FASCINATING

After all of Will and Kate's Royal Wedding hoopla, our friends the Anderson's were inspired to make their own versions of the fascinators all those Brits wear... with a Wyoming theme of course!  They are FABULOUS.  Enjoy and be inspired!

LOVE LETTERS

I rounded up a few AMAZINGLY RAD cards this year for Valentine's Day. Found'em at Ferdinand, the cool little shop here on Portland's Munjoy Hill.  I'm so excited! Don't you just love Valentine's day? My family has always been big celebrators of this holiday... Chocolate chip pancakes, homemade valentines, candy, pink outfit, the whole shebang.  So here is this year's loot, part one... Part two, and a post party wrap to come later this week.

I am currently obsessed with art tape.  I went to Rock Paper Scissors in Wiscasset to get one roll, and I walked away with seven, and the origami paper for more crafting, and the useless little gold arrow patches that I absolutely HAD to have (aren't they fabulous).  I'll find something great to do with them I'm sure... if only just to look at them every once and a while.

Anyway, I hope you and your sweetie have a lovely day, and if you ain't got a sweetie, go out and party please. Happy Vday y'all! I friggin love you.

I HEART YOU

Hello!  Happy Monday to y'all... I've been in a crafty Valentines day mode, and found these amazing heart treasures on Jo's Etsy Shop, 42 Things.  Yes, its a little late for you to order them, but maybe you could get crafty yourself?!  Aren't the fabulous? Mad props for making some really lovely paper pieces.

I can't wait to share with you my fabulous Valentines day craft! I can't show you yet though, because then it won't be a surprise for my sweetie.  Cheers!

CREEPY CRAWLY CHRISTMAS

Get it while it's hot! The new quarterly collection from the gals at Bowerbird (remember them!?) is here.  Beautiful pieces that would make a great unique, artistic, life lasting Christmas Gift.  I have so enjoyed seeing what Laura and Kate have created... check out their whole shop here. I mean... these bugs are friggin awesome.

Which one is your favorite??

!!!

Chk Chk Chk...!!! I love that band, and their name, and this illustration by George Kovenchuck.  It is a perfect expression of how I feel sometimes!!!!!!  And... when I move to Maine, this will be top of the list for DIY projects.

(Photo Source 1, 2)

LOVE IS...

Love is hard.  In an office full of women it's a daily discussion, and I have come to the conclusion that yes, love is just really hard no matter how you shake it.  Profound I know, but it pretty much sums it all up, don't ya think?

That being said, I LOVE these hanging letters... seems like a pretty easy DIY, no?

(photo source)

YES! I LOVE YOUR PARTY HAT!

Kate and Laura Roebuck are the creative geniuses behind the shop/blog/lifestyle design business, Bowerbird.  "Sisters in law by force, best friends by choice," these girls have created the perfect platform for doing what they do best, creating imaginative decor, drawing, painting, sewing, collecting, and sharing it with others.  Kate fashioned this show stopping headdress, inspired by these images she pulled from Chinese Vogue, and a vintage collection of fake fruit.  To sweeten the deal, Laura drew Kate wearing her lovely hat!

Move over Eugenie and Beatrice, I'm wearing this to the next royal wedding...

This gal has got some serious style! 

Bowerbird was founded in 2011 by Kate and Laura Roebuck, both UGA Lamar Dodd School of Art graduates (thats where we met!).  Be sure to visit www.shopbowerbird.com to keep up with their latest ventures and to see what keeps their creative juices flowin'! 

This fascinating fascinator (a.k.a. party hat, a.k.a. fabulous headdress), and the lovely drawings will be for sale in their shop soon, so don't miss out!  Click here for details!

Thanks yall!

("Hello! Do you like my hat?" and "Yes! I love your party hat!" come from Go Dog Go by P.D. Eastman)

HELLO, DO YOU LIKE MY HAT?

As mentioned here, the gals at Bowerbird have cooked up an AMAZING project for you folks.  Here is a little hint...

  Kate Roebuck has been holding on to these inspirational images she found in a Chinese Vogue years ago.  I am so honored to be able to share them with you.  Aren't they beautiful?  The artistry, the detail, the styling, the scale, the imagination, everything about them is dreamy; Midsummer Night's dreamy.

Welllll, I cannot WAIT for you to see Laura and Kate's creations!   All will be revealed tomorrow, so be sure you check back... until then, to learn a little more about  Bowerbird's style mavens, Kate and Laura, meet Bowerbird, buy Bowerbird, or blog Bowerbird.

FREEZE POPS

Oh my goodness... we made it to Friday. Wooohooo!!!

Dying to make some of these frozen fruit pops, or Mexican Paletas. So easy, so fun, so delicious! I think I've found my Saturday activity.  Peach, Apricot, Orange... I can't decide.  But I wish I was eating them right now, outside in the sun, on a blanket made from this beautiful fabric.  Recipe below...

Spicy Peach Paletas

What you'll need...

5 Large Ripe Peaches

1 Bucket of Ice Water

1/2 Cup Pure Cane Sugar

1 Lemon

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

2 Teaspoons of Chili Powder (O.H. Recommended)

Pinch of Salt

1/4 Cup of Milk

How to make it...

Score each peach with an "X" on the bottom opposite stem side.

Blanch in boiling water for no more than 1 minute.

Drop into ice bath, this should make the skin peel off easily... (peel off skin).

Liquify sugar, juice of one lemon, cinnamon, chili powder, pinch of salt, and milk in blender.

Pour into popsicle mold, freeze, and enjoy!!

(This recipe and popsicle image was found here, on "Things Wot I Made Then Ate", its an amazing food blog I just discovered, I LOVE how she explains everything and with such witty humor. AWESOME. Definitely going to be a regular reader from now on...)

Happy summer, people.  

This weekend, I am takin' it easy... have a wonderful weekend!

("Frozen", Apricots in blue bowl, Orange and Blue Fabric by Margaret Ladner)

FLY DIVE

Artist Jazmin Berakha has caught my eye in a major way, she is showing in a Gallery here in Chelsea.  Look closely, its embroidery! Don't you love the color and pattern play? I wish I could have the girl with pet birds in my living room, or I just wish I could have pet birds on leashes to fly me away.  Perfection.

Welcome back to this week! In the next few weeks I will be implementing a posting schedule to try and be more consistent with my content.  Apparently it works for lots of people so I thought I would try it out! We shall see... this whole blog thing has been such an experiment. It's so hard to distinguish your style... such is life, a constant search for style.  I like it!

(Works by Jazmin Berakha, Cole and Son's wallpaper sample with digital manipulation by ALC)

FOUND

Folk art found on Fire Island. (yes, that alliteration).

LEAD LEAD

This guy carves letters and objects into pencil lead... ummm totally cool? Intricate, detailed, delicate, and unexpected.  Carpenter, Dalton Ghetti, has been making these tiny treasures for over 25 years.  The one with interlinking rings took him 2 1/2 years to complete, now that is dedication!

Images found on Odd Stuff Magazine, read the rest of the article here!

Quotes, and Fabric, and Deadlines.. Oh My! Hope your monday was a little slower than mine was...

KATE FURMAN FEVER

Kate Furman: jeweler, metal-smith, kayaker, and world traveler.

Born and raised in Columbia, SC, this up and coming artist is taking the world by storm, and giving the South one more thing to be proud of.   Kate creates drool worthy, one of a kind pieces of jewelry, in series, using a range of materials from driftwood and Swarovski Crystals, to gold leaf and pearls.  She confidently mixes media and allows found objects to sing with sophistication.  Ornamental Habit got with Kate to chat about her new work, her road to success, and what keeps her inspired.

Kate and I  bonded over our love for the outdoors (we are both NOLS grads).  As you can see, that love for the natural has presented itself most fantastically in her perfectly balanced and beautiful pieces.  Enjoy!

"Hey Kate! Would you answer a few questions?"

OH: How did you become interested in Jewelry Design?

KF: During High School in Greenville, SC, I attended the Fine Arts Center for my first jewelry and metal smithing class.  Loving the idea that I could make wearable art, I continued studying jewelry in college (Lamar Dodd School of Art at the University of Georgia).


OH: How would you describe your aesthetic?

KF: Material study interests me, and currently I am working with wood.  My work is often minimal and simple with an overall quiet tone.  Usually, I work in series allowing pieces to develop through my intuition and processes.


OH: Do you have a favorite piece?

KF: Although I do not have a favorite piece, my most pivotal point as an artist came with my Lines of a City series.  My methods of working and materials changed at that point and still influence my work today.


OH: What Inspires you?

KF: Currently, my inspirations come from my interest in drawing, line, mark-making, and the natural world.


OH: What sets you apart from other designers in your opinion?

KF: Coming from a fine arts background, I think past the conventions of jewelry, and make unique, well crafted pieces.


OH: Who do you admire in your field, past or present?

KF: Manfred Bischoff, Flora Vagi, Beppe Kessler, Terhi Tolvanen, and Iris Bodemer are a few of the many contemporary jewelers that I admire and look to for inspiration.

OH: Thank you Kate!

Having studied with the likes of Tracy Steepy, Lola Brooks, Rob Jackson, and Mary Pearse, and gained international experience in Florence, Italy (at the Alchimia School), Costa Rica, Ecuador, the Galapagos Istalands, and Cuba (with UGA Study Abroad), Kate's experience has been diverse and challenging.  She is currently pursuing her Master of Fine Arts at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).

See more from Kate Furman by visiting her website, www.katefurman.com, or her Facebook page!

Happy Happy Weekend!

GODSPEED

These are some of the coolest prints I have seen in a good long while.  Made for a cycling event, Studio on Fire used old bike parts to create letters that spell "Godspeed", an appropriate term for the speedy peeps.  Isn't it beauteous?

Read the rest here, and more from Studio on Fire on their blog Beast Pieces.

Hope you all had a restful and relaxing holiday weekend! Bring on the heat... NYC is feeling like a toaster oven recently.  I'm holding off the A/C as long as possible!

HAUS BEAUTIFUL

Had a lovely day strolling around Nolita yesterday (walking off our DELICIOUS brunch from La Esquina).  Always, a delight to pop in to Haus Interior... check out my iSnaps from yesterday!

Look familiar? See more about these trays here!

This mix of patterns is scrumptious.

O.H. loves horses! See more here.

I love how they painted canvases in different colors and grouped them to created a perfect wall display. Great way to create an interesting vignette IMO.

Chicks! We all know how I feel about birds.

Gearing up for this week! Stay tuned for more delightful things coming your way...

Thanks for stopping by!