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Does it annoy anyone else that “Bed Bath & Beyond” isn’t “Bed, Bath and Beyond”?

Just me?

Okey dokey.

Anyhoo…in case you haven’t heard, Kate Spade has made her way to BB&B.  Maybe this is old news, but since I had a temporary absence from the design blogosphere, I missed the announcement until about three weeks ago.  She’s got some VERY cute stuff including dinnerware, crystal, and linens. But my very favorite piece in the entire collection is this little number…

One hundred percent cotton bedskirt perfection.

Love.

{And yes, I promise my next post won’t be about stripes. Perhaps I should add “stripe-obsessed” to my profile?}

Photo credit: Kate Spade Heirloom Roses Bed Skirt, Bed Bath &Beyond

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I love this horizontal stripe shower curtain from West Elm…

…but I like it even better as easy-peasy drapes for my in-progress kid’s room. $120 to add three graphically-awesome, light-killing window treatments to my early riser’s room? Yes, please.

Want to do the same? Go here for directions (only this time I used fabric glue instead of fusible webbing…an even lazier, er, I mean, easier approach).

Photo credits: Stripe Shower Curtain, West Elm; Paige Lewin‘s mad photography skills

In another life, I was a pastry chef.

Seriously.

I can barely cook an egg, but man, can I bake a good cake.

Ok, so it’s usually from a box, but I make it really pretty when it’s done, just like these…

{aren’t they divine?}

{spring is just around the corner…}

{‘scuse me while I wipe the drool from my chin}

{makes me want to get married all over again}

 

These sweet paintings are the work of Paul Ferney, husband of the lovely Jordan Ferney (whose panel on the fine art of Throwing a Great Party I attended at Alt, and boy-oh-boy does she throw a fabulous fete).  While the original cake paintings have long sold, you can buy the 5×7 prints (printed on an 8×10 sheet with a border) for a mere $25 during The Great Cake Sale.

Don’t miss it, or you’ll have to settle for crumbs.

 

Image credits: all images are the work of superbly talented Paul Ferney

Jellybean Rugs

About six years ago, I developed an unhealthy obsession with hooked rugs. My husband and I had been invited to spend the weekend at a quintessential Nantucket home, complete with a garden full of hydrangeas, comfy slipcovered furniture and a serene wooden mermaid perched in the front hall welcoming visitors and friends. And on every floor were hand hooked rugs in the most gorgeous patterns and colors I had every seen.

Unfortunately, the rugs were way out of my price range (just like everything else in the house with the exception of the paint color, which I immediately copied and have used in every house I’ve owned), but it didn’t squash my love for them.  So when I arrived at my stepmother’s house this weekend and saw this beauty from Jellybean Rugs, I was immediately smitten.

Although it’s not hooked, the look is so spot-on that I was immediately, well, hooked.  And that was before learning that it retailed for $30 and was indoor/outdoor…perfect for bathrooms, kitchens, and welcoming guests or pets.  Here are some of my favorites…

Cute, no?

Image credits: Paige Lewin’s iPhone and Jellybean Rugs; online retailers can be found here.

About this time of year, the stripes start to send signals…

…that spring is coming!

I love a touch of nautical in my wardrobe, but I’ve always been a bit of sucker for it in my home too.  Remember this post?

Last fall, I went to the Brimfield Antique Show with my friend Cheri, and I fell in love with this guy…

Cheri didn’t get my crush on him, and frankly, I couldn’t explain it.  I just knew I had to have him.  It’s not like I come from a family of sea captains, or grew up in Gloucester, or particularly like Salty Dogs, but I loved the idea of looking at his grumpy eyes every day.  So now he lives in my downstairs bathroom, freaking the crap out of people when they walk down the hall.

A touch of nautical?  It makes my captain feel right at home.

Image credits: J.Crew; EmersonMade.; Tea Accessories; Oh Captain, My Captain and his close up taken by Paige Lewin’s iPhone; Dash & Albert; Uncommon Goods; L.L. Bean; Wisteria; Anthropologie

Sorry for the lack of post today, but because of unexpected roof issues at my son’s school, I was home with my big guy all day.  Yes, here in New England, it doesn’t even have to be snowing for school to be cancelled…the sheer amount of snow has become a problem in and of itself.

Anyway, in an effort to keep us busy and out of the house, I decided that today was the day I was going to use up the gift certificates and birthday money I’ve been saving and finally get myself this beauty.

Why hello, Gorgeous.

It seems that all the Apple stores are equally fantastic, however if you’re close enough to New Hampshire, I highly recommend going to see Bianca at the shop in Salem.  She’s been working at Apple for quite a while, first at the corporate office in the UK and now in the shop, and she knows her stuff (and is totally kind and wonderful to kiddos).  Anyway, she rocks.  Go see her and tell her Paige (and Weston) sent you.

 

I know it’s a sin, but I’m just not that religious.  Here’s what I’m coveting for my home this month…how about you?

 

Casually elegant stemware that can serve up milk or mimosas equally well,

 

fishy rugs,

 

simply beautiful turned wood lamps,

 

the Hans Wegner classic,

 

Michael A. Palmer’s view of the world,

 

and perfect flatware for parties, picnics or pasta.

 

Image credits: Hartland Stemware, Simon Pearce; Fish Design Rug, Landry & Arcari, White Turned Table Lamp, Hudson; ch24 Wishbone Chair, Hive Modern; Boat House by Michael A. Palmer, Van Ward Gallery; Seaborne Flatware, Anthropologie

So, what are you up to this weekend?

Among the many things on my list — including a project that’s hopefully worthy enough to end up here and going out for a very belated holiday celebration with a gaggle of girlfriends I haven’t seen in months — I’m heading to the book launch of friend, mom and artist Abigail Patner Glassenberg.  I met Abby just after she landed her book deal, so it’s pretty exciting to celebrate her success now that she’s published!

If you missed my previous piece on Abby, you can read all about her here.  A teacher-turned-artist, Abby found her bliss at the sewing machine creating soft sculpture animals.  Her new book, The Artful Bird, celebrates her amazing flying creatures and helps us non-artists learn how to make our very own.  If you’re in the Boston area and want to see her amazing sculptures up close, visit Essentia in Wellesley from 3-5 p.m. on Saturday.  Hope to see you there!

Image credits: Abigail Patner Glassenberg

In case you hadn’t heard, Phil predicted an early spring.

Yeah, right. {she says, staring at three feet of snow outside her bedroom window}   

Anyway, Phil isn’t the only good thing coming out of the great state of Pennsylvania these days.  On a recent trip to the land of Etsy, one of my pals showed me a piece she picked up for her living room.  She had been staring at a giant empty space above her fireplace for a couple of years and finally knew she had to do something about it when her six-year old son took note .

“We need some color in here, Mom.  It’s totally boring.”

So she searched Etsythe place to find fantastic, one-of-a-kind art pieces (among other handmade delights).  She wanted something whimsical and colorful and LARGE…all for a good price.

And she found it.

Whimsical, colorful, large and an amazing value…Bucks County Frames totally delivers. 

I love this one…makes me want to get on my Gary Fisher, pronto.

And this one? It conjures Vermont in July, watching the parade go down Bristol’s Main Street. 

I’m so ready for the beach.

 

I’ve never been a huge fan of fine art photography for my home, although I think it’s a perfect fit for plenty of others. 

It’s nice to know that my mind can always be changed.  {Thanks for introducing me  to Bucks County Frames, Michelle!}

Image credit: all images the work of Carl Christensen, Bucks County Frames and can be found here.  Also, click each image above to find it in the shop.  Support independent artists!

And while we’re on the subject of new lighting

This image, from the Style At Home booth at the Interior Design Show in Toronto, has been floating around the web for the past couple of days.  The painted floor is amazing, as is the fabulous bright springy styling — a sign of things to come for those of us being socked by winter weather right now.  But what’s really terrific is the use of paint cans as lighting fixtures.

It reminded me that I had recently snapped an equally cool use of paint cans as light fixtures…except this one was a little less sleek. 

Just as inventive though, don’t you think?

These fixtures — using brand new paint cans or well-worn ones or any other vessel entirely — are super-easy to make on your own.  All you need is the object of your choice and one of these:

And if you want to hardwire it rather than plugging it in and hanging it from a hook, pick up one of these:

Have you ever created your own lighting?  Pendant?  Chandelier?  Lamp?  Please share!

Image credits: Re-nest (originally from Poppytalk, similar image can also be seen on Aubrey+Lindsay’s Blog); Paige Lewin; West Elm Pendant Cord Set; West Elm Industrial Pendant Conversion Kit