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.

Liberty for all... almost.

Oh, how I wish I was in London this weekend. A Liberty sample sale; up to 90--that's NINETY--percent off? Lucky limeys (no offense). Sigh! I guess I'll just have to dream about it and satisfy my cravings with frequent visits to their blog instead.

Made in Japan.

Ever since I can remember I have had a fascination with anything related to Japanese culture. When I was a teen waaay back in the 80s my family went to Orlando. I could have spent the whole trip in the Mitsukoshi department store in the Japan Pavilion at Epcot. Then one of my friends spent a year working in Tokyo after college. She introduced me to the Kinokuniya bookstore in NYC when she returned; I have been in love with the store ever since and visit as often as I can. So I was thrilled recently to discover uguisu, a wonderful web shop with a great selection of treats from Japan (or "Japanese Goodies" as Hiki, the owner, calls them):

paper goods



washi paper masking tapes



beautifully printed linen towels



hanko stamps



magazines & books including one of my favorites, ku:nel



Hiki lives in Tokyo but has very reasonable international shipping rates. I now have a very long wish list of "goodies" I want to order from this great site. Be sure to also visit Jollygoo, Hiki's fascinating blog. Oyasuminasai!