Modern Bondage

Bangles and Cuffs are all the rage! Everywhere you turn there is a stack of colorful arm candy to shackle your wrists with. Personally, I love them in theory but when I wear them I inevitably take them off because I work so much on my computer and they get in the way of my feeble typing skills. I've been sporting my collection more of late and here are a few that I am lusting after right now.

This amazing assortment comes from one of my favorite - although way above my budget - vintage jewelry sellers, Carole Tanenbaum. Pieces from her amazing collection of over 10,000 items are being sported by A-list celebrities galore.


Bakelite, a vintage, early plastic product {formed by the reaction under heat and pressure of phenol (a toxic, colorless crystalline solid) and formaldehyde (a simple organic compound), with a wood flour filler, it was the first plastic made from synthetic components - via Wikepedia}. Bakelite jewelry was the rage in the 30's and 40's. It is enjoying a huge resurgence now with an equally large price tag. The classic bracelets shown above are vintage bakelite.



Carole Tanenbaum's book Fabulous Fakes is a treasure trove of vintage costume jewelry. It's a great source for design inspiration and color research.



Jewelry designer Mark Davis is working his magic with vintage bakelite bracelets. He embellishes them with semi-precious jewels and sells them for an astronomical ticket price at Barney's New York. They range from $2900 - $8900! That's some very expensive costume jewelry.





Lee Angel is the innovator behind this line of enameled geometric bangles in great color combinations sure to set off any outfit. Available at Neiman Marcus they are very affordable between $80 - $200! Pretty reasonable for NM!






Just as colorful and much more affordable is the new enameled collection from J. Crew. When did they get so hip? I love the one in the center. It will be mine - oh yes - it will be mine! And with a price tag under $200 it might just happen.


Banana Republic's take on brights is another enameled collection with vibrant colors and geometric lines. They have a classic and timeless look.




R.J. Graziano is the designer of this bright gold and black crystal cuff.





For the more subdued in color but equal in impact these gorgeous cuffs will fit the bill. The gold piece is stunning and the Kenneth Jay Lane Stone Cuff would be great with an evening gown or jeans and a T-shirt.





Sure to stand the test of time is this John Hardy, Jaisalmer cuff. It has a great shape with the sides flaring up above the center.





The new, very vocal version of the bangle by designer Jessica Kagan consists of pre-ban ivory bracelets hand engraved with witty sayings and quotes. She now offers a plastic version to bring the price down to you and me dollars.. Recently she was very outspoken when Chanel allegedly ripped her design off on the runway. Her response was to produce a bracelet engraved in bold letters with the statement " Ripped off by Chanel" . I guess that says it all! I got the "Don't You Know Who I Am?" bracelet from my husband for Christmas. Yes, I'm a lucky girl!



Well my friends, hurry up and get yourself over to Grandma's house and search through the attic for her old bakelite jewelry. You can make some serious bank selling it on on Ebay.

Daybeds: All Grown Up

Daybeds for many people (difficult clients perhaps ?) immediately conjure up visions of cheap brass and wrought iron to be used only in little girls rooms with frilly Disney themed bedding. They don't want to invite the lowly daybed to sit at the adult table at the party. Well, I'm here to tell you that the daybed is all grown up and ready to strut it's stuff in any formal living room.


I am in love with this gorgeous bed. The beautiful profile with its graceful lines and intricate carving are offset by the contemporary pillows in subtle hues.


We've all seen this photo around lately. I love the super casual bohemian flair of this room. The colors are vibrant but mature.



Bedding and upholstery choices are critical in setting the tone of your daybed. This one just skirts the line of "for the bedroom only".



Antique beds are always a great way to add some charm and texture to a room.



This is one of my all time fav's in my design files. I've always loved the brown toile and the high table.



Daybeds have made a huge impact on the patio furniture market in the past few years. They can be found in a variety of sizes and style in all weather materials. This is one of my favorites. I love the canopy with it's Moroccan style point at the top.



Here's another well designed bed with an integrated canopy.



You can't go wrong with black caning!



This piece has a Nantucket feel. Love the ticking on the pillows.



I'm a fan of the draped daybed. But then again I would drape just about anything!



Formal fabrics and trims make a decidedly grown up statement with this piece.

So, next time you're thinking about using a daybed - give it a chance - I think you might be surprised how sophisticated the look can be.

I'm Gonna Freeze My Butt Off

I'm heading to Baltimore on January 26th to give a seminar at the 4th Annual Exciting Windows Conference. I'm a bit worried about my wardrobe for the trip. I do not even own a decent winter coat - after all I live in the freakin desert! Even though I travel a lot, most of my traveling takes place during the more hospitable, non chilly months of the year or I only travel to winter destinations that are sunny and warm. I'm afraid that even the heaviest coat I have is not going to be up to the task and even if I wanted to go out and buy a new coat that I propbably would only wear once I am out of luck. They just don't sell real winter coats here.

So I guess I will be doing a bit of layering and I probably won't leave the hotel if it turns out to be a cold weekend there. Now the only thing I'm worried about is weather delays and my fear of being stuck in a plane on the tarmac for 8 hours with no food or drink, clogged up bathrooms, and screaming babies. Boy, I love to travel !

Bloggers Making News in 2008

While the rest of us ( meaning me) were procrastinating and dreading the onset of another year some of our fellow bloggers have been kicking same major butt out there in the big girl world!

A huge hug and congratulations are in order to Heather Bailey from Hello My Name is Heather.


Her new patented invention to control your luxurious locks has hit the stores! Yes, she's an inventor, an entrepreneur and a super model. Oh, did I mention she is also a fabric designer with her own line of fabrics? She's one of those "I can do it all" chicks. You can buy her Trash Ties on her website and check out more of her gorgeous photos taken by her equally talented husband. She plans to write about this new creative journey on her blog now that the cat's out of the bag. I can't wait to hear the details!



The lovely and uber-talented queen of Canadian modern design Patricia Gray is quoted in this months Canadian House and Home Magazine on her "Style Resolutions" for 2008.



Debbie Dusenberry of Curious Sofa Diaries is a super talented home decor and antique retailer with a flair for the dramatic! Her store is always decked out for the season at hand and her Halloween displays are not to be missed. Her lovely home is featured in Country Living Magazine.

Alexandra Stoddard - A Class Act

A couple of weeks ago I had the great pleasure of meeting design icon and prolific writer and philosopher Alexandra Stoddard. I had heard her speak in the early 80's when I was just beginning my design career and found her to be very refreshing and unpretentious which was not the norm for most designers I had met. Since then she has written 29 books and designed countless residences, and commercial properties. Recently she has relocated from New York City to her country home in Connecticut. The home is profiled in the December issue of Country Living Magazine.


She and her husband, the love of her life, are inseparable and do virtually everything together. He accompanied her on her trip to Las Vegas. I had the opportunity to give her a copy of my book and was so please when a couple of weeks later I received this lovely hand written note from her. ( She writes all of her books longhand on special paper!).


I thought this was such a classy thing to do for such an established and busy women. I think that in this age of electronic communication we can forget the power and emotion of real handwritten mail. How lovely it is to receive such a gift. I've been inspired and I am going to re- dedicate myself to sending notes.


This is the home that Mrs. Stoddard and her husband have restored. It is located in Stonington Village Connecticut at the Northern tip of the state. I adore her bedroom - It looks so sunny and warm.


The house is chock full of treasures and art which are a passion for the couple and every item has a story. Before they located to the home permanently, Alexandra and her husband would take some of their favorite paintings with them from the city to the country and back again. Mrs. Stoddard says she loves to be surrounded by her favorite things.



The house has a front and rear parlor which she has decorated by mirroring the furnishings in both rooms. Here you can see the matching love seats in a bright flowering chintz. Her passion for flowers is evident throughout the house and the garden.


She is the type of person who takes pleasure in every action in life as she writes about in her many books. I was so impressed with her attention to the little things. As she was signing books for her fans she wrote each comment thoughtfully in beautiful flowing script with a lovely pen and blotted each signature with tissue paper so it wouldn't bleed on to the facing page. She then included a small length of colorful ribbon in each book as a book mark.

I live my life in such a hurry - with little attention paid to the many tasks that I accomplish every day. I rush to get here or there. I am constantly in a race to meet deadlines and due dates. In 2008 I am going to try to slow down and take some time to smell the roses and pay attention to what I am doing so I can actually enjoy it.

Here's hoping you are enjoying the little things!

Happy New Year!

Getting it Together for the New Year

2008 is just a couple of days away - Are you ready???? I know I'm not, but I'm trying to get a head start by weeding out some of the clutter and getting my essentials in order.
Here are a few things I found that might help you get the year off to a good start.

First of all, you need to take stock of your general mental health and well being. This diagnosis wheel from Knock Knock should do the trick.



Next, make sure to thank everyone for everything they've done for you over the past year and for all of those great gifts you received over the holidays. These little personalized notes should do the trick!


Now it's time to get serious and get your schedule in order. You're sure to stay on track using this saucy little number from Kate Spade, a pink-gold day planner.


And of course, no self respecting fashionista using a pink-gold day planner should be caught without a matching pencil bag!!

For those more casual moments on the run you can grab this little gem - compact and self contained, it's a calender at a glance.


Prioritize your calender with these perky place holders

Making lots of lists for the New Year? This pad lets you make them and keep track of them all in the same place!


I'm ordering some of these great painted wood desk organizers from The Home Storage Warehouse for my office so I can start fresh in 08. I figure if I have a lot of really organized looking receptacles, bins, and paper holders in my office, it will automatically look and feel more organized. (I like to live in denial or as I refer to it - living in my bubble!)


Hope you're all successful in getting it together and enjoy a hassle free, highly organized, 2008.

Merry Merry Christmas

Here's hoping everyone has a happy and meaningful holiday. Take some time to enjoy the little things and the great traditions of Christmas. Here are some images from this years National Gingerbread House Competition. They look good enough to live in.


2007 Grand Prize Winner


2006 Grand Prize Winner



2007 Entry

Merry Christmas!!!!!!

If Only I Spoke Another Language

But alas I am but an ignorant American who can only manage to massacre her own English language. Europeans are so continental with their multi-lingual skills. If I spoke Scandinavian (Is that a language ?) or Dutch or Swedish or whatever the fabulous blog Dream House is written in I could figure out what the heck she is writing about. But since I am ignorant in the Nordic languages I can only look at the gorgeous pictures of her fabulous dream house. Please check it out even if you are, like me, lingually challenged.