Pigs must be flying.

I have been intending to open an Etsy shop for almost as long as I've known about the site. Somehow I have allowed an embarrassingly great length of time to pass (measured in years, not months) while continuing to say, "One day I plan to sell my jewelry on Etsy." I don't know if I was waiting for pigs to soar past my window or the devil to wear ice skates, but the time has finally come... almost.

I figure if I post about my plans I will feel obligated to actually get my Etsy shop going very soon. I'm going to shoot some new photos of my work over the next few days--as you can see from the two examples below, I really need to reshoot! I hope to have the shop go live sometime before the end of next week. I'm going to start with some jewelry, but plan to expand to some of my photographs and possibly a sampling of handprinted paper goods. Stay tuned for the launch announcement, and I hope that you'll find at least one thing you'd like to own!

Rule Brittania.

Ever since I can remember, I have been an ardent Anglophile. As a child, I used to dream of stowing away in my friend's luggage when her family went to London every summer. I watch every British show and film I can find and read every British magazine and every book that I can get my hands on that takes place in England. I finally made my first non-armchair traveler journey to the UK in my early 20s and felt like I was dreaming. It was even better than I could have imagined! I was lucky enough to go back twice in the early 2000s while my very good friend was doing a Doctorate at Oxford University (I KNOW--super smart!). I even got to stay "on a staircase" "in college" (love those archaic terms!). It was in a 17th century building next to the college's chapel, located in the Chapel Quad (how veddy British!). It was heaven (no pun intended).

Sadly I haven't been back in well over five years, but my reading and viewing help me remember my visits. Even the food products from the UK make me happy. I've made trips to Myers of Keswick in Greenwich Village to stock up on Walker's Crisps (Prawn Cocktail is my favorite, followed closely by Cheese & Onion and Smoky Bacon) and Tunnock's Caramel Wafer Biscuits. I was so happy when my local supermarkets began to carry a moderate selection of British foods so I can get my PG Tips (on their site, check out the hilarious commercials featuring a sock monkey and his human) Cadbury Crunchie, and Branston Pickle right near my home.

So I am really loving hwayoungjung's Flickr set, British Things. It's a group of fabulous drawings of more than 100 food products from England. She (I think she?) has also written interesting little histories of each product. I don't think I'll ever get tired of looking through this set, but I just saw that she drew additional sets: American Things, Scottish Things, French Things, and Italian Thing (as hwayoungjung wrote, "just 1 for now"). I guess I'll have to expand my interest in culinary drawings... I'm looking forward to her coming additions to these sets.

Mmmm... another one of my favorite treats (image copyright hwayoungjung)

An Education.

I can't wait to see this film. The plot sounds really interesting and I am in love with the costumes and scenery. Nick Hornby wrote the screenplay, based on Lynn Barber's memoir. Superb cast, including Carey Mulligan (below), who is just too adorable.

Heartfelt thanks.

Many thanks to all of you who've sent me your words of support and advice. I know this time will pass and I look forward to when I am again gainfully employed with being underemployed (I've got a very, very part time job) as just a distant memory. I never cease to be thrilled by how supportive and generous all of the bloggers out there are. Not to mention talented and creative! Again, thank you all :)

Long time, no post.

Sorry I haven't been posting lately. I normally don't discuss my personal life here but have made an exception for this post.

For some time now I've been putting a lot of energy into my quest for a full-time job. Warning: Sob story ahead... I just passed 7 months since I was laid-off, and I'm really feeling the itch to get back into a full-time job. It's been a roller coaster of emotion lately. I miss having a daily routine and destination, not to mention having a steady income and benefits. I had hoped to find something before the end of the year but have revised that... I now hope I can find a job in my field(s) (museum/arts administration, jewelry production, archive assistance) before I get to celebrate one year of unemployment.

I promise some new (and more cheerful) posts very soon.

So many great blogs and e-shops, so little time...

Update, 9/18/09: I WON!!! I was thrilled to see that I won prize #2 in Zoetropa's giveaway. I can't wait to share it with you when it arrives!

I just discovered Zoetropa, Pam's fabulous shop and blog, through Elephantine, Rachel's fabulous shop and blog. If you haven't already, please be sure to check out both ladies' sites and to enter Zoetropa's giveaway by noon EST this Thursday in celebration of her second blogiversary.

I never cease to be amazed and excited by how many terrifically talented folks are blogging and selling their creations on the web. It's a wonderful and ever-expanding community, and I am honored to be a very, very small part of it. I hope that with time more folks will come to enjoy my blog and (once I eventually get it up and running) shop as much as I do theirs.

Happy 2nd blogiversary, Pam!

Shore to shore.

To start off Labor Day weekend, a longtime friend who grew up with me on Long Island (a.k.a LI) brought two of her friends from New Jersey for their first ever visit to LI. I joined them for what was a fun-filled, beautiful day. We started out at the Sands Point Preserve on the north shore, hiking paths that traveled through lushly overgrown woods down to the shore of Long Island Sound. Bits of the shoreline reminded me slightly of the Northern California coast.






The friends from NJ were impressed by the beach, but were blown away when, after a scrumptious Jewish deli dinner, we headed down to Jones Beach State Park, a beautiful 10 mile long stretch of sand and sea on the south shore of the Island that's celebrating its 80th anniversary this year.





Walking along both shores in one day reminded me of how lucky I am that my home is close to so many beautiful sites here on Long Island.