Sweet Sweet Life

oh, my! :: melinda josie

I'm not a big lover of cats, in fact they freak me out completely (a tragic tale of college anatomy classes lays behind this particular aversion), but when I saw this painting by Toronto-based artist Melinda Josie, I just about swooned:

Look at her!!!  Look at her little baggy stockings!!!...And Melinda's many other works are no less darling! 

A wee sampling:

Admittedly, put a sweet animal in Mary Jane's and I'm generally sold, but these have something more.  They have the heart and soul of childhood, innocent and dear, right there in each piece.  And they are so, so beautifully done.

Oh, so much more to see!:   Website (where her work is sold), blog, and flickr.

Cheers, sweet friends!

xoxox.

oh, happy day

Yay!  I'm back on flickr! 

I was kind of "out of sync" for a while over there, as my pro-account expired and I didn't have the funds handy to renew it right away, so lots of my pictures disappeared for a bit.  I felt like someone had cut off my hand!  But they're back, and if you're interested in reading some older posts from the blog (since I don't have tags) you can go to my blog shots set to link to some of my faves.

Do drop by and say hello!

xoxox.

breathless

...over these sweet, sweet dreamcatchers from the fabulous Sweet Jessie.  I checked the couch--not enough change to bring one here, but I think they are such a wonderful interpretation of a pretty wonderful tradition.  Lovely for a child's room, no?:

 Here is a more traditional dreamcatcher, with more information on the Native American legend surrounding them, so you can see that Jessie has done wonders. 

I adore them, especially the ones with colorful fabrics.  Someday, I'll get one for Sofie's room.  See Jessie's shop for lots of lovely, including the cutest garlands around...

Sweet dreams, and all that, my dears!

xoxox.

join the Mother's Day Happiness Challenge

Tomorrow is Mother's Day 'round here, and I think we can all agree that motherhood rocks.  But it's also exhausting and busy and sometimes mind-numbingly boring, right?

Go here, read this (the whole post--it's awesome and enlightening, I promise), and think long and hard.  I'm doing it, maybe you'd like to, too.  Either way, whether you join or not, you have to agree that it's a very worthy cause...

Raise a glass with me to happy, relaxed moms, and perhaps, soon, you'll find that you are one yourself (wonder of wonders).  And when that happens, everyone benefits.

Happy Mother's Day, all.  Rock on.

xoxox. 

spring cleaning

Hello, sweet friends!

Mother's Day (here in the States) notwithstanding, I am going to make a real effort to get some cleaning done around here this weekend.  (We've had birthdays to celebrate the last two weekends, and well...you just can't clean when there's a birthday to celebrate.  At least, I can't...) 

In that spirit, I thought I'd share some of these super suggestions from author Gail Blanke.  She wisely urges us to throw out 50 things from our homes, and our lives, during our Spring Cleaning this year.  Here are my favorites...

Throw out:

:: the belief that you are alone.

:: stale spices and ingredients.

:: containers of partially used grooming products untouched for six months.

:: medicines for conditions you no longer have.

:: trying to please everyone.

:: make-up in shades that can't be found in nature (nail polish excepted, of course!).

:: books you'll "get to someday."

:: dried up tubes of glue.  Dried up anything, really.

:: playing the same music, over and over.

:: feeling that you life is a movie you're watching, instead of starring in.

:: souvenirs from bad vacations.

:: old parking tickets.

:: a single sock, glove, or earring.  It's mate is not coming back.

:: the times you messed up.

:: clothes from a departed loved-one.  Someone else needs them now.

:: clothes that no longer fit.

:: wire clothes hangers.

:: sheets, towels or pillows that are torn, stained, or just bum you out.

:: the adage "no one is indispensable."  Everyone counts.

:: keys that have no locks.  Haven't had for years--maybe decades.

:: fear of looking foolish.

:: anything you don't want to pass on to your children--from worn-out rugs to worn-out grudges.

***

Ooooh, I feel better already!  This Mother's Day, let's do ourselves and our kids a favor, and clean it out.

And do have a lovely weekend, my dears.  You deserve it. 

Cheers!

xoxox.

koi nobori for children's day

Hello, sweets. 

So, yesterday, May 5th, was "Cinco de Mayo" 'round these parts.  It's the traditional day of Mexican Independence, and thus, a wonderful thing to celebrate.  What I didn't know is that it is also Children's Day in Japan!:

On May 5th, the Japanese people hang koi nobori, or carp flags, outside to celebrate the children of Japan.  (It's actually to celebrate the boysof Japan, but I'm ignoring that, of course.)  The koi is chosen as the perfect symbol, as it is fiesty and vigorous and able to overcome obstacles.  I don't know about you, but that seems to describe the two girls in my house, so I actually ordered a koi nobori for us to hang on our back porch, and it is suitably rainbow. 

While over there picking up my koi, I saw some really darling books for children about Japanese customs, and I thought I'd share.  Here we go:

here

here

(We actually have this one, and it's great.)  here

This looks wonderful--about a little girl who wears her kimono on the first day of school...here

And, of course, you cannot beat the wonderful Rosemary Wells--this is also one of our faves!  here

Okay, then.  We're ready for Children's Day next year.  But who are we kidding?  It's always children's day around here...:o)

Cheers!

xoxox.
 

two by katie brown

Hi there, sweets! 

My lovely and oh-so-stylish friend Sunny (hello, dear!) once suggested that I do a post once in a while on my (too) many decorating/home books, and I think it's a smashing idea.  She asked me about my Katie Brown book, specifically, so that seems a lovely place to start, especially since I found Katie's new book at the library this weekend.

Do you know Katie?  She was once referred to somewhere as the "young Martha Stewart" and I think that pretty much sums it up.  Plus she's way, way more likable. 

Here's the book I have:

Katie Brown's Weekends:  Making the Most of Your Two Treasured Days...Chock full of recipes, it's also a great source for weekend projects and decorating tips...

One of the things I love about Katie's recipes is that they all seem to be time-honored family traditions--she always lets you know who she got the recipe from and how it was important in her family gatherings as she was growing up.  It's sweet, and you get the sense that you really must go make them.  (Incidentally, and you know I'm not a big cook, but one Christmas my mom and I made a recipe from Katie for caramel candies, and they were the best thing I ever made.  On the basis of that and her great smile, I have been a long-time fan.)

 
Also, as I said, the book is packed with party-planning tips...

 decorating ideas...

...and organizational tools.  I really love it--it makes me want to get my sorry act together and start living the good life (which is a myth, I know, but sometimes you've got to get off the couch, already).

And here's the newest book from Katie:

 
(Sorry about the reflection;  it's from the library!) 
 

Katie Brown Celebrates:  Simple and Spectacular Parties All Year Round is organized by month, with one themed celebration for each.  Lots of good ideas, from a Graduation party (timely, no?) to kid's parties, family buffets and Thanksgiving supper:

A beach party, with super-cool bleach-printed beach mat:

Again, full menus and recipes for each type of party are provided, along with lots of decorating tips and projects that you could use any day of the year.  And, also nice, mix-and-match menus for other types of meals are provided at the end of the book, using the same recipes ("Everyday Dinner" or "Brunch Bunch," for example).

And I have to tell you, I love Katie's house.  I look at it every day.  Why?  Well, I have this closet, see, and it has a fully-mirrored door inside.  I'm not much for checking myself out while "in my naked," as Sofia used to say, so I covered the mirror with pictures from magazines that I liked...Fashion shots, you ask? 

Nope.  Homes, baby.  Take a look at these thoroughly awful pictures (but who takes a good picture inside a closet, really?):

And there is Katie's home!  Two pictures of it!

Living room...

Dining area...

From Country Home, May 2008.  I wish I still had the rest of the article, but...here's good news:  I hopped on over to Katie's blog and she says that Traditional Home just photographed her home for an upcoming issue.  So, yay!  Definitely one to keep an eye out for.  She knows her stuff, that Katie.

(Or look for the books!  Either way, good stuff.)

Have a great one, my sweet friends.  Cheers!

xoxox.

from bikinis to art :: gotta love it

Hello, hello!  So lovely to see you here, dearies! 

I'm super excited because I just found this wonderful, wonderful site through the ever-awesome Irene, of  Bloesem Kids.  It's called Juime, and it's the on-line sales-place of Manuela Olten and Wanja, a couple of extremely creative people based in Germany.  As Irene says, she is "a well-known German children's book illustrator and he is a specialist in communication design."  And what a shop--it's so full of wonderful, inspiring products that I couldn't wait to share it with you...

 Look!: 

 Dolls!  You can imagine how much I love these.  Blue hair never looked so good.   (And the photo of the little rabbit toy?  The cherry on top!)

Sweet little skirts!  The one with the crochet edging is to-die-for, and the huge kangaroo-pocket on front is genius (adult-sizes, please?)...And look at this bikini!  Aack!

And little bags--so cute...

And what about for you?  Well, there are garlands, trays, pillows and vases:

 
And the most wonderful original paintings, from Manuela (remember, she illustrates children's books as her day job):

 Do you not love?  I know I do.  And if nothing else, it's enough to get me creating again.  And for those of you in the shopping mood, Irene says they are offering free worldwide shipping until May 7.  Whoo hoo!

I love it all, the playfulness, the colors, the drop-dead fun.  Manuela is a true artist, transforming her world--and if we're lucky (and we are, right?) brightening our own. 

Juime:  go see for yourself, believe it or not, there's lots more to see!  Cheers, and as always, thanks so much for reading...

xoxox.

***

p.s.  I just realized today that lots of my emails from readers with suggestions or comments have been going to my spam mailbox (stupid spam).  Ugh!  I didn't realize, and so if you have written to me and not received a response, please be patient with me while I catch up.  And if it was prior to April 1, it may be gone forever.  I'm so sorry!  Feel free to email again, and I will surely keep a better eye on things.  I pinky-swear.

greedy for color**

Hello, all!

(**That's actually the name of a very nice blog you may wish to check out, but it is exactly how I feel today, so I borrowed it.  She spells 'color' like this, though: 'colour.'   I wanted to, too, but I can't really pull it off, being from the boring old States.  Gosh, we're so dull.)

But anyway...Some shots from the 'hood, so to speak.  (I can't pull that off either, can I?):

 

Wow!  That's a lot of photos.  Sorry 'bout that.  I couldn't stop--it just feels really good to be seeing my world again, and feeling like taking a pic or two.  I've not felt that way in weeks, and I'm happy to say, I think I'm getting my groove back!

Have a beautiful day, my dears.  Cheers!

xoxox.

falling into a rainbow :: julia laing

Hello, all!

I found the wonderful work of Julia Laing last night on flickr, and I swear, it was like falling into a rainbow.  Her work is so original and vibrant, not to mention extremely varied--it's enough to keep me happy for a very long time...

Where to begin?  How about this wonderful silk yo-yo brooch, yummy enough to eat...But there's more!  I love, love, love the series of brooches called "my favorite dress":

Just wonderful!  (That little black and white polka dot frock in the lower left just might be my favorite, but it's rather hard to choose...I'll just take one of each, please.)

A glorious cuff, sure to brighten the cloudiest of days.  So full of texture and color that I could truly live on it, nourished by it's perfect mix of all that is cheerful and good.

She also has a wonderful series of heart brooches, with words like "turmoil" and "doom."  Very darkly Victorian/gothic, with a delightful twist of whimsy (...who'd have thought?!)

And here is one of many incredible textile pieces.   (I mean, look!)  I'm telling you, it's just the tip of the iceberg!  Get thee to her flickr stream quickly, my dears...then her blog, her website, and her shops, if you like!  From plush to fine art, and everything in between, Julia has it covered. 

Just what the doctor ordered, I'd say.

Cheers!

xoxox.