In case anyone is wondering where the heck I am, I’ve been without a computer for the last week, as it was needed at the store to program our new register. Chris just set it back up last night, and I had a few hundred new emails waiting for me. So, if you’ve written me and I haven’t responded back yet, I am indeed alive, I just haven’t had a chance to catch up yet! I will try to get caught up in the next few days, then get some blogs and photos up, as I have lots of fun and exciting things to share… 🙂
Summertime
Just a quick blog before bedtime…we’ve had so much on our plates lately, I haven’t had a moment to take any pictures, so here is a happy photo of some summer sunflowers to brighten the post up. Sigh – I’m exhausted but happy. This life we’ve chosen has us working pretty much all the time, but it also feels really good. I would much rather work 10-14 hours a day 6-7 days a week in a life I absolutely love, fulfilling my dreams and using my talents, than work 8 square hours a day, 5 days a week inside an office in front of a computer doing absolutely nothing related to the things I am passionate about and gifted to do. It is a scary and risky way to live, because my office job means stability and relatively predictable income, but the quality of life being a shop owner, artist, volunteer counselor, homemaker, wife, friend, godmother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, neighbor, hostess, piano player, butterfly chaser, and bubblebath taker is drastically different. The more time I spend doing the things I feel God made me to do, the more healthy I feel, and the more…me. I’m not saying I don’t enjoy my job – I do enjoy it, and love the people I work with (most of the time 🙂 ). But it is not what I was meant to do for the rest of my life.
Ok, enough about my deep inner thoughts. Let’s see, a quick update on what I’ve been up to:
- Store expansion – our grand reopening is next week! I was busy painting folkart-style designs on the new counter we are building. I’ve been in the mood to paint LARGE for a while, so this is satisfying that craving. I’ll post photos when done.
- Press – we were published in this month’s issue of Country Pleasures Magazine! One of the writers came out to the store to interview Chris and wrote an article about our expansion – it was actually more about us than the store, which was really weird to read. Its all true, its just when you see it in print, it looks so…glamorous!
- Fat Book – I’m in a new and exciting fat book exchange with my WA State art yahoo group, based on the seasons. Six of us exchange original 4×4 book pages, 4 times a year with each season as the theme. We just completed Spring, and as soon as I get it back I’ll post photos.
- Crochet – I’ve taken up crochet again, which I love but was getting tired of sewing blankets. I found some fun and simple patterns for flower broaches and baby balls, so I’m stitching up some fun when I have free moments (not much so far. :))
Oh, that’s really about it. What’s in store for everyone’s week?
Nighty night.
Quick and boring blog
Yes, I’m still alive! So much has been going on lately, I just haven’t been home to blog. Our store, The Weed Patch, as its official grand reopening next weekend and we are furiously working like busy little bees finishing up everything having to do with the expansion – the back patio, waterfall, plants, new counter, opening the loft, etc etc. It seems like that has taken all our free moments lately, but it has been a labor of love. The store will look wonderful when finished, but the day it is finished we’re going home and going to bed, and not getting up until we absolutely have to.
In art news, I’ve been working on some crochet flower broaches and a watercolor illustration with a sort of day/night theme (you’ll see). I’ve been working on it in bits as I have a moment here and there. I’m home for a little while today to get some house cleaning and laundry done, then I’m off to the store. Just thought I’d check in!
Happy Independence Day!
Happy Independence Day! This has been an especially long enjoyable weekend for me, since I took Monday off from work. The four day stretch gave me a taste of what it would be like to work on my business and our store full-time, rather than have an office job. I don’t know if it is the high of living in an actual home in a dream location in our favorite town, with a shop to own and run full of colorful creative things, and with a budding art business, but office life is definitely making a slow and graceful exit from my list of great things to do for the rest of my life. But I digress…
Saturday fortune twisted so that I covered the store counter all on my own, so I spent my day greeting and helping customers, chatting with happy people, smelling candles with them, looking for a star just the right color and shape to fill that spot on someone’s display shelf, eating my lunch out by baby bunnies roaming around the lawn.
Sunday morning found me down at the Java Inn enjoying an iced latte that actually tasted like coffee (Starbucks has linked arms with office life, I think), while people watching and journaling. A favorite store, Queen Bee, expanded down the street to a space twice its size or more, so I checked it out on my way back home. This is a fun, French-style store, a successful blend of foofy upscale whimsy and vintage charming country – she carries art depicting scenes of bistros and French cityscapes, paper arts by Ashley Carter, millinery leaves and flowers, a wide selection of ribbons, chunky soaps, candles, stationary, tags, and dishes. I walked through very slowly, savoring every bit of eye candy.
I then stopped by my favorite antique mall down here, Remember When – this is where I bought all my Fire-King dishes for the tea party last week, as well as my turquoise lamps (did I actually blog on that? I’ll have to check that later…). I found a set of three turquoise bowls for $3.50 and an orange carnival glass bowl going for half off because the vendor is moving – score! I’ll post some photos, as soon as I have them.
I’ve had this hacking cough for the last week now, with no explanation, but today is driving me crazy and I can barely sit here typing. I’ll write again soon – for now, I just wanted to say hi, share a little of my weekend, and wish you all a safe and happy 4th!
Tea Party Photos
For some reason my website entirely disappeared for a few days, but it is all sorted out now. Whew!
Still cleaning up from the tea party, but here are a few photos of the flowers for some eye candy for the day. Happy summer!
House, Home, and Tea Party Adventures
I can hardy believe it has been a month since I blogged last – I’m so bad!! Today I am recovering from a wonderful but long weekend of planning, cooking, entertaining, and merrymaking. I hosted a somewhat formal high tea party in honor of my mother – the party was her birthday present promised three years ago, and it has taken this long to finally happen! That said, it ended up being fortunate timing, as she is also officially retired as of two days ago. So, we celebrated her birthday and retirement with much mirth, shopping, and tea drinking!
My mother drove up from her house in Union, WA, along with 6 of her family and friends, to my home in Snohomish. After stuffing themselves silly with freshly cooked crepes (the first I’ve made!) with local strawberries and homemade Devonshire cream, they were off to the town to enjoy some shopping down the street full of lovely local businesses selling antiques, country home furnishings, tea things, fancy candies, and more.
This is the first official entertaining we have done since we moved into our home 2 ½ months ago. It was a ton of hard work preparing for it, as little did we know when we moved in how absolutely filthy this house is. It was built in 1900 and appears have been lacking its share of TLC for quite some time. For instance, the kitchen floor is the original kind of linoleum that requires a good waxing to keep clean. I got down on my hands and knees and scrubbed the life out of it, doing 2 ½ foot sections at a time because the water got black so quickly. I rinsed three times then wiped with a hot wet towel, and I was still bringing up dirt! I quit only because I ran out of comet! That is the kind of filth we are dealing with. I shudder to think of my little 11 month old sweet goddaughter crawling around on there. As soon as I have the energy, I will be down there scrubbing again until I can safely eat off of it, then I’ll find me some old-fashioned floor wax and get it protected before it blackens again. Now that was the kitchen floor only – I haven’t even mentioned the blinds, the wood molding, the stairs, the windows, the garden…!
My sister and her family stayed with us for the weekend, and it was really a blast, despite the work. It was such a joy to have room for two extra adults and two energetic boys! My sister was a lifesaver, helping me with the cooking and coaching me through one crisis after another. Expanding the store and hosting a party for 14 people at the same time is something I will never do again, however I will say that my party was on the calendar first. 🙂 And also – thanks to dearest Holly too, for helping me out so much, making me sit down to eat and drink some water, and giving me one of those "are you really OK" hugs as only the closest of friends can do.
When it was all said and done, everyone seemed to have a truly wonderful time. My menu – cranberry orange scones with Devonshire cream, lemon curd, and local honey; Ham, leek, and three cheese quiche; Chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons; Fresh fruit salad, mixed greens with pesto vinaigrette; chicken salad sandwiches with toasted almonds; mini Caprese sandwiches, which consisted of fresh whole-milk mozzarella cheese, a slice of tomato, a fresh basil leaf, salt & pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, a spot of balsamic vinegar on slices of baguette fresh from the over that morning. I tried two new kinds of loose leaf tea, from the Tea Everything store down the street – a Queen Mary black tea, and a Cranberry Cream flavored black tea. They were huge hits, especially the cranberry, which is good because a bundle of it was their parting gift.
The tablecloth I bought on ebay ended up being BRIGHT yellow. To her credit, the seller did describe it as bright yellow, although in the photo is was a luscious pale buttery yellow, which is what I was hoping for. Oh well, an artist can make something beautiful from most any color, so I paired the bright yellow with deep purple as well as some orange. It ended up being very summery and nice, who knew?
Today Chris is at the store finishing up our lovely back patio – putting in the cement blocks around the edge, building in the waterfall – this place is going to be so relaxing and pleasant when they are finished! I however have rented 6 movies and plan on doing nothing today but watching them, eating leftover scones, picking up a bit, and thinking about how I’m going to wash the dishes for a party of 14 people with no hot water in the kitchen (please note that I also do not have a dishwasher)….
Day 56 – Doodle with some color
List Friday – Summertime
Pomegranates and Paper posts a "List Friday" each week – they give you a set of things to list each week (usually three lists of five things each), just for fun, and so people can get to know each other better. This week’s topic was about summertime – the things that get us thinking about summer.
5 drinks
- Fresh squeezed lemonade. The best lemonade I ever tasted had the fresh squeezed lemon juice and dash of syrup for sweetness, but used sparkling water, plus a slice of jalapeno and a few sprigs of fresh cilantro. YUM!
- Iced Tea. I’m sure this is on everyone’s list. Summer is the only time I drink ice tea – just plain cold tea, no sweeteners or flavors.
- Iced lattes. I only ever get these in the summertime. My taste bud just don’t think there’s a point to getting one any other time. They are SO good. It will take me all day to drink a hot latte, but I’ll gulp one down iced in 10 minute, if I’m trying to make it last.
- Margaritas. When we were kids, mom would make us blended non-alcoholic margaritas that we thought were a really great treat. They had the salt on the rim and everything. Now occasionally we drink the real thing. I’ve only ever drank margaritas with my mom at her house, which is saying something because the first sip of alcohol she ever had in her life was on our trip to Italy in 1998. She is NOT a drinker. But she makes a great margarita, and is fun to drink one with.
- Red wine. For some reason, I tend to enjoy more red wine in the summertime. Maybe is all those fresh, light foods enjoyed al fresco as the sun is going down, and its warm enough to sit outside for a while without freezing.
5 foods
- Pico de gallo. I am completely addicted to this stuff, I can’t get enough of it. My favorite recipe initially came from my friend Moe, and it has (all fresh) tomatoes, jalapenas, lime juice, cilantro, green onions, salt and pepper. Sometimes I add a tomatillo or two.
- Fresh berries – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries. I love them cooked into something, but when I buy them myself I can’t seem to do anything with them beyond scarfing them down by the handful, or sprinkle them on a salad.
- Salad – Oh, I love salad, especially in the summer. I don’t really make my own salads, because I never seem to like them, even if it is the same recipe as someone else made. Anyway, all those fresh crisp veggies and fruits in their prime – mixed greens, spinach, tomatoes, sweet peppers, peaches, nuts, vinaigrettes, herbs. Sigh, I’m in heaven.
- Caprese – anything caprese. That’s fresh whole-milk mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes. In any form really – grilled panini, wood-fired pizza, or alone on a plate drizzled with a little olive oil and basalmic vinegar. Droooool….
- Ice cream. Of course! My home town makes some of the best ice cream ever. They can make any kind you want, and to prove it they’ve even made cedar chip ice cream! They have every kind of sorbet and sherbet too. I love the berry sorbets or any of the ice creams that have chocolate. When visiting my mom, we like to drive down to Hunter Farm’s and get ourselves a scoop, and they let us get half scoops of two different flavors. Then we browse all the plants on sale while eating it, and there’s always a kitten or puppy or cow somewhere to look at and talk to.
5 activities
- Swimming. I really only ever swim in the summertime. Beaches, lakes, ocean, outdoor pool, I’ll take it all! I especially love wading in sunny glittering rivers and spending hours on the quiet beach up at Westport, WA.
- Barbeque. Now is the time for hot dogs, hamburgers, and other grilled and fried foods I’d not normally eat. Right up here with BBQ is fair food, like corn dogs, elephant ears, funnel cakes, etc. Its not just the food, it’s the friends, eating it outdoors, etc…
- Go to Outdoor Markets. I try to go to as many flea markets, farmer’s markets, and outdoor fairs and shows as possible. I love walking around all that sensory stimulation.
- Go Camping. Again, it’s living outside. Sitting by a river sketching or journaling, hiking through a forest, sitting by a campfire for hours at a time.
- Watch Fireworks. First, I love anything that brings me outdoors at night. Second, fireworks are such an amazing technology to me. How in the world did people figure out that if they mush a bunch of chemicals and goo together, it will fly into the air and make patterns and colors? That’s just amazing.
Where did Janene go?
Well, if you’re wondering what hole I fell into, it’s called Comcast. For some reason, while I can access any other website from my computer at home, and can access my own website from any computer other than home, I unfortunately am currently unable to access my website from my home computer. Apparently it is a Comcast thing. Thus I have been unable to update anything on my site. And I really do have updates! I’ve finished my design drawing and have filled in a good third of it in with colored pencil. It’s looking pretty good so far, wish I could share it with you. As soon as things are back to normal, I’ll get some posts up!
Day 32 – Anaheim Doodle
This is what I managed to accomplished while at my conference in Anaheim this last week – just some pen and ink drawing done inbetween workshops. The doodle started with the single swirl in the bottom left cluster – it is the shape of one of the pieces of iron making up the lamp in my room at the Marriott. It just went from there. This is just .01 & .005 sized black micron pen and mechanical pencil on drawing paper – I plan to add in colored pencil when the drawing part is finished. It doesn’t mean anything, it was just fun.
Now this, on the other hand, is why I’ll be doing very little art this weekend. Boo hoo. 
Sigh.