Wednesday, April 15, 2009
recently i went to a free composting workshop hosted by the city of Los Angeles (along with my food&craft&newmedia-loving friend alex of viva.le.mani). these workshops are offered once a month for LA residents and give a helpful overview of the art/science of urban composting. plus, they offer super deals on a variety of composters at city-subsidized prices. (i got an earth machine composter for $20!)
when i was growing up, my family always had a compost in our backyard, so the practice wasn’t foreign to me. but doing it in the city seemed a bit more intimidating, so i really appreciated the boost of confidence from this little workshop.
a few new-to-me tips that i took home…
for a healthy compost, be sure to keep a 50/50 balance of browns-to-greens. not enough browns? try adding some shredded newspaper. to keep away critters, never include anything that was cooked in oil/fat. and to keep away fruit flies, bury new fruits and veggies under the old compost in your bin. and if it starts to smell funky, you’re doing something wrong! i’m still getting started myself–so for more details, check out the LA city composting guide.
and let me know if you have any composting adventures or tips to share!
listening to: let it be me by ray lamontagne (listen)
:: image from lillieinthecity / flickr
earlier this month, i went on a one-day letterpress adventure at the international printing museum in carson (printmuseum.org). their introduction to letterpress workshop (which was i was psyched to attend) was a great mix of fun, informative, and inspiring–and the museum itself is a hidden gem for anyone interested in printmaking.
the day started with a guided tour of their museum and a brief history of printmaking. and then we dove into the type room, learned the the basics of typesetting, and got to work on two basic printing projects. the museum has an awesome collection of type fonts and woodcut images to explore. for my name print, i couldn’t resist this woodcut of a windblown cypress tree (for love of the california coast).
if you’re in the los angeles area, the museum offers lots of classes about letterpress, book arts, and printmaking. i’m hoping to be back for their intermediate letterpress workshop on april 18. more printmaking soon!
see a few more letterpress pics at lillieinthecity / flickr.
listening to: feeling good by nina simone (listen)
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
it’s hard to stay grumpy in los angeles. even though it’s been raining here off and on for too many days. and the heat in our apartment is only sometimes working. and it’s february, the dreariest month of the year, agh.
but even after it rains all day, the sky here clears up just before the sun sets. and in that moment, you get the most gorgeous views: blue skies, soft clouds, golden rays, and a glimpse of the snow-capped mountains that surround the urban jungle of LA.
hope your days are ending with a little bit of sunshine.
listening to: for beginners by m.ward ( listen)
:: photos from lillieinthecity / flickr
Friday, November 28, 2008
:: thanksgiving breakfeast with holiday magazines.
:: out for a walk – glorious cloudy blue skies.
:: crowds at the grocery store.
:: apron from grandma.
:: pie from nana. my first solo pie-baking : success!
:: sunset – more gorgeous clouds.
:: giving thanks chez schwartz.
:: and one more slice of pie.
see more photos of my thanksgiving day in LA at lillieinthecity/ flickr.
Monday, November 17, 2008
it’s 90 degrees in november, the full glory and perennial curse of southern california on fierce display. devil winds, hill-hopping infernos, smoked mansions, torched trailers, barren freeways, and brilliant sunsets lingering in low-hanging canopies of burnt dreams. (latimes)
:: image from our kitchen window tonight, myflickr
My name is Lillie Dignan. I'm a designer and maker, living and working in the Bay Area.
