My Ampersand

The ampersands went neck & neck, but in the end the battle was decided by four votes... which went to my talented opponent. My & was not, alas, the better letter. Did you guess which was mine?

I couldn't decide what shape to give my ampersand, so I decided to play with two in watercolors and gouache. 

It was a pleasure to break out my brushes for the Better Letters contest, thank you for voting!

Better Letters: Ampersand

Do I have any letter-lovers or typophiles in my readership? If so, a have a Friday treat for you...

Today I'm participating in a battle of hand-lettered ampersands at Better Letters. Better Letters hosts daily competitions between designers: one letter, one day to create, one winner.

Which & is the Better Letter? Go vote!

Crushing on Valentine Hearts

Would it be odd to decorate for Valentine's Day? Because it might be nice to sprinkle the house with little hearts...

Paper Heart Garland via Pinterest, Little Stone Hearts by Sarah&Bendrix on Etsy

Valentine Pad-Printed Bowls from West Elm, Heart Garland by Grace Street Paper on Etsy

Little Vintage Hearts by Sarah&Bendrix on Etsy

I love hearts as a graphic pattern, but ugh, look at me- I just kicked the Christmas tree to the curb, and I'm already moving on to decorate for another holiday. Too soon, Elizabeth. 

...but I think I will start tinkering with some letterpress Valentines.

Resolution: Wake Up Earlier

Not a resolution I'm thrilled to be sticking to after a long and lazy vacation. Oh, caffeine and pretty things, please get me through the day...

Starbucks Cinnamon-Infused Ground Coffee & Bodum Chambord French Press

Molly Hatch Menagerie Glass from Anthropologie, Retro Coffee Print from Etsy

"Coffee" Lettering via Pinterest & Vintage Continental Raymond Loewy Script Coffee Pot from Etsy

Chanteclair Chihuahua Print

Floral & Insects

When I shared this with the husband he shrugged it off until he took a closer look.

"Oh! That is interesting." 

Floral & Insects by Laura Bell via 20x200

Isn't it? Almost painterly, with the subtle illumination of the Old Masters- but not quite a still life, with snails and bumblebees crawling amongst the wilted blooms. It's one part botanical study, one part Henri Fantin-Latour (right down to the moody background and glinting scissors). Quite possibly a candidate for the new gallery wall I'm dreaming up- though I wish I could've created my own floral arrangement for the photograph!

Christmas Shopping: Ideal Bookshelf

Love it when I find something special in my inbox- like a giftable print debuting at 20x200.

Ideal Bookshelf 353: English Lit by Jane Mount

Your English major friend will grin and remember the hair-away-from-brilliant A- paper she wrote on Wuthering Heights. The former bookseller whose living room looks like a library will approve of the selection (even if the lack of alphabetization irks her). The graphic design fanatic will giddily recognize the beautiful covers of new Penguin Classic editions by Coralie Bickford-Smith. 

I, being all of the above, will add this to my wish list!

Whomever you're buying for, a $20 limited edition 8x10 (signed by the artist) makes for an affordable and sentimental gift. Better yet, West Elm's collection of frames (sized to perfectly showcase 20x200 artwork) is on SALE. Merry Christmas indeed.

A Natural Wonder

If I had a large wall to decorate, say, in a hip live/work loft in the city, you better believe I'd rasterbate this piece to giant size...

Posted at Trailheads in Redwoods Park

My weekly hikes with Adam are an incredible source of inspiration- but who would've thought I'd find such a graphic gem off the beaten path?

Dare to Dream: In the Stars

I'd so love to have this piece on my wall, for stargazing on cloudy nights.  

Andromeda by Toshiyuki Enoki

I don't suppose I have any Japanese-speaking readers who'd visit the Toshiyuki Enoki blog and tell me more about the artist (or better yet, tell me how to acquire a print)?

Who's That Lady?

This lady has quite a presence. Pensive, a little moody, and not just filler for a blank wall. Does anyone know the artist?

First image via Shaun Smith Home, second unknown

Dare to Dream: Modern Gothic

It's not often that idly clicking through Apartment Therapy brings me to a house that flawlessly combines raw brick and linear modernity with elegant mouldings and Victorian frill. And then there's the twisted, skeletal staircase. Courtney & Trevor, I await my invite. Also, let's be best friends.

The owner describes her style as "disturbed traditionalism," a phrase I wish I'd coined myself. I wasn't sure why AT had termed this practically colorless house "playful" until I locked eyes with the DIY coffee table. Oho, now I get it.

Images from Courtney & Trevor's Playfully Sophisticated House Tour by Apartment Therapy

This is a look that requires good bones- good architectural bones, that is. I'd do terrible things to have a space like this, with room to make an aesthetic statement (instead of just leaving little hints everywhere). I'll always be firmly against white paint for a shoebox apartment, but these crisp white walls with such height and natural lighting... this is an art gallery, and one that can elevate curious shapes like paper snowflakes and wire hangers to Dada-esque distinction.

If I hung a wire hanger on my wall, people would merely assume I'd run out of closet space. Which, incidentally, is true. Ah, dare to dream.

Spring Gallery

Last week's visit from a swallowtail butterfly prompted me to add some signs of Spring to my decor, starting with a new gallery wall in my living room.

I've been tweaking my living room for months trying to get it just right. When my workspace was featured in Where We Blog From back in November, my desk occupied the corner by the windows. To make the room more comfortable for my Thanksgiving guests, I rearranged and hung new art (as seen below). 

It was an improvement, but the art looked stale and washed-out to me. Finally, last week I found the solution! The Ikea picture ledges allow me to layer frames for more impact, and their modern lines make my eclectic art collection look more graphic than granny. I also realized that I was using the wrong metallic- doesn't that antiqued gold look warm and rich against my mauvey-gray walls? I'm still waffling on adding more color to my decor, but for now, a little glimpse of blue sky goes a long way!

The cloud painting is a promo postcard from an art gallery, and my set of vintage butterfly prints ($5 on eBay years ago) acknowledge the season. The framed W (for WarLock, of course) is perhaps my cheapest and easiest DIY to date. I picked up the golden letter ornament for $1 at Restoration Hardware, mounted it directly onto the cardboard backer of the Ikea frame, and added a guinea feather for good measure. Under $20, under 20 minutes, and I love it. It ties the colors and textures of other pieces together, and the curved line of the feather balances the arrangement. It also happens to be a preview of the themes I'm using for the wedding... so I get a little "I-can't-wait" thrill every time I look at it!

The last and best addition to the living room is the industrial swing-arm wall lamp, a lucky $30 find at Jeremy's in Berkeley. I'd purchased it for my bedroom, but it did something amazing for this formerly  unlit and unloved corner: it turned it into the coziest nook in the house.

I think I'm finally on to something. Anyone else redecorating this Spring?

Our Cabinet of Curiosities

I blog so often about cabinets of curiosity, it seems only fair to share my own...

Our petite cabinet of curiosities resides in the living room. The cabinet itself was a Craig's List find, purchased for $50 in Seattle, from a very kind woman helping her elderly friend downsize. I was so in love with the uncommon greige finish and elegant shape, I made Adam take an afternoon off to help me load it into a borrowed car, back down a perilous driveway, and inch it up our steep and narrow staircase. When we finally got it inside, I found a booklet full of neatly penned notes comparing bottles of scotch tucked into a drawer. Imagining that this might have been a little old lady's liquor cabinet still makes me giggle!

We've filled it with treasures, valuable for otherwise. Beautiful art books and vintage ephemera mingle  with found objects and natural oddities. Adam's collection of laboratory glassware stands next to 20 years worth of my beach-combing souvenirs. My alligator head grins from the second shelf, with a mouthful of foreign coins. The cabinet is home to items inherently beautiful and sentimental, like my Great-Grandmother's china teacup (or a vial of kitten teeth!)

I papered the back of the cabinet with pages from a tattered old Japanese & English dictionary: yet another layer of meaning for the curious observer.

How do you display your most prized belongings and mementos?

My Fall Wish List

Berkeley's November has alternated between warm rainy days and clear chilly days. I can't decide which I've enjoyed more- snuggling up and staying in, or venturing out to splash around town!

"Squirrel Love" Print by Mike Geno, The Nigel Chair from Jayson Home & Garden, and Michael Kors Stormy Boots in "Fatigue"

All that's missing is a stack of new books and a mug of spicy apple cinnamon tea...

Darkly Romantic

As I prepare for my grand opening I've been utterly immersed in the haunting and beautiful garden of Dr. Rappaccini. Perhaps that explains my obsession with vibrant flowers against inky black...

Photograph from Martha Stewart Living Magazine, Scanned by Shock the Bourgeois

There's something transformative about the combination. 

Modern interiors get moody.

Home of Abigail Turin & Jon Gans Photographed by David Duncan Livingston, Scanned by Shock the Bourgeois

Pale peonies show a sultry side.

Photograph by Bonnie Tsang via Snippet & Ink, Floral Design by Flowerwild

And even the simplest dresses seem to mimic works of art.

Never a Wallflower Dress from ModCloth, Still Life Painting by Antoine Berjon

Oh, so romantic! Makes me want to transform myself- maybe with a box of black hair dye and one of these.

Girl About Town: Berkeley's H. Julien

Strolling on Shattuck Avenue late one night, Adam and I saw a strange and unearthly green glow emanating from a favorite shop. Curious, we approached- as several other passersby did the same. We all gathered at the window, mesmerized, like a dopey crowd in some 1950s sci-fi flick. Finally someone said, "What are they?"

No, not space invaders. The work of local artist Dave Meeker- composed entirely of drinking straws.

Meeker's straw lamps and bowls, in the neons that have been so haute in summer fashion, seem very much at home amongst the sculptural succulents at H. Julien. If you're familiar with this East Bay shop and floral design studio, you'll know that this pairing is just further proof of principal Howard Arendtson's brilliance. His displays are always a study in contrasts: soft mosses on industrial metal shelving, vibrantly-colored orchid specimens against deeply brown walls, gleaming metallics juxtaposed with earthy ceramics. Just walking into the dark and cavernous shop is an experience- and with the addition of Meeker's creations, it's downright surreal.

Arendtson's styling gives unexpected versatility to these bizarre plastic forms. Some are suspended in branches like Dr. Seuss pompoms, some are clustered like prickly plant life, another mimics a sea urchin amongst true aquatic curiosities. While outlandish, massive, and bright, they somehow don't distract from  the H. Julien merchandise. Like I said, it's a brilliant pairing.

Meeker's pieces will be on display until the end of the month. If you'd like to see them for yourself, I'd recommend you go twice- once during normal business hours, once after dark for full effect!

Here & Now: Modest Improvements

After 6 months of working on my Berkeley apartment (I know, I can hardly believe it either) we're almost there. It's becoming evident in my weekend to-do lists. We've checked off "unpack books" and "paint bathroom." Now it's time for the finishing touches- "style china cabinet" and "hang inspiration board."

Who would've thought our dumpy bathroom could become one of the prettiest spaces in the apartment?

I love the way our art pops against our moody greige walls.

Here's to Friday and to wrapping things up this weekend. I can hardly wait to show you the whole apartment!

Renegade Weekend

We had quite an artsy-craftsy weekend at...

This was our first trip to Renegade, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I'd hoped to do a bit of networking, but alas, the classic rock was pumped up so loud I could hardly manage more than "hello" and "love your work!" at each booth. Luckily, I did get to meet the lovely Lisa of Violet Swan and the blog Le Petit Cadeau (remember her?), whose pieces are somehow even more romantic in person.

My favorites included sweet and simple plates by Rae Dunn and a bunny tea towel by Flock Home. Naturally this graphic print by Nora Aoyagi captured my heart (it would be fantastic against the dark walls in my kitchen, fyi).

We had a great time- we even embraced the oh-so prevalent hipster 'stache trend. I sported a "Mr. Gloucester MT" (thanks to Old Tom Foolery), and Adam decided to try out a new look...

Best Things in Life

When I was a freshman in college (and away from home for the first time in my life) my Mom sent me dozens of postcards. I remember how reassuring it was to find one waiting for me in my otherwise empty mailbox.

This one has always been my favorite.

Illustration by Simon Drew

On the back she's written, "hope you're feeling a little brighter today and your outlook is cheerier." Years later, when I'm feeling worried and overwhelmed, this happy thought in familiar handwriting is just as comforting. Plus, I do love me a green-eyed tabby cat and a clever pun.

Speaking of handsome kitties, I've just entered this photo of Phineas in a contest on Martha Stewart's website. The prize is a year's worth of kibble, and I'm thinking it's about time that one of these spoiled cats of mine started bringing home the bacon! 

Pretty in Pink

Those of you who live with men know that decorating for two can be a challenge. By "a challenge" I mean, this is not going to happen in my house as long as Adam is living there too:

Photo Courtesy of Traditional Home Magazine

Bedroom Design by Dee Elms & Andrew Terrat

'Pale pink with a canopy bed," calls to mind a spoiled 5-year-old's princess bedroom, but this is no such thing. Beneath the candy colors, this room is all sophistication. Textural finishes, graphic black lines... and I love how the opening peony references the ikat pillow!

I've already pushed my luck enough with lavender walls and floral bath towels. But maybe I could sneak some of these into the house?

Molly Hatch Ceramics at Lola, from my iPhone

Photo Courtesy of Molly Hatch on Etsy

Isn't that uncanny? The sweet pastel pink, fresh green, touches of orange, and of course the crisp black outlines. These illustrated ceramic pieces by Molly Hatch have me smitten. Perhaps the boyfriend could bring home a bouquet of springy tea cups?