ARTIST: Jen Gotch, photography and beautiful things

I first encountered the work of Jen Gotch through Kimberlee of Brown Button. It's such a small and curious world that I would stubble on Kimberlee's fabulous blog post in Australia to find the website of Jen's amazing talent who is in my home state of California. The internet is a fabulous world!

Here is a few of her amazing photographs - all from her flickr site:

she has such honesty in her work as seen in her defaced poloriods

Defaced

love doesn't always feel like this

This is how I feel at the moment! my heart aches.

Defaced

I can still hear the waves

and this makes me miss home and my family in California

From Volume 4 Lines and Shapes

These images are amazingly beautiful, the essence of prettiness captured in the soft light

me and tree

me and sparkly water

me and balloons

she was a fifties housewife

her sense of humor makes me *smile* and *giggle*

she drank too much

then ban.do, such loveliness

She also makes these little pretties! Look at the detail of the first image with the seashells on the back. Just takes my breath away. *swooning*

Please enjoy her work, I know you will fall in love like I did!

xx

callie

OBSESSION: Books, more books and trinkets

I really enjoy a space that has books and trinkets of personal joy. Carolina Herrera's home is just that, a home full of personal joy!  I remember reading this article in Domino Magazine years ago, then I came across the images again and was over joyed.

In her living room with powerful pieces like the zebra pattered ottoman to hold her tray of small books and trinkets of red and pink.  If I remember correctly, someone special to her gave her the book "Bull Fever" by Kenneth Tynan.

Her entry foyer had such a beautiful collection of dried hydrangea's, books, photos and paintings all under a statement of a mirror!
Even her bookcase is amazing. Tucked here and there are photos and small bits of artwork.

Her home is just joyful!

callie

all images domino magazine

DESIGN: Red Hot

Red is an amazing colour, whether it's crimson red, chinese red, blood red merging into the shades of pink or meshing into the oranges.  Just add a pop of this wonderful colour in your interiors and you have energy, warmth and vibrancy that is amazing. Even your exterior spaces will benefit from this brilliant colour !

Exterior Spaces:

Living Rooms

Love the shiny red lacquer on this secretary 

against the blue wall and the chartreuse green ottoman in front!

Kitchens

The simple "B" is just bold!

Foyers 

Love the runner on the black marble stairs! and the gold gilded red chest of drawers. 

Stunning and richly hot! 

Bedrooms

 The headboards are sweet and toasty.

Bathrooms

I love the colour red.  

It's just brilliant 

              and lovely

and I adore it in small amount that have full impact.

xx

callie

all images: House Beautiful

Where Is Bucky?

Where Is Bucky?
Originally uploaded by Peggy Collins

I hope Peggy finds him again soon! I love these images that she shot last week.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Grand Staircase on Christmas 1961
Originally uploaded by MsBlueSky

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!!

xx
callie

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peggy Collins, A stag in the snow.

The Staring Contest. He Won.
Originally uploaded by Peggy Collins

I am so excited that it will be Christmas very soon! and a white one at that. It has been snowing here in Chicago for the last week. I love the snow, but I do have to say, Sunday it was freezing with minus 30 below zero!!!!! I had frozen tears on my cheeks.

Anyway,

I would love to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas!

Much love to you all during this festive season.
Ho ho ho!
-callie

ps Again, another fabulous photo by Peggy Collins. I love her photography, please check out her amazing shots of wild life and wonder.

Venetian glass: beautiful bath

This bathroom is absolutely stunning!  

by Silver Croco mosaic Venetian Glass, Mesguich Mosaik

callie

OBSESSION: all things plaid

Okay, lately I have been dreaming of plaid!  PLAID, plaid, PlAiD, PLAID PLAID!!!

I need these little blankies for snuggling up with when I have my tea and biscuits! What is so fantastic about them besides the amazing colours is that they are an environmentally friendly product of recycled wool that has been re-spun. No design is ever repeated. AND the best thing of all, they are only $29.00! and part of the proceeds go to the royal-oak National Trust.  You can find them here. 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this cape! by A.P.C. 

and this sweet little A.P.C. madras double cheese cloth dress so adorable!

And this Tartan Cape is just spinning my world. It comes in all the family tartan, so many colours!! I must have one for the spring!  You can get yours too at Linda Clifford in Bethal Maine, USA.

and this little cape! It is completely ROCKING my world!!!!! Need to find it! it was here for $11.10! and now it is sold out! how cute would this have been with skinny jeans this spring!

love all the plaid!

how about you, how do you feel about plaid?

xx

callie

Loveliness: Regal and Pure

How lovely would it be to get this in my Christmas Stocking? 

These beautiful candles are hand made using techniques dating back to Louis XIV, using natural ingredients and packaged in mouth-blown glass with gold leaf. 

The candles are pure white and glow heavenly!

*sigh*

Santa, I have been a good girl this year!

callie

Happy Birthday to my brother Steven!

BOOK LOVE: Vicki Archer and Carla Coulson

This week I received my books from Vicki of French Essence, I won her give away. 

My French Life, Vicki Archer 

Italian Joy and Paris Tango, Carla Coulson

Let me tell you how excited I am! The books are amazingly beautiful. The photography is all done by Carla Coulson. Whom I admire immensely, I view Carla's blog daily for photographic inspiration.  I have been following Vicki's blog for quite a while now and I can't go a day with out reading her postings on her life in France! I am truly in love with France and all that is French.

 I can't wait to start reading Vicki's book, which I will start this evening sitting on my chair all curled up with my cosy wrap (it's below zero outside at the moment!!) and a cup of tea!

Please check out both of these women, who are so amazingly talented! 

Have a great evening to all!

callie

PS

I will be post sporadically this week due to it being the Holiday week!

I love your Blog

Blog loving!

Brooke of Velvet and Linen has awarded me this "I love your Blog" I am completely overjoyed! She has an amazing blog that I read daily.  It is full of inspiration and details. I love that she and her husband share all the knowledge they gather. Please check out her blog as well as her information site detailio. Trust me you will love to follow her blog too!!!

Here are the rules:

1. The nominated is allowed to put the picture on their blogs.

2. Link to the person who awarded to you.

3. Nominate seven other people and link them

4. leave a message on those people's blog to make them aware that they are nominated.

Dolce Chic  candi is sweet and wonderful; I am happy to call her a true friend. She is growing in her creativity and I am amazed at the beautiful images she posts. She also has an amazing relationship with her mum - they are joined at the hip! These two women are truely amazing! 

bliss  traci has the most amazing ability to capture pure loveliness!  Sunday nights I go to bed all giddy waiting to she her "I heart Monday" post, she finds the most beautiful items. I do have to say, I have purchased several of her heart items!

im all agog  she finds the most amazing little pretties!  I am always looking forward to her post to see what lovely little items I would love to buy myself!!

red otter  julia's blog is one of the first blogs I started to follow, her post gave me inspiration and complete delight! She makes these amazingly little pretties! view them here. She is such a sweet creature, she makes me smile!

little house on green maegan is an amazing person! She is real and honest! and funny too! I was in such giggle fits over her karma post! first read here- oh! then here-Karma and you will understand why. I also am enamored  her sense of style. I love her to pieces!

swish and swanky amanda's blog is one of my newer obsessions.  She has such a beautiful way of writing and setting the tone. She finds the most lovely interiors (Jemima's a lucky girl) and precious little items! Look at these little pretties!!

delight by design Blair is also new to my list. I love to follow her daily musings. She finds such pretty images that are divine in all their goldenness! Like gilded twigs on a mantle

or the enchanting tumbleweed tree, it's just magical!

Please visit each of the blogs! These women inspire me daily and I would love to share their vision with you!!

xx

Callie

PS

I am having technical difficulties, every time I hit the space bar Blogger publishes my post! auuuggghhh.

AWARD: Proximidade

My dear sweet friend Candi gave me this honour! She is an amazing person in more ways than one. She is kind, sweet and always there. She is an amazing photographer and has such creative insight! She writes honestly and is open. She takes risks and is fearless. I am honoured that she has given me this award. Please check out her amazing blog! Dolce Chic, you will be inspired!!!

This award states: 

The blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY- nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming.  These kind of bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prized or self aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated.  Please give more attention to writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly -written text into the body of their award.

Here are the eight bloggers: (it was very hard to pick the eight!) 

Bliss 

French Essence, 

Here, There, Elsewhere.... and more  

Oliveaux 

La La Lovely 

Rocketout

Simplygrove 

Velvet and Linen

Please take a moment if you are not familiar with the blogs I have listed and take a look at there amazing posts. They each inspire me daily!

callie

Happy Day! Cheers, it's Friday

I wish you all a fabulous weekend!

Enjoy the weather where you are, snow or sunny! 

Catch snowflakes on your tongue or soak all the warm in...enjoy the moments.

xxx

callie

image: Petrina Tinslay

QUOTE: The glow of a fire

"I don't believe anything can do as much for a room as a glowing fire in an attractive fireplace. 

Men and dogs love an open fire - they show good sense.  

It is the heart of any room and should be kindled on the slightest provocation."

Dorothy Draper

above image here

quote here

love the purple smoking jacket with the ribbon! 

and the fish over the fireplace.

The Conversation Starter, Flickr

MsBlueSky

This photo makes me smile! 

love his sideburns, strumming his guitar while sitting on gold shag carpeting

The Sensitive Guy, Flickr

MsBlueSky

I love the fireplace in the image below! Amazing detail.

but the image is a bit creepy to me, what do you think?

Storm in a Teacup

flickr, Noyan Konac

Keep warm out there and safe!

we are forecast for an ice storm, I have never been in one before and I am not looking forward to being in one!!!!

-callie

ARTIST: Lovisa Burfitt

I love finding artist that make me happy when I view their artwork.  

I was introduced to the work of Lovisa Burfitt from another amazing artist, Hannah of Honeypieliving, whom I have been corresponding with lately, she takes amazing photographs!  View her work here

Hannah and I have very similar taste in art and she emailed me a few artist to view and Lovisa was on the list!  So glad she did, the above image reminds me of a carrousel I had on one of my birthdays cakes when I was a child. I really enjoy the fresh, free flowing lines of the images.  The splashes of colour are *pow* at ya! The simple black and white sketch of the girl below with the minnie mouse years with drops of hot pink just rocks!

I think the bottom image with the wee bit of red is amazingly hot!  This is just a sampling, please check out her site for more of her work.  She has done work for H&M, a restaurant and various hotels.

One day soon, I will do a post on Honeypie because I love her photography so much! Hannah, are you up for that?

xx

callie

OBSESSION: Cupcakes! Made by hand, Baked with Love

CRUMBS BAKE SHOP

As you all know I love cupcakes! They are my favorite little treat, and sometimes not so little!!! As you will see below in the photos.

On the night I was meeting Maegan from Little House on Green for dinner, I arrived a few minutes early. There was this bake shop across the street from the restaurant we were meeting..... Crumbs bake shop!

Of course, I went in to check out the huge selection (35 flavors per store, with 50 different cupcakes total).  As I was oohing and aahing over the tasty little treats and watching the cupcakes sell off the shelf one of the sales people offered me a wee cupcake taster 'Red Velvet' (see the tray of mini cupcakes). My eyes almost rolled to the back of my head in pure delight! Well, I ended buying 3 large cupcakes for me and my niece Claire, who also shares a passion or should I say obsession with cupcakes!

I asked a few questions about the store and by the time I left, they gave me this little taster pack to take home with my purchased cupcakes for my niece and I to devour!!!

The cupcakes were so good they only lasted 1 day! They have classic cupcakes like vanilla, strawberry and chocolate but they also have gourmet ones with names and flavors like "artie lange", pistachio, fluffernutter, raspberry swirl, "elvis" which I am assuming has banana and peanut butter! 

line of mini cupcakes!!

A mini and a big "cotton candy" cupcake

of course my niece wanted the HUGE BIG cupcake!!

my niece eating her cotton candy cupcake! pink with lots of sprinkles.... 

it's always better with sprinkles!

She ate this beauty for breakfast 

(ssshhh, my sister doesn't know, 

hehe I am such a fantastic aunt!! 

 CUPCAKES for breakfast oh yeah!)

I was trying to get a close up of the cupcake

the frosting was so buttery and creamy 

I was in heaven!!!

There are three Crumbs bake shops in the California,  Beverly Hills, Glendale and then the Hancock Park 216 N. Larchmont Blvd. location,  which is where I got these little delightful cakes.  

The stores are family owned with their first store in New York, they have grown with 10 stores in New York with 3 more in 2009, three stores in Connecticut, and three to open in January 2009 in New Jersey.  It is my understanding they would like to have 200 stores opened across the US by 2013.

If you are ever around one of these bake shops, I highly recommend you stop in and get yourself a cupcake or two or three, oh heck get a whole tray!!! all I can say is YUMMY!

enjoy!

xx

callie