oh, hello there, blog. it's been awhile, no? i'm not sure if i'm officially dusting off the cobwebs here, as tumblr seems like an enticing alternative. truth be told, i'm still on the fence. with the blog, tumblr, facebook, and instagram, i feel like i need to simplify and sidestep the social media overload... know what i mean? hopefully, this explains my absence. what do you think? are blogs a thing of the past?

on a completely different topic, here are some photos of a doll i've been making at craft night. i like to think she's a cross between linda rodin and coraline. as you might've guessed, she's in dire need of clothing - a project i've been procrastinating since i haven't quite figured out how to address those sloping shoulders. cap sleeves might be the answer. in the meantime, she will have to work with what she's got - green tights. poor girl.

scenes from a cozy christmas / 1 / quite possibly the most perfect tree i ever did see / 2 / my dad playing his piano... an instrument he hasn't played since he was a child, but one he plays with religious fervor these days / 3 / my mama's pumpkin pie... a favorite.

november in pictures (nevermind that it's december)
this marks the last year of my 20s
and this is me on instagram (@nicomakes)

buttery peony petals... remnants of a birthday bouquet

it's that time of year. nevermind the amazing indian summer we're still enjoying here in oakland, let the xmas knitting begin!

last weekend we went camping at andrew molera state park in big sur. when we were there 2 weekends prior, it was definitely sweater weather but this past weekend it was like summer. no complaints.

/ 1-2 / javelin kelp / 3-4 / testing out the coleman grill / 5 / me ecstatically climbing / 6 / big sur beaches / 7 / lindsay sitting pretty / 8 / lindsay + erik

let's be frank, i've spent a long time brewing up this quilt and it's been awhile since my last post. summer has come to a close and i'm embarrassed to see autumn arrive with such little progress to show. but, i assure you that my delinquent hiatus from quilt making is not without reason! as it turns out, it's awfully difficult if not painstakingly frustrating when you can't lay out your quilt in a shoebox-sized apartment. know what i mean? let me clarify - our bathroom is so small you could "stay seated" and wash your hands in the sink at the same time. true story, but it is what it is. in any case, i postponed working on the quilt until i paid a visit to my parents home in sonoma where, much to my mother's dismay, i overtook their dining room for an entire weekend. hello gorgeous wooden floors and expansive square footage! hello my pretend studio with vaulted ceilings! don't mind if i do occasionally look up from my work to take in the rolling hillside vistas! what's that dad? an affogato for a late afternoon pick-me-up? yes please, i'll take two scoops of homemade vanilla ice cream in my espresso!

a weekend with my parents is so good, but i digress. the point: i got a lot done. so now the hand quilting begins...

the drive back from ojai last weekend yielded many impromptu stops along the way...

hearst castle, san simeon, ca
(bling central 1930s style)

dinner at il vecchio 

(where you can devour a delicious italian meal while gawking at ariele's incredible woodwork)

beach at carmel, ca
(cold + windy, but that sand is so clean + soft)

more pics from this day... varied terrain, don't you think?

i did some damage at esqueleto. but thankfully, my middle finger is now properly stacked. from top to bottom:

+  silver razor ring w/ black diamonds by t.kahres
+  two braids by katrina lapenne
+  rosegold band w/ black diamonds by lauren wolf (owner of esqueleto)
+  textured band by satomi kawakita