Decorating with dishes.

I have a *small* collection of cream-colored commemorative plates featuring pictures of churches. I know, kind of random, but they are so sweet that I can't resist them.

But, how to display a plate collection without making it look too granny or cluttered? Here's a great display that is both cozy and elegant:



(Via The Ten Cent Designer)

New Items in the store!

Here are two vintage pieces I listed today. Check them out! :)

My Margot Tenenbaum Dream

I'm finally parting with my lovely pink 1960s Starlite phone. (You can buy it here.)

I bought it at the height of my Margot Tenenbaum obsession, particularly the idea of taking to the bathtub for long soaks while chatting on my pink Princess phone and sneaking cigarettes.

In reality, vintage phones operate in a different era. This one had a four prong adapter that would have also connected it with the home's ringer. Thus, when I rewired it and used it in my apartment in NYC, I also connected another (less attractive) vintage phone that did have a ringer in another room, but I'd only answer the pink phone. Annoying, I agree.

Though I don't use it, I'll miss it. But maybe I'll miss Margot more.

p.s. You can win a free name plate! Check out my contest on Katydid and Kid!

Find: Bell'occhio in San Francisco, Je t'aime!

Here's a store that will inspire gasps and squeals of joy: Bell'occhio in San Francisco has so many European-favored items, you'll think you've died and come back as Amélie.

Anniversary luxury!

My very sweet husband made reservations at The Nines for our anniversary last weekend. It was great to finally see what everyone's been talking about since the hotel opened last year in the building that formerly housed Meier & Frank. (I have to admit, I was skeptical of the transition, I mean, Meier & Frank was THE place to shop downtown for decades. To replace M&F with Macy's with a hotel on top was just one more homegrown Portland landmark gone to the national chains.)

BUT, I loved it. The room had plenty of glamour, including chandeliers, a powder blue fainting couch, dark woods and a marble shower. Very fancy. (One quibble: No in-room coffee maker!)

If you are in Portland, I'd recommend a night at The Nines for some large living.

Craft is not a dirty word.

I found fiber artist Sonya Philip via the American Craft Council's site. She combines knitted and felted pieces with clay and other materials resulting in some gorgeous pieces that transcend the limited description of "craft."

Called "Spleens," these red clay faces are painted with oil paint and encaustic medium then stitched to hand knit bodies.

Her Etsy store holds delights such as this knitted lamp. It must give off a gorgeous glow.

Aprons: What do they mean?

I have an automatic response to aprons: They make me uncomfortable. It's not that I disapprove of their function, rather I bristle at their implication that I should be in the kitchen AND looking good! To me, they are better left in another era, one when my grandmothers toiled silently dressed in colorful aprons they stitched themselves.

And yet, these adorable aprons from Jessie Steele might make me change my mind:

Pattern Making

I have a sweet 1960s top that just doesn't fit right. (Have you ever noticed that the necklines in vintage clothes are tight?) Anyway, I can't part with the shirt because I love the print so much.

In an effort to save the shirt and the pattern, I've been trying to replicate the pattern to print on another fabric. Of course, this meant I had to learn how to create a repeating patter for a length of fabric which is like, really hard. ;)

First I scanned the shirt and came up with this:
Then, I used a tutorial by Julia Rothman I found on Design Sponge and created this pattern:

Only, I haven't exactly lined it up perfectly, so this is only a snapshot of the whole thing.

Now that I've learned how to create a repeat pattern, I'm obsessed with it. I'm thinking of patterns all day long. I curse the Internet!

Flashback Friday: A Family Affair

For today's Flashback Friday, I'm focusing on the family. Or, what family and family spaces looked like back in the 1970s.

First up, what looks to be a very fun family picnic:

And then on the next page (literally, you turn the page) and see this ad for a fridge repair service.
So, being a suburban housewife is like, so not fun. But here's a nursery that is all cheer (love the sunflower wallpaper!):

I love this sweet cover for a 1971 children's magazine from the makers of Golden Books:

This picture struck me: You just don't see kid buns in magazines anymore!


Have a happy Friday my lovely readers!

My Last Carmel Post: Gates and Doorways

For my last Carmel post, I wanted to share some of the town's gates and doorways. (I wish that the light had been better, it was so cloudy!)

Wedding Wednesday: Family Wedding

I wanted to share some snaps I took at my brother's wedding last weekend. It was one of those weddings where everything was perfect, not one false eyelash out of place!

The gorgeous table floral arrangements with roses, dahlias and blackberries:

At the Carmel Mission, the ceremony's location:
A Tiffany-blue wedding cake in a ranch setting:
Sweet paper lanterns:
My niece Ava, one of the flowergirls:

Alison & Franny sampling the chef's fresh blackberries:

Great idea for hot weather: Succulents in containers.

I just returned from a family wedding in lovely Carmel, CA. The reception was held at the Holman Ranch where the gardens nearly outshined the view of the rolling hills of Carmel Valley! I was particularly inspired by their use of cacti and other succulents in terra cotta containers. Here are some pics:




I'll post more pics from my adventures around Carmel. Stay tuned!