going starfishing: November 2009

Monday, November 30, 2009

safety chic

my cherry red vespa is my favorite summer accessory
(not to mention THE BEST way of getting to + from the beach and beating the cape cod crowds)
but my boring black helmet is a bit of a bummer....

this helmet would just be the ultimate top-off

i started teaching kids sewing classes in my studio here in providence last spring. after a fall of the flu, the girls were ready and rearing to start up again earlier this month.
i wanted to do a project that required pretty basic sewing skills to get them going again, but also something that would get their creative juices flowing.
with just a two meetings before thanksgiving day, the girls pulled out some pretty unbelievable table runners (and managed to keep them a surprise from their moms!)...

i pulled a bunch of festive, fall-like fabrics from good ol' jo-ann's and had the girls start by sketching. they assigned each fabric a colored pencil and went to work designing their own patterns for the runner, which was put together like a quilt-top.

we made a team effort of cutting the pieces, they arranged them according to their diagrams and got busy sewing. and ironing. and sewing. and ironing. ironing. ironing...

once the top pieces all came together, they pressed it all again, sewed on a backing n their favorite fabric (the one with sparkles, of course!), turned them inside out, pressed again and stitched the bottoms closed.

the girls were THRILLED with their results, moms almost in tears, and, i have to say, i was blown away as well. they were GORGEOUS.

off to plan week three...

Sunday, November 29, 2009

thanksgiving week

a hint of fall in our living room

shelves above the couch serve as my apartment "mantle"

favorite family pictures, wedding gifts and seasonal goodies, along with a little handmade love-

i am crazy for the "pumpkins" i made after seeing some of martha's

penelope taking a late afternoon snooze...

she is high on my list of things to be thankful for this thanksgiving

love love love my little lady

happy thanksgiving!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

5 fab gifts

i met catherine, of rikshaw design, last year at a trade show and i was immediately i was blown away by her gorgeous products, and how friendly she was. seriously, she's got it all going on...

not only is she gorgeous, and unbelievably stylish...

but her line of block printed bedding for children is off. the. hook.

rikshaw just introduced twin sizes, but i'm still hoping for some full size sets

shower curtains!

can you imagine?!?

well, this cool chick has a super chic blog that gives me dreams of glamour, even when i'm blogging from bed in sweats.

so, i was blown away and over-the-top excited when she asked me to participate in her "5 fab gifts" series.

check my suggestions out today!

Friday, November 13, 2009

sweet sixteen

cover girl on december's teen vogue, and just shy of her sixteenth birthday, dakota fanning is back in the spotlight for a role in the newest twilight film.

i suppose it's still early for her, but isn't it refreshing to see a young a-lister famous for their work, rather than their DUIs and sex tapes?

i've always been a fan, and i think these pictures are GORGEOUS and, age appropriate.

looking very kate hudson

still a little bit, "little girl"

pure chic-ness

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

thinking...

that my dear friend Pat would have loved this.

via dossier

renter's reality- the BIG reveal!

way back in june, i posted some suggestions for amanda, about her living/dining/ meeting space in the house she and her husband rent.

well, the room is finally pulled together and, i have to say, a HUGE improvement.

fun and relaxed, but "grown-up" from the college dorm days.

and, definitely presentable enough to meet with clients in.

without further adieu...

dining space

from dining looking to living

living space

from entrance looking to living

well done amanda and jeff!

more details about all that they did on amanda's blog.

all photos orchard cove photography

length

this makes me miss my long hair...

really, nothing quite like that sexy bun.

via cupofjo

Monday, November 9, 2009

penelope takes manhattan

we spent this past weekend in new york city, to celebrate my husband's birthday and to spend some time with theresa. theresa has always wanted a "little yellow puppy" so we couldn't resist taking penelope on the road trip...

definitely an adventure. walks were a challenge, with literally EVERY passer-by stopping to pet and coo, but worth it when one such admirer was JONATHAN ADLER and his pup, liberachi. ah, if only i had had enough guts to ask if he needed a PVD based assistant. next time.

my mom and i took theresa to see "shrek, the musical" and it was a thrill. the costumes, music, acting, humor- wonderful. and just so special to share a first like that with theresa.

a wonderful friend hooked up us with a backstage tour afterwards, which was the icing on top- being able to see all the sets and costumes up close... not to mention being able to meet the phenomenal actors and actresses!

i love a good visit to the city, but it leaves me wiped. nellie feels the same way.

we took it slow this morning.

happy monday!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

tote

i have long oogled the louis vuitton "sac plat" not just because it is classic chic, but more for the size and shape. a magazine tote. the perfect size to carry around your news stand purchases. brilliant.

i'm not quite the label-sportin' type (not to mention the LV is a bit out of my budget), so when I saw this fun printed canvas at purl, i thought it would be perfect for carting around my clipboards, steno pads and magazine pulls.

clearly i wouldn't be carting this around paris, but for my daily life here in providence, it is perfectly fun!

using the LV bag's measurements, i set out to make my own version.

lined with lecien dots

this was a one-day project, though it has taken me almost a year to get it together and sew on the handles... oy.

these green leather handles are the perfect accent (hand-stitched on with heavy-weight blue thread). and, as an improvement the real thing... these handles are long enough to fit over your shoulder!

beatrice's dress

deb and i did a little impromptu photoshoot with my favorite little lady, beatrice earlier this week. the need for some family holiday card pictures was the perfect opportunity for bea to wear the dress named for her! and clearly, she couldn't have been a prouder model!

also worth noting were her adorable moccasins...