Art Box Reveal

Art boxes are due today!

For a few years now I have wanted to create an entire wall of vertical trim pieces. So I was motivated when said feature wall was value-engineered out of my project to create the pieces as art to hang on a wall. I am hoping to create more on a much larger scale. These boxes are created with trim and stock discards {another motivation was also a little practice on the chop saw}.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope that you are with the ones you love, gathered around a large table eating and drinking merrily!

Aioli Dinner, George Rodrigue, 1971

This painting, while not about Thanksgiving, reminds me of a few holiday's spent at my grandparents in New Iberia. Our typical holiday routine was for my paternal side of the family to come to New Orleans to celebrate with my maternal side, so it was the best of both worlds. But the holidays spent in New Iberia ring in my mind just like this painting {minus the plantation} but full of an older generation gathering around telling tales many of which were in Cajun French.

For more info on this painting check out Wendy Rodrigue's blog.

Esther K.

Allow me to introduce you to my friend Susan B., the creative mind behind Esther K. {the jewelry line named for her great grandmother}. Susan is one of the most inspiring people I have had the honor of knowing. Back in New Orleans during our spa shop girl days she was creating 'round the clock. Every morning she would come in with something new that she created or refashioned. Now living in Philadelphia {by way of NYC with fashion degree under her belt} she is still a woman about town, editing for Daily Candy Philadelphia, and designing Esther K.

Each Esther K. collection carries a theme that is brought to life in brass and reinvented vintage charms... so its sure to patina beautifully as time marches on. Susan is continually inspired by her time in New Orleans and those humid and sultry memories are perfectly channeled into these new heirlooms.

images via Esther K.

Be sure to check out her holiday collection online, all pieces are under $55.

Notes on a 3rd Birthday Party

We had a great weekend with dear friends in New Orleans last weekend. The main event was their 3 year olds birthday party. I observed the essentials of a successful party are:

Party hats {check}

Animals on cakes, animals on plates {check}

Spacewalk {check}

The best party favors {check}

Breakfast sweets not allowed any other day of the year {check}

Gumbo {check}

Adults Beverages {check},{check}

Tableware dreams!

Chilewich has done it again with the new pressed vinyl collection. I love these Coral pieces which have silver and gold foil pressed in to the open design to create a ethereal table setting {perfect for holiday season!}

images via Chilewich.com

Whoever thought vinyl could be so pretty!

About to come up for air

Photos by Ric Frasier
I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am about to come up for air and get back to blogging....see you soon.

I {heart} stripes!

Stripes are my neutral pattern, my go-to accent. So needless to say I love Paul Smith. Here are my top three Paul Smith creations: fabrics for Maharam are always on my inspiration boards {Anthropologie Bertram chair}, Rhodia notepads fashioning his doodles and ubiquitous stripe, and his 1999 china collaboration with Thomas Goode is still my favorite.

images via Anthropologie and Paul Smith

"Coming up Easy"

"Hanging at a pub with your rabbit friend!"...Paolo Nutini and Harvey, the Shakespearean actor acting {dancing} as the rabbit say that this isn't even the weirdest thing they have both done. Well this video is quite funny. Enjoy....

Solas and New Heirlooms

I am in love with these sconces by Cj O'Neill. The semi-circular bowls are either solid, perforated in circular patters, or painted with patterns. By painting the interior or the exterior the solas have amazing depth and translucency. It is just beautiful how the pieces seem to float above the surface of the wall. I would love a cluster of these in my cottage.

Cj also has an amazing collection of refurbished tableware that he dubs "New Heirlooms". He grabs the pieces from resale shops and then transfers graphic patterns over the traditional patterns. So green and so great!

images courtesy of Cj O'Neill

Blue Maya

Ok, so my sister has been begging me to tell her the name of the designer for the little clutch I got her at Jazz Fest years ago... so here I am spilling the beans on a little secret that I wanted to hold in my back pocket until I was able to buy one for everyone I know. Well here it is: Blue Maya Bags, by Nancy Alexander. The bags are a combination of vintage art papers and graphics all sewn together by Nancy. Each bag takes about a week to make as Nancy stitches and outlines different elements in the composition of each bag.

Yee-Haw!

Can you expect anything but soulful and southern inspired art from a company called YeeHaw Industries? I love these folk prints as a part of any decor! The pieces are either etched in wood or linoleum (depending on how much lead time is given to the graphic designer) The pieces range from concert posters, museum openings, typography, critters, to layered overprints.

all images via Yee-Haw Industries.

We currently have this "I love you like biscuits and gravy" but I will soon be adding to our collection. Be sure to check out the shop on Etsy. I can spend hours looking at all the prints there!

Good Morning - "The Littlest Birds"

Whenever I need a little inspiration, I often turn to The Be Good Tanyas. This song always makes me smile, I hope that it brightens your day!