knowing you knowing me

photege

well don't i feel special. :)  two women from the post art exchange that i'm a part of have asked me to participate in a kind of get to know you better/get naked in blogland post.  the first invitation came from tamber at yellow porch light.  she's an artist and an herbalist and i love her piece called trinity. check out the story of how she came up with the name for her blog.  the second came from courtney at run 2 the wild.  a little while ago she celebrated her etsy shop's first birthday with over 700 sales!  she also has her work in a gallery for the first time.  and she's the brains behind our post art exchange so she's talented and smart - a great combination.  i love the very real and honest thoughts that these women share on their blogs.  it's inspiring to me. 

ok, so the first part of knowing you knowing me is five random facts about me.

i love the ocean.  i'll take a day at the beach over just about anything. my parents used to bring my brother and me to Long Beach on LI even during the winter.  we'd gather shells, walk the boardwalk, play some old fashioned arcade games like skee ball and then get knishes.  great memories.  sometimes i wonder why i moved to the mountains.

i went to the fashion institute of technology a loooong time ago to become a fashion designer.  somehow i didn't quite realize that i would have to sew the clothes i was designing.  that was kind of the end of that.

i used to have a little vintage shop in an antique center.  i loved it but didn't make much money at it.  

i hate wearing socks.  that can be a pain in the butt when you live in upstate ny.

i like to read cookbooks like novels.

ok, here's the second part - the questions to answer.

what is the best story you've heard or read in the past couple of weeks?

my kids are constantly telling me stories about their days and i love hearing them.  the antics of a 17 year old who has just gotten his license, the experiences of a college student and the adventures of a 24 year old moving to the big city.  and i've got jane eyre on my bedside table.

is halloween a holiday you care much about?  if so, how did you celebrate?

halloween has always been about fun to me.  when my kids were younger we would throw the best parties.  we would decorate and bake and cook like mad.  now there are certain traditions we still follow like pumpkin dip and ginger snaps.

what blog have you discovered lately that you really dig?

fleachic: flea market savvy  :   great design before and afters for inspiration

art in red wagons   :   beautiful words and images

ginger mandy   :   just found this blog but i'm liking the mix of politics and curry coconut pumpkin soup

what was the best thing you ever found at a thrift store?

this is just too hard to answer.  too many things.  ok how about a pair of fabulous citrus orange shiny sheer curtains that i have yet to hang.  

where's the farthest you've traveled?  

the farthest places i've been are florida, arkansas and montreal.  geographically florida and arkansas are about a tie but montreal felt the furthest and not only because they speak french there.  loved it.

how do you get inspired?

i get inspired by seeing art - going to a museum, a gallery.  it just starts that creative excitement, that feeling in your gut.  also by a sunset, a song, some beautiful words strung together... oh yes and blogs.

what is the one thing you wish you could do but don't have the guts to?

oh you know, trusting again.  but i'm working on it.

or maybe it's hang gliding.

what is your biggest dream?

to be a successful non-starving artist.

what is the one thing you hate and love about blogging?

hate: having to censor myself

love: meeting people i probably never would have met otherwise.

what is the most important lesson you have learned so far in life?

well, things i've experienced but am still learning - life is what happens while you're busy making other plans and change is inevitable.

done! (huge sigh of relief)

my nominees

(only if it fits with your blog schedule/structure)

joana at trincar uvas

angela at garden and sea

holly at quiet galaxy

jennifer at grimmricksen

diane at the expressive palette

my questions for you

what is your least favorite chore?

what is your favorite book(s)?

what inspires you?

do you have a favorite childhood memory?

what dishes are always on your thanksgiving/holiday table?  feel free to share recipes!

instructions

nominate 5 other blogs in your post (all must have less than 250 subscribers)

post 5 random facts about yourself

answer my 5 questions, then list 5 of your own for the other bloggers to answer

let your 5 friends know you have tagged them by commenting on their blog

handcrafted in virginia

thanks ladies!