Monday, May 19, 2008

New blog banner, new Laini's Lady

(Look! I managed to change my blog banner, finally! It's supposed to be easy now, but late last night nothing was going right. This morning I thought to try Firefox instead of Safari and it couldn't have been easier. I guess I should give up Safari. But I'm so used to it. But it kind of sucks. . .)

New Laini's Lady #1. I've been wanting to use this quote for ages. Love it. The background for the skirt comes from a colored wall in Chiapas, and the blouse is from an embroidered table-runner that was hanging in a shop doorway in San Cristobal. And you might recognize the lovely face as belonging to a certain blogger. I just designed her wedding invitations for her, and had the photo already all Lady-ready, so I used it. So pretty! Here's the invitation:
It was gorgeous here all weekend. Saturday night we had the first outdoor movie of the summer at our friends' house, and it was perfect outdoors-at-night weather. We ate pear-ginger duff with icecream and watched "Death at a Funeral," which was weird and neither good nor bad. Yesterday was gorgeous, the heat wave broken -- a near-perfect day, it looked like, when viewed from indoors. I did not set toe outside the house, not even once. I never changed out of my nightgown all day. Am I ill, you ask? No, just working! It's very glamorous around here!

You might have heard that yesterday 75,000 people came out to Waterfront Park to hear Barack Obama speak -- that's his biggest crowd ever, and the biggest crowd of any of the candidates this election season. Go, Portland! As I didn't leave the house, obviously I didn't go, but my mom did. She's been campaigning for Obama -- the first time she's worked for a candidate since Kennedy! I am so excited by my parents' energy for Obama. My dad, a retired Naval officer and lifelong Republican, actually registered Democrat this year!!! It gives me so much hope for our country, that we can make a drastic change. Of course, John Edwards was the candidate Jim and I favored, and I hope he will be either VP or Attorney General of the new administration. It's so amazing to us here in Oregon that our primary votes matter this year! You know, I heard that nation-wide, more voters have turned out for the Democratic primaries than voted for John Kerry last time around? And when I heard that, it was with 6 states still to go. That's crazy-high voter turnout for a primary. Woo!

Today: more Laini's Ladies, while listening to my audiobook! I'm on CD #2 out of 10 and it's so cool to listen to. The narrator, Davina Porter, is a genius of voices and has given my book such LIFE! I love the Scottish accents! I wish I could do accents. I mean, when I speak Italian and French I have a good accent, but I can't "do" accents. I think if I could pick an accent to have, it would be Scottish, and a really thick one. You?

15 comments:

Gretchen Alice said...

I'd want a Cockney accent, hands down! And I know what you mean about the banner. I recently changed mine and it took me forever to figure it out using Internet Explorer--ugh!

meghan said...

Whhhheeeeeeeee!!!!

So I came over to see how you were and there I was! TWICE!!!

YAY!! I am so honoured and thrilled that you used my face on your new lady - and she's fabulous! I am grinning from ear-to-ear!!

And thank you again for our gorgeous invitation! I laugh with happiness every single time I look at it! YOU are amazing and talented!

Yipppee!!!

xo

tone almhjell said...

Oh, I have multiple accents. Not in my native tongue, can't do that, but when I speak English, I just sort of mimick people around me.

Sometimes it's a very posh Queens English, sometimes very broad American. After five minutes in Nashville I was all drawl. And in Cuba? Terrible English :)

I rooted for John Edwards, too. Hope he gets VP at least. And what you say about the turn out numbers sounds very promising. You guys need someone decent in that columned house of yours now, I think.

Q said...

Londoner accents are pretty great. I love the new Lady.

Deirdre said...

Davina Porter did the Outlander books on CD too - great Scottish accents.

I got all teary-eyed reading Meg's wedding invitation. It's truly beautiful and perfect.

Alex S said...

I love the new banner AND the Laini's Lady with Megg's beautiful face on it. Is there any way to let the teacher know that those kids are on the banner?? They'll be so excited!

Alex S said...

oops! hit 'send' too soon! Do you really think that Edwards might be considered for VP? I don't think he will. I think they will go with a military person but I am really, really happy for Obama. I can't even begin to imagine how he must be feeling right now, to have overcome what seemed inevitable- Clinton as the nominee (though i do like many things about her). We are long overdue for an African American as well as female president and I am just glad and not surprised that it is the democrats who are electing the first of BOTH. I heard that McCain is considering Alexandra Saperstein as his V.P. I wonder if thats true.

Amber said...

Okay, um, that has to be THE BESTEST (it is too a word!) wedding invitations EVAH!!! Holy moly, you should do a whole line of those! Lucky Meg. ;)

I am so excited by the turn out of voters. Really, I just am so happy abou ttha. and I hope they all turn out for the Big One, too! It is ABOUT TIME people cared!! Yay for you guys that your vote thistime will matter. when you think about it, it really seems like they should just have to have every state get those votes in early, so evey state counts. It seems unAmerican that so many states have always gone uncounted before this...

:)

Jen Robinson said...

Laini, I wanted to tell you that I ran across a display of Laini's Ladies at a little gift store in LA this weekend. It was such a kick, seeing them, and knowing you. I couldn't resist bringing one home for myself. Thanks for brightening my trip!

tone almhjell said...

Also: Can I buy Ladies in San Francisco or Sonoma? I'm going there in only a few weeks, and I would love to get a Holiday Lady for my tree (and for inspiration until winter. It really is hard writing a Christmas story this time of year).

I love them!

Kirsten Michelle said...

i've linked in here from meg's this morning...
those are hands down the coolest invitations i've ever seen!!!
makes me want to get married all over again ;-)

looking forward to peeking into your archives with my morning coffee.

sweet blessings on your day.
xo

Vivian Mahoney said...

Oh! Love your new header...Love the new Laini's Lady...Love the wedding invitation!

What beautiful things to see on your blog!

Annie Jeffries said...

Your new banner is ADORABLE!!!!

GreenishLady said...

I've already admired the invitations over at Megg's blog, but want to say to you too how utterly fabulous I think they are.

And I'd go for an Italian accent, I think.

Unknown said...

Laini, this wedding invitation is genius. I love it. I mean LLLOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooOOOOOOOOve, love love it. I want to be a faerie with my magical story written on my dress with the love of my life holding my hand:)

I feel like I've learned a lot about moths lately- from you and Barbara Kingsolver (Prodigal Summer). It's been an interesting learing experience and I'm looking at moths in a whole new way!

have a great Memorial Day!