Welcome 2009

As I was going through my Flickr pages I realized just what a busy and amazing year 2008 was. Billy and I quit our teaching jobs, said goodbye to our friends in Boston, and drove cross-country with two dogs (one riding shot gun in each car) to settle in New Mexico. It's been a year of personal ups, downs, homesickness, and all-around adjustments, but every day I wake up grateful for a wonderfully supportive partner, temperatures that average in the 50s, and clear mountain air.

Despite all the personal changes, I had an inspiring year in terms of my creative life. Several of my Gocco designs, especially the Jane Austen series (the notebook above is now sold out) and the llama card, received lots of lovely blog press. I was also in an article about Etsy in The Albuquerque Journal, especially exciting since it was my first print feature and I was so new in town!

Challenged by the dwindling Gocco supplies since rumors of factory closure began circulating early in the year, I began using more vintage elements in my work in 2008, creating buttons and magnets from old book illustrations. I also did some personal projects just for fun, refreshing my sewing skills and making this hat and hoping to actually finish this dress sometime in 2009! I also toted my new Diana camera to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta and took some fun pictures.

Most exciting of all, I am now the owner of a lovely, century-old letterpress that I cannot wait to start creating new stationery on. Look for new letterpress designs, featuring cotton paper and soy-based ink, in the coming months. I'd also like to do some collage work and some bookbinding with the collection of vintage papers I've built up, but we shall see. There's only so much one woman's hands can do in a year.

Here's hoping for a creative, inspiring 2009 for all.

So this is the new year . . .

1. Going to the top, 2. wake up

I've been busy hosting family this week, but I will be back in the New Year with a few thoughts on future projects and perhaps the---gasp!--- public airing of resolutions for 2009. I feel the same way about a new year as I do about shiny new notebooks and planners--- perfect, shiny, and full of possibility, until I use the wrong-colored, smudgy pen and muss it all up. I kid, sort of.

Friday Finds: Vintage Owl from DomestiKate

I don't care if the owl trend has been declared dead. This is "Amy Winehowls," a vintage pottery owl from DomestiKate, and I love her.

Flickr Favorites 2

1. Jane Austen's House, Chawton, 2. over the trees

Christmas Brunch Recipes

I put on Christmas brunch this year, and was lucky enough to receive a new cookbook, Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Cafe, on Christmas Eve. Her recipe for Mustard-Roasted Potatoes with Dill was the perfect last minute addition to our meal. The recipe:

4 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 lbs. small potatoes, cut into 1" pieces
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 to 2 tbsp minced fresh dill

1. Adjust the oven rack so that it is about one third of the way from the bottom of the oven, then preheat the oven to 450. Line a baking tray with foil, add 1 tbsp olive oil, and brush to distribute it over the foil.

2. Whisk the remaining 3 tbsp oil and the mustard in a medium-sized bowl. Add the potatoes and toss to coat.

3. Spread the potatoes in a single layer on the prepared tray, and place the tray in the oven on the rack you adjusted in step 1. Roast until the potatoes can be pierced fairly easily with a fork--- about 20 minutes, depending on the size and shape of the pieces.

4. Remove the tray from the oven, and sprinkle potatoes lightly with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl, toss with fresh dill, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

(There's also a variation where Katzen replaces the mustard with wasabi--- yum!)

I also made a really good grapefruit-avocado salad that was really good and so pretty--- I'm regretting that I did not take a picture!