Last night's earthquake here in southern California was relatively small, but it woke me all the same, and rattled my nerves quite a bit! It made me realize that it's probably a good idea to put together some emergency supplies and water for peace of mind. Just in case. Please consider doing the same if you're in earthquake territory!

This week's sudden 80-degree heat wave has caught me off-guard too--what a reminder of the changing seasons! I plan to relish the longer days as much as possible, even though I am--or should be--in the throes of planning and printing and painting for Renegade. I'm starting to get super excited--tonight I finalized a new food-love design especially made for the Austin show! More details to come!

good-bye, winter

2010-03-08T22:27:00.000-08:00

It's amazing what a couple of days of a change in scenery can do. The snow and cold and crisp air were refreshing, to say the least! I couldn't stop snapping photos on our way out of Mammoth Lakes, so these are just a couple of shots taken while zooming down the highway!

Can you believe how quickly spring is approaching? The time change is already coming up this weekend, even though the nights still seem a bit chilly. I don't like the idea of losing an hour on
Sunday, but I'm definitely looking forward to having back more hours of sunshine per day!

And, as we march onward to springtime, mark your calendars! Uccello Curioso will be participating in the 1st annual Renegade Craft Fair in Austin--May 15 and 16! I'm so excited about this--I have visited Austin several times and there are so very many things I love about the place. I can't wait to be there for the fair and to spend some time with a dear friend while I'm at it. In the meantime, I have much work to do, and you must spread the news. I just know that y'all have many friends in Austin and thereabouts!

eco-friendly windows?

2010-02-26T10:05:00.000-08:00

I was running errands last night when I passed the window displays at an Anthropologie store. The springtime shapes and colors caught my eye, and when I paused to look, I realized the blooms were made from cut plastic water bottles! What a lovely use of discards, wouldn't you agree?

Now I'm off to the mountains for a couple days of snow, skiing, and hopefully some time squeezed in between to work on new cards! Stay tuned for some news next week!

Everything's amazing and nobody's happy.

2010-02-17T07:30:00.000-08:00

This skit by Louis CK is so funny! It made me laugh and refreshed my perspective a bit on daily life. Found via swissmiss.

getting re-acquainted with my kitchen

2010-02-13T23:23:00.000-08:00

After what feels like months of not really spending quality time in my kitchen, I finally feel as if I am getting back in the groove of cooking again. I had a couple friends over for dinner and I made some things that not only came together easily, but also paired well with the pasta that they contributed to the table.

It does feel good to cook regularly again, even if I am just making simple things. And anyway, with fresh ingredients, you don't need to do very much to let their flavors shine.

p.s., couldn't believe it was in the mid-70s today!

just taking a moment

2010-02-10T08:11:00.000-08:00

I don't usually get very personal in this space, but I just wanted to take a moment and congratulate my parents on their 30 years of marriage (although it's doubtful that they will ever read this post!). Thirty years! It's crazy where the time goes. This is the oldest photo of them I could find, and I think my mom must be 26 or 27 here, just barely younger than I am now.

I'm so blessed to have parents such as these and wish many more years of happiness for them!

a hit of nostalgia

2010-01-26T22:04:00.000-08:00

As I was standing alone in my kitchen washing dishes tonight, I was hit by a sudden wave of nostalgia. I spent a year studying abroad in Italy during college, and one thing I miss very much about that year is my tight-knit group of friends, and our way of life there. I could walk across town to any one of their apartments within half an hour, and we took advantage of the small city and laid-back Italian lifestyle (and study-abroad curriculum) by inviting each other over for dinner fairly regularly, and cooking and eating together. Where else could I call up a few friends, and within hours have an apartment full of people eating tiramisu and enjoying each others' company, just because? Those were good times for certain.

I need to somehow get back to a place where I have more of that in my life. As much as I love Los Angeles, this city tends to make me feel quite disconnected from people much of the time. And, as we 'grow up' and work and get into various routines and schedules, it becomes increasingly difficult to see people on short notice. All I want to be able to do is invite people over for pancakes once in a while. Is that too much to ask?

winter hike

2010-01-25T21:52:00.000-08:00

After what seemed like days and days of rainy weather (and a tornado! ...in southern California!), we had blue skies all throughout the weekend and so I took advantage of it and went on a hike with a friend in Vasquez Rocks Park up in Agua Dulce. Can you see the snow on the mountains back there?

The rock formations out there are pretty amazing, and the air was so fresh and so clean! Whenever I go hiking I tell myself that I need to spend more time outdoors.

I took quite a liking to all the lichen clinging to the rocks--so many colors and textures! It makes me want to draw bunches of little tiny plantforms. Hmm, perhaps that is the start of a new card series brewing in my head?

holiday spirit

2009-12-23T20:57:00.000-08:00

In spite of feeling overworked and overwhelmed with things to get done before the holiday--or perhaps because of it?--baking is so therapeutic to me. And it's definitely better than going out to try and shop in the midst of all the holiday madness!

I wish you all a lovely winter season and a very Merry Christmas!

when we swam

2009-11-02T19:16:00.000-08:00

Here's another great tune to help dance away the it's-too-early-for-sunset blues!

I just discovered Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, and love the couple tracks I've heard so far! I love the videos, too! So creative and with great energy! Like it? Check out Swimming Pools for more!

in my ears

2009-11-01T23:16:00.000-08:00

I love this new track from Vampire Weekend--it's like the perfect aural antidote to dance away the cold-weather blues.

Ahem. *Not* that I dance. And, not that it's cold here in Los Angeles right now. It was 80-something degrees all weekend! But don't hate me because you're somewhere colder--just have a listen and you'll dance it out and feel better:

Bonus! You can even download the track for free right now here!
Can't wait for the album to come out in January!

long overdue

2009-10-04T11:07:00.000-07:00

For a few weeks now, I haven't had much desire to cook. First I blamed it on the heat, but as the evenings cool down, I can no longer fault the weather.

Seriously. I'd come home from work and eat things like canned tuna on leftover rice wrapped in nori. For a couple nights I had an apple, a bit of cheese, and a handful of almonds. It was getting very bad--I even went through a bag of french fries from the frozen food section at Trader Joe's over the course of a couple 'meals'! I mean sure, everyone has days like that, but eating this way day after day for weeks is so unlike me. It's not as if I was very busy, either, and the fact that my vegetable drawer had little to offer (some ginger root, a sad-looking bulb of fennel, and a wrinkly old lime rolling around) just made it worse. Somehow, a trip to the store last week left me even less inspired, leaving me with just an onion, some grapes, and a spicy tuna roll in my market bag.

But! This week I am going to jump-start my kitchen energy, freshly motivated by a long overdue trip to the farmer's market. I hadn't gone in weeks, so this morning's visit gave me a renewed sense of how important fresh produce is to me and my eating habits, not to mention my inspiration to cook. I don't think I've ever been as excited to buy a bunch of Tuscan kale as I was today, and I can't wait to try these little Padrón peppers! Yippee!

sunshine.

2009-09-12T09:37:00.000-07:00

Oops, guess I haven't stopped by here in a while.
Just enjoying the last bits of summer.
Hope y'all are too!

Hope your day is as delicious as this pizza was!

already august.

2009-08-03T21:46:00.000-07:00

I spent Sunday afternoon with family..topped off with dinner al fresco and cake. Good food and good times all around.

And today, Monday night dinner was made much more enjoyable with the kitchen help and company of siblings. Thanks, siblings!

a few last things

2009-07-07T22:23:00.000-07:00

Here I am, just working on a couple last-minute things before the fair. I am past the point of procrastination, and yet here I am posting this when I should be painting some new birthday cards instead. Hm.

If you come to Renegade LA this weekend, stop by and say hello to Jenipher and myself, we'll be at booth #235!

fuel for the day

2009-07-04T10:51:00.001-07:00

Hello again.
Just trying to get a good start to the day, need good energy for some more card-making.
Happy 4th, everyone!

another peek

2009-07-03T21:31:00.000-07:00

Using my day off to work madly on some more cards for the show. These are actually an older design that I re-worked a bit--one of my personal favorites.

Then I took a break, and went with a friend for some free and lovely jazz outdoors at LACMA. There were so many people there, and it was such a lively atmosphere. Loved it.

We also checked out Your Bright Future, currently up at BCAM. I may be partially biased due to my roots, or perhaps my roots help me to relate to some of the work better. Either way, I thought it was a great exhibit! Do Ho Suh is one of the 12 Korean artists featured in the show--I first encountered his work at the Venice Biennale back in 2001, and he's been one of my favorite contemporary artists ever since. Below is a snapshot of one of his pieces that I took before the guard stopped me, oops.

countdown to renegade!

2009-06-27T15:26:00.000-07:00

Just peeking out of my cave to say a quick hello, and give you a sneak peek of one of the new cards that I'll be selling at the Renegade Craft Fair. Only two weeks left! I have so much work left to do! Eep!

In the meantime, do check out all the other amazing artists and crafters, the list is now up on the Renegade site! I'm so excited--hope all you locals reading this will be able to stop by! I will be sharing a booth with the lovely Jenipher from Cherry Runway. Can't wait!

more spring loveliness

2009-05-18T21:55:00.000-07:00

I was shelling some fresh peas Sunday afternoon. It's things like this that make me love spring, and make me feel as if it's my favorite season of all! Of course, ask me again in October and I'll probably say that I love autumn best!

Just look how gorgeous they are!

They taste of spring, too! I cooked them with some shallot and made a simple puree with olive oil, lemon zest, and some mint. Spread it on a slice of toasted baguette and shave some cheese on top--simple and delicious!

a new-puppy smell

2009-05-17T08:52:00.000-07:00

They smell new, they really do! Kind of like the new-car smell, but so much better, because they're puppies! These little guys are so cute! Two new additions to my cousins' family..and they don't stay still long enough for me to take very many good photos. Super curious and playful..!

Save the date!

2009-05-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

This summer, me and my little cards will be at the 1st Annual Renegade Craft Fair in Los Angeles! I am so, so excited about this! Mark your calendars:

July 11-12, at California Market Plaza, downtown.
11am-7pm on both days.

I am giving y'all plenty of advance notice, so no excuses for not stopping by to say hello! You can look forward to many new things, and even a couple of brand new food love cards!

springtime loveliness

2009-05-10T00:41:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share a bit of springtime with you. Such a lovely Saturday afternoon! I hope that this weekend you are able to go outside and enjoy some of it too!

2009-05-04T23:41:00.000-07:00

The past couple of days were filled with some wonderful time spent with family and friends, capped off by an amazing meal from the siblings. Above is the cheese course from that meal, because how can we say no to cheese?

So goes another year, and as I slip further into denial about how old I am turning, I also find myself incredibly thankful to all my friends and family who helped make this particular birthday such a lovely, drawn-out occasion!

shop update!

2009-04-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

My process in developing a new card is often a bit messy, involving a few sketches and re-sketches. This time I had trouble with my own handwriting! You know how sometimes you see a word written over and over so many times that the spelling looks alien? Well, I'm not sure why it took me so many tries of writing 'Happy Mother's Day' for this card--usually I write a greeting once and it's set.

I decided to break out my watercolors for Mother's Day. It is more labor-intensive than just screen-printing, but nothing is too good for our moms, you know? You can see the finished card in my shop.

some prints

2009-03-20T08:03:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my printmaking class is already over--the weeks flew by!
I will definitely try to sign up again for spring session. Here are my favorites from this time:

My penguins! Etchings made from drawings, made from photographs from Argentina. The one on the right is my favorite of favorites. And I love the colors, the yellow is a happy accident.

A monoprint inspired by wildflowers on a recent hike. I got to class last night, and our instructor had the exact same flowers(lupines) sitting in some water on the table! I took it as a sign and made a print. The sofa pattern really bugs me in these photos, but I was getting the best light there this morning.

Eat your greens, part 2

2009-02-23T21:28:00.000-08:00

Just a typical Monday-night risotto made with super-fresh, gorgeous beet greens. And pancetta.

Now, off to get some much-needed drawing done.

Eat your greens,

2009-02-17T23:38:00.001-08:00

..they're good for you!

And, who knew soggy bread could be so good?
The perfect dinner on a chilly evening.

another music video:

2009-01-24T17:03:00.000-08:00

Her Morning Elegance / Oren Lavie

so, so beautiful.
he has a local show next month, i hope to go!

air quality

2009-01-24T16:26:00.000-08:00

Okay, so the above photo is another shot taken from my Argentina trip, but the blueness and clarity of sky so perfectly captures how I felt while driving through L.A. this afternoon.

There's something about the post-storm skies that is so clean and refreshing. It's like the air has been temporarily scrubbed clean above town. I just spent some time hanging out with a good friend in Little Tokyo and was heading back home--and was really just loving my city during my drive back, as I thought about the diversity of food, people, cultures that all mesh together here.

I did put up a couple more cards in the shop for Valentine's Day. They're not new designs, but I really did like them from last year. I should have some more food love favorites up tomorrow, too!

a few breaths

2009-01-17T09:30:00.000-08:00

I don't think I ever will get the hang of this blog-space. I tend to neglect it more than anything else. But it seems there are indeed a few of you out there looking at it, so let's see if I can at some point develop it into something more regular. And interesting.

For now, though, I will just say that I am recently back from what felt like the longest vacation I've taken in years--a good friend and I spent a week and a half in summery Argentina: exploring, eating, and taking in some new air.

I highly suggest you add it to your list of places to visit!
Some things you would enjoy if you did: lively and beautiful Buenos Aires, abundant food and wine, and warm music, not to mention the amazing wildlife of Patagonia. That phrase makes no sense by the way, because I then follow it directly with a mention of the very thing I say I'm not mentioning. Hmm. English. These days I seem to prefer my brittle Spanish skills. Did I mention the food?

So. Just saying hello as I try to re-settle into normalcy and get together a few things before re-opening my etsy shop for you all to enjoy. Standby.

winter song

2008-12-10T22:00:00.000-08:00

Winter Song with Ingrid Michaelson

I can't seem to get enough of this beautiful song lately, by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson. The video is lovely too! Hope you all are staying cozy through the wintry nights.

uccello curioso on paper n stitch!

2008-11-15T08:29:00.000-08:00

Hello all...!

Just a quick note that the current Paper N Stitch exhibition is up and running, and my shop is participating in it! And I must say I am in with some rather great company. I will be spending a good chunk of time just browsing through all the great art, products and designs that are in the current group of shops! Please do stop by and look around!

For those that are not familiar, Brittni also has a blog of the same name, and regularly showcases some amazing independent artists and designers there. I've even found some of my favorite handmade arts and crafts shops through her site!

My sentiments exactly.

2008-11-08T11:18:00.000-08:00

shop update!

2008-10-26T14:17:00.001-07:00

I shut myself up at home yesterday and went to work one some new ideas.
Et voila! A long overdue shop update: a couple of new birthday cards!

There are some other ideas in the works, so stay tuned for another update in the next couple of weeks!

blackberry memories

2008-08-12T23:01:00.000-07:00

During several years of my childhood, my siblings and I would make annual summer visits to our grandparents' home in Washington state. Their backyard was large and mostly reserved for my grandfather's fruit and vegetable garden. There would be daily harvests of strawberries, lettuce, perilla leaves, korean chiles, flat chives.. such bounty! It seemed as if all the plants touched by my grandfather sprang to life full of flavor and color.

As if that weren't enough, just down the street, there were wild blackberry bushes bordering the church playground, begging to be picked! We would walk down with our colorful plastic bowls and fill them to the brim with the warm, sweet berries.

I think of these summers whenever I see blackberries, and the memory is what prompted me to buy a pack of blackberries at Trader Joe's last weekend. Normally I pass, because even when I have tasted samples at my local farmers' market, the flavor is not nearly as sweet or concentrated as I remember. But last weekend, for some reason, I gave in and bought some. I am so glad I did--I ate some out of hand, and they were almost as delicious as the ones in my memory! My brother was coming by for dinner tonight and so I thought it fitting that we make a batch of blackberry banana sorbet from my favorite dessert book. What a delicious end to our meal it was.

random linking

2008-06-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

Really enjoyed this video (via not martha) of Ira Glass giving a pep talk. Watching it made me think of my creative processes in a whole new way. I think his words will stay with me a while, and especially help me get through those moments when I feel like I'm not liking anything I create.

Fueling dreams of re-doing my workspace all fresh and functional-like, with some help from this, this, and this.

I've decided that the next cookbook to add to my collection will be on Southern food. Now all that remains is to choose between these three. Yum.

I was trying to figure out the best way to stash my down comforter during the warmer months, and found some helpful hints. Who knew it should stay in a breathable bag? I would have stored it in plastic, oops.

hand-made stamps!

2008-06-22T22:10:00.000-07:00

I try to do small things to help the earth, like minimizing waste and trash, and recycling whenever possible. Did you know that the waxy paper on the back of stickers and adhesive labels is not recyclable?

So, I am trying to move away from using shipping labels by handwriting addresses directly onto the shipping envelope whenever possible. And today, with a couple of easy-to-use tools and some help from a lovely tutorial, I carved a stamp to use as a kind of frame for shipping addresses on my envelopes, in lieu of my standard white Avery label. I really like how it came out, and it didn't take very long at all! I see some more stamp carving happening in my near future...

colors, textures

2008-06-22T16:24:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone is doing their best to keep cool in this heat! I attempted to organize my paper stash--I forgot I had some of these! I love all the different colors and textures.

hello again.

2008-06-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

Ahem. Allow me to re-introduce myself. I'm coming back here from a long absence. Is anyone still poking around this space?

...And here I am working away at a new craft medium: fabric! Yes, I am teaching myself to sew. Armed with a new sewing machine and some helpful books, I have already tackled a couple of projects! Above you can see pieces of a few checkbook covers in the making. The buttons especially make me smile, they were a great find at a local fabric shop the other day. The fabric was purchased months ago from Kirin & Co.

I can't wait to see how these turn out! One of my toughest challenges is sewing hems in a straight line, but I figure the more I practice, the better I will become. I also seem to have some trouble with needle tension, and figuring that all out.

But this new little hobby of mine is no excuse for my long-term neglect to this space, and my etsy shop! I am actually working on a new collection of cards, to be launching by month's end--promise to keep you posted!

a bit of quiet

2008-03-08T16:13:00.000-08:00

Hello, friends.

Just a bit of quiet after getting back from my short trip, and trying to get back in to the swing of things. In the midst of many hours of driving, moving boxes and assembling furniture, there were many great moments, and meals shared with friends and family. This snowy landscape, quiet and painterly, was one of those moments on the road somewhere near Kingston, New York. How strange to come from that back home to 70-degree weather! And, after spending so much time with my sister, it feels a bit odd to be back and alone at home--but today I did quite a bit of cleaning, which helped, and tomorrow, I will be making a much-needed trip to the farmer's market for my weekly ration of fruits and vegetables.

Please remember to turn your clocks forward tonight!

comfort food

2008-02-24T22:30:00.000-08:00

An evening with family and some delicious Thai food was a great way to keep shelter from some of the crazy winds blowing through town on Valentine's Day. The soup was my favorite part of this meal, though the fish with mango sauce was also tasty.

I am leaving on Tuesday to spend some time with family and friends across the country. I will be gone until March 3rd, so all orders placed during that time will be shipping on March 4th.

yes, we can

2008-02-05T22:34:00.000-08:00

recycling Christmas card envelopes

2008-02-03T18:13:00.000-08:00

...into Valentine's Day stickers! I love using something old, otherwise destined for the trash, and transforming it into something new again!

dark and stormy

2008-01-27T15:50:00.000-08:00

Quite the rainy weekend this has turned out to be! Last night, some friends and I went to see a great line-up at the Improv in Hollywood, and followed that with some dessert at House of Pies. Laughter and homey desserts turned out to be a great way to beat the storminess outside. Until, of course, I came home to a blackout!

But today is a new day, the electricity is back on, and I am eating breakfast for lunch again--for the second day in a row! And I am actually loving the much-needed rain! It's nice sometimes just to make oneself cozy at home and curl up with the Sunday paper and a hot cup of tea.

Oh, and a small shop update! There is a new Valentine's Day greeting, be sure to check it out!

food love in Belgium!

2008-01-23T20:13:00.000-08:00

For all you Belgians reading this, Uccello Curioso cards have arrived in Belgium! Yes, it's true! A few of my 'food love' series cards are now available at Mieke, a wonderful shop in Gent, Belgium. Mieke, the shop's owner, opened her shop with the idea to showcase the handmade work of artists all over the world! Thank you Mieke, it is my pleasure to have my cards be available in your shop!

poppytalk handmade!

2008-01-07T00:17:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to announce that I am participating in the current Poppytalk Handmade Market! This month's market, from Janaury 7th to February 8th, is called 'Love Transforms: A Valentine's and Wedding Market'. The monthly online market is a space created by Poppytalk for handmade products. Check out the site for more information, and be sure to look around!

I can already see that I am in the company of some great artists, designers, and their wares--including some really beautiful jewelry, artwork and ceramics. My online 'table', or gallery, currently shows my food love series--there will be a couple of new designs to come in the next week or so, stay tuned!

christmas cookies...

2007-12-23T00:07:00.000-08:00

...are my favorite way to avoid the holiday shopping crowds! Frenzied shoppers can be downright scary at this time of year, so shutting myself up in the kitchen for a few fragrant, butter-y hours to bake up several batches of cookies is infitely more enjoyable than wandering glassy-eyed from store to store.

Plus, it makes my home smell so nice!
Any other favorite ways to avoid joining in the mass consumerism just about now?

holiday spirit

2007-12-17T22:57:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like sitting around tying homemade tags to handmade gifts to get me in to the holiday spirit! The other day, my cousin and I got together to decorate and package up our little jars of this delicious apple butter that will soon be given away as gifts! It was great fun, and I can't wait to give these yummy gifts away!

Now, off to hunt down some cookie jars....

a handmade holiday

2007-11-27T22:43:00.000-08:00

Eeep! It seems I have been neglecting this space a bit, I was always the same way when I tried to keep a diary or journal. I am still feeling my way around this blogging space, to try and explore what I'd like this space to be.

Oh, I have made the handmade pledge and decided to give handmade gifts this year, either foodstuffs made by myself, or handmade items bought from artists and designers. Not only do I prefer supporting my fellow artists and crafters, this kind of gift-giving also helps to take that ugly edge off of the commercialization of Christmas. I'm all for avoiding the madness at the malls!
And, inevitably, when looking for gifts I find things I would love for myself! A couple of lovelies I have found while wandering around etsy: I love the delicate details and lines of Planters by yuizdan168(above left). The inspiration behind her prints is always so lovely, as are the color choices. On the right is HELLO May by ashleyg. Again, I am just loving the composition and color here, as well as the personalities in the figures she illustrates. The best part is that these are affordable pieces of art!...there's no harm in buying myself a little gift while doing my holiday shopping, is there?

a texan weekend

2007-10-08T22:30:00.000-07:00

I'm back from a few days in Texas and thoroughly enjoyed myself in spite of the hot, humid weather! I had a wonderful time visiting both the boy and a very dear friend of mine. One of the most memorable meals, a bit of which is pictured above left, is from uchi, my favorite sushi/Japanese spot in Austin. The seafood is always super fresh, and there is such a great variety both in the kitchen dishes and the sushi/sashimi/rolls choices. We were in three, and each of us ordered a few things that we fancied and we all ended up trying quite a few things this way. One of my many favorites of the evening was the beautifully plated toro nuta, glistening chunks of bluefin toro with dried cranberries, marcona almonds, and white soy.

And though I have already been in Texas a handful of times, this was my first time eating barbecue there! I have no idea what took me so long to get myself to a decent bbq joint in Texas, but I am so glad I got to it this time around. Rudy's, although part of a chain, nevertheless had delicious meats and a friendly staff. If you mention that it's your first time there, they even offer up samples of various meats and sides for you to try before ordering! I love that they provide waxed butcher paper as plates, and their barbecue sauce was tasty. A note for soda-drinkers: Rudy's even sells the hard-to-find 'Mexican' coca cola, made with real sugar as opposed to the high-fructose standard sold to us here in the States.

Yes, with all the delicious food and great company, it was a brief yet wonderful mini getaway, and I must admit it is taking me a moment or two to throw myself back into the daily grind of work and responsibilities.

flower power

2007-10-04T23:42:00.000-07:00

My etsy shop has been quiet for a bit, but I am printing up a storm! A close friend of mine is soon to be wed and aside from having already done her wedding invitations, the past week was concentrated on printing her bridal shower invitations. After a flurry of sketches and ink and flashes of gocco bulbs, the inky dust cloud has finally dissipated and these bridal shower invitations were the result! I am so pleased with how they turned out!

Although the wedding theme is all blues and silvers and sparkly and starry, I decided to depart from that for the shower invites and really had a good time coming up with the design, as i had the freedom to make them as I pleased. I knew what I wanted my palette to be from the start, and just started drawing by hand. Then scanning. Then digitally tracing. Then creating the layout, until I liked what I saw.

Perhaps the design will re-incarnate soon as some thank you notes, or other greeting--keep an eye out for this new floral design to appear in my etsy shop before the season turns!

beautiful inspiration

2007-09-30T20:10:00.000-07:00

This afternoon a friend and I went over to the Grand Avenue Festival downtown. Block off streets, offer delicious food for a few bucks, perform live music, and I'm there! It was quite the afternoon, the highlight of which you see above: we got free(!) tickets to a concert by the LA Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The hall itself is beautiful, and I had never been inside it until today. By an amazing stroke of luck, our tickets (which had reserved sections) were for the small section behind the orchestra. It was such an experience to sit as if you're looking over the orchestra's shoulders, and a great new perspective to see the conductor at work. And the music!--they performed works by Sibelius, and it was just beautiful.

Of course we ate to our heart's content, and wandered around the concert hall gardens. The afternoon also included a quick visit to the Cathedral where we heard an organ demonstration. The whole outing was made all the better by having gotten downtown via the Metro subway. It was my first time on LA's subway, and aside from a technical glitch on the ride home, I definitely loved the easy access of the subway. The lines should definitely be expanded to cover a greater portion of our city.

there are changes afoot

2007-09-22T01:12:00.001-07:00

Rain, glorious rain!

We needed it so badly and finally it came--the gray clouds rolled in and suddenly the sidewalks were slick with rain that hadn't fallen in months! Here's to hoping it continues.

I have a feeling that this exhilarating shift in seasons nourishing our parched town will also help to jump-start my creative work, and help me to get myself back in to the rhythm of things. I have been neglecting my card-making! There are many, many ideas I am itching to put down on paper and a few will be applied into projects in the coming weeks--stay tuned for shiny new items to appear soon in my etsy shop!

I have been getting back in to drinking mugs of hot teas, they are just so warming from the inside out, and the perfect end note to what was a harrowing week. My current drink of choice is rooibos, full of antioxidants and delicious in these slightly cooler evenings.

Sunshine and Oatmeal Cookies

2007-08-15T00:44:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all who came by at Craftivism on Sunday! It was wonderful being out there and connecting with the people interested in my work and products. I was amazed at how many people braved the heat and came out to nibble on all the crafty goodness that filled the courtyard that afternoon.
I had even brought home-baked crispy-chewy oatmeal cookies out with me, and many inquired for the recipe. It was originally printed in the LA Times, and it's quite simple really--just a few ingredients, and no flour! Do be sure, though, to follow the instructions very carefully, as they are a bit fragile to make. Enjoy!

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Extra Crisp and Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Makes about 18 cookies

1/3 c. butter
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1/8 tsp. salt
1 egg

Melt butter and set aside to cool.
Place oatmeal in medium bowl. Stir in sugars and salt, and blend to break up any lumps. In a separate bowl, whisk together melted butter, vanilla and egg. Stir into oatmeal mixture, and chill dough for 20 minutes.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls and set on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly with moist fingers.
Bake at 350 degrees until edges are nicely browned and the tops of cookies are medium golden, 9 to 11 minutes. Cool well on baking sheets, about 10 minutes., before attempting to remove with metal spatula or icing knife. Cookies can also be brought to room temperature and flattened more to make them larger, more crisp and lacy-like. cover loosely and keep refrigerated.