Friday Photo Finish

As promised a few shots from New Orleans. Unfortunately the sky was overcast much of the time, which makes for difficult lighting conditions, but I managed to get some that I really liked.

images by me

Artist Amber Alexander

Etsy is an endless source of inspiration. Case in point, I stopped dead in my tracks when I caught sight of this print by artist Amber Alexander. She gives these animals such dignity and personality. They are beautiful.

Burp

Mice on my Mind

Looker

Octoprint

images via Amber Alexander

Vibrancy

When we got back from New Orleans yesterday afternoon, I went on a mini cleaning jag. While I was going through the large stack of magazines at the end of my bed, I of course stopped to look through some old Domino magazines, and came across these photos of Maria Maggenti’s home. Reminds me of the vibrancy of the people and the colors of New Orleans’ French Quarter.

This porch is just made for lounging around on hot summer days.


The dark wood flooring adds depth and grounds a mostly white room while colorful accessories give the room life. I should also mention that this room makes for an interesting juxtaposition with the bohemian porch.


Someday I’ll have space for dining table, and I think I’ll still love the idea of having mismatched chairs.

images via Domino Magazine February 2009

And We’re Back!

Back from an amazing long weekend in New Orleans. The people were so friendly, the streets were so alive and vibrant, and the food was amazing (if only our stomachs could have fit more!). We had such a great time creating new memories on the fourth anniversary weekend of our first and second dates.

Can’t wait to show you some of the wonderful sights we saw. I’ll be spreading them out over the next month of Fridays. Hope you enjoy them.

image by me…taken at Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World

Off to the Big Easy!

Pete and I are taking a quick little trip to visit New Orleans for Memorial Day weekend. I owe you all a bunch of Friday Photo Finish posts, so I can’t wait to get there and start taking photos! Have a great weekend and stay safe!


image via Mike Jones Photo

Bargello Needlepoint

I’m feeling a new trend coming on in pillows. Twice this week I’ve seen the Bargello style pillows popping up, once in the current Martha Stewart Living and somewhere in the blogoshpere. When a design gets my attention and has me searching the internet to find out more about it, I feel pretty confident calling it a trend.

For those of you that haven’t heard of Bargello needlepoint before, here is the Wikipedia explanation: “Bargello is a type of needlepoint embroidery consisting of upright flat stitches laid in a mathematical pattern to create motifs. The name originates from a series of chairs found in the Bargello palace in Florence, which have a “flame” stitch pattern.” It is also called “Hungarian Point” as the Italians believe that the style actually originated in Hungary. It’s been around since the 15th century, and it’s last heyday was in the 1970’s, a time when the color combinations used were a bit wilder.

Here are some great samples of the Bargello style by Jonathan Adler:

Bargello Flame


Bargello Chevron (as seen in Martha Stewart Living June 09)


Bargello Waves


Bargello Diamonds


Bargello Zig Zag


Bargello Puzzle

There is no specific color combination that is required in Bargello. The colors can be as subtle or as bright as you prefer. More differentiation between the colors used shows off the pattern, while using varying shades of the same color creates more of a subtle shading effect. Because this type of stitching is quite sturdy, it is perfect for use on pillows, upholstery, and carpets. It was also sometimes used for wall hangings as well.

For more sources of Bargello needlepoint, just follow these links here for books, here for old and new products to buy, and here for lots of handmade variations.

images via Jonathan Adler

These make me smile

I don’t know what I like better these prints or their names. So clever!

Alas, My Time As A Hipster Symbol Is Nearing An End


Confronting The Incomprehensible As A Way To Stave Off Boredom


I Play An Important And Disgraceful Role


It Is Folly To Assume My Awesome Lies Dormant


He Thinks My Sudden And Terrifying Mood Swings Are Kinda Cute


I Have Seen The Interiors Of Cloud Formations That Make Your Cathedrals Look Like Walmarts

You can pick up a print here or here.

images via The Mincing Mockingbird

p.s. I meant to post this on Monday, but alas my brain is fried and I forgot to tell Blogger to post it. Thank god I'm on vacation from my day job the rest of this week. I could use a rest. Argh!

Super Bright

I make no attempts to hide my love of traditional chairs dressed up with modern fabrics and colors. To me it means that I get to have the comfort and beautiful details of antique styled furniture yet without the stuffiness of it.

Louis XV Ribbon Chair

Can’t you just picture a couple of these cuties in a room with a either a neutral sofa in to match one of the tan colored stripes or a sofa upholstered in a soft patterned yellow? So many possibilities!

The chair is from Dransfield & Ross.

Ceramicist Whitney Smith

I’ve had Whitney Smith’s Etsy shop hanging out on one of my numerous open tabs in Firefox for a few weeks now, and every day or so, I look at the pretty little things in her shop and just sigh. They are so pretty and so Springy. They just make me happy to look at.


Cherry Blossom Cake Stand


Cherry Blossom Dessert Plate

Dogwood Flower Dessert Plate

Cupcake Stand with Scallop Bell Jar

Large Poppy Bowl

Her work ranges from simple pretty pieces to very detailed and organic work. To see a wider range of her work, you can visit her Flicker photo stream, Poppygirl. This urn from is one of my favorite pieces of hers that she shows on Flickr. It has a very art nouveau look to it, which I love.

Poppy Urn

The first five pieces are on sale at Whitney Smith’s etsy shop, Whitney Smith Pottery.

Catherine Martin

I could never in live in a home with dark colors, but I love this patterned stair runner by Catherine Martin. Such great detail. I love all the details in this set from the shiny black stairs and banister to the patterns on the wall and the tiled floor. She is such a gifted and talented designer.

Be sure to check out the latest issue of Vogue Living Australia, for which she was the guest editor.

image via Catherine Martin

Vote!

Blogger Nicole Balch of Making it Lovely did this amazing front porch redo for the Better Homes & Gardens 48hr Challenge while 9 months pregnant with the beautiful Eleanor, but that’s not why you should vote for her. It is simply the best project of the nominees. Check it out and vote for Nicole!

Before

Work in progress

After

You can vote once a day until June 12. The winner receives $5,000… wouldn’t that make a nice little start for Eleanor’s college fund?

images via Pink Loves Brown

Happy Mother’s Day

My mom is up in Oregon visiting her mother for Mother’s Day, so I’m not visiting with her today. I just wanted to wish her a Happy Mother’s Day and tell her how much I love her.

image taken by me on Easter. Isn't she beautiful?

Sucre

I was half watching an old Food Challenge on the Food Network after work today (the other half of me was pouring over each craft in my new copy of Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts), and one of the competitors was Tariq Hanna, the executive pastry chef at Sucre in New Orleans. Since Pete and I are heading to New Orleans for Memorial Day weekend, I had to hop online and find out what Sucre was.

This is definitely going on the the steadily growing list of restaurants to go to and food to eat. I’m going to need my stretchy pants for this trip.

Love the large windows and beautiful seafoam green walls.


Love the light fixtures… like pretty little clouds.


Looking forward to choosing a little something… or two… or three… from this case.

And look at this pretty little box filled with chocolates. Stylish.


And fluffy handmade marshmallows topped with a pretty pink bow. Irresistible!


And the piece de la resistance! French macaroons!

Now that we’ve seen how it looks, I’ll have to let you know how it tastes when I get back.

images via Sucre

It is Pretty Great

Recently stumbled across the photo blog Pretty Good by Mary Ruffle. It makes me so happy to look at it especially in these past few weeks while I’ve been so busy at work that my little brain is just too tired to focus on anything when I get home. It’s just such a great idea. A beautiful photograph with a short blurb… nothing but beautiful.




Can’t wait for Summer to try this…

Also be sure to check out her well curated tumblr site full of even more pretty images (although from other sources).

images via Pretty Good