bricolagelife

indulgences

it's the weekend, people!  i started my day by running (7) errands before noon.  that's my new helen heath pocket on my greatly improved canvas shopping bag... thanks again, helen!  it makes groceries even more lovely :)

now it's time for some indulgences.  they don't have to cost much (or anything) but they can be so very satisfying...

slather a toasted buttery croissant with bonne maman raspberry preserves and drink an iced coffee.

take a walk early early in the morning before the day grows heavily humid and too hot.  there are hollyhocks blooming in the alleys near the edge of the park.  i had forgotten how much i love hollyhocks...

for a couple of dollars get a few spring rolls at the vietnamese bakery around the corner...

take a nap in the clean sheets...

make espresso late in the afternoon, tho i know i shouldn't...

wear my vintage clogs around the apartment to break them in because the leather is stiff and the shoe repair man said there was nothing he could do to soften them... even tho i know i shouldn't.  wooden clogs on wood floors over the neighbors downstairs... i'm stepping as softly as i can.

have a cocktail to compliment all the green goddess dressing i've been consuming (i made a replacement batch).  i call this

the ginger goddess

1 ounce ginger/vanilla bean infused simple syrup

2 ounces light rum

juice of one lime

splash or two of sparkling water

ice

cheers!

have a happy weekend

and we love...

everything that grows in the garden around the cottage by the lake.  when we hunt amongst the blossoms and under the boughs we sometimes spy a bird's nest.  or a fine strip of bark... or a patch of soft green moss.  we collect the unused bits and keep them with the acorn caps and buds and berries, pebbles and petals.  because we know what the fairies like and we always build a fairy house in a cozy spot low by the roots where it is shady and quiet...

she is very good at finding just the right spot.  her hands are small and sure as they set the acorn caps filled with the "orange berries" just so at the sturdy stone table.  she makes each bed herself.  padded with grass clippings and pillowed with hydrangea clusters.  she works tirelessly for hours at this while her aunt burns pink, hotly, along the exposed back of her neck.  and when every single thing is just right we go back inside, or to the beach, or to the pie farm.  we must wait a good while until we go back to see if they've been there.  we know they will come after evening twilight and before the dew dries in the morning.  that's when it's quiet, when no one's about to frighten them away.  they play in the fairy houses and then scatter like fluff on a breeze at daybreak.  

she will tiptoe over the grass to peek into the house before we drive away for home.  she will announce to us that the fairies came and report what they have moved or taken in great detail.  then silently she leans down and tidies up for their next visit.  we believe in the magic, in the tiny winged creatures too shy to reveal themselves.  as long as we believe they will come.

this is the book that got us started.  you may like it, too :)

and here is another story about fairy houses from the lovely mayalu.

happy building!

we love...

hanging out at the pie farm eating ice cream cones and bringing home a pie.

looking around at sunset junk.  taking pictures.  not buying anything.

weekending

we love clouds.  especially if they resemble goldfish or birds or dragons or winged ponies.

we love playgrounds.  especially if they have plenty of vintage equipment.  that's the best.

thanks l + t for the cottage :)

feeling beachy

i'll be back on monday :)

inside looking out

/

it has been sunny, breezy, in the 70s and not a bit humid for days.  summer perfection.

i'm loving these paintings by vivienne strauss

and these paintings by amanda blake 

and the delightful stylings of the amazing only shallow.

they make me want to dress up... and paint :)

macro fun with tiny flowers in the cottage yard

more from last week at the beach...

learning from a master

... more stories from craft days with jean. jean is teaching me to needle-felt, a skill i've been wanting to develop for a long time. my brain absorbs new techniques better thru human interaction than thru diagrams and written instructions. so i started begging her to teach me over a year ago. and on thursday my pestering paid off, big time.

the piece above is jean's work. she opened a rusting altoids tin and handed me a needle. i dug out my stash of natural-dyed wool fleece (saved up just for such a possibility) and a couple of fresh kitchen sponges. with very little hoopla, she said "you just do this, over and over... and see what happens..." we began to play around with the supplies at hand. as we chatted she cut this silhouette freehand from a felted sweater and proceeded to turn it in her hands, punching in the little details until she had this gorgeous finished elfin cameo. she is amazing.

the photo below shows my first attempts.

the work is pleasingly slow and meditative, i am already addicted to it. and i can hardly wait for next thursday :)

passing time

a building we see while out walking

our place

my guy

laundry day

staring at these, trying to decide

spring is brown

on our walk this evening.