I have been getting a lot of really awesome things in the mail lately, instead of the usual boring shipping supplies and junk. I received an amazing package from Izzy as part of a swap, she sent me all kinds of neat French things including the above 45, an amazing collar that she made, scallop silk blouse, a vintage blouse from Eaton’s (yay Canada!) and other little treats as well. I’m going to have to show off the clothing & collar in some outfit posts to really do them justice, but for now, some photos!

This next little collection is from Maya, she’s one of the best collectors that I know and mail from her is always perfect. The spoon has a little Elks lodge critter on it, she actually gave that to me when I was up in Vancouver last month. I’ll be back soon, I’m hopping on the train this Friday to head North for my annual cabin trip, and Maya is coming along this year too!

The coziest package of them all was from Tara-Lynn, (funny, I just realized all three are Canadians too!) who sent me a couple of her knits and a book, which I’ve almost finished reading. I am so thrilled that this arrived before my trip, because I really needed a couple soft, warm knit pieces for nights out on the boat at the lake. I’ll have better photos of these being worn soon, too! Thanks every buddy!

1. 56′s outside adventuring
2. The most dangerous flower
3. A wooden portal
4. More feline outdoor experiences
5. A much-needed backyard blanket session
6. Lost in lawn
7. Fabric pile critter
8. Surprise fennel vision
9. Important Egyptian/leopard shoe at Red Light
10. Soft Rock Happy Hour
11. Magic treats at the aforementioned event

MINIGOLF
ROOTBEER MILKSHAKE
WASHOUGAL RIVER
SUNBURN
BURGERVILLE
CHILLIN

Friday always seems like a nice time to post some miscellaneous images… it’s a quiet inside, hot outside. Lately I have been practicing my driving a lot (getting ready to take my test so I’ll have a real license for the first time in my life!), inspecting many flowers, having great summertime food with people I like, becoming interested in tie dye (shibori anybody?) and trying to learn some awesome 80′s hits on the guitar in preparation for next month’s cabin trip. Tomorrow is the summer antique expo, I can’t wait! Hope you all have an awesome weekend!

(this photo isn’t even photoshopped- they really were this intense!)

As many of you have so kindly noticed, the Clever Nettle blog has a new look! I’ve been wanting a new banner for ages, so I finally sat down and painted one. A semi-psychedelic lil’ pastel landscape, a fresh white background, and some handy little category links on the sidebar for easier browsing. I’m also excited to announce that I’m offering ad spots on my blog as well, you can click here to view rates and information (or click the little “advertise with clever nettle” box on the sidebar). Please email me if you have questions or would like to purchase a 30-day spot! You can buy one any time, it doesn’t have to be at the start or end of the month. I know that ads and sponsorships are a big topic of debate right now, and I did think long & hard about how I felt about it and what I want to have on my site. For now, I’m only offering one ad size, both for visual unity and so that no one ad overshadows the others. I’m also going to be careful about not going overboard with giveaways, because I personally tend to skip past a lot of them on the blogs that I read. Maybe that’s just me? What do you think about giveaways? It seems like one a week is the maximum that I would ever want to do. I’m curious to know your thoughts! And please, don’t worry about changes to my content- ads will not affect this. I do have some exciting things in the works, but they are mostly personal projects. Still looking forward to getting them started though!

In addition to the blog getting a new look, I’m about halfway finished with a total makeover for the shop! I hinted at it before but it’s really serious now, I even re-organized my basement and now there are shelves of shoes and clothing racks in front of the papercut forest… that means it’s FOR REALS. Haha! I’m not quite at the photo-taking stage yet, so I don’t have anything cool to show you, but I am pleased to announce a SUMMER SALE!

Yep, 20% off all clothing (basically everything except prints), shipping is still regular price and your refund will be processed after you pay. Be sure to mention the sale in your message to seller, that’s the key! I don’t have sales often so take advantage of this. The sale will run until July 1st, when I will hopefully be able to reveal my new shop look.

Ok, I need to get away from the computer… my eyes are strainin’! Thanks a million for your continued support and sweet comments, you guys are the best.

I’m pretty glad that barbeque season is happening now. I can’t get over how great it feels to be having SUMMER! Today Lauren and I biked in the North Portland Sunday Parkways, a fun event where a 7 mile loop of roads were closed off to traffic and everybody got to bike around! It was sunny and nice. I wore a 1940′s striped cotton romper that I bought at the antique expo a year or so ago, it’s a great summer outfit because it’s really lightweight so it keeps me relatively cool.

Afterward the bike tour, we did a quick grocery trip and picked up a bunch of food supplies to prepare for a little gathering. I always like taking “calm before the storm” photos at their house, the afternoon light is so good and I like the quiet parts when we’re in the kitchen cooking food before everyone shows up. We had a billion things to eat, and as people kept arriving they brought more things! Favorites: dates stuffed with cheese & walnuts wrapped in bacon, jalapeno poppers (also wrapped in bacon), peanut butter cookie balls, coconut cream pie (made by me!), the list could go on forever. Now I am relaxing at home after a big day of biking & hanging out, sippin’ a gin & lime water drink and listening to some chill summer jams. Hope everybody out there had a really great weekend!

I feel like a broken record, but the sky is rainy and dismal again today! I spent some time yesterday evening at my friends’ little bbq, had lots of good food (it’s always a major feast over there!) and some gingerale/rum/lime drinks. Later on, dalas and I saw Trash Humpers, the new Harmony Korine film. He was there and did a little q&a, he’s a pretty funny guy. The movie was creepy and funny, as expected! Anyway, these photos are from in & around the French Quarter and the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood, a nice and colorful memory of our trip. I loved peeking in through gates to see the lush courtyards tucked away behind the houses, or plant-lined mini alleyways with scrawny cats and bikes.












The photo on the left was taken in the Cafe Rose Nicaud, where I drank a really delicious ginger limeade. I love ginger, gimme that ginger power! It was pretty empty inside but that dude sat down and played some nice things on the piano. You can see the sign for the cafe in the background of some scenes in Treme, which is why we thought to go there in the first place!

((images from the Life photo archives))

I saw the sun today!! It was kind of a big deal. We returned to spirit quest site, Wind Mountain for an almost-perfect hike during which we examined moss, tried to listen for the ancestors, looked out, heard/saw hawks/eagles, saw a snake, ate some cherry licorice, ate/drank at Walking Man Brewery & filled up our growler (a sweet take-home giant bottle filled with the beer of our choice), crossed the Bridge of the Gods… it was pretty nice (except for the part where I twisted my ankle again- I am cursed?).

I still wouldn’t mind being somewhere hot for a couple days… maybe back in the South like the ladies above?

Hanging out in Maya’s apartment is one of the best things about visiting Vancouver. Not only does she have an amazing rotating collection of curiosities and things, but she’ll also give you tea, coffee, crazy Yukon-style baked pudding, pancakes to-go, fancy lemon elderflower water… this girl is a great host. She also posted a ton of photos from her home, so if you’re needing more, check that out. Or, you can see what her place used to look like in my old post from a previous visit. Maya just got a rad new job picking vintage in a warehouse, and she’s having a big 50% off sale in her etsy shop.

Walking around the city with Maya is really fun, because you never know when she’s going to find something awesome to add to her collections. On one of our walks she found a great feather, piece of a wasp’s nest, birch (was it birch?) bark… she is a serious pro.

This is Eadel! He is a blue parrotlet, same type of bird as my own. Maya also has two other parrotlets (yellow and green ones!) but they live with her sister now. My friend Laura also has a green parrotlet named Daigoro. They are the best birds ever, but Maya’s might be THE best because it can say words! It says the following: scritchie, eadel, buster, beep beep, birdie. So amazing.

Over the weekend I was in Vancouver, BC! I grew up in BC, lived in Vancouver for a while, and most of my oldest friends live in Victoria and Vancouver. Many of them were around this weekend, and what a glorious weekend it was. These photos were all taken by Rachel, I’m stealing her photos since I mostly shot film and won’t have those for a little while.

Enjoying awesome rice noodles that were steamed in a crazy metal chest of drawers (with mini shrimpies and green onion, plus added sesame/soy sauce & sesame seeds) at the night market. It was my first time!

To the left, two members of the Scotch Club, (“An exclusive apres work society in which important business executives come together and imbibe the finest scotch”), and on the right, the fairly new Acme Cafe, where my friend is currently working. It has a cool old diner vibe. I enjoyed some coffee, mac & cheese and coconut creme pie at this place.

Scotch Club.

The Clifton Hotel and the egg waffle makers at the night market.

Maya, April and I with every buddy in the park behind our friends’ apartment building. That night they had a fun housewarming party!

Cooling off in the babbling brook. Watched a lot of pedigree dogs and their owners prance around. An old drunk dude told us he would charge us fifty cents for being “all fucked up”.”

Do you guys know about my girls facing nature tumblr??

Friends club. The whole day was a golden hour.