1. I think I had the most amazing day yesterday. I can't wait to share with you the photos I took at my friend Jackie's as she baked and baked and baked the most amazing bread. Can you guess just how awesome her house smelled? It was pretty nice. And while I was there, I got a couple messages from the universe that I was on the right path with this whole photography business. That was pretty nice too. Moral of the story? Follow your heart and listen when the universe speaks. If you do, the universe will reward you.

2. I think, speaking of messages from the universe, something's up. Our dryer is broken. Our toaster died (and with some bread-loaf bounty coming home with me yesterday, you can bet I bought a new one pretty sharpish). My phone is on it's last legs. Our master bath is leaking, making the guest bath a race against time. Our mattress, most definitely not old age, is killing my hips. What's the thread?

3. I think we all did better this week playing offense, not defense. I could still manage some more structure to my days, I think, but now that we're done with the second week of October, it feels like we've settled into a nice routine. I probably shouldn't have said that. ;)

4. I think I'm really looking forward to the weekend this weekend. Neel thinks he'll be done with his grant (fingers crossed!), and after Callum's Saturday morning cross country meet, we have some fun errands to run and work to do on the studio. We're hoping for dinner with some friends, and some relaxing family time. It's going to be gorgeous. I can't wait.

5. I think I love fall. I always have to remind myself that our trees turn much later here than the rest of the world. Like, November later. But this week has brought cool temperatures and fireplace nights. Just the thing to get me in the mood. Every time I long to move back to California, I think about how much the shift into this season energizes and refreshes me. Life is good.

1. I think I can't believe how hard it is to find a cookie jar I like. I think my mom could believe it. I think if you remember how much trouble I'm having finding dining chairs, a tote, a coffee table for my family room, black boots, etc. etc. etc. I know, I mean, I really do KNOW that I can't replicate that old blue jar that I mentioned earlier this week, but everything else is too cute (fat French chefs or cartoon characters) or has writing on it (duh, I know there are cookies in there...or are there?). Why is it so hard? And yet, when I uploaded this photo, I realized that the answer might be staring me in the face. I need a Selama's stop, STAT.

2. I think I wish I could get better at wearing lipstick. Especially now that fall is creeping in and there are all those awesome darker colors to choose among. I can put it on, no problem. In fact, I rarely leave the house without it. It's as if my lips know we're headed to the door and start asking. But keeping it on? Another story all together. I'm open to suggestions.

3. I think I jumped the gun a bit when I said that things had been going better for me headache-wise. October is the new August around here, it seems, and I've been hammered day after day with headaches lately. Not enough to send me to my bed, but enough to make things tricky to navigate. And frustrating. I knew those cool temperatures and lower humidity levels we so enjoyed in September were a nasty trick. It's been downright tropical around here, and unfun. We're promised cooler and drier air over the next bit, so I'm keeping my head down (literally!) and hoping the end is near!

4. I think I'm excited about some things that are happening for me photographically. Is that the right word? I've been working hard on some product shots this week, and a group of us has decided to meet twice a month to add some structure to our photographic journies. I was introduced to this group as a "food photographer" and I'm not sure that's entirely true. Yes. But is that all? Tabletop, still life...I'm wanting to stretch. And needing to as well. Neel and I have made some decisions about a renewed emphasis on photography for me, and that entails shifting space a bit. I'm excited to move out of my tiny studio (which was far away from the kitchen!) into a space off our livingroom that will give me more room and better light. (Downside: sharing with the dogs!) We have some work to do to get it ready, but these steps feel good.

5. I think I've been thinking about house and home a lot lately. In some ways, how we make our homes is something I'm always thinking about. The bathroom reno, shifting space in the studio, imagining changes in this house and future houses, these are all things I think about. I'm lucky enough that the father of a friend of mine is an architect, and he indulges me by talking about how we live in our homes and how he works with families to build their spaces. I've already told him that I want to kidnap him for a drive around town to look at all of his houses! If you want to get some good house eye-candy, go and like his facebook page, at William F. Deal, Architect. He's recommended a wonderful book to me that I'm totally drooling over, and I'm reading another that I'll maybe talk about here next week. What does your space say to you? Does it say what you want it to say?

five things, october 12 edition

five things, october 5th edition