New York City calls.

No this isn't 1947 and this isn't my ticket but it was my grandma's! Have a wonderful weekend!

Update:  Sorry this was supposed to post last Thursday but didn't so I am throwing on here now.  I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend.    

Solar System

all images via Solar Ivy

Isn't technology amazing?  I am completely inspired by these photovoltaic leaves!  "Solar Ivy is a solar energy system whose design reflects the natural growth of ivy on building and in nature. Flexible, modular, and customizable, Solar Ivy can be used in conjunction with traditional solar panels or independently to meet the demands of a wide spectrum of energy needs."

Heavenly Stairway

Another Stuart Haygarth favorite.  I would love to ascend these stairs. Loving the colors of the frames creating stripes or chevrons depending on your vantage point.  Genius!  Makes me wish that I had used color in my art boxes.  Maybe next time.

images by Stuart Haygarth via

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Carving up a good time

This weekend Whole Foods had such an assortment of pumpkins.  If I carve pumpkins this year, I am certainly going to break out the power tools as found in This Old House magazine [the article isn't online yet so I posted the magazine pages below].  I much prefer creating patterns in my pumpkins to scary faces.  These remind me of a design I did in college which won the pumpkin carving contest in our studio.  Yes, I am hanging on to that victory because it was the first time I won a contest, and since I was a nervous first year design student, it sort of validated my decision.  For my design I scored and cut tons of lines and dots creating lots of rhythm and repetition.  No pictures though...my fellow interior classmates threw all the pumpkins off the balcony late one night.  I wish I would have been there for the stress reliever!  

[Lucy scoops out the innards of the pumpkin Linus brought]
Linus: [groans] You didn't tell me you were gonna kill it! 

-From Its the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Pretty good excuse to break out the power tools!  Maybe a power tool happy hour is in order.

So long summer...

It was a good summer wasn't it?  Here are a few iPhone pictures from those sunny days of summer>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

long days>> baseball>> ice cream>> cold Coca-cola>> junk food on road trips>> crab boils>> west Texas sun>> and The heat.


Now onto my favorite season of all, FALL!

Herman Miller

Yesterday:  Adoring these images from the Herman Miller archives.

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Today:  Hoping for a chance to win an icon.


ENTER to win some really great Herman Miller Design Classics.

Ain't that the truth

I always want to downsize [with regular donation drop-offs] ...but somehow I keep finding new things to bring home....from Rue...I love the industrial objects in this space.
"It's hard to edit your life when you are exposed to so many beautiful things on a daily basis."

Freelance Whales

Great new video from Freelance Whales.  I really dig their sound.  Don't you love the name Hannah?  Its a palindrome.  With lyrics like "Is she right side up/ Or upside-down/....Is she outside in/ Or inside out"  I think that they used the name Hannah for precisely that reason.  Happy Friday!

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The Tie That Binds

I am so stealing inspired by this idea [it might be straight up plagarism by the time I am done with it.]  I would buy one of these ASAP if it wasn't for the fact that my dad has an incredible collection of used ties from his long career in menswear.  Maybe I can request a COM [customers' own material] and send them into Turn Left Here.
So dad....all I want for Christmas is for you to box up your threadbare old ties and ship them down to Houston (remember that Zegna and Isaia are my favorite).

Image via Turn Left Here Etsy Shop

See isn't Dad precious!

Falling

Love these oxfords!  Even though there is no end to this heat in sight, I am ready to prepare my wardrobe for fall.  I think these would look great with tights, or some skinnies.  Growing up in parochial schools I have evolved through bucks, and saddle oxfords and think that these could be my uniform for fall.  [They also might help me practice my Janelle moves.]

Erin Oxfords

Before (During) and After + Under-Standing Water

Friday night we went to the opening of Before (During) After Louisiana Photographers Respond to Katrina and Under-Standing Water at DiverseWorks.  Before (During) After explores the evolution that 12 Louisiana photographers' work has undertaken in the years surrounding the storm, featured in the show are a few of my favorites Frank Relle and Zack Smith as well as some new favorites.  Under-Standing Water is comprised of sculptural installations integrating household memories damaged and discarded by the flood.  The water faucet by Rondell Crier is a phenominal piece with various flood discards from his mother's house forming a faucet on the wall which puddles out into various photographs on the floor chronicling the two year rebuilding efforts on his mother's house.  In an interview with Culture Map, Crier says "I want people to be able to bend down and be close to an image, to have the feeling of digging through things." 

Faucet by Rondell Crier...[sorry for the iPhone low res.]

The installation by Rontherin Ratcliff is a series of floating houses with plexiglass bottoms which call to mind all the photos he saw drifting and submerged in the waters of his parents' flooded home.  The effect is beautiful and represents what is to me one of the worst aspects of flood damage, the loss of family history.

Rontherin Ratliff [sorry for the iPhone low res photo]

While I highly recommend seeing the show in person if you can't make  it out become a fan on facebook to see more photos, or buy the book.

Small Town Festivities

"There's probably more in the American tradition than people give the place credit for." Donald Judd 

Small town happenings during our week in Marfa...new schools, parades, town fairs, high school football caravans, farm stands, swimming holes, and picnics.....Here are the rest of the photos from my week in Marfa.  

Trip the Light Fantastic

Dan Flavin. love. colored fluorescents+re-purposed barracks.  We had a grand time strolling, dancing, and photographing this illuminating installation.  I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if the two lives of this base were united.  Imagine the Camp Marfa Calvary drilling amongst the minimalist masterpieces.  Do you think that Chinati would let me line up such a photo shoot?

Come, and trip it as ye go,

On the light fantastick toe.

And in thy right hand lead with thee,

The Mountain Nymph, sweet Liberty;

-John Milton