trying to catch up

new post, new post!

oh my, how did an entire month go by without me updating my swellspring?

what with christmas, visiting family, new years, road tripping from oregon to san francisco, getting laid off {while on maternity leave, imagine that!}, designing myself a website and raising a newborn, my blog has kind of taken a back burner. so this is just a triage post, to let you know i'm still alive, and to try to get us caught up.

so what's new & noteworthy.....

{alesia's new quilt made by her grandma....and she's 3 months old now, by the way}

{a new addition to my family: a mini cooper in peacock teal! ultra-fabulous! i took this photo at a look-out point on highway 101 on the oregon coast with one of my most favorite spots in the world in the background: heceta head lighthouse}

{alesia's 1st tango lesson, with none other than my favorite tango teacher, ney melo, at his studio tango vida. also note jennifer bratt's incredible collection of come-il-faut shoes displayed in the background....jewels for your feet!}

{speaking of feet....i'm able to wear hottie heels again, and am loving it. oh and i've only got about 5 more pounds to go until i'm back at pre-pregnancy weight. phew!}

{my first manhattan since getting pregnant. it was a long time comin' and i loved every sip!}

{i got a new queen mattress set & alesia got a new bumbo.... moms if you haven't heard of the bumbo baby seat trust me and go get it right away. it is the best baby docking station i've found so far. so now both alesia and i have new comfy places to chill ~ ahhh!}

{vicente wolf's book "crossing boundaries, a global vision of design" is a new favorite that i highly recommend ~ lots of design eye candy and gorgeous photographs from all over the world, madagascar to myanmar}

what's new with you? goodness gracious i've missed blogging, and i've missed you!

spreading joy, seeking inspiration

alesia's first grin captured on camera. . . . and my first christmas gift. so i just had to share the joy with y'all too. things have been busy over here with alesia learning to feed from a bottle, playing with new toys, and starting to explore the big world more & more. such an incredible thing to witness. here are a few images of her going's on:

{dreaming apple dumpling sweetness}

{so curious about the world all around}

i've been enjoying the holidays with my family and trying to get motivated to do something with my life other than being 100% focused on my bundle of joy. exploring the oregon coast & the oregon woods is always a blissful sensory experience and is filling me with inspiration for things to come......

{two photos i took of our table at thanksgiving, centerpiece made with found treasures from around my parent's property}

{two photos i took high atop cape perpetua on misty mystical day that rejuvenated like no other}

feeling lucky on 080808

this is an auspicious day for anyone who believes in lucky numbers. so i thought this was a good time to add to my consumer wish list.

{that mermaid lamp & painted twisted wood side table ~ yes please, without delay! they were found in a ghislaine vinas brilliantly designed bedroom, but not sure where she found them. hmmm. . . . .}

{the baby le cornue ~ not that i have a kitchen to put it in at this moment but if i somehow acquired this by a fortunate turning of events i'd find a way to utilize it until i have the place to have it properly installed. and it would become a family heirloom for ever more!}

{this armoire for my little girl's things ~it would be the perfect place to display & store, and i really could use this right about now. i've been saving this from my martha stewart inspiration projects folder}

{a carry over from yesterday's post ~ i am ready to spend a week's retreat here, asap. or maybe make this my full-time home even? first off, i adore the ocean ~ i grew up there and always long to return when i'm away. secondly, i love swings and almost any style of swing chair. thirdly, porches that have places to relax with friends are always a part of my "necessities for houses" list. lastly, that view ~ 'nough said.}

{ok, so this is way over the top, but this is a lucky day so i'm just putting it out there for fun. . . . . a 1956 drophead coupe convertible in mint condition. oh my i would die just to be able to sit in it much less drive it. and i swoon just imagining what it would be like to own this beauty. i'd sell everything i own, including my soul, to the devils for that one.}

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and what, pray tell, is on your wish list dear ones?

i hope many wishes are granted for you today and throughout the weekend!

time life sea

oh my, have i not been getting enough of this lately. somehow i've got a very full life with a to-do list that never ends and i forgot to rejuvenate. that's not my usual style. i suppose i'm just trying to be sure everything gets done before, well, you know, that due date arrives. but it sure seems like a lot of other things besides just baby-prep are going on. way more than usual, actually. and i am starting to feel a bit overwhelmed. which means it's time to slow down, breathe, and just be.
i'm trying to face it all with a happy heart and a smiling spirit. for the most part that comes naturally to me, as i am optimistic by nature. and ultimately, these are all good things ~ albeit they all require steap learning curves, lots of attention, and all the enthusiasm i can summon. but when i find myself musing about how much calmer & easier things will be after the baby comes {and thinking of that as my excuse to keep on pushing myself through the next task-at-hand}, then i know i've hit a new high of self-imposed delusion. and so i've really got to take a step back and soak up some nothingness. . . . . if even for only a few hours. . . . .with some quality alone time at the ocean.

amen.

{i've had these lovely quote-infused images saved for a while & unfortunately can't find who's work they are. if you know, please tell me & i'll happily give proper credit}

heat wave

the bay area is experiencing record breaking heat and i'm loving every mintue of it. i'm in my fave outfit: sundress, sandals, sunscreen {being an irish-finnish girl with freckles i'm fully commited to spf45}. and there's nothing like warm summer nights in may ~ actually, any time i love the warmth, but especially when it's an out of season surprise. it could only be better if we acutally had fireflies on the west coast and if i had a swimming pool to jump into whenever i wanted {sharon & shana ~ are you picking up on this? ;o) }
to celebrate the heat wave i'd much rather be soaking it in by a gorgeous body of water instead of working away at my office. so i've collected a few of my favorite images of places i'm day dreaming about as i watch the thermometer rise.

{infinity pool at alila hotel in ubud}

{beach brellas, taken by mysuite21}

{swimming pool at a villa in umbria, italy}

{azure evening pool at corbis, found on lallou}

{tahitian tropical paradise}

{the ocean view infinity pool of post ranch inn, in big sur california}

san francisco treasures

well it's wednesday and i'm finally getting around to sharing my weekend adventures with you. i suppose two days isn't all that late, and hopefully you'll agree that it's well worth the wait.

{the majestic & awe-inspiring grace cathedral was our first stop on saturday morning. we got to listen to organ practice and take in the calming ambiance. we've walked the labrynth before so we didn't do it this time, but we did make a few nice purchases in their adorable gift shop.}

{we had lunch at a lovely french restaurant in the presidio, called la terrasse. it was sunny but windy, so we sat just on the border of their outdoor patio. everything we tried was great, but the very best part was the fantastic cheese plate ~ we loved every selection on it}

{we ventured over to sausalito & tiburon for the afternoon and then took a nice, but windy, ferry ride over to angel island. i've lived here for 5 years and this was my first time visiting the island. it was beautiful and fascinating ~ a lot of interesting history to be discovered throughout. i highly recommend taking the ferry over and spending a full day. you can even camp there over night, if you book far enough in advance.}

{and we had an incredible meal at san francisco's famous buddhist fine dining restaurant: greens. my parents have been vegetarians for over 30 years so they love getting the special treat of dining here. i do eat meat but i never miss it when i'm there. the food is exquisitely prepared and the unique flavor combinations annie creates are like nothing else. i've never had anything there i didn't love, and i bet you'll feel the same. plus the view is wonderful and everyone who works there is the nicest person you'll ever meet}

all my life's a circle

"birds make great sky-circles of their freedom.

how do they learn it?

they fall

and falling,

they're given wings."

~ rumi

{a photo of the incredible art of jim denevan ~ found on his website here}

sitting with summer's likeness

it hit 80 degrees in many areas around the bay over the weekend. talk about gushing with spring fever ~ i just love this weather so much! yesterday i got to have a picnic at a pool party in a gorgeous mill valley garden with 3 of my best friends. that had my heart glowing in warmth just as much as the sun did for my body. here is some well designed outdoor furniture to keep the summer inspiration going a bit longer.

{unique artistic outdoor furniture at jane hamley wells}

{henry hall designs makes gorgeous and interesting outdoor furniture}

{slender clean lines invite summer to linger - from viteo outdoors}