Monk and Mao

Mmm. Tea.

2012-01-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

~~2. Go to the teahouse in Boulder again.~~

We took a little trip up to Boulder on New Year's Day. We planned on hanging out at the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse just for some tea-drinking, but I was really excited to see that the menu offered vegan options so we ordered food, too. I had the Persian Chickpea Kufteh, which was chickpea balls with herbs & spices, a really delicious Persian tomato sauce, sautéed spinach and a pomegranate reduction. It was good, but too much of the same thing. SO MANY BREAD BALL THINGIES. I think if I ever ordered it again, I'd ask for more spinach and fewer balls.

Ha. Fewer balls.

Gettin' Shit Done

2012-01-12T09:04:00.002-07:00

I've knocked a couple more things off of my list in the last week or so. I'm really, really, really excited about number 17.

~~17.Fix the fan on my laptop... or just buy a new laptop.~~

After a little bit of research, I was able to take my laptop apart, fix the rattling fan, and put the laptop back together. The best part? I used duct tape to fix the fan. Yeah, really.

~~27.Get my twitter lists under control.~~

This was actually fun once I got started. I have lists for Denver people, vegan friends, and a couple other private lists. The private ones seem to be the lists I pay the most attention to, and I think my interactions with people have improved since I started using lists. That was the point. Success!

I've been working really hard on making "28. Be happy in a bikini." happen. I haven't been running as much as I'd like to. It's cold and snowy outside, and my treadmill went to treadmill heaven. BUT! I went back to practicing yoga! Classes leave me too sore to start thinking about taking daily classes... yet. I'm also participating in the BodyRock.tv 30 Day Challenge. It's kicking my butt and I love it. Most importantly, I'm doing it all with the help of Claudia Lailhacar. Her emails have already made a big difference in the way I train and the way I fuel my workouts. I'm eating really well and working hard. I can't wait to see where I'm at in a month, and I'm pretty sure I'll look AMAZING by summer!

This year has been productive already. What have you recently crossed off of your To Do list?

Progress

2012-01-06T09:00:00.001-07:00

Last night I went out with my friend Johnny for his birthday. We've been friends since we were 15-year-old goth kids, so we decided to celebrate by going to goth night at the Church. Our group made up half of the population at the club, which was pretty sad considering our group was Johnny, Jon, Joey, Nate and me. Still, we had a blast, and I knocked something off my list!

~~10.Wear red lipstick in public.~~

Pretty sure red lipstick is going to become a regular part of my life. I want more! I might head over to the MAC store and try some out. Any others I should try? What's your favorite red lipstick?

30 Before 31

2012-01-03T09:04:00.001-07:00

I have to say, my 30th birthday was one of the best so far. I woke up to three grey hairs and gifts on the table. My darling Shaun gave me a flask and some super cute kitty measuring cups! I'm one lucky broad.

Not my photo, obviously. Get these through ModCloth!

Now, on to the list. I wanted to put this up on my birthday, but I ended up running my little half marathon, then running around like a crazy lady to get things prepped for my birthday get-together, which turned out to be SO MUCH FUN. Totally worth my first hangover in years. Thank goodness for coconut water and Denver's best vegan pho from Pho 95!

Aaaaaand... here are 30 things I'm going to do before I turn 31.

1.Ride a motorcycle.

2.Go to the teahouse in Boulderagain.

3.Sew my own lingerie. Undies for sure. Possibly something else, too.

4.Try pad thai.

5.Go on a 90 day spending fast.

6.Fire a gun.

7.Make sourdough bread (with my great uncle Ken’s recipe, if anyone still has it).

8.Buy new running shoes.

9.Find jackfruit and make something out of it.

10.Wear red lipstick in public.

11.Bake (vegan) French macarons.

12.Go to yoga class every day for 30 days.

13.Learn how to can.

14.Spend some time in front of the camera.

15.Read at least 15 books.

16.Make cupcakes for Marcelo.

17.Fix the fan on my laptop... or just buy a new laptop.

18.Hang out on the beach.

19.Come up with a good veggie burger recipe.

20.Go out to dinner by myself.

21.Draw or paint a picture of my Monk and Mao kitties.

22.Fix my broken chandelier.

23.Stop being afraid to say no.

24.Make raw cupcakes.

25.Start learning Spanish with Shaun.

26.Run 100 miles in one month. (That’s only 3.33 miles per day!)

27.Get my twitter lists under control.

28.Be happy in a bikini.

29.Eat a vegan corn dog.

30.Dance.

I'm excited for every single thing on the list. This year is going to be tits!

What about you? How are you going to change your life this year?

I did it!

2011-12-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

Holy shit. I did it. Back when I said I was going to run my own little birthday half marathon, I kind of doubted I would follow through with it. But I did it. Wow. 13.34miles in 02:36:09, done!

I felt great up until mile 7, so I stopped and took a gel and walked a bit. My feet started hurting around mile 9. Mostly my big toes on both feet. Nothing I couldn't handle. Then, running around the lake at mile 10, I crossed paths with a woman walking her blue-eyed white kitty. Obviously I HAD to stop. Kitty's name is Milo. He's deaf and sweet and brave. I stopped and snuggled him again at mile 11. Both breaks were much appreciated and made it possible for me to finish strong. Kitties make everything better.

Now... Food. Water. And ice. What a way to spend my 30th birthday!

29 Things To Do Before 30 - Final

2011-12-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Here it is. This year went a lot better than last year, with more than half of my goals getting crossed off. I'm pretty sure being unemployed since January helped. So much free time!

~~1.Start tattoo work on my right arm.~~ Hell yes.

~~2.Get my website up.~~ Did this times three!

3.Volunteer at least 100 hours at ARASColorado. Nope. Did maybe 20 hours. I let thekitties down.

4.Try absinthe. Not yet.

5.Go on a 90 day spending fast. This definitely stillneeds to be done. Adding it to next year’s list!

~~6.Enter a photo contest.~~ Entered the Cowboys andIndians photo contest for my mom. I obviously didn’t win, but I’m going to tryagain next year.

~~7.Publish a blurb book.~~ Made my sister a cookbookfull of my food photos and favorite recipes.

8.Make a pair of flats. Started to plan this one, but never did it. I'll probably keep this on the list.

~~9.Host a dinner party with Shaun.~~ Forced Shaun’sfamily to enjoy a vegan Christmas Eve dinner at our place. Shaun did 90% of the cooking, but we planned it together!

~~10.Make a Monkand Mao Photography Facebook page.~~ Did it, thentook it down when I got burnt out.

~~11.Learn to screenprint.~~ Did this in February thanks to Denver Craft Ninjas and Ink Lounge.

12.Go to yoga class every day for 60 days. Thought aboutthis one a lot, but just couldn’t cough up $90-$100 for monthly membership. That’sa big chunk of my income. Anyone want to sponsor this one? I’m only halfkidding!

~~13.Read TheWind-Up Bird Chronicle.~~ Love you, Mr. Murakami.

~~14.Make something functional.~~ I made a scarf!

~~15.Learn how to do 10 things in Photoshop.~~ I don’tactually use Photoshop. I’ve been using GIMP and I’ve definitely learned how todo 10 fun things with it. That counts, right?

16.Paint my dresser white. It’s in my closet with a can ofwhite paint sitting on top. It almost happened.

~~17.Get my picture taken in a photo booth.~~ Yep.

18.Run a 5K. I ran plenty of 5Ks, but not an “official”5K. I guess I never said it had to be official, but I’d feel like a cheatercrossing that one off.

19.Shoot a gun. Planned on knocking this out every time Iwent to Utah,but it didn’t happen. Next year for sure!

~~20.Make tamales.~~ Hell yes. Tamales are now a regularpart of our menu. Thanks, Terri!

21.Start learning French. Got Rosetta Stone but didn’t useit. Thinking about trying Spanish first since Shaun wants to learn it with me.

22. Have a photo shoot with Shaun. Apparently we were too busy taking photos of each other to take photos of ourselves together.Oops.

~~23.Figure out how to make awesome vegan beignets~~. Imastered fried donuts & donut holes. I call that a success.

24.Build a snowman. I kind of hate doing anything that involves being cold.

~~25.Get a paid photography job.~~ Got quite a few of themand met some awesome ladies.

26.Run 100 miles in 1 month. I was on track to get thisdone, then I screwed my knee up and have been taking it easy with only 15-20miles a week since. Might try again next year.

27.Eat something I’ve grown. I was too scared to plantanything in the yard at the shithole house we lived in for most of the year becausethe landlord was a huge fan of scary chemical shit. I did get to eat a wholebunch of stuff my neighbor grew, but that doesn’t count.

~~28.Take boudoir photos of a friend.~~ Did a handful ofthese and completely fell in love with it.

~~29.Do SOMETHING with the Find Love Every Dayidea.~~ It’s in the works. More on this soon.

So that's 16 out of 29. Better than last year! (That links to a post I wrote four days before I was laid off in January. All that talk about being too poor? Yeah, I had no idea what "too poor" meant compared to the way things have been since then. Still, I'm happier and a lot less stressed than I was when I was making six figures. Mo' money, mo' problems!)

Time to go enjoy the last day of my twenties. I'll be back tomorrow with 30 Things To Do Before 31!

Almost There

2011-12-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

My birthday is coming up on the 30th. I'm already having a mini freakout because I'm going to be 30 and have no idea what I'm doing with my life. It seems like every time I think I've figured out what I'm supposed to do, I lose interest and it becomes not so fun. I love my hobbies until strangers want to pay me for them. What kind of shit is that?

With that said, I'm considering getting back into boudoir photography. I absolutely loved it until I had a pair of clients who turned into complete weirdos and kept trying to get three times what they paid for. Maybe I just need to be less of a wimp and say no once in a while.

On a happier note, I'm so ridiculously lucky to have such a supportive, hilarious, handsome man in my life and I'm really excited to see what 2012 has in store for us. We have big plans. We just don't quite know what they are yet. Lots of travel and visits with friends and family, for sure.

I'm looking forward to sharing the final update to my 29 Things To Do Before 30 list next week. Any ideas for my next list? What should I do while I'm 30?

Some Hippie Shit

2011-09-01T08:15:00.000-06:00

I've beenback from the Vida Vegan Blogger Conference for a couple days (which was toooverwhelming and amazing and magical to even start to blog about), and I'mworking on getting back to eating healthy foods and reasonable portions ofthem. We're flying to Seattletonight and I wanted a little something to take on the plane with me so I'm notstarving and tempted to eat something naughty as soon as we land. Granola barssounded like a good idea, mostly because I'm secretly a damn hippie, but alsobecause they’re portable and a whole lot better for me than most airport andpost-airport-omg-I’m-starving options. Or so I thought.

The hunt for a recipe began. I googled "healthy granola bar recipe"and the results were crap. Apparently it's cool for people to label somethingas being healthy even though it contains 225 calories and 15+ grams of sugarper serving. Brown rice syrup AND maple syrup AND a shitload of oil AND tons ofchocolate chips? Yeah, no thanks. How is this any different from a candy bar?

I went to twitter and asked my genius friends for advice. I wanted lower-calorie,low-sugar, nutrition-packed bars. What should I use to sweeten them? Whatshould I use as a binder? Nicole at Epicurvegan suggested dates forboth. Perfect! I decided to use ground flax seed as well, since I only had fourdates on hand and had no plans to change out of my pajamas and go to the store.I gathered whatever other random ingredients sounded good and this is what Icame up with:

Healthy-ish Granola Bars

4 dates

1/4 craisins

2 1/2 c justboiled water

1/2 cground flax seed

2 tbsp veganmargarine (I used Earth Balance), melted

2 c rolled oats

1/2 c rawcashews

1/2 cslivered almonds

1/4 cpepitas

1/2 c shreddedunsweetened coconut

1/2 c unsweetenedapplesauce

1/2 tspsalt

1/2 tsp vanillaextract

1 tbspinstant coffee granules (This is the amount I used, but I would suggest addingmore.)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Put the water in a sauce pan over high heat. Combine the dates (make sure there are no pits!) and raisins in a small bowl and set aside. Measure the flax seeds out into a separate medium-sized bowl and set aside.

Layer foil in a 9x13 baking dish and spray the inside with olive oil spray, but only if you want to. I suppose this would work just as well without the oil since the final result wasn’t sticky at all.

Combine the oats, nuts, seeds and coconut in a large bowl and transfer the mix to the baking dish.

Toast in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove. Stir. Toast for another 10 minutes.

When your water starts to boil, remove it from the heat and pour over the date and raisin combination, just enough to cover the fruit. Place a lid over the bowl. Let this soak while you perform the next two steps.

Pour 2/3 cup of the hot water over the flax seeds, stir to combine and set aside.

Melt the margarine in a small bowl in the microwave, heating it for 15 seconds at a time until almost melted. Stir it to melt the rest of the way. Add to your food processor along with the vanilla extract, salt and coffee granules.

Drain the water from the date/raisin mixture and add the fruit to the food processor. Add applesauce and pulse until no large chunks of dates remain.

Add flax mixture to the food processor and mix until everything is combined.

Your dry mix should be toasted by now. Carefully transfer the toasted mix into the large mixing bowl.

Pour the liquid mixture into the mixing bowl and stir until all ingredients combined.

Pour the entire mixture into your lined baking dish. Smash it down with a spatula. Spray the spatula with a little bit of olive oil if the mixture is too sticky.

Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes.

Let the granola cool for five minutes before cutting it into 16 bars. Once cut, let them cool for 45-60 minutes before you try to remove them from the pan. Store them, covered, in the fridge to keep them yummy and chewy and firm.

Nutrition (per bar): 165 calories, 94 calories from fat, 10.4gtotal fat, 3.0 saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 93mg sodium, 15.2gcarbohydrates, 3.5g fiber, 3.7g sugar, 4.4g protein.

These came out pretty tasty. They’re very un-sweet, which Ilike. They’re not bad on the calories and sugar, and the fiber and protein aredecent. They’re a little high in fat, but most of that comes from the nuts andI consider that good fat.

I think I’ll use more dates and less flax the next time Imake these. Also, MORE COFFEE. I’ll probably double that, if not more. I’llupdate the recipe to reflect my changes once I get them figured out. Let meknow if you try these. If you like things a little sweeter, you could always add 1/4 c of chocolate chips to the mixture (chopped in a food processor if you want smaller pieces), or just melt some chocolate and drizzle it over the top as the bars cooling and refrigerate until it's firm. I hope you like these as much as I do!

Burritooooooo!

2011-06-22T21:01:00.008-06:00

(Please read the title in Beavis's voice. Kthx.)

I know I haven't blogged in a while, but this is worth it. The lovely Janessa at Epicurious Vegan is having a contest. A burrito contest! This is probably my last chance at scoring a ticket to Vida Vegan Con since I'm lame and didn't grab a ticket before it sold out. Cross your fingers for me!

So, here she is. The Vegan Dessert Burrito.

Yes, really. Warm cinnamon and chili apples wrapped in a cinnamon sugar glazed tortilla, topped with vanilla So Delicious ice cream, drizzled with homemade dulce de leche (HOLY SHIT.) and sprinkled with coconut.

For the dulce de leche, I halved a recipe I found at Innocent Primate, and used So Delicious vanilla coconut milk in place of the hemp milk. I was naughty and didn't stir my sauce as frequently as recommended because I was peeling apples and stuff. It was fine.

Once your sauce is simmering nicely, prepare the apple filling. You will need:

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 c water
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 to 1/4 tsp chili powder
3 star anise... pieces? cloves? What are these called?
1/4 c brown sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp lemon juice

Simmer the apple chunks, cinnamon, chili powder and anise in the water on medium heat until apples are fork-tender. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the apples out of the liquid and set aside.

Measure out 1/4 c of the remaining liquid and discard the rest. Mix the 1/4 c liquid, brown sugar, salt and lemon juice and cook over low heat. Stir frequently. Bring it to a simmer, then add apples and remove from heat.

Your apple mixture should be done around the same time as your dulce de leche. When these are ready, it's time to fry up a tortilla. I used some sort of super healthy high-fiber whole wheat tortilla because I'm watching what I eat. Ha.

For the cinnamon sugar tortilla, melt 1/2 tsp Earth Balance in a skillet over medium heat. when it's nice and bubbly, add your tortilla. Cook 1-2 minutes, then flip it. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the glistening tortilla, then remove from heat, flip, and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the other side.

Time to assemble your burrito! Place a few scoops of ice cream down the middle of your tortilla. So Delicious vanilla coconut milk ice cream was perfect for this. Spoon warm apples and their sauce over the ice cream. Roll that baby up and put it on your plate. Drizzle more of the apple syrup over the burrito, like green chili, only awesomer. Plop a scoop of ice cream on top, then drizzle the whole thing with the caramely dulce de leche. I recommend using a lot because it's freaking yummy. Sprinkle with shredded coconut. Now, EAT IT.

I would definitely make one of these again, but I would probably toast the coconut, and I'd want two or three people to share the burrito with me. I only got through about a third of it. Don't think I couldn't easily finish the whole thing myself, of course. I'm just working on practicing that one thing. You know. It's called, um, self-something. Self... control? Yeah! That's the stuff!

29 Things To Do Before 30 Update!

2011-04-22T11:21:00.003-06:00

Yeah, I know I said I was going to update this thing every month. Have I ever been a consistent blogger? Didn't think so. At least I've done a third of the things on my list!

29 Things To Do Before 30

~~1. Start tattoo work on my right arm.~~

~~2. Get my website up.~~

3. Volunteer at least 100 hours at ARAS Colorado.

4. Try absinthe.

5. Go on a 90 day spending fast.

6. Enter a photo contest.

~~7. Publish a blurb book.~~

8. Make a pair of flats.

9. Host a dinner party with Shaun.

~~10. Make a Monk and Mao Photography Facebook page.~~

~~11. Learn to screenprint.~~

12. Go to yoga class every day for 60 days.

~~13. Read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle.~~

14. Make something functional.

15. Learn how to do 10 new things in Photoshop.

16. Paint my dresser white.

~~17. Get my picture taken in a photo booth.~~

18. Run a 5K.

19. Shoot a gun.

~~20. Make tamales.~~

21. Start learning French.

22. Have a photo shoot with Shaun.

23. Figure out how to make awesome vegan beignets.

24. Build a snowman.

~~25. Get a paid photography job.~~

26. Run 100 miles in 1 month.

27. Eat something I’ve grown.

~~28. Take boudoir photos of a friend.~~

29. Do SOMETHING with the Find Love Every Day idea.

I'm currently working on number 26. I've done 26 miles in the last 7 days, so I'm well on my way to completing it. Yay for progress!

A (Belated) Birthday Post

2011-01-10T16:13:00.005-07:00

I turned 29 a week and a half ago, and it feels pretty good so far. I've been working on this year's list of things to accomplish since before Christmas. It was difficult compared to last year's list! I failed pretty miserably at crossing things off of my list of 28 things to do before turning 29, mostly because nearly everything on the list required a good amount of money. See? (Click to see it larger.)

Expensive trips & things weren't really possible since my work hours got cut in half last February and Shaun has been unemployed for the last seven months. This year, I knew what to do. I've carried a few things from last year's list over to this one, but most of the things on this year's list won't cost more than $20. Some of them might even make me some money!

29 Things To Do Before 30

1. Start tattoo work on my right arm.

2. Get my website up.

3. Volunteer at least 100 hours at ARAS Colorado.

4. Try absinthe.

5. Go on a 90 day spending fast.

6. Enter a photo contest.

7. Publish a blurb book.

8. Make a pair of flats.

9. Host a dinner party with Shaun.

10. Make a Monk and Mao Photography Facebook page.

11. Learn to screenprint.

12. Go to yoga class every day for 60 days.

13. Read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle.

14. Make something functional.

15. Learn how to do 10 things in Photoshop.

16. Paint my dresser white.

17. Get my picture taken in a photo booth.

18. Run a 5K.

19. Shoot a gun.

20. Make tamales.

21. Start learning French.

22. Have a photo shoot with Shaun.

23. Figure out how to make awesome vegan beignets.

24. Build a snowman.

25. Get a paid photography job.

26. Run 100 miles in 1 month.

27. Eat something I’ve grown.

28. Take boudoir photos of a friend.

29. Do SOMETHING with the Find Love Every Day idea.

Yeah, no fancy jpg list this year. I plan on reviewing the list monthly and blogging about my progress, and editing it in Illustrator annoys me. Wish me luck!

I'm also working on opening an Etsy shop for my baking. I'm so excited! As soon as I find a kitchen space to bake from, I'll start listing goodies. Like Crazy Mae's on Facebook for updates!

What I'm Wearing - 08.27.10

2010-08-27T19:47:00.003-06:00

Crystal Castles t-shirt - here
Mustard skirt - Vintage, thrifted
Belt - Thrifted
Black flats - Thrifted

I think this is the first time I've worn a band t-shirt since high school. Oh, Marilyn Manson t-shirts... how I miss you. Or not.

And yes, the skirt could use another ironing, but it would just be wrinkled to shit again in an hour. Linen is such a high maintenance little brat.

What I'm Wearing - 08.26.10

2010-08-26T18:04:00.001-06:00

Blue and white striped dress - Thrifted
Black cardigan - Target
Black flats - Thrifted

There's nothing too spectacular about this outfit. I mostly just wanted to show you all how awesome I look in children's clothes. The dress is a little girls' large!

What I'm Wearing - 07.11.10

2010-07-11T12:33:00.005-06:00

(See Flickr for a funny story about the dress!)

Dress - American Eagle, thrifted
Black tube top - A little boutique in Lahaina, Maui
Shoes - Aldo
Flower necklace - Vintage pin worn as a pendant, gift

Mao always comes into the room and starts lovin' on me as soon as I set the camera and tripod up to take pictures. After I opened the curtains so he could jump in the window, he started rolling around and being extra cute.

Right after I took this, he got carried away and rolled right off of the window sill. It was pretty hilarious.

What I'm Wearing - 07.09.10

2010-07-09T15:58:00.004-06:00

Mustard yellow top - Thrifted, Forever21
Black dress - Thrifted, no tags
Black tulle skirt - Target (kid's section!)
Fishnet thigh highs - Who knows... I've had them since high school
Blue ballet flats - Eddie Bauer
Locket - Some "ethnic" store in the mall
White medallion - Target
Kitty tapestry bag - Thrifted for $3.99 (!)

Drooling Over Bathing Suits. Again.

2010-06-08T09:14:00.005-06:00

My darling Shaun turns 30 this weekend. To celebrate, I'm taking him to Huntington Beach, CA for three days. We're so excited! One of my most favorite people in the entire world, Jimmy, lives in Los Alamitos and said we could stay at his place. We plan on doing a lot of exploring, going to a tattoo convention on an old ship, and just being drunken beach bums the rest of the time.

My only problem? I've been wearing the same bikini for the last 6(!) summers. I'm ready for some thing new! I know exactly want I want, but figured I had screwed myself by deciding on it just five days before we leave. I spend all day yesterday trying to figure out where in Denver I could find something black and vintage-style, like these.

via Unique Vintage

via mybabyjo.com

via Pinup Girl Clothing

via Retro Vixens

I had pretty much decided that I was going to have to brave the mall on Thursday to see what I could find. Then, right before I went to bed last night, I remembered something...

I've had this thing since 2002, just tucked away in my (ridiculously overflowing) lingerie drawer. I found it at Victoria's Secret during my Bettie Page obsession and never ended up wearing it for anything. It's not meant to be a bathing suit, but I can't swim so I'm not planning on getting too far into the water. It's a medium so it's a little loose, but all it needs is a halter strap and some boob support and it'll be perfect!

So, dear readers, is there anything in Huntington Beach that we shouldn't miss? Thrift stores? Antique stores? Delicious vegetarian-friendly restaurants? Give me the inside scoop!

What I'm Wearing

2010-05-17T07:53:00.000-06:00

Shaun and I decided to splurge and go get sushi for dinner last night. We've been saving our money and trying to eat out as little as possible since I went part time. Going out for sushi was kind of a big deal. I wanted to dress up without wearing a dress, so I dug deep into the unused "professional" clothes I bought back when I wanted to be an accountant. I like the result.

White shirt - Thrifted
Striped blazer - Thrifted
Pants - Express
Shoes - Michale Kors
Bag - Cynthia Rowley

Find Love Every Day - 4/1-4/9

2010-05-03T11:23:00.003-06:00

4/1

4/2

4/3

4/4

4/5

4/6

4/7

4/8

4/9

Find Love Every Day - 3/23-3/31

2010-04-23T09:31:00.002-06:00

3/23

3/24

3/25

3/26

3/27

3/28

3/29

3/30

3/31

Find Love Every Day - 3/15-3/22

2010-04-20T11:34:00.000-06:00

You didn't think I'd given up, did you?

3/15

3/16

3/17

3/18

3/19

3/20

3/21

3/22

Buttons!

2010-04-03T16:27:00.005-06:00

A few days ago, the boy and I decided to go wander through downtown Littleton. At our first stop, I found a cute mustard yellow Tulle cardigan for half off. Next, we went in an antique store that I had driven by a hundred times, but never went in. Turns out it is possibly the greatest antique store EVER. The place is complete eye candy. The owner is amazing at grouping things and putting displays together. Best of all, they have a SHITLOAD of buttons. Not just any buttons. Freaking 1930s buttons. Most of then came from a factory in Iowa that shut down in the 1930s. The button factory owner passed everything down to his granddaughter, and she's been holding onto them until recently, and the antique store's owner jumped on the opportunity to snag some.

There was also a small collection of old European buttons. They were gorgeous and intricate, and priced at $7-$12 per button. I couldn't bring myself to pay that, so I took a picture. I guess I kind of got to bring them all home that way.

After nearly two hours in the tiny little antique store, I finally decided on three bags, priced at $6, $8 and $14. Yep, I paid $14 for a sandwich bag half full of these buttons.

And here are a few of my favorites from the big bag.

The other two bags were less colorful, but just as beautiful.

And, being the genius he is, my boyfriend suggested I use the old drawer I bought a few weeks back to organize the buttons. Funny how things work out sometimes, isn't it?

I'm going to start adding some of the buttons to my embroidery projects, so keep an eye on my Etsy shop!

Find Love Every Day - 2/26-3/14

2010-03-15T11:09:00.004-06:00

It's been a while since I've shared my progress, hasn't it? I'm still keeping up with the photo hunt. It's just that since going part time, I've spent more time with people and less time staring at a computer screen. It's a very welcome change. But enough about that. On to the pictures!

(As always, click on a photo to see the full version in my Flickr stream.)

2/26

2/27

2/28

3/1

3/2

3/3

3/4

3/5

3/6

3/7

3/8

3/9

3/10

3/11

3/12

3/13

3/14

Monthly Goals

2010-03-08T15:14:00.002-07:00

Ah, crap. I'm a little late for this month's Athena Dreams Design Monthly Goals Meet Up, aren't I? Well, better late than never, I s'pose.

February's goals were:

Reopen Etsy shop on or before 2/5. Yeah right. I'm not sure what I was high on when I said that.
Make at least 10 sales. Can't make any sales without opening the shop, can I?
Post at least 20 blog entries. I blogged 8 times. Almost half of my goal, and more than any previous month!
Redesign business cards. Started working on it.
Find a storage solution for my work area (craigslist, antique mall). It's getting out of hand! I'm still hunting. I found a few things that would work, but I need a sugar daddy to pay for them.
Practice screenprinting on canvas and make a pillow with my handsome Mao on it. Didn't get anywhere near this one. :(
Get accounting in order before it becomes a huge pain in the ass. I gathered receipts. It's a start!

So February wasn't a total failure. I didn't get to completely cross anything off of my list, but I did do a few things that weren't listed. I started The Couch-to-5K Running Plan on 2/16, and I've done an awesome job keeping up with it so far. When I finish the program, I'll be able to cross it off of my list of 28 things to do before I'm 29! Yay for lists!

March goals:

Redesign blog. (Entry headers, bio, sidebar, etc.)
Research printing photos. (sizes, paper, cost, etc.)
Keep looking for storage.
Again, get accounting in order before it becomes a huge pain in the ass.
Post at least 10 blog entries.
Keep up with Couch-to-5K.
Finish custom embroidery project.

Oh, and... I went part-time at work! With an extra 2 1/2 days off every week, I have no reason to not kick my new list's butt, right?

Find Love Every Day - 2/19-2/25

2010-02-26T08:48:00.002-07:00

As always, click on a photo to be taken to my Flickr page.

2/19

2/20

2/21

2/22

2/23

2/24

2/25

Weekend Treasures

2010-02-22T20:31:00.005-07:00

Since the boyfriend has to work weekends now, I wandered around town and went to a few thrift stores and an estate sale to keep myself entertained. How is that different from the weekends when he didn't work, you ask? When I go alone, there's no one to talk sense into me and my inner hoarder. Luckily I didn't get myself into too much trouble this time.

I found...

A big wooden drawer. I have no idea what I'll do with it but it was too pretty to leave behind.

Mao checked it out to make sure it was okay.

Two adorable little hand embroidered pieces.

Two metal kitty figurines.

Three old painted doorknobs. No idea where I'll put them. I just have a thing for doorknobs.

And a velvety red hat.

I left the room for a minute, and came back to this. I think Miss Monk is confused about how to wear a hat.

Total spent: $20.

Find Love Every Day - 2/12-2/18

2010-02-19T09:27:00.000-07:00

The last few days' photos have been really easy to find. Things are coming so naturally. It's nice.

As always, click on a picture to visit my Flickr page & see a larger version.

2/12

2/13

2/14

2/15

2/16

2/17

2/18

I had a hard time deciding whether to keep things the same and post small versions of the pictures, or start using a bigger version. What do you guys think? Would you like to see them bigger?

Dancing Cat

2010-02-18T18:36:00.002-07:00

My friend Chelsea sent me the link to The 30 Most Important Cats of 2009. There are some hilarious videos on there, but this is probably the funniest cat video I've seen in a long time. It gets a little funnier each time you watch it, too.

Creative Space Storage Inspiration

2010-02-16T09:58:00.010-07:00

Last night I spent a good 6 hours cleaning, rearranging and organizing my creative area. It's still nowhere near done, but I can finally see the desktop again. That's quite an accomplishment. I really need more storage though. My little 600 square foot apartment is not the most packrat-friendly place. I keep daydreaming about an old card catalog or mail sorter...

(via Poetic Home)

(via adorevintage)

(via B-Kay)

(via bitsandbobbins)

(via j.kershner)

(via Viv's pics)

(via Rosenatti)

Imagine all the things I could stash in something like that! I definitely see a weekend of antiquing in my near future. Wish me luck!

(And I'll share pictures and talk more about my creative space soon, once the clean-up of the Hurricane Amber craft carnage is complete. It's still kind of scary.)

Find Love Every Day - 2/4-2/11

2010-02-12T08:23:00.002-07:00

As always, click on a picture to go to my Flickr page.

2/4

2/5

2/6

2/7

2/8

2/9

2/10

2/11

Find Love Every Day - 1/27-2/3

2010-02-04T08:22:00.004-07:00

The project is still evolving. It's becoming more about coming up with a fun composition, rather than just "finding" love randomly. I still look for it everywhere, it's just not always camera-ready when I find it. I'm having lots more fun this way.

The second picture kind of grosses me out. I have a weird thing about stray hairs. Like when I'm, in the shower and a random hair gets stuck to the back of my thigh, I gag. It took a lot for me to touch the hair and get close enough to take a picture. I'm damn proud of myself!

As always, click a photo to see it bigger on my Flickr page.

1/27

1/28

1/29

1/30

1/31

2/1

2/2

2/3

Weekend Treasures

2010-02-03T08:14:00.000-07:00

Last weekend's scavenging was awesome! Seriously, some of the best thrift store and yard sale finds I've EVER had.

First, a grocery bag full of embroidery floss, vintage buttons and other randomness for $1.

Then, a sweet little family of deer, one with a broken leg.

Next, an old chair. But not just any old chair. A beautiful, AMAZING old chair.

This was one of those things where you see it and just grab it. There's no hesitation or thinking or any of that. You just *know* it's coming home with you. It didn't have a price, and I told myself I wouldn't spend more than $15 on it. The cashier gave it to me for $3. :)

If I could clean up (or just reupholster) the vinyl seat and have the steel sandblasted, it might look something like this. Notice the sale price? Yeah, I about peed my pants.

Last, but not least, the most beautiful luggage I've ever seen.

Again, I just grabbed them and headed to the front of the store without thinking. Ahh, thrift store love at first sight. I got all the way to the register before I thought to check the prices or look at the insides. Luckily I was pleasantly surprised by both.

Total spent for the weekend: $17!

What about you? Have you found any treasures lately?

Monthly Goals

2010-02-02T10:05:00.003-07:00

I've been kind of slacking on my participation in the Monthly Goals Meet Up over at Athena Dreams Design, but I'm going to try to make it a regular thing again.

I don't have any set goals from last month, so I'll just start fresh.

Reopen Etsy shop on or before 2/5.
Make at least 10 sales.
Post at least 20 blog entries.
Redesign business cards.
Find a storage solution for my work area (craigslist, antique mall). It's getting out of hand!
Practice screenprinting on canvas and make a pillow with my handsome Mao on it.
Get accounting in order before it becomes a huge pain in the ass.

Did I really just say I'd open my Etsy shop in, um, THREE DAYS? I should probably go work on that, huh?

Craft Swap

2010-02-01T08:10:00.004-07:00

When I got home from work on Friday, I had a package waiting for me in the mail from Maura, my craft partner in the Skunkboy Creatures craft swap. I opened it up, and what did I find?

Awesomeness!!! Maura is the felt master. See?

I think Mao liked everything, too.

I got some amazingly sweet comments on the clutch I sent to Maura (on Flickr here), and I even got asked to do a custom clutch for a lovely girl in WI! This all really motivated me to get my Etsy shop back up & running, so if I go back to blogging a little less frequently, just know that I'm being productive and getting my shit together. :)

I've also seen a few new followers show up recently. Welcome, and thank you! I can't wait to get to know you all!

XOXO,
Amber

Primary Color Love

2010-01-29T08:15:00.002-07:00

You might not have noticed this yet, but I'm in love with black, white, grey, and variations of the primary colors. I have always decorated my house with things that made me happy, not really paying attention to color. One day I walked into my living room and it hit me. Yellow couch, black & white pillows, blue trunk, red books, yellow-gold picture frames, blue & white curtains, red vases. I walked into my bedroom and noticed the same. Dark red cherry floors, blue-grey wall paint, yellow dresser, red ballet flats sitting on top of a blue vintage suitcase, black antique iron bed frame, yellow throw blanket. So. I guess I like primary colors, huh?

I was just drooling over the Anthropologie website again, and I started saving pictures of things that made me happy. I uploaded them to Flickr & noticed something...

All photos via Anthropologie.

Well then. It's settled. I'm obsessed.

I'm planning in making my own version of the yellow tulle slip. I would also LOVE to figure out how to make some pretty little bloomers like the ones above. Unfortunately my 7th grade sewing skills might not be sufficient.

Um, help? Please? What are your favorite online sewing resources?

Renovated Church Home

2010-01-28T10:08:00.000-07:00

This is just amazing. The cats would think they'd died and gone to heaven with all of the room to run and play. My little 600 square foot condo does not make the best kitty race track. I can definitely imagine us happily living in such a gorgeous, open space.

Someday...

Found at arch daily/Living with White.

Find Love Every Day - 1/19-1/26

2010-01-27T08:31:00.003-07:00

I'm still keeping up with it, thanks to some helpful friends. You guys are awesome!

(As always, click on a picture to go to my Flickr page & see it larger.)

What I'm Wearing

2010-01-22T16:23:00.007-07:00

I wanted to wear my newly-thrifted summer dress, but it was 30° out when I left for work. Thank goodness for knit tights & cardigans, huh?

Dress - thrifted
Black cardigan - Target
Grey knit tights - Target
Silver flats - Ross ($3.99 on clearance!)
Wooden necklace - Forever 21
Glasses - Kate Spade

Rockin' it grandma-style. What?

Find Love Every Day - 1/13-1/18

2010-01-19T07:58:00.004-07:00

The weather has been awesome, so I've been able to go wandering around my neighborhood. Finding love sure is a lot easier when I'm not stuck in my apartment. (Click on any of the pictures to see them bigger.)

1/13

1/14

1/15

1/16

1/17

1/18

What I'm Wearing

2010-01-15T17:52:00.005-07:00

I got out of work early and finally rearranged my room so I have a place to take pictures. Now I just need to convince the sun to stay up later in the evening so it's not too dark to take pictures when I usually get home from work.

Black dress: Forever 21 (bought in Vegas 4 years ago)
Striped cardigan: Thrifted
Black tights: Target
Ballet flats: Nine West (orig. $125, on clearance for $15!)
Necklace charms: Estate sales
Handsome cat: My darling Mao (wearing his favorite stripey pants)

I wore this for a coffee date with a friend I hadn't seen in a couple years, but hope to see more of in the future. I kind of feel like a redheaded Alice in Wonderland in the dress. I should probably wear it more often.

Find Love Every Day - 1/6-1/12

2010-01-13T10:09:00.006-07:00

I'm still keeping up with my little project. I'm pretty proud of myself! I can't wait to look back in a few months and see how my ideas and photography style have changed. I usually lose interest in things pretty quickly, but this... this is different.

1/6

1/8

The last photo makes me so happy.

I miss you, summertime.

2010-01-12T13:00:00.006-07:00

Denver is teasing me with 60° weather today, and I'm dreaming of prancing around in one of these (overpriced) beauties...

via Anthropologie

via Urban Outfitters

I think I'm going to run away and live in a tent on the beach. Soon.

Treasure Hunting

2010-01-11T10:48:00.003-07:00

I recovered from my sickness just in time for the weekend, so Shaun and I went thrifting. We know nothing else when it comes to weekend activities. I'm completely happy with that.

I found...

The hat of my dreams.

Velvety grey shoes. Sooooooo comfortable.

Pretty blue satin ballet flats.

A creamy vintage sweater.

And... Most exciting of all...

A green and blue damask chair! For $10!

Somebody already loves it as much as I do.

Total spent : $26. Not bad!

Find Love Every Day - 12/31-1/5

2010-01-06T10:16:00.002-07:00

I've done a good job of taking pictures for my photo project so far. I'm trying not to be lazy and just take pictures of things that are supposed to be hearts (cookie cutters, jewelry, etc.), but I don't know how long that'll last. I'm excited to see how my pictures progress as I get more creative and figure out how to use my camera. Here's what I've done so far...

What do you think? Constructive criticism is welcome. :)

Mimosa Time!

2010-01-01T14:44:00.002-07:00

I'm currently at home baking mimosa cupcakes for my birthday brunch tomorrow. But what to do with all that leftover champagne?

Oh, right...

Birthday Fun

2009-12-31T11:00:00.004-07:00

Yesterday was my 28th birthday. I woke up to a phone call from my awesome boss, and when I answered he said, "Happy birthday, you old bag!"

(I love my coworkers.)

I got the day off, so I lounged around in my underwear until noon. Then it was time for Indian buffet with Shaun. I ate my weight in vegetable korma. Yum.

After that, we voyaged to Colorado Mills so I could buy myself some lucky red Chucks. I made the mistake of entering through Neiman Marcus Last Call, and fell in love with a red Matt & Nat bag. I justified the purchase by saying that I *needed* a new bag since mine is literally falling apart. I mean, there are holes in it for fuck's sake! Plus, I'd been eying M&N bags online for a while & this one was waaaay on sale. So yay. Anyway, on to the Chucks. Found them, and they were on sale too. Nice. I win.

Then I realized how odd it was that I was buying red stuff since I usually stick to black, grey and a little yellow here and there. A new birthday tradition was born. From now on, I'll buy a lucky red *something* every birthday. Unless this year turns out to be complete shit. In that case red can bite me. But I have a feeling my 28th year is going to be pretty damn amazing. I finished my list of 28 things to accomplish before I turn 29 (click to see it larger).

I should probably get started.

In addition to that, my New Year's resolution is to chill out and always be kind. No more unnecessary stress. Many more smiles. What about you? What are you going to do differently in 2010? Whatever it is, I wish you the best.

XOXO,
Amber

Date Night

2009-12-17T17:18:00.006-07:00

When we stopped living together almost three years ago, Shaun and I made Wednesday night our date night. No matter how busy we are during the week, Wednesday night is always "us" time.

This week's adventure involved a mysterious trail of blood, espresso drinks at Pablo's, an AWESOME thrift store donation (I purged!), vegan pizza at The Rebellion and A Christmas Carol in 3D. And of course, cats.

I ♥ Wednesdays.

Day in Pictures

2009-12-12T21:00:00.005-07:00

Today we scoured the thrift stores for ugly sweaters to wear to a friend's brunch next weekend. My only requirement was sequins or beads. I was successful. The shoulder pads were a super awesome bonus. We will resume the search for Shaun's ugly sweater soul mate tomorrow.

We also unsuccessfully hunted for grey nail polish, so I bought a bottle of black and a bottle of white and made my own Seattle-sky grey and painted my nails for the first time in years. LOVE IT.

Now we're listening to '90s R&B, drinking more wine smoothies and getting ready to go to a friend's '80s-themed graduation party. Or maybe we'll just stay home and build a time machine. ♥

Day in Pictures

2009-12-10T21:07:00.005-07:00

The company I work for is always very slow this time of year. We all got the okay to leave work around noon today, so I went home, threw on my new thrifted houndstooth skirt and headed to Pablo's Coffee with my darling Shaun. The espresso was the best I've had in months! The people-watching wasn't bad either. An hour or so later, Shaun dropped me off at home and I spent some quality time with my furry children. The three of us laid in bed and snuggled while my thoughts spilled out onto paper.

So. Many. Lists.

You know what it made me realize? I'll be turning 28 in less than three weeks, and it's going to be the best year yet.

To paint, or not to paint?

2009-11-17T20:00:00.012-07:00

First, let me apologize for my lack of posts lately. I'm a bit overwhelmed with life right now and my main concern has been trying to stay afloat. Unfortunately my Etsy shop and blog have been neglected. Things are going to be changing soon, so let's hope for the best.

Anyway. On to the fun stuff! Ever since I moved into my condo three years ago, I've wanted to paint the wood floors white. I mean, c'mon...

Via Light Locations

Via Light Locations

Via Light Locations

via Apartment Therapy

via Country Living

Painted wood floors are gorgeous, right? I'm planning on getting a place with the boyfriend soon and I want to hang on to the condo because it's in a great area. Right now, I'm living with the standard Denver hardwood floors. I love that the place isn't carpeted, but they're so... yellow. (Sorry for the crappy pictures. I never see daylight at home. The flash was necessary.)

My Living Room

My Entry

The only thing that's holding me back is the fear of possible renters being turned off by the white floors. What do you think? Will people be more likely to rent the place if it has the same boring wood floors as all the other apartments in Capitol Hill, or will the white floors maybe draw in renters who care a little more about appearance and appreciate interesting design? Help?!

Friday Night Cuteness

2009-09-11T22:07:00.007-06:00

This is the kind of stuff that got me through the week. Kitties will always make everything better.

Another Treasury

2009-09-07T23:31:00.004-06:00

I had the honor of being included in this beautiful treasury by MadeOfJacinta. Miss Monk's pretty little face is getting popular!

I'm in a treasury!

2009-09-06T11:36:00.005-06:00

Exciting! It's the first time I've ever been included in a treasury, and I feel honored to be in such a pretty one. And now my gorgeous Miss Monk is famous!

Thanks so much UnionStudio!!

Beer for dinner makes me... productive?

2009-09-06T00:07:00.006-06:00

Semi-productive at least. I got five things listed in my shop. It would have been more, but writing descriptions is insanely difficult for me. I need to work on that.

White Vintage Leather Birch Tree Clutch

Vintage Green Faux Bamboo Framed Octagonal Mirror

Tan Vintage Leather Bird on a Branch Clutch

Vintage Red Japanese Cookie Jar

Vintage White Ornate Framed Mirror

I did it!

2009-09-05T20:00:00.003-06:00

It's a day later than I had planned, but I just started listing some reLoved vintage home decor and accessories in my Etsy shop. I'm sooo excited! What do you think?

My September Goals

2009-09-01T21:12:00.004-06:00

(Thanks to the Modish Biz Tips blog for inspiring me to do this. You guys are such an awesome resource!)

Ah, where do I even start? I have a million things in my head that I feel like I need to take care of before I open my Etsy shop, but getting overwhelmed with these thoughts is getting in the way of my progress. At least I can confidently say August was pretty productive. I've finally made it to the point where I'm able to photograph things, and I thought I might never get there. Okay, September. Here we go.

September Business Goals

Start listing items in my Etsy shop this coming Friday (!!!).
Embroider more. Get at least 5 embroidered clutches listed this month.
Get my accounting system in place before it get's too backed up & scary.
Blog at least 4 times a week & use Twitter more often. (a.k.a. Stop being so damn antisocial!)
Design some super rad business cards & have them printed.
Practice yoga at least once a week. On Monday for sure. I mean it!

September Personal Goals

Post Craigslist ads: Condo, couch, dining room set.
Find an awesome temporary place to rent with the boyfriend.
Spend more time with the kitty children.
Get rid of clothes & useless junk so moving won't be so painful. Purge more, dammit!

Well, those all sound pretty doable, right? I can't wait to report back in October to let you all know how successful September was!

Sneak Peek

2009-08-24T10:12:00.002-06:00

I'm getting sooooo close to opening the Etsy shop! Here's a preview of a few things I'll be listing soon.

Dear Birch Trees...

2009-08-21T23:09:00.003-06:00

I ♥ you, and now I know what I'm embroidering tonight.

Row 1: orbphoto, Blickwechsel
Row 2: Lumatic, Lunasdal

The Real Monk and Mao

2009-08-20T21:22:00.012-06:00

I think it's time you all met my muses.

Mao

Mao is the handsomest kitty boy ever. He was kind of a surprise. My grandparents got him from someone who was giving away kittens in front of a grocery store (because most people in rural Utah are too irresponsible and ignorant to get their pets spayed or neutered, but let's not get into that). Grandpa had been getting weaker and it was getting harder for him to walk, and he had had a few falls. Mao LOVES nudging legs and feet. This did not work out. The grandparents decided that when kitty got older, he would be an outside cat (there's that irresponsible pet ownership thing again). A few months later, Grandpa ended up in the hospital and I went to Utah to visit him. I met this naughty leg-loving (and luckily still indoor) cat. I instantly fell in love. Two days later, he was my passenger for the 8-hour drive home. And he was a peach!

Now he sits in the window and waits for my car to pull up. He meets me at the door and talks to me while he rubs on my legs until he tips over.

When he's really relaxed, his mouth starts to hang open and his shiny black bottom lip sticks out. It's the strangest thing!

Monk

Monk is my apple-headed Siamese girl. Mao and I were getting ready to move out of the boyfriend's condo into a place of our own and I decided to get him a friend before we moved. I was afraid he would get lonely while I was at work, and thought having a kitty friend might ease his transition into the new house. I rescued Miss Monk from a family who was going to take her to the Dumb Friends League because one of the children was allergic to her. You'd never guess it now, but she was the skinniest little thing when I picked her up! She's now quite round, and has the funniest little short legs. She's also surprisingly quiet for a Siamese.

She might be half his size, but she sure can kick Mao's ass.

You don't know happiness until you've taken a mid-afternoon nap with a kitty or two. :)

Inspiring Colors

2009-08-19T17:46:00.005-06:00

I'm in love with this color combination today...

Row 1: gallogirlphotos, jestre, shoehorn99
Row 2: Iuri Fernandes, SummerTX, gente_lúdica
Row 3: Jefita, boskizzi, Hop-Frog

First Day of School

2009-08-18T09:03:00.000-06:00

I'm going back to school today after taking a year off to figure some things out. Originally I was majoring in Accounting, but quickly I realized that I don't actually want to be an accountant. I was just doing it for the money. I know now that money does NOT equal happiness. I need to work with my hands and make things beautiful.

Today I start the Interior Design program at a local community college. Tonight will be my first drafting class, and tomorrow is textiles. I can't wait to share my projects with you (and probably bitch about my homework, too). Soooooo exciting!

Update...

2009-08-17T12:18:00.001-06:00

I've been working on putting ideas together for Monk and Mao over the last six months. Originally I planned on creating my own line of handbags, but things have... evolved. Vintage shopping has always been one of my favorite sources of inspiration. I can't wake up on time for work to save my life, but a promising estate sale will get me out of bed before the sun comes up.

There are so many beautiful things that have already been created by someone, then lost or discarded with time. Instead of making new things, I would love to give all of these forgotten treasures a second chance. The Monk and Mao shop will be full of gorgeous recycled & reloved vintage goodies. I can't wait to share it all with you!

Such beautiful colors!

2009-02-20T08:25:00.000-07:00

From Seed Magazine via The Storque.

Inspiration from Anthropologie

2009-02-19T09:36:00.000-07:00

Atom Art Bowl

Peacock Dinnerware

Stormy Sea Necklace

Cerise Bedskirt

Oh, how I love Anthropologie...

Welcome to the Monk and Mao blog!

2009-02-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about launching my own line of handbags for over a decade now, and I have finally decided to do it. The name "Monk and Mao" is named after my kitty children, Monk and Mao (of course!). Most of the fabrics I use are hand printed designs on unbleached canvas. I'll be posting my progress with starting the business, designing bags & new fabric patterns, as well as photos that inspire me... Enjoy!