studio wellspring

a little of the bubbly for 2010

2009-12-31T14:33:00.000-08:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anjiejoon/4231218469/

a tidy little list of my resolutions for 2010:

*drink more champagne
*learn to converse in german
*finish the decor projects for alesia's bedroom
*meditate every week
*tango every week
*practice budo every week
*build the savings account
*go camping
*grow successful container gardens
*win my boyfriend at chess
*launch a fulfilling career
*make decisions from a place of gratitude, not fear
*above all else: love with my heart wide open, learn with my mind wide open, seek truth with my eyes wide open

please, dear friends of the blogiverse, oh please tell me what your resolutions are for 2010 ~ either list them in the comments section or just toss in a link to your own post of resolutions.

{where i really, really want to spend nye! taken by obni in besancon, franche-comte}

may blessings and joys abound for you & your families in the new year!

tis the season

2009-12-24T23:09:00.000-08:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anjiejoon/4212032953/

it's christmas eve and i am unable to sleep due to all the excitement stirring within me. it dawned on me that now was the perfect time to peek in on my blog and play a little catch-up. on one hand, i'm shocked how 2 months have gone by without a word from me on my favorite blog. but on the other hand, it's perfectly clear why: 2 months happens to be the exact length of time since my heart found its long-sought-after desire. on october 10th i officially started dating the love of my life. and it has been an all encompassing love bubble ever since. we now live together and live every day in gratitude together. what a surreal blessing.

alesia is now walking and talking and her personality is in full force. she is as loving and flirty as she is head-strong and feisty. it's a delightful combination. she is full swing into the needing-mommy-every-second mode, but i really don't mind. i know it's only temporary and soon she'll be wanting nothing to do with me, so i'm enjoying all the attention while i can.
my designer dreams remain on hold as i continue to soul search about the next steps in my career. i am clear about wanting to make a difference, wanting to be creative, and wanting to enjoy a wide variety of tasks. but that's about it. sigh. please tell me i'm not the only one who goes through such stagnation, hoping beyond hopes to have a dream-professional-movement just appear out of no where!?!?
as i continue to explore my new community and navigate my internal goals criss-crossing i will try to be a better blogger. i have been so distracted by LOVE that blogging {among many other things} has fallen to the way side. but, really, can you blame me?

{this is our chirstmas branch, in lieu of a real tree ~ it's hung by the beam between our living room & kitchen to keep it up and away from alesia. it's so much fun to sit underneath it....we call it our christmas tunnel}

i hope you are enjoying a warm and loving holiday season filled with all the things you enjoy most.
merry christmas to all and to all a good night!

here's to a fairytale fall

2009-10-01T10:55:00.001-07:00

happy to share an early autumn collection i gathered to get you in the mood.
so, tell me, who has already bought fairytale pumpkins this year?
i'm on my way this afternoon to find them. . . .

{image by rachel plowman}

p.s. welcome back to san francisco, jenni! you've been massively missed!

mod pod

2009-09-30T14:52:00.000-07:00

in downtown corvallis many lovely shops abound, but one of my favorite's is one of the newest: mod pod. the owner, jessica klein, has a great eye for finding chic-contemporary and midcentury, retro-inspired modern furnishings and decor for just about any budget. it's bright & cheery with a great combination of both neutral and colorful furnishings. mod pod is geared towards bringing accessible and affordable modern design in to everything from dorm rooms to offices. and what a blessing ~ especially since it's the only one of its kind in the willamette valley. please enjoy a virtual tour with some of my faves from around the shop. . . .

i heart the flashdance

2009-09-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

when some one says they are inspired by "rad style, timeless music, unique design and photography that captures the spirit of the subject", i am more than a little bit intrigued. and after i spent an hour or so playin around on the flashdance i was getting a pretty hard crush. i mean where else can you hope to find sam cooke & leonard cohen,a gangbanger pancacke brunch,
a whole lot of inventive love photography,

plus more coolness than antartica all in one website??

the flashdance is where it's at, no doubt about it ~ and i'm so wanting to join their party, where ever & whenever they hook it up.
oh, maybe they need a design diva in the pac northwest to round out their team?? finger's crossed.....
until then, i'm gonna be soaking up their fabness from their blog and hoping some of it rubs off.

in the closet

2009-09-24T11:25:00.000-07:00

organizing my closets this past week has been so wonderful for my mood ~ yes i have a disease of making order out of chaos, and loving it! when all the things are in order on their shelves, racks, & rods my heart goes pitter-pat. but taking things to the next level is what this post is all about. come explore some amazing cloests with me ~ being in the closet never looked so darn good!
{paint and color-coordination can do wonders in the closet-charm department. so maybe all your clothes & accessories aren't shades of green like the california closets image bottom left, but still you get the idea . . . . more of your fave color = more satisfaction. top left: domino magazine, top right: northern living interiors, both bottoms: california closets}

{ah wallpaper ~ the stylish fix-all for boring spaces. using it on the inside of closets as a vibrant backdrop to your clothing & shoes is delightful; adding it to the outside of a closet door for some spark to a boring room is just plain smart. top left: chez larsson, top right: domino magazine, bottom left: house beautiful, bottom right: janna at wish}

{men need fantastic closets too! and usually they want things more specialized than the ladies do ~ tie racks, power stations for phones/blackberries et al, extra large shoe storage, cuff link/watch display, even gun/weapon storage . . . guys rarely let themselves fantastize about closets but once i get them thinking about it they're usually way more giddy than the ladies about the prospects of such. left & center photos: tomar lampert, right photo: richens designs}

{integrating built-in closets into the architecture of your room has a stunning effect. this is very refreshing and soothing to an organize-aholic like myself. top left: nurit geffen-batim studio, top right: harrell remodleing, bottom left: billinkoff architects, bottom right: hughes construction}

{specialized storage closets for things like shoes and accessories is a nice luxury and a great way to show off and preserve ultra-fabulous collections. left: getty images, center: making it lovely, right: martha stewart}

{if you don't have a closet built in to your room's floor plan, try tranforming a piece of furniture like an armoire or a curio cabinet into the new function. it's fairly easy to install rods and shelves, and customizing with fabulous colors and patterns is very satisfying! top left: martha stewart, top right: peacock feathers, bottom left: zimbio image, bottom right: my sweet savannah. }

{when all else fails ~ find a big branch and hang it from your ceiling and neatly place your shoes in a semi-circle beneath! ok, so it's not exactly realistic for most, but it looks pretty cool in this photo. thanks to desire to inspire for the image}

there is only one peach for me

2009-09-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

have you noticed in the last year or so how everything has completely changed ~ as in 100% different than 365 days ago ~ or is it just me?
ok, perhaps the wild ride of my life is doing the flip-flops more than most, but i have absolutely no complaints.
although some things have been the most challenging i've ever faced, others have been the most soulful enlightening and awesome experiences i've ever been blessed with. i'm in complete awe that one year ago today i gave birth to alesia marie. i've been emotionally overwhelmed for the last 24 hours with my thoughts consumed by the incredible memories and delightful realities all around me just because of one little girl.
and so today, as an ode to my beautiful, vivacious, flirtatious, cautiously curious, head strong and very loving daughter, i'd like to show off some delightful peachy goodness.

{super delightful etsy finds ~ peony headband & peony hat by pretty baby bowtique. peachy dress by my sweet chickadee . crocheted hat by sparkle berry crafts. shoes by gracious may. peach clippie by sweet bitty bows. bloomer set by 3 lil muses. burp clothes by buttercup forrest. leggings by mama runs with scissors. }

{up-and-away & retro posies prints by crimson peachy art}

{peach ginger icecream cakes & sorbets by whimsy & spice ~ i'm sure even more yummy to taste than to look at!}

{these lovely table setting photos are from peach is the new pink ~ a design*sponge wedding idea post today, of all days!}

you've come a long way in one year baby, and i'm forever grateful for being there with you. happy first birthday peachy star!
oh and thanks to the ever-amazing jenni for this awesome video tribute to the peachette!

i wish . . . . .

2009-09-21T21:07:00.000-07:00

. . . . i could swing on the tire swing in my grandma's backyard like i did as a child. . . . "my village" {closest group of friends i've ever had} lived right next to me still. . . . i could spend at least one year in italy with my daughter. . . . my newest design career dreams would come true {soon}
. . . . i could dance tango all night long. . . . there were fireflies on the west coast
. . . . it were possible to smell roses & freesia growing in my garden year round. . . . for alesia to always know the incredible beautiful gift she is to the world
. . . . to ride in a hot air balloon with my sister for an afternoon. . . . people would respect each other's differences and listen with their hearts more. . . . i could ride a ferris wheel in downtown san francisco. . . . bubbles could float around for hours without popping. . . . siestas were acceptable practice for anyone, any time. . . . everyone could love themselves more

thanks so much to relyn for this idea ~ her incredible wish list inspired me to make mine!

{tire swing by mmgoode. my village by jennib. siena landscape by ahsan. buddha stairs by ramona d'viola. ney and jen tango by houston tango festival. fireflies in park by goldring. roses and freesia by beakee . alesia photo by me. balloon ride by quasebart. circle of friends by lifetime. ferris wheel sunset by calzean. soap bubbles by floridapfe. group siesta by marek barczyk. jump for joy by krish tipirneni. }

mobile madness

2009-09-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

mobiles are such fantastic inventions. for their beauty but also for their balance. i enjoy them so very much, big & small, and would love to hang at least one in alesia's new room. i'm going to make it myself, but thought i'd look around the internets for some inspiration from what others have done before deciding on my design. here are few treasures i found:

{pom-love on etsy makes whimsical and light mobiles from tissue pom-poms}

{lovely little paper cut-out mobiles by frazier & wing}

{petit collage makes bamboo mobiles with darling little animals. first found on twig & thistle}

{adorable birds on a limb mobile project ~ first seen on spool sewing blog}

{fabric hoops for the nursery all across the ceiling ~ pure genius! found on ohdeedoh}

now, time to get to my own project. . . . .unless of course you have some more mobile inspiration to share???

gems & news for friday

2009-09-11T15:31:00.000-07:00

this awesome sign, right on the money in my opinion, was found on graphic-exchange {more on this entirely awesome place later} by holly at decor8. i was so taken with it i just had to get it up on my swellspring too! it has inspired me to start re-thinking a lot of my old stand-by design choices. i've got a very tight budget and a whole lot of interior designing to do in the coming weeks. let's call it design-on-a-dime, but with surprising & refreshing pizazz! ooo la la!
ever since i was born {in july in arkansas} i've been known as the sunshine girl, and so my adoration for almost anything with some sunshine in it. i say "almost" very intentionally since some sunshiney things can be a bit too cheesy or hippy for my taste. but even those do evoke a smile. i just wouldn't include them in my own decor. so when i found this sweet little sign made by freya art & design {also 1st seen on decor8 ~ had fun there today!} i got all excited as it seems like some perfectly wonderful inspiration for alesia's bedroom. the daughter of a sunshine girl! i think i'll include this in a little inspiration-board-collage very soon.
new art for alesia's room already on the way is this utterly fantastic print designed by robert david bretz. she has this thing for giraffes and i thought it was the perfect addition to her wall ~ but should it be the beside the crib wall or the beside the changing table wall? ah decisions, decisions!

oh yeah, and by the way, in case you've wondered what's kept me away from blogging for the past while. . . . .we've been moving in to a new home! so much excitement and change ~ it's been a fairly smooth transition and we're settling in very nicely in the new 'hood. but boy are there a ton of projects! daunting & exciting all at the same time.
this weekend ~ painting!
how about you??

color crushes

2009-08-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

feeling the love for color, and in the mood for sharing:

to my favorite little sprout

2009-08-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

happy 11 month birthday, peach blossom, you have nourished my soul more than anything else i've ever known.
your strength, humor, and love are so impressive. your heart is so wide open and you just take everything in. you know what you want and you'll fight like mad to get it. you are a big flirt and captivate people every where you go. you are very proud of your 2 little teeth, and you're very good at speed crawling. you love to eat fresh fruits, sweet potatoes, crackers, cottage cheese and all types of beans. you adore being with your cousins and really like playing in water {bath time, kiddie pools, etc}. you always wake-up in the best mood & help to wake me up happy too.
p.s. i love it when you call out "mama, mama, mama" until i come get you. it's just the sweetest thing.

candyland in sf

2009-08-20T10:49:00.000-07:00

which way to the gumdrop mountains?
well, go to north beach and head over the far side of telegraph hill....on lombard street, of course!
to celebrate candyland's 60th birthday yesterday, hasbro put on a fantastic show: a life sized game of candyland on san francisco's lombard street! best idea i've heard in a long-long time!
only children from uc san francisco children’s hospital and the nonprofit friends of the children were allowed to compete on the game, but 100's of other children watched on the side lines. so wish i was there too!
also, this incredible cake made by the uber-talented debbie does cakes got devoured after the game. what a treat!

photos and story found on sfist
thanks mr.hilarious blogasaurus for the tip!

august rush

2009-08-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

it's the beginning of harvest time & many wonderful things have ripened around here, so we're scurrying to get them put by for future enjoyment. not to say we aren't enjoying them while they're fresh too. we've been gobbling-up peaches, berries, beans, peas, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, garlic, figs, pears, and corn....a serious bounty this year! this is the time when all our hard work in the gardens starts to pay off ~ and so far everything is delicious! but my heirloom tomatoes are by far my favorite treat out of my garden so far.
the figs were divine, and have become one of alesia's new favorite foods. especially with creamy chevre {goat cheese}!

one of my favorite breakfasts this time of year is fresh cut peaches, blueberries & cream:
our family likes garlic. a lot. so we grow quite a bit in our garden and tie it up for use all year round. here's our harvest of italian & elephant garlic this year.....time for some olive oil & pasta!

we turned these bartlet beauties into spiced pear deliciousness to use throughout the holiday season. yum!
ok, now i'm getting hungry again!

time for some retail therapy

2009-08-13T12:09:00.000-07:00

check out these gorgeous handmade pieces by michael arras:

and these fabulous finds at working class studio :

{outdoor pillows}

{the kay collection melamine plates}

oh and these lovely little gems at viva terra: {misprint garden sign}

{pearl lotus chandelier}

{recycled bangle votive candle holders}

to fly in the middle is magic

2009-08-02T10:03:00.001-07:00

this jaw-droppingly gorgeous photo is of the largest hot air balloon gathering in the world ~ the lorraine mondial air balloons rally in chambley, france. in the photographer's own delightful words "to be there is a gift but to fly in the middle is magic." gbatistini created this particular image by stitching together 6 panoramas. absolutely stunning!
but wait, there's more...
a time lapse video of the launch:

and an entire flickr group dedicated to the launch is here.
where i found another fantastic photo by leadenhall . he took this on a serendipitous train ride ~ as he was riding across france he looked out the window and saw that it was raining balloons. how lucky we are that he captured it on film to share!
bon weekend!

fun in the shade

2009-07-28T10:43:00.001-07:00

the heat wave here in the pacific northwest has me thinking about shade{s}. in celebration of summertime sun and the ever-evolving lamp-shade, here are some bright ideas to contemplate {preferrably while sipping iced-tea}:
my uber-talented friend, jordan ferney, just posted about this adorable & lovely way to create some extra shade at an outdoor party....clip-on umbrellas! as you know well by now, i adore all kinds of umbrellas, with a passion. so i'm extremely excited to learn about this new clipable kind. insta-addition to my wish list! you can buy them here, and you can see the rest of jordan's post here.

storage, display & lighting all in one ~ brilliant shades by pottery barn. even though you could buy them for about $99, it would be a fairly simple d.i.y. project too: just take almost any lampshade and hand-sew the cloths pins to it with an extra large needle using tight criss-cross stitches. what a bright idea!

if you've got a need for more shade for your patio or yard, for a construction project, then these awesome shade sails are for you! they can be stretched between trees, posts and buildings from the d-ring at each corner. the seamless extra wide fabric these are made from comes in seven colors. the same site also provides photos of residential installations, sample layouts and sells the installation hardware.

ok, these are kinda kitschy. but i think they could be a great smile-inducing addition to the right space....maybe in a pool-house bathroom, at a beach cafe or in a kids bedroom at a beach house? designed by toby sanders and found at his website: tobyhouse.

these beautiful copper shades are created in colorado by artist uriah beuller. found at parasoleil , they are made of pattern-cut copper in a 36”x 96” size, though custom panels can be made, too. and even better, the panels are green-certified with 90% recycled content... parasoleil has a choice of several patterns that can be cut into the panels, creating shadows and light in outdoor spaces. the copper material is low-maintenance for outdoors, as it will patina and last a lifetime without corroding.

colors of summer

2009-07-24T10:51:00.001-07:00

garden watered, baby fed, bicycle ridden, new sewing project started, and now it's time to pick some berries. . . . hope you're enjoying this glorious summertime day as much as i am!

look who's turning 10 {months that is}

2009-07-22T11:36:00.001-07:00

nowadays my sweet little peach is standing up, starting to crawl, getting a little more hair, and trying to pop a tooth or two thru. there is more joy in this wee bundle of baby than i ever thought possible. thank heavens for such tiny surprises and momentous discoveries!

20x200 finds

2009-07-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

{praia piquinia, by christian chaize}

{untitled thrift, by brian ulrich}

{nymphenburg, by greggory krum}

{arika, by dorthe alstrup}

all images are for sale at 20x200 ~ a place to find great art

lounge lizards live on

2009-07-17T14:05:00.001-07:00

over the last several weeks we've traveled all over oregon and down the coast through california to san francisco. we've had many wonderful celebrations {birthdays, weddings, & many dinner parties just because}; and we've also gone through some unfortunate situations {long traffic jams, and a baby peach falling & getting a bruise on her sweet head}. so now that we're back in the calm days of summer in the willamette valley, it's time to catch-up on blogging.

i've been dying to share this fantastic find with you:

lounge lizard on south east hawthrone street in portland oregon.

if you like vintage furnishings, cool sales people and a treasure trove of unique housey items, you absolutely must check out this shop.

looking up, the ceilings are full of glowing treasures the walls are covered in art and artifacts, like a crazy quilt in 3-d:

what a fabulous place to find the time

all this vintage eye-candy can make a lady swoon of course the shop's new favorite model is pint-sized

i imagined purchasing dozens of things, but left without a one. but believe you me, as soon as i get my new place to call home i'll be driving a big van over to lounge lizard & loading it up!

more photos of a few of my favorite items can be seen on my flickr set.

these are the days

2009-07-13T10:11:00.001-07:00

we've been traveling around and having lovely adventures....so blogging is way behind. will catch up when we're back home again! meanwhile, please check out these gorgeous photos from my birthday party, taken by mr. tom connard!

strawberry tales

2009-06-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

we've been picking a lot of strawberries around here ~ and eating them hand over fist! there are few better flavors in this world than a fresh picked organic strawberry.

alesia is now 9 months old and strawberries have become her favorite food. although seen here she's trying out a leaf, believe me she eats tons of the berries too.
this is about 14 pounds of strawberries ~ and we picked this many two different times. the first 14 went by way too fast so we just had to go back for more. now we've got yummy jams and bags full of whole berries in the freezer to remind us of early summer deliciousness when it's cold and grey.

alesia just loves being outside {she joins me in our gardens almost every day for sunshine playtimes} and she had a ball at the strawberry fields. as you can see, she's very fair skinned {just like her mama}. i try to keep hats on her, but now she pulls them off immediately, so i slather her head in sunscreen too. i must tell you i am a very lucky lady ~ alesia is one fantastic dream baby. she has a wonderful sense of humor and even though she's teething she is always an absolute pleasure to have around.

and the fruits of our labor ~ if you can even call it labor. we actually loved every minute of it. especially the snacking!
these wonderful strawberry adventures were had at the greengable gardens outside philomath oregon {right near mary's river grange}. their strawberry season is short and sweet. very sweet. so if you're in the area it's definitely worth the visit!

dennis king woodworking now on etsy!

2009-06-19T15:14:00.000-07:00

my brother-in-law's etsy shop {dennis king woodworking} is open and ready for business! solid wood, eco-friendly children's furniture that's extremely well made with a nice mix of country & contemporary styling. it's actually a family effort with me designing and painting the items and dennis doing all the wood working. we've had a ball working together and are really excited about the results.the tables are big enough for all types of kid's projects and play things while sized just right for a child's perspective. they are designed with a center console for storing art supplies and other sundries. they come with painted bases or plain wood finish. the tops are made from blue pine ~ that's what gives them the lovely greyish striping. all are 100% solid wood with non-toxic finishes {no-voc paint, all natural citrus-based finishing oils} the chairs are multi-faceted and can serve as seating, step stool and storage. they can be sold individually or as modular groups for a fun and functional storage and seating solution in one. as with the tables they are 100% solid blue-pine wood and can come with painted interiors or plain wood finish. either way, they are non-toxic with no-voc paints and all natural citrus-based finishing oils.

please jump on over to etsy to check out dennis king woodworking ~ and maybe buy a few items for the creative kids in your life! everything is made to order and fully customizable to the sizes you need. . . . .

oh, and have a wonderful weekend while you're at it!

lucky elizabeth

2009-06-18T15:17:00.000-07:00

in response to my last post, dear elizabeth in washington {of the working artist blog} sent me some photos of her creative work space. wow. what an incredible place to be creative in! she does pottery, painting and even hosts milongas there. not only is it a wonderful art space it's a completely separate building from her house, so she can really get away and focus on her art whenever she pleases. now that is taking the where-women-create concept to a whole new level!
elizabeth offered the wise advice to not wait for the perfect space to start doing good work. and boy do i know that well! i've been making wonderful things in very meager, make-shift work spaces all my life. so every once in a while i enjoy taking a moment to fantasize what it would be like to be creative in a perfectly well suited, beautiful space. lucky elizabeth has just that! thanks so much for sharing with us e!

where do you create?

2009-06-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

over the weekend i found a fabulously inspiring magazine called "where women create".
from their homepage: whether it’s art, food, music, written works or choreographed dances, extraordinary women know that the process of creating is as important as what ultimately gets created.
amen. three cheers. holy yes.
after this fine discovery i decided to research some of these well-intentioned spaces that women had created for their great works to be envisioned and realized. i've been yearning for such a space of my very own and i find it entirely inspiring to see what others have done. little sparks fly in my brain at the very thought of being able to work in some of these incredible spaces. just see if you don't get some sparks too after seeing these:

{i'm ready to jump into this photo and start making something lovely right now! julochka is a lucky lady}

{this one gets a thumbs-up for packing in the most amount of creative supplies into the smallest space. it's like beatsfantastic said to herself, "i've got one tiny corner and i will have my creative workspace, damnit!" well done lady!}

{i like this one from chelstastic not only for the well-organized bookshelves but for the inclusion of baby goodies ~ the reality of being a mama is you've got tons of baby entertainment items everywhere mingled with your grown-up stuff.}

{this cheery little sewing corner is for my dear friend jenni ~ totally reminds me of you girl! alison rose, where ever you are, you should join our club!}

{what a fun studio the sweet sweet life has made for herself! i really like this carnival theme}

{and sometimes all you need is a glorious sunshiney morning, and some gorgeous green shutters, to get your creative juices flowing! lucotinha wins for the best creative makings room i've ever seen. by the way, there's a train that runs right outside this window.....somewhere in brazil. me, oh my!}

want more? check out these hot groups on flickr {thank the heavens for flickr!}
creative spaces
creative workspace
craft rooms
operation: sewing room organization
handmade spaces

and what about you? do you have such a space you'd like to share with me? it's still on my wish list to manifest the perfect creative space, so until i can make it happen i'll gladly live vicariously through you! please share fine ladies {& gents, too of course!}

{many thanks to jubella for the top 3 photos on the "where women create magazine"}

directionless bliss

2009-06-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

i so needed to find this today. thanks wordboner, you rock.

hope you have a joyfully directionless weekend!

summer readin' happenned so fast

2009-06-08T18:43:00.000-07:00

sometimes books come along that are so great you must pass them along to friends....so i hope you'll enjoy some of these suggestions along with me this summer!

first up, my dear friend scott brizel's book is almost out on the shelves: audrey hepburn, international cover girl. he has an amazing collection of vintage audrey memorabilia and he is a live-encycolpedia of audrey info, so i'm thrilled to announce his accomplishment is ready to buy. go here to pre-order! mine is already on the way. yes!

next up, are 3 incredible design lover's must-haves:
villa by the extraordinary john saladino, interior design hall of fame member. saladino came across the ruins of a 1920's italianate stone villa overlooking the pacific in santa barbara, california. divided into four sections {architecture, interiors, landscape, and entertaining ~ this last part including dinner menus and recipes} the book is beautifully illustrated. i so want to visit here!a dream of mine is to buy rundown property and turn it into fabulous living space that uplifts the new owners and the neighborhood. robert & cortney novogratz have not only done this with amazing style but they've written a book about it to share their best ideas. downtown chic is one of my newest faves ~ from wreck to ravishing? hell yeah! it doesn't get much more inspiring than that.
and then there's green design which brings a new perspective on showing how the design world is coping with the environmental challenges of the 21st-century. written by london-based marcus fairs, a lecturer, entrepreneur, curator and award-winning journalist, formerly founding editor of icon magazine, is now editor of online design magazine dezeen.
last but not least, my former employer's book is out on the shelves as of last month and although i haven't purchased it yet, i plan to with my next gov't bonus check. ;o) orlando diaz-azcuy as seen through the words of that knower of all things design, diane dorrans saeks. i think it's a MUST!

whats new at new ravenna?

2009-05-26T10:25:00.000-07:00

many very nice tiles are coming out of new ravenna these days. . . . actually that's how it's always been, but i just wanted to bring them to your attention now that the greys and whites are kicking it up a notch. if only i had a bathroom to redesign right now i'd be jumping all over these beauties!

oh yes, and also: new ravenna's lead design maven, sara baldwin, has started blogging right here:

more gorgeous tiles and info abounding!

time to move

2009-05-25T09:43:00.000-07:00

{thanks jendita for the intro!}

time travels

2009-05-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

having few words worth sharing right now, i offer you a visual story to contemplate:

sf decorator's showcase house 2009

2009-05-12T10:16:00.000-07:00

this year is the first since moving to san francisco that i won't be going to the decorator's showcase house. boo! not only is this showcase a fabulous way to see what some local designers can do when put to the test, but it's also one of the only ways to see some incredible old-school san francisco residential architecture. so i have always enjoyed seeing these homes from the inside as much as seeing what the designers do within each of their choosen rooms. this year the house is 2830 pacific avenue ~ built in 1910 by architect nathaniel baisdell, it is a four-story 10,000 square foot mansion in pacific heights with gorgeous views and beautiful georgian-style brick exterior architecture.
alas, instead of forming my own opinions through my own eyes, i've had to dive into the blogs of others to get a sneak peak through some one else's lense. even still, there are some interesting and inspiring interiors worth sharing with you:

first up is the entry foyer by nicole hollis

obviously "collections" is a theme nicole chose, shown on the stairwell above and in the unfortunate taxidermy case below:

orlando diaz-azcuy designed the formal dining room {yes, he's my former employer}. i really like the color palette but wouldn't feel comfortable dining underneath a bladed fixture like that and it could be awkward to speak to the person sitting directly across from you with all those vases blocking your view:

the breakfast nook and family room were designed by matthew leverone. i love his choices for both spaces ~ fresh, chic, surprising and yet simple enough to be very liveable and enjoyable for every day use.

the teenager's bedroom by palmer weiss ~ the perfect blend of hip and traditional with a young-at-heart theme:

the master suite by cecil starin ~ masculine and soothing with a neutral palette:

"her study" was designed by benjamin dhong ~ gorgeous & very creative:

if you'd like to attend, the decorator's showcase house is open until may 25th. please let me know if you visit it and what you think!

if you're unable to attend here's a link to the video tour on the california home + design website. enjoy!

{thanks to anh minh , the sunset blog and california home + design for the photos!}

what's been given

2009-05-10T11:32:00.001-07:00

people have always said my mom and i look a lot alike. i suppose the proof is in the pudding ~ and your pudding is the photo pairing above. {that's my mama on the left in 1945, and me on the right in 1975.} growing up i didn't like this similarity because i wanted to be *just me* {yes, i was a very independent girl}, but now that i'm older i don't think it's so bad. . . . . she has aged incredibly well ;o)
although it's true she has nary a grey hair and skin that looks 20 years younger than she is, of course my appreciation goes way beyond any physical attributes i may have inherited. generosity, thoughtfulness, craftiness, musicality, supportiveness, and being a very good friend are all things i'm so grateful to my mother for giving me. and now that i am a mama too, i can hope with all hopes to be as wonderful a mother as mine has been for me.
and, my darling daughter, i hope to give you the ability to see rightly what is true and good, full awareness of your sublime beauty, unfaltering respect for your inner divine nature, and the ability to laugh deeply and often.

{alesia at 7 mo's ~ and wearing the beautiful dress sent all the way from paris by sweetheart tara!}

pretty paper cut-outs from leptitpapillon

2009-05-08T17:35:00.000-07:00

i just discovered this fabulously talented lady via print & pattern: the butter flying is her blog and her etsy shop is here.
she's a french designer based in montreal, who creates incredible treats out of paper. her skills are like buttah!

the dogwoods are in full bloom!

2009-05-07T11:06:00.000-07:00

i happened to drive by this gorgeousness yesterday and my heart skipped a beat. so i immediately braked, u-turned, and jumped out of my car to snap a few shots. dogwoods are one of my favorite flowering trees. there's something so satisfying and comforting in the rounded, voluptuous, heart-shaped petals so perfectly encircling a little confetti ball of bliss.

james taylor + carly simon = ben

2009-05-07T10:54:00.000-07:00

jenni is my music connection diva. and she has come through BIG . . . . introducing me to ben taylor. and it was love at first sound.
you can find tons of great music and performances of his on youtube, imeem, et al. but here is a really great sample to get you started:

Time of the Season - Ben Taylor Band

a counterpoint to the latest dismal world news

2009-05-02T11:42:00.000-07:00

this fantastic choreographic joy was just sent to me ~ filmed at central station in antwerp. it's uplifting to see such happy connecting radiate through the station like wild-fire. i realize it's mostly staged but there are tons of people taken by surprise who join in too, in spite of themselves. this will put a spring in your step.....just see if you can resist it!

baby name suggestions all-call

2009-05-01T10:04:00.000-07:00

update: a name has been chosen!niana faith

{nee-ah-nuh}

i found it researching exotic names and maps ~ it's an old town in mali, in western africa.

thanks so much to everyone for all your great suggestions!

oh dear friends of the blogiverse ~ my family needs your help!

my sister & bro-in-law are having a very difficult time deciding on names for their brand new daughter. the two they had originally prepared don't quite seem to fit now that they can see their little bundle of joy in person. they have asked me to help, but so far nothing i've come up with has been it either.

and so, i'm sending it out to all of you for more suggestions. the middle & last names are determined. so far she is _____ faith king.

as you may know, her sister's name is ilia grace king {pronounced eye-lee-uh}, just as an additional reference point for suggestions.

if you could please leave comments here we'd all be ever so grateful!

i'll pass along your suggestions immediately to the new mommy & daddy and will let you all know as soon as they've made a decision.

xxoo!

{niana photo by me; name plates photo by the idealist; whats in a name photo by jack dorsey}

a little dose of tango inspiration

2009-04-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

i am so excited by this incredible adorable fantastic male-duo tango performance that i had to share it with you right away . . . . click it, you won't be disappointed. i promise!

{thanks to ms.heartbreak-tango for the head's up}

i saw god today

2009-04-29T10:01:00.001-07:00

witnessing the birth of a brand new being into this world is pretty much the most incredible thing a person can experience. i experienced it for the first time myself when i had my daughter, and less than a year later i have now gotten to experience it again with being at my new niece's birth. i am truly awe-struck at this moment of the divine meeting the human, of the transformation from entirely internal and mysterious into the external and curious. my new niece {she doesn't have a name just yet}, born on april 27th at 10:23am, after a very intense 12 hours of labor, weighed in at 7 lbs-11 oz and was 21-1/2" long. no doubt she'll be tall thin & beautiful just like her parents and her older sister.now alesia isn't the smallest one in the room anymore. . . . and she's very excited to have a new playmate!
boy, howdy, aren't we all.
welcome to the world, sweet baby-girl king. the world is such a better place now that you're in it!

tinkering

2009-04-25T12:35:00.001-07:00

please excuse the mess/confusion around my little swellspring ~ i'm making some layout changes and it's taking more time than it might otherwise. . . .what with the sweetest-pea ever beckoning my attention, are you surprised?
{image by *louise*}

find your great work

2009-04-25T10:12:00.000-07:00

i've found a nice little boost ~ and so i must share it in hopes it'll give you a boost too! i don't know about you, but i have about 1000 creative/entrepreneurial ideas i explore partially, but rarely do they amount to a hill of beans. sometimes i get bogged down by the procrastination bug, sometimes i get too busy doing other things to follow through {i.e. raising a baby girl}, sometimes things just fizzle for no apparent reason. however, when i do complete some creative project or endeavor i get a big rush of "hell-yes, i did it!" and suddenly wonder why i don't just do it all the time. well now i've found a new source of motivation ~ the great work blog.ok, so some parts might be a bit to corporate cheerleader to apply, but still, it's nice to have another source for inspiration to keep my chin-up, my thinking cap on, and my hands busy with my next great thing. besides, that top poster is pretty much awesome for any creative diva wouldn't you say? here's to finding your great work!

{images courtesy of michael bungay stanier; first found on paris parfait}

about that vampire house in twilight

2009-04-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

unlike just about everybody these days, i didn't read the twilight books. but i did have a lovely afternoon with my best diva friend watching the movie {dvd}, in pj's and chillaxin'. although i thought it was a mediocre film {gasp! how could i say such a thing & risk the sneers of teen vampire admirers everywhere??}, the main thing that stood-out as fantastic to me was the cullen house ~ the house where the vampire family lived, supposedly in the woods near forks, washington. this house is a beautiful architectural and design marvel of modern styling made to fit elegantly well in the woods; and i'm ready to move in! it's been a nice little quest to figure out where this house is truly located and who designed it. how can i live in it if i don't even know where it is??
low and behold, this beauty is actually located near portland, oregon and was designed by a star-studded pacific northwest team: skylab architecture. originally set as a spec home it was quickly purchased up by one of the owners of nike. darn! i'll keep my eyes out for it to go on the market again. ;o)
in real life it's called the hoke house and the genius behind it is named jeff kovel. this guy pretty much rocks every project he's ever done. . . . maybe he's looking for a design assistant? i am so impressed with his vision and style, and this hoke house is one great example of just what jeff can do. to learn more about jeff and his portfolio, and more about the hoke/cullen house, check out this fabulous interview on design tavern.

and to continue with the house tour, do ya wanna peek inside?? ah, yeah, of course you do:gorgeous, gorgeous, and more gorgeous!
it occurred to me after doing the research for this post that maybe it's already been blogged to death? i have been so out of the blog-loop the last several months. . . .so my apologies if this is so yesterday. i am truly inspired by skylab's incredible work in this house and the photos all make me smile, so i'm blogging it no matter how many others have done so before me. ;o)
{photos found on skylab's websit e & on design-tavern}

to cheer you

2009-04-15T11:48:00.001-07:00

i know some one who could use some cheering-up,
so i made a little photo montage to brighten your day and lighten your thoughts.
onward and upward!

sew satisfied

2009-04-13T15:41:00.000-07:00

i recently completed a nice little sewing project, using the fabric stacked above, for a teen-inspired entertainment room i redesigned. everything turned out so well, that i'm hoping to make a habit of sewing custom pieces for clients going forward. it's a great way to add a unique touch to an interiors project and really make it my own. plus, it often costs less for me to make pillows and window treatments than it is to buy them at a shop, so it's a win-win for my clients! i chose the fabrics and created the pattern for all six pillows and three window valances ~ all of which are made with washable, fade-resistant fabrics. . . . . simple and contemporary with a bit of whimsy for the teen sensibility, don't you think? hopefully soon i'll have some photos of these beauties in the new room to share too!

dance up close in mill valley

2009-04-13T15:28:00.000-07:00

oh i'm excited about this one! there's a very special dance performance coming soon that'll give you a rare opportunity to be up close & personal with some very incredible dancers. {printz dance project plus some other powerhouse performers!}
tickets are really affordable {sliding scale $5-$15} and the location is adorable....
just across the golden gate at roco dance & fitness in mill valley
may 8th at 8:30pm & may 9th at both 6:30pm & 8:30pm

what a good day.....

2009-04-10T10:34:00.001-07:00

.....to start blogging again!
as you might have presumed by now, i have been extremely distracted with all the changes in my life and i just couldn't keep-up with blogging. but, as you can see from the lovely little flower fairy above, i have good reason. with the new season of spring upon us and easter being only a couple days away, i just wanted to pop on here with an update and some spring cheer to share!

first off, is the subject of seating:
here is a lovely little toddler bench i designed & had built with my father. yes, i had it built locally in my dad's woodshop. see i'm a very lucky designer, because i have a very talented carpenter father who can make anything out of wood. any thing. he is an elite member of a rare breed of woodworker ~ he is a true craftsman. i have been reeling with ideas of furniture for him to make {and hopefully someday to sell}! here is the first of our father-daughter projects together ~ i think it turned out really well.it's a solid oak bench/step-stool, sized just right for a toddler. being solid wood, it's not super light-weight, but i think that is a very good thing so it won't go tumbling over when a toddler climbs all over it. it has a handle space in the back for easy mobility and it has an open space beneath the seat for putting special things that need their very own place. it's a clean & simple design, and would fit well in many styles of home decor. know anyone who might want one?

also on the subject of seating, i have been loving going to flea markets lately. here is one of my fabulous finds, or should i say two:
i don't know what it is about this fresh & funky vinyl, but i love it! i mean, really, how could you not be cheered up in the morning sipping coffee & fresh squeezed juice while you're sitting on one of these happy chairs?!?!

second subject, is the subject of home. for those of you who haven't heard, i'm doing a fun little dance between two very wonderful, but very different, places..... san francisco and corvallis. i won't dive into the details of my west coast bounce, but suffice it to say i am loving both places very much. what can i say, i am a true town & country girl.

{at coit tower on top of telegraph hill, a couple weeks ago}

{walking at bald hill outside corvallis two days ago}

we love the sunshine and all this springtime splendor, and we hope you're enjoying all the rejuvenation and fresh sweetness of the season!

{photo of a & a taken by the incredible jeff zender}

the green home center

2009-02-12T10:48:00.001-08:00

i finally got a chance to visit the green home center on polk street and am so glad i did! this is a very inspiring place for me because ever since i did a school project on designing a green design center i've been dreaming about being able to own one. it was fabulous to see one up and running and doing really well. the green home center is a co-op of many different green-oriented businesses from contractors & interior designers to home-related products & other services. there are cabinet makers, upholstery & rug makers, solar engineers, tile & countertop farbicators, flooring manufacturers, led lighting, and so much more. really if you're at all interested in anything sustainable for your home or office you must stop in and check them out. what's more, the people working there are extremely knowledgeable and helpful ~ not pretentious in the least, which is a relief after spending so much time at the sf design center where i'm perpetually unimpressed with the sales people's attitudes. but that is a tangent not worth digging in to.... anyway, i'm just on the cusp of starting my own green design business {admitting it here is kind of intimidating, but i'll just take the leap and say it anyway!} and spending time at the green home center was thoroughly uplifting and encouraging. i hope you'll stop in and visit them soon too. if you do please tell them studio wellspring sent you and then let me know what you think!

polyvore amore

2009-02-04T17:54:00.000-08:00

do you like to browse for interesting images? do you like to make collages? do like to research all types of products? do you like to share collections you make? if you answered "yes" to any of these questions then polyvore is for you. i can't even begin to tell you how elated i am to have found this website. i just spent 300 hours playing around on there and i could easily do 300 more if it wasn't time to go make some supper. basically it gives you the ability to search through thousands of images to create collage collections with any theme and subject you can dream up and then share them with others. plus it gives you exact product information on every single image in its database, so if you love something enough to want to buy it, you're good to go. just look at the fun i made in the last couple hours.....seriously folks this site rocks!

meet mimosa ~ pantone's color of 2009

2009-01-24T09:38:00.000-08:00

pantone has chosen a warm yellow shade to represent optimism and positivity in an uncertain economy. this year, the design industry’s authority on professional color selected number 14-0848, a warm yellow, as their annual hue, symbolizing optimism in an evolving global market.
"the color yellow exemplifies the warmth and nurturing quality of the sun, properties we as humans are naturally drawn to for reassurance," explains leatrice eiseman, executive director of the pantone color institute®. "mimosa also speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation."
best illustrated by the abundant flowers of the mimosa tree and the sparkle of the brilliantly hued cocktail, the 2009 color of the year represents the hopeful and radiant characteristics associated with the color yellow. mimosa is a versatile shade that coordinates with any other color, has appeal for men and women, and translates to both fashion and interiors. look for women's accessories, home furnishings, active sportswear and men's ties and shirts in this vibrant hue.

{umbrella image by jennifer.leigh}

{rex ray at sold at cb2}

{lamp photo by xgray}

{vases photo by brauseholic}

{mod room photo from beauty mist}

{nouvelle boheme photo found on gipsy bazaar}

{photos by the sartorialist}

and this color just so happens to match shambhala's great eastern sun banner perfectly!

{photo by hjem}

trying to catch up

2009-01-16T15:43:00.000-08:00

new post, new post!

oh my, how did an entire month go by without me updating my swellspring?

what with christmas, visiting family, new years, road tripping from oregon to san francisco, getting laid off {while on maternity leave, imagine that!}, designing myself a website and raising a newborn, my blog has kind of taken a back burner. so this is just a triage post, to let you know i'm still alive, and to try to get us caught up.

so what's new & noteworthy.....

{alesia's new quilt made by her grandma....and she's 3 months old now, by the way}

{a new addition to my family: a mini cooper in peacock teal! ultra-fabulous! i took this photo at a look-out point on highway 101 on the oregon coast with one of my most favorite spots in the world in the background: heceta head lighthouse}

{alesia's 1st tango lesson, with none other than my favorite tango teacher, ney melo, at his studio tango vida. also note jennifer bratt's incredible collection of come-il-faut shoes displayed in the background....jewels for your feet!}

{speaking of feet....i'm able to wear hottie heels again, and am loving it. oh and i've only got about 5 more pounds to go until i'm back at pre-pregnancy weight. phew!}

{my first manhattan since getting pregnant. it was a long time comin' and i loved every sip!}

{i got a new queen mattress set & alesia got a new bumbo.... moms if you haven't heard of the bumbo baby seat trust me and go get it right away. it is the best baby docking station i've found so far. so now both alesia and i have new comfy places to chill ~ ahhh!}

{vicente wolf's book "crossing boundaries, a global vision of design" is a new favorite that i highly recommend ~ lots of design eye candy and gorgeous photographs from all over the world, madagascar to myanmar}

what's new with you? goodness gracious i've missed blogging, and i've missed you!

snow birds

2008-12-19T09:16:00.000-08:00

not sure if you've heard that the pacific northwest has been turned into a winter wonderland, but let me tell you it's a snow queen's delight every where i look. i'm up here for the holidays with family and we are officially snowed in again today. it's beautiful and quiet ~ i love snow: the sounds, the sights, the smells of it. when i go out walking the last couple days i've found some really lovely images. one of which is of little tiny bird prints hopping around in the snow {i think it must be from the quails}. this got me inspired to share some nice bird items with you, as well as some of the photos i took.{our back door view}

{sea birds tea towel at green with glamour }

{birdy pillow made by jennyjen }

{bird floor lamps at fusion home}

{viva terra's glass bird vases}

{bird doorbell cover at flopping fish}

{wisteria's bird tealight holder}

{my personal favorite snow birdie, alesia}

as the sun sets on this lovely sight i hope you're all staying cozy & warm where ever you are!

spreading joy, seeking inspiration

2008-12-05T11:47:00.000-08:00

alesia's first grin captured on camera. . . . and my first christmas gift. so i just had to share the joy with y'all too. things have been busy over here with alesia learning to feed from a bottle, playing with new toys, and starting to explore the big world more & more. such an incredible thing to witness. here are a few images of her going's on:

{dreaming apple dumpling sweetness}

{so curious about the world all around}

i've been enjoying the holidays with my family and trying to get motivated to do something with my life other than being 100% focused on my bundle of joy. exploring the oregon coast & the oregon woods is always a blissful sensory experience and is filling me with inspiration for things to come......

{two photos i took of our table at thanksgiving, centerpiece made with found treasures from around my parent's property}

{two photos i took high atop cape perpetua on misty mystical day that rejuvenated like no other}

thanks for the love

2008-11-29T08:45:00.000-08:00

happy thanksgiving lovely friends! i am over-flowing with gratitude for so many things this year, and the connections i've made through the blogging community are certainly on the list. i hope you're enjoying the holiday with much love surrounding you.

{photo by the wonderful fernando graphicos}

the selby

2008-11-20T15:59:00.000-08:00

todd selby brings quirky creative fun & startling awareness of his subjects into the art of photography. he shows vibrant moods of interesting artist folk in their creative spaces. . . .and the inspiration that springs forth is insatiable.

his site is here

and here are just a few of my faves from it:

takashimaya

2008-11-09T12:30:00.001-08:00

takashimaya of new york has some very fantastic items available ~ refined japanese style and ecclectic lovely french style come together in one shop. . . . . enjoy!

dawning of a new era

2008-11-06T13:16:00.000-08:00

we had a huge election night party at our house ~ full of the excitement of many very good & very hopeful people. we laughed, cheered, cried, hugged, danced, & drank no less than 15 bottles of champagne.

it feels like dark clouds have parted & america is all shiny & new. and having the privilege of calling barack obama our next president is a new beginning, not an end point. we can become more involved than ever and help his new administration accomplish the herculean task of fixing all the mess we are currently in. it's something i look very forward to. and i'm so elated that my daughter gets to have obama and all he stands for for the first 4 {maybe even 8} years of her life.
i am the most proud to be an american that i've ever been.

{top photo taken by jenni, bottles by me}

halloween sweets

2008-11-02T11:44:00.000-08:00

hello darling blogging friends! i suppose it's no surprise that i've been quite absent lately. it won't stay this way forever, i promise, but just until i get the space & inspiration back to blog regularly. which i feel is going to be soon. very soon. but for now i want to share with you my little halloween peach. . . . .

yes, alesia was a peach for halloween. i suppose that's no surprise either, but i couldn't resist. i hope you had a festive & fun all hallow's eve, and i look forward to slowly getting back involved in the blogiverse and seeing what you've all been up to. happy november too ~ i can't believe it's november already! xxoo!

printz dance project home season 2008

2008-10-15T13:41:00.000-07:00

i'm coming out of the new mommy hibernation to help spread the word for a fantastic dance performance coming to fort mason's cowell theater in san francisco early november.....
several of my dearest friends are in it and i'm on the board of directors, so printz dance project is near and dear to my heart. it will certainly capture yours too, with this ecclectic, energetric, and moving show. special guests will be joining them this year, coming all the way from ireland. they'll be doing some of their own work as well as some collaborative pieces ~ a fusion of american modern dance & hip-hop with traditional irish step dancing. it's really an incredible dance company, filled with very talented performers and very easy to adore dance, so i hope you'll give yourself the treat to come out and see it.

the peach named alesia

2008-09-25T15:42:00.000-07:00

in case you're wondering what's happenned to ms.swellspring. . . . the stork came to visit a month early. . . . .alesia marie was born on september 22 at 2:10 am ~ 5 lbs 11 oz and 18" long. both mama & baby are very happy and healthy. thanks to everyone for all your stunning kindness & support through this momentous life changing event.

p.s. her name is pronounced with a "lacy" in the middle

september allure

2008-09-19T10:17:00.000-07:00

suddenly it feels like the seasons are starting to shift. september is a glorious month of harvest and learning and shifting gears. and with so much bounty to look forward to this fall i'm welcoming the new season with open arms. i collected some inspiration for this time of year from all around our fabulous internet to share with you {please click on collage to enlarge} . . . . . . a feather mobile made by caitlin keegan, an old timey kitchen found on for the love of country, a red bicycle bag made by kate durkin, the wandering waif outfit made {& given away for free} by grosgrain, some pretty books photographed by kay loves vintage, handmade honey bee soap by amethyst soap, gorgeous handmade pottery by christiane perrochon, a collection of bird cards from bird vs bird, peep toe pumps by prada, and a fall inspired photo by shining egg.
hope y'all have a sanguine september weekend!

oh, to live in a barn

2008-09-18T09:39:00.001-07:00

if you've been a studio wellspring reader for a while you'll know i have this thing for barns turned in to homes. whenever i see one i get weak in the knees. it's a long time dream of mine {we're talking i've been drawing up floor plans on graph paper since 6th grade} to use modern interior design in a vintage barn. so it's always incredibly inspiring to see what others have done with similar dreams ~ to see how ingenius their concept is, or to imagine how i'd do things differently. lately i've stumbled across several great resources for aquiring & moving barns, renovating barns & decorating in barn-house style.

first off, the barn pages ~ it lists more than 200 barns for sale, which are priced according to condition. most of the barns need to be moved from the land they're on ~ which is just fine, since often barns are located in an out-of-the-way place without easy access to utilities & such. so you can buy a barn and have it disassembled and shipped to a more desired location, where it can be put back together again. or you can just use the barn timber to build something new. it's a fantastic recycling concept, isn't it?

for help with the restoration and reassembly of barns, check out the barn people in vermont, berkshire barns in massachusetts, and the new jersey barn company. they've all been dismantling, restoring and reassembling vintage barns for over twenty-five years. even if your favorite barn isn't in the north east, they would still be great resources for any project location.

for lots of lovely barn related decor items & furnishings, the barn house blog is a lovely place to visit.

and to take part in a blogger's project of turning a barn into a modern home, check out bare hill barn ~ it's fascinating.
lastly, some eye candy from the barn pages:

bamboozled ~ in a good way

2008-09-16T10:37:00.000-07:00

besides the ever popular & beautiful use of bamboo for flooring, many designers have found other lovely ways to utilize the versatility of this material. whether you're looking for exotic one-of-a-kind furnishings, an asian-island motif, or chic contemporary style, bamboo can shine in any setting. just take a look at some of the fantastic finds i've gathered. . . . .

{ok, a bit wild, but definitely will be an eye-catching and noteworthy piece on the patio or sun porch ~ the yoda sectional sofa from janus et cie}

{seascape woven bamboo pendant found at velocity is simple, soft & entirely lovely ~ it almost has a mid-century modern feel to it}

{this elegant venetian bamboo leg table from wisteria is both chic and refined}

{yum! bamboo bowls & spoons from viva terra}

{sleek and modern, the jimbaran coffee table oval by sueno studio}

{hearty and beautiful bamboo vessel sink at stone forest}

{bamboo stick screen from bamboo54 is perfect for that tommy bahama look}

{bamboo fiber textiles by donghia ~ just one of many examples using bamboo fibers to create functional fabrics for upholstery, drapes and decor}

{contemporary style with island whimsy ~ eric brand's bamboo credenza through thomas lavin}

{solid bamboo chest at ecodesignz is a great beauty for form and function}

{the ornate black throne chair by dan marty design would bring regal and sleek styling to any room}

{the bamboo-inspired meurice chandelier by jonathan adler, actually made of nickel. mr.adler has several more pieces in this line ~ all of them equally as fabulous}

making friday fresh with beatrice peltre

2008-09-12T11:02:00.000-07:00

beatrice peltre is the author of the award-winning food blog la tartine gourmand and she works as a freelance food writer, food stylist and food photographer. she has a fantastic eye for making beautiful images and her passion for her work is evident in her myriad successes. i adore her work and find it incredibly inspiring.

in her own words "as a photographer and stylist, i am a fond observer of the beauty found in life, nature and the natural shapes of food. my work witnesses my attachment and interest in art under all forms." and her talent is instantly addicting ~ the more i see of her work the more i want to see.

i have a dear friend who is going through some serious soul searching to decide what course she wants her life to take next. she's been a school teacher for many years now but the lack of funding, growing restrictions & tensions, and lack of support from parents & administrators alike has taken its toll and yet another fantastic public school teacher in california is ready to call it quits. but what to do instead? where to turn? one must make a living. . . . . but how can that be done while also adoring what you do?

i think the answer lies within beatrice peltre's fine example. she loves art, she loves to travel, she loves photography, she loves food, and she loves sharing beauty. plus she's so gosh darn talented she can't help herself but to be admired. hmmm. . . . that sounds familiar. this perfectly describes my teacher, soul-searching friend. to a t. and we can all learn something from this actually ~ let's feel encouraged to pursue our passions and not give up trying to earn a decent living while we do so. it is possible. if beatrice can then so can you.

hope you have a pursuit of passions weekend my friends!

something's lost and something's gained

2008-09-11T14:48:00.000-07:00

for everyone who lost something precious on this day 7 years ago. . . . . honoring, loving, remembering. . . . with still hearts of gratitude for what once was.

but let us not just move on and learn nothing from such horrific tragedy. this is a great lesson in how to accept impermanence, embrace each other, practice forgiveness, understand our connectedness and seek truth genuinely. nothing can happen to you that doesn't also happen to me. nothing can be done to me that isn't also done to you. in the words of a wise man "we are our brother's keepers. we are our sister's keepers."

i keep you in my heart and mind as warming memories and as reminders for how to live in the moment with more compassion and more understanding each day.

bay area architectural voyeurs.....

2008-09-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

the sf chronicle has nicely listed all the home tours available this fall for those of us living in the bay area, so i thought it might inspire some of us {i.e. yours truly} to go to some this year if i posted about it here too. there are a lot of compelling options with different themes. . . . from historical victorians to ultra modern homes with living roofs ~ something for nearly every house voyeur taste.

and the best part is the tours are benefitting worthy causes such as children’s enrichment programs, architectural preservation, and families in need.

here's the schedule of tours:

sept. 13-14: american institute of architects' san francisco chapter home tours weekend
sept. 20: junior league's "a day by the bay" house tours
sept. 11-15 and sept. 18-22: dickens house design tour
sept. 28: alameda legacy home tour
oct. 5: shades of green home and garden tour
oct. 19: victorian alliance's fall house tour

and here's a sneak peak at just some of the homes you can get inside of:

{all photos from sfgate}

p.s. i'm also counting down the days until the cas opening {17 to be exact} ~ oooh, so much anticipation for the spectaculars within! for those who don't know: the california academy of sciences is the only place in the world with an aquarium, a planetarium and a natural history museum all under one roof. and the best part is: it's a platinum-level leed certified architectural & design marvel. talk about instant adoration, before i've even stepped foot inside!

spoonflower power

2008-09-09T09:08:00.000-07:00

my friend, tom, sent over a link to a wonderful concept company that's still in its beta form ~ spoonflower. thanks to a group of inspired folks in chapel hill, north carolina, spoonflower is an answer to a huge void in the crafter-designer-artist market: giving us all the ability to design and make our very own fabric. yes! for a reasonable price you can have your very own designs printed onto fabric. how wonderful is that?!? all you have to do is create a design, make it into a tif file, and send it off to spoonflower to print onto 44" 100% kona® cotton fabric {a 2nd choice of fabric will be available soon}.

from their website: "spoonflower exists to give crafters a powerful tool for expressing their creative visions using fabric. it gives individuals the power to print their own designs on fabric that they can then use to make quilts, clothes, pillows, blankets, framed textile art and many, many other things that might surprise you."
they have a nice little blog and a great flickr group.

i snagged some of my favorite projects from their flickr group to share with & inspire you here:

my last flight as one

2008-09-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

today i'm flying up to oregon to attend a baby shower given to the peach & me by my wonderful family & friends. needless to say, i'm giddy with excitement! this morning it dawned on me that this is my last flight without a child to come along with me. {i'm only flying one way because we are road tripping back to sf with the antique cradle & changing table my dad so lovingly restored for the peach}. and that thought led to the intense realization that soon almost everything i do and everywhere i go will be with another tiny human being as my companion. i have really been enjoying pregnancy and have had the distinct feeling it's so much easier being pregnant with the lil' one all taken care of easily inside my tummy, than to have the baby on the outside with all her needs requiring a whole new set of skills from me. i'm not quite sure if i'll be up to the task. it's the biggest challenge i've faced so far. by far. but i have a lot of wise and generous people around me to learn from ~ my own mom of course, but also my sister, my aunts, my cousins, and several of my friends have all become mothers. and i know with their advice and love we'll be in very good hands on this new adventure.
i am looking very forward to sitting on my parent's porch, sipping a cool beverage, and basking in the joy of so many family members and old friends gathered together to celebrate this brand new life who's rapidly approaching her big debut. ahh, these are the days, my friends. . . . .
i hope you have a joyful & love-filled weekend too!

{top & bottom portraits of me taken by the extremely talented femme fotographie. please go here to see more, & to find out how you can be the star of her photographic talents too}

magilicious day

2008-09-04T11:56:00.000-07:00

today i'm celebrating my dear friend maggie ~ all gorgeous 6 feet of her! i celebrate her & our friendship more than she knows, but seeing as how today is her birthday and all, it deserves an extra special mention that she is a continual source of reasons to celebrate. her enthusiasm and beauty are so invigorating and her ability to listen and be supportive are so encouraging. she lights up rooms, brightens up lives, and illuminates the humorous in everything. i am so grateful for her friendship and can't wait to see what wonderful things the coming year will bring her. happy maggilicious day ~ she'd be so happy to know you did a little dance, played extra with your favorite pet, & hugged several people you care about today just because it's magilicious day. xo, maggie love!

{photo credits: sweetpea cupcakes, magdog, oscart, harmonie interieure, tommyc, dreamiurg, birds on the wire, lynny lu}

show & tell time ~ cpw apartment

2008-09-03T10:31:00.001-07:00

i'm so excited to share this with you! a large apartment remodel & redesign project that i was fortunate enough to work on has come to completion, and the project manager has sent over some nice site photos. this is the icing on the cake of a lot of hard work from a lot of talented people. there's really nothing like the satisfaction of seeing a project complete and the clients happily moving in.

this project had a lot of special challenges. . . . . for one, our design office is in san francisco and the project is at central park west in new york. so there was a lot of back-&-forth travel for our team & the clients. another massive challenge is depicted here:

many of the client's art pieces were too large to fit into the building's freight elevator so we had to close off streets, bring in a crane, remove the outer windows of the living room, and lift the art pieces all the way up to the apartment. i'm so glad our project manager was there with camera in hand so we could all share in the marvel of it.

here are a few more of my favorite shots:

{main hallway ~ highlighting the zebra wood floors found throughout the apartment}

{the living room and the grand curving staircase}

{the game table with the piano in the background}

{the den/study with red acrylic backed niches and shelving}

{the kitchen ~ this in particular was my baby of the project. lots of detailing went into it, which can't be seen from a photo, but i suppose that's the mark of good design right? :o) }

{the bar ~ leather paneled walls, resin bar top, patent leather built in sofa and some very chic bar stools}

{the yoga room has cherry wood paneled walls with a dark red/brown stain and a gorgeous antique lotus mandala panel from thailand}

{the design detailing that went into this apartment is staggering ~ these two photos show a nice example: the ceiling coffers in the dining room echo the skylight pattern in the stairwell}

{a lovely view from the deck on a gorgeous new york afternoon}

love for nie

2008-08-29T08:59:00.000-07:00

i'm a little slow on the announcement band wagon for spreading the word on a story of tragedy and incredible human compassion for one of our fellow blogging friends. this is a story that has stuck with me all week ~ i can't stop thinking about it actually, so i am sorry for being late on bringing this up on studio wellspring ~ but it's not too late for it to be useful.

a lovely woman and delightful blogger, stephanie nielson and her husband christian were in a very serious plane crash last week. they are a young couple with four children under the age of six. they are in critical condition with a very long & very expensive recovery ahead of them. stephanie has third degree burns covering 80% of her body and christian has third degree burns over 30% of his body. the outreach to help them has been so inspirational, and you can be a part of it too! online auctions are all over the blogiverse to help them with the expenses and there's a fund you can contribute to directly as well.

as of yesterday, 300 websites & blogs are auctioning off some super wonderful items for the family's benefit, in all price ranges. go here to see the comprehensive list: http://www.designmom.com/ . i've included photos from some of the items to tantilize you into jumping over & bidding.

if you are able, please consider contributing to this fund that will go directly to the family. http://www.nierecovery.com/

more info and updates about stephanie and christian can be found here: http://blog.cjanerun.com/

beautiful days

2008-08-27T09:31:00.000-07:00

so very many things are happening right now that i haven't had a chance to participate in the blogging world much lately. i miss it and i miss you. so, i just wanted to let you know real quick that the sun is shining and it's 80 degrees in san francisco {a god-send to finally feel some summertime weather here}, i'm getting settled in my new digs {that i love}, and work is kicking my backside like nobody's business. the air is fresh, my mind is clear, and i'm feeling beautiful these days in my rotund state of 7-1/2 months pregnant. ;o) i hope you're enjoying beautiful days too, and please keep in touch as i'll be back to my usual communication skills soon. xo!

{photo from harmonie interieure ~ more on this coming soon}

a whole new view

2008-08-22T13:42:00.000-07:00

this weekend we're moving to a new home. . . . . new spaces and new discoveries and new adventures await. whatever your plans are i hope you have a wonderful time!

{image from emery & cie}

etta designs & sustainable interiors

2008-08-20T08:31:00.000-07:00

the term 'sustainable interiors' can be misleading because it describes only part of the picture. claiming that a project or renovation is green, sustainable or eco-friendly, may seem like a wonderful thing to boast but it alone doesn't define a space. an interior space also needs to have functionality, beauty, comfort, and good space planning ~ as all good design requires. the vast majority of projects claiming to be green aren't 100% eco-friendly, especialy since they're often found within existing non-green architecture. but integrating green design techniques and knowing where to go to help boost the eco-friendly factor in interiors projects is the key stone to making a shift from wasteful to wonderful in interior design. that's why i just adore finding people like rachel winokur & her firm eTTa designs.

rachel winokur runs eTTa deisgns, an l.a. based interior design firm with a focus on interior design for residential & commercial applications including stunning eco-friendly solutions. rachel is the founder and lead designer of eTTa designs which handles the entire design process including concept, budget, space planning, selecting and purchasing finishes, furnishings & equipment, project management, and installation.

in this excerpt from apartment therapy rachel has some great tips for staying green during a renovation and shares some of her favorite resources.
in her own home she's stayed green largely due to using vintage pieces instead of buying new. for larger projects here's how she stays green:

renovations ~ one of the first things to do when starting a renovation project is to plan for the proper disposal of whatever will be removed. this means: recycling demolition debris through a service like looney bins or in some cases a better solution is to hire someone like the reuse people to deconstruct your project and take away all materials intact to be sold at their warehouse. your tax deductions for the donation of those materials may offset the cost of deconstruction which takes a little longer than demolition, but shouldn't be a problem with proper planning.
the reuse people's warehouse is a terrific place to buy building materials at a fraction of the cost of new. for commercial projects, check with the city to find out who they require you to use. {for the eco-friendly nail salon we completed recently, we were instructed to use consolidated disposal services.}
planning the design ~ use what's already there. it's important to embrace the existing conditions and make as few structural changes as possible {as long as it makes sense to the project}. this creates less waste and can also decrease the cost and energy usage. for the nail salon, we kept the existing window and door openings and added new metal frames to give it a fresh and clean look, added clerestory windows for cross-ventilation with clerestory windows in the back, and added fluted glass for privacy. we re-used an existing exterior light fixture which was cleaned up and re-installed with a flourescent bulb. to remove existing paint and stains from a fixture you wish to re-use, try soyclean's paint stripper.
we also discovered a wonderful concrete floor hiding underneath the wall-to-wall carpet. to remove remaining carpet adhesive, use something like franmar's bean-e-doo and enhance the concrete finish with a product from eco-procote.
new materials ~ when selecting new materials and finishes, consider not only the manufacturer's 'green' claim, but also the product's life cycle and who manufactures it and where. for example, recyclable glass tile from sandhill industries is not only made of 100% recycled glass, the energy used to make it is less than 1/2 that required to make ceramic tile and 1/4 that of cast glass tile.
choosing the right green product usually requires weighing the pros and cons just like with any product. for example, at $29/SF, the sandhill glass tile may sound expensive, but consider covering a smaller area with this special tile or use it more generously and hold back on something else. also consider the associated savings with benefits of 'green' products, like health, durability, sustainability and curb appeal.

for more delights along the same lines, rachel has a nice blog based on her green design philosophy & savvy, called eTTa bits.

grosgrain's greatness

2008-08-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

ok fabulous people, i've got a good one for you. a really good one.

it's called grosgrain. this fabulous blog is by the very talented & generous kathleen dougherty. basically she designs & makes the most adorable children's clothes ever and she gives away one of her creations every single week to one lucky winner. for free.

i'm so swooning over her generosity & creativity. . . . . even if you don't have a wee one yourself, i'm sure you know some one who does, so click on over to get in on some of this swooning.

Summer by the Lake Swimsuit GIVEAWAY!!!!

miss.ivy divine

2008-08-15T10:36:00.001-07:00

earlier this week my dear friend ivy leapt into her 30's with her amazing natural beauty & grace glowing as usual. i haven't had time until now to give her the birthday collage card, so i hope even though this is belated, the heartfelt adoration is what shines through. because, it's beaming brightly for ivy now and always.

i admire her so much for so many things ~ her strength of character, her dedication of practice, her artistic genius, her wisdom, her compassion, her generostiy, her genuineness, her sense of adventure. she is a true great blessing in my life and she contributes so much to every thing she does, every where she goes ~ the world is a very lucky place to have her in it. happy 30 miss. ivy divine!

{photos ~ jtimblin, concept vessel, shelbob, es1123, tangobaby, *jenni}

party perfect

2008-08-13T08:43:00.001-07:00

i've discovered a new blog to enjoy and another kick-ass lady to admire. party.perfect is just that ~ a perfect place to visit for anything & everything party inspired. a former marthastewart art director, sara hicks malone, is the blog's author. this very talented lady does much more than blog & mommy in nashville. she is also a fabulous graphic designer & stylist. her line of cards can be found at the paper cafe {among other places} and a nice little blog post about her lovely home is on designer's library. sara collects tons of fun ideas & information on her fabulous blog. . . . . definitely worth getting to know.

{thanks to oh happy day for introducing me to sara}

to the point

2008-08-12T11:05:00.000-07:00

simple, beautiful.
lovely art by daniel eatock ~ it's made by repeatedly balancing a single sheet of paper on the nibs of pantone pens.

also, his website's statement of purpose is pretty darn brilliant too:

"i am interested in connections between image and language, titles, punch lines, miscommunication, subversions, open systems, contributions from others, seriality, collections, discovery and inventing. i employ reductive logic, and strive for objective and rational solutions to form concluded works. i am especially interested in the connection of the start and end points of a hand drawn circle."

feeling lucky on 080808

2008-08-08T13:03:00.001-07:00

this is an auspicious day for anyone who believes in lucky numbers. so i thought this was a good time to add to my consumer wish list.

{that mermaid lamp & painted twisted wood side table ~ yes please, without delay! they were found in a ghislaine vinas brilliantly designed bedroom, but not sure where she found them. hmmm. . . . .}

{the baby le cornue ~ not that i have a kitchen to put it in at this moment but if i somehow acquired this by a fortunate turning of events i'd find a way to utilize it until i have the place to have it properly installed. and it would become a family heirloom for ever more!}

{this armoire for my little girl's things ~it would be the perfect place to display & store, and i really could use this right about now. i've been saving this from my martha stewart inspiration projects folder}

{a carry over from yesterday's post ~ i am ready to spend a week's retreat here, asap. or maybe make this my full-time home even? first off, i adore the ocean ~ i grew up there and always long to return when i'm away. secondly, i love swings and almost any style of swing chair. thirdly, porches that have places to relax with friends are always a part of my "necessities for houses" list. lastly, that view ~ 'nough said.}

{ok, so this is way over the top, but this is a lucky day so i'm just putting it out there for fun. . . . . a 1956 drophead coupe convertible in mint condition. oh my i would die just to be able to sit in it much less drive it. and i swoon just imagining what it would be like to own this beauty. i'd sell everything i own, including my soul, to the devils for that one.}

and what, pray tell, is on your wish list dear ones?

i hope many wishes are granted for you today and throughout the weekend!

time life sea

2008-08-07T08:31:00.000-07:00

oh my, have i not been getting enough of this lately. somehow i've got a very full life with a to-do list that never ends and i forgot to rejuvenate. that's not my usual style. i suppose i'm just trying to be sure everything gets done before, well, you know, that due date arrives. but it sure seems like a lot of other things besides just baby-prep are going on. way more than usual, actually. and i am starting to feel a bit overwhelmed. which means it's time to slow down, breathe, and just be.
i'm trying to face it all with a happy heart and a smiling spirit. for the most part that comes naturally to me, as i am optimistic by nature. and ultimately, these are all good things ~ albeit they all require steap learning curves, lots of attention, and all the enthusiasm i can summon. but when i find myself musing about how much calmer & easier things will be after the baby comes {and thinking of that as my excuse to keep on pushing myself through the next task-at-hand}, then i know i've hit a new high of self-imposed delusion. and so i've really got to take a step back and soak up some nothingness. . . . . if even for only a few hours. . . . .with some quality alone time at the ocean.

amen.

{i've had these lovely quote-infused images saved for a while & unfortunately can't find who's work they are. if you know, please tell me & i'll happily give proper credit}

mary poppins effect

2008-07-31T22:17:00.000-07:00

and just like that, the umbrella loving girl was whisked away to . . . . . the lone star state.

yes, i'll be in houston until monday. hope you all have a spoon-full-of-sugar weekend!

{photos by legally bold}

great ideas & great journeys ~ the penguin art of david pearson

2008-07-31T09:07:00.000-07:00

i am a book lover. classics, nonfiction, educational, entertaining, children's, antiques, contemporaries. . . . . i love to be in rooms filled with them all. i like books so much that i'm one of the only people i know who still has & uses public library cards. back in college the favorite place to find me was in our gorgeous campus library, and i still enjoy spending time amongst shelves & piles of tomes. i'm sure i've mentioned this before, but i also harbor a secret desire to someday have a phd in library sciences {ya know, when i'm an old woman & am ready to slow down from the hustle & bustle of the high-end design world but still want a lot of mental stimulation}.

i'm also a confessed book cover judger. only initially of course, because truly it is the content that ultimately matters. but being highly attuned to aesthetics, color, and design i just can't help myself but to pay special attention to book cover art.

there are several exquisite lines of books from the penguin publishing house that are lucky enough to be designed by the graphic art genius daivd pearson. i like them so much i wanted to highlight them here and make sure you got to check them out too.

one of my favorites is the great ideas series ~ classic works for any mind that is hungry for answers. . . . .

and another favorite is the great journeys series ~ tales from all across the ages for anyone yearning for adventures. . . . .

david pearson's creative hand has given all these classics a new view and sparked interest in some forgotten gems. desire to horde collections of books has never looked so good, and judging a book by its cover has never been so appealing!

{thanks for the tip freshly blended!}

living is nice at ... rice

2008-07-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

if only this denmark-based shop sold their goodies to the u.s. market.... rice is just the type of shop i'd like to support. not only because they have a plethora of fantastic products but also because their goods are produced with a clear conscience. all rice products are designed and developed in denmark, but are produced in the third world with the highest respect for the people who make them. they do not use child labor, and they ensure the workers employed by them are treated properly, and are not discriminated against, racially or otherwise. they find it extremely important to treat the people that work for them in an honorable way ~ for example their crochet items alone assure the survival of 300 families in madagascar.

and why, you might wonder, did they choose the name "rice"? for the simple reason that rice is a basic survival product for many people in this world, and especially in the third world {where they decided to focus their efforts to benefit people the most}. in fact many people working for them in madagascar receive a bag of rice as part of their salary package. now that is nice!

{first heard about this company on dreamhouse}

magical mind mastery

2008-07-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

i'm sure most of you have seen a magic show at some point in your lives. but how many of you have been knocked completely senseless by an expert in mentalism?
{for those who are curious: "mentalism is an ancient performing art in which its practitioners, known as mentalists, use mental acuity, cold reading, warm reading, hot reading, principles of stage magic, hypnosis, psychokineses, extra-sensory perception, precognition, clairvoyance or mind control. from wikipedia}
this past friday night i had a magical experience that i just can't help but share with you all. the ever entertaining & beautiful tangobaby took the brilliantly delightful & gorgeous ms.paris-parfait {& her lovely daughter jordanna} and me to see her friend's show: christian cagigal's pandora experiment.i wasn't quite sure what to expect, but i was excited because tangobaby has excellent taste and anything she raves about is sure to be fantastic. and let me tell you, christian's show was beyond incredible. he created a mood of mystery and old-home comfort in a small black-box style theater in which he proceeded to blow us away with his mental gymnastics.his "tricks" aren't just sleight of hand curiosities ~ they are mental adventures with twists and turns that leave you mystified as to how he did it. i don't want to give away too many details because anyone within reasonable distance of the exit theater needs to go see this show asap, but i'm dying to share with you that i got chosen to be a part of the show. somehow either i was able to read his mind or he was able to read mine, but through a series of interesting guessing-games i was shocked silly by what was uncovered. {literally i giggled in spite of myself several times because i couldn't believe what he was doing nor what i was doing under his direction}.
in one scenario i had to close my eyes & select from a group of people holding keys which one held the only key that would unlock the chain around my wrist hanging from the ceiling {no, it's not that kind of show} ~ with eyes closed, i visualized where my key must be, which hand glowed white & drew me to it the most..... and i blindly selected a pregnant woman. to my amazement. and of course the key she held set me free. then, to everyone's continued surprise we discovered that we both have the same due date. pure fascinating coincidence. now that, i know, wasn't part of the show christian had planned but it certainly added to the overall sense of awe everyone was feeling at his mastery of our minds.please go see his show ~ you will not be disappointed. his blog with more info is here, and a trailer for the show is below

{all photos by femme fotographie and were graciously taken from her flickr album}

voice of color

2008-07-28T12:28:00.000-07:00

another grey cold foggy monday in july in san francisco. so this calls for some more color therapy. . . .

the useful website voice of color has a quick little color sense game you can play to find out what color schemes most suit you. mine are:

although in decor i like warmer & more neutral color shemes, i wasn't surprised by these two coming out on top because of my mood and what i predominantly wear. also since i had just made these collages this morning before taking the test, i thought "well isn't that a fun coincidence"!

{top row: briscoe, jessica gonacha; middle row: javame, jennration, koreana, sakura*aya, jim heid; bottom row: asiunka, jessica gonacha, jeff andrews}

10 cent designer is worth her weight in gold

2008-07-25T09:04:00.000-07:00

i've been idolizing lori andrews from afar for a while now. so it's high time i came out with it & shared her with you. if you like interior design, photography, humor, aesthetics, and boldness then you're going to enjoy lori's work as much as i do. she is really living the life ~ you know, that dreamy sort of life one can fantasize about having in their head when their own life seems to lack a little lustre? yes, she is living that life for me. but i'm not jealous {not a jealous girl at all actually}, i'm just utterly inspired. studio wellspring is all about collecting inspiration, so the 10 cent designer definitely needs a place here too.

she's a very busy lady with several fun spots to explore on the internet:
the 10 cent designer blog

the lori andrews photography blog

the 10 cent designer website

the lori andrews interios website
and now you can just go ahead and kick back and spend the rest of today culling through her flickr account ~ it's full of so many delights of her work & life you may not be able to stop yourself. ;o)

color therapy ~ orange crush

2008-07-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

{polaroid from sean tubridy}

these grey cold days in san francisco have a way of depressing a sunshine girl like myself. being the pro-active type, i thought i'd try to combat the coldness by gathering some cheery orange images and beaming them out to you. i'm all about adding some brightness to an otherwise dull day ~ hope you enjoy these too!

{top row: room service, lara robby, jay jeffers ~ bottom row: weego home, victoria pearson, kenneth wingard }

{top row: jay jeffers, lara robby, west elm ~ bottom row: victoria pearson, west elm, scott sanders}

{top row: lara robby, scott sanders, lara robby ~ bottom row: west elm, jay jeffers}

relax ~ it's friday!

2008-07-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

another weekend away for me ~ this time heading up to the oregon coast for a wedding. it'll be so nice to see old friends and spend time with my family. i've been craving down-time outside the city and there's no better place than my parent's home for that. nestled amongst huge trees, no neighbors can be seen, the air is fresh, and time just slows down. counting down the hours til lift-off. . . .

hope your weekend is filled with down-time and deliciousness!

{photo found on dark gardyner's photostream}

chihuly and di sarli at de young

2008-07-16T09:24:00.000-07:00

yes, you read that right..... both dale chihuly's glass work and carlos di sarli's tango were found together in one night at the de young museum in san francisco's golden gate park. it was a magical coming together of artistic pleasures. but, before i delve into that evening specifically, this requires some background: i'm sure it's obvious by now that i enjoy tango, but less known is my affection for chihuly & his work. he is from tacoma washington & also attended my alma mater there {univ of puget sound}, so i became well aware of him in those formative college years. his work is on campus and all over town ~ beautiful adornments where ever you find them. and his studios are there too. i find it particularly perfect that so much genius beauty-making comes from a small city placed right on the puget sound.

the puget sound is one of the most naturally beautiful places on earth. not only on land but below the depths of the sound too ~ the largest concentration of cepholopods in the world are found in the waters {that run so deep the deepest point has yet to be measured}, and phosphorescent water creatures are incredibly prolific here too {full moon kayaking here is divine}.

not to mention the snow capped mountains that surround the emerald forests & vast waterways..... the inspiration for everything creative and contemplative is never ending.
and this is where we connect with tango ~ the creative and contemplative. i've been dancing since i was 4 {i still have my first pair of tap shoes} and have tried many forms of dance from west african to bhangra to ballet and none have evoked such depth of connection as tango. for me it's the perfect blend of feminine and masculine, an exchange of creative surrender and inspired decisiveness, a transfer of energies made more beautiful by mutual understanding and trust. all done to the most evocative of music.on the very same evening as the first ever milonga en el museo, you could also go down stairs and see some of the most extraordinary blown glass ever made. being able to take in the sounds of di sarli and the feelings of tango, while also getting completely absorbed into chihuly's mystical glass wonderland was something so fabulous i couldn't help but try to share it with you here. {many more photos here}

this post wouldn't be complete without a soundtrack to get you in the mood:
CARLOS Di SARLi

{1st photo of puget sound by wild celtic rose. 2nd puget sound photo by canis latrans. all other photos by me}

domestic bliss

2008-07-15T11:49:00.000-07:00

these elaborate wall stickers designed by graphic artists, designers and artists such as finnish-born klaus haapaniemi and london-based hanna werning, take the realm of the tired wall sticker to another level. sold through the french site domestic, you can find tons of interesting decals and stickers for any place that needs a little special spice. i fell for about 20 of them.

{yes, this last one is laser cut mirror ~ swoon!}

rock and royal

2008-07-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

hello gorgeousness! these bohemian crystal chandeliers are custom designed by hans van bentem and sold through rock and royal. based in rotterdam, rock and royal considers every piece they sell a unique exclusive piece of art ~ fully customized to their client's needs. they made their debut in 2006 at the millionaire fair in cannes {also called "a fairy tale for the affluent", this is an exclusive event showcasing the latest offerings from the international luxury goods industry. invite only, of course}. perhaps someday i'll specifiy a piece by rock and royal for a wealthy client? until then, i'll just enjoy the photos of a world i'm entirely unfamiliar with.....

{thanks to ms.90/10 rule for the tip}

makin a splash

2008-07-12T09:18:00.000-07:00

today i'm heading off to a huge pool party planned for me by the best of the best, jenni & sharon. sharon happens to be fortunate enough to have a gorgeous house in marin with lovely gardens, a large pool and a very nice hot tub. it's a perfect place to gather fabulous people and celebrate all day and into the night. there will be bbq chefs, dj's mixin' their grooves, puppies, watermelons, water play and lots of beautiful people {all my friends are beautiful!}. i'm a very lucky girl.

i hope your weekend is filled with beauty & fun in the sun too! xo!

{photo shamelessly taken from the delightful blog absolutely beautiful things}

true beauty never fades

2008-07-11T10:01:00.000-07:00

i'm not usually one to post about celebrities {unless they're designers}, but i just couldn't help myself today. first cyd charisse and now dorian leigh ~ two of the most gorgeous women ever have recently bid adieu to the world. . . . but they've left a treasure trove of images and film legacies to remind us what classic, true talent and beauty are all about. these two women are big inspirations to me, even if they are in a completely different league, so i just couldn't let the birthday week end without honoring them as they pass on from this life.

friday fun: wordle

2008-07-11T08:49:00.000-07:00

the ever affable and insightful johanna {of the tangri-la blog} posted about wordle yesterday and i couldn't resist doing one for my lil' swellspring too. i just entered my blog's url and let wordle do its magic ~ but you can customize one with your own words too. just something fun to start off a celebratory weekend right. what's your wordle? c'mon, ya know you wanna try it. . . .