the moost

Last week, my friend Jen brought over a sampling of the pour-over coffeemakers and mugs she's been creating so I could photograph them for her Etsy shop, The Moost.  Many of these will be available to purchase from The Moost store very soon however I just couldn't wait to show off her pour-overs so here's a little sneak peek of Jen's work.  I'm especially fond of the birch bark-looking glaze a few of them have.  Such rustic beauty.  These would be a perfect fit at the Seth Peterson Cottage! 

The pour-over coffeemaker was invented by Melitta Bentz in 1908 and is still viewed by many coffee aficionados as the best way to make a great cup of coffee.  To brew, simply place the coffeemaker on top of the cup... using a paper filter, add approx 3 tablespoons of freshly ground coffee... pour boiling water over the grounds.  Enjoy!  For best results use medium-fine ground coffee.

hanging love

In 1996, I was so lucky to meet one of the most creative and inspiring ladies.  Michele taught me how to sew, was the best thrift store shopping partner, was way ahead of everyone with her style, made the most delicious corn bread, and will always be a friend that never ceases to amaze me.  And she's finally blogging! 

Michele is currently in production of these kirigama-style lanterns that I absolutely love.  I hope to get a few of my plants in these soon - hanging high above Minnow's plant eating jaws!   

If you are interested, e-mail: mishdafish@bigpond.com. She can ship anywhere in the world.

Kark Park

We spent the day at Kark Park (a.k.a. KRK PRK) which is the backyard of our childhood friend and the home where his mother still lives with his dog, Otto. We brought Lottie with us like we have so many times in the past. She and Otto ran around all day while we grilled out and sat around in old fashioned nylon strappy lawn chairs. John's mom is around 90 years old, I think, and still swears like a sailor and is one of my favorite people to visit. It was a freaky 85 degrees today and we all agreed that it felt great to finally be in some warm sunshine. It's been one year since John left this earth. We miss him so much.

happy wednesday

this made me smile today...

Thomas Campbell- FUEL TV Signature Series ID from FUEL TV on Vimeo.

Damon Locks

Artist Damon Locks is a printmaker working with digital printing, silkscreen and relief printing. The Invisible City exhibit back in March was amazing and I've been thinking about his work quite a bit this week.

Prints are available for purchase here

Damon's blog: The Population

bottle beauty

I had such a great Sunday drinking mimosas, eating lots of good food, and talking about crafty design projects with BB while our men watched some football. This beautiful wine tote is one that BB made for the bottle she so kindly brought over. So luxuroius - made with linen, cashmere, and leather. I love it! And loved the wine too!




And thanks to the other BB for the very cool Mark Alor Powell book. When are you guys coming over again?

friends making art | friends helping dogs

for those in the Chicagoland area...

B R I D G E T T E B U C K L E Y | S T U D I O
will be a part of some upcoming shows...

Running concurrently during this one night event will be the 6th annual Guerrilla Truck Show hosted by Morlen Sinoway.

Object Society + Object Design League
217 North Carpenter Street Chicago, IL 60607 6-10pm

Guerrilla Truck Show at Morlen Sinoway
1052 West Fulton Market Chicago, IL 60607 5:30-9pm

http://objectsociety.com/
http://objectdesignleague.org/main/
http://morlensinoway.com/


Another firend of mine is putting together a benefit for the Chicagoland Shepherd Rescue...

www.gsdr.org

Dark Lord Day tree for Kark

We planted a tree yesterday in John's honor. Dark Lord Day was one of his favorite days and it will never be the same without him. Mark built a planter box for this tree and he'll eventually clad it with limestone to match our firepit.

Here's to you John Kark! We'll give your tree a taste of Dark Lord every year!

hounds

Still feeling numb. Otto (on the left) is John's dog - his pride and joy!! He has taken thousands of photos of these dogs, the other two belong to his good friend and neighbor. Cali in the middle and Otto are brother and sister. I love the look of pure happiness these three have when they're out hunting and running through the fields. Dogs and photography...two things he and I could talk about for hours!

Mark and I picked up a growler of Gumballhead and went over to John's mom's house on Saturday. We sat in what had become "his" garage with a few others, drank his favorite beer, and played with Otto.

We're having such an oddly warm Spring. I've been out in the yard a lot these last couple of days not really doing much, just enjoying the sun (and looking at all the weeds). Gave Lottie a bone this morning and took some photos. She's such a beauty.

I'm gonna miss you Kark

In loving memory of John Kark (March 9, 1970 - April 10, 2010)

Damon Locks and Eve Fineman

Date: Friday, March 19, 2010
Time: 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location: Heaven Gallery - 1550 N Milwaukee, 2nd fl, Chicago IL

The Invisible City is a joint show by architect/furniture designer Eve Fineman and artist Damon Locks, both showing individual bodies of new work. Though different in medium and expression, the work that they do ideologically crosses over in many ways.

As a designer and design educator, Eve Fineman approaches her work with a social consciousness. Her current project, a sustainable furniture system called Interstice, incorporates an innovative use of materials and processes. All of the pieces in her designs can be interchanged, reconfigured or melted down and reused, presenting a closed-loop system of manufacture.

Artist Damon Locks is a Printmaker that works with digital printing, silkscreen and relief printing. His pieces stem from a desire to explore and comment on ideas of culture and community. The work has aspects of literal political intent but it also displays a looseness and abstraction that enlivens the issues at hand.
http://damonlocks.com/art/index.php?/project/a-school-complexion/

The Invisible City speaks to unrealized potential, the underground, the marginalized, and the spaces in-between. This show presents two different approaches toward bringing the otherwise unseen and unimagined into focus. The Invisible City is about dualities: noisy and quiet, questions and answers, seen and unseen. As these opposing elements are placed in each others’ proximity, the combined works offer a new way of looking at what already exists.

There will be a musical performance by Spectronix (Dan Bitney) and A Grape Dope (John Herndon).

Bridgette Buckley Studio

I love when I see my friends' talents getting the props they deserve. I just peeked in at Apartment Therapy and today's house tour (Smith and Eric) featured a couple of Bridgette Buckley's pieces. BB, your light fixture looks pretty darn good hanging in their dining room!

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/house-tours/erik-smiths-historic-hideawayhouse-tour-107506

some of my favorite pieces from the Bridgette Buckley Studio...




http://www.bridgettebuckley.com/studio/

Mish and the best fabric of all time

Every once in a while you meet someone that is truly inspiring. A person that is completely original and unique. Someone that makes a lasting impression. Mish, if you are reading this, I am so glad our paths crossed while we were living in Encinitas!

I still have the same old sewing machine that Mish taught me how to use and I recently found the first thing she helped me sew…a canvas tote bag with a pocket made from what I still think is the best fabric of all time. You have no idea how happy I was to find that bag because I often think about that fabric and how I really want to take that pocket off and use it on a new project, something I can look at everyday. I’m pretty sure I know how I’m going to use that 7 x 5 inch piece of orange and lime cuteness. I’ll definitely post a picture when it’s finished.

words to share

There are many things to be thankful for. I’m healthy. I have a home and a loving family. I have a job. I have great friends.

One of these friends is Kark. A fantastic photographer, man of a million ideas, and determined to beat cancer. He remains positive and only surrounds himself with others who share his positive mindset. He sent this email today…

I have been in the hospital more than 4 of the last 7 months now. This leaves a lot of time for serious thought and reflection. I am surrounded by people on the inside, fighting to live on the outside. I look out the window and see that we are surrounded by people on the outside that don't even realize they are alive. Life is funny. You don't realize how good times were until times get bad. You don't realize how much you miss someone until they are gone. You don't realize how good you felt until you get sick. You don't realize how alive you were until you are dying.

I found myself walking the halls as fast as I could turning anger and frustration into much needed exercise. I kept thinking about how I couldn't wait to get out of here and start living again. I thought about how much my life had changed in the last year and how much I had lost. I thought about those people on the outside that have all the health in the world but don't have the will to live their lives. It tortured me like Johnny Cash's lyrics to Fulton Blues: "but those people keep on moving, and that's what tortures me." I felt the anger and rage at my situation. I was almost running through the halls as I turned the corner and saw a sign on a patient’s door. It said: "PATIENT UNABLE TO SPEAK".

Then I remembered a week during the summer when I had finished a round of chemo and was barely able to speak and had to take shots of morphine just to pass soft food. I suddenly realized that my situation was a lot better than it could be and found myself to be very fortunate. As far as that patient behind that door with the sign was concerned.....I was on the outside.

" Be Content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you. " - Lao Tzu

See you on the outside,
Kark