Wednesday, November 26, 2008
On Gratitude and Gizzards
Posted by UmberDove at 11/26/2008 11 comments
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
All the Way from Australia!
It was a very blue package, full of bookmarks and butterflies, blue pens and buttons (oh the hedgehog one is my very favorite!), bookplates and birthday books. But I think my favorite of all, and the one I will be using ALL the time is my new yoga bag with printed bicycles.
Posted by UmberDove at 11/25/2008 4 comments
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Birth of a Mosserrarium
And then I made two more.
Posted by UmberDove at 11/22/2008 11 comments
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Kelly likes Billy
I have a new crush. His name is Billy. I keep sneaking off for quick rendezvous in the afternoon when I'm supposedly working and slipping in just a few minutes with him just before bed.
Posted by UmberDove at 11/18/2008 8 comments
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Posted by UmberDove at 11/15/2008 4 comments
And the Winner is...
Jenn, lovely Jenn, congratulations! I tried to be fair and wrote every one's name down on little snips of paper but Thai, he just insisted on picking out the winner (and I think he has a little kitty-boy crush on you anyways!) and he picked you! I'll be sure to bundle up your new calendar with lots of love and send it your way in hopes of a brilliant year ahead.
Seriously, I had such cheeriness yesterday reading all your comments and [truly amazing] emails [that made me want to cry in joy]. I was so distracted all day by the magnetic pull of my computer that I barely managed to put in a full day of work. BUT, I can think of no better audience to share with than you, and so I am grateful.
Posted by UmberDove at 11/15/2008 6 comments
Friday, November 14, 2008
Drum Roll Please...
Oy! So much excitement is crackling in the air here! The calendar will be officially for sale in my little shop o' wonders as soon as I tackle the rest of the photography but I just couldn't wait any longer to give you the sneak peeks.
And the big news, yes mame, the website. I swear to you, there is nothing more sure to cause the grandest of elation and the surest of panic attacks than publishing a website to, well, EVERY ONE. There are still a few tweeks to be tweeked, and a few more paintings waiting for their photo shoots but my heart is full up to bursting (and it just might! It's that kind of excitement where you just don't know what to do with yourself and NO ONE is answering their phones, not even your mother and you tell your bestest man and he says "yes, I'm really excited too and I have been sitting here the entire time and I do know all about it, yes even how you changed the color of that one font..." Ok, sorry, regaining control). But seriously, you should take a look (not a peek, but a loooooooooook) because these paintings, this outpouring of my soul, this voluntary sharing of my heart, is who I am on the very deepest level of self.
So here is the way things will be going down: Just leave me a comment (and no anonymous comment bombers either, after all, how will I let you know when you win?) saying that you stopped by today, Friday November 14th and you will be entered into the drawing for a free UmberDove 2009 Calendar. That's it. Well almost. You will need to come back by tomorrow (Saturday November 15th) because I'll be announcing the winner. Cross your fingers, toss some salt and good luck!
Wishing you all the swiftest of Fridays and plenty of smooches,
Umber
Posted by UmberDove at 11/14/2008 23 comments
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Make Apple Butter, Not War
Oh, yes. Apple butter. I've been doing my part this last week to keep our whole building smelling sweetly of cooking apples and baked goods while putting up roughly 30 jars of apple butter for our consumption and Christmas giving (it might be a 50/50 split, as I am pretty greedy with the apple butter).
While we're on the subject, here are some things you might need to know about me in the kitchen:
1) I sit on the counter tops. A lot. There is just something about the kitchen that just radiates the heart of my home, it is the natural gathering spot that everyone wants in on. This is a tricky business being that the floor space of my kitchen measures a cool 2.5 feet wide by 10 feet long.
2) I do not own an apron. I probably should (but the two chef aprons that *mysteriously* ended up in my possession after a long stint bartending at a particular well-known establishment both made their way to my studio and are thusly covered in oil paint).
3) My favorite thing to wear when really getting my "cook on" are my white lounge-y pants.
5) And just to round out the story, yes, all 30+ jars of apple butter saw some quality white lounge pant action.
Good times.
I tell you, it's a vivacious life I'm living up here in Seattle. Watch out!
Posted by UmberDove at 11/09/2008 6 comments
Monday, November 3, 2008
Save the Date...
... because the new and breath-taking UmberDove 2009 Calendar is right around the corner! You can clap your hand or squeal in merriment because that is what I am doing about it. I'm pouring in the work right now, finishing up all twelve watercolored paintings that form the basis for the twelve calendar months of the year.
Want a sneak peak?
Of course these ones are still in progress, but you are looking at the proud, future months of January, July, December and June (and I'm not telling which is which - got to keep some suspense around here!).
The 2009 Calendar will be officially available for purchase Saturday November 15th through my little shop o' wonders, all ready for giving and getting (did I mention Christmas is a really great time to give an UmberDove calendar?).
And stay tuned in for the Calendar Give Away Kick Off Party which will be happening right here, on this blog, Friday, November 14th (you don't even have to bring anything, just show up, read the post for that day, and leave me a comment and a free calendar could be yours! Now don't you wish you had a calendar to mark that on...).
Posted by UmberDove at 11/03/2008 6 comments
Sunday, November 2, 2008
The Trees and I, we dress alike
Of course this is no surprise because inside this fragile human skin, there is a redwood with bones grown from the detritis of the past, blood pumping in crystalline shades of amber sap. The trees woke me this morning, singing the song of November, a swinging tune to the bright snap of the wind. The maple and I hum to the cherry blossom trees, lulling them to sleep with promises of a winter gifts and a brilliant spring to come. They stretch and grunt in the breeze, snuggling into autumn, bedding down before the snow falls.
We will all sleep well under this warm blanket.
Posted by UmberDove at 11/02/2008 8 comments