Tyler's Birthday wall is up!! I used some cool scraps from work. Check 'em out here. It's called Picnic Pals. So darn cute!

Snowflakes!

We've already had so many this year that I feel greedy asking for more. But, I am still eager for our next flurry. This has been tiding me over until now. Click on the link and see real pictures of snowflakes in all their varied glory. And another thing. What came first? Paper snowflakes or pictures of actual snowflakes? Do kids just know the shape of snow without ever having to see flakes under a microscope camera. I want to know this. And how should kids know that some flakes are really simple boxy things with only a few holes? I always thought the paper flakes that turned out really simple were kind of, well, boring. But no! Nature makes them just like that. Simple, humble, fancy-free snowflake. Happy winter solstice to all of you.

Beach sparks

Tyler found all these firework hulls on the beach at whidbey island.

I've been published!

I took a large format photography class while in Landscape Architecture school. The main project (which I think I have blogged about before) was to use historic photos from the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition taken on what is now the UW campus and try to figure out exactly where they were taken and rephotograph them. The result is a then-and-now type comparison that, when taken in as a whole set of photos, is a pretty cool picture of how the campus has transformed since the fair.

Anyhow, the majority of the photos focused on buildings, but I found this cool one that looks out from behind the track hall, over Union Bay Slough and out onto Laurelhurst. It's a landscape shot. I don't think I found exactly the location that the original photo had been taken but it's a good scene-match. You can read the old blog post I did about this by clicking here.

The book came out and my picture is in it. Near the back. I think John put it there on purpose because lots of people pick up books, then flip the back, run their finger along the pages and let them flip to the front. I think he wanted people to see my picture first!

I saw the book for the first time at Elliot Bay bookstore and I was at the register when Tyler brought it up and said, "Hey Susie, it's your picture!" The lady at the counter was nice and got excited like me and we all giggled. And then I asked if she wanted me to sign some copies and she said, "No thanks."

Here's a link to buy the book.

Flexi-quilt Construction Kit

I did it! Well, my Mom helped me (thanks mom!) ad I finished the little fabric shapes in time for Art Walk. It's silly that I don't have more photos, but I took lots of pics with real film and they are still in the canister waiting to be sent away and developed. But I've got this here photo that another artist posted on facebook of the little guys so that'll just have to do for now. I named it the Flexi-quilt Construction Kit (Thanks Justin Gitlin for the name brainstorm!). (And while I'm on this parenthetical thank you journey, thanks to Tyler for building the shelves in hall and thanks to Alana for hosting the show and thanks to Tonia for giving me the idea to use Timtex so the little pieces would stay stiff and thanks to Finn for being small and inspiring me to make kid's toys.) End parentheses: I think might make little Kits up and sell them on Etsy for fun. (Thanks Noal for the Etsy idea). I better end this now. Goodnight blog-post with by far the worst grammar and punctuation ever.

OOOOhh, double bandana split

These are so darling. I can't believe I haven't seen them till now.
I want one. I want them all. I want one of those Obama ones, too.
Wanna get one for me? Just kidding. Sort of.
Click here.

Art Walk at Old Rainier Brewery

Please join us this Saturday, March 14th from 6-9:30 for Art Walk at the Old Rainier Brewery
AND
Continue the night with live music (The Whiskey Swillers, Queen Schmookwan and more) if you are in for a party.

Tyler and I will be showing pictures in our hallway gallery.

STart on Broadway video from Tyler

Tyler is feverishly revamping his website during his job search to make it a comprehensive portfolio. To show our video installation on Broadway he made a short movie that is really super and shows the work better than any stills have so far. Good work Tyler!

summer canning

Jennifer, Ryan and I all went out to Bellevue, picked a bunch of blueberries, then canned bluesberry jam, relish and made fresh corn salsa. That was a week or two ago but it is all still very fresh in my mind and on my tongue.

And then Annie(my fabulous sister) sent me this post on inhabit about Theo Jansen, an artist/engineer who makes kinetic, wind-powered sculptures that walk along the beach like Star Wars concoctions crossed with a tinker toy kit, and packaged for Dwell magazine. They are somethin' else. Drool worthy.

hat for sale + link light loop is up

Tyler and I completed Link Light Loop on Broadway and it looks great. We had an informal opening at Dick's Drive-In across the street on the unusually chilly Friday night. Justin was kind enough to take some great pictures of the project. I got a few people shots. Thanks to all who made it out.


photo: Justin Martin
And, Yuko modeled the hat I just made(which is now called the John Boat hat, thanks to Tyler) and it looks great on her. I have it up for sale on etsy now so it's up for grabs!

Oh, and I ran a half marathon yesterday and came in at 2 hours and 1 minute! I am so excited and very sore. No pictures. Tyler didn't shoot any which is probably for the better. I am not one of those runners who looks effortless and elegant. I think my brother and I are going to set our sights on a full length 26 miler.

Now that August is over, I officially have to start diligently looking for work. I am working on my portfolio today and if anyone knows of cool gigs that I might like, please pass them on.

news and more news!

ONE: I am officially done with grad school. I got an email today that made it all official. I didn't have a celebration like I had planned because there have been so many parties and weddings this summer and other things to celebrate, I just don't have the energy to toot my own horn more than just saying it here, but it is still really great news. Maybe I will organize a night out. I honestly don't feel closure because I have not gone through some ritual or ceremony. I need to do that. Any ideas?

TWO: Tyler and I got a tiny grant to do an installation on Broadway as part of the STart on Broadway program which is filling the storefronts of a block of buildings on Broadway with cool installations until the building gets demolished for the new Sound Transit light rail station. This is Tyler setting up. It is almost done and you can check it out really soon. We are hoping to have an art opening at Dick's Drive-In across the street when it's done. This week. Stay-tuned. Oh-and there are already several cool projects installed. It's the perfect to thing check out after the sun has gone down.


THREE: It was Tyler's birthday on August 15th and I put together a whole new set of bedding for him, made a duvet cover and two lovely pillowcases. All patches of things from what seems like my endless fabric collection.
FOUR: I am going to be posting on this blog from now on since Fantastisk Fint is all over. I went in and changed stuff to make that one my future blog but then it was all so CPH specific that I decided that I wanted to keep it as is.

then and now

for my 4x5 photography class i chose to match a landscape shot from 1909's Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition (we are doing a bunch in honor of the anniversary) that looks west from campus over to the Laurelhurst neighborhood. As a relatively poor student in the class, I don't expect much positive feedback because my work is generally mediocre, though I enjoy it. But the shot below is the exception to the rule. Here is the story of how I redeemed myself this quarter. I scouted out the right location, set it all up, had my trusty assistant, Tyler with me. Somehow I got a masterful shot that matches the 1909 shot so well, even my teacher was impressed. And, as a person who enjoys a little praise, I printed a comparison of the shots and hung them on my teacher's door with a presumptuous note about the quality of the match in hopes that he would see things as I did. The response email contained one qualifier which far exceeded my expectations--he wrote that the shot was so "INCREDIBLE," that he thought they were both historic photos!! yes!

and the headline reads: "Mediocre, lazy photo student makes good on landscape shot!"

I couldn't be happier.

sweedee dee

just feeling good about the world today. i am swamped with work, but it just seems like everything is in it's place.

another reason to procrastinate

arggggh! I JUST CAN'T WRITE MY THESIS RIGHT NOW! How much time can I waste tumbling in the surf of the net? wait, that is, i am experiencing a surfeit of surfing. now, there's some writing i could use in my paper.

anyway, is it wrong to post something i made for someone else? i made annie this valentine since she is my new boyfriend. i did cross out the marriage line and the wrote kevin? below it b.c. that seemed appropriate.

if anyone has any great ideas of tiny projects i can do on a regular basis, maybe i will start one of those. everything sounds kind of dumb right now except for watching dvd's and drinking box wine.

happy valentine's day!

2008!

happy new year!