you probably think all we do in Seattle is drink coffee...

and you would be right-

at least in winter when the yellow orb makes little appearance.

I need my latte even if it is only decaf.

 My husband stacked these on the kitchen counter

and they just invited a photo op - don't you think?

 And the above shot is at coffee house last weekend.

Now I am just messing with different phone apps.

 Finally here is a shadow reflected on the wall

while we were again sipping those lattes.

Hope you each have a wonderful weekend.

I do foresee some plaster painting for me - 

gotta get my artfest trades started.
As picnik will be shutting down soon, 
What are your favorite photo apps for iphone
or photoshop or ?
I would love to know...
please!

I try not to slurp...really I do

 The sun is OUT,

and this cappuccino sits before me

in a quintessential Seattle coffee house

teasing me to go slow...

but I can't.

Nothing sadder than an empty cup.

Did I mention the sun is a 

glorious yellow disk

radiating down on us?

Oh lovely day.

Just loving the ScratchCam app...

can't get enough grunge in my photos lately.

I really must focus...

 I don't seem to be able to let go of Christmas...

 maybe it's because most of my favorite people left ;(.

the laughter is gone...

must take the decorations down and pack them away,

and the guest cot will go and

 art will return
(can't wait to work on this one),

 and I received some precious gifts 
such as these mouse pads from my son-
one with my favorite fur ball and the other -
one of my son's pieces of art,

and another piece of art from the other Holderman artist.
How lucky am I? 

 We enjoyed good food,

 playing tourist at Pikes Market,

 ferry rides

in the rain of course,

 

and we waved to our niece as she sailed the other direction.

 Then we enjoyed Roy St. Tea and Coffee

(which is an incognito Starbucks -

you would never know it 

- the best lattes ever!)

 and we made new friends

(he lives in the pond at my sister-in-law's on a golf course),

and I bought these words of wisdom cards

to inspire me each day.

My favorite says...

I will greet this day with love in my heart.

And how will I do this?

Henceforth will I look on all things

with love and be born again.

I will love the sun for it warms my bones;

yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit.

I will love the light for it shows me the way;

yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars.

I will welcome happiness as it enlarges my heart;

yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul.

I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due;

yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge.

Og Mandino

My mom would have loved this poem.  She died a year ago on January fourth and I have been dreading this anniversary, but I am grateful that I made it through the day with joy in remembrances and I do seem to be crawling out of the deep place of grief.  My dad was able to join us for Christmas which was a huge blessing as he was not able to travel for many years because of my mom's health.  So I am hopeful for the new year and all of its blessings.  I am going to try so hard to see the beauty in little moments of perfection and not to be so hard on myself.  Sound good?  I wish each of you a wonderful and blessed 2012.

mermaids in my head

logo #1...

became logo #2 this week...

became logo #3.

well I have some explaining to do...

my dear, sweet husband makes the lattes around here,

and he often adds a little extra

to the outside of my to-go cups.

thought this was hysterical and just wanted to give him

a big 'thank you'

for all the little things he does.

btw he is a really good artist -

this was a quick 30 second sketch.

I have the sicko thing in my chest -

along with a come and go migraine...

day #5 but who's counting.

textures, coffee and shopping on a grey day...

Thanks to Ishtar Olivera for finding these beautiful textures here

at Boccacino's photostream

and sharing them with us.

My boring rainy day photo taken Saturday at the Macrina...

but this added to it...

turned into this beauty.

Notice the mammoth Starbucks ad on the side 

of this small coffee house 

- rather amusing don't you think?

and this...

added  to the sign on the door perks up the photo...

Yesterday we had a day out in Seattle with friends drinking coffee

and perusing this store  - one of my favs!

check out their site as they ship anywhere - oh dangerous...

and here are some glimpses of their window displays...

and inside...

I will take one of everything please.

Finally I will share some of my own textures that I have been playing with.

Feel free to take them and use them for yourself - 

I would love to see what you create!

and

Enjoy!!!

coffee break...

You are going to need a cup of coffee

for this one as it is a long one...

Well sometimes life just seems so heavy and sad

like this past week -

Haiti has captured all of our hearts.

We reached the one year milestone of a friend's passing.

And another dear friend suffered a massive heart attack this week

and is hanging on by the grace of God.

And then there is the rescue going on of

4 little kitties in New York by an individual

who just couldn't walk by and do nothing.

So Matteo and I say a big

thank you to Graciel for being willing to step out

of her comfort zone and get involved!

If this mouth could talk that is what he would say,

oh yes he would.

He is my rescue cat and his head

is two inches from the keyboard

as I write this

- what a difference from his former life on the streets!

So now I will return to what I was planning to blog about...

With all the heaviness going around,

6 of decided to take a coffee break and head into Seattle on Saturday...

to find the perfect cup of coffee...

We quickly skipped this place.

and went here instead.

Welcome to Cafe Zeitgeist in Pioneer Square.

everything a coffee house should be...

and look at that crema!

and there was even art on the walls

made from old books by

Katya Marritz

and then we moseyed across the street

to our second cafe...

Caffe Umbria

which has more of a Italian contemporary sophistication...

and great coffee too...

and then we decided we were full of caffeine

and needed to stop drinking coffee so we went to Ballard

which is very Scandinavian...

and we visited Curtis Steiner's

incredible store which is more like an art gallery...

He has beautiful cards that are pieces of art

and drawers filled with stuff for sale that he has collected

and vignettes

and even his dog Mortimer

likes to greet you!

and finally we made a stop at Lucca,

my favorite store...

before we prayed for our dear friend

and came back to the reality of life.

p.s. thanks to Ed for some of the photos -

hey finally someone took pictures of me!

and what a small world because as I read the article on Katya

she mentions getting the idea for her books from an artist in Seattle...

and I think she means Curtis Steiner

because he has books like she did for sale in his shop - ha :).