sulu-design

Sprucing Up the Digs

2012-01-28T07:38:00.000-08:00

While hunting for a light fixture for our little workroom corner the other day, Barry and I stopped at a shop that my friend Robin recommended a while ago - Seek the Unique. We loved the store - they had a great selection of interesting finds, fair prices, and a super friendly staff. We didn't find a light fixture there (I think School House Electric will be our source for that), but we did come home with a vintage wool blanket and an old tool display board that we've hung in our living room area. And since I'm showing you new things around the apartment, I might as well mention the old maps we picked up at Blake (yes, Portlanders, the denim shop) for ten bucks. We needed something big to fill the space above our dresser until we find the right piece of art to invest in, and they work just fine.

LA and Back... Thank God

2012-01-20T11:09:00.000-08:00

I was in Los Angeles for work a couple days ago, and I can't tell you how glad I am to be back. I'm not going to rant about the city itself, but I'll admit that the little slice of downtown where my boss and I go several times a year isn't a very happy place for me. I'm trying really hard to get over what gets into my head every time we go there, but so far, I've been unsuccessful at dealing with some pretty nasty feelings that surface every time we make a trip to LA.

We go to Los Angeles to buy clothing for the boutique where I work. All day long, we're working in showrooms surrounded by representatives of clothing lines and buyers from other boutiques located all over the west coast. For the most part, these reps and buyers look a lot like one another: long, straightened blonde hair; lots of make-up; some plastic surgery on the face, lots on the chest; tight, revealing clothes; crazy high heels... you know, like your average gal from Portland. Ha! My boss and I stick out like sore thumbs while we're there. If I put on ChapStick I feel made-up. You may remember that the last time I was there I split the butt seam of the pants I was wearing, so I wore my pajama sweat pants for an entire day in the showrooms. We are not your average fashion market attendees.

Anyhow, the strange thing is that even though I'm not fond of the look that is so prevalent at the fashion market, even though I'm really turned off by processed hair and plastic surgery, even though I like a down-to-earth, natural look, once we've been at the show for a few hours I always start to feel really bad about myself. Which is crazy. Crazy. I know. On a daily basis (when I'm not in LA, at least) I think about the fact that I am so content with my life. I think of how lucky I am to have the amazing family that I have, to have a job that I like, to live in an awesome city, to be healthy and strong. And in the list of things I value most, how I look (or how anyone else looks) doesn't even come into play. So why is it that when surrounded by women who are actually visually unappealing to me, I start to feel so bad about myself? Huh? I need a good shaking. Can you relate?

Diversion Five: The Knitting

2012-01-19T08:26:00.000-08:00

About four years ago, I started knitting a lace rib cowl that I'd seen on The Purl Bee, intending to give it as a gift in my family's handmade holiday gift exchange. I started it, got several rows in before making a mistake, and pulled the whole thing out. I repeated that process around fifty times (seriously, fifty is not an exaggeration) over the course of several years - sometimes several times in one day, sometimes with several months in between retries. Finally, I came to terms with the fact that I wasn't up for seeing this pattern through. So I pulled the yarn out one last time and with it I started a basic little knit 2, purl 2 rib on my circular needles. But that project took a back seat to other things and eventually the beginning of my simple little cowl got packed away. Recently, while looking though a tool box full of art supplies, I found the project, which wasn't more that a few inches long. Our long, dark winter nights seemed like the perfect time to finally see this thing through. So:

There it is. I wish I'd had the gals in my old Long Island City knitting group to help me with a stretchy bind off, but I found one tutorial on-line that worked fine. On one hand I feel satisfied for finishing up something that lingered for far too long and I kinda don't want to see another knitting needle for a long time. And on the other hand I've got a crazy itch to start another knitting project.

Diversion Four, Subset of Diversion Three: The Cooking from the Books

2012-01-13T11:08:00.000-08:00

Another book that I recently got out of the library was one that I heard about first on Shari's blog - An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler. I'm enjoying the writing and I've been quite inspired by her simple, practical cooking suggestions. Before even finishing the book, I dove into putting the chapter called "How to Stride Ahead" into practice. Once a week for the past couple weeks, I've filled our oven with several pans and trays full of all sorts of vegetables: beets, cauliflower, yams, sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, Brussels sprouts... and I've roasted away. I love the idea of conserving time and energy by doing this all at once - it made a week's worth of dinner preparation so easy and pleasant. We ate hearty and healthy all week long using the roasted vegetables as side dishes or as ingredients in pastas, purees, soups, and curries. For dinner last night, we had a frittata with Brussels sprouts, leeks, bacon, and cheddar with a side of roasted root vegetables. A few nights before that we had a yummy curry with the roasted cauliflower I'd made a few nights before. We've had pureed yams with pork loin, and a pasta with a sauce made of the trimmings of the vegetables I've roasted. I'm totally hooked on this book.

Diversion Three: The Books

2012-01-12T06:11:00.000-08:00

The Multnomah County Library System is one of my best friends. Recently, I've been borrowing the Best American Short Stories from the Best American Series. I'm usually a reader of novels, but I've been enjoying the pace of short-story reading recently. I can pick up the book while I've got dinner in the oven, or when I get home from work before Barry, or while I linger in bed in the morning, and read an entire story. I'd often spend little moments like these at the computer, but the books have been far more cozy and satisfying than the keyboard recently.

Have you got any books to recommend? I'll have another tomorrow...

Diversion Two, Part D: The Camera

2012-01-11T06:56:00.000-08:00

Diversion Two, Part C: The Camera

2012-01-10T11:10:00.000-08:00

Diversion Two, Part B: The Camera

2012-01-09T09:10:00.000-08:00

Diversion Two, Part A: The Camera

2012-01-08T10:15:00.000-08:00

I go through phases of strong interest and strong disinterest in using my camera. The light in Portland on New Year's Day sparked the start of an interest phase after I'd gone weeks without touching my camera. Over the next several days, I'll share some of what caught my eye.

Diversion One: Technology

2012-01-07T08:19:00.000-08:00

One of the things that's kept me from getting new jewelry in the sulu-design shop and from posting regularly on the blog is a new computer (goodbye eMac, hello 2012!). I'm psyched that we got it - the idea of being able to FaceTime with our families thrills me (you computer-savvy people do use FaceTime as a noun and a verb, right?). But I don't take easily to new things, particularly new technological things. I'm crazy intimidated by some new photo-editing software Barry got. I feel like I'm never going to get comfortable with it. It's taken me hours to upload and edit the photos I took of a few earrings and necklaces along with the shots that I took on New Year's Day. It would have taken me a half hour with the old program. I know I'll get used to our new program, I know I'll get used to a new mouse that has me scrolling all over the freaking computer screen when I don't mean to at all, and I know I'll get used to not having a delete key that moves the cursor forward, but right now I feel like a helpless moron. So.

Instead of doing a shop update, I stopped by Betsy and Iya with several new pieces. The pieces above are there now, along with several more earrings and necklaces. The pieces below are available by e-mailing me at sulu-design@hotmail.com. For now, that's as close to a shop update as I'm getting.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T21:10:00.001-08:00

It's been a while, friends. I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Barry and I recently returned from our trip to see my family in Cleveland. It was awesome - so, so good to spend a nice, relaxing chunk of time with my family. And today we started off the new year right with one of my favorite new year's traditions - an early morning, ridiculously long walk with cameras in hand. We made it over to J & M for a delicious breakfast and followed it with a perfect first day of 2012.

I haven't been around the computer much. Around three weeks ago I mentioned something here about listing new earrings and necklaces in the sulu-design shop. The jewelry is made, but it may be a while 'til I get around to posting it. My attention is taken with other things now. I've picked up some knitting again, gotten myself into a few good books, been enjoying spending time in the kitchen, and found a renewed interest in my camera. I'm sure I'll be back soon with more on some of that. Until then, I hope you're well. Thanks for checking in.

Shop Keep

2011-12-14T12:21:00.000-08:00

I added a little sale section to the sulu-design shop
this morning.
Earrings listed there are 25% off their original price:

And I relisted a few basic favorites from the past, too:

New earrings and necklaces to follow...

Christmas Spirit Sue*

2011-12-13T18:39:00.000-08:00

I haven't been around these parts much recently 'cause I've been a little, um... moody recently. It's an ugly, long-running pattern that repeats itself every December, but I think I've finally kicked it for 2011. I've spent lots of time by myself recently trying to figure out what goes wrong in my head before the holidays, but I still can't put my finger on it. None of the obvious holiday stress or winter weather/darkness seems to be the cause of it. Whatever it is, I nursed it with another batch of those buttermilk cornmeal honey biscuits and tried to kick it with few runs outside in the beautiful crisp winter weather we've had in Portland. A week or so later, I finally found myself on the other side.

And now I'm totally in the Christmas mood. I'm loving the cute little tree that Barry and I got last week. And I'm so excited that we'll be in Cleveland next week to see my family. It has been way too long.

We're leaving on the 20th, so if you're thinking of getting anything from the sulu-design shop, you may want to do so soon. Since everything listed in the shop is already made and ready to go, and since I ship orders immediately after they're placed, you can still order gifts from the shop that will arrive before the 25th. I'll probably add a few more new pieces to the shop tomorrow, and that'll be it 'til the new year.

*This post's title comes from a little song my brother made up about me when we were kids that he would sing every year around Christmas when I was acting particularly moody (or, at that age, bratty). The song is dripping with sarcasm, folks. And my brother was always able to take me to a new level of crabbiness by singing it. It didn't help that in the song he called me Sue. I'm Suzy or Susan. But never Sue. I love you, Peter. And I can't wait to see you. Hopefully I'll give you no reason this year to start singing your little ditty.

It's a Big One, Judy

2011-12-01T09:07:00.000-08:00

A gal couldn't ask for a sweeter mother-in-law than the one I've got. Barry's mom, Judy, treats me as if I'm her own daughter. She's considerate, generous, and is always thinking of us. She has the admirable quality of being able to laugh at herself, she's got great style, and she always makes sure I order dessert when we go out to eat. Like I said, I couldn't ask for more.

We love you, Judy. Happy birthday.

It's a Big One, Dad

2011-11-30T08:59:00.000-08:00

This is a big birthday year for lots of my loved ones. Today's a big one for my dad. Recently, I've been thinking about the time he spent with me the summer before my senior year in college. We stripped and refinished a few pieces of furniture (in the most meticulous manner, the only way my dad would have it) for me to take to my first apartment that fall. We spent hours sanding, priming, and painting in his workroom down in the basement, singing along to oldies on the radio while we worked. That was just one of countless projects he did with me as a kid - projects that encouraged me to work with my hands, to be creative, to see things through to the end, to do my best. Projects that I'll never forget.

I love you, Dad. Happy birthday.

For Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

2011-11-29T13:06:00.000-08:00

Clearly I have trouble committing to the plan of posting a pair of earrings everyday in November. So I'm finishing the month off now. Maybe I didn't post one a day, but 30 new pairs of earrings did make their way into the sulu-design shop, and that's just fine with me.

I've got the day to myself and am giddy with the potential of it all. Maybe a little Christmas shopping. Maybe a trip to Ikea. Maybe a burger and a beer at Clyde Common's happy hour. Apparently, it doesn't take much to make me giddy.

Back in the Saddle

2011-11-27T20:40:00.000-08:00

Back in Portland after a nice visit in Richmond. Back on a bike after a week of healing. Back to posting in the sulu-design shop... for three more days.

M, T, W, Th, F, S (Insert Happy Thanksgiving)

2011-11-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

Barry and I are on a plane to Richmond, Virginia to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family. Any orders from the sulu-design shop will ship first thing Saturday morning rather than within the usual 24 hour window. And instead of setting up posts to show you a new pair of earrings for each day this week, I thought I'd roll 'em all out now. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, friends.

A Simple Little Pair of Earrings...

2011-11-20T19:13:00.000-08:00

on the day of my 1000th post.

Make New Friends But Keep the Old...

2011-11-19T07:47:00.001-08:00

one is silver and the other's gold.

To be accurate, I should say,
"one is silver-tone and the other's gold-tone."
But that's not how the song I sang in Girls Scouts goes.

Kind of Staying On Track

2011-11-18T09:23:00.000-08:00

I haven't been able to work out this week due to my bike mishap last week, so you'd think I'd have enough time on my hands to be on top of posting a pair of earrings in the sulu-design shop every day. But the latest issue of Everyday Food came. And it didn't seem right to do anything else until I'd made the honey buttermilk cornmeal biscuits on page 87. Oh, baby.

Pretend I Listed These Yesterday

2011-11-18T09:20:00.000-08:00

Today is Gonig to Be A Lazy Day

2011-11-16T08:10:00.000-08:00

So let's get this earring business out of the way nice and early.
Done. Let my Sunday begin.

More of the Pretty and Shiny

2011-11-15T07:15:00.000-08:00

Some of you like the silver-tone hooks more than brass.
I gotcha.

Fancy Pants

2011-11-14T20:24:00.001-08:00

The darkness will return. But right now how about a break with some pretty, shiny things?

See?

2011-11-13T06:04:00.000-08:00

A theme, I tell you.

Darkness is a Theme Right Now

2011-11-12T19:00:00.000-08:00

Dark blue and black is a color combination I'm particularly fond of.

Oops

2011-11-11T07:51:00.000-08:00

Missed a day of updating there. Let's blame it on an 8 inch tall curb and my (formerly) inflated sense of how high I can pick up the front wheel of my bike. I took a little spill the other day that has me a bit sore and lazy feeling. (Note to my mom and Barry's mom: I'm fine. Really, truly fine. Nothing to worry about. Really.) Now I'm catching up:

Do You Ever Get So Wrapped Up In Something...

2011-11-09T13:11:00.000-08:00

that in order to get day-to-day things accomplished, you really have to remind yourself to do them? For example, I often have to write things like "cut fingernails" on my to-do list when I'm super busy with jewelry-making. And every once in a while (a rare while, I swear) we'll eat a box of Trader Joe's Roasted Gorgonzola crackers for dinner because grocery shopping slipped my mind as I was occupied with making jewelry drop-off appointments at boutiques in town. It's been like that a lot these days, as I'm trying really hard to get ahead with all things sulu-design before the holidays.

That's what the daily sulu-design shop updates are all about - I'd like a well-stocked shop when December rolls around (by the way, you should click on that image above to see the etsy listing - there are some close-up shots of that bottom bead, which I'm loving). And that's why I was running all around town yesterday, restocking Union Rose, Soletta, and Betsy & Iya with new pieces. Yes, I'd been to those last two shops just a week or two ago, but I'm happy to report that the special pieces that I make for them have been well-received and they needed more.

Have you started any holiday preparations already? Am I silly for doing things this early? And do you sometimes forget things like grooming and eating?

But I'm Really Fond of These, Too

2011-11-08T20:49:00.001-08:00

How Many Favorites Can One Have?

2011-11-07T07:54:00.000-08:00

Today's addition to the sulu-design shop are personal favorites.

Did you do anything with your extra hour?

2011-11-06T07:55:00.000-08:00

I worked on packing up beads that I don't have plans for so I can list them for sale on Craigslist. I've been pretty busy with jewelry-making lately, and my workspace has felt cluttered with supplies I know I'm not going to use. It felt good to take a break and edit my stash.

Speaking of Food

2011-11-05T07:43:00.000-07:00

('cause I kind of was speaking of food there at the end of the last post):

Barry and I went to Sunshine Tavern the other night where we had awesome sandwiches and an amazing dessert - rice pudding made with arborio rice and topped with a plum compote. That's what's got risotto on my mind, and it has me thinking about having it for breakfast, all hot and creamy, with fruit. Oh, baby.

We've been enjoying this roasted cauliflower pasta recipe and this roast pork loin recipe at home recently.

I'm late in mentioning that Barry made me an awesome birthday pie to follow the spectacular birthday meal we had at June. I'm not a huge fan of cake (don't get me wrong - I'll eat it if it's in front of me, especially if it's chocolate and flourless) so Barry always makes me a special birthday dessert instead. This one rocked.

And not speaking of food, these guys are in the sulu-design shop now:

Darkness

2011-11-04T09:27:00.000-07:00

It's getting harder and harder to get out of bed in the morning as it's staying darker later. I'm looking forward to turning back the clocks soon... a little more light in the morning and cozy, dark evenings at home. Soup recipes have been on my mind. And risotto.

November Nesting

2011-11-03T06:59:00.000-07:00

My dad will be happy to know that there's been some rearranging in our apartment recently, and there are no more 45 degree configurations to contend with now. We're back in our good old 90 degree comfort zone. I get lots of my... tendencies... from my dad.

With cold, wet weather on the way, I've been all about making our place a cozy one for hunkering down this winter. A couple new pillows, a stack of blankets pulled out of hiding, and a few more plants were top priorities. Now, to add a few movies to my library hold list. And maybe figure out some better lighting for the long, dark nights.

Trying to stick to my goal of adding new pieces to my etsy shop every day this month, I've added the earrings below today. I'm loving those blue beads - expect to see more of them...

A Day Late

2011-11-02T15:27:00.000-07:00

I'm still on a birthday high, particularly because I received a few awesome gift certificates for my birthday that I get to put to good use now. This evening, I've got a massage at Loyly and dinner at Roost to look forward to, thank you very much. It's embarrassing how excited I get about stuff like this. I'm going to love every minute of it.

But I've been working my tail off, too, trying to get lots of jewelry ready for the holidays. You can now find lots of new sulu-design pieces in Portland at Tumbleweed, Betsy & Iya, Bonnet, Tender Loving Empire, and the newest locally-owned boutique to carry sulu-design, Soletta. I'm also trying to be on the ball with my etsy shop, so I've given myself the task of adding at least one new piece to the shop every day in November. I already missed the first day of the month. Good plan, huh? But these are in the shop now, made with super cute vintage bakelite buttons:

Arch Cape

2011-10-29T08:58:00.000-07:00

The icing on the cake (no birthday pun intended) of our coast trip was our one-night stay at a bed and breakfast in Arch Cape. Generally, Barry and I don't stay in nice places when we travel on our own. Worrying that our car is going to be stolen from our motel parking lot makes us feel adventurous. Thinking that we might catch something from the upholstered surfaces in hostels makes us feel like we're really living. But this weekend was about relaxation, so we sprung for a truly wonderful place. Unbelievably hospitable hosts. A glass of wine upon arrival. Private sauna. Oatmeal, omelettes, roasted potatoes, and fresh muffins for breakfast. An ocean view. It was spectacular.

Tidepools At Cannon Beach

2011-10-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

We got to Haystack Rock just in time to see the gorgeous creatures that appear there during low tide. Starfish that were bigger than my face. Sea anemones in colors I've never seen before. Muscles clinging to the rocks by the thousands. It was awesome.

Haystack Rock

2011-10-27T10:46:00.000-07:00

After our hike, we headed to Cannon Beach and walked out to Haystack Rock. I've seen photos of it a million times and seen it in person a few times, too. It's never wowed me in the past. But there was something about seeing it the other day - something about the light, about the time of day and the time of year, about being there with Barry - whatever it was, I finally understood why it's such a special place for so many people.

Birthday at the Beach

2011-10-26T22:29:00.000-07:00

I've told you about trips to the Oregon coast that Barry and I have taken in the past. I like the coast, but I never understood the love that so many people have for it. That is, I never understood it until yesterday. When our days off rolled around this week, we took off for the coast to celebrate my birthday. Things have been a bit hectic here and we wanted to get out of town to really relax. The coast was the perfect place to do it. We started out at Ecola State Park, hiking to Indian Beach.

Hello, 35

2011-10-22T00:02:00.000-07:00

Nice to meet you.

You've got a few more gray hairs than 34, and deeper wrinkles around the eyes.

But you seem a lot more content and easy-going, too. Like, you probably wouldn't stress out if you were, say, in Los Angeles on a business trip and you ripped the seat of your pants in the middle of a meeting and had to wear your sweatpants/pajamas for the duration of your LA trip, right? Not like that happened on Tuesday or anything.

I love birthdays. This one won't be an exception.

Been Up To

2011-10-09T10:40:00.001-07:00

dining at Luce with girlfriends... movie watching at home (this cell phone-less girl is also Netflix-less -I've been giving my library card a serious workout recently)... cyclocross spectating... granola baking... jewelry making (Betsy and Iya has lot of new sulu-design pieces that I'm really excited about)... shop updating:

And These Guys, Too

2011-09-30T22:44:00.001-07:00

The (Current) Personal Favorites

2011-09-29T06:12:00.000-07:00

Blue it Is, Blue They Are

2011-09-28T06:04:00.000-07:00

Sky blue, turquoise, teal, navy... they're all good with me. All of the above are in the sulu-design shop now. More blues tomorrow, including my current personal favorites.

Not Everything I Make is Blue

2011-09-27T08:03:00.000-07:00

But a lot of it is. So before I hit you with a bunch of blue designs tomorrow, I thought I'd give you a breather with some reds, all in the sulu-design shop now...

Like I Said

2011-09-26T07:43:00.000-07:00

A sulu-design shop update had been on my to-do list for a while. But the sun was out. We were on our bikes. We were eating and drinking anywhere that had tables outside. We ate it up while it lasted. But the rain has started. So. Here's the first of many updates this week. Click images above or check out the entire shop here.

It's Been Almost Two Weeks

2011-09-21T12:19:00.000-07:00

Not much to say. We got a new wall-hanging that doubles as a rug. Fourteen dollar score thanks to Dusty Tiger in Sellwood.

Where It's At

2011-09-09T10:41:00.000-07:00

If any jewelry in the last post interested you, Portland folks, you can find all of the necklaces and a few of the new earrings at Betsy and Iya. The rest of the earrings are available at Tender Loving Empire. And Tumbleweed just got lots of new necklaces, too. More sulu-design shop updates will follow, but don't hold your breath. It feels more like summer now more than ever here, and I'm taking full advantage of it. Earlier this week, that meant a trip to the beach on Sauvie Island, which we always follow with a trip to Kruger's Farm. That resulted in some fresh summer dinners this week like a salad of watermelon, feta and mint, and a sandwich of goat cheese, carmalized onion, fig, honey, and freshly ground pepper. Yeah.

The Fruits of My Labor Day

2011-09-05T17:03:00.000-07:00

Way to keep scrolling! I hope you had a fun Labor Day weekend, American friends. I worked all three days of it but was happy to have evenings free for all things jewelry-related. Barry's been off on a biking trip all weekend, so I had the place to myself. I played Cee Lo's not-so-nicely named song over and over and over again, ate hors d'oeuvres for dinners, drank ginger ale and Maker's Mark, and worked my fingers off on new sulu-design earrings and necklaces... kinda all at once. The pieces above will make their way to various Portland boutiques this week. And a sulu-design shop update is on.

I Hate To See That Evening Sun Go Down*

2011-09-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

When I come home from work to find the late day's sun pouring through our windows, throwing long shadows across the apartment, I wish that I could hit pause and let it hang in the same spot for a while before setting. But I have big plans for this evening, big be-productive-with-jewelry plans. And I'm most productive in the jewelry department when the sun isn't out. So I'm enjoying the last hour or two of sunlight in the day, eating a dinner of sliced tomatoes with mozzarella, and then getting down to business.

*Have you ever read any of William Gay's beautiful books? I swiped today's title from one of 'em.

Virginia City, Nevada: Cemetery in Color

2011-09-03T19:36:00.000-07:00

Virginia City, Nevada: Cemetery in Black and White

2011-09-02T19:17:00.001-07:00

Lake Tahoe: Shore and Tent

2011-09-01T23:45:00.000-07:00

Lassen Volcanic National Park: Cinder Cone

2011-08-31T23:39:00.000-07:00

Lassen Volcanic National Park: Brokeoff Mountain

2011-08-30T23:22:00.000-07:00

Lassen Volcanic National Park: Summit, Echo, and Twin Lakes

2011-08-29T23:18:00.000-07:00

Lassen Volcanic National Park: Bumpass Hell

2011-08-28T23:04:00.000-07:00

Getting There: Minersville Campground

2011-08-27T22:58:00.000-07:00

Indulge Shutter-Happy Me

2011-08-26T22:34:00.001-07:00

Wow. Our camping trip was awesome. Eight days of sleeping under the stars, eating tasty meals cooked over a campfire (we love our new cast iron dutch oven), enjoying scenic hikes, dipping in the bluest of blue waters, and an making an unplanned detour to a cool old town with an amazing cemetery. I took a ree-diculous number of photos, and for my own satisfaction and need to catalog everything, I'm going to post lots of 'em here. It's for my own sake, so feel free to skip over the next seven days of posts if you can't stand other people's vacation slide shows.

For those of you who are curious about the camping locations that will soon follow...
Ever been to Lassen Volcanic National Park (you know by now what a sucker I am for the National Park System)? It has lots of varied, truly spectacular geographic features and is far less crowded than many national parks. I highly recommend a visit. Ever been to Lake Tahoe? I can now say that I have, and that I don't need to go back. It's as gorgeous as everyone says it is, but it's not my scene. Ever been to Virginia City, Nevada? If you've got a thing for old cemeteries and can overlook a town that does a bit of catering to tourists, add it to your list of must-sees. Now brace yourself, or tune out.

Today Makes Ten...

2011-08-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

Years of marriage, that is. Fifteen years together.

Barry rocks, be he clean shaven or bearded.
I do have my preference, though.

He's my best friend.
And life is so good because of that.

We're off to celebrate...

Original Intent: Day One Hundred Ninety-One

2011-08-17T06:17:00.000-07:00

caution flags, the pearl, portland

e-mail sulu-design@hotmail.com
to purchase the inspired earrings
(sold)

Original Intent: Day One Hundred Ninety

2011-08-16T06:16:00.000-07:00

crusty old window, astoria, oregon

e-mail sulu-design@hotmail.com
to purchase the inspired earrings

Original Intent: Day One Hundred Eighty-Nine

2011-08-15T06:14:00.000-07:00

lost sneaker, nw portland

e-mail sulu-design@hotmail.com
to purchase the inspired earrings

It'a a Big One, Mom

2011-08-14T05:57:00.000-07:00

Today is a big birthday for my mom. I wish I could be with her today - I miss her like crazy. The older I get, the more I realize what an amazing lady she is. Her dedication to her family is unmatched. She's worked hard her whole life in order to expose her three children to wonderful things. She's supported each of us as along the way, even when the way led us to cities far away from hers. She has a great sense of humor (although if I'm honest, I'd say she likes puns a little too much... puns and pirate jokes). She's made great changes in her life in the recent past to be a healthier person, which is truly inspiring to me. And she's a stickler about writing thank you notes, a lesson which has paid off for me time and time again.

I love you so much, Mom. Happy birthday.

Original Intent: Day One Hundred Eighty-Eight

2011-08-13T06:11:00.000-07:00

vintage table with color blocks, astoria, oregon

e-mail sulu-design@hotmail.com
to purchase the inspired earrings

The More to Come and Where to Get It

2011-08-12T06:15:00.000-07:00

Most of the pieces I've been working on this summer are at a very new, very special location. My friend Betsy and her husband Will recently opened a new shop in our neighborhood that I couldn't be more excited about. Named after her own jewelry line, Betsy and Iya, the shop is purely awesome - modern, bright, and full of beautiful handmade goodness (including not only the lovely wares for sale but also the store fixtures, made by super talented Will). I could go on and on about Betsy, her stunning jewelry line, and the amazing story of how she and Will have built quite a business for themselves. But I think I can sum it up by saying that Betsy's positive spirit is huge and contagious, and what she does she does well.

I'm so, so proud to be a little part of her new shop. I get all giddy just seeing sulu-design earrings and necklaces displayed there.

I'll be out of town for the grand opening party, but I hope those of you who are in Portland can make it to the Betsy and Iya shindig one week from today, on August 19th:

Those Things. Those Funky Summer Things.*

2011-08-11T08:24:00.000-07:00

A couple week ago I'd mentioned that I'd show you some of the funkier pieces I've been working on this summer, but I've been lazy about photographing them properly. What can I say? The sun finally started to make regular appearances and I've had little interest in anything other than being out in it. I did, however, manage to get lots of pieces made in the early morning hours this week before the sun showed its face. The handful of necklaces above, all made with hand-sewn dyed leather laces - meant to hang behind the neck - with long strands of bold beads draping below are all at Idom now, where the particular style has been well-received.

More to come...

*The title of this post is bitten from the tag line of this blog, which Barry often leaves open on the computer screen so we can drool over it.

The Difference a Desk Makes

2011-08-10T07:52:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago when my family was in town, Barry borrowed his boss's van to get all seven of us and our camping equipment up to Mount Hood. We ended up being grateful for the van for more than reasons than one. Barry and I had been searching for a long time for work table to tuck into the corner that is our office - a table on which he could set up a truing stand to build bike wheels and on which I could make jewelry. The day we picked up the van, we just happened to find the perfect industrial work table for $20 on Craigslist, and it just happened to fit perfectly into the van (two birds, one stone - yay!).

It's amazing what a difference the work table has made in my productivity with jewelry. For five years now, I've worked on jewelry on the floor of our various apartments. I'd pull out my supplies from behind cabinet doors, spread them out on the floor for a few hours, work away like crazy, and then clean everything up and get it back into hiding a few hours later (because we all know I'd get the shakes if it sat out on the floor for more than a day). Now, having an area that's dedicated to jewelry design where I can leave my supplies out without them being an eyesore has made it so much easier to jump into and out of work when I've got a little spare time. Spending less time on setting up and cleaning up supplies has meant so much more time for actually creating. Plus it's really nice to sit next to Barry (he's got the left side of the table), drinking coffee and listening to good music, while each of us works on things that we love. Oh, the productivity!

We're Back... So Come and See Me

2011-07-28T08:30:00.001-07:00

We had an awesome time camping with my sister, her husband, and their kids on Mount Hood. And I think they had an awesome time, too. It was only a one-night adventure - they're off to explore Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. for the next week.

If you're in Portland, I'd love it if you stopped by the Last Thursday events on Alberta Street tonight. I'll have a table of sale-priced earrings set up on the block between 18th and 19th Avenues, right in front of Tumbleweed Boutique. I'll be out from about 5-9... hope to see you there!

Summer Sleepover: Check

2011-07-25T19:07:00.000-07:00

My sister, her husband, and their three kids are in town, visiting from Cleveland. They're taking the Portland area by storm, squeezing in more in a few days than many people do in a few months. After they scoped out the Oregon coast yesterday it seemed fitting to have the kids over for a slumber party with a screening of The Goonies, which was filmed there. Tomorrow, we're headed up to Mount Hood to one of our favorite campgrounds. And when we return, I've got exciting sulu-design news.

Summer Jewelry: Check

2011-07-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

Not summer jewelry by me, summer jewelry for me. My cute friend Tyra (remember Tyra from my NYC days?) made this custom necklace for me and I'm loving it. The combination of different metals and chains, the geometric but slightly organic nature of the shape, the bold shininess of it... I love it all. The necklace has quickly become part of my summer uniform.

Other summer jewelry purchases that have become uniform-like include brass and copper bangle-like cuffs from a Rasta man who's been selling jewelry outside of Plan9 Music in Richmond for as long as I've been visiting Barry's family there. And then there's a set of recycled plastic bangles from the Richmond Art Museum gift shop. It's not like I buy a new jewelry wardrobe every summer (or with any regularity, really) but this summer I scored. Maybe some day soon I'll show you the funky pieces I've been working on this summer...

Post-Berry Picking Baking: Check

2011-07-22T06:11:00.000-07:00

Damn.

Berry Picking: Check

2011-07-21T10:08:00.001-07:00

Determined to act like it's summer even though it doesn't feel like it, Barry and I headed to Kruger's Farm yesterday afternoon for some berry picking. And it was good that we did. The second we crossed the bridge to Sauvie Island, we were bathed in light and struck by the gorgeous sights of blue, blue sky and green, green fields. We got several pints of berries, some of which I'm saving for blackberry cornmeal cake. And for a couple hours, it felt like summer.

That Summer Anxiety

2011-07-18T19:28:00.000-07:00

If you happened to run into me while I was at work this past week (and I know a few of you who stop by here did run into me at work), you probably heard me moaning and groaning about how Portland's weather this summer has me really bummed. We've had a handful of nice days when the sun has come out and the temperature has gone up, but those days have been bookended by gray, chilly, and sometimes rainy days. It still feels like spring to me, like we're just waiting to get over the hump into real summertime. People, I'm in bad need a serious stretch of hot, sunny days. Shoot - I'll take humidity, too. Anything to let my body know that we've arrived in the season of fun and frolic. I'm getting worried that summer is just gonna zip on by without lingering a while and we'll be on to another long, gray, wet winter. I signed up for those winters when we moved to Portland - that's part of the deal in the Pacific Northwest. But no summer? Gah!

That being said, Barry and I are going through the summertime motions. We took advantage of the one particularly hot day we had and went swimming in the Sandy River. We went to the Portland Farmers' Market on the one Saturday that we've both had off work since we moved here (thanks to our friends Craig and Kim for getting married so we could take the day off) and had freaking amazing bagels from Tastebud:

(I swear there's a bagel under there, beneath the bacon, arugula, jam, and cream cheese.)

There are plans for berry-picking at Kruger's, for bike rides down the Springwater Corridor to scope the antique malls and enjoy beers in Sellwood, for outdoor movie screenings, and for a big camping adventure in August. We're psyched to have Barry's parents in town now, and a long-awaited visit from my sister, her husband, and their three kids in a few days. And we will squeeze every last bit out of summer that we possibly can. Summer can run but it can't hide.

Chasing the Sun

2011-07-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

Being in Virginia gave me a taste for some serious sun and heat. Portland's summer has been slow-coming, and the days that feel like summer here are interrupted by overcast days that are, quite frankly, getting me stressed out. I've developed a summer anxiety which I'll post about later (aren't you excited for that one?).

When our "weekend" rolled around and forecasts indicated a significant chance of rain in the Portland area, we decided to take off to find some sun. We headed east of the Cascades to central Oregon with our bikes and a tent. We rode along the Crooked River at Smith Rock State Park, camped at Suttle Lake, and rode more the following day on Phil's Trails in Bend.

We found the sun, we found beautiful views, we found great trails, but heat evaded us. I'm begging for it. Begging.

To Richmond, Quickly

2011-07-07T08:11:00.001-07:00

Little did many of you know, Barry and I were in Virginia last week. We made a somewhat last-minute trip there under circumstances that we wish were different - Barry's much-loved aunt is rather ill, and his childhood friend's father just passed away. Despite the motivation for the trip having both of us feeling down, we had a wonderful time visiting Barry's family and seeing Richmond again.

We had a fun family crab feast, a great dinner at Mamma 'Zu, fantastic brunch at Millie's, several awesome meals at the O'Connor's place (have I mentioned what a great cook Barry's dad is?), and lots of good family time. We got our fix of heat and humidity, swam in the James River, visited the art museum, and checked out an interesting little neighborhood that we'd never really explored before. I also got to visit one of my favorite bead shops, so I'm feeling a little jewelry-inspired. Now we're back, and summer is in full swing.

Original Intent: Day One Hundred Eighty-Seven

2011-07-04T06:09:00.000-07:00

parasol in folly window, nw portland

inspired earrings found here

Original Intent: Day One Hundred Eighty-Six

2011-07-02T06:06:00.000-07:00

fire hydrant with spray paint codes, the pearl, portland

inspired earrings found here

Original Intent: Day One Hundred Eighty-Five

2011-07-01T05:03:00.000-07:00

layers of paint on a huge building, astoria, oregon

inspired earrings found here

Original Intent: Day One Hundred Eighty-Four

2011-06-30T06:02:00.000-07:00

le happy window, nw portland

inspired earrings found here

Original Intent: Day One Hundred Eighty-Three

2011-06-29T05:59:00.000-07:00

rainbow meters, astoria, oregon

inspired earrings found here and here

Original Intent: Day One Hundred Eight-Two

2011-06-28T05:56:00.000-07:00

rusty pipe, downtown portland

inspired earrings found here

I Sure Like, Part VIII

2011-06-27T06:25:00.000-07:00

tracks

I Sure Like, Part VII

2011-06-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

windows

I Sure Like, Part VI

2011-06-25T06:10:00.000-07:00

a tree in front of a wall

I Sure Like, Part V

2011-06-24T06:25:00.000-07:00

a dull facade, head on

I Sure Like, Part IV

2011-06-23T05:46:00.000-07:00

the payoff

The weather gods finally threw the Portland area a bone this week (on our day off!). Barry and I bee-lined it back to Dog Mountain. The hike is still strenuous. And the views at the top are still so worth it.

I Sure Like, Part III

2011-06-22T06:22:00.000-07:00

blue at night

I Sure Like, Part II

2011-06-21T06:57:00.000-07:00

throwing some greenery in there

I Sure Like, Part I

2011-06-20T06:53:00.000-07:00

bold, bright colors and sharp angles

Happy Father's Day, Dad

2011-06-19T05:40:00.000-07:00

I'll always be your adoring dotter.

In Progress

2011-06-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

As I continue to sift through folders of photos on our computer, I keep coming across images that were meant to be inspiration for Original Intent posts. Those pairings are in the works. I'm also coming across lots of photos of the same subject matter over and over. You'll see what I mean next week.

Before and After

2011-06-15T22:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Barry and I took a stroll over to Oregon Leather Co. where I picked up some lace for stringing beads.

And we finally ate at the Tabor food cart. The schnitzelwich is no joke. I concede - it's too big and rich for me.

It may just be the reason why I had to head home early from my run this morning. Achy belly. But that allowed me a little extra time before work to put that lace to use.

Store Fronts and Stoops

2011-06-15T12:28:00.000-07:00

The other day Barry and I were in Canoe where I spotted a photography book called Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York. Several of the images of stores in Queens were taken in our old neighborhood, Astoria. It doesn't seem to me as if store fronts with the funky vintage character like those pictured in the book are disappearing all that quickly in Astoria, but what do I know? It's been a while since we've been Astorians. Anyhow, before we left New York in 2007 I'd taken photos of a few of the shops that were pictured in the book (like this one that I used in an Original Intent post). Seeing the book reminded me that I had some images floating around from my trip to New York this February that either needed to be posted or trashed. So.

I was happy to find that while the sign may have changed, the stripes are still around four years later.

Less Routine More Often

2011-06-14T14:20:00.000-07:00

I like routine. I love my routine at the gym. I have to remember though that it's nice to break my routine with some outdoor workouts, too. Running from my neighborhood, along the waterfront, down to the Hawthorne Bridge, over, and back across the Steel Bridge, provides me with such satisfying views.

Should Have

2011-06-13T13:09:00.001-07:00

I should have been on a plane to Los Angeles for a work trip this morning, but I was bumped from the flight. I was really looking forward to gazing at some beautiful west coast scenery from up above. Instead, I'm unexpectedly home, trying to make the most of a few free hours by cleaning out folders of old photos on our computer. Which leads to:

I should have done something with the idea I had long, long ago of taking color field shots of walls, especially those with painted-over graffiti. I wanted to make a little project of it, but never got motivated to do so. Now, floating around in the corners of our computer, I've got a handful of wall photos like the ones above. Similar posts will follow, I'm sure.

This Just In: Blogger Loves Succulents!

2011-06-08T13:58:00.000-07:00

On the advice of my friend Leslie, Barry and I headed to Portland Nursery on SE Stark (love this place!) to find a big ol' houseplant to fill a bare-ish wall and to bring something with some height into our apartment. We scored with a seven foot tall succulent, and we didn't stop there. We already had lots of little succulents around our place, and now they've got new friends. There's lots of repotting to do around here.

Did I Forget I Promised Color?

2011-05-31T18:59:00.001-07:00

(these guys were featured here)

Not at all. Find 'em all in the sulu-design shop, or click photos above to get to individual listings.

Are They All Going To Be So Colorful?

2011-05-24T22:53:00.000-07:00

No. Not today at least. I showed up this time with some nice, subtle neutrals. The color returns tomorrow. Click images above for sulu-design shop listings or check out the entire selection here.