for your friday night consideration

In case you are home tonight and looking for some sort of something on the internet to entertain and maybe even move you. I give you some of my favorite choices.

This entry is inspired by the song Blue Spotted Tail by The Fleet Foxes. It came on a few minutes ago and I stopped all I was doing and started out at the twilight sky through the open window and thought about stars and summer nights.

I looked on Etsy for an illustration to match what I had in my head while I listened to the song. I didn't find one like what I imagined, but I did find this pretty awesome fabric illustration by seeinginfabric It's called "For All the Stars We Don't See"

Now, if you would like some more music and some humor, I highly recommend this Paul Simon special from 1977. It's only available on youtube. But, it's so very good. I hope they remaster it and release it soon. It's funny and the music is great. I miss the days of specials. Everyone had them for a while in the 1970's. This one's a real gem.

If you're in a more documentary mood. The BBC documentary about Easy Listening Music is pretty great. It gets a little slow at the end, but how awesome to find a documentary about real easy listening music. Someday I will start my Easy Listening interent station. Anyway, you'll hear about Bert Kampfert, Ray Conniff, Herb Alpert and Richard Carpenter, among many others. Also, only on youtube, unfortunately.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

zine season has begun

July is International Zine Month. In Portland it's also usually the month before the zine symposium and for me that means time to get in gear on the newest zine.

I'm pretty behind this year and just started today. I'm working on a new issue of Paper Crush and without giving too much away, the zine will be a nice compliment to the theme of "Postmarked 2011" for this 11th annual Portland Zine Symposium.

As a fund raiser the PDX Zine Symposium is selling postcards. For $5.00 they will send you a stamped postcard that you can decorate and send back. They'll all be on display at the symposium. It's a fun way to help out with the symposium and a great way to be there even if you can't be there.

I sent mine in last week. Here it is:

I have worked on the zine today in between cleaning out the closet in my craft den/office/record library. It feels so good to get rid of a lot of stuff. It's hard for me, though, feeling like, well, I could *do something* with this. But, if I haven't in the last five years I'm betting I won't.

So, I have the next couple of days off to work on the zine and the space clearing. It's become a ritual of mine to take a couple days off in July or August for the purpose of working on a zine.

Even in the midst of it, I am surprised that it is that time again.

I have a problem with comprehending the basic fundamentals of time.

Happy Zine Month!

little wooden plate

Sometimes you never know how much you love something until quite a while later.

Many years ago I gave my Dad these handless lights. They were like glasses that you put on, but without anything where the lenses would be and on the sides were little lights. I thought he might want to use them to get better light when he was working on his model airplanes.

When he opened the package it was clear he thought it was a pretty nutty gift. He thanked me in the way he might of when I was a kid and had given him a macaroni tie clip.

Months later he told me how much he loved the flashlight glasses. He used them every night to go out and get wood. He lived in the mountains in Northern California and it was pretty dark when he would go out to get wood. Apparently the gift I had given him was the best thing he'd ever used for this task and was much handier than having to carry a flashlight while holding wood.

When I was about 20 I was living in Sacramento with my best friend. Her mother was also in town and once when she came back from a trip from Nicaragua she handed me a gift she had brought home for me. It was a wood plate, about 8" wide.

Now, this was 1985. Wood anything was really not a popular aesthetic. I mean this wasn't the Seventies. But, I still kind of liked it when I got it, even though it was quite crude and simple - not even varnished or anything. I really had no idea when I would use it.

And I don't think I did use it for quite a while. I remember using it quite a bit maybe ten years later. Since then I used it every week, at least once, usually much more. Turns out this little wooden plate was perfect for everything!

It was great for small pizzas, for cheese, fruit and bread. Since it was wood you could cut and serve on the same dish. It was what I used for late night snacks of toast and jam or for any kind of appetizers. I loved this little wood plate and actually started looking for more of them several years ago when I would remember to. Turns out they're kinda hard to find here. At least one

that's simple and not expensive. I found a couple a few years ago at Cost Plus, but haven't seen them since. I like the Cost Plus ones a lot, but they aren't the same.

I was looking for a replacement, because I could tell the end was coming for my little wood plate. This simple wood plate that my friend's mom bought for probably far less than a dollar had lasted me over 25 years. It finally cracked in half a while ago and I had to take some pics before I threw it away.

You just never know when something shows up if it's going to be just what you needed or wanted. Even when it looks like nothing you've ever wanted. You just have to wait and give it a try.

three day weekend

What kind of a person spends their three day weekend mostly at home throwing away things?

Apparently me, and I am thrilled to finally be doing it.

The truth is that most of what I have been going through is paper. I love paper, I collect papers, I make zines, I pick up free magazines, newspapers and brochures wherever I go. I squirrel these items away, thinking that I may need them, when in reality, when I need something I look it up on the internet. I am still collecting things like it's 1997 and my habits haven't caught up with reality. Until now, hopefully.

I have recycled a big blue recycle bin full of magazines and papers this weekend. I am making piles of zines to donate. I have shredded pay stubs that go back to 1999!

It's feeling good, but still so much to do.

In my files (I cleaned out my file cabinet and reorganized), I found the 8x10 photograph that inspired and was on the first issue of my first zine ever - Frank, Jasper and Me. I don't remember where I got it, but I am guessing the Oakland Flea Market that took place in the Laney College parking lot, but it may have been at an estate sale in Mountain View. Anyway, it was one of the first old photographs of people I don't know that I collected. Of course, now I have tons more.

Someday, when I find all 7 issues of Frank, Jasper and Me I'll post the covers. I really liked them. Each issue had an old pic of two men and a woman. I have tons extra that I never used because friends used to find them for me everywhere!

The zine was just a general pop culture /personal zine and I don't think I ever did more than 75 of one issue. Frank and Jasper were my imaginary co-writers. I really liked having other people to assign stories and "true stories" to. I started FJ&Me in 1994 and did the last one in 1998, I think.

Here is my newly reorganized file cabinet. This is where the mighty archives of the original issues of all Portland created PonyBoy Press zines reside. Behold the majesty:

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend! Back to the shredder.

summer, it'll be nice to see you

This weekend is usually considered the beginning of summer. Here in Portland, we've had a sunny day and then a grey rainy day - or two. That suites me. I will enjoy the summer when it comes - for a while. I personally think summer is about one month too long.

I hope you all get to have a nice long weekend. Maybe you're going to the beach. I had my beach vacation last week. The mister and I went to Newport, Oregon and stayed in a nice hotel, did some sight seeing, but mostly stared at the ocean a lot from our room. I love the ocean air.

We did get out of the room a bit. Including two visits to my favorite restaurant, Local Ocean Seafood. Their tuna kabobs are my favorite thing to eat.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend, folks!

spot me a fiver

A couple months ago I wandered onto a website called Fiverr and was completely enthralled.

Fiverr is a site where people buy and sell services for five dollars. It's been around for a while, I guess. Their website lists some of the high profile newspapers and magazines that have mentioned them. But, somehow I managed to never hear about it until recently.

I spent a couple days going back to the listings seeing all the stuff that people were listing. It was so entertaining. There were lots of business type services: voice overs, seo help, html code, photoshop help, video testimonials, logo and banner making. Some of these seemed pretty good for someone who really knows nothing about setting up a blog or making a slideshow. There were also people to pass out flyers in certain towns which seems like a really valuable thing, since no one in any organization ever wants to do that part.

Some especially interesting things I saw the people were selling for five dollars:

• Someone who will tell you what outfit to wear
• Someone who will call your phone to get you out of a date or make some jealous
• Someone who will take a picture of anything you want written on a sign in a number of places: paris, new york subways, hollywood, pittsburg...
• Someone who will call someone and sing them a song in many different voices, or make a video
• Someone who will be your friend on facebook or like something or do youtube comments
• Someone who will do any kind of new age reading you can imagine
• Someone who will do all kinds of weird performances on video, like singing anything you want or saying anything you want while in a clown costume, with a sock puppet...
• Someone who will worry for you
• Someone who will tell you the meaning of life

It's pretty endless what people think up and the entrepreneur in me really loves it and wants to try selling something, but I got enough on my plate. So, instead I bought some things.

I bought a fix for a scratched old photo. The fiverr seller did a good job, the photo is of my great grandparents and it was a copy of a photo and the scratches were beyond my control. I was really happy with the results. And for 5 bucks!


I also bought a numerology reading. The reading was okay. There were lots of things that didn't apply, but one that was really spot on. So, still seemed like a success to me. What'dya want for 5 bucks, right?

I also had a drawing done for me of me. It was done by this artist. Pretty good for five bucks, huh?
I did all of these in March with the idea of doing this blog post and it's taken me this long to do it.

Now looking over the fiverr site I totally want to buy more things. maybe a past life reading, a postcard from some exotic place or some custom fortune cookies.

I love that people can find some niche and supplement their income. And for five bucks it's easy to take the chance on buying something. Let me know if you buy or sell anything. I am fascinated with this website.

spring countdown

It's been a busy month for me and you may have gathered that by my absence from the blog. My day job has been extremely busy and the weekends have been devoted to other priorities.

But, now it is spring, and even though the sky is still grey here I see tulips and daffodils everywhere and I am getting that restless spring feeling. Any minute it's gonna be sunny here in Portland and although I am not one to complain about the rain in Portland (I moved here for it), it will be nice to see some sun.

An aside: This town is wacky for "good weather". Friday night it was about 55 degrees and the skies were gray. As I drove by the park at about 6:30 pm I noticed that it was filled with people just hanging, playing games, lounging - as if it were 80 degrees. In Southern California they would be making soup with weather like that. Ah, Portland, you're cute.

Here's a short list of my favorite things right now:

1. Spring flowers! This image is from an issue of Ideals magazine from The 60's. And My neighborhood looks just like this. (not really)

2. Stamps! These pretty new stamps for Chinese New Year - Year of the Rabbit - are so lovely.

3. California Strawberries! I am am eating them everyday at lunch and I put in salads for dinner. Strawberries and smoked salmon is a good combo for a salad.

4. The Webfooters Postcard Show and Sale! I'm a member of this Postcard Club. I've been working on this for the last month, working on publicity and creating the new Member Roster for the year.

The show is this coming weekend, April 16 & 17th. There will be lots of vintage postcards and photographs and all kinds of things. Come on down and see the neat stuff.

5. Wii Resort! I got a Wii for Christmas and I adore the resort game. It ia a bunch of sports that all take place on this island. My favorite is flying the airplane around - but almost everything is great. Last night we had bicycle races around the island.

6. Vacation! The Mister and I are going on a short vacation to the coast in May. I will go the Oregon Coast Aquarium for the first time. Looking forward to the ocean breezes and maybe a meal at Local Ocean Seafoods.

7. Bald Eagles Nest! I've been hooked on watching the Bald Eagle's nest from Decorah, Iowa. There are 3 little ones and it so amazing to watch and listen to. You'd think I would have seen enough eagles feeding young in my life, but, I guess not.

8. This video! A cat and a dolphin playing - awesome.

I'm going to end this at 8 because I've had to redo this post too many times due to either blogger or my computer or who knows what.

Anyway, I hope you are all having a great time enjoying the arrival of spring!

tastes

I made Colcannon for St Patrick's Day on Thursday. Colcannon is a traditional Irish meal which is basically mashed potatoes mixed with cabbage (or kale). It was quite good.

When I was a kid my mother used to make Corned Beef and Cabbage most years for St. Patrick's Day. She would always love to put scoops of horseradish sauce on her plate to eat with her cabbage and meat. It seemed so gross to me - as gross as the cabbage.

I got the idea to make Colcannon from this blog (picture courtesy of said blog) but really just used the recipe as inspiration - in the end I just kind of made it up as I went along. I boiled about 5 medium potatoes while I steamed half of a sliced cabbage. After it was done I added some milk, butter, green onions and then also some sharp white cheddar (from Ireland, of course) along with salt and pepper.

It makes a great easy comfort meal. It was especially good once I added the horseradish. That totally made it for me. I found myself making the same kind of satisfied sounds my mother used to as I reached in for more horseradish sauce.

It's weird how your tastes grow up and change. When I was younger her favorite foods were things like spinach, cabbage, horseradish sauce, pickled things, Tabasco, brussel sprouts - all things that totally grossed me out, but that I love now. I even tried some cole slaw the other day and liked it for the first time in my life!

What things do you like now that you didn't used to? I wonder if it'something I've been avoiding. I'm in the mood to try some new things....but I really don't think I will ever like black licorice, I don't care what you all say.

from the nest

I've been busy staying in - watching shows, working around the house and just plain working a lot. Not lots of new stuff to say, but I wanted to pop in the olde blogge and say a cheery hello to you.

I do regularly add things to my pinterest boards, come by and visit, why dontchya. I am pretty fond of Pinterest. It's the ultimate in short attention blog "reading". I do however have a really hard time saying it. I always say "pin interest". Which is not the name. But, that's what I want to say.

be mine....but not in a possessive way...

Hey, Valentines Day is Monday! Have you gotten your loved ones a card or a lovely little something. I am off to make something for mine right now. Usually I send out cards to friends, but this year it just kind of snuck up on me.

I had a co-worker recently express surprise that I like to celebrate Valentines Day. He seemed to expect that because of my natural rebellious nature and unconventional leanings that I would just ignore it as a day that was invented to blah blah blah, you know the rest.

It's a good guess from someone who knows me only in a work setting, but he has no idea how much I love paper sentiments and little handmade pretty things. I'm very old fashioned like that. I've always felt like Valentines Day is about just giving sweet surprises to the ones you love - and for most of my life that was friends only. It's nice to now have a romantic valentine (well, actually it's been over 7 years), but I've never thought it was necessary to celebrate Valentines Day.

If Monday snuck up on you, too. never fear. There are lots of handmade projects and printables available out there. Here are some of my favorites.

You could make some lovely fruit themed stickers and place them on your Valentine's fruit. Pack them in lunches or leave on the breakfast table. Super cute idea from Twig and Thistle.

I'm a fan of glitter and I'm a fan of banners, so this is a win win. Easy tutorial on the Lovely Indeed blog via Creature Comforts.


There are some really cute free printable valentines at the blog Gifts.com from Hello Lucky.

Also check out the great printable Valentines from artist Amy Rice. I really love her work.

There are also more ideas that I like on my Valentines Pinterest board, including this cute Valentine award seen above made from cupcake liners.

And if you need more ideas, here's my Valentines Day post from last year.

Okay, I gotta get going on my own Valentine making. Happy weekend!