Today is Sunday.

Like most church-going folks and other non church-going folks, I believe in treating people the way you would like to be treated.

While this is not a political blog, I would like to comment on the current political atmosphere.

I voted for Obama. I campaigned for him. It was the first time that I was so heavily involved in a political election. I am proud of my work and my OBAMA sticker remains on my car.

So here's my beef: my husband was driving the car yesterday, waiting at a stop light, a large SUV pulled up aside with windows open; the father and teenage son started chanting Obama s-----, repeatedly.

First, what are teaching your child and second, let's be more intelligent about the facts.

Then later in the day, I was driving the same car with the OBAMA sticker, waiting at a stop light, a van pulls up with a late middle aged man driving, who stares at me, then uses a vulgar gesture. I was rattled. It was creepy.

"Shrill political rhetoric and a demoralizing election" NYTimes

Most people know more about their local college football team stats than about the issues that will determine the election - they say "Don't bother us with facts, we have got our minds made up" Bill Clinton

"Where is the science, truth, and facts in the discussion?" John Kerry

Do people really know how their vote will affect them? Do they understand what is propelling the fierce political atmosphere - money - estimates are $4 billion - from the concealed corners of special interests. Do voters know who will help them? Something tells me it is not the fat-cats who are donating annoymously to the campaigns all over the country.

Are voters just angry about the state of their job/pension fund/retirement benefits/house value? Who is to blame for the state of the economy? These problems did not happen overnight...deregulation and greed, a toxic mix, were the main reasons the economy has been shattered. And it could have been a lot worse.

Where are we headed with all this belligerence and negativity?

With all the rhetoric, has anyone provided any real solutions or is it just slamming the opponent?

I guess the media is right, 2010 is the year of the angry voter.

STOP BY AFTER

you visit

ALBERT HADLEY'S

Rooms With A View

at the Southport Congregational Church

THE FAIRFIELD WOMEN’S EXCHANGE

in Southport Village

Invites You to Our Annual Holiday Open House

November 3^rd – 5^th, 2010

9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

332 Pequot Avenue, Southport, CT 06890

203-259-5138

Featuring

Personalized Gifts:

stockings, frames, baby clothing, ornaments, wooden trains & toys

Decorative Items:

centerpieces, miniature trees, rugs, tableware & ornaments

Antiques and Art:

silver trays, jewelry, accessories & framed paintings

Hostess, Office & Teacher Gifts:

famous See’s Candy, fancy pastas, sauces, dips, candies & cookbooks

A punch and items from the Food Department

will be available for sampling

Wednesday, Nov. 3rd and Saturday Nov. 6^th

from 10 AM – 2 PM.

and the wonderful mrr design picture frames and memento boards!

So where do you find these terrific frames and memento boards?

Sea Beans Studio, Wilton, Connecticut

Inside the charming Sea Beans Studio in Wilton, Connectiucut

You can see a couple of my frames on the mantelpiece.

Milestones, New Canaan, Connecticut

The Fairfield Women's Exchange, Southport, Connecticut

Stephanie's, Nantucket, Massachusetts

The Wellesley Boutique, Wellesley, Massachusetts

Catch All, Westport, Connecticut

Nest, Dedham, Massachusetts

Kensington Paper, Bronxville, New York

The Preppy Pink Pony, Alexandria, Virginia

The Fine Swine, Kensington, Maryland

All She Wrote, Chicago, Illinois

Just Madras,

online boutique

'

DARK CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE SCHOOL HAMPERS FRUITS

I went to a fun wedding in Maine this weekend and then I was looking through draft posts and look what I found. Rococo is a fabulous chocolate shop. I lived in London for a spell and this delightful spot was just down the road - I was a student at the time and on a limited budget. Lucky for me the dollar was trading at a very favorable rate! But I still limited myself to 3 truffles at a time. Wish I remembered this post earlier. I could have brought a chocolate bar for my lovely Aunt Brenda, mother of the groom, who looked beautiful. The bride was a beauty too! I know Brenda would have loved a rose-flavored chocolate bar. My mother would have loved a rose-flavored chocolate bar too, especially today because today would have been her 57th wedding anniversary. A fashion feature called 'Mother of the Bride', in the Best Scottish Weddings, said of our Dark Chocolate Floral Bar With Rose: "Couture chocolate is oh-so-now and we think this dark chocolate bar with a hint of rose should be given as a sweet little thank-you token to Mums-of-the-Bride everywhere." Here is the full ad and the copy in case you want to jump the links... We couldn't agree more! Why not show your appreciation even further by giving the Mother of the Bride a delightful Gift Set of 3 Rococo Floral Bars? As well as Violetti di Parma, how about some rich delicious chocolate wafers, infused with flavours like Cardamom, Peppered Mint or Earl Grey? Need to say a really big thank you? Then take a look at Rococo's classic The Cat That Got The Cream Ganache box. Share the joy of Rococo Chocolate Floral Bars this year. Great gifts for Mums of the Bride everywhere - not just in Scotland...

ps.sorry for the wierd post layout

i could not get the full page

to appear - hence the squishy, lengthy column

everyone who reads this blog knows that i am a

huge fan of maira kalman, so i am sending you

to design sponge for a wonderful interview:

what's in your toolbox. enjoy. click here

my brain feels like this today, frazzled.

sometimes i am a fish out of water.

i try to cut out the bad and focus on good; some call it detachment.but my eyes keep spying all the stuff that makes me crazy.

i am trying to rest, relax and rejoice in all the good things.
and swim happily like a fish in the sea, without a care in the world

i wonder if i can?
cut out the stress, the worry, the line that tethers me. i wonder if i can move on...find a new path...
i wonder...

all images from olimpia Zagnolias seen on swissmiss -

liked this window display in used book store,

oren ipsum books,

inman square, cambridge, ma

Ta-Da

Autumn 2010

mrr design

1. swirl aqua

2. swirl lime

3. String of pearls

4. Stripe aqua & green

5. Cogs aqua

6. Marnie by Sis Boom - pink or aqua

The designer named this fabric for me!

That's a first!

thanks jennifer

7. Ribbon candy

8. Swirl lime w/pink

9b. Trailing Flowers - pink or aqua

9. Fancy Rail (pink / white)

10. Fancy Rail (lime / pink)

11. Nantucket basket weave

12. Ghost chair

13. Kaffe Fassett wood grain blue

14. Clover - mocha

15. Clover - breeze (front)

coordinating fabric below

16. Ginko on mocha (with brown or aqua ribbon)

17. Kitchen fun

Kitchen fun shown with recipes

Great as a hostess present with a recipe included!

Kitchen fun - multi use recipes, to do, pictures

18. Bike and flower basket

a pleasant reminder of summertime fun

19. Quennie

Last, but not least

Shown here with my favorite Quennie!

Great for a special birthday or celebration.

My newest innovation for the picture frames

monograms

A few friends are selling this monogrammed line at their boutiques

Catch-All from Westport, Connecticut

and

Preppy Pink Pony from McLean, Virginia

Loads more monograms here

and check out the Holiday selection

I think these are fun and festive.

Can you smell the pine,

and hear the bells,

and feel the cold,

and see your breath?

now back to the studio

ciao

Cranking up the gears

New orders going out every few days

Getting ready for the shows.

Not sure how I will manage this year

by day I push paper...

can't burn the midnight oil in the studio like I used to...

so I push all weekend long,

happily creating as I listen to books and podcasts and npr

still warm enough to go without the heater

cleaned out the space so there is a lot more room

the tag sale did the trick

unloaded stuff, stuff, and more stuff...

felt good to deaccession...

dump is next for all the stuff that did not go...

finis

something good about 10/10/10 at 10

a perfect 10

count to 10

10 fingers and toes

10 little indians

david letterman's top 10

george carlin's 10 words you cannot say on television

10 commandments

Preppy

is back

and so is madras

Look what i cooked up for my friends

Kimberly and Kim

over at

J U S T M A D R A S

check out their terrific website here

got a little preppy in you

then you just gotta have one of these

just right for the perfect summer pic

Order on-line at

J U S T M A D R A S

They have lots of other great stuff too!