it's all happening.

darlings,
the blog has been quiet lately, somewhat. and if you've been here for awhile, you know that means that i have a lot cooking (or baking, as the case may be) in my idea kitchen. here are a few stories from the road.



- reading Lebendige Literatur & Was ist Deutsch?-- getting back on top of my german language skills. feels quite natural.

- my yoga podcast is in full-swing. in the process of learning oodles and oodles about podcast technology, i realized i needed to switch hosts. there are lots of changes in the works, but if you visit http://sunroseyoga.com/, you'll be in the know.








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-i need a haircut. it will be waist-length by christmas. and i need some sort of change. the drastic crazy-woman in me wants a cute faux-hawk shag, but since it has been about a decade since i have had hair that short, i think i should ease into it. i'm thinking about this {photo via H&M}.


-the quilt! i finished hand-quilting on thursday. i'll finish up the sides next week. then photos! dears, i am actually shocked at how decent it looks. most of the time, my sewing projects look completely jacked-up on the first try, though this is my first major project since i took apparel design and construction at the community college, so perhaps my sewing has actually improved! either way, i'm happy as a clam. {and p.s., hand quilting is hard work! i got a little callous from the hand-sewing!}

-essential oils! we harvested an incredible amount of herbs from our gardens last week: basil, sage, rosemary, oregano, mint and loads of lavender. one of my projects for the herbs is distilling my own essential oils. very satisfying.

-painting. finishing TONS. have a look.

happy weekend, loves.
k
p.s. LISTENING to lal meri, pomplamoose, matt & kim.

recommended reading.

dolls,

i'm interested in finding some new blogs to read & add to my blogroll link section of this site. you know what i like {art, green life, music, dance, crafting, fashion}. who should i be reading who i'm not already?

also, this is a great chance for readers who are new here to introduce yourselves.

{ say hello! }

*)
gracias, sweeties!

wind-swept wednesday.

Things I love right now:
Lavender-scented wind,
Cookies,
Plotting new plans,
Learning new skills {podcasting is happening!},
Hoping for a wonderful birthday,
Life unsaturated,
All of my amazing friends and family,
Reading before sleep,
Open windows,
Reflecting…introspecting.

*) wishing you a lovely Wednesday night.

la la la monday.

this weekend,i . . .

enjoyed life without a t.v. {we are analog & didn't make the switch.}
ate yummy seafood pasta at la rustica and watched the sun set over the Olympic mountains.
planned some communal raised beds with our sweet sweet neighbors. {you know i love to garden.}
listened to lots and lots of music. {especially loving making art while listening to yoga mixes my friend bekah made me.}
made tons and tons {okay, maybe not tons and tons, but quite a few} digi-collages.

essentially, i recharged the batteries. how about you?

my trip to st. louis

was exquisite.



big, fat naps with the ruggies.
hugging all of my people close.
sunrise over the city museum.
my first show at the fabulous {truly fabulous} fox.
mcgrupp.
dancing through this fountain at midnight.

moving letters all around.

i love to rearrange the view inside of our house. while i was cleaning the house before our trip to st. louis, i simultaneously gave the art-arrangements in our house a makeover so that when we returned from the lou, it would be like a whole new house {and a magically clean one at that!}. here are a few shots of the new-ness.



{top photo: all hanging prints made by me; middle: golden girls giclee print on canvas by Ellen Lohse, glass pieces by Chris Weber, flying cat card by Reiko Yamaguchi-Barclay, paintings by me; bottom: skunk cabbage screenprint by Sue Allen, mermaid giclee print by Holly Kitaura, paintings by me.}

happy happy joy joy.

happy friday, loves.
the sun is shining.
the birds are singing.
all is well, though i'm a bit more energy-charged than i prefer.
off to...
mail some 120-film to NYC.
turn in my submission for an art show right here in seattle.
teach some lovely elder yoga.
work away on a big work-work project.
enjoy FRIDAY! {how did it get to be friday?!}
what has been keeping me so busy lately...
work-work.
printmaking mania. {i will show you a few of my newest pieces next week, i promise.}
brainstorming my "what nexts?" with my etsy shop. {staying true to my vision.}
getting back into a deep meditation groove. {i *need* it. things seem to be moving so fast right now, and i need to stay with the flow without getting caught in it...if that makes any sense.}
planning a few trips.
making presents for friends with wee ones.
thrifting.
researching voice recorders and microphones. {my yoga blog may finally get the podcast i've been striving for at long last.}
all love.
k

la la la monday.

this weekend, i...
soaked up sun.
planted & weeded.
schmoozed & bid.
loved every minute of it.
*
changes are on the wing.
just wait.
xo
k

Thoughts for a Friday.

I am nurtured by the energy of the earth.

My path in life reveals itself to me.

I am exactly where I need to be.

Big things are in the works.
Feeling the earth today.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend, dears.
peace. & LOVE. always.

happy friday.

la la la.
i'm still adhering to my principles on buying clothes: reusing my own over buying, buying used & vintage over new, and only buying small label, local, sustainable new stuff.
we have a fancy-fun, dress-up benefit gala coming up, and i'm happy to report that i found something black-tie dressy & vintage, while staying true to my style.
{also, happily using up the spectra film, as you can see.}
love to you all.
k

A very merry un-birthday to all.

dear-hearts, i have some exciting new projects in the works. my schedule is a bit more open for the next few weeks, and i am using the time in the studio, making things that have been percolating in my brain for the last month. you should see some fun new offerings in my shop by week's end (oooh! that's tomorrow!) does it seem like i'm being mysterious and secretive? well, that is where the Very Merry Un-birthday comes into play. (Click this link if your memory of "Alice in Wonderland" is a bit shady.) life seems a bit serious right now, and i need a reason to celebrate the little things... the random things... the unexpectedly magical things. so happy un-birthday, dear readers!! (if it happens to be your *actual* birthday, then HAPPY BIRTHDAY). in honor of this special day for all of us, i suggest we undertake some celebratory behaviors:


1. eat cookies;
2. drink tea in bare feet on the back porch;
3. take a walk around the park and smile at every person you see!

also, i have a little present for you: it's a downloadable crown chakra {the bliss energy center} coloring sheet. i created this in sumi ink. if you click on the image and then save, you'll have a 8 by 10 version of your own: to print and color or just print and look at. (this *might* have something to do with the surprises i have up my sleeve for the shop, but that's all i'm saying!) if you do happen to color the chakra (or have a young-one in your house who colors it) send me an email-- kellyloveswhales {at} gmail {dot} com. we'll have a little online show later on!

all love, k

What it is.

Dears, It's Wednesday, and I have process on my mind. Over the past few days, I've had a bit more time to spend in the studio, actually making things. My process has certainly evolved over the last few years: although I may not have studio time every single day, I find that keeping an inspiration journal-- a repository for what's in my mind and what wants to come to life in the studio-- has been of paramount importance to my process. Also, I let myself make a mess, both literally (my husband will attest to this, trust me) and figuratively. I mean that I give myself complete freedom to explore an idea without regard for its value. In fact, a lot of the time, I make things that just lead to different pieces and the original idea gets pasted into my journal or becomes the background for something else. I think this freedom is important. Sometimes, I worry about whether people will think my creations are crazy or horse-s**t or whatever, but most of the time, I just go with it.

If you've been reading for a while (or you know me at all in *real* life), you may know of my deep admiration for David Byrne. He is a true inspiration for living a inspired, awake, and fully participatory life. One of my regular online reads is David Byrne's blog. His entries are thoughtful, thought-provoking, and eloquent.

A weeks ago, he addressed the topic of criticism in a post. I found his thoughts on the topic to be realistic and positive. I found the following lines particularly helpful to my own process: "While taking criticism on board can be constructive, it can also be detrimental to the creative process if it’s considered while that process is still under way. It undermines one’s enthusiasm and will — which is OK, beneficial even, but only after a tour (for example) is over."

{I encourage you to read the whole post right here.}

One thing that worries me about criticism is that so much of it relates to marketability or commercial success... in both directions, and this could have the effect of stifling creativity.

What do you think?

peace. & LOVE.
k

dreams.

would this look fun as a scarf? or draped over the couch?
i'm thinking of getting it printed.

i made this in a somewhat unusual way: i scanned my head, then i edited the image, flipped it around and multiplied it. is that gross? tell me the truth darlings. honestly, if i thought bk would let me scan his head, i would have used someone else's.
XO

la la la monday.

dears, i hope you had a divine weekend. we busied ourselves a bit more than i had planned, but there were still a few moments for chilling.
this weekend, i...
worked on our taxes.
perfected my homemade vegan pho recipe.
drew a bit.
smiled at the sun.
watched shyla chase a raccoon. {yikes.}
how about you?
XO

happy friday.

dolls, after this magical magical week, i think we will be taking it easy this week-end. i imagine the next few days will include:
holga photoshoots.
spanish conversations.
spilled paint.
yoga & meditation.
long walks under sunny (or rainy) skies.
love to you all.
k

p.s. i have found some new links to love, specifically.... jen lemen & jen lee {such a needed dose of motivation}, lola b's {so lovely}, this is glamorous {gorgeousness to the max}, the foxy man {for my dose of fash-on}. check them out, please! also, tell me your latest blog loves! tell me!

the world moves and it swivels & bops.

the david byrne show was a once in a lifetime moment.
the dancing, the singing, the energy.
i know i'll have more words for it all after a few days.

a happy hole in your heart.

chasing light today. and always.

we are going to see Thievery Corporation in vancouver for BK's thirty-second birthday. this is outstanding news, because they are my favorite. also, i have fingers crossed that we will get to see David Byrne next week. music really *is* my boyfriend.

I keep on fear, keep on loathing
Nothing brings it on I keep on falling
Decide what it is I can not find
It subsides what you make it
Never feel like you're gonna break, ye
It's gonna be alright alright
Sleep until the morning comes
The sun will warm your soul
Sleep until the morning comes for you
Til the morning it's alright
I can walk into the sunlight, into the day, into the day, to the day
I feel it falling, nothing comes to my mind
Bring it on in a different tide
I feel alright, alright
I feel strong, i feel rigid
It's nothing to do with the vision
Oh feels so right, so right
Sleep on tight, sleep on tight
Sleep until the sunlight
Sleep until sunlight
Sleep on tight
Sleep on tight
Sleep on tight
Sleep on tight, til the sunlight
Sleep on tight, til the sunlight burns you happy
Til the sunlight burns you happy, till the sunlight burns a happy hole in
Your heart,
In your heart
In your heart...
--"until morning" by thievery corporation

doing my part to keep things moving forward.

this week i'm...
working at my job-job a lot-lot.
painting over paintings.
doling out free legal advice at the neighborhood clinic.
sharing the yoga.
loving the sunshine.
om. shanti!

oh-so quiet.

i've been quiet lately, haven't i? well, lovelies, it's been a good kind of quiet. the kind of quiet that accompanies letting go of the old and making room for the new. the studio had been sorely neglected due to months of busy-ness, and i finally broke down and organized my space. i love it. since the big clean-up, i have begun to paint again. and this is such a very good thing. also, i really needed a bit of deep calm, so i began meditating twice a day. this is endlessly good. here are a few photos of what's been going down in my corner of the world. we'll talk more soon, i promise. love, kel

{my newest friend. he was $1.50. his film is $25. it all works out.}

{we have t.v. for four more months, much to my chagrin.}

{i'm painting. i'm painting again.}

{the sun has shone. i'm learning new tricks with my digital slr.}

getting it together.

dear-hearts, it's been a flurry of organization around these parts. between filing my taxes, cleaning the studio completely (it was too messy to even work in there last week...eeek!), and getting my schedule in order, i've scarcely had a moment to check in on the internets. and i've missed you all so much. once the sun returns, i'll give a more thorough tour of what's changed in the studio. for now, i'll let you know that it involves a big, red bookcase and lots of baskets and boxes.
peace. & LOVE.
k