ORNAMENTS around the world

LES DECORATIONS DE NOEL

autour du monde

Kyrgyzstan

A few days ago I went to a private sale of Craftspring's felt ornaments and decorative objects made in Kyrgyzstan by local artisans who make, dye and sew their own felt into fabulous whimsical animal ornaments and finger puppets, pillows, throws and scarves. The ornaments range in price from $8.00 to $14.00. 

I was smitten and bought a whole menagerie to give to young and less young friends during the Holiday season. I suggest you go take a look if you are in New York city before the 24th of December.

images craftspring

The Union Square Holiday Market in New York City will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. until Dec. 24, on Union Square, 17th and 18th and Broadway in New York City.

When I went home after the sale with my bag of wonderfully crafted animals, I wondered what other artisans around the world had come up with. What amazingly creative ornaments could there be out there. If the Kyrgyzs could fashions such charming items, surely other countries could also.

Sure enough almost every country in the world has something to say.

Kenya

Nigeria

Ecuador

Nepal

South Africa

India

Philipines

Bangladesh

Haiti

Mexico

all ornaments from Kenya down can be found at indigoarts

au revoir.

THE YVES KLEIN COFFEE TABLE

LA TABLE YVES KLEIN

If perhaps Santa could consider it within the realm of the possible to fit this magnificent piece down the chimney this year, I might believe all over again. Promise. And I would not even be too picky about the color. And I would take great care of it till the end of time. And I would not cover it in coffee table books, nor let anyone put down a hot cup of tea or a glass of wine on it, nor allow anyone to clean with anything else but warm water and a soft cloth, nor allow anyone to move it in my absence. I promise to be absolutely controlling, finicky, obsessed, possessive, unbearably careful...comme d'habitude- as usual... .

MERCI BEAUCOUP A L'AVANCE, cher Père Noël.
I was beyond nice this year. 
Yves Klein nice, if you must know.

au revoir.

FAR AWAY LAND

LODGE EN AFRIQUE DU SUD

image spot cool stuff


YEP! COUNT ME IN.
Oh, and by the way, I feel a little like that visitor today...

bon weekend.

GIVING THANKS

Le jour où dire merci

image martha stewart via annesage

I have a lot to be thankful for. 
A LOT. 
I would spare you the list even if I could make one in time to publish this post, but I must say this.
MERCI 
To all of you who read my blog. 
 I love that I can publish it knowing you will be interested.
Some of you all of the time, 
maybe even
All of you some of the time, 
Surely not all of you all of the time... 
Still I am very grateful and very flattered.


Most of all,
THANK YOU 
to each and everyone of you who give more than you take 
in small ways and in big gestures
where ever you are and what ever you do,
I wish you all 

un très bon 
Thanksgiving.

FRENCH EYE VIEW

COUP D'OEIL

Just something that caught my eye.

The discipline in the color choices, the contrasts in the modern mix, the pure fabulous balance of it all.

cote paris

au revoir.

PLASTIC ART

L'ART PLASTIQUE 

We all have a love hate relationship with plastic. Nowadays mostly hate. We all know why. It's INDESTRUCTIBLE.

Then now and again a few plastic pieces come up in galleries and shows which make us say WOW!  Especially when we find that it is all part of a conscious wish to recycle and reuse in a tremendously artistic way. You be the judge.

An ethereal plastic sheet like a flying carpet

Plastic bottle Chinese pagoda

Plastic bottle ball gown

Plastic bags filled with plastic bags. 

STUNNING!

au revoir.

HOUSE SWEATERS

LES PULLS MAISON

Knitting is for those who have time to kill, they say. It is for the idle hands of sweet grandmothers, for do-it-yourself-ers, for the happy few who have nothing better to do than to produce afghan blankets and cute doilies in time for Xmas.
I say fiddlesticks! It takes discipline- lots of discipline- and planning. It requires patience and focus. It can be as repetitive or as challenging as you wish, it's all up to you. It also requires TONS of creativity. I would say that defines design, wouldn't you?

And if you don't believe me look at what the interior design community has come up with lately.

Claire-Anne O'Brien via designno

House and Home

Christien Meinderstma

Apartment Therapy

This Next

Made by Girl

Philippe Tiebergen

Wood and Wool via Elle Decor.co.za

Now I ask you: 

Is this just a past time or is it a creative medium in its own right?

au revoir.

IT MUST BE IN PARIS...

Si ce n'est pas à Paris...

image cote paris

The patisserie (plaster work)on the high painted ceiling, the fireplace with the typical trumeau mirror, the moldings, the French doors, the unfussy eclecticism.

bon weekend.

HELP: MONOCHROMATIC ROOMS

I am regularly approached for "a word" of design advice. What would YOU do in this and that case?

This is not a rare occurrence and as flattering as it is to be asked, giving advice for a space you usually have not seen is at best tricky.

Hence, this column: 

I will post  general advice in answer to non site-specific questions I have been asked. 

You may participate, of course. 

That would be so much fun. 

Just keep it relatively general, if you could. 

UNE SEULE COULEUR

Helene:  I want to have one room where a single color dominates. I am unsure whether it will be fine or too much of a good thing. Any advice?

I think it is always a challenge to decide on the color of a room, and much more so when that color is going to be repeated in order to achieve a monochromatic look. 

May I suggest 3 rules I find work well.

1- Don't assume white or neutrals are the only way to go.

2- Decide on the winning color after giving some thought, painting samples on each wall and taping fabric and paper and rug swatches next to the paint samples. 

But first go with the first shade that comes to mind. It is often the best as it comes right from the heart. And remember you will be using various shades of that color if only because of the different textures anyway.  

3- "Break" your color scheme with a shot of another color, be it in a pillow, a painting, a vase. Just a touch that will make the room sing.

and then GO FOR IT!

What is the worst that can happen? 
One thing's for sure: not boredom.


images simple style by julia bird, alkemie, cote de texas, hueamour, the lenoxx, elle decor, draperydesignblog, growersandnomads


au revoir.