Tuesday, September 30, 2008



Image from NYT's Magazine: TOP DRAWER DESIGN FALL 2008
Creation of Georges Rousse. 
An abandoned building transformed;
"equal parts illusion, installation and graffiti...
his work is never what it seems..."

I was paging through the magazine 
as I listened to the talking heads discuss 
the bailout that was and then wasn't... 
and thought the top picture was very interesting.

The artist reinterpretted the famous T.
Yes, "his work is never what it seems"  


Monday, September 29, 2008


 update - oops 
photo credit: d.h. xoxo

Meet Baylor,
an 8 week old Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever
such a cutie-pie
I met Baylor last week at my daughter's field hockey game.  
This darling puppy belongs to my cousin and her new hubby, 
(remember the island illustrations)
who were at the game because they just started working at the school 
(the competition).
Both benches were distracted at the end of the game by this fluff-ball.
Clearly, the doggie was the highlight!

Friday, September 26, 2008

I don't remember where I found this...
but I it was on my desktop...
I guess I was saving it for a post...
d.h. pleaded with me to clean-up the desktop...
he thinks all my stuff is clogging the system...
I complied.
And created this post.
Happy Friday.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008


Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
and never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird 
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me

Emily Dickinson

art credit:
birds in tree print 
 for sale on etsy
"Are those real live socks?"
My young niece Caroline gave me a quizzical look as she spoke.
The four needles with yarn dangling from them was a strange sight.
This post is for Caroline - 
I finally finished the real live socks.
Started on a winter weekend in Vermont at the M ski haus
and finally finished this summer.

I can really wear them too - no holes

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

the key

Dreams
by Langston Hughes

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow

image from design*sponge, i think.
I don't remember the artist unfortunately

Monday, September 22, 2008


Missing 

All Things Bright and Beautiful

Felicity had the most amazing side bar of blogging tips & techniques.

I used her tips & techniques often after I jumped headfirst into blogland.

You can find some references to her blogging tips at 


another great blog.
I am sorry ATBB disappeared.

I hope she reappears.

I hope she is well.

last January
I was able to construct the collage 
of Manos de Uruguay yarn
pictured above.

Does anyone else have Felicity's blogging tips saved? 

I love to knit.
As do some of my friends.
Look at the tabletop scene from our last get together.
Aren't those lambs darling?

We get together about once a month from Sept to May.
This year we decided to each work on the same project.
We are each going to make a four seasons throw.
It is made with 12 squares, each measuring 12"x 12"
and joined together in strips of 3 with another color.
Each piece is knit in a different pattern.
Our plan is to work on the same square each month - 
that way we can all help each other when we hit the inevitable snafu.

Sounds like fun.
We are all using Manos del Uruguay yarn.

I decided to play around with the thumbnail sketches from purlsoho 
to create a collage to help me choose colors.
Do you like the combo?

The names of the colors are wonderful:
cheek - henna 
 cirrus - french blue
quail (for the border)

Friday, September 19, 2008


Park(ing) Day
nyc






imagine nyc with fewer vehicles

bike cabs
green in design and operation

and many other cities
on 19 September 2008


you can hear an interesting report on park (ing) day
on the Brian Lehrer show on nyc public radio station
wnyc

did you know that 12
bicycles can fit into one parking space
photo below from hoping for happy accidents  , july 2008

glamourous gal with doggie 
one of my favorite actresses,by the way.
enjoy a bike ride this weekend!

photo from Paris Breakfasts, 10 july 2008

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

I stopped this subscription awhile back
and boy did I miss it.
So tonight, no work on reconstructing the favorite links sidebar,
just pure relaxation  
as I read this fabulous mag that arrived today.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008


no "real" post - 
i am ready to scream... again...
i deleted all my favorite places to visit on saturday -
how did I do it ?
- the wrong delete button - loud noises, bad language, fist pounding table - 
you get it - 
couldn't bring myself to sit down and reconstruct - 
finally tonight 
after two long days at the day job
i decide to reconstruct - after an hour or so... 
i decide to leave a comment on a blog
after getting the http address to add to my link list
and poof - gone in an instant ... how could i be so lame..
forgot to hit the all-important save button- so i'm closing shop  ...
i'll try to keep calm and carry on tomorrow
good night

Monday, September 15, 2008

I have been reading the fashion blog,
for awhile now.
Images below are from the
Maison Martin Margiela, The Exhibition, MoMu-Antwerp
which will run until February 8,2009
this jacket reminded me of my 
memento boards
love it
imagine it with one of these dresses
oo la la
Diane, with her shaded view

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Flower Girl
delightful
clever
and 
so pretty
by
Elsa Mora

enjoy the weekend
xo m

Friday, September 12, 2008

My friend Robin's store,
Sea Beans Studio,
was featured on the Coastal Living blog!

check it out here
Robin was the first retail establishment to showcase my
frames and memento boards.

Thanks Robin for the great start.

Robin's specialty is the 
hand-painted, charming, fun and functional LL Bean canvas bag.  
Each bag is a beautiful custom creation.
See an example on the adirondack chair pictured above.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

I mentioned in an earlier post that faux bois is everywhere,

Grace Bonney 
from design*sponge
attributes the interest in woodgrains
"to the trend in natural materials".


Check out this great bag from Flee.
I would like to think I was ahead of the trend.

I bought this bag three years ago
from Flee, an on-line boutique, 
with a storefront in West Newton, Massachusetts. 
I love this bag and use it daily from September to May.

It serves as my remote office.

I needed a new bag this year
and I bought the very same one!

faux bois stationary by rock, paper, scissors


soft wood rug by Martha Stewart & offered by Horchow

chair at pottery barn, i think

there is even a blog,
dedicated to all things faux bois
written by Jonathan Lo
"will trees ever go out of style?" he says.

faux bois picture frames 
from mrr design

just slip the picture between the ribbon and fabric

the frames are for sale in many fine boutiques
and on my etsy shop

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

GOT MILK

one of the last fabrics to arrive for the 2008 fall line
cow hide
a friend tells me cow hide was everywhere at the ny gift show


Friday, September 5, 2008


Glittered cherries that I bought for Christmas decorations 
about three years ago 
and never put away -
just too delicious looking.

Scrumptious pomegrante
all from the glitter fairy.

Recently I discovered Sitemeter 
and consequently realized 
that a lot of visitors were coming to my blog from 

The glitter fairy is my friend Laurie Davis.
So I popped over to Laurie's blog
to see what was up
and was pleasantly surprised to see that Laurie 
had posted one of my frames on her blog
along with some very kind words.

Thanks a million Laurie!

So now I want to
send you all over to Laurie's place


Laurie makes wonderful glittery objects

the production line

more glitter

she even sells glitter for you to use at home

sweet tags
glittery topiary

Laurie and I have known each other since our daughters were little girls.
She is one of the happiest people I know.
Her blog voice is her voice exactly!
And her segments on Martha Stewart are a hoot.

I often see Laurie at 5:00PM at our local market. 
Laurie is cheerful, exuberant and always sports a speck of glitter.
She is like wonderful burst of fresh air.
whoosh!
See you at the market soon Laurie.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

SPOTTED
SMEG ON THE STREET

Six months ago I might have simply walked by these fancy fridges. 
Well, maybe not the pink one.
But since reading HIDDEN IN FRANCE
I cannot resist a smeg
this smeg is for you Corine.

Spotted on a fine afternoon walking along west 28th, nyc
after a fun but exhausting day at the ny gift show.

If you have not read the blog HIDDEN IN FRANCE
you must take a peek
pretty pictures,
great commentary
and lots more.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008


THANKS PRINCE CHARMING


FOR CHOOSING ME

I won this book 
 over at Pigtown*Design.  
Connor, Meg's happy lab pictured above, choose me. 
Those two must know some special dog speak
 that only certain people understand!

If you read pigtown*design, you know all about Book Thing in Baltimore.
If you have not read pigtown*design, it's time you started.

This is a 1939 first edition of one of the best decorating books around.
I catch little bits and pieces before I tuck into bed each night.
It is delightful and 
Fun
Just like the title.

If you live near Baltimore 
you can see the work of pigtown*design 
this Saturday, 6 September 2008.
The Prince Charming piece at the top of the post
is one example of Meg's charming work.

Pop over and take a peek.

thanks meg & connor
have a great show