Lucky Me & The Little Things

Finally available in the Etsy shop.

This past weekend is one of the few ones left this fall season without a show scheduled on it, so my husband had the great idea to visit one of our states’ parks and take a hike at it with our little man and the pooch.

So we headed out to Raven Rock park which is right along the Cape Fear river at Lillington NC. I didn’t realize that there was this much mountain-like terrain only an hour outside of town!

Sasha (our dog) was totally in her element. She gets walked a good bit at home, along with the occasional trip to the dog park, but that all paled in comparison to this giant park with creeks to jump into! and rocks to climb like a mountain goat!

And our little trail-blazer monkey took the lead all 3.5 miles of the trail, running most of the way. When we got home we expected him to want to take it easy for the rest of the afternoon but instead he bounced around off the walls for a few more hours, making good use of all the fresh mountain air in his lungs.

This weekend it’s time for Centerfest in downtown Durham on both Saturday and Sunday. I am excited about doing this show again. Last year was my first time there, and I received a killer spot, and even more killer sales and compliments both days long. I hope this year will be the same. Hours are Saturday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm,  Sunday 12:00 noon – 6:00 pm. For directions, vendor list and other info, visit the Centerfest website.

On Saturday The Handmaidens will also be representin’ at bazaarSPARK during SPARKcon on Saturday from  10am until 6pm, on Hargett street by Fayetteville street. I will not be there personally (though I will if I figure out how to be in two places at once between now and Saturday), a selection of my goods will be there along with all the other beautiful work by the maidens.

I have been soldering up a storm this week, so if you have been looking for some fresh Vintage Wallflower loot, be sure to visit either show! Also, keep your fingers crossed that the weather behaves. Right now it looks like 40% rain on both Saturday and Sunday. Though rain doesn’t seem to have hurt sales much at my last few shows, it’s certainly nerve wracking!

While I was in Wilmington Saturday for the Art Walk (which was great by the way!) I ran over to the shore before driving back home to quickly absorb some of that magical beach energy.  I don’t know how, but even dipping my toes into the sea for just a few minutes, and walking around the sand for a few more, almost does that full job a full weekend beach vacation does, in a speed dating kind of a way I guess. I walked back to the car on my bare feet, and felt more relaxed, content, and recharged than I did 30 minutes earlier.

Then again, it ofcourse made me crave an actual beach vacation more than anything. It’s been years since we’ve been able to do this, though we’ve been fortunate to been able to add a beach day here and there around show trips by the coast. But that’s just not the same as completely blocking out a solid amount of days on the calendar, just to frolick on the beach with you and yours, while your biggest concern is trying to remember to eat meals and apply sun screen before you take a nap on your towel, yet again.

I have only been to Sosta Cafe on Davie street in Downtown Raleigh a few times time, but it instantly became my very VERY favorite sandwich place in all of North America during my first visit.

I am fortunate to both have grown up in a country that is an ethnic melting pot, and been able to travel tons before turning 20, which has allowed me to taste a wonderful variety of ethnic and international foods that taste fresh, unique, and unbelievably delicious.

After moving to the US, I have always tried to keep feeding my international cravings, but over time I have discovered that it’s hard to find international foods that taste even close to the food from the countries that they are supposed to represent. Not to say that it doesn’t often taste delicious, and I am by no means pretending to be a food critic. I am just implying that it often left me dreaming about a ceasar salad that did get served with anchovies and egg, just like I’ve had it a million times in France.

So when I sat down one time with a friend and had lunch at Sosta, and with a single bite of my panini I was instantly transported back to Italy for a moment, I knew I had found my gateway restaurant. I have since found out that it is owned by the French Jerome and Italian Luciano whose accents are so deliciously thick you’d think they’d just flown in from their respective home countries yesterday. They get many of their ingredients imported, which explains why it tastes so doggone good

I now work within walking distance of the place, which could spell disaster for both my waist line and bank account, but so far I have been able to pace myself, And I have been able to live vicariously through friends who I have sent there, and who have come back raving about what they ate. It’s almost as good as eating it myself (not really, but that’s what I have been telling myself)

Want to know the icing on the cake? As I just checked their website I found out they seem to periodically post recipes to one of their menu items so you can attempt to make it at home too! How awesome is that?!

So I command you to go eat at Sosta’s A.S.A.P. and vacation in Europe for the duration of your lunch,  send me a postcard when you do!

Saturday I will be peddling my wares on Front street in Downtown Wilmington for the 8th Annual Art Walk from 10am until 5pm. So far the weather looks like it will cooperate for the day, which is a nice change from the last few shows I have done!

So come out if you are near, on your way to the beach, or need an excuse to make a trip out to the coast!

Tomorrow it my 32nd birthday (I think, I always have to check with my husband how old exactly I am turning, same with ‘how long have I lived here?’ and ‘how long have we been married?’), and it’s reminded me to finally get going on adding some of the  birthstone crystal peapods in the shop already! I have been talking and thinking and working on them for months, it’s about time I share them with the world.

So you may finally head over to the Etsy shop for the Sapphire version, the rest following (hopefully) soon too.  But even before I list each version separately, you can just get the one you want by getting the ‘custom’ version, and tell me which month(s) you’d like me to make it with.

So if you have any September birthday ladies on your shopping list, I may have just found you your gift! You are welcome.

Last month Nolan started first grade which ofcourse had to be documented thoroughly on camera. As I was digging though pictures of last year, I realized we had taken near identical pictures of his first day of kindergarten too. Something tells me there are probably also similar pictures for the first day of pre-school, but for those I will have to dig a little harder.

So here is our little beansprout on both his first days:

His backpack can still swallow him whole, and probably a second kid too, but he certainly seems to have grown in both confidence and height!

And both my birds still sit on their perch waiting for Nolan’s ride every morning:

I wonder at what year this picture will show a wiry Nolan towering high above his dad, sitting like this. That is ofcourse if Nolan doesn’t first decide he is WAY too cool to be sitting next to dad while waiting.

I still just can’t believe we have a first grader! What’s next, college?

But these necklaces still are!

Just added to the website, so mosey on over and check them out if you wanna!

It’s that time of the month again, the time where a slew of shops, galleries, studios, restaurants and more keep their doors open late for an evening filled with shopping, music, admiring, socializing, eating, drinking, and being merry for First Friday. As you may have guessed, I will be here in my studio in Knockabout to peddle my wares, and socialize with anyone who wants to drop by.

I have lots of new made of money pieces, and vintage wallpaper jewelry, so come by and say hi!