Adieu

My friends, I think we all knew that this was coming: Dwelling Process is going on an indefinite, probably permanent, hiatus. I haven't been feelin' it lately, and I don't want to force myself to maintain a hobby that isn't fun anymore. The website will stay up as an archive, and I'll still be reading your blogs!

If you want to keep up with me, I'm building a personal portfolio website that I plan to use as a publishing platform, and I will continue to informally create and collect on Tumblr. I would also welcome Facebook requests from any of you. Thanks for reading! I really appreciate it!

Ennui

I spend a lot of time asking myself, "Should I keep doing this? Am I doing this right? Is my life structured in a way that will satisfy me?" The answer is usually some variation on, "Yes, but differently!" I'm trying to say that I don't know what place this blog is supposed to have in my creative practice(s).

Ideal Kitchen Decor

My friend Ruth's kitchen is very pretty and homey. Here are some iPhone snapshots, which I cropped but didn't edit:

Delft Blue Houses

The stitched equivalent of Blue Magpie Design's work:

// Stella van Domburg //

Rusty Glaze

Found at a thrift store in Point Reyes, this odd little pottery vessel would make a good bud vase:

Sloped Roof On A Box

Blue Magpie Design offers many tiny ceramic houses. (Process photo from Facebook.) I love these shiny little buildings.

Maison

"Watercolor painting of a large European pitched-roof building drenched in warm sunlight, circa 1930." $249 on One Kings Lane--sorry for the broken-record effect, but I love that frikkin website! So much good stuff to look at. I haven't purchased anything from them, because hello, I am not literally a person made out of cash bills, but I enjoy browsing.

"Maison" means "house" (and other variants of the word) in French. Not that I speak French, or even have any particular affection for the language. It sounds pretty when spoken aloud, but there are far too many letters. Granted, English has similar issues, but I'm used to it so the frustrating nonsense of the language doesn't bother me. I do like some French movies, such as Water Lilies.

Houses Scribbled As Ever

The middle zine, Home, consists of "8 pages of sweet/chilling homes." Encountered on Flickr via the creator, edu martínez piracés. (Why do people insist on styling their names without capitalization? Why? Don't worry, no one thinks you're bourgeois if you ascribe to a semblance of normal grammar.) Individual photo posts: 1, 2, & 3.



For good measure:



Pieces entitled break and enzo mari.

In The Flesh

"1950s biomorphic ceramic bowl with atomic-like design. This bowl was designed and made by noted engineer/artist Tracy Kinsel who was associated with the group Experiments in Art and Technology"--for sale on One Kings Lane.

Nothing is more creepily home-appropriate than this abstract fleshy bowl. The word "biomorphic" is so weird. Hey, it'd be perfect for a postmodern Halloween party; just pile some candy in there...

Bucket O' Froth

Hudson Bay Cafe, chai latte in ginormous mug:



When I ordered a large, I didn't know what I was getting myself into. Thankfully, I was up to the task of consuming this drink. My favorite thing about the Hudson Bay Cafe is their spicy chai blend. Nevermind the ludicrousness of the term "chai tea"...

It's funny how I've been noticing more homey moments or eye-grabbing decor details at restaurants. Perhaps I should institute a category for not-home dining locations. Perhaps I should visit more actual homes.

Regular Person Summer Rush

Lately I have been much busier than I'm used to being. A resurgence of interest in social interaction has me flitting (or fleeing...) from event to event and going on dates and ALL OF IT; it is so taxing. Today I have several outstretched hours to spend writing and blogging, and that feels good. But I also feel restless. Do I always feel restless? Dissatisfied, yes, yearning for the next step in my self-improvement. Sometimes I wish I didn't have a concept of "future", or at least not one that consumes so much attention.

Regardless, here is a strange little display that I pass whenever I walk the dog on a certain route:



And here is a gold-and-oxblood teapot that held a chestnut blend, from yesterday's brunch at Lovejoy's Tea Room:

Wall-Mounted Forest

Recently my family undertook an excursion to Larkspur, a semi-schmancy town on the other side of the San Francisco ferry. (As in, the non-SF side.) We had a nice lunch. I picked up a copy of Edible Marin & Wine Country to peruse. Walking back to the ferry dock, we passed under these curious naturalistic plaques:

Built In Red Ink

// Carolina Bello //

This print reminds me of Anne of Green Gables or some other sweet childhood classic. In fact, I think much of homefeel is embedded during the early years. I'm interested in how much comes from media, the image of the idyllic home. Where did I learn about white picket fences?

Annabelle Selldorf & Garden Wall Decor

Quote from an interview with architect Annabelle Selldorf in Vogue. Elaboration from later in the article:



On a different topic, sort of, here's a pretty garden wall that I walked by recently:



In a way this is actually related, because Selldorf mentions finding "a balance of many, many things". The above photo makes me happy in that respect. It's not exactly balanced, not symmetrical, but the flow of movement from the bottom-right corner into the top-left one is pleasing to observe. I love aesthetics.

LA Dreaming

My gentleman friend and I are planning a late September getaway to Los Angeles. Our tentative itinerary for the weekend includes Disneyland, a Dodger's game, and the Getty. I'm excited, but the preliminary administrative tasks are gettin' me down. Currently snagging our progress is the issue of picking a hotel. This one would have been perfect...



As indicated by the name, the Hollywood Pensione falls in LA's most famous neighborhood, near iconic streets like Sunset Boulevard, Melrose Avenue, and La Brea, as well as the freeway. Yelp users left a series of four- and five-star reviews, enthusing about the B&B vibe and attentive owners. The hoteliers describe their establishment as "an Eco-conscious Boutique Inn, housed in a 1915 Craftsman", boasting "fine Bamboo linens, and spa-like Bath amenities." Rooms go for $165/night.

Aaand of course the place is totally booked for the weekend that we want.



Floral exterior shot via hotel website; interior photos via Yelp.

Blooming Bathtub

The bathtub planter has new contents! Sometimes it's annoying to interrupt my afternoon to walk the next-door neighbor's dog, but I'm glad to chance upon sights like this one.

Window Boxes

My neighbor's houses are irresistible. How do they live? Are they happy? Why did they choose that paint color and those breeds of flowers?

The vast amount of accessible media regarding people's personal lives has made voyeurism normal. We don't even need to pry to get the details of each other's business, because they are displayed voluntarily. That's basically what Facebook is.

And yet, neighbors remain elusive. I'm too young to know if this is a new thing, but I have no idea who lives around here...

Dwelling Among Flowers

// gentle pattern by Marusha //

I don't view floral motifs as an essential aspect of homefeel, but on the other hand I must, because they sprout up again and again (pun intended). During my neighborhood rambles, my eyes and my lens are constantly drawn to blossoms, to proliferations of petals and pollen. Like these shockingly pink roses:

Play House

// Dustin Gilbert //

How beautifully dismal. A dollhouse is a microcosm, and this one is falling apart.

Cafe 116 Ashland

During a recent trip to Oregon, my mom and I spent one night in Ashland. That evening we went to see Richard III, which was wonderful, and in the morning we ate breakfast at a friendly local coffee shop, the enigmatically named Cafe 116. (Storefront photo via Yelp.) My mom enjoyed a glass of potent New Orleans iced coffee, which is apparently a thing. What I most appreciated was the pale decor, soothing on a sleepy morning.

Free Yellow Squash

My neighbor Lola is so nice. She put some fresh produce from her garden out on the sidewalk, up for grabs! I snagged one of the yellow summer squash. I haven't cooked it yet--one of my parents will probably toss it on the grill--but it looks delicious.



And here are a couple of illustrated versions of the same vegetable:

// $35 //

// $8.75 //