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My sis and I were eating at Jam last Saturday and I loved seeing Chris Haberman's paintings on the wall. I've seen his work before, but really didn't know much about him until watching this OPB Art Beat feature of him and his work.
He has also painted several murals around Portland besides being in many gallery shows. He doesn't have much of a web presence (at least not that I could find), but it's easy to spot his work around town.
Last Thursday, was the inaugural Plucky Maiden's Junk Fest at Edgefield. This quarterly event will be held at different McMenamins which seems like the perfect fit for this event. 50 vendors set up their junk and upcycled creations outside on the Edgefield's beautiful lawn.
My good friend, Karen, and I had a great time at this event. Happy hour prices on beer made it even more fun to explore amazing vintage items and some just crazy odd ball things. Karen wrote about our evening on the Travel Portland's blog Portland Spoke. I was thrilled when she asked to use some of my photos. You can read her article here.
There is something for everyone at this event, I know my mom would absolutely love it. It was also well attended by hipsters and tons of kids. With live music and all of Edgefield's restaurants open, this makes for a full night of fun. The place was packed!
Plucky Maidens is organized by Maria, owner of Collage. Talking to several vendors, they all commented about how well organized and how smoothly this event was run. They were very excited about the next one in November. And of course, no Portland crafty event is complete without a do-it-yourself craft project. Collage had a table set up for folks to take a break from shopping and to make something crafty.
I bought several things including a necklace made from an old watch chain and watch key, a viewmaster of the World's Fair in Spokane and a beautiful vintage compact that looks like it's never been used. The compact is the perfect size to house my moo business cards.
The next Plucky Maidens will be held at McMenamin's Grand Lodge on November 19th. Mark your calendars! I already have a date to attend with my mom. I'm so excited that this event started off so well and it looks like it's future is bright.
Ever since I heard about House Spirit's coffee liqueur, I knew I had to try it. Booze and coffee are two of my most favorite things, so combining them is a match made in heaven. I bought this bottle a few months ago and I've been remiss in blogging about it. This, of course, hasn't stopped me from consuming this nectar of the gods.
You can see the ingredients: sugar and coffee. Somehow they turn that into a magical concoction that is so yummy. This is a drink you can sip without any of the harsh burning aftermath that scrunches up your face; it's smooth and delicious. I highly recommend trying this for yourself.
Previously, you could only purchase their coffee liqueur in their store on SE 7th. Last week, they were granted permission from the OLCC to sell this in liquor stores around town. Such great news and I'm so happy for them!
I very much appreciate that their government warning is so prominent on their bottle.
I did have some trouble removing the wax from the top of the bottle. I think I used scissors and then a knife to take the wax off. I'm sure there is an easier way to open this; I'm going to ask them the next time I'm at House Spirits.
The bottle is now closer to empty. This is such a great treat to sip alone, pour over vanilla ice cream or to add to a cocktail. I can't wait to experiment more.
If you haven't been to their store, it's worth checking out. They have tours on Saturdays from 1-3pm. Make sure you call ahead for reservations. I learned so much on their tour. It's fascinating to learn how they make Aviation Gin and Aqua Vit which is also for sale at local liquor stores and carried in many bars around town.
The Mayor of Casterbridge, by Thomas Hardy is the 6th book in my summer book project. I have always loved Thomas Hardy. I read Far from the Maddening Crowd in high school and I was hooked. What teenage girl wouldn't fall in love with Gabriel Oak? I've also read Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure.
Michael Henchard is the central character in this book. Boy howdy, I had no use for him. He seemed to only make decisions that would shoot himself in the foot. I don't have a lot of sympathy for such characters. I did really like Elizabeth-Jane, his daughter, and was rooting for her to end up with a happy life. Her story kept me glued to the book.
This book was first published in 1886. It seems like I've only picked Signet books to read in this series. That just happened by chance. Probably because they printed affordable paperbacks that I was able to pick up cheap at garage sales or goodwill.
I just love books with maps in them. Don't you?
This book had almost no writing in it. I think one thing was underlined on the first page. Then there is this on the very last page: Pessimistic Epiphany. It sounds like a great name for a rock band.
Today I am headed to the Mixer Match event organized by I Heart Art: Portland. I know I've talked a lot about this event in the past and I think I'm ready. I have my rings in a display that is very portable, business cards and a wholesale sheet to hand out to folks. I've been practicing my elevator pitch and taking deep breaths to keep calm about this exciting adventure.
I'm as prepared as I can be, but I'm also going to take along this secret weapon.
My sis bought this Brave Bot for me for my last Birthday. She thought he would help bring me courage and boost my confidence. I'm hoping my Brave Bot does the trick! Any kind of public speaking makes me want to cry. Just attending this event is kind of a big deal for me. I hope that he reminds me that I can do this. I can meet people and not cry. I can talk about myself and what I create without my brain leaving my body. I can do this.
Gary Hirsch is the mastermind behind Joy Bots. He creates many different types of Bots to help assist you in any endeavor. From Listening Bots to Love Bots, these friendly guys painted on dominoes are sure to brighten your day.
I met my newest cousin last month at a family function in Idaho. I wanted to get him a present and knew that this onesie from Trusty Sidekick was just the thing. I had first heard of Trusty Sidekick when she was at the booth next to me at a craft fair a few years ago. I just love her brilliant idea for kids clothes and she is also super, super nice. Go buy her stuff!
I also bought this cape for new cousin's older brother. I didn't want him to be left out and I figured what kid wouldn't want a super hero cape. I want one.
Here is my baby cousin. Doesn't he look like a Trusty Sidekick?
Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin is the 5th book (halfway done!) in my summer book project. I had never read anything by James Baldwin before which is very remiss of me since my maiden name is Baldwin. I used to tell people in school that James Baldwin was my uncle. Then again, I also used to tell people that the Baldwin brothers were my cousins. :)
This was a hard novel to read. First it took awhile to get into the novel and to become invested in the characters. There isn't a lot of action in this story, so it started a little slow and dry. But towards the end, I was completely into the book and really enjoyed it.
It was also a hard novel to read because of the subject matter. The story takes place in Harlem in the 1930's. There are several horrific accounts of white people brutally attacking black people which was very hard to read. It was also hard to read about the domestic abuse that happens in the family who is the center of the story. The patriarch of the family is a preacher who constantly abuses his wife and children. The oppression this man of God causes his family, especially his son John, is tragic. It has been said that this story is a very autobiographical one. James Baldwin also had an abusive preacher for a father. James became a preacher at the age of 14 which is the same age as John in the story. At the end, just like Surfacing, the reader is left to figure out how it ends. I personally think that at the end, John is strong enough that his father will no longer abuse him. All in all, it's a very worth while read, but it is tough.
Portland Artist, Amanda Blake of This is all I know is my WAW of the week. I love her oil paintings which all have great titles which adds so much to her art. They are so beautiful and I could look at them for ages. Check out her Etsy shop and her website for more beautiful paintings.
she made wings of love letters and cherry blossoms
they drifted through the sea in a boat made of stars
she saw through the night by the light from her crown of stars
tonight her dreams would be beautiful
rebecca wore a dress of wildflowers
The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone is the story of Michaelanglo's life was the 4th book in my summer reading project. I don't know where I got this book, but it was pretty beat up. The front cover was taped on and I had to tape the back cover by the end. Because it was literally falling apart, I had to read it with two hands. This added a tactile level of consciousness as I became immersed in this amazing story.
And at 775 pages, this was no small read. The book has the Bible thin pages that are quite deceiving, because the book wasn't very thick. I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't put it down and can easily see why it spent 80 weeks on the bestseller list.
Michelangelo Buonarroti lived a very fascinating life. His passion for marble was intense and his sheer artistic ability is pretty unfathomable. Couple that with being tossed around by the whim of every new Pope (he lived through 5) and you have a story that blows your mind. I really can't recommend it enough.
Throughout the course of the book, whenever Michelangelo worked on a project, I would look up that piece on my iPhone. It added so much to the story to be able to see exactly what he was carving and to learn how revolutionary his work truly was. I also enjoyed learning about the Medici family, his rivalry with Leonardo Da Vinci and politics of the Popes of that era.
I'm not one to really notice fonts. I have a good friend who lives for that sort of thing and I get it up to a point. But boy, I sure fell in love with this typeface. It has such a 60's feel and it made me think that Irving Stone was drinking cognac in a smoking jacket while he wrote.
Such a great dedication: "To my wife, Jean Stone, probably the world's best".
5 cents covered the cost of shipping a book in 1961. Oh, how times have changed.
Next Book: Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin
Holly from the UK sent me this picture of the incredible felt flower bouquet she made for her sis-in-law. Holly emailed me many months ago asking for some help with my felt flower bouquet tutorial. I was happy to share my knowledge with her and asked her to send me a picture of her finished bouquet. It turned out so well! The bride is Chinese and the groom is Scottish, so the theme was cherry blossoms combined with mackenzie tartan. I think the end result is beautiful! What a great idea! Holly also made hairbands for the bridesmaids, buttonholes, wands and the ring bearer's pillow. Wow! Such an amazing gift to give her new sis-in-law that I know will be appreciated for years.
Have you made a bouquet of your own? I'd love to see it and post pictures here.