Displaying posts from July, 2011

Last week we had a couple new advertisers join with us and I wanted to give them a shout out today before I head out for our traditional Sunday breakfast at the pub (there is nothing like some grease and garlic butter potatoes after a looooong week).

First up is Kitchen Art Studio. This studio is made up of George, an advertising photographer with 30 years experience, and his daughter Amanda, a recent graduate from NY University Tisch School of the Arts. During the day they work on advertising photography and when they’re not doing that they’re creating imagery for your walls at affordable prices (and they even come framed!). Check out some of my favourites below.

Next up is Catherine Nicole, an American jewelry designer who specializes in bridal. Her green studio is located in Austin Texas and her mission is not simply to sell her lovely jewelry. Sales from CatherineNicole.com give impoverished girls access to micro loans to start their own businesses. Her Chicks Against Child Brides program gives $5 from every purchase to support her joint efforts with BRAC to prevent young girls from becoming child brides. All the more reason to treat yourself to a lovely piece like one of the ones below (the first two are from her fair trade collection):

I only managed to fit in a few shops when I was in Sydney just over a week ago. Don’t ask… after all your marvelous suggestions I threw my back out and could barely walk. One shop I HAD to visit was Sibella Court’s The Society Inc. Amazing! This wunderkammer of a shop is a must see on your Sydney travels. Two tiny rooms in a bijou Paddington terrace. Two tiny rooms packed to the rafters with the unusual, the quirky, the weird and the beautiful. Like a bowerbird’s nest. Like an old hardware store. Like a step back in time. Like a dream. Only Sibella could pull it all together and make it work. On a wet, miserable day I was giddy with excitement.  (Apologies again for my point and click pics. One day I’ll buy a decent camera. Have promised myself a fabulous rug first :P)

Thank goodness that week is over. I seem to find myself musing over holiday getaways on Fridays. I wonder why? I smell rose and musk, orange blossom and exotic spice. Water gurgles and staff whisper just out of earshot. There is  rhythmic music slowly pulsing somewhere in the riad but here in the salon it is cool and dark, peaceful but oh so decadent. From the rooftop terraces the view extends across the city to the Atlas Mountains. Perhaps it’s time to sun like a cat by the pool. Life is just too difficult isn’t it? Dar Darma in Marrakech via Welcome Beyond.

I have another Shoot Factory location home in London for you all today. This time it’s a wonderful juxtaposition of old and new. A stone house that looks to be about 200 years old filled with modern and mid century furnishings makes for an funky and eclectic space. Love the floors and retro trailer in the yard.

Last month I mentioned in this post that Manvi was holding a tablescaping design camp at the Mitchel Gold + Bob Williams showroom in DC. Manvi gave us access to a bunch of photos that were snapped at the event. The results, both for formal and informal gatherings, are really beautiful and inspirational…especially for someone like me who has absolutely no clue how to decorate a table.