Mugs!

Don't you just love a great mug?  One that feels just right in your hand, is chunky and solid, and hopefully looks really cool, too?  I'm always on a quest to find the "next great mug".  Naturally, it has to be handmade!  Here are some I found on Etsy that I've put on my wish list (hint, hint!)...

This beauty speaks to my Earth Girl.  And how can you not love that cork??  Handmade by Appleware Pottery and for sale at their Etsy shop.  Want.  Now.

Wow.  Just wow.  I love everything about this mug!  Super creative design, fabulous colors!  Sigh.  Handmade by Creativewithclay and for sale at their Etsy shop.  If you buy it before I do, please promise to love it always. :-)

So charming!  The original, handpainted design on this sweet mug just makes me smile.  Available by Jim and Gina at their Etsy shop. 

These colors are gorrrrrrrrrrrgeous, and I love the shape of these beauties, too.  Available by onewintrynight at their Etsy shop

Cheers!  ~Barbara

Bella & Luna

~Bella enjoying the sunshine last weekend~

~Luna wondering when dinner will be served~  ;-)

my latest creations...

Had a fun, creative afternoon making some new jewelry.  "Lady Clare" is the first in a series of necklaces based on John William Waterhouse's art, and the earrings feature gorgeous tensha beads in iridescent colors.  Available for sale on my website.  Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Classic Divsion Winners - SwingDiego 2007

Just love these West Coast Swing dancers! Enjoy...

Flowers at the Table

After our long winters, few things lift the spirits like flowers!  While elaborate arrangements have their place, I have always thought that flowers look more striking when they are allowed to shine individually.  Here are some simple centerpieces that I find charming...

Put Your Color Where Your Lamp Is

Table lamps come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They also come in colors and are a great way to bring color to a room. Whether added in pairs or as a single, lamps can bring vibrant color as well as brilliant light.

As a designer, sources I like to go to for colorful lamps are Arteriors, Currey & Co and Worlds Away. These are wholesale companies who sell to designers and specific retailers.

This brilliant blue lamp with a glass base is from Arteriors.

I love the deep citron yellow of the lamp's base.

Tall, lean and green...

This is my new favorite lamp. It is from Currey & Co. and it is about to light up the living room of one of my clients.

The Pink Venus lamp from Worlds Away. Pretty much says it all. I want this lamp for myself.

Grey, lavender... the color of this lamp base is very intriguing and versatile.

Indigo is one of the colors of the year for 2011. It is also a timeless color that works in both traditional and modern settings.

I love both the color and texture on this lamp.

I've added a few room settings so you could see what a colorful lamp can add to a room. The teal lamp base adds contrast and makes quite a statement.

This is one of my favorite entry photos. I love the combination of patterns and colors. The lamps make it all work. The deep,solid fuchsia of the shades adds balance to the surrounding patterns.

I would describe this room as lovely, sophisticated and subtle. The coral lamps shades bring just the right amount of color to a beautiful setting.

Tiny Cottage...

I live in a small cottage (about 1100 sq ft), but I dream of scaling down even more into a *tiny* cottage someday.  Yes, I'm a nester in the extreme.  While I love big, grand spaces to visit, when I arrive home, I want to be embraced by intimacy.  Smaller than most people's garages, I just think these "mini-homes" are so charming!

Peace & Quiet...

 

 

Dragonflies & Roses

I'm craving warm weather so much...my mind is in the garden!  Just finished a pretty little necklace that transports me to a warm summer day (available for sale on my website).  Hope you're all having a lovely weekend!

Another Work In Progress

I have another client project to share. This time it is a sitting room that is part of a master suite. It's a wonderful space with two windows, wood floor and French doors that lead to the bedroom. I kept the color palette quiet, neutrals with lots of texture.  I wish you could feel the fabrics and area rug. They are soft, comfortable and lovely.

There will be two chairs in the room covered in a cut velvet called Ombrione from Designers Guild.

The chairs have a smooth wood frame in this warm, dark tone. The fabric behind the wood sample is being used to make a double sided window treatment for the French doors. It is from Fabricut and is called Eleganza.

I have designed a custom round ottoman that will be covered in this lightly textured linen from B Berger Fabrics.

The area rug is  Ebbe & Flow from Stark. It is predominantly wool with just enough viscose and cotton to give it a silky feel.

I am also updating the living room which was part of a larger project done a few years ago. The room has two Kravet sofas covered in a grey Versailles velvet also from Kravet. The area rug is a custom hand knotted wool design.

Pillows for the sofas are being made in Wide Chrysanthemum, a linen print from Osborne & Little.

The bench shown above will be covered in Fredensborg/Blue from Designers Guild. A window seat not shown in the photo will be in Monplasir/Red  a cut velvet  also from Designers Guild.

I'll have more to share from this project in a few weeks.

Designers Guild   Osborne& Little   Stark    B Berger  Fabricut   Kravet