little black journal

Happy, happy Friday!  Looking forward to another chill weekend at home.  And we’re off to a perfect start – just pulled a lovely peach pie out of the oven and we’re heading out the door in a few minutes to share it with friends. Shane and I have committed to taking advantage of our plan-free day tomorrow and doing ‘something out of the ordinary’, but we’re not sure yet what that is – I’m hoping it involves dessert.  Or maybe a good foamy latte.  Or a new pair of shoes.  So many possibilities…  Other than that, I’ll be working on an art project or two, getting caught up on the latest episodes of Project Runway, and taking one final stab at sprucing up our backyard planter beds before Fall officially sets in.  And I suppose I should get around to sewing the missing buttons onto my two favorite coats – looks like t-shirt weather is gone, gone, gone…  But pie weather is definitely here, so I’m still a very happy camper.

Bon weekend!

Woot!  I slipped out of the office early when no one was looking and so my weekend starts NOW.  Shane and I have a relatively plan-free weekend at home ahead of us, which I usually look forward to as a chance to run errands/do housework/get ‘caught up’ (what does that mean, anyway???), but I’ve firmly decided that this time, I will enjoy the break and not dwell on tasks that should get done.  Then again, I am obsessively compulsive about making lists, and find an unhealthy amount of satisfaction in checking things off said lists, so I’m indulging my neurotic tendencies and have made a list of things to do, without actually getting anything done.  I’m hoping the next three days will look something like this…

* Sit in a cafe with a latte and read my unbelievably good book.

* Buy a watermelon.  And eat it.  Just ’cause.

* Watch the sun set.  Preferably over water.  Or mountains.  Or the silhouette of downtown Seattle.  I’m not picky.

* Sit on our back porch and drink a glass of white wine.  Or two.

* Enjoy the flowers we have growing in our garden.  Just in case summer is on it’s way out (which is a fact that I am consciously choosing to deny).

* Remind Shane that I love him, and that quality time with him means more to me than checking anything off of any to-do list.

Ready, set, RELAX…

Oh, this weekend was so perfectly ‘weekend-ish’, full of good food, good times with friends, and a good dose of relaxation.  I didn’t have my camera with me at all over the past couple of days, but my handy iPhone captured the highlights:

Shane and I celebrated the end of the work week Schnell-style, and met at a bar downtown for some Happy Hour action.  Penn Cove mussels, garlic fries, and frothy pints of beer – these are the reasons it’s called ‘Happy Hour’.

We spent the rest of the evening with our friends Jason and Nancy, feasting on Jason’s tasty home-baked pizzas.  This one was my favorite – olive oil, onions, avacado, arugula, mmm…

Saturday morning was my monthly book club meeting with the ladies – which means a latte and buttermilk biscuit.  I’m afraid the book is secondary, really.

We spent Saturday afternoon at my office’s summer picnic, eating burgers and putt-putting a round of mini-golf.  Turns out I am terrible at mini-golf, but Shane can putt like a pro.  Go figure.

After church this morning, Shane and I headed over the Ballard Farmer’s Market.  Seemingly endless rows of fresh produce, brightly colored flowers, and locally made specialty foods.  And mini-donuts.  Let’s not forget the mini-donuts.

And finally, an afternoon spent doing some shopping, followed by a quiet Sunday evening at home.  Did some housework, some reading, and a yoga session that I will pretend can counteract the french fries, the pizza, the buttermik biscuit, the burger, and the mini-donuts.  Right.

As of late, I like…

Sunny evenings spent sitting in the backyard, drinking wine and eating slices of baguette topped with Brie.  It’s our little homage to our fondest memories of Paris.

Rainy afternoons (’cause in Seattle, those sunshiny days don’t last for long) spent holed up inside, playing board games with friends. Yesterday, I discovered my love/hate relationship with Settlers of Catan (loved playing the game, hated that I lost…).

This project in Berlin – a building with a completely blank exterior, which is constantly transformed with artistic installations.  I love the idea of using a building as a canvas.  Carsten Nicolai’s installation is exceptionally cool, with its opportunities for public interaction and chance.

My ‘Hipstamatic Prints’ iPhone app, which applies different lighting and coloring effects to iPhone photos.  Shane is not with me on this one, as he seems to be a bit of a ‘purist’ when it comes to photography, but I think it’s fun, and perfect for spur-of-the-moment shots.

I am also loving my Mint Melange tea, paired with a chapter of Till We Have Faces, so I will be wrapping up the weekend accordingly.  ‘Night.

This weekend was indeed full of bliss, with just the right balance of relaxation and productivity, a smattering of self-indulgence, and lots of time spent hanging out with Shane, who I’ve missed in the midst of our busy schedules.  After a morning run down by Lake Washington yesterday, I decided I had earned the right to a big ol’ breakfast and convinced Shane to head over to Both Ways cafe with me (easiest sell I’ve ever made).  This is one of our breakfast faves in South Seattle – a cute little spot tucked away on a quiet corner near Seward Park, offering solid breakfast fare, complete with perfect buttermilk biscuits and extra creamy lattes.

We caught up with each other over eggs, bacon, biscuits, and coffee, then headed down to Southcenter to catch the early showing of Inception.  It felt a little strange to be heading into a movie theater at 11 am, but when we discovered that shows before noon are offered at ‘pre’-matinee extra-discounted prices, I got over it (you all know I love a good deal).  Shane I spent the rest of the afternoon doing some shopping, napping, and then capping off our lovely day with pizza at Tutta Bella and ice cream at Full Tilt (insert happy sigh of satisfaction here).

I spent the evening with some girlfriends, taking part in what has quickly become a fun tradition for all of us.  Every few months, we each dig through our closets, pull out those items we love but just don’t wear anymore, and gather at La Verne’s house to swap clothes, accessories, and lots of laughs.  It was a fabulous evening, and I think we all walked away happy with what we had scored at our ‘free boutique’.

(photo courtesy of La Verne)

Today was heavier on the ‘productive’ side of things, with a couple of hours at the office and a couple of hours out working in the yard, but the evening couldn’t have been more relaxing, with a Rum and Coke in hand (Shane is trying his hand as bartender these days) and the Giants vs. Dodgers game on TV.  I’m not sure where my recent affinity for baseball came from (maybe out of need for a reason to veg?), but stretching out on the couch with Shane and cheering on the Giants has become one of my most favorite evening pastimes.  And as an added bonus, I think Shane falls a little deeper in love with me each time I spontaneously jump off the couch and let out a “woot!” in favor of his team.

All in all, an utterly fantastic weekend (unless you’re a Dodgers fan – hehe…).

Wowsers, what a week.  Some good (got back into my exercise groove with back-to-back evening runs with Shane), some bad (rough day at the office and I think I officially became ‘the girl that cries at work’ this afternoon…), and all of it very, very tiring.  T.G.I.F…  I need a recharge.  Looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow, maybe going for a morning jog down by the lake, taking in a movie with Shane, pulling my sketchbook out after a month-long art-making hiatus, hangin’ with some girlfriends tomorrow night – Saturdays are bliss.

You know what else is bliss?  The beets coming from our garden (how’s that for a segue?!).  They are finally ripe for the pickin’ and I am in root vegetable heaven.  Tonight I sliced a couple up, sauteed them in a little olive oil, then topped them with goat cheese crumbles and toasted walnuts.  Yep, it was every bit as delicious as it sounds.  Paired with a glass of Riesling and the Giants vs. Dodgers game on TV, and I was ready to leave this week behind me and embrace the chance to take a breather and relax.  T.G.I.F. (did I already say that?).

Eeek – it’s been awhile!  Life has been a whirlwind the last 10 days, with a faux wedding to throw (more on that later), lots of goings-on with friends and neighbors, and, finally, the opening of my art show on July 1st.  My weeks of planning and working and art-ing all came to fruition on Thursday night, as I gathered with some of our closest friends to share the collection I’d put so much of my time and heart into. And it was perfect.  I’d held back on making a big deal out of the event, based on my own fears and insecurities, but when Shane and I arrived at the cafe on Wednesday evening to hang my work, and the barista asked, “Oh, are you the artist?”, I actually got to respond with an emphatic, “Yes!”, and was suddenly eager to share my work with anyone willing to take a look.  I’m embracing and living up to the title of ‘Artist’, no longer calling myself a wanna-be, or a poser, or just ‘pretending’ like the work I do qualifies as art.  This has become a part of who I am, what I do, and how I relate to people.  Being in a room surrounded by 15 pieces of my art was an amazing feeling.  But what made the night infinitely more special was being able to share it all with our Seattle community – the cafe was filled with people that have encouraged me, cheered me on, and reminded me that creativity is most beautiful when it is freely shared.

Huuuuuuge thanks to everyone who came out – it was an evening I will never ever forget…

Oh, Lordy…  Things continue to be busy, with work and art-making and wanting to spend time with my husband and friends, but tonight, I am taking time to chill.  I had a deadline at work today that called for some late nights at the office, but the drawings are done, my inbox is cleared, and now, after an evening nap and a glass of wine, order has been restored to my life.  It was nice to share a meal with Shane, to throw in an old episode of Sex and the City, and to nibble on the delicate little macaroons that I picked up at the French bakery in the Market.  Yes, as I sit here and type, with Joe Purdy piping through the speakers, my most recent artwork scattered about on the walls and shelves, and a cozy bed beckoning me from the next room, I have to say, life is good.  Sometimes running on empty is ok, as long as I have nights like these to refuel.

Ummm…Hi, June! Where did you come from, and why are you passing me by so very quickly? Wowsers, life has been busy lately, and I feel like I am running at breakneck speed just to keep up. It’s good, though. I wouldn’t have wanted to turn down any of the things that have kept me on my toes. For example:

Shane and I were invited by a friend I work with to check out the Sounders game on Saturday night. Soccer is quickly becoming my new favorite sport, as I’ve had the chance to attend a few games over the past year and have developed a mild case of Sounder Fever. Yes, there is a bit of monotony in watching the guys run up and down and up and down the field, but the surge of energy that flows through the stadium whenever they score a goal makes all that waiting well worth it. Lucky for us, the Sounders were in fine form on Saturday and scored four goals, which meant lots of jumping out of our seats, clapping our hands, cheering loudly, and catching the glittery confetti that rained from the sky. Good stuff.

Sunday was my first day back in the print studio since my class ended last fall. I had almost the entire day to myself in there and was in art-making heaven, with Bon Iver piping through my headphones, a table full of brightly colored paint to mix and smear and roll, and a printing press just begging to be put to use. I got a lot of stuff of done, much of which I left in the studio to dry on the racks, but here’s a little peek at some not-quite-finished pieces. I am in love with this process, and am trying to figure out what our dining room would look like if we swapped out our table for a printing press. I’m kidding. Kind of.

And now, I am beat. As in, ready for the weekend!

No really big happenings in the Schnell household these days, but nonetheless, a small handful of ‘newsworthy’ (I use that term lightly) updates…

First, remember my ultra-ambitious hundred-push-up challenge?  According to my original schedule, I should have joined the push-up century club five weeks ago.  But…due to a vacation-related derailment, and a weakness on my part in general, I’m still slowly working my way toward that goal.  Last night I was able to do 25 consecutive push-ups.  Not too shabby, but I’ve got a ways to go…

Second, our little backyard seed patch is finally starting to show some progress!  We’re several weeks away from harvest, but still, these little carrot-tops show definite promise, don’t you think?

Finally, some exciting news on the artistic front: a good friend of mine had a fund-raiser last week for a non-profit group she’s working with, and asked me donate some of my art for the cause.  I framed three of my prints with a hope and a prayer that somebody might find them buy-worthy, and two of them sold!  This was the very first time that money has been paid for a Kelly Schnell original, so this was kind of a big deal for me.  Very affirming.

Yes, May was a relatively quiet month (not that watching carrots sprout isn’t thrilling), but the next few weeks are shaping up to be good and busy – a trip to Portland, a camping weekend with friends, a couple of days in the encaustic studio, and (God-willing) plenty of sunshine and dinners on the grill.  And push-ups.  Lots of push-ups.