The Happy Heathen

♪Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes♪

2011-03-09T23:23:00.002-05:00

Michael and I purchased the domain 'thehappyheathen.com' several years ago, but let the domain lapse. Someone snatched it up and sat on it for a couple of years and I recently discovered that it was up for grabs again. I've also decided to move operations over to WordPress. I've been holding off 'flipping the switch' while trying to finish some odds and ends, but it's becoming a bit of a pain in the arse to update both spaces. Hey, I'm paying for hosting across the street.

Please update your bookmarks with http://thehappyheathen.com!

Elizabeth McGrath

2011-03-08T09:11:00.000-05:00

Many thanks to my friend Amy for introducing me to the uh-mazing work of LA artist Elizabeth McGrath! She's the lead singer in the band Miss Derringer and has been given the name Bloodbath McGrath in reference to the subject matter of her work. Click on the bloodbath link to read more about a documentary on her life.

Pictured above: Savoy | The Incurable Disorder | The Weasels | One Day.

This hauntingly beautiful bird reminds me of someone very close to me who's spectacularly talented. The world needs to know more about her as well. ♥

Splish, Splash

2011-03-07T10:29:00.000-05:00

We bought some fish for the pond on Friday night. They're the 27¢ variety goldfish and we hope they are like our last group, which grew to a nice size. Too bad the raccoons got them after they survived the moved to Atlanta. We tried several times to get photos of them at the old place, but even when we gave them food they took cover when the camera came out.

We named that one Siegfried and sadly, he didn't make it. He now rests between the pagoda and pond. We even gave him a little tombstone. I know it's just a little goldfish but I've never been able to not get attached.

Bon Weekend - Thinking of Calgon colored water

2011-03-04T09:38:00.002-05:00

{ Basin by Shannon Rankin | Ring | Necklace | Custom cut body of water by Crafterall }

I've been very lax in posting this week as Wednesday found us in the ER to treat Michael. He's ok and on the mend but for the most part, I've been out of commission since Tuesday. All the work in the garden and the simply amazing weather recently has kept my mind on Calgon colored waters and my love of topography. However, we've now been hit with a new blast of cold and grey, so I think it's even better that I share a few pieces from some of my Pinterest boards and Etsy!

Also, I couldn't think of a better time to revisit the post highlighting the incredible work of Linda Glass.

Bon weekend to all!

ETA: after I published this post the sun came out and the temperature is on the rise!

Offbeat Home DIY Feature!

2011-03-02T17:49:00.000-05:00

As promised, here is the second feature post on OBH during launch week! Whee! I shared our sewing table to computer table transformation with all the offbeat homies. If you haven't been there yet, please stop by the site and have a look around.

Thanks Offbeat Home!

AND THE WINNER IS...

2011-03-01T13:39:00.001-05:00

Ms. Robinson, if you would be so as to drop me an email at submissions{@}thehappyheathen{.}com, I'd be most appreciative!

I'd like to thank everyone who participated this time and I hope to have another one sometime in March.

B is for Barnacle

2011-03-01T11:17:00.002-05:00

Or...how I may have just overcome my fear of them. I was on another Etsy adventure the other night and stumbled upon a piece of artwork featuring barnacles. I've always been pretty frightened of the alien looking forms and I've had my share of run-ins with the arthropods. I actually envision them gleefully waiting for some soft fleshy skin. If you don't keep your ladders or boat scraped, the chances of such an encounter with them rises considerably. Even in a swift tide you can get brushed up on a dock piling and get cut.

These pieces have been designed and crafted in a way that has helped me gain a new appreciation of their beauty and form.

Belt Buckle | Vase | Print | Necklace

Necklace | Hanging | Resin Mold Picture | Ring

Wall Plaque | Brooch | Pinch Pot | Cuff Links

Last, but not least, here are four more pieces that are sure to help the barnacle lovers come out in all of us! Wear this soft Barnacle the Whale felt brooch during the day and come home to a delightful print that proclaims that 'b' is indeed for barnacle. Or maybe you like things a little edgier with this wide sterling and copper barnacle ring and mixed media painting that reminds me of a cluster of volcanoes!

Bring on more art therapy!

Pelmet box feature on the newly launched Offbeat Home!

2011-02-28T09:10:00.005-05:00

Is it really Monday? We spend a couple of hours in the yard before an oyster roast on Saturday and then we were back at for a good portion of the day yesterday. I feel great but I'm a little foggy today. If we could keep this pace throughout April, I believe we'll have something pretty spectacular for the summer season.

The newly developed Offbeat Home ran a soft launch last week this week is the 'Grand Opening'. I submitted our bedroom pelmet and it is one of the posts live for launch! Head on over and check out the site.

Thanks Offbeat Home! Stay tuned to the site as I have one more little piece being featured this week!

Bon Weekend - Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog

2011-02-25T10:44:00.000-05:00

During an Etsy search the other day I ran across this adorable hare. No really, it's really charming, but my mind immediately drifted into Holy Grail territory. If only it had a little more red on it, it would make for a lovely version of the 'Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog'. Someone please give it a good home!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and please don't forget to participate in my first giveaway!

The Accidental Lamp

2011-02-23T11:11:00.000-05:00

The accicental lamp arrived yesterday and...we've decided to use this in the corner in question. It was sold sans shade so we'll need to be address that ASAP! I've seen a few of the old lamps with milk glass shades {would need an extra clamp?} and I'm going in search of one. Like the other lamp, we'll clean/rebuild the old socket.

Michael has *suggested* that the other lamp would be perfect in his lab.

Science & Art

2011-02-22T07:44:00.005-05:00

The first lamp arrived on Saturday. I gotta say, it's not just a lamp, it's a work of art. Seriously, this is the kind of stuff that makes us giddy and the thought of breaking it down and carefully restoring it to it's former glory is very inspiring. The photos are of the lamp having just been pulled out of the box, so it's a little dusty.

As we suspected from looking at the original photo, the shade and socket are brass. We aren't sure about the neck and base just yet. The Mason's emblem is in pretty good shape. The cord is an entertaining patch job and we would replace it with cloth covered wire if it weren't going on the wall. Then again, we have that second lamp coming in...

The socket has a porcelain insulator inside and is in wonderful condition other than needing a good cleaning and new wiring, and we're so using it. In the second photo, Michael is trying to clean the plastic switches with GOJO to see if they're made of Bakelite. It works the same way that using Scrubbing Bubbles in that whatever you're using to rub the cleaner on with will turn yellowish. GOJO cleans Bakelite to a beautiful shine, and maybe I'll be able to convince Michael to post the process of when he buffed the dial of his new Variac. His first attempt tells us no, but he's going to try it again now that the socket unit is completely disassemlbled.

I hope this won't take too long as I want to declare our room finished for this phase. Garden weather is upon us!

The Garden Salad Days

2011-02-22T07:40:00.001-05:00

Garden progress! The weather was absolutely uh-mazing this past weekend and we've spent the last three days outside. It's been a while since we've truly felt like we could start something in terms of an outdoor living space. The last two houses were temporary dwellings and we decided not to spend too much energy, or money for that matter, trying to make permanent outdoor features. I can be very impatient and I can easily forget that the garden sanctuary we had in Atlanta took a couple of years of hard work and we had certain advantages, such as no real yard maintenance. I do love container gardens! We moved into this house a little late in the season to really start planting. Top that off with the hottest summer on record and we pretty much hid indoors.

Ok, back to what we've done so far. Our old pond form has been in the garage since we left Atlanta. Today it is comfortably setting in it's new digs. I even have a little animated gif behind the jump of the digging process.

If you click through to the hosted photo on Flickr you can see a few notes I've set up to explain the next phase of work to be done in this section. We're undecided where the second pagoda is going to live. A little history of those two - mom bought them for the front gate of the old family house. When Michael and I moved everything out two years ago, they came with us. Stacey got a great shot of one during the wedding.

We bought 50 x 16" pavers. It took two trips to Lowes to bring these home. We actually need more! We got our workout for the day loading and unloading them. The beers definitely made things a little 'easier' these last few days.;)

This is the very temporary pad. We were desperate for a patio fix and to be able to kick back with some adult beverages and watch the clouds roll on by. When we actually lay the pavers for good they'll have an inch or two in between for moss, herbs and other creeping ground cover. We're about twenty squares short of our {my} desired patio size, but even just two more rows will be nice. The lounge chairs were purchased for our wedding. They were on sale for $25.00 at Target! We considered selling them before our move last year and now I'm glad we kept them. The second pond setup will go in front of the chimney, which is in the left of the photo.

It's a good thing I don't try to keep my nails well manicured. I honestly do not like wearing gloves while playing in the dirt. It's just so therapeutic to feel it, and even caked on my hands.

I'll continue to post progress photos.

I may go back and re-edit it at some point, we just wanted to get something up.

Clever Title for Giveaway Needed!

2011-02-21T08:38:00.003-05:00

I am thrilled to announce that the incredibly talented Chad Merritt, better known as Mon Petit Fantome, has offered one of his amazing {unframed} prints to one lucky reader! I posted earlier that I was completely taken with 'I Do Not Know Where We Are Going, But At Least We Are Together' and placed it on my wish list for the holidays. It now hangs in our bedroom and I can't stop looking at it!

Want to know how you win this absolutely charming print?
I mentioned last week that I wanted to incorporate this photo in the contest and I think my plan is kind of clever.

Post a comment below answering the question, "What did the duck say to the deer?". I can't wait to read the answers and hey, I am using random.com to generate the winner, so don't worry about having to come up with something original if someone has already answered with what you wanted to say and you're stumped! I will draw the winning number on next Tuesday, March 1. Invite your friends to play along!

So...what did the duck say to the deer?

Bon Weekend

2011-02-18T12:41:00.005-05:00

Photo edited with Picture Show. Thanks to Lara at Piewacket for that wonderful tip!

Mom decided to give herself this LG TROMM set about four years ago and they've been great, but we've noticed that the dryer hasn't been working very well recently. Michael pulled the vent hose off a little over a month ago and cleaned out the caked on lint and such and we thought that may have helped, but no. So today we pulled out the dryer and set about searching for the cause. First we tried to take off the back cover. The many screws come out but the edges are riveted to the sides. We pulled off the top to see if the front would prove as inpenetrable. We couldn't see anything inside the compartment past the giant drum, but we were able to unharness the wire bundles and lift the top electrical section out and up a smidge to get to the screws to the front panel, and then the door screws. Voilà! The front panel finally came off and Michael could see the coils and other workings within the machine. He originally thought that something may have come loose and wet lint was escaping into the compartment and choking the coils, but they were gleaming. It wasn't until he was about to give up when he noticed the small air vents in the back and it dawned on him that we had too much vent hose length in the back. It will recess into the machine and it has been sitting against the vent and not allowing any air flow to the coils, essentially choking the system. We put it back together {not without me forgetting to hand him a piece making us start all over}, vacuumed everything we could and now we're set to see how it works. We've run it empty to see what the temp is and it's at the recommended 175° so we should be in good shape!

I've been a bit absent these last few days as we've been very lucky that mom has been experiencing a few relatively pain free days. The three of us piled into the car on Wednesday and headed up to Brookgreen Gardens, just north of Litchfield Beach, about an hour and forty-five minutes up Hwy 17. We didn't get through all of the gardens, but tickets are good for six days after your first visit! That's pretty friggin' awesome if you ask me. What we did see was really beautiful and we had wonderful time being together. Michael and I took a lot of pictures. I've only edited a couple from then and Monday at Middleton. We stopped in Georgetown for a late lunch along the waterfront. It was around 3:00 and most restaurants were closing to prep for dinner, but we found an incredible Italian restaurant called Portofinos on the Warf. We a calamari appetizer that was the best I've ever eaten and it went down nicely with Moretti from the tap.

Here are three pictures from Brookgreen Gardens so far...

Pegusus.
Granite, 1946-1954
15 ft. 3 in. x 15 ft. 9 in. x 7 ft. 8 in.
Signed: LAURA GARDIN FRASER 1946-1951 SCULPTOR / E. H. RATTI CARVER 1954
S.1946.006

One of the fountain spigots at the Fountain of the Muses by Carl Milles.

Diana. Bronze, designed in 1893, cast in 1979
Unsigned
Cast by Bedi-Makky Art Foundry
Gift of Joseph Veach Noble in memory of Olive Ashley Mooney Noble
S.1990.003
There are multiple statues of Diana throughout the gardens.

Giveaway!
I had really hoped to have gotten this together for this week, but I'm almost ready so I've decided run it next week!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Shine A Light On Me

2011-02-15T11:59:00.002-05:00

And the winner of the lighting ideas post is...a vintage gooseneck lamp! One of my old roommates, Shellie, and her husband Marc used to be partners in a restaurant downtown called Market East Bistro. They've long since moved to the mountains of North Carolina and started a new dining venture. Anyway, back at Market East Bistro a lot of Shellie's amazing artwork was featured on the walls alongside other local artists. She scoured many antique/thrift/junk shops for old gooseneck lamps and mounted them on the walls to spotlight the art. I loved the idea so much that I used it over my computer table in one of my lofts in Atlanta {I lived in a few} many years ago. I had an 'ah ha' moment a couple of days after that post and it dawned on me to use the same lighting method for the poster and headed over to eBay.* There were quite a few on the auction block and I was kind of shocked to see how much some sellers were asking for these even for starting bids! I settled on a couple and set our bids. The auctions ended within a day of each other so if I lost the first I'd try for the second.

The first lamp has an owl on the front and back of the base. To the left of the owl on the front is the word 'Science', and to the right the word 'Art'. The Free Mason's logo is in the center of the base and it also features a Greek Key border. Surprisingly, to me at least, the auction ended with only two bids and we were the winners at an incredibly good price. We were stoked and set about fantasizing how it was going to look once we got it in our hands and did whatever restoration it may need. In all the excitement I completely forgot that I had the other lamp set for bidding. Another beauty who's base design that I've never seen before, that of lotus blossoms. Yup, we won it as well for another great price, a steal, even! Below are photos of both lamps that were snagged from the auction pages.

I have no idea which one will go over the poster but I'll be sure to update as things move along!

*This is where I admit that I had completely forgotten Shellie's influence in this lighting choice until I posted about the new lamp on my Facebook. She mentioned the restaurant and I completely facepalmed. Yeah, I think I can be crafty at times but I gotta give credit where credit is due! It was only one of her many wonderful influences.

It's on Etsy, My Deer!

2011-02-14T13:32:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday! I'm a little late posting today as we just got back from another wonderful night at the Inn at Middleton Place. We won the January Photo Contest and the prize was a night for two at the Inn so we took advantage of an early Valentines celebration. I've said it before and I'll echo it today that it's a really awesome place!

This trophy hangs at the Summerton Diner where we had lunch after our demonstation on Friday. I think the entire blogosphere is ahead of me featuring the deer trend in decor and fashion recently, but here's my take on alternatives to real deer trophies.

1. Brooch | 2. Ring | 3. Trophy Deer | 4. Silhouette | 5. Pillow | 6. Mother Nature Necklace | 7. Decal | 8. Pillow | 9. Felt Soap | 10. Jagermeister Penedant

There are several more treasures that I wanted to add to the collection but it would be a mile long, so I'm adding more as text links. I've had my eye on Fable and Fury's Neo Victorian Woodland Raven Stag necklace since I made one of my treasuries a couple months back. This deer stick pin is so adorable. Or how about a bronze deer mount? I would love to sport this striking bracelet! There's also the very popular cardboard trophy by Cardboard Safari. Ok, I need to stop now! Maybe I'll curate another deer inspired post soon.

I am planning to use the photo from the diner as part of my first ever giveaway later this week. Stay tuned!

Battery Leap Frog.

2011-02-11T23:30:00.000-05:00

Our adventure started out this morning with a dead battery in our truck. As Michael was letting the car run/charge, the keys got locked inside the cab, even the spare. But wait, we had a clicker! Uh oh that battery was dead too. Michael, thinking quickly, rigs this battery jump and we were able to open the truck!

*Whew*

Bon Weekend - The Mad Scientist's Assistant.

2011-02-11T05:59:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday! I'm off to Summerton, SC where I get to play Inga for Michael as he performs a day of Tesla/High Voltage demonstrations at the high school where one of my cousins teaches science. He's done it before at Norcross High School, but I wasn't able to be with him. I'm bringing the camera and hope to get some pictures!

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend.
{ Image of Teri Garr as Inga from Young Frankenstein taken from a Blue Ray screenshot. I grabbed it from the internet a while back and can't remember where! }

Rien ne me fera vous oublier...Nothing will make me forget you.

2011-02-10T13:30:00.001-05:00

The Suitor
Michael and I found this postcard at an antique shop last year. He laughed that he would love to do something like this for me some time*. I forgot to write down what was written on the back {or at least try to decipher the handwritten script} before framing, but I think the front has plenty of sentiment.

*I'm thinking of you right now, Stacey Bode.

Guest Post at Offbeat Mama!

2011-02-09T12:04:00.004-05:00

I really adore how Candice {a fellow Charlestonian} decorated her son Brewer's room. So much so that it was featured as a guest post today at Offbeat Mama. Please go check it out!

Also, you should check out Candice's own blog, Ragamuffin Design.

Etsy coupling in our bedroom.

2011-02-09T10:48:00.001-05:00

We finally got around to getting a pillow form to go inside the roddy&ginger pomegranate tree pillow cover we won {and which arrived from London} in November! It's hand screen-printed onto white linen and backed with a beautiful grey linen. It's soft and beautiful and it is a welcomed addition to our bedroom. Better late than never, right? Thank you roddy&ginger!

The picture above the chair is an 8" x 10" print of an original papercut from Etsy seller, Mon Petit Fantome and is titled, 'I Do Not Know Where We Are Going, But At Least We Are Together'. I featured one of their papercut prints in my Papercuts & Silhouettes Etsy treasury last year. The partial picture does not do it any justice. At all. The black is thick {for lack of a better word} and the white just pops off the page.

Don't mind the branches...I haven't decided if they're staying in that corner.

They Might Be Giants - High-Voltage Pylon Competition in Iceland.

2011-02-08T15:58:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across one of these images on Flickr last night and wanted to share their story. Oh how I would love to see these in around here!

Landsnet, a public company that owns and runs the electrical transmission system in Iceland where 80% of the electricity is from green sustainable sources such as geothermal power, was working with the Association of Icelandic Architects to obtain new ideas for the appearances of the towers and lines. The competition was announced worldwide and the entrants could design completely new looks or they could alter the appearance of existing towers. American firm Choi + Shine Architects sought to create a series of towers that would become monuments in the landscape, something more than just a necessity. The pylons would require only slight alterations to the existing towers. The pylons could also be in configured in different positions, depending on the terrain and environment. If the power lines ascended a hill, the pylons could imitate a climber.

Says Choi + Shine:

Like the statues of Easter Island, it is envisioned that these one hundred and fifty foot tall, modern caryatids will take on a quiet authority, belonging to their landscape yet serving the people, silently transporting electricity across all terrain, day and night, sunshine or snow.

The concept won honorable mention in the competition, and it were one of four winners at the 2010 Boston Society of Architects Unbuilt Architecture competition.

{ All images by Choi + Shine }
To read more about these incredible designs, please visit Land of the Giants™.

It's in the stars.

2011-02-07T15:00:00.001-05:00

I found the above image on Pinterest during the weekend. It's the 'All Star' wallpaper from Barneby Gates, the company who makes the gorgeous Deer Damask wallpaper I posted about a while back. It's really beautiful and it made me take another turn in what I'm envisioning for our bedroom walls.

Two things have been certain in my mind since we knew we were buying this house, flat white walls with high-gloss white highlights. I want subtle yet interesting textures in the room without overpowering it. At first I thought about stenciling and couldn't decided between these three stencil designs from Cutting Edge Stencils on Etsy. We chose the first design and ordered it. It's a really wonderful stencil and I want to use it, but we have a few odd angles and several corners { more than four } in the room, and I've been debating whether I wanted to put so much work into right now. I decided to roll it up for another time or another room and then began thinking about doing something freehand. The idea was very appealing but I was beginning to see that the walls are holding up progress in finishing the space. So I went back to an idea that's been greatly influenced by the AMAZING designs of Modachrome Home's wonderfully talented Eve, where I would cut the designs from sticker vinyl. Using this process would allow us to stage the room and begin to feel at home while applying the highlights. I was toying with the idea of something in a fleur-de-lis with freehand embellishments when I stumbled up on the image above. Ah ha! How awesome would it be to continue the stars theme on to the walls? They don't have to be in a uniform pattern and even better is that I won't have to take anything down to apply them!

I think it sounds like a darn nifty idea. And by darn nifty, I mean easy and hopefully painless. I'm ordering the vinyl today and will post progress shots. I don't think it will take too long to complete the project.

OH! We've made a decision on the light fixture from last week's post. We're going the route of eBay and I'll post more if we win the auction. Please wish us luck!

Snarks the Clarks no more.

2011-02-06T10:58:00.004-05:00

While Michael went to buy a few parts at Radio Shack, I walked down to Phillips Shoes to drool at their {limited collection} of El Naturalista's. They are having a sale, 50 - 75% off selected shoes. I wandered over to the rack and found the most adorable Clarks clogs. I've needed a new pair of clogs since my last wooden soled pair bit it a couple years ago. I must confess that I've snarked the Clarks in my time saying that they design towards an older audience. Sure, I had a pair of Wallabee's when I was a kid, but their collection was never appealing to me. Well, somewhere along the line they started designing hipper looking shoes and I got older. Worlds collide and wham! I'm sporting a pair of sassy shoes at 75% off!

My feet are very happy right now.

eta - I really should proof my posts better!

Bon Weekend - Lighting Ideas!

2011-02-04T10:13:00.004-05:00

Michael and I were in Lowe's yesterday and I veered into the lighting department. I have been thinking about the possibility of mounting a sconce on the wall above the Jane Avril poster to highlight this corner of the bedroom, especially at night or in the grey weather like we're having now. I'm glad I went online to find photos of what we saw in person as two weren't in stock in the store and I really like them. I not saying which ones though.

Anyway, I would love some feedback as to which would look best or if this is even a good idea.

{ Click on image to enlarge }

I really had to bump up the light in this photo as it was almost dark in the room this morning.

I Command Thee...

2011-02-03T11:13:00.001-05:00

I first ran across Portland, Maine's design studio Atmostheory's work when I pinned Land.Sea.Air to my wish list. I've this post sitting in draft mode for a while and decided to go back and look through the site. I love the collection but the series of Commands really tickles me as I'm a key command junkie, especially in Photoshop.


{ Close your eyes and open your mind }	{ Please do not copy - create something new }

{ Save me from these fools }

It was a little too chilly to soak in it.

2011-02-01T09:08:00.003-05:00

A surprise excursion to Nassau for two nights was the perfect weekend getaway to celebrate a birthday. The weather defied the cloudy forecast to give us clear skies, temperatures in the 70's and a pampering breeze during the day. The Calgon colored water was tempting but a tad too cold for our comfort so we soaked it in from the comfort of our lounge chairs via sight, smell and sound.

I actually brought the DSLR but never took it out of the bag so it was the Hipstamatic to the rescue!

We stayed in downtown Nassau at the British Colonial Hilton, which was built on the site of the old Fort Nassau.

Graffiti along the Western Esplanade, on West Bay street. There was more art but I couldn't get a decent shot from the street.

Not far from the graffiti was a daiquiri shack serving drinks made to order using fresh fruit and a lot of laughter. I just wish we hadn't gotten there so close to closing time. I wanted my own glass of the fresh coconut and banana drink that Mike and Aileen ordered.

This Bahama Mama wasn't quite made from the fresh fruit in front of us but it was oh so tasty.

Palm trees and banana trees...what I hope to fill our garden and yard with one day! Not fruit producing, but for tropical inspiration.

I think the birthday girl had a good time. I know I did!

Bon Weekend!

2011-01-27T08:51:00.000-05:00

I'm off for an extended weekend celebrating dear Aileen's birthday, which is today! We're constantly saying that when we grow up, we want to look as fabulous as these two ladies, Aileen being on the left and me on the right. In reality, we're not far from our goal.

{ I'll be completely honest and say that I cannot remember where I found this image but I believe the AP is the one to credit. If you know any different, please let me know! }

Happy Birthday Husky, I love ya!

The Belle Époque corner.

2011-01-27T08:44:00.002-05:00

Still not finished, but a little more progress. We hung the bistro table top we made for our wedding reception, in our bedroom. We used it after the wedding, on our porch, until we moved to the new house last year. We may use it in the same capacity sometime down the road but for now, we want to have in our room with us.

I considered doing a little restoration on the finish as it's taken some dings while in use but we decided that we liked the character it's developed.

On the rocks.

2011-01-25T10:32:00.003-05:00

I was doing an image search on Google recently {for what, I can't remember} and ran across Livingstones, created by French designer Stephanie Marin. She got a lot of press a few years ago but this was the first I'd heard of them and wondered how many others hadn't been privy to these incredibly cool and functional designs. They range in size from a small pillow and as large as a couch. There are companion pieces for the outside call Neo livingstones, which are made from neoprene, and garden furniture that look like giant raindrops and are illuminated! They're all listed under 'Collections'.

Brazilian designer Domingos Tótora was featured yesterday on the Alternative Consumer and I can't do justice in describing how amazing his designs are! Not only are they beautiful but they're also made using a certified sustainable process which turns the recycled cardboard into pulp, and then into objects that would certainly be a focal point in any space.

If there are other such similar 'rocks' out there, I'd love the hear about them!

A spoon full of anything...

2011-01-24T11:40:00.008-05:00

{ A dram or so of whiskey, that age old remedy. }

Happy Monday! I don't normally like to brag about gifts, but I scored the Tablespoon Measuring Cup from Kaufman Mercantile this past Christmas. It's a lab quality borosilicate glass cup for measuring, mixing and heating. The non-reactive glass makes it ideal to mix small amounts of ingredients and the tiny spout allows for easy pouring. I finally had the chance to take this for a {s}whirl yesterday and I couldn't be more delighted with it and definitely recommend it.

While I was on the Kaufman Mercantile Blog, I saw a post featuring this beautiful antique horn measuring cup. The article describes in detail how these were made and what remedies may have filled this beauty, especially the popular age old elixir, whiskey.

{ The hand carved dose lines are amazing! }

I decided to look for other old measures and stumbled upon this formaldehyde measuring cup.

{ I'm considering making the front image of this my new avatar! }

Item description:
2 oz. tin cup for measuring formaldehyde to water ratio when preparing a fungicide spray. There is an image of a formaldehyde can on the side and the inscription "Kills Smut." It has instructions for mixing with various quantities of water.

It's a tad cost prohibitive for me at this point, but if it's still around down the road I will reconsider! I'm going to continue looking for similar such items and will post them as they're found! I'm always open to supplied links. ;)

Oh My!

2011-01-23T12:09:00.000-05:00

Apartment Therapy's 2011 Homies nominations are up and it appears as that a couple of you have nominated this blog! Thank you! I'm not sure if I fit their criteria this year or not, but...if you feel so inclined to add more nominations I wouldn't mind!

Just copy+paste the formatting below!

Name: The Happy Heathen
URL: http://thehappyheathen.blogspot.com/

Bon Weekend!

2011-01-21T13:01:00.001-05:00

Ooops, it's Friday again. It's been an incredibly hectic week and I have a few posts saved in draft mode but I want to share them so I think I'll just post photos and quick links here...

Soap Henge via Recyclart.

Urban Knitting via fubiz.

Jennifer Maestre's Prickly Pencil Creatures via Beautiful Decay.

Recycled Volkswagen Micro Bus Pool Table via The Alternative Consumer.

And lastly, How To Describe Your Furniture On Craigslist via Lunch Breath.

Have a great weekend!

I Love You More Than All The Stars...

2011-01-18T12:49:00.007-05:00

I've been having going through a particularly rough patch recently and Michael has been absolute awesomesauce in supporting me. He's been instrumental in motivating me to finish the bedroom with him. It wasn't easy on his part but he was successful. This past weekend we built the pelmet for the one window we have in our bedroom, which is actually the FROG.

I love Shanna Murray's decals, especially this one. I wanted to have it in our room so Michael can read it every morning when he opens his eyes, and my thinking was that the pelmet would be perfect place. Yup, I'm very much a romantic geek! I try to support artists whenever I can but dangit, after buying the supplies to make the pelmet base it pained me we could not justify buying the decals from her. So DIY it was!

Now, I don't trust my handwriting these days so drawing the letters freehand was out of the question. It took a day for the 'aha' moment to arrive and I could set about making them. I downloaded the Markus Ink font I and put a stroke/border around the type for my cutting guides. I printed them on full sheet adhesive labels in a series of three pages. Once printed, I sat down and cut out the shapes. I find this kind of work very therapeutic. I used the scraps to cut out the stars would stick to the pelmet front and the stars for the garland were cut from the scrap poster board from the snowflake garlands I made during the holidays. We hung the pelmet and strung the garlands, once I finished sewing them.

Fresh from the printer. | Finished cutting. | Applied to pelmet surface {all edges have been smoothed out}. | Ta-da! | Shooting stars. | Stars detail.

I'm still looking forward to buying something from Shanna down the road, particularly these!

Attachments

2011-01-14T16:22:00.004-05:00

Ever so slowly our trinkets and tidbits are beginning to see the light of day. Some have been packed away for these last seven months, and some since the previous move which was a year and a half before that. Did I mention that since this time in 2008 that we've moved THREE times?! This last move really took it out of us in so many ways and I think perhaps that is the reason why it's taken us so, so very long to finish working on our {upstairs}space. I think I may have forgotten how attached I have become to some of these objects, how some can transport me back in time. The small painting at the back of the photo was purchased in Tiburon when we lived in Marin County for a year in the early 70's. I smile when accessing the incredibly large vault of wonderful memories from that time. I was very young but the memories haven't seemed to fade. The jar in the front was my grandmother's. She was an extraordinary person and I hold on to those memories with a very firm grasp. Others are gifts from my beloved and they too remind me of the beauty in life. We have many more to unpack and I'm looking forward to finding where each piece will have it's place in our bedroom.

What are some of the things that spark good memories for you?

Bon Weekend.

2011-01-14T14:26:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe it's Friday! Here's to wishing we could gather with our friends that have been snowed/iced in all week in a more desirable locale.

{ Image grabbed from Dornob. }

We're working on the pelmet box for the bedroom and I'll post photos of those next week.

Bon weekend!

Do Want!

2011-01-13T13:36:00.000-05:00

The are multitudes of entertaining usb hubs for whatever strikes your fancy. Come to think of it, I personally have never seen a Death Star version. Anyway, I saw this today and it made me smile and add it to my wishlist.

Aphrodite USB Hub

Now if they'd only bring back Hubzilla, this time as a USB hub.

Rad Tea Party

2011-01-13T13:25:00.000-05:00

I want to have a Tea Party using Eileen Braun's delightfully whimsical tea pots.

From Eileen's homepage:

My ceramics work is based on wheel thrown and then altered forms which take a playful biomorphic turn to animate themselves. Many have developed a haughty attitude and yet beckon you to touch them.

But wait, she makes more than just teapots! Fantastical bowls, vases, jars, salt & pepper shakes, etc. Too many to link to so please just go have a look.

Originally witnessed at The Mud Bucket.

In the tune of 'Rubber Ducky'.

2011-01-11T12:57:00.011-05:00

Saucer pendant, you're the one
You make bath time lots of fun
Saucer pendant, I'm awfully fond of you
Bo-bo-bo-de-oh...

We made more progress in our bedroom yesterday by hanging our beloved $8.00 Nelson Saucer Pendant Lamps. Here is a snapshot of what I call 'boob lamps' before we started painting.

But before we could get that accomplished, we needed to clean off some serious ick. They've gotten progressively dustier over the last several years {and being stored for 7 months now} and even had bird poop on one of them! A bird got into the house - it flew in through the torn porch screen and through the open door - just before we moved last year and must have been in our bedroom for quite a while before we found it perched atop one of the lamps. Poor thing was terrified.

{ I have no idea why the pendant looks so small while Michael is holding it. Maybe it's because he has giant bear paws! }

This was totally by the seat of our pants. We have no idea if there is a recommended process for cleaning the funky, skink-like plastic material, but Michael suggested a little Oxy Clean. I'm happy to say that they are greatly improved.

Installed! Lowe's didn't have any flat white ceiling caps so we had to go with the decorative ones.

Bonus! Michael found the ground attached to a live wire when he pulled off the second boob lamp. As you can see, it had been slowly sparking. This is the second electrical snafu we've found in the house. One of the outlets in my studio sparked and caught on fire in late August.

We're a little concerned abou this.

Happy Monday!

2011-01-10T10:19:00.001-05:00

So many friends are blanketed in a winter wonderland this morning. I looked out the window and there's NO SNOW. In Charleston, can you believe it? I'm shocked, shocked I tell you. We finally addressed the paint situation in our bedroom yesterday and will finish up other odds'n'ends in there today. I'm a tad embarrassed we let it go so long. Pictures soon!

I found these blankets yesterday via Pinterest and had to share them.

{ Photos by Flickr user The Yarn Geek. }

Keep warm!

Bon Weekend - A bouquet fit for a giant.

2011-01-07T10:54:00.003-05:00

I had another post written up but decided to go with this burst of color for today. Vintage brooch bouquets have become increasingly popular with brides these days. I just happened to be searching through the favorite photos of various photographers on Flickr last night and I stumbled upon photos of the Flower Tree in Place Antonin Poncet. It is the work of Korean artist Choi Jeong-Hwa, and was installed during the Biennale of Contemporary Art in Lyon, in 2003. The sculpture is made of stainless steel and painter with a polyester resin, measures 6 meters with a total of 85 flowers of polyester resin. There is another tree in Shanghai. It was his in concept, but it was not built or designed by him.

From what I can gather, it then traveled for a couple of years before taking permanent residence back in Lyon.

{ Both photos taken by Flickr user Simon Downham. Click on images to view larger. }

Oh, and I was very excited to finally got to see photos of my friend Suzanne's DIY brooch bouquet yesterday.

Connect the dots.

2011-01-06T18:20:00.001-05:00

When I first looked at the larger image below, I thought it was a new take on pointillism. In a way, it is. Ohio artist Christian Faur creates these pictures using crayons. He starts by scanning a photograph and then pixelates the image. The crayons are then placed in a grid before they're placed into a wooden frame. Personally, I think they're very well done!

{ All images by Cater News Agency }

Continue reading about Christian's work at the Daily Mail. >>

I wish I had a clever title for this.

2011-01-06T17:15:00.001-05:00

As well some clever copy. However, I believe this stands on it's own!

{ From 826DC - The Museum of Unnatural History by Oliver Munday. }

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T11:24:00.000-05:00

We just got back from having breakfast at our friends Lilla and Foster's house and we're resting up before heading over to our cousins house this afternoon. We've had a serving of Hoppin' John and collards with more to go!

{ Photo by Aliceblueblazes on Flickr. Click image to enlarge. }

Here's to wishing you and yours a healthy, happy and prosperous new year!

Bon Weekend - Happy New Years Eve!

2010-12-31T15:38:00.001-05:00

Time to close the first decade of the new century. I mentioned in a post a couple weeks back that it has been both a heartwarming and heartbreaking year, but I believe we're firmly planted in the right direction. I'm looking forward to the future!

{ Reblogged via Tumblr. }

I'm just about to soak the black-eyed peas for Hoppin' John tomorrow, and I hope you have a wonderful, fun and safe new years celebration!

My brain...

2010-12-29T15:20:00.000-05:00

...in the backstretch of the year.

{ Ballroom, Lee Plaza Hotel, from 'The Ruins of Detroit' series by Yves Marchand & Romain Meffre. Click on the image to view larger version. }

Happy Monday!

2010-12-27T11:42:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a safe and happy (and celebatory) weekend. We were gifted the beauty of snow throughout the day yesterday. The ground was far too wet for any accumulation but the big fluffy flakes came down for hours and I sat at the window staring into the wonderment. I love how snow acts as natures acoustic silencer.

{ Snow covered Blireiana plum trees photo credit: Georgianna Lane }

Frozen Cranberry Wreath

2010-12-24T10:32:00.000-05:00

I was scrolling through Craft blog posts this morning and this charming wreath. So simple and can be disposed of in the woods when you're ready to take it down. This is so tempting to try but I think we'd have to wait until January/February to do this around here, as December can still be quite warm in the Lowcountry.

Please head over to Nest Full of Eggs for the tutorial!

Holiday Shopping 2010 with...Me!

2010-12-23T15:48:00.000-05:00

Lindsey has been featuring holiday shopping guides by various bloggers and today is my list! She laughs that it's a little late getting up, but I'm looking at it as what you can buy with your holiday loot!

{ Click on the image or links above to view my list, and pay no attention to my typo! }

Lindsey, thank you so much for asking me to be a part of your wonderful series!

Happy Belated Birthday to My Beloved!

2010-12-21T11:12:00.009-05:00

I treated Michael to a night at the wonderful Inn at Middleton Place just down the road from us. The modern design beautifully counters the 18th-century buildings and landscaping of Middleton Place next door. Last weekend also played host the the Grand Illumination - Christmas 1782 Tour. It was perfect timing as I found the tour information while booking our room!

Loving the brrrrrr chilly December weather in the courtyard in front of our room!

I picked up Michael's cake from Normandy Farms and drove it, along with some of our absinthiana, out to the Inn on Friday. I requested to have the fountain, glasses, absinthe, ice and water set up in the room upon our arrival and the cake to be delivered to the room while we were out on the tour. We woke up Saturday morning to the sound of pouring rain and my heart sank. I had no idea if the events of the evening were rain or shine. I decided to follow the flow of the day/evening without panic. I gleefully learned at check-in that the event was going on as scheduled. We brought our umbrellas and learned that the rooms are supplied with those AND flashlights for walking the grounds at night.

We had a fantastic time during the tour. We actually ended up on the tail end of an earlier group when we got to the house. It wasn't until we finished our supper {the food was delicious} that we learned that we'd missed half the tour! Silly us, we thought that maybe the gardens portion was cut short because of the weather. We all had a good laugh and Michael and I joined a small group heading toward the gardens. We had several good laughs at ourselves for the rest of the evening.

{ Click on the numbers to enlarge photos. }
1. Tickets to Middleton Place are included in the price of the room. I presented these to Michael after I checked in and we were driving towards the room.
2. Some familiar visual elements, the font we used for the wedding which we now use for anything representing us, and the 'icon' we made during our wedding planning. Just like the font we use it to represent us.
3. I added a ribbon for a finishing touch.

1. We had a Woods View room. There are a couple of small clusters of rooms apart from the main building that offer more privacy, which was my intent. Ours was the bottom back right and we still had a view of the Ashley River { These photos are from the Inn's accommodations page. }. This photo was taken on the path which leads to Middleton Place.
2. Kyle did a wonderful job with getting our bar ready!
3. Michael built the fire after we unloaded the car and kept it going throughout the night. We had to turn off the heat in the room.
4. The tub. It's HUGE and comfortably fits two people. It takes close to a half an hour to fill the 150 gallons but so worth the wait. There was a tinge of guilt using this much water, but we figured what the hell we're very conservative with our water use at home, so why not? It was definitely needed after being in the cold and intermittent rain that evening.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The main building and green area facing the Ashley River.

The Inn is the place for us and we're definitely going back in the future. It's a perfect environment to leave your worries behind and rejuvenate. We had so much fun wandering the grounds and gardens of Middleton Place. The room was just right and the staff was amazing, both at the Inn and at the plantation. I think we'll probably try to stay during fire burning weather. No bugs, less people and FAR more romantic!

We took a lot of photos of the gardens and I'll work to post those sometime soon. The one thing we didn't get to see were the Camilla's blooming. It looks as though a few have bloomed but they're estimating about two weeks before they're in their glory. Now that is something I want to see!

Happy Birthday Love.
:x

Blessed Yule!

2010-12-21T10:09:00.000-05:00

I'm in a very silly mood today. We needed at little bit of this to get our butts out of bed to watch the eclipse this morning. Instead, we fell back asleep.

Silhouette Masterpiece Theatre >>

I'm working on a write-up of Michael's birthday.

Bon Weekend - Dreaming of a White Yule/Christmas

2010-12-17T11:35:00.003-05:00

{ Reblogged via Tumblr }

Snow for the holidays in Charleston? It has happened before! If my memory serves me right the last time it occurred was just after Hurricane Hugo, and it snowed close to a foot. It was UNBELIEVABLE. Bohicket Road never looked so beautiful, nor did downtown.

We're fast approaching the close of another year, depending on which calendar you use. :) These next two weeks will most likely be gone before I know it. I've recently applied for a position that I would really, really love to have. That's all I'm going to say at this time as I'm very superstitious about overly promoting that kind of stuff. I may have even said too much by posting here but what the hell, perhaps I need to throw caution to the wind this time. I have completely abandoned making new products for my Etsy store even though many Etsy members have had faith in my work to feature me in Treasuries. To all of you, my most heartfelt thank you. I'm looking to January to reinvest myself in my work and brainstorming to come up with new ideas for products and how I present my work.

Michael's birthday is on Monday. I'm very excited and we're celebrating it tomorrow. We decided to have Monday be a celebration for him and my father. Everything is supposed to be SUPER SEKRIT, minus him knowing we're doing something tomorrow. Hopefully noting else has slipped. I haven't been able to resist a little tease here and there for the past few weeks.

Bon weekend everyone, I'll see you on Monday!

Holidays on Ice

2010-12-15T00:37:00.005-05:00

At least when the fountain is filled! I ran across this image on Pinterest and it took my breath away! Suzonne Stirling is a crafty as all get out blogger { That beaded wreath took 80 hours to make. } and is an absintheur? I'm totally smitten.

{ Click on image to see larger version at Urban Comfort }

*Has added Urban Comfort to my Google Reader.*

Deck the halls...

2010-12-14T11:19:00.006-05:00

We were completely stumped with how to finish our dining room tablescape. I wanted to go for a whimsical outdoor winter scene, and I started by pulling out my favorite vintage mirror and our little green trees. We picked up more on sale last week along with a bag of the crystal pellets and the white glass balls. I was determined to use the snow we made, but we needed a way to keep it contained. No solution was making itself know to us until we worked on the snow scene in the jar for Duncan. That's when I had the 'Aha!' moment to use the glass cylinder vases from the Food Bank Benefit.

I also made new place mats using leftover fabric from a corset I was commissioned to make for a wedding about 5 years ago, and my remaining white coutil. I figured that if I was going to make them, then why not make them to last?

The silver & white plates were purchased at Target two years ago.
The crystal is vintage Boda, from my mother's wedding registry.
The clear trees on the plates were purchased four years ago.
The mercury glass votive holders were purchased at Home Goods for our wedding.
I think we all know the story of those green acorns! ;)

Remember that snow tutorial? Well here are more of the results!

The blue sleigh one of my favorite ornaments and my parents bought it for their first Christmas after they were married, in 1955. The body is flocked paper and it's missing a few things but I always insist that it and a few of the other battered treasures have their place every year.

And a few more...

Snowflake Garland DIY

2010-12-13T20:44:00.009-05:00

We originally bought the snowflake punch to make placemats similar to the ones I made for Halloween, but I discovered that they didn't quite work the same as the cats in the mats. They're not solid shapes, they're shapes within shapes. I could salvage this, I thought. So my next attempt was to glue the snowflakes on red poster board, only...I haven't been able to find poster board in a shade of red or green that doesn't make my eyes bleed. Needless to say, that was scrapped in favor of sewn placemats. I still had a pile of snowflakes begging to be used. I was reading some of my favorite blogs this weekend and saw photos of various dainty looking garlands, and thought to myself that these might look just as good.

Materials needed:
Poster board
Thread & needle
Snowflake Punch (we bought ours at Michaels)

Cut out snowflakes. I averaged around 50 per garland. Tie a snowflake at one end. Thread a large needle with the thread and work it through one hole, and then back through another. Slide the snowflake down a bit and continue. Once you've reached the desired length, tie off another snowflake that the end. I finished off the knot with fabric glue. It's not necessary, just force of habit. Hang the garland and space the snowflakes.

I'm very pleased with them!

{ Images click through to larger versions }

We kept the little punched out bits and used them for paper snow, sprinkling them around one of our candle displays.

Happy Monday!

2010-12-13T16:32:00.002-05:00

We finished our holiday decorating this past weekend and I took some photos. I'll share those in another post shortly, along with a simple garland DIY. I just wanted to get something up today and say, "Hi.".

Stump Stools

2010-12-10T23:44:00.001-05:00

How awesome are these? These Stump Stools by the Cumulus Project are made from a fallen maple tree which was taken from the forest floor in Storm Bay, BC. The cover is white leather over natural{?} foam, and attached to the wood with copper tacks. Each stool sits on small, nearly invisible feet which gives them the appearance of levitating over the ground. These stools are best suited for indoor use or a covered outdoor area.

These three have sold and I hope they make more! I could see these as a fun DIY project as well.

Bon Weekend.

2010-12-10T11:04:00.001-05:00

{ Photo reblogged via Tumblr }

I've been a big fan of Groupon since they arrived in Atlanta. Tyler signed up for it and has gotten some great deals. The service arrived in Charleston several months ago and I have yet to take advantage of offerings...until today. I miss many, many things about Atlanta, and going to the High on our family membership is high on that list. Yeah, I went there. I've been thinking of getting a family membership to the Gibbes but honestly have not been able to justify the expense until the offer today for half the regular price. Museum visits once again!

I also hope that in the next year we can take advantage of a class or two at the museum school. I took a pottery class in '93 and loved it.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Snow Dog

2010-12-09T12:28:00.006-05:00

This past year has been marked by events both wondrous and unbearably heartbreaking. My father passed on the 20^th of this month, and I'll share a more fitting tribute to him then. The second great heartbreak of the year was in June when our beloved dog Duncan passed just after we moved into this house. He died of congestive heart failure and a massively enlarged heart. The irony is that he had been the heart and soul of my family for 10 years. He was there when I had to be in Atlanta during the hard months after my brother died eight and a half years ago. He was there for my mother a year later, when she got home from her countless journeys to the hospital to be with my sister-in-law before she died. He has been there for my niece and nephew, offering unconditional love to them. He was there when my dad's real decline started not long after my brother's death, sending him in and out of hospitals and rehab centers for years. Again, my mother spent countless days going back and forth to be with him, and when she got home Duncan was always at the door to greet her with a smile on his face and a wildly wagging tail. A gently placed muzzle on her shoulder kept her comforted so many times. When dad was misdiagnosed with Alzheimer's he was there to support them and he made visits to the rehab centers and helped others.

My mother has a beautiful, large glass jar in which she has created beautiful displays. We wanted to create something for the holidays, so we removed the current contents and then filled it with buffalo snow, a small tree, our green acorns, a tiny pinecone and a Dalmatian figurine we always use for the season. I sprinkled our snow over the setting and now Duncan is set to play in his winter wonderland.

I still miss you big guy. It's not the same around here without you. ♥

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

2010-12-07T19:34:00.005-05:00

Michael and I decided to forego the holiday shopping traffic during the weekend and hit up Michaels yesterday in search of supplies to finish decorating. One of the things we needed was fake snow, preferably the loose stuff. They sold out over the weekend and were not expecting any more for the season, so we used our coupons for what we could find and went down the road to A.C. Moore. Sure enough, they too were sold out. Heavens forbid, we thought, the Charleston area may be experiencing a snow shortage! We found the last bag of Buffalo Snow and put it in our basket. It wasn't what we originally wanted but decided to adapt to our very limited options. We picked up a few more things that we couldn't find at Michaels and headed to the check-out.

While we were in line Michael decided to run next door to the dollar store and try his luck. He returned in about 30 seconds. We asked our cashier if she knew possibly where to find some. She said she thought everywhere she could think of was sold out. Then she asked, "Would you like to know how to make it?". Yes, please! She told us she had tried to demonstrate the process to another customer just minutes before but he said it was 'too much effort'. We put our things down on the counter and headed back to the floral department where she grabbed two blocks of white styrofoam and starting rubbing them together. And right in front of our eyes it started snowing! We grabbed two blocks of styrofoam and headed back to finish our purchase.

This is the result we got from our efforts. Behind the cut are a few more photos.

We used a bin top to collect the falling particles.

Flurries!

Finished! We thought it would look nice to have some fine powder and even some chunks in the mix. Notice the blocks have been rubbed down to almost nothing.

I can't believe we didn't get her name, but thanks super awesome A.C. Moore employee! I'll post photos of the project we made this for when it's finished.

WANT TO SEE THE SNOW IN ACTION? >>

Lost & Fawned Giveaway: Print of your choice from Elsita

2010-12-06T13:32:00.000-05:00

Lindsey, of Lost & Fawned, is featuring some great Holiday Shopping lists from various bloggers this month. I created a list for her that will post this week. In that list was one of Elsita's papercut prints. Personally, I could have a room filled with her work. Earlier this year I shared one of my favorite pieces and also featured one of her stunning creations in an Etsy Treasury in October.

Lindsey became so smitten with Elsita's work that she purchased a papercut print to go in her and Jared's new home, which they'll close on next month. I got an excited email from her last night that Elsita has offered to sponsor a giveaway at Lost & Fawned! So…please head over to the post before Sunday, December 12th at 9:oo PM EST and tell them which is your favorite 8.5 x 11 print. A winner will be chosen at random and will be announced the following day.

Good luck to everyone and please pass this on!

Bon Weekend

2010-12-03T14:35:00.001-05:00

It's beginning to feel like the holidays around here! We finished taking down the Thanksgiving decorations earlier this week, and sadly, I didn't get any decent photos of the beautiful job my mother did. It became incredibly busy and I didn't have time to set up the tripod and what I did snap wasn't so good. Anyways, we unpacked all of the ornaments yesterday and got a good start on the rest of the inside of the house. I can't wait to see how everything develops over the next several days.

The chandelier is far from ready, but I'm happy with the direction. So far.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

New Dedicated Independent Artists Page!

2010-12-02T11:01:00.000-05:00

I've added a 'page' to the blog dedicated to local & independent artists, designers and crafters as well as local & independent boutiques. I've also added the Etsy Treasuries that I have curated and will also add Treasuries that I have been featured in soon. I think it's equally important for fellow featured artists to have more exposure.

Support Local & Independent Artists Page

Happy Hanukkah!

2010-12-01T12:56:00.002-05:00

Apartment Therapy recently featured their pick of modern menorahs for 2010, featuring an olive branch menorah from one of my favorite artists, Michael Aram. I decided to look at his other menorahs, I found this stunning pomegranate menorah.

May the light and blessings of Hanukkah shine on through eternity.

Etsy Coupon!

2010-11-30T22:42:00.000-05:00

I know I can't possibly be the only person who is excited about Etsy's new(ish) coupon codes! I have finally gotten around to setting up a code for the H0LIDAY season. I hope to have a few new pieces before Christmas and definitely before mid-January.

{ Click on the image to go to the shop! }

Another round of Thank You's

2010-11-30T19:52:00.000-05:00

I have been featured in two new Esty Treasuries. I'm not sure how I missed posting the first, which was done by Lindsey of Lost & Fawned. I really love both of these Treasuries, they have some gorgeous items! Please click on the links and have a look at some incredible offerings from independent artists/designers/crafters/boutiques!

Gifts for your Luxe Girl

Silver-Blue Bells

A grand SALE for the strange and unusual in your lives.

2010-11-30T16:42:00.000-05:00

Lovely Hoodoo has just the right holiday gift for that lovely weirdo in your life... you know, that cuddly black sheep that's always a little tough to shop for....

These handmade whimsical skully dolls and teeth jewelry in vintage settings are priced right for the season of giving. Don't let those little teeth worry you, they're actually vintage composite models picked up in Europe some years back. Will also ship and gift wrap.

{ Click image to enlarge }

Contact: Aileen Loy. You can see more pieces here.>>

Please keep your eye out for Aileen's soon to be opening Etsy store, Lovely Hoodoo.

Enchanted Buck Measuring Cups

2010-11-30T00:25:00.001-05:00

These gold-dipped new bone china measuring cups has me literally jumping for joy!

via Pinterest. See more at Anthropolgie.>>

Happy Monday - Wearable Foods

2010-11-29T12:17:00.000-05:00

I ran across the amazing designs of Korean artist Sung Yeon Ju at Tom & Lorenzo (aka Project Rungay) the other day. One of her dresses (Tomato #2) was used by H&M for an ad campaign. These are my two favorites...

Eggplant

Bubblegum

Read and see more at Tom & Lorenzo! >>

Buy Handmade - Take the Pledge!

2010-11-27T11:45:00.001-05:00

I've added this button to the right column. I took the pledge, as I am an independent crafter and love to buy from other indies/artists/boutiques, and those who recycle/upcycle goods.

Spread the love!

Bon Weekend - The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee

2010-11-26T11:18:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday! This just melts my heart...Willamena Bouvier.

I was sent a link to this photo on I Can Haz Cheezburger. The original photo came from the The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee, which is a foster/adoption organization for orphaned kittens from the Tacoma/Pierce County Humane Society. They care for the kittens until they are old enough to be adopted, and then find loving homes for them. ♥

Have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T23:55:00.001-05:00

For those of you who are celebrating Thanksgiving, I hope you have a safe and wonderful time. I'll be back to my regular posting starting next week. I've missed it!

{ Photo of our table last year. }

xoxoxoxo.

El Fantasma: THE CIRCUS OF PARANORMAL PROPORTIONS!

2010-11-19T14:10:00.000-05:00

My very dearest Aileen will be showing her incredible art at Push Push Theater's 'El Fantasma: THE CIRCUS OF PARANORMAL PROPORTIONS!' on Saturday. Hey, that's tomorrow! If you're in Atlanta, please stop by.

From their Facebook page...
'From the fiendish minds at Bang! Arts Promotions comes El Fatasma! A paranormal circus event celebrating that backbone of Atlanta workshop theatre PushPush who for nearly 15 years have decimated the boundaries of contemporary theatre creating a place for Atlanta in the international arts scene and providing audiences with a one way ticket to new heights of theatrical experience. This one night only event will feature the musical stylings of Ghosts Project along with the high flying improvisational hi-jinx of Flight of Swallows. Spend an evening being tempted by the lucious cupcake treats of The Sugar Dolls as you are astounded by the talents of the renowned Imperial Opa Circus. Special guest appearance by Madame de la Mita, maven of the tarot cards. All to benefit PushPush as they launch their latest project Slow Down Atlanta, an adventure into the lives of five college roommates who grow up to run their own Paranormal Investigative team in order to buy those staples of adult living: pizza and beer. Run away and join the circus! Nov 20th. 7pm 121 New Street #4, Decatur $15-$25'

Ever So Lovely

2010-11-19T13:47:00.001-05:00

I'd like to say a big 'Thank You' to Brandi, from Ever So Lovely for featuring my shoes in the wedding wednesday :: green inspiration post.

Bon Weekend - I pulled a Clark Griswold in the attic this week...

2010-11-19T13:46:00.000-05:00

I had to take five from this project I've been working on in order to move stuff that has long needed to go up into attic before family arrives next week. It has a tricky little walkway from the main landing to a wider open area for storage. Now, I'm not sure who the braintrust was who decided to give the walkway a narrower plank, but not 15 minutes after I gripped I slipped and my leg fell through the ceiling, right next to the light/fan housing. Good news is that I missed a metal piece protruding from the light box that easily would have sliced open the back of my leg. Bad news is that we've had to cut out part of the ceiling to patch it before my uncle gets here next week.I'm going to have a whopper bruise on my inner thigh.I've been laughing my ass off since.

If only I had been wearing my headpiece, gloves and coat while I was traipsing around up there!

Ooops!

2010-11-16T14:48:00.000-05:00

I've fallen behind on posting recently as I'm working on a website project that has gotten the better of me. I'm past one hurdle with a few more to go, but I'll be up and posting soon!

Krislyn Komarov

2010-11-12T11:08:00.002-05:00

I adore the beautifully organic designs of Krislyn Komarov, especially her 'curiosities'. She's been called 'The Anti Florist' by Elle magazine and if you look at some of her bridal | tabletop designs you just might agree. Chances are you've seen her work before.

{ Click images to visit the website. }

She's refocused her direction, stepping away from designing for retail...
'I have decided that it is time for me to transition, full force to create more conceptual and personal works of art along with intimate participation in special projects with other respected artists and creatives. I am impassioned and moved to realize my visions beyond the limitations and demands of a retail environment.'

You can read her blog at http://krislyndesign.wordpress.com/.

Veterans Day

2010-11-11T20:28:00.003-05:00

Thanks to everyone who has served and are serving for this country.

That's my father, I can't remember what year this was taken, but it's one of my favorite photos of him.

Reef Light

2010-11-09T14:29:00.001-05:00

Sea coral patterns are the inspiration of the Reef light design, created by Dutch artist Tanja Soeter. The light that illuminates from Reef's delicate structure casts dramatic patterns in your room.

Her work can be found at Freedom of Creation. I found several lighting fixtures that would be fun to have.

Visit the elves in Historic Rivendell!

2010-11-08T14:48:00.001-05:00

Thanks to my friend Mari, I found this amazing poster on her Tumblr page. I've now satisfied at two { very important } facets of my taste spectrum today!

Made by Steven Thomas Art.

Jessica Harrison

2010-11-08T12:49:00.001-05:00

Earlier today, my friend Stephanie tagged my on a link about Jessica Harrison and her lovely porcelain ladies. She knows my macabre tastes well enough that I'd add these to my wishlist.

I'd like to introduce you to Karen. I can see her dancing around the meadow on a beautiful spring afternoon.

This is Simone and Heather.

Click here to see the full collection.

Disqus | Intense Debate

2010-11-06T22:15:00.001-04:00

I recently got a Tumblr account and installed Disqus comment system and decided to switch over to that for commenting on this blog. I have absolutely no complaints with Intense Debate, but it made since to manage both under the same account. Sadly, that means that all of the comments to date {or at least since I installed Intense Debate} are now gone. Oh well.

I am open to feedback at any point!

eta - well that was easy! Comments returned.

Bon Weekend!

2010-11-05T13:37:00.000-04:00

We've had the most amazing weather all week and if finally feels like autumn around here! I thought I'd share this delightful photo of acorns by Etsy artist Tracey Capone.

{ Click on image to view listing }

Bon weekend!

WOW.

2010-11-04T18:26:00.001-04:00

Holy cow, my work has been featured in two beautiful Treasuries today! There are some really lovely items in both that I'm adding to my favorites! Michael is going to have a time when I send him that link. ;)

{ Click images to view Treasuries }

Thank you waterwaif and Team Discovery!

Roddy&Ginger Giveaway!

2010-11-03T10:38:00.000-04:00

I just saw on Roddy&Ginger's blog this morning that they're giving away one of their pomegranate tree cushions! Yes indeed, it's the same design that I featured in 'The Descent' Treasury yesterday.

Stop by their blog and let them know you'd like to win one.

Say yes to the wallpaper!

2010-11-02T22:58:00.003-04:00

Oh my, I got so excited when I saw this new wallpaper sold by Abigail Ahern, last week on sfgirlbybay, but I completely forgot about it during the weekend's activities.

{ Click on image to see more info! }

*Whew* Isn't it divine?

The Descent

2010-11-02T19:09:00.003-04:00

I'm almost having too much fun with these!

{ Click on image to view Treasury. }

After the Last Harvest

2010-11-01T16:35:00.004-04:00

{ Click on image to view Treasury. }

2010-10-31T13:26:00.001-04:00

What every seamstress needs!

2010-10-30T15:28:00.000-04:00

Bracelet shaped like a measuring tape wrapped around your wrist. 100% brass. MORE. >>

Black and Red Candy Apples

2010-10-30T12:51:00.002-04:00

Image and recipe taken from The Hive.

Red & Black Candy Apples

8-10 medium sized apples
8-10 wooden twigs, trimmed
3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup of water
several drops of cinnamon flavored oil
1/4 teaspoon of red food coloring
1/4 teaspoon of black food coloring

Clean and dry the apples. Try to remove as much of the wax as possible. If you purchase them from your local farmer’s market then chances are they have not been treated with the food grade wax that makes then shine. Remove any stems or leaves and insert a twig into the end of each apple. To facilitate easier twig entry you can carefully sharpen the end of the twig or use a candy stick to create a guide hole. Set apples aside.

Heat and stir sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan until sugar has dissolved. Boil until the syrup reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer. Don’t go over 310 degrees or your candy burns and then you’ll be sad.

Remove from heat and stir in flavored oil and food coloring.

Dip one apple completely in the syrup and swirl it so that it becomes coated with the melted sugar candy. Hold the apple above the saucepan to drain off excess. Place apple, with the stick facing up, onto a baking sheet that’s greased or lined with a silpat. Repeat the process with the remaining apples. If your syrup thickens or cools too much, simply reheat briefly before proceeding. Let the apples cool completely before serving.

A note about the black apples: Lighter colored apples (Granny Smith, Golden Delicious) work well in making the red appear bright and glassy; darker apples like red delicious help the black candy appear as dark as possible. Muy spooky!

You can make one batch with red food coloring then re-heat the candy mixture and add black food coloring. Adding black to red will make it darker. Repeat the dipping process. Black food coloring can be found online or at specialty baking stores.

Candy Corn Garland DIY

2010-10-30T11:16:00.001-04:00

I just saw this on Poppytalk and had to share it. Please see this post for the tutorial!

Bon Weekend - Happy Haunting

2010-10-29T12:10:00.002-04:00

{ A photo of one of my great aunts taken in Colombia, South America in the early 1900's. }
However you celebrate, please have a safe, fun, and blessed sabbat.

Guest Post at Lost & Fawned

2010-10-28T21:02:00.002-04:00

I'm very excited that my friend Lindsey of Lost & Fawned asked me to write something for Halloween. I decided to share how we made our vintage looking bat picture in the foyer. It's a very easy and inexpensive project to finish for the weekend!

I'm looking forward to making more posts at Lost & Fawned in the future, and Lindsey make some guest appearances as well.

Thank you Lindsey!

Apartment Therapy Feature!

2010-10-27T19:21:00.006-04:00

Thanks again, Sarah Rae! If you're coming over from AT, the full post and all it's glory is just a few entries down. I can't say enough how honored I am that others like what I do when it comes to seasonal ideas. I definitely have to give props to my mother for motivating me. She's taking over for Thanksgiving.

{ Click on image to go to feature. }

I'm more than happy to answer any questions!

Thanks again!

Ooops! I did it again.

2010-10-27T10:28:00.004-04:00

I finished this late last night and published it this morning. If you know me...you know how much I LOVE silhouettes!

The Messenger

2010-10-26T17:41:00.002-04:00

I really have a lot to do right now, so instead, I decided to make my first Etsy Treasury.

Happy Monday

2010-10-25T12:20:00.000-04:00

Goodness! It looks as though I brought home a little extra something from Atlanta. I went down Thursday afternoon and spent the weekend mostly horizontal. I'm up and about today, albeit a little slowly, with much to catch up on once again. I will have to say that I'm so thankful for my Netflix phone app as we don't have a television in the bedroom!

Now, if I could have only removed my head for a few days...

xoxoxoxo.

What day of the week is it?

2010-10-19T18:57:00.003-04:00

We arrived home last night from our whirlwind weekend in Atlanta. I'm still very tired today and have a ton to catch up on. It was a mostly working weekend, with ample time for silly antics at night. Michael hung track lighting for the museum where our friend Andy is the director. I am currently redesigning their website. We both lost a days work due to various technicalities. I learned that my laptop can no longer function with an external keyboard and mouse. We need to buy a used top portion and see if that will allow us to have some kind of decent portable technology. Unfortunately that caused us to miss a few goings on about town on Saturday and limited my time at fabric mecca to a mere 30-45 minutes, which is a bit cruel considering I haven't been able to step foot in Gail's in over 2 years. I threatened to drop to the floor and roll around a bit, but it was a wee bit crowded while Aileen and I were there. I managed to pick up a few pieces of fabric and I hope to get back for just a supply run next month.

This is one of a few photos taken at Aileen and Mike's place. They are two of the most extraordinary humans on the planet and I adore Aileen's style.

Our Darling

I hope to get more posts up about various adventures in Atlanta.

Shout out at Apartment Therapy.

2010-10-15T11:28:00.001-04:00

I'd like to post a big 'Thank You' to Sara Rae at Apartment Therapy for her shout out about the bat garland.

Keep your eyes out for another post on AT next week! Whee!