Do the Hussy

Everyday Loops

Years ago, I had a very simple pair of small hoop earrings that I wore all the time. Like 24/7. Sleeping, showering, whatever, they could be left in, so I always had earrings on even when I wasn't thinking about it. The other day I was digging through my earrings looking for a pair that met those criteria: simple, sturdy, hooked closed, plain but with a smidge of style. Sort of a fancy earwire. Couldn't find anything that I wanted, so I made some*. This is what I've come up with. I call them Everyday Loops (and they are, of course, available in my Etsy shop). I'm big and I have lots of hair, I wanted something bigger than the old pair I used to wear so they had some presence on me. I've also made a smaller pair for those that like it like that. I'll have pictures of the smaller ones in my shop soon.

*I love that I can do that!

Berry Berry Wonderful

The day was stunning and sunny. Not too hot. I was picked up (by Leah /Leah Pellegrini Glass and Amanda/Bread and Badger) and whisked off to the fun of berry picking on Sauvie Island. The strawberries were already done for the season, so we went for the blueberries and the raspberries. One in the basket, one in my mouth. Plump and bursting with sweet juiciness. Two for the basket and one for my mouth. Oooo, look a ladybug. Basket, mouth. The bushes were so laden with fruit we could be very, um, picky about what we picked. On to the raspberries. Basket, mouth. Mouth. Mouth. Loves me some raspberries. After we'd gotten our take at Kruger's Farm, we went off for some unbelievable cherries. The trees dripped with fruit. Basket, mouth. Some we could pick standing on the ground, and some fun was had on the orchard ladders. I took so much that I thought I wouldn't be able to eat it all myself, but it's gone. (and my camera batteries died and I finished them before I got any pictures...) You know they taste even better when you've picked them yourself. None of this silly pie/tart/smoothie making for me either. I've finished it all off straight from the basket. To my mouth.

My Year in Portland

In June, I celebrated my one-year anniversary in Portland. Here are a few things I’ve learned in that year:

• All work and no play makes me a dull girl – to myself and to everyone else – and more than a bit neurotic.

• Portland is an incredibly wonderful place to be an artist/crafter in. There are tons of people who also craft and the community itself loves and supports crafting.

• People in Portland do not believe in rain. Unless the water from the sky is falling extra hard, which it doesn’t do too often, people tend to just ignore it and act like nothing is different than a sunny day. Since during some times of the year it rains a lot, this is a very healthy mindset to have.

• You can’t swing a mildly sedated cat without hitting a coffee shop. In Portland, caffeine is one of the 4 basic food groups. Beer is another.

• People in Portland actually do take time to stop and smell the roses. Being the “City of Roses,” they are everywhere, in every shape and color. I often find myself sniffing blossoms and I see other people doing the same.

• Crows are really very clever, quite mean and terribly noisy.

• Closed-toed shoes are considered dressing up. Unless they are bike shoes.

• One of the nice things about living in a smaller city is that, although I’ve only lived here a relatively short time (and never leave the house – see the first bullet point), I already run into people I know when I am out and about. It’s nice. It makes me feel connected to the place.