Green, Vol. II

Dear Readers, since I am currently obsessing about green and am in love with ethnic style, I was terribly excited to read about President Obama's mother's Batik collection. Apparently, President Obama is accustomed to being surrounded by women with great style. The President's mother, the late Ann Dunham, collected Batik when they lived in Indonesia in the 1960s. Her collection is currently on display at the Textile Museum. See Washington Post article, here. Image PointClickHome.

I am particularly in love with this one. I would love to see it hanging on a wall. I wish I could have seen Dr. Dunham's home in Indonesia. Ethnic and Bohemian decor are all the rage today, Dr. Dunham was clearly ahead of her time. I wish I could have met her. I have visions of her being a quiet intellectual, wearing a peace sign necklace, with her two multi-cultural children on her hip.

Green....or never say never!

Dear readers, as you already know - I obsess about color all week long. It helps with the agony of a soulless job. Lately I have been obsessing about green. There are many colors I thought I didn't like, and through my experimentation with paint have learned to love. For example, orange, yellow and gray are colors at one time I didn't like, and now I love. At one time I thought I'd never use green in my home. I have learned never to say never when it comes to color. I have recently fallen in love with green. Here's some green inspiration for you. Hope you enjoy!

I adore the yellow coffee table with the green chairs!

Love the placement of the green vase in this shot. The vase is like a leaf against the tree print, and with the flowers of the Marimekko sofa.

Above images via Sofa Blog.

Any color looks great with large amounts of white. Zara Home via Sofa Blog.

I love the Togo sofa in green. Image PointClickHome.
I love green with pink. Domino.
Nicole and her husband made that fabulous wall hanging for their porch. Image via Making it Lovely.Urban Outfitters.

PointClickHome.

Green looks great with blue. Flickr user Majlee.


Green lamps at Lamps Plus.


Look at this beautiful shot! It would look great enlarged. Flickr user pauly.



Cute vignette and stunning paintings by Kim and Jo, respectively, of Desire to Inspire. Kim and Jo can always be relied upon to provide inspiration.

Mint green dish from Etsy user MyOtherLittleShop.

Items I saw at the vintage store. According to Kim, the green vase is a Bitossi. It's tempting me greatly. Small, but expensive Fenton ashtray, would look cute with a tealight in it. And cute green stools. For previous post on green, click here.

Mod Purse

Dear readers, just look at this little temptress. I saw this at the vintage store yesterday. It's just too cute! But at $89.00 it's just too expensive. Ah me, I should have been born rich instead of beautiful.

New Painting

Dear readers, last week was a stressful one. I had only one remedy in mind for the weekend. Paint. I don't need to tell you that times are tough, and canvas expensive. I didn't have the money for a canvas, but as luck would have it, I found the sweetest little piece of wood by the dumpster.

Now of course, I have been thinking of hot pink and blue all week. And Barbara Novak's apartment is haunting me (see post below). So Friday night, I cranked up the Al Green.

I mean he is the coolest.

I rearranged my art glass collection.


Hot pink and blue, of course.

And painted this. Untitled, 2009, 12" x 20", acrylic on wood. I'm thinking of layering it with a high-gloss coating. I'm really happy with the way this turned out. It's got that retro vibe, but with today's saturated colors. I think this may be the beginning of a new series.

Jessica Torrant

I have a special treat for my dear readers today! As you know, I have been obsessing about paint all week, so have been looking at lots of paintings on the internet (sssh, don't tell my boss). I discovered a very prolific and fascinating artist named Jessica Torrant.

Jessica creates funky, graphic art which she sells at her aptly titled Etsy shop, livefunky. She also creates amazing fine art, available at JessicaTorrant. Any of her pieces would work well in my home. I could also see it prominently displayed in a retro-mod decor. I love it all so much, I had trouble selecting only a few to feature! Dear readers, the work of Jessica Torrent. Hope you enjoy!

I have great respect for the skill displayed in this one. This looks like rain to me. I have been attempting to capture rain in my paintings, and have been having great difficulty with it.

Not only is Jessica talented, but she is a sweetie too. I have been thinking of opening an Etsy shop for a long time. I wrote to Jessica and received kind encouragement and great information to help get me started. I will, of course, keep you posted. Jessica, thanks for being an inspiration. For Jessica's blog, click here.

Still obsessing about pink and blue...TGIF!

Pink and blue haunt me. They occupy my thoughts when I am supposed to be concentrating at my day job. They make the anticipation of putting a brush to canvas almost unbearable.

Image flickr user La caitlin.

I adore hot pink with electric blue. Hot pink looks great with ice blue. And it looks great with turquoise. One thing for sure, the paintings I work on this weekend will be predominately hot pink.

There it is again! The coffee table I wrote about below. I want it. And that oversized blue lamp is too fab! Abigail Ahern via designspongeshop.

Look at these wonderful vases from Etsy user pcbartandgifts.

I have a thing for blue bottles. Especially genie bottles. Image Etsy user SeasideVintage.

And blue lamps. Etsy user fabulousmess. I think these would look great with tall white shades, like Ikea's Skimra. I've said it a million times. Why doesn't Ikea do an online business?

Cute candy dish, and darling presentation from Etsy user vonlipi.

I'd love to have this sensuous piece by Rubens gracing my walls.

And this hanging lamp is to die for! Image Family Living via Desire to Inspire.

I dream of having an all white pre-fab ranch. White floors, white walls. Large windows. This ranch should be completely devoid of architectural embellishments. No trim, not even baseboards. So the walls and floors will be without division, and seem eternal. The home will get its character from the decor, which will be retro-modern-Bohemian-Asian-Moroccan. And oh yeah, with a touch of Scandinavian. It will be like floating on a cloud. Ahh. Is it 5:30 yet?

Color Scheme: Hot Pink and Ice Blue

Last week I watched the movie Down with Love for about the 10th time. I watch it mainly for the wonderful costumes and set design.  I absolutely adore Barbara Novak's apartment, and it has me wanting to redo my apartment in a more retro-Barbie fashion.

Oh if only I could afford that pink sofa! And I adore those paintings. Her apartment has me thinking about one of my favorite color schemes once again. Hot pink and ice blue. It looks great with pops of green and tons of white. Here's some inspiration. Hope you enjoy!

Designers Guild.

My Mod Style.

Maybe I'll repaint my apartment. Love the pink walls and blue trim. Image from flickr user hippyxic.

I want that hot pink coffee table! Looks so sweet with the little blue vase. Image Living Etc.

Image Lucyina Moodie.

Barbara has a great collection of glass and ceramics. I'm thinking of mixing in some glass pieces with my ceramic collection. I adore these bristol blue pieces by Morgantown. Image Heart of America Glass Collectors.  I am itching to play with canvas. Is it Friday yet?