Home and Away: The Museum

This is where I work: the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture in Spokane, WA. I usually don't write too much about the Museum because I don't necessarily want the blog to end up all over our Google Alerts at work (Hello, Becky!), but I decided to talk a little about it this week. If you follow me on instagram--@christinesuzanne--the Museum is probably not new to you...

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Cutting snowflakes for a project. 

Insta-sista

I have a major cloud obsession. I need to be sedated over clouds. And maybe other things. 

Home and Away: The I-90 Corridor

You might think there's a whole lot of nothing between Spokane and Seattle/Tacoma. Well, let me assure you, you are mistaken. One of my favorite things about Washington is the amazing landscape from the east to the west side. I don't even mind the 4.5-5 hour drive all that much because it takes me from grassland and prairie to dense forest and mountain range. Also, because driving relaxes me. Yes, just like Ms. Miller in The Chipmunk Adventure. I think about her way too much. Please tell me you know what I'm talking about...

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It's been a cold and murky week here in Spokane. This was my morning commute to the air force base. My, what lovely gloom. It won't be long before the snow arrives and I'm subjected to my yearly tumble down the cement stairs out front. Well, I can't wait. Until then, here's a spooky sampling of my Halloween-ish instagrams...

Home & Away: Browne's Addition

I think it's generally agreed that we Nicolai sisters like autumn best. Admittedly, it can be tough to stay true to this brisk, colorful season...especially when you're caught in the melancholy grip of winter and all you do is pine and wish for spring. Sigh. But we try to keep faithful with thoughts of leaves crunching beneath our boots and pumpkins and fires and lightweight jackets against crisp breezes. And oh! Oh, it's time for knitted hats and scarves and fingerless gloves and cowls! Yes, this is the time of year when we gather all the lovely bits of fall in order that we keep the autumnal fires burning bright in our hearts all year long. Here are some of my neighborhood's seasonal treasures...

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Much of my life in the past couple weeks has consisted of watching Matilda sit in sunny windows. I think,
like me, Matilda has noticed the change in the weather and is trying to soak up as much of the late
summer sun as felinely possible. Valiant effort, girly. Keep up the good work...

award winning alpacas

When Catherine and Nicholas visited and we went to Green Bluff to see the alpacas at Supersuris Ranch, I took these photos of all the amazing ribbons. I can't get enough of the colors.

new old curtains

I found this vintage fabric at an estate sale for 25 cents. I was attracted by the pattern and the bold primary colors, all in spite of the icky polyester-ness. Unlike my grandmothers, who (Mom has informed me) were pretty excited by the introduction of the first polyester fabrics--What do you mean, it doesn't wrinkle?--I had no plans to put this near my skin.

But curtains, well that's a different story. Unfortunately, my lack of sewing skills stood in the way of new curtains. Stood in the way of them big time. But lucky for me, Mom had stopped by for a visit and seemed game to break out her mother's vintage sewing machine, which I own and can sort of use...if you don't count that ongoing battle between myself and the bobbin. As for that, we are total jerks to each other. So, I put Mom to work and went to take a nap. True story...

Dreams of alpacas...

Like most twenty-something girls, I want alpacas. Most girls want alpacas right?
Of course they do--they're cute, cuddly, relatively small, and has wonderfully smelling fiber.

One of my dreams came true last weekend when Nicholas, Christine, and I visited an alpaca farm in Spokane, WA. There, I met some of the cutest alpacas, though they weren't as friendly and cuddly as I would have liked. Nick was able to tame them a little bit. Christine and I purchased some roving that we will no doubt make into soft treasures that smell of washed alpaca (it smells delicious I promise).

For serious, check out how cute these little pac pacs are...

instaweek

Maya and I went walking a few weeks ago and came across a pile of old gravestones. Some were broken, some were mostly pristine. It was a mystery! But we picked up a couple chunks to use as bookends, and we made some tentative plans to return with my truck and load up as many gravestones as possible for the most amazing patio gravestone mosaic. I need to check the weight limits on my truck bed and get back there before someone discovers our secret cache!

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My weekend in Spokane.

Busted out the watercolors.

Started painting the solar system.

Added glitter and glow-in-the-dark paint...obvi!

We painted wooden beads and made necklaces. 

Matilda slept in her special box and played with her sparkle balls.

Christine has lots of plants in one window (weirdo).

That includes this venus flytrap that we fed 2 bugs to.

It was a wonderful weekend.

Bruttle me!

Don't you just want to bite the screen? I do. 

Catherine informed me that Nicholas placed an order for Bruttles. So, we picked some up after our late breakfast downtown on Saturday. We may have eaten three or so... EACH! They're sooooooo good. 

What are Bruttles? you may ask.

Why only the most magical soft peanut brittle ever! 

Created by Sophia Gerkensmeyer in 1951, Bruttles came about when one of Sophia's regular customers wished aloud for peanut brittle that would go easy on her dentures. It's pretty incredible--Sophia began her candy making career in 1914. She was 17 years old, and she made her last batch of candy in 1996 at the age of 99. That's an entire lifetime of candy making! But the tradition continues, as Bruttles are still hand-pulled by Sophia's family. And still delicious...

For more information on Sophia's life, go here. You can purchase Bruttles of your very own here. 

Spokane, here I come!

I'm heading out to Spokane today to spend the weekend with Christine. We're going to have a blast (obviously).

Our agenda so far includes: pancakes, yarn store, possible taxidermy museum, maybe Idaho, breakfast somewhere, margaritas, embroidery floss in a park, frozen yogurt from Didier's, estate sales/thrift stores, and the bead/mineral store. There will definitely be some Roseanne watching, too.

Basically it's going to be really amazing, and I cannot wait.

Here's a look back to the last couple of times I was in Spokane.

Games in bars (this bar has since closed--but that won't stop us).

Dry Fly Distillery.

Lots of Matilda.

Spokane Falls.

Mini golf.

instaweek

PROOF!

stone structure 

trains across Trent

Wendy by Jennifer Li

night at the Museum

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cinnamon rolls from scratch, made by Maya

contrails on a sunny day

sticker on the bridge

whiskers and toes

kitten lighter, all out of juice

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brainstorm!

Just so you all know, it's effing gorgeous in Spokane today. Sixty-three degrees, son!  I realize that it'll be raining by tomorrow, but I don't even care. For the hundredth time this year, the weather has made me absolutely giddy. Sixteen year-old Christine would give me the hugest eye roll ever. What does she know anyway?

On the agenda for the rest of the afternoon:

Figuring out what to do with this gnarly branch I picked up in the cemetery with Maya and Zooey last week. I planned to make an Easter tree, complete with painted branches (maybe neon--I just have so much neon paint!), felted eggs, and paper birds...but now I'm thinking some kind of mobile would best suit it's terrific shape. Right now it's hooked over the edge or my curtain rod because Matilda kept dragging it around at night. She wrecked two tiny branches. Badness!
Any mobile suggestions? 

this week in...

INSTAGRAM!!!!

gummy raspberries

glow-in-the-dark necklaces are the best babysitting accessory

toy guns at the hobby shop

deep fried swiss and garlic

silhouettes on the bedroom wall

new estate sale sunglasses

vintage horse ribbons

succulent displaced by a bad cat

Well, my life in Instragram anyway. Happy weekend!

under the bridge

Walking along Latah Creek with Maya.