My Apartment: The Process and Some New Stuff

Good day dear readers!  Hope you are doing well!  This was a difficult week for my family and me.  We had a death in the family.  Unfortunately, with death brings drama.  Some members of my family acted ... hmm...how to phrase nicely.... let's just say I'd would've preferred to be treated differently. I can't understand why at my advanced age I still allow my feelings to be hurt.  But, there it is, I am sensitive. My girl Haley asked me what I expected.  Right.  This person has been treating me this way for 52 years.  Why would it all of a sudden change?  Why am I still surprised? That's what the Buddha meant by letting go of attachment and expectation. I keep expecting her to change, she does not, I allow it to hurt.  She doesn't hurt me, I allow her to hurt me.  If I let go of the expectation, then I no longer give her the power to hurt me.  Simple.  But not easy.  Also had drama with lawyers, doctors and the heat is friggin' killing me.  

You know how it is with chronic illness.  Like anything else.  Good days/bad days.  You learn not to take anything for granted.  Pain is bad today and changes in my meds have me sick as a dog.....but.....

Even though I felt like shit, I spent some quality girl time with my sister-in-law yesterday.  Just the prescription I needed.  Always feel great after that.  She's a world traveler so she had a ton of gifts for me!  Ah, it's great to be queen.  I'm stuck in the A/C again, but...it's not really a complaint.  You know my apartment is small and  humble, and I love it!  I have a lot of new things today to show you.  Yes, it's a balance.  I'm a lover of beautiful things, but I still want simplicity.  I'm moving slow, but I'm having fun.  Since I didn't suffer with insomnia last night, I am having a cup of my favorite Colombian coffee, and the music is loud.

Here's how my living room looked this morning. I experimented with not using a rug, I get so sick of straightening it.  It looks odd to me without it, though.  I hate carpet!  I miss wood floors and wish I could paint the walls.  Oh well.  I'm lazy anyway.

Wish I could afford a new rug.  It's crazy what rugs cost!  I'd love to have something that looks tie-dyed or even perhaps a Moroccan wedding blanket.  Oh well.  I have a lot of pretty new things, take a look:

  

How fab is this!  A beautiful pink tea kettle.  This was a mothers' day present from my adopted daughter Haley.  I gotta lot of love in my life.  So grateful, honored and humbled.

As you know, my new favorite color is gray!  I almost fainted when I saw these pieces at the Goodwill!  ASA Selection tea pot and tea cups!  You already know I am obsessed with ASA Selection pottery.  Such perfection and simplicity.  I have been coveting this set for a long time.  I first saw the set at a gift shop in Cleveland.  $54 for the tea pot and four cups, too much for my cheap ass. I spied this lovely set from a distance and couldn't get over there fast enough.  Okay, it's only got two cups, but who cares?  I got this set for $3.00!  Yep, $3.00.  Score.  I have one other piece of ASA Selection pottery.

My beautiful footed bowl.  I bought this years ago for $24.  I thought it was ridiculously priced at the time, but had to have it.  It is so perfect in its simplicity.  It's very tactile, as pottery should be.  Matte finish, my favorite.  And did you know a beautiful piece of pottery will sing?  This one makes a beautiful sound when you run your finger around the edge.  Kinda like a Tibetan prayer bowl.

Here is another vase I got at the Goodwill.  Beautiful simple shape, beautiful matte finish.  It's marked made in Thailand on the bottom.  I'm sure this was available at Ikea at one time.  Got it for $1.00!  I'm fighting the urge to paint it hot pink, cuz it's already perfect.  I tend to paint vases that are not perfect.  Pictured along with the vase is part of my rock collection.  Yep, another obsession.  I love rocks.  Loving beautiful things and maintaining a simple, uncluttered look is all about balance.  Sometimes I panic that I have too much stuff.

I've finally committed myself to decorating my balcony.  But I gotta do it on the cheap.  Here is a cute solar lamp I got at Target.  Not cheap.  $9.99.  Almost didn't buy it.  But do love it.

Yep, another obsession.  I admit it.  I'm really five years old and I play with toys.  I have a few of my favorites in my cute little damaged, yellow lacquer box (for the story of this little box, click here).  I love toys, but can't figure out how to display them since I don't like clutter.  May have to have some custom furniture built by Antonio Ballatore.  Maybe I'll do a vertical wall toy display when I when the lottery.  But for now it pleases me that I have a toy box on my end table.

I've been looking everywhere for a pink light bulb, to no avail.  I finally found a red one at Target.  I kinda dig it.  Nice cheap way to add some spice to your living room.

Meet my new coffee table!  Isn't she gorgeous?  Oh gosh, I just can't get enough of neon colors.  Especially love how the cover is balanced by the black and white stripes.  I have a blanket stashed in there, I love my A/C so much that sometimes it feels like a meat locker in here.  I love covering up while watching Rules of Engagement. (I'm obsessed with this show, I watch it over and over - it's hilarious!)  Since my place is small, I love using multi-functional, easily moved pieces.  I got this at Target for $19.99, which is a pretty good price.  It was all I could do not to buy two more ottomans.  I was digging the square ones, in a neon pink and turquoise.  Love those colors together.  But desperately trying to exercise some restraint.  Not always easy, humans sure make some beautiful things.

Speaking of beautiful things, here is a little glass garden I put together in my living room.  As you know, I love vessels.  Ceramic and porcelain are my first love, but I dearly love glass as well.  For some time now, I have been mixing glass and ceramic in my display.  But for today, I thought I'd do a glass display and a ceramic display.  All are pieces I got on the cheap (including that Murano-looking blue piece - $3 at the Goodwill!).  The little blue flower bowl to the right is an expensive piece.  It was a gift from my sister-in-law who, as you know, buys me the most beautiful gifts.  I dearly love it.  She got it in Seattle!  One of my favorite cities.  Click here for my series on Seattle.  I put it on top of a glass piece I got for cheap at TJ Maxx, to give it the place of prominence it so deserves.  This little glass garden has two influences.  One is the great Dale Chihuly.

The other is this pic from my paper inspiration file which, thankfully, is dwindling thanks to digital technology.  (O at Home, Winter 2008)  Paper can be so hard to manage.  I strive to be as paperless as possible.  I know it seems like an unlikely color combination, but I love the color combo of blue and orange.  To see my other blue and orange experiments in a previous apartment, click here and click here.

Sister-in-law brought this promotional flyer for me to see.  She knows me so well.  The flyer shows amazing pieces by Benjamin Moore.  His work is amazing!  I particularly love pieces that are miraculous exercises in balance.  I wonder if Benjamin was inspired by the great Elsa Rady's Cycladic Swing.  I'm going to send him a message and I will update.

Here is yet another fine gift from sister-in-law.  A mug from the original Starbucks' store!  And my favorite place in Seattle, Pike Place Market.  I love the graphic art on the mug.  I love Seattle, I dream of living in a loft over Pike Place or in a house boat.  As you know, I dearly love rain.

Here's yet another new vase from the Goodwill.  I know, I know. I have a lot of stuff.  I am organizing today, though, and some stuff is getting donated. I do love organization.  This beauty was only $1.00.  Love the shape.  Thinking of painting my bookcase white (again).

And because even the most mundane object, must be beautiful:  pink dishwashing soap by Palmolive and pretty sponge.  The sponge was a gift from my favorite cousin.  Man my peeps sure buy me some good shit. Stay tuned to see how my apartment turns out.  Happy Saturday my loves!  xo

Pottery Jones, Vol. V

I am itching to add this lovely, sophisticated lady to my collection of white vases.  It is the Dame vase by Marlies Neugebauer.  The vase is a beautiful matte finish with glossy pearls.  Alas, it's only available in Europe.  Image via Cloudfactory.  I think this vase would make a great West Elm collaboration (and it would go great with the Shane Powers vases I'm coveting).

Pottery Jones, Vol. IV

These beautiful vases are made by Danish potter extraordinaire Ditte Fischer.  I love the purity of their forms.  I'd love to have the whole collection.  I am especially in love with the gray ones.  I'm itching to decorate a home all in shades of pale gray.  Ahh.

Pottery Jones, Vol. II

Not sure how to accessorize your room?  How about a collection of simple white pottery?  Pottery is a wonderfully tactile experience.  These beautiful shapes and forms beg to be touched.  My personal favorite is matte finish, and I love to miss vintage and modern.

Clockwise from upper left:  Vintage McCoy from jacklom3;  German op art vase by Jaeger from GoGoBerlinette;  small bottle carved vase by Sara Paloma;  beautiful pedestal vase designed by Bjorn Wiinblad for Rosenthal from bitofbutter;  footed bowl designed by Karl Scheid from GoGoBerlinette.

I adore simple forms, and am currently obsessing over organic forms.  This beautiful Ikebana vase from Mascara Jones.  I would love to design a simple, Zen room around this vase.

Look at his beauty!  So perfect in its purity.  This vessel is no longer available (I should have bought it!).  This vessel is hollow and finished with a process called Terra Sigillata.  Thank you to Etsy user Morphing Molecules for explaining this interesting process, and congratulations on a very lovely piece.

Pottery Jones, Vol. I

Sorry for the lack of posts, dear readers.  I'm going to try to make up for that.  Stay tuned, I have lots of exciting stuff lined up.  For now, I am thinking of one of my greatest obsessions.  Pottery.  So I decided to make this week all about pottery.  Let's explore pottery together, shall we? 

I'd like to start by thinking about black pottery.  Black is a color I've never really used in my decor, but have fallen in love with recently.  I've always collected white pottery.  But I've noticed that a few pops of black in a room really amps up the sophistication, mystery and romance.  I love the simple shapes of this beautiful collection of vessels.  Available in Etsy shop Ceramicpix.

 

I am in love with the satin finish of these divine vessels by Kim Westad.  I've featured Kim on this blog before.  (See previous post here.)

Love this collection of vessels in stark shapes and colors.  The large black vase holds a place of prominence elevating the collection to a place of strength.  Divine.  Available at Etsy shop ARTELYA.

I'm a sucker for vases in organic shapes and smooth finishes, and anything resembling Ikebana (see previous post here).  This gorgeous vessel available at Etsy Shop LandM Studio.

I've been obsessing about the Bigarra vase from Ikea for a long time.  I've said it a million times - I wish Ikea had an online business!  I may have to drive to Pittsburgh.  If I bought this vase, it might start a whole new scheme in my apartment.  I've been craving more organic touches.

feeling blue

I'm loving blue right now.  I adore collections of blue glass and ceramics.

Dee Adams.

Siri vases by Roost.

 Beautiful watercolor by Karen Faulkner.

Ikebana, Part II

While searching the web today for Ikebana vases, I came across these beauties designed by Edward Robinson.  They have me drooling, so I just had to share.  Look at those perfect shapes.  Look at those perfect colors.  Beautiful.  Love them displayed on the rustic wood table.  I think I need these.  Image via Petite Friture.  What I am about to say is not for the purists - but Target, please produce a knock off.

Vase Display and the Rule of Three

Collecting vases is a wonderfully tactile experience, they are meant to be touched.  Sometimes I think I should own a vase shop.  I adore arranging them, and I can contemplate their shapes endlessly.  I prefer simple shapes and solid colors.  When I am arranging vases, I have found that an odd number of pieces looks more interesting to me.  I also tend to prefer asymmetry to symmetry.  I discovered the rule of three when I first started collecting, and it works for me.  Here's a little guide to arranging your vases on a shelf or table. I seem to be collecting more glass than ceramics these days.  Don't feel scared to mix the two.  The only thing to remember is to find shapes or colors that seem to go together.  What goes together is simply what you love, trust your intuition.  Remember to have fun with it!

Using the rule of three, your vases are arranged in a triangle with either the tallest in the middle, or the shortest in the middle.  Lately, I am preferring the shortest in the middle.  I know this is a huge decorating faux pas - but I use silk flowers from the craft store.  They are much more beautiful than they used to be.  It makes me too sad when flowers die.  I prefer a single, simple stem.

 

Here's is a variation on the shortest in the middle scheme, when you are going for asymmetry.  I like placing the short vase in front of the tall vase.

Another variation.  I saw these beautiful vases at Target the other day.  Whenever I see vases in a shop, I just can't help but arrange them.  I'm sure the workers think I am crazy.   In this scheme the tallest vase - which is also the odd color - is in the front.  Now we are ready to move on to the rule of five, but that's a post for another day.  I love seeing how people display their vases.  Send me a picture, and I may feature you here.  xxoo

White Accessories

I'm a lover of simplicity.  In my youth I was an avid minimalist and everything was white.  Everything I owned could fit in my car.  I miss the freedom of those days.  Stuff can weigh you down.  Yet, a few well placed objects adds character to a room and makes it personal.  I'm a collector of beautiful glass vases and ceramic.  Collections can be a bit of an obsession, and it's important not to let your collection become work.  Collecting should be fun, and your collection should be something you love.  I always try to keep my collection pared down to my favorites, and I sell a few pieces when contemplating a new piece.  Clutter just won't do.  What to do if you love beautiful objects, yet crave simplicity?  It's all about balance.  One way to maintain simplicity is to collect objects with simple shapes, and to keep them all white.  Here are a few lovely white objects, for example.

Sake sets come in lovely shapes and are extremely collectible.  I have a rule in my collections.  Everything must be functional as well as beautiful.  I think that's why I love pottery and tea pots so much.  Image via deedee9:14.

 I adore this sake set by Masahiro Mori via deedee9:14.

 Beautiful ceramic serving tray by Ggallery.  I adore the shape of this.

Oval sushi dish by baileybowls.  You can see the pattern emerging.  When you keep your accessories all white, the variation in shapes is fascinating.

Beautiful sugar and creamer set designed by Hans Theo Baumann.  Available at  forEYESandHANDS.

 Hand thrown tea pot by clamlab.

I adore costume jewelry, and I love seeing it mixed in with a display of treasured objects.  These beautiful pieces would look great on a floating shelf next to white vases.  Available at Linea72.

White helps unify disparate objects as this beautiful vignette shows.  Image Bodie and Fau via The Style Files.  Love the cluster lights by Kathleen Hills.  And there you have it, a collection of white objects.  Virtual collections are the best.  They cost nothing, take up no room and you don't have to dust them.  My next post will feature some stylish display options.

Pottery Jones

For today's episode of Pottery Jones, I have a selection of black and white pottery that is as diverse as it is beautiful.  Some Asian modern pieces, vintage German and even contemporary hand made.  Hope you enjoy!

Very beautiful plaster vase designed by Nobuhiro Sato available at Emmo Home.

 Ikebana vase from the 1970s formerly available at Etsy shop of Mascara Jones.

Another beautiful Ikebana vase.  This one is from the 1950s and was formerly available at Etsy shop of Austin Modern.

Totally fab studio ashtray from the 1960s.  I've never seen anything like this piece.  Of course, I would use it for purely decorative purposes.  Available at Etsy shop of Linea72.  This piece has been tempting me, but I'm not sure it would fit in my decor.

West German porcelain always makes me swoon.  Love the matte finish.  This Kaiser piece is from Etsy shop Kibster.

Another gorgeous piece of West German op art.   Etsy user GoGoBerlinette.

It is a skilled craftsman who made this wheel thrown bowl.  Love the delicate balance, love its simplicity.  A truly elegant piece.  As you know, admiring a fine piece of pottery is a tactile experience.  This bowl just begs to be touched.  Bowl was made by Etsy user LeiliDesign.  Well, what do you think dear readers, are you feeling tempted?