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"  

 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!

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.

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

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

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 

Hidden In France

another great blog.

I am sorry ATBB disappeared.

I hope she reappears.

I hope she is well.

Thanks to ATBB tips that were posted on Hidden in France

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)

Park(ing) Day

nyc

imagine nyc with fewer vehicles

bike cabs

green in design and operation

 Park (ing) day in nyc 

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

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.

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

I have been reading the fashion blog,

Diane, A Shaded View on Fashion,

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

Flower Girl

delightful

clever

and 

so pretty

by

Elsa Mora

ELSITA

enjoy the weekend

xo m

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.

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,

its(k)notwood.blogspot

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

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

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 

Glitter Works Studio.

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.

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.

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 

at the Pigtown*Festival

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