no. 15

Fairlane

2011-08-17T10:21:00.000-04:00

We went to Vermont for a car show that is held every August there (well...the men went to the show and the women went shopping). There is a show during the day, in the afternoon they parade through the town, and at night there is a block party with cars and 50's & 60's music. This Fairlane was parked next to us at the hotel one evening.

Vermont

2011-08-16T15:40:00.000-04:00

I just got back from a short vacation in Vermont. These are from a town called Stowe, it's in the northern part. The views are just incredible.

2011-07-20T14:59:00.000-04:00

It's been so hot here recently that late afternoon photos from the deck are all I've mustered. Looking forward to cooler weather next week and taking some film photos for the Photoswap.

2011-07-10T19:44:00.000-04:00

Iris

2011-06-20T19:44:00.000-04:00

These bearded iris were in bloom the other week in the garden. I love the pattern in their petals and how flowy they look.

Peonies

2011-06-13T16:09:00.000-04:00

I rescued these from the rain the other day. I love how soft and delicate their petals are.

A new look + a new website

2011-05-31T13:27:00.000-04:00

I've finally finished my design portfolio site and the new look for the blog. Please have a look at the website. If your using a reader, please be sure to come have a look at the blog too.

I haven't been taken many photos recently so these are from Blithewold's greenhouse. I'll be out with the cameras soon though.

hello...

2011-05-02T11:41:00.003-04:00

I've been busy working on my portfolio website. I haven't had much time for blogging but I have been thinking about it. I've decided to change this into just a photo blog and put any inspiration pictures I find over on Pinterest. Look for the changes near the end of the month. Until then I'll leave you with these pretty pear blossoms from the tree outside my window.

Photo Friday

2011-03-25T18:38:00.002-04:00

Hope you all have a great weekend!
A few touches of spring are starting to peek out here. YEAH!!!! :)

The Maker's Project

2011-03-24T14:33:00.006-04:00

Have you seen The Maker's Project, Jennifer Causey's photo project to document the people who make products in her Brooklyn, NY neighborhood. She writes on the website that she knew when she started that she was taking pictures of people who make things but, she soon realized she was taking pictures of people who make things happen. I love this concept and I love seeing how things are still made by hand. The photos above are from Mast Brothers Chocolates series.

These remind me of a photo series I did last summer about two local farms. It's part of a project for the Coventry Regional Farmer's Markets. It was so much fun to see the farms and all the produce they work so hard on growing. Hopefully I will be allowed to share them with you soon.

(images from The Maker's Project. photography by Jennifer Causey)

Colenimo

2011-03-22T14:27:00.003-04:00

Colenimo's spring/summer 2011 line is so feminine and pretty. Designer, Aya Nakagawa was inspired by this photo by Edward Steichen, the collection is intended to capture the social atmosphere of the 20's. I think it's all the little details that are amazing - the tassels, the buttons, the vintage looking fabrics.

(images from Colenimo website)

2011-03-17T22:50:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow I will be participating in the blogger day of silence. The ladies at Utterly Engaged and Even Ours have created a fundraising page, where you can donate to Shelterbox. If you are able to please make a contribution.

(image from Even Ours)

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T11:35:00.004-04:00

Photo Friday

2011-03-11T16:18:00.003-05:00

Happy Weekend!
I hope you all have a great weekend. It is supposed to be sunny and warmer this weekend here so I'm going to try to get out and enjoy it.

Mid-week Daydream

2011-03-09T15:34:00.004-05:00

Umm...Yes, please!
This SW London home is simply gorgeous. But I love love love the bedroom, dressing room, and bath. I think I could handle getting up in the mornings a lot better if I had all this to look at.

(images from Airspace)
You can even more pictures of this home at Light Locations. The entry is amazing!

Muveil

2011-03-07T13:27:00.002-05:00

I just discovered the Japanese brand Muveil. Designer Michiko Nakayama's spring summer 2011 is so light and airy looking. I like that they look bohemian but in a sophisticated sort of way. I've been looking through her past collections and they are just as beautiful. Her style is fantastic.

(images: Muveil found via We are Selectors )

Summer Dreams

2011-03-03T13:07:00.002-05:00

These photos by Camilla Åkrans for Elle Italia are making me long for summer and being near the water.

(images from LundLund)

Mid-week Daydream

2011-03-02T14:12:00.004-05:00

I happened upon Gardener & Marks website the other day via a web design newsletter. Their website is really nicely done and quite clever but I was sold by their interior design projects. I love the mix of old and new in this Melbourne home. The colors and feel are so serene and comfortable. I could move right in to this one.

(images from Gardener & Marks website)

Rides a Bike

2011-02-28T10:49:00.003-05:00

It's icy and raining again today, a great day to look for inspirations of spring. I just found the great tumblr blog Rides a Bike. It is full of great old pictures of celebrities on bikes. Don't you just love Mr Famous in his basket?

(images from Rides a Bike)

52 Weeks

2011-02-24T17:45:00.003-05:00

I keep forgetting to tell you that Kari and I are at it again with 52 Weeks. This will be our second year of diptychs. Above is my photo from week 10 - my boyfriend gave me the nicest roses, I had to take a picture of the arrangement I did with some alstroemeria. You can follow us here.

A sweet little gift...

2011-02-24T17:20:00.002-05:00

The very sweet Alyssa of just putting it out there organized a little blogswap to beat the Christmas (in my case winter) blues. The idea was to send you partner something for luck in the new year, something tasty, and something you love. I was paired with the lovely Kelli of { bug miscellany }. Kelli sent me the best stuff, a really nice shell she collected from the shore for luck, some yummy chocolates and tea from where she lives, and one of her favorite books - The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson. And quite possibly the cutest squirrel card I've ever seen. Thanks again Kelli, I love it all!!!

2011-02-21T17:10:00.002-05:00

I love these photographs by artist Cara Barer. She turns phone books, maps, book pages, and other paper goods into these beautiful sculpture. The end result is a small edition run of photographs. She also has a self-published book of her photographs available here.

(images from Cara Barer's website. Found via Trendland)

Anthro Windows

2011-02-15T19:25:00.004-05:00

Anthropologie's spring windows are gorgeous. Only their visual design team can make clothes pins and hangers look so amazing.

They are opening a second store near me. I can't wait to see the windows there.

images from Anthropologie's Facebook page

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T16:26:00.004-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day!
xoxo

Quirky Valentine Cards

2011-02-10T14:20:00.004-05:00

Foothill Home Companion

Mid-week Daydream

2011-02-09T09:43:00.004-05:00

I'm dreaming of a little valentine's getaway here. The House Hotel in Istanbul was transformed from an 1890's mansion into this intimate hotel last year. The design team at Autoban did a wonderful job of mixing modern conveniences with all the intricate old details. How amazing are those floors?

There are more great features shown in the photo gallery on the hotel's website.

images from Yatzer

Valentines for the home...

2011-02-08T10:15:00.005-05:00

yummy tea towel in candy pink
Mr PS

XO spoon
Beach House Living

vintage flower seed packet love birds
Vintage Green Limited

hand embroidered thread balls
Julie and Co

Love pillow
Decology

burlap LOVE banner
White House Black Cat

red ruffle pillow
Livy Creation

Valentine's Week

2011-02-07T20:56:00.003-05:00

I thought it might be fun to do a whole week with a valentine's theme.

These paper flowers would be the perfect gift for someone. They look so life-like. Livia Cetti uses crepe paper that she dips in bleach to get the color variations and then individually wraps each petal onto a wire stem. You can purchase these through The Green Vase or you can make you own with this tutorial.

images from The Green Vase website

Mid-week Daydream

2011-02-02T14:10:00.004-05:00

Today everything is covered in a layer of ice...so I'm daydreaming about this rooftop apartment. It's in Manhattan's West Side so it is covered in snow too but I'd like to picture it looking like this year round. The conservatory rooms look wonderful right about now.

(images from Madderlake Designs website. Found via {frolic}

Snowed In

2011-01-31T10:56:00.003-05:00

So...I was ready to come back last week but my laptop wasn't. The hard drive died last Monday. I'm working on a nice new HP DV7 laptop now.

Since a few of you asked about the snow, I wanted to share some of the photos from around my house last Thursday. We got another 20 inches (about 50 cm) of snow over night. It's waist deep out there now and we have another storm coming tomorrow and Wednesday bringing heavy snow and ice. I might need to buy some snow shoes soon so I can take pictures from somewhere other than the driveway. :)

Thanks so much for your comments and staying with me during the little break. And hello to some of my new readers. All your comments make me so happy. ♥

Touch of Spring

2011-01-23T14:10:00.004-05:00

Hello.
I think it is time to come back from my little break. After finishing a really stressful semester, I decided a little time to myself was in order to relax and enjoy the holidays. Last week was my birthday, that sounded like a fitting time to get back into the swing of blogging again.

This month has been really snowy so I've been getting crafty indoors. I saw these pompom flowers in Country Living and decided they were the perfect touch of spring. On a nice Saturday morning I ventured out for a little antique shopping, and got the bottles and beakers.

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-24T13:30:00.003-05:00

I hope you are all having a wonderful holidays!
All the best wishes for the new year!

P.S. I'll be back soon! Miss you all!

Guest blogging...

2010-11-03T11:17:00.003-04:00

The lovely and talented Gaia of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has asked me to be her guest today. Please stop by an see more of what autumn looks like in New England. The photos were taken over the last few weeks; today the leaves have almost all come down and there was a frost this morning. But it really is spectacular when the leaves are in peak color.

(tape strips courtesy of Pugly Pixel)

Silhouette Humor

2010-11-01T15:45:00.003-04:00

I really like the simple humor in these silhouettes by Wilhelm Staehle. More here.

(images from Silhouette Masterpiece Theatre)

Photo Friday

2010-10-29T16:16:00.004-04:00

Happy Weekend!
Happy Halloween!

The Japanese Maple in my yard is in full color this week. It looks like a giant fireball of orange. This is from underneath looking up.

Hope you all have wonderful weekend! Do you have anything special planned for Halloween?

Mid-Week Daydream

2010-10-27T16:58:00.005-04:00

I love everything about this space. So light and airy with beautiful views of Stockholm.

(images via ESNY)

J Crew Men's - The Liquor Store

2010-10-26T17:20:00.006-04:00

Yesterday's post on menswear inspired posters reminded me of this. I love the store design for J. Crew's stand alone men's shop. It is located in the 1825 Tribeca Tavern, complete with the original bar. The store design was done by Partners and Spade and the J. Crew in-house team. I love that it is classic and old-fashioned yet hip. The branding is really nicely done too, very simple and clean. How fun, that the ties being displayed in the highball glasses.

(images from Trendland)

Menswear inspired...

2010-10-25T12:20:00.003-04:00

I love these redesigned movie posters. Moxie Creative House redesigned 10 popular movies posters based on the iconic style of the movie. I like how little they needed to add to get the movie across. Dumb and Dumber isn't really my favorite movie but that poster is my favorite here. I like how in just a top hat and bow tie they can convey the humor of the movie.

The posters are for sale on Moxie's website.

(images from Moxie Creative House)

P.S. Sorry for the absence around here lately. I was preparing for my first art show. Sadly, there was not much interest in my photos. Now, I'm thinking of putting the framed ones in a local gallery and selling the rest of the prints online. I'll keep you posted on that :)

Mid-Week Daydream

2010-10-13T20:29:00.003-04:00

This weeks mid-week daydream is a bit different. I haven't run across a really amazing space to dream about living in but I am loving this whole chalkboard wall and that pumpkin sofa.

(images - 1. Apartment Therapy, 2. Design Sponge)

Blithewold Mansion & Arboretum

2010-10-12T17:16:00.004-04:00

Last Friday, my mom and I went to visit Blithewold Mansion & Arboretum in Bristol, RI. The current home was built in 1908 after the first was destroyed by fire. Blithewold Mansion was designed after an English country manor. I wish I could have taken pictures inside because it is by far one of the most livable of the Rhode Island mansions. The ones in Newport are so extravagant with gold gilded ceilings and painted murals it is hard to believe someone once lived there. This one was designed with rest and relaxing in mind. When you walk into the house you are greeted by that view of the great lawn out to the water.

The grounds have be designed with a park-like setting in mind with hundreds of specimen trees and plants. Also on the property is a green house, a cutting garden, display gardens and a large grove of bamboo that was originally planted to provide stakes for the gardens.

Photo Friday

2010-10-09T11:17:00.003-04:00

Photo Friday...a little late.
I went to an arboretum yesterday. More on this on Monday...until then Happy Weekend!

White Pumpkins

2010-10-07T16:39:00.003-04:00

I love all the colors of fall, especially all the pumpkin colors. But I saw this today in Sweet Paul Magazine and thought it was a really unique take on decorating for Halloween. The macabre isn't my thing but when it is all in one color I think it looks quite nice. What do you think? Do you like it or is traditional the way to go?

P.S. The whole fall issue is great - definitely worth a look.

(images from Sweet Paul Magazine)

Mid-Week Daydream

2010-10-06T20:01:00.003-04:00

I finally got a chance to look through Rue Magazine today. Their first issue is quite nice. It is similar in look and layout to Lonny and my dearly missed Domino. This space was by far my favorite. The natural light and the eclectic mix of furniture, accessories and materials is great. I really like the neutral colors and the touches of animal print.

Check out the whole magazine here.

(images from Rue Magazine)

Recreated Furniture

2010-10-05T19:58:00.003-04:00

I love these recycled furniture pieces created by South African designer Katie Thompson. She takes discarded objects and turns it into one of a kind furniture, lighting and home accessory pieces. The broken umbrella chandeliers are my favorite by far.

You can see the rest of her collection here.

(images from Recreate)

Souvenir Foto - 30-Day Challenge

2010-10-04T12:23:00.003-04:00

Last week I mentioned I was participating in the Souvenir Foto School Flickr group's 30-Day Challenge. This session we were assigned to take a picture for each letter of the alphabet over 30 days. I finished my set yesterday. I picked out my favorites to share above. The complete A-Z is in the collage below.

You can see the bigger pictures here on Flickr if you'd like. I'm pretty happy with the results.

I'm still here

2010-09-30T12:12:00.002-04:00

I'm still here. I been in this funk where I don't feel inspired to do much but nap. I'm starting to feel better this week though so, I wanted to say hi and let you know I'll be back to regular blogging next week.

I have been participating in the Souvenir Foto School: 30 Day challenge over on Flickr. We have 30 days to take pictures for every letter of the alphabet (i.e. kite for K). I'll be done on Sunday so I'll definitely be sharing the rest of those next week. Until then I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Mid-Week Daydream

2010-09-08T20:21:00.002-04:00

I love everything thing about Andrea Willson's Potsdam home. The arched ceilings, the large windows, the leaded glass doors, the colors are perfect. The outdoor space is great too. Doesn't the little door in the corner covered in ivy looks like the entrance to a secret garden?

(images from Freunde von Freunden)

Carnival

2010-09-07T14:53:00.005-04:00

The weather this weekend was amazing! It was sunny, cool and there was a wonderful breeze. Sunday morning Mark and I went to another local country fair. I've wanted to take carnival pictures for a while now and it was finally a great day for it.

The first two are of the carousel, I loved the details and the lights. I decided to try the vertical one in black and white just to see and I have to say I love the feel. It reminds me of something from Condé Nast in the 20's.

I have a roll of film to get developed for A Roll a Week. I can't wait to see the results.

Photo Friday

2010-09-03T17:04:00.004-04:00

Last Sunday we picked these wild grapes to make into jelly. They smelt so good. I can't wait to taste.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend. It is a long one here so I'll see you on Tuesday.

P.S. I'm so glad you all like the new header. :)

Mid-Week Daydream

2010-09-02T12:05:00.001-04:00

I'm still daydreaming about one last getaway before summer ends. This little beach house would do just fine. I love the huge window/door that opens out to the ocean. The view from the loft bedroom looks just as nice. Oh, to hear the ocean all night long, such a tranquil sound.

P.S. Do you like the new header? I like the cleaner look.

(images from studiomama)

Galilee + Point Judith

2010-09-01T14:58:00.004-04:00

The other week I took my mom to Galilee, RI for her birthday. She wanted to eat at this little seafood restaurant there. While eating we got this wonderful view of all the boats coming in to dock. Down from the restaurant is the Block Island ferry terminal so there were ferry boats as well as lobster and fishing boats.

After we drove down the road a bit to the Point Judith lighthouse. It is still an active light on the tip of Narragansett Bay. There is a rocky beach and a grass area where you can sit and watch the waves and the surfers. They will have good surf this week as a hurricane is passing by off shore (well, hopefully off shore, the path is still a bit unsettled).

There are more photos over on A Roll a Week. As well as some photos I took at the fair over the weekend.

Sorry for the absence around here. I am just not feeling all that inspired or feel like using the computer for that matter. I think I'm still just enjoying my weeks off from school. I head back on September 13th for a web development coding class and a photo lighting class. One not so fun and one fun one.

Photoswap - Photography by Éadaoin

2010-08-26T18:06:00.004-04:00

You might remember last year I did the Photoswap that Rhianne of For the Easily Distracted organized. I had so much fun I decided to do it again. For those of you unfamiliar with the Photoswap it works like this; you get paired up with another photographer and you each take a roll of film. Rather than developing the film you mail it to your partner and they develop it and post in on their blog or Flickr page. This year I was paired up with the lovely and very talented Éadaoin of City of Blackbirds.

She took pictures around Dublin, Ireland with her Diana Mini. Didn't they come out great? I love the soft focus and tones.

You can my photos over on her blog and you can see all the photos in the Photoswap on the Flickr page.

Mid-Week Daydream

2010-08-25T16:17:00.005-04:00

I've spent a few days by the water this summer. Some year, I would love to rent a cottage by the beach. A place like this one would be perfect.

(images from Dave Coote website + Beach Studios website)

Trapp Family Lodge

2010-08-24T16:20:00.004-04:00

Mark has never been to Vermont before so I had fun showing him the views and some of the things I did as a kid. One of those things is we used to do was spend a weekend at the Trapp Family Lodge, in Stowe, with a bunch a relatives. During the day I would cut-out little paper things for my aunts classroom by a pool in the woods. Later we would take over a common area near our rooms for a little party before dinner. Anyone that happened by was welcome to join in. It was fun. Now we all stay down in the village closer to the car show and the many restaurants and shops.

Trapp Family Lodge is an Austrian-style mountain resort run by the von Trapp family of "Sound of Music" fame. It is situated on 2,400 acres, that include hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing trails. My favorite part though is the gardens. They have both decorative around the lodge areas and a cutting garden & greenhouse on a hillside. The view from this garden is just amazing.

On the other side of the road is the stage where they do Concerts in the Meadow on Sunday evenings. With the mountains in the background, wouldn't it make a lovely spot for a wedding?

There are more pictures of the gardens over at A Roll a Week. Please take a peak.

A round church in Vermont

2010-08-23T16:56:00.003-04:00

I'm back from Vermont and from a few days off here. I had a great time in Vermont even if the weather was a bit uncooperative (i.e. cloudy). I didn't take as many pictures as I had planned. Last week that bothered me, but after thinking about it more I think it is okay. A lot of what made the trip so good was all the time I spent doing things with Mark and my family and I think that is something I want to keep to myself. I hope you don't think that is selfish. I am thinking of going back in the fall with the specific purpose of taking pictures but I'm not sure yet.

I did get a few pictures to share with you of two really nice and uniquely Vermont places. One is the round church above and the other is the gardens at the Trapp Family Lodge. I'll share the gardens tomorrow here and on a Roll a Week but, back to the round church. The Round Church was built in 1812-1814 in Richmond, VT. One theory on the shape is that if it is round there are no corners for the devil to hide it. But round architecture seems to be popular in Vermont, there a couple round barns. It is currently used for weddings, special events and public gatherings. You can also take a tour of the inside. There was a wedding there the day we visited and then it was closed. I did get one picture through the window so you can see the inside.

Plus it is right next to this really cute antique shop...

Photo Friday

2010-08-13T09:00:00.001-04:00

I love the light in both of these. They are also from the Golden Lamb gardens.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I will be on vacation in Vermont but will try to pop in next week with lots of photos. If not I will see you all the following week with photos for sure! :)xoxo

Golden Lamb Buttery

2010-08-12T11:57:00.003-04:00

The other week I attended an event at the Golden Lamb Buttery at Hillandale Farm in Brooklyn, CT. The Golden Lamb has been a staple there for many years and offers lunch and dinners. The dinners often include a hay wagon ride through the fields. At our event we were given a tour of the gardens. They are mainly kitchen gardens but they are lovely. The views are amazing!

Also on the grounds in a gypsy caravan, which I LOVE LOVE LOVE! They used to let newlyweds who got married at the farm stay the night in it. The stained glass and carving on the door is really nice. I want one in my yard.

Mystic Seaport 2

2010-08-11T15:41:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was spent running around getting things done before I go on a little vacation, but I did get to edit the film photos from Mystic Seaport. It always amazing me that you don't really do anything different taking the pictures but some rolls just come out better than others. This was one of those rolls. I love just about everything on it. I put a lot of them up over at A Roll a Week so please stop by there too.

P.S. Also on A Roll a Week, I put up pictures from an old stone fort I got to visit in Maine last week. Mark and I went up for Thursday and Friday to visit some friends camping there. The weather wasn't too cooperative but I did get a few nice ones. The stonework and views were gorgeous.

First Polaroids

2010-08-09T15:50:00.003-04:00

The other week I went to the Mystic Seaport Museum. It is set up as a representation of a typical 19th century New England coastal village. They have different houses and ship with interpreters you can visit and learn about how life was in that era.

I took my film camera and got a nice roll but I also decided to try out the Polaroid camera I have with the new PX 100 Silver Shade film from the Impossible Project. It probably was not the best day to try this out as it was quite warm and sunny. These are my first results. They are not the greatest but I do sort of like imperfections too. What do you think?

Just a note if you want to try it, the film does not seem to be entirely stable as they started to get that dark line as they sat in my bag. I taped the backs up to seal them in better. I did see a contraption to add to the front of the Polaroid to protect it from sunlight until fully developed. I'm thinking about giving it a try. But hopefully the next go rounds of film won't be so fragile.

P.S. 52 Weeks is up.

Photo Friday

2010-08-06T07:16:00.000-04:00

Some pretty lavender to start your weekend.
Happy Weekend!

Vox Populi

2010-08-05T09:16:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I was day-dreaming about Pascale Palun's home in Avignon, France. I stumbled across pictures of her store and atelier, Vox Pipuli, and had to share these as well. She has this way of making old things look new and beautiful again. Her store is full of brocante (flea market) treasures and amazing light fixtures. Anthropologie uses a lot of her designs in their store displays to add that French flare. I think I love everything here!!

(images from Haute Home blog)

Mid-Week Daydream

2010-08-04T14:58:00.003-04:00

I love the tranquil and warm, friendly feel of this Avignon apartment. Designer Pascale Palun restyles found objects and flea market finds to create this tranquil space.

That long outdoor table is prefect for a summer lunch with friends. I love the soft colors indoors and the array of patinas outside.

(images from Côté Maison)

2010-08-03T15:18:00.002-04:00

These beautiful photos just seemed right for this afternoon. Sunny, airy, lovely.

Alix at The Cherry Blossom Girl recently visited the atelier of Maria Lucia Hohan, these are her photos. Maria Lucia designs the most gorgeous gowns for all occasions. Alix designed her dress for her July 24th wedding and MLH created it. You can see pictures here.

(images from The Cherry Blossom Girl blog)

Brimfield Finds

2010-08-02T15:56:00.003-04:00

Last week I showed you some of the vendors at Brimfield Antique Markets. Today, here are the goodies I found.

One of my favorite spots is a joint effort between two Concord, MA shops - Nesting on Main & Cary Goodrich at Thoreauly Antiques. They have a beautifully decorated booth full of finds for the home and the garden - 1, 2. I like all the great old paper goods and notions. This year, I found the three vintage postcard books from the Louvre and Cannes. I wish I could figure out a way to show you the postcards, they are great, especially the ones of Cannes. They are so hard to hold open an photograph :)

On my way out of the booth I found this whole tray of old Eastman Kodak photos. I picked out three that had a nautical theme. I love the boy on the roof top with his pea coat and hat. I'm going to frame them and hang them as a series of 3 pictures.

I got the smaller blue glass bottle above at another vendor with a beautifully laid out shop. I can't remember their name though, sorry. But I took lots of photos in their booth - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. There were so many great pieces of furniture and decoratives in this booth. My favorite was an old door where the large center glass pane area was replaced with a mirror.

Finally, I found one of those great blue glass ball canning jars half the blog-o-sphere seems to already own. :) I love the color!

I already have a photo above of this jar but it looked so lovely sitting on my porch table. I couldn't resist sharing this photo too.

Photo Friday

2010-07-30T12:03:00.003-04:00

Every year Buttonwood Farm holds their Sunflowers for Wishes event. They plant fields of sunflowers and when they are in peak bloom they invite the public to come through. You can take a wagon ride through them or view them from the roadside. The ice cream stand serves a special sunflower ice cream and they have bouquets for sale. The proceeds go to the Make a Wish Foundation. I met up early one morning with a group of photography friends to take pictures. One of them brought that amazing crystal ball. We had a great time playing with that, the reflections are so cool.

I took a whole roll of film pictures too. You can see them over on A Roll a Week.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Brimfield Antique Markets

2010-07-29T15:37:00.004-04:00

A couple weeks ago my mom and I made our annual trip to the Brimfield Antique Markets in Brimfield, MA. It is a week long antiques fair that runs for about a mile down the main street. There are fields upon fields of antiques. Each vendor displays their booth as they see fit, some look like the trunk exploded and everything was left as it lay and others are carefully laid out like a shop. There is so much to see and such a variety of items. There are some new ones in the mix too so you have to know what you are looking at or accept that it is a reproduction and love it just the same. It was so hot we only got to stay for a few hours but we picked up lots of goodies and some Christmas presents too. I'll show you all the goods we got on Monday. I have something special planned for Photo Friday.

Also there are more photos over on A Roll a Week.

Mid-Week Daydream

2010-07-28T13:18:00.004-04:00

I'm daydreaming about this cute little cottage in the woods today. It has the perfect little setting for a great weekend away. I love all the windows, especially the light coming in the dinning area. How great is that converted tool shed! It looks like a botanist's sanctuary.

(images from Metropolitan Home July/August 2003)

2010-07-27T21:04:00.002-04:00

One of the classes I took this summer was an advanced Adobe Illustrator class. For one assignment we had to create a repeat pattern that could be used as either paper goods or on fabric. This is the pattern I created.

I thought it might be fun to give it to you as desktop wallpaper. You can download the picture here.

Quackin Grass Nursery

2010-07-26T16:40:00.004-04:00

Sorry of the unexpected break. I just got so swamped in classes I didn't have the time to devote to No. 15. I have my last class of the semester tonight so things will definitely be calmer.

A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of visiting this wonderful nursery in town. They are selling a lot of their plants off to go wholesale next year but the gardens are beautiful. One section is all cactus and succulent plants. It's like a little bit of the desert in New England. They you cross the drive to a complete shade sanctuary with this great little meditation garden. The sales area is in that great barn. They also have a great selection of hand made pots.

There are more pictures over on A Roll A Week.

Photo Friday

2010-07-09T12:07:00.003-04:00

Happy Weekend!

My mom bought this hollyhock plant a while back at Harkness Park's Annual Flower sale. This week it is in full bloom. The blooms are just beautiful! I love the pale peach almost a blush color too.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

A touch of whimsy

2010-07-08T13:41:00.003-04:00

Okay, I'm a sucker for animals in clothing. But really I do like these pillows from Utilitarian Franchise. The designs are collages from vintage illustrations and screen printed by hand onto the fabric. I think they are the perfect way to add a bit of whimsy to a room.

You can find all of their designs in their Etsy shop.

(images from Utilitarian Franchise Etsy shop)

Mid-Week Daydream

2010-07-07T11:18:00.004-04:00

I'm daydreaming of this seaside home today. It is sits across the road from the ocean in Gothenburg, Sweden. Constructed of local stones with limestone floors, the current owners have give it new lime plaster and restored the woodwork. Most of the furnishings are flea market and scavenged pieces. I think it would be the perfect size for me.

...and the cool ocean breeze would feel really good today in this heat.

(images from Skona Hem)

Tasty Tuesday

2010-07-06T22:47:00.004-04:00

Last week I mentioned trying to figure out a polenta dish for Tasty Tuesday but it has been way to hot to turn the oven on. Instead I made this salad the other night with some fresh peaches from the farmer's market.

Peach & Blue Cheese Salad

head of lettuce or field greens
1/2 English cucumber (thinly sliced and halved)
walnuts (I put a couple handfuls in but it's up to you)
fresh peaches (peeled and sliced into wedges)
blue cheese
raspberry vinaigrette dressing (I like Bolthouse Farm's Raspberry Merlot Olive Oil Vinaigrette )

This one is easy. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Crumble blue cheese on top. Dress with the raspberry vinaigrette. Great on a really hot night.

Photo Friday

2010-07-02T15:17:00.003-04:00

Happy 4th of July!

and for my all friends abroad Happy Weekend!

RI Air Show

2010-07-01T17:13:00.005-04:00

Last Sunday, Mark and I went to the Rhode Island Air Show at Quonset Air National Guard Base. I've never been to an air show before so I had no idea what to expect but it sounded fun. It was really fun!

I saw some incredible feats by the pilots. Who knew a helicopter could do flips? The helicopter pilot is the only one in the US certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to do this. They also had big carrier planes you could tour (first photo), stunt plane shows, military aircraft demonstrations and stunt parachuters. I believe the one above if from a group called the Black Daggers.

The shows end with a performance from the US Air Force Thunderbirds (last 4 photos). The show consists of six F-16 Fighting Falcons that do a series of formation acrobatics. The pilots are a select group of Airmen that represent the very best of the Air Force. The concentration of these guys is amazing - to stay in formation at all times or in demonstrations, such as having two planes fly directly at one an other and pull up just before a crash, is truly a challenge at the speed they are going.

I'm also glad to have finally been able to use the telephoto zoom lens I bought. Otherwise we would have a lot of photos with little specks of planes in them. Not quite as fun, hehe

Mid-Week Daydream

2010-06-30T15:00:00.002-04:00

I'm daydreaming about this space. The vaulted ceilings and the light are wonderful. It seems like a perfect place to escape to.

(image from Country Living Magazine July/August 2010)

1 Year

2010-06-30T14:46:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was the 1 year anniversary of No.15. It doesn't seem like it has been a year since I started this but I have enjoyed every moment of it. I want to thank you all for coming to visit and for all the lovely comments you leave me. They all make me so happy.

I promise may great things to come here. I hope you all stick around for the journey.

Thanks again! You are all so wonderful. xoxoAmy

Beavertail State Park + A Roll a Week

2010-06-28T16:07:00.003-04:00

This weekend was wonderful. The internet was still driving my nuts (I think it is my wireless card and not just the internet signal itself), I needed a break from school and homework, so I took the weekend off to go where ever it led me. On Friday, Mark and I went to Beavertail State Park out on the very tip of Jamestown, RI. It is so nice there. The light house in on the end and there are grass areas to sit and have picnics, sunbathe, or play. Along the edges are rocky out croppings where you can fish or sit and watch the waves -that's what Mark and I did. This time there were quiet a few artist painting different views of the light and the ocean. It was neat to watch them work.

There are more photos over on A Roll a Week. Please have a look. It's such a beautiful place.

Saturday, I took my mom down to Mystic, CT for some shopping and lunch. We ate at a restaurant called, Bravo Bravo, near to the draw bridge. They had a delicious polenta dish I want to try to make for Tasty Tuesday next week. On Sunday, Mark and I went to the RI Air Show. I'll have a post on that later this week.

I hope you all had wonderful weekend. I'd love to hear about them.

P.S. 52 Weeks is up.

Mid-Week Daydream

2010-06-23T16:45:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, Anne Sage reviewed the book French Country Style at Home. She has me daydreaming today about these spaces. I like the serene colors with the touches of bold. The sophistication of the style and most of all the aging plaster wall in the bedroom - such a great texture.

(images from The City Sage)

A Roll a Week

2010-06-22T12:02:00.005-04:00

Ok, the internet seems to be back up and working today. That is one of the trouble of being in the country - really really old cable lines make for spot service some days.

What I wanted to tell you yesterday was that A Roll a Week is up. On Saturday, I went to Wickford, RI. It is such a cute little seaside town. I love walking around the village section and stopping in all the shops. This time there were so many flowers in bloom, including this gorgeous cottage rose bush. This picture pretty much sums up what the day felt like.

Tell me did you have a good weekend. What did you do? I'd love to hear.

P.S. 52 Weeks is up too.

Photo Friday

2010-06-18T18:51:00.003-04:00

hosta
(Pentax K200D with 28mm macro lens)

Happy Weekend!

I hope you all have great weekends. It is supposed to be a nice one here, really warm and sunny. I'm hoping to go down near the ocean tomorrow.

Today was really nice too. A few weeks ago I met a man and his wife at the farmer's market and he mentioned having a Hasselblad medium format film camera for sale. Today I went and got it along with a 4x5 land camera and a couple of Nikon film camera. It was just too good a deal to pass up. I can't wait to try the Hasselblad! I have wanted this camera for so long! I'll be sure to share the pictures when I get them.

2010-06-17T22:03:00.002-04:00

I was MIA yesterday and today but I wanted to drop in an show you what I've been up too. The above illustration is part of an interactive project I just completed for one of my final project for spring semester. You can see both projects here.

Note: On the second project only one puzzle piece moves with the keyboard. If anyone knows how I can make them all move independently of each other just using up, down, left, and right arrows I would love to hear. :) It works fine with the mouse though.

Please let me know what you think.

(P.S. You'll need the newest version of Adobe Flash Player to see it.)

Kalle Gustafsson

2010-06-15T10:20:00.004-04:00

I just stumbled upon the portfolio of Swedish photographer Kalle Gustafsson and had to share. His photos have this wonderful cinematic, old Hollywood feel. He is a master at telling a story through pictures. The above is part of a series called Jackie - an ode to Jackie Kennedy and her iconic style and presence.

I would love to learn how to do photos like these.

(images from Kalle Gustafsson website)

Inn at Woodstock Hill

2010-06-14T10:59:00.004-04:00

I hope you all had wonderful weekends. I'd love to hear all about it.

Saturday I went a wedding. I didn't take a lot of photos of the wedding itself as I was a guest of my boyfriend. It's kind of funny how if I know the couple I take tons of pictures but if I don't really know anyone I take very few. I did have to share these pictures of where the reception was held. The Inn at Woodstock Hill is this gorgeous bed and breakfast inn located in Woodstock, CT. It has beautiful gardens and views and the decor inside is quite nice, very traditional. It is even more beautiful in fall when the leave change color. The last photo is the view from the patio where we had brunch.

Okay, back to finals now. I hope you all have a great week. Happy Monday!

P.S. 52 Weeks is up. Check it out here.

Photo Friday

2010-06-11T16:52:00.004-04:00

I got a new lens in the mail the other day. It is a 28mm f1.8 Macro. It is nice and fast and has a quite shallow depth of field. The details it captures are brilliant though. More to come with this for sure!

One more final project down, two to go. These two are with ActionScript, coding is not my thing so I will be super happy when I finish them up next week. I start summer semester on Monday too...I'm looking forward to a rest in August.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I'm going to a wedding on a lake tomorrow and hopefully somewhere fun on Sunday. I need a break from the computer. But I promise to try to visit too. Thank you for all you great comments. I've read them all and they make me so happy.

Mid-Week Daydream

2010-06-09T11:04:00.005-04:00

I'm daydreaming of this place today. The colors are so calm and serene. That porch would be wonderful today!

These beautiful photos are all from the website of interior designer Tricia Foley. She has authored numerous style books and was the editor of House Beautiful and Country Home. I love her simple, romantic style. Her website is full of great inspiration, see more here.

Tasty Tuesday

2010-06-08T13:17:00.002-04:00

Sunday I went to the Coventry Farmer's Market (pictures over on A Roll a Week) and picked up two quarts of fresh strawberries. I have been wanting strawberry shortcake for a bit now and gluten-free biscuits have been a challenge for me so far. For the shortcake I made scones instead. So today's Tasty Tuesday recipe is for Almond Scones.

Almond Scones

2 cups of gluten-free flour mix
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp cold butter
2/3 cup 1% milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp almond extract

Mix together the flour mix, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until resembles a cornmeal texture. Keep the mixture cold, you don't want the butter to soften too much. In a separate bowl whisk together milk, egg and almond extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry mix. Stir until mixture starts to hold together.

Lay down a sheet of parchment paper and drop batter. It will be very sticky. With floured hands kneed the dough a few times. Form into a 1" thick disc of dough. Since it is quite sticky I inverted it onto a Silpat lined cookie sheet and pealed the parchment paper off the top. This makes the flour side of the dough land down making it easier to cut into equal wedges. With the help of a flat spatula you can separate the wedges and spread them out on the cookie sheet. Bake at 425°F oven for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean.

This recipe is quite flexible you can add nuts, dried fruits, or another flavor very easily.

For the strawberry shortcake, I mashed the strawberries with a little bit of sugar. I topped the whole thing with a bit of whipped cream.

(The original recipe was from the Gluten-free Gourmand)

Monday Inspiration

2010-06-07T10:52:00.004-04:00

Some Monday morning inspiration from Canadian artist Janet Hill. She paints everything from gorgeous gowns to interiors to a simple bowl of cereal. I love her compositions and color combinations. So soft and feminine. Prints are available through her Etsy shop.

website Etsy blog

(all images from Janet Hill website)

P.S. 52 Weeks is up!

Photo Friday

2010-06-04T18:22:00.003-04:00

A pretty peony to start off the weekend.
Happy Weekend!

I hope you all have a great weekend! Do you have any great plans? I'd love to hear about them.

I'm hoping the weather cooperates so I can go to a picnic and an agricultural fair on Saturday and a big farmer's market on Sunday. I'm working on a little project in conjunction with the farmer's market to photograph the farms the produce/products come from. I did my first shoot yesterday morning, it was so much fun. I'll share some pictures as soon as I can.

Autarchy

2010-06-03T17:34:00.004-04:00

I have been so busy these last few weeks I have hardly had time to look for inspiration but I did see this instillation online and wanted to share it with you.

Autarchy is an instillation by Studio Formafantasma in the Netherlands. The idea was to create a collection of vessels and lamps that are 100% natural from the simplest form of production. The pieces are made from 70% flour, 20% agricultural waste, and 10% natural limestone. They are baked at a very low temperature and are fully functional in the end. The color comes from natural dyes - vegetables, spices and roots are dried and then boiled or filtered to make the dye.

They write, "Autarchy suggests an alternative way of producing goods where inherited knowledge is used to find sustainable and uncomplicated solutions." I think there is definitely something to be said for returning to a simpler way of life. We tend to over complicate things in the name of technology and progress.

Also in the instillation are a series of brooms made from cereal sorgho. A result of a collaboration between broom maker Guiseppe Brunello and French bakery Poilane.

You can read more on the instillation and on the process used to make these here.

Speaking of slowing down, I'm off to enjoy a nice dinner and take a break from all the work on that awful "to do" list. :)

Peonies

2010-06-01T15:24:00.004-04:00

I thought I'd start the week off with some pretty peonies for you.We picked these yesterday before the thunderstorms today. I love how delicate and textural they are. They smell beautiful too.

How were your weekends? Good I hope.

Mine was good. Sunday, I got to meet my step-grandmother for the first time! It was at her surprise 80th birthday party, she was so surprised for the party and that we were there. She is great and I can't wait to spend time with her again very soon.

Yesterday, I went to the local Memorial Day parade and then the town sponsored a Family Fun Day. There was a cook-out, games, ice cream, jumping houses, and the local fire and police departments have vehicles there to check out. I scooped ice cream for most of the party. It was so much fun but I had ice cream every where when I left. Just a note, ice cream and 92°F do not do well together. lol:)

Hope you are having a great week!

P.S. 52 Weeks is up!

Photo Friday

2010-05-28T18:09:00.003-04:00

Hi, I've missed you all this week and wanted to pop in an wish you all a Happy Friday!

These are from a visit I made to one of my favorite local shops, Martha's Herbary in Pomfret, CT. You can see more pictures over on A Roll a Week. The gardens are just great!

This week has been very crazy with trying to get final projects finished for yesterday night. I still have 3 more projects to do but I have a few weeks to complete them so I'm hoping that they will go smoother and I can return to regular posting. I have another project I've been working on to show you next week too.

I hope you all have a great weekend! We have a long one here with Memorial Day on Monday. I'll be scooping ice cream at the town's Family Fun Day. It's supposed to be great weather for the parade and festival.

P.S. 52 Weeks is up!

Photo Friday

2010-05-21T15:34:00.003-04:00

A few fiddle-heads in the sun. I love how they curl around the top like that.
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

I'm hoping to put a rather large dent in my final projects so I can visit with you more next week.

Mid-Week Daydream

2010-05-19T12:03:00.003-04:00

It's really grey and dreary today. I'm dreaming of an escape to a little garden sanctuary. Free of rain and finals. With the sun shining through the trees and a nice warm breeze carrying the scent of flowers.

(images from 1. 2. 3. 4.)

Vicinity Studio

2010-05-18T14:08:00.002-04:00

How cute are these two? Madame and Monsieur Optimist are the newest edition by the super talented Michelle of Vicinty Studio. You might remember that Michelle and I teamed up for the second session of Souvenir Foto School, where she never failed to wow my with her great photographs (see post). Her print designs are no exception. She has an Etsy shop where you can pick up these two or one of her other lovely prints.

New York

2010-05-17T20:20:00.005-04:00

Sorry for the late post today; I had to wait for the film to be developed. I only took my film camera down to the city on Saturday and it's funny because I really didn't find a lot I wanted to take pictures of. It's funny how I usually have a plan of what to do and then it does seem like I ever follow it.

But it was a beautiful day and we had a great time. We found a couple really cute shops and had a nice lunch. We sat in a tiny park and watched people for a while. But what I really liked was looking at all the architecture. I especially liked the mosaic ceiling in the second photo and the iron work around the roof top in the first one.

I hope you all had good weekends. I'd love to hear about them.

P.S. 52 Weeks is up.

Photo Friday

2010-05-14T12:38:00.005-04:00

A few more from last weeks roll of film. These are from the town I live in. It's always a pretty spot but when I went last Saturday I met some new friends - 5 donkeys came over in one of the fields to watch me take pictures. I guess they wanted their pictures taken too. Aren't they cute?

I'm off to NYC tomorrow for the day. I'll be back with lots of pictures on Monday. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Mid-Week Daydream

2010-05-12T11:11:00.007-04:00

I'm daydreaming about NYC today. I'm going there for the day on Saturday.
Do you have any great places I should go see?

(All image from the New York Public Library's Online Picture Gallery. They have an amazing collection of old postcards, newspaper clips, and photos of the City. It's so fun to see what it used to look like.)

Tasty Tuesday

2010-05-11T12:33:00.005-04:00

So...I have a bit of a confession. I never learned how to cook. I can bake most things by following a recipe but I can't really cook. Now, it's a bit more difficult to find straight recipes that fit the gluten-free diet. I thought it might be nice to start a bi-monthly series here on my efforts to learn to cook. The recipes will all be gluten-free but I think you find it quite easy to substitute with wheat based products if you desire. This today's recipe is still pretty much in my comfort zone but we have to start somewhere, right?

Without further ado, today's recipe is a yummy Carrot Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing.

This recipe is modified from the Gluten-Free Goddess's Gluten-Free Coconut Carrot Cake recipe. (Mostly because my dad hates coconut and I was making this for our Mother's Day dinner).

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

3 free range large organic eggs
1/2 cup canola oil (or a vegetable oil)
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt (or other gluten-free plain yogurt)
2 teaspoons Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I add a little more)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (Again, I add a little more)
2 cups gluten-free flour mix (I like both the Pamela's Baking Mix and the Namaste Foods Perfect Flour Blend)
2-1/4 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F

In a mixing bowl beat the eggs, add in the oil and the brown sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in the yogurt, vanilla, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Add in the flour 1 cup at a time and mix until combined. Fold in the carrots, raisins and the pecans.

In a 9" greased pan, pour in batter, spreading evenly in the cake pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until cake is firm and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing

4 oz. softened cream cheese
2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
2 teaspoons Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract (I added a little more...can you see a pattern here)
3 cups confectionery sugar

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and the butter until fluffy. Add in the vanilla and mix until combine. Add in the confectionery sugar 1 cup at a time and beat until smooth.

Notes:
I used a 9" square pan and cut the cake in half stacking into a double layer cake. You can also use a 9" circular pan and make a single layer cake.

We had this for dessert on Sunday night and it was delicious. The cake is nice an moist with the yogurt, for added moisture you an put in a little honey.

We only had two changes for next time. The first is to shred the carrots with a grater. The Cuisinart shredded really long pieces of carrots and made a mess of the counter (Why does Ina Garten never have such trouble with her Cuisinart? lol) The second comment is mine, I think 3 cups of confectionery sugar is too much so next time I am trying 2 to 2-1/2 cups. It tastes great but I don't like sweet icing. All in all a good experience.

A Roll a Week + a Greenhouse

2010-05-10T14:47:00.005-04:00

Have you ever been somewhere and you feel like it could be home? I get that feeling when ever I am by the ocean.

One of my favorite spots is Harkness Memorial Park and the Eolia Mansion. The park is a 200+ acre seaside summer home and working farm of Edward and Mary Harkness. You might remember the photos I took there last fall for the Photoswap. This trip I discovered the greenhouse.

While walking around I met a wonderful historian who told me all about the greenhouse and the restoration project the Friends of Harkness have planned. It is an original Lord and Burnham style greenhouse consisting of three sections and a main plant house for the boilers and water. (If you looked down from above it would make the same of a capital I.) The first photo would be the right wing, when restored this will be used to grow annuals and perennials for their flower sales. The second photo is the left wind, this was originally used for the Harkness' tropical plants. The back section (shown in the last two photos) is the grapery, it contains the oldest grape vines in Connecticut. This will be for historical use when restored and the grapery will be maintained. The third photo is the the center section and the main plant house.

I think it will be wonderful to see it restored but I kind of like it as is. All the original woodwork with the over growth of plants just has something so appealing about it.

You can see more pictures from my trip to Harkness Park over on A Roll a Week and Flickr. It's also my photo for 52 Weeks too. Check them out and let me know what you think. I love to hear your thoughts on my photos.

Hope you all have a wonderful week!