What I Am Wearing
Black and white dressing is always a good idea! With a large collection of black cotton ribbed turtleneck sweaters and an armoire filled with stacks of folded fabric the thought occurred to me to make my own black and white dress.
The Herb Garden
A highlight of early evening is a walk to the herb garden with a timeworn basket and bonsai scissors ready to clip herbs needed to make our dinner. The scent of fresh cut herbs is delicious!
Meaningful and Memorable Objects
We tend to surround ourselves with objects of personal significance. Whether it is something beautiful to look at, something to make us happy, something useful, something which evokes poignant memories, our objects tell a story.
Bountiful Baskets in Interior and Garden Design
With the coming of spring we can open our doors and windows and let fresh breezes flow through our rooms. Spring often elevates a desire to beautify and organize our surroundings. Many of us may have a collection of baskets on hand for just this purpose. A person who loves and collects books is a bibliophile and I am definitely that person, but I would also call myself a “basketophile” of sorts.
What I Am Wearing
As much as we may enjoy the elegant ease of dressing in a quiet, uniform style there are clothes which speak to the heart and must be indulged.
Using Vintage Fabrics in Interior Design
Searching for vintage fabrics, ribbon, and passementerie to use in interior design takes patience and a willingness to lift stacks of fabric and sift through baskets filled with carded sequins and beads to get to the treasure at the bottom. It is a special pleasure to give new life to old fabrics.
Using Vintage Fabrics in Fashion
Vintage fabric, lace, ribbon, buttons, handkerchiefs, and tablecloths are sorted in trays, stacked in baskets, and exploding from a burgeoning wardrobe cabinet in our studio. Beginning in my teens when an old pair of snap front bell bottom jeans became a work of art embellished with appliques of birds cut from old fabric and studded with tiny beads, vintage fabrics and passementerie have enchanted me.
Reflecting on Scent: Creating a Solid Fragrance
It’s been several months since I began reading the works of Mandy Aftel, Jean-Claude Ellena and others on the subject of scent, perfume, fragrance, or simply smells! The readings have included the natural and cultural history of perfumery, the botany of perfumes, and using natural ingredients to concoct scents.
What I Am Wearing
As a young person working in the neighborhood library I spent all my breaks in the back room stacks looking at fashion magazines, then sewing my own clothes, often inspired by something from the glossy pages of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, or Elle.
Painted Furniture in Interior Design
Painted furniture provides a focal point and lifts the look of a space. As far back as the 1700’s people in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries began using pale grays and softened whites to paint and refresh furniture handed down through the years, to bring light into rooms during the dark of winter, or even to coordinate furniture made of different woods.