• THE VIEW FROM HERE •

• Self portrait with Starbuck yesterday •

Yesterday I took a little Sunday ride with Jeff's mom, Louise.  Last week was one of those weeks that really puts you through your paces.  And the night before had been especially rough, with Elliott not feeling well, and consequently,  not sleeping well.  So a ride was exactly what I needed to get my mind of off life's craziness for a few hours.  I'm very thankful to Louise for acting as my Paso Robles back-country tourguide yesterday, and VERY grateful to Jeffrey for encouraging me to go have fun, while he stayed behind to watch a grumpy 2 year old.  

Since I'm not much of a hiker, or a camper, I've really enjoyed exploring the Central Coast on horseback this past year.  It makes me feel like I'm getting to know the land in a much different, and deeper way.  Riding here has helped me to feel grounded and a bit more in touch with where I live.  I also love that Starbuck is the one exploring this new territory with me.  He's a kindred spirit, and an old friend- and I can't say I have many of either nearby.   It's a comfort to have him here.

• Baby 'Buck.  I had to stand on my knees to be eye-level with him for this photo •

• All grown up and modeling for Ambiance last Summer •

• The two of us exploring Bishop's Peak last year •

I love that he knows all the nooks and crannies of the trails back home on our little island-  the ones I spent years and years exploring on my "babysitter" horses.  And I like that we're discovering California together.  But it's funny riding here, my mind can't help but make comparisons.  For all the wetness, deep mud, wild fruit, and giant tree roots covering the trails back home, here there are ancient oaks, deer, gigantic pinecones, crunchy earth, and lots of dust.  A coyote crossed our path yesterday.  A COYOTE!  I'd only ever seen one briefly from the window of a train before.  A dog barked from behind a fence and startled Starbuck.  The sudden jolt reminded me of my constant fear - from a childhood spent on horseback... the threat of a pheasant flying out from under tall buffalo grass and spooking a running horse sideways.  It happened so many times, and kept me forever grateful for my saddle-horn.  Louise cautioned me that the comparable danger to riders here, is a sudden, bounding deer.

• She's such a cute cowgirl. I made her pause to capture this fun silhouette on our way home •

I don't talk much about them here on the blog, but it's amazing how much of my life, and how many of my memories were made on the back of a horse.  Crossing rivers, swimming through little waves... feeling my body float up and parallel with the surface of the water, clinging to a wet mane.  It's a visceral memory that I can still feel inside, and I love that I know it.  Wind so hard against my face, I could barely keep my eyes open, running up to the top of hills to see the valleys and taro fields far below.  Picking strawberry guavas to share with my horse.  One for you... one for me...  Always exploring, always discovering, always learning.  

One day when I was about 9 or 10 years old, I went for a long ride, exploring the base of a mountainous jungle with my horse and my dog.  Eventually I found a giant, old mango tree with passion fruit vines growing in it.  On the ground, I'd never have noticed them, but on my horse, they brushed across my face as I rode under the tree.  

*Photo Credit: Unknown (via google)

The purple and white flowers grew upside-down and looked like alien spaceships.  Convinced that I'd uncovered an entirely new species, I tucked a flower (bigger than my hand) into the pocket of my saddle, and raced back to announce my discovery (and start my career as a world-famous explorer/botanist/prodigy).  Of course, when I reached the barn, the flower was gone.  I knew that without a trail to guide me back, I'd never find the "magical tree" again.  So you can imagine my shock when I discovered the flowering vine for sale at Home Depot as an adult.  It made me laugh out loud.

I can only wonder what discoveries lay ahead for me in this old cowboy country.  It's so exciting to explore lands that horses and riders have traversed for centuries!  Excuse me, my inner history-nerd is showing, but really!  Louise told me about the ruins of a mission, and cemetery nearby and I'm very anxious to learn more.  Starbuck concurs.   We'll keep you updated.  :)

S U N D A Y • P H O T O • A D V E N T U R E S

If you read Jeff's blog, you might already know that on November 10th we started a new hobby... Sunday photo adventures.  Sometimes it's all five of us, but sometimes we put Elliott down for his nap and leave him in the care of James and Evy for two hours so we can have a photo adventure/date.  It's been pretty amazing.

As a family we've explored Soda Lake in the California Valley, discovered an abandoned adobe, taken a farm tour of Paso where we found sheep, pigs, miniature horses, and eaten roadside fruit, carrots freshly pulled out of the ground, and yummy goat cheese.  The kids loved meeting said goats and feeding them ice cream cones full of grain.  Really cool.  

As a couple, Jeff and I have visited San Miguel and taken the Mission tour- something we'd never actually done after many Mission visits and masses there.  Really beautiful and so moving.   We've also discovered the Caledonia Adobe, had impromptu picnics in the park, and enjoyed uninterrupted conversations- something pretty sacred in a house with three children.  We're loving this new Sunday tradition.  

However, in my search for a Christmas card photo- I noticed one thing we've been lacking in our lives is portraits of us together.  We take SOOOOOO many photos of the kids and each other too, but we have less exactly ONE of all five of us together in 2013.  Not acceptable!  So I decided to add a challenge to our Sunday adventures...  A PORTRAIT SERIES!  

As I explained to Jeff, they need not be fancy, posed, or even particularly dignified.  Just a concerted effort to photograph ourselves together.  Yesterday it was just the two of us, and we didn't even use the camera timer or the tripod- just laid in the grass and clicked the shutter.  I'm really looking forward to our first portrait outing with all five of us.  It should be... interesting.  I'll keep you posted.  :)

Heads up! 50% OFF, 24 hours only!

Hi friends! Just thought I'd tip you off on Jeff's crazy once-annual, 24 hour only, 50% off sale.  He's offering half off EVERYTHING... original paintings, limited edition prints, t-shirts, wallets, stickers - you name it.  This is a great chance to stock up on unique Christmas presents and birthday gifts, at ridiculously good prices.  Buy 'em now, and stash 'em away for later!

xoxo,

Let the pinning commence!

Ok my friends... I've finally organized and uploaded all of my home inspiration photos on pinterest!  YAY!!!  Every day that we get closer and closer to our new home, makes us more and more excited.  I  can't wait to get in there and start working on it.  We're really hoping for a breezy, open, and serene feeling in the house, and these inspiration photos I've been collecting totally nail the look.  I think they're the perfect combination of modern and comfortable.  Clean and fresh, but not too fussy, and just the right amount of quirk.  You know, I'm all about the quirk.  If you have a minute, pop on over to my pinterest page and take a look at the Home Decor board.  I'd love to know what you think.  ♥

P.S. Here's a sneak peek of the board: 

Holiday Portraits...

Our photographer friend Richard is doing holiday portraits!

We were lucky enough to snag a session with him recently, and the results are so great.  It's incredibly impressive to me that he was able to get ANY good shots, because things got CRAAAZZYYY during our session.  Seriously... a full-blown calamity.  Elliott cried, he ran away, he smiled with Teddy Grahams in his teeth, Evelyn pouted, and oh yeah... JAMES FELL IN THE CREEK.  Ughhhhhhh!!!  Poor Richard.  He took all this in stride, stayed totally cool, and managed to capture some really sweet moments in a very short amount of time.  If you are in the market for family photos this season (helloooo, cute Christmas cards), be sure to get in touch with Richard.  See his Holiday rates here.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, RICHARD!  WE LOVE OUR PHOTOS.  :)

Q+A with designer, Robin Kaplan...

*This sponsored post, brought to you by:

                                                   

Robin is a pint-sized fashion powerhouse!  She's been creating gorgeous apparel, right here on the Central Coast for nearly twenty years!  You've seen her lush, romantic, hand-dyed, skirts, tops, cardigans, and dresses showcased at AMBIANCE- now get to know the woman behind the seams...

Q. Can you recall your first fashion memory?

A. I remember having the most expensive taste in clothing, and torturing my poor lower middle class mother trying to make ends meet, to get me the clothes I wanted. She was so adoring of me, she did the best she could. I must have been about 11 or 12, I found this blue wool suit trimmed with red piping. Just the cat's meow. I did get her to buy that one for me.

Q. Please explain a bit about your designing process.

A. I do some drawing, though that is a tedious process for me. I work with a pattern maker, who has gotten to know my aesthetic very well. We brainstorm together and she materializes what I've come up with, sometimes discovering new and different ideas on the way.

Q. Where do you find inspiration?  And what's inspiring you now?

A. Textiles are my passion. I find them first and see what they have to tell me.

I would have to say that I'm often inspired by what I see on the street. Although my final designs don't resemble the original inspiration, that's how it sometimes starts. I'm endlessly impressed by the way people put things together.

Q. Does your studio reflect the aesthetic of your clothing?

A. Yes, it does. As time goes on, I've been adding to it. I just created a bridal salon/showroom in my studio. 

Q. When you're putting pen to paper, is there a particular woman you're designing for?

A. I design for [women ages] 20's to 90's, I have a look, that for a certain woman, spans a wide range. She is someone who doesn't follow trends, wants to be feminine, beautiful and comfortable

Q. Who are some of your personal style icons?

A. Rodarte, Yves Saint Laurent.

Q. Aside from clothing design, do you have any other hidden talents up your sleeve?

A. In my very early years, I was a sculptor of clay. My first profession was a hair designer. I have also been making jewelry to go with my collections. I'm currently in a painting class, just for fun

Q. What's the most important lesson you've learned in your career so far?

A. Personally, I believe that people need to follow their heart when it comes to fashion and wear what makes them feel incredible and beautiful. 

Q. What can we look forward to seeing from your line in the coming Season?

A. I found some woven italian wools that I'm lusting over. I've also just started working with Liberty of London prints which I've dreamt about for years. 

Also searching for the perfect knit to carry on my tee shirt line

THANK YOU, ROBIN!  
Swing by AMBIANCE today to experience Robin's beautiful designs in-person.

Halloweenies and sickies and such...

Yesterday I came to the conclusion that the central coast has gone ahead and skipped Fall this year.  We've gone straight from summer to winter.  I mean, just a week ago we were having an obnoxious heatwave, and now here we are battling the flu, wearing footy jammies, and blasting the heaters.  What gives, weather?!  Elliott doesn't seem too bothered.  Even with a gross runny nose, and less time outdoors...  Give him a Hot Wheels car and an applesauce crusher, and he's pretty stoked on life.  

We kept ourselves busy throughout the week of plague, by trying on Halloween costumes, baking way too many brownies, and catching up on our Caillou.  But we finally ventured out a few days ago and the kids were SO excited to find the goofy Halloween cutout at Trader Joes...

And of course, they made new friends...

Ohhh, these crazy kidlets.  ♥

6 locals you should be following on instagram...

You know how much I love instagram, right?  I love and follow instagramers from all over the world, but did you know that we've got some awesome instagram users with super fun, inspiring photos- right here in SLO?  There are so many great accounts, but these are 6 local users I just can't get enough of.  Here's who you need to be following right now!  I mean, besides @SLOmygosh, of course...  

Trust me, your feed will thank you.  :)

who  @MNKR_BRAND

what  All things MNKR related.  Day-to-day life of an upstart -gone big city. 

where  Arroyo Grande native/local t-shirt Co., both recent LA transplants.

why  Inspiration shots, new design sneak peeks, and behind-the-scenes of downtown LA.                  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

who  @jeffclaassen 

what  Local art hustler/blogger/dad.  And yes, SLOmygosh better-half.

where SLO native, downtown dweller. 

why  Life as an artist, and family man.  When your art is loud and your family is louder.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

who  @jasonxyouth

what  Tattoo artist, straight edge, camera-obsessed, train-hopper.

where Vagabond-at-heart, frequent low-brow trips elsewhere, always finds his way back to SLO.  

why  Amazing talent, adventures you wish you were on, insects you wish you hadn't seen.        

who  @misocrafty

what  Cloth-diapering, baby-wearing, super mom.  Crafter, gardener, and the cook I aspire to be...

where  SLO-county family, happy at home.

why  Amazing meal ideas, craft inspiration (she MADE her baby carrier), + gratuitous cutie pie baby shots. 

who  @josepholesh

what  Photographer, videographer, marketer-extraordinaire, wine and food enthusiast...

where  From SLO, to DC and frequent travels between.

why  Fascinating auto-shots (and I'm not even a car fan), and the coolest dog on instagram.

who  @jorybrigham

what  Life as a kick-ass furniture designer/brilliant wood-worker/goofball dad.

where  Los Osos shenanigans.

why  Hysterical kid-shots, family life, behind the scenes workshop'ing, drool-worthy product shots.