Artist Christopher Astley Concretes Beauty

Christopher Astley's work is a new discovery for me. I'm smitten with his sculptures and painted drawings. Working with wet bags of cement, bursting at the seams and an unusual matte palette, Christopher finds a way to create sculptures that are delicately sturdy. His color combinations of industrial basic and soft muted hues are beautiful and a little unsettling in just the way I love.

Going for a Double Wide Studio

I've loved the painting studio I've been in at the Fall River mill on the Swansea River with my pals at Roseberry-Winn Pottery and Beehive Kitchenware. But a space 2x's the size has opened up and Paul and I are setting up a large, shared studio to make our art in. Here are some pictures Paul shot of my latest work and space. So excited about our next adventure together and I'll keep you posted on the progress.

Scarfing

I do a weird little virgo ritual every fall. I take out all my scarves and press them. My birthday is late August and one of my dearest of dears, Pat, always slips a few vintage scarves into the pile of presents she showers on me. Her silky gifts always get me excited for the change of season. I like to sort them by color and maybe edit a bit, but really, why throw out one of those lovelies? They barely take up any space. I carefully press each one, enjoying the pattern and palette the designer carefully put together. It's like washing that special china or crystal around the holidays. The dishwasher is a no-no with vintage tableware, so loving each one clean is another way of enjoying them. Below are some Fall dresses by designers just as in love with scarves as I am.
Source- mytheresa.com  Designers- Dries Van Noten, Pucci, Missoni, Anna Sui, Etro, Pucci, Etro

Design Sponge at Home Arrives

And we're particularly fond of the spread on pages 64-65. It was two years ago, this past August that we were a sneak peek on Grace Bonney's Design Sponge blog. It happened because my dear friend Michael kept suggesting I show my converted church to his friend, Amy who had just landed a dream job at DS. Grace including us in the book is such an honor (and still doesn't seem real). The little design tome is chock full of inspiration, beautiful homes and stories about peeps like you and I who want to make their home reflect who they are. Grace is doing a book tour, which of course is like no other, includes fun crafting projects in every city she's visiting. To get the full scoop on the tour and purchasing of the book, you can go here. I'll be at the Boston event Wednesday night, at West Elm on Brookline with a small wheelbarrow full of books for her to sign.

Paolo Roversi, Painterly Portraits in Film

As we move into Autumn, some beauties to 

fall in love with by Paolo Roversi for Vogue Italia.

Shoebox Dreams

Very often when someone learns I live in a church, they get this sweet smitten expression, sigh and dreamily say "I have always wanted to live in a church, no really I have. It's been a life long dream". It's funny to be on the flip side of someone's dream... the grass is always greener part. The OMG heating part, the raked floor part, the ancient unholy septic system part,  and of course the part when the odd visitor stops by to see if Jesus is home. I am so blessed to have this place for the wonderful parties, projects possibilities and a place my grandson literally roller skates around the dining room table and no one notices. But what do I dream about right now? I find my mind keeps wandering to tiny places. Little shoe box houses, that have just enough drawers, tiny gardens to weed, small piles of wood to stack, and  edited, well thought out closets. Can you almost see the smitten smile I'm wearing? O.K. and maybe a nice big studio next to it would be pretty dreamy too. Some other folks thinking and talking about it-

Small Farm Life, Small House Style, The Tiny Life, Shipping Container Houses, and Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.

Scott Waterman

I recently came across the most amazing children's play room mural by Scott Waterman.  It's his tribute to Oscar Schlemmer, the muralist that headed the mural and sculpture departments at Bauhaus. Scott's jaw dropping work can be followed on his blog, Corbu's Cave. Most of his postings give great detail of his process from concept to finished photos. Check him out. 

Pinterest Obsession

So my dear friend Sandy at Beehive Kitchenware happened to confess a month ago she was into this thing called "Pinterest" An online way to keep track of visual inspirations with a community slant. She said this in a half whisper and a giggle. She couldn't stop. Always a good sign. It's actually turned into a nice way to share and clarify some ideas with clients and creative partners. There's now a button on my blog to get you there and see what I've been pinning. Don't say I didn't warn you. Here are a few recent pins from my color inspiration board-

geometric print by melanie mikecz found on etsy

from the brilliant Roanne Robbins' Honeyfield Flowers

lovely makes me moan a little color study by Courtney Price

Edward Steichen photo

a little Red, some Blue and a lot of White

I love wearing it. Playing with it. Sitting in it. Lying in it. And for some reason the combination of a little red, some blue and mostly white makes me happy and an 8 year old again. Some recent finds that show variations on that color theme to lower the August temp for you. Yay! Off to my painting studio for a few hours. Talk soon.

Lovely etsy find from folieAdeuxVintage

I adore this sweet etsy find from BohemianBisoux who really 

knows how display and prop her treasures

Paddles handpainted with semaphore designs from Contact Voyaging

Dang wish i'd thought of that one.

If you can't afford the mattress from the Swedish company, Hastens

you could spring for this beautiful hammock they now produce.

I could definitely spend an August weekend with John and Juli Baker at their cabin. 

They are the owners of Mjolk in Toronto

And these Hubert Zimmermann's Ornabo Blocks for sophisticated play. 

They can be found (on sale) at fawn and forest