here’s a few pics of the eco-home project, proto homes, that’s been consuming my friend emily’s days! the prototype house features modern, modular, eco-conscious, gorgeous flexible spaces, finishes and furnishings… i was lucky enough to get a preview tour of the entire project, including the many patent-pending technologies and systems still under wraps from the general public for another few weeks.

drool…. i want one of my own! btw, recognize the bathroom poster?! that was a lovely surprise!

it’s been quite a month so far, so i treated myself to some r-n-r courtesy of airline credit card miles. besides the backyard avocados and the 70 degree sunny weather, i’m also enjoying running around town with my architect friend emily seeing her latest project, other architectural wonders and details, design shops, thrift shops, coffee and dessert bars, restaurants… so fun! here are a few pics [more are/will be on flickr]:

gjelina on abbot-kinney in venice. this felt like portland-meets-l.a. some awesome people-watching here. my favorite: a well-kept and decked-out gentleman in his 70′s wearing a black leather member’s only type jacket, holding hands with his much younger sweetie.

intelligentsia coffee on abbot-kinney in venice. these photos are from here and here – i forgot to take my own! chicago-meets-l.a. the seating and other details in this shop are nicely done! wood + metal + clean lines = what’s not to love?

tortoise. my new favorite shop. i wanted to live in this shop, or at least never leave! everything here is so simple, beautiful, and serene!

strangely emily lived for years in venice, but had never seen the canals. i’d never seen them either. so just as the sun was setting, we rectified that. wow. if i had to live in l.a., i would want to live here! so amazing! besides the canals, canoes, and salt water smell there were countlessly different architectural styles and details side by side. i’ll definitely be back, earlier in the day next time.

lookit what i found today in my flat files! a few years back i was asked to participate in a business card art show. at the time i was researching sierra forest wildflowers, and my friend jess had just gotten a job at sierra club magazine. perfect fit!

the show ended, the cards were sent back to me, and got lost in the back of the flat files.

today i’ve posted them to jess, who, it happens, still works for the magazine!

oooh, i wish i could remember how i stumbled across peter’s blog but the past few computer-less weeks have been a blur! i really should be catching up with my backlog of work, but i’m so excited to share peter’s work with you now that i have my new computer and files back!

this interview with peter sums it up perfectly: “a nice balance between a machine-aesthetic and a hand-craft-method.”

laser cut wood pieces? mmm hmm. and colorful plastic pieces? yes, please. all used as updated woodcuts for letterpress printing? oh yeah.

as if that weren’t enough to make me/us swoon, peter had to go and take it to the next level: creating limited edition boxes of laser cut goodness kits to play with, combine and recombine that peter has dubbed “hand werk boxes.” omg, if anyone ever gets me one of these as a gift i’ll surely lose it!

and don’t even get me started on his typography project/studies…

or his embroidery + furniture with his partner…

or his musings on teaching… so. what are you waiting for? just go dig through his blog already!

still waiting for my new computer to arrive so i can get back to work 100%! i’ve been using this time to organize my studio, see friends, and rest. lucy’s crazy cold is dissipating, she’s back to her old self: waking me up at the crack of dawn for breakfast and insisting on her daily walk even though it’s pouring rain!

while we’re waiting, here’s a small online interview with yours truly!

i’m feeling better, a new computer is on the way, but lucy is worse. we’re on the way to the vet now!

well, this has been quite a year of lessons so far. lessons i don’t think i needed to learn.

i’ve been mostly bed-ridden the past 5 days with my usual second-week-of-january cold. thanks to being 4 years into my five-year diary i knew it was coming and thought i’d prepared to beat it this year by avoiding all the foods i know my body doesn’t like but my taste-buds love, getting enough sleep, and exercising daily. all of it was for naught though – apparently tradition is stronger than health! not only that, this year’s cold was way worse than usual! note to self: have that glass of wine and that dessert and clear the calendar the second week of january.

then thursday morning, my worst sick day, my laptop died. an hour before i was going to conduct my usual in-person class online from the comfort of my own bed instead. a week after the warranty and apple care package expired on the thing, and a month after my accountant talked me out of buying a new laptop. thankfully i didn’t loose much as i’ve been in this position several times in the past and back up my files every few days! i’ve been watching movies and keeping up with emails on a rental that has no programs installed – which is why this post has no pictures! i find out this afternoon if my old computer can be revived, or if i get to order a new one after all. note to self: the accountant doesn’t know best!

i’m finally feeling better, but my poor lucy dog has now come down with the cold. yesterday she was just sniffly and listless, but today she’s really hot, snotty, other gross things not worth mentioning, and didn’t even eat breakfast. in the eight years i’ve known her, this is only the third time she hasn’t devoured her food in seconds. you know it’s bad when lucy doesn’t eat! note to self: well, i’m not sure yet what this is supposed to teach me!

finger’s crossed my computer can be revived and will last at least a few more months – otherwise the birds poster i’m working on will be delayed a few months!

hey porland-area gardeners! the east multnomah soil and water conservation district is having their annual native plant sale! douglas aster, nootka rose, oxalis… some of the native plants i draw can live in your garden!

above: my drawing and a photo of douglas aster; below: my drawing and a photo of nootka rose.

the emswcd also has great FREE garden workshops – i’ve taken the naturescaping and rain garden ones in the past and recommend them.

wow, check out this beautiful intricate cut and layered paper work from simone lourenco!

although i don’t utilize cut paper in my own work, it still fascinates me. must be all those years of working with saelee on our annual calendar!

this weekend’s studio work included drawing some of the winning birds from my first poll last week. thanks for your help! above you can see anna’s hummingbird, red-breasted nuthatch, and golden sparrow.

this morning i’m packing orders, including a salmon poster on it’s way to the offices of the clackamas river basin council!