Love and Miami

I had such a nice valentine's day! My husband intended on surprising me with an overnight getaway in Miami, but he told me a few weeks in advance to arrange babysitters and kids' activities (C'mon, no guy is that organized. We spent Saturday afternoon in the design district of Miami, checking out the many furniture showrooms and art galleries. After salmon burgers at Soyka, we headed downtown to Brickell Key and checked into the Mandarin Oriental hotel, which is truly lovely. Miami was very crowded due to the abundance of events and activities in the area and the numerous families escaping the Northeastern chill during their February school vacation. Coconut Grove Art Show, Julio Inglesias Concert, and a Flamenco Festival created traffic but we made it to a wonderful Italian dinner on the water.

After a leisurely brunch at the hotel overlooking the water we made our way to South Beach and Lincoln Road for a day of shopping, eating, and best of all, people watching. So many cultures converge in Miami that it is a festival in itself just to be there. We shopped the annual Kidrobot sale and had some Cuban coffee on Collins Ave. The weather was spectacular and we watched throngs of people walk blocks towards their goal of golden sand. Lincoln Road is the most fun place to take a stroll at any time. Outside cafes, independent jewelry vendors, and an endless cast of characters fill the pedestrian-only blocks. It had been a while since I had last visited and was before I began to focus on my current obsession of whimsical and mid century furniture and objects. I was delighted to find a Designs Within Reach store tucked off the mall. While I have constantly perused the online catalog, I had never sat in the many chairs that I ogled at and bookmarked. We got to try out the many Eames and Saarinen pieces. If I can ever find one I can afford, I would flip for Eames Le Chaise for my personal space at home. This chandelier, which blends contemporary with traditional crystal would look perfect in my mixed-look dining room!

My other retail highlight was finally visiting the Jonathan Adler store. Everyone who knows me says this designer's wares are 'right up my alley'. Look at this desk! It just might be 'the one'.

New lacquered bath accessories at terrific prices and yummy colors like lime are due in any time. I can't wait to go back in the Spring after my move!
We treated ourselves to a walk through Books & Books and a gelato before heading home. We had a wonderful, romantic, well-needed weekend alone. We had fun, like an old fashioned date!


When I returned I was inspired to finish one of my collaged journal pages that I had been working on. I have been so behind on working on my crafty things, but I am refreshed and recharged. At least for a day.

My Dream Craft Room - Starting to be built!

I am the luckiest crafty person I know (which is really not saying much)! I am building a craft room onto a house I will be moving to - and the room is from scratch! Other than not having a choice as to the dimensions and window placement, everything else is to be whatever and however I desire it! I have been pouring over books and magazines and flickr photos about studios and creative spaces, trying to see what I like and what I don't. Not to mention I have learned from my past mistakes, like shelves are better than cabinets. The walls are up and finished and I just chose paint. Vibrant tangerine will adorn two of the walls - the two walls that will have built-in shelves and desks.

This long wall will have lots of shelves and cabinets and a desk space for jewelry or whatever. A big cork board, magnetic board, or something of the sort will be above it. There will be lots of outlets that I got to pinpoint locations for.

The other wall will be similar but have a sewing table. My machine will be by a window for natural light. The far wall has this nice window. I will put a sofa or bench in front so I can relax and read, crochet, or whatever! An island in the middle will finish the list. Painting should be done in the next day or two. Cool vinyl flooring in funky colors is next. I'll post photos to document my progress.

T.G.T.M. - Thank Goodness Tomorrow's Monday!

Most people live for Fridays, for their weekends where there is no work, no office, time for themselves. For individuals like myself whose main, full time (albeit unpaid) job is taking care of the family, weekends are the busiest work days of the week. My hubby and I often play the 'who works harder' game and my kids tell me I do nothing! My weekends are filled with sports games, preparing three meals a day, often for extra kids, who I then must entertain along with my own. Driving. More driving. Errands for the kids who have no time during the week to buy project supplies/new cleats/white shirt for a concert. I don't complain - I love this job and am blessed that I am able to have it in this day and age. Come Monday, however, when husband goes back to the office and the kids are in school, I can go about my day at my pace, listen to my music, save my voice from yelling, and sneak some time in for myself, even if it is just to flip through a magazine.

Tomorrow I will go to Zumba, the most fantastic, fun exercise class there is. Clean up the house and work on the house project that is taking it's own sweet time. With a soy chai latte in hand and quiet in the back seat.

I did manage to pick up a book on Friday and flip through it over the weekend.

Living Retro is eye candy for someone interested in the mid century modern style. I'm trying to learn about the designers of the period and recognize pieces (so I can hunt for them at thrift stores and garage sales perhaps. This is South Florida - those that are much older now and came to Florida to retire had the goods in their homes. Where is it going?!)I can't wait to mix some clean furniture lines with the colorful vintage pottery that I have collected over the years and my funky collections of today. My designer friend just loves my collection of small paintings that I have purchased on Etsy. Oh what fun!

On the subject of fun, I am counting the days to Art and Soul in Hampton, VA! Just over two and a half months to go. I get so excited reading the Yahoo! group posts and only imagining what to expect. There is much talk about swaps. While I have never been to any type of art retreat like this, I plan to prepare myself to the best of my ability. I am trying to decide what to make and swap. Charms of some sort, most definitely. Perhaps I'll finish the zine that I started for the zine swap (that I did not participate in). Lots of ideas. I just need to prepare in advance because I have to pack up and move. That's a whole other project!

My little Nikki girl hasn't been getting as much face time as Tank, the newest member of our gang. She is truly a princess, however, and demands attention.

Mid Century Love

I think I am regressing! I am getting ready to move into a new house and find myself going in a complete, 180 degree opposite of the colors and styles that I have now. My home is lovely now, the walls are neutral and the furniture is nice. It is just not reflective of me and I realize that very clearly. Thus the painter and tile guy look at me like I am crazy when I give them my choices. Orange walls? Lime walls? Large multi colored tiles? Yes, I say! Life is to short to not live it in color!

Changing colors also means leaning towards a different style. While thumbing through and bookmarking design magazines, books, and blogs, I find myself loving the mid century modern pieces. A white Saarinen tulip table against lime walls with some vintage, white caned chairs. Groovy! I showed my mother the table and seemed to recall sitting at one in my youth. My memory is correct. She said she and my dad found the base not being used at his company and had a top made. She found some bent wood chairs and painted them herself. They were in the kitchen of my childhood. (And I am coming to realize that the crafty, DIY spirit was certainly passed down!) My paternal grandfather was in the furniture business and I find myself combing through antique and vintage shops recognizing the pieces that they had. Had I only thought to keep some! Doesn't everyone have those stories!!

I have found some mid century Italian glass sconces that are fabulous! I lost out on a desk on 1st Dibs that was a refinished orange and Lucite piece that would have looked amazing in the orange office. It's such fun to learn about these pieces and the designers of this time. I was oblivious to it as a child but I suppose those were the times in life when things were simple for me and I am going back to recreate that peaceful, fun, happy childhood in my own home for myself and my family. ( I can analyze myself, save myself a lot of money, and spend it on that cool milk glass floor lamp that I found!)

Indie Crafting in South Florida (Finally)

Only in South Florida will you see women in breezy, funky dresses in flip flops strolling into a gallery in January. But that is why we live here. It was a beautiful weekend and I was happy to finally make it to a Stitch Bird craft workshop. A favorite of mine, Bear and Bird Gallery, located west of Fort Lauderdale, holds craft workshops once a month. Past projects have included decoupage objects, sock monkeys, and Halloween makeup fx, and I have never been able to make it due to one thing or another. This month I signed up and made sure I was able to show up on time and make some cool beaded necklaces. We created bases and wired buttons, beads, and other fun things to create these wearable works of art.
I feel mine are just okay - I didn't put a lot of planning into the pieces - I was just happy to be out crafting in a creative group environment with like minded individuals. The gallery also has a terrific exhibit up this month, titled 'Three of a Kind'.
They have great themed shows with some known artists and wonderful pieces! Such a nice afternoon!

Finally, my little (big) Tankster had a nice afternoon. We had to get out of our house to show it yesterday and for obviious reasons take the dogs with us. Tank came to my boys' soccer game and had a ball. When he got home he went out back to enjoy the Florida sunshine. While he couldn't get the float in the pool, he did the next best thing and used it as a pillow.

Experimentation

A day off does not necessarily mean a day off for ME when the kids are off from school, but my husband goes into the office. It's another day of cooking, cleaning and driving. I did find some time to try something new.
I have been reading about fusing plastic bags in various magazines and how-to's but had yet to try it. This month's Craft magazine has instructions on how to make a tote and bucket hat using fused plastic bags. They look so darned cute (not that I have a need for a plastic bucket hat) I just had to try. I gathered and cut up some plastic bags, protective paper, and the iron and fused away. Yes, it worked. No, I am not thrilled at how the final piece of material looks. As my husband came in and saw me at the ironing board smoothing out Target bags he smiled and called me "one wacky chick". I know he likes my quirkiness. I now have a fused piece of plastic bags and don't know what to do with them. Perhaps I will do some colorful painting and stamping on them inspired by some of my favorite artist bloggers Alisa Burke and Traci Bautista.

I also made a trip to Barnes and Noble for some personal entertainment. I picked up the new House Beautiful magazine to read about Lucite coming back into home fashion. I also picked up Stampington's newest publication Art Journal Inspirations. Eye candy. I have only flipped through it thus far but am always pleased by how people create their journal pages in so many different and personal ways.

Shall I be a proud mommy and show the latest photo of my baby?

I do believe Tank is enjoying his new home. The weather in South Florida has been delightful and he loves to sit in the back yard and sun himself. Awwwwwww.

Where has the time gone?

I can't believe it has been over three months since I touched my blog. Bad me. Not that too many people were reading it. I wasn't writing much of anything too interesting. And then life got in the way and I stopped. Just stopped. But I vow to continue, redirect myself - have a home base in the web world.

Since my last posting, we celebrated the bar mitzvah of my son. He did phenomenal! We were all so proud. Following the service I threw him the most fantastic, music festival themed party. I must say that I missed nothing. It was great. The room, food, theme, music, activities, favors - it all just coordinated and flowed so well. He played guitar and rocked!

My new house was not ready for us to move into over the winter break. It still isn't. Our target is now late February. But it will be a wonderful place. My current home is more formal and is not representative of me. The new place will be filled with color, light, creativity and whimsy. I have lime green paint in the kitchen, orange walls in the office. And a craft room that is going to be a dream! I am in the process of designing the built in shelves. And an island with a cutting surface (need to find where to get one, though). Can't wait!!

One of my new year's resolutions (really the only real one that I admit to) is to create more art - live a more artful life. I have continued to create in my art journal, which I enjoy and is easy to work on wherever I am . I went ahead and registered for the Art and Soul retreat in Virginia in April. I can't wait to go! I can't think of a better treat for myself than spending four days surrounded by like minded individuals who love to create. I signed up for several very different workshops. Counting the days.

Finally, in the midst of everything, we adopted the most wonderful basset hound from the humane society. Pets are another sad result of the sagging economy. We benefited from others hardships, I suppose. We are thrilled to have Tank become part of our family and will give him the best love and care!

My scanner is completely broken and I am having to photograph things with my iphone and send it to email in order to post. Crazy, but I was waiting to move before I purchase new equipment. I will be researching the best scanner/printer/copier to best meet my needs. But now, I am going to cuddle up with Tank and be glad it is not cold in the South.