Hit the Road

We're about to hit the road, heading south to be with family for Thanksgiving. I've been packing like crazy [it always amazes me how much there is to remember when you're packing for 2 other people] and thinking how much more fun it would be to be packing up these pretties [especially that little one!]...

[Kate Spade de gaulle duchess, $295]

[Kate Spade de gaulle check-in, $695]

I hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

*Top image is from a Kate Spade ad campaign.

Loafers

I just have one question - are you serious?! Janie and Jack is having a big sale right now, so I picked up a few things for the boys for the holidays. I don't ever really buy them dressy shoes, much less matching ones, but these were on sale and I thought they were so cute in that "I look like a miniature little man" kind of way. I'm planning to pair them with some roughed up cords or jeans...they can't look too perfect because that just wouldn't be honest. Yesterday, they tried them on when they were buck naked and it was hilarious - chunky thighs and loafers - I love it!

Superman

[SLW / Cambridge, MA / Summer 2008]

Just got some Holga film back from the summer...happy Friday!

Hang It Up!

While we were at the Circa 1958 exhibit, my 4-yr-old pointed out this jacket/hat hanger rack. I thought it looked cool, too, but assumed it was just part of the museum's exhibit. As it turns out, the rack is available at Design Within Reach...I think it'd be worth the $ if it meant that he would actually hang up his coat and hat instead of leaving of trail of discarded clothing when he walked in the door! [Eames Hang-It-All, $149]

Interior Views at the Christmas House

Every year in Atlanta there is a Christmas House benefiting the Alliance Children's Theatre. Designers are invited to decorate individual rooms, and I always think it's interesting to see all those different perspectives under one roof. Here are some pictures of the room my sister, Anna Louise, worked on with her boss, Judy Bentley. I think it turned out beautifully + I wish I could see it in person. Judy designed the gorgeous head board, and the fabric is "Maze" by Zoffany [it's also for sale if anyone wants to splurge on themselves for the holidays!].

MJ Ads

Since we are on the topic of Marc Jacobs, can we talk about his ad campaigns for a minute? I love how he pushes the envelope, how his ads can make you just a teensy-weensy bit uncomfortable. Let's take the Winona Ryder ads for example...he takes the seriousness of criminal shoplifting charges and adds an element of humor. He gets the ridiculousness of it - that this wealthy, beautiful, successful actress would be going into luxury department stores and stealing things. He creates an ad, that in my opinion, is at once serious and funny, that makes fun of her yet accepts her. Maybe it's that he gets at something about humanity - that we all have our flaws and we should accept them and move on. That sometimes we do stupid things - for whatever reason - but we can come out alright on the other side. I don't know, but I always look forward to seeing his ads in magazines because I know it won't be just another pretty face, but something that makes you think...or at least laugh...

[To me, this is like war of the bag or something...street fight over the new MJ!]

[I don't know what to say about this flasher-esque dude with the convertible and black ankle socks!]

[And, seriously, what is this about? Totally makes me laugh!]

What are some of your favorite ads?

MJ + LV

[Marc Jacobs, from Harper's Bazzar]

Fascinating. Really + Truly. I love watching people create, seeing what their world is like. It fascinates me. And Marc Jacobs is a creative genius, so watching him is mesmorizing. The movie Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton is a documentary about the world of Marc Jacobs. It follows him through the design and show of his own collection as well as his collection with Louis Vuitton. Are you a fan of Project Runway? Then you'd love the behind the scenes of this movie. Sleepless nights, sewing mishaps, protein bar eating, model fittings - it's all in there.

One thing in particular that I loved was how many times MJ would say things like it's really good + it's really ugly and is this so horrible that it's good or so horrible that it's horrible? and defects are good - we're celebrating them. It's true that when you are striving to design something new and different and unexpected that there is a fine line between ugly and beautiful.

And don't miss the bonus features - there are some good ones, including MJ's bird costume, driving MJ, the making of the LV cubist bag and a quiz...

For Felt Fans

Got a thing for felt? Two ladies that I met through the Boston Design Salon just launched FitzFelt, a company that sells 100% wool felt imported from Germany - both raw material by the yard and as cut tabletop and flooring products. Plus, the felt is eco-friendly, sustainable and green - very cool!

Vote for b.wise papers!!

[special delivery]

[the date]

[sugar + spice]

I recently submitted three designs into the current Minted.com design challenge, and now they are up for the vote. The challenge was to design a photo baby announcement for one of three listed couples. If you like my designs and you have a minute, I'd really, really appreciate your vote. Click on the title below each design for the direct link to vote for that card - thanks so much!!

Lushpad

Looking for some fabulous mid-century modern furniture? Check out Lushpad, a buy and sell marketplace for modern collectors. Ads can be place for items that are being sold or for items people are looking for. This Herman Miller red rocking chair [above], for example, is listed as "Brand new and authentic - never used" for $550 CDN. The design of the site is clean and easy to navigate. Here's what the folks at Lushpad have to say about it:

Lushpad is a unique online marketplace and resource that is intended to provide a service that has been missing from the collecting community since Modern design crossed the threshold from everyday to vintage a few years ago. Authentic originals, licensed originals and unlicensed lookalikes all vie for our attention. Lushpad hopes to clear through the clutter and help people make beautiful homes and impressive collections.

Sounds like a place I'll be checking often "just to see what's out there!" Thanks, Melanie, for letting me know about your site!

Circa 1958

For those in the area, the Ackland Art Museum currently has a fabulous exhibit called Circa 1958: Breaking Ground in American Art. I took the boys [they said kids were welcome, but I don't think they meant almost 3-yr-olds. Even though my boys were great and totally into it, they are kids, and I think the guards were very nervous with our presence!] and it was such a great art era for them - bold colors, abstract sculptures. Their favorite was a piece by Yoko Ono where you nailed a nail into a sheet of metal [part of it was to also tie a piece of hair around the nail - it did give me the heebie-jeebies to see a bunch of stray hairs hanging from nails, and there was also a side-note on the sign that said typically participants did not tie their hair on it!]

There is also a photography exihibit that I will go back to solo called The Fifties and the Anti-Fifties. It's composed of 18 photographs taken from Robert Frank's The Americans...

Fig + Sage

A big thanks to the ladies over at Fig + Sage for the shout-out this weekend! Fig + Sage is a blog that is a collaboration of two sisters, "dedicated to pure, natural, organic products + eco-friendly finds for you, your guy/girl, your baby, your pet and your home." Curious about the name? The Fig represents femininity + fertility, and for centuries Sage has been used to cleanse + beautify.


b.hopeful is the card they featured in their list of "8 cool eco-friendly Christmas cards"...
For more of our holiday collection, click here...

Cheers!

Explore

I hadn't known about Flickr Explore until last week when a photo taken by my hubby [above] was listed. It's pretty fun to peruse all the photos that have made the top 500 images of the day [unbelievably only .005% of the daily uploads to Flickr!] based on their interestingness [determined by a secret algorithm].

[I also really like this one, taken the same day]

[Both taken with this vintage Olympus]

For Romping Around

These comfy and cool moccasin-like suede boots are handmade in Poland. I love the color combos - simple, but with a bright pop of color. You can get them at Romp for $58. I kinda wish they made them in adult sizes!

Dates to Remember

2009 is less than two months away, and some amazingly beautiful calenders have been released for the new year. One of my current faves is this one from egg press. I love the layout, the designs, the colors - and that you can buy one for only $16 - the perfect desk accompaniment. And at the end of the year, it'd make some awesome wall art with the months grouped together in frames [especially the back side if you filled in the "Dates to Remember" part]...

Rock the Vote!

[Suffragist Pageant, Washington, DC - 1913]

Today, I'm off to the polls, and while I'm there I'm going to tip my hat to the women who came before me and fought for the right that I have today. It's hard to believe that my great-grandmother didn't always have the right to vote. What an amazing thing it is to live in a country where we have the freedom to cast a vote for whomever we want. So, if you haven't already, rock the vote!

And if you are looking for a way to make use of those political campaign signs after today, why not make a bird house?! I thought this project by Les Fourmis [via re-nest] was great...

Speaking of VW Rabbits...

I know, I know - I have a thing for small cars! The Rabbits are still so darn cute...and the first commercial for the "new Rabbit" made me laugh [what a great song!] - are they supposed to be mating??! hmmmm....

My Nan

[My Nan at 17 years old]

My grandmother, who I loved dearly, passed away 4 years ago, but we started losing her about a decade earlier to Alzheimer's. She was such an amazing lady, who survived the loss of her first husband in a Naval ship accident when he was 28 yrs old - they had two small sons. She went on to get a job and worked her way up until she was the secretary to the president of a major insurance company [no small feat for a woman in the 50's + 60's with small kids]. She was an incredibly talented pianist and organist, playing everyday until she couldn't remember how to do it anymore. Every Easter she made this awesome coconut cake shaped like a huge bunny with black jelly bean eyes. I would beg and beg to spend the night at her house - I loved it there with all her silk and chiffon nightgowns to wear. And I loved it when she would take me to school the next morning in her white VW Rabbit hatchback. I miss her everyday.

Did you know that November is Alzheimer's Awareness month? In memory of my Nan, a portion of all b.wise papers sales this month will go to the Alzheimer's Association.

And if you are looking for a gift idea for the holidays, check out J. Hill's Block Island Print [a portion of these sales also goes to the Alzheimer's Association]...