Domestic Bliss - They loaded up the wagon and they moved it to Gwinnett...

When Michael moved in with me, neither one of us had much furniture. The logical thing to do was to hit IKEA to buy a bed, 2 bookcases, a dining room table, bar, sofa, coffee table, side tables, floating shelves, tv table, computer table, and a host of small stuff. We always knew it would be transitional furniture as we gathered 'old stuff' together.

Michael and Tyler are headed back to Atlanta today, and Michael is supposed to return mid to late week. Packed up with them is our tv, the tv table, and the small bookcase that Tyler will use in his room. In return, he will buy us a small tv that we will keep in the bedroom. As most of you know, this house is much smaller than the one we just left, the one that easily held ours and my parents households together. Moving these pieces has allowed a few of the 'we don't really have room for this' furniture to be moved upstairs into our bedroom. They're pieces we love and are happy to have in what will become our sanctuary once again.

A couple of photos taken in our last bedroom for reference...





That coffee table is in gnarly shape so it is going to be taken apart and possibly stored to be salvaged into something else at a later point.

My jewelry will go back to this display, with a little different flair.



In other news, the stencil came in a couple of weeks ago. I love it, but we've decided there are too many angles and turns in the bedroom walls to make it anything less than hell to apply. I'm going to use it in the dining room and do a freehand design in the bedroom.

Bon Weekend.

We had a pretty hectic day today, so I was unable make this post until late. I decided to google 'bon weekend' and then look at the images. I found this delightful photo!


{ Jimbaran Beach, Bali, Indonesia by Flickr member DanielKHC. }

I'm getting my virtual table ready at Poppytalk Handmade tomorrow and will post the info when it goes live, which will be Monday. I also have another exciting piece of news to share, but I'm waiting for everything to be finalized before announcing anything!

Bon weekend!

A way to say 'Thank You'.

I'm very excited that I had a customer return for a second purchase the other day. I have been thinking about ways to thank customers for repeated business, even my friends! One was to make something small, like a pin, and drop it in the box. I decided to go with a gift certificate instead. It can be given to a friend or family member and I have written the Esty member name on the back to be referenced for discount.



I hope this will be adequate in expressing my appreciation.

Treasury

I love waking up in the morning to an email telling me I've been featured in a Etsy Treasury. Thank you Prisha, I'm honored to have been included!



Charleston Esty Treasury >>

Backyard Scrabble

I love Scrabble® and I can't think of a better use of a small patch of yard than this. Ok, maybe a chess board. Once again, Pinterest has brightened my day. It also reminds me to subscribe to Sunset in my reader. My mother has been reading the magazine since I was a child and I love it!


{ Photo credit: SFGate via Sunset Magazine }

Lyssomanes viridis - Magnolia Green Jumper

This tiny {leg expanse wasn't wider than a dime} electric green guy was on the porch door yesterday. I've never seen anything like it before. Michael snapped the best shot he could, while all the time it was trying to jump at him. A friend helped identify it as Lyssomanes viridis - Magnolia Green Jumper. In the southeastern US it is one of the most easily recognized jumping spider, with it's neon green body and large orange 'cap'. She's an amazing photographer and said she would do 'unmentionable things' to get her hands on one. I'm trying to relocate it. ;)



More on the Magnolia Green Jumper. >>

Poppytalk Handmade!

Hooray! I learned yesterday that my shop has been selected to participate in Poppytalk's Handmade Marketplace!!! It runs from August 2 - August 27. Look for this graphic to show up in the right column {and a post} when the new market goes live.



Thank you Poppytalk!

Domestic Bliss - Beat the Heat

Another day of scorching heat made me look back at our summer tablescape from last year. I must confess that my mother did most of this scene and I find it very soothing when I look at the photos.



The tile floors in the kitchen|dinning room|bar made it the most comfortable area in the {old} house last year.

Bon Weekend

Yowzers it's been hot here this summer! We've been under several heat advisories and today is no exception. There's not much escaping it so why not revel in it? I'm going to pretend I'm in Greece today...


{ cavo tagoo on mykonos, greece via style-files.com }

Custom wrist cuff.

I just finished this and I'm waiting to see if I can meet with the buyer tonight for a final fitting. This is a wrist cuff made from vinyl and backed with remnant upholstery fabric, leftover from a project we did for my mother. All cuffs with vinyl bands are backed with fabric. It is detailed with Swarovski rhinestones and closes with two heavy duty snaps. It is a recreation of a piece she saw at the Lowcountry Artist Market while it was on hold for someone else. It sold and I told her I could recreate the look.


{ Click on image to enlarge. }

Fig Leaf Wardrobe

Wow! If Michael and I ever live in a house with limited closet space, this would be my dream wardrobe. This being a fantasy, I'm not even going to think of ruining it with the weight of how much it must cost. Dutch designer Tord Boontje makes this wardrobe with hand painted, enamel fig leaf doors that open to reveal a bronze tree and accompanying eight matching bronze hangers. The interior is lined with a bespoke silk landscape background.


{ Click on image to enlarge. }

Read more about the work involved with making the Fig Leaf Wardrobe. >>

Sassy Pants Terrarium

From Italian product designer and art director Matteo Cibic.

'Domsai is a tamagotchi for your desk.
Handcraft designed and produced with love in Nove (ITA). Each Domsai has its own personality, each cactus has its own dome, tailor made and blowed, that differentiates it from the others.'


They come in either white or gold. I'm leaning towards the gold.


{ Found via FFFFOUND!  and Femtalks }

Domestic Bliss - Hydrangeas

They seem to be popping up all over the bloggerverse, so I'll add a photo of one of ours, taken before the move.



We finally got both of them in the ground last week and are doing beautifully. One started with white flowers but my mother asked that we plant some rusty bits in the ground with them to coax them to turn blue. They're pretty much past blooming state at their size. I'll let you know next blooming cycle.

It's the simple things that make me smile.

Simple but beautiful lights made from reclaimed wood. I can see these used outside in the garden one night and then brought back into the house for some wonderfully charming mood lighting.



More photos and artist information at Oh Joy!

ETA: Remodelista posted a similar feature today, but from another artist.

Monday product spam!

This is my wrist cuff prototype. I'm working on a couple of different styles. One has the sparkle vinyl band with rhinestones, some with additional stitching, others have silk bands with the same type embellishments. I'm also making my regular flower styles and then I also made one with the folded petals.



I'm working on a custom cuff and will post photos of those when finished.

Happy Monday!

Bon Weekend.

Now Showing: Works by Charlie Bidwell and Samantha Magowan
When: Opening reception July 17, 6-8 p.m. On view through Aug. 29
Phone: (843) 958-6484
Price: Free
www.charlestonarts.sc


{ I had to take these from pomegranita because the city gallery image must be down. :( }

'features the work of Los Angeles-based artists, Charlie Bidwell and Samantha Magowan. Samantha Magowan transforms herself in installations that are saturated with bright colors, psychedelic patterns and angles that create optical illusions. Photographer Charlie Bidwell utilizes an unusual amount of negative space, providing the viewer with a different viewpoint of the monumental architecture and billboards which dominate the American landscape. In their work, both artists reflect the influence and side-effects of living in an environment saturated with “stuff” and how it affects the eyes and minds of artists living in L.A., which ironically is the city responsible for the creation of such overwhelming mass-media.'

We'll be at the reception tomorrow night!

Testing...testing

I've been playing with some updates to the site. I like the Minima (stretch) template but haven't been happy with being restricted to a 2 column layout. I found a lovely hack that seems to work well so far, and I'm hoping to add more elements to the sidebars. I've also added some Facebook interactivity and have decided to use the IntenseDebate comment forms. I like being able to reply directly to a comment instead of having to do the '@name' scenario. Comments can now be subscribed to, as well. I know some sites have had issues with ID and I'll keep my eye on it.

An Ode to Blossfeldt

I remember my first introduction to Karl Blossfeldt's work when I picked up a small, very abridged book of his work published by Taschen. I fell in love and bought the book. While I was in Paris with Michael four years ago, we stopped by the Taschen store in the Latin Quarter and I bought their complete published work edition. If you're not familiar with him, here is a little info from the Taschen website:

'German photography pioneer Karl Blossfeldt (1865-1932) photographed plants so beautifully, and with such originality, that his work transcends the medium itself. Over more than 30 years, he took thousands of photographs, revealing a formally rigorous talent whose precision and dedication bridge the nineteenth and twentieth century worlds of image making and bring a distinctly sculptural aspect to a firmly two-dimensional art form. Beautifully but starkly composed against plain cardboard backgrounds, Blossfeldt's images, relying on a northern light for their sense of volume, reveal nothing of the man but everything of themselves. They are still-lifes, piercingly final statements on their subject, and have endured owing to their technical brilliance and the ongoing fascination of students and photographers. Like their maker, they are quietly and lastingly effective.'

I was searching online for something last week and stumbled upon a Flickr group dedicated to photos done in the style of and homage to Karl Blossfeldt, An Ode to Blossfeldt.




It's a nice collection. I hope to see it grow.

Life is Apptacular!

I love the paris apartment. I'm always looking forward to the daily finds in my Google Reader. I was thrilled to read today that Claudia has launched an iPhone app: Keys To The Fleas!

Michael and I only had a day and a half in the city when we were in France four years ago. I dreamt of having time to hit a couple of flea markets but we ended up doing some other wonderful things during our very limited time there.

I won't be able to take advantage of navigating through the streets of Paris with it just yet, but I can sit back and enjoy fantasy trip or 50. :)

In the works...

I mentioned a week or so ago that I am trying to broaden my work. This is another piece that was started a while ago but I am only now getting closer to finishing. I'm very happy with how this is evolving.

Edisto

We took a lovely day trip to another one of my childhood favorite places yesterday, Edisto. It's still mostly unspoiled and waves of wonderful memories crashed in my mind. I'm working a full length post of the history and lore of the island, but I need to jot down notes from my mother.

Lightsaber Chopsticks

With these babies you can cut your food, eat your food, or defend the universe.



More. >>

Nikola Tesla's Birthday

Nikola Tesla was born on this day in 1856. We often wonder what kind of world we'd live in today if...



In honor of his birthday, my dearest Michael is committed to getting his studio to a working state today.

Bellchamber Goldsmiths

When Michael and I were planning our wedding, we wanted rings for each of us that represented our passions. He did a darn fine job with my engagement ring, and we looked high and low for his wedding band. One weekend while he was in Atlanta, I was poking around the web when I stumbled upon the work of Jason Bellchamber and his team. I scrolled through the rings and saw the Green Man ring. I gasped and then I called Michael. I sent him the link and he was floored. Since I was purchasing his ring, I contacted them to find out if the green they used for the enameling would somewhat match the greens in my ring. I sent them a photo and they thought it would pair well. I sent them the money and they set to work on his ring. Michael wears a size 13 so it had to be custom made. They worked quickly and in just a couple of weeks it arrived. It was beyond our expectations. I can't say enough about the service we received from them.

Linda Glass

California fiber artist Linda Glass makes amazing batik-like quilts. Reminds me a bit of Charleston's wonderfully talented Mary Edna Fraser.



From the artist's statement page...
"My artwork combines my environmental activism for sustainable water management and the aesthetics of art making. Growing up in Los Angeles during the drought years made me aware of the preciousness of water and that realization has turned into a passion for raising public awareness about water resources through art.

I deliberately work in textiles with the intention to reach as many people as possible with the issues expressed in my work. Textiles are an unintimidating medium; people feel a familiarity and comfort with fabric since it plays such an integral and basic part in our lives."

More of works of beauty. >>

Bon Weekend.

This is Junior. He's now the 'man of the house'. I mentioned earlier that we had the most amazing holiday weekend in terms of July weather here. 5 breezy days in the '80's with a low humidity index. We spent a lot of time on the back porch. It was then that we discovered that Junior is bonkers for traditional Celtic music. We used to play it at the loft when we lived in Atlanta. Any tune with a fiddle or bagpipe, and most importantly a penny whistle, saw the old lover reemerge. He was full of the sound of 'chirps' and the gift of 'love nips' to everyone including Duncan, who received the most. Nice way to let him know how much he was loved by the other cats. :)



Here he is giving Duncan a kiss after a round of 'love nips'.



Bon weekend, everyone!

On a brighter note...

I received an invitation today to participate in the ATELIER Bridal Art + Style at the Hotel Indigo in Athens, GA next January.

Woot!

The Atticus Project

For those of you don't know me via LiveJournal, I co-moderate the LJ community 'SaucyDwellings'. The very talented Lara Rossignol of Piewacket (LJ handle honeywest) is one of our longtime members. She's been an invaluable contributor since long before I stepped up to the helm. She submitted a post today asking for some help.

"My cat, Atticus, was recently diagnosed with mast cell cancer, the prognosis is good but the treatment is very expensive. So, I am having a kind of estate sale through my etsy shop to help fund his chemo...I am adding new stuff weekly to my store and if there is some specific item you are interested in from a past post, just let me know, almost anything is possible. I am also posting on my blog when I have new items or updates on Atticus."

Loosing my dad 6.5 months ago to a rare Lymphoma and having lost Duncan yesterday to coronary disease, I really want to help in any way I can. I hope to be able to purchase one of her vintage finds or a print of one of her incredible images, but right now I feel the urge to get the word out.



Good luck to you both.

Laird Duncan Grant 2000 - 2010

aka Laird Doodlehead. Kitten (pictured below) called him the 'best wedding date ever". Well my dear, it's time to find a new date.


{ All images taken by the oh so lovely Ms. Stacey Bode. }

Some of you already know that he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure just after our move. We've been taking him to Ruth, his amazing vet, every week to try to find the best possible solution for comfort for however long he had. Unfortunately, his heart disease was just too far advanced. He went in for a check-up yesterday and he wasn't looking so great. We have been so thankful that the holiday weekend was filled with such amazing weather that it allowed us some quality porch time over those last several days.

Doodle had an uneasy night last night. He had a hard time getting up the stairs this morning when he went outside. I took mom to the commissary and during that time he starting going into severe distress. Like, really bad. Michael got him calmed down, and when mom and I got home we called Ruth. We thought we could adjust his meds a bit but as soon as we hung up, he started again. I called back bawling my eyes out. We talked about bringing him in for some intravenous meds and oxygen. I said we'd try the adjusted protocol and wait a bit. But he couldn't calm himself down. We all knew then what needed to be done. Michael and I leashed him up and barely got him to the car. I called to let Ruth and crew know we were on our way.

Once we gave the go ahead and Ruth confirmed it was the best for him, we had a few moments alone with him. Michael and I got on the floor with him and held him. We kept him close as Ruth and Melissa ever so gently gave him his injection. It was so peaceful and so surreal. I kept holding him for a bit. I honestly did not want to leave the room, after we stayed with him for a while. He looked like he was about to get up and walk out with us, but no.

Farewell, my friend. I love you and will miss you more than words can ever express.

It's been a crazy year. I'm off to have several drinks - at home.

Branching out.

I have felt the need broaden my product offerings. While prepping for the Lowcountry Artist Market I made a few new pieces, a choker|headband, a belt, and some cuffs. I was delighted that the cuffs were very popular and I sold the three I brought to the show. Unfortunately, I didn't get photos. I will take a photo of the prototype tomorrow. In the mean time, here's the choker and belt:





I have several pieces almost finished but they're packed away. Some are some more ornate belts I have to dig out the boxes.

New stuff!

Ok, not exactly new because these were made for the Lowcountry Artist Market, but these are new photos of them. I have a few more pieces to edit before uploading everything to Etsy. My new challenge is taking these photos indoors. I had a sweet outdoor spot at the old house but it wasn't always the most practical. I like the burlap but I'm also going to play with a few presentation ideas.



One of the moving bonuses was that I found my old peep toe heels!

And the winner is...

Number One! Here's a picture of the stencil in color:



I ordered the stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils on Etsy. We're looking to rehab/hack our MALM bed. We've had it for 4 years now and we're in need of something a little different. We've talked about several ideas but last night one came to mind. We'll take off the side tables - the room is just too small for them, put the bed on heavy duty casters, and then paint it in the same style as the walls, but in a different color. The stencil will carry over but won't dominate as it's 18" high. I chose the wall color and I'm asking Michael to choose the bed frame color.

Ok, I was a little cranky when I posted my extreme displeasure with Apple and my iOS4 update. I'm still doing a little research as to what to do with the iOS4 update and my lowly 3G issues. Jason D. O'Grady wrote an article for ZDNet mentioning the issue of slower performance could have to do with RAM issues.

I previously blogged that part of the problem could be due to insufficient RAM. The iPhone 4 ships with a whopping 512MB RAM, while the iPhone 3GS with 256MB. The lowly iPhone 3G, on the other hand, comes with only 128MB — one fourth of what ships with the latest model.

In its compatibility statement, Apple says that iOS 4 works with iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 3G. Adding that “not all features are compatible with all devices. For example, multitasking is available only with iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS.”

Translation: it will work on the iPhone 3G but don’t have high expectations.
This sounds totally plausible with the issues I'm having, but the situation is still sucks.

Anyway, back to more positive blog entries!

Happy 4th of July!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy celebration today! I think we're going downtown tonight to try to get a spot to see the Patriots Point fireworks show.


{ Photo credit: caruba }

*tsk* *tsk*

Oh Apple, how you have made me oh so very sad. I updated to the 4.0 software the other day. My phone is one of those ancient 3G's. I can't do some of the fun things Tyler can on his 3GS and since the update, I am experiencing battery dumps and the system freezes constantly. Rebooting? Takes minutes now. Silly me didn't think to research any potential issues but now that I have, I read that I am not alone with these issues. Some say it is a conspiracy to force older iPhone owners to purchase new phones. Sorry, I paid full price for mine and I haven't had this one long enough to get my discount.

I really believe they should come out with an alternative service pack that will allow 3G owners to revert back to the previous software version. I don't want to have to take it in and have AT&T revert it to factory settings. For further software additions? If the older technology cannot support it, please prompt me that an upgrade is not appropriate for my handheld.

Apple needs to fix this. Once again, I am losing confidence in the company.

If I'm missing something that I can do on my own, please tell me!

Bon Weekend.

We are experiencing the most gorgeous day here in the Lowcountry. We received some much needed rain yesterday, and today is breezy and beautiful. We're planning on stepping out soon to do a little planting but today's exclamation of joy is due to what is in this photo...



All four lights have been hung and strung through the attic to the main box, which is where the fan is. The lights are on a dimmer and the fan itself came with a 5-speed control box. That was a little tricky to install, but as usual, Michael made it look easy. The fan sounds really cool as well. Kind of like a helicopter. It's very pleasant in my book.

Now to turn on a little Latin Jazz...

Synchronicity

Michael and I were planning on getting in the attic today to hang the new pendants in my studio because we're supposed to be experiencing some 'mild' weather - no higher than 90°. As I was checking my email the phone rings and it's Lowe's letting me know our fans have arrived. I almost missed seeing the notification that this necklace just sold!



I believe this is more than just me saying I need to get back to work.

Debbi, I hope you enjoy wearing it as much as I enjoyed making it!