tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-142699232024-03-13T12:49:42.676-07:00midnight/noiseRandom observations of a blue eyed night owl.kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.comBlogger156125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-75360758689960953132010-02-18T21:33:00.000-08:002010-02-18T21:34:32.253-08:00I'm not here anymore.I left Oregon, my boyfriend and Blogger. You can find me at <a href="http://theardentthread.wordpress.com">The Ardent Thread</a> if you are so inclined.kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-23519414633851291782008-03-18T14:32:00.000-07:002008-03-18T14:34:01.035-07:00This guy has got my voteMy MIL just showed me this ad, and I have to say that after hiding under a rock all this time and avoiding political ads, this one was worth coming out for.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/N2UesvrH-cs&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/N2UesvrH-cs&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-84422569010410610772008-03-05T17:54:00.000-08:002008-03-05T18:03:02.012-08:00Every kid will want this for their birthday<span style="font-weight:bold;">Hey everyone! It's the Ann Coulter Talking Doll! (apologies if you've seen this one already, I just stumbled across it by accident) And look, she's one of "America's Real Action Heroes". Just makes your heart all warm and fuzzy, doesn't it?<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihKKdHfopU1wrhTgOO28IEwp6ZFDy3-WOxNPRwidiRdqR-sx5Mq8SEzLPh_AZS2kcn8J1ThIbc3X1yoecGn7KAnYEJ7rm3dNMwVdyFXpa4-13lSh0JF7D-ffDQ7MKmADotzZDL2w/s1600-h/ann_coulter_doll.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihKKdHfopU1wrhTgOO28IEwp6ZFDy3-WOxNPRwidiRdqR-sx5Mq8SEzLPh_AZS2kcn8J1ThIbc3X1yoecGn7KAnYEJ7rm3dNMwVdyFXpa4-13lSh0JF7D-ffDQ7MKmADotzZDL2w/s320/ann_coulter_doll.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174442019456708770" /></a><br /><br />The Ann Coulter doll is a great gift for daughters, sons, mothers and fathers. Mostly, the Ann Coulter talking doll is a great gift for Republicans and Conservatives.<br /><br />Push the button on the figure, and you'll hear such "Coulterisms" as:<br /><br />"Liberals can't just come out and say they want to take more of our money, kill babies, and discriminate on the basis of race."<br /><br />"At least when right-wingers rant, there's a point."<br /><br />"Swing voters are more appropriately known as the 'idiot voters' because they have no set of philosophical principles. By the age of fourteen, you're either a Conservative or a Liberal if you have an IQ above a toaster."<br /><br />"Why not go to war just for oil? We need oil. What do Hollywood celebrities imagine fuels their private jets? How do they think their cocaine is delivered to them?"<br /><br />"Liberals hate America, they hate flag-wavers, they hate abortion opponents, they hate all religions except Islam, post 9/11. Even Islamic terrorists don't hate America like Liberals do. They don't have the energy. If they had that much energy, they'd have indoor plumbing by now."<br /><br />This highly collectible doll comes in a display box with information highlighting Ann's unique contributions to America's political discourse. If you can't get enough Ann Coulter, you'll want to order the Ann Coulter Talking Action Figure today!<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">This same shop has a GWB talking doll, but for some reason they don't list any of his funny quotes. Hmm...</span>kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-34866630238909085692008-03-01T13:06:00.000-08:002008-03-01T13:11:50.794-08:00Help me figure out what I'm getting intoThere's a show I want to do. It's a big show. There will be thousands of young buyers, and many of them save up during the year just to shop at this show. So far as I know, I'll be the only one selling the items I carry (vintage kimono, etc). <a href="http://www.fanime.com/">I really, really want to do this show. </a><br /><br />It costs $900 just for the booth. And it's 600 miles away. I'll have to drive. <br /><br />I am nuts. <br /><br />Damn. <br /><br /><br />So... tell me what you think. Am I crazy, overly ambitious, or on the right track?kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-8573040037143967802008-02-29T22:06:00.000-08:002008-02-29T22:12:45.100-08:00Red sexy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://amominredhighheels.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/dreamstime_rhh2.thumbnail.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px;" src="http://amominredhighheels.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/dreamstime_rhh2.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />My KimonoMomo bags got a nice mention <a href="http://amominredhighheels.com/2008/02/28/posh-mama-medium-tour-success/">A Mom in Red High Heels</a> recently. Cool site! I say check it out.kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-12276372095055013002008-02-26T12:19:00.000-08:002008-02-26T12:57:47.276-08:00It's all about change.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_9joD_AdSoK5TQD6k5Iv8Zfp8i9ofwbH10BnVR-z0zGbo7RKQSfQmJXdpgSm5h7poHNaOMgboO6w4FKHLobw1R1TVzWtmqp6oSCBE23rjYv68Z7rWQShC5Es2mCXNNybPBVBTw/s1600-h/vote.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_9joD_AdSoK5TQD6k5Iv8Zfp8i9ofwbH10BnVR-z0zGbo7RKQSfQmJXdpgSm5h7poHNaOMgboO6w4FKHLobw1R1TVzWtmqp6oSCBE23rjYv68Z7rWQShC5Es2mCXNNybPBVBTw/s320/vote.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171386445895106162" /></a><br /><br />A new candidate has joined the race! Loki Weasel today announced his intention to run for president, along with his long time associate, Lux Ferret.<br /><br />Loki's stance on foreign policy might be a bit shaky, but that's just because he doesn't get out of the house much. His running mate Lux has strong views on education and national health care, so she'll get the job done. And as for hot button issues like illegal immigration, you know they'll be on top of things. They have experience in that regard, as so many of their bretheren live illegally in New York City and the state of California. <br /><br />"Fluffy bedding, fresh kibble and clean drinking water are our top priorities," states Lux. "No one should go without the simple necessities in life. A safe place to sleep and food to eat should not be luxuries, but available to all." The candidates also are keen to make basic health care more accessible. "Loki and I both know first hand how devistating it can be to face health problems with inadequate or no insurance coverage, so we will work hard to devise the best possible plan for all, large or small."<br /><br />"Let's get the rats out of office," says Loki, harkening back to the days when ferrets were highly regarded as being tough on crime, especially in erradicating vermin. "We want to clean up the government, and will work from the bottom up to ferret out those who have been corrupted by lobbyists, special interest groups and corporations." <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ig2gPVqppZY9Lkk2zg67JkbiLf-YORyty2wiTmvYJTQ_Rjxrsd30x0XeUu3QBN9I5TzMg1_59bA3lEDUEPmq31McuhlSOE_SCv3d2Hjw_U7qTZrApeVDNr9HtyMivvez0FSv2g/s1600-h/vote2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ig2gPVqppZY9Lkk2zg67JkbiLf-YORyty2wiTmvYJTQ_Rjxrsd30x0XeUu3QBN9I5TzMg1_59bA3lEDUEPmq31McuhlSOE_SCv3d2Hjw_U7qTZrApeVDNr9HtyMivvez0FSv2g/s320/vote2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171394864031006338" /></a>Outspoken Dooker of the House, Boomer Rang, has thrown his support behind these two stalwart advocates of equality. "I've known them a long time, and I can honestly say Loki will put corrupt officials where they belong--on their knees. As for Lux, I know for a fact she won't take sh*t from anyone. Some may call her a shrew, but she works hard to stand up for what she believes is right."<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />IT'S TIME TO PUT A REAL WEASEL IN THE WHITE HOUSE<br /><br />LOKI & LUX 2008kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-1547488139528889352008-02-24T20:41:00.001-08:002008-02-24T21:05:26.869-08:00Saints preserve us!With apologies to <a href="http://festinalente-franiam.blogspot.com/">FranIAm</a> (who I'm sure will get a chuckle out of this anyway), I now present to you these icons designed and created by fellow Etsy artist Madelyn Smoak of <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5411207">Mad Art Jewelry</a> in North Carolina.<br /><br />First up we have <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8154881">Saint Pilaf, The Patron Saint of Imaginary Weapons of Mass Destruction</a>. Doesn't Condi look so reverential? <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/8/894/aff/il_430xN.14956800.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/8/894/aff/il_430xN.14956800.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />This next icon brings together <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8304345">Saint Malevictus, The Patron Saint of Senseless Sacrifice</a> and several of those who have been sacrificed in the War on Terror. I love the feel of this piece and the level of craftsmenship involved. Gorgeous, and yet depressing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/6/6c5/c8f/il_430xN.15440979.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/6/6c5/c8f/il_430xN.15440979.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />This one is just plain silly: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8543918">Saint Doobie, The Patron Saint of Global Village Idiots</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/e/e06/7c9/il_430xN.16217542.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/e/e06/7c9/il_430xN.16217542.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Click through and check out her work. Madelyn has quite a selection of non-political pieces, both elegant and artistic, but these make such a statement. In keeping with my kimono theme here on the blog, I'd also like to add this one, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9565007">Wabi Sabi Geisha</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/d/d8b/294/il_430xN.19553405.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/d/d8b/294/il_430xN.19553405.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-1176809406810424922008-02-20T21:47:00.000-08:002008-02-20T21:50:09.651-08:00And now for the gentlemenBecause Comrade Kevin asked and also because I need the practice, I give you the men's version of dressing in kimono, speed-style. (note: this is not quite the traditional way, and the guys are obviously non-Japanese, but it's a funny video from the perspective of someone who has had to dress people in kimono in a hurry)<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qTMtZB2VOGs&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qTMtZB2VOGs&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-86356686155727957662008-02-20T11:53:00.000-08:002008-02-20T11:55:35.716-08:00It's as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ......Just in case you were wondering what goes into putting on a kimono, this video will show you what I go through putting mine on, only I do it by myself with a mirror. It's kinda like having both hands tied behind my back!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MFSzCHM82Hc&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MFSzCHM82Hc&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-32615520055795780352008-02-11T13:36:00.000-08:002008-02-11T13:59:12.392-08:00Book memeI picked this one up from <a href="http://cabaretic.blogspot.com/2008/02/latest-book-quiz.html">Comrade Kevin</a> and <a href="http://politits.blogspot.com/2008/02/one-more-tag-on-this-meme-and-it-is.html">DCup</a> today because after a too-long hiatus, I'm back to reading their blogs (which I suggest you do too, if you don't already). I'm tagging myself with this one as I figured no one else would since I've been out of the loop for so long. So, here it goes:<br /><br />(1) Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more. (No cheating!)<br />(2) Find Page 123. Find the first 5 sentences and read them.<br />(3) Post the next 3 sentences.<br />(4) Tag 5 people.<br /><br />Well, since no one tagged me, I'm not going to tag anyone else. If you want to do it, I say go for it on your own volition. It's fun. The first book I grabbed was <span style="font-style:italic;">Beyond the Tanabata Bridge, Traditional Japanese Textiles.</span> It lives either next to my bed or at my desk, depending on where I'm sitting at the time. Page 123 has a color plate of a fireman's jacket, a fantastic example of craftsmanship. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigsmV-Cm-avZ9vSBpGO13dzRIcQMBkXrTTNcHqtCN9N9UUu31pvMESXI9RX9zAQhLC2Cb82_DBXpbDA0GjVRnFPWH_JD37gessig6t4Nb0UNwmgjTcCgerd9NtCs6g66bgeR7_bw/s1600-h/bookmeme1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigsmV-Cm-avZ9vSBpGO13dzRIcQMBkXrTTNcHqtCN9N9UUu31pvMESXI9RX9zAQhLC2Cb82_DBXpbDA0GjVRnFPWH_JD37gessig6t4Nb0UNwmgjTcCgerd9NtCs6g66bgeR7_bw/s320/bookmeme1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165842218641587794" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_OZzSEJnf1jqQlfW8ns-lYoA8dEwvHHTAnu9o0Agj_Vsxy3w2ssk23HIRTF4pO9wDbkr1cvHI0yPxxeaNgYZbICg4iXEZSUYQ-dyEHtoI2wzJOkcuBfD2bO_nwivlBrYsoU1YlA/s1600-h/bookmeme2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_OZzSEJnf1jqQlfW8ns-lYoA8dEwvHHTAnu9o0Agj_Vsxy3w2ssk23HIRTF4pO9wDbkr1cvHI0yPxxeaNgYZbICg4iXEZSUYQ-dyEHtoI2wzJOkcuBfD2bO_nwivlBrYsoU1YlA/s320/bookmeme2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165842424800018018" /></a><br /><br />"Commoner's firefighting coat (hikeshi banten), Late Edo-early Meiji period, mid-19th century. Quilted (sashiko) cotton coth with freehand paste-resist decoration (tsutsugaki)." --<span style="font-style:italic;">yes, I do actually read this stuff for fun.</span><br /><br />But I figured the point of the meme was to find something with actual <span style="font-style:italic;">words,</span> so I picked up <span style="font-style:italic;">Heaven's Net is Wide</span> by Lian Hearn (an interesting fictional tale about feudal Japan, but <span style="font-style:italic;">Shogun</span> it ain't) and found this lovely passage:<br /><br />"In the distance, a lone figure was stumbling across the plain. It fell repeatedly, struggled to its feet, sometimes crawled on hands and knees. As it came closer, they could hear its voice, a thin anguished howling that now and then quietened to sobbing only to rise again in a note that made horror touch the spines of the watching men."<br /><br />Think men with really sharp swords and no centralized government to tell them, hey, leave those peasants alone! Yeah, feudal Japan, where samurai were armed and peasants occasionally got slaughtered.<br /><br />Okay, your turn. Go!kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-58372252096510148932008-02-09T22:38:00.000-08:002008-02-09T22:49:59.636-08:00lil' bizzy bee, that's meToday I signed up with <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimonomomo/">flickr</a> and <a href="http://thedb.com/kimonomomo">Talent Database</a>. Why? um, because people at Etsy forums told me it would be good for networking. And I guess there just aren't enough places to be online already, right? I'm already on <a href="http://trunk.org/kimonomomo">Trunkt</a> (which is juried, so that's really cool), <a href="http://www.myspace.com/kimonomomo">myspace</a>, here on blogger, <a href="http://theardentthread.wordpress.com">wordpress</a>, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5432958">Etsy</a>, <a href="http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=kimonomomo">eBay</a>, <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/kimonomomo">Squidoo</a>, <a href="http://www.kimonomomo.com">my own website</a>, and... I'm sure I've forgotten some. <br /><br />I guess this kinda explains why I haven't been blogging much, doesn't it? I'm pooped.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.talentdatabase.com/channels/21-Crafts/profiles/1294101-KimonoMomo?utm_source=member_badge&utm_medium=html"><br /> <img src="http://images.theinspirit.com/content/Badges/talentdatabase_member.jpg" border="0" width="468" height="60" alt="TalentDatabase.com"/><br /></a>kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-63367453132159000862008-02-07T11:48:00.000-08:002008-02-07T11:53:55.822-08:00SakuranI just finished watching this film (I take Thursdays off) and it was most excellent. And before you ask, no, they are not geisha, and yes, it's as much fun as it looks. Great costumes, lots of sex, even some romance. Just perfect. <br /><br />Of course, it would be nice if the trailer had subtitles, but since it doesn't, I'll tell you that the cherry tree in bloom (sakura) and the goldfish are both highly symbolic in the story. Other than that... eh, I don't want to ruin it. <br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5k2ZKGRjY0U&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5k2ZKGRjY0U&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-75004852669590247172008-01-28T12:37:00.000-08:002008-01-28T12:45:48.204-08:00Don't talk to me about spring.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxgdY9AROZpucgBb_-cgwsA9SNrzgtXn9_QLPrnAcGCJTv05d8yYcblm1jslN_mSxL288be6QXPwvLFQBCa2d376B8gOFKjo9Pu5vSl3WIcLJEZ113eJn5oKfP5K7aBCDcq6Txw/s1600-h/snow_fence_1-08.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxgdY9AROZpucgBb_-cgwsA9SNrzgtXn9_QLPrnAcGCJTv05d8yYcblm1jslN_mSxL288be6QXPwvLFQBCa2d376B8gOFKjo9Pu5vSl3WIcLJEZ113eJn5oKfP5K7aBCDcq6Txw/s320/snow_fence_1-08.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160630117707684514" /></a><br /><br />This was the view outside my window yesterday morning. Today it looks slightly more snowy, but since the sun has come out, it's all melting. My back muscles are not happy with me due to all the time I've spent shoveling the driveway, walkway and front porch yesterday and today. It's my daughter's job, but never mind. Being the stubborn virgo that I am, I had to do it <span style="font-style:italic;">right.<br /></span> <br />I need another cuppa tea. Oh yeah, Astrogeek has come down with his annual case of pneumonia, so he's staying home with me today. We're quite the pair of achy whiners today. I think we'll be having ice cream for lunch and watching the Ninth Gate. Don't try to stop us.kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-32730168336359984322008-01-26T19:21:00.000-08:002008-01-26T19:28:55.807-08:00So pretty!I love it when my customers let me see what they do with the fabrics I sell. Today I got a ping from the lovely lady blogger at <a href="http://martsfarm.blogspot.com/" target="blank">Mart's Farm Blog</a> and she shared an art quilt she made for her sister-in-law. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqTWCM87S20w328FFoZIo2sqQSnDh1h0XrOC5xxLA0A_YDADBulp6JA9cblxD2-Q5tE5VAX7nBCpshyphenhyphennUqLOrk-8AbilVYzbs0byZ3QtJiKH6o4_xwRxmSqVAvODrqv5HeHb5u/s320/Lisaquilt.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqTWCM87S20w328FFoZIo2sqQSnDh1h0XrOC5xxLA0A_YDADBulp6JA9cblxD2-Q5tE5VAX7nBCpshyphenhyphennUqLOrk-8AbilVYzbs0byZ3QtJiKH6o4_xwRxmSqVAvODrqv5HeHb5u/s320/Lisaquilt.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Domo arigatou gozaimasu! Thank you so much for sharing.kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-44584072000371307502008-01-23T11:42:00.000-08:002008-01-23T12:31:21.716-08:00There be fairies?While checking out the <a href="http://akacontrariwise.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2007-12-22T09%3A20%3A00-05%3A00&max-results=18">Contrariwise</a> blog yesterday I read about Urban Fairies and how you just never know when or where they might be about. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhgT4vrK7n5PCGidc5zQaHRgasuu-S30h_Yct3FdsfZFJ9CJz14SQ9n2xsmmTCP4-UvVuqjFZYa74c26ZGTMf1rJ_1zMEXY_u_mIj97ikGsZgHsAj-tyLceGQBMnKvsI1ko91zA/s1600-h/fairy_door.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhgT4vrK7n5PCGidc5zQaHRgasuu-S30h_Yct3FdsfZFJ9CJz14SQ9n2xsmmTCP4-UvVuqjFZYa74c26ZGTMf1rJ_1zMEXY_u_mIj97ikGsZgHsAj-tyLceGQBMnKvsI1ko91zA/s320/fairy_door.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158771603754326674" /></a><br /><br />As I have been planning to post on my other blog <a href="http://theardentthread.wordpress.com">The Ardent Thread</a> about <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5095325">Warped and Wonderful</a>, a weaver who sells her work on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/index.php">Etsy.com</a>, I thought this might be just the thing for an urban fairy who likes to live in comfort: a handwoven bedspread, available through her <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8036129">shop right here.</a> <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/3/38b/b89/il_430xN.14572490.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/3/38b/b89/il_430xN.14572490.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />When I was little (okay, stop laughing, I know I'm still short) my grandmother would take us grandkids on hikes through her neighborhood on the waterfront of Puget Sound outside of Olympia, Washington. We'd wander through dense forests of old growth trees and wild flowers, and she'd tell us to keep an eye out for the forest fairies.<br /><br />One summer when my sister and I asked to go on a fairy hike, our grandmother told us we couldn't go anymore. Why not? Because a developer had bought the surrounding acreage and was building houses on it. The fairies were gone. Forever. Believe it or not, that one moment stuck in my mind as the point at which I became and environmentalist. I was probably only 7 years old at the time, maybe even younger, but it opened my eyes to the idea of urban sprawl and over-development. As an adult, I've collected flower seeds from my grandmother's garden to grow in my own garden and always make sure there is a safe place for the garden fairies to live. <br /><br />My grandmother, a formidable woman, passed away at the age of 94 in 1997, the year my son was born. I was living in England, tending to Old World fairies in my tiny (1 foot by 3 foot) garden and taking my babies for strolls across the nearby heath, past mounding shrubs of wild roses, eating wild blackberries or sipping nectar from honeysuckle. I was on the brink of a messy divorce, but what I remember most fondly are those long and lovely days spent out in the scrubby wilds of southern England with little children (sometimes several, including the neighbors) in tow. <br /><br />These days my high desert fairy friends are under snow, perhaps dreaming of the flowers we'll be planting in the spring. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwnt86DQoK_3DUloIDbeiBPlMRERy4jTm33OBZpwarzV5qms7tmbBWJsGbOUZW9XENh7duLkmv2cRUr92Jvl_7uo869GAkOJXnfA5flc0gaRVM_hj6HH_dKygEWNj1FDey_QgbA/s1600-h/quanyin_1-08.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwnt86DQoK_3DUloIDbeiBPlMRERy4jTm33OBZpwarzV5qms7tmbBWJsGbOUZW9XENh7duLkmv2cRUr92Jvl_7uo869GAkOJXnfA5flc0gaRVM_hj6HH_dKygEWNj1FDey_QgbA/s320/quanyin_1-08.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158770126285576834" /></a>kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-26960019487126828162008-01-13T23:35:00.000-08:002008-01-13T23:43:58.518-08:00So in love<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.sakeone.com/sakeone/imageresolver?path=images/content/store/ms_coco.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 120px;" src="http://www.sakeone.com/sakeone/imageresolver?path=images/content/store/ms_coco.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I rarely, <span style="font-style:italic;">rarely</span> drink alcoholic beverages, so to say I'm hooked on one, smitten, in fact, really says something. And no, I'm not plugging it just because they practically poured it down my throat last summer when I was at the tasting room and did that kimono fashion show. I really dig this stuff. <a href="http://www.sakeone.com/sakeone/catalog/view_product.jsp?product_id=1006&cat_id=1002" target="blank">Coconut Lemongrass Saké from SakéOne</a> in Forest Grove, Oregon. Yum.kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-26940822980014809122008-01-08T08:49:00.000-08:002008-01-08T09:11:43.219-08:00Let's make a band! memeFrom <a href="http://zaiusnation.blogspot.com/2008/01/faux-band-meme.html">Zaius Nation:</a><br /><br />Let’s Make a Band:<br />1. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random</a><br />The first article title on the page is the name of your band.<br />(Bema is somewhere in Italy)<br /><br />2. <a href="http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3" target="_blank">http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3</a><br />The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.<br />(mine was "When you play, play hard; when you work, don't play at all."<br /> Theodore Roosevelt (1858 - 1919))<br /><br />3. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/" target="_blank">http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/</a><br />The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.<br />(this pic is "Arthur Punished". There were several pics on the page that would have worked really well, including a chain link fence with ice on it, and a scolded dog. I just got lucky.)<br /><br />You then take the pic and add your band name and the album title to it, then post your pic.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiam1ipXQIYDHJ76iqEzRxLz8nlWjK2iMFYVBEV_lWPra_N55sYTCe8-GRS9zJIaFYida5a8k31k38DQQyTHzYL0UIoHHk2qkUKgB1PYww6t3kfHf9wtXmeEpJobICoeMpYtQY32A/s1600-h/band_meme.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiam1ipXQIYDHJ76iqEzRxLz8nlWjK2iMFYVBEV_lWPra_N55sYTCe8-GRS9zJIaFYida5a8k31k38DQQyTHzYL0UIoHHk2qkUKgB1PYww6t3kfHf9wtXmeEpJobICoeMpYtQY32A/s320/band_meme.jpg" border="1" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153152315824860098" /></a>kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-82989466233648485862008-01-01T12:01:00.000-08:002008-01-01T12:07:12.872-08:00whoo hoo! new blog!Moving on a bit from the rampant silliness and unfocused nonsense of this blog, I've put up another one at WordPress, <a href="http://theardentthread.wordpress.com/">The Ardent Thread</a>, where I'll be all business-like and discuss the stuff I actually do for a living. You're welcome to join me. I'll probably still post here, too, since I can't hold a straight face for too long, but we'll see.<br /><br />Anywho, it was great to finally make it back to BlueGal's Monday night Skype session. I've missed you clever people. Cheers to BlueGal, Comrade Kevin, Dark Black, DCup, MathMan, Tengrain, Bad Astronomer, FranIAm (who was there in spirit) and all the rest.<br /><br />Be well, and Happy New Year!kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-86653558061093342942007-12-16T11:06:00.000-08:002007-12-16T11:12:06.867-08:00Too funny not to postI've been trying to pick a single item from the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5079854">Mixed Species</a> shop to post about, but couldn't. They all make me laugh. Maybe it's because I lived in Corvallis for a while, who knows?--but I really get this stuff. It could be that there's just something in the water here in the Pacific Northwest. Whatever. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/c/c1e/0ca/il_430xN.11564330.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/c/c1e/0ca/il_430xN.11564330.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-60247413810930834562007-12-13T01:48:00.000-08:002007-12-13T02:02:48.880-08:00It's 2 am. Spare a little change?I'm working my tush off with the Kimono Momo website, the ebay store, and the Etsy store, and now I'm out of stuff to sell! Well, nearly so. To that end I've been working for the past two months to put together a kick-ass loan proposal for a small business micro loan, but it will take several weeks to get it approved and I need to pay for an outstanding order before the end of this month, not next month, ya know?<br /><br />If you're feeling adventurous and/or generous, take a look at my Prosper loan proposal and see if you feel like throwing a little loan my way. If you've never heard of Prosper, read up on it. I have a friend here in town who financed part of his business with it and even my small business counselor suggested it. It's an interesting way for you to make a little cash off of me by earning interest from my loan. Really! It's peer-to-peer lending, which is pretty cool and so very modern. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.prosper.com/lend/listing.aspx?listingID=249999&referrer=silkenthread&utm_source=referrer-silkenthread&utm_medium=referral-button&utm_content=bid-on-my-listing-180x150&utm_campaign=referrals-listing"><img src="http://www.prosper.com/images/promote/bid-on-my-listing-180x150.gif" width="180" height="150" border="0" alt="Bid on my listing at Prosper, people-to-people lending"></a> I don't know all the details, but apparently there is some sort of promotion where you can get at $25 bonus for lending to me. I'm sure they'll explain it at the site, so go check it out. <br /><br />Okay, I'm toddling off to bed now. Astrogeek has warmed the bed quite thoroughly by now, I'm sure. I'll just stick my icy toes next to his and see if he jumps, shall I?kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-41097511898470118082007-12-11T19:55:00.000-08:002007-12-11T20:01:06.514-08:00Bloggin' and froggin'The lovely Liz over at <a href="http://nogoodforme.filmstills.org/blog/archives/2007/12/11/more_holiday_sa.html">No Good For Me</a> posted about my bags today! (insert Kermit the frog waving arms madly) Yaaaaaay! Thanks, Liz.kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-27258795344008607152007-12-10T21:26:00.000-08:002007-12-10T21:32:09.360-08:00My new playgroundI'm enjoying Etsy.com a helluva lot more than Ebay. The site is much more friendly, colorful and welcoming. And hey! <a href="http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=18127">I'm in a treasury this week.</a> Nice. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/1/1ae/da7/il_430xN.10688109.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px;" src="http://images.etsy.com/all_images/1/1ae/da7/il_430xN.10688109.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Here's a little pretty that is also in the treasury. As I'm a fan of all things Japanese (except their politics), I've got to say, these little buttons from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=67424">TLiss</a> are pretty cute.kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-81407982135782594852007-12-07T23:26:00.000-08:002007-12-07T23:56:47.738-08:00It's a tiny, *shrinking* little worldand I'm sure it's getting smaller by the hour. Six degrees of separation? Ha! Try more like three. This came to me as I was sitting on a bus in Hong Kong many, many years ago when I met a woman who had gone to the same high school I had just graduated from. And of course there's nothing like moving 500 miles from your home town just to meet and fall in love with a boy who grew up in that very same town but you never met until you'd both moved away. <br /><br />I frequently meet people who either know where my hometown is (which is surprising since a lot of folks who actually live near it don't even know it exists) or know people I grew up with. There are also people who seem to move with me, like some great herd migration that none of us are aware of until we meet again someplace different from last time... mostly old Renaissance Faire friends from California (oh those were the days. I miss Black Point, do you?). <br /><br />The idea of a collective consciousness appeals to me in a way that religion does not. I think that religion tries to reach for it, but throws a monkey wrench into the works by adding the concept of a great omnipotent leader (paternal or not). Do I believe in a higher power? Certainly, but it's the higher power of the collective consciousness, and not just ours. It's everything, all of it, including the space between the stars. You can call it The Force (I just heard Yoda in my head, explaining the Force to Luke. Yes, I'm a geek), you can call it Mana, call it what you will, but it doesn't really need a name. A few people have told me I sound like a secular humanist, but I'm not even sure that explains my philosophy. <br /><br />But back to that small world idea. The internet of course has a lot to do with it, so do TV, radio, and other forms of communication that we weren't naturally born with. Ideas now spin faster around the globe than ever before, and what are we doing with all of this speed and technology? It does my head in even considering how much we waste this precious new talent we've developed. Instead of opening our minds to new concepts and learning more about each other, we're watching "reality" TV and learning to hate new people we've never even met. Fear, hate and intolerance seem to spread more virulently than... well, the good stuff. Sorry, after 7 years away from people I could actually discourse with, my vocabulary and debating skills have rather gone down the toilet. I'm working on reviving them, though. <br /><br />I feel quite literally tongue-tied right now. My brain is spinning and I can't find the right words to convey what's going in in there, but since this is a one-sided conversation, it doesn't really matter. This is why I tend to blog more on other peoples' blogs (by responding) than on my own. It's so much easier to respond to a challenge than to sit around waiting for one to come to me. <br /><br />Anywho, I've got a business plan to write. Nose to the grindstone and all that. *sigh* What a load of crap I've just written. Just the warm up I needed for the task ahead.kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-8979339994657812312007-12-05T12:49:00.000-08:002007-12-05T12:55:54.337-08:00Photos I Like, part III logged in to update <a href="http://www.trunkt.org/client.listing_more.cfm/id/673">my Trunkt profile</a> today and found <a href="http://www.trunkt.org/client.listing_more.cfm/id/2573">this amazing portfolio from isphotography.</a> My own portfolio looks a trifle anemic right now, but that's just because I'm updating it. In the meantime, take a stroll through isphotography's work for a touch of the slightly surreal.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.trunkt.org/custom/image/productimage/9706_image.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px;" src="http://www.trunkt.org/custom/image/productimage/9706_image.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14269923.post-65576685579222933172007-12-01T13:46:00.000-08:002007-12-01T13:49:20.460-08:00Just because I can't seem to be busy enoughNow I'm on Etsy, too. <br /><br /><table style="text-align: center;"><tr><td><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.etsy.com/flash/spots/etsy_mini.swf?user_id=5432958&user_name=kimonomomo&item_source=shop&item_size=thumbnail&rows=2&columns=2" width="186" height="186"><param name="movie" value="http://www.etsy.com/flash/spots/etsy_mini.swf?user_id=5432958&user_name=kimonomomo&item_source=shop&item_size=thumbnail&rows=2&columns=2" /></object></td></tr><tr><td><a style="text-decoration: none; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#D35701; font-size:14px; font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.etsy.com" >Etsy</a><br/><a style="text-decoration: none; color:#D35701; font-size:10px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" href="http://www.etsy.com" >Buy Handmade</a><br/><a style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#0192B5; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" href="http://kimonomomo.etsy.com">kimonomomo</a></td></tr></table>kimono himehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07444753047284766390noreply@blogger.com3