I wish summer lasted as long as it seemed to as a kid. I am a much happier person getting to walk into the woods and walk and see hear nothing but cicadas buzzing in the trees. It further presents my extreme desire to live in a cabin in the woods or mountains. someday that will be feasible.
Adeleine helped me beautifully arrange this basket from our perennial garden and a few peppers from the vegetable garden. We are drying lots of Yarrow and Lavender to make dried bouquets for the wedding in october.

Yesterday we went on a light hiking adventure. I found lots of great birch I am using for the wedding. We talked to the kids about some trees and cicadas and picked wild rasberries. We found these beautiful blue striped feathers on a trail. I didnt really feel like carrying them back though.

summer

I finally filled the remaining space in my garden that the cucumbers had been slowly creeping upon with some organic Lemongrass and garlic chives from the South Shore Farmer's Market.

I wish summer would slow down. My favorite thing these days is spending hours upon hours at south shore park with my kids. playing in the sand. swinging. and throwing rocks in the surprisingly warm lake water. It's so quiet and peaceful with dozens of sailboats quietly floating in the bay.

garden season

last weekend my children returned from their 2 week stint with the grandparents in new york. We had intended on hopping over to the city for Renegade Brooklyn but a 6 hour drive for a day trip ended up not being our top priority.
I use those two weeks to reground myself, inspire, and reset. I was crazy busy with work but luckily I love my work.
We utilized our awesome back yard during a tremendously relaxing fathers day. I whipped this amazing Quinoa salad out of a great salad recipe book I picked up for $5.


full of sun dried tomatoes, olives, scallions, feta and chock full of basil and cilantro from my garden.
and a homemade dressing to match made with lemon juice, sun dried tomato oil left overs, garlic, and a few scrapings of the herbs.


If I could live in my backyard I would.

I finally have a functioning drill press unfortunately set up in my dark muddy basement. Ive done some things with it.
I drill Metal


I drill Wood

Id like to do some cutting with it and explore all the snazzy stuff you can do with a drill press.
It immensely expands the possibilities of jewelry design.

I'm currently really into bold solid twill. I love the bold base with a bold ink screenprint over top. So crisp and clean. I wish i could find more brighter colors, joann fabrics selection of twill is unsurprisingly bland. but i picked out a few colors.

I've also started a little project of screenprinting an outline and hand painting lovely colors into it. this was my first go with it.

Im making a point to be more organized. I hope it helps me feel less stressed and overwhelmed. There are days i feel so overwhelmed and stressed and then I stop and think and can't even assess what it is that makes me feel this way.
I need to do things as they are presented to me, not push them off because it is overwhelming. this makes it more overwhelming.
Today I opened a bank account, packed a box and mailed it to EniThing in San Jose, CA, I assessed the stores value (!?) and paid some taxes.
Our dumbass landlord is making us find, hire, and buy a new water heater, have it installed and find a plumber to deal with the issues the place is having and hell "pay us back". thanks. because we need something else to deal with while he sits in his highrise condo on the lakefront yet somehow can't pay the mortgage on this house.

Spring 2010

Ive still been lagging behind from christmas. On my trip I gained such a feeling of refreshment, a clean slate and an urge to start creating lots again.
The sights, the culture, the walks, and everything in between brought me some great inspirations for my Spring 2010 lines.

For my jewelry I pulled themes of native american culture, both from the things I saw and a reconnection with that part of my family. Motifs of leather fringe, primitive beads, hand woven dreamcatchers and feathers

see http://woodenbirdhouse.etsy.com for the complete line to come.

For my textiles, I've pulled themes of wildlife and woodland culture for bold prints on bright jersey and corduroy . see htttp://papavier.etsy.com for new listings

Finding a bit more order to my screen printing studio in the basement. Come spring tons of garbage and donations will be cleaned out of the basement. For now, here is where I work.


We got a large order of great tees for great wholesale prices from Alternative Apparel.
I've been slowly introducing my line of wildlife prints both small and large for pouches, totes, and tees. I'm also feeling a little more caught up with my jewelry.
We're also about set to introduce Jerod's line of tees using orignal digital collage and old clip art images, the line of tees will be known as "Brother Donkey"
A sneak peak

Back from my trip to Humboldt County California. I had an awesome amazingly peaceful week full of long walks at the bay, bus rides, hiking in a forest of sequoias, and driving all over the redwood parks.


I shot some great photos in a little town called Trinidad. We stopped in a few shops.
Here i got a handful of wonderful asian and african hand cast copper and brass beads.

We took a day long cruise south through the redwood parks






I greatly enjoyed taking early morning strolls through old town, Eureka. One morning i stopped at a bead and talisman shop, got some great beads and chain. When I got home to my suprise they dropped a big stuffed bag of great glass beads for free in my bag!
I also love this shop called Shipwreck. Fusion of handmade items, vintage items, and handspun yarn!

weddings and sorts

The idea of getting married has been such a far off in the distance event for so long its hard to crack down and get moving on it! The dates just 8 months away and I have only ideas in my mind and brief browsing through etsy for the things I want to do.
I have at least notified the people Id like to be involved, Three of my closest ladies. We have a place in mind out in the country side in Saukville, WI with lots of room for eating, dancing, and a field of pitched tents.
Its hard to want to make everything yourself but find that just as daunting as spending a bunch of money.
One of my favorite things Ive found so far are these mossy lanterns by AprilHilerDesigns

Bottom line is it will resemble that of the sort of celebration one might stumble upon in a shire of hobbits.

the abode

my mom is officially moving to her boyfriends when she gets back so that means I can finally take the house by the reins and make it my own without fearing the repurcussions of my mothers unjust feeling of being moved aside.
First I redecorated the bathroom. I cleaned it out, threw away a good heaping box of strange body products and such I'd been holding onto for years.
I painted the walls a warm cappucino color. Bought a beautiful new fabric shower curtain with a rich brown print on it.
Hung a new brushed bronze towel rack, brought in a brushed bronze bamboo shelving unit.
I found this rad amazing candle holder out thrifting the other day

Then I got to finally hang these vintage pictures I found thrifting a few years ago but never had the right frame for due to their square nature. I found a perfect one at a thrift store but alas, only one! so the other hangs in an unfavorable cheap one for the meantime.
.

"pan's legs were like a goat but he played such music that the nymphs would have no one else to play for their dancing"
I also have gotten to hang the art and prints that have been hiding in my bedroom. One of my favorites called "Look" a linocut print by milwaukee artist Jenny James, who i run into on occasion and swap goodies with.

Maple Love

I finally got around to putting together a chain for the awesome christmas gift from my sister.

Its a baby maple seed pair cast in gold!
and she bought it for me not even knowing I had just had the same thing inked onto my wrists. Unfortunately I can't provide the artist, but nonetheless its probably the most awesome necklace I own now.

Ive been trying to come up with the perfect zipper pull to put on all the zipper pouches. Ive gone through some different kinds of things such as beads on coiled wire, stamping shrink plastic but i think i now have the one im happy with!


I had some leftover leather cord from a previous project. It just barely fits through the hole of the zipper so i couldnt just tie it and i didnt have any beads with a hole big enough. I took apart some unwanted chain links and used pliers to tightly wind it around the leather.

My Sewing Machine is finally back from the shop!
So $150 and a new bobbin case later I'm back in business! I greatly enjoyed the break and am flowing with new ideas and designs. Check my Papavier Etsy page for my new 2010 stuff!


and my friends had their baby boy at 7am this morning! The most beautiful little boy with a head full of dark hair. I love babies.

Next month Im taking a trip to Humboldt County California by myself.
Ive never traveled alone and i think its going to be the best time of my life.



getting on the plane back to wisconsin will probably be the hardest thing i ever do.

A sweet thrifting find!
At goodwill the other day, in the jewelry case i found a necklace made of nothing but chunky brass tree trunks linked together!
they easily came apart and are making some awesome pendant and earring pieces.