This is the last weekend to see my art window installation at Wanderlust boutique! It's at 28th & SE Ankeny Street in Portland, Oregon. Hours: Saturday 11am-7pm & Sunday 11am-5pm
Tomorrow!
Vanessa of Wanderlust wrote a wonderful blog post about my window installation at her shop. Also, Tomorrow night is the opening party! You're invited! Read about it here! http://www.
Wildwood Trail
I got a chance to explore the wilderness! I started at Pittock Mansion making my way down Wildwood Trail. It was a beautiful day. The tall trees swaying in the wind were mesmerizing. I'm so thankful to live the in Pacific Northwest. Enjoy the snaps!
Valentine's Hike
Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate with Justin. Saturday we spent most of the afternoon exploring in the woods at Forest Park. It's so lush & green. Everywhere you look there was an array of trees, mosses, and ferns. I think it's pretty wild that the forest is so close in to downtown Portland. We both agreed we ought to explore the trails more often... maybe once a month.
Along the trail we got to see the Stone House, a landmark built in the 30's.
Over & Into the City Forest
Over the warm weekend my husband & I retreated to the majestic Laurelhurst Park. Sometimes I forget how close it really is. With our flip flops on, we trudged out to the perfect partial sun spot.
Metallic Champagne flip flops & Matte Merlot Nail polish: Gap
We brought our favorite picnic blanket and pillows, packed club sandwiches, and sweet sugary beverages.
Leaf picnic blanket, pillows: Target. Black bear canvas tote bag: Crafty Wonderland Shop
It was so nice to just kick back, hear the birds a chirpin' and get lost in our thoughts. Above our heads... leaves were getting along swimmingly with the bright blue skies and sunshine.
Red shades: Be*Mused Boutique. PDX Represent t-shirt: Tender Loving Empire
I'm currently reading Area 51 by Annie Jacobsen. It's a bit overwhelming just looking at it's thickness! I found out about the book on the Daily Show with John Stewart. I normally read fiction but hearing about it really intrigued me. Hopefully I make it to the end. Only 2 hundy and some odd numbers to go. Eep.
Of course some drawin' in the Moleskine had to be had. I love the post lanterns that line the paths paved around the park. I don't know much about the history of Laurelhurst, but I bet there is some rich history among these grassy rolling hills... and all the homes that sit amidst.
Grass resin necklace : Fernworks / Faryn Davis
In the center of the park there is a pond. The blue green water is mesmerizing! I can picture little boats floating in the calm waters around the ducklings and bubbly springs.
It feels good to get back into writing. I know I've been a stranger for the past few months or so. My plate sure has been full this summer. And lengthy visit back to the Midwest was done.
It's a brand new week lovelies. I hope you have a good one. xoxo, Alissa.
Follow-up: ’11 Super Colossal Spring Sale
This year's Crafty Wonderland Spring Sale was awesome!No surprise. When has it not been awesome?!
This is the second year that the Spring Sale has been held at the Oregon Convention Center. This year it was also just for one day only.
(via craftywonderland)
Rad goodie bags were given to the first 200 shoppers in line.
(via craftywonderland)
There were book signings of some crafty talented authors, Cathy Callahan, Heidi Kenney, and Susan Beal.
(via craftywonderland)
There were free craft workshops for visitors, like glittered bird pins. Put a bird on it, FTW :)
(via craftywonderland)
Some snaps of my booth!
A new Crafty Wonderland mascot has been released! It was created by the witty, Ryan Berkley.
(via craftywonderland)
I treated myself and purchased my very own 'Dolls for Friends'! I've been wanting one for a very long time now. My cat looks thrilled.
Thanks to all that help make this one of Portland's best craft events!
I can't wait for the next Crafty Wonderland, December 10th and 11th. Mark your calendars!
Follow-up: '11 Lewis Garden Fair
Happy Monday to you all!
I want to thank you all that came out to the Lewis Elementary Garden Fair on Saturday to support the school's garden educational program!
For those who couldn't attend I thought I would share some video & photos with you.
I loved the music program performed by Lewis students...
Alea's groovy Garden Fair ensemble
Tea & cupcake, bake sale goodness
My booth...
More photos from the event here... http://www.flickr.com/photos/lewiselementary/sets/72157626560423180/
Goodies that I got to take home!
This Saturday: Lewis Garden Fair
Come join me this Saturday, the 23rd at Meriwether Lewis Elementary School's Garden Fair!
This will be my 2nd year as an art vendor!
"Meriwether Lewis Elementary School’s Garden Fair is a family-friendly plant sale and garden-inspired art market of handmade goods by local artists. We invite the entire community to enjoy a fun-filled day of plants, art and music!"
"This event will feature live entertainment, a bake sale and student-led tours of the Lewis Learning Gardens. Check out the master plan for our gardens and learn how Lewis is becoming a leader in Portland’s “green” school initiatives. Lewis Elementary is located in the Woodstock neighborhood of Southeast Portland. Proceeds from the Garden Fair will support Lewis Learning Gardens, our outdoor educational program that teaches students, grades K-5, about gardening and sustainability practices, including garden care and planning, recycling, composting and water management and more."
Surrounded by snowflakes
Portland, Oregon had it's very first snow of the season yesterday. It's the first time that it has stuck itself to the ground. To be honest, I wasn't too thrilled that it was coming our way. Being born and raised in the Midwest, I've had my fill. But, I admit, it was exciting to wake up to a winter wonderland. Especially with the flakes planted on Stumptown's many many trees.
Yesterday afternoon I went for a stroll around the neighborhood. It's been awhile since I've been surrounded by zillions of tiny snowflakes. It was sorta magical. Especially walking through my favorite secret courtyard.
Once my picture-taking finger felt numb, I ended the chilly walk. I came back to headquarters and rejuvenated with some chamomile tea off the stovetop and a couple of nuked blueberry muffins that Just & I made last night. Mmm.
Make Friends
I made a new friend recently. More of a reacquaintance, really.
Not of human form, but of an art medium form. That is of gouache. It was in college when we were first introduced. I wasn't too interested then. Maybe it was because my college instructor only supplied our art bins with black and white.
Months ago I purchased a fine gouache colour set on a whim from a local art store.
It hasn't been 'til late that I decided to open them up. The newness of the year can sure motivate you to look back and think of the things you wanted to accomplish in the past year.
As a result, I'm so delighted to have gained a new friend in gouache paint.
Gouache are traditional water based opaque colours which give flat, smooth washes.
I've been hauling them around with me... even bringing them to morning lattes, instead of drawing.
My friend Kim knitting some fingerless gloves at 3 Friends Coffee House.
Saw this lil' guy... one of my favorite plant eating dinosaurs.
Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Sale 2010
December was a busy month! I've been meaning to post about the Super Colossal Holiday Sale for almost a month. Here we go... finally!
Saturday, December 11th and Sunday, December 12th were 2 amazing days. One event that has made Portland so welcoming for me has been Crafty Wonderland. I am so humbled that there are people out there that get down with their art nerdy selves; appreciators & creators alike. I would love to give a shout out to all those who attended and supported handmade.
Over 12,000 shoppers attended! The organizers said that this show was by far their biggest and best event to date. It was so nice to meet new and old faces... sale goers & vendors. There was so much handmade awesomeness that I wanted to marvel over, but I had to man my booth. Ha!
A few snaps of my booth...
Greeting cards, Mini vintage Scrabble rings, button rings, bingo rings, compass rings, and vintage Portland map rings in a vintage fisherman's tackle box
Suitcase filled with Herb Series prints & framings • Vintage Oregon map marble magnets on edge
A handful of my favorite vendors handmade awesomeness...
View more snaps on my Flickr.
I really can't wait for next year's Holiday sale!
Crafty Wonderland Pop-Up Shop
Multnomah County Central Library & Finnegan's Toys has a new neighbor for November & December. The City of Portland has asked Crafty Wonderland to participate in their Pop-Up Shop program. Basically they fill vacant storefronts downtown with local talent over the Holidays. The Crafty Wonderland ladies have exclusively hand-selected 80-some awesome crafters & artists to sell their hip handmade work at their storefront in downtown Portland. They call it a "pop-up shop" because it is only open temporarily, from November 9th through December 30th. I was pretty stoked to be asked to sell my artwork and jewelry there, along with all the other local talented artists & crafters.
The shop is located at 802 SW 10th Avenue in downtown Portland. It's on the corner of SW Yamhill & 10th.
There's a SmartPark parking garage right across the street. Oh so very convenient. There is also parking available at metered street spots. The shop is open from 10:00am – 7:00pm, Monday through Saturday and 12:00pm – 6:00pm on Sundays. There are going to be some fun special events at the shop. For example, wacky holiday photo booth on December 4th, which is this coming Saturday. For more information about events, visit www.craftywonderland.com/pop-up-shop.
I took lots of snaps of the shop and have posted some below. If you would like to see more of them, hop on over to my Flickr here.
Give the gift of handmade this year. Instead of giving your dad a clichéd sweater, give him some something creative and unique!
Support a local artist. Viva handmade!
Azure Ray at Mississippi Studios
Fair warning: I'm a huge music appreciator... listener... whatever. Well, with good music... that is. I may possibly be a music snob ;)
For the very first time I got to see Maria Taylor and Orenda Fink sing in unison right before me. It was the first time too that I got to experience Mississippi Studios' intiment setting. It was awesome and magical. I've been a fan of Azure Ray since that day I came across their album, Burn & Shiver at a local record store in Omaha, Nebraska. Since the band disbanded in 2004, I've seen Maria perform a few times around her solo albums. I've seen Orenda alongside Adrianne (from The Anniversary) performing as Art in Manila too.
photo via azureraymusic.com
When I found out that Azure Ray was getting back together, I was a very happy girl. I think I even jumped up and down a couple times. Big dork present? Yes. When Drawing Down the Moon album become available on Saddle Creek's website, I purchased those mp3's immediately. I hope to own it on vinyl someday. Saddle Creek has a charming Drawing Down the Moon vinyl + t-shirt + flair package. Hint hint.
Along with A.R.'s performance that night... I also got to see Tim Fite. I had no clue who this guy was. I didn't bother to listen to his stuff before the show. And boy was I surprised after his first song. I was thinking, 'okay he's probably going to be some singer-songwriter artist, that would coincide with A.R.'s genre'. Nope. It's was like country, hip-hop, and alternative music mashed together. It threw me off at first. It was pretty fun music though. My friend and I giggled most of the time. I loved how his friend was on webcam singing along on the screen behind him.
He ended his performance with teaching us his "gang sign" which soon turned into hand/finger motions of Itsy Bitsy Spider. He told us we can join his gang even if we are in one already. Lol.
You can download his latest album for free on his website. To be honest I got pretty annoyed with every song after sampling 20 seconds of them. He has pretty repetitive lyrics... and a little too focused on the topic modern culture of consumerism and greed for my taste. So overall, I enjoyed his silliness live but probably won't jam out to his work in the future.
I'm leaving you with a snippet of Azure Ray playing their last song that night... one of my favorites, Rise. Even if Orenda didn't want to play the audience's request.
Our Portland Story, Volume One!
Justin & I contributed to an awesome book called Our Portland Story. Founded by Melissa Delzio, she describes it best: "Our Portland Story Volume 1 is part yearbook, part insider’s travel guide, and part collected memoirs, but is all about Portland by Portlanders." A total of 77 authors and 68 designers contributed. Kudos Melissa! We attended it's release party a couple of weeks ago and got our hands on a copy!
Here's the story we wrote about the legendary & wacky Voodoo Doughnut. We ended our story with a quote from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, "San Dimas High School Football Rules!". Brittany Hanson, a fellow dMobber, illustrated and designed the page.
I've been wanting to share the illustration and design that I did for the book with you for many many months. Remember when I gave you a sneak peek? Well now you can see it as a whole! The story was written by a big fan of the Tualatin River. I had so much fun drawing wildlife illustrations and collaging it with the author's photo.
I loved the messages addressed to Portland that are included within the book, kinda like a high school yearbook.
If you would like to find out more info about the book, be sure to stop by ourportlandstory.com Maybe snag a copy of the book for yourself or gift it this holiday season for that Portland lover you know.
Breakfast for Lunch
My love and I took a bike ride to Mississippi Avenue for the weekend. It's one of my favorites. There are so many shops and street art.
We were so excited to see that Cup & Saucer opened a location on Mississippi. We couldn't resist eating there for lunch. If you haven't ate there I totally recommend it!
Check out the delicious grub we ordered...
Garden Omelet with scone & potatoes Broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, mushroom, spinach and cheddar
Lucky Scramble Bacon, mushroom, green onion, cheddar cheese scrambled with three eggs on top of potatoes
Lastly, here's a recent drawing I did when I was visiting Nebraska. I finally snapped a photo for you to see. Enjoy!
