Writing Home

I've always enjoyed the art of letter and card writing. It's my way of connecting with loved ones that I don't talk to as often as I'd like and its a good excuse to buy beautiful stationery.

There is an abundance of amazing letterpress resources on the web: Carrot and Stick Press, Pancake and Franks, Lettre Sauvage (pic above), etc. Check out the Design Sponge guide to letterpress for an exhaustive report.

I just found Paper Source who have started a campaign 'inviting everyone to think about and connect on the topics of love and forgiveness with the goal of effecting meaningful change in individuals and communities. They seek to revive an interest in writing letters as a way to express kindness and deepen or renew relationships."

My sentiments exactly.

Sewing Sunday

I inherited my grandmother's sewing machine last year and promised myself I would learn how to use it to enhance my home and wardrobe. My mom made my prom dress, my college graduation dress and countless halloween costumes and somehow I never learned how to sew. So today I spent a quiet sunday practicing making some pillows.

This is Coco, my next project (to make the needlepoint elk into a pillow), and one of today's pillows. I was thrilled when I found the elk in a thrift store in oregon for $10. It reminds me of all the high end (overpriced?) needlepoint happening now.

Spring at Home

This weekend felt like the beginning of spring with passing clouds, sprinkles, sunny moments, and a windy night. I put these pink tulips next to the sink to welcome spring. I love this combination of pink and green (plus the green of my kitchen). It makes me smile everytime I do the dishes.

Flowers are the most immediate way to bring life back into my house (besides cleaning), especially if it's been shut up for the winter. If you can't find flowers you love at your local market or farmers market, try Organic Bouquet or
Oregon based Flower Bud

Home away from Home: Paris

The wallpaper post below inspired me to tell you about Genevieve, my French grandmother, and her apartment. She lives in Paris, she is a weaver and, to me, her apartment has been home. I realize now that her art background and love of flea markets has made her apartment a truly ecelctic mix of old and new and somehow, so french.

Wallpaper Fantasy Home

I get inspired everytime I leave the house and lucky me, I get to go to paris pretty often to visit family. So on my last trip I walked past this store and it had the most interesting wallpaper. It was so retro/modern/over the top/just enough. In LA I think it would come off tacky or trying too hard, but here it's just chic.

I look forward to the day that I have what it takes to pull this off.

Underwater Home

It was a beautiful weekend in the city. We walked up to the wharf and checked out an old submarine. Man do I love the blankets that were on the captain's bed:

Gramma's House

One of my childhood homes is being sold. It's a house that my gramma and grandpa built in 1952. My parents were married in the backyard and I spent a lot of my first 5 years there. It's mid century and the fireplace was built using rocks that my mom remembers scavenging in the hollywood hills with her dad. They built the house in Glendale back when there was only one freeway in LA (the 110) and if you're friend moved to the san fernando valley, you wrote letters since it was so far away. Here's to a different era of LA.

Just a peek

Here is a peek into my living room. It is monday, I have the day off and I've been sitting at my table on the computer. I realized how lovely the tulips my sweetie gave me for valentine's day were looking in the sunshine so I took out the camera.
(The glamorous lady in the frames is my mom circa 1975. And yes, I was too lazy to move the toilet paper out of the picture--now that's mundane!)

postcard bonanza

I now have not only my own collection of postcards but my grandma's as well--such amazing vintage postcards, it seems a shame to keep them in that shoebox. Fortunately the Boudin Bread Company in SF has a nice solution.

Hello and Welcome

I've noticed that feeling at home can follow me around. That sometimes no matter where I am, I feel at home. Sometimes, no matter where I am, I don't feel at home. Is home in me?

I've been happy to finally be home. I've picked out objects for that someday home--the california craftsman bungalow, the big city high-rise penthouse, the charming parisian pied a terre, the farmhouse in provence, the family house in Oregon. I've searched for comfort in other people's homes, in design magazines, other wonderful websites and blogs, old family pictures and memories of homes gone by. I've planned imaginary meals in imaginary homes in imaginary future lives. I've soaked in all the ways that houses and homes affect me and what they mean to me.

So, I'll be talking about home and all the stuff that makes them up for me and in me.

Enjoy!