design sunday

Okay- here it is, my new favorite t-shirt company and worthy cause all wrapped into one.

Topo Ranch is a dream . . .

In the beginning, it was the dream of Alex’s great, great grandfather, Edward Breen. He survived the Donner Party and founded the original Topo Ranch. Located between Monterey and San Benito counties, those 20,000 acres were part of the Mexican San Lorenzo land grant. Throughout the late 1800’s and early 1900’s the spread was a cattle ranch, fig tree farm, supplier of wool to the U.S. Cavalry, and even used for Western films by the likes of Gary Cooper. Eventually, the bank foreclosed on it, like so many casualties of the Great Depression.

The “Topo” for which the ranch was named is Spanish slang for that stretch of land’s most populous inhabitants. We gave him wings to symbolize the rise of Topo Ranch once again, and to give flight to
our dream of buying back the ranch. We can both look back on five generations of California dreamers, but it was Edward Breen’s pioneering spirit that inspired us to follow our dreams. We hope our quality dry goods inspire you to follow yours.

Alex & Eric

Adventure 16 carries Topo Ranch t-shirts and I usually look for them there. However, they are opening retail locations. One is open in Venice and another one is under construction in Boulder. I may have to take a road trip up to the Venice store.

Topo Ranch has come up with a great line of clothing. It isn't cheap, but they need a large profit margin if they are ever going to buy back that ranch. I for one, will be happy to help them.

passive aggression

One of my *Amelies is to open the bedroom shutters on a sunny morning. Sugar Daddy is like a vampire, in that he insists on sleeping in total darkness. So the shutters are clamped tight so no street lamp light can leak through. He even covers the little blue light on the TV. I personally find it a little bazaar, but it doesn't bug me too much so every night we sleep in pitch black.

In the morning, after the vampire leaves for work, I love to throw open the shutters and call out to the birds, Cinderella style. And they come. Not because of my angelic voice. No, No. I was not blessed with the gift of song (not that I don't sing anyway). I entice/coerce the birds to come to me with bird seed, sugar water, berries- you name it. I am not above using manipulation and coercion, as seen in my parenting style. Think Cinderella, only smarter.

So the last week or so, I have eagerly opened the shutters only to be met with the annoying sound of yard construction. Don't get me wrong. I think it is wonderful that our neighbors are improving their property- even if it is the absolute dumbest thing to do right now considering the housing market. The problem is, after two years of serious construction noise in our new housing tract, I thought everyone in our neighborhood was pretty much done with their yard.

I can barely hear "my" birds singing over the sound of the brick cutter. It is a screechy sound that goes strait to my nerves and I must admit that I have a burning desire to march over there- through the wet cement- and smack them over the head with a shovel. But I won't, because I am passive aggressive to people I barely know and also, it's against the law.

* An Amelie, according to my family, is something that you secretly love to do. If you have seen the movie Amelie, you know what I am talking about. Some of my Amelies include: pulling radishes from the dirt, opening cans of soda, picking price stickers off new items, running my hands through strands of beads, saying the word mochacho, (I try to work it in whenever possible), kissing my mochacho when he is sleeping and driving along the 101 with the windows down.

I am totally fascinated by the little things other people love to do. What is your Amelie? Leave a comment and check out this blog.

have you heard the exciting news about cool whip?

Today was preschool "graduation". Is it not almost embarrassing how these days, kids "graduate" from every grade? But it was fun to go to. Thom's class sang and danced for the parents. Sugar Daddy couldn't make it. He is entrenched in preparation for a trial that I fear may cause a heart attack. If not that, then at least premature aging.



After much deliberation, (which I won't burden you with here, because I know that, after years of childlessness, it is extremely boring to hear about other people's children's education) we have decided not to send The Rodent to kindergarten next year. Instead, he will go to a class at the same preschool which is in between preschool and kindergarten. In fact, we love his school so much that we plan to keep him there K-8th grade.



Anyway, with summer break here, I am on the hunt for fun, educational (or quasi) kid projects. If you have one that you think is fab, leave a comment and let me know about it. Here is the first craft we will be making.


Those people over at Martha Stewart Omnimedia sure are crafty!



On a more serious note, I wanted to let everyone know the exciting news that Cool Whip now comes in a can! I am seriously psyched about this because Cool Whip is the one processed food that I absolutely love, even if it is essentially like eating PVC pipe. Imagine, making wonderful little Cool Whip stars on Jell-O, strawberry shortcake, fresh berries, pudding. . . ahhhh, the possibilities are endless.

a good monday

Monday went by too fast. It was a good day.

lazy design sunday

Sunday Morning

I'm so lazy today, I just going to give you the link to my design pick of the day and let you expore the wonderful edible world of Icingdreams yourself. Oh how I wish she lived closer!

इन्स्पिरटिओन्

If I could just get over the smell of incense, the idea of worshiping a rat and the oppression of women, I think India would be a wonderful place to live. I get lost in the colors of everyday Indian life.

I won't be packing my bags quite yet. For now, I am happy to glean inspiration from photos. Hummm, what will I make today?

yesterday

Blithesome Bird Earrings

Made these yesterday. This is what I wrote about them:

"Today the sun is shinning. The birds are singing and my plants are growing tall and strong. I ate my lunch in the shade of a large umbrella and a tuna fish sandwich has never tasted better.

I made these earrings today only because I couldn't not make them. I had to somehow capture the moment.

They are entirely handmade. I used large citrine briolettes that are a beautiful shade of sunshine. I like to name the birds I make and for some reason these birds seemed like Piper and Frankie."

I won't be sad if they don't sell.

Exposure

Yippee! Got some great exposure today for Secondsister Jewelry. For the third time ever, I made the front page. For all you laymen out there, this is kind of a big deal.

Taking Chances Bracelet

I found this amusement park coin at a local antique shop. It has a great old patina on it. It tried to do a little research on the Ellwest Jolar amusement park, but it seems it is long gone and there isn't any information readily available. Anyway, it is a really neat old token that says "Heads I Win" on one side and "Tails I Lose" on the other. I love the vintage look the of glass beads. They are Czechoslovakian. I threw in some crystal and jade for good measure.

Thomas has a knack for using grown up phrases like "well that was unexpected" and "I'm just sick and tired of this". I happen to think it is funny, and sometimes cute, when he says these things. But I wonder. Do other people think he is weird and feel sorry for him that he is an only child that spends too much time with just adults? Should I be exposing him to more four-year-olds?

Incidentally, he has also started throwing in a "damn it" every now and then. I try to keep a straight face. Really, I do try.

once bitten, twice shy

A few months ago I sent in my donation (three pair of earrings) to the Craft for China fundraiser. Please take a few minutes and check out the Craft for China website and then go to the Ebay auction which just opened yesterday. It is for a very good cause and there are really great things being auctioned off.

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Yesterday was the FCC Kite Festival Picnic. The highlights were flying kites, of course, (Thomas got a spiffy Spiderman kite from Target), Sparkles the clown, Ben getting stung by a bee, and me getting bitten by a squirrel. Yes, you read that right. A squirrel.

Tell me, what kind of brazen rodent thinks they can take on a human? What is this world coming to? I know they are rationing rice at Costco and gas prices are causing a small hysteria in the suburbs, but really, has the mania trickled down to rodents? Are they rising up in revolt?

Thankfully, he didn't break the skin. I was, however, extremely embarrassed by the screech I let out when he chomped down on my thumb. I recoiled in humiliation to my lawn chair where Ben sat pulling a stinger from the bottom of his foot. I heard the soft murmured questions from the spectators. "She was bit by what? A what? A squirrel? Was she harassing it? Well, she shouldn't be feeding them anyway. You did say is was a squirrel right?"

All this just because I didn't have another Ghirardelli brownie to share with with the scoundrel. Ingrate.

design sunday

1. I'll Follow the Sun, 2. Flirt, 3. Coral Cards, 4. Sterling Silver Wave Etch Ring

Since I have spent a copious amount of time at, on or near the sea this past week, I thought I'd share some of my favorite "Etsy Ocean" items. I have the Flirt print. I bought a frame for it, but I think I will also have a mat cut. I plan to put it in my bathroom over my vanity.

I really wish I had made the wave ring. It's sooo me.

Speaking of Ocean stuff, did anyone see the National Geographic special on giant squid? I am dying to know how it ended (I kept nodding off). Did they finally get a photo of it or what?