A Page Out Of My Book

My sketchbook, that is, which I am filling with things I'm looking forward to in my future.

So far all my drawings are in blue ballpoint pen, which appeals to me because it screams "amateur," a label I embrace. I have spent the last two nights adding color with my vast collection of colored pencils, which I have accrued over a life time from who knows where. I think a lot of the sets were presents, so thanks, friends and countrymen. I decided as much as I enjoy the blue and white aesthetic, it's probably much more interesting for the reader if it's colorful.


Speaking of interesting, I am in complete awe of Sophie Blackall's Missed Connections art. I added her blog to my sidebar, so hopefully she updates on a regular basis. You can purchase her prints on Etsy for $40. A cheap price to pay for magic. I would really love to ask for one for my birthday but I can't decide if it's really creepy. Check it out and get back to me on that one.


After I was done coloring I spent a good bit of time sharpening my pencils, which I probably do once a year. (When they get really dull they just go out of rotation.) Looking forward to a sharp start next time I get colorful!

Now That It's Officially Fall...

I'm allowed to get pumpkins. Mr. SevPrez thought it was a little early, but I reminded him that it'll be October on Friday! Not to mention he's been in a candy corn frenzy for at least a week, so he's not one to talk. 


We are supposed to be cutting costs, but it was love at first sight when I spotted this 25 pound, $13 pumpkin. It was worth every penny. I think I'll make him a jack-o-lantern the week of Halloween. My fellow pumpkin picker noted that I could make pumpkin pie with the contents (pumpkin is tied with plum for my favorite pie filling), but I've only ever made it from a can of pumpkin goodness. I'll have to look into it. 

We also went apple picking. It was glorious. These guys were the ones we had leftover after we made an apple crumb pie! Not sure if it comes through in the photos, but one of the apples on the counter is about as big as a grapefruit!

Next on the agenda, haunted hayrides. They're not up and running yet, but I'll let you know when the Headless Horseman comes back in town, in case you want to come down and say hello!

Fall Foods

Penne with tomatoes, zucchini, mozz, and corn.

Hummingbird cake for my mother-in-law's birthday.

Fall cookies with Sweet Dani B.

Self Portrait

The ultimate beehive.

Press Play

Seven Questions

I have always been intrigued by the art of the interview. Terry Gross's "Fresh Air" is definitely the podcast I listen to most, I love "Inside the Actor's Studio" (I can hear Mr. SevPrez groaning now) even though James Lipton is highly ridiculous, The Selby is sweeping the design nation with his lovable lists of hand written questions, and who doesn't like the Proust Questionnaire? People are fascinating, and you never know what you're going to elicit by probing personalities.


A few years ago I developed a website to prove my hypothesis that everyone is unrepeatable, by giving friends and strangers alike a platform to acknowledge the people that make their awesome life possible — you know, like the Oscars, but for everybody else. With the Seven Questions, I'd like to take it a step further, and get to know a little bit more about the people in my life, and the faces in the crowds I walk through everyday as I go about my business. To extend an analogy I used on my first project, Jamie Foxx is not inherently more interesting than you are. In fact, in the years since his Oscar win, we are finding out that he is probably way less fascinating than we had anticipated (hello embarrassing music career). 


So, first up at bat is my brother, Jason Watt, who aside from being an entrepreneur, is an Ironman and ultramarathon runner, a husband and a father, a consumate story teller and a goofball. I would also call him an amateur zen koan master. You'll see...


Q 1. What's something you wish more people knew?
A 1. I wish more people knew about nothing. The real nothing.


Q 2. Current sources of inspiration? (Books, websites, movies, music, people, places, food...)
A 2. "The Right Stuff" (Editor's note: he has loved this movie since forever.)

Q 3. What did you want to be when you grew up? What do you do now?
Q 3. President of the United States. Branding.


Q 4. When you look back on your first love, how do you think your idea of love has changed or stayed the same? What have you learned from then to now?
A 4. I learned that love is not then but now.


Q 5. What is your biggest weakness? (Spiritual, disciplinary, dietary.)
A 5. Peppermint patties.

Q 6. Three things you want or are working toward in your future?
A 6. Peace on Earth and branding in its purest form answers all questions. Getting out of the way of my daughter.


Q 7. And finally, for my records, chocolate/chocolate, chocolate/vanilla, vanilla/vanilla or other (please specify)? (This is helpful in case I am ever bringing you dessert.)
A 7. Chocolate/chocolate.

Let The Cookie Apprenticeship Begin!

They say when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. Well this afternoon the cookie sensei showed up at my door step with tupperware boxes full of icing kits, "the best royal icing" repice, festive sprinkles and decorations, and cookies of all shapes ready to be iced.

Who is this mysterious cookie master, you wonder? Sweet Dani B, aka my friend Dan, aka Martha Stewart's cookie expert. She has appeared several times on "The Martha Stewart Show," taking Martha and her audience through all the steps to make the most gorgeous and festive cookies in the world. Sitting next to Dan at my kitchen counter, I felt as though I was on the show in the role of Martha. Dan is a great teacher, very warm, natural and fun, which makes for great TV and a great Sunday afternoon.

I still have a lot to learn, but Dan thinks I have a promising future as a cookie apprentice. Between my day job making greeting cards, and this gig moonlighting in cookie icing, I think my life is turning out just as I had always hoped. Lots of fun, creativity, sweetness, and inspiration. As Dan says, "Life is sweet!"

Reclaiming Our Wood Floors

I have jokingly been referring to the wood floors we unearthed in our living room as "Brooklyn industrial chic." You know, as if we were living in some amazing loft carved out of an old ship factory or something. But from here on out they'll be called "reclaimed." 


Apparently beat up looking wood floors are all the rage. They are all over Remodelista.

http://remodelista.com/posts/steal-this-look-mill-valley-brewworks

Ours are beat up not from years of bearing heavy duty machinery and laborers, just from spending the better half of a century covered with carpet and two layers of linoleum. There's some glue issues we need to address, etc., but overall they are way cooler than the splotchy taupe wall-to-wall we inherited.


We have been toying with the idea of sanding them down and painting them (white, in my wildest dreams), since staining them will just emphasize the fact that we've got two different woods going on (apparently there was a wall down the middle of the room in a past life. Now I'm thinking maybe we should just sand them down and leave them! It seems to be the thing to do. 


I had been in a hurry to find a cheap area rug or two, but now I realize I should take my time and find the perfect solution, instead of shelling out less money on a temporary piece that we'll want to upgrade later on. Learning things from Katy Elliott. If she can live through her renovation, I can certainly this through this.

http://remodelista.com/posts/walls-windows-floors-haynes-roberts-living-room-floor

Dos Mas

Hmm... the scanner is getting dirty.

It's the Empire State Building, get it?

Album Cover Covers

Making CDs for my brother's birthday present and using square envelopes to package them up. He didn't like my last mix for him, featuring LCD Soundsystem, Discovery, Passion Pit, Grizzly Bear, and the Gorillaz. He called it "techno music." But he is enjoying the Black Keys mix I hooked him up with, so we are going pure rock with this round, and the birthday mix will be a variety of rock and some thumping hip hop anthems. It's either/or with that guy. 

I know it's played out to most, but I'm into it right now.

Definitely in my top 10 albums of all time.

Hope he likes it.