Mami Yamanaka's work is amazing! The details in the intricate patterns make me dizzy in a hypnotically happy kind of way. I just can't imagine the patience she must have, impressive.

Technorati Tags: art, painting

Posted by big bunny at 10:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I really like the organic shapes and painterly layers in these works by Molly Geissman. I can't recall how I came across her work because I keep this ridiculously full folder of web links on my desktop called "to blog" and when, and if, I ever revisit the link, I certainly can't remember the path that led me there. However, what I'm especially enjoying about rediscovering her work today is that the pieces on her personal site are mixded media encaustic — my new favorite art medium — what serendipity!

Technorati Tags: art, encaustic, painting

Posted by big bunny at 9:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Found these beautiful desktop wallpers via blog How About Orange (my favorite color) on a site called Kindred — which highlights emerging artists by asking them to design a seasonal desktop wallpaper which they then offer free to us, thanks! (great links too)

Technorati Tags: art, blogging, drawing, illustration, inspiration

Posted by big bunny at 10:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm finally allowed to release this information to the whole wide web world...I'm thrilled to announce I'm going to be an auntie! These are the first photos of my nephew-to-be cooking away in his happy place. I love him already and I'm so excited for aunnie & yaya, yay!

Posted by big bunny at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Our kids love bath night. Frankly we enjoy it too. The hour between dinner and bedtime sails by because the kids are happy. Just like the saying goes "kids, just add water." In our case adding Alex's shaving cream soap increases the fun factor even more. Max and Vivi turned the bath water a wondrously unnatural shade of aqua with the abundant amount of shaving soap they added to the bath. The pictures say it all don't you think?!

Technorati Tags: parenting, preschooler, siblings, toddler

Posted by big bunny at 8:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While playing late on a chilly afternoon at Parque Ninos Unidos, Maximillian and Vivienne discovered this hammock and laid in it for at least ten minutes, maybe more, asking me to swing them over and over again. They cooperated fully with each other, laying still and experimenting with closing and opening their eyes.

Vivi and Max love to "play bedtime." They pretend to get ready for bed, get their "nigh nighs" (lovie blankets), fluff the pillows and get under the covers in Max's teeny tiny toddler bed. They barely fit and usually one or both of them bonk their heads on the head board or side rails, so I can't figure why they love to repeat this game — but they do — and to no end! What cuddle bunnies they are.

Technorati Tags: preschooler, siblings, toddler

Posted by big bunny at 8:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The gloriously healthy ms. vivi weighs in at 30lbs and measures 36 inches (uh she's huge for suresies!). Doc says she's practically perfect, wishes us well and says see you when she turns two. On we go...

Posted by big bunny at 5:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Writing, drawing or any kind of mark making on the sidewalks around our house has been a fun to do project as of late. In fact the kids are keeping the box of chalk right by our front door so they can start scribbling as soon as they step outside. It's so sweet to see them working together and enjoying each other while they play. I really think these two siblings love each other already and will grow up to be friends.

Technorati Tags: siblings

Posted by big bunny at 3:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was so super funsies to enjoy a really hot day that rolled into a comfortable night. We dined on the back porch at Chow and luckily got our favorite waitress Jess. See Aunnie and Vivi eating mashed potatoes with a chop stick above! Afterward I was loving that we all hung out on the front stoop of our house and chitty chatted with each other and many of our neighbors who strolled by, while sipping some cold white vino followed by scoops of ice cream, as we watched Max and Cindy chalking the sidewalk with adorable robot drawings! There was one really big one with arms stretching out twice the length of its body that Max named "Moe" (from the movie Wall•e). Thanks to Yaya for the pixs.

Posted by big bunny at 2:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Max was a rock star at the dentist this afternoon. He's actually really good at most appointments like these — the doctor, barber etc. He cooperates nicely. His teeth looked great and he's a good brusher. He had a couple of stains on his back molars and really needs to start brushing in the morning not just at night, but other than that all was well. He had his first x-rays taken which was a fun experience since he loved seeing what's inside his gums. What's in there you ask? All of his adult teeth are lined up directly above just waiting until they are ready to drop down. Wild! He has big adult teeth the dentist said. He also has the same wicked overbite his mommy and daddy are sporting plus serious overcrowding. Looks like the charlatan art of orthodontistry is in our future, I hear cash register bells ringing in my head.

It was tough managing two kids during the hour long appointment. Vivienne was a serious handful. She wanted to be in the dentist chair doing everything her big brother was doing. This girl hates to be left out (ok who doesn't?), but gee Viv, it's the dentist after all, just relax and consider yourself lucky that you just get to watch. She gets her first appointment when she turns two.

Posted by big bunny at 3:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oh my, what fun it was to see Max dress in his sailor shirt, kerchief and hat. He wore it with pride and kept his hat on all day — even under his coat hoodie. His teachers went crazy when they saw him. Andy wanted to switch clothes and Nina was kicking herself for forgetting her camera that day. Can you blame them?! For the record pogey bait means sweet stuff.

Later Max really turned into a sailor as he tattooed himself with six different images. What was so cute was how he told me he put the heart tattoo right where his heart is on the inside. Sweetie!

Technorati Tags: preschooler

Posted by big bunny at 3:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I love watching Vivienne do just about everything. Watching her eat miso soup at Moki's was a special treat. She tested it, liked it and slurped up most of it. I took about forty photos of her feeding herself so be glad I only posted four. This girl is impressive with a spoon or a fork and she even tries to use chop sticks!

It's so fun to watch Vivi discover the world. She's running now and starting to master the stairs, well, really only in the up direction. She's super smart and understands many things we say and is excellent with taking direction. Ask her for something and she'll get it for you. For example, she fetches shoes for herself and for me (also in the hopes we'll leave the house asap!). She's big on "B" words, her favorites are belly button, bubble, ball, balloon, baby, banana, boo and book. Every once in awhile she whips out a random new word and it sounds pretty accurate, which can be freaky to hear—it's tough to get her to repeat it though. She certainly has a mind of her own. Give her an open top drinking cup and she'll politely take it, hold it perfectly still and take a sip, perhaps even set it down and smile at you. You look away thinking all is well with her, then she picks it up and purposely pours it all over the counter so she can put her hands in it, spread it across the counter, mush it into her food, and attempt to wipe it up with a paper towel which really just spreads it further across the counter and of course onto the floor — fun in her book anyway. Case in point with the DIY yogurt feeding photo below.

A typical day with Vivi consists of a minimum of 2-4 outfit changes based on her love of liquids. No day is complete without time spent washing hands, which I realize is a good thing since some kids won't go near soap or water. Her "washing" technique is like a bird taking a bath. She likes to splish splash and pour and I think she'd do it for an hour or maybe more if I'd let her. I'd let it run it's course if I wasn't so paranoid about the lack of clean water being the worlds biggest issue. Vivienne loves three things most right now in this order: nigh nigh (her polka dot blanket), pushing her baby doll in the toddler sized stroller and the movie Totoro ("totoro" is one of the words which she can say and she says it over and over and over in the cutest voice while climbing into our tv watching arm chair and waiting for one of us to surrender and put the film on). While playing at the park she's crazy about the swings and slides — a thrill seeker already! I could go on and on about her loves, her sweetness and how much I love her, but I gotta run and fetch my other gorgeous, genius child from preschool.

Technorati Tags: restaurants, San Francisco, toddler

Posted by big bunny at 3:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I love these abstract mono prints by Angelika Pilz found on artstream. The muted palette, layered textures and scratched but also graphic lines are dreamy, delicate, and spacious — totally inspiring!


I found these pencil and watercolor images by Amy Ng on the same site. I want to remember these because I have been combining the same two mediums and the simplicity of this layering result appeals to me.

Technorati Tags: art

Posted by big bunny at 8:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Max and Griffin, seen here devouring their cold creamy cones mmmm sweetness.

Posted by big bunny at 11:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I found Amy Ruppel's work just a few months ago, but I was so smitten with it that I signed up for her email updates. She recently sent out an art for sale blast with wonderful cut paper, wax and paint pieces mostly with birds and at amazing prices. I blinked and half were already sold! I snapped up a 5x5 piece titled the landscaper — seen above. I'm so excited! I'll be needing to hit the frame shop soon and start hanging my etsy collections salon style.

Technorati Tags: art

Posted by big bunny at 1:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've really got a thing for sweetness and light and am on a quest for a pretty little life in pictures. In that vein I've just found Studio Mela she's also known on Etsy by her pseudonym DazeyChic and she has one more site happy little nest. I bought the top print "reading is cool" to hang on Vivi's wall (someday when I have more wall space?!) Her illustrations are darling, upbeat and quirky plus she uses fun typography and of course bunnies —instant love for me.

Technorati Tags: bunny, drawing, etsy, illustration

Posted by big bunny at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)