Condensing Cute

Tyler came through on the Cutes this week for all of you.
This one really made my day.
Heck, this made my week!
Go check it out...you'll see why. :D

My Old(er) Brother

Happy Birthday, Taylor!
Wishing I could be there to celebrate your 27th in true style,
like only an Evans kid can!

cakewrecks

(...but it's your party, so you can cry if you want to.)

20x200

Is it time to mention 20x200? It's a super neat website selling limited edition art prints (originally 200 prints priced at $20 a pop...get it? Now they sell larger prints, too). Some of the art, illustration is good, but there are some pretty great photos. I don't visit very often, but I was reminded after seeing the photo below by Mike Sinclair on youaremyfave...I think I love this one, really.

...How about a couple more:

I hold a special place in my design-loving heart for sad buildings, so James Griffioen is speaking my language with his series of Detroit's Feral Houses.

One of those beautiful/infuriating art emotions--why haven't I done this before?!
Lauren DiCioccio made this by assigning each letter a color, placing mylar over a Vanity Fair article and dotting away...wow.

Hooray for affordable and awesome art!
Boo for having no money for even 'affordables.'

Skin Art

Grabbed these images from Chelsea over at {Frolic!}, tattoos by Amanda Wachob

I'm not the kind to get tattoos (too noncommittal) but man alive, if I was...
this would be tempting.
Beautiful.

Trouble

Ok, so I told you the Cutes weren't completely over. :)
This is my favorite commercial.

Sometimes I dislike hearing songs I like in commercials, but I'm not going to have a problem with Ray LaMontagne and puppies.

Reemergence

Hello, Good tidings, and Happy 2010.
(twenty ten? two thousand ten? the debate ensues)

It's been a while, blog. The past two weeks have gone by speedily, and so I find myself at this funny little resting point wondering where we are. We ushered in the new year with the open arms of family. Nathan and I enjoyed our time back in Iowa, and as predicted enjoyed the slower pace post-holiday. Lots of eating, lots of games (on the kitchen table and on the Wii), and lots of bundling up. It was cold, folks. How could we forget? At least it has warmed slightly in the midwest, and of course we were immediately welcomed home to the Northwest with a wet, balmy 50°.

The rainy season has officially set in, and so far I've been ok with it. Today is a little dark and gray for my goofy mood, but it's hard to complain about the weather, or much of anything, when the earth has torn open below Haiti. There's always something worse happening in the world to shift a sour perspective, but something like this, an earthquake under an already impoverished nation, brings the simultaneous headwhack feelings of good fortune and despair.

Nathan started his final semester of school this week. I will miss his presence at home again, but I think we're both ready to see this school thing over. Work has been a tad crazy since I got back. We had inventory this week, so tensions were riding high and we all worked a lot. It's over and we're breathing a sigh of relief, but I now have a couple workshops on my plate that I'm not ready to stomach. I'm excited but also unprepared. Here goes nothin!

You may have noticed the Cutes haven't been coming the past couple of weeks. Yes, we've been busy, but I'm also rethinking it. You see, baby animals are always a good idea, but I initially added the Cute to perk up the blog and maybe motivate me to write more by including a weekly feature. This plan is defunct, as the Cute is often the only thing I post in a week. I love me a Cute animal, but it's not meant to be what all I post here, and it's become a bit of a task I don't want. That said, I will still post animals occasionally when so inspired, but probably not weekly. I planned to use this blog as a journal and letter to family of our activities so far away. However, it seems lately there is not much inspiring me to write. So perhaps I will not have much to post here at all for a while, until we find a way to make our lives more exciting to read about. Maybe that's a good resolution? Make our lives something worth reading about. Hm...

I leave you with a rare photo of my Opa and me from our visit to his green, hilltop home on the 4th. He's such a swell guy. I didn't take many photos while I was back to visit, but I am holding some good mental snapshots. We had a lovely time with all of you.

xoxo, callie