fannie & millie .: handcrafted goodness

We had a fun weekend - Friday night and Saturday at Seaside with some family; and Sunday was Father’s Day and my Mother-In-Law’s birthday. The only problem with that plan is that I have to make a lot of items before Wednesday afternoon! I did it backwards - see you soon!

in the shop…

I’m so surprised to discover how much loss I am experiencing in this stage of my life. I suppose I should have seen it coming, but I didn’t. The numbers are adding up now: the friends who have moved their homes, the friends who have just plain moved on, and the other loved ones who are gone from this lifetime…

My cousin, Steve Johnson, passed away yesterday morning. He was only a couple of years older than I am. Even though many years have gone by since we last saw each other, in my mind’s eye, he is still the same eager and excited teenager from Georgia, “the mouth from the South”, who was so thrilled to come to glamorous Los Angeles, California to visit his Uncle Albert, Aunt Hope and Cousin Joy.

I’m not really sure how this life works; sometimes it’s so hard. It seems we just keep going on, loving and growing, opening and closing; our hearts like the hand in this poem:

Your grief for what you’ve lost lifts a mirror
up to where you’re bravely working.
Expecting the worst, you look, and instead,
here’s the joyful face you’ve been longing to see.
Your hand opens and closes, and opens and closes.
If it were always a fist or always stretched open
you would be paralyzed.
Your deepest presence
is in every small contraction and expansion,
the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated
as bird wings.

Jalaluddin Rumi (1207-1273)

The inspiration for this group (& there’s more to it…) came from some thoughts I was having about machines, devices, whatnot that I appreciate for both their function and form. These are things that are important to me for various and sundry reasons. Some are necessary; some, not so much.

What are your beautiful machines?

p.s. These necklaces will be in the shop tomorrow morning.

I have a long-held dream of buying and customizing a vintage Airstream; but I have to say that this new model from DWR looks pretty cool.

An avid outdoorsman, Airstream founder Wally Byam married a woman who had little interest in the “adventure” of sleeping on the ground. When he built his bride a tent on a Ford Model T chassis that he could tow behind the car, marital bliss was restored. The project gave Byam an idea for a travel trailer that moved like a “stream of air” and in 1936, America got its first look at an Airstream.

In 2000, the company’s motto, “Make only improvements, not changes,” was shaken by architect-designer Chris Deam who gutted a vintage trailer to create a booth for the International Contemporary Furniture Fair. Deam’s ability to respect the history of the iconic aluminum shell, while bringing a lighter, more spacious feeling to the interior, was praised by Airstream purists and the design community. The design caught our eye at DWR, and we contacted Deam about creating a special edition trailer for our customers.

Embracing our inner Mrs. Byam, we’ve outfitted this Airstream with the works, and all of the surfaces of the light and airy interior have been updated with today’s most durable materials. Everything you need is included to hit the road and satisfy your need to know what’s around the next bend. Whether the Design Within Reach Airstream takes you to distant places, or provides an extra room at home, its panoramic windows and iconic history will inspire a different point of view.

Isn’t that pretty? It even comes with it’s own Nelson clock:

The galley comes equipped with cooktop, stainless sink, Elkay faucet, fridge-freezer, Nelson Ball Clock and four Heller Dinnerware place settings. There are recessed halogen lights, a skylight and the Wire Coatrack by Tom Dixon. There’s also a lavatory and shower. The eco-friendly flooring has a matte ebony finish and the glossy overhead lockers are backlit and have metal perforated laminate doors. The panoramic windows have custom aluminum window treatments imported from Europe. For leisurely times outdoors, a fabric awning and two Tripolina Chairs are included. There are Matteo linens and a Maharam Pillow, and the electronics package includes rooftop AC, Sony sound system and TV.

All this for only (ahem) $49,066. Did I mention it comes with the clock?

Well, it’s awfully nice, but I think I’ll stick to my original plan.

I hope you had a great day, too!

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…  I’m working on a super secret project…  all will be revealed late Friday or early Saturday.  After that, I will resume frequent postings and jewelry-making.  I promise!

Don’t be picky. I know it’s not officially summer; but yesterday evening was enough of a taste of the season to come that Chris played hooky from riding and I played hooky from working and we went up to Alberta to sit outside and have a beer. It was great!

What are you doing to enjoy the weather?

Somebody very special turned 13 today! Woohoo - an actual teenager!