Tuesday 31 August 2010

Travel Sketching

I am cleaning up the office and have found my teeny sketchbook from 07 and 08…I can’t wait to go back to Amsterdam…I’m getting antsy; and think about it daily. This time want to include Ireland and Italy. The tops of the canal houses look like little hairdos to me…with eyebrows on each of the windows in brick or plaster details. Cut-outs in the shutters and old wrought iron railings are just so charming! They are just the most lovely little houses.

I love wasting the time away with a jar of cloudy water and a couple of brushes. This trip I used just the essentials…5 markers and 2 fine-liners.

sketchbook cover

amsterdam 3

amsterdam6

amsterdam7

amsterdam 2

amsterdam 18

 

“The main thing is that we hear and enjoy life’s music everywhere”

Theodore Fontane

Friday 27 August 2010

Carport to Summer BBQ Room

DSC_0167

Like many, I have a carport…I wish it was a garage, so I could paint year round, and maybe one day that will happen. The space is smothered in light in the evening, as it’s west facing, so I always thought it would be a nice place for BBQ nights, and hanging out with friends and family. Back in May I bought really inexpensive curtains and rods from Ikea, a gallon of concrete paint, a fence panel and a couple of concrete post holders (I know there is a more technical term), then went to work transforming a carport to an eating area. The key piece was a shed from Home Depot to store all the furniture off season, and the gardening gear.

We have used the space quite a bit this season, and for the winter, I will hinge back the fence panel, and regain a place to park my car.

DSC_0112

DSC_0136

DSC_0139  CIMG1948

  This is what my carport has looked like most of the year.

Best… Michelle

Sunday 22 August 2010

Six Objects de Vie…Carol Reed of CREED

I came across Carol’s blog last year, and was instantly attracted to her renderings…then I took a look at her portfolio, and was smitten…Carol is a professional Interior Designer, and it shows…her work is programmed, and the design work is stunning, but you can still see the client in them…the way they live. Not just a pretty face, Carol is someone to watch for. Even know she is Canadian, I think we have the best chance of meeting up in NYC…I look forward to it!

Thanks to Carol for participating…she is the 4th plate in my series, and I am having fun introducing you to, and sharing a snippet from the day of these fabulous designers.

CREED- the blog

Carol Reed Interior Design

object de vie_carol reed_finished plate

Wednesday 18 August 2010

NYC in 2 days...NYIGF

This trip to NYC had a couple of major screw ups…first, and I NEVER do this…I got a connecting flight. As you may have read in my profile, my hubby is a commercial pilot, and I am not inexperienced with these buses in the sky, so I am surprised I did it. It’s also the first time I took Delta…NEVER again on that one too!!  (I’m only linking to them, so they may find this complaint)

They left us one hour to make a connection, clear customs in the connecting city, grab our bags, drop them again, and make it to a new gate. We had to wait for 15 minutes in the hot plane…they couldn’t open the doors because the customs paperwork wasn’t faxed from Vancouver. With this flight leaving so early from Vancouver, customs wasn’t even open, so that’s the reason we had to clear customs in the connecting city, which was Minneapolis.

The most hilarious part of the whole thing was when we were all stressed, and talking to each other in the customs line about not making our flight (2 windows open for 200 passengers), the third of the customs agents comes out, and says “You might as well relax, because most of you are not going to make this flight…Delta knows that they need two hours for a connection, and it was too bad for us”. Great…Mr. Personality….and of course, you can’t say anything! Such A__ H____s these guys. How about, get behind one of those booths and try to do something to help the situation????

So, I (and another 100 people) missed the connecting flight, on a Saturday, in the middle of the country, when I only had two and a half days in NYC, and I was pissed to find out I had to wait five hours for the next one!!!! GRrrrrr.

I arrived in NYC at rush hour, finally got there late Saturday, and was so tired, I crashed big time. Every flight was packed full, and it was awful.

The city was, in fact marvellous, especially Saturday when I arrived, the weather being perfect, but the next day was so so humid, it felt like you were in a steam shower…that, was of course the two days where I NEEDED to look composed for some business I was taking care of in the city. My hair was like straw.

Looking forward to my next trip in January!!…can you tell I’m not a hot weather girl?

Thanks for letting my vent and rant….now onto the good stuff….

The Gift Show at Javitz Center/Piers was really huge, and really beautiful…a few things I loved….

CIMG2130 CIMG2151

Effortless arrangements….Dash and Albert Rugs and Throws…Remember when I used the throw for this campsite post?

CIMG2128 CIMG2149

Rustic boards, furniture, John Robshaw (of Wandrlust/Woodson and Rummerfields) bedding…loving colour!

 CIMG2153 CIMG2134

Me and a Chicken foot stool/sculpture from The City Girl Farm in Lyons Kansas. Mom, Susan is and Interior Designer, and her two daughters Emily and Sally are both Architecture and Interior Architecture/Product design students. What a creative team. They were influenced by Francois-Xavier Lalanne’s sheep ottomans. Pendants, lighting, spheres and natural curiosities were abundant…this vingette was especially pretty…I forgot the source…if you know it, please email me.

CIMG2143 CIMG2117

Armand Diradourian Cashmere pieces were nothing short of pure loveliness…I wish I had touch-a-vision, because they feel like butter…small scale iconic furniture for the kids at Little Nest was so adorable!

CIMG2154CIMG2159

Oh, and I did some shopping as well…these great permanent pleat pants are from a textile design team in Austria called Yummy.

I bought the gold earrings at The New York Look on 5th Ave…they are my new favourites, but couldn’t find a website. You can see the polishing marks on the disks…I love that detail.

The neck piece is from db Sources Limited…they show at High Point, Dallas and NYC.

And, a new coach wallet/wristlet I can use inside a larger bag…I love the colour orange right now.

So, even know it was rushed, I had travel problems, and didn’t have time to contact anyone, I had a great time at the show, just wandering and asking questions… I feel inspired to think outside the box, and have some great new resources to share with my clients.

 

Best… Michelle

Wednesday 11 August 2010

The Watercolour Renderings of Mita Corsini Bland

book_cover_new albert hadley bedroom mita corsini bland

The interior renderings of Mita Corsini Bland are so beautiful, and made me want to pick up the watercolours again. They are part of the book by Susan Bartlett Crater and Libby Cameron. Look how stunning this bedroom designed by Albert Hadley looks…it’s so timeless.

Tuesday 10 August 2010

NYC

CIMG0799

Will be in the city for the gift show this weekend; want to do lunch?

Thursday 5 August 2010

Six Object de Vie – Albarosa of Brillante

Albarosa has the most honest style of anyone I know…it’s part of her. When you go for dinner, you sit in vintage McGuire chairs, and are served mint tea from a Maiolica pitcher. You know the type? She doesn’t have to try hard to live a beautiful life. She is an accomplished photographer and designer; last year one of her clients purchased a large painting from me- one of my favourites. Albarosa can help you live a beautiful life too…she does design and art consulting, and has a gallery of her stunning photography on her website. Brillante is a great name for her blog…she is exceptional, bright and one of the best!

Visit her blog and leave a nice comment – believe me…you will love what you see!

albarosa_amended

*I’m working on the resolution problem…bear with me :)

 

Best…Michelle