i'm in orange county for christmas this year, and its going to be seventy degrees. hm. have a great holiday, i'll be back home in time for new years...

i am seeing (and loving!) lots of matryoshka around the web in the work of artists and designers. i usually get tired of kitchy motifs after seeing them a couple of times (antlers? no thanks) - but not these. sean and i picked up three keychain ladies on our trip to prague - so cute!

i'm honored to have been featured in a couple of great blogs recently...

my childhood friend and neighbor emily wrote about about raeburn ink on her blog, eco-chic weddings. she's got tons of great ideas about how to embrace earth conscious values while still planning a stylish event. she has even written a book, which i think would be a great gift for folks about to take the plunge.

and andrea of fly, who i met last summer at the renegade craft fair, did a lovely post on some things i have for sale on etsy. wow.

thanks!

my morning view is misty today, looks like it will be another wintry (i.e. rainy) one...

i had a great time in portland - seeing the city and participating in a craft fair on the west coast were great fun. i definitely miss urban life! my birthday was on the 15th, and i was so glad to spend it eating dumplings and visiting the portland art museum. a step above my local options in humboldt for the weekend...

crafty wonderland

i'm off to portland tomorrow for a brief visit and a sale - i'm a vendor at crafty wonderland, a big holiday craft sale, this sunday the 16th. i hear such great things about portland, i am really looking forward to exploring it and joining up with the handmade community. if you're in the area, do stop by!

daytrip society now has online shopping! i designed a few maine-centric tee shirt graphics for their store at the beginning of the summer, which was a fun project for me. i got the chance to design in a much different style than i usually do. they also carry a full line of raeburn ink products, including some stuff that isn't available anywhere else. i am buying some of my holiday gifts from them, they've got a great collection available online!

new pillows available on etsy!

it was cold and clear last night, and this morning there is a layer of frost covering everything. the crystal formations are pretty amazing. as the sun rises, the frost melts - it has turned to dewy moisture where the sun has hit, but remains icy in the shadows.

i have been busy working the last couple of days, getting ready for my visit to portland and the sale at crafty wonderland. there will be pics soon on etsy, new pillows and bags, and some tee shirts too! one thing i really appreciate about my life in the country is having lots of time for creative projects. my sewing machine has been getting a workout!

i spent a while today trying to photograph the weather - first the blustery winds that have been shaking the house for the past two days, later the pouring rain that announced the arrival of winter here on tower drive. the pics just weren't capturing the dramatic weather. but then the power went out and i had to get out the candles.....

allison, brooke, and denise came over today for a stitch n' bitch. i was so impressed that everyone brought their sewing machines! it was really fun to be social and exchange ideas about projects - especially in contrast to the generally long hours i spend working alone. i hope we can do more of these in the future...