Piled High, Paris

"Piled High, Paris" 2012.

The storefronts of Paris reveal an art all their own.

Sunlight in Blue

Yesterday I had some fun playing with a different image of this house in Palm Springs.  I can feel more heat in the version above -- it's on the verge of dizzying, which takes me right back to actually being in Palm Springs. I'm also loving the touches of pink -- the hot pink sun flare, and the subtle pinks of light illuminating the mountains.

You may have noticed that I've been in a Palm Springs mood lately.  I didn't intend to revisit my P.S. photos this summer (I shot them in 2010), but I have to say it's really helping me feel the season.  We live on the California coast, and summer is not exactly hot.  The mornings are usually grey and foggy, and the sun shows up sometime in the afternoon.  The weather forecast consistently hovers around 70 degrees. It still feels like summer around here -- only on most days, with a sweater.   Trust me, I'm not complaining.  I grew up in a place where summers meant months of intense, don't-want-to-go-outside heat. It's nice now to explore the notion of summer as a state of mind, rather than a season defined by the weather.  I let my mind play in the heat with visions of sundresses, sandals, salads and lemonade, and I'm reminded that no matter the weather, this is a season for bold adventures, indulging in passions, and touching this feeling with the tips of my being,

"Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road."

-Jack Kerouac

I wonder, what is Summer to you?

In Windows, Paris...

"Paris is always a good idea."

-Audrey Hepburn

the Super News stand.

Oakland, Ca.

Civic Beauty, Detroit

One of my favorite things about Oakland

is this sign...

For the Modern Library

You may have noticed that my posts have been a bit infrequent lately. What have I been up to? Well, I'll tell ya. I've been up to my ears in books. Beautifully worn books.

Those of you who follow along with my Able And Baker endeavors may know that in December, Josh and I started building "Modern Library Storage Bins" in our woodshop ("Stylish storage for cd's, dvd's, magazines, papers, and other much loved clutter.")

These Bins have really grown into a labor of love and dedication, and we're thrilled at the response we've received from enthusiastic customers across the country. We even received a mention in the Ventura County Star for our efforts to reuse materials.

This weekend, the Able + Baker woodshop was in full force production mode. Parts for the Library Bins were cut, assembled, sanded, waxed, re-sanded, and re-waxed. Book spines were organized according to size and color, and each Bin was artfully arranged.

I must tell you, I love these Bins. Each Bin is one-of-a-kind special. Though it's bittersweet to part with them, I am quite excited to ship the finished products to customers!

Modern Library Storage Bins are available for purchase in our Able + Baker shop, and my etsy shop. We'll continue our "Pre-Order" pricing for a few more days.

I'll be photographing more of the finished bins tomorrow, and look forward to sharing the pictures with you. Thanks for allowing me to share this part of my life and work with you, I'm happy you're here!

(P.s. Our Bins are available for wholesale purchase too, so if you know of any shops or boutiques who might like to carry them, please let us know...!)

Thanks everyone, Happy Monday!

The Bookmobile

Read for knowledge and recreation... Books for Everyone!