Ta Dah! THINK PINK!

So there you have it...a room for Charlotte with fresh paint, a new floor, and that sparkly chandelier I openly covet...

The treasures are Charlotte's and more were gathered from about the house to compliment the massive dose of pink... and they have been eagerly adopted! The 5x8 rug was rescued from the basement (I think only Michelle and Shannon knew it was there, but more on the basement another time...) It laid there under the boxes of boxes for 5 years. Just $50 on clearance at "Target" almost 11 years ago, it's as good as new and was waiting for it's call to order!

My Mom, Rosie, brought over the crochet bedspread...we needed a bit more cream and black to break up the pink on pink... on pink! Subtle bits of gold add mellowness and make the Edwardian brass bed pop! The round luxe pillow was a $7 find with Stacey Bear this summer (it made up for my splurge on that folk art ferris wheel) and the chalk ware poodle lamps and golden tassle shades were nabbed for a song at the "Stratford Antique Center" where Rosie has a booth.

They sat in the closet for close to 2 years...

But, I must disgress... am I the only one who cannot resist the call of funky lamps? (It wouldn't be so bad if I just bought lonesome lamps, but I long to have them in pairs so, there are twice as many hanging around awaiting duty.) Yes, I both love and curse myself for the brass-tone giraffe lamps in the living room, the chicken lamps in the den, the monkey lamp, the horse lamp...I say, do we see a theme here?)

...so back to the matter at hand. A new room...

Charlotte's sanctuary, wonderland and haven for her pink passion...
What do you think?

...next on the docket...decorating for Christmas...

so merry, merry ...think pink... and off I go!

xxoo Jen

Earth Angels

Color Crisis - Room Re-Do

...I am forever in the process of re-decorating ....every room in the house...and, when I should be working on the "to-do" list of seemingly more important things! But alas, I return to the "curation and creation" of new displays, new rooms, the incessant moving of furniture.

The current project: my soon to be 5 year old's room...

I started the project last week...here's where we are to-date...

The new floor went down on Thanksgiving...Micah stated the project -- coffee in hand -- at 5:45 am and it was done by noon. (Gotta love that laminate.) I packed up here treasures and cooked the appetizers for our Turkey Day feast, while he plodded away under Charlotte's watchful eye...next we moved the furniture and then set off to dine with the family...

But, oh no! Her vision -- or what I thought was her vision -- was lavender and sky blue....with an itty bitty bit of pink.... but, she panicked..."Where was her beloved pink?".... "How could we not include more pink?"

...And I ask can you think pink? (see this older post for more images and comments on the never ending pink parade) ...sigh, I should have seen this coming... what she really wants is to just move away from the green but keep the pink...she asks, on quite a regular basis, "Mommy why is there green everyplace in this house?".

At 4 she is already rejecting me and mine! ...and so we are shifting gears with good cheer! I am wondering where she gets all these opinions, this passion, this incredible impatience for what she wants, and for it to be juuuuust so! ...I am guessing you are saying,

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree".

And so! ...I am back to work...resuscitating her pink passion, with an itty dose of black to dress things up a bit... more soon...

and until then..think pink!

xxoo Jen Earth Angels

Elements of Style

On my never ending quest to encourage the wearing, gifting and treasuring of artful objects, "Elements" are at the top of my favorites list. Jill's artful jewelry and and accessories are pure joy to wear and to use. They are festively appointed with simple elegance, deftly composed, and never overdecorated. Indeed, Jill Schwartz' Elements jewelry and treasured objects are composed with style and savvy -- just like Jill!

Jill is good at what she does, and juggles the design and creations of her work in her Massachusetts studio with an exuberant intensity that shows in her work. It is strong in texture, each piece a rich assemblage that tells a story in metal, wood, fabric and stone.

See my quote and reference to Jill's wok in the pages of the December issue of "Country Living" magazine (see page 26). Thanks to may pals there for showcasing Jill's work and my thoughts on gift giving.

'tis the season...so mention this post and receive free shipping on any order for Jill's work or any of the creations featured by our jewelry artists

xxoo Jen O'Connor

Earth Angels

happy turkey day

It's Wednesday night... and I am so looking forward to tomorrow's feast of family and food. As I begin to prepare the appetizers for the 20 or so of us who will gather at my brother's table, I am reminded to be ever grateful for what has been laid before me in this life of mine...my loved ones, my treasured friends, good health, the wonderful opportunities, and the fabulous adventures that are mine.

Many, many thanks to you and for you all...

Best wishes for a Thanksgiving that makes your heart happy.

xxoo Jen

Earth Angels

We've Got Snow!

...this was the scene at our house early this morning...

A snowman built before school...icy snow down my collar as I was attacked with snowballs before my required second cup of coffee...

These are the moments I treasure...and

I am so very thankful for days like these.

Warm wishes to you and yours as we anticipate the gathering

of family and friends for Thanksgiving.

Gobble, gobble...I am off to shop for the ingredients for our contribution to our family's feast. I do appetizers for 20!

xxoo Jen

Earth Angels

Room Re-Do...BEFORE

I seem to thrive with an overflowing, platter-sized plateful of projects…I am forever re-decorating, re-doing and moving this and that about…I recently shared the hallway re-do spawned by the our purchase of a fabulous painting of Jennifer Lanne’s (see "Platter Serves Up Re-Do") .

Well I am at it again! The current project at-hand is to move my daughter Charlotte, soon to be 5 years, into her brothers’ old room. The boys have just moved into the new room we had built for them this summer as part of the renovations (more on that soon!).

Charlotte has outgrown the petite 8x9 room that she’s slept in since she was a baby; her beloved dollies and playthings are bursting from every nook. She and her treasures have been ensconced in a backdrop of pink and green. It’s been plucky and cheery and oh, so little girl. But, she has recently announced a penchant, nay a passion, for lavender and sky blue and so it begins…

One gallon of Benjamin Moore’s “French Heirloom”, a delightfully innocuous purple "bleu" that I think I can look at forever, or at least until the re-do bug bites again…more of Mannington “Butterscotch Hickory” on order….a lavender crystal lamp scored for $39 at Home Goods, which my Dad tediously rewired as a ceiling fixture…and my own brass bed (I was given this bed on my 3rd birthday then just refurbished by the ultimate fixer-upper, my Dad…he resuscitated this beauty from layers of paint after hauling it out of my Aunt Townley’s family home on Long Island.)

I am adding some frothy vintage Swiss dotted chiffon curtains that were stashed in one of my attic’s famous boxes of “just in case, cannot throw away” textiles, and I am starting to pull some color-friendly objects from about the house that we’ll mix in with Charlotte’s own treasures.

More on this re-do soon! The floor is to be delivered on the 23rd….and so I ask myself, “Why am I adding this to the never ending “to-do” list just as the holidays approach???” …sigh…but, I cannot wait to see the results… and I promise to share them.

Chat soon
xxoo
Jen
Earth Angels

Winning Style

Some fabulous press for our pals and Earth Angels artists...

Congrats go to Gianna Majzler and her business partners, the dynamic brother and sister duo, Danyel Montecinos and Darren Calkin....on the exquisite spread in the month's "HOME Companion" magazine.

(see pages 80-87 of the December 2007 issue)

...your home is dreamy and the perfect setting to feature the deliciously appointed paper products, games and follies of F.G. & Co.

I find them utterly irresistible myself and have them tucked about my home, and stashed for impromptu gift giving...

The images above were taken at the NY International Gift Fair...the F.G.&Co. booth was a feast for the eyes...Laurie and I could barely tear ourselves away and had great fun picking out the delicacies to feature on the site...

In celebration of your article in Mary Engelbreit's magazine... all orders for your creations will include free shipping, if this blog is mentioned. How can I resist promoting your work? It's wonderfully festive, and makes for fabulous treats to share and to keep.

Once again, Bravo on a fabulous spread...

ciao for now

xxoo Jen

Earth Angels

Wilton Wonderland

I look forward to the Wilton show every year...of course there is always something fabulous about the show and it presents the rare chance for me to shop for my own collection. This year getting there almost topped the charts! We had two inches of snow and the drive over the mountains was not without drama, but all was worth it...

This is the face that greeted me in Stacey Bear's booth...

Here I am with Stacey next to -- what I think -- was the best piece in the show. I am thrilled to be the lucky one who got to take this painting home. It will hang in the living room...

yes, I will post images of it in it's new "spot"!

Here are some other fun shots from the day browsing the fabulous folk art creations and visiting with some of my favorite artists...

Ro and her first creation from talented Lori Ann Corelis...

Gal pals Dawn, her daughter Heidi Steiner and Lori Ann Corelis...

Stacey with Sarah Newell of Country Living and Devon her dedicated and dashing beau...

Here is Diane Allison and a bevy of her boards...Diane visited me the day before the show...She is uber talented and mega fun!

I love Lori and her soulful creations...

Pat Castka charmed the crowds with her new boxed fairy series!

Kim Stout and a collector pause in the most tantalizing booth in the show! Bravo Kim for your incredible display...I wanted it all!

...more from Kim Stout and Thistle Hill...

Debbie's booth of "Hartwells" creations was jammed all day!

And so...
I snagged two amazing treasures for my personal collection...the amazing painting by Stacey and, a wonderful creamy bunny boy from Lori Ann that will make a perfect boyfriend to the girl she made for me that sits in my front hall. Yes, images to follow!

Debbie, Kim, Pat, Stacey and Diane also had some work set aside for me to present to Earth Angels customers. We will be photographing and posting their latest work in the next week or so...Thanks gals!

Once again Wilton was a wonderland. I am consistently amazed by the talent collected under one roof. Add this show to your calendar!

xxoo Jen

Earth Angels

Ho, Ho, Ho is on the way...

Now that the jack o'lanterns have past their prime and the chipmunks have raided the piles of gourds and cornstalks on the front porch, I begin to think about pulling out the Christmas decorations...boxes and boxes of magic that sit waiting in the attic for me...

How did the year pass so quickly? My only consolation is that Christmas is such a wonderful treat...I look forward to celebrating it each year! Part of the festivities are my many bedecked trees (there were 11 last year) and for sure, Debbee’s exceptional hand blown glass ornaments and my collection of her Santas will be part of the décor this season once again…they cheer me and they bring me comfort like old friends.

She has outdone herself with the ornament collection for 2007. Each piece pays homage to traditional craftsmanship and old-world style. If you haven't seen them, do take a closer look. They are full of charm. They arrived from Debbee's studio in giant boxes earlier this week. As I unpacked them I started to think about the trees I will decorate this year and how to make the Christmas magic I crave...

I am starting this weekend!

A Happy Ho, Ho, Ho is on the way!

xxoo Jen

Earth Angels