Perfect Squares

Tiles have been on my mind the past few months. I put this set of eight in the bisque before I left for Europe and glazed them once I returned. Looking back, I realize that sandwiched between these two happenings was the multicolored rainbow of ceramic squares that I came across in Spain and Portugal. Like a ceramic canvas, they have endless possibilities! My dear mother requested some tiles for her new home which is tucked up in the New Hampshire wilderness, so I felt compelled to use a nature theme. All the impressions were made with natural materials. I was amazed to see how many nice trimmings I found even though it was winter at the time of scavenging. The borders I did with sea shells and driftwood I have collected over the years. With so much already going on, I just rubbed black slip into the impressions and finished with transparent glaze.

Now about that tile rainbow, one of the most stunning aspects of Portugal was that just about every surface is tiled! Apparently the climate is so mild that it makes sense to do this on the exterior of buildings as well. No boring brick here.

 And then there is of course, the all consuming Alhambra.  Located in Granada, Spain (which I am going to have to gush more about in a later post), the old Moorish castle is certainly on my "wonders of the world" list. As gorgeous is the ornate wall carvings and dramatic setting is, the tiling is my favorite part.

Last 3 images via: 1, 2, 3

Inspired By: Florence Broadhurst

When I said in my last post that I'd love to be a musician in another life, I should have added "textile designer" as well. I've always enjoyed staring at intricate patterns, admiring the carefully calculated repetition of a design that emantes so much rhythm and creates unexpected geometric shapes. A successful pattern takes on a life of it's own. I have long been enamored with all things Marimekko but only recently came across the work of Aussie designer, Florence Broadhurst in Elle Decor. Quite the motif maven in the '60s and '70s, her fabric and wallpaper designs look anything but stale. I do appreciate vintage style wallpaper but I'd be more likely to commit to one of Broadhurst's timeless prints. I especially like the Asian inspired flora and fauna. Really they are the perfect solution to easy decorating. Who needs complicated furniture when the patterns do all the talking?

Images via: Signature Prints

Looking back, Thinking ahead

Ok, Very Vanilla is getting personal today. First of all - is it ok to have retroactive new years resolutions? I hope so. After some unexpected but exciting changes in my life, I have made it my mission to learn more about myself. Maybe "discover" is a better term. I didn't not know, I had just never really articulated it to myself before. It's not about coming up with an inflexible definition of you but about admitting who you are and why. I now believe it's the only way to maintain forward motion in one's life. After all, it has helped me figure out where I want to go next and to take advantage of opportunities that are in front of me, such as travelling to Spain in March. I don't say all this to sound touchy-feely but everyone needs to face themselves one in a while!


I love the idea of keeping a journal but I always get too long winded and any important realizations get lost in my steam of consciousness style prose (rants, raves, rambles). Instead my new and hopefully more achievable goal is to have a little self-reflection pow-wow once in a while. The first time came unexpectedly, when I took the MBTI test at work. I had always eschewed personality tests and magazine quizzes but I had to admit that the results were spot-on. My latest find is the Proust Questionnaire. Popularized by novelist Marcel Proust in the late 19th century, it was first a parlor game and now survives in Vanity Fair magazine and in many an ice-breaker activity, I'm sure. One of my fondest kindergaren memories was our monthly ritual of drawing "an animal, a tree, a house, and me." Over time these drawings changed and ever since, I have loved the idea of tracking one's personal evolution through more creative mediums. I see the Proust questionnaire as such an outlet and thus can't wait to look back on this in 10 years! Oh, and I'd be hard pressed not to mention this blogger and this artist who inspired me to post mine as well. Finally, I'd love this postcard journal to be my next soul-searching project. Any other cool ideas out there?

Your chief characteristic?

wanderlust, devotion

The qualities you most like in a man?

capable, kind, relaxed

The qualities you most like in a woman?

open, free-thinker  

What do you most value in your friends?

loyalty, sarcasm, humor

Your biggest flaw?

over thinking everything

What is your favorite occupation/activity?

learning

What is your idea of happiness?

enjoying a home cooked meal with friends and family

What is your idea of misery?

Caribbean cruise, reality TV

What is your greatest fear?

having regrets!

If not yourself, what would you like to be?

musician

Where would you like to live?

surrounded by trees and plants

What is your favorite color?

purple, coral, turquoise

What is your favorite flower?

iris, poppy

Your favorite bird?

owl, crane

Who are your favorite prose writers?

Edith Wharton, Kurt Vonnegut

Who are your favorite poets?

Emily Dickinson

Who are your favorite heroes of fiction?

Úrsula Buendía

Your favorite food?

spaghetti alla Carbonara

grass-fed dry-aged burger

Your favorite drink?

geuze, saison, cognac

What is your most treasured possession?

jewelry from both grandmothers

Who are your favorite painters?

Alphonse Mucha, Ferdinand Hodler, Gustav Klimt

Your favorite composers?

Jeff Tweedy, Paul Simon

Who are your heroes in real life?

Ma & Pa

Your favorite heroine in history?

Margaret Sanger and other persistent folks

Your favorite names?

Georgina, Athena, Artemis

What characters in history do you most dislike?

world domination-attempters

What natural gift would you like to have?

more confidence!

How would you like to die?

at peace

If you were to come back as a person or thing,what would it be?

wild cat

What is your greatest extravagance?

quality food

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

fame

For what fault do you have the most toleration?

shyness

What is your present state of mind?

inspired

What is your motto?

“so it goes” – Kurt Vonnegut

Boston's Finest

Gosh, speaking of art and speaking of wonderful things I had for one reason or another not seen yet, I visited the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum yesterday. Truthfully, my relationship with the city of Boston has been tenuous at times. Drivers speed like there's no tomorrow, my beloved cowboy boots get frequent second glances (not the bad kind, just the confused kind), and I generally find city life to be a little too buttoned up. Of course, this place has its finer points, especially when it comes to grand old structures and fascinating history.  A Venetian-style palace brimming with worldly treasures, the ISG museum, I can safely say is one-of-a-kind. 

The courtyard is what paradise must look like - a menagerie of flowers, plants, fountains, statues and even a mosaic! Part structured European garden (oh, the symmetry!), part wild greenhouse (those fern trees sure aren't native to the region), I felt like I was Alice in Wonderland. Not normally inclined to sketch, I found myself wanting to spend hours doing so, ideally with a cup of tea in hand and classical music in the background. While the floor and walls are plenty on which eyes can feast, the expansive glass paned roof, original to the place, deserves a mention as well.  And just when you think you've figured the place out, the east-meets-west vibe kicks in and you come across the mysterious Chinese Room steps that lead down to a secret temple (so secret that I cannot locate a good photo).

The plantings are rotated nine times annually to suit different seasons and holidays. Returning when the museum hangs the nasturtiums in April is a must!

An even bigger mystery is the 1990 heist that resulted in the theft of 13 master paintings by the likes of Vermeer and Degas. The empty frames are a post-mortem tribute. 

When strolling these halls, one feels an kinship with the space. After all, the founder, Ms. Isabella, herself, lived here had a hand in every detail of the space, from the building's design to the collection's arrangement. It reminds me of other particularly intimate museums I have visited, mainly the Musée Gustav Moreau and Victor Horta Museum (which I have rambled about before). 

 

 

By far my favorite piece is John Singer Sargent's El Jaleo, which further exemplifies my love for all things gypsy!

Lastly, to add further contrast to this enigmatic museum, it just got a major new contemporary addition which just opened this year. See more of the modernist fantasticalness here.

 **Visitors aren't permitted to take photos but I managed to scoop some up online.  All are from the museum's website, except for the courtyard ceiling,  vacant frames, and new addition.**

New Enchantment: John William Waterhouse

I was just on my way out from my cousin's place the other day when my eyes grazed the cover of a John William Waterhouse book. A carpenter/sculpture by trade living with his painter/illustrator girlfriend, these folks have good taste. How I had not discovered the breadth of Waterhouse's work before, I am unsure but I have voraciously researched the subject since this revelation! The book was a great place to start, Phaidon has proved time and time again to be a stellar publisher of all things beautiful (and sometimes edible too). A Pre-Raphaelite, some argue Neo-Classical painter, Waterhouse captures mytical, mystical scenes with all my favorite personages - Cleopatra, mermaids, Greek goddesses, and more. The Brit's works are sometimes romantic, often a touch creepy but always beautiful. I will let the art speak for itself now.

1) Ariadne
2) My Sweet Rose, Undine
3) After the Dance
4) The Lady of Shalott
5) Thisbe, Psyche Entering Cupid's Garden
6) Windflower, Boreas
7) The Crystal Ball, Circe Invidiosa
8) Saint Cecilia
9) Grecian Flower Market
10) Danaides, The Mermaid
Via: JWWaterhouse.com

Wooly, Wooly: A Pendleton Round-Up

Help! I have a serious obsession with all things Pendleton!  Winter is approaching so I find myself increasingly drawn to all things warm and fuzzy. Durning a visit to Portland, Maine this weekend, I happened across a chic boutique whose window display featured one fantastic black and white wool/leather weekender. I already own entirely too many travel bags so I reluctantly passed it by. That said, after feeling a tinge of non-buyer's remorse I was relieved to find it here (also at right), just in case I changed my mind. 

The Oregon-based brand's bright woolen blankets are probably their most sought after offering, perfect for chilly nights. They'd look pretty fab on the wall as well.

These same textiles work wonders on apparel and home goods too. How spectacular is this furniture? The leather accents make it sophisticated but the cozy cushions mean no stick-to-your-skin nonsense.
Pendleton makes many a plaid print but as you can see, the Native American inspired designs have captured my imagination as of late. And I am not the only one. The felted wool fabric has been utilized by many others over the years which makes for some good vintage and new finds. The recent Pendleton for Opening Ceremony collaboration gives these patterns a modern twist on cropped jackets and pencil skirts while some choice blazer and coat Esty finds keep things oversize and classic.

Or how about these two striped affairs via Yuketen and Madewell? I have a fear of primary colors and can't say I feel much towards backpacks these days, yet I'd sport either one of these! 

Better yet, these cushions are covered with reworked blankets for that one-of-a-kind look. Overall, geometric patterns are oh-so-versatile but beware, there is a fine line between totally modern and horribly outdated. My rules: avoid the 1980's by saying no to neon color schemes and use home items sparingly - leave the matchy-matchy  to the ski lodges. Anything I missed? What are your favorite wooly items?

Goodbye Junk, Hello Treasure

Day one of the weekend: remove years of junk from summer cabin and donate. Day two of the weekend: proceed to the flea market and continue junk-acquiring cycle.  I am sensing some irony here. While my family is not going to star on Hoarders any time soon, our relationship with stuff has always been a love-hate affair. Fairly standard I would say for a folks who love all things antique (and have trouble throwing anything away). My grandparents had their newspapers - need a Boston Globe from 1979? You got it. My mother has her boot collection and massive stash of gifts on hand, purchased when we lived in Japan. 
The problem is that unless your item of choice is classic cars or fancy stained glass lamps, chances are the item you are amassing is inexpensive - and inexpensive pretty much guarantees that your collecting habits can continue to infinity and beyond. From coins and stamps to jewelry and shoes, there is always something new to seek out. For my grandmother, it was simply a great bargain and her love for everyday objects that kept her coming back for more.  How else can I explain why the summer cabin alone contained a year's worth of linens and enough dishes to host a decent size wedding? I now know this for sure after helping clean out the cabin as we prepare to er, renovate (ie: knock down the existing, crumbling structure and rebuild anew). As much as I question the use of keeping all these items on hand, I must admit the cabin feels a bit lonely stripped of its possessions.  Luckily the elements I love the most were still intact - my grandma's bedroom, the chair where my grandpa always sat and our beloved croquet set and board games. Some of my best family memories live in this space so it was nice to take a step back and capture everything one last time.

 

PS: It would be silly of me not to share my weekend's bounty. I never thought I'd take a liking to patterned glass dishes but these babies will display as nicely as they will be great molds for some ceramics projects. I found half of these at the Salvation Army and half at the Todd Farm flea market I attended on the North Shore. And last but not least, the mermaid! She is made of cast iron and currently resides in the bathroom which seemed most appropriate, being a lady of the water.