Showing posts with label Favorites. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Favorites. Show all posts

life | i'd rather be doing

we stayed in a hotel each night during the reno and it was nice.
love decorating with color from martha.

hello, hello! do you remember me? i took an unexpected blogging break last week because i underestimated the total mayhem involved in demolishing a bathroom in a 800 square foot apartment. our bedrooms were locked up tight with our computer inside and there was so much dust and mess i thought it best to leave them alone.

well, within five days we went from demo to pretty bathroom, but the picture is not complete because we still don't have a sink. i'll show you what we did next week, but for now, our bathroom reminds me of a big sugar cube as it's all white and lacking our special touches. last week, i really missed you guys and was often thinking of places i'd rather be. spending time with any of these ladies would have been divine.

in alphabetical order -
i must admit i'm finding it hard to get back to blogging. it kind of feels like jumping in on a double dutch. have a great week all - it's hot as blazes here!

xo, cindy

ps if you visit us, but don't comment, let me know and i'll add you to the list.
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    fun : scott likes it!


    songs : jet airliner by steve miller band - awesome!
    true by spandau ballet - i love him anyway & at least their british!

    hello, hello! i thought it was time to create a post full of things scott likes. now, simon cowell might say this post is 'self-indulgent,' but i certainly hope it won't be 'utterly forgettable.' can you imagine someone saying that to you in front of millions of people? scott was born and raised in new york city, so lets see some things he likes about it here. when i took the photo of his shadow above he was like 'look at me, i'm a giant, take my picture.' i did, but he's 6' tall and a giant to many as it is. enjoy your week. can you believe it's almost easter? happy passover to those who celebrate.

    xo, cindy


    yums.


    picking up sweets for his sweetie, me!


    great landmarks ;).


    cool cars and his own in the reflection on the right.


    flowers in unusual places.


    and other interesting things if you notice.


    family traditions. scott's family has been working with lore decorators for years through their furniture business and he would go to papaya king (hot dogs) with his grandpa for breakfast. we still go to both places.


    free things, especially if they make me super-happy. the windows of kate spade were recently covered in pinwheels. so cool. i saw some little girls with them around and realized the next day you could take one home. i did and it's pink!


    indoors at the movies and outdoors in the park, where they also show movies in the summer. i've missed a few things like coffee, coffee, coffee, but there's always another post!
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    life : pretty baby

    Pretty Baby
    song : baby mine by alison krauss.

    i've been getting back to photo-styling recently. i really enjoy it (challenging) and it takes practice to get things just so. we've been collecting for years, so finally many of our tchotchkes are being put to good use and dusted off. this set is all about baby things and dedicated to grace who is about to deliver her baby any minute now & julia who has a few more months to go.

    Pretty Baby

    the corgi car is from scott's childhood collection and definitely for grace as she is going to have a boy. julia remains to be seen. the lamb is from stephanie congdon barnes, print by jessica gonacha swift, flower from tinsel trading, trees made by me and wallpaper from craft vintage dry goods.

    Pretty Baby

    these vintage baby accessories include the humpty dumpty mug i used as a kid. the collage i made includes paper quilling of a mama duck and her ducklings. i loved doing this series and wish grace & julia all the best in the next chapter of their lives. they're going to be great moms! hope you all had a nice weekend. thank you for the sweet comments on our last post :).

    xo, cindy

    ps the pop-up card says -

    to you and the new baby
    heard the line's busy at your house -
    heard you don't mind one bit,
    'cause you're so in love
    with the darlin'
    who's responsible for it!
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    two views : calling you

    Happy Together
    song : lucky by jason mraz | colbie caillat {english}
    and jason | ximena suerte {spanish}

    i bought the wonderful calling cards from rifle paper co. for christmas and was worried i put the jinx on our marriage by saying 'happily married'. it still remains to be seen as we've both been a bit cranky, lately. i've grown tired of being 'nurse' to scott's left foot and he's grown tired of needing a 'nurse' for his left foot. but, after seeing the devastation & desperation in haiti this week, we feel ridiculous. i'm sure you know all about it, but making a donation to the american red cross for haiti couldn't be easier. it's the best text message we've ever sent. have a good weekend, everyone. count your blessings.

    xo, cindy

    ps une fleur por toi posted this week about the wonderful video haiti from arcade fire, which features the people of haiti before the earthquake. although it seems impossible, let's hope for better days for them very soon.
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    pics : pink pretties

    Pink Pretties
    band : language of flowers

    it all started with essie sugar daddy nail polish. then i saw suann's lovely stationery in the palest pink. a few hours later i pulled together pink q-tips and vintage vanity objects in pretty shades of pink or with pink roses, of course. the reflection was a happy accident. i really struggled with these and didn't think i had anything at all, but sometimes if you don't give up (stubborn) all is not lost.

    happy monday. hope you had a great weekend! it was cold here.

    xo, cindy
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    favorites : tea{cup}


    baby, it's cold outside and nothing warms the cockles of my heart more than tea in a wonderful cup. i recently purchased this blue one from asya and it is inscribed in a beautiful script font with a list of colors found in an old ledger book.

    she also included the pink bowl with my order and it could not be more perfect. i first saw gleena ceramics in 2008 at divine studio and loved the pink bowl she made, but had already blown my budget. i thought of the bowl every time i saw her work, so when she included one with the no. 10 etched on it, i couldn't have been happier. thank you, asya. enjoy your weekend, everyone. have a cuppa tea!

    xo, cindy

    ps the singer/songwriter today is chelsea latimer from the super-smart blog chelsea talks smack. she has the prettiest voice and the discussions on her blog with her boyfriend are so funny.
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    fun : weekend surprises




    some surprises from this weekend:

    - pretty bouquet for $7 and trying a new lightroom technique above (i started with an aged photo preset, but made a bunch of changes to it),
    - scott showing me some books in kinokuniya (i didn't buy any, which is good because i don't need one more book i can't read),


    - new handmade tablecloth for our kitchen table (there are vitamins in the pepper container because we use ground pepper, my brother made the napkin holder),
    - white peach glazed doughnut (i'm totally hooked on these darn doughnuts!),



    -watching     ping pong in bryant park,
    - scary movies new (even though it was dopey, this one made me put the chair by the door, for real) and old (warrren beatty was so beautiful - that hair). one more old one, but i can't remember the name or track it down - the movie was about a couple who kills widows. so dark and creepy.



    - this wild morning glory appeared in the window box we're not supposed to have. we didn't plant anything in it this year other than pine cones and the air conditioner from above drips into it. did you know that air conditioner water is very good for plants? it's true - high in nitrogen.

    hope y'all had some nice surprises these weekend!

    xo, cindy
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    fun : happiness is ...





    could i wear that skirt any higher? i'm chaneling julia child. i was
    inspired by meg to do the the self-portrait even though it makes me uncomfortable. as of 2:26 pm, it's been replaced three times. i'm done, now.

    craft
    making a simple denim skirt with some patchwork binding i purchased long ago from i heart linen and a fabric flower using a pattern from martha stewart weddings. two more things off the summer to-do list. i got the blouse in a beautiful liberty of london fabric on sale from pronk.

    home
    going down to the laundry room in our building and finding the lights aren't even on, yet. i'm the first one and all alone.

    new tradition
    i'm old enough to need a routine mammogram each year and each time i get more scared about the results. from now on, after having the test, i'm going to make a donation to susan g. komen for the cure as a thank you.

    television
    the new season for mad men starts this sunday. we can't wait!

    tunes
    a really good free itunes single of the week from british artist gary go. according to itunes he 'grew up near wembley stadium listening to music float through his bedroom window." lucky chap!

    xo, cindy
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    fun : happiness is ...



    embroidery by says you

    art
    this is home is a wonderful new project from erin and christa. participation is open to everyone by sharing an interpretation of the meaning of home through words or images. it's a really nice reminder about the most special place or state of mind there is. mine was home = love.

    mail
    receiving mail can be a very nice thing, especially from special people. the top postcard was sent to me by sweet jewels and i love the quote.

    craft
    the second photo includes a custom embroidery that i won in a giveaway by says you on design for mankind. it is just the most special piece and really unbelievable to receive. betsy is a very talented lady and makes the most charming embroideries with a touch of whimsy.

    tradition
    this might be corny, but i have a wonderful book illustrated by monica sheehan called be happy, a little book to help you live a happy life. one thing we've started just before falling a sleep is to reflect on the good things about our day. it's the last thing we do and so nice. sometimes, it's really simple like - we woke up!

    hope you have a wonderful weekend! i'd really love to see julie & julia, but scott is working saturday (ugh!) and we're taking charlie to the high line on sunday. hope it's not too hot up there.

    xo, cindy

    ps i won a couple of other contests last month and will feature them soon.
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    nyc : from c to shining c*


    we just got back from the beach and are in a frenzy to put away our stuff as quickly as possible and then go out for lunch - the nerve! we have a bunch of pics and were very lucky with the weather as it's been pretty stormy in nyc. we're already missing the pool and may just put on some coppertone and fill up the tub to pretend we're still there. no complaints though, especially in light of the heatwave out west. portland 100+ - whoa!

    cindy* is going to be visiting nyc soon and i thought it would be a great opportunity to post some of our favorite spots. most are local, but there do seem to be a number from japan. we're not big on expensive restaurants and prefer small cafes, which are highlighted in teal. we'll keep this list updated and probably add some photos in the future. so, get your walking shoes on, some $$$ and let's go. we've arranged them by neighborhood.

    xo, cindy

    ps if you have any other special spots in nyc, let me know and i'll add them to the list if they're places we like to visit or would like to!
    _________________________________________________

    QUASI-UPTOWN
    bloomingdale's - super-department store & forty carrots restaurant. delish & healthy!
    59th street & lexington avenue

    museum of modern art - the new building is as great as the art.
    53rd street & 6th avenue

    magnolia's bakery - one red velvet cupcake, please. ok, two.
    50th street & sixth avenue

    anthropologie - this is the best one with two floors and art installation pieces!
    50th @ rockefeller center
    _________________________________________________

    MIDTOWN
    times square - visit at night for fantastic photos.
    42nd street & 7th avenue

    grand central terminal - great building and food court.
    42nd street & park avenue

    ny public library, main branch, rose reading room is incredible & free.
    42nd street & fifth avenue

    bryant park
    42nd street & 6th avenue. outdoor movies on the lawn in the summer on monday's @ 5 pm.

    kinokuniya - japanese store with wonderful craft books, paper goods and anime.
    41st street & sixth avenue

    international center for photography
    42nd street & 6th avenue

    muji - japanese department store features clean lines and neutrals.
    40th street & eighth avenue

    b& j fabrics - really organized & helpful.
    525 7th avenue (in the 30s)

    tinsel trading - trims & notions, incredible store for crafters. must visit!
    37th street & 5th avenue
    _________________________________________________

    MEATPACKING DISTRICT
    lots of high-end stores in this neighborhood, but must our visits are -

    high line park
    gansevoort street, in the meatpacking district, to west 20th street, in chelsea, between 1oth & 11th avenues.

    chelsea market - redefines the term 'food court'.
    15th street & 9th avenue

    billy's bakery via chockpocky - she loves the banana cream pie.
    21st street & ninth avenue
    _________________________________________________

    SOHO
    so many shops, but we love

    dean & deluca via jamie - gourmet food shop, including doughnut plant via chockpocky.
    prince street & broadway

    uniqlo - colorful japanese clothing store has great prices.
    prince street & broadway

    vespa via jamie - famous scooters.
    13 crosby street

    kate's paperie - stationery & paper crafts.
    72 spring street (between crosby & lafayette streets)

    paul smith via jamie - very cool english designer.
    greene street & w. houston

    van leeuwen ice cream truck - delicious organic ice cream. favorite flavor = all.
    greene & prince streets.

    makie - incredible handmade clothes, love everything made with liberty of london fabric, especially for little girls.
    109 thompson & prince streets

    snack - cozy cafe serving delicious greek food.
    105 thompson & prince streets

    purl - legendary knitting & sewing shop - paradise!
    459 broome street @ greene

    once upon a tart - for a quick bite to eat.
    sullivan street & prince (next to purl knitting)

    local - also good for a quick bite.
    sullivan street & prince (across the street from purl patchwork)

    thompson & sullivan streets have really nice independent boutiques. from there you can walk to greenwich village or the west village.
    _________________________________________________

    READER SUGGESTIONS

    UNION SQUARE
    thé adoré via chockpocky - 'charming rustic 2nd floor dining room for a light lunch (tea + sandwiches, soups, pastries)'.
    17 E. 13th, just off Fifth, just below Union Square

    GREENWICH VILLAGE
    greenwich letterpress via chockpocky - lovely stationery store.
    christopher street & seventh avenue
    sweetiepie restaurant via dallas shaw - sweet restaurant & dessert bar.
    10th street & greenwich avenue

    EAST VILLAGE
    momofuku milk bar via chockpocky - 'delicious corn cookies + decadent cakes & inventful soft serve flavors'.
    13th street & second avenue
    _________________________________________________

    OUTER-BOROUGHS
    long island city - queens
    easy to get to from grand central - one stop on 7 train.
    gorgeous views of mid-town from a really nice park - this is the attraction, but there are a few very nice shops and several restaurants - our favorite is cafe henri right by the subway.

    new york botanical garden - bronx
    get there using metro north from grand central.

    williamsburg - brooklyn
    very cool shops and restaurants.
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    fun : nice people



    florabella textures are really nice

    friends
    we still receive nice comments/emails from our online friends asking about charlie and i just wanted to thank you so much and give an update. he is doing ok, but it's a struggle. helen was quite the talker and she was the one who kept everyone informed about things going on with different family members and friends. his world has gotten very quiet and 24 hours is a long day to fill. he's done very well with daily life and has socialized through bingo (lots of female widows), lunch at the local church (more widows and he's the only guy), atlantic city, golfing and us. recently he rolled out of bed and has a black eye. apparently, he was sleeping on helen's-side so he would be closer to the bathroom. he forget, rolled over and splat. oh boy!

    art
    kelly is the such a creative inspiration and so nice. she opened a new shop yesterday called sunrose studio featuring her wonderful photography and digital collages and the name is perfect for her. good luck, kelly!

    neighbors
    except for one, our neighbors are really nice. the hydrangeas above are from our lovely neighbor in the house next door who insists on giving them to scott for me. i've been lucky to receive peonies and roses from his tiny garden, too. he doesn't speak english and we don't speak chinese. we bow and smile, a lot. everyone understands. it's nice. we hope to have some nice tomatoes from our tiny garden to share with him this summer.

    tunes
    i hope the members of the band fanfarlo are nice because their music certainly is. i like the cover art for their new album reservoir.

    hope you have a very nice week! xo, cindy
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    fun : happiness is ...








    spring + early summer at k's house

    home
    my brother's pretty house in new jersey shows that the state is more than kooky housewives, gangsters and toxic waste. it's a nice place to live and visit on holiday weekends ;). his lovely wildflower garden is so photogenic.

    art
    richard avedon at the icp with a husband who doesn't mind looking at fashion photos. hey, they are pretty girls after all. he liked sunny harnett and i liked suzy parker. we both liked anything that was shot outside the studio, preferably between 1947-1957. so glamorous.

    movies
    we're late to the party on twilight, but were ambivalent expecting teenagers hooking up and lots of vampire blood. wrong! it is a wonderful movie with excellent messages (restraint, loyalty, love) for teens and the rest of us. scott keeps talking about it. the soundtrack seems really good, too. love the song full moon by the black ghosts.

    tunes
    iron & wine is a new band to us from a new friend. thank you!

    pics
    two rolls of film from the new york botanical garden edible garden are at the drugstore. oh, the anticipation. hope they come out ok. the first roll i had developed was blank - eek!

    hope you had a nice weekend! xo, cindy
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    fun : happiness is ...


    the last storm before the weekend ...
    gave the sky a pink glow at 8:45 pm. left from the west, right the east.


    the high line park ...
    is just wonderful. the standard hotel was built over the park and there are reports people can be seen having 'relations' in the windows. scott was concerned as there were so many kids in the park and took it upon himself to inspect each side. boys!


    the chelsea market ...
    is fantastic and a must visit. aren't these obama cookies from eleni's too cool to eat? most of my photos from the market were terrible, so i guess we'll just have to go back ;).


    finishing projects ...
    when they work out as planned is terrific! i wanted to make a 'duvet-type' cover for our chenille bath rug and this one actually fits. yay! alicia's tutorial was great for the patchwork-top using vintage sheets. and, we outgrew the art display board almost as soon as it was done - ugh! these art wires took me quite a while to arrange and required complicated mathematical formulas, tape, and lots of staring at mav's to get them just right. i wanted them to be super-straight, so please don't tell me if they're not ;).

    what's making you happy these days? do tell!
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    fun : a few favorites {3}


    Toni Weber + Jamie Shelman
    Toni's clothesline photo reminds me of my Mom and Jamie's cats are the cat's pajamas.


    Inleaf
    I won the lavender sachet in Lotta's giveaway and bought the zip purse using a $20 gift certificate.


    3191 Prints
    I carry the 3191 book around like it's a bible. I've even put a wax paper book cover on it to keep it safe and sound.

    Hi Everyone -

    This is the last group of favorites for the week. I hope you've all been as inspired by these talented ladies as me. When I started doing these posts many months ago, I asked Erin if she thought people would think I was 'bragging' by featuring some of the things we've collected. She said not at all and that it was a wonderful way to show support for the handmade community. I believed her as she is very wise and that was the intent. To highlight favorite artists in a very personal way.

    Although I do have some favorite lotions and potions, I'm not one for expensive beauty treatments in a salon. Not that I don't need them or don't think they're wonderful. I just really don't enjoy people fussing over me in that way and prefer to have a photo or something handmade, instead.

    We have no big plans for the weekend and that's fine with us. The sun might shine, so that alone will be a good start. Have fun!

    xo, Cindy

    PS : RIP Neda, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. No matter how long you live, life is short and so precious. We know it.
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    fun : a few favorites {2}


    Sara + H
    Sara's wonderful print is going to cause me change our entire photography display.


    Heather Smith Jones Jotter + Lauren Alane Owl
    Two smart ladies go perfectly together.


    Florabella
    Shana Rae's photos are ethereal and her textures are divine.

    Hi Everyone -

    This week I'm -
    {updates 2:00 pm}
    1. Very excited about Fifi's interpretation of my typewriter photo.
    2. Making a new bathroom mat using Alicia's patchwork tutorial. {up since 4 am and done!}
    3. If the sun comes out, photographing a special project for a special lady. {not today, rainy}
    4. Thinking about getting a haircut. I'm not a fan of haircuts. Ugh. {whoa, that's pretty short. i'll be happy in a week. no more polo shirts for me. girly blouses only. scott will say it makes me look younger. love 'em}
    5. Signing-up for PJ's giveaway for a $50 'e' gift certificate from Amazon. Go see the cutest photo! {done}
    6. {Off to do the laundry.}
    What's keeping you busy? Add it to my list!

    xo, Cindy
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    fun : a few favorites {1}


    Bonbon Oiseau
    Coral or jade earrings look lovely with Deb's delicate bracelet.


    Dolce Chic
    I purchased the pansy print from Ms. Candace Rose and she included the rose print because she noticed I marked it as a favorite in Flickr. So sweet and appreciated.


    WREN Handmade
    I love small things, especially when I don't have the patience (talent) to make them myself.

    Hi Everyone -

    This weekend I realized -
    1. Shows like The 'Real' Housewives of New Jersey are bad influences on me if I watch them too much ;).
    2. Although understandable in light recent events, this blog has become too focused on us, namely me, me, me (see #1).
    3. I haven't posted any favorites in a while and need to get busy.
    All week, we'll have favorites photographed on the cheery yellow bandanna included in Cindy*'s Swap box (below). The sun is playing hide & seek in our neck of the woods, but we can deal with it in other ways.



    Have a good one!

    xo, Cindy
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