Ko Olina

Saturday January 14th and Sunday January 15th.  Joe and I have never driven all of the way around the island.  It's only ninety miles, but we've never done it.  Up until this weekend the furthest west we has been was Kapolini.  We went a little further this time and ended up in Ko Olina to celebrate Annie's birthday.  Being that we were the last ones to get there we slept on the lanai in pushed together chairs swaddled in down blankets.  Saturday was started with a soak in the spa.  After breakfast we walked along the beach and snuck into Aulani, the new Disney resort, where we had shave ice.  We spent the rest of the day being spoiled and gluttonous, napping in the sun by the pool.  After lunch and a movie we spent the last of the day lounging in the the spa while the rain fell.  How is it that we are so lucky that this is how we get to spend a normal weekend?  We get to party in a place where generations of royalty spent their time and where the souls of the great warriors left the earth.  People spend years saving money to spend a week at a place like this, some people couldn't even imagine that.  Hawaii, I promise not to take you for granted.  Annie, happy birthday.

Watermelon, li hing with lilikoi and watermelon with lemon lime

Camping in Catalina

Saturday December 31st 2011 and Sunday January 1st 2012.  To celebrate the new year we went camping in Catalina with Jennifer, Jesse and Bo Jackson.  Most of the photos were taken with film, but a few of the digital ones are below.  After hiking to our campsite and setting up our tents we went back into town to get provisions for the night.  We made dinner in the dark and by 9pm found ourselves too cold to stay awake any longer.  At midnight we heard a few muffled shouts and a distant firework, a quiet new year for sure.  

The rest of the photos from our trip home are trapped on film.  Whenever it is that they get processed is when they will get posted.  Hopefully soon, because I'm very excited to see them.

Christmas Night

Sunday December 25th 2011.  Gonzalez family Christmas dinner.

Home

Wednesday January 4th.  We spent the last couple of weeks back at home in San Diego.  I've never had much attachment to a physical home, but more to a feeling, to a space.  These photos below are of the area where I grew up and they are what feels like home to me.

Wanderlust

The last few days.  I've been working on a screen print as a Christmas gift to inspire wanderlust.  Well, I should say we, because screen printing is really a two person thing and Joe did a  lot of the work.  This was the first time either of us have ever screen printed but I'm quite happy with the finished product.  I'm not giving up on block printing though.  I like how instant it is, that you don't have to wait in between any of the steps, that you just keep going.  Screen printing, however, has a lot of waiting, a lot of water and a lot of mess.  For all of that though, you get a very precise and detailed finished product.
Here are some photos of the process, but not nearly all of it.  The next time we work on a print I'll try to photograph it from start to finish.  This print used two screens but we only have one so we had to wash it out after the first layer to make the second.  We actually messed up both screens once (trying to get the exposure time right) so all in all we had to expose four screens.

The graphic is about 10x12 but is on larger paper because I like a lot of white border.  I figured that this way I can cut it down to fit and have more frame options.  This is one of six, so, if you really want one let me know.  Also, I know what I want for my next block print but I'm having a hard time drawing it.  I'll bake for you if you help me draw.  Please?

Lotus Root

Saturday December 10th.  Printing with lotus root onto tea towels.  This was super easy.  I went to the Japanese market and picked up a lotus root and then used red screen printing ink to stamp the root onto white tea towels.  Once they were dry I bundled them in threes with baking twine.

Then we gave Sidecar a bath.  I love her pink nose.

Byodo-In Temple

Friday December 2nd - Sunday December 4th.  On Friday we headed over to Byodo-In Temple.  The whole thing was built without nails.

On Sunday we spent a few hours making Christmas cards.  When you receive your cards with cute pictures of kids and pets that were printed at a warehouse store somewhere and quickly signed, remember that those, though adorable, took mere minutes to make.  Our cards however, took hours and hours.  Here is a sneak peek.  

Peach, raspberry with watermelon and cherry, blueberry and peach with li hing