>> the pink swan project

My friend Larissa over at Suite NY turned me on to their Pink Swan project this morning. 19 designers, architects and fashion icons were given the iconic Fritz Hansen Swan Chair designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1958 to customize. The chairs will be auctioned on charitybuzz.com and proceeds will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Hot puppies.

>> 2011 Venice Garden + Home tour

A few snaps from another great year of snooping around people's homes and gardens in Venice!



This is where "The Dude" lived in The Big Lebowski!

Bee keeping on the West Siiiide!

Nice Tom Dixon pendant lamp on the left.



Drool.

>> sister corita

Before I started heavily researching Sister Mary Corita (a.k.a Frances Elizabeth Kent), I knew just that she was a Catholic nun that worked at a school down the street from our apartment during the 60s and 70s and made serigraphs based on advertising images and visuals of the time—I basically thought of her as a lesser-known west coast Andy Warhol...that was also a nun.

There's so much more to the story, and I certainly don't have the authority or space to write about her here and now (but there's a great book on the subject if you're really interested), but I find her incredibly fascinating. From her rebellion against the Catholic church to the fact that she and Charles Eames were both friends and inspiration to each other, Sister Corita's story is a trip.

Several of her silkscreens are on sale to the public still, at the Immaculate Heart School on Western Ave and Los Feliz Blvd (basically where AFI is). MOCA has recently bought up a bunch of them along with some art collectors, but they are still extremely accessible. All it takes in an appointment. Are they cheap? That depends on who you're asking. No, they're not cheap in the sense that the price range is roughly between $800 and $3,000. Yes, they are very cheap in terms of art collector prices and how their projected value will hold up over time.

Matt and I are celebrating our first anniversary this weekend, which is traditionally celebrated with paper, so we picked out a 1966 Sister Corita serigraph yesterday! Buying art can be intimidating and scary (to me), but what was really great about this experience is that all of the profits from their art sales go to local charitable causes as they did when Sister Corita was there. Check out more here.

p.s. Happy 1st anniversary, husband. x

>> simple summer goodness

Fair trade fire sticks ($4.50) handmade in Guatemala from the stumps of Ocote trees; recycled enamel bbq ($195) akin to a traditional west African cooker; recycled glass storm lantern ($11).

>> down east doormats

The problem: Float-rope, a rope used by lobstermen to tether traps together on the ocean floor, can entangle and kill whales. The solution: The Maine Float-Rope Co. makes doormats ($50) out of them, while providing the Maine lobstermen with money to replace the float-rope with a new silk rope. I love these doormats, and they're completely indestructable, weatherproof, easy to clean and quick drying. They'd be great at a summer house or on a boat. Hand made in Maine!

>> the touch

That's revered glass blower and furniture designer John Pomp pouring a bottle of Newton Unfiltered Cab in his new limited edition decanter called The Touch ($500) made exclusively for Newton. It's really quite a piece—sturdy and gorgeous and made from 30% recycled glass. And let me tell you, the wine is as good at 10am paired with an LA Mill cappuccino as it is when I typically start drinking red wine (noon or so).

Ahhh, breakfast of champions.

>> the art of exchange

On Saturday night, Matt and I went to the opening of The Art of Exchange which is on exhibition at Heath Ceramics until January 19th. The artwork consists of ceramic sculptures, succulent gardens, planters and medallions—all part of a collaborative workshop series held at First Street Gallery Art Center, a wonderful non-profit in Claremont that works with artists with developmental disabilities. The pieces are stunning, Matt and I bought one within a few minutes of walking in.



And that stunning lady in the beige dress is visiting artist Karen Kimmel who did a three month residency at First Street.

I had never been back in the Heath Ceramics courtyard—not a bad place to have of glass a wine.

Christmas Seals

I found a sheet of what I thought were stamps from 1961 at an antique store. Intrigued by the Don Draperness of them, I inquired since there was no postage amount visible. Apparently there used to be (and still are) such things as Cinderella stamps which are seals resembling postage stamps aimed to raise awareness for diseases, most often TB. They were introduced in the U.S. in 1907 and were hugely popular—in fact, they continue to be produced today. Although I had never seen one until now, you can get them here ($10 for a sheet, $20 for five sheets), all proceeds go to The American Lung Association. Kinda cool! And almost makes up for this year's seriously sub-par Holiday stamps by the USPS.

Go Guatemalan!

Above: Guatamalan 15" x 11" laptop sleeve ($24) from PriscillaWoolworth.com. Below: Rainbow Shopping Tote ($64) found via my friend Amanda's blog.

Danger Dogs

I am really freaking out about about these "Beware of Dog" pet portrait signs from Nepal, hand painted on metal. It's fair trade folk art, and you can commission your own pet for about $250 or browse the "ready-made" inventory at rates between $100 and $200. Get in your order in early October and you'll have your painting before the holidays. Danger Dogs are also available around L.A. at a bunch of places including New Stone Age and the Santa Monica Museum of Art. Check out Nepal Dog for all the information and for more images. I want all of them!

Guerrilla Truck Show

Jake over at Chicago's RJA Design told me about the the 5th annual Guerrilla Truck Show that occurred last Tuesday in Fulton Market in Chicago. It's a brilliant idea is that helps artists and designers display their work at little or no cost by simply renting box trucks and turning the back of each truck into a portable gallery. How simple! The trucks are backed up to the docks on Fulton Market where everyone opens the back doors to create a fantastic pop-up art show. I couldn't make it on Tuesday but it looks like a lot of fun and was made possible by The DIFFA (Design Industry Foundation Fighting Aids) and Morlen Sinoway. Thanks Jake!






All photos by DIFFA Chicago

New Editions - Art From The Start

Yesterday the L.A.-based company New Editions, which produces limited edition prints of contemporary art for children and their parents, opened a pop-up store in The Brentwood Country Mart. Although the art would be so great in a nursery or kid's room, I'd be lying if I told you I didn't have my eye on a few prints. All of the work is commissioned exclusively for New Editions and each artist creates five works which run in an edition of 100, 60 or 30. It's a great concept and they have some great new work out this Spring. Above: "And then I ate it" by Farrah Karapetian ($345). Below: "Royal Viking" by Brian Wills ($345); "Color List" by Dennis Koch ($90).



A photo sent in from Lauren of opening day!

Priscilla Woolworth house tour

Last Friday I stopped by one of my favorite places in L.A., the home of Priscilla Woolworth. She lives and operates her newly launched eco-friendly general store out of her lush 1920s Spanish compound in The Valley. Over the years she's owned it, Priscilla has added on rooms, re-done garden sheds and back houses to create one of the best live/work properties I've ever seen. First, we'll check out some of the living space, then we'll look into her works spaces.

Priscilla's lunch and dinner invites are a highly coveted commodity among friends and family. She seamlessly fuses her childhood spent in France and her love of organic California cooking in the kitchen. Yum, yum!

The tablescapes at casa Woolworth are always subtle and purposeful.


Birdcage as wall sculpture. I love the use of negative space here.

The avocado green kitchen built-ins were in place when Priscilla moved in, but she couldn't imagine re-doing her kitchen any differently.

Art at Priscilla's has no hierarchy. Work by Jamie Wyeth hangs indiscriminately among modern prints picked up in downtown L.A.





The Priscilla Woolworth store mascot, bad bad LeRoy Brown.


Priscilla's work spaces are full of inspiration boards and bold color. She rigorously tests her products to make sure they're not just packaged well, but also that they are actually green and that they work better than anything else on the market. The Woolworth retail brand has stepped into the 21st century!

Priscilla showing off a new pin board made from recycled magazine pages in her office.




One of the stock rooms, with variations on her signature Golden Rules painting ($120) on wood.

A French all-purpose cleaner being considered for the store.


Priscilla showing off a wasp catcher from her stock room. Just add sugar water to it and place it around your dining table for a peaceful and non-toxic al fresco meal.

Check out Priscilla Woolworth's online store often as it is growing and new products are added frequently. I can't emphasize enough how well her products work and how intensive the testing phase is. Good stuff all around.