DESIGN: Fireplaces

Fall is here and winter will be approaching.  I have been looking at houses in the Chicago area, it amazes me house many place do not have fireplaces.  I thought these idea's below were great replacements for the real thing! if, i bought a place without a fireplace:

Rita Konig's illustrated fireplace is soooo whimsical.  I love the tilt of the light fixures on the right

I LOVE this fireplace with the HOT hot pink logs!

The shiny rectangle green tiles look lovely with the organic round ends of the logs

I love this chair next to the fireplace, used as storage. Nice red tray to hold my cup of tea! 

All photos Domino Mag

-cg

RAIN: loving it!

Butterflies

On my way home tonight it was a bit drizzly and I was thinking that I need to get a new umbrella or two!   I got home, decided to read a few posts when I came across decor8 post on Umbrella, ella ella!  i was sooooooo excited, I had to share her link and another that I found:

oooh, I can't decide! I need help, which is your favorite?

-cg 

Umbrella Society

Bold

Art Deco

Pare Umbrellas

Poppy Umbrella

Mia umbrella

CONCEPT BOOK: color, ideas, inspiration, journal

MOROCCO

Colors, Textiles, Spices and food!

Moroccan Images above from this blog , 

Images like these bring inspiration for a dinner party

the textiles, spices, glass ware

the jewel colors, the warm scent of spice

When I design or entertain, I am always pulling ideas from my surroundings, books, magazines and people I admire.
I have been making concept books for as long as I can remember. It is fun to look back in time at the books to see who and what inspired me at that time. 

I am the person who always has my "wee book" (as my family calls it), along with my camera!

Here are a few examples from one of my books:  These examples are from a dinner party I threw in 2000.  I am thinking I need to have another party soon!

portrait photo above by me 

others by Robert Sanchez, Band Photographer & guest at my dinner party!

jewel colored draped tent frame, 

with hanging candle chandeliers with ribbons.

Photographed by Robert with a old Polaroid camera with the aperture open for 1 minute.

I made Moroccan Chicken with Couscous. 

My recipe was similar to the one I found in Domino magazine,

 except I didn't add the lemon and I used a Moroccan Spice Rub, see below

photo Domino Mag

Moroccan Chicken:

Heat olive oil in heavy pan, cook chicken breast until golden brown 5 minutes, turn and cook other side .  Add 1 rough chopped yellow onion and 2 -3 crushed garlic cloves, cooking about 1 minute. Add Moroccan Spice Rub, stir until chicken is coated and air is fragrant.  Add about 5 cups water, roughly chopped cilantro & parsley & a pinch of crushed saffron. Simmer 30 minutes. Add about 3-4 cups pitted green olives cook additional 20 minutes until chicken is very tender.

Couscous:

Cook couscous as per package; when water boils add couscous, 1 cup of chopped pistachios, 1/2 cup raisons and 1/4 cup parsley. Cover, turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve with chicken above.

Enjoy!

-cg

Amazing weekend.

I can't believe the weekend is almost over and I haven't completed all I wanted to do this weekend!  Have you ever gotten so involved in a task that you are not aware of your surroundings or time?

For example..... On my last trip to Scotland,

 I was driving back Aboyne to the b&b that I was staying, after visiting family all day in Alford, and a wonderful day it was!  It was about 8:30 pm and I noticed above the trees the moon, it looked so beautiful. I pulled over to take this photo:

I was so into taking the photograph that I didn't realize what was going on around me.  I felt something breath on my arm and when i looked down through my lens....  this is what I saw!

I love this photo! it totally makes me smile!

It's all blurry from me jumping back to avoid that huge slimy looking tongue!!!!!!!!!

 

This is a photo I took up in the mountains above Killin Scotland

SWOON: sweetness

Luella Spring 2009

Elle Magazine

It's Friday and I have 2 more birthdays!!!!  Happy Birthday Poppa & to little Amalia who turns 4! 

I was thinking of party dresses and was searching.... found this lovely dress with the extremely sweet lady gloves. 

I love looovve love this dress! Luella can do no wrong.  I am drooling over the mix of colors.  I will have to design a room in my house with this as the inspiration.  I think my office! White with pops of these sweet confection colors.

Happy weekend! -cg

QUOTE: peaceful bedroom

"Everything in a bedroom should contribute to an atmosphere of peace."

Billy Baldwin

I LOVE the pink tile on the floor of this bedroom! The crisp white linen sheets and covering just makes me want to curl up with a good book and sip tea and nibble on my biscuits!!!!!! The calming blue wash on the walls and white trim is very sweet. This image from Domino Mag is my inspiration to my new bedroom.  It has been in my file and I came across it tonight......  I have that fan so I can say I have started! This bedroom is peace to me.

 I need to find the perfect place.  I am house hunting and I am overwhelmed with how many house are for sale.

-cg

ADORE! ARTIST: Mandy May! more tiny art

"The World Is Your Oyster" by Mandy May Laschon 2008

Her little dress is so sweet!

I love these little tiny pieces of art! 

What can I say,  Mandy May Laschon is amazing. 

She keeps posting them on etsy.com and I keep buying them.

   

"She Carried a Torch for Him" Mandy May Laschon 2008

I love her tights and the little blue barrets!

-cg

FRIENDS: a day at the zoo

BROOKFIELD ZOO

Summer is about to end! So Bec, Steven and I decided we make the best of it!

My very dear friend Bec and her husband are moving in 2 weeks to Ohio.  Where they just bought an amazing house, per Civil War Period.  Fun times are ahead.  They asked me to help with restoring the house back to it original design..... which will following it future blogs!  but back to this post!  

Since Autumn is fast approaching, even though the weather was perfect and you would never had know yesterday that today marked the end of summer, we decided to go to Brookfield Zoo!  

This photo cracks me up!  Not only did I take the photo of my friends to memorialize the day, but we took the photo to remember were we parked!  Notice the Camel C6 sign in the background.

The ice coffee's had not kicked in yet!

Since it was the end of the Butterfly season, there weren't many butterflies in the exhibit. 

But it was fun none the less, can't wait to go next year.  I will have to plan ahead.

Here I am being silly at the Condor cage!  I was shocked to see how big these birds were in real life!!!!!  I would not want to be any were near this birds without a cage.  I know they only like dead things but still.  birds frighten me and this bird is huge!

Here is a zebra, sorry there isn't a better photo.  The zebra ran off! 

While I was photographing this amazing animal some little kid threw a rock at the zebra!  I was a bit miffed! 

Who does that, where was his mother? I could not believe he actually threw a rock!

okay, I had to put this photo up.  I can't believe the poor monkeys have fake trees! 

I am going to miss my friend! But I now get to visit and help out on their new adventure!  

-cg

TREES: Inspirations & Interiors

Nature & Wallcovering:

Trees have always been an inspiration to me. 

Since I began photographing, recording and documenting I have collected quite a few images of trees!

Photo of Harrystone Cottage, (what is left) with tree. 

This is where my family lived for over 100 years, in the Hills of Kildrummy Scotland. 

The above photo is of Bogmore Burn & Tree down the hill from Harrystown Cottage. The image below is also by  Bogmore Burn down the hill a bit.  

3 images above by me.

Love this dining room of Cynthia Rowley, Elle Decor oct 2008

The wallcovering was designed by her for Flavor Paper.

The sweetness of the simple trees.

The image above is also from Elle Decor. 

This wall covering is from Fromental, The Chinese Sparrows. 

This tree is so beautiful in the delicate rendering of the Cherry Blossom Tree

image Gemma Comas

The 2 images above are from Domino Magazine.  I love the refreshing use of orange in the top photo. The simple bedding in the bottom photo is an amazing use of contrast of the crazy psychedelic colors on the walls.  

-cg

Lulu's 1st Birthday!

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY LULU!

 My niece turns 1 today. 

         also a Happy Birthday to Lily who is also turning 1!  We're all in for cupcakes!!!!!!!!  

I am sure Mimi is all about the cupcakes today!

 

Lovely Weekend Ahead: party shoes, cupcakes and fun.

Tomorrow is Lily's 1st birthday.

I am very excited to give her the cutest little pair of shoes I found on etsy.com by lilcubby. 

Tomorrow is all about Lily and cupcakes and fun.

I found these adorable felted pin cushion cupcakes on etsy.com

betzwhite  and betzwhite.com

My favorite cupcakes for eating in Chicago are as follows:  yummy!

Red Velvet:  Sweet Mandy B's, 1208 W. Webster

Chocolate:  Sensational Bites, 3751 N. Southport Avenue

Vanilla:  Southport Grocery, 3552 N. Southport Avenue

Have a great weekend!

-cg

Sylvia Plath & my friend Trace

I first heard of Sylvia Plath from my friend Trace who lives in Los Angeles.  She actually named her car the Bell Jar. Then the next year for Christmas my brother gave me a book of Collected Poems by Sylvia Plath.  When I read Sylvia Plath, her poetry makes my heart sad.  I read this poem yesterday while on the train, think this is another reason i was sad yesterday.

Jilted

My thoughts are crabbed and sallow,

My tears like vinegar,

Or the bitter blinking yellow

Of an acetic star.

Tonight the caustic wind, love,

Gossips late and soon, 

And I wear the wry-faced pucker of

The sour lemon moon.

While like an early summer plum, 

Puny, green, and tart

Droops upon its wizened stem

My lean, unripened heart.

Trace is a lot like Sylvia Plath. She is also a writer and is sad in her heart, I miss my friend.

To a better today! 

-cg

Fragments: emotions

Have you ever just been really sad and not able to think of anything else but the sadness that grips you?

Today was one of those days for me.  I know why I am sad at least. There are two reasons.  First one, I miss my family.  I moved to Chicago a few years back away from all my comfort zones. I am fine usually, but I miss my family a lot this week.  I missed Claire's 3rd birthday last week and now I am missing Lulu's 1st birthday this week, they are my two adorable nieces.

When I arrived at work this morning, I had a double wammy! A co-worker had just returned from vacation and brought fudge!  

Mind you, I usually don't mind when someone brings sweets, but there was peanut butter fudge. My favorite, my mum makes the best and that is when I started to miss everyone!!!!!!  then I noticed that the fudge was from Door County! Wham wham!  that brings to reason #2.  I was supposed to be going to Door County this coming up weekend with my boyfriend who is not my boyfriend since his disappearing act *wave of some magical wand & POOF*  so my heart aches.

It probably didn't help that I was listening to Duffy all the way home on the train, making me sadder and sadder.  I then proceeded to walk the 12 blocks home after getting off the train and my ipod (smart move on my part should have done that sooner) walked up the 4 flights of starts to my front door to find a little brown bag on my door step with a tiny pink note attached:

"I know you like strong coffee, 

I just received 2 pounds for my birthday 

and 

thought I would share some with you!"

My neighbor below me left me coffee beans!

It brought a huge smile to my face and my heart wasn't so achy, I was touched that she made a small gesture of sharing her gift with me. Reminding me that I am not alone and that I have great friends! I look forward with delight, to waking up to an excellent cup of coffee tomorrow morning. -cg

Sculptor: Camille Claudel

While attending school in Paris, I would visit as many museums, parks, and places as possible when not in class.  

One day while drifting through the streets of Paris, I stubbled upon the Rodin Museum. I did that a lot....  I just roamed aimlessly trying to get lost. You find the best places when you are lost ..... well I found the amazing works of Camille Claudel.  I knew who she was, but

when I laid my eyes on her sculpture I was envious of her amazing passion & ability to transform earthly substance to become this vision of beauty. Le petite chatelaine was just so beautifully sweet -cg

Camille born in Northern France 

 8 December 1864

died 19 October 1943 

in an asylum 

in which she lived the last 30 years of her life.

She studied at the Academie Colarossi, since women were not allowed to study at the Ecole des Beaux-Artes.  She was the inspiration, model, confidante and lover of August Rodin.  Much of her early work is in the style of Rodin.  After she broke off their relationship her style began to change.  

In 1903 she exhibited her work at the Salon des Artistes Francais or at the Salon d'Automne.  

"A revolt against Nature: a women genius"

Octave Mirbeau, art critique 

my favorite pieces by Camille Claudel are 

L'Age Mur, 1893-1903 

Le Petite Chatelaine, 1895

Photography: Scotland Kirkyards

Kildrummy Kirkyard, Scotland.  

I have a fascination with cemeteries.  They give me a sense of peace while walking around the stones, reading the names of those gone. Reading their names, remembering them and honouring them. 

 I love to photograph the kirkyards in Scotland.  The weather makes the photos look amazing.  While at Kildrummy it was sprinkling, with these amazing puffy grey clouds.

Old Auchindoir Kirkyard

The sun came out on the way to Old Auchindoir Kirkyard. I actually have family buried here, my great great great grandfather William Gauld & wife Ann Gordon and great great great great grandfather James Gauld & wife Anne Bonnyman.

It amazes me how the stones have survived all these years!

-cg

Coffee House: EXPLORING & FINDING THE POTENTIAL OF PLACE

Sundance Coffee House designed by In House

posted on flickr

I love the use of only brown and glossy white.

COFFEE HOUSES a bit of history

A place where women were banned in the 17th century, men gathered in these coffee houses to talk, read, write, entertain and conduct business.   They served as a central place of social interaction.  They were known as 'Penny Universities" for their wealth in atmosphere and the penny cost for admission.  In 1688, Edward Lloyd owned a coffee shop where one would read the "Lloyd List" to track their investments around the globe which has now become known as Lloyd's of London Insurance Company. 

In 1792 New York business was also conducted in or just outside coffee house.  The New York Stock Exchange is well known for having begun under a Buttonwood Tree outside a coffee shop when the "Buttonwood Agreement" was signed by 24 Stock Brokers & Merchants.  They later conducted their business in the Tontine Coffee House.

In the US, since 1950 coffee houses served as a venue for entertainment, attracting mostly "folk performers".  

Uncommon Grounds in Chicago is such a place that attracts performers in an environment that is conducive to read, write, entertain, conduct business and the occasional knitting group.  Jeff Buckley once performed here in 1994 before his untimely death in 1997.  Every November, uncommon grounds hosts performers from around the world to honour and perform the music of Jeff Buckley with all proceeds going to "Old Town School of Folk Music Scholarship Fund".

2006 When researching coffee house designs that inspire me, I came across the illy "Push Button Coffee House" by Architect Adam Kalkin.  His use of prefab, shipping containers and recycled materials was inspiring as you can see from the his website.

We Shape Our Buildings

"We shape our buildings and afterwards our buildings shape us"

Winston Churchill

Churchill was well aware of the many purposes of buildings, including that of shaping human behavior. On October 28, 1943, more than 2 years after German bombs damaged England's House of Commons, Churchill uttered this famous line in a speech to the Commons, meeting in the House of Lords. When the House of Commons was rebuild in 1950, it was not enlarged to accommodate all the member, as many people wished. Churchill thought that the original space, overcrowded when all the members were present, created a sense of excitement and importance. When , as was most often the case, most of the members were not present, the small, original space did not dwarf the politicians who were in attendance.

I find this story behind this quote very amusing and true to the way I design.  Americans have been building BIGGER! and I find myself asking "What is the potential of place?" and "Why Bigger?"   

Bigger does not always mean better in my mind.  For example, I currently live in a neighborhood where the houses average 1,500 s.f. with a trend of developers coming in buying houses or apartment buildings to build HUGE 8,000 s.f. single family homes with no yard. I understand the why, profit. I don't understand why they build such huge, ugly fortress with no design potential or sense of place. 

Over the next few months I will be highlighting a client, Ms. B and her new house where I hope to convey a sense of place with well thought out design. 

Enjoy the weekend,

-cg

tiny art

"Can't See the Forest for the Trees"

mandy may laschon

ok, this is the cutest little piece of art I have ever purchased! 

it's size is 2.5" x 3.5"

I just fell in love with this artists work.

I have since purchased 2 additional pieces 

(which i will post once i receive in the mail)

and will be framing 

them to place in my dressing room!  

Found her on etsy.com

-cg

Tasty, tasty, very very tasty!!

Oranges Watermelon Berries Chocolate Frosting Tea & Biscuits

2

4
photo 1: cg and david eating oranges in the backyard photo
2: cg and david eating watermelon in the backyard photo
3: cg eating nanny's homemade chocolate frosting (my favorite) photo
4: cg and tam having tea & biscuits

cg eating a bowl of berries!

I have been the family historian for years. I collect all things valuable to continue our history as a family. I recently have been scanning all the family photos (let me tell you, it is quite the task! hundreds and I mean hundreds of photos!)
Well, any way..... as I was organizing some of the photos of me, I found a theme that I thought was amusing.
Food!
I have been really thin my whole life and the family joke is that I don't eat until I go to my parents house and I eat them house out of home! Which isn't true of course but I do have to say I love to eat.

Mum, cg and grandpa eating watermelon!
yes, that big wedge in front of me was eaten by me!!

I also love to cook which is why I collect all the family recipes for the "Family History Collection" Here is the recipe for beets. This recipe if from Sheila, my cousin is Scotland.

Take a bunch of beets clean & trim. Place in a sauce pan full of water & boil until tender
peal skin
Boil 1 cup water with 3/4 cup sugar
cut beets (if large) place tightly in jar
pour in sugar water half way up jar fill remain space with white vinegar
Enjoy for the week!

They are fantastic with fresh greens, tomatoes, chicken and goat cheese. You will never eat beets from a tin can again!

I usually make 2 jars; 1 for me and 1 to trade.
This week I traded for fresh tomatoes with my neighbor!
yummy!

Tomato from Shayna's garden!

Enjoy-
cg