d.Sharp Journal

A good sign.

I found this vintage book on sign language the same day as the barber encyclopedia. It covers three things I like - dictionaries, hands and illustrations with dotted-line phantoms. 

Someday I want to learn sign language. For now, the sign for devil is charades for " C is having a tantrum."

{I scanned these in a couple of days ago, a great coincidence Uncle!}

Bring it.

The weather in Portland lately has been {bleep}. We have had a few scattered summer days but many days {including today} have been cold and drizzling. It is June. I am ready for summer weather. Ready for summer, even if said weather puts me at personal risk.

Once on a walk with M I had the misfortune of seeing this man ,who lives in our neighborhood, in his driveway on a lounge chair while dressed only in a Speedo,  shaving his legs with a disposable razor and baby oil. Although it happened only once a number of years ago, the experience made me want to scour my eyeballs. At this point I am willing to risk the possible trauma.

Papercuts.

Found this book a few weeks ago at the thrift store. A vintage Barber Encyclopedia. Stuff like this makes me almost unreasonably happy.

 

You've got to give her that.

"Although we weren't able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it's got about 18 million cracks in it...the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time." The next time a woman runs for president, we won't question whether a woman is strong enough. Thanks for that,  Hillary. Sorry you had to put up with this.

La Historia Del Boleto

Like these, from here.

 

Proud.

One thing that has captivated my mind this week as Obama became the Democratic nominee {yeah!} is the change this country has experienced in the course of a couple of generations. Perspective I enjoyed listening to here and here.

Love-er-ly.

More from my tear sheets. I love these gowns as well as the photo styling of the features. So pretty.  For my own wedding, we have a lot of photos I really love, but the one of me in my gown twirling with the wind blowing is so Feminine Hygiene Commercial it cracks me up.

Pics above from Elegant Bride.

I really love the gold detailing on the dress at the top, even though I am not a fan of gold usually {would love it more in tarnished silver}. The back of the dress on form above is nice. All of the props are my thing - want that box! These pics from MS Weddings current issue.

If the pages were scratch and sniff I could have stopped to smell the flowers.

Busy, busy, busy - at least while going through my wedding folder{s} I took the time to stop and admire the flowers. These are a few from Elegant Bride and InStyle Weddings that I liked.

 

Bloom in Action

I love this. It's so Johnny Appleseed. Bloom in Action, an entry from the Design 21 Power to the Pedal competition, is  "meant to be a subversive and inspirational tool for our concrete jungles. Seeds are co-mingled with a bubble mixture and upon pedaling to your destination, you release the floating seeds which land in cracks and crevices throughout the city streets. Over time, the seeds grow into flowers and plants to create a green "fringe" to our sidewalks and streets."

Check out the Bloom in Action video here, as well as the winning entries of the Design 21 competition.
Found via Not Cot.

the M diaries

As part of his schoolwork, M has been writing in a journal since he began elementary school. At first he was all about economy of words, as he really didn't like writing. For example, last year, when given the prompt "Kwanzaa is..." he wrote: Bad. He has no opinion of Kwanzaa, Bad simply has one less letter than Good. Here is his equally poetic take on Christmas's jolly St. Nick:

{Santa Claus is... a present-giving old man with a wife}

His journal entries from this school year have taken a different turn. He is not so stingy with words, which is great, he seems to love {or at least like} to write. He writes stories that sound like mash-ups of two or three different books or movies or long detailed lists of what he would do if he was {fill in the blank} - for example, if he was the richest man in the country he would dress very finely, convert the attic to an observatory and buy shoes with spats. M's journal this year has also been a place for him to jot down random bits of information gleaned from books. { apple not far from tree?}

{Some architects and builders are rejecting the latest technology in favor of simple homes made of natural, locally-sourced materials}

{Largest tie pin collection: Murray Steinberg has collected 678 tie pins since his bar mitzvah in February 1937, when he was given a pin by his brother}

It will be fun to give him these journals when he is grown up.