Sweet Mother K.D.

The first time I heard the voice of Karen Dalton, I thought it was some bare bones obscure Billie Holiday track that I had never heard before. I definitely wasn't expecting to find a banjo player from the Greenwich Village folk scene when I started researching her. It led to an interesting conversation with Richard over what is considered black music vs. white music, and then cross overs and collaborations, which could be a whole other post. In the years since then she has become one of my absolute favourites, right up there with Joni, so when I stumbled across the newly released 'It's So Hard to Tell Who's Going to Love You the Best' at a local record store the other week, I snapped it up. I'll admit that up until now my listening has been limited what I could find to download, but having it played on vinyl is just too good. Her voice both gives me chills and breaks my heart at the same time, and the first time I put the record on it actually made me want to cry. Mushy, I know! She's just that good. I'm so happy to have found a video of her performing that I can share with you all, but before that here's a quote I found about her by Peter Stampfel of the Holy Modal Rounders,

"She was the only folk singer I ever met with an authentic 'folk' background. She came to the folk music scene under her own steam, as opposed to being 'discovered' and introduced to it by people already involved in it."

Performing with a very young Bob Dylan, and (I think!) Fred Neil

Sadly, she struggled with drug and alcohol abuse for many years, and eventually died of AIDS in 1993. I hope you enjoy the track, it is taken from a French documentary that was filmed in NYC in 1969.

Happy Birthday to us!

It is my one year blogiversary today! Like I mentioned yesterday, I very nearly missed it as I was pretty sure that it was on Saturday for some reason. I celebrated with a little slice of lemon tart (my favourite!) and some new notebooks from Yoko Yaya (partly because I can't help myself) which are too cute and funny. I love that one says 'When you wish to share what's deep in your heart'. Exactly what a notebook is for!

When I first started this blog, I wasn't sure that I would be able to keep it up over time to be honest, but I have come to really love it. That first entry is so terrifying, not knowing if anyone will ever read or care about what you write, trying to figure out how to sound like yourself and still make sense to everyone! For sure the best part about keeping this blog has been all the amazing people I've met. Yes, that means you! When I first moved to Vancouver as a rather shy wee thing, the online crafty community was totally my saving grace. That's totally the beauty of this blogging world, being able to connect with like minded people and sharing your lives with them. Anabela and I talked about this a little while back, how we both talk about bloggers as if we know them while most of our real life friends would think we're crazy for doing so, but that is really how it feels to me, like we're just one giant group of friends!

So, speaking of Yoko Yaya, it is pretty much one of my favourite shops. Its like a little baby Daiso (the giant Japanese dollar store) and it is virtually impossible for me to leave there with out some kind of stationary, fruit scented highlighters or dog shaped markers. Obviously, there are only so many notebooks a girl needs (or so Richard says) and secretly I think part of me just loves the shopping experience. This, my friends, is good for you because I would like to celebrate my blogiversary by sending out some stationary packs to a few lucky readers! All you need to do is comment and tell me what your favourite item of stationary is. I'll admit that I saw this question on Found Paper Co. as part of their customer appreciation week, but really stationary is one of my absolute loves/obsessions and I can't wait to hear about yours!

I'll leave the entries open until midnight Friday August 7th, bring on the stationary love!

p.s. We have started a newsletter for the store/blog, that will let you know when sales, new stuff and giveaways are coming up. There will even be some secret squirrel subscriber sales! Go here if you'd like to sign up!

Crafty Goodness

Seattle was so much fun! We headed out early-ish Saturday morning, only to have a 2 hour wait at the border, but the car company (and lets be honest, air conditioning) was so good that it wasn't really that much of a big deal. I travelled down there with Kim, Lili and Rhiannon and while there was a lot of car time, it was actually really nice being able to hang out and chat with a bunch of girlfriends - awesome crafty ones at that! They even gave me my first real taste of Taco Bell, which was both terrifying and sadly delicious at the same time. I feel like in the past 6 months or so I've really made some great friends here and have been pushing myself to get out and meet people a little more. It's tricky for a homebody like myself! Not that I ever didn't like Vancouver, but it has made me all the more content and happy with my life here now that I've found fun and like minded people to hang out with. So good.

Anyway, we ended up spending about 3 hours or so at Urban Craft Uprising which I would never have thought possible! Not only did I pick up some sweet stuff, I also got to meet some sweet people. A little while ago The Berkleys and us set up a swap, and being the slacker I've been lately I finally had their stuff ready to take down to them this weekend. Which, secretly was a good thing because it meant I got to meet them in person and find out just how lovely and funny they really are (plus I picked up this super sweet* print for Richard). I also got to meet Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching fame, who is also very lovely, and chat with her a little about the Daniel Johnston embroidery patterns which I had somehow never seen before but are weirdly fantastic!

Naturally, there was also much shopping to be done. I picked up those cute brooches up the top from Mucho Design and Schmancy. I really love that little twig! Next up are little business card holders from Mugwump. I love that quote on Richard's one, which I'm pretty sure is from an Edward Gorey book from the looks of it. I very nearly got one made from a map of New Zealand, but the hydrangea one was just so much prettier! Sorry, Stewart Island.

We decided to play Secret Santa on the way home, to beat the traffic boredom, and all had to buy a $5 gift for someone else in the car. Of course, there was no traffic on the way home just to spite us so we exchanged gifts while driving. Rebels, I know. I was lucky enough to get this fantastic notebook from Lili, that is made out of a vintage dictionary! The best part is that they've kept some of the old dictionary pages in which is both cute and potentially useful!

Alrighty, I'm so very tired and listening to some whacked out version of Benny and The Jets on youtube. Does anyone else do that, use youtube kind of like a radio? Hmm. Anyway time for bed for sure. Tomorrow is my 1 year bloggiversary, so look out for a fun giveaway or the like. To be honest, I thought the anniversary was on Saturday so I have no idea what I'm doing yet, but it will be good!

Night!

xo

Long weekend love (psst! there is free shipping involved!).

It's a long weekend here in B.C., and in a few minutes I'll be heading down to Seattle to enjoy the start of it! I love road trips, and am secretly really excited about being in an air conditioned car for a few hours, ha! Also, I get to hang out with fun crafty ladies and visit Urban Craft Uprising (excited!) to shop for handmade goodness. Excitedly, Richard has just started his two week vacation time, so I'm hoping this is the first of many a summer day trip!

Because vacation time and road trips excite us to no end, I thought we'd to a little promotion in the shop to celebrate! Any purchase made between now and midnight on Monday will receive free shipping! All you need to do is make the purchase like normal, but instead of paying wait for us to send you an updated invoice and you're done! Easy, hey? We hope to add a few more clocks over the weekend, and there is also another secret project that Richard has been working on involving wood veneer and an old encyclopedia to look out for!

I hope you're all having a lovely weekend!


xo