Rudeness, embroidered, bees, the table, outdoing Mary Poppins, breakfast, watching

 1. Waiting for the apple cider to steam. I loved watching him watch his cider.

2. A big breakfast for A as he watched a movie on the laptop on a Saturday morning.


3. When I told a group of students that I was a nanny for a year in my early 20's, one replied, "Ms. K you would outdo Mary Poppins as a nanny any day!" What a compliment!

4. How the Thanksgiving table was dressed.


5. Just finished and loved: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.








6. The beautiful embroidered portraits created by Cacey Zavaglia (via Colossal).


7. Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength. -Eric Hoffer

Kermit Oliver, yellow dining room, three books, Babel, a sister and her drink

1. My sweet sister at the tavern with her espresso martini.

2. Listening to and loving: Babel by Mumford & Sons.

 Books I am absorbing:

3. 101 things to Learn in Art School by Kit White.

4. A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver.

5. The Where, the Why and the How: 75 Artists Illustrate Wondrous Mysteries of Science.

 6. Our little, happy yellow dining room.

7. The amazing work and story of Kermit Oliver, who I learned about through NPR (where else?).
Listen to the story here. See more of Kermit's work here.

Domaine de Canton, Cloud Gate, an unbored soul, Notan, friends, baked beans, Thiebaud + Morandi

1. I loved watching this video of Wayne Thiebaud discussing his love for and learnings from Giorgio Morandi. Thiebaud via Morandi.

2. We recently made homemade Boston style baked beans in a crock that belonged to a beloved childhood neighbor who, in the 1970's, baked, canned, constructed, and brewed well before it was considered hip. They were simply necessary, familiar, more affordable, enjoyable activities that he loved doing and sharing with others. Thank you, Alphonse, for sharing your wares and your do-it-your sensibility with us kids.




3. We recently paid a very fun (though always too short visit) to some dear friends in Chicago. above: J-bird and Olive just before heading into town for the afternoon.

4. I spotted some colorful Japanese Notan inspired compositions at a Dick Blick store in Chicago.

5.  A very "unbored" soul delves into an advance copy of Unbored. The book is officially released tomorrow!

6. This sculpture, "Cloud Gate," by Anish Kapoor at Milennium Park in Chicago made me smile and filled me with awe and wonder. Amazing.

7.  Need to make your "Dark and Stormy" even stormier? Dark rum with this "ultra premium French ginger liqueur" will do the trick. Thank you, Rachel, for the wonderful treat!

St. Bridget's, Unbored, farm flowers, bird garden, honey pie, to be an artist, Beauty

1. I made this enormous (about 12 feet long) garland -paper flower and hands, ribbons, tiny bells and acorns- for a beloved friend  and mentor that I will forever miss. It was draped in front of her urn. She would call many of her students and colleagues "Beauty." A beauty like none other she was.

2. To be an artist is to believe in life. -Henry Moore

3. Honey pie with peaches, and ricotta cheese from Magpie. The leftovers made a decadent breakfast.

 4. Neighbor friend, Rosie, with her magical "bird garden."

 

5. Farm flowers

 

6. Lookie! An advance copy of Unbored arrived from the publisher! I did many, many drawings for this beautiful, rich, fun book! How lucky I am to have worked on such an incredible project with such a talented team of people (some of which are good, old pals from my Boston days). The official release date is October 16th and it is now available for pre-order! So very happy-exciting-proud!

7. In honor of what would have been Grampa's 86th birthday and the 64th wedding anniversary of his marriage to our late Grannie Annie, we attended Mass at St. Bridget's Church in Framingham (where they were married). As I sat in the pew, I could imagine witnessing them standing before us. Above are my sister and nephew in front of the beautiful doors of St. Bridget's.

Remed, gratitude, gorgeous loot, mint juleps, gift giver, "The Invisible Made Visible," a recent view.

1. A recent view on Martha's Vineyard.

2. "The Invisible Made Visible" by the beautiful, missed David Rakoff.

3. David's Denim, Wallets, Linocuts, & C.- a tumblr archive showcasing  the many gifts that David Rakoff created and gave to his friends. A gift giver.

4. I made mint simple syrup in preparation for a gathering centered around mint juleps with a lovely neighbor friend. A happy end of summer.

5. A small portion of the delicious, gorgeous loot from our farm share this week.

 

6. My sister took this picture as we were heading into NYC for the day. The day ended up being one of the most surprising, most incredible days of my life. An enormous gift that I have so much gratitude for. There needs to be more billboards like this around.

7. I love the work of the Spanish street artist, Remed. I read in Juxtapoz magazine that his mantra is "Creer, Crear, Crecer" (Believe, Create, Grow). True that, bro. Love ya even more.

1. Corn on the cob from down the street. Consumed: salted with basil butter.

2. A new favorite: Sanpellegrino pompelo soda, Bombay Sapphire gin, basil leaves, loaded with ice.

3. A sign that a very funny studio mate at Art Camp made. "This one time at Art Camp."

4. One of the small paper constructions I made during the "Mixed Media Painting" class that I took with Laurel Sparks at Bennington College. I just love her- her work, her intellect, her gentle zaniness.

5. My "Richard Tuttle + Georgia O'Keeffe babies." Quirky, little paper Santa Fe inspired chapels.

6. Laurel Sparks.

7. Emma Kunz completely blows my mind! I love that my mind is completely blown by art and music on a consistent basis.

Made: cookies, The Knife, Trinity Root, "The master of the art of living...," composition in sequins, made: sloppy joes, Shabazz Palaces

1.Shabazz Palaces. We saw them in April. They amazed us. Watch here.

2. Made: Jerk Sloppy Joes with Coconut Creamed Spinach from Post Punk Kitchen. Along with some roasted potatoes.

3. Cleaned out a drawer in my classroom to find this composition in sequins.

4. The master of the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which; he simply pursues his vision of excellence in whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he is always doing both.-Buddha

5. A and I stumbled upon the beautiful  Trinity Root  on an early Sunday morning in NYC.

6. Listening to: The Knife.

 

7. Made: these cookies.

Decades later, help, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, 1000 awesome things, with the band, something wrapped, beet burger with baked fries

   

1. Beet burger and baked garlic, curry potato fries from Post punk kitchen.

 

 2. Something wrapped for a beloved 'H'.

 3. We went to see Titus Andronicus with Deer Tick at the John Boyle O'Reilly Club. 'A' hung out backstage (in the kitchen) with Titus for hours.

4. I love this: 1000 awesome things. What are your 1000 things?

5. Reading a favorite (again): The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life in death by Jean-Dominique Bauby.

 6. It's okay to ask for help. (A message left on my studio floor by my nephew.)

7. On NPR the other day: Decades later: man apologizes to teacher.

what she said, what he said, spring dinner, cuke eyes, In the Make, record covers, carrot cake

1. Made this carrot cake for JMP's birthday.



2. A gallery of succinctly beautiful vinyl record covers.

3. In the Make: Studio visits with artists and designers.

4. Why it is so much more fun to go out to dinner with a young person.

5. Our first dinner on the porch: March 19th.

6. "Life's most urgent persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'"
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

7. Instructions for living a life.
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.

-Mary Oliver

A Prince, The Way, Irish soda bread, a snowy morn, Post Punk Kitchen, fire doodle, focal point

1. For the past two weeks home activities have been centered around our new wood stove: breakfasts, dinners, drawing, gazing at the fire...


2. A sitting- by- the- fire doodle.

3. What my sweetheart made us for dinner last night: Beet burgers and baked garlic and curry fries from Post Punk Kitchen and rum drinks... yum!


4. A beautiful snowy view on a Thursday morning (as I sat by the fire).

5. Irish soda bread and orange marmalade.


6. Watching "The Way" with my mom and grandfather which drew up some deep wonders within having been raised Catholic and my mom growing up with her family (as ex-pats) in Spain. Yes, rather Hallmark-ish but the connections to myself and my family were stirred in me. More than before, I want to walk it.

7. My mom adopted a beautiful 7 year old Siberian husky, Prince.