Easy peasy!

Manifest project a video by retrotec&ingliscycles on Flickr.

All you need for this simple project is a few minutes, mad skills and a little dog named max..a dog named april lurking in the corners helps too..

The F-IT

The F-IT, a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

This is the car i got! Slightly more practical...

The car I wanted.

The car I wanted., a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

this is the dream car...first honda to hit the US, 1970!

Cross training with some knitting.

Cross training with some knitting., a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

My mom must of stuck knitting needles in my hands at a very young age because i don't ever remember her teaching me. I've just always known how. I learned everything i know from her for, she is the master pro and can knit a sweater, or anything else, out of a few scratched out measurements on a piece of paper and everything always fit! Amazing.

On our long Sahara desert trips one of us would always return with a new garment. We all fought for our place in line.

As a teen i knit myself a few sweaters but in the age of the eighties, ie: day glow everything and acid washed jeans, my hobby didn't go over so well.

So i let it go, until i became a mother and started knitting anything i could think of that my girls might use. Toys, sweaters, doll clothes, hats, scarfs, socks, you name it, i sat up at night making it.

With Luce Goods coming in i kinda put the knitting aside for a while...but as i entered the yarn store the other day i got really excited again...

edmin and i do weddings.

edmin and i do weddings., a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

This was the biggest order of bags i've done for one customer. They turned out great and everyone was pleased as punch...

then this happened..

P1010185 a video by retrotec&ingliscycles on Flickr.

I got to drive Curtis's isetta today after spending a lovely day pouring wine at "the taste of sonoma" with Mitzi. We topped it off with dinner at "norman rose tavern"....not bad for a saturday....

Long day at the office...

Long day at the office..., a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

Work does funny things to you..

last dirt crit-winner

last dirt crit-winner, a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

...and so summer ends...

Watch out bike thief!

Watch out bike thief!, a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

People who steal bikes piss me off too..

Brooks and hunter can we build one of these too?

Brooks and hunter can we build one of these too?, a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

This should be part of every adults garden/playground...don't come up mommie's busy..

11!!!!

11!!!!, a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

Eleven years ago i got hella lucky and scored the best little human being ever! It was particularly momentous cause i had managed to do it for a second time since i was sure her sister was the most amazing thing ever! Turns out good fortune can smile on you twice...Happy Birthday sweet gir! You make my world go 'round..

Current favorites

Current favorites, a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

Japanese fabrics are my favorite! They always have been. Nowhere else can you find such colors, designs, and quality. Here and here is where I loose a lot of my time...

overloaded.

overloaded-car, a photo by Tony Gaynor on Flickr.

And yes France or bust sounds about right...next year..
1. Levi's Gran Fondo
2.Northern California Bike Expo
3. D&S wedding
4.Feendo(Pass and Stow) rack bag
5.Make own oil cloth (totally doing this i'm really excited about it!)
6.Yoga teacher Trainning (doing it!)
7. All the other events i'm forgetting about.
8.Back to bed with my book....

wow..

Emma_Willow, a photo by Archival Clothing on Flickr.

Looks not right somehow...

Travel treasures.

Travel treasures., a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

Yes, that does say "dishes that men like", couldn't resist...nor could i resist the selection of Japanese fabrics by Kokka and Birch at the best little fabric store in Ashland called Fabric of Vision. We found the keys in a diner in the middle of nowhere in Oregon right outside of Bend. And the cool safe and snug cards, and recipe books were also in Ashland. The Lolo cups were in this funky diner that doubled as a bar, liquor store and deli, clearly the one stop shop for the whole town cause the shelves were empty everywhere else...not a bad haul...

Guess where.

Guess where., a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

I drove to montana and back and ended up here.

today's stage reminded me more of this...

When I was a kid in France, and I knew nothing of cycling except that it seemed to happen once a year and was a really big deal, Raymond Poulidor was the only guy that I remember. Even though he wasn't even racing in my lifetime the people had loved him enough that everytime you saw someone on a bike you would stick your head out the window and affectionately call out: "Allez poupou, allez poupou, allez poupou!". Never wearing the mayo jaune and always coming in second and third he was such a good guy that everybody loved him... this clip is kinda rad.

Also if you're into that sort of thing there's this amazing documentary on Jacques Anquetil and how he does the Macon-Avigno and Bordeaux - Paris back to back. Crazy. Love it...

hungry

Totoro Bento, a photo by Cooking-Gallery on Flickr.

Ready for someone to drop this off for me with a bottle of nigori sake. Chilled. Thanks. Actually any of these will do...and the sake.

'Clean' studio re-assembled.

'Clean' studio re-assembled., a photo by All Hail The Black Market on Flickr.

Crap. Even Stevil is more organized than i am...

Jeremy's bday- I'm out.

Jeremy's bday- I'm out., a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

jeremy's birthday was awesome but it left me feeling like this...

simple is always better...

I like simple..., a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

Like daisies. One of the simplest flowers around yet they bring up so much.

downieville + leather 101

Phew..I think I've just finally recovered from the extravaganza that was this years Downieville Classic race. After many hours in the sun, a zillion excellent New Belgium beers, and more free pancakes and fajitas from Chris King then you could shake a stick at (y'all are thoroughly amazing for doing that..), I have finally returned to reality and sufficiently cleared my head to trudge forward in the world of stuff making. But first a few photos from the event....

Forrest at the top of Packer Saddle where those of us not racing handed out water bottles, camel backs and the such. Forrest was particularly stoked that day as that is indeed his brand spanking new Retrotec he is riding. Just assembled a mere couple of days before the race...

We were lucky enough to find snow at the top which is a good thing 'cause that takes care of me being in the snow for the year...it also was quite useful for making snowballs for our close friends to refresh them as they crested the Saddle.

I think this photo is more fun if you make up your own caption. The water was freeeeeezing by the way.

As previously mentioned much New Belgium beer was consumed in the New Belgium tent no less. Jen is a gem and its always super fun hanging out with her! I am sure Vernor has some waaaayy better pics of this event as he was also chronicling it and his camera is much better than mine.

While I was enjoying this amazing event I ran into the equally awesome Yuri Hauswald. Love that guy. I had previously sold him one of my "luce change" wallets and as we started chatting he offered some totally unsolicited yet totally appreciated product feedback. General concensus being that a stiffer materiel for the outside of the wallet would be appreciated.

So I took his advice and took myself home to try some stuff out. I remembered getting some hand tanned buck skin from my friends Tammy and Steven a few years back and set out to find it. Tammy and Stephen are the ultimate recyclers/let nothing go to waste people. They find fresh road kill and dissguarded hunting trophies and use every last bit of the animal. This may sound gruesome to some but many beautiful things come out of this process, ie: the leather from this wallet, and nothing goes to waste. As would be expected they also utilize all local herbs and flowers for various foods, medicines and the like.

Anyway the last two pictures are how the wallet turned out....

Next up....i'll let you know when I figure it out....

organizing.

organizing., a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

Giving the shop a once over. Finding treasures in dark corners...

last painting in a series by crizzle wells..

last painting in a series by crizzle wells.., a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

Happy fourth of debauchery to all! This is the last installment from Crizzle and maybe my favorite although that's a tough call. This was painted from a picture Crizzle took of his uncle Richard two years ago on the 4th july in Wauconda Illinois.

Richard is a dentist on an indian reservation over in Chinle Arizona. An interesting character for sure...

paniers

Panier bag with wood button for customers wood wedding anniversary. One of three. Fabric is from the 60's and thrifted same with polka dot straps. Awesome plaid oil cloth interior from Tamberlane in Sebastopol.

This is something I would really like to move towards. Starting by making a simple functional bag to snap into platform front racks such as the amazing "pass and stow rack" by Matt Feeney. By the way if you happen to be looking for a front rack for your bike this happens to be the best one to get. Gonna start prototyping some bags in the next month of so, so check and see what i come up with. As per usual it will be quite simple in design and highly easy on the eyes...

Gonna start prototyping some bags in the next month of so, so check and see what i come up with. As per usual it will be quite simple in design and highly easy on the eyes...

Friends take care of friends...

Friends take care of friends..., a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

Many truelly amazing and magical things happened this weekend. Thanks to all my friends and family for making this one the most memorable birthdays ever. Here's to the last year of my thirties! Its gonna be epic...

Just need to attach these to those and I'm set...

Just need to attach these to those and I'm set..., a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

If you come out this weekend you can see these finished!!

luce change

luce change, a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

Wallets are in! These will retail for $30.00 and are completely one of kind! As per usual made from vintage and recycled materials...

Bike Show and Swap meet this sunday

Bike Show and Swap meet this sunday, a photo by Sycip Bicycles on Flickr.

Gonna be there with bells on!! and some new stuffs...see you there!

Happy Father's day a day late...

Happy Father's day a day late..., a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

So my interwebs have been down the last couple of days and i've only been able to use my phone. Normally no big deal but I really wanted to post this photo of "literally" the coolest dude on earth. The list is long but just to name off a few...explorer, grease monkey, freakin' lazers, motorcycles...hope it was a good day pops!

Monkey wallet match!

Monkey wallet match!, a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

Aaaaand my work is done here...

luce change

So I found yet another way to satisfy my insatiable need to put patterns together... My friend Carlos (Bike Monkey) contacted me via the twitter the other day asking me for a rad wallet to boost his self esteem. After assuring him that he is in fact awesome I sat down to the task of coming up with a proper design to fit the task. I started by surfing the web and finding patterns that I might like. If you know how I work, you know that I like simple functional designs. Not a lot of bells and whistles. I found this european pattern that seemed to fit the bill. I instantly took out the fancy elastic button closing mechanism and gave the pattern a whirl. Apparently they have little people sized credit cards there cause i couldn't fit one in the wallet to save my life. It also called for sewing binding around the whole thing and that didn't work out for me either. I won't even post a picture of it. It was that bad. So instead I came up with this design....

I'm quite happy with it...be on the look out for these as they make there debut a Bruce Gordon's
"Another Big Stinkin' Handbuilt Whoop De Doo".
Lots of great people coming out to this event don't miss it!!!!
Okay, that is all...

todd

todd, a photo by vernor on Flickr.

Santa Cruz has no shortage of amazing bike builders... Black Cat Bycicles

weekday breakfast

weekday breakfast, a photo by ahbrooks on Flickr.

I am ready for Andrew to come over and make me this for breakfast before I continue my weed pulling, tree prunning, vegetable planting adventure...

Oh my cuteness!

Oh my cuteness!, a photo by luce goods on Flickr.

Nice to see Carlos(Bike Monkey) enjoying some time with this little monkey this morning at the goat. I should of taken a picture of the whole rig but she was so darn cute there was no room for a stupid bike. i want to leave the house in my socks more often...

Summer came a knockin'...

...and I was ready. Well actually Opal was. I suggested a camp fire she suggested...

...a weenie roast...

...and a marshmallow toast...

...and a smore's sundays....

...and an outdoor theater experience. Who was I to stand in her way when presented with such genius. Her follow thru made me proud and I was given a perfect excuse to get our outdoor living quarters in shape for margs on the deck and bbq season. All I need is for two vintagesque/awesome chaise lounges to materialize at the proper garage sale so I can put my dogs up in style....