Design Beginnings

I am often asked, "when did you first become interested in design?" Hmmm. Well, let's see...

This is me, age five.

And this was my favorite book.

Can you tell that it's been my best-loved book? It has more than its fair share of rips and tears! I badly want a crisp copy, but Need a House? Call Ms. Mouse! has long been out of print- and books as tattered as mine sell for $60. What I have is a treasure in many ways.

The book is the illustrated portfolio of Ms. Henrietta Mouse. She is "an artist, a designer, a dreamer, a builder, a creator, all that and more too." She's designed a tower observatory for Owl, a cozy cave for Bear, a hopping pad for Frog. At five, I thought Pig's palace was the most splendid of them all. To be honest, I still think that tole chandelier is fabulous.

Click to see all the detail (can you spot Ms. Mouse?).

Here's my rendition. I've obviously taken some liberties with the layout.

It's funny to reflect (as I type this post at a desk strewn with paint chips, fabric swatches, and decor magazines), that I'm not so different from my five-year-old self. Yes, I now prefer fine-tipped pens to crayons, but I'm still drawing up elaborate plans, and Ms. Mouse still inspires me.

"Her head is like a carousel whirling with colors, fabrics, and designs. Look at her. Always at her drawing table, always creating for others. There she is roughing out her schemes and themes trying to change each creature's house from the commonplace to the extraordinary. For hours and hours she struggles to find perfection."

You and me both, Henrietta. So, maybe my answer is... when haven't I been interested in design?




Update: I scanned a few more amusing images of my earliest design projects. Quite the portfolio! You can view them at the Shock the Bourgeois Facebook page. Be sure to click "like" while you're there!

Down the Rabbit Hole of Fashion

I know that the girl who wears black sweaters everyday doesn't have much right to talk about fashion, but here's my two cents.

Want.

Want.

Want.

Images Courtesy of Style.com 

Zac Posen's pre-fall line has me in Wonderland- such an subtle and sophisticated take on a very famous children's book. Of-the-moment plaid on tailored, wearable pieces with a cheeky "I ate the magic mushroom" attitude. The most curious thing I ever saw.

Anybody know anybody who knows Zac Posen? Because I'm absolutely mad for those white rabbit sweaters.

A Wistful Wednesday

I've been doing a lot of and wishing and wanting and wisting lately, which is unfortunate, seeing as our Berkeley bills are already putting us in a State-of-California-esque budget crisis.

Can't stop an overactive imagination though.

For instance, I am daydreaming that I will suddenly come into a great fortune.  My first act as my rich self will be to casually offer some outrageous sum to the "current owner" of this Jen Corace piece, because I simply must have it for my collection.

Awkward in Any Situation by Jen Corace

Image Courtesy of Art Star

Miss Corace, hearing of this, will naturally wish to meet her mysterious admirer, and we will meet for tea to discuss children's book illustration. She'll find me utterly charming and insist upon drawing me as a 10 times more adorable person in Victorian costume, possibly entangled in a giant octopus. I'll very graciously say, "HELL YES."

***

As my lunch break ends, so does my day dream. But I'm still pondering scrounging for $32 to buy a calendar...

Image Courtesy of Art Star

A Little More Bunny Love

While I've been online shopping for basics for the new place, I've found it hard to keep my focus. I go to Anthropologie for a shower curtain, and the next thing I know I'm dreamily clicking through sumptuous sheet sets and furniture that wouldn't even fit in the door. I'm also loving that the animal decor trend is continuing- you know I go ga-ga over this stuff! However, since we're making a move to a rather expensive locale, my budget has constricted (and so has the size of my apartment).

No matter how cute they are, I am not allowed to buy these rabbity things.

Not even if they remind me of Christmas as a kid...

West Elm's White Jackrabbit Snowglobe

Not even the cheeky little guys would be so perfect peeking out among my children's book collection- just right for a nursery someday.

Painted Cast Iron Bunny Bookends at Venucci

And not even if I've wanted them for a reallllly lonnnnng tiiiiime, and they're finally back in stock.

White Bunnies, also from Venucci.

I will resist. I will resist. I will resist...

Blogger's Block

If you're reading this at 2:00 in the afternoon on Tuesday, I'm already 22 hours into my work week.  And I'm fading fast.

I swear- attempted a real post... but I gave up after my iMac and I stared blankly at each other for over an hour last night.  I got nothin.

So, let's peruse iPhoto and see what we can come up with.  Aha!  A theme!  Weekend activities that I never told you about!

Adam and I love to visit our favorite candy stores at U Village.

 

   

His is actually a candy store... mine is Anthropologie.  Yum!

We did the Ballard Art Walk and enjoyed several glasses of free wine the work of local artists with our friends Scott and Megan.

 

  I particularly loved this creative window display at Souvenir: the text is curled paper tape!

I'm still wish I'd bought the scalloped metal bowl- would've been a great catch-all.

I'd like to plan a whole nursery around this felted wool lamb + birdie mobile.  I am irrationally tempted to buy it and put it away.

My absolute favourite shop: Ballard's Lucca Great Finds

  

Possibly the most incredible atmosphere I've ever encountered: Lucca is exactly how I imagined Diagon Alley.  

It's all things mysterious and tantalizing.  I swear they bewitch me into buying...

Another necessary stop in Ballard- Tableau.

 

Adore this store.  They maintain an incredibly consistent aesthetic- the owner has a great eye and impeccable taste.  

Weathered wood, linen, a touch of whimsy... and a lovable shop dog!

The true story of how Liz met a literary hero and behaved fairly stupidly.

 

That's right, I met Jon Scieszka, author of fiendishly appealing tales and official Ambassador of Children's Literature (with a shiny medal to prove it).  Oh man, we're like best friends!

Pike Place Market & Pioneer Square

 

 

Piroshky Piroshky!  Flowers at the market!  Sur la Table!  Elliot Bay Book Company!

Oh, I love this city!

Last weekend- A picnic at Greenlake

 

We saw baby ducks, a row of turtles on a log, and hundreds of insufficiently clothed human specimens.  This day also marked the official beginning of summer: when Adam magically turned an attractive shade of bronze, and I became a shockingly pink nightmare.

I love Seattle!  I am foreseeing a summer full of activity... and I promise to be a faithful blogger (so all you Spokane folk can live vicariously through me *wink wink*).

Things That Make Me... Hoppy?

I've had, for a while now, a leeetle obsession with bunnies.  The problem started when I read the book Marshmallow (winner of the 1943 Caldecott Medal).  It wasn't just the soft, delicate illustrations that captivated me- the story follows the friendship of a cat and a tiny baby bunny.  And it's not just a bedtime story: it was actually based on the author, Clare Turlay Newberry's own pets.

C'mon, how cute is that?

The owner of a desperately lonely little cat, I have since dreamed of bringing home her fuzzy best friend.

  

  

Matilda wants a honey bunny!

But, alas... I rent.

So, until I'm the mistress of my own domain, we'll settle for imaginary friends.  I snagged a set of four running bunny desert plates on sale at West Elm.  They look so cheeky dashing around amongst my traditional white place settings!

Sweet graphic impact!

The Bun-Bun necklace by Seattle jewelry designer Kimberly Baker has topped my wish list since I first spotted it in her Fremont shop.  It would look great nestled in with tougher jewelry.  *Sigh*  That certainly would put a little spring in my step... hint hint, eh boyfriend?

I'll keep batting my eyelashes for this one!

I nearly jumped out of my chair today when I discovered the Venucci website... and this charming trio.  I'm counting down days until they're back in stock- right in time for Easter.  They'd be a perfect centerpiece for Sunday brunch, but I'd keep them out year round!

So real you can practically see their noses twitching

Boy, oh boy, I could sure use some creature comfort right now... since my Bulldogs didn't do so well :(