Oh poor neglected blog. I know I have been ignoring you but I have good reason! So much is happening chez this is love forever. One big, gigantic thing, or should I say two: these scarves. My design partner Lauren and I just launched a print design company called Rue + Jane (named after our lovely grandmothers) and we recntly designed these scarves, now available at Anthropologie! We are dizzy with excitement, as you can imagine. Continue reading

It's impossible to resist the many charms of Bruce le Bruce. Continue reading

My pal Susy Pilgrim Waters is one talented lady! She's a textile and print designer, illustrator, painter and product designer to name a few. And, she's the illustrator of a new gorgeous children's book called Grandma and the Great Gourd: A Bengali Folktale. She and the author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, will be signing books on May 8th at 2pm in the beautiful New York Public Library. Here are a few of her illustrations from the book: Continue reading

Berlin artist Denise J. Reytan makes the most fantastical jewelry I have ever seen. Check out lots more on her website here. Continue reading

My sweet Sunday so far: lounging in bed, working on lots and lots of crafty projects (quilts! keychains! papercutting! pajaki!) and organizing my jewelry. Later, there will be kebab eating, a nice long walk and then Game of Thrones! Continue reading

And now for Part 3, the LA proper additon. I fell in love with the store Dream Collective, the almond milk lattes at Sqirl, and Cathy's lovely home. Continue reading

Holy moly, I took a lot of photos in California. There is really no shortage of amazing shots to be had- I mean, look at that blue sky. This part, part 2, is mostly from walking around Santa Barbara and falling in love with a gorgeous old movie theater, trying to go to Lotus Land (I'll be back!) and having a ridiculous tri-tip sandwich at the Cold Spring Tavern, this roadside biker joint tucked in the hills of Santa Barbara. Continue reading

This Saturday was one of those early spring days in the Northeast, where it's still only 50 degrees but everyone gets delerious and puts on flip flops and shorts. I was still wearing a scarf but I did change my nailpolish from dark plum to lavender. Spring makes me think of pastel shades, the colors of Cadbury mini eggs and scoops of gelato, crocuses and daffodils popping out of the cold ground, Easter baskets woven from candy colored reeds. When I was a child, my mother took me to an Easter egg hunt in our local town. Every year, I looked forward to the cupcakes they served all the kids after the hunt: vanilla cake iced with mint green dyed... Continue reading

Last week, I headed out to Ventura for Craftcation. Which was awesome! More on that later but for now, whie I get my head out of the California clouds, some eye candy. Of long drives from the beach, through hills blanketed with sage brush and cacti reaching towards the warm sun. Of lots of coffee (some mixed with coconut cream!), good conversations that rolled on for miles and crisp rosés drunk at fancy schmancy resorts that we can't afford. I love Southern California. Continue reading

It's been a long time since I started a new blog. I think I've almost forgotten how. I suppose the best way to start is to just jump right in. So here we go: I've been blogging about design and art and fashion for years and I love it. But... Continue reading

I love to pour through artist Marcus Oakley's blog. His illustrations and small sculptures make me incredibly happy. Continue reading

This is something I have to believe. Even, no especially, when it seems like an impossibility. photo/art/text by me Continue reading

hello first post, how are you today? Continue reading

Today, I'm enjoying the simple, organic forms of Mari Andrews' sculpture. They are like the visual representation of taking a deep breath of mountain air. Gleaned from a love of drawing and collecting, Andrews uses manmade and natural materials to create new forms. The materials inform the process while the process forms the material. And her amazing studio, where these sculptures co-exist: Continue reading

Maia Bergman is a fashion designer who recently graduated from Central Saint Martins. This is her BA collection, a beaded masterpiece of mint, lavender, citron and white. Doesn't it all look like candy? Beautiful, beautiful candy? Continue reading

Handwritten text by me My fiftyfity.me challenge continues into February with three books read and three movies watched. That brings my grand total so far to six books and five movies. Not too shabby huh? Since I am a dabbler in all sorts of creative things, I thought it would also be fun to show my books and movies consumed in a different way each month. Onto some thoughts/reviews after the jump! Books Read: The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby I read More Baths, Less Talking last month and I was hooked! It is fascinating to get some insight into what an author reads in his spare time and how one book turns into another book by the same author... Continue reading

I have a new camera and I can't stop taking pictures. One thing that I enjoy about photography is the ability to capture a fleeting moment. You know those moments: when life seems totally perfect? This is my favorite shot from a recent trip to Staunton, VA to visit our family. They have a big rustic wood table that's the center of activity and this was a quick moment of quiet, when my sister-in-law brought out a freshly baked loaf of bread to cool and then afternoon sun hit the table just so. Virgina lovers, note the cutting board, from A Heirloom. Continue reading

Valentino Couture is not about commercialism; it's fashion as art (with prices to match) at its highest form. I like to look at the details of couture shows. The beading, the appliqué, the delicate lace and netting, master craftsperson skills that are almost extinct. These intricate details are mesmorizing. In France, to earn the right to call itself a “couture house,” a designer must create clothing that is made-to-order, have a workshop that employs at least 15 people and 20 full-time technical people at a time, and they must present a collection to the Parisian press each season that contains a least 35 runs/exits with outfits for daytime and evening wear. One gown can take hundreds of hours to make... Continue reading

I am so excited to be a part of Brooklyn Craft Camp, a one day DIY vacation in Greenpoint, Brooklyn! Sign up for a day of camp and you get to take four 90 minute classes on everything from terrariums to crochet to paper craft, enjoy local and delicious food, hear Project Runway Season 1 winner Jay McCarroll speak, try some DIy nail art and hang with crafty sparkly people all day long! I will be teaching crepe paper flowers- they look pretty realistic, no? See you at camp! Related articles A New Year in Woodstock, NY Resolutions, Schmesolutions. Continue reading

These whimsical paper cut pieces by Ruinchi Ruiohira bring a smile to my bone-tired, can't-wait-for-the-weekend-to-start face. Continue reading

It's hard to be sad with a hat on your head! Images from top to bottom: 1.) A fashion story from Paper Magazine inspired by the amazing cult fave Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block, shot by Autumn de Wilde, styled by Shirley Kurata 2.) Hats from Paname Spring Summer 2012 3.) Model Rosie Tupper shot by Andreas Sjodin and styled by Lisa Lindqwiser for Elle Sweden May 2011, via dustjacket attic 4.) Model Barbara Fialho shot by Danny Cardozo for Elle Mexico Jan, 2013 via Fashion Gone Rogue 5.) on left: Moschino goes mod for Spring/Summer 2013, via Vogue UK on right: Maxime, Comtesse de la Falaise, photo by Avedon, Paris, 1948 via 6.) Model Dorothea Barth-Jorgensen in Prada... Continue reading

Beautiful art objects from Totokaelo. 1. Large Painted Jingle Bell by Michele Quan 2. Lattice Bowl by Susanne Harder 3. White Flower Jar II by Morgan Peck 4. Red Gum Wood Block by Haley Ann Robinson 5. Masonry Planter by Pilar Wiley 6. Small Prickle Dish by Katy Krantz Continue reading

I've been spending a lot more time in my craft room this year, making, plotting, thinking. It's so nice to have a safe little sanctuary spilling over with fabric, papers and pencils. So many things to make, so much inspiration to be had in here. Continue reading

If there's one thing in fashion editorials that I can get down with time and time again, it's print mixing. There's something so rebellious, so middle finger to the "fashion rules" that I just love. The photos from this editorial for Fashion Gone Rogue, shot by Craig Salmon and styled by Katelyn Mooney makes my grey skies blue. Continue reading

Oh my goodness, these are breathtakingly beautiful! As a part of the Design Soil collaborative, Japanese designer Nobu Miake made vases from simple materials such as leather wood and rubber bands. The vases are intended to show the transformation of flowers from fresh to dried. Just gorgeous right? found via the excellent blog bancroft and ivy Continue reading