Annika's x-mas present to me.

Always love to peak inside the closets of creative ladies profiled on Jeana Sohn's blog, like the glimpse below from Giorgia Tramontano closet (photo by Sohn from her site) The fine little tear-drop beads on the long necklace below are beautiful. Check her out.

I haven't done round-up in awhile (I always think of a lasso when I say that). So here are the people/places/things inspiring me and what I'm looking forward to.

• Want to pop into new shop Oui Presse in Portland for the latest Anthology and some espresso. Come on Seattle! Why are there no good indie magazine stockists here? If I'm wrong about this, please correct me.

• I stayed up late last night in bed poring over the new-ish how-to book by Christine Schmidt of Yellow Owl Workshop. I'm going to start relief printing (i.e. making my own stamps) this weekend.

• Soon-to-be-opening Specks & Keepings shop! Hillery Sproatt has such an artistic way. 

• File under so impractical it's practically perfect: the AZTEK fringe lap top sleeve by Spectacle a la Maison. Maybe a gift for the girl with moxie in your life? Pictured below. 

• Celadon and orange in Claudia Pearson's work. I want everything in her shop.  And it makes me hungry.

• Jonathan Adler's bold yet homespun graphics on pillows.

• Shopping the "looks" at Totokaelo...

Have a winning Thursday everyone.

*Moment of Zen* from the ol' archive.

We're all wondering where the promised snow storm is in Seattle. Snow one minute and bursts of sunshine the next. Such a low-key winter in this corner of the country, compared to the rest. I need to get ready for the snow in Minneapolis when I see Karin in March. Can't wait!

From the girls bathroom of the Fremont Coffee Company. I love this hand.

New project...

Some recent necklace creations. I'm in love with the earthier Japanese seed beads in picture 1 and 4. I get mine at Fusion Beads down the street.

P.S. Thank you to everyone who gave me their opinion on the blog changes! I went with the consensus and I'm very happy about it.

It's time for change at Raccoon and Rain. Bigger pictures, new header and others to follow. What do you think of these? I'd love to hear your reaction.

Experimenting with bigger pictures. What do you think? Too big?

Little and big life growing out of the walls in my neighborhood...

Something I love about Seattle: Leaving a meeting in an unfamiliar neighborhood (Alki) at sunset and finding yourself on the ocean front...