Bravo!
Monday, August 31, 2009
etsy joy: 3LambsGraphics
Stand up and cheer for these works by Boston area graphic artist/etsy seller 3LambsGraphics! These are my hand-picked favorites, but there's much more to see in her "assortment of color, whimsy and love".
Sunday, August 30, 2009
shop happy: PaPaYa Art
It was on a recent trip to Seattle that I spied these incredible greeting cards, created by Anahata Joy Katkin at Portland (OR) based PaPaYa Art.
(Click on photos to enlarge and see the detail!)
Things like this make me wish that my scanner -- and scanning skills -- were much better. They don't capture the vibrancy, detail and judicious use of sparkly embellishment on the real thing. (And yeah, the second image is slightly off-center. I couldn't seem to get it to straighten out, but you get the idea!)
The PaPaYa Art site is not an optional but a MUST visit destination, for more like this and a consderably juicy range of other items, all in the same wildly beautiful, oh-so-subtly skewed vein. I want every single one of the Postcard Tins.
For me PaPaYa Art rings all the bells ... cRaZy beautiful.
etsy joy: Janet Hill Studio
Janet Hill's light-filled oil paintings, from her etsy shop.
"Irises"
"Irises" was my first look at Janet's work. It was featured on the last page of the most recent issue of Romantic Homes magazine. At first I thought it was a photo, because of the masteful use of light. Turns out it's something even better -- a painting!
"The Velveteen Sofa"Janet writes that her inspiration comes from the glamour and beauty of interior surroundings, fashion design and films. I think this comes through in her work, don't you?
" The Butterfly Chair"She paints portraits, too. Janet Hill's etsy shop is more than worthy of a look-see!
"Chloe's Vanity"You've got male: John Krasinski
Click image to enlarge!
image: People, December 2008Last year, actor John Krasinski was named Funniest Sexy Guy in People Magazine's Men Of The Year issue. The 29 year-old Krasinski is a regular on NBC's The Office, playing the adorably disheveled Jim.
As a Massachusetts native, I'd have to say he represents us well. I for one would like to bring him back here, but he just got engaged.
I guess this means I continue to ogle from afar.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Buttercup Tweets!
I'm now on twitter, username "buttercuptweets": www.twitter.com/buttercuptweets.
Come follow me there!
image: stitchinfingers.org
Friday, August 28, 2009
Blossoms and Bridles
"Blossoms and Bridles" set of note cards in four designs from Clarkson Potter, designed by Jennifer K. Beal Davis. There is a coordinating journal, too.
Jennifer's site features much of her work, and oh boy, she is talented! These beauties are nothing short of irresistible.
Seen and noted.
I had my camera with me earlier this week, on one of the gorgeous late summer days we've had lately. With time on my hands between errands, I thought I'd try and capture some of the detail on the old buildings in the downtown district.
This is detailing on the side old firehouse building. It's been re-purposed for business use (office space, a cafe on the bottom floor), which is the case with a lot of the buildings in this historic city.
I wish I had a better camera, but at least it's not a disposable!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
shop happy: Materialistic
"Homage to Tea" tea towel from Australian Angie McCarthy at Materialistic. She's got a fresh, bold way with the whimsical. This design comes in shades of fuschia/pink, too.
Sourced via thefinderskeepers. (Great site).
Seasonal affects.
I'm sitting here at 5:20 in the morning wondering why not a single soul is commenting on my "orange and pink!" post.
Really, I'm not tormented by it. I mean, I am loving it but maybe the Summer moment for this combo has truly passed and I ought to be well on my way to the rustic palette of Autumn by now. The magazines are, anyway.
Truth is, I don't want to let go of the long sunny days and the freedom of an unstructured few months. I am resisting the call of obligation, the inevitability of drab Winter coats, dirty boots, the dishevelment of snow and wind, the elements reclaiming my colorful world one more time around, damnit.
There is the brief twilight of Autumn to look forward to, this is true. The way the sun is angled for that brief month and a half, the dance and dazzle of the leaves, the nearly subterranean glow of the afternooon sunsets, gold and russety and gilded.
I'll enjoy that, but then it's on to the holidays which start too early (Christmas trees before Halloween?!) and last too long. With apologies to those who love this time of year, I am generally not a fan. I'm all excited at the beginning, but then it all limps to a trees-on-the-sidewalk ending by the New Year. To be followed by the never ending month of January. Valentine's Day punctuates February (quite possibly my favorite holiday), and then it's the soggy march through March. In these parts, it can still snow in April, which means snow on top of dirty snow. But at least it's pretty again, for a while.
Can you tell I'm already feeling the Winter blues? Anybody else feeling it? Am I bringing you down?
I'm sorry. I just have to prattle on about this. I'll live.
Really, I'm not tormented by it. I mean, I am loving it but maybe the Summer moment for this combo has truly passed and I ought to be well on my way to the rustic palette of Autumn by now. The magazines are, anyway.
Truth is, I don't want to let go of the long sunny days and the freedom of an unstructured few months. I am resisting the call of obligation, the inevitability of drab Winter coats, dirty boots, the dishevelment of snow and wind, the elements reclaiming my colorful world one more time around, damnit.
There is the brief twilight of Autumn to look forward to, this is true. The way the sun is angled for that brief month and a half, the dance and dazzle of the leaves, the nearly subterranean glow of the afternooon sunsets, gold and russety and gilded.
I'll enjoy that, but then it's on to the holidays which start too early (Christmas trees before Halloween?!) and last too long. With apologies to those who love this time of year, I am generally not a fan. I'm all excited at the beginning, but then it all limps to a trees-on-the-sidewalk ending by the New Year. To be followed by the never ending month of January. Valentine's Day punctuates February (quite possibly my favorite holiday), and then it's the soggy march through March. In these parts, it can still snow in April, which means snow on top of dirty snow. But at least it's pretty again, for a while.
Can you tell I'm already feeling the Winter blues? Anybody else feeling it? Am I bringing you down?
I'm sorry. I just have to prattle on about this. I'll live.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Salt & Pepper = Sugar & Spice!
I had been eyeing this pair of salt and pepper shakers for months and months in an antiques and collectibles store downtown. Kept telling myself I couldn't, shouldn't, wouldn't spend the $16 for this pair of 1950's gossiping gals in their (almost-but-not-quite) matching hats.
Today I realized that I spend at least that much on coffee and soda in a month. Duh! Brita pitcher, meet re-usable, bisphenol-A free bottle. Now I'm drinking less soda, more water and best of all enjoying these cute-as-cupcakes treasures.
Don't you LOVE them? Me too!
Vintage Yummy: "Remember Me" Paper
Love at first sight:
If this isn't the most adorable scrapbook paper I have EVER seen, I don't know what is! Thank you's to the generous and thoughtful Lindsey of Two Crazy Crafters and Lindsey's Paper Scraps for gifting a couple of sheets to me.
Click on image to enlarge for detail. See more at http://www.sassafraslass.com/.
MoRe orange and PINK!
p. 107, Martha Stewart Living March 2009: Hybrid Tea Roses
p. 346 of the September Vogue (US): Olya Thompson and her daughter Marusenka in Venice.
An ad from Duralee:
from onewed.com:
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Zzzzzzzzz's.
@ fredflare.com
I am going in for a sleep study this Sunday night. Ever had one of these? I vaguely remember having one six or seven years ago, and on the whole they're no big deal. Not if you don't mind being hooked up with electrodes like Frankenstein to a hundred different machines.
(OK, I exaggerate. Maybe ten machines).
The hope is that they will figure out why I am so tired all of the time. Narcolepsy? Sleep apnea? Disco dancing in the wee hours, which I have absolutely no recall of? We'll see if the mad scientists can figure it out.
Til tomorrow it's lights out ... sweet dreams.
Down With Love (2003)
I've been watching one of my favorite movies, Down With Love. It's a send-up of the Doris Day/Rock Hudson "sex comedies" of the 1960's and stars Renee Zellwegger. More importantly, it's got Ewan McGregor, who for my money is just about the most sizzling thing that ever walked on two legs. (The eyes darling, it's the eyes!)
The movie is frothy fun and has style for miles. From the sets to the suits, this is eye candy! Renee Zellwegger as best-selling author Barbara Novak changes outfits so many times I lost count after the first hour. Her editor, played by Sarah Paulson, is a young feminist on her way up the corporate ladder. Except that she's still expected to fetch the coffee.
The movie is frothy fun and has style for miles. From the sets to the suits, this is eye candy! Renee Zellwegger as best-selling author Barbara Novak changes outfits so many times I lost count after the first hour. Her editor, played by Sarah Paulson, is a young feminist on her way up the corporate ladder. Except that she's still expected to fetch the coffee.
(Men!)
Down With Love winks at every other turn in an effort to fly you to the moon, while serenading in full-on Hi-Fi mode.
"Sha-doo-ba-doo-ba, baby!"
Your wedding: a citrus-colored celebration?
Although I'm not a fan of Martha Stewart style overall (too plain!), I do love her Weddings issues. The Summer '09 issue was even more eye-catching than usual, with its surprising and liberal use of citrus colors, particularly orange.
Orange, at a wedding?! I thought the same thing.
Orange has never been one of my favorite colors. I associate it with Halloween (not at the top of my list, though it has its charms), the orange groves of Florida (too hot), the color of traffic cones. In other words, not romantic. Happy yes, romantic no.
But ...
The ad above caught my eye because it is a combination I've begun to like. It's candy-colored, it's some of the jelly-beans, without being overly sweet. They're not the fondant pastels, they're in your face. But if the silhouette of the dress isn't overdone and the flowers are kept simple, why not? And why not orange and fuschia? These colors together are unforgettable. (Some may remember them fondly, others not so much. But the bride who chooses these is making a personal statement!)
Stopping just-short of showgirl-showy, these D.I.Y. hair accents are unexpected.
Orange, at a wedding?! I thought the same thing.
Orange has never been one of my favorite colors. I associate it with Halloween (not at the top of my list, though it has its charms), the orange groves of Florida (too hot), the color of traffic cones. In other words, not romantic. Happy yes, romantic no.
But ...
... if a wedding isn't a happy occasion, then what is? Martha & Co. do make a point. And it's a stylish point (as if anything else were possible). One of the things I liked so much about the orange palette was how natural it seemed alongside yellows and pinks. Not in a circus-y way, but in a sunny attitude sort of way. In short, orange as optimism, and maybe a bit of risk taking too.
The ad above caught my eye because it is a combination I've begun to like. It's candy-colored, it's some of the jelly-beans, without being overly sweet. They're not the fondant pastels, they're in your face. But if the silhouette of the dress isn't overdone and the flowers are kept simple, why not? And why not orange and fuschia? These colors together are unforgettable. (Some may remember them fondly, others not so much. But the bride who chooses these is making a personal statement!)
Stopping just-short of showgirl-showy, these D.I.Y. hair accents are unexpected.
The issue's centerpiece feature is the wedding of Ben and Laura of NYC. Laura is an artist (and former crafts editor for Martha's Living magazine). Now this is a statement wedding, from this butterfly bouquet to the zesty citrus palette (lime!) Her dress was storybook simple with a scalloped hem, and the couple rode off on bicycles.
Loveliness.
Loveliness.
Twenty-five!
Buttercup Bungalow now has 25 Google friends/followers!
I'm still trying to figure out what this blog is really "about" (other than fun), but it makes me happy, and so do you.
(Yeah, I'm talking about you).
Merci buttercups!
Fall Firsts: Cath's Here!
New Cath Kidston! Fall is on the way! Sneak peek at the new catalog/magazine here.
I like to order (free) an actual paper copy of the thing, because a) I love to see it in my stacks of magazines, b) I love getting anything by Royal Mail, and c) it meets my paper jones.
I do love my paper, God knows.
Yippeeeeee!
blog happy: The Garden Of The Duchess
Love at first sight for me and The Garden of the Duchess!
If you're a fan of small woodland creatures, Beatrix Potter's world, bears, birds, mice, bees, flowers and fanciful telling of little stories and adventures, you might just like it too.
It's "twee", but I do twee!
blog happy: Cute N' Cool Blog Stuff
L.A. Artist Itkupilli's blog is chockablock full of free blog backgrounds, headers, accessories and tutorials. Many of them are straight up gorgeous, some of them have unusual and unexpected, even somewhat psychedelic, twists. If you like Marie Antoinette (era) motifs, there is a lot of that here, and tons of color. Especially pink.
There are links to her on-line shop full of digital images (collage sheets, design kits, scrapbooking) and her etsy shop, too.
What blogger doesn't love beautiful stuff that's FREE?
Not me!