buttercup

Buttercup Bloom in China...

2010-10-13T19:34:00.000-07:00

Hi all. This is Annie, friend of Wend....she doesn't have Blogspot access, but she wanted you all to know that the 3 Zasts are doing well. I don't regularly blog here, so I'm unfamiliar with posting photos...I'll have to leave that to WZ when she returns.

Annie

Wendy says "It is a trip being so far away for such an experience as this. CCAI has been great & our travel group has been so supportive!

Vera has 4 teeth! And, she is cutting a 5th - so feeding has been a bit difficult for that reason plus she hasn't quite developed her "tongue thrust" skills. Each day gets better, though & we had our first poo (actually 3!) yesterday! WoooT! Her personality is so fun and happy - I can tell that we are in for a lot of action, Johnny and I!"

Rainbow Garden

2010-10-06T21:45:00.000-07:00

We've been working so hard on the nursery, wrapping up work stuff, getting over virus bugs and gathering steam for this next big adventure!

Finally the closet remodel was complete! And, what an improvement - not only is it pretty enough to leave the door off, but there is just a load of storage for our girl now!

Thanks to Ikea, we found a shelf that looks a lot like rick-rack. Perfect spot to showcase special treasures!

The ABC Art is courtesy of Melissa Sweet & something I purchased years ago. It is so wonderful to finally see it in place.

A Rainbow Corner...

And the most perfect Kelly Green rug that was ever created. I love it.

And, so does Peyton. Hopefully our garden-girl will, too!

xo

Details

2010-10-02T14:51:00.001-07:00

Oh its been more than a little nutty around my home and my head these few weeks. House guests, recovery from a stomach bug and then a chest cold, wrapping up everything at work, gathering medications, choosing packing lists and organizing documents....

And we are finally getting down to the last little details.

For anyone who has been following my blog over the years - you know that I usually have a sewing project in progress. Remember this one?

The girl on the left (who was later named "Pixie" was sewn and delivered to my niece in July of 2007. Her partner in crime, on the right, has sat for all of these years patiently waiting her own unique expression.

Guess I just needed the right inspiration.

Insert Baby

2010-09-19T09:43:00.000-07:00

One step closer....

Cascading Love

2010-09-13T21:36:00.000-07:00

I know that traditionally it is called a Baby Shower, but it felt a lot more like a Waterfall for me.

This gathering of friends and family was an incredible washing upon my life this past Sunday. It was an incredible wave of expectation. A cavalcade. It was a drenching abundance of expectation and as overwhelming as I'd imagine a surfer facing the Mavericks may feel...it was that for me. This little Sunday party was amazing and wonderful and overwhelming and absolutely what I needed at this point in time. All my nearest and dearest in one place at one time and....celebrating buttercup. Our dear buttercup.

Borrowing words from my dear Suzanne Vega...It was "Love Made Real".

My dearest AK47 whipped up some amazing finger sandwiches and cosmos meant to be sipped from teacups.

She was the hostest with the mostest and made everyone feel welcome and ready to par-tay! She created a beautiful red wave of fabric where guests could share their hopes and dreams for baby Z!

So many hopes and dreams!

There was Rainbow Bunting...

A Rainbow Group Craft Project:

A Rainbow Cake:

A Rainbow Group Gift:

(I refuse to take this amazing jeweled treasure off of my neck!)

And a Rainbow Collection of Family and Friends!

So many presents for buttercup, so many hopeful wishes for myself and jzboy....so many promises of support, love, dim sum and congee. Thank goodness. Thank. Goodness. Thank you.

Feels so great to be so happy.

I love you all! Thankfulness. xoxoxoxo

Sealed with a Kiss

2010-08-22T21:19:00.000-07:00

I had a bit of help...

putting together a care package for our buttercup.

I cut and I pasted...I researched and I shopped.

It was so much fun choosing and sewing for a girl that now has a face and a name. Here is what I enclosed in a crimson red box Guangdong bound, to our cupcake girl:

Three hand-adorned onesies, a pair of yoga pants to match, a tiny all-American photo album with photos of our nearest & dearest for buttercup, California-made candies for her caretakers, a brilliant teether toy, a mama-made buttercup yellow "tiny wee hoot" and a lightweight waffle weave blanket - perfect for the hot weather in the area where our girl is currently living.

And, Rainbow Socks!

Everything is wrapped up for the mail tomorrow.

And, totally Sealed with a Kiss.

Many kisses.

buttercupcake

2010-08-17T21:11:00.001-07:00

Such a sweet wee face.

We are so excited to introduce our daughter!

Song Xiao (Dawn) Yuan (garden)

Born on January 26, 2010 - she's a tiny, young nugget of love!

Someday soon we will travel to the province of Guang Dong where she sleeps "deeply" at the YangXi SWI!

She is a healthy girl who loves playing with adults, has 2 teeth, can hold her head up & roll over - at 6 months!

She's as big as our chubby cat, Peyton: 14.5 pounds!!

Immediately I feel that she is smart, somewhat fearless, very likely quite sassy, wants to be involved and needs her mama (& baba) to hold her tightly and feel all the love cascading upon her little life.

Such an amazing day.

Such an amazing time.

So many feelings.

Thankfulness. xoxoxoxoxo

Sing With Me

2010-08-16T21:27:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow,
Tomorrow,
I LOVE Ya Tomorrow....
You're only a Day Away!

The phone call that will change our lives forever will happen tomorrow.

Totally.

Fifty One

2010-08-13T20:48:00.000-07:00

Its been Fifty One Months since our dossier was logged in.

That's a long time.

(Ahem) That's a Long-Ass Time!

And we are completely on the Brink. On the Brink of everything that I've hoped for and held dear about this new beginning. Of becoming a mother. Of becoming a Family. Of coming into this place whereupon we're meant to be.

Our child is literally waiting for us as we have waited for her. Soon we will come together.

All signs point to Tuesday next week. That's August 17th.

51 months and 2 days.

Winding and Wondering

2010-08-07T19:37:00.000-07:00

About four and a half years ago I last had my hands upon the paperwork that would make our dreams real.

And, today I can say that I'm starting to remember the girl that once was so hope and dream filled as the one in this photograph.

She (and her dear husband) sent off the package of documents to this austere and somewhat mysterious place...

to be maintained, accounted for and clasped in a promising holding pattern until its time came due.

All of these months...years, actually, I have wondered: What color was our dossier cover? Were we on the top shelf - or somewhere shuffled in the middle?

How many shelves...

or desks has it touched?

What did the people who work in this building...

think of us? Did they find us interesting, cute, prosperous, charming, ordinary...kind?

According to the rumor-trackers and modern day soothsayers...matching has begun.

Will we hear our long-awaited news this week or next? Or will it be longer?

Trying to put words to it all...with the help of some images

2010-07-19T19:20:00.000-07:00

In spite of the fact that I have had over four years to prepare...I haven't read this:

I never finished this:

I haven't researched this:

I still need to do this:

And, although it would REALLY come in handy about now - I never got around to doing this:

Yeah, yeah...sure, sure - I've been busy. Working full time, sewing up a storm, traveling a bit, returning to exercise, learning to be an Auntie. Although life has been pretty good and fairly full - I still feel a bit like this guy:

Actually I should say that I felt like that guy. I have felt suspended, lifeless, disengaged. Comatose.

Many, many, many years of waiting might do that to a person.

And, now I feel jolted awake.
I feel foggy and surprised that I need to function responsibly.
Although utterly unprepared, I feel excited and stoked and fired up for motherhood to enter my life.

Its time to wake up.

Starting to Feel Lightheaded and Giddy

2010-07-13T10:07:00.000-07:00

Willy Wonka: But Charlie, don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he he always wanted.
Charlie Bucket: What happened?
Willy Wonka: He lived happily ever after.

Rumor Queen shares this Rumor about referrals today
(We are LID 5/15)

Could this actually be happening?

Casey Kasem Would be Proud

2010-07-05T09:21:00.000-07:00

I've got a new Spin instructor - who plays some GREAT workout music. There is nothing like an energizing jam that is so fun it makes you forget how hard you are working.

Here's the one he played last weekend:

Try to listen through the explicit words - if that sort of thing bothers you.

The tune was perfect for Spinning class - a fast run it was. And, it worked its magic on me. Not only was I immersed in the workout, but the little melody that the artists sampled into the song really caught my attention. I couldn't put my finger on it - but it was SOOO familiar. The instructor told me about Bone Thugs n' Harmony but was clueless about that background beat. (He's a little young & I just knew that it was something from the 70's).

Name That Tune is one of my favorite games. Most of the time, I can "Name that Tune" in just a few notes. This tune, however, was going to take a bit more research. Even jzboy couldn't put his finger on it.

Eventually we did - thanks to the internet & youtube. And here it is:

Now I can't say that I remember the band Jigsaw - but I definitely remember the song. Brings me back to the good ol' days when we would just have to wait until songs were played on the radio to hear them. When we would listen for hours to Casey Kasem run through the Top 40. Back when Eddie Rabbit and Juice Newton were hot and all we needed was an AM/FM radio and Teen Beat magazine to stay up to date with pop trends.

I just love that these bad ass hip hoppers found this random tune, mixed it up and repurposed it into such a great jam...and I sure would have loved to be a fly on the wall when they did it.

Virgo/Libra Cusp

2010-07-05T06:52:00.000-07:00

Virgo: Well organized, eye for detail, discriminating mind.
Libra: Anything that clashes upsets you, whether it's people or a colour scheme.

Virgo: Likes order in all things. Neat, clean and precise in her habits.
Libra: Likes harmony in her relationships and surroundings.

Virgo: The perfectionists of the zodiac.
Libra: Appreciates beauty in all its forms & has a keen eye to color and symmetry.

Yep. That's me.

Taste of Summertime Blues

2010-07-03T07:15:00.000-07:00

Inspired by this:

Photo found on Sara? via IndieFixx blog

I made these:

There's really nothing quite like a fat, juicy summer blueberry. They pair nicely with the cream cheese frosting on these cupcakes...which happen to make a lovely breakfast with a cup of coffee!

This weekend is shaping up nicely. Happy Independence Day! Happy Summer. xo

It Just Goes to Show You...

2010-06-20T16:00:00.001-07:00

...that there's something for everyone.

Case in point - this grass green gingham pimp hat. It was made for me. I stopped in my tracks when it caught my eye as I passed the beauty supply shop window. I'm pretty sure it winked at me. We engaged in this charade several times before I went inside the store and walked out with it on my head.

Hello Summer!

Makes me want to plan a road trip and listen to the play list below. Its a mix I made for one of the graduating seniors I worked with last year. He had a penchant for "retro" 80's style and sound...and it just so happens that I majored in that.

As I broke out the playlist today, I found that these tunes matched my mood. Energized, playful, bright and lighthearted.

This may end up being my best Summer ever!

Working on my Summer 2010 Soundtrack

2010-06-13T17:51:00.000-07:00

And this one is going on it!

Couldn't find the video - but wanted to share the tune. Totally fun.

I'll also add this one:

For Those Kinds of Days. Ludacris is good for that. And, speaking of Luda, what's up with this?

I know its all about the Benjamins, but c'mon. Completely ludicrous.

Check in

2010-06-05T06:44:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Been a little busy, a little nutty, a little excited and very preoccupied.

So I returned to old habits and over Memorial Day weekend and......on top of my primary goal to whip the garden into shape, I cut

and pinned

a stack of buttercupbloom hoot owls for my etsy shop. The end result was 26 new pieces - all stitched up and ready to go.

It was satisfying work in more ways than one and got me through an anxious time with bunch of unknowns. It quelled my desire to be in the drivers seat because I could channel those impulses into stitches.

It ended up being a great week with the best outcome.

This weekend I rest.

Cuckoo for Coconut

2010-05-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the Birthday Fiesta in this cute gal's blog, I was moved to buy sweetened flaked coconut, buttermilk and break out the sifter. My parents were on their way to visit and, well, what a better time to hang out and eat cake?

Cast of Characters:

This is what happens when one has been dieting for far too long

Buttery whipped-ness!

The AGA succeeds once again!

Voila!

And, it tasted sooooooo good. Dense, decadent, creamy....just perfect.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't considering just a wee little small sliver for breakfast. Mmmm, coffee cake.

Here's the recipe if you are as inspired as I was to re-embrace your love for coconut! xo

Five Fifteen

2010-05-16T11:08:00.000-07:00

Its been Four long years since we gathered all the paperwork together and began this pathway to parenthood.

Finally it is starting feel as though we are in the final stretch of the longest of Ultra Marathons. Tired, thirsty, calloused and maybe hallucinating a bit, we keep looking forward. Because, as long as we keep putting one foot in front of the other, we will make it to the end.

Which, really, is only the beginning.

(buttercup polaroid pendant is made by The Tiny Fig - and is adorable! And, yes, I have one!)

Amazing Grand-Mother

2010-05-09T20:41:00.000-07:00

My grandmother, my father's mother, was the woman who tapped into my creative energies. One of the first things that we would do once my folks dropped me off at her home for my week-long summer visit (back when Olivia Newton John was a regular on Dick Clark's Top 40) was to hit the craft store. Decoupaged paperweights? Knitted clothing hangers? Painted Mrs. Butterworth bottles? We had them all covered...and well.

In between trips to the roller rink and the drive in, we drank many cups of sweet coffee and went through our fair share of Mod Podge! It was a sticky, fun time.

So, when I hugged her that day...just about a week ago, in fact.....all of that special-ness and all of that love was a little dizzying. The fact that I get to hug my nearly 95 year-old grandmother so tightly and so dearly is overwhelmingly fortunate and, well, dizzying.

What could possibly be better? If my beloved grandmother could hold my daughter so dearly, so tightly, so loveingly.

I will hope with all of my heart.

Happy Mother's Day. Full of hope. Full of love. xoxoxxoo

Drumroll Please...

2010-04-17T13:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks SO much to all of you who decided to play along with my giveaway this past week. It made my Tax-Time just a little bit more fun. And, I needed that.

Most guessers were pretty much in the ballpark of reality. Some of the numbers that were thrown out, however, kinda cracked me up. I've been quite busy this year but couldn't imagine being busy enough to crank out 1999, 762 or 817 handmade plushies in a year's time. Maybe if I were able to sew and build full time I could hit those sorts of stats, but not on top of my full time day job. It is food for thought, though. Your confidence in me is much appreciated - and I hope that I haven't let you down.

Here's how some of the 2009 numbers shook out:

Etsy.Com (195)

Donations and Gifts (29)

Bizarre Bazaar/Maker Faire (25)

Renegade San Francisco (89)

That's a lot of this:

A lot of this:

A BUNCH of this:

And a little bit of this:

There were some other numbers including stock left at the end of the year and things sent to brick and mortar shops. The final-final number is probably slightly under reported but my best guesstimate based upon the numbers that I had.

So my big number is: 368

Which means that the Big Winner is: Alyssa of AlliesAdornments - the maker of absolutely beautiful jewelry that she creates from upcycled and repurposed to-die-for vintage buttons. (She guessed 367).

Thanks again to EVERYONE for playing along with this little contest and most importantly for supporting me with such heart as I pursued this creative endeavor over the past couple of years.

Its been real. And, it has been fun.

Now? Now it is time to clear off that baby changing table and make room for the next great adventure!

Not to fear, the shop does not have a closing date - but things are slowing down. We are hoping for news of our adoption hopes and dreams becoming a reality by the end of the summer this year. So, we'll see what happens between then and now. Probably a lot more gardening, maybe some quilt making and definitely some projects around the house!!

xo

Don't Forget!!

2010-04-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

My contest ends tomorrow - at midnight.

Click here for the Full-On Deets about the contest!!!

I still have not added up the numbers, so even I couldn't guess accurately.

If you guess well, this wee guy could be yours!

Thanks for playing along! xoxo

my buttercup garden

2010-04-10T16:25:00.000-07:00

Jzboy built me a raised garden bed a good 5 or so years ago.

I love it. Actually, maybe I should say that I loved it.

The past two gardening seasons have been a bit difficult for me. I lost my motivation & the garden suffered. California summers, although incredibly sunny & beautiful - are very, very, very dry. Most times I couldn't even go out there to look, let alone attempt to harvest anything - it was too depressing. Everything seemed so leggy, dry and unloved. And I blamed myself.

Thank goodness for Fall and Winter because those seasons manage to provide just enough time to dull my sad memories of the previous years woebegon veggie patch. Spring arrives along with my renewed energy and hope for the garden. And, Spring Break always ends up being the week when it all goes down. Here's a pic of the clean, pitchfork tilled and fresh compost amended bed.

In the weeks leading up to this endeavor, I did a lot of thinking about what was going to go in the dirt. Typically I choose a theme for the garden bed. One year it was a French garden - that year I planted tarragon and haricots verts, another year it was a Rainbow garden - with yellow, orange and green tomatoes and then there was the "International" garden year - cilantro, japanese eggplant, bok choy and Thai basil.

This year I decided to plant a Hope Garden patch. Unsure what would grow within a Hope Garden, I ventured to my favorite spot for inspiration - Berkeley Hort. I knew I would find what I needed to make the veggie patch exactly what it was meant to be for 2010. Here it is all planted up:

Jzboy and I agreed that this years garden would provide some of our favorites such as green beans, lettuces, pattypan squash, maybe some carrots and definitely cucumbers. The tomato factor was an issue, though. Conventional wisdom advises against planting tomatoes in the same place over successive years. The dirt, apparently, must recover.

((insert gardeners confession))

We pretty much plant tomatoes in the same place each and every year. Multiple plants. Year after year after year. We simply can not help ourselves. I thought that if I simply amended the soil generously, it would be fine. The gardener guy disagrees and suggests that our persistent tomato planting may very well be the root of the garden bed problem. Reluctantly, Jzboy & I agreed to either go tomato-free in 2010 or mayyyybe one wee tomato. Maybe.

Berkeley Hort did not disappoint. Although I kick myself for leaving without the dinosaur kale that I meant to grab (I'll be back!), I left with a good few prospects including this singular tomato plant:

Its a cherry tomato. Prolific and sweet. Hearty and lush. Bountiful. "Scrumptious", even. And when I read the name of this little seedling, the Sweet Baby Girl I knew that it belonged in our little optimistic veggie patch.

Plus it needed its own, special buttercup-yellow tomato cage. For support.

Here's hoping for a very fruitful Summer.

Contest!

2010-04-05T15:01:00.000-07:00

Ok. So I'm about to sit down to do my taxes.

I know.

I always-always-always put it off. Always. This year the task is all the more daunting because of my little plushie-making business. It got bigger in 2009, you see, a lot bigger than I ever thought it would. As fun as it is, there's the tax thing that I wish I could stay in denial about. I am just not into the numbers.

You see, I am so not into the numbers that I've never counted how many items I've made over the past year. Its a lot, too. A LOT. Not only was my Etsy Shop busy, but I did two really big shows last year - the Maker Faire and Renegade San Francisco. I also was fortunate enough to have my items in three "Brick and Mortar" shops last year - Modern Mouse, Doe-SF and Cafe Gratitude!

Its time, though. Its time to let the tax man know the deets so its time for me to tally up the numbers.

It will then become all the more clear exactly what I've spent my free time doing in 2009. The truth will be out that I have spent far more time with needle and thread than gardening, exercising or entertaining. That the Jan the Janome sewing machine has been more of a companion to me than most of the humans in my life. That poly fiber fill and felt have occupied my closets, drawers and dreams more than anything having to do with international adoption - a surprising, yet quite welcome distraction. Time to face the music..

Here's the fun part...for you.

Just for shits & giggles, I would like to host a little contest. Anyone can play! Whomever comes closest to the number wins this little guy:

For a Hint - Click Here!

Just leave a comment for me with your numerical guess of how many plushies (includes Hoot Owls, Mice, Bunnies - all of em') you think that I made from January through December 2009. The number and the winner will be revealed on Tax Day - April 15, 2010!

Off to count....(and, thanks for playing along)! xoxo

beautiful "tally mark" necklace (above) by NinaGibsonDesigns @ Etsy.com

Five Faves

2010-03-28T08:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Amy, my Skunkboy Creatures Swap Partner, I was inspired to blog today. She suggested listing my "Five Faves" - and because its been a wee while since my last post PLUS since Five is my Fave number I thought I would join along in the party.

1 - Fave Beverage: A&W Diet Root Beer

Really, really, really good.

2 - Fave New Yarn & Accompanying Project (plus complimentary kitty toes)

This is Koigu's Handpainted "Dr. Seuss" yarn. I describe it as a "woolen tutti frutti, rainbow...with sprinkles" and I'm working it into a lacy, Koigu Wave scarf pattern. Perfect for Spring/Summer nights. It will look totally different once I'm finished and have washed/blocked it.

3 - Fave (recent) Etsy Purchase

Roundy Bottomed "Made By Hank" clutch in teal. Adorable. Tactile. An inspiration. She uses a lot of upcycled fabrics, so she is a kindred spirit, too. Good luck snapping up a bag, tho, as she sells out in a Flash!

4 - Fave New TV Show - Parenthood

I honestly don't know how we stumbled upon this show, but it pulled us in with the gratuitous Bay Area references and kept us hooked (or at least me) with Dax Shephard's crooked smile and the hilarious, over the top liberal family stereotypes. I Love it.

5 - Fave New T-Shirt

This "Climbing Cowlneck Tee" made me stop in my tracks. And, it fit! So I bought it. And, I love it!

Sooooo, if you've been inspired and feel like sharing your "Five Faves" - please leave a link here in the comments!

Fun! xo

Makin' Whoopie

2010-03-13T15:37:00.000-08:00

The other day at the office this caught my eye:

Yum, right?

It was a festive little photograph attached to an article about how the new & kewl things to make at all the hip Bay Area eateries are "Whoopie Pies". Chocolate, vanilla, red velvet, buttercream, salty peanut butter and lemon zesty cute wee cakelets of beauty...with creamy centers. YUM!

Honestly? It was the rainbow sprinkles that made me stop in my tracks. And, stop I did. I stopped and slipped that newspaper under my arm because I knew in my heart of hearts that I would definitely be Makin' some Whoopie...and soon. Yesterday was the day. Friday was Whoopie day because it was rainy, I was a bit glum and because I knew I'd have a visit from a very special birthday boy over the weekend. So many reasons for party sprinkles and chocolate decadence.

In preparation for the endeavor, I scanned the internet for more recipes and photos - just for comparison. Here are the visions that filled my head:

Adorable, right?

Wellllllll, mine didn't quite turn out like the guys above. Maybe it was insufficient "whipping" of the butter/egg/sugar into ribbons as the recipe requested. Maybe the chocolate was too hot when we folded everything together? Maybe our baking powder is a little bit expired? Maybe a "fluffier" cream cheese frosting sort of filling might have been better? Geez, I don't know...but here's what we got:

Wait for it.....

They look as though they are rejecting the marshmallow fluff innards. It was a culinary science experiment gone terribly awry.

But, they tasted super yum. Super, fudge-y and delicious. The rainbow sprinkles charmed everyone completely and made the birthday boy smile. Which made it all totally worth it.

Losing the Baby Weight

2010-02-21T16:17:00.000-08:00

When I embarked upon this adoption voyage, I was a fairly trim gal. You could find me in the gym most evenings kickboxing or cross training. I was totally into it. I even ran a marathon the Summer of 2005!

Then, I lost my energy. The drive to eat super healthy and get a really good workout was replaced with lots of TV, pizza and chardonnay. My new sewing hobby and the subsequent launching of my Etsy shop required a lot of sitting and not a lot of calorie burning.

What can I say? The pounds just kinda stacked up.

And, then they stacked up some more.

Last summer something shifted. I got my hands on Valerie Bertinelli's autobiograpy and was inspired to make a change. Valerie looks great and I want to, too!

Sooooo, September 1st I changed my eating habits and October 1st I signed up with a very, very cool Spinning studio.

My little spinning shop is in the back of our local cafe - a five minute drive from my house. It is a small, clean, well ventilated, uncrowded workout space. And you can grab a non fat latte after you exercise! Nice.

It is so completely great that I somehow manage to drag my butt out of bed for a 6 am class 3-4 times a week. Now thats what I'm talking about! And, I've lost 20 pounds!!!!!!! So, yeah, I'm gonna stick with this program and hope to lose another 20.

Time to let go.

From a Land Far, Far Away

2010-02-13T15:28:00.000-08:00

A friendly girl named Katie put out a cyber-call and invited anyone interested in a crafty interchange to sign up on her adorable blog: Skunkboy Creatures. It had been quite some time since I involved myself in anything swaptastic and I decided that it was a most excellent idea indeed.

My motto right now is "Why Not?", so not only did I offer my name, but I agreed to trade with anyone...in the world...totally hoping that I would have the chance to go international with this endeavor.

And, did I luck out!!!! Oh yes I did.

I was matched with a very lovely, creative, colorful, energetic woman from New Zealand. Her blog is called A Whim of Mine and she just opened an etsy shop of the same name. This little lady is quite skilled with a needle and with a hook. Look at this beautiful embroidered rhino she created...

Amy and I chatted a little via email and shared our fave colors and a few other personal thoughts in order to inspire the others creation. I was quite enamored with a crocheted doll that she made (I think it was Charles Darwin or something?) and asked if she made any "girly" ones? She said "maybe". Haha.

Look what just came in for a landing at my house:

Adorable! Thanks Amy!!!!

This little fairy wears magic wings on her spring green sweater vest! How cute is that? Did you see the wee buttons? And, the cheeky expression? She wears her hair in little pony-buns just like I do from time to time. Oh my gosh!

This wee fairy came bearing gifts, too.

The pretty candy-colored crochet hook was Amy's way to encourage me to try my hand at crochet. What she actually said was "Get Hooking".

Why not?

Wow!

2010-02-08T21:23:00.000-08:00

I just found out today that not only was I nominated but I made it into the "short list" of contenders for the Eco-Friendly Handmade Olympics event!

I am So Stoked!

Kristal is the creator of the RikRakStudio blog & organizer of the Handmade Olympics. She is a lovely Canadian seamstress who shares my enthusiasm for upcycling and repurposing long-forgotten, castaway fabrics. Kristal has an adorable and very popular etsy shop, too! She is incredibly generous with her promotion of other makers and handmade artists and I couldn't be luckier to be one of them.

Yay!

Sooooo, may I ask for your vote? My Redwood Lovers "Humboldt" Hoot Owl is the lucky little plushie contender.

Voting is easy - Click Here - and you will go directly to "Eco-Friendly Event 3". Once you drop by the RikRakStudios blog, please hang out for a minute and check out the other Handmade Olympic events, there are 8 in total. The Innovative Design group is really exciting!

Thanks!

This is a neat opportunity to introduce a bit of what I've been working on over the past year into this languishing little blog. I envision a colorful dovetail and hope to have some fun with it. I'm even cooking up my own little contest.

Good times. xoxo

Lily Allen - The Fear

2010-02-07T19:38:00.000-08:00

@ Yahoo! Video

When do you think it will all become clear?

Mixed Feelings

2010-02-06T12:01:00.000-08:00

I can't tell you how happy (& surprised!) I am to hear that there are still some old friends that kept me in their bloglines.

Thank you. It is so good to see you.

It sure was fun to blog back in the day. I really enjoyed it. The connections, the swaps, the shared photographs, the support, the "real life" meet ups were all something that I truly enjoyed about blogging. Heck, I even enjoyed the memes. It all was energizing for me. Somehow blogging and the support that grew from the shared experience kept me tethered to a sense of hopefulness in the international adoption process. A sense that I wasn't alone in the struggle.

Until it didn't.

People left for China, came back and then went password protect with their blogs. One person politely told me "sorry, but we never met in real life, so you won't be invited to my private blog" - or thats how I heard it. Even the blogs that I was invited to visit after going private would require passwords to memorize and "keychains" and far too much work on my part. (sigh)

Some folks just completely disappeared. Leaving me to wonder what happened to them. What happened to "us" - haha. Honestly, though, some of these former blog-community-mates I don't really remember, some I really do miss and some I really was tired of listening to anyway. Probably the feeling is mutual for some of them...and I totally get that.

Anyway......

I'm back to hug my blog, greet my ol' bloggy friends that stop by and hopefully welcome some of my new crafty cyber buddies to hang around here, too.

We'll see how it goes. xoxo

beautiful image above is by artist Lisa Congdon

Is anyone listening?

2010-02-05T20:40:00.000-08:00

Just wondering.

I've been thinking about reviving this old blog...getting it up and sparring again. Get it up and moving around...

Like a Phoenix. Sort of.

I've also been thinking about getting my Bai Jia Bei quilt going again. And, about the possibility that we may just...in the most slim of random possibilities.......may just actually get our referral this year!

Maybe?

Rumor Queen predicts the possibility. And, I may just be letting down my guard to think that it just might happen.

Maybe.

Anyone with me?

Is a Phoenix tentative?

Feeling Lucky?

2009-07-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

There's still time to enter the buttercupbloom contest on Phydelle!

Click this here link to throw your hat in the ring!

Giveaway Time!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-07-13T19:06:00.000-07:00

This is a First for me, so I am really excited!!

My Etsy friend, Brenda, makes these beautiful things.....

Doesn't that just look like the prettiest blue sky you've ever seen? Brenda's photography and eye for color really inspire me. She has two Etsy shops Phydeaux/knitwear and Phydelle/knitwear for dolls - feel free to take a look, her work is really special! She's also a super nice, very supportive person that I've come to know via Etsy Street Teams (kinda like cyber colleagues) and more recently "IRL" contacts. She's "Good People".

Brenda approached me for an interview a few weeks ago and I asked if we couldn't have a giveaway to make the feature all the more fun. She loved the idea & the spotlight is now LIVE!

I am giving away one of my Blue Skies Hoot Owls - it is one of a kind and just about as squeezable as it gets. See?

There's no purchase necessary, just hit this link and leave a comment about something you like in my etsy shop. You get bonus entries if you do other things - but the basic ballot is suuuuuper simple. And, you might win one of my Hoot Owls! Sweet.

Here's another pic of the prize:

Thanks so much for your support. I'm crossing my fingers that one of my Blogland Buddies wins the PRIZE!!

Click here to get to the Giveaway....hope to see you over there!

xoxoxoxo

A Wee Delay

2009-07-09T22:00:00.000-07:00

The super cool surprise that I alluded to the other day...has been postponed.

I'm sorry. What I can share is that the secret treat is my First Ever Giveaway!!!!!!!

An Etsy Pal, Brenda (of Phydelle Fame), asked to interview me and I asked her if we could include a giveaway as part of the fun. Feel free to drop by her blog to visit, but I will also notify the start of the giveaway here on buttercup as well!

Here's to a lovely weekend!

If forced to wait long enough....

2009-07-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes better gear comes down the pike.

New Ergo Sport!

Awfully Sporty! And, definitely going on the wish list.

Muchas Gracias to everyone that traveled over to etsy.com to vote for my Hoot Owl. That was fun! My plushie won 4th place and a spot in the Americana Gift Guide - a prized position. It has since made the long journey to Mount Vernon - to make a sweet nest with its Forever Family. Mount Vernon being just the right place for a Red, White and Blue Hooter, I believe.

Stay tuned for a super cool opportunity later this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks again! xo

Vote for my Hoot Owl...if you please

2009-06-25T21:24:00.000-07:00

If you love Owls, if you love upcycling, hell....if you just love me. Please consider voting for my entry in this week's etsy contest!

Go here: Vote

Thanks! xo

PS - I'm really close to winning! How cool would that be?

Maker Faire Success!

2009-06-14T14:06:00.001-07:00

And, it was so much fun! I really hope that I'll be invited to vend again as the Maker Faire and Bazarre Bizarre were truly the perfect market for me! Lots of families that care about upcycling, value handmade and love plush owls, carrots and rad ass radishes! My people.

Here is a pic of my pre-set up laid out on my dining room table.

Here is my table at the show itself! (I had a bunch of "stock" under the table and I kept filling in as the day went on).

Here is a pic of my table-mate "May" - of OhMay Designs on etsy. She is an amazing knitter and sells her original work as well as patterns at her etsy shop. She also lets me call her Mei Mei (my little sister - haha!).

Buttercupbloom and Ohmay!
Originally uploaded by brenda // phydeaux designs

We make a very good team as she is the calm, cool, collected one and I'm more of the perky salesgirl. Thanks to Brenda/Phydeaux for taking and sharing this photo of May and I.

And, many many many thanks to everyone that came out to support us at the Faire. I am happy to say that well over half of my "inventory" walked out the doors and into some pretty happy homes that day. A few people have actually even come back to my shop for more! One girl was so inspired by my Hoot Owls that she's founded a "Hoot for Owls" club!

Very, very, very cool!

I'll leave you with this vid from the Maker Faire website that will give you a sense of what else was going on at the event as well as the size of the crowds that were there! Pretty amazing!

Stay Tuned!!

2009-06-05T22:12:00.001-07:00

Maker Faire was Fantastic!!!!!!

I have some photos to share, but haven't uploaded them yet.

Until then, have a look and a listen to my favorite tune for Summer 2009.

I hope you love it as much as I do!

More later, I swear.

xo

I'm a Maker

2009-05-28T07:51:00.000-07:00

Yeah, baby...I'm a Maker.

So this is what I've been really, really up to. Preparing for the Maker Faire, San Mateo 2009.

Woot!

Holla!!

I've always had it in me. A desire to create, to be creative. Didn't always matter about what. Cooking, sculpting, sewing, painting, cutting, sprouting, writing. For me, it was and is all about making something. About putting what I have in my thoughts and heart on the outside. Sharing. Creating.

Making.

So, when one of my bestest friends called me "crafty" and I cringed, I needed to know why. And, when I joined an etsy group and someone called me an artist and I felt like an imposter - I had to take a closer look. Where do I fit in?...I asked myself...and I still do. Where does someone like me without any art school experience or commercial endeavors fit in?

My work and what has come out of me over this past year is more than "crafty" to me. The fact that I have managed to sell and send my creations worldwide is an amazing adventure that tickles me to death. And, an endeavor that I think has kept me sane. For now, I would like to call myself a Maker. It works for me and it feels pretty sweet.

Somehow I feel a wee part of a greater movement that is changing our world. I didn't mean to do that but am happy to have gotten caught in the undertow....

If you are in town, please come by to visit. Reduced price tickets at Radio Shack...and kids under age 3 are FREE!!!!!

I'd LOVE to see you!

xoxoxoxo

Bento Babe

2009-05-26T07:55:00.001-07:00

I'll be honest, I haven't been hanging around these parts for a while. A long while. My heart told me that distance from the blog/cyber/adoption world was a good idea. And, I think that has been true.

A week or so ago, however, I happened upon one of the "OG" Bloggers MaryMia and her "Salsa in China" blog. It was a take your hat off and stay a while moment. I paged through and hung out reading up on her adventures with her adorable twin girls. I missed her and missed the community.

M3 sure has a lot of fun with mommying, blogging and photographing. She's even been named a winning "Mommy Blogger" by Scholastic - how cool is that? I was particularly taken with her photo journaling of lunchtime around the Salsa Home in the form of Bento Boxes, twin style (click here to see her fantastic flickr collection). Brilliant. And, yes, I wanted a part of that action. Just a little piece of the cuteness.

There just so happens to be a Daiso shop nearly walking distance from where I work. They had a full- on Bento Box section that was easy to navigate but difficult to leave. The colors and the cute wee shapes just pulled me in. Here is my starter pack:

My excuse for buying these toys? Easy. I promised to help my sister entertain/occupy her one year old and nearly 3 year old during their father's lengthy graduation ceremony. I brought crayons and little toys.

But the Bento Boxies definitely stole the show. And, I think, saved us from a simmering and likely meltdown.

My proudest moment? They ate the tofu!

Yay!

Score one more point for Auntie!! (Maybe two?)

Part One in the "Where She At?" Chronicles

2009-05-25T08:53:00.001-07:00

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! I've been busy with a large project that I will reveal later this week. Til' then, I thought that I'd revive the buttercup blog a little with some photos and updates about where I've been and what I've been doing.

A friend of mine told me about this very cool collective called the Art House back in December. I thought that I would give myself a Christmas present and sign up for one of their cool projects. The Art House is based in Atlanta, GA. Here is their synopsis of their mission:

ART HOUSE IS ABOUT FAMILY
Art House creates massive, nationwide art projects that tie hundreds of artists together – and anyone can participate.
We started two years ago with the goal of bringing art to the masses. Since we started, we have interacted with thousands of artists from around the world, all brought together with the common goal of creating art and sharing it with each other.

We host many of the exhibitions for our projects at our gallery in Atlanta, Ga. In an attempt to give artists as much recognition as possible, as well as providing the opportunity to see the exhibition that they're a part of in person, we have started taking select projects to guest galleries around the country.

Pretty sweet, huh? I signed up for the Sketchbook Project. I sent them a little money, they sent me a cute little Moleskine sketchbook and a deadline. Very little else was specified by the Art House beyond the theme of the sketchbook show - "everyone we know". My kind of art project.

Here's a bird's eye view of my offering:

You can look at my submission in its entirety here, if you'd like.

It ended up being more of a journal sort of project for me. Filled with family members, colors and things symbolic of what I love and who I am. Here is a pic of the last page of my sketchbook:

My hopes, dreams, friends, family, heart and art - in watercolor and journal form have been having a way better vacation than I. Traveling all over the East coast, shaking hands with curious gallery visitors. Brooklyn, Boston, Chi-Town. Pretty cool. At some point, my sketchbook will come back home to me and I will imagine who has held it, what they thought and hope that someone understood a little about who I am.

I also wanted to blog about this because I thought that it might inspire someone who still comes around to visit this little bit of cyberspace. If you are interested, here is a link to the Art House - there are some more really great projects happening. And, I know that there are (or used to be) a whole lot of creative people that visit my blog.

More later. I've got some fun stuff to share & pictures, too!

xo

Help a Girlfriend Out??

2009-04-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

Etsy has a weekly Vote and this week I was included. Or, more
specifically, one of my Hoot Owls were included. The theme for the
vote this week is "Eco Friendly Items for a Better World". I couldn't
be happier to be part of that theme!

Actually, I could be happier - if I were to win!! Haha. Now you know
why I'm emailing and asking for your help. Its really easy & fun!

:::Click Here for the voting link:::

The poll ends on April 20th - and the results should be listed the
following day. Just in Time for Earth Day!!!

Hope this note finds you all doing well.

Happy Earth Day!

xo, WendyZ

Hello Sunshine!

2009-01-27T22:02:00.001-08:00

Happiness is a lazy Sunday, a warm beam of sun, cozy slippers and you.

xo

Welcome 2009

2009-01-05T18:20:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I feel the urge to blog every time I get carded. But I do.

Today I got carded again. This was at 10 am-ish, at a Whole Foods shop and I was purchasing a Pinot Grigio alongside toasted sesame oil, tofu and sherry vinegar. It was a young woman who was clearly embarrassed after having a look at my license. Odd. The carding also occurred immediately after I'd gotten my annual mammogram. Nothing like a mammogram to make you feel the aging process. Getting carded was a surprising antidote.

I bought this because I was feeling oh-so young & jaunty:

Makes me want to take a long sabbatical and work on my tan somewhere South of the Border. Or pack some warm scarves and head to Paris so jzboy & I can trade homes with a nice French couple that dream of living in California. Or throw all caution to the wind, quit my job and become a full time art student in San Francisco.

Is this what a mid-life crisis looks like? Maybe only if one does such things vs. dreaming about them?

This past week has been great in that I've gotten to congratulate some China Adoption friends (Kelli, Pipo & Holly) on their lovely referrals. What beautiful wee faces! One friend (Shannon) just posted her homecoming photos and Joel/Kim have posted pictures of their family day with Ruby. What happy, sweet times & sights for sore eyes. I truly want to thank all of you for sharing. xoxo!

So.

Is 2009 going to be our year? If referrals continue to trickle in as slow as they did in 2008 (a grand total of 2 months for the entire year)...then, nope. Will there be a speed up in 2009? Ah, the age-old question we've been asking at the top of a New Year for a while now. Who knows?

Girlfriend's gotta think up some new ways to span time because Paris is pretty far, the day-job's gotta stay for now and unless I can find me a kind benefactor - full time art school/extended sabbaticals in exotic locations aren't likely. I'd better get to work on a plan otherwise my closet might fill up with more things like these:

Somebody send help. Or...maybe some watercolors.

Happiest of All the Holidayz

2008-12-21T21:35:00.000-08:00

Warmest Wishes from our wee home to yours!

xo

Life Your Life

2008-12-06T21:00:00.001-08:00

I'm posting this, in part, because I was carded tonight. That means that it is more than o.k. for me to love this music....

It speaks to me.

So. Whats been going on?

A lot of ancillary stuff. Important stuff - but supportive, not necessarily primary stuff. Not necessarily life changing or heart stopping...stuff. But it is my life. My Life. If only I looked as flippin' hot as Rihanna. She hot. And, yeah-baby this girl got carded tonight. Nice.

In other news, today I hit 100 sales on etsy. How cool is that? I became a seller just over a year ago. Since then I've made countless plush owls, convinced many folks to appreciate upcycling, learned how to write a press release, grasped a greater knowledge of marketing and color theory and became a front-page curating etsy artisan. Nice.

Life Your Life.

That is going to be my new mantra. I hope. Sometimes things don't turn out as you planned. Little did I know that I'd be facing another holiday season "Waiting For Referral". But I am. We are. Its rough. Sometimes the emotions are closer to the surface than others.

Right now I have Rihanna.

Even if you haven't heard from me, I think of you. Those of you in China. Those of you on the brinks - waiting for TA's and haunting Target for all the needed supplies. And, those of you/us that continue to wait. Mark time. Watch the years pass. And, attempt to put a handle upon the elusive Hope.

Big Love.

xo

Team Trashion Encourages Shoppers to Go Green on Black Friday

2008-11-28T11:09:00.000-08:00

Going back as far as the 1960’s, the day after Thanksgiving has held the unfortunate title of Black Friday. The name was given due to the madness that happens in highly commercialized places of commerce, but mostly because of the heavy traffic on that day. Folks are at the mall before the sun comes up, cars fill freeways and parking lots, money is burned on mass produced products and the gas it takes to get to them. It can get ugly.

Team Trashion, a unique, eco friendly, international group of artisans on etsy.com visualizes a different sort of Friday following Thanksgiving. Team Trashion wants to encourage families to keep the car in the garage, leave their slippers on and curl up with loved ones and a second helping of pumpkin pie. Doesn’t that sound great?

On Friday, November 28, Team Trashion will provide holiday shoppers with a unique opportunity to shop for one-of-a-kind gifts that are innovative and eco friendly. Buyers will be able to connect directly with sellers at a virtual Trunk Show on www.etsy.com. Over 30 Team Trashion artisans will be showing a varied collection of handmade treasures all created from upcycled, repurposed or otherwise abandoned materials. The Team Trashion Green Friday Trunk Show will be overflowing with holiday shopping opportunities that would make Mother Earth proud. You will not want to miss it!

The Team Trashion Green Friday Trunk Show is at 7pm est – just the perfect time to grab a cup of tea and do a little shopping in the comfort of your own home. Here’s how you get there:

1 - Log on to www.etsy.com
2 - Choose the “community” tab at the top of the home page.
3 - Choose the “Virtual Labs” tab at the top of the community page.
4 - Choose the GREEN Treehouse “room” within the Virtual Labs.
5 - Sit back and enjoy the Trunk Show!

6 - You could also just click here & that will take you directly where you need to go.....

It will be great to see you there.

Getting Ready for my Big Show!!

2008-11-21T12:21:00.001-08:00

After splurging on fancy-schmancy business cards:

(They look way cooler in person)

And, super-cute buttons:

I decided to go handmade with my sign:

If you are local-ish, please drop on by - I'd love to see you!! Click here for more deets or if you're curious. There are 2 artist galleries with photos of what everyone creates.

Yes! I am very excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Meme? Why not.

2008-11-18T20:54:00.000-08:00

Where is your mobile phone? Recharging.

Where is your significant other? Couch

Your hair colour? Brown (w/ pervading gray)

Your mother? Thoughtful & Kind

Your father? Funny & Disarming

Your favourite thing? Color

Your dream last night? Can't remember

Your dream goal? Contentment

The room you're in? Kitchen

Your hobby? Sewing/Creating

Where do you want to be in 6 years? Walking someone to kindergarten.

Where were you last night? Watching Tivo at home

What you're not? Fake

One of your wish-list items? I'm really not wanting or longing for anything material - at all.

Where you grew up? All over. (Try explaining that during your homestudy).

The last thing you did? Eat Dinner.

What are you wearing? Corduroy

Your TV? Tivo'd Guilty Pleasure Shows like Real World, Oprah, Martha, Project Runway & The Hills

Your pets? = Family

Your computer? Very Functional

Your mood? Blase

Missing someone? My former self.

Your car? Red & reliable. With new tires!!

Something you're not wearing? A tan.

Favourite shop? Etsy.

Your summer? What?

Love someone? Lucky for me, yes.

Your favourite colour? Kelly Green. Raspberry Red. Lemon Yellow. Glacier Blue.

When is the last time you laughed? Few hours ago.

When is the last time you cried? do you really want to know?

I'm thinking that we need some racier meme's....this one was a little weak. Just sayin'.

Oh My Gosh Its Been Nearly a Month!

2008-11-15T14:07:00.000-08:00

Wow. Time flies sometimes.

Tomorrow marks a month since my last post & that is a new record for me. If you haven't heard from me it is because I've been been saving up my Bloglines connections for catch up in a big swoop. Marathon style. Like back to back Amazing Race or Real World episodes...but you know the players. That was my plan, at least, but now I am overwhelmed. At this point, I have some blogs with 32 posts to catch up on (Chief!) and some with 21 (Mamacita!) and a few others that I'm just too embarrassed to admit.

I kinda don't know how I'll catch up. But, I'll do my best.

The reason for my absence from the adoption/blog slice of cyber space is for a lot of little and big reasons. Too many to list, and that would mean more writing than I really have time to do right now.

I have been writing, though, just not about myself. Here is one place where I've been spending a lot of my creative time:

Click here to get to the site....

I'm still not sure why I thought I should volunteer for a Promotional Team on etsy - but I did. And, I've been loving it! Go ahead and click on the above link & see our work. A lot of the writing that went into the category blurbs was mine. This week I am also in charge of changing the artwork on the front page on a daily basis.

Its been fun. I get to play with color and pretend that I'm all advertiser-ish. I've also made some new friends and have learned a lot in the process. Here is a blog link to one of the primary peeps on our California Promo Committee:

Please go visit this link - you just might win a very cool pendant handmade by the Crafty Wren! Wren is giving one away EVERY DAY for the rest of this month! I've already purchased 2 of her pendants & won one last week for playing along...they are beautiful keepsakes. Feeling lucky? Leave Wrenay a comment & try to win today!

What else? Oh, I don't know. A lot of sewing. I'm getting ready to work a pretty cool show up in Sonoma, so I'm up to my elbows in plush owls. Here's proof:

Etsy has been good to me. It has provided a much needed distraction and some very cool validation for my efforts. Creating is cool and I've met some really talented and nice people. Truth be told, though? I'd walk away from all of it in a heartbeat if I knew when it would be my turn to go to China. I'd pack up my thread, my bobbins, my growing button collection. You'd prob. find me hanging out chitter-chattering in Yahoo groups or on my blog, if I knew that motherhood was on the horizon. Damn straight.

Until then.......

This is what fills the crib this season:

Its better than old boxes and clothes for donation. I figure that something cute and future oriented is a better bit of energy for the crib.

More later. Gotta go put my goggles back on and get back to work. This is on my Christmas list:

More later, there are some other fun things to share.
xoxooxoxoxooxxooxxoxoxoxoxo

My Own Version of Project Runway...

2008-10-16T19:01:00.000-07:00

Sooooo.....

I entered another Trashion Challenge. This one was thoughtfully named the "Monster Mash" with the organizers hoping that our creative efforts would appeal to Halloween enthusiasts.

The party began when I was paired with twistedwear - another Trashionista on etsy. Rules for the challenge were loose - send your partner some stuff from your stash. Appropriate items to send would include: stuff you want to get rid of, things in need of a new home and/or items that others might actually consider Trash. I will admit to feeling a bit of trepidation as I opened the mystery box from Kentucky. You just never know.

Here's what I found inside:

A massive pile of fabric exploding with color, texture and possibilities.

My strategy was to whittle the heap down by choosing a simple color palette. This is what I came up with:

The vintage bit of purple plaid was my favorite scrap included and I went from there. twistedwear also sent the luxurious purple velvet that just felt like Halloween. Like a Halloween costume, I guess. I added the green tulle, yarn and beaded trim from my own stash. Picking the colors was the easy part - engineering a way to make a monster out of them, however, really threw me for a loop.

You'll notice a few other things in the photo meant to inspire.

The book at the top is Lynda Barry's "One! Hundred! Demons!". It was a unexpected and well loved gift from another Linda. (Thanks again, btw). I became a fan of Lynda Barry's when I read MAD magazine back in my middle school years. Or was it Dynomite? I really can't remember when I first discovered her - but I have forever since had a kinship with her pimple-faced, awkward Marlys character. The One! Hundred! Demons! book is all about real life demons in Barry's life. She painted them with a Chinese brush & explains that the demons (such as "My Worst Boyfriend") just came out of her brush. It is a brilliant read & I highly recommend it!

The other little thing you may have noticed is the cassette tape pouch on the table. An inspiration, for sure.

This was the most stellar birthday gift that I've received in a long, long time. It holds some very important crafty bits and pieces...and sits on my work table smiling at me while I create. I love it. (You can buy one from BraveMoonman, if you'd like. She sews them by hand and makes them in custom colors).

The hardest part about this challenge was my resistance to making anything "scary" - or even "Monster-y" for that matter. That's just not how I roll. Cool thing is, the rules and guidelines for these sorts of challenges are pretty loose. At least that is how I see them. So often in my day to day life, the rules are fairly rigid - I think that is why I really embrace the looseness of interpretation of this creative work and just do whatever the Hell I want. Here is what I ended up with:

I named her Karma the Kosmic Kitten after another well-loved and dearly missed furry friend.

She is a feline with a mission to save the Big Blue Marble by educating Earthlings about Environmental Protection. She wears Solar Powered, Magic Green Whiskers and was handcrafted from 100% upcycled materials. Click here to read more of her story and to see more photos.

Thanks for joining me on this little adventure. It was a LOT of fun.

Here's to the beginning of another Fall weekend. xo

It Was a Really Good One...

2008-09-28T21:51:00.001-07:00

This year, I truly enjoyed my birthday. It was super-deluxe and very me.

Jzboy took the weekend off and we spent it doing the things that I love to do. No, not camping! Not hiking big gorges...or any of that boy-stuff. Not even organizing the "clutter" as I am want to do. We ended up having lunch at Cafe Gratitude my fave vegan restaurant, hit my regular fabric shop and got provisions at the all time most excellent market that exists. Jzboy seemed to like it - a lot, even. But even if he didn't, he was a rockstar at hanging with me.

On the actual "day", Jzboy told me that I needed to be ready by 10:30 - with no further details. He later dropped me off at the local, stellar swank spot for a full-on massage and facial. It was absolutely divine. I felt like a happy, fresh, squeeky-clean person once they released me! Jzboy then picked me up in a freshly washed and tuned up car (which was my not-so-secret b-day wish)! Wooooot! Holla!! Now, that is my man. I love that guy!

We hung out and had burgers at our favorite place in the East Bay, then tripped around the local streets picking up some goodies for the evening celebration. Here is the best part:

How cute is that? Way better than I could have cooked up! Pey-Pey is just the most curious and sweetest baby boy that we could have hoped to bring into the fold! Oh yeah, and the cake was tasty and cute, too!

There were some presents....

But! the greatest gift was for me to be with my bestest peeps. It was a very good birthday, indeed!

Birthday Nails!

2008-09-22T18:25:00.001-07:00

Check em' out! They are like a birthday party on my hands, make me want to bake cupcakes & I LOVE them.

Originally I thought I would go navy blue with white polka dots, but I thought that the lighter shade of blue suited my mood better. Definitely not pink, though, no matter how much the lady tried to convince me. When all was said and done, pretty much everyone at the nail shop wanted to see my wee works of art.

Yeah, I know, I'm weird...but this sort of thing makes me happy. Besides, now that I've become a hand model - I need to keep up with manicures. Actually more of a wrist model, if you want to get technical, but makes for a good excuse for blinging it up at the nail salon.

Here I am modeling one of my latest creations - a Cuff for a Cloudy Day:

I call this one "Grrl Scout". It is actually made from vintage boy scout uniform fabric plus the flashy red compliments that I think take it to the "Grrl" level.

Decorative cuffs are really trendy on etsy right now and I'm having fun trying something new. Cool thing is that I get to continue with my passion for upcycling as I use repurposed fabric in every cuff. A scrap of fabric from an old project here, a salvaged button from a favorite blazer there, a hand-me-down bit of vintage denim here, a little thrifted corduroy there...and so on. What can I say? Its my thing.

Time for a little more show & tell.....I named this one "Election Day".

And this one is "Indian Summer".

One thing that I love about my etsy endeavors is that I can be as creative and quirky as I want. Perhaps this newfound workout of my unique muscles is what gives me permission to paint polka dots on my fingers?

Works for me.

By the way, feel free to click on any of the highlighted titles for more pictures, or if you'd like to drop by my shop. I love visitors. If you are registered with etsy, send me a "heart" by adding me to your favorites. I'd love to know you were there.

xo

What Have I Been Up To???

2008-09-18T20:51:00.000-07:00

Here is a glimpse of what has been on my table recently...

Lots of hunting for fabric, designing patterns, cutting and sewing.

What has been on the agenda is (drumroll please): 6 penguins, 10 owls, 8 strawberries, a large bunch of carrots and a slew of tooth fairy pillows. Here is one of the first Strawberry Sweets to roll off of the conveyor belt:

She is also known as Candace and has a very cute brother named Wyatt. Both are up in my etsy shop, so you can visit them (& see more pictures here).

Creating cuteness has been keeping me going these days. I've got some fancy Art Shows booked with the holidays on the horizon and am equally freaked out and absolutely stoked about all of that. If you are curious, here is a link to the Sonoma Artisan Faire where I'll be "vending".

Oy, so now I'm a vendor. That freaks me out completely. Cool thing is that this big show will also include wine tasting. Nice.

Good for the anxious vendor.....and the shopper.

Sorry I've been so quiet lately, but there have been stitches to be sewn, out of town visitors to be loved, clients to be soothed and pies to be lattice draped and cooked. My heart is still in this game, but a little distance is what the doctor ordered. Hopefully you understand. I'm immersing myself in color and creativity right now.

Maybe I'm an artist at heart.

xo

PS - Stay tuned for pics of my birthday nails. They RULE!!!!!!!

A Random Laugh - In German

2008-09-10T21:23:00.003-07:00

Sometimes the random doppelganger brings a surprising, welcome smile.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-10T08:14:00.000-07:00

Are You Taking Advantage of Summers Bounty?

2008-08-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

It all started with 5 cups of plump, delicious blueberries.

Some magic spices courtesy of my PIF-Trade and friend, Project Ni Hao! These fresher than fresh, aromatic, gorgeous seasonings came all the way from Geneva, IL. Definitely jazzed things up quite a bit. Thanks, Mommy Ni Hao! xo

Lemon zest embraced the exotic spices and imparted a fresh, summery element.

Tossed together, dotted with butter and all ready for lattice crust + the glow of the AGA. Can you believe this is half the sugar that the recipe called for? Whoa.

Donezo!

Yes it was delish & the house smelled like lemony, nutmeg infused heaven. Next up? Probably my annual fresh tomato corn chowder. It is that time of year....

Sometimes You've Just Got to Give In....

2008-08-20T18:01:00.000-07:00

...and do something that really, really makes you smile.

That is precisely why I had stars painted on my fingertips.

What have you done recently? I could use some more ideas.

Candy Cap Curiosity

2008-08-19T07:35:00.000-07:00

How's about trying some of these in your next Birthday Cake?

What you see pictured above are glorious Candy Cap Mushrooms. Aren't they beautiful? I've yet to see a fresh one myself, but recently scored a small container of these caramel-scented, maple-syrup flavored shrooms in dehydrated form. And, yes, I did use them in my father's birthday dessert. Pictures to follow.

First time I made the Candy Cap Mushroom's acquaintence was in Mendocino, CA at my favorite restaurant Cafe Beaujolais when I ordered this dish:

Pan Roasted California Sturgeon Fillet
House Made Tagliatelle, Truffle Emulsion Sauce,
Wild Mushrooms, Beets and Snap Peas

The waitress explained that the hard to pinpoint, surprising secret ingredient was Candy Cap Mushroom. I embarassed my husband when I asked the waitress to kindly tell the chef how "F'ing Delicious" I thought the dish was. She did & the laughs from the kitchen made the meal that much more enjoyable.

I have since obtained the recipe for the Cafe Beaujolais sturgeon and as fearless as I think I am in the kitchen...enjoying this dish (my official "Final Meal") will be reserved for my all too infrequent visits to Mendocino.*

Ok, so back to the weekend festivities...

Dad got to choose between cake and bread pudding for his daughter-made birthday treat. I was 98% certain that he'd choose the pudding - but I wasn't going to jinx my odds by telling him that I planned to experiment with mushrooms as part of it. Dad didn't let me down & chose his favorite...old school bread pudding. He gave me permission to play with the recipe a bit and put in a request for a brandy/rum sauce if possible. Woot!

Here is the Bread Pudding Recipe in case you were interested. And, HERE are the shrooms:

It was a very simple recipe that had me scalding heavy whipping cream and then steeping dried Candy Caps in it for an hour. The house smelled very sweet - and maybe a little like curry.

I was supposed to use "half a loaf of pullman-sized brioche". So, yeah, I used nearly a full loaf of Challah. Pretty similar, I thought.

Here is after an hour steeping. Didn't look all that dramatically different, but it sure tasted lovely.

Here is the pudding after straining shrooms from cream, adding eggs, soaking bread with custard, sprinkling golden raisins and currants and cooking for a while. Golden yummy-ness!

One piece left after all was said and done. My clever brother in law figured out the secret ingredient after some hints. And, nobody freaked out that I used mushrooms in this dessert. I think that they may expect as much from me.

To celebrate this Kitchen Adventure Post and to share a recent download that I am currently in love with I leave you with this - a cover of an old Bread tune by the band called Cake. Makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

*Note to self: discuss Autumn vacation planning with DH tonight or sooner.

One of the Cutest Wordless Wednesdays Evah...

2008-08-12T21:11:00.001-07:00

8/8/08

2008-08-08T17:10:00.000-07:00

This day carries many a mixed feeling. And, deserves its own treat. So I bought these:

They were made by a very cool, energetic, edgy, interesting glass artist that I've gotten to know on etsy. Her shop is called Combustion Glassworks - and her nickname is "TNT". She and I are in the same California Crafting Club Street Team and I've collected a few pair of her earrings and this beautiful pendant:

Yeah, I've always been a girl that brakes for rainbows. Ask my Mom.

When I saw the red-hot, super shiny, celebratory dangle earrings in TNT's shop - named "Shanghai" - of course I needed to have them for today. They make me feel a little extra happy & that's a good thing. Maybe some dumplings could help too? And, a little Turnip Cake.

So how many days 'til the next batch of referrals come out?

For your Retail Therapy Pleasure - Here is a link to Combustion Glassworks Shop. Hope this post finds you enjoying the beginning to a really great weekend. xo

Plucky Penguin Preview

2008-08-06T10:47:00.001-07:00

Plucky Penguin Preview
Originally uploaded by wzgrrl

Wordless Wednesday!!!

Stay tuned for more details about my newest creation.....

Isn't This What Everyone Hopes For?

2008-08-04T21:54:00.000-07:00

...that when you bring a Newbie into The Fold - that everyone ends up loving each other?

Seeing Peyton giving Iris a bath (after she taught him how to do so) just warms my frostbitten heart. I'm hoping that it only gets better as the days cool down and the evenings inspire fireside cuddling.

Balm for this girls soul.

Do You Think I Could Pull It Off?

2008-07-29T23:01:00.001-07:00

I just love Project Runway's Emily and her slanty, jagged bangs. If only I could find a better picture before next week's salon appointment....

Closest I Got to a Gotcha Day About Now

2008-07-28T22:55:00.001-07:00

Very, very sweet.

Peyton Pea is our Sweet Baby Boy.

Care for Some More Trash Talk?

2008-07-26T16:54:00.000-07:00

My last post was all about my discovery of Trashion and the inspiration/diversion it has provided for me lately. How about some more pictures??

Couple weeks ago my sister sent me a link to a very cute upcycled t-shirt dress that she wanted for her daughter. I suggested that she wait & the two of us try to tackle the project together. Next thing I know, I've got my old t-shirt drawer open and I'm cutting up my old favorite cotton tees. What fun!

Here's the beginning shots. I purchased a second hand tank dress in approximately my nieces size to serve as my guide.

Here are the additional t-shirts pre-cutting:

Ta-Daaaa! Final dress. And, I can hardly believe that it FIT! Didn't get a picture with Little Miss in it though, darn-it!

The big discovery is that I learned how to join two knit fabrics - kindof tricky - and my machine has just the right stitch. So, yeah, there will be more of these over the years....

In other Trashion News...someone contacted me via etsy and complimented me on my fruits, veggies and other plushie creations. She challenged me to make her an Apricot - for her husband who grew up on an Apricot orchard. The most important task was finding just the right color. Apricot isn't really easy. Its not orange. Its not peach. It is Apricot. I had to purchase an Apricot to make sure that I got it right:

Here's how they ended up:

I paired the Apricot hued jean with some perfectly golden corduroy to give these guys a sun kissed look. Both my etsy customer and I were very happy with the result! Click here for more pictures of....Brandy, Goldrich and Bert!

It really is fun creating and sharing. So thanks for indulging me. xo

Trashion!

2008-07-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

TRASHION: An Etsy Street Team that is all about visualizing beauty in unconventional objects and materials. Members fabricate art, jewelry, fashion and objects for the home from used, thrown-out & found elements. Trashion is a philosophy and an ethic. It encompasses environmentalism and innovation, and respects the human creative and healing potential.

Making traditional objects out of recycled materials can be trashion. Making avant-garde fashion out of cast-offs or junk can be trashion.

Who knew that what I've been doing all this time with much of my sewing was Trashion! Each and every owl & some of the fruits and veggies that I've sewn were comprised of upcycled materials - usually felted former sweaters, vintage denim and corduroy. Some of my favorite fabrics! The process has been very gratifying and fun. Once I found a group of other artists on etsy that have similar inclinations - of course I petitioned to join their team!

This month we had a Palchemy (read: Pal + Alchemy) swap. Each participant was paired up and asked to send a package of materials to someone else on the team. No specific rules were given beyond the request to send things that were to be upcycled into, yes, Trashion! The next steps: Receive, visualize and create.

Here's what my partner sent me:

Plus some things I added from my own stash:

My first Trashion Project was Kitten Carlisle:

My second was Puppy Rooney:

I cut out the embroidered part of a vintage pillowcase that my swap partner sent me and used that for the kitten and puppy faces...the rest is an amalgam of bits and pieces sent by my partner and what I already had on hand. Sure was fun making something out of "nothing". If you click on the links above - there are more pictures!

You can click here to see more work created as part of the Trashion Palchemy Project - it is quite diverse!

And Now for Something Completely Different...

2008-07-08T19:59:00.001-07:00

I know that its been quiet around here - so how about some Words on this fine Wednesday?

Its July 2008 and that means that this buttercup blog has been around for 2 years. I can hardly believe it. To mark the anniversary, I will soon be changing some things up in here...so please stay tuned.

One of the new things that I'm going to be trying out is participating in a "West Coast Wednesday" Sale over at Etsy. So, for the next 27 hours (midnight tonight NYC-Time through midnight tomorrow San Francisco Time) everything at buttercupbloom.etsy.com will be 10% off!!! How cool is that?

Just click on the link in this post - or on the etsy pictures on the right ---> to get transported right over to my virtual boutique.

I'd love to see you over there...and I promise to see you back here later...when I find my voice again.

xo

wordless wednesday + more l8r

2008-07-03T21:47:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday + a wee bit

2008-06-24T20:48:00.001-07:00

Iris is a Momma Cat! And I am so proud of her.

She is teaching wee Peyton how to play and how to share. It is incredibly endearing. Iris is doing so much better, but still not her old self. Today I feel as though she is her old self, but now in a Momma Cat role, therefore just a bit more reserved and "motherly". I hope that I'm right.

Fun stuff....

Over the past few months, I've fully embraced the whole etsy community "thing"....and, let me tell you, it has been a lot of great fun. My CCCOE (California Crafters Club of Etsy) group is very, very active and motivated to promote each other's work. Its Great!

I couldn't have chosen a better bunch of people to engage with amidst the huge etsy collective. Today was a first! One of my creations was featured on the FRONT PAGE of ETSY! Here is a Screen Shot picture of the "event":

Do you see my Summer Of Love Owl down there in the left hand corner??

What does this mean, you ask? Well, when you hit the front page....a whole lot of peeps end up seeing something you've made and that you're selling and, hopefully, come visit your shop. That is what happened - lots of visitors, lots of love & lots of mad props for my work. Neat.

So, in the spirit of sharing, I'd like to show off my most recent additions to my shop. My Wedges of Sunshine! Allow me to introduce you to:

Samson:

Mari/Short for Marigold:

and Raye:

All of these guys embrace their love for the sunny side of life - making morning glories awake, painting rainbows in the sky and putting a shine on a freshly washed corvette. Thank you dearly for clicking here to take a look at these cute wee plushies.

This weekend I will be showing off alllll of my creations at my very first Craft Show. It is a show called Craftaluma that is sponsored, in part, by Etsy!

Come On By if you live close....and say hello! I'll give you the buttercup discount.

Happy Summer! xoxoxox

Wordless Wednesday

2008-06-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

Truth Be Told

2008-06-13T21:59:00.000-07:00

It hasn't been all sunshine and kittens around here.

Our dearest, Iris, has been going through a very rough patch. As a result, so have we.

In order to appease the rescue group that we adopted Peyton from, we took our dear Iris in for an exam and obligatory vaccinations. Our vet thought that she really didn't need any but that the simple distemper vaccine would protect Iris in case the new family member carried any troublesome bugs - so that is what we decided to do. For her benefit.

Thing is, our girl had a pretty significant reaction to this vaccine. She lost her sweet wee voice, curled up in a ball for a good few weeks, stopped eating normally (& lost almost a pound within a 2 week period) and just wasn't herself. She stopped scampering. She stopped snuggling. She wasn't our girl. It was extremely heartbreaking. Many tears were shed.

Then along came Peyton. The cutest kitten I've met. We thought for sure that Iris would step up for the challenge and step into the momma-cat role. We always thought that was in her nature and that she would love having a wee one to take care of. Nope, not even one bit. She barely ate the coveted chicken baby food and her hind quarters quavered when I fed it to her.

Our doc contacted Pfizer, the maker of the vaccine. They noted some history of similar reactions. They also opened a "case" for us. Our vet gave Iris sub-q fluids and Iris did better for a wee while - but it was short lived. Jzboy compared her personality change to Jack Nicholson's character in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". Yes, it was that significant.

Thankfully, the past 2 days have presented a shift in Iris that gives us hope and allowed us to exhale a bit. Not sure what it is but she is so much more like herself. Her coat looks beautiful, she "talks" a bit with us (tiny wee chirps) and she is eating more than the ol' Gerber's chicken baby food...in fact, she is eating Peyton's baby food. Today when I held Peyton close to her, she gave him a very sweet and thorough face (& ear) bath. That momma-cat energy is coming forth.

I can hardly put words to the sweetness of Iris' recent shift. Losing our two elder cats just a few months ago left us feeling so sad and fragile. The thought of Iris leaving us (and, yes, that was a real fear) was too much to bear. Thankfully she seems to be coming around. Thankfully.

So that is what has really been going on around here. Thankfully we are moving through this...as are our feline family members.

Unfortunately life isn't all sunshine and kittens.

But, then again, sometimes after weathering the storm - you are left with sunshine and kittens.

How cool is that?

Wordless Wednesday

2008-06-11T07:23:00.001-07:00

More Words Later...

Wordless Wednesday

2008-06-04T07:32:00.000-07:00

A Very Cute Reason to Baby-Proof the Casa

2008-05-29T10:46:00.000-07:00

Introducing the newest "Z".....Wee Peyton-Pea:

Saturday just can't get here fast enough - we met him last weekend, but needed some time to feel certain about our decision. And, to baby proof!

Our boy is just about 2 months and very, very sweet. A real purring lover-lou. It will be so lovely to have him here. I hope. We still worry a bit about how Iris will respond, but I finally decided that at some point in time there will be an actual human child here at the house whom we will all have to transition our lives around...why not start with Peyton?

So there.

I've been visiting everyone's blogs, but trying to hold a healthy distance from the adoption circuit on some level. It can be a real challenge to balance for me sometimes. July will mark 2 years of the buttercup blog - so, if you've been following along, you know about one of my frequent coping strategies. Sewing.

Here are pics of my latest etsy project - The Spirit of 76' Owls.

Sweet Baby James:

Rooster the Owl:

and, Mandy:

Please click on the corresponding name-links above to see more pics and to read my nostalgia-laced owlish descriptions! C'mon, humor me. I'm having a lot of fun with my creative outlet and a couple of my campy little items have made it into the etsy gift guides. That was pretty darn cool to see.

I've got some new ideas that I'm working on, but I have a feeling that a small furry kitcat is about to take over the place & wonder how much trouble Peyton will create with my sewing supplies? More pictures to come and stories about our recent visit to the Big Apple - God I love that place.

xo

Tuna Will Be Required

2008-05-17T08:04:00.000-07:00

We are taking our girl to the vet. It will be the first time since we adopted her 4 years ago. Why, you ask? Because that is what the rescue group requires and we think Iris needs a companion.

I get all excited thinking about having one of these little guys scampering around.

Who knows what will happen, the siamese rescue group is very particular and may not allow us to adopt a kitten as Iris is over the age limit. I'm hoping that they will forgive us for not taking her to the vet sooner as I think they were expecting us to have her in for annual visits...

If you have a cat, do you take them in annually? Even if they are indoor only?? I never have.

Don't Go Under...

2008-05-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

Somehow Seal speaks to me:

Maybe a little bit more uplifting, whilst still being authentic.

My goal in life.

Working it out, people. Working it out. This girlfriend needs time, ok? Its been 2 f'ing years...24 months, ok???

Seal. Breathing. Good times.....

The Big Day

2008-05-15T07:29:00.001-07:00

Sometimes my heart feels worn out at the knees....

"The sun
Is blinding
Dizzy golden, dancing green
Through the park in the afternoon
Wondering where the hell
I have been
Ah..." - Suzanne Vega

Holy Guacamole!

2008-05-04T18:55:00.000-07:00

Do you have one of these in your garden shed?

Yeah, neither did I. Neither did my dad, or anyone else that I know for that matter. So, when I went to the hardware shop looking for one, I wasn't sure what I'd end up with.

Here is the reason why I needed a "Fruit Picker" - or, more accurately, the reasons why I needed a "Fruit Picker":

Can you see the amazing avocado beauties up there?

We've been living in our home for 5 years and I have never seen more than a puny singleton lying on the ground. Usually the poor thing was invaded by a slug and then promptly tossed in the green bin. This year there was some serious gold up in that there tree and I was determined to harvest every last bit of it.

Pretty successful, I was:

I picked 18 of those bad boys!!! All by myself...and I'm short. Pretty cool, I must say. The Fruit Picker rules!

Productive in the sewing arena as well, I completed a couple of new owls for my etsy shop. For a dose of cute, I'd like to show off, Carly from my "Summer of Love" collection:

Click here to see more pictures and for cheeky bio on this groovy bird.

Good times. Hope you weekend was lovely, too. xo

Retail Therapy

2008-05-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it works! Don't these fresh little Ked's wedgies make you smile? The shoe guy gave me a completely unexpected 30% discount. It definitely pays to be nice to the sales dudes.

I was so happy that I booked a lavender mojito pedicure for this afternoon. Nice, new independent place...

More on that later.

Iris loves it when I get new shoes, too!

Word to Your Mother

2008-04-21T07:39:00.000-07:00

Remember in the 80's when the whole recycling movement began gaining momentum? It really was small potatoes back then and the bandwagon had plenty of room for people to sit. I happened to be one of the ones waving a flag and wearing the pins. My friends called me the "Recycle Queen" back in the day and I loved it. Recently I ran across this relic while rummaging through an old jewelry box and promptly fastened it to my knitting bag.

Recycling Couture. Vintage, even!

In honor of Earth Day, I am having a sale in my buttercupbloom etsy shop. You see, many of my sewn creations are made from upcycled materials such as felted wool sweaters, gently worn denim & corduroy jeans, thrifted buttons and remnants from former projects. Take this plush owl for example:

With the exception of the non allergenic poly fiber fill - 100% upcycled materials. My wild carrots were inspired by the most perfect orange corduroy pants and the peaches were sewn from a velour hoodie...both garments were waiting for a new life when I discovered them at a local charity shop*.

Here is the hoodie:

Here are the Golden Peaches:

Earth Day feels like a good opportunity to hold my very first etsy sale, so everything in the shop is discounted! Click here if you'd like to check it out.

*In case you were wondering, I wash every fabric that I use several times in hot water before I sew a single stitch.

More Before and Afta

2008-04-16T19:05:00.000-07:00

(How come nobody told me I was developing a mullet?)

Much better.....

I think that Spring is officially here.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-04-16T07:13:00.000-07:00

Before and After....

2008-04-13T15:19:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago....

The Horror! (I think that some of those dangling tomatoes could pass as sun dried).

Just before the Texas Trip....

Our weekend goal is that once we fill up the green waste bin - we're donezo. I'm pretty sure just cleaning out the veggie bed filled that sucker at least halfway.

Add a little of this....

I had to include a pic of my new fave tool - the box cutter. Who knew they made cute ones?

Organize the new recruits....

Two cherry & one rainbow tomato, jewel toned chard, buttery lettuces, tiny cucumbers, cilantro, pattypan and our first tomatillo.

Voila........

Yeah, feels pretty darn good. Hope that Spring kissed your weekend, too. xo

A Change of Scenery

2008-04-08T08:32:00.000-07:00

Who knew that a weekend trip to the Lone Star State would give this California Girl such rejuvenation?

Folks are really nice in Texas. Like, really nice. Cars pull off to the side of the road to let you speed past when you are racing to the airport, vendors will tell you all about their kids while you shop their antiques and receptionists will kindly guide you to the hotel with a welcoming Southern drawl and an attitude as sweet as the local iced tea. Take Jules for example, she not only left her car for me to pick up at the airport, but directions to her casa and full permission to kick it with her brand new puppy til' she got home several hours after my flight got in! Now that is nice. And, I was humbled.

Why Texas, you ask? Good question. A small gathering of adoption-blog-cyber-friends decided to meet up in Canton, TX to visit this place:

This is the East Entrance to the self-proclaimed "Largest Flea Market in the World" otherwise known as First Monday Trade Days! Who knew?

Jules and Michele organized BobbiJo, Virgina, Angela, Michele's cousin Melissa and I for a full-on shopping extravaganza. There were promises of amazing Chinese Buffets, dirt cheap vintage fabrics and all the funnel cake your heart could possibly desire. Here we are walking in with empty shopping carts and early morning energy:

I wish we would have gotten an "after" picture as the dusty shoes, sore feet and bursting wire carts were a sight to see.

Here is a pic of the coolest thing that I purchased:

A bracelet made from antique tab typewriter keys! How cool is that? The letters spell out "1 Lucky Girl". Jules and I chatted with Andrea, the woman who makes these cool things, and decided that we most definitely would have been friends with her had we known each other in high school. Click here if you'd like to see Andrea's online shop.

Care to guess what Angela & I are drinking here? Milkshakes? Rootbeer Floats? Nope. These are actually cappuccinos. Texas-Style, I suppose. In a HUGE cup and topped off with a LARGE dollop of Ice Cream. We really had no idea what we were getting into. Unfortunately for us, Canton is both a dry county as well as one without Starbux...and we were dying for some caffeine.

All things considered, the flea market shopping at Canton was a'ight. I got a couple interesting things and ate the most delicious 2-inch high funnel cake. Best part for me was the getting away, the being with and the coming home. It was great to come home and that is a good feeling to have. A reminder of how fortunate I am. I'm very thankful for that.

The "being with" that I refer to is all about spending time with other moms waiting in this adoption limbo like me. It is normalizing, grounding and something that I desperately needed. The best part of the weekend was spent with my roadtrip-mates, the compadres that we met up with at Canton and just one on one with ol' Jules. Here she is:

Now this is a woman who LOVES a good monogram. Just take a look at her online shop Pink Polka Dots for proof. I got to see her Big White Machine in action and it was amazing!! Thanks, Jules for making this trip to TX so memorable! It all came at just the right time.

Now that I'm back, I will work at reconnecting. I've been offtrack a bit and way beind in my email/bloglines/phonecalls and etc....more later.

xo

thanks, hugs, tears and a few thoughts

2008-03-28T08:07:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the emails, reiki, thoughts and calls. I think that it helps to know that others care and understand...it eases the pain and makes it easier to "come back" after the storm. Thanks for that. Somehow I'm feeling better as the week comes to an end.

We lost Willie late on Monday night and it was both sad and traumatic. It was a very, very bad experience, actually - and that is all I really want to say about that right now. Distance helps give us perspective and for that I am grateful.

I find that there is so much guilt involved with pet loss - "are we doing the best for...", " could I have been a better advocate...?", "why didn't I ask about...?", "maybe I should have insisted...?", "I wish I would have..." and so on. I wonder if it is similar with human illness and death? We become a voice for our pets and also have that "choice" to end their suffering with euthanasia - a call we really don't have to make with our loved-people. So many opportunities for guilt and second guessing. Its hard.

So we're working it out. It will take time.

I'm hoping for a garden post this weekend as there is a lot of vibrance out there - a good feeling of new life.

xo

Balancing

2008-03-22T22:40:00.001-07:00

It is just so weird around here lately.

Looking at my last post, I wondered if it might give a glimpse into that?

It seemed odd that I chose to combine a post about the decline of our elder cat, Willie, with pics of my latest plush creations. And, it still seems odd to me. No, I wasn't tipsy...I also wasn't trying to seek out attention or anything like that. It was simply a reflection of how things have felt to me here lately. Odd. Feels uneven to share something cute with something devastating. How does one hold both things?

Spring is here. Mid-March & all. Happy times. Fresh times, right? Uhmm..?

A trip to Canton is on the horizon...well, like, actually this upcoming weekend...if it happens at all. Time stands still and it whizzes past me. Is that normal? Doesn't feel normal. Feels odd.

The good thing is that Willie woke us up to feed him this morning. Bad thing is that he refuses tuna juice tonight. Some things slip through your fingers. Time feels like that tonight. Time feels like that so far in 2008, to be honest.

Slipping through the proverbial fingers...but abso-freaking-lutely...standing still.

For today & for this weekend, we/I will try to stay in the moment. We will love our old cat, brush him and hand deliver tuna treats. We will try not to think about the fact that Easter comes around again without an egg hunt and that Mother's Day is just around the corner. We will try not to think that we'll lose another family member before the daughter in our hearts has a chance to ever meet them.

Perhaps it is better to attempt not to dwell upon the above vs. "not think about it" because such things are already in our thoughts and there isn't much we can do about it.

I don't have 3 Words to sum it all up - I wish that I did. Maybe I should try harder? 2008 has gotten off to a rough start and I'm sure hoping that there is a corner coming up that we'll get to turn around for a brighter perspective.

*PS - Regarding the pic above: Iris has been acting out, I'm thinking because of all the attention that Willie has been getting here lately. Above you'll see her attempt at comic relief in scaling the curtain rod.

Yes, she needed to be surgically removed!

Yin and Yang

2008-03-20T21:26:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to the two most recent plush additions to my buttercupbloom etsy boutique:

Edwin the Excellent Owl - who hails from a Ponderosa Pine in Oregon

And, his sister, Ms. Hester Gillespie, the Amazing Hoot Owl...a Southern gal

Sweet.

Its been a little difficult to smile around here as our family has been dealt yet another blow. Our elder cat, Willie, was diagnosed this week with an incurable type of heart failure. Sudden, yes. Too close to losing, Cleo, yes. Cherishing this last weekend together, yes. Lots of cans of tuna being opened...and juice being squeezed for our boy. He's as happy and comfortable as we can enable him to be. So hard.

So, plush owls make us smile...as do brand new baby nephews with names that start with the letter "O". I'm off to visit baby "O" tomorrow as long as ol' Willie remains stable.

Yin and Yang.

Special Delivery!

2008-03-12T21:35:00.000-07:00

This special bit of jewelry couldn't be more perfect for me. The x's and the o's. The Ruby and the Pearl. I thought that I should wait to give myself this gift until Mother's Day - but why?

Please go have a look at SandySimone's lovely etsy shop. You just might find something equally thoughtful and poignant for yourself. I can wholeheartedly say that Sandy is a lovely spirit and to own a bit of her work might just make you cry happy tears. I did.

More later, I promise. Been feeling quiet but missing you.

xo

Gardening is Good

2008-03-03T18:18:00.000-08:00

Its been quiet over here at the buttercup casa. Contemplative and quiet. Thank you to everyone who has offered condolences and empathy via our comments section, email and phone. It all has helped...and I am grateful.

Gardening has helped, too. For months I haven't wanted to venture to the backyard as my guilt has been heavy & I couldn't bear to look at how neglected my garden has been. I was convinced that after the combination of last summer's heat wave, three (fairly) back to back long vacations w/o a gardener and just the schlump that the end of 2007 bestowed upon me - my garden might never recover. I should have known better...

The snowdrops are thriving!

As are the Hellebores!

Can you see the weeeensiest bit of green on this Viburnum?? I thought FOR SURE I'd killed it last year - but the girl is coming back!!

Finally, here is a picture of my Flowering Quince. Long time buttercup readers may remember how I planted the original on the first Mother's Day after we were logged in - that was 2006. It died, so I planted a second last May. It did okay as I watered it religiously last summer. Here's a link to that story & pics. Sure looks like we just might see it bloom for the first time this Spring! EX-cellent!

Just for fun, here is a pic of my latest plush creation. Harriet the Hoot Owl! Doesn't she look cute amongst the Forget-me-nots?

Thank goodness for the Garden.
xo

Semi Wordless Wednesday - Love to Cleo

2008-02-19T22:55:00.001-08:00

Cleo was our Queen.

We miss her. Iris lay alongside the cat carrier after we came home that day. That very sad February 9th afternoon. She sat there all day.

She misses her Cleo momma.

And we do, too. So much. Her absence is a subtle, sorrowful ache that brings a sad, very sad tear. Many tears, actually. She'd been through so much...too much to type here. I always knew that I loved her, we all did - but I do feel sorry that she ended up in the background of our life. She was a quiet girl, a proud girl, and a very loyal girl. What a girl. What a special girl. No matter how subdued, she was very much part of our lives.

I decided that I needed to make a Cleo Pillow. One that lay amongst the pillows and the cushions that she loved to lounge upon the couch area. Sometimes the pillow takes away our breath....

as we imagine her there.

Oh, Cleo. We miss you. And, we love you. We hope that you are basking in the sun that is kitty-paradise with your soulmate Sam in the most perfect sun spot of love. Love to you.

xo, the Z's

Wanna See My Peaches????

2008-02-16T08:53:00.001-08:00

Thought that might grab some attention - haha! Check em' out, my Golden Peaches collection - all named after Oscar nominees. My first one, Cate, sold in a flash. Here are three others:

Ellen/Juno

Phillip - as in Seymour Hoffman

...and Daniel - as in Day Lewis.

Nothing like a little fun to brighten the weekend - and a reminder that "sometimes Life's a Peach".

For more pictures and info on my recent blueberry additions - please click here.

Happy Weekend Everyone. xo

21 Months and 21 Minutes

2008-02-15T09:17:00.000-08:00

Today is our 21 Month LID "Anniversary"...steadily creeping toward the 2 Year Mark.

Yesterday was Valentines Day. It was a day that Cupid decided to shoot U-S-C-I-S in the heart - and we felt the love.

Bracing ourselves for a long-ass wait to get re-fingerprinted (we were there for hours last time), jzboy and I both took the day off and enjoyed a leisurely and decadent breakfast (at this place) before getting in line. We dragged our feet a little but eventually arrived at the insititution with reading/writing/listening materials in our pockets.

Immediately we were greeted by the comedian receptionist guy who looked at us suspiciously. "You two look like US Citizens", he demurred. We explained. He nodded. We were given numbers #500 & 501 then waved through to the next level.

Thankfully the federal workers swapped out the cloying Celine Dion in Concert vid for something with Steve Martin. The new selection was an english version with, of course, english subtitles. After about 10 minutes, we were asked to sit in line with our backs to the screen. Ah well...I guess we could still listen.

It must have been Cupids Arrow because the Biometrics team was all smiles, wearing Valentinesy beads and had a gentle touch when pressing hands to fingerprinting screens. Maybe it was a little romantic in a way. I'll have to think on that. But whatever it was, it moved me to writing some glowing feedback for the group before I decended the 2nd floor workspace. Livescanning was just a walk in the park this go around and for that I was very grateful.

We were out of there in 21 minutes and off to enjoy the rest of our Valentines Day just the way we wanted.

Thanks Cupid.

Goodnight Old Girl

2008-02-09T19:30:00.001-08:00

We love you so dearly, Cleo, and only hope that you are with your lifepartner, Sam, snuggling in the sun right now. For hours and hours and hours...and hours. Your bliss is our hope.

Our tears remind us of how much love you brought to our lives. And, how much we loved you.

xo

Love Letter

2008-02-05T17:01:00.000-08:00

Took me a little longer than usual, but I finally got around to writing up all of my thank you notes for so many great Christmas gifts that were sent our way.

Back in the day, I would get those puppies written and into the mail before the New Year. Yes, I was teased for it - but that was just my way. Not this year, though. This year I needed some extra time post-holiday to gather up my energy before I could write my notes. Perhaps I needed a little extra time before I could actually feel truly grateful. Time for the haze of disappointment and anger about another holiday spent childless to lift.

Know what I mean?

Our families have been really great to us and have continued to bestow upon us some excellent books, $$ toward the "baby fund", enough quilt fabric for 10 Bai Jia Beis and countless trinkets for the child that they ((too)) look forward to meeting someday. This wait is hard on all of us - family & dear friends alike - and that is something I have to remind myself of during these periods of self absorption. Check out this killer Girl Scout doll that BabyZ's most-excellent Auntie gave us for XMas:

She can't wait for her neice to meet our family, I just know that is true.

Long time readers of this ol' buttercup blog know that music is very important to me. It is important to all of us, but a lot of times it functions as a lifeline for me. I want to thank my Walternatives bud for trading cd mixes with me almost monthly last year. Thanks to her I now know the difference between Nancy Griffith and Patty Griffin. Making Pies, baby!

Atomic Mama introduced me to the lovely and amazing Nouvelle Vague 80's mixes as well as the killer bits and pieces of DJ Shinky. Jessi - oh my bud, Jessi - has sent so many mixes. Now that is a lady who loves her some new music! Thanks, Jessi, for telling me all about Cat Power, the Shins & Kelley Deal 6000 (now I know why they sound so 80's - Breeders! Pixies!! I was right!!) Fliss, another bloggity gal noticed my "Soundtrack for a Waiting Mother & sent us a couple of cds full poignant tunes that she thought would be good additions to the list. All of this music means so much. Thank you, thank you!!

Ok, now back to the handicrafts. Kimi, a local waiting parent, who has her own online sewing patterns shop called New Conceptions, gave us these very swanky shoes as a baby "comin' around the corner when she comes" kind of gift.

I think that Auntie Kimi gave us these back in August?? Sorry to be sharing so late, but damn! the corner is just so far in the distance these days. Somehow I lost track of the cuteness. Pause for a moment, tho...can you believe that she made these shoes herself?? Her-own-Damn-SELF?? Sweet!

Another near and dear bud, Jules, has sent some very special things to us that she has thoughtfully embroidered with her rad-ass, self proclaimed Big White Machine. We love them. The love onesie:

...and the Rockstar outfit:

Thank you Jules! Please go visit her shop called pinkpolkadotz.com and see all of the excellent things that she can do with that Big White Machine.

All of this love in such a scattered post can only lead to the randomness of how close that I've become with my LID Secret Pal, Jen. Random only b/c we met online via our agency LID Yahoo group as complete strangers who would never have met otherwise - We are family now. She and her hubs just got back from Ethiopia with their daughter, Amara, about a month ago. Jzboy and felt so fortunate to hang with the happy family last weekend. Here is the newest member of our circle, Ms. Amara:

Isn't Jen GLOWING??

What a sweet little peach Amara is. Jen roasted up some Ethiopian coffee beans for us to enjoy and sent us along our merry (and very BUZZED) way after sipping the delicious french pressed liquor. Amazing. The baby, the new family...and the roasty-toasty beans. Sweet.

Ok, moving right along. So out of the blue this past week we got a call from the infamous Atomic Mama. She & her hubs were planning a crazy roadtrip & wanted to know if they could drop by? Uhhhh, yeah! Batten down the hatches and pull out the Dim Sum, y'all...the queen is coming to town!

Oh how I wish these guys lived closer. We miss them already.

AMama made the most spectacular blanket for our baby2be. I think that she has been paying attention to one of my many color affairs - Pink and Red. The best. And, cherries! Sweetness in the most unique, styling, fun & quirky way - a lot like the designer herself. You tha' bomb, yo.

Thank you to dear ol' DSue - for burning me a copy of Kitchen Confidential onto cd. Anthony Bourdain RULES, most definitely. What a MAN. I actually looked forward to getting in the car each morning to hear the next installment in spite of my long commute. Your gift truly propellelled me through the December morning blahs. You rock, my friend. Thank you.

Ok, I think that I've gone on long enough. This is the lengthiest post I've written in some time. It needed to be done - I needed to remind myself of those thankful places in my life. They are there. They are here. They come in strange packages and from far away places sometimes. Oddly enough, they even come through the computer occasionally.

I know that I was very specific with my thanks above, but what I really wanted was to say outloud and to whomever is reading how grateful I am for your presence. Please accept my thanks for all of the much needed laughs, the surprising inspirations, the empathy, the motivation to keep on keepin' on, the shout-outs, the LOVE...and the support as I branch out into other endeavors (etsy & all that).

Maybe it is a bit late, but my words of thanks are so real and true. Big Ol' LOVE to y'all.

Oh yeah, and Happy New Year.

xo

Want to Win A Prize????

2008-02-03T07:56:00.000-08:00

If you find yourself a Gambling Type - go check out this link to a Voting Promo within Etsy. No purchase is necessary - alls ya gots ta do is vote. Consider it practice for the upcoming primaries...

The California Crafter's Club of Etsy (CCCOE) has asked for members to make an item for their Etsy Shop that was inspired by the topic of "Science". My entry was Paige:

...the bespectacled Wild Carrot that dreams of Library Science.

The unique (& very cool) thing about this contest is that the Voters are the ones that are up for prizes. Lucky voters, you are, because these excellent prizes were made by a very cool woman who uses vintage LP vinyl in amazing ways!

Click here to view all 27 entries in one place at quirkynberkeley's blog. All voting needs to be done on the etsy link at the top, but it is easy to see the widely varying entries...inspired by Marine Biology, Phrenology, Astronomy & Wild Veggies all at once.

Go, scope it out. You might win a prize!! Polls are open til' midnight, February 8th.

Why the Rain Rocks - Part Deux

2008-02-01T11:48:00.000-08:00

GREEN Hills to gaze at on the way to work...for a limited time only.

And cozy fires at home after an hour long commute through a rush hour downpour:

Wax on Wax Hoff

2008-02-01T08:35:00.003-08:00

Really, you've got to try "Waxing Hoff" - click here if you are up for the challenge.

It is a game of skill.