Illustrated Lamp Shades by Hutch Studio

Aren't these sweet?  And apparently his secret ingredient in the making of these little beauties is coffee!  Follow the link to Hutch Studios here for more information.

Be sure to go to the Hutch Studio blog to check out all of his other whimsical creations!  I particularly love the paper cabins made from vintage children's books and the hand cut window coverings.  His whole blog is really a feast for one's creativity.  So inspiring!   

Happy Sunday!

These were yesterday's eggs.  Today it is snowing again, but if we can get off the hill we are going out for brunch with friends to the newly owned Miss Bellows Falls Diner.  Good thing we have 4 wheel drive!  Eggs Benedict, here we come!

Weekend Reading

If you have a little free time on your hands this weekend here are two excellent blogs to explore.  I found both of these this week, and completely fell into both of them, reading page after page of older posts, which is always a good sign, I think.

 Hutch Studio via Kickcan & Conkers 

 Marga Marina via Kickcan & Conkers

Kalimagier via Kickcan & Conkers

Here's a little selection of great finds from her blog.  She also has some really great craft projects, etsy finds, great vintage kid stuff and generally lots of fun things to peruse.  Go here to check it out for yourself!


The second blog I found (thanks Lacey!) this week is called Awesome People Hanging Out Together, and is filled with photos of just that.  Here's a sampling:

Martin Luther King Jr. and Marlon Brando via awesomepeoplehaningouttogether

Charles Eames & Eero Saarinen at Cranbrook ca. 1941 via awesomepeoplehangingouttogether

 Carl Sagan & the Dalai Lama, 1991. via awesomepeoplehangingouttogether

Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart & Marilyn Monroe, circa 1963 via awesomepeoplehangingouttogether

Enjoy Everybody!  Have a nice weekend!

Slice of Life - More Winter

The view from my studio today.

Emmett's Pick of the Week - The Bruder Catalog

Now this isn't a toy, exactly.  It's the little catalog that comes with every Bruder tractor, digger, or backhoe.  Emmett loves the vehicles too, but they are nothing compared to the little catalogs.  It's lucky we have 3 Bruder toys, and thus 3 catalogs, because he has read them so much that they are completely dogeared and shredded.  The one I photographed is by far the most whole of the three.  The pictures above are from a recent dinner out where the Bruder catalog afforded us at least 5 solid minutes of eating, together, at the same time, which for dinner out with a toddler is pretty good!  It is also our main go to distraction for car rides, waiting rooms, or any other time of need.  This little guy gets 5 stars on the Emmett-o-mometer! 

The Haas Family Cocktail

Fair warning. . . it might be a little early in the day for you to think about this, so perhaps you should postpone reading Campestral today until 5 o'clock. . . 

This is a Mount Gay Rum and Tonic, and I swear, it's like summer in a glass.  If you are feeling the winter blahs, try one of these puppies and it will help turn you around.  My parents first had one on a sail boat in the Caribbean in the 1960's, and picturing that scene (inserting myself there, of course!) makes drinking this cocktail like a mini vacation.  Don't forget at least one wedge of fresh lime juice!  It's essential!  Cheers!

New Series - Oiseaux Bons Mots

I'm really excited about this new series I'm working on of birds collages on vintage text backgrounds.  I love the way the text makes a somewhat irregular, but still mainly uniform, backgrounds for the brightly colored birds. And, as an added bonus, it means I have finally found a use for all of the vintage book pages I have been removing in the process of making my hollow book jewelry boxes.  I've been watching them pile up, and been so reluctant to simply recycle them.  So now each part of the discarded books I have scooped up has a new life and purpose, and that makes me feel good!

To see more images, information and pricing please go here.

Quiet Days, Waiting for Spring

Sunday Drive - Part 2 - Bricks and Doors

Claremont, NH

Sunday Drive - Part 1

In a fit of cabin fever we decided to take a family outing.  We took the scenic route out for a late lunch in Claremont, NH up over the Weathersfield Top.  There is a beautiful old meeting house set among a stand of old trees that I have been meaning to stop and photograph for ages.  So on the way back we managed to hit it right at sunset and the light was very pretty.

Around the Studio - Fiddleheads For Fiona

1. A new book page and decorative paper collage drying between the pages of a book

2. A new book page collage in progress

3. Hollow book jewelry boxes in a weighted stack while the glue dries.

4. Heart Volcano collage on the ledge to be photographed, paintbrush in foreground.

Slice of Life

This morning's blogging session.

Theater Clouds by Elly Mackay

Aren't these amazing?  To make them she creates little three dimensional paper theaters with inked yuzo paper elements, plays with the lighting and then photographs them.  I think they have the most unique mood and feel, kind of calm and eerie at the same time.  And on top of all of their other merits, they are affordable!  To shop in Elly's shop go here, or to learn more about her process go here.

Process: Shooting Jewelry

As you may know already, we are in the middle of working on a website update over here.  I've got my best people on it ;) and I am so excited for it to be done and up! I scrounged around high and low for a fun background for my photos that would mesh well with the look of my site.  I normally would have shot something outside, incorporating natural textures, like wood grain, or stone, but because of all of the damn snow, that was impossible.  What I ended up with was this book cover with little stick figures of the running of the bulls in Pamplona.  I'm afraid I was in such a hurry to catch the light that I have no idea what the book is about!  

I love the deep fabric texture of the surface, I think it makes a great contrast with the luminosity of the jewelry.

At first I worried that the graphic lines would be too distracting from the jewelry, but I think it works.

What do you all think?

Satomi

So I might have accidentally bought myself a diamond ring while I was at the Gift Show in New York.  And if I had bought myself a diamond ring, it would be the amazing and adorable one in the pictures below, made by one of my neighbors at the show, Satomi Kawakita.  And since it just arrived in the mail a couple of days ago (YAY!! Jump, jump!!) I guess it truly is mine!

To see more of Satomi's beautiful creations go here.

Arrived: Mid-Century Ceramic Bird!

I picked up this little cutie from Bird in Hand Vintage on Etsy.  This shop specializes in vintage farm, industrial and shabby chic home decor, which I guess is right up my alley, because I've got another parcel from her on its way to me now!  Can't wait for it to arrive, and I'll put it up for you all to see when it does!

Making Valentines

My friend Carolyn (who happens to be a paper expert) came over to make Valentines with me last night.  She made us a yummy pink champagne drink (Champagne with Pama Liquor), and check out the super cool vintage letter stamps she brought with her!