merry happy!

i'm leaving for the east coast tomorrow and, i gotta say, i'm pretty nervous i'm going to find out i've become a soft, weather-wimp out west. it's all relative though! i mean, the coldest a place gets will always feel cold when you're living there. and here, when it's 50º and rainy it feels COLD. i think a snow and friend fix is just what i need though. besides, i found a really good hot chocolate recipe that's amazing with soy milk so feel pretty much prepared for any weather related challenges. somehow december managed to fly by without feeling like it was overwhelmingly "the holidays", maybe because i decided not to do presents this year (best idea ever, by the way). we had a 1920's themed work holiday party at my house and the best part about it was that i made this chandelier:
my roommate and i have already decided that it's staying up forever. i've always wanted to live somewhere fancy.

although i haven't been motivated to learn how to update my website....

at least i've been motivated enough to make some new things to put on it.

"growing new roots"

"chicago"

All the pieces below are on show and sale at Stylus Salon located at 2321 2nd Avenue in Seattle until the second day of the new year. Email devon.kelley.yurdin@gmail.com for more info.

"come in"

"oak land"

"east on the west"

"ghost"

"i left new york looking for trees"

"house plants"

if we all do a little we can all do a lot

i thought it was pretty awesome and appropriate that my first real illustration job in a long time was for a magazine (called Arts & Living California) for an article about the differences between the east and west coasts. months ago they asked me to alter an old piece for it and i did and forgot about it until it was sent to me in the mail and it looks so professional and real. i'll have to scan it. for now though, a pdf will have to do.

also, i've been making little things.

things are good. i'm still trying to figure out why, no matter what, the holiday season always feels so frenzied. i mean, don't get me wrong, i love me some cheer as much as the next gal, and you better believe i'm ready for another three weeks of hearing All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey in every store i walk in to. it's only the best song ever.

today

life in california

i explored a lot the first week i was hereuntil i started working.
we live in a house on a block with other houses,
and have fruit trees in our backyard.
today, like most other days, my weather widget looked like this:so my room usually looks like this:
and this:
also, i'm an aunt now.but some things never change,
and this week, for the first time, i felt homesick.

an update

lesley feist. shelburne, vt

the studio. shelburne, vtl'international des feux loto-quebec. montreal, qc'home' for two and a half weeks. chicago, ilthe empire builder. illinois, wisconsin, minnesota, north dakota, montana, washington, oregon day by the river. somewhere outside of portland, or


i'll try to be better, i promise.

my first commission

lately i've been thinking that maybe, just maybe, being a full-time creative person as my job might just actually be an attainable life goal. which is pretty fantastic.

fleet foxes

mercedes: it makes me want to get tattoos, cry, or watch a sunset on a roof kinda drunk
me: it's good take-a-train-across-the-country kind of music
mercedes: that's what i just said

nap time

the greatest

i had a dream last night that cat power sent me a text message asking me to make a cake for her with bears on it.

you were knocking me down with the palm of your eye

prego!!!

last night on our way back from L Magazine sponsored bowling and beer we stopped on bedford to get chinese food and a very drunk man thought that caitlin and i were pregnant. actually, he just though i was pregnant and asked caitlin, "are you pregnant too?" because she had a glowing smile on her face.

for those (which is probably everyone who reads this) who have ever actually seen caitlin and me, this should be hilarious. also, how did it get to be may already?

here we go again

every few days or weeks or months i go through periods of super-concentrated, independent, creative productivity. then, after however many days or weeks or months of that, comes another however many days or weeks or months of, well, nothing. i think this is normal. but it's always so awkward and overwhelming sitting down and trying to do work after such a hibernation. i think the thing that i always forget is how much patience it takes. in real, non-creative life its easier to make yourself do things (even though it's still not always easy) because stuff like chores or errands are usually pretty instantly gratifying. if you go grocery shopping then you have a full refrigerator, if you do the dishes then you've got an empty sink, if you take a shower then you're clean. its so simple! but when you sit down to "make something" who knows how many hours (or days or weeks or months) it'll be before it turns into anything at all, or if it even will turn into anything. but i'm not complaining. i actually like the process. it just seems like such a crazy expulsion of energy to from time to time participate in this reorientation. and to have to remind myself again not to be expecting some polaroid-style satisfaction.

also

i decided today that walking is my favorite hobby

i got back from japan a little over a week ago. i've spent the past week being hardly employed and taking advantage of living in new york. there is nothing like traveling somewhere really foreign to make you feel really competent when functioning at home. its nice feeling like a genius just because you actually understand the subway system really well.

here are some highlights:
after we got there we took the train to kyoto for the weekend
and found this photoand this one
missing thing: Its hard to find.
travel: No problem.
back to the big city




this past thursday i rode to prospect park
and was reminded that next i'd really like to go to paris.