Category: Kindred Spirits
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Sainted suds
Can’t you just hear the choir of angels singing, “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh” over a pint right now? I think that’s how everybody around here felt last month, when my good friends (and veteran restaurateurs) Barry & Renée Watson opened the doors of their newest business, Pint Defiance Specialty Beers & Taproom. I mean, come on—look at that…
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Penland sketchbook
Since Jessica and I got back from teaching at the Penland School of Crafts, I’ve been struggling to put the experience into words. But no matter how I go on about how beautiful the Blue Ridge Mountains are; or how unique Penland’s creative culture is; or how amazingly talented each and every one of our…
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Mountain dispatch
All I can manage is a quick note today—because this is where I am right now … and this place has got me pretty speechless. I’m here teaching with Jessica this week, with a studio full of smart, sassy, and seriously talented women. The class has got us inspired to stay up late printing every…
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Deal me in
My brain is chock full of useless information—I could sing you about 35,000 ad jingles on key, or recite Jurassic Park or Trading Places or a hundred other movies line-for-line. But don’t challenge me to a game of Poker, because I have a terrible head for card games. I love playing them, and am always…
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Love Nest
If you happen to live in Washington state, you can’t help but notice that love is in the air. It’s not quite what you think, though—rather than turtledoves and cupids flying around, the breeze is carrying ballot petitions and angry voices. Though Washington became the seventh U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage earlier this year,…
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Just in case I missed the rain
I think Washington was jealous that I left it for Texas last month— —because when my best friend Elizabeth came out for a trip to the San Juan Islands, we were treated to endless rain. That’s okay, though—the San Juans are absolutely gorgeous in any weather. The place could not be more different than what…
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Wild goose (paper) chase
Oh, man. I’m beat. You people plum wore me out this time. Every year I keep thinking we can’t possibly top the previous one, but Wayzgoose just keeps getting better and better. And this year, the weather was so unbelievably good* that I think half of Tacoma (plus a good portion of Seattle and a…
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Printing at Penland
When Jessica and I were in North Carolina last summer, we had just enough sightseeing time to squeeze in a short trip along the aptly-named Blue Ridge Parkway. Between the dappled sunlight, the lush Southern greenery, and the unexpected splashes of color, we were enchanted in an instant. (I, for one, was tempted to do…
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Printer’s devilry
Last Sunday, to raise funds for the upcoming Wayzgoose, we had a little “Wayz & Means” film festival celebrating all things letterpress. Even though the show’s over, the main event of Wayzgoose itself is still on deck. So as a little warm-up to get you in the printing mood, I thought I’d share a couple…