The Lab

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This month’s Lab is tonight at Velocity’s South Lake Union showroom as usual. 

It features Lauren and Emira talking about their book and website The Boss of You which markets itself as ‘everything a woman needs to know to start, run, and maintain her own business.’

I really hope to be there – I feel like I’ve lost my ‘mirrormirror‘ mojo in recent months and need to be reinspired –  though at the moment it’s not entirely clear to me how I will manage to fit it in between unpacking, laundry, repacking (we’re off to our friends’ cabin in the mountains this weekend), Rolfing, training and er, actually working on my business.

Another date for your diary is the next Lab on August 20th which is entitled Bring + Brag   – a show and tell night for local creative people to showcase their art, products, or business. 

I know that some people who read this blog fit into this category, so this is a golden opportunity to ‘market’ yourself and your wares to an audience of Seattle creatives, retailers and bloggers among others.

If you want to take part then email the lovely Ali at Velocity and I look forward to seeing you next month.

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Independence Day

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Pic courtesy of James, who wasn’t as drunk as he should have been

So around forty adults and an entirely unnecessary number of children under 5 climbed up to our roof deck one balmy summer’s night.  And this is what they saw…

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Top two blurry pictures by me.  Bottom sharp pic by James.

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Drunk in charge of a camera again

I yet again had far too many margaritas to be safe in charge of a camera and also forgot to take any pictures of the food or of the extremely cheesy red, white and blue decorations, or of the Stars and Stripes and Union Jack fluttering gently together in perfect harmony. 

The Minx rushed around all night waving a Stars and Stripes and being taught to say ‘down with the King’ by our friends.  There will be beheadings.

Seattle excelled itself once again.  God bless America.

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Let them eat cake

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Preparations are underway for what is rapidly becoming our traditional party to celebrate ‘America’s birthday’ (which is how we explain things to the Minx) or Britain’s liberation from the US depending on your perspective.

This year I’ll try and stay sober enough to take a few pics. This is the only one from last year which wasn’t fatally blurred.

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A Day In Wallingford

So last Saturday we just hung out in the nabe.

Watched naked people cycle past.

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Went for ice cream at the new and very fabulous Molly Moon’s (had the balsamic strawberry which was extremely delicious and the salted caramel which was too salty).

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And then came home to watch the setting sun bounce off the downtown buildings from the deck.

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I’m so glad we moved to this part of Seattle.

Speaking of which, very long time readers may remember me blogging ages ago about Matt whose videos of him dancing all over the world are some of the most watched on You Tube.  What I didn’t know then is that Matt lives in Seattle and always finishes his videos by dancing near a Seattle landmark (the 2006 video finishes at the Troll which is also just around the corner). The final scene of his latest effort was filmed in Gasworks Park, which is just on the other side of the trees which you can see at the bottom of the picture above.

Unfortunately I found out about the filming a couple of days too late (via the new and very excellent Wallingford Seattle Blog) or else the Minx and I would have been there with bells on (in the figurative sense of course).

Watch the new video and be strangely moved.  And look out for the very nice colourful houses in Buenos Aires.

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The Lab – Crush on Plush

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Just a quick reminder that this month’s Lab is on tonight between 6pm and 8pm at Velocity’s showroom and is going to feature Kristen of Plush You and Schmancy, Hansi of Hansigurumi, and Moxie of Made by Moxie, talking about the rise of the plush movement and crafting in general.

I’m hoping very much to attend, though I’m currently mainlining echinacea and zinc in an attempt to stave off an increasingly spluttery cold. But if you’re in the Seattle area it should be a really fun evening as usual.

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Free magazines

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I’m having a massive clear out ahead of the imminent arrival of my crazy Italian rellies (who hopefully do NOT read this blog) and have decided to limit myself to only a year’s worth of magazines. 

So if anyone in the Seattle area fancies getting their sticky mitts on back copies (from before June 2007, going back to 2005 in some cases) of Elle Decoration UK, Homes & Gardens UK, Vogue UK, Domino, Real Simple, Elle Decor then please contact me quick before they go in the recycling bin.

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glassybaby glasses

I’ve posted about fabulous Seattle-based company glassybaby a couple of times before – I absolutely adore their little votives – so you can imagine how thrilled I was to see in the latest issue of Seattle Magazine that they are now branching out into glassware proper.

These glasses just reek of summer.

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I wasn’t so thrilled by the price though. Unfortunately the glasses are going to cost $50 each, so I can’t see me collecting many any time soon. If they are anything like the votives though they will be handblown and of exquisite quality.

(Image from Seattle Magazine).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They also don’t seem to be up yet on their website. In the meantime here are some gorgeous pictures of the original glassybabies to drool over.

(Images from the glassybaby website).

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It appears from their blog that next Saturday(21st June) they’re holding one of their regular ‘seconds’ sales.  Just don’t buy the colours I’m after. 

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The Lab – Chemistry

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From left to right along the couch:  the back of John Tusher’s head, me, Elaine Decorno, Mary Shelterrific, Megan Not Martha  (Photo courtesy of Eliza Truitt Photography)

So, guess who’s the Italian in this picture?

The Lab was fab.  John and Ali from Velocity had done a spectacular job drumming up an even higher turnout than the first one (John’s going to have to get a bigger showroom) and everyone had come armed with loads of thought-provoking questions so it felt just like chatting with old friends.  I hope I didn’t come across as too drunk.

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My fellow panellists were all fascinating and have fabulous taste in shoes.  John is the new Oprah.

Things I Learned:

– The way to drum up lots of comments on your blog is to write posts saying “xxxx – yes or no?” and/or write about bacon 

Pink hoses make people very excited (!)

– I MUST HAVE Elaine Decorno’s handbag

– People in Seattle are lovely and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

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I didn’t even begin to chat to all the people I wanted to meet, but it was lovely to speak to Still Dottie (who rocks the platinum blonde crop I’ve always wanted but never dared to have); Kim who makes stunning handmade books; the fabulous-as-always Stanford Blatch-alike Uncle Beefy (we were wondering where all the male design bloggers are?), the very lovely Danielle from Apartment Therapy (an Apartment Therapy Seattleite, who knew?) and meet, albeit briefly, the very cute Tula from Whorange.  I also talked to lots of other people who don’t have blogs and therefore can’t be linked to (how can this be? – get with the program!).

For more detailed notes on what we spoke about check out Megan’s and Mary’s posts.

June’s Lab will feature Kristen Rask of Schmancy and a couple of other crafters talking about crafting and plush toys.  I have a horrible feeling though that I’m going to have to miss this as I’m due to be cruising to Alaska with my crazy Italian rellies.  Though in typical badly organised Italian fashion the cruise has not yet been booked, so there is still hope of a reprieve.

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Chocolate Brownies and Design Blogging

We were invited to our first barbecue of the summer over the weekend and I decided to take some chocolate brownies, as it’s been far too long since I made them.

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The best brownie recipe in the world is from Green & Blacks Chocolate Recipes.

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The addition of dried cherries takes these into a different orbit of deliciousness.  I sprinkled some chocolate chips onto the finished brownie when it had just come out of the oven and pressed them in with a spatula – er, just because they weren’t chocolate-y or fattening enough.

 

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They turned out great, despite the Minx ‘helping’ out in her usual inimitable style.  

I mention these because I was going to bring some to tonight’s Lab, but apparently can’t because of pesky health & safety regs.  But do come along anyway and ponder what might have been…

I need to think of an acceptable giveaway.  Megan Not Martha has set the bar horribly high and I hear that Mary T from Shelterriffic will be bringing along a new design classic.  Also speaking is the delightfully scary Miz Decorno herself.  All details here.

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