I cannot believe how many pictures I have piling up.......I thought I should put them out there before I procrastinate a bit more...

I found this line of fabric taxidermy at the Maison show in Paris. Ironically, this booth was literally right across the hall from a REAL taxidermy booth. Funny. All four of these images are by a French artist. I bought the camel (below) and the water buffalo (above) for the shop. I should have them in the next few weeks. I was completely blown away by the artistry of these. I can't wait to have them and I don't care if they ever sell!

Camel.....

Beethoven.......AMAZING! Note the red dot......it was sold before I got there! DAMN!

I would LOVE to have the whole wall! I LOVE LOVE THESE!

I've ordered this beautiful line of porcelain from Limoges in fully saturated colors - this collection has a beautiful toile-ish, fragonard-ish pattern. I chose the federal blue and the spice color.

I have ALWAYS wanted a Citroen 2CV..ALWAYS....so imagine my lust-meter when we found this version - completely upholstered in leather. Crazy cool!

Sorry, this photo is out of order and is from the Limoges collection I ordered. Look at the red chair and see the blue and spice colors.....yummy!

This was, by far, my favorite thing at the show...and there is a bit of a story behind it. So I was in New York at the gift show in August and I went into the DROOG gallery one afternoon while wandering SoHo. There was this AMAZING art installation of a long and wide wooden table with hand blown glass vessels that had been blown directly on the surface of the table - thereby allowing it to ooze over the edges of the table and singe/blacken the top of the table where the glass was placed. Needless to say, it was outlandishly priced and completely out of my reach, ever; but it was truly one of the most beautiful thing I have ever seen and the image had been stuck in my head for weeks. So, imagine my surprise while wandering the aisles in Paris and running into these...... The best part......totally affordable....so what choice did I have but to order them for the shop? (or me!) These are actually made in France but the wood is reclaimed teak from demolished Thai houses and the glass is blown directly onto the top of the stump..... So freaking cool!!!!!

The above is the new palette for my living room, thanks to the darling Miss Stella. As you will see in the photos below, Stella decided to eat the top edge of the chair - nice - which means it now has to be recovered. This is the chance I have been waiting for - the chance to use my favorite fabric of all time - Schumacher Chiang Mai Dragon. I am using the dragon fabric on the inside back and on the seat of the chair and I am using the Kravet Sunburst pattern in the rest of the chair. The sunburst pattern in the fabric mimics the mum pattern on the dragon fabric. The green is by Pindler and Pindler and will be my draperies which will frame the window the chair sits under. The chair is one of the coolest pieces ever.....Heywood Wakefield......such a cool shape! I will post the after photos in a few weeks. I am so excited to see how it turns out!

Stella thought that this looked tasty.....

Such a sexy shape.......

This is a client project in the works......getting closer to completion photos...it is going to be a stunner!

In June, I was in Victoria, BC for the HPSO (hardy plant society oregon) for a study weekend. We visited a number of killer gardens and I lusted after so many plants! Enjoy the photos...

ooooooohhhhhh...succulents.

This was an artist from Victoria - great pairing....

What a combo.....Eryngium & Euphorbia

Looks fake doesn't it?

I love the acid green....

Martagon Lilies - I am kind of obsessed with them at the moment - so dramatic in the garden. These were about 5 feet tall - unbelievable!

I have never seen pine-cones quite like these. I have no idea exactly what conifer this is.......maybe someone could identify it....oh please, oh please.......

My favorite of all magnolias- sieboldii - note the Martagon Lily in the background and the color echo....a beautiful combination!

So clearly a David Austin rose - but unknown which variety - anyone? anyone? Bueller? I do have a rose in my garden with the same coloring - a little orange - a little brown - the one I have is called Hot Cocoa. It is amazing in the garden...so unusual.

Another Martagon Lily.......such a beautiful and rich color! Must.....have......martagon.........

This oak tree had the most beautiful branching patterns - it was stunning against the super blue sky - we had a great weekend!

OK then...that's it for now........

HELLO ALL! I just found this article on a trade newsletter and it really surprised me. I guess my question is - at what point does a brand or name become over saturated? When does it lose its original value? I am not trying to make fun - seriously - when do too many brands or affiliations bring down your brand value? To brand or not to brand is a difficult question for a small business and I always wonder these things......so read on.....

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Martha Stewart, Home Depot align for home décor, outdoor and organization merchandise

Atlanta – Home improvement chain Home Depot and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia are partnering to develop an exclusive branded line of home improvement products in home décor, outdoor living and home organization.

The products will carry the Martha Stewart Living brand and will start rolling out in January 2010. "Our partnership with Martha Stewart is a natural fit. For years both organizations have been the go-to destination for consumers seeking ideas and information regarding their home improvement projects," said Frank Blake, chairman and ceo, Home Depot. "Martha and her organization offer the best, most practical design ideas for customers and together we will offer unique products at affordable prices, along with enhanced know-how to help consumers complete any project."

Added Martha Stewart: “Partnering with The Home Depot allows us to offer a wider audience the product and 'how-to' information they need to complete all of their home improvement projects."

For MSLO, this alliance will help broaden its customer reach, noted Charles Koppelman, executive chairman and principal executive officer.

"Between our program at The Home Depot and our robust offerings at Macy's and other retailers, customers will now find Martha Stewart products wherever they shop," he added.

The first assortment to hit home Depot store shelves will be in the outdoor living category - consisting of patio dining and conversation sets ranging from $399 to $1,999, which will be available to U.S. customer in January and Canadian shoppers in February, next year.

Next will come Home organization products in February. The mix will feature a new closet organization system and a versatile nine-cube organizational unit.

Both companies are in the process of developing additional product offerings that will be available in 2010, and more details will be announced in the first part of next year. Products will be available in all of Home Depot’s 2,241 units in the United States. in all 50 states and in Canada as well as on homedepot.com.

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Very interesting.............

Pantone selects top 10 colors for Spring 2010

I found this article yesterday on a email newsletter I get every week about the home furnishings/textiles industry. It really shows the link between fashion and home decor.....red on!

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Pantone has announced the top 10 colors for women’s fashion for spring 2010, pointing to trends that can potentially have effects on the home textiles style front.

In its “Pantone Fashion Color Report Spring 2010,” the color authority identifies these hues:

Turquoise
Tomato Purée
Fusion Coral
Violet
Tuscany
Aurora
Amparo Blue
Pink Champagne
Dried Herb
Eucalyptus

The Pantone color ID number for each is indicated in the full report, which is available for free at

www.pantone.com/spring2010. The report also features commentary from fashionistas and such retailers as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s and Links of London, said Pantone.

“Now more than ever, women are vigilant when it comes to spending,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “Instead of reinventing their wardrobe at the start of each season, consumers want pieces to complement what they already own. Pairing a bold color with a basic piece or freshening up their look with bright accents addresses the need for practicality, as well as fun.”

Among the descriptives by Pantone on the top 10 colors for spring 2010:

“Spring and summer naturally evoke feelings of calm ocean waters and tranquil beach vacations in cool, vibrant, tropical Turquoise. This soothing hue from the blue-green family conjures feelings of escape, especially when paired with Amparo Blue.

“Like the scent of a blossoming flower, Violet lends a romantic air to the warm-weather palette.

“Yellow has made its mark on fashion and spring will further this trend with gleaming Aurora.

“Energy continues to surge throughout the warmer hues, leading to provocative Fusion Coral. This inviting orange connects directly to tangy Tomato Purée, this season’s classic red. Pair it with Turquoise for a retro look.

“Kick back and enjoy the bubbly luxury of Pink Champagne. This delicate, wispy tint is the season’s newest neutral. The melding of Pink Champagne, Tomato Purée and Amparo Blue is a refreshing take on the classic springtime combination of red, white and blue.

“Tuscany, a warm beige hue, provides the perfect backdrop and works well as a solid base with dynamic accents like Fusion Coral or Violet. Dried Herb is the ultimate green neutral, pairing well with all other colors. Ideal for bigger ticket items, cool Eucalyptus is the eternal, practical gray. Choose this nuanced neutral and add brightly colored exclamation points in shoes, jewelry and handbags.”

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Note that they have not yet picked the color of the year that should come a little later, this is just spring/summer '10. I am curious to see what happens in color for fall/winter '10 as I saw so much navy blue and taupe - I can't wait to see what happens!

Here are the images I found that relate to the color names - with the exception of the turquoise - for some reason I could not get that one to come up:

Day 2 at the Maison et Objet show......

First off.....I have been a slacker, after the second day at the show I got tired and could not commit to a blog entry. Truth be told, I was submitting information to Bridget Otto at the Oregonian about what I was seeing at the show and that kept me busy. Then, I had to get ready to head off to Amsterdam with the lovely Miss Cindy. It was a blast - she took me out for bday drinks at the College Hotel - so swank - such great Dutch design.

Before I forget, on our last night in Paris, we had the loveliest evening - the weather was perfectly mild - we had dinner at the place "to be seen" Cafe Marly - overlooking the Louvre - so damn cool - sitting outside - the Louvre in front of you, Napoleon's apartments above you - the sunset.......

Anyhoo........ I am now back in Portland and getting ready for the DIGS "please make it go away" sale from the 12-20 at my shop. Everything is 50% off. Seriously.

All right then......here is what I had from the show...I will add photos later, when I actually get around to taking them off my hone and camera. Ok...so we are out of the outdoor section and have moved to the indoor stuff. Dear God! There is just so much stuff! There is an ethnic section, home textiles, table top, furniture, home accessories, holiday and kids. YIKES! As we wandered in and out of different showrooms in different sections, there were a few commonalities that stuck out. It seems that there are three distinct style directions going on at the moment. The first one is a very organic look. Lots of wood in natural tones as well as natural fibers, wool, cashmere, leather. There was also alot of wicker in modern shapes and very organic cane colors. The look is very rustic, but still very fine. Kind of Gustavian, kind of Dutch/Belgian beach house, kind of Ralph Lauren-ish. For example, a louis 15th dining chair in a cerused and greyed out wood with a chunky linen seat and a huge distressed leather chesterfield sofa ala Ralph Lauren. Did I mention that chesterfields are huge trend?

Then is the modern slick and smooth....lots of lacquered surfaces. Black, white and reds. Acrylic chairs, chrome , Italian modern.

Third is my personal favorite which is more in the steampunk style. Lots of metal. tables, chairs, beds. Lots, of rivets. Wheels on tables. Semi-Gothic, semi-Victorian, industrial revolution-ish. Looks great with the Belgian beach-house style. Actually, if done well, all of these styles can look great together.

Before, I forget....my color predictions for interiors next year are navy blue and taupe (mushroom-ish). Let's just wait and see what happens....

Ok....gotta run, more later~ must take the Stella to doggy daycare. All hail doggy daycare.

Day 1 at Maison et Objet - the outdoor stuff....

Whew! That was an exhausting first day at the show. But before I go on I must apologize, again, for my lack of photo documentation. Lame, I know, but we are a little technologically challenged with getting the photos posted thing at the moment. The connection we have here takes forever and then freezes up while trying to download and blah, blah, blah. So I give up!

Anyhoo.....we started off in the outdoor section where I needed to visit with a bunch of my vendors, www.EMU.it, www.fermobusa.com, www.lafumausa.com and to meet with some new ones, Sywawa, Freek, Blofield. EMU had a stunning booth, as usual - lots of white wire and powdercoat - very Italian design. Some of the new dining tables are really fantastic. At Fermob they have tons of new stuff including a small bistro slatted deck chair - like a steamer chaise really, as well as a few new seat belt pieces - chaise, lounge and dining chairs by Andree Putman - quite a coup for them - ANDREE PUTMAN! She is soooooo cool and the new collection is called Inside Out. Near and dear to my own heart.....

La Fuma is putting together a striped beach chair collection that is so colorful and fun that it really reminds me of Toile du Soliel's fabric line Perfect for next summer.
On to the new...... Last year I saw three new lines that I had to think about a bit and now I am ready to move. www.freek.nl produces a line of astro turf-is, but way cooler, shag-ish rugs for outdoors in unbelievable colors and stripes. Perfect to put under a blow up, outdoor chesterfield sofa by www.blofield.com in orange. Seriously, a blow up sofa, made out of outdoor safe, UV safe material in fun colors! It even comes with its own pump. I think I will put one in my own garden! Then I visited with Pierre of www.sywawa.be.com and placed an order for the coolest garden parasols I have ever seen. The Shady Lace is a white umbrella that is laser cut to resemble leaves and lace in a slightly cut out way. It is incredibly beautiful and the shadowing effect you get with it is an extra bonus. It come is kelly green as well and I am so excited to be getting this in for spring! Their coolest product, by far, though is the Frou Frou Parasol. It is hard to explain, but it looks like a Mexican palapa collided in a big way with a hula dancer. Google it. Dear God! I think I will order just one to start and maybe put it in my backyard and show it to clients. OK, I know what you are thinking. "Your back yard must be full". Yes, yes it is. But it is super cool and one of the great advantages to being a designer is getting to be design fickle and try out new stuff and get rid of old stuff. It is so much fun!

While continuing to wander the aisles of the outdoor section, we stumbled across another new line that I HAVE TO HAVE. It is TOTALLY different from everything else being show and it truly is one of the most beautiful lines I have ever seen. Even though most of the outdoor stuff being shown at market has been leaning toward the contemporary or modern, www.massant.com has the most beautiful, classic and well thought out line I have seen. When you look at this line, it would never even occur to you that these pieces are intended of the outdoors. Beautiful Louis XV carved teak chairs with outdoor fabrics. They will even do COM. YIPPEE! Regency armchairs, a Louis XVI settee, a Victorian bamboo caned canape, a parquet topped dining table. So completely unexpected and so beautiful!! Their booth was also so simple, yet beautiful with a living wall of white hebes to see off the beautiful furniture.

I can't wait to pour through the catalog and decide what to order for spring!! So many choices! I am so happy we get to come to these markets and just stare at things. It is so inspiring. I'm a lucky girl.
That being said, I gotta go, I am also a late girl and have to head out for day # 2. Get me some coffee.....and a croissant! Au bientot!

DEAR GOD PARIS IS GREAT!!!

Another fab day here in Paris. I apologize that I have no photos to go along with this but I have having difficulties getting photos from my iphone to my email. ARGH!!!!!!

We spent the morning in the Canal St. Martin area which is going through MAJOR gentrification. The area had become quite run down but the became one of the most affordable areas in Paris, although I am sure that has now changed. The canal itself is beautiful and is only made more lovely to look at through a series of bridges, foot bridges and locks. The canal was put there by Napoleon to ease the access of freight into Paris. The area is now starting to brim with cute little shops and cafe and has a very arty feel. We stumbled upon quite possibly the cutest shop I have ever seen - 3 little shops to be exact. Antoine & Lili is a women's clothing store a kids stuff and a fun (and not at all serious) home decor shop. www.antoineetlili.com. Each store front is a different cheerful color and they are all incredibly merchandised. They were not fond of the whole 'tourist taking a picture' thing, so just check out their website to see their aesthetic. Amazing!

I think all we did today was shop and eat - and that is NOT a bad thing! Last year I got some 'crinkle cups'(by Rob Brandt, 2006) as a birthday gift from my husband and had always wished I had more - so here was my big chance. There is this great little kitchen store in the Marais tht for the life of me I cannot remember their name, but they are on Rue San Antoine. Anyhoo....they carry these cups in about 20 different colors, although I prefer the white ones. The cups were designed to look like throwaway platic espresso cups, or those little cups the dentist used to give you before you spat. Anyhoo....super cool and now I have 10 more than I did before. oooooooohhh...I found a great picture on the web.....

Lunch was at the typically French Bofinger in the Marais. www.bofingerparis.com. You can't really get more French than this...and if you have never tried choucroutte...I highly reccommend it...with a little glass of good Belgian beer, of course! YUMMY!

Lastly, we were taking this open top bus down the Champs Elysee toward the Arc de Triumphe and guess who we saw - right in front of our bus...wait for it...the President of France, Sarkozy and his wife, Karla Bruni. Seriously. totally unexpeted and kinda cool! There was a ceremony at the Arc de Triumphe today to commemorate the beginning of the 2nd world war. somber.

Tomorrow, it is off and running to the Maison et Objet show - finally! Time to get to to work! I plan to visit the outdoor furniture section first to see what some of my vendors are up to with their Spring '10 collections. I will be visiting Fermob, La Fuma and EMU just to name a few. Last year they were showing purple/aubergine as a hot color and just look at us now - purple is everywhere!

So it's 11 pm and I am beat - off to sleep with visions of chaise lounges in my head. More later. Bonne nuit!

back from new york....

YIPPEE! It is so nice and cool here in Portland today - I LOVE IT! It was sooooooo hot and muggy! Today I went to the FARWEST plant/plant goods show at the Oregon Convention center with weirdo Todd. I can call him that. Anyhoo.....I have tons of stuff to share from NYC but I will get around to that tomorrow! Have a great evening!

NEW YORK GIFT SHOW

So it is day three for Miss Arnica and I at the New York Gift Show and we are beat! We started out at the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market yesterday.. Total bust. It just hasn't been the same since it moved from Chelsea. Just a quick 3 blocks to the Javitz Center and it's off for some marathon buying for fall at the shop. We found tons of handmade items that would be perfect holiday presents ...like the beautiful orange and red striped sock monkeys - the paper maiche wall mounted zebra head and the large concrete red with white dots forest mushrooms. Sounds like a crazy combination right? Guess you are just going to have to come into the show after October to see how it all looks - OK...you can come in before then too! I am having trouble putting pictures on this morning but I will try again tonight. But now....it is off to the market again...but not before some serious caffeine! see you soon!!

it's finally working

Getting Facebook and Blogger linked up has proven to be a monumental task - thanks to the help of Jon Nordby - we have won the battle! YIPPEE

GOODBYE ....MOREWAYSTOWASTETIME.BLOGSPOT.COM

I AM TOTALLY BUMMED OUT! My favorite blog.......morewaystowastetime.blogspot has closed its doors. I am so sad to see it go. In my opinion, she really was the Kevin Bacon of design blogs...everything seemed to circle its way back to her blog. There was so much good information about other blogs and shopping in other cities. I found out about so much cool stuff on her site. In fact, I wish we could have had a little notice before she shut down as there was sooooo much information that I wish I could have had a chance to make note of some of it. Oh well, so it is. Leah, you will be missed!

MIX MAGAZINE ARTICLE - FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER PARTY!

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We were lucky enough to be feature in the Aug / Sept. issue of Mix Magazine in their regular feature "Friday Night Dinner Party"....we got to write the article (YIPPEE!) so here it is the along with and the photos! Click here if you want to see the article as it was intended as well as for the recipes and the playlist. Enjoy!

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Out In The Garden, A Dinner Party Offers A Chance To Unwind
J J De Sousa / photos by Mike Davis
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JJ De Sousa likes to dine out, as in out in the garden. With abundant plants, furniture and lighting, she's created distinctive outdoor spaces perfect for everything from sipping tea for two to laying out a spread for a dozen guests....

I have a teeny house, only 900 square feet. I also have a huge yard, 77 x 127 feet. If you do the math, you see it's a lot easier for me to just move the party outdoors.

We have such great summer and fall weather here that my husband, Jose De Sousa, and I entertain outdoors almost exclusively. We treat our outdoor spaces as an extension of our living space, filling them with great furniture, fun colors, killer plants and pots, beautiful lighting, cozy fire pits, soothing water features and, of course, amazing food. My garden has eight places to sit, from a bistro table for two to a sectional that seats 10 for serious lounging, to a dining area for 14. Besides being total garden geeks, we are total foodies. My husband is from France, so it just comes naturally.

Keeping up with the gardening is a huge time challenge, so I'm all over the concept of quick and delicious recipes. I still want them to be chic and sophisticated, though, so it's all about the ingredients. Luckily, all the farmers markets, local butchers and fishmongers make our entertaining easier. When I get home from a day at my shop and studio, I usually only have an hour or so to pull a dinner together, but with the help of my darling husband and a few simple recipes it is entirely possible.

I believe in starting the evening with one amazing cocktail, and we get a lot of mileage out of a simple sangria. The gazpacho literally takes two minutes, the saffron rice is simple, colorful and crazy delicious. My mother-in-law in Lyon, France, sends me care packets of Spanish saffron, and we use it liberally.

The garbanzo bean salad is ridiculously easy, delicious and presents incredibly well in a red pepper shell. I got the recipe from the wife of our friend Gilbert, who owns Cuvee Restaurant in Carlton. We use cilantro, but the original recipe called for fresh basil, which is also yummy. I use a ton of cumin in this recipe; the flavor just pops off the beans.

Our method for the salmon is the easiest thing in the world: I make a simple vinaigrette and dump it on top. Done! I like to use balsamic vinegar in the dressing as it caramelizes while the fish is grilling and allows the flavorings to really stick to the salmon. Since I don't really have too much of a sweet tooth, I always struggle with what to serve for dessert. I had really been looking for a simple, quick and no-cook recipe that everyone could enjoy and I finally found it. A 10-minute tiramisu that is really a 10-minute recipe. Seriously.So there you have it: my perfect recipe for a perfect evening with friends in my garden. Plan your own garden soiree and just get out there, no matter what your garden looks like.

The kitchen's on the small side, but there's plenty of room for friends to help. JJ runs a design shop (Digs Inside & Out, 1829-b N.E. Alberta St., 503-460-3447, digs-pdx.com) and her schedule doesn't allow time for fussing, so she often relies on a repertoire of crazy-easy recipes that work.

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THE MENU
Fresh Figs and Prosciutto

Cucumber Gazpacho

Grilled Salmon Vinaigrette

Garbanzo Bean Salad in a Red Pepper Bowl

Saffron Rice

Ten-minute Tiramisu

Sparkling Peach Sangria

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For all the recipes - click here and scroll down the page for the link.

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THE PLAYLIST
Mas Que Nada by Sergio Mendes Feat. The Black Eyed Peas
No Excuses by Alice In Chains

Tu Veux Ou Tu Veux Pas by Brigitte Bardot
Can't Change Me (French Version) by Chris Cornell
Barbie Girl by Aqua
Don't Bring Me Down by Electric Light Orchestra
I'll Take You There by The Staple Singers
Rich Girl by Hall & Oates

Represent by Orishas
Some Kind of Wonderful by Grand Funk Railroad

Super Bon Bon by Soul Coughing
Bust A Move by Young MC
Lump by The Presidents Of The United States Of America

Goin' Blind by Kiss

Ojos Asi by Shakira
Hero Of The Day by Metallica/Orchestra

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getting ready for Paris......

I just found this photo I took last year in Paris. It is from the Louvre and right above one of my favorite places Cafe Marly......it overlooks the Pyramid at the Louvre and is a fab place to sit and watch. I am preparing to go back to Paris at the end of this month for my annual pilgrimage to the Maison & Objet show - the ultimate furniture/accessories/stuff show I have ever seen. It is kind of hard to buy things from the vendors there; I hate having to deal with customs..... but I always go to just stare at things - to get inspired. I think it is so important to get outside of your own environment to just look. When I come back from a trip I always feel a bit more new then when I left. Paris is amazing. I can't wait........

what we're up to these days....

We have so much great stuff going on right now! Here are some photos of what we are up to. There are alot of fabric images.....I am a total fabric junkie! We are lucky enough to be able to offer the new Kelly Wearstler fabric by Groundworks (Kravet) line through our shop and we will be using quite a bit of it on one of our new projects - I cant wait to shop you how it all comes together, but here are some of the pieces........

Above is a large stack of the color palette we are working with - and we will be adding some rose/coral and ivory as well.


Above is the dining chair we have chosen from Hickory chair - it is called the Gillow chair and has a loose seat cushion. I think we will using the chair with an ivory finish as it will contrast nicely with the dark wood table - a very traditional style table on toe wheels.....

This fabric might be going on the hickory white chairs above....

...and here is another possible choice

...or it might end up on this modern wing chair or a basic slipper chair........

Above is the drapery fabric by Laura Ashley for Kravet - a great linen with an Ikat print in rose/coral with blue and ivory accents - we will be doing floor to ceiling non-working drapery panels in the livingroom - with the wing or clipper chairs - and in the dining room - with the Gillow chair and the Kelly Wearstler seat cushions. We will be using a Duralee Metro Chenille in Bubblegum on the sofa we are recovering that will sit in the same room....a super warm and colorful palette!

Above is an antique family piece - a great empire chair with lion head arms - that will sit in the entry hall and bring all the fabrics and pieces together and really set the tone for the three spaces as they all run into each other....

Here is the Jim Thompson Hexastripe fabric that will be applied to the lion chair with ivory double welting - self welting it would have been a bit chaotic!

I have been coveting the above piece for a VERY long time - the Hallings Secretary by Thomas O'Brien (sigh) for Hickory Chair - and I am finally ordering it for myself! YIPPEE! It is truly one of the most beautiful pieces I have ever seen....

Above is my favorite fabric in the world...Chiang Mai Dragon - by Schumacher - I am going to upholster two Heywood Wakefield chairs in this - I have no choice - my darling Stella decided to eat one of the chairs.......

Lastly, above is an outdoor fabric by Trina Turk for Schumacher that we are putting on a pair of vintage wire outdoor swivel chairs - sorry - the pictures of the chairs did not turn out - but I will post the finished product!

Have a great weekend - our weather has cooled down the the week's high of 107 here in Portland. Thank God - I am not a hot weather girl!

...more garden photos!

I was on a short trip to Victoria, BC last month with the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon - it was the annual study weekend....we toured a ton of cool gardens, listened to informative seminars and bought a bunch of interesting plants. Here are some of the plant pics......

what a lovely oak tree against the blue sky - such a cool structure!

This woolly thyme was so vibrant - loved being able to catch the bumble hard at work!

I thought this Alchemilla with dew drops was fab - and I loved the Aconitum in bloom.

What a great way to plant and display Echeveria!

This was a hilarious council circle of hand carved mushroom stools - just waiting for you favorite little garden gnomes.....

How romantic - a beautiful bed of lavender!

The darling Miss Stella - how cute is she?

This Romneya Coulteri is actually from the Ruth Bancroft garden in Walnut Creek, CA - another short trip....YUMMY!

..and from my favorite nursery in the whole world - Flora Grubb Gardens - I had to buy this amazing spiral aloe! It looks killer in a bright orange fiberglass pot in my garden!

Have a great day!

NAUGHTY NAUGHTY!!!!

OK......I could NOT pass this one up....I was wandering through the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, Ca...it is all about cactus an succulents - and there it was.....unbelieveable. I have nothing else to say....

MAISON ET OBJET PARIS

Twice a year, there is a furniture/accessories show that is unlike anything else! It is called Maison et Objet and it is held in Paris (oh darn!) in January and September. The show consists of 7 million sq. ft of furniture and accessories. 7 MILLION!! Dear GOD!!! After the first 2 million sq feet, your eyes actually start glazing over and you start to drool....seriously. Your brain can only absorb so much...... and then there are your feet! Mon dieu - mes pieds! Somehow you manage to get through the whole show over a 4 day period and come back with a whole new set of inspirations!

I go every year in September......to go to the show, of course, but can I help it if ALOT of shopping, eating and playing happen at the same time? I mean, is there ever a bad time to go to Paris? My designer friends Julie and Misty are going with me this year - usually I go by myself - and Miss Cindy, who currently lives in Amsterdam will be joining us as well! YIPPEE! Girls week in Paris! I found the LOVELIEST hotel close to the Tour Eiffel - Hotel Ares-Eiffel. I can tell you that booking a room for 4 in Paris is a SERIOUS challenge! FYI.

Anyway...we will be gone Aug 30 - Sept 7. YAHOO! Of course, I will give a full report upon my return so stay tuned! Bon Voyage!

ALBERTA STREET SIDEWALK SALE TODAY AND TOMORROW!

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE WAY COOL ALBERTA STREET SIDEWALK SALE TODAY AND TOMORROW FROM 11-6. DIGS WILL BE HAVING A SALE TABLE OUT FRONT ALONG WITH SPECIALS INSIDE! 50% ALL POTTED PLANTS AND 20% OFF ALL ACCESSORIES AND SOME ADDITIONAL GOODIES YOU WILL JUST HAVE TO COME BY TO SEE!

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE! YIPPEE!!!!

SIDEWALK SALE ON ALBERTA ST!

PLEASE COME DOWN AND DO SOME SHOPPING!!!

AGAVE AND THEN SOME!

I was on a crazy road trip recently from PDX to Salt Lake and then on to Berkley - I know it sounds odd, but the whole purpose was to buy plants. Seriously. Cactus, agave and succulents, specifically. I have so many pictures to show but I will start trickling them out slowly. One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, CA. Truly one of the most amazing places I have even seen. Ruth Bancroft is celebrating her 100th birthday this year and her garden, which she has spent decades curating has been donated to the Garden Conservancy and now they are tending the space for Ruth. I am a self-professed agave junkie, and this was like a pilgrimage to Mecca...LOVE IT! Here are some of the photos of the garden....

Agave Paryii Truncata - my ALL TIME FAVORITE!

more......

Feeling snarky amongst the agave........

Sharkskin Shoe Agave - Lovely!

OK.......more later...it's cocktail thirty, Frenchy and I are meeting the darling Miss Bridget and Doug the Wonder Boy at the new VINTAGE lounge on SE 78th & SE Stark. Cheers!