Petit à petit

New Stuff...

2009-09-08T17:03:00.009-04:00

Silk blend and mohair blend cable scarf

Lace, wool beanie made from Japanese Noro Kureyon yarn

Lace, bamboo beanie

Ribbed, bamboo beanie

Baby gifts

2009-07-25T10:13:00.006-04:00

I was commissioned to make baby booties, jumper, and soakers for my friend
La-Vie.

The booties are made from sock yarn (85% merino wool, 15% nylon).
The little silver, flower buttons are adorable.

The jumper is made from 100% organic cotton and accented with little scalloped edge.

And I made two soakers. The smaller green one is made from a soft, silky bamboo blend. Then I combined the pastel purple, organic cotton and bamboo yarn to make another one.

Pax,
Ria

Market Bags

2009-07-01T15:30:00.010-04:00

Inspired by fishing nets I saw in Hofn,Iceland, I made these market bags.

I used a silky, soft, bamboo blend yarn.

It's sturdy, stretchy, stylish and environmentally friendly.

Pax,

Ria

Still on the road...

2009-06-29T17:18:00.004-04:00

Currently in Austin struggling with the heat and four shades darker.

Pax,

Ria

Back from Iceland...

2009-06-29T15:05:00.003-04:00

Loved it so much that I stayed longer than expected. My bad :) Iceland is truly a magical place. The atmosphere is unique and the landscape is rugged and breathtaking. Here are some pics for your own personal pleasure...

The glaciers near Hofn.

I snapped this while we were traveling in the southern part of the island when the sun was beginning to set at 10 pm.

Adding a stone to the Lava Mound is supposed to give you good luck on your journey.

A creek at Pingvellir National Park. The light in Iceland was amazing.

The rift separating the American and Eurasian tectonic plates.

Spotted this during a road trip in the southern part of the island. Pobel is a Norwegian graffiti artist who likes to stick his tags in the most unlikely places.

Pax,
Ria

Reykjavik, Iceland

2009-04-17T18:31:00.000-04:00

America on the left and Europe on the right in tectonic plate terms

The Hoth System

Images by S. Perras

Bound for Iceland with just a pillow and a prayer.
I'll be there for 2 weeks doing volunteer, environmental work.

A tout de suite!
Ria

In a Dream

2009-04-17T09:59:00.000-04:00

If you're in Philly, San Francisco, Athens, or New York City I highly recommend going to the opening of this documentary about my neighbor, the tormented artist Isaiah Zagar. I was sold after watching the trailer. I got the heads up from the art director of this film, Molly Mullahy. Molly is also a great artist and her exhibits and parties are so much fun.

Image via the In a Dream Blog.

Handpainted, Pure Wool

2009-04-16T12:50:00.001-04:00

The strands and color are irregular. I love that. And it's really soft. This is going to be a beanie or tam. We'll see...

Pax,

Ria

P.S. Currently listening to The Black Keys. They're amazing - only two guys and they sound like a ten piece band. Enjoy!

Granny Square Shawl and Scarf

2009-04-16T12:31:00.000-04:00

I love experimenting with color and getting rid of leftovers.

Joker's Daughter

2009-04-11T16:22:00.000-04:00

Joker's Daughter features vocalist Helena Costas and producer Danger Mouse. Have a look and listen to this little diddy (It's only 2 minutes long.) "Worm's Head" from their debut album The Last Laugh. Me, I love the strings, Helena's voice, and the aerial view in the video. Enjoy and Happy Easter!

P.S. Thanks again Rach!

Photo by Stephen Dowling

Cold Feet

2009-04-11T15:03:00.000-04:00

Two things come to mind...

Me barefoot, sleeping in bed, and torturing the boy by brushing my feet against his leg. He would scream like a little girl and shout, "Popsicle foot, go put some socks on!". Or if my feet felt too rough he would scream "Ouch, geez-us! Firewalker feet!" I had a nickname for every foot condition. It was cute and clever.

....And...

Me barefoot, sleeping in bed, the windows are open, there's a nice cool breeze and I'm buried under my blankets. This is how I sleep every night despite the temperature. Whenever it gets too warm I stick my feet out from under the covers to cool off. This is my form of temperature control.

View other blog entries for Words and Pictures - Cold Feet at Meet me at Mikes.

Dan Auerbach

2009-04-08T22:06:00.000-04:00

Currently listening to "When the night comes" by Dan Auerbach. Thanks for introducing me to this bearded one Rach. Saw him on your facebook page. I like the red beard. He looks like an Irish Hippie.

Look, see here....

2009-04-08T19:21:00.001-04:00

My mom is from Thailand and very passionate about food. Whenever I talk to her on the phone she will always ask me about food.
"What did you cook today? What did you eat?"
"Soup."

"Soup in the can? Yuck!"

"No, I cooked Thai soup."

"Yeah right."

My mom thinks I'm too farang to know how to cook Thai. Au contraire, here is a visual.

Long Drive on I-80

2009-04-04T17:31:00.001-04:00

Here are some road trip photos. Took I-80 from Salt Lake City, Utah to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

I miss the Wasatch Front.

You had the best trails for hiking

and the best powder for snowboarding.

Nebraska is the flattest state in the union.

Driving through this state is about as exciting as watching paint dry.

To entertain myself I would take pictures of my feet pressed up against the windshield.

Angelo has some serious road rage.

That's better.

Pax,

Ria

Home

2009-04-02T16:28:00.000-04:00

Today was spent here...

This is my front door. My landlord is responsible. He is very kind and very German with pale eyes and strong hands. He is also very passionate about carpentry. He'd look at my furniture and say, "That's nice walnut."
"Thanks. Really, that's walnut?!? I never knew that."

Anyways, it was a simple, quiet day. I spent some time here, lounging, reading, and listening to the birds.

And I spent some time here, crocheting a throw.

Heather and maize go well together.

Pax,

Ria

"Macramé" Belt

2009-03-31T11:57:00.000-04:00

I used a 100% cotton, multicolor ribbon yarn to make this "macramé" belt with fringe.

Image via Artful Yarns

It's fun, quick, and a great way to learn new knitting techniques. The pattern consists of 14 rows and involves numerous yarn overs and wrapping the yarn. Pretty complicated for a little project, but I enjoyed the challenge. I also managed to complete it in only a couple hours.

I think this would look great with jeans, dress or a tunic.

Pax,
Ria

Puerto Rico

2009-03-27T17:22:00.000-04:00

One summer I went to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico with my friend, Jessica, and her baby boy, Kyler. We stayed with her grandmother, 'buela Sarah Bravo.

'buela Sarah and baby Kyler in the garden

'buela Sarah's lovely house and garden.

I slept in this bedroom

I traveled light for this trip. My luggage consisted of whatever I could squeeze into a red Jansport backpack. Most of my clothes are draped over that headboard. Nice!

'buela Sarah's Wheels

I searched every inch of that car (i.e. the seats, floor, trunk, tires, glove compartment etc.) for an emblem or word indicating the make and model. There was nothing. What the heck is that?!?!

I was hesitant about driving during this trip, because last summer I totaled a guy's car during a road trip to Florida. Ooops. So I'm not a great driver, but I had no choice. I caught 'buela Sarah dozing off at the wheel. Nice! So I made her pull over, bought her a cafe con leche, and took the keys. Needless to say 'buela Sarah was not impressed with my driving . Whenever I sped up she would put her hand on my shoulder and say, "Tranquilla Maria!" My bad. Lo siento.

After lunch I would take naps in this hammock and listen to the rain. It would rain religiously every afternoon. Then the sun would reappear and we would drive back to the beach to swim and lay out. It was one of the most relaxing vacations, because I did nothing but nothing.

At the Beach

I could spend hours watching the waves roll in and trying to predict whether or not it was going to be a big one. Some people would consider this activity way too redundant, but I'm weird. I think it's fun.

I also dove off some rocks while I was there. Jessica was not too happy about that, because she was tired and not it the mood to drive me to the hospital if I got hurt. I ended up hiking to the top alone and left her with my camera.

I was a little scared and hesitant. Then this old Puerto Rican man advised me not to think, "No piense!" That was that. I didn't think about it - I just did it. And man do you get some serious hang time. That was the most incredible sensation - falling, hovering, catching air, completely letting myself go. That was the closest I've ever come to feeling truly free. It was amazing.

One last pic of Jess and me. Thanks for letting me tag along. Hope I wasn' t too much of a pain in the arse.

Pax,
Ria

Bora Bora Bound

2009-03-27T10:15:00.000-04:00

These pictures are from a spread in the December 2004 issue of Vogue. This is one magazine I could never throw out. I love the dresses, the hand-woven wreaths, and the ropes of pearls and seashells. Also, Daria Werbowy looks stunning with her wild hair and bronze skin. Looking at these pictures inspires me to move to Bora Bora and become a child of the sun ;)

Pax,

Ria

Tricia Guild

2009-03-25T17:48:00.000-04:00

I recently discovered Tricia Guild at a shop called Behind Closed Doors Interiors. This is another adorable store located on Fabric Row in Philadelphia. I spent a majority of my time staring at this fainting chaise....

Fabric, Pillow and wallpaper designed by Tricia Guild

...and thumbing through this book...

The textures, colors, and patterns are amazing.

Someday, when I have extra cash to blow,
I would like to reupholster my couch...

Pax,
Ria

Nude Oxfords for Spring.

2009-03-23T17:22:00.000-04:00

I spotted these lovely oxfords at the Bus Stop Boutique on fabric row. I love the cut-out accents and the nude color. They're made by Dionella by Dione, one of Mexico's premier shoe brands. The name is derived from Greek mythology. Dione was Aphrodite's mother and the goddess of Beauty. How lovely!

Thanks to our fabulous economic situation, I will not be purchasing these shoes any time soon. That's okay. I have this photograph - ça suffit.

Pax,

Ria

Hanes Daisy Vintage Stockings

2009-03-22T10:09:00.000-04:00

Voila, never been worn Hanes stockings from the 60's. The daisies only appears on the side of the right leg. How groovy! Too bad they don't fit.

I found these at a consignment store called Decades Vintage, located at 615 Bainbridge in Philadelphia, Pa. If you're in the neighborhood this is a fun store to peruse. Currently they've got a great collection of shoes by Charles Jourdan.

Sidewalk Talk

2009-03-21T17:05:00.000-04:00

While taking a walk through the city,

I love discovering images of celebrities on the sidewalk:

Pax,
Ria

Today...

2009-03-19T15:29:00.000-04:00

...I'm inspired by the knits and colors of Missoni...

Photo by Marcio Madeira for style.com

...so I made this beret:

Pax,
Ria

Mammoth Cable Blanket

2009-03-18T11:33:00.001-04:00

I first learned how to knit November 2004. I was celebrating Thanksgiving with my then boyfriend and his family somewhere in rural Pennsylvania. Pennsyltucky is more like it. Anyways, his mother noticed I was bored so she asked me if I wanted to learn how to knit. And that was that. When anyone takes the time to teach me how to do something/anything, I will genuinely learn how to do it.

I was obsessed with learning how to cable. I already love braiding hair so the idea of braiding yarn was awesome. This was more than awesome. This surpassed all awesomeness. For my first cable project I made this 100% cotton blanket. It took me over a year and it's queen size. What a feat! I love the green and blue stripes with the orange border. The colors are real subtle - like me ;)

Pax,

Ria

I Heart Paisley

2009-03-18T10:05:00.000-04:00

I love Etro's signature paisley prints. These dresses are from the s/s 2009 collection...

Photos by Marcio Madeira for style.com.

Baby Shower Gifts

2009-03-16T12:54:00.001-04:00

Sunday I went to a baby shower for my friend La-Vie. She recently gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Aidan. For my gift, I made a receiving blanket and a couple hats. She loved it and so did everyone else. Phew! They asked me, "How long did it take you to make this?" Not long at all. The most difficult part was color. I was very indecisive about which colors to use ugh... Finally, I decided to use the same colors that appeared on her baby shower invitations.

Happy Friday the 13th!

2009-03-13T14:39:00.000-04:00

My friend Amelia sent me this ecard. She is twisted and hilarious. Gotta love her.

Pax,

Ria

Card from someecards

Banana Silk Hat

2009-03-13T14:12:00.000-04:00

I prefer to use a yarn spool, but the Banana Silk is too snaggy. So you have to wind it into a ball manually ugh...
It's unpredictable and tricky to work with, because the yarn is not always the same width. It can be thick or thin. This is a pain, but it creates an interesting texture.
Patience is rewarded. The hat feels great and I love the colors.

Pax,
Ria

Banana Silk and Nylon Ribbon

2009-03-11T22:13:00.000-04:00

Recently purchased some electric blue, Indian, banana silk and

nude, Italian, nylon ribbon. I love unconventional yarn.

Not a huge fan of the color. It's way too subtle. On the other hand the texture is awesome. It's just a little slippery, but easy and fun to work with.

Just a couple of pictures of the work in progress.

Tah dah! Yes, it is another beret. Hats are so addictive. I really need to stop. What am I going to do with that Banana Silk?!?!

New Stuff for Spring

2009-03-10T21:13:00.000-04:00

Longing for spring I made these berets...

I heart this maize color. The yarn is a cotton/acryic blend.

And for this one I used up the rest of the pink, purplish bamboo yarn.

They would go great with these sandals :)

Paul Smith Spring 2009

2009-03-10T18:20:00.000-04:00

I aways look forward to a new collection from Sir Paul Smith. His designs are classic, traditional, and playful. I love the tailoring, colors, patterns and chiffon dresses and skirts. And how about those scarves?!? It was like a cricket match meets the orient.

Reminiscent of Ingre's Odalisque painting...

Photos by Marcio Madeira for Style.com

Anh Duong

2009-03-09T17:32:00.000-04:00

I love these black and white images of New York-based artist Anh Duong...

Photo via Anh Duong Art

Photo via Toni Shafrazi Gallery

Photo via Artnet

Rosario Adobe

2009-03-09T16:38:00.000-04:00

I've been ogling these adobe, calfskin shoes by Marcello Toshi Creazioni. I love the hand-crochet alpaca roses.

Last-minute Gift Part Deux

2009-03-08T13:51:00.000-04:00

It was warm yesterday so I decided to make a hat instead. The pink, purplish yarn is made from Bamboo. It has a beautiful sheen and the texture is soft and silky. It's also a pleasure to work with.

Today's Brew

2009-03-08T12:07:00.000-04:00

Last night I drank Phuket Lager Beer for the first time at my friend's birthday party. This light, blond beer tastes smooth, crisp, and a little sweet. I think it tastes and smells like honey. I'm usually not fond of sweet beers, but this was good. This was absolutely perfect for a warm, spring evening.

Photo via BeerAsia

Last-minute Gift

2009-03-06T19:12:00.001-05:00

Hey there! I spent the day basking in the sun and making a birthday cowl for my friend Meredith. Her birthday party is tomorrow. Happy Birthay Dithie!

Summer Blanket

2009-03-05T13:27:00.000-05:00

I learned how to crochet a couple years ago. The granny square blanket was my first big project. It's soft, cool, and I'm jonsin' the retro colors. I usually drape it over my bed in the summers. You dig?!?!

Thai Silk

2009-03-04T18:21:00.000-05:00

My aunt Pratong has a silkworm farm in Thailand. Here she is under the house spinning silk. It's much cooler there during the day. The farang on the bike in the background is me. I spent most of my time biking all over the village. I regret not learning how to spin silk and weave.
The silk is handwoven into fabric. This fabric is usually used to make a sarong. Here are some examples my aunt's fabric. It is shiny, soft, and textured/nubby. I love the patterns and varying colors.
And voila, here are my aunts and my cousins in their handwoven, silk robes. They are so adorable, non?

Panorama

2009-03-04T09:54:00.000-05:00

My friend Dan and I were on the roof of his apartment in Philadelphia taking pictures. The view was incredible. I stitched all the photos together to create this Panorama. Philadelphia is a different kind of city. It's very raw.

The Ankle Bootie

2009-03-03T15:19:00.000-05:00

The Coclico ankle bootie is another favorite winter accessory. I love the rustic buttons and pebble-textured leather. Too bad I've only worn them for special occasions. I usually prefer my hiking boots.

The Cowl

2009-03-03T10:17:00.000-05:00

Hands down the cowl is my favorite winter accessory. They look great. I love the texture. They're also comfy, warm, and very easy to make. I made this while watching a football game on TV.

I love the buttons. They're like sea nymths swimming to the surface.

And there's the mug shot.

Voila!

2009-03-02T10:59:00.000-05:00

During these tough economic times, one must go back to the basics and enjoy simple pleasures. For me, I love to knit and crochet. So, feeling bored and short on $ I unraveled an old, blue scarf I bought in Park City, Ut. The finished products include a cowl and striped beret.

Jaqueline Aux Mains Croisées

2009-03-02T09:53:00.001-05:00

I purchased this print at the Picasso Museum in Paris. Jaqueline Roque was Picasso's lover and muse for 20 years. He painted over 70 portraits of her. I love the bold colors and the way he exaggerates her features. She looks like a cat.