didn't realize how neglected this little cyber space had become.

behind the scenes: i'm contemplating making the switch over to wordpress.

hopefully you'll hear more from me soon.

has anyone out there (all 6 of you) done this yet?  if so, how'd it go?

lately-grams.

a few shots of life lately captured on instagram (hellowrennbird)-- 

1. the cutest little leaf landed on me while i was eating lunch.  fall is definitely here, but in an odd sort of limbo.  it's half here, half gone, but today it's 74 degrees.
2. we have the cutest nieces. i love them and their blonde curls so, so much.  i'm very lucky in that we were able to spend most of a week with them recently-- including halloween, and a matinee with popcorn and candy for lunch.  looking forward to seeing them again soon..
3. tea is for everything.
4. i made a post-birthday cake. pumpkin, with cream cheese icing. delicious.

lately: sunday-grams.

yesterday's rainy sunday was mostly spent on the front porch with two pots of tea, breakfast + a book.

last week's sunday was spent driving through picturesque areas, like this one in ohio, after spending the weekend celebrating the marriage of two great people -- including some final wedding prep with friends (3rd image).

i'm on instagram @hellowrennbird 

it's been abysmally quiet here for the last few months as i work on some new ideas, and try to sort things out.

the silence will probably continue for a bit longer while i get a bit farther along in planning + sorting.
just know that in the meantime i'll be sipping some "happy tea" that arrived in the mail from lauren.
she harvested the herbs + blended the tea herself.  super impressive and delicious.  thank you, L. getting love in the mail is the best thing ever.

inspiration: dark.

sasha pivovarova photographed by tim walker for british vogue, 2010.
found via pinterest

i've been working with the contrasts in neutrals, but i've been drawn towards the contrasts in darker colors lately.  there's a greater tone depth and richness there that i've been missing.

currently reading a bit and thinking about the beginning of ideas, pieces + process.

all that matters to me: "respite nest."

Life events, changes in health, sudden injuries-- they all become marks on our character, the things we carry in our hearts.  Your character is permeable-- shifting, fluid, growing-- but sometimes the things carried in your heart cause your worries and fears to compound privately.  The weight becomes too much to bear, and you are haunted by the whispers of your secrets and fears.

You were told to imagine a happy place to get through the tough spots.  Sometimes the tough spots become such a fixture that you can build floor plans of that better place in your mind.  You focus to get through, then you keep building.  The floor plans grow and grow; the place becomes more realistic.  Recovery is an ongoing process.  You want a place to hide, a place to rest.

For years, I have been building a respite nest in my mind-- my quiet, comforting place of solace to carry on beyond the tough spots-- this piece is part of that safe place.  The color palette is soft, comforting and reassuring--a spectrum of creams, tans, pale pinks and soft greys.

Safely tucked beneath the tipi is a cot with hand-dyed and printed fabric.  The cot is my solid place to rest-- something solid and sure that can hold me up within a place so heavy with worries and fears.  Resting on the cot and spilling onto the floor is a handmade blanket to cozy into for comforting.  The blanket has multiple fabrics-- some hand-printed or appliqued-- all pieced with tiny details and layers.
There are stacked items and various vessels cluttering the wooden platform floor.  Little nests inside remnants of cups of tea-- the vessels are stand-ins for the constants I rely on, the things we all hope will help with the healing process.

"respite nest" installation view at lake erie templar auto building, lakewood, ohio
ALL THAT MATTERS TO ME show, june 23, 2012.

location + installation.

this past friday and saturday, i spent most of my time in the lake eerie templar auto building in lakewood, ohio prepping my piece for the 2012 "all that matters to me" show.  it's a really great old building with a lot of history that is now filled with artists' studios, templar auto museum, businesses and a screw factory.

i was on the third floor, next to the auto museum's area, with original wood flooring and no air conditioning.  fascinating.. and really, really hot on friday.  it was great lakes hot outside, but around 90 degrees inside on the third floor by my best estimate.  i'm not exaggerating, the heat was pretty staggering.  the afternoon sun comes into the large windows and heats everything up like an oven. 

on saturday, though, i met the guy that runs the templar auto museum.  he was incredibly nice and we learned a lot about the short-lived templar and even got to see a few of the originals.  he got an industrial fan from somewhere in the building for us and it made saturday so much better.  thanks again for that.

 

it was really peaceful setting up in the space before other artists arrived.. kind of a selfish quiet moment.