requies

I added a new coffee cozy to my etsy shop, Art of Ariadne! I love the pumpkin color, I think I'll knit one just for me! Is it sad that I'm so ready for fall? I've been day dreaming of carving pumpkins and wearing jackets. The weather has been a lot cooler and I am loving it. I feel ashamed though, like I'm rejecting my Texan roots by being sick of the heat.

Anyway, if you have an etsy account I would be ever so grateful if you favorited my new cozy. And while you're at it, favorite all my other items too! : )

I really enjoyed showing you guys some of my favorite prints a few days ago. I found even more that I really like which I think would be perfect in a kitchen or dining room. Click on the image to access the artists' etsy shop.

A simple but eye-catching reminder. Do you guys sit down at a table to eat every meal? Jared and I usually eat dinner at TV tables as we watch Star Trek. I'm not ashamed! When  I picture our future though, with children, we're definitely eating around a table as a family. I wonder if it will really be like that!

I love the mid-century inspiration in this print. But the simplicity and primary colors seem distinctly modern. Love it!

This print is simultaneously eye-catching, stylish, unique and immensely helpful! I can't tell you how many times I google "1 cup = how many tablespoons?" It also comes in different colors, but I like this pumpkin color the best.

Thanks Jan, Jenna and Kristy for letting me post your images!

Decorating kitchens is hard! Do you guys have any tips?

We just moved into our new apartment, and our walls are bare waiting to display some beautiful art. Here are my favorite pieces I've found so far. Click on the images for links to where they can be purchased. 

Stunning isn't it? Could that be a pun, because jellyfishes stun people? Why not? I love the electric teal, the details and the cropped perspective. It reminds me of one of my favorite animes, Princess Jellyfish, and also of many trips to the beach with family.

Do I even need to explain why I love this print? Texas will always be our home. We're sojourners here in Illinois, no matter how long we stay . I also love the crisp, simple design, the primary colors, and the vintage, kitschy inspiration.

Illinois is pretty great though! I've had my eye on this paper cut art for some time now. I love the depth it gives to the Great Lakes, and the colors remind me of cold, immense Lake Michigan.

I already have one of Ashley G's prints called Knitty Knitty. Love it! The colors in Abstract 1 just make me happy! When I look at it I hear bossa nova in my head! There's definitely something tropical about the abstract shapes to me. I see waves, shells and tiny fish.

I will definitely buy this print someday, it's just too perfect! It is exactly like Jared and I! Jared plays the bass, for those of you who don't know, and I knit, which you all know. If only the girl also had glasses, and there were no cats. They're very cute, but Jared is allergic! Maybe I could ask Rosie to make me a custom print! In addition to the similarities to our leisure activities, I love the green color  motif and the serenity captured by the artist. They all look so peaceful and content, I love love love it! She has a whole series of these prints in her store, I bet you could find one that reflects your interests!

So what do you think, which prints are your favorites? 

Thanks to Amanda, Cindy, Marnie, Ashley and Rosie for letting me post these images of their beautiful artwork!

I just realized last night that I call fireflies "Lightning Bugs" and always have. I'm proud of that! What do you call them?

I was thinking about it because I asked myself "What is your favorite thing about summer?" This summer has been chaotic, we totaled our car (and we're both totally unscathed!), had a lot of unexpected expenses (like fixing the AC on the car that got totaled only days later), we both got sick, we moved into a new apartment (which we're very thankful for but the process was quite stressful) and we bought a new car (again which we're very thankful for but making such a big purchase can be unnerving, it also falls into the unexpected expenses category)! And all this in just 3 weeks!

In the midst of all this chaos, I haven't really had a chance to enjoy summer, with the exception of the trip to Florida which was glorious. And even now that it's all over I still am really jumpy; when the phone rings my heart races because my first instinct is that it's bad news, and I've been having trouble sleeping, which is rare for me. 

So, to help calm my nerves and force myself to enjoy this beautiful weather and all the things that come with it, I was thinking about what aspect of summer I really wanted to savor. I chose lightning bugs! They're so magical and tranquil and I love how you see them just as twilight begins, the most peaceful time of the day. They also remind me of my childhood, catching them in mason jars on Mammaw's driveway and then barbarically  rupturing their abdomens to smear their glowing guts on my face. Kids are gross! And in the future when I see lightning bugs I'll remember the walks Jared and I have been taking and how we stop to admire them as we hold hands. Yep, lightning bugs definitely help me  relax and enjoy summer. 

The beautiful print above reminds me of Psalm 4:8, "I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone O Lord make me dwell in safety." Thanks for reading this, writing it was a good exercise for me to remember how blessed I am and how good God is.

Hello! I just wanted to share the newest item in my etsy shop, Art of Ariadne, a lacy bookmark!

Aren't the flowers beautiful? They were a gift from a family at school. They smell sooo good! I don't know what kind of flowers they are. Would any of you enlighten me?

This has been a slow year. 2011 is 30% over and I haven't even finished making my list of 26 things I want to accomplish. Yeesh!

8. Think of 26 things I want to accomplish this year.
9. Write on average, one blog post a week.
I really do feel guilty for writing so sparingly this winter. Apparently I creatively hibernate. Meaning, not that I hibernate in creative ways but that I seem to have a lack of creativity during the coldest months, a seasonal creativity disorder if you will. But, it's spring now so I have no excuses! 
10. Have 20 items for sale in my etsy shop.
Write now I only have 8. I have some ideas, like a lace infinity scarf, a cabled book cover, a lacy bookmark, and a knitted picture frame. What do you think? Would you buy any of those? 
10. Learn how to embroider.
Embroidery is back in a big way! Gah, I love it so much!

 Wild Olive has like, a billion precious patterns I want to try, if only I knew how. 

Doesn't it make your heart skip a beat?! Penguin is releasing a new edition of some classic books this fall with covers designed by Jillian Tamaki. (Thanks Allison for sharing this on your blog!)

 I'm lucky enough to have some embroidered art made by my Aunt Susan. I love having it in our apartment. Isn't it cute!? Hopefully by the end of the year, I'll have some of my own embroidery to add to the wall.

Like I said yesterday, I spend way too much time on etsy. But, it's a good thing, because I find all sorts of stuff that really inspires me! So I thought I would start sharing my finds with you, in the hopes that you too would be moved to create something! Or at least enjoy the craftsmanship of others! You can click on these images and it will take you to the etsy store. Enjoy!

I am fully ensconced in my etsy shop, Art of Ariadne now! I've made 9 sales! Jared's brother even made a cool logo for me!

Neat, huh! The yarn is wrapped around the finger because Ariadne helped Theseus remember his way out of the Labyrinth! Clever girl! 

I'm working on a new item tonight, a pencil holder with a pretty knit cover. I'll post pictures when I finish!