Mississippi is now the proud owner-dog of her very own toddler. This toddler loves to share any and all food with her. Mississippi is such a gracious guest, she doesn’t turn down a thing, even things she normally isn’t interested in, like oranges and fruit in general. She’s acquired a taste for bananas and all sorts of fruit. We were skimping on her dog food a bit but I guess we weren’t skimping on it enough. She now weights 48.5 lbs. I’m embarrassed to even say that out loud. She’s three pounds up from last year and 9 pounds up from when we got her three years ago. I’m ashamed. It’s time to get serious. So Mississippi also has a New Years resolution this year. Her doctor doesn’t want us to kick her out of the dining room, so we’re going to cut back her breakfast and dinner from 1 cup to half a cup. OK Mississippi! It’s time to get serious!
One week in
It’s been a little over a week of new resolutions. Things are going good.
I’m eating *almost* vegan. I am still eating chicken stock. I had some brie. Oh, Saturday I had a hangover and had eggs and bacon
. I’ve still been putting milk in my coffee. Other than that, I’ve been doing really good staying away from most animal products. And it’s paying off. I’ve lost a couple pounds.
I wanted to average 10,000 steps a day but last week I actually managed more. Here’s my fitbit progress report:

The stretching I’m not doing so good with. I’m stretching but there’s no rhyme or reason to when or how I do it. Gotta work on that one.
I’d like to fit into my wedding dress by summer. And I’d like to fit back into Tom’s jeans so I can start stealing them again.
Holiday shmoliday
You know things could improve in your world when your husband says he’s looking forward to the holidays being over. It might be the single sadness thing I’ve ever heard him say out loud. We usually love the holidays. It fills me with worry.
Lots of positives this year and a few yucky negatives. Much general malaise despite being healthy, together, and employed. I enter 2012 with trepidation. I’m also determined to not let it kick my ass like 2011 did.
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Things I did today
Took a shower
Went to Play park with Juniper
Raked leaves in front yard while Juniper slept in her stroller
Made Rice Crispy Treats
picked up Mississippi from Daycare
Stopped by the grocery store
Made vegetable stew involving a large squash
Dipped 40+ truffles in chocolate
made kale chips
worked on Danielle’s website
Had a dance Party with Juniper
Packed up a large box with clothes, cookies, and a painting for James
Put Juniper’s laundry away
Launched a 30% off promotion for my necklaces on etsy
Posted to my blog
This is too many things for one day. Me tie tie.
New Virtual Home
Tom and I are consolidating websites to save money. This puppy is officially moved! One more to go and we’ll be done.
Cyber Monday Sale on Etsy
Hi, I’ll be participating in a Cyber Monday Sale on Etsy with my PDX Etsy Team. Everything in my shop will be 30% off. Go get yourself some bug pendants!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/alannarisse
Back to web developing
I’m broke. My credit card debt is growing. I want to go to France this summer so badly, I can’t stand the idea of missing it for another year. Juniper is old enough that I think she would have a great time on the property we stay at in caunes-minervois. I WILL make this happen. This means I’m goin back to web developing. And after a nice long break, I’m actually excited about it. I can do it on a short term freelance basis instead of doing it 9-5 every day. Juniper is doing great with the nanny and we have an opportunity to do some nanny sharing when I need it. So, here we go. My rough plan is to try and get enough projects over the next few months to pay off the debt. Then spurts of art making, followed by spurts of web developing. Hopefully I can juggle this. Hopefully I won’t feel like I’ve given my child away. She’s so cute, I miss her every second I’m away from her. But she has such a good time with Molly, it’s going to be ok. She needs new experiences and socializing. I need to calm my anxiety attacks about money. I need to feel I can wok on art without draining our bank accounts. But I need to make sure I work in the studio to meet deadlines and keep going. It’s a juggling act. My pre child years seem so carefree now.
Downtown Artistry Pop-Up Gallery Opens Nov 9th
This Wednesday marks the opening of the Downtown Artistry Po-Up Gallery on SW 10th and Morrison in Downtown Portland. My necklaces and cards are there. I’ll also be doing a couple shifts if you want to stop by and say hello.
Times I work:
Saturday November 12th, 3-7pm
Saturday November 19th, 3-7pm
I also am responsible for the website refresh for downtown artistry.
Display
I picked up a pamphlet display at Portland Store Fixtures and made a little sign for the front of it. Looks good! Ready for the Pop-Up Art Gallery tomorrow.
Necklaces at Tiny in SF, Opens November 3rd
My necklaces will be in the tiny show in San Francisco. The show begins this Thursday with opening night November 6th. Stop by and check it out!
tiny
Studio Gallery
small pieces under $400
November 3rd – December 23rd, 2011
opening reception: Sunday, Nov 6th, 2-6 pm
8th anniversary party: Sunday, Dec 4th, 2-6 pm
1815 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
Hello
Hi, Life is heavy. It’s good, but it’s heavy. Not heavy like a 60′s groovy kind of heavy, heavy like thick pieces of lead. Wish I got more phone calls, emails, messages in a bottle. Sometimes I feel like I’m a message in a bottle. Wishing someone would pop me open and read me. Being grown up is lonely. Missing adult laughter. Feeling tired. Trying hard. Have lots to share and nothing at all. Wishing I was reached out to instead of feeling like I’m always reaching out. Whiny, tired, no time.
A Little Cookbook
I Put together a little cookbook. I consider it practice. It is 40 pages, 8×8″ full color. You can download an iPad/iPod version for $2. I wanted the book to focus on cooking under pressure, cooking with no time to cook, but cooking with fresh ingredients.
Necklaces, Cards, Paintings
Lots of things going on. Necklaces are at Mag-Big in SE Portland, Succulence in Bernal Hill in San Francisco, and The Studio Gallery in San Francisco on Polk. Succulence also has bee and moth cards. Then Starting November 9th, running through December 29th I’ll have necklaces and cards at the Downtown Artistry Pop Up Art Gallery on SW 9th and Morrison.
Necklace Update
Things are moving along. I’m in full production mode, getting ready for the holidays.
Here’s the latest look:
I’m trying out solid sterling silver. The silver plated chains were sturdy and looked nice, but after a few times in the chlorinated pool, they turned my neck green. Maybe that’s too much to ask of a necklace but I want mine to be wearable 24/7.
I’ve got a few things in the Etsy shop.
I applied for the December Crafty Underdog craft sale and the Crafty Wonderland Holiday sale in Portland.
My necklaces can now be found at Succulence in San Francisco and Mag-Big in Portland. More shops in the works.
Busy bee!
Cake
We had a couple friends over for some wings and good conversation. Cake from Helen Bernard. It was a magical evening and I’m feeling very blessed. We realized than no one can remember my 40th birthday last year, not even me. I know that things at home were pretty rough with a colicky baby so I’m betting not much went on. This one I won’t forget so easily.
Happy Birthday to me!
I love my birthday. What a year it’s been. I don’t even remember what I did last year and I posted two posts all month. My guess is I was probably either walking the ends of the earth trying to keep the little one happy, or I was in a sleep deprived daze and felt like I was on acid. This year things are much easier. We’re going to see some kid music at 10 and maybe go play at the OMSI for a while. I pick up my cake, maybe drop of a contract and get more jewelry supplies, and wait for my delicious hot wing dinner to be delivered to me.
So far for my birthday I’ve received $5 from Burgerville, which is super awesome since it’s blackberry season. I also got a 20% coupon from Columbia which I think was very nice of them. But Juniper wants some love so gotta go!
I posted this last year right before my birthday:
Here we are in 2010. The contract job that I took to try and pay down my student loans is done and Iâ??m staring at a wide open future, finally! With this little one in my arms all day, it feels like it would be easy to give up the dream. She demands my full attention right now and honestly sheâ??s so damn cute, I could easily just dedicate my life to loving her. But I see my role as mother also being her roll model and inspiration. Itâ??s important for me to teach her that she should follow her heart. And I canâ??t be successful at that unless I follow my heart. And so although she is my biggest distraction right now, sheâ??s also my biggest inspiration. Youâ??ve got to follow your heart in this life and do thing thing that will give your life meaning and purpose. Thatâ??s not always the easiest path to follow so weâ??ve gor to be inspirations for one another. Each person I meet who is doing what they dream, is such a great motivator for me, and I want to be that person for my daughter.
At the Farm
We had a double date… or I guess a triple date to Dancing Roots Farm with our friends Liz and Carl and their son Max, who’s a couple weeks older than Juniper. We picked blackberries and I took a few photos of the farm. It was my first visit there. Things are at their peak so it was a fun time to visit. I picked enough for 6.5 jars of blackberry jam. I wish I’d brought a suit of armor.
More cans! Tomatoes, Apricots, Blackberries
Sungold Tomato Compote
Sungold tomatoes grow like crazy in Portland. This is the second year we’ve grown them and they keep us supplied with sweet, juicy tomatoes for several months on a near daily basis. What we can’t eat right away I like to make into compote. It’s super simple and fast and it freezes really well. Once you’ve tried it as topping on steak with a little Bleu or Gorgonzola cheese, you’ll be hooked too. You can use just about any type of cherry tomato for this, I’m just partial to the sungolds.
Ingredients
1.5 – 2 cups sungold tomatoes
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon balsamic
fresh basil if you’ve got it handy
Put everything in a medium sized saute pan and cook over medium heat. The tomatoes will brown, then burst and ooze liquid. Cook them down until the liquid is pretty thick. Let cool and store in small containers in the freezer until ready to use. I like to defrost mine in the fridge the morning of so when I reheat them, they aren’t a hard brick. Great on chickpea patties, steaks, breaded eggplant, and grilled zucchini.

























