dabble: creative inspiration

Photobomb Book Featuring Yours Truly

2011-11-16T19:09:00.003-05:00

Looks like my husband Alex and I will soon be featured in a book on photobombing! Our wedding photographer Tara Lindsey contacted us yesterday asking for permission to have one of our wedding photos featured in a book.

Our close friends Clarissa and TJ just happened to be behind us when we were taking the photo above. The photobomber, Clarissa, is none other than the woman who married us! She was the officiant at our wedding!

Definitely one of my favorite photos.

No details on the book itself yet. Stay tuned...

(This, however, might be the perfect wedding photobomb. Where's Waldo?)

Parade-Worthy Halloween Costumes

2011-10-30T15:59:00.004-04:00

I'm a major fan of Halloween. In fact, one of my first dates with my husband was to the NYC Village Halloween Parade. We were actually in the parade (anyone can be), and I've been dying to do it again ever since. It's amazing how creative, elaborate and skillfully executed the costumes are.

Gizmodo just featured what I think is a Village Parade-worthy costume. A guy with a "gaping hole" in his gut. The guy is a NASA Engineer, and he cleverly uses the cameras on two iPads to create the effect. I like Gizmodo's idea of using iPhones to similarly create a hole in the head.

Pay close attention at the end when he plays a quick game of Angry Birds...

Since Angry Birds is such a hot costume this year, how great would it be to dress up as an Angry Bird (homemade from felt) and attach a playable version of the game to yourself!?! You'd have to carry a slingshot around too!

Star Parties and Star Projection

2011-09-26T16:30:00.007-04:00

This inexpensive star projector from Infmetry would be an excellent way for Alex and I to relive a trip we took out to Marfa and the McDonald Observatory in West Texas this past Spring.

The observatory is so far out in the middle of nowhere that the night sky is a true wonder. It's a long drive up the mountains to the observatory at night — with who knows what out there in the dark. We did see some wild boars in our headlights on the drive. And bears earlier in the day.

The observatory believes in reducing light pollution, so there are no lights on the winding road up to the top of the mountain. Even the facility itself has no lights in the parking lot and only very soft red lights marking the outside paths. Needless to say, finding our way in the dark was a challenge.

We were there for one of the star parties they host. A guest speaker shows the audience the constellations with an amazingly powerful laser pointer, and then the general public is able to view stars through these immense telescopes.

For those of you with kids, this star projector would certainly be fun. Perhaps for a kids' camping slumber party? Turn on the star projector, pitch an indoor tent and give the kids s'mores made completely from scratch?

Link via Cup of Jo.

Artist Andrew Spence

2011-08-30T15:07:00.005-04:00

I'm loving the architectural nature of artist Andrew Spence's oil paintings. This type of modern art makes you feel like you could create the same thing so easily, but I think people underestimate the vision it takes to come up with these simple, elegant, graphic works of art.

Visit his website to view more from Andrew Spence.

Drawing with Light

2011-08-01T16:28:00.009-04:00

One of my fondest childhood memories is sitting out by the campfire with my best friend and her family at a little cabin that they had. We would light the tips of branches on fire and make drawings in the air with the burning embers.

I was reminded of this after seeing Life Magazine's amazing feature on Pablo Picasso's "Drawing with Light" feature from 1949. He used a flashlight but to stunning effect! See the image below.

View Life's slideshow here.

Get Organized in Style!

2011-07-31T00:29:00.003-04:00

Adding a stylish retro organizer is sure motivation to organize. The idea of these vintage metal cafeteria trays is so unique and perfect for my desktop.

There are several available on Etsy. I'll be snatching one up for myself tonight!

Images via Sunset and French by Design.

Purple Podded Peas

2011-07-11T14:22:00.003-04:00

Just discovered Celia Hart and her blog Purple Podded Peas. For those of you who have followed my blogs for a while, you know that I'm a big fan of lino block prints. I even did one for our save the dates when we got married.

I've decided to do a red and white graphic leaf print and was looking around for inspiration. The detail the artist incorporates in this piece below is impressive. And this post here talks about printing with layers of multiple color. This image below is just so complex yet simple in its rendering -- especially the sun with the birds.

Have Some Hats

2011-07-08T19:58:00.006-04:00

I'm so enamored with this artist, Kyle Parker, that I stumbled upon on deviantart. He juxtaposes a seeming innocence with a darker moodiness and pessimism that draws me in.

Prints of his work are available here. His art is listed under Have Some Hats.

Fun Summer Projects

2011-06-24T09:33:00.003-04:00

These citrus coasters are another fun little something for the summer -- especially with their vibrant pops of color.

Find the how-to on craftzine.

Have You Seen My Keys?

2011-06-12T11:28:00.004-04:00

How's this for a not-so-subtle reminder?

Via Urban Outfitters.

Big Machine

2011-06-10T17:38:00.000-04:00

I have to admit, when browsing in a book store, I'm often influenced by the cover design. This is definitely the case with this gorgeous watercolor cover art on the front of Big Machine. That plus a number of great reviews and this intriguing article and excerpt on NPR have me sold.

Just finishing up Bossypants which is definitely good for a few laughs! (Though that one was definitely *not* purchased for its cover!)

Fringed Seersucker Napkins

2011-06-09T10:44:00.003-04:00

The perfect touch for summer: seersucker napkins. Check out that great fringed edge too. I like the mixed and matched colors.

Find out how-to, here.

Nicole Krauss' Great House

2011-03-22T21:26:00.007-04:00

I just finished reading Great House by Nicole Krauss. I certainly had high expectations after reading History of Love, one of my all-time favorite books. While this book didn't wow me as much as History of Love did, it's an eloquent, thoughtful book that will likely stay with me for a while. Much of the book focuses on emptiness and loss, so (as the NYTimes review of the book points out), it doesn't have the same humor as her previous novel.

Actually, calling it a novel is somewhat controversial. I actually wondered if that was more of a marketing concept to increase sales. It does say it's a novel on the cover; however, structurally, it's a collection of stories with consistent themes tied together by an old desk among other things. They do come together in the end, but is it enough to call it a novel?

Whatever you consider it, Krauss has certainly produced a very smart book with Great House. It's one of those pieces worthy of dissection, that will likely be enriched by further discussion.

I enjoyed the plot and the puzzle pieces we're left with, and at the end of the day, I'm eager to read Nicole Krauss' next book just to experience more of her beautiful, elegant writing.

If you're interested in more of my book reviews, friend me on Goodreads.com.

What are your favorite books? Have you read anything good lately?

Pixel Pattern

2011-02-27T18:59:00.001-05:00

pattern, originally uploaded by army.arch.

Lovely pattern from the inside of a stairwell. Great reminder to always be on the look for inspiration!

Texture + Color

2011-02-20T23:32:00.005-05:00

There's nothing like natural elements for creative inspiration. These images from Miss Stella are closeups of everyday things in the garden. I'm particularly taken with these first two.

Photo credits: Miss Stella on Flickr.

Knit Night

2011-02-03T23:47:00.005-05:00

I'm going to try my hand at knitting one more time. I met a group of ladies who've offered to take me under their wing and give me a beginner lesson. Turns out Wednesday is knit night.

Color in Your Home Office

2011-01-07T23:43:00.006-05:00

I'm working from home these days, ever since moving to Austin. That makes my home office that much more important.

Love the color and eclectic design of these small home office spaces from Apartment Therapy. My little desk space at home is very streamlined and modern, but there's really NO personality to that part of the room. In fact, I usually end up working in the living room on the dining room table since the light is just so much better out there.

I have just the right blue and white lamp that I got in Hong Kong, and I'm really inspired by these chairs. However, it's all about back support where chairs are concerned, so I kind of don't want to give up my chair! Fun pillow maybe?

This last photo is from Black*Eiffel. The wood adds such a great balance to the black and white.

Hors d'oeuvres & Cocktail Pairings

2011-01-03T22:29:00.004-05:00

I'm co-hosting a little get together soon where everyone will be bringing hors d'oeuvres and cocktail pairings. Definitely fun to think about.

I also want to step up my game in terms of presentation and was inspired by this grilled cheese / tomato soup combo. Of course, if I do grilled cheese it will have to be special, some sort of gruyere or truffle grilled cheese. And since it's supposed to be a cocktail pairing, I'm thinking bloody marys rather than tomato soup. YUM!

Or if I really want to mix things up, there's Thomas Keller's Grits Cakes recipe, as an alternative to the grilled cheese, but presented the same way. Alex just got me Keller's Ad Hoc at Home cookbook for Christmas (thanks, Honey!)

Grilled Cheese via Cup of Jo.

Handmade Gift Wrap

2011-01-02T21:05:00.005-05:00

One of my favorite things is packaging, paper and presentation. Find me one of those fancy stationary stores, and I'm in heaven.

This year, I was inspired by a few of the blogs I follow to make my own gift wrap. And my ribbon of the year was this turquoise!

This first gift above was for my niece. I fell in love with that big lollipop when i saw it, and I hand carved the stamp used on that paper and added a little frosted greenery.

The second gift below was for my mom. A little winter wonderland of a present with a hand-glittered polka-dot design.

I created a few other hand-stamped gift wrap options but didn't get to photograph them. And I never did get to attempt this more elaborate hand-carved stamp. There are many more holidays to come however. Who says my creations have to be limited to Christmas!?

Looking for a creative Christmas craft?

2010-11-28T14:38:00.002-05:00

I've already got lots of projects in queue, but some sort of block print gift wrap really appeals to me.

Image and idea via Creature Comforts.

Out the Car Window

2010-11-21T22:42:00.015-05:00

The last few months have held many flights, train rides, car trips and hotels for me -- all for work.

But with the right perspective, there's a certain beauty to be found out the window of a car.

Belated New Mexico

2010-11-21T22:14:00.004-05:00

Early this Fall, I had the pleasure of a trip to New Mexico.

What an amazing place to dabble in a little photography.

A Glimpse of Peru

2010-11-21T21:05:00.006-05:00

I just realized that I never shared our photos from Peru this past June.

What a lovely, lovely country. Alex's dad is from Peru. It's really worth making the effort to visit, especially with the amazing deals on flights through LAN. (Alex and I even got bumped up to first class on the way out given some chaos related to an Ecuadorian volcano!)

These photos are from Lima, Arequipa and Colca Canyon up in the Andes. I think Lima gets a bad rap sometimes, but both culturally and architecturally, it's an amazing city!

Barton Springs Dairy

2010-11-01T20:51:00.006-04:00

These photos are from a little photo shoot I did after coming upon this awesome old dairy truck on Barton Springs here in Austin. There's a certain dilapidated beauty to it that really drew me in -- that, the amazing colors and the way the light played on the broken glass in the windows.

These photos reminded me of the Industrial Brooklyn photos I took a few years back. (That's actually where the image in my blog header came from!)

Vintage Photo Wall

2010-10-13T15:03:00.001-04:00

A little artwork inspiration from Apartment Therapy.

Ghostly Halloween

2010-10-13T14:44:00.002-04:00

I love this ethereal ghostly take on Halloween. Spray paint your pumpkins white, and carve patterns into them. Not only will they offer a unique spin on your Halloween pumpkin, but they'll also cast eerie patterns all around.

Image via Martha Martha Martha.

Dinner Party Table Setting

2010-10-10T18:57:00.003-04:00

I'm looking for a stunner of a dinner party table setting. This one does it for me, but I have no idea where to get a bouquet quite like that. Especially something that's real which I'd prefer. Any thoughts?

Most likely I'll end up with a variation of this bird on a limb that I posted last year.

Image via Photographer and Food Stylist Tina Rupp.

Oh Happy Day!

2010-09-27T00:12:00.002-04:00

I'm quite enamored with the blog Oh Happy Day! at the moment, so one more quicksie post inspired by them.

I'm always looking for fresh takes on garlands for party designs. These are shown for a kids party but have just enough sophistication for adults as well. I'll have to keep these in the back of my mind next time I have a proper occasion.

A little more book love

2010-09-26T23:26:00.004-04:00

In addition to my last post on books as a centerpiece, I love the impact of this chair. How fun to set out a particular theme of book for one of my book brunches. I just have to find the right sweater and poufy flower because that is the perfect final touch!

Image via Oh Happy Day!

Book Club Brunch

2010-09-26T22:54:00.002-04:00

The table setting above is a bit girly for me; however, I do love the concept of incorporating books into a table display.

I've hosted a few different book club and / or book swap brunches in the past and even have a foodie book club brunch coming up soon.

Finding a way to literally bring the books into the food setting charms me.

Image via LotusHaus.

Rain on windshield: Part 2

2010-09-08T23:25:00.002-04:00

iPhone art: Rain on windshield by brianmedia.

Another truly lovely rain on windshield shot from Flickr.

windshield; rain

2010-09-08T23:06:00.002-04:00

windshield; rain, by joannabethpdot on Flickr.

I'm off to NYC again next week and am looking forward to Fall on the East coast. A little cool rain would be even be welcome.

I'm on a kick lately with rainy photography through the car windshield and this is a particularly lovely one. I missed my chance to go out in last night's crazy storm here in Austin and get some great shots. And they would have been amazing. Though being in a car in a storm like that isn't necessarily advisable.

Greg Moon's High Road Vista

2010-09-07T12:24:00.004-04:00

I stumbled upon Greg Moon's work online and was really taken with this particular piece, High Road Vista. I've had his website open for a while admiring it and thought I'd share it with you as well!

Artistic Inspiration

2010-09-05T22:49:00.003-04:00

A little inspiration from a friend's facebook page. Hopefully I'll find out more about the artist soon and can share what I learn.

Balcony Design

2010-08-31T14:27:00.005-04:00

I've been home this week finally putting a bit more of a design touch on our apartment and tackling some home decor projects. My main focus has been inside, but now that I have a plan in place for that, I'm turning my attention to our balcony.

I'm torn about our true purpose for our balcony and how to best make use of it while giving it a lovely design at the same time (rather than just a couple of chairs and a potted plant plopped outside which is what I've always done in the past).

In a perfect world, I'd like to create a green refuge outside so that I can have friends over and have an alternate dining space. Of course it could only be a few of us since the balcony is a decent size but not HUGE. However, I also want to sit outside and work at a table on nice days since I work from home. And my third wish would be to have some sort of lounger so i could just kick back and read.

A nice table with chairs would take care of the first two; however, I'm not sure the balcony is big enough for both a table as well as a lounge chair. But maybe, I need to think creatively here.

I've been scouring Craigslist for some great deals, but need the big vision I think before I get into buying.

While I'm thinking it over, I did start a little bit of mini-gardening and now have a sweet little azalea plant as well as some fall heirloom tomatoes.

How summer should be

2010-08-26T00:40:00.002-04:00

This is how summer should be to me. Sunny, not too hot, chilling with family in the great outdoors reading a good book. Up in the mountains on a cool, breezy day would be ideal too!

What's a perfect summer day for you?

Image via Most Beautiful.

Photography-inspired artwork

2010-08-22T17:16:00.003-04:00

I'm in a creative state of mind and am on the lookout for inspiration for a painting I want to do.

We also happen to be looking at hotels for a vacation we want to take, and I came upon this great photo of the pool at the Thunderbird hotel in Marfa, Texas (see above). I can completely see this translating into a great abstract painting and/or a lovely colorful pen and ink drawing (I'm thinking something along the lines of the artist Yellena that I love so much).

I also just got back from a trip to Northern California and took this photo below out of the window of the Amtrack train I was on. It's also inspired me to get out the paintbrushes. I'm thinking I'll do a couple of small versions and see what works out best.

Bone China Tea Cup Bracelets

2010-07-20T23:01:00.004-04:00

I just discovered these custom bone china tea cup bracelets from Stay Gold Mary Rose on Etsy.

She'll even create one from your own vintage tea cup! What a great way to make a family heirloom not only meaningful but useful as well.

Zig zag balcony lighting

2010-06-28T13:46:00.005-04:00

I'm looking to add some ooh la la to our new balcony. We've got a great view of downtown (see below), but what we don't have is any ambience (or even the proper furniture).

Furniture and plants I have all spec'd out, but I was still thinking about lighting until I saw this post on Apartment Therapy.

I'd like to have dinner here tonight please

2010-04-25T19:06:00.000-04:00

More lovely photos from the Greek Islands here.

Art City Austin: Ernest Miller Pottery

2010-04-25T18:35:00.001-04:00

Another favorite from Art City Austin was the work of Ernest Miller. The nuance and detail of the pattern on his pottery is stunning. And all quite reasonably priced considering the craftsmanship.

Visit the Ernest Miller website for more on this artist.

Art City Austin: John Hung Ha

2010-04-25T00:41:00.002-04:00

The artist that made the most significant impression on Alex and I at the art festival today was John Hung Ha. He's a Brooklyn-based artist who traveled to Austin for this show.

Most of his work had a koi-theme. One of which was incredibly large scale and had some fascinating detail and variety in the scales of the fish. Our favorite however, was a lacquer panda with "nerd glasses" as he referred to them. See the tape on the glasses.

See more of his work below or on his website at JohnHungHa.com.

Art City Austin

2010-04-25T00:16:00.001-04:00

One of the best parts of being downtown here in Austin is our close proximity to the great festivals and events nearby. First Street was entirely closed down for Art City Austin, a weekend event that was the culmination of Art Week Austin.

The food was phenomenal, more on that on my food blog Married Cooking, but of course, really, at the end of the day, it was all about the artwork.

The next few posts will be a series on my favorite artists from the festival.

I love the fun signs, like "ART" above at all the entrances, plus "EAT" by the food area and "PLAY" by the children's activities area.

{this is glamorous}

2010-04-24T01:00:00.000-04:00

A little eye candy from one of my favorite style blogs {this is glamorous}.

The mirror is particularly striking.

Choppy New Do

2010-04-22T21:12:00.000-04:00

If you're a fan of Project Runway, you'll be familiar with Mila above. I covet her sharp, edgy style, particularly her great hair. Back in the day, I used to wear my hair in a similar banged bob with the sides a bit pointy and longer.

However, I want to go for a bit of a twist by mixing in some of the choppy edges shown in the image below.

In fact, I just went in on a Groupon (thanks to Alex and his never ending search for a good deal), and got two select services from Salon Cherie out in West Austin for a steal of a deal. I was looking for a new hair salon, so hopefully this will be the one. I'm definitely in need of something new in regard to my color too!

Elegance of the Hedgehog, The Film

2010-04-14T11:05:00.001-04:00

I'm in a book club and we've just begun doing little outings related to the books we read. Case in point, our viewing of the Swedish Film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Next up will be the Elegance of the Hedgehog. I think this will make an incredible film, but part of me wants to watch it just for the street scenes of Paris and the main character's adorable striped sweater! So French!

It opens in the US in June.

Accenting a flat screen TV

2010-04-02T22:58:00.000-04:00

We just got our new entertainment center for our new apartment (quite similar to the one above). Since it's low to the ground, there's a lot of bare wall space to consider.

Previously, I'd considered a wall decal, but Alex mentioned art work today which got me to thinking. I found the image above which is perfect!

The advice I read was as follows:

Keep the other framed artwork very easy to view at a glance. Notice the florals and dog in the picture above are very high contrast, very defined shapes. That way you avoid competition with your TV when it is turned on.

Happy Easter Weekend!

2010-04-02T12:34:00.000-04:00

Turns out we'll be in Austin all this weekend. My first full weekend in town. Despite having moved here 2 weeks ago, I've spent about a total of 4 days here I think with various work trips. So it'll be fun to have the weekend to explore. Especially once the rain that's forecast for this weekend passes.

Not sure what Easter Day will have in store for us, but I wanted to leave you all with another charming little Easter decoration. In my last post, I mentioned leaving egg place settings with little surprises inside. This would be perfect for that with a charming tiny little mug.

Another option would be to put Cascarones in the mugs. These are Mexican confetti-filled egg shells with colorful decorations. I grew up making these with a close friend and have fond memories of them!

Easter without the kitsch

2010-04-01T12:12:00.001-04:00

Pretty much all of the Easter decorations I've seen in stores and online have been pretty kitschy. Child-like makes sense as in many ways, culturally at least, this is a holiday for children. However I do prefer the more sophisticated decorations and table settings shown above.

The rustic pots, the idea of fresh spring buds and a new beginning, and the little eggs are all just charming. A twist on this would be to include eggs decorated by you or your children inside the pots instead.

Or an egg that could be opened up with a little gift! What that gift would be would be fun to ponder!

Image and post via Martha Stewart.

McKenna-cakes

2010-03-15T22:10:00.006-04:00

I was so inspired by the cupcakes I made for my niece McKenna's first birthday (more about that on my blog Married Cooking), that I also hand sewed a little 3-D felt cupcake onto a pink tee as one of her birthday presents.

I tried to get the felt cupcake as close to the real thing as possible. Right down to the embroidered pink sprinkles and the "M" on the little disc on top.

I can't wait to see her wearing it with the cute little striped shorts Alex and I got with it!

More on the cupcakes as well as McKenna's mega cupcake on Married Cooking.

Hopscotch Entry

2010-03-11T15:34:00.002-05:00

How fun to do a little hopscotch as you enter your home.

Place this rug in your front hallway, and there you go! You'll be jumping in no time!

Image via swissmiss.

The Austin Farmer's Market

2010-02-23T00:00:00.002-05:00

One of the things I'm most looking forward to about our move to Austin is that we'll be living very close to the downtown farmer's market. Even Alex is excited about that!

We used to always get up on Saturday mornings and wander over to the Grand Army Plaza one that was near us in Brooklyn, and I've definitely missed that.

What a great way to spend a weekend morning, grab some coffee, get the pups and meander through our neighborhood shopping for fresh local goods.

I'm on a real food kick lately. To see more of what I have planned in Austin, food-wise, check out my food blog, Married Cooking.

CoverSpy

2010-02-19T17:19:00.001-05:00

I'm always fascinated to see what others are reading as are the self-proclaimed "publishing nerds" at CoverSpy. They document what books people on the New York City subway are reading. The site includes cover images plus a quick description of the person who was reading it. My favorite was Jonathan Lethem reading a manuscript on a train on his laptop.

If you're a fan of books, check out this site.

Austin here we come

2010-02-19T16:51:00.003-05:00

Just realizing that I'll have to update my profile since we're about to move to Austin! Only one more week! I'll still be working out of my company's NYC office, but I'll be telecommuting from Texas -- with the occasional trip back.

People always say you can work from home in your robe or pjs but not me. I'll be doing all sorts of video chats and video conferencing so not only had I better be dressed, but my apartment better be clean too!

Looking forward to all Austin has to offer! I'm sure I'll be sharing lots of great bits about Austin culture, arts and food! Plus stuff from New York on my visits. Looks like I might even have a trip to Miami coming up. Fun! Fun!

A Puppy in the Snowpocolypse

2010-02-08T12:32:00.004-05:00

So we didn't really get that much snow here in NYC, but further south they really got hit. Check out this guy in the snow! Love that you can see his teeth not to mention those great pawprints in the snow.

Image via Juliet M on Flickr.

Cheese or Font?

2010-01-25T13:45:00.004-05:00

Thanks to Clarissa for this one. Highly amusing and highly addictive!

Which is it, cheese or font?

(in this case, Lancashire is a cheese...)

Handmade gift traditions

2010-01-04T11:09:00.003-05:00

Some close friends and I have a tradition of hand-making our Christmas gifts for each other every year. It's so fun to see what kind of project each of us gets up to. Sometimes it's art, sometimes food, sometimes paper and cards. Always unique and made with time, attention and care.

This post over at Everybody Likes Sandwiches reminded me of this gift-giving tradition and how fun it can be to put so much time and effort into the little things like gift tags and labels as well.

We didn't all get together this Christmas, so we'll be having a delayed exchange. Hence, the reason it's still on my mind. But I did sent Christmas cookies. Next year, I'll have to remember this wonderfully creative label for my packaging!

Another take on ornaments

2009-12-27T14:58:00.002-05:00

Before the Christmas season officially comes to a close, here's one more take on decorating with ornaments, pendant style.

Image via Dress, Design, Decor.

Moss Wreath

2009-12-15T15:35:00.004-05:00

So for those of you who follow my wedding blog, you know that I have a huge crush on green moss. We even did our wedding centerpieces out of them.

My sister is also a fan, so this post is for her. Moss Christmas wreaths.

I. Love. It.

I heart eggs and toast

2009-12-09T10:49:00.004-05:00

I'd really like to be eating this for breakfast right now. Of course that would involved getting a very large heart-shaped cookie cutter.

Post via Cup of Jo. Image via SwissMiss.

Martha Stewart Holiday Fair, Part 3: The Sweet Shop

2009-12-06T11:04:00.004-05:00

Another highlight of the Holiday Fair was The Sweet Shop. For $5, you could fill up one of these candy-cane striped boxes below with any of the candy or cookies featured. YUM!

I'm all over the festive packaging, especially in the final image below. It's all about the gift wrap to me (at least in the giving!)

Final photo via Rachel Photo on Flickr.

Martha Stewart Holiday Craft Fair, originally uploaded by rachel.photo.

Martha Stewart Holiday Fair, Part 2: The Offices

2009-12-06T10:34:00.003-05:00

So one of the most interesting parts of going to the Holiday Fair was getting to see the Martha Stewart offices.

They are surprisingly far West in Manhattan on 26th Street, and they overlook the Hudson River. However, there's not much else in that area.

In general, the design is very clean, white and modern. The image above is of their reception area through the glass doors to their lobby.

However, at one point we had a glimpse into the cubes inside which were surprisingly bland. In fact, Gawker did a post a while back on how the employees aren't allowed personal items.

Part three on the food at the craft fair to come.

Martha Stewart Holiday Craft Fair, Part 1

2009-12-06T09:45:00.009-05:00

So yesterday Carine and I went to the Martha Stewart Holiday Craft Fair which was phenomenal - really just what you'd expect of Martha. It was actually hosted in a very large space in their offices.

Good thing we got there early though as it was a mob scene with VERY long lines to get in.

This is Part 1 on their Christmas displays. The tree above greeted us as we entered.

The moss at the base of the tree above is amazing, and this bird and log display was one of my favorites.

These pine cone characters above remind me of some of the decorations we had at home when I was a kid. It's the simplicity of their forms I think. They'd certainly be easy enough to make.

Many of the booths were selling products which had previously been featured on Martha's show, including these sustainable magazine trees.

Finally, I thought this gift packaging above was the cleverest display for those who are naughty. Gorgeous "coal" boxes with a gift of diamonds inside. Simply perfect!

Parts 2 and 3 to come.

NYC Macy's

2009-12-05T16:36:00.002-05:00

NYC Macy's, originally uploaded by deadborah.

There's nothing like the holiday lights and window displays at Macy's and the other New York City department stores to get you in the holiday spirit!

Bay Leaf and Pomegranate Garland

2009-12-05T16:19:00.004-05:00

I'm all "Martha, Martha, Martha" lately!

Since being married, I'm feeling very crafty. Especially in regard to the holiday season.

Needless to say, feeling crafty goes hand in hand with Martha Stewart. I'm impressed with this super simple bay leaf and pomegranate garland from her site. In a pinch, since I have neither, I'm thinking I can come up with alternatives for both, but still do something similar. I might make my garland from some greens in the backyard and red ornaments on it instead. Sounds like a plan to me!

Image via Martha Stewart's website.

Stained glass phone lines

2009-12-01T17:16:00.003-05:00

bird pattern, originally uploaded by yeyanfit.

Love this compelling photo from yeyanfit on Flickr.

Taken on 8th Ave in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

Holiday Ornament Pendant

2009-11-27T10:50:00.004-05:00

How's this for holiday inspiration?

I've been looking long and hard for a pendant light to put over our dining room table. I could do something like this as a temporary holiday feature, or I could find clear bulbs and use white ribbon for a more year-round feature. Of course, I still have to figure out how the lighting comes into play, but it's something to think about!

Images via ish and chi.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T10:01:00.002-05:00

Watching the parade is a tradition in my home. So here's a little fun something for you from anniebee on Flickr.

Enjoy the holiday and be mindful of all the good things in life!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Faux fireplace filler

2009-11-25T23:43:00.002-05:00

Some of you may recall my dilemma in regard to my fireplace mantle that has nothing but empty wall space inside of it. I've always thought it would be fun to do something interesting where the fire should be.

I played with the idea of tiny stacked logs, but I have no woodworking skills and couldn't find anywhere to buy the size baby logs I need. I even tried to post a request to Etsy's Alchemy / Custom section with no luck.

After seeing this beautiful image on Style Me Pretty, I got another idea in my head. I could just fill the space with reflective tiles and place some lighting at the base. A warm yellow light reflected off the mirrors would be reminiscent of a fire, but still abstract.

Nadinoo, blue tights, and red shoes

2009-11-25T23:33:00.004-05:00

I'm charmed by a new blog I just found called Nadinoo.

There's tons of great photography and fashion on the site, but I'm particularly taken with this combination of blue tights and red heels.

Spinster Homemaker

2009-11-25T19:50:00.003-05:00

My friend Clarissa just started a food and craft blog called Spinster Homemaker, and I'm seriously impressed. She's such a great, funny writer so it's entertaining, but I'm really inspired by her baking skills. So much so that I've decided to really go for it this Thanksgiving and cook and bake up a storm.

I just finished preparing a pumpkin cheesecake, so details and pics on that to come!

On top of the baking featured on her blog, every year Clarissa mails me a package of her delectable Christmas cookies. I can never get enough of them!

She just did a post on Christmas cookie packaging, and now I and determined that this year, I will also do fancy Christmas cookies! Quite appropriate for my first holiday season as a Mrs.

She even recommends a great Christmas cookie book called Rose's Christmas Cookies, which I will be buying shortly to help guide me!

Not only will I make them, but I want to get all crafty and have them look like this above!

Looking out at the Brooklyn Bridge from Harbour Lights

2009-11-15T13:54:00.003-05:00

Alex and I went to Harbour Lights in the South Street Seaport last night. I think it's a bit of a hidden gem with phenomenal views of the Brooklyn Bridge and the East River. Depending on what you order, you could spend a lot but you definitely don't have to. Alex's fish and chips entree was only $15.

It was a foggy, misty night, but we were still able to spend a bit of time outside on their deck. The photo above is of the view from our table. The second is the view of the bridge from their deck.

This second photo is of their to-die-for Brooklyn Bridge chocolate mousse. We also had something similar at the River Cafe. So I'm not sure if they use the same vendor, have the same owner, or if one copied the other, but whatever the case, it's good!

Peru planning

2009-11-14T10:49:00.005-05:00

Those of you who follow me on Facebook or my other blog know that we're excitedly planning a trip to Peru in May. It's been a while since I've done any international travel beyond England for work or Canada.

The flights to Peru were crazy inexpensive, and it seems as though the dollar will go VERY far there. I've just been enjoying doing a bit of research and planning for restaurants and hotels. We'll definitely be eating at some of the best restaurants. I was just reading about one that was considered to be quite expensive. Their 4-course lunches are $12! I love it!

Mostly the photos I've been coming across are of Machu Picchu, but I love this one above of a hotel in Lima.

I've also started my Spanish lessons.

Actual Buddha-Shaped Pears

2009-11-11T10:50:00.003-05:00

These are real! Amazing Buddha-shaped pears are grown into a mold so they come out looking oh-so-Buddha-and-Zen-Like.

Post via LotusHaus.

Ooh la la!

2009-11-09T23:09:00.001-05:00

This one is for Evelyn and Liezl!

These Norwegian cards are available from Darling Clementine.

Kitchen Curtains

2009-10-21T12:58:00.002-04:00

Piece-y felt curtains like this in white would be perfect for our newly painted kitchen. I'm doing strands of felt circles as garland for the photo wall at the wedding, so if all goes well, I'll extend that project to our post-wedding kitchen.

Image via Design*Sponge.

40 Years in 40 Days

2009-10-11T12:31:00.004-04:00

An incredible photo from the series 40 Years in 40 days.

Photo via Hyperbolic Pants Explosion on Flickr.

Madison Square Market

2009-10-07T12:51:00.003-04:00

Very excited about the seasonal Madison Square Market scheduled to open here in NYC Oct 9th.

All my favorite things, outdoor markets, the park, gourmet food and handcrafted items. I definitely intend on having either a crepe or Wafels and Dinges. My favorite.

Isn't it too early for Christmas prep?

2009-10-05T17:24:00.003-04:00

I signed up for a Christmas ornament swap on swap-bot.com ages ago. I LOVE handmade Christmas ornaments and just thought it'd be fun all around.

The premise of the swap is that you make one ornament for ten different people, then in return you get ten different ornaments.

I've gotten one so far, the swap started waaaay back in the Spring. It seemed like I had so much time to make my ornaments, but now, somehow, it's October and the deadline is early November.

So, despite wedding craftiness and chaos, I need to get cracking on my ornaments. I just realized that they are actually due the week before the wedding. Better to get them out of the way now.

So, all of that is a long-winded way of saying, wouldn't this ornament craft project be perfect? I just found it on Zakka Life. I'm pretty good at felt work and softies, so I hope this project will be suited to my skills. I of course want to wow my swap partners!

Wish me luck!

A New Shelter Magazine from the Editors of Domino

2009-10-02T22:56:00.000-04:00

Given the state of the magazine industry these days, some former editors from Domino (RIP) have just started a new shelter publication called Lonny Magazine.

The catch, however, is that it's online only. Not a website or a blog, but a "zimbria magazine." It looks like a print piece, but you can flip the pages electronically. See what I mean here.

Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf

2009-10-02T14:47:00.005-04:00

Alex and I are currently debating Halloween costumes, and we're leaning toward Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf.

What are you planning for Halloween?

Love this photo from Flickr...

More artwork inspiration

2009-10-01T12:33:00.006-04:00

I'm drooling over this large piece of artwork behind reception at The London Hotel. I just posted to our wedding blog that my friends just rented a suite there for my bachelorette party! yay!

I'm also inspired to reproduce this piece for our apartment. That'd be a lovely reminder of a fun time!

Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig

2009-09-19T00:39:00.007-04:00

Just got home from seeing the play A Steady Rain on Broadway. Personally, I'd recommend it. I found the play itself to be quite compelling, and of course sitting how many feet away from these two men isn't bad entertainment either.

It's definitely a dark story about two Chicago cops. There are a handful of pretty disturbing moments, but I liked how perspective came into play in terms of whose truth is real. The interplay between good and bad and how they can be intermingled was also quite interesting.

I snapped the shot above during the curtain call. Then we waited by the stage door to try and meet them. It was definitely WAY too packed for that, but I did snap a few shots of Daniel Craig (below). My pics of Hugh Jackman aren't even worth uploading!

Fastquez on Flickr got better photos of the two during an earlier matinee. Check out his pics here!

A Steady Rain!

2009-09-18T11:17:00.005-04:00

I'm trying to prepare myself for tonight. Both Daniel Craig AND Hugh Jackman in a Steady Rain on Broadway! Just one more reason I love living in New York!

Beforehand, we're going to Casellula for dinner. I posted it about it last year. One of my favorite restaurants!

Perhaps I can convince Nora to wait at the side exit and see if we can meet them afterward. It worked when I saw Mark Ruffalo in Awake and Sing a couple of years ago. AND I got an autograph!

Apartment Therapy Inspiration

2009-09-16T17:16:00.006-04:00

I posted recently about this wall decal that I ordered and was reminded of it when I saw this great work on a house tour today on Apartment Therapy. Except, upon closer inspection, the tree branches are actually painted on the wall rather than being a decal.

I'm also quite smitted with this artwork above the fireplace in this second photo below. I'm always drawn to black and white and numbers.

I just enrolled in photography school!

2009-09-11T21:14:00.006-04:00

I've just enrolled at the New York Institute of Photography today! Very excited. I've included some photos from other NYIP students on Flickr.

Soon I'll be sharing some of my own assignments here.

First image via L S G. Second and third images via prcrash on Flickr.

PopWall's Bird Decals

2009-09-11T12:37:00.003-04:00

Super excited! Just bought this very inexpensive set of wall decals from PopWall on Esty.

I've been wanting a set of birds for a while and this is one of the best ones I've seen. It'll be perfect for behind the TV. Otherwise, that's such an awkward space to put anything, but it's a bit too bare to leave alone.

I just sold my first photograph!

2009-09-08T13:40:00.003-04:00

I discreetly opened an Etsy shop a while ago, but I'd been waiting until I had added more inventory before I began promoting it.

However, this weekend, I had my first sale, the Brooklyn Bridge photo above that I took as a part of a series of industrial Brooklyn photos. See more from the series here. There are more I haven't uploaded too. I should definitely add them to Flickr.

Last year, I sold my first painting which was also super exciting! But that wasn't through Esty. I'll have to find a photo of that as well!

I'd love to do more selling online as it's a great way to motivate myself to be creative. Definitely a goal to increase my inventory post wedding! In fact, I'm actually planning on enrolling in photography school. Very excited about that. More details to come...

Bookish Street Art

2009-09-06T23:34:00.005-04:00

Graffiti isn't always what you expect. Like this above or the French graffiti I posted about previously. I actually came across one of Banksy's rats in Chinatown near where I work, but the building owners immediately had it painted over. I wonder if they realized what they were painting over. (Here's a shot of it before it was "erased.")

Image above by Paper Twins. Check out their flickr page for many more phenomenal pieces of street art.

Tania Alvarez's fabric type

2009-09-06T23:05:00.004-04:00

These lovely "fabric type" characters by Tania Alvarez are set apart by the pen illustrations overlaying them.

Image via the Behance Network.

Future Lifeguard

2009-09-06T22:56:00.004-04:00

I've got to get one of these for my niece McKenna.

Image via The Bride's Cafe.

Abstract in C

2009-09-05T22:05:00.001-04:00

Abstract in C / 20090825.10D.51828.P1 / SML, originally uploaded by See-ming Lee 李思明 SML.

Just stumbled upon this striking piece of art via the Brooklyn Art Project.

Image by See-ming Lee from Flickr.

Los Angeles Fires

2009-09-04T18:36:00.003-04:00

It's amazing how something so terrible and devastating can in other ways be so beautiful. Check out this time-lapse video of the fires below and the glow in the skyline.

My thoughts go out to family and friends in LA.

In addition to this video, the Flickr blog features a series of really phenomenal photos of the fire.

Apartment Therapy House Tour

2009-08-31T15:55:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite blogs is Apartment Therapy, particularly their House Tours. One of their top current features is "Kevin and Dop's Playful Uptown Loft."

I've actually had my eye on a set of bird decals from Etsy, just like this one above. It's the perfect thing for behind the TV.

I'm also in love with this wire iron artwork below.

Check out this house tour for lots of other fun details.

My heels are planted

2009-08-29T22:30:00.003-04:00

Well, they aren't my heels, but I find this hilarious!

Image via GiddySpinster on Etsy.

I sewed my first little something today!

2009-08-08T17:41:00.003-04:00

Yay! I just learned how to sew (again) today.

Mom is here visiting and I tried a new machine this time, and voila! I learned how to sew! (I actually had two machines...but one didn't work unfortunately).

Very exciting! Not only did I make this little pouch (a variation of something I have planned for the birdseed toss for our wedding), I also cut off a pair of pajama bottoms, hemmed them all by my lonesome and made them into sleeping shorts.

I'll continue thinking of things that I can sew now that I can!

DIY Ruffles

2009-08-02T12:06:00.005-04:00

I'm seriously inspired to make this sweater, though maybe in white. See below for a white version.

Instructions available via Mighty Girl.

Marilyn gives thanks

2009-08-02T11:54:00.004-04:00

This one is for Nora since she's such a fan of Marilyn Monroe. Just came across this on the website The Paris Apartment.

A thank you letter from Marilyn...

Bugs in Flight, Bugs in Light

2009-08-02T11:30:00.000-04:00

Even*Cleveland just posted the coolest video tracking the flight patterns of bugs under a street light. It's surprisingly beautiful and crazy random.

Must've taken forever to produce though.

Watch the video below.

Created by Michigan-based filmmaker Charlie McCarthy.
Visit his Vimeo page here for more of his wonderful work.

flight patterns from Charlie McCarthy on Vimeo.

It's all in the packaging

2009-08-02T10:18:00.004-04:00

Next time you hand-deliver flowers to someone, try giving them wrapped up like this. What wonderful presentation!

Bay-Area florist Erin Rosenow of Rosenow Floral.

Link via Ruby Press.