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!

Spring Greens

Spring in Berkeley has a color palette all its own. Soft gray and white clouds (with teasing glimpses of clear blue), and an incredibly verdant landscape. I've been keeping Rappaccini's Garden lush with shades of green to match.

Floral arrangement & photograph by The Cottage Farm, all others by Shock the Bourgeois

I've got lovely new pieces to add to the shop, and I wish I could style them with Krissy's wickedly romantic bouquet! Such an inspired combination of petals and prickles, I absolutely gasped when I saw it. 

Off to explore my blooming neighborhood...


xoxo


Elizabeth

Anthology Launch Party Wrap-Up

We made it to the Anthology Magazine Launch Party! We sipped, mingled, and saved! We stood like, an inch away from Victoria and Grant K. Gibson! We basked in the design glory!

Okay, I'll be honest. I shopped a little for me too. Congratulations to the brilliant women behind Anthology! The party was incredible, and I'll be poring over Issue I allllllll weekend.

As you probably noticed, Shock the Bourgeois is undergoing a little makeover. I'm finally shaking some of the recurring problems that came with my old design, and aiming to make the blog more readable (and welcoming to new followers). I'd love to have your feedback! Shoot me an email anytime at shockthebourgeois@mac.com

Happy Weekend,

xoxo Elizabeth

Gearing Up for the Holidays?

It's November, and time to set things in motion for the holiday season. This year I'm scouting for gifts that are memorable and shippable/carry-on-able, since we're not yet sure where we'll be at Christmastime!

Industrial chic always seems to come in a rusty, half-ton, impossible to gift-wrap package. Not so with these gear candleholders (CB2, $6.95 each). 

They're well priced, unisex, and best of all, a scalable gift: present just one to a holiday party host, or give seven to your best friend as a statement piece for their enviable loft apartment. These are a little modern art, a little steampunk, and heck, so universally appealing (I mean, who doesn't like tea lights?) that I'm tempted to buy 10 to have just in case.

Speaking of universally appealing, have you all seen Ez's new Gifted Magazine at Creature Comforts?

It's amazing. Read it, unless you're a member of my immediate family. In that case, don't peek, or you'll likely spoil the surprise for your present this year. Seriously, it's that good- I am stealing every idea.


Anyone else getting a head start on their holiday shopping?

Where I Blog From!

Happy Monday! It's an especially happy Monday for me, because (dare-to-dream no more) I'm participating in the Where We Blog From series over at Ill Seen, Ill Said!

I'm swooning at the sweet comments that have been left already. Many thanks to Jane- it's a thrill to contribute to one of my favorite daily reads!

Click on over for a peek at the desk where I blog from! Today I'm tethering myself to that desk for my first day of NaNoWriMo (175 pages to go, wish me luck!). I'll be back tomorrow with a Halloween recap...

A DIY Borrowed from Maggie Rose

A while back Maggie posted a tutorial for beautifying a bulletin board, and I was inspired. Bulletin board? Check. Extra fabric? Check. Tacks? Check. 20 minutes to spare? Check!

Mine didn't turn out as beautifully as Maggie's did, as I used plain old tacks instead of handsome brass upholstery nails (and I won't even pretend that I spaced them evenly), but now it complements my color scheme!

I thought I'd show it off since it's currently costumed for Halloween...

Thanks to Maggie for the great idea and instructions!

Did anyone else dress up their inspiration board for Halloween?

Word to the Wise: 101 Things to Put in Apothecary Jars

I'm kicking off my Seattle visit with a shout-out to local blogger Maggie Morgan of Maggie Rose, who just published her first ebook, 101 Things to Put in Apothecary Jars. I can't divulge the 101 decorating secrets within, but I can tell you that I'd never thought of idea #12 before, and that suggestion #40 would fit into my decor nicely!

When I get back to Berkeley, I'm going to be putting Maggie's tips to the test in my own collection of apothecary jars- because right now they're just filled with air!

I'm off to enjoy the Northwest! Wishing you all a beautiful weekend,

Elizabeth

Weekend Reading

I decided to take a little break from beading last night to attend the Creative, Inc. book launch party at Candystore Collective in San Francisco and see these lovely ladies in person...

I was so in awe of Joy's presence that I got totally tongue-tied. All I could squeak out was, "uh uh uh... I love your shoes!" In my defense, they were some pretty rockin' shoes.

Aside from this moment of conversational brilliance, I had a fantastic time- eating more than my share of tiny cupcakes and making connections with Bay Area artists and bloggers (like Natalie, whose blog I'll be relying on for fashion guidance from now on). I distributed the last of my beribboned handmade business cards, which were looking oh-so professional after being crumpled in my purse. Thank goodness I picked up a signed copy of Creative, Inc.- I clearly need all the help I can get.

Speaking of freelance business, I'm off to the post office to mail the very first orders from Rappaccini's Garden. I'm over the moon, kids- it's been a happy week. 

Until Monday,

xoxo Elizabeth

Summing Up My Style

Ally at From the Right Bank is holding another round of "What's Your Style in One Picture." I decided I was up for the challenge this time around. 

Image Courtesy of Domino Magazine

I spent an evening searching through my image archives (and doing a bit of soul searching as well), and I kept coming back to this library. Books will always be a focal point of my design aesthetic, and I dream of showcasing mine in a soaring bookcase like this one. Isn't this the perfect reading room? A tufted leather sofa to recline on, the crisp daylight to illuminate each new page, the expansive white palette to fill with imaginings. I love the classic bones of this salon, and the cheeky details- the stately bust, the diminutive topiary, the sly bar set-up, the rat in the glass case! My style precisely.

Too much fun- thanks Ally!

Happy Weekend

I'm closing out this week with a sigh of relief. Without getting into particulars, these last few days have been cruel. Even if it's nothing more than symbolic, I can't wait for Saturday.

I thought I'd wrap things up with a favorite (albeit melancholic) poem...

And I'll send you off to brighter spots in blogland... like this jaw-dropping sneak peek at Design*Sponge, a home-cooked meal (that's way beyond my skill level!) at loving.living.small, the introduction of Ted at Maison21 (congrats, Christian!), the new Lonny, and heck... everything that Oh Joy! has posted recently.

Here's to a lovely weekend!

xoxo,

Elizabeth

A Vanity- For Him

Last week I spotted this beautiful photograph by Helen Norman featured at Good Measure.

Photograph courtesy of Helen Norman, Via Good Measure blog.

It's an antique gentleman's shaving stand- one part utilitarianism to one part narcissism. Perfection. A quick search turned up a few other results, some of which are actually in the Bay Area (though none of which have the pared-down elegance of the inspiration image). 

Victorian shaving stands in various levels of frill.

Of course, since Adam's rocking a mountain man beard a shaving stand would need to find a new form of employment around our house. I'm thinking that it would do quite nicely in our little entry- for that last lipstick touch-up and a practice smile before I grab my keys and dash out the door to an interview.

Definitely something to add to my flea market scouting list!

Thanks to Le Petit Cadeau!

I'm beyond flattered- One Must Shock the Bourgeois has been featured at Le Petit Cadeau!

Lisa is a classmate from Holly Becker's BYW e-class and the craftsperson behind Le Petit Cadeau on Etsy. Her handmade felt and fabric creations range from fluttery floral pins to a fanciful take on traditional cameo brooches. She's reviving the Victorian aesthetic with wearable accessories infused with a sassy sense of humor...

Thanks again to Lisa at Le Petit Cadeau!

Show & Tell: BYW Mood Board

Hello my lovely, patient readers! As you may have noticed, I've been here, there, and everywhere... except on my blog. I've been purchasing (more on that later), adventuring (more on that later), and learning from the great blogging masters: this winter I enrolled in Blogging Your Way, an e-class taught by the estimable Holly Becker of Decor8. 

Our latest assignment was to create a mood board. I was excited to break out my scissors and get clipping- until I remembered that my prodigious stash of snippets, magazines, and what-not was in another state. Drat! I started hunting through the odds and ends that I had on hand: the clipboard for my to-do list, some finds from my weekend jaunt through Pike Place Market with the delightful Maggie of Magchunk, a favorite necklace, a photo of my neurotic cat...

I was surprised (and for the sake of BYW, totally relieved) to see how beautiful it all looked when assembled. 

Voila. A mood board, and a glimpse at the aesthetic I'll be infusing into my new apartment and the new website for Shock the Bourgeois! (I told you we have a lot of catching up to do!)

A Present for Shock The Bourgeois!

I hope you all survived your holly-jolly holiday (and I hope that unlike me, you're taking an extended vacation). I can't wait to show you what I found under the tree on Christmas morning!

I also received a very sweet gift from friends in the blogging community: I got some nods for an AT Homie Award!

See, here I am!

I can't tell you how flattered I am to be included. It's the best gift that a very new and modest blog could hope for- thank you! Be sure to check out the Homie nominees- add your favorites to the list, and find new favorites for your reading pleasure!

Blog-Met-Blog

Hi Friends,

Hope you're all eating up Adam's Thanksgiving Solo-Show (it's lunchtime, I'm staring at those potatoes, my stomach is rumbling, and my left-over pizza is not looking as good).

While Adam was slaving away at the hot stove (my angel in the kitchen), I was off partay-partaying... meeting local bloggers at Blog-Meet-Blog!

I will admit, I got the nervous jitters walking in the door- but it certainly didn't last long. It was such an amazing treat to interact with so many creative minds, to share ideas without pressing "post," and to GET to know all of the people that I PRETEND to know online!

Also a great opportunity to talk about some changes for StB in 2010...

I was so busy gabbing that I forgot to do my bloggerly duty and take pictures (oops). If you'd like to see the beautiful people that made it to BoConcept for Blog-Meet-Blog, peruse the album here (I'm the girl in the chartreuse conversation piece), check out pictures by Anna Marie at Last Days of Light, or watch this video from visualnoisetype!

For a truly lovely write-up about the event, flit on over to The Jaunty Magpie (and you better just read her whole blog while you're there, it's enchanting!)

Thanks so much to all the sponsors, and to Kam of needle + thread and Rebecca of The Clothes Horse for hosting!

Here's a little love for some of the Seattle bloggers that I met...

Cassandra of Coco + Kelley (enviably fabulous and totally engaging, this girl)

Zaara of KittenChops (an artist whose merchandise illustrations I have been ogling forever)

Courtney of CopyStrands (a fellow word nerd & Zag fan!)

Carrie of Girl and Coconut (who's going to be an incredible Bay Area guide)

Maggie of Magchunk (so fun to meet her, finally!)

Laura Marchbanks (talented photographer and quite possibly the sweetest girl in the room)

Can't wait to see you all again- soon!

Blog-Meet-Blog

Happy Friday, all!

I'm so excited to kick off the weekend with a fantastic event tonight...

I can't wait to get something sparkly on, sip a cocktail, and meet the people behind my favorite Seattle blogs!

Giving Credit Where it's Due

I love the blogosphere- it's a constant stream of inspiration. I can't even count how many times another blog has shone a light on a fantastic source or opened my eyes to a new idea. Bloggers, thankyou-thankyou-thankyou. I can only hope I'm able to return the favor on occasion!

Inspiration and admiration are nothing new, but here's a first for me: for the first time, I actually bought an item that another blogger featured!

Making it Lovely is one of my favorite reads. Not only do I get my fix of rosy-colored decor (that would definitely not fly in a house shared with Adam), I also get my adorable baby fix (thanks to Nicole's little Eleanor!). Nicole recently featured West Elm's Nailhead Linen Window Panels:

Shown in Flax

I read her post, made an excited utterance, and put my money down.

Our new apartment was in desperate need of window treatments! The windows themselves are horribly prison-like. Small rectangular cut-outs with no trim. Eek. We're also in need of a little more privacy, as we're on the first floor in a bustling neighborhood (and Adam has discovered that some of our neighbors enjoy planting themselves directly outside of our living room window to smoke and yammer on the phone).

I'll be using four of these panels in our living room- two for the windows, and two flanking the open closet that I've converted into an office nook (basically, they'll be concealing my cluttery desk and trying to shield us from our neighbor's messy social life [oh, no-she-di'n't!]).

Paired with these, I think they should be smashing.

Crate & Barrel's Walnut & Bronze Curtain Hardware

Thanks so much for the tip, Nicole! SO excited to see how they look in your living room (and mine, once I move in February!).