forgive them, Father...

I'm going to try to not get too personal on this post although I have a hard time not setting the context for the pieces I post about. In this case, that makes not getting personal a bit challenging given the context of this piece is just that...it's personal. At any rate...

If you chronicled through my blog posts to date, I bet you would have a pretty high chance of guessing the association of the individual who has shaped much of my outlook on life and the world. And if you consider me a friend to any depth, I'd say you'd need not read any further to guess with accuracy that that person is my Mother. Sometimes I wish I had an entire book of all the words of wisdom she has shared with me over the course of my lifetime. I imagine the chapters would be divided according to the reoccurring themes of life. "Forgiveness" would make up an entire chapter...right there behind "Love". She's taught me lots about the importance of forgiveness. Forgiveness keeps your heart soft in the face of people and circumstances that would otherwise harden it.

Today is my Mom's Birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom!

The olive branch dates back to the 5th century BC used by ancient Greeks and Romans as a sign of peace. The white dove and olive branch was later used by Christians and then popularized as a secular symbol of peace...or in this case, forgiveness.

 "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34)
"Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do" (Lauryn Hill)

Finding forgiveness for yourself and others when you've done wrong or have felt wronged is a pretty hard thing to practice, don't you agree? Although I don't consider myself religious by many means, reminding myself of what was meant by the words above, spoken by Christ on behalf of those crucifying him, makes the alternative to forgiveness, in my comparatively moderate circumstances, seem just silly. It reminds me that I can't possibly hold people accountable for seeing the world and acting as I do given they are products of their own life's circumstances just as I am a product of my own. I often ask myself, had I lived through and seen what they had, who's to say I wouldn't have acted in the same way? I remind myself that my own experiences, just as theirs, have shaped my own faults and blind spots. Now don't get me wrong, this isn't to say we are all victims of our circumstances, we are simply products of them. But enough of the touchy-feely, let's get down to the real heart of the matter...

In regard to the piece itself, I wanted clean edges and texture. To get both, I created my own stencil using a thick poster board and an X-Acto knife and filled it in with Plaster of Paris using a putty knife. Watch out, you have to be quick with that stuff (the putty, not the knife)!

The foundation is wood simply from any art supply store. I painted it a light green shade (standard).

What pretty, clean edges!

I used a paint pen to write the text.

The intent here? I go to sleep with forgiveness and wake up with forgiveness.

what in the world?

Since going back to school, I've noticed the word 'Monday' carries much less significance than it did back when I was doing the 9-5 office thing. Grad school means weekends aren't as delightful and Mondays aren't as dreadful 'cause the load is simply spread over all 7 days. It also means my endurance for some sort of mental check has increased from 5 days to an entire semester. Sleeping in and socializing guilt free, eating right, exercising, and all other things that come with sanity seem to just kinda take a back seat until the semester's over....and well, creativity and blog posting just seem to get tossed into the trunk.

 

It's been over 2 months since my last post which makes me a bit sad but also overjoyed because it means only one thing- the semester's over and I have time to do things I enjoy...like turn around old, ugly, white toy chests! I found this one on the streets of SF-a nice gentleman was selling it for $10. I envisioned it repainted with a stenciled-on big, red fire engine, completely overflowing with toys. My only dilemma was I had to figure out a more appropriate interim alternative because I certainly don't see any sort of big, red fire engine furniture in my immediate future....

 

Second to big, red fire engines, I spend a decent amount of time thinking about the world. More surface level, I think about all the places in the world I'd eventually like to go and when I'm in a real sentimental or inspired mood, I think about how I'm going to change it. Is it too ambitious or idealistic to think I have some sort of shot at that? Eh, I'm going to continue thinking not...

 

I found this stencil of the world on Etsy. I love Etsy.

The paint was a hard choice- at first I was thinking bright but I'm happy I went with more earth tones. I used a small sponge brush to paint the stencil. Don't use bristles, they'll sneak under the stencil.

 

I found this padlock at Urban Ore. I wanted a more antique looking one but apparently padlocks are a pretty hot item?

 

How fitting, National Geographic. If you're still on the hunt for an Xmas gift for somebody with a thirst for knowledge about some pretty amazing topics, get them a subscription to National Geographic. Among a few other little misfit items, my mom gave me this gift last Xmas and let me tell you, it's the gift that keeps on giving and certainly a way to be remembered at least monthly ;)



My Uncle gave me this paperweight when I graduated from high school. It reminds me that changing the world is never as overwhelmingly big-picutre as it may seem but that it all begins and ends with me...sounds a bit more manageable that way  ;)

crazy love; it's a beautiful view

My mom has always told me that life becomes more and more profound with age. If that's the case, then lately I've been feeling not a day under 85...seriously.

 

This past weekend I was honored to be a part of another very close friend's wedding (in reference to the one I posted about back in July). It was an absolutely incredible weekend filled with overwhelming love and happiness...and my slightly obnoxious neverending tears of joy. This is what I mean when I say that lately I've fallen victim to the profundity of lfie. I've turned into my sentimental mother, only 30 years earlier than I'd expected. Don't get me wrong though, I have no shame about it. I simply feel so very grateful for all of the beautiful people who have entered my life and this past weekend was another reminder of that.

 

Now I bet you know where I'm going with this. Yep, another homemade wedding gift. Sorry, Chris, if you were hoping for that 11-piece Wüsthof knife set :-/

The above picture was captured during their engagement photo shoot done by Jennifer Eileen Photography. It is probably my favorite and definitely the best one for the look I was going for.

 

The below window pane was found at Urban Ore.

 I emailed the photographer who was nice enough to send me the high resolution file of the photo. I then sent it to Kinkos with the dimensions of the window pane and $30 and 24 hours later had the enlarged print in my hands. Very easy.

 

I don't know about you, but I think that looking out the window to all this crazy love is one view that would never get old (it's a song that never gets old either).

 

Keeping with the look of the photo, I wanted to paint the window pane a complimenting color but hold onto the rustic, aged look. To create that, I painted two coats over the original white color and then used sand paper to uncover the layers underneath.

Simple and sturdy hanging material found at any hardware store. I used a staple gun to adhere the photo to the back of the window pane.

Now if you'd like to read about one incredible young women and the love she has found in one incredible young man, feel free to continue reading. 

 

Tashy and Chris, so honored to have been a part of your day!

 

A Toast to Mr. and Mrs. Nordman

Hello everyone and as they say in Serbian, sdravo!

I want to start by saying I spent about 10 easy seconds translating the first sentence of this speech on Freetranslation.com  but sadly came to the realization after spending the subsequent 10 minutes trying to pronounce it all that there was absolutely no way it was happening in Serbian. So I’m sorry to those of you very important people whom I’m leaving out…if the neighbor of those people could so kindly tell them I say so I’d appreciate that.

Okay, now for the introduction, my name is Erin (or Sully by some) and while most of you may think you are here because of Natasa and Chris I will have you know that you are quite mistaken…you are actually here because of me (and Matt)..Matt please raise your hand. Yes that’s right, behind this incredible couple are two pretty incredible matchmakers. So if you’re having a great time, if you like to party and dance, if you like to eat delicious food and drink endless wine and schliva and be surrounded by this wonderful group of people, you can thank us later…we’ll be around.

Okay, now that the light hearted humor is out of the way, it’s on to more important things. As I said, my name is Erin and I am so very grateful to say that I have called Natasa a close friend for going on almost 9 years now and a best friend for a majority of those. While we don’t have the quantity of years on our side as a sister or childhood friend might, our friendship has been nothing short of quality and I now can’t believe I made it through the first 18 years of my life without her. Let’s just say we’ve been known to have slight anxiety attacks over not talking daily. But this speech isn’t about my relationship with Natasa- it is about Natasa and her relationship with Chris.

So in regard to the first topic, Natasa, I decided it would be a good idea to reflect not only who she has been to me, but who she has been to everyone in this room and beyond. She’s been a daughter, she’s been a sister, she’s been a granddaughter, a niece, a cousin. She’s been a childhood friend, and simply a friend. She’s been a son’s, brother’s, and best friend’s girlfriend. She’s been a soulmate and now she is a wife. And as I looked at this list of roles Natasa has played, I realized two things. The first thing I realized is that the word “incredible” belongs in front of each one of these nouns. She has been an incredible daughter, an incredible sister, an incredible friend and girlfriend…and the list goes on. The second thing I realized is that her ability to play each of these roles with such greatness really has nothing to do with the role in and of itself but everything to do with the person she is.

About a year and a half ago Natasa read me a letter that she was given by the grandmother of two young clients she worked very closely with. While she read me the letter over the phone, my eyes soon began to well with tears as I listened to the words of an almost stranger twice her age describe so accurately how I too felt about this incredible young women. It was at this moment that I realized that be it a best friend or a girlfriend, a client or a complete stranger, Natasa’s sincere and beautiful character never ever wavers and that is a quality you don’t find every day.

So I’m going to read bits and pieces of the letter- I’m sorry Tash, when I told you I was dropping off dry cleaning and asked you to leave your key in the key hole I was really shuffling through your drawers trying to find this damn letter…and shit girl, you’ve got some sorting to do. But jokes aside, as I read, I’d like each of you to reflect on who Natasa has been to you. And please excuse me if I get choked up.

“I read somewhere that love is like a field of daisies, it is almost never ending. That is how I will feel about you. God has a special place for those who care about people and learn to love them and seek to find that special part of them that is unique. You have cared enough to be concerned about what I think; someone to call upon during bad times and good. You have helped me understand the truth about things and have helped me to not be afraid of the answers. You know what I have been going through and have supported me through it all. You have seen me through good times and bad and have cheered me up when things do not go well. You are an amazing young women and I am rejoicing that we have had you in our lives. God bless you and may life be as beautiful as all the beauty you bring to other people’s lives.”

Pretty damn accurate, right?                                                                    

But what I love even more than the truth in every word, is the women behind every word for recognizing the true beauty in my best friend. Chris, this is exactly the reason why I couldn’t be happier that Natasa found you. Because despite the fact that you started off on shaky ground by hating on my lemon cucumber vinaigrette dressing during our first game night (and no, I haven’t forgotten) you have recognized and loved the most uniquely beautiful characteristics that make Natasa Natasa.

When asked for a bachelorette game to name his favorite thing about Natasa he didn’t answer with the obvious “her firm and perky fanny, her smokin’ hot legs, or freak nasty dance moves” but instead said “The thing I love most about Natasa is her warmth and compassion for other people. The way she lights up a room and makes everyone feel better about themselves and the way she makes me feel like I am the funniest person in the world”. Wait Chris…now that I think about it, did you use Barbara’s letter too? No but seriously, there is a theme here…

Chris, you are one lucky man to be marrying one incredibly beautiful woman, inside and out, and Natasa, you are one lucky woman to be marrying such an incredible man who even when your fanny ain’t lookin so perky anymore and your freak nasty dance moves are just a thing of the past, will still love you most for your internal and unwavering beauty.

I am so happy for you both and look forward to watching your lives unfold together. Please raise your glasses to Chris and Natasa! Ziveli!

 

succulents; so hawt right now!

For all of you avid readers (?), this post may come with a bit of deja vu...think driftwood and flowers.

So, as an individual with a blog (there's something I don't like about calling myself as "a blogger"), I'd say one of the biggest compliments you can receive is hearing something like "not only do I love that, but I want one for myself!" Don't you agree that it doesn't get more genuine than outright emulation? Well I sure think so which is why I was so complimented when my dear friend Natasa asked me to make her some variation of the driftwood piece I did a while ago to hang in her own home. And what better occasion to give it than as her bridal shower gift! So that's what I did.

You sure see succulents all over the place these days. Don't worry though, Tash, you definitely set the trend ;)

Given her wedding floral theme centers around succulents, I decided to incorporate them instead of the flowers I used in the last driftwood piece. The tricky thing about this though was that succulents are unique in that they thrive without much water. As such, when you water them say weekly, you need to also allow for the water to drain. So while I initially planned on using mason jars, I had to instead use these tiny little pots with drainage holes in the bottom. I actually think the color of the pots compliment the color of the succulents and driftwood very well.

The metal circular things are the same things I used in the Mother's Day gift I posted about back in May. To replicate this look, drill a hole through the back and adhere it to any drillable surface with a screw. From there place the pot inside and tighten. When it's time for watering, simply unscrew to loosen and remove- very easy!

So darling, right?

Simple hanging material you can find at any hardware store.

Looks like she liked it, right?? And below is the piece hanging above her bed (photo taken with an iPhone, blah).

I actually made two of these because I couldn't decide which she would like better. After giving her the one that I loved most, I gave her the option of doing a trade out. Turns out we have the same taste...I guess great friends tend to!

Anybody want this one?



rags to ritches: Alameda is on the map!

Last week I posted about my delightful experience at the Alameda Flea Market. Of all the items I walked by that morning, the below is what I left with: chicken coop nesting floor (or so I was told), light blue aged frame, rusty metal heart and throwback watering can.

 

Quite the misfit group of things but I had a vision...

...An unconventional vanity table + inspiration board (gotta keep it versatile).

The frame alone cost $10 and I got the mirror cut and installed for an additional $18. Theisen Glass gets the job done!

Every time my mom comes to visit, she leaves a note on some mirror in my house. She left this one (above) yesterday. Love you too, Mom.

 

I used two S-hooks to hang both ends of the mirror (below).

I don't know the technical name for them is so I'm just going to say "hook screw", which I screwed into both ends of the back of the mirror in order to establish something for the S-hook to hang from.

I spotted this rusty, old heart upon leaving and let me tell you, it was love at first sight (pun intended). I think I paid $7 for it?

I spray painted the originally gold S-hook with paint I had leftover from a project I did for Mother's Day...decent camouflage?

And as for the watering can...

The lavender wasn't actually tall enough for the height of the watering can so I filled the bottom of the can with loosely crumpled pieces of newspaper. Who reads the Marina Times anyway?

 

The other bouquet is the one that was carried down the isle by the beautifu Mrs. Van Treese. I'm really glad I remembered to dry it...

And to bring it full circle, thanks for being so good to me, Alameda!

 



alameda flea market: the happiest place on earth

Please forgive me, blog for you have been far from top-of-mind lately. No excuses, just simply not in any sort of creative writing mood. Hey, it happens...

 

So, a few weeks ago I was finally able to do something I've been meaning to do for months and months and months now. And no, I'm not talking about backing up my hard drive (that's still on my to do list). I'm talking about living out the miracle of setting a 6am alarm on a Saturday night and actually waking up to it the following Sunday morning to go to the Alemeda Flea Market.

 

Let me tell you, it was well worth every minute of lost sleep as I'm sure the owner of the below shopping cart would agree.

 

I don't know what this says about my character, but I think I'd be more excited at the prospect of spending a day exploring the Alameda Flea Market than I would be about spending a day shaking hands with Mini and going down Splash Mountain at Disneyland...seriously, this place is my happiest place on earth.

 

...And I guess the cost of entrance doesn't hurt my cause either (below). I arrived around 7:30am which was great for beating the 9am stragglers. And just to be clear, it takes place the first Sunday of every month (this coming Sunday).

The Alameda Flea Market puts the "shabby" in "shabby chic".

One man was selling an abundance of old military gear that had been used in the military and then as props in Hollywood films. I bought 5 of these sturdy shoulder book-bags (4 of which I've since given away)...$4 total. 

 

I left filled with creative inspiration. They had everything from old junk cameras, to jewelery to books etc. the only rule: everything must be 20+ years old.

 

I wish I would have picked up a business card from this "lot"...very reminiscent of Restoration Hardware, which I love.

 

 

And of all the hundreds of items I passed, the below is what I left with (minus the wheeling cart):

Chicken coop nesting floor (never used), light blue wooden frame, metal heart, watering can, book bags. Stay tuned for how I use them!

CHEERS...to coasters and happily ever afters!

Oh boy oh boy- nothing screams wedding season more than every spring, summer and fall month that lies between your 26th and 30th birthday. Whether you're planning one yourself, desperately hoping for a reason (a ring) to begin planning one yourself, putting every last paycheck and PTO day towards attending engagement parties, bridal showers, bachelor/ette getaways and the actual weddings themselves, or simply watching all of the above unfold on your Facebook Newsfeed daily, this is that time in life when apparently you do nothing but eat, sleep and breathe images of diamond rings and sounds of wedding bells.

So, this last weekend I had the pleasure of being a part of, in my opinion, one of the most breathtakingly beautiful wedding occasions of all time; the weather, the venue, the guests, the music, the flowers, the vows and most of all, the gorgeous bride and handsome groom...it was a weekend I will never forget! I digress though...

While I do think that the concept of a wedding registry is an ingenious one, there are some very special couples whom I simply can't seem to bring myself to giving a 4-slice toaster or 5-piece flatware set to in celebration of such a momentous occasion...this couple was one of those couples. So at the risk of not sending them that sure-thing registry item, I decided to go sentimental and make them something they may or may not have hoped for: two sets of coasters and a hot plate trivet made out of the corks I collected from the bottles we opened during the bachelor+bachelorette weekend in Sonoma. I also had a picture from that same weekend blown up and printed on a 16x20 canvas. Being that it was a dual celebration, I thought they'd both appreciate this?

Below are the materials I used. I found the coaster holders at Bed Bath and Beyond and used the cork coasters that came with them as the foundations for gluing on the wine corks. For the trivet though, I had to buy larger pieces of cork from Michael's and used a large bowl to measure out the circular shape. I found the razor blade at Michael's too. In regard to a good majority of the corks, I asked each winery we stopped at during our wine tasting extravaganza if they would be so kind as to hand over the corks they opened for our group. They were happy to do so.

Next step was to cut each cork down the center to create a flat, sturdy surface for glue gunning. Before gluing the pieces down, I laid them out on the cork foundation to make sure they fit well together. The image on the left is before I used my handy dandy blade to clean up the edges (you do this after you glue). If the razor is sharp enough, this step is actually a lot cleaner and easier than it may appear.

Below is the finished product. I had cans of stain sitting around the house so on a whim I actually decided to stain the coaster holders a bit darker...thought it looked better with the lighter colored corks.

Below is the canvas I had made at Walgreens ($50 for a 16x20 print and mounting). They did an excellent job wrapping the image, as you can see below...well worth every penny!

Final wedding gift below.

If your interest in reading this blog doesn't extend beyond the DIY crafts, you are dismissed ;)

If you wish to read on about two incredible people who now make up one incredible wedded couple, proceed...

Since the wedding on Saturday, I have been asked by a handful of people to share the Maid of Honor toast I gave after the dinner (yes, I typed out every word because you never know what will escape your mouth in the presence of nerves and wine). Someone also suggested that the easiest way to do this would be to include it in my blog. While my initial feeling on posting this for all eyes to see was slight anxiety about sharing something so personal, I have since decided that if any couple's love for each other is worthy of being shared for all eyes to see, this most certainly is that couple...so here goes:

Love ya Katherine and Blake!

A Toast to Mr. and Mrs. Van Treese

Most of you already know me, but for those of you who don’t, I’m Erin and I'm Katie’s childhood friend of going on almost 18 years; also her Maid of Honor.

So I have to say, I’ve had a hard time deciding which direction to take this toast in today because Katie, as you well know, when it comes to circumstances and people in my life that mean a lot to me, I tend to overthink them. Beyond that though, it didn’t help that when I Googled “Maid of Honor Speech”, over a million results came up on what to say, how to say it and how to walk away from the speech having “wow’d the crowd” I quote. So after thinking long and hard about which of our childhood dances or handshakes to entertain you all with, which pop song I could sing retelling the story of how you both met, which childhood anecdote to share, or advice I could offer on how to live happily ever after as Mr. and Mrs. Van Treese, I realized a few things:

1. In regard to sharing our childhood dance: nobody in this room really wants to see me bust out our 4^th grade Tahoe performance of Sheryl Crow’s “all I wanna do”

2. In regard to singing a pop song inserting the story of how your relationship unfolded, I was having an extremely difficult time fitting the story of your first official date "driving" up to Sulphur Springs into "Call Me Maybe" ;)

3. In regard to sharing a special childhood anecdote, I didn’t think that centering my toast around our most cherished middle school and high school memories sitting outside of Keller’s Meats with a good number of the girls in this room would really capture my point...Although I must say, it is slightly applicable to today given the hours upon end spent in front of that place were never really for the delicious Keller’s chillie, but instead were spent praying for a drive-by by any one of the older high school “hotties”, as we'd call them …for me that was probably Perry Clark or Neil White in his drop-top Bronco and for Katherine, that was always Blake Van Treese in his purple Hyandai. You see Blake, you’ve kind of been a big deal in her mind since the beginning.

4. In regard to offering relationship advice on how to live happily ever after as a married couple, let’s be honest people, there’s no "Matron" of Honor about my role today…I’m the "Maid" of honor which means only one thing- I’m single and the last person who feels warranted in giving happily ever after marriage advice ;)

5. And on a completely serious note, I realized that the reason I was having so much trouble writing this speech was because I couldn’t call the person I normally would to get the advice I needed to put things back into perspective and set me back on track. The person who would remind me of why I’m REALLY standing up here today…not to "wow the crowd" by following some script but to speak from the heart and follow my own. Katie, that person is you; the person who’s always reminded me of what really matters in life.

Back in the 4^th grade I gave you an award that, at the time, I had little basis for. I have it with me here tonight and it reads: “This award goes to Katherine Shafer for being a good friend, caring, friendly, hard worker, funny, thoughtful and kind”. 18 years later I stand up here to say that you have lived up to every one of those words and more. There is something so genuine and honest about the friend you’ve always been to me and the person you are to everyone in this room- your family, your friends, your students and Blake. Your sincere character brings out the most genuine sides in others by valuing all the right things in each of them- not by holding them up to living out some silly script.

I read a quote the other day  “A soulmate is someone who will make you be the most YOU that you can possibly be.” That’s who you’ve been to me Katie ,and I truly believe that this is who Blake has been to you. During this entire wedding planning process, I’ve seen you break down just a handful of times-and I hope you don’t hate me for saying that out loud. During each time you’ve reminded me of why I believe so strongly in your love for Blake and the strength of this marriage. Your frustrations were never due to things not going as you expected but due to feeling the pressures of living up to the expectations imposed on you as the bride; the pressures of feeling you should care about the superficial things that shouldn’t matter. It’s never been about the wild last hurrah in Vegas, finding perfectly matching bridesmaid dresses, or how you were going to get your hair or make-up done. None of these things ever mattered to you because none of these things are what this wedding signifies for you. You told me the other day after a failed attempt at your hair and make-up test-run, that all you wanted for today was for Blake to look at you and see nothing else...to see the naturally beautiful girl he fell in love with without having to look past your caked-on make-up or fancy hair. What I’m trying to say here is, that sitting here before me are two people who bring out the most genuine sides in others and the most genuine sides in each other. Beyond that, two people who have learned together, especially through the challenges they've faced over the past 7 years, what’s truly important in life. Katherine and Blake, you both are soulmates and I am so happy that you’ve found each other.

So please raise your glasses to Mr. and Ms. Van Treese. Here’s to always staying true to yourselves and never losing site of what's really important…your love for each other.