Wednesday Decor: Crochet Pillows By Proud Mary

Fleur a Joure Ecru Crochet Pillow

Fleur a Joure Grey Crochet Pillow

Grey Striped Crochet Pillow

Ecru Crochet Striped Pillow

Monday Style: Snake Jewelry

Ever since I included this beautiful Snake Coil Ring from Odette New York in my recent Nature-Inspired Jewelry post, I have been obsessing over the snake jewelry. I even called my Mom and inquired about the sterling silver snake ring she used to have when I was little: it had a small turquoise gem as the snake's eye...
Snake jewelry adds a touch of tough-chic to any outfit. It is sort of the scull & bones of the modern day, it's rock'n'roll. The jewelry I've included in this post is a wide variety of styles for different tastes and budgets.

Rose Gold & Champagne Diamond Earrings

Python Diamond Ring

Set of Mixed Bangles

Black Mamba Diamond Necklace

Coiled Serpents Ring

Triple Coil Silver Snake Ring

Serpentine Cuff

Snake Triple Coil Ring

Silver & Ruby IL Serpente Bracelet

Triple Serpent Ring

Proposal to Add Blog Services

I recently applied for a part time job to write blog posts for You Boutiques. Below is a mockup page + commentaries I made for the owner to understand the layout and point out the value of adding a blog to their business:

Friday Arts & Crafts: All The Illustrations by James Gulliver Hancock

All The Homes I've Lived In

All The Rain In London

All The Mountains In Switzerland

All The Buildings In New York

All The Snow In Montreal

All The Scooters In Rome

All The illustrations by James Gulliver Hancock

Wednesday Decor: Textiles by Tissus Tartares

The designs behind the stunning fabrics of Tissus Tartares were inspired by the Russian heritage of two founders and friends, Olya Thompson and Nathalie Farman-Farma. I adore the rich colors and elaborate prints of the textiles. I see it as a rival of the old and long-forgotten past. Something I remember seeing as a kid at my grandmother's house. Something I admired back then, studying every single line, every little dot and flower, repeating on a grid and creating a pattern. It brings up happy memories.

The names of each fabric reference Russian names, culture and folklore. For example, one of the fabrics is named after one of the greatest poets Mikhail Lermontov, while another one - after the famous opera Sadko by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, or the ballet Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Monday Style: Mad About Tangerine

SHABD Tangerine Day Gown

COMME DES GARCONS Embossed Leather Pouch

3.1 PHILLIP LIM Kiara Shoes

ALICE + OLIVIA Evie Side Scrunch Dress

GIVENCHY Antigona Tote

Friday Arts & Crafts: Illustration of Shoe Boxes

Every time I buy new shoes I get excited about the new box to add to my collection. (Now, don't get me wrong, I do get more thrilled about the shoes, but the story here is about the boxes.) I love my shoe boxes. They are sturdy. Some glossy, some matte. Some white, some colorful. I dust them. Most of their designs are so beautiful, it makes me think I want to be a shoe box illustrator. I arrange them in a certain way, by color of course. They just have to get along with each other, my shoe boxes. So, what you see here is an illustration I did dedicated to this little obsession of mine.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend!!!

Wednesday Decor: Plates With Little Messages

Every time I come across John A. Andrews' III new designs, I get extremely impressed. Whether it is a new window display he works on with his sister for their beautiful store, or his super-cool creation of hand-made Beetle’s No.1, he does not stop to surprise. He is incredibly talented, creative and unpredictable artist. These amazing plates are his latest project: look closer and read the little messages!

The idea behind his design (and I was totally wrong in my assumption) is not just a simple reminder about food portion control. There is a meaning behind it all and here is what Johnny explains:

The idea behind the plates really had to do with things that I had witnessed and gone through while growing up. I think that most of us say these kinds of things in our own minds on a daily basis even if we wish we didn't. No matter where you're from there's always that group of girls who are pretty and dress nicely that are mean. So in the end I knew I wanted to have plates with these pretty girls with hurtful sayings on them to make fun of them, but at the same time make fun of myself for letting them get to me.

Now, a lot of us have been there, I personally remember those mean girls. (I promise I was not one of them!) But mean things aside, those plates are terrific and I want each one of them.

I also asked Johnny to explain the process (for those of us who never took ceramics classes).

-I first measure out the clay so each plate will roughly be the same weight and size
-Then I throw them and measure them to make sure they look all the same
-I let them dry for a while and then trim them on the bottom so they have a foot
-Then they go into a bisque kiln and are fired
-Once they are bisque fired i apply a white underglaze on the entire plate
-After that I sketch out a face in pencil or I look at people I have already drawn from my notebooks and replicate it on the plate also i figure out what kind of saying i should put on it
-Then I go over the pencil with a blue underglaze
-After that I apply a clear glaze over top
-Finally they go back into the kiln for a glaze firing

Thank you so much for sharing these beautiful images and the story, Johnny!

(All of the flower vases on these images, photography and styling by John A. Andrews III)

Monday Style: Summer-Ready

The warmer it gets the more I gravitate towards simplicity & light. Little by little our house is shedding its deep decor colors, and lots of whites and neutrals are making their appearance. My closet, too, is getting reorganized. I push all of the cozy items to the back. I pull warm weather clothing out. I shop. I introduce more neutrals, more than ever before. I crave simple cotton and linen, some silk. I accessorize. I add metallics. I am ready, summer-ready!

Alcyone Sandal

Covina Dress

Stripe Bag

Friday Arts & Crafts: In The Garden

I have been working in my garden a lot lately. It makes me very happy to see the plants grow! These beautiful illustrations are very appropriate for this time of the year and reflect my gardening dalliances.

I'd Rather Be Gardening by Little Sonrisa

Gardening art print by flapperdoodle

Decorative Grasees by Emma Block

Edible Weeds by zukzuk

Lady & Flowers print by Cori Dantini

Of course I don't just work there all the time. I play there too!

Mixed Media Illustration by lazydoll