Thoughtfully handmade items by Miss Bojambo

I am equipped with the following Lonely Planet guide books: Peru, Provence, and Tanzania because they are all places that I dream of visiting!

I began playing the flute in the 4th grade and went through a pan flute phase. When I think of Peru, I hear a pan flute playing music from the Andes. I never ended up with a pan flute, but would be more than delighted to hear live local music in Peru! I dream of exploring the Inca trail, soaking in the vibrant culture, and finding me some pan flute action!

I'll be honest, ever since my first French class in the 7th grade I have been madly in love with France and terrible at French. I imagine visiting Provence and eating exceptional food, drinking rich wines, and swimming in seas of lavender. I can't imagine a more romantic and moving place. I dream of indulging myself in the same vistas that inspired so many great artists, too many to name.

When I was a little girl I dreamed of living in Africa with the animals. I wanted to wake up one day and be a big, beautiful wild cat. I know that I am never going to magically transform into a wild cat, but going on safari in Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania could pay tribute to my childhood desires and be my greatest adventure!

Where do you dream of traveling to?

♥ Miss Bojambo

While in Portland, Oregon this past weekend, I stopped in a little shop by the name of relish. Although they primarily deal with interior design, the store has a wealth of home decor items and gifts within its colorful walls. That's where I found this gem of a terrarium by Space Design Botanicals.

♥ Miss Bojambo

I downloaded an application onto my iphone thinking it would enable me to take photographs that I could share via twitter throughout my bf's, mine, and our two cats journey from San Francisco, California to Seattle, Washington. I was wrong, but I do think I will share a bit of the journey now - I mean, I've got the photos!

We left San Francisco at around 7:30ish am, after stopping for a light bite and much welcomed coffee, we hit the open road. Roux and Simone were packed forward between the driver and passenger seats in their "to the vet" carrier with a puppy training pad - just in case. They were a little uncomfortable at first, but slept through most of the 14-15 hour drive, and eventually molded themselves into one giant ball of cat.

Driving through California took a while, but I was thoroughly entertained by Mount Shasta. It just kept getting bigger! The first photo is while we were approaching the mountain and the second photo was once we had passed the mountain. The third photo is of a group of horses. I love horses, but I was also bored and have way too many unidentifiable photos.

Once we made it to Oregon things started to get a little slow. There just wasn't much to hold my attention for hours at a time! We blazed through Portland and I managed to capture the "Entering Washington" sign. The home stretch was intense. There was a beautiful sunset, but the sky was black by the time we actually made it to Seattle. I didn't want to simply take squiggly light photos from the car, hence the no downtown Seattle photos at night. We made it home around 10:30pm with sore butts, sleepy kitties who perked up once they were rid of the cage, and a lot of unloading to do!

♥ Miss Bojambo

This Saturday, the BF and I vacated the fine city of San Francisco to drive up North and taste some wine with his parents in wine country- just for an afternoon. We specifically wanted to taste whites because we've been conducting our own tastings as of late with ... you guessed it - white wines!

We went to two different wineries: Ferrari-Carano Vineyard and Winery and Dry Creek Vineyard, both of which had beautiful gardens and yummy wines. While at Dry Creek Vineyard, the BF and I were split in our taste preference between two Sauvignon Blancs, a 2008 Fumé Blanc and whatever it was that he liked, neither of us can remember! In any case, we ended up leaving with a deliciously rich 2006 Chardonnay that we both liked. That said, my Sauvignon Blanc recommendation is the $12.00 2008 Fumé Blanc from Dry Creek Vineyard. It was delicious - give it a try!

We had a lovely time tasting wines, enjoying the beautiful vistas, and gardens. I was very impressed by how well manicured the gardens were and feel inspired to shape up my own little slice of earth. Oh, and I loved seeing the allium and wisteria in the garden at the Ferrari-Carano Vineyard and Winery. I would like to incorporate these into my garden somehow. On that note, I will leave you with wishes for a wonderful week and a few lovely little floral photos taken during my adventure.

♥ Miss Bojambo

Happy Valentine's Day, my friends. On this fine day, I wanted to share with you a few lovely floral arrangements, however, I temporarily do not have access to the photo's. But what I do have to share are a few snaps I've captured while in Italy, this past fall. All Valentine's Day approved!

Though this wasn't the romantic gondola ride that I shared with my shweetheart, I captured this gondolier and his boat while in Venice on the Grand Canal. The city of Venice is like a museum and is definitely worth seeing at least once! Make sure you have a friend or special someone to share a gondola ride with!

While in the quaint town of Amalfi on the Amalfi Coast, In Southern Italy, My Bf and I walked through though the vender filled streets and happened across this stand of hot peppers. Hot red peppers to spice up your life!

Lastly, I will leave you with the lovely photo taken in the romantic gardens in Ravello; A sleepy town atop the rolling hills of the Amalfi Coast.  DH Lawrence, Truman Capote, and Virginia Woolf have all spent time in Ravello; finding inspirations from its beauty no doubt. Italy is such a wonder. Enjoy your Valentine's Day, my friends!

- Miss Bojambo

The weather in San Francisco, as of late, has been very chilly and I'm loving it! Case and point. Today, after bundling up, I met a girlfriend for a late morning bite at a local cafe. We enjoyed our warm pastries outside, while our cheeks turned rosey pink and steam danced above our espresso. As soon as we polished off our warm treats we were off to partake in a knitting store adventure!  

There is something so satisfying about being chilled to the bone and then walking into a warm, cosy space. And I think a store covered from floor to ceiling in a variety of yarns is the perfect place to escape from the cold. 

While at the kitting store, I came across a beautiful blanket that a staff member had made. The construction was very interesting as there was a wave pattern throughout the blanket and a wealth of different colors, yarns, and textures. I have been wanting to knit either a cream, rich purple, or moody grey wool throw for a few months and this blanket inspired me to better define this throw I am fantasizing about making. I am envisioning a monochromatic throw made with as many different yarns as I can find. I'm sold on the texture that is sure to manifest with all of the different yarns. 

There are so many things that are more fun to do in this chilly weather, like drinking spicy teas, wearing socks and scarfs, knitting anything, sending and receiving packages with friends (actually, that's always in style!) and making, baking, and eating yummy treats! I'm going to go out on a limb here and declare this weather a treat!

Stay warm, my friends :)

- Miss Bojambo

Today, the BF and I drove from San Francisco to Monterey, California, which is home to the wonderful Monterey Aquarium.  Our two-hour drive was well worth it, as we were able to experience a special exhibit entitled The Secret Lives of Seahorses. From the largest whale to the smallest seahorse, the creatures of the ocean are simply mysterious and fascinating.  

During our visit to the Monterey Aquarium we saw many creatures, such as sharks, octopuses, fish, anemones, penguins, and many more.  We even saw an otter swimming in the ocean just outside of the aquarium – very cool. 

Of course, my favorite part of the entire experience was the star attraction, The Secret Lives of Seahorses. I was in awe while walking through the entire section of aquariums dedicated to showcasing one of the ocean's shyest little species.

There were so many seahorses of different sizes, shapes, and colors.  I had never seen anything like some of the seahorses that were shown.

The entire seahorse experience was magical. I felt like I finally saw a unicorn or something noble and majestic similar to that.  The experience created a desire within me to develop a few underwater characters for a future children’s book. Stay tuned. My eyes really can’t believe some of the creatures they saw today! Oh, how I am inspired by these wild and mysterious animals. If you have a chance to see The Secret Lives of Seahorses, I recommend it, and if not, why not try any aquarium near you – get out and check it out, my friends.

- Miss Bojambo

Another warmer than usual day here in Seattle. 89 degrees - and the perfect excuse to visit my favorite air-conditioned bead supply store. I certainly escaped the heat and enjoyed an uninterrupted hour of bead hunting/ drooling over all of the different trinkets I dream of getting my craft hungry little hands on ... all in good time. Today, I was in the market for beautiful, classic-white pearls, which I believe will be the finishing touch on my new necklace (yet to be named). I am excited to see how this necklace unfolds ... stay tuned!