Good things, in addition to quilts:
-Listening to Asobi Seksu, Ivy, the Raveonettes, Lee Hazelwood, and Belle and Sebastian.  I am thankful for (the gift of) music.
-Being able to view our wedding filmed on super 8 film for the first time.  I was deeply touched by what a beautiful job our friend Bryan Darling did.  He made it so perfect and I'm so thankful for him.  I also loved seeing the other films of Joe before I knew him.  I think I fell in love all over again!
-Purchasing our first painting (by Jenny Keller) at a gallery (oohlala) and recieving the most beautiful photograph (words cannot describe how sublime it is) as a gift from our amazingly talented friend Jesse Vasquez.  And receiving an original work on glass (so great and so rare!) by Andy Steele.  I'm in awe of the talent that surrounds us.  I feel very lucky and am inspired by our friends and coworkers.
-Meeting other people into mid-century modern design.  Too cool!  We were delighted to go on the MCM home tour early in the year and delighted to discover Mimomito.com and Bowsandsparrows.com - two fantastic blogs.  One day Joe and I dream of owning a MCM home of our own. Ahhhh, dreams are good things!
-Seeing the opening of the new addition to the Crocker Art Museum.  Need I say more?  I was touched by the Thiebault exhibit.  He is one of the most kind and humble of customers I have ever had the pleasure of ringing up at UArt.  I'm so sorry that he lost his son earlier this year.
-Going to the Sacramento French Film Festival.  It's impressive how much work goes into this event and how awesome everything looks. 
-People being nice.  Sometimes the world outside my door is a scary thing (I have terrible social anxiety).  But what I have discovered this year more so than ever is that the people of Sacramento are very nice indeed.  I love Sacramento.  It is home.
Happy New Year Everyone!!!

Inspiration is a conundrum for me.  I can't always pinpoint it; as I feel I'm inspired by everything, all at once.  (Sometimes it's hard to separate the layers.)  One thing for sure though, I never get inspired by the same medium I'm working in.  I can't look at paintings and get inspired to paint.  I can't look at quilts and get inspired to quilt.  Sensory overload!  It's easier to just blindly, intuitively do and then decide how it all came together after the fact.  With that said, I'm a bit neurotic and obsessed... by lines.  Now that I've got that out, I can see why I have always been attracted to quilting.  Like the irregularities of a hair strand and the contours of a map, I find interest in the subtle turning of a brush filled with ink and the accidents that may occur therein.  Repetition by hand can only be so perfect.  Try as hard as I can, the human element will always come through. And, rightly so!

Happy late Thanksgiving and all the Holiday Festivus Festivities coming our way!  Joe and I had a quiet relaxing Turkey Day.  Made my first turkey and gravy which was very scary and exciting for only a hot minute.  It's amazing how long it takes to make stuff (turkey and otherwise). 
Seriously.  Joe and I have been pulling all day/nighters over our new and beautiful Stockings.  Who'd a thunk that such a sweet little idea would end up being filled with many many many cups of coffee. (and Kahlua.  and cream.)  But that is the thing with handcrafted pieces, so many steps, so many components.  The only downside is that we have so many ideas to sew and quilt that I don't think we literally have the time.  Interns?  I wish!
So (sew, heheh) our Stockings feature our love of California.  These are limited edition and only a few are available this month.  Please contact us if you'd like to purchase one.  We are pricing them way too low - only $25 each!  Locals (Sactown) can check them out in person at 2601 J Street - University Art.