Dear beautiful friends, lovely people,



While you were out…




….time has rushed by and it is now just two weeks until I leave for yoga teacher training for the month of June. I am excited and anxious and in many ways, don’t know what to expect. I thought I might glide into the experience a bit more gracefully, but it will be more like tumbling onto the yoga center doorsteps after weeks of intensity. Thinking, working, thinking, gardening, thinking…I think the success and excitement from the RISD sale really lit a fire. The routine of work is trying to douse it. And then I get distracted. Isabella Rossellini teaches me insect mating dances. I find new music that rocks. I shop for B. I make things:




I found the first “while you were out” pad in an old storage closet in the museum. But it really didn’t say everything I needed it to. So I made the one above. Today is rainy and grey. Yesterday was confused but settled on sun. My seedlings need sun to thrive, and so do I. I have tomatoes, peppers, herbs and cucumber to plant all before I go. The dirt well get my head on straight, I am sure of it.



Lovingly,

*aja

Dear friends,

Success! In the most complete and wholesome sense of the word, the RISD alumni show this past Saturday was a success. Amazingly supportive friends. Inspiring buyers. Financially satisfying outcome. I couldn’t have asked for more. Except for about 20 degrees more of warmth with 43 degrees and misty rain chilling my bones. My friend Megan was not only my lovely sales help, but also the much need number counter after I panicked making change and gave someone way more back than I should have. I did not touch the money after that. I literally had 4 sweaters on over my dress, which was over a pair of pants which was over 2 pairs of socks. I shivered meekly, not wanting to bother people that came to my table. Eventually I found some bravery to talk to people and explain my process and materials and people started to get really interested. The felted rope necklaces were well received, as were the bath tea bags. I also sold out of a lot of earrings. Every time someone bought something, I had a sincere moment of disbelief. To make something, with your hands and of your own conception and have someone by willing to put their hard earned money down to own it, that is IT. And with all proceeds of the sale going to my yoga training tuition, I had to keep myself from hugging everyone. My heart was warmed. Today, the sun came out. And again, I might just burst.

xoxo,

*aja

ps. I wish I had pictures to offer, we were under a tent outside with the grey day not cooperating

Dearest beautiful friends,

The day is glorious and soaked in warm sun. I am full of love and you are all so beautiful...I might just burst.

xoxo,

*aja

Dear friends,

It’s a good crisp spring day today, sunny enough for optimism but cold enough to keep you on your toes. It was a much better week last week, with the homecoming of my furry best friend, Mr. Hoover, aka baby-cat, aka Hoovie Hoov. A huge thank you to all who were lovely and supportive (especially those who dealt with my crying like a freak for 8 DAYS IN A ROW, you know who you are) I am still a bit shell shocked by his 8 days out in the world, coming home so skinny and freaked-out. It’s so hard to let him back outside, which has only happened under my direct supervision. But I can’t keep this little animal from being in the sunshine, enjoying the fresh air. Am I freaked that it could happen again? Absolutely. But I consider this training for a child. Is my future child going to get into trouble at some point? I am certain of it. Do I then lock them in their rooms for the rest of their lives? Of course not. There is only so much we can control in life and I must accept the possibility of things going out of my control, no matter how hard I wish it would never happen. The best thing I can do is everything possible to keep my little kitty as safe as can be without jeopardizing his freedom. I suspect his freedom is as important to him as mine is to me (really, really important).

So as the house gets back to its normal rhythms and routines, I am in the midst of trying to feel calm, cool and collected about the upcoming RISD sale. Its lots of making, to-do lists and fretting about. B, who has done the RISD sale himself several times, has been uber helpful in the planning. For example, one tip he stresses is that it is far better to have too much than too little. It would be sad to sell out of something that was selling really well and that people liked. And this is where the fretting comes in – what will people like? How much is enough? I know in the end, all I can do is make what I love and attempt the precise science of guessing at amounts. Yet, still….I fret. Which is a time waster and its far better to just get making, which is what I did this past weekend. Here is a little army of soon-to-be felted beads, in crazy warm weather colors. This picture features my only “artistic compromise” for the sale…pink. I am not a pink girl. And by that I do not mean it symbolically, as I am in touch with my feminine, masculine, what-have-you sides. It’s really a color thing. I am just not that into pink as a color when it comes to my personal fashion or interior choices. But many people love it and I want people to be happy.



That little squinty-eyed kitty watching over the proceedings is non other than Miss Lucy. She is so stinking cute. She is happy that her brother is home, but I suspect she was also loving all the uninterrupted attention she received during Hoover's absence. His neediness tends to overshadow her quiet, but goofy personality. But she is always close by, keeping a half open eye on things.

Have a lovely rest of your week and I hope to have full report of unparalleled productivity after the weekend.

Love + more,

*aja

Dear, dear friends,

I am writing with the HAPPIEST of hearts today. I haven’t been able to write for sometime because over a week ago, my beloved cat, Hoover, went missing. Hoover, my first cat love. Hoover, brother to sister Lucy, my other first cat love. These two cats mean the world to me. Hoover has always been my baby-cat. The little guy is my shadow. We are never far apart and his favorite thing is to wait and wait for the alarm clock to go off and then nudge and head-butt and cuddle with me. When we cuddle, he drools. He sleeps with me. He watches me get ready in the morning. He watches me make coffee. He and Lucy have languorous make-out sessions with each other, where they stretch out and groom each others faces. He is spunky, bratty and so very loving. When he went missing, I didn’t know what to do. He has never spent a night outside and when he didn’t come home, I just knew something went wrong. And last week was the worst. I was beside myself. A complete mess, all I could do was cry and mope and cry. We did everything we possible could to get him home. We posted flyers everywhere. We talked with neighbors. I called the shelters. Went out in the night to call for him, hoping to hear little meows that would give us a clue where he might be. But nothing. I emailed a woman in the area who was rumored to have a “scent hound”, convinced that her dog could use his nose to bring my little guy home. We did it all. When 7 days came and went, I feared the worst. Everyday coming home from work was devastating – remembering that he wasn’t going to be there made me feel like a zombie. I couldn’t make jewelry and I couldn’t do yoga. I was stunned at how knocked on my ass I was – how this little missing animal could leave such a hole in my heart. He was there and then, in an instant, he was gone.

When 7 days turned into 8 days, I was starting to lose hope. We went to work knowing that once again when we got home, Hoover would not be there to greet us. On the way home, we stopped at the grocery store, which has a bulletin board with my “lost cat” flyer. His little face on a wanted ad at the supermarket. It was so sad. We came home and as we pulled in to the driveway, I said something to B about how depressing coming home is now…and then. We grab the groceries and get out of the car and we hear it.

MEOW! MEOW! A frantic demanding meow. We stop. MEOW!! MEOW!! I start running to the yard, yelling “HOOVER!? HOOVER?!” He runs out of the bushes towards me, I drop the groceries mid-run and he literally leaps into my arms!!! My baby-cat was home. I stood there clutching him so tight, crying like a babbling idiot. B runs up and we stand there crying, petting and babbling over this little thing. We must have been a sight. We checked him over and he was ok, save for being VERY skinny. He was little already, but he lost a lot of weight. We fed him slowly…I couldn’t stop looking at him. Was it really him? He ate and ate, a ravenous beast. Clearly he had not been at the neighbor’s house eating treats all week and he was so very happy to be home. He curled up on my lap, like a furry kitty donut and went straight to sleep. He slept all evening and all night. When we woke up and there he was next to me, I couldn’t believe it. I was late to work because of the cuddling we had to catch up on.

Home, safe and happy. Where he was, I have no idea. I am no cat-whisperer, but something tells me about the way we reunited that he didn’t want to be gone. Meaning, he was scared off or trapped perhaps. But who knows? It’s a mystery. I am just so glad to have him home again.

Peace + love,

*aja

Dear lovely friends,

It was a gorgeous early spring day - clear, bright and crispy cool. But oh Mondays and how they can drag on, reminding you of the inadequate freedoms of a career life. After a week off from work, where I was allowed to indulge in what I like to call my "primitive schedule" (eat, sleep, work, play when it feels good + right) - it was a jolt to the senses to arrive back at the desk, as nice as it is. But I did have Sunday, a lovely day, reminding me of good things to come. We didn't celebrate Easter in the traditional sense, as I more likely to be outside worshipping tiny little crocuses than anything else. But its a lovely day to have a long brunch, think about the changing season and enjoy my handsome company. B and I decided to treat ourselves to something special for brunch, some oh-so-out of season produce that was relished in every bite. Eggs Benedict with avocado and tomato.


Oh was it ever good. At a local cafe in town, this is called the "California Benedict". Meat free and sinfully tasty. It was so simple to recreate and dare I even say my Hollandaise Sauce better. We also set up the table in our vintage finest, using my new butter pats for dousing our grilled muffins in buttery goodness.


A little different from the grab and go breakfast of this morning (although I did get to use that cute little thermos, which made it much more fun) But work can also be comforting in its routine and I am also happy to report that I finished my yoga scholarship application, which included a letter of recommendation from my boss that nearly brought me to tears. I don't think anyone has ever committed to words such nice things about me. It was unbelievably moving to read her support and kind words. I almost didn't read it at all, mostly because that sort of thing embarrasses me. But she took the time to write on my behalf and so I finally read it on the train home, almost unbelieving that someone would say such nice things about me.

So perhaps this Monday was so not so bad after all. Some nice thoughts to reminisce on from a week past of good friends, food and freedoms. And more nice thoughts in the form of gracious support. Mondays are almost as good as Sundays.

Yours,

*aja

Dear friends,

It is beautiful late afternoon and as I write this from my dining room table, I can see out the window to the pond with ducks swimming all around! I can see one male and three females (hmmm...that sounds like a conundrum) and between the ducks and crocuses, I feel light as a feather. Today is a quiet day. I had the most wonderful week off from work with a visit from my best friend Dacia and her husband Ryan, who are the kind of friends who are so close, they feel like family. What's funny about that, is when Dacia and I are out together people always ask if we are twins, which cracks us up. Yesterday, the four of us had fun in NYC, which speaks to my love of these good friends. I am not much of city girl and often feel anxious and overwhelmed in New York. But it is good to have people who pull you out of your home-body shell, because we had such a great time together. And visiting New York is not so bad when you are able to return to your tiny little town and stare at ducks outside your window. It lends a nice perspective on the world.

Unfortunately, Dacia and I had to say our goodbyes yesterday (very tearful goodbyes) and I am not sure when we will see each other again. Seattle is very far away from Connecticut. I am trying to busy myself with a much neglected to-do list, hoping to escape the sadness. Yet, it seems I am even procrastinating on that to-do list, because rather than finish my almost completed yoga scholarship application, I would much rather write a little letter here. Oh procrastination, I curse your temptations!

It is much more fun to show to some goodies I picked up at an antique store this week. I love, love, love buying old things. Apart from consumer abstinence, I really think it is a great thing you can do as a earth lover. I use all the antiques I buy - no decorative shelf for these old objects - no, in my hands they will not be retired until they become functionally unusable. There are so many objects that exist in this world that should be afforded a longer shelf life than we have consigned them to. Used books, clothes and household objects - many of the old things I have acquired over time have proved sturdier, better quality and more reliable than anything new I could possibly buy. My old cast iron pans from an estate sale down the road. My cracked but still wonderful tea pot from a goodwill in Seattle. And now added to the collection, some finds that are fit for a sunny spring tea party.

I finally found a creamer and sugar dish to go with my tea cup collection, which is a mish-mash of different colors and patterns, but all dainty and floral. I also scored some butter pats, adding to my newly started collection I received from B's Mom last Christmas, many of which where in her mother's collection.




Oh, I love these crazy floral mismatched napkins! Linens. Love them. I never used linens growing up, but I think they are the bees-knees. Especially vintage linens.

And here is my great treasure from my scouring. A small vintage thermos with embroidered pattern.


Stinkin' cute and at $2.00, it was a steal. And if I may be so bold (and proud) this little guy will stay out of the land fill for as many years as I can get out of it.

Thank you for allowing me that little show and tell. I should probably go back to that scholarship application....or maybe a brew a quick cup of tea, or two.


Yours,
*aja