The Craft Begins

I have a soft spot in my heart for prop styling.  I think that it comes from all of the years working in visuals and merchandising.  I like the timeless quality of it – unlike in retail stores, the photographs that come with beautiful styling last forever.  I really like the work of Alessandra Mortola.  Her still lifes are quirky and a bit cheeky.

And who doesn’t love gorgeous pictures of food?

Although I think my favorite projects of hers are the personal ones.

A little bit creepy, but I think it works.

You’ll be seriously missing out if you don’t check out her entire portfolio.

I love the look of this renovated San Francisco apartment.  The architectural details, the eclectic decor, and the simple color palette make this a winner in my book.

To see more pictures, click here.

I think that probably everybody has woken up recently thinking “oh crap, it’s christmas!”.  That means lots of buying presents and most of all, wrapping them.  That time of the year is always fun for me because it justifies all of the wrapping paper and ribbons and stuff I have lying around most of the year.  If you’re trying to come up with creative, interesting packaging without having to break the bank or buy in bulk, why not check out Nice Package?

They’ve got everything you need to create an interesting, etsy-worthy package for giving.  The small amounts mean that you just get enough for what you need.  And everything is so simple and sweet!

Happy shopping!

If you’re just coming down from the after-effects of massive turkey dinners (and then leftovers), take a comfortable seat and enjoy reading some of these fabulous blogs.

1.  to be, inspired has to be one of my favorite new blogs.  They chronicle their antiquing journeys, venturing into thrift shops and restoring old finds.  As an added bonus, the photography is to die for.

2.  My favorite part about reading elephantine is the variety that you get.  Always a beautiful, inspiring picture along with a story about what she saw or heard that day.  The stories are always so simple but so touching.

3.  I would love to live in Small Measure‘s world.  She’s a bit of a homesteader and a bit of a foodie, and advocates living a life a little bit slowed down.  Maybe one day I can be like her!

4.  There’s something about Heart of Light that is so simple and yet so beautiful.  A nice glimpse into a life well-lived.

5.  I can’t say enough good things about Sunday Suppers.  The photography is astounding, the recipes are delicious, all of the food is fresh and organic and local, and the parties look like so much fun!  I might have to head to NY just to go to one of their dinners.

My grandpa wanted to make a website for their side of the family, and wanted it to be very western and rustic.  This is what I came up with, and he loves it!

1.  I know that it’s pretty retro, but I’ve developed an obsession with salt and pepper shakers.  My favorite pair that I have is a set of bejeweled chrome skulls (they look even better than they sound) but this ceramic avocado duo might just overtake them.  Find them at Daina Ceramics.

2.  Yet another instance of me plotting what use I can make of awesome calligraphy skills without wedding invites to address.  Frankly, if I ever make good on my dream of writing/illustrating a children’s book, I would want Primele to write the captions.

3.  I adore the delicacy and feminine quality of Elephantine‘s jewelry.  They are the kind of pieces that you would never have to or want to take off, and just about everyone (no matter how picky) would like.

4.  Now that Polaroid is even a more part of the internet consciousness, good photographers are popping up everywhere.  Jeffrey With 2 F’s is a great Polaroid photographer, and now you can purchase prints!

5.  I want to hang one of these bubble chandeliers from Jean Pelle all over my house.  Once I do that, I’ll start to wear them (jewelry is also available).  You’ll have to see how cool her pieces are for yourself.

Thanks to this week’s sellers!

Felix is headed off to Afghanistan today and I’m heading back to CO.  I’m going to take the long route back to Colorado so I’ll be offline for a week or so.  If you’d like to keep up with Felix’s army adventures he’ll be keeping up a blog.  Hope you all have a great week and I’ll see you when I get back online!

David Maisel photographs history.  You might think that that’s impossible, but he has developed a technique that produces such astonishing results it’s hard not to sit back and take notice.  He photographs x-rays taken of objects of antiquity.  This may seem like a simple process but the images that are produced are ghostly and yet familiar.  His explanation of his work, along with more photographs, can be found here.

Charlottesville, VA is a charming little town.  Hilly and wooded, it’s very feudal south.  People who live there really love the place, and I think that’s always a good measure of how nice it really is.  It’s a short distance from Washington D. C. but a huge distance in lifestyle.  It’s also well known for its local food movement, which can be experienced in a number of establishments all over town.  Here are a few of the places I’d recommend vising if you get a chance!

1.  No trip to this area of the country is complete without a trip over the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Winding along the mountains, you get a great view of the valleys that surround the area and the hills themselves.  You can take the parkway itself or turn the other direction and head into Shenandoah National Park (3655 US Highway BSN 340 Luray, VA 22835, 540.999.3500) and Skyline Drive – either way is gorgeous.

2.  Thomas Jefferson designed the University of Virginia campus in 1819 and his hand can be seen all over the campus.  The buildings are reminiscent of his very own neoclassical Monticello.  Though the campus has expanded considerably it’s still a lovely walk around the old part of the school, imaging yourself 100 years ago immersed in this very collegiate atmosphere.

3.  To really experience a new place, I like to head to the grocery store and have a look around.  Foods of All Nations (2121 Ivy Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22903, 434.296.6131) is probably one of the more interesting grocery stores I’ve had the pleasure of visiting.  All sorts of exotic treats as well as homegrown goodies await the taste-inclined shopper.  Whatever treat you’ve developed the taste for and haven’t been able to find easily, I’ll wager it will be on the shelves.  They’ve even got a bit of a shop online.

4.  If you are looking for good sushi and a fun atmosphere, head over to Ten (120 E Main St., Charlottesville, VA 22902-5220, 434.295.6691).  Recently opened downtown, their hip decor and interesting drinks make this a hot spot.  And though it’s usually not my favorite, the tempura is simply to die for.  Delicate and delightfully crunchy, there’s something for everyone here, even if you don’t think you like Japanese food.

5.  You may think that once you’ve had Indian food at some buffet you’ve tasted it all, but that won’t be the case once you visit Milan (1817 Emmet St N., Charlottesville, VA 22901-2812, 434.984.2828).  They have all of the old standbys but the flavors are so much more intricate and delicate than usual.  Make sure not to eat for some time beforehand because you won’t want to be limited by the mere bounds of your stomach wall.

6.  If beautiful housewares and lovely gifts are what you’re after, Caspari (100 W. Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902, 434.817.7880) is a must-stop.  Another located on the downtown mall, this gorgeously-designed shop has it all, from custom monogrammed stationery to interesting light fixtures and beautiful wrapping paper.

7.  In this age of the Kindle and iPod, it’s always refreshing to see a bookstore.  From the street, New Dominion Books (404 E Main St., Charlottesville, VA 22902-5236, 434.295.2552) invites you in, enveloping with you withe delicious scent of paper.  New and used, spanning every possible subject, there’s no reason not to pop in and see if you can’t find something worthwhile.

8.  The Blue Moon Diner (512 W Main St. Charlottesville, VA 22903-5542, 434.980.6666) might not look like much, but if you can get over the cigarette smoke (make sure to sit in the non-smoking section) the food is fantastic.  Nothing too fancy but everything is prepared so well, lentil soup and grilled cheese become a delicacy.  Make sure to get the lamb grinder if you’re looking for something interesting.

9.  It seems that in recent years, the Chinese have developed a taste for Western furniture and have been willingly giving away their old things.  You can take advantage of this trade disparity at Oyster House (122 E Main St., Charlottesville, VA 22902-5220, 434.295.4757), an import store with Asian flair that has one of the best collection of Chinese antiques I’ve seen in a while, and at very reasonable prices.

10.  Many of the places I’ve mentioned above can be found at the walking mall in downtown Charlottesville.  There are many places that I haven’t mentioned as well.  Lots of outdoor restaurant seating, street vendors and the occasional Friday night concert make this a pleasant place for a stroll.

11.  Just off the mall can be found the McGuffey Art Center (201 2nd St NW, Charlottesville, VA 22902-5012, 434.29.7973).  An old elementary school turned into a series of studios and gallery space, you have the ability to pop your head into one of many working art studios to have a chat with local artists and to get an up-close view of their work.  I of course love the fact that they re-used an old building for a new, artistic purpose.

Those are just a few things that this quaint, walkable town has to offer!  I’d love to hear your suggestions if I’ve left some place out.  Next up – the southern belle, Savannah, GA.

I’m a big fan of black flowers.  I think that they can be unexpected and interesting, without being depressing or goth.  They’re just so dramatic, and people really never expect to see black flowers.  They’re obviously not a true black, instead being dark burgundy or purple, but the look is unmistakable.

1.  I created this bouquet for a friend’s wedding last summer.  She wanted bright colors in all of her flowers but all of the bridesmaids were wearing black so I thought it would be a nice way to pop her flowers a bit by using black Dahlias.  Combined with bright colors, the black looks downright classy.

2.  These black Dahlias make a pretty and sophisticated arrangement for your house.  photo via Apartment Therapy.

3.  They’re very rare, but black Irises have such a lovely shape.

4.  Another rare one – the Landini Asiatic Lily.

5.  Black Baccara roses add drama and romanticism!

6.  A new twist on a wedding standard – black Calla lillies.

7.  This scabiosa is a bit strange looking but would look great paired with other flowers.

8.  Black or chocolate Cosmos look great and they smell great too – like chocolate!

If you know of a black flower I’ve missed, I’d love to hear about it!

My lovely friend Amy was kind enough to host us at her DC abode last week for dinner.  It was cold, rainy and windy and after some time trying to make it across the city in such a storm, we were glad to go inside.  What I wasn’t expecting was how fantastic the house was.  It was a little Sherlock-Holmes, a little Victorian Lady, a little Drag Queen, and a lot of fun.  Bold wall colors and lots of fun little discoveries awaited us at every turn.  As I left my camera at home, Amy was kind enough to send me some pictures of the place.  And now I’d like to share them with you!

On a great block of old brick row-houses sits this gem.  You’d never know from the outside how decidedly non-traditional it is.  Parlours in the front let in the light and block the city noises from the rooms behind them.  Creative lighting solutions and large fireplace mantels set the mood.  On hand is the resident puppy, Nylah, who looks scary from the outset but is indeed the friendliest dog on earth.  The chalkboard paint in the panels of the kitchen door is a great place for a grocery list or a note to the roomies.

Another thing I really like about the house is all of the gothic accessories.  A suit of armor guarding the stairwell?  Of course!  Gargoyles scattered over every surface?  Well, I thought every house had them!  They’re offset nicely by all of the dark wood framing out the doorways and stairwells.  Who says traditional has to be boring?  Check out the fabulous Ms. Amy herself – look at those legs!!

The back servant stairs were pretty terrifying (as Amy said, they had about the proportion of a Mayan temple) but the idea of a hidden staircase was pretty exciting.  My absolute favorite thing was the gargoyle sitting in the gorgeous tile fireplace.  There was a glorious “poopatorium” that was painted a pretty navy/black color, proving that it is possible to pull off super dark walls.  And the best part of all, hidden behind gorgeous wardrobe doors – THE BAR.  Needless to say, we had a great time.

Thanks to Amy and the boys for letting us into their home and letting us eat drink and be merry.  And then for sending follow-up pictures.  You guys rock.

Lennon is an amazingly good painter.  And he also happens to be a friend of mine.  I’ve had the fortune of being able to see a lot of his work up close (including one incredible painting hanging in my dining room) and let me tell you, the pictures don’t do his paintings any justice.  They are expressive and colorful and just downright interesting. His work would look good in any circumstance and any location.  Don’t believe me?  See for yourself.

My other favorite thing about his paintings?  They’re huge.  Like wall-size.  All the better to get lost in.  You can see more of his work here.

When I was at F.’s parent’s house last weekend his mom was complaining about her cave-like dining room.  Of course, this set me scheming.  Within a few hours I had her convinced that if we started at that very moment I could have the room painted and re-done by noon the next day, a timeline that I only missed by about 30 minutes (and I convinced her of this at 11pm the night before).  The room had some really great things going for it – big windows, tall ceilings, hardwood floors and great architectural features.  The bad thing?  All those vertical planes just bounced sound around, giving it a cold and boomy feel.

We painted the walls a warm, brick red that was contemporary while keeping the traditional feel of the house.  2 big windows provided plenty of natural light, something we didn’t want to compromise on.   Instead, we hung tall silk curtains that just brushed the floors wide enough around the window frames so that they covered the walls on just either side, providing the illusion of bigger windows.  The original lace curtains hang inside the frames providing a bit of privacy while letting the light through.  The curtains broke up all of the even planes, allowing sounds to be absorbed.

A few other small fixes were all that the room required.  Moving the dining room table to the center of the room helped it take up the space a bit better, and moving some other furniture pieces around helped the whole arrangement make sense.  Since the furniture isn’t very tall and the walls are, providing layers of height (lamps, big pictures, plants, etc.) helps to create the illusion of height.  We made sure to pick a wall color that worked with the accessories already in the room (rug, table runners) so we wouldn’t have to change much.

Here are a few things that I learned during this project.  If you’re lucky enough to have molding and chair-rails, make the original investment and paint all the trim with an oil-based paint.  This makes removing spills and spatters from the wall color super easy and that way you’ll be able to change the wall color at will without having to repaint the trim.  And don’t bother taping too carefully – an angled brush and a steady hand is all that you’ll need.  And if your walls aren’t as tall as these, hang the curtains as high as possible to give the illusion of height.  Most of all, it’s best to work with what you’ve got so one small change pulls the whole thing together, instead of feeling like you’ve got to go out and buy everything new.