973 Third Avenue

DIY Heart Shaped Rings

2012-01-24T08:29:00.009-05:00

Jumping right ahead to Valentine's season, here's a project you'll definitely want to try. This red wire heart ring would be a very fun and romantic gift for your Valentine, or a sweet gift for your Mom.

Thanks to Cut Out and Keep for posting the step-by-step here.

Like fiddling with twist ties? Here is an even simpler ring idea, you can make and share with your brown-bag lunch-mates. Or tie them on your friends as a reminder that you love them!

Thanks to YellowGoat for the tutorial here.

DIY Gift Wrapping with Washi Tape

2011-12-07T14:58:00.001-05:00

Even CB2 is onto washi tape this year. Clever inspirations from Bonnie Cauble turn simply wrapped packages into works of art with craft paper and colorful tapes.

DIY Ornaments with Washi Tape

2011-12-06T14:10:00.006-05:00

This season, create your own fabulous and easy ornaments with washi tape and a little imagination.

To make beautiful ornaments like these 4 from Zakka life, just follow their instructions:

Cut or rip the tape and apply it to the ornaments anyway you wish. One of the wonderful qualities of washi tape is that it's semi translucent which creates a wonderful overlapping effect. You can kind of see what I'm talking about with the Christmas tree ornament. I experimented with shapes, monograms and just random ripped squares. If you don't like what you make the first time, just peel the tape off and start again. Washi tape is low tack so it won't leave a sticky residue.

Many thanks for sharing with us at 973.

Embellish Instantly with Washi Tapes

2011-12-05T05:45:00.001-05:00

Simplify your holiday wrapping and embellish your own crafts and decorations with washi tape, available in paper shops and art supply stores everywhere.

Please click on images for more information.

Happy Thanksgiving from 973

2011-11-21T06:34:00.003-05:00

Wishing you a very Happy and Delicious Thanksgiving!

1905 menu card and illustration by American illustrator George Elbert Burr [1859-1939]

It's Halloween - What's for Lunch?

2011-10-31T10:03:00.005-04:00

Happy Halloween! It's a day of mummies, goblins, ghosties, spiders, and lots more of spooky and scary. So go ahead - eat it, if you dare!

Lunch food images (and other inspiring brown bag ideas) from Another Lunch (top 2), Just Bento & Lunchville

Decorating with Pumpkins

2011-10-30T21:39:00.006-04:00

With pumpkins this pretty and decorative, why not use use them as a simple decoration and pass on the carving. I like them flanking each step at the front entrance or in a short stack by the door.

Check out the stems on these orange beauties. They are perfect for a traditional looking jack-o-lantern.

Pumpkins that are hollowed out also make great looking containers for seasonal arrangements indoors or out.

Have a Happy Halloween!

Every Doorway Has A Story

2011-09-22T21:48:00.004-04:00

This image of a mystery door was taken by my dear friend Susan, on her recent trip to Creede, Colorado.

I'll leave the door metaphors to you, clever readers!

Letterpress Printing - an intro

2011-09-11T16:38:00.002-04:00

Letterpress from Naomie Ross on Vimeo.

This nicely made video provides a great overview of letterpress printing in less than two minutes.

If anachronistic and custom small press printing designs appeal to you, check out this site for inspiration and free downloads.

Classic Wire Kitchen Basket

2011-09-10T09:05:00.013-04:00

I have always been drawn to old wire baskets. I love the simplicity of their appearance and their no-nonsense functionality. Here is a favorite collapsible basket, made in France, intended for gathering, storing and cooking food. The original label is beautifully designed, too.

The obverse of the label also recommends using it whilst camping.

Seeing Ground Zero Today

2011-09-06T19:32:00.000-04:00

Dear Readers,
I came across this beautiful NG image of Ground Zero where the Twin Towers once stood. It is the New York that survived and is rebuilding to remember those we lost. It seems appropriate to include it now as we mark ten years since the horrific events of 9/11.

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center opens to the public next week. Information on the monument and how to reserve free passes to visit may be found at their website: www.911memorial.org.

More views of the rebuilding on the site are available on the EarthCam - World Trade Center Cams.

National Geographic has a thoughtful online exhibit, Starting from GROUND ZERO: Ten years after 9/11, how have the survivors healed—and what wounds still remain?

July 4th Idea to Recycle

2011-07-05T00:13:00.007-04:00

July 4th - I admired the hostess's clever party decorations and her use of red, white and blue on the holiday buffet table. The striped grosgrain ribbons tied casually around the cutlery rolled in napkins was an idea I am definitely going to recycle and reuse for my next party.

Thank you GM, it was a fabulous celebration, as always!

Airstream Envy

2011-06-26T11:41:00.005-04:00

Eco-think, Do it yourself, Live green, Go sustainable, Reduce your footprint, etc.
Whatever your mantra, here is some inspiration from the green redesign and renovation of a 1978 Airstream and a proposed rethink for a 1972 Airstream Tradewind.

For more images and info, please click here.

Make Your Own T-Shirt Quilt

2011-06-12T13:01:00.012-04:00

My inaugural experience creating a t-shirt quilt has been mostly trial and error, with more emphasis on the error. Thank goodness for my seam ripper!

If you are also crazy enough to think this would be a fun gift to make, please read on. Otherwise, I hope you will enjoy other entries on this blog that have absolutely nothing to do with cutting out 30+ t-shirts as a first step.

I started with 35 of my gift recipient's thoughtfully selected, favorite t-shirts from her extensive collection. Looking at the size and shape of the graphics, I decided to cut each square 14 1/2 inches. I started cutting them with a pair of scissors. (A smarter person would have used a rotary cutter on a self-healing cutting mat.) Then I created and recreated layouts on the floor until I was quite tired, but satisfied with the balance of colors.

I documented it with a few digital images and waited for approval from the recipient. Immediately, she signaled back with the green light on the layout. Next, I started cutting out 14 1/2 inch squares of soft, light-weight fusible interfacing for the backing of the cut tees. (This prevents each t-shirt square from stretching out as you assemble the quilt.)

Using my vintage Singer, I started attaching the squares in rows, with a uniform seam allowance. All seams were pressed open. When the rows were completed, I attached each to the next and pressed the seams again.

Using two lengths of 45" wide fabric selected for the quilt project, I created a backing piece that was intentionally larger all around than the finished t-shirt quilt top. For a neat appearance on the back, I centered the width of the backing fabric and pieced two half widths on either side of the centered fabric to create the overall dimensions needed. I knew enough to avoid a seam down the middle.

Starting from the bottom I created a quilt sandwich, with the backing, right side down, then the batting on that and the quilt top, placed right-side-up and centered. I hand basted around the outside edges to hold all three layers in place. Then, I trimmed the excess batting beyond the edge of the t-shirt quilt top and trimmed the backing (bottom) layer to allow a 2 inch overlay all around.

Working along each edge, I wrapped the two inch overlay of the backing fabric onto the top of the quilt, folded it under twice, pinned and pressed as a 1/2 inch binding. Lastly, I carefully topstitched the self-binding around each side of the quilt. Voilà!

Sweet dreams and happy graduation Coco!

Chalk Lettering to Keep

2011-05-19T16:46:00.006-04:00

With chalk in hand, Dana Tanamachi creates elegant and refined custom lettering. I recently found her work and have been absolutely mesmerized by the beauty and lightness of her artistry. As faithful 973 readers know, I am always interested in typography and lettering, but finding a simple medium as chalk on a chalkboard made exceptionally stunning is truly brilliant. I hope you'll enjoy it, too.

Here's a time lapse video of Dana creating one of her pieces.

For more examples of her work see www.danatanamachi.com/chalk/

Easter Greetings from 973

2011-04-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

Vintage card images above and more may be found here.

Earth Day - Recycle and Be Happy

2011-04-22T09:45:00.007-04:00

We love to recycle. We love to reuse materials for new projects and the creativity they inspire. To celebrate Earth Day everyday is our motto here at 973 Third. Every little effort we make helps clean our environment. So go ahead and reduce, reuse and recycle. It's good for all of us!

Top image: Shared by a friend
Bottom image: Sand sculpture by artist Todd Brittingham titled "Sun and the Moon" at Jetty Park in Cape Canaveral, Fla., during an Earth Day celebration, The Washington Post.

Pulp Fashion - Paper Couture

2011-04-10T09:09:00.007-04:00

An exhibition at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco features five new spectacular works of paper dresses inspired by paintings in the European collection of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. For more than 15 years, Isabelle de Borchgrave has been recreating historical costumes in exquisite detail, life sized and entirely of paper. Drawing from paintings, textiles, and descriptions, she has made over 60 trompe l'oeil fashion sculptures. Now, they are on view in the US.

Here's an introduction to the exhibit...

"Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave is a painter by training, but textile and costume are her muses. Working in collaboration with leading costume historians and young fashion designers, de Borchgrave crafts a world of splendor from the simplest rag paper. Painting and manipulating the paper, she forms trompe l’oeil masterpieces of elaborate dresses inspired by rich depictions in early European painting or by iconic costumes in museum collections around the world. The Legion of Honor is the first American museum to dedicate an entire exhibition to the work of Isabelle de Borchgrave, although her creations have been widely displayed in Europe."

Above, Marie Claire de Croy and child, 2010 based on the painting below,

Anthony van Dyck (Flemish, 1599–1641), Marie Claire de Croy, Duchess d'Havre and Child, 1634.

Pulp Fashion: The Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave will be on exhibit at the Legion of Honor through June 5, 2011.

Top image: a detail of an elaborate paper sculpture, The Medici

Paper as Sculpture

2011-04-09T07:39:00.010-04:00

Catching up on lots of design ideas and inspirations this season, I would like to introduce some fabulous creations I've seen recently - made of paper. Enjoy!

The paper sculpture shown here is the work of artist Makiko Azakami.

Signs of Spring

2011-03-23T23:38:00.004-04:00

We must be getting close to spring if the cherry blossoms are coming out. This beautiful photograph by Raymond K. Gehman captures a cheery warbler perched on a cherry blossom tree near the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC. The striking colors and delicate composition could inspire a wallpaper design I'd like to have at this address all year long.

Universal Design as Nouns

2011-03-13T22:57:00.008-04:00

Free, fun, educational and loaded with really good designs - that's a winning combination. And you, the design savvy followers at 973 Third, can be part of the effort.

Check out the the Noun Project - the mission is "sharing, celebrating and enhancing the world's visual language."

"The Noun Project collects, organizes and adds to the highly recognizable symbols that form the world's visual language, so we may share them in a fun and meaningful way."

Click here for more on universal messaging.

Thanks to Grain Edit, a print design blog, for introducing us to the Noun Project.

Red Velvet Valentine Treats

2011-02-08T07:21:00.011-05:00

Make a delicious gift this week for Valentine's Day. Here are some beautiful inspirations. Click on the images for more info, recipes, and ideas.

Romantic Fonts for Valentine's Day

2011-02-03T07:16:00.001-05:00

Looking to make a sweet Valentine greeting for someone special? Try one of these inspiring romantic (and free) fonts to get you started.

For more Valentine's Day card ideas, click here and here.

http://www.dafont.com/james-fajardo.font (Happy Valentine's day)
http://www.fonts2u.com/windsong.font (Please be Mine)
http://www.dafont.com/fiolex-girls.font (Love from 973 Third)

17th Century Private Museums Revealed

2011-02-01T20:41:00.005-05:00

A new exhibit at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC features rare and meticulously rendered catalogues of private collections dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. The documentation includes detailed engravings reproducing the works of art, natural history, and curiosities of these wealthy and sophisticated collectors. Some of the catalogues even include views of the museum rooms and galleries, offering a peek at their curatorial sensibility.

Collections Frozen in Time
Selections from the National Gallery of Art Library
February 5-July 24, 2011

Ikea Bookcases as Built-ins

2011-01-18T08:53:00.007-05:00

If Ikea style may seem a little too much like grad student furnishings or first apartment hand-me -downs, take a look at the clever things Ikea Hackers have done. You'll be inspired to head to Ikea this weekend.

Click on each photo for more info.

Green Transportation

2011-01-14T06:55:00.001-05:00

On a recent visit to New York, I happened upon this delightful confection of a bicycle on the sidewalk outside of ABC Home. I only saw it at rest, but can imagine the scene it creates when loaded with a Coco-mat mattress and heading across town en route to a delivery.
The custom made transport bicycle was created by a Dutch company, Fietsfabriek.

Click here for more on bicycles as a sustainable alternative to getting around. Click here for artful bicycle racks.

Faux Bois - Painted Grain Floor

2011-01-12T08:22:00.007-05:00

Although I live with warm white oak floors throughout my house, I have always admired the fantastic effects of painted floors. If your floors aren't in great shape and their maintenance is an issue, an artful finish might be a beautiful solution. There are lots of successful examples of floors painted in soft and solid colors on porches or sunny rooms, or painted in two contrasting colors in a checkerboard pattern, and set on the diagonal in kitchens or entrance halls.

The bold white grain on the black painted floor above is one of the most visually exciting I have spied in an extensive personal history of admiring faux finishes. It brings a lot of fun into the room.

Faux Bois - imitation or fake wood, now refers mainly to the finished surface, but originally was used to describe the work of late 19th century French furniture makers starting with wire frames, building up a composite in the shape of the furniture piece and then painting it to resemble wood. More recently, it has become fashionable on decorative accessories as candles, tableware, paper goods and textiles.

Click here and here for more inspiration and instruction on faux finishes. Click here for DIY decorative staircase ideas.

Crochet Covered Smart Car

2010-12-31T15:35:00.003-05:00

What do you get in Rome, when you cross a smart car with a crochet hook? Fabulous.

Happy New Year from 973 Third!

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

2010-12-25T07:13:00.000-05:00

Vintage Christmas cards are great fun to share online. Click here for more vintage imagery. Click here for our favorite creative Christmas trees.

Creative and Green Gift Wrapping

2010-12-23T09:32:00.020-05:00

Gift wrapping can be beautiful in its simplicity. Here are some ideas for inspiration from the goddess of good things, Martha Stewart. Above, brown craft paper tied with string works nicely with a fresh sprig of greens tucked in and a red bordered sticker label for a tag.

Recycling the drawings or doodles of your resident artist makes a cheerful and personal wrapping tied up with a bow.

A solid color paper or tissue looks elegant with a pretty bow and a little greenery attached.

Japanese style wrapping, furoshiki, with a piece of fabric or scarf self-tied as a carry-all is a thoughtful practice of the 3 Rs.

Natural materials as leaves and pods wrapped in rafia or grasses add an organic touch for your gifts.

Newspapers, maps, and strips of paper can be layered for an entirely recycled and creative wrapping.

Twist a sparkling or contrasting pipe cleaner into an initial or monogram to personalize your packaging.

Stamps and stickers, with a touch of red or green, make ideal tags for marking your gifts.

All images from here.

Luminarias - Lighting for Christmas Eve

2010-12-22T08:41:00.012-05:00

Make your own luminarias (lights) or farolitas* (small paper lanterns):

Gather a handful of brown lunch bags, a bucket of play sand, a trowel, white votive candles, and a candle lighter. Open bags, fold over the top edge to shorten the height, flatten the bottom, scoop in some sand to weight the bottom and double as a fire retardant and nestle a candle in the center. Lay out your filled bags to flank the outside entrance, or line a path to the door. When darkness falls (or at the appointed hour and before guests are expected) carefully light each votive with a long handled lighter.

Beautiful, festive and very easy!

Image for inspiration: Holiday Open House at Spruce Tree House, an ancient Anasazi cliff dwelling at Mesa Verde National Park near Durango, Colorado

*Farolita is the diminutive form of farola, the Spanish word for streetlamp.

Easy Peasy Holiday Decorations

2010-12-21T05:30:00.000-05:00

These are frantic days at 973, as Christmas is less than 4 days away, and I am scrambling to finish putting on the holiday touches.

Still to be done: (admittedly last-minute) green, minimalist decorations

I consider this the antithesis of the NYT article in last week's Home" section, "Even the Tree Has a Stylist." If you missed the article and you are the type who can manage your own holiday decorations, don't fret. Consider yourself fortunate enough to have the creativity, vision and leadership to do what some others seeking to find beauty and comfort at home at Christmas must pay dearly for.

Images for inspiration: plain glass ornaments filled with simple compositions, from Country Living, burlap (or other recycled household textile) makes a charmingly provincial stocking, from Better Homes & Gardens.

Catching Up in Time for Christmas

2010-12-20T12:49:00.008-05:00

After a series of real world distractions, it's nice to be back at 973. There is much to do this week and I need all the holiday short-cuts I can get!

Here's the minimalist to do list:
Trim the tree - check, Hang wreath on door - check, Send holiday cards - check, Holiday music on ipod - check, Party foods on hand for surprise guests - check, Party drinks - check, Gifts for family & friends - not finished yet! Easy decorations - to be done!

Easy decoration idea/inspiration #1: Take a white bowl and fill it with pretty red ornaments. Ta Da! This would be pretty with any monochromatic assortment of ornaments. Having something with a little white on it helps visually connect the bowl with its contents.

More to come, very soon!

Simple and Rustic Autumn Party

2010-10-21T10:59:00.006-04:00

With the refreshingly crisp weather and beautiful colors of autumn, perhaps it's not too late to host an impromptu harvest lunch party this weekend?

For more ideas on keeping it simple and rustic, click here.

Revisting Old Packaging

2010-09-08T09:22:00.008-04:00

Revisiting: Scotch Tape

Originally known as cellulose tape, the product was made from strips of cellophane coated with an adhesive. The clear tape launched on this day in 1930 by the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co., hence the 3M moniker, in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

For more on the history of this indispensable product, click here.

Rethinking the Pavilion

2010-08-24T19:08:00.002-04:00

This summer, the 2010 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London's Kensington Gardens has been designed by French archititect Jean Nouvel. The period from invitation to completion was only six months for this fabulous creation. The temporary structure opened on July 13 and will be open to visit and enjoy until October 17. Admission is free.

Click here for more info and photographs.

Photograph: John Offenbach

Sweet Green Dreams

2010-08-23T22:16:00.003-04:00

Inspiration: Four beds all lined up with matching coverlets look fun with contrasting shams amidst the three shared night tables with matching lamps. The striped wallpaper pulls all the colors together and creates a visual lift from the dramatic horizontality of the beds in handsome alignment.

Image from Merimekko.

Who Bought the Sewing Machine?

2010-07-26T23:45:00.007-04:00

Five generations ago, my family purchased a new and modern Singer sewing machine. The machine still sits on its handsome table, fitted with skinny drawers. Some drawers contain parts, but no manual survived. In 2010, we weren't sure exactly how old it was or which great-great-great aunt had hemmed the most stitches from pumping its treadle powered base. So the search began.

Between 1887 and 1891, Singer improved and further refined their newest invention, calling it the No. 2 Vibrating Shuttle Sewing Machine. The vibrating bobbin was also known as a boat or bullet shuttle.

The style was altered slightly about 1891 to change out the fiddle base to a rectangular base. These models later came to be known as 27 and 28 after 1891 and in the 20th century they were put into production again as models 127 and 128.

The serial number gave us some clue, but several online resources for tracking serial numbers provided contradictory information. Back to the books again and comparison shopping of documented late 19th century machines.

The exciting results: our Singer was made in late 1891 and is in its original condition.
The best news: it still works.

Singer timeline
Dating sewing machines
Vibrating shuttle

Love That Tartan

2010-07-06T11:15:00.005-04:00

When the Macdonald boys were captured on oil in their various tartans, it was around the year 1749.

A century later, Isaac Singer started making sewing machines in 1851 in America. I. M. Singer & Co. opened its first overseas factory in Glasgow in 1867.

In a recent research adventure trying to date a beautiful antique Singer Sewing machine in the family, I came across this delightful antique tartan covered needle case from Singer's.

I just had to share it with you.

Thanks for your patience, it's good to be back at 973.

Fun and Easy Outdoor Lighting

2010-06-08T08:38:00.009-04:00

Here's a great idea from Martha's magazine years ago. Start with a wide drinking glass, at least 2 colors of colored sand, a votive candle and its holder. Add some sand first in the larger glass to set the votive holder with the candle centered inside the outer glass. Then continue with a funnel adding sand in layers of color to fill the space between the containers. The outer glass also serves as a hurricane shade.

This works well with a concealed vase for flowers, too. Easy and fun!

Click on the photos for Martha's directions.

Environmentally Sustainable Behavior

2010-06-02T08:42:00.006-04:00

National Geographic has just completed its second annual study on personal choices toward making the world more sustainable. Working with GlobeScan, an international polling company, the results are presented as their Consumer Greendex.

A total of 17,000 consumers in 17 countries answered questions on their energy use, conservation, transportation choices, food sources, use of green vs. traditional products, attitudes toward sustainability and the environment and knowledge of related issues. The study will continue annually to track the changes and progress.

You can test your personal Greendex, too. Click here to measure your own sustainable behavior.

Greening the Champs-Elysees

2010-05-25T12:09:00.000-04:00

Over the past weekend in Paris, the Champs-Elysées was covered in grass, plants, trees, cattle and sheep along the 3/4 mile stretch from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde. The event was organized by the Young Farmers Union to encourage French consumers to reflect on "what they have on their plates and how it got there."

The transplanted countryside offered a showcase of Gallic agriculture and biodiversity. Visitors also enjoyed tastings of regional specialties and selections of plants and produce for sale. The organizers hoped to attract about two million people.

For more images, click here.

Why Design Now?

2010-05-24T14:38:00.004-04:00

Discovering beauty and wisdom in simple forms that use minimal resources. Enabling people around the globe to generate and share wealth. Powering the world with clean energy. As designers tackle these concepts with new products or prototypes they help us address globally relevant social and environmental issues.

Why Design Now? is the title of the fourth installation in the National Design Triennial series, started at the Cooper Hewitt, National Design Museum in 2000. Amongst the sampling of contemporary innovation, the exhibit itself is an environmentally responsible design. Very inspiring.

Reduce, reuse, recycle. Click here for information on the exhibition.

Colorful Interiors Win

2010-05-13T11:24:00.006-04:00

Not surprisingly, the boldest and brightest hues were winners last week in Benjamin Moore's contest for best use of color in architecture and interiors. A lifetime achievement award was presented to the NY design team of William Diamond and Anthony Baratta. Above, an entryway in Captiva, Florida, by Diamond Baratta Design.

Are you suddenly thinking of a tropical getaway? Or maybe a blue box from Tiffany's?

Is This Spring?

2010-05-09T21:38:00.008-04:00

Earlier this week, my dear and talented photographer friend Susan sent me this photo. I marveled at the colors, her composition and the oddly sweet juxtaposition of tulips capped with snow.

When I spoke with her later that day, I casually asked how long ago she had taken the photo with the flowers and the snow. I knew they had experienced a big white winter this season. Had their April showers brought more snow last month?

She quickly clarified that the flowers dusted with snow were the scene she'd captured that Sunday, on the first weekend of May near her home in southwestern Colorado.

I didn't want to mention that we had been enjoying unseasonably warm and sunny weather all week. Fruit frees are flowering and shrubs are blooming. Even people seem to be happier.

Visiting Pompeii Before Dinner

2010-04-29T09:47:00.001-04:00

Need a little archaeology fix today? Take a stroll on Google's Street View of Pompeii and don't worry about the crowds of tourists, your passport or the exchange rate. The 360 degree panoramic street-level service of Pompeii is so fascinating to visit, you'll probably want to make several excursions.

Life in the ancient Roman city was wiped out by the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The volcano deposited 20 feet of ash, killing everyone in Pompeii and nearby Herculaneum. The disaster preserved the remains of the city until it was rediscovered in the 18th century. Archaeologists of the last 250 years have been studying the ruins to better understand Roman life in the first century.

These are the actual buildings and ruins that survive today. No need to rely on sterile looking reconstructions or sharp, linear computer generated images to imagine for yourself the texture and scale of the houses, storefronts and civic structures. One perk of virtually visiting Pompeii, is seeing the real thing.

Bon voyage and don't miss the wall paintings!

Happy Earth Day

2010-04-22T12:52:00.004-04:00

There has been a lot of talk about the last 40 years of Earth Day and the progress we have made. What started as a grass roots project to bring attention and clean-up efforts to the horrible pollution of our air, water and land has made the Earth a better and cleaner place.

Sure, there are new concerns and challenges, but we are better equipped to deal with them, not only as a concerned nation, but a global community.

Here are two interesting short videos on the history of Earth Day and our progress:

Click here for an animated tribute, Earth Day turns 40, from the Mother Nature Network

Click here for a Washington Post video, Unfinished Business: Earth Day at 40

We believe in celebrating Earth Day every day at 973 Third.

Strawberry Hill - A Gothic Confection

2010-04-17T07:30:00.001-04:00

Strawberry Hill, the 18th century summer house of Horace Walpole was undoubtedly an exuberant experiment in Gothic revival. In 1748 Walpole purchased the house built in 1698, and set out to make "a little Gothic castle" with the help of 2 talented friends, referring to themselves as a Committee of Taste. In several phases of improvements over 30 years the house grew and changed. There did not seem to be a fixed plan and additions were made based on loose interpretations of earlier baronial architecture he admired, as the chapel at Westminster Abbey and engravings of chimney pieces from early churches.

The house, just outside London, was widely visited although not entirely appreciated. Some thought it a folly and a disgrace. In addition to his mixing styles and periods, he used details from the exteriors of churches on the interiors of his house. It was, at the time, greatly discussed. And now, not surprisingly, it's recognized as one of the most influential houses of Georgian Gothic style.

Gothic became a popular architectural theme in the nineteenth century, perhaps in part because of Walpole's Strawberry Hill. What was unheard of in his choice of blending and recreating ancient styles and details of various periods has now become common for draftsmen and builders of new suburban construction and developments of mini mansions marketing grand traditional homes.

Fortunately, Walpole's writing, many of his collections (over 4,000 were displayed in his home for tours during his lifetime), architectural drawings, engravings and the house itself survive to visit and enjoy.

The house is under restoration and shall reopen to the public in the fall of 2010. The V & A is presently hosting an exhibit on Walpole, the collector through July 4.

Images of Strawberry Hill courtesy of the Lewis Walpole Library collection at Yale University, top to bottom: The Tribune, 1789; View of the Great North Bed Chamber, n.d.; The Great Cloister; Sketch of the Gallery, 1759; The Round Drawing Room, n.d.

Carpet of Flowers

2010-04-14T12:32:00.005-04:00

Begonias aren't getting the attention they deserve. Every once in awhile I'm struck by a beautiful flower and am pleasantly surprised to find it's a begonia variety. In Brussels, every other year, for one weekend in August, the cobblestone paved Grand Palace market square is transformed into a flower carpet spectacular. What do they use? Why begonias, of course.

Click here for more details on the 2010 event.

Baskets to Inspire Spring

2010-03-31T08:03:00.008-04:00

With Easter almost upon us, here are a few baskets to enjoy. Cheery daffodils and moss are joined by little chicks for a sunny tabletop landscape above, while the monochromatic greens of the basket below offer a more sophisticated take. At the bottom, the paper basket crafted from a lunch bag offers the simple elegance of nature and resourcefulness.

All images are from Martha. See more beautiful ideas here or click on the images.

Egg-Citing for Easter

2010-03-30T12:58:00.006-04:00

Here are 3 easy ideas to add to your repertoire of spring holiday decorations and centerpieces. They are all from Martha, of course.

I am definitely going to do this one. I'm quite certain all the materials needed are on hand.

The delicately dyed lavender egg shells with tiny blossoms are so sweet. They would look lovely in a cluster or at each place setting.

For more info, click on the images.

Dreaming of an Escape

2010-03-23T12:53:00.010-04:00

Here's a little inspiration for your dream garden (and climate) -

Clever homeowners made up for a small master bath in their house with a garden bathing pavilion created from a funky old garden shed in their backyard. They cleaned it up, added a new tile floor, installed awning windows and trained ivy around the exterior for their very own spa.

Click here for more photos.

Still Life Distilled

2010-03-13T08:56:00.010-05:00

In her recent work, photographer Sharon Core has beautifully rendered still life paintings in the style of Raphaelle Peale (1774-1825), one of America's early masters in this genre.

His still life paintings featured perfectly articulated everyday objects: ceramic tableware, glassware, fruit and flowers.

Core has recreated Peale's tableaus with collected antique serving pieces, vegetables and ripened fruits. Her brilliant attention to composition, scale, color and lighting produce a visual feast for modern and traditional tastes alike.

More images from Sharon Core's "Early American" series may be found here and here.

My Whistling Kettle

2010-03-07T10:11:00.000-05:00

There are few possessions I treasure as much as my whistling kettle. I bought it when we were living in Italy and splurged to have an Alessi kettle to call my own. We had a very efficient and modern European kitchen with a tiny 4 burner hob. The kettle was the perfect size.

Back stateside, the kettle remains a fixture in my daily life, and a cheerful reminder of life abroad. I adore its fabulous design and the two note harmonious whistle reminding me the tea water is ready. The only problem, and it is a small, but telling detail, is the seemingly perfectly sized kettle in Italy is precariously small on my American cooking range. If it is not placed exactly on the iron ring, the handle starts to melt. One is alerted to this off-centeredness by the pungent smell of burning plastic.

But this is the price (and pride) one must pay for a piece of classic Italian design in an American kitchen. I recently learned this is a problem other Alessi 9091 fans may have also encountered. They do sell replacement handles, along with pipes and springs for Richard Sapper's 1982 design, now called, the first designer kettle.

Richard Sapper is a name that may be less familiar to design addicts that do not have a 9091 kettle for their tea. However, the German born industrial designer was also the elegant engineering genius that brought us the Tizio lamp in 1972 by Artemide and the IBM ThinkPad. His career has taken him from Mercedes Benz to cutting edge Italian consumer products through his independent studio based in Milan.

Subway Car Transformed

2010-03-01T05:30:00.002-05:00

Imagine stepping onto a New York city subway car and entering the visual delights of a Dutch collector's salon. Take the S shuttle from Grand Central to Times Square before March 4 and you can experience the fabulousness for yourself. Mahogany wainscoting, damask wall covering, paintings by Dutch masters, even ceiling medallions and tufted seats have all been thoughtfully faux furnished to invite you away.

The wrapped subway shuttle has reawoken in color and style thanks with the The Netherlands Board of Tourism marketing campaign, "Just Be. In Holland." The three different themed cars (decorated inside and out) represent the city's cultural, classic and contemporary attractions and include translations of fun Dutch phrases and words. Catch it, if you can!

Image courtesy of PointClickHome

Liberty at Last

2010-02-25T06:30:00.003-05:00

Venerable favorite for floral fabrics, Liberty of London isn't too stuffy to dress up in their Betsy print for a little fun. This popular fabric was designed for the firm in 1933 amongst their ever classic designs, rich colors and pleasing patterns.

Now, Liberty is launching floral patterns stateside at Target on March 14, a week ahead of spring. It's blooming good news.

Color in Patterns

2010-02-24T07:44:00.000-05:00

Brighten up your winter with a new tropical color combination or two. In this inspirational rethink of a simple chandelier, the fixture was painted a cheerful canary yellow and the shades were re-covered in contrasting wallpaper patterns of pink, yellow and red. Pink trimming on all the shades adds a dash of style and subtly pulls the various papers together.

A whimsical substitute for simply mixing around patterned pillows on the sofa.

Image courtesy of bhg.com

Collections

2010-02-23T20:30:00.001-05:00

Hunting and gathering is collecting. And it's fun.

And so is sharing it with other appreciative obsessives.

Click here for a fix and a collection a day.

Collection a Day via Cafe Cartolina

Interior Details

2010-02-18T13:45:00.016-05:00

In this photocollage from the 1860s, the artist painted the interior scene and added photographs of 14 family and friends (including the pooch) to liven things up a bit.

Some nice details to admire include the curtains hung over the mirror above the mantel, the lovely blue carpeting and matching hearth rug, the openwork, woven plant stand with greenery and the oval frames hung from the decorative, maybe wallpapered, picture rail and ornamented with ribbons and bows.

Thank you Lady Filmer for sharing your real or imagined Victorian parlor.

Photograph courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art:
Mary Georgiana Caroline, Lady Filmer (English, 1838–1903)
Untitled loose page from the Filmer Album, mid-1860s
Collage of watercolor and albumen silver prints; 8 3/4 x 11 1/4 in. (22.2 x 28.6 cm)
Paul F. Walter

Love and Color Rising

2010-02-16T10:05:00.006-05:00

German born artist Horst Glasker is not only a painter. His art includes his music, performance, sculpture, installation, and architecture. This project of color, architecture and words was created in 2006 in Wuppertal, Germany on the Holstein, steps built in 1900. It is called "La Scala" the Italian word for stairs.

Each colorful step has also been painted on the front with a word describing human relationships. There are 112 steps and they've painted to represent the course of a relationship. They are painted on a color related to the emotion and the text appears in a complementary color. In translation, they include such terms as: friendship, forgive, remorse, protect, jubilant, honor, family, fear, innocence, cuddle, mother, loyalty, love.

For more info on the artist, click here and/or here.

Vintage Valentines

2010-02-14T11:29:00.011-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day with Love from 973 Third

Vintage card images courtesy of Susan Breslow Sardone

Going Nowhere

2010-02-11T10:45:00.002-05:00

It's winter alright and no one is going anywhere. There is so much snow outside, the entire town has just called it another day off. After the second big snowfall this week, even the sturdiest snow shoveling enthusiast might feel a tad overtaxed.

Perhaps it's time for a winter fairytale escape?

Special thanks to Susan for sharing the images of ice sculptures from the Fairbanks Ice Festival in 2008.

Victorian Photocollages

2010-02-10T11:10:00.004-05:00

With advances in photography in the mid nineteenth century, sharing and swapping inexpensive photo booth style portraits became so popular it was called cardomania. The availability of photo portraits inspired amateur watercolorists and artists in the 1860s and 1870s to include cut outs of these images and insert them onto scenes or create scenes around them.

Photocollages, which were predominantly made by English women of leisure, created a new form of creative expression for the Victorians. An selection of these delightful works on paper is currently on exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through May 9.

The image above, reminiscent of an 18th century conversation piece painting, is an untitled page from the Sackville-West album, made by a great aunt of Vita.

Photo: Courtesy of George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography and Film

Gold Fish Style

2010-02-04T18:05:00.005-05:00

Ever since I saw the goldfish trash bags, I've been feeling nostalgic for the little swimmy pet that entertained us in his traditional goldfish bowl in the kitchen of my childhood. Maybe goldfish, real or imaginary, are making a comeback through industrial and home design? Where will we see them next?

Make Your Own Zig Zag Rug

2010-01-26T20:33:00.005-05:00

Stylistas are going wild for zig zag rugs this season. There are many designs to inspire a clever and patient frugalista (or frugaliste) to make her/his own bold design underfoot.

Many thanks to Suzannah at Adventures in Dressmaking for sharing her zig zag rug tutorial.

Inspiration: Wedgwood Pattern Book

2010-01-22T07:30:00.001-05:00

After experimenting with his innovative ideas and glazes at the pottery firm of Thomas Wheildon, Josiah Wedgwood opened his own pottery company in 17959 and helped transform English ceramics from crude and utilitarian wares into beautiful forms inspired by neo-classical art and architecture. Above is a page from a period pattern book of border designs for elegant tablewares.

Perhaps it's time for another look at these designs?

Enjoy!

There Will Always Be An England

2010-01-20T10:25:00.006-05:00

Since 1824, Cadbury has been an English chocolate producer and has grown into one of Britain's best-known brands and businesses. Kraft Food's potential takeover of Cadbury has been met with spirited unhappiness.

Recycled Tennis Balls

2010-01-17T11:15:00.007-05:00

Go green with recycled tennis balls crafted quite cleverly into a stylish chair, by Hugh Hayden.

Be eco-comfortable court-side or inside.

Log Cabin Envy

2010-01-14T11:00:00.003-05:00

Cabins, huts, tiny houses and work spaces in winter sheds offer an appealing place for quiet, focused time. Recently, I've enjoyed catching up on a blog called Shedworking. Each entry brings new inspiration on the endless possibilities this form of architecture may yield. The log house above is a garden house and music studio on wheels in the Netherlands. For more photos, click here.

The Twelfth Night

2010-01-07T21:53:00.007-05:00

With the twelve days of Christmas concluded, I am finding new excuses to leave the tree decorated and indoors a little while longer. Perhaps it's the cozy scene it evokes in the evening with the lights delicately illuminating the ornaments? Perhaps it's the cheerful view of the home-made red tree skirt, embellished with smiling reindeer and sequined trees? Or perhaps it's the joy of having found our own Charlie Brown tree this year.

The sweet holiday scene above is from an old Johnson Brothers dish I keep on my desk. Most of the year, it's filled with clips and other important fasteners in various colors and sizes. But in December, in anticipation of the holiday decorating, I clear out the dish and enjoy the inspiring view it provides.

Next week, I'll think about trees and mulch, for now, the Christmas season continues at this address.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T12:59:00.006-05:00

May your 2010 be filled with much happiness, good health, and joy. With all good wishes from this address to yours!

Being Martha's Daughter

2009-12-30T12:20:00.000-05:00

Mothers and daughters have complicated relationships - period. Here's a fun article on Alexis Stewart and her mum, Martha.

The Smallest Calendar

2009-12-27T20:30:00.002-05:00

Start your new year with a paper gadget - high style, low tech and very small. This diminutive treat offers the entire year in less than 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/4 inches. Click here for the free download from an Italian graphic designer at Grafish Design.

Green Christmas Trees

2009-12-22T22:03:00.007-05:00

Again this year we struggled with the concept of a green Christmas Tree and what it should be. As much fun as it sounds to find a vintage white or aluminum tree that we can save and make our own - it's just not happening in time this year. We couldn't find that old artificial tree looking for a good home. But we did enjoy the hunt. Instead of a tree, we happened upon some fabulous retro vintage ornaments and dazzling decorations long forgotten and still quite fabulous. But I digress.

We toyed with a living tree, root ball intact, but it seemed harsh to subject it to our indoor climate, then expect it to adapt again to a garden and thrive after all that excitement.

A tree of recycled paper seems environmentally thoughtful. And some may argue a tree of green bottles is sort of responsible, too.

We're still most enchanted with the trees we featured here last year and think they offer the eco-conscious style and classic beauty we admire and respect in a green holiday tree.

Green Wrapping from Japan

2009-12-18T22:20:00.000-05:00

Ms. Yuriko Koike, former Japanese Minister of the Environment, recommends the Japanese practice of wrapping things in a furoshiki, a large piece of fabric, to transport purchases and gifts and help reduce waste from plastic bags and wrapping papers.

"It would be wonderful if the furoshiki, as a symbol of traditional Japanese culture, could provide an opportunity for us to reconsider the possibilities of a sound-material cycle society. As my sincere wish, I would like to disseminate the culture of the furoshiki to the entire world."

The furoshiki can be used to wrap purchases and gifts of almost any shape and size. Here are some traditional folding and wrapping styles. Click here and here for more instructions.

Color of the Year

2009-12-15T22:02:00.007-05:00

It's not surprising that the color Pantone, the professional color standard, has selected for its 2010 color of the year is: sort of green. But it's green made better, with a blend of blue and called Turquoise or 15-5519. It evokes the calm image of tropical waters and the vacation we so desperately need at this time of year. (Okay, well maybe I should only speak for myself).

For more info on this or any color, visit Pantone.

Green Wrapping with Paper

2009-12-11T15:49:00.008-05:00

Looking for green wrapping solutions often brings me to patterns in eco-friendly inks on recycled paper or tote bags that can be used again. For sources closer to home, recycling a sheet of newspaper or a map works nicely as an eco-wrapping choice, especially when it's brightened with a colorful bow made from a magazine.

Jessica Jones of How about orange... shares her brilliant and green (well, orange) bow made from a magazine page in a tutorial here.

May your wrapping be inspired and fun!

Personal Art Gallery

2009-12-02T10:43:00.007-05:00

Need a quick decorating fix or just want to bring some of your favorite drawings, photos or clippings out of boxes and into view? Here is a great idea for hanging your choice of two-dimensional art on the wall. With inexpensive and cool looking bullnose clips, you can put together a gallery in little or no time. Start with a handful of clips and make your choices, then hang the art with relatively uniform space between them. For a small collection, try hanging them in a row - horizontally or vertically.

Make Your Own Pipe Cleaner Wreath

2009-11-30T16:43:00.005-05:00

Feeling the pinch this holiday season? Here's a beautiful art project to easily craft. With a lot of pipe cleaners, a pair of scissors and a little patience, you can create your own masterpiece of lightness and design.

Make a wreath of green and red to hang on your door, or in front of a mirror. Try a silver design near a dark painted wall. Or maybe a graphic statement in black pipe cleaners on a white wall.

Many thanks to Kate Pruitt and her DIY projects at Design Sponge.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-24T17:02:00.003-05:00

If you need a few extra turkeys to put around the table this Thursday, here's a quick and charming idea for DIY place cards.

Thank you for being our guest at 973 Third Avenue. Have a wonderful holiday!

Green Walls

2009-11-18T22:44:00.004-05:00

If you're already a fan of green roofs, green walls seem a logical next step. But creating a vertical garden that stays where it's intended to, is considerably more challenging. That, of course, is what makes it so interesting.

Living walls are fascinating outdoors and in. It's magical to enter an interior space with a green wall. As you get closer you can't help but feel healthier. The planted wall is reducing the CO2 while adding oxygen to the room. All that good energy and it is visually enchanting, too.

Here's a New York Times article on edible walls and here are more examples of living walls.

Holiday Food Safety

2009-11-16T10:29:00.007-05:00

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, we are getting stuffed with recipe ideas and images of table settings and seasonal decorations in all forms of media. Equally as important is holiday food safety. I wanted to share this clip I just learned of today. I hope you'll find it interesting. It's part of a Holiday Food Safety Success Kit put together by the non-profit group Partnership for Food Safety Education.

May your meals be safe as well as delicious!

Make Your Own Advent Calendar

2009-11-12T06:59:00.001-05:00

Countdown to Christmas with a personalized Advent Calendar. Here are a few beautiful ideas to get you started. Carrying on with our matchbox theme - start with 24 matchboxes, cover in holiday patterns, number the ends in different styles and glue them together somewhat erratically, then fill with tiny surprises.

Collect two dozen envelopes in holiday colors, apply gold self-adhesive numbers, tuck in little notes of holiday memories and string on a bulletin board or across a window.

Wrap small boxes of chocolates or sweets in holiday paper, add bows and embellish with round numbered tags to display on a tiered dessert stand.

Collect messages of hope from family and friends and wrap in ribbons with small numbered tags and then pin onto a long wide ribbon.

Gather baby socks in bold patterns and number with stickers or iron-on patches to hang in a swag with mini clothes pins and stuff with tiny treats.

Recycle old holiday card images to fill the windows on the charming house template from here.

The top four images are from BHG.com, the bottom two images are from marthastewart.com.

Matchbox Packaging Treats

2009-11-09T22:50:00.001-05:00

Maybe it's my attraction to diminutive things and maybe it's the economy, or what my grandmother referred to as living through the Depression, but matchboxes offer so many possibilities. Sure, they are handy for lighting candles or starting a stubborn pilot. They are also cute little containers just waiting to be upcycled and restarted.

Here are a few examples to inspire your own little matchbox world.

Martha shows how to create a mini advent calendar from 24 matchboxes decorated on both ends. As each numbered box is removed and reinserted backwards, a holiday tree is revealed.

A Tiny Traveling Doll's House is thoughtfully refurbished inside and out at Coloured Buttons.

Top: B is for Baby, a lovely book of gifts to make for new ones, shares this sweet announcement idea in a matchbox via Craft Stylish.

Close Before Striking

2009-11-01T14:45:00.000-05:00

Great re-design ideas may come in small matchbook size packages. Here are a few to admire, have and hold.

Make a wish upon a birthday candle or set-up an impromptu candlelight celebration with 5 minute candles from here via here.

Make your own teeny matchbook notepads with the tutorial here from Design Sponge.

Make your own party favors with the mint matchbook tutorial here from The Artful Crafter.

Next up, we'll share some great re-design ideas we've spied on matchboxes.

October Wrap Up

2009-10-30T11:21:00.008-04:00

October has flown by at this address. That may be partly due to a wave of illness some call the H1N1. Here the symptoms were pesky, but mild, compared to what we've heard from others. Fortunately, it has passed and maybe the exposure will keep us out of harm's way for the rest of flu season.

This week there has been some scrambling to track down hand-sized pumpkins and organize a holiday craft for 30 kids. After visiting the area grocery stores and coming up short, I was saved by a sympathetic young farmer. She completely understood my dilemma and gathered together a box of Jack-Be-Little pumpkins, stems intact, for me to pick up even though her farm stand (in a wonderful old barn) was closed that day due to inclement weather.

My hands are still speckled with splotches of stubborn black paint and there are spots of black paint on the basement floor that didn't use to be there. But, my young crafters will never know the excitement leading up to their party. They will be transforming the now black pumpkins into spiders, complete with googly eyes and pipe cleaner legs. Maybe a little glitter for extra fun.

Before the month wraps with a weekend of Halloween haunting, I wanted to include a reminder that it also marks the end of Breast Cancer Awareness month. While it's been refreshing to see the NFL players wearing pink this October, I hope they'll continue to show their support through the end of their season. It's not like anyone is going to stop thinking about this scary disease and the women we know whose lives have been affected. We'll continue to post pink.

Packaging - Best in Show

2009-10-20T10:16:00.011-04:00

Fall allergy and flu season sent me running out last month to stock up on tissues. I was looking for something a little more attractive than the shoe box size container covered in sad looking floral or wave motifs. A few new designs and graphics stood out on the shelves, including the surprisingly attractive and fresh triangular prism shapes in fruits and cheery colors. I was impressed.

Apparently, judges in the world of packaging design were too. I was tickled to see the slice of summer tissue boxes from Kimberly-Clark, won Best in the Show for this year's international packaging design contest from Pentawards. Click here to see all the winners, including the cool Coke cans of summer featured here.

Style in Your Seat Pocket

2009-10-08T08:18:00.006-04:00

Starting a little holiday flying across the ocean has just gotten more stylish. The free amenity bag from Virgin Atlantic has brought an old standby into the realm of cool design. When I was a child and before I had ever flown overseas, my uncle would bring me lovely treasures from his adventures in Asia and Europe. Among the carefully selected souvenirs I was equally enthralled with the fabric or vinyl airline bags he offered still packed tightly with diminutive containers of toiletries nestled among the footies and eye covers.

In Virgin Atlantic's take on this transatlantic tote, the cozy socks and eye shade are helpful when you try to get a head start on your arrival time zone or just want to dress up like a red footed mummy. And the translucent red toothbrush with matching cap looks like a design winner. But it's the plastic zipper pouch with drawings of everyday things that you'll want to reuse throughout your itinerary. Maybe to keep your travel diary, or a little snack safe and dry or keep your cellphone moisture free on the sandy beaches in the south of France or around the streets of London?

As flyer bags go, the VA contents are not that different from what airlines have offered international guests for decades. But in this world of diminishing amenities, it's refreshing to find something useful in such a good-looking and simple reusable design.

Italic Handwriting

2009-09-30T11:19:00.008-04:00

The back to school season is as good a time of the year as any to re-evaluate your handwriting. A recent op-ed in the New York Times challenged writers to stop mumbling on the page and drop the loopy cursive letters of the Palmer method or Zaner-Bloser style we were taught at small school desks with chunky pencils.

The new preferred style is Italic, in which letters do not always have to be joined. It's a matter of comfort and personal choice. The success of handwriting is its legibility. Oh, and closing the gaps on the tops of your letters, that's the part we read.

Click here for the NYT piece and a chance to try Italic.

For extra credit, take a free Italic handwriting lesson online here from studioarts.net.

Make Your Own Silhouettes

2009-09-24T11:54:00.010-04:00

The art of cutting paper into outlines of shapes and figures is a traditional practice in portraiture. In the 18th century, it was a proper amusement for both men and women to recreate a person's likeness by tracing or freehand, then cutting it out from a thin black paper. Sometimes an entire scene of figures would be trimmed out and mounted on paper with a background drawn to create an interior or landscape around them.

Today you can use your likeness as more than a traditional decoration and as something practical, too. Here are some suggestions from a few of my favorite blogs to fit a silhouette into your home collection.

A personalized bulletin board in the shape of a silhouette would be a striking addition to a front entrance hall or a spot above your desk. Click here for the instructions from Country Living.

Homemade cards are a greatly appreciated gesture and such fun to receive. Embellish them with a silhouette cut from a charming patterned paper for a handsome looking card. Click here for instructions from a new book via Design Sponge.

Portraits of family or friends look terrific in profile and resting on the sofa. This is a clever idea for a decorative pillow that's easy to make. Click here for the instructions from Mrs. Blandings, a blog I recommend visiting, anyway.

Domestic Design: Significant Parts

2009-09-17T10:11:00.002-04:00

Victor Hugo's Banister from Maison de Victor Hugo6, Place des Vosges, 4th Arrondissement, Paris

Sir John Soane's House, Pitshanger Manor, Walpole Park, Mattlock Lane, London

A shrine is a place preserved for history. A shrine may be where someone important and worth remembering once lived. A shrine is usually preserved to remember a place in time - a long time ago.

I recently came across a book of beautiful photography of everyday objects. The handsome and utilitarian objects are things like architectural details, teapots, clocks, and writing sets. The objects were selected because they were touched by great men.

These objects were touched by great women, too.

Photos from Dr. Johnson's Doorknob and Other Significant Parts of Great Men's Houses by Liz Workman, published by Rizzoli, 2007.

Initially Marked

2009-09-09T13:55:00.009-04:00

Initially, I was crazy for monograms on objects like pillowcases, men's shirt cuffs and canvas tote bags. Now the sky is the limit as we can have our personal marking on almost anything imaginable. But, how fun and simple to have your initial on your coffee mug. The mugs would also make nice gifts for family and friends.

Lettered mugs: top, from Fishs Eddie, center, from Rosanna, bottom, from Heal's.

Mid-Century Kitchens

2009-09-06T19:57:00.008-04:00

Vintage advertisements featuring interiors are so delightful. This stylish, fantasy kitchen featured bright white cabinetry trimmed in saucy red, boldly trellised wallpaper and open cabinetry. You can imagine what the dreamy adjacent rooms could have looked like.

An advertisement from a gas company. Don't miss the backyard view through the low windows.

An advertisement for appliances. The second and third images appear courtesy of See Saw. There are more vintage kitchens ads over there.

Today's Top 3 Favorites

2009-08-25T06:05:00.001-04:00

1) For some serious second-hand book shopping, start saving for a trip to Hay-on-Wye, Wales. This magnificent photo is from here.

2) Wouldn't it be fun to find an envelope in tangled script in your mailbox this afternoon? The calligraphy of Anna Beckman is more than an art. See more here.

3) This garden path is so beautiful, it's a destination in itself. The pods of grass invite us to hop from one onto the next over a sea of stones. Path inspirations from here.

I hope you enjoy these, too.

Writing Well, Part II

2009-08-24T12:52:00.006-04:00

When you find an old and well-used leather bound book, you know there are pages to explore and a proper education on something to be gained. In my treasure book of social and business etiquette from 1882 there is much discussion of the proper position of the writer. It is "a matter of the greatest importance" and "exercises a powerful influence upon his general health." Further into this subject, the reader is admonished that no one should be satisfied with "a bad handwriting" when it is in his power to improve it.

Any one can procure a copy-book, and can spare an hour, or half an hour, a day for this effort at improvement. Remember that a good hand is not acquired in a week or a month; it takes long and diligent practice to produce this result.

The advantages of writing well are numerous, and will readily suggest themselves. In the first place, it is always a pleasure to prepare a plainly and neatly written letter or paper. The writer is then never afraid or ashamed for his friends to see his writing.

A good hand is also an invaluable aid to a young man seeking employment. A merchant in employing clerks and salesmen will always give the preference to the best penman. A young man applying by letter for a situation can scarcely offer a better reference than the appearance of his letter.

More late 19th century tips to follow soon.

Make Your Own Embroidered Tote

2009-08-08T06:05:00.005-04:00

There is no reason not to have a beautiful tote bag to carry your groceries or library books. Here are the instructions to embellish an ordinary looking store bag with a little color and style. Thanks to favorite crafter, Perri Lewis for another fabulous idea to brighten the day.

Click over for more help deciphering the necessary needlework and links for a refresher with your chain stitch(1), French knots (2), fern stitch (3), or lazy daisy (6). I especially like the addition of the various buttons.

Dover Castle Redone

2009-08-04T10:15:00.001-04:00

King Henry II spent a fortune in the 1180s creating this castle above the white cliffs of Dover. Now English Heritage has completed a restoration of medieval interiors to help modern visitors envision life in this colorful royal showplace. Click here for more details.

Very Old Packaging

2009-07-27T08:30:00.000-04:00

Revisiting: Old containers featuring beautiful and noteworthy designs

The effective branding of these early 20th century household products is evident in the unique logos, graphics and information on their packaging. How fortunate they've been saved and preserved, some with evidence of their original products, others as re-purposed.

Faultless Starch was a breakthrough product from its introduction in the 1890s for its simplicity of use and no need for lengthy boiling. It claimed to give a finished look to embroidery and lace, and was commonly used as baby and bath powder. Between 1895 and the 1920s the Kansas City company produced 36 illustrated booklets and attached them to the boxes. They included familiar stories for children with the added twist of always mentioning the product. In Little Red Riding Hood, for example, grandmother's starched apron is so pretty to the wolf that he stays for tea. The books also included riddles, games, helpful hints and useful facts.

Kingsford Silver Gloss Starch was started in 1848 in Oswego by Thomas Kingsford, a chemist. He developed it from corn and later improved and marketed it for culinary use as well. A tiny cookbook distributed by the company in 1876 boasted, “The experiment which first gave to the world this Laundry Starch made from Indian Corn, and the skill which perfected it, have been productive of still more notable success in furnishing this new article of food, which is adapted alike to the taste of the epicure and the wants of the invalid."

Not much to share on the Louse Killer to keep your poultry safe from lice. But it's a great looking design.

Writing Well

2009-07-25T18:30:00.001-04:00

In a very old and shabby looking leather bound book as large as a 19th century family bible, I happened upon several curiosities I have to share with you, dear readers. Of course, I may need a gentle reminder to pen a note rather than send an email to someone special. But it's hard to resist, not to mention avoid, the subject of the article above when it appears in its large calligraphic letters and be-ribboned border followed by two subheads on points I should probably revisit before filling my fountain pen. My continuing education on social etiquette aside, I admit it wasn't just the subject matter that attracted me but the use of more than four type styles in as many lines of headings.

I'll continue to post more delicious excerpts from this wondrous book as I gently turn the pages back in time and manners.

Reclaiming Building Materials

2009-07-19T07:30:00.000-04:00

I have a dream that someday I'll have a little dream hut in my garden. My dream hut will be built with reclaimed materials and salvaged supplies. The windows and doors, stylishly mismatched, will bring their own history and character to the eclectic little hideaway.

Beautiful dream house ideas and inspirations may be found in Thrifty Chic by Liz Bauwens and Alexandra Campbell with photography, as seen above and below, by Simon Brown.