Studio Remodel

Pulled out my coveted Viking sewing machine to create some curtains to conceal the storage under the desk in my studio. I am trying to get it finished for an upcoming photo shoot.  




Fabric is from Fabric Depot in Portland.

This sewing machine kept me out of a ton of potential trouble in highschool. Mother said I could stay up as late as I wanted as long as I was sewing-and I pulled some late nighters.

The make of someone's machine is the first thing I glance at like others noticing cars.

L.A. Flea Market

I have wonderful memories of visiting Sister Ex in L.A. and shopping the flea markets. I had to carry some crazy things on the airplane that today would never be allowed. Sigh.....

{los angeles times}

The monthly sale will be held this Sunday in Dodger Stadium and will include a couple of auctions, music, tons of food and a service that carries your purchases to your car-a bit more upscale than the gritty flea markets of our day. You can read more about the sale here.


Summer Reading

A simple summer read...



From the best-selling author of The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series comes a delightful and moving story that celebrates the healing powers of friendship and music.

It is 1939. Lavender—La to her friends—decides to flee London, not only to avoid German bombs but also to escape the memories of her shattered marriage. The peace and solitude of the small town she settles in are therapeutic . . . at least at first. As the war drags on, La is in need of some diversion and wants to boost the town's morale, so she organizes an amateur orchestra, drawing musicians from the village and the local RAF base. Among the strays she corrals is Feliks, a shy, proper Polish refugee who becomes her prized recruit—and the object of feelings she thought she'd put away forever.

Does La's orchestra save the world? The people who come to hear it think so. But what will become of it after the war is over? And what will become of La herself? And of La's heart?

With his all-embracing empathy and his gentle sense of humor, Alexander McCall Smith makes of La's life—and love—a tale to enjoy and cherish.

Sixx Design

These are very fun photos of a new project on the market done by husband and wife team-The Novogratz. I have seen them in action on their TV show on Bravo. Both are very laid back and cool. Never mind that they have 7 children. This property is located in New York for $13.5 million. Read more here:








Their body of work is vast. You can visit the firm here. Sure do love how they mix it up.

Decorating with Books



Wallpaper covered books-a cute vignette indeed.





How stinkin' clever!


Sister Ex and I cover some books for staging but the girls at Elizabeth Anne Designs took it to another level by writing the titles. Clever I tell you.


or have it done for you here...


and...for the non reader-who cares what the title is? "Mom, where did you put my library book?"

Have some fun.


Sweet Summer Read

This is the 10th book in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series. I love this wonderful read...





Book Summary


Mma Ramotswe’s ever-ready tiny white van has recently developed a rather disturbing noise. Of course, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni – her estimable husband and one of Botswana’s most talented mechanics – is the man to turn to for help. But Precious suspects he might simply condemn the van and replace it with something more modern. And as usual, her suspicions are well-founded: without telling her, he sells the van and saddles his wife with a new, characterless vehicle . . . a situation that must be remedied. And so she sets out to find the van, unaware, for the moment, that it has already been stolen from the man who bought it, making recovery a more complicated process than she had expected.



In the meantime, all is not going smoothly for Mma Makutsi in her engagement to Mr Phuti Radiphuti (to make matters worse, Violet Sephotho, who could not have gotten more than fifty percent on her typing final at the Botswana Secretarial School, is involved). And finally, the proprietor of a local football team has enlisted the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency to help explain its dreadful losing streak: Surely someone must be fixing the games, it can’t just be a case of unskilled players.



And as we know, there are few mysteries that can’t be solved and fewer problems that can’t be fixed when Precious Ramotswe puts her mind to it.