Maurice Bernard Sendak – June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012
Growing up my favorite book was Where the Wild Things Are. I still have my original copy, slightly beaten, read many times and loved tremendously. I felt like I was Max or at least his tag-along friend on a fantastic journey. I loved the drawings and imagined myself as their queen. Max could be my boyfriend and we’d all live happily ever after. I know much has been said about the psychology behind Sendak’s books and illustrations but as a happy go lucky kid, I just saw them as pure fun and fantasy. There was never really a dark side for me. It’s funny how kids can read something or watch something over and over again but that is exactly what I did as a child. I can’t imagine reading any of the books I read now over and over. There is something about being a child and finding the perfect book that just can’t be repeated as we get older. I guess with bills to pay, jobs to go to, people to take care of – a little bit of happy go luck gets lost. Thank you Mr. Sendak for Max and the Wild Things!
“We’ll eat you up, we love you so!”
A hilarious reading by Christopher Walken, just click image to see video
I love eating fresh fruits and veggies especially in the summer. Last year we decided to build our own vegetable garden. We built two 4′ x 8′ boxes. Each season we switch out what we grow and try new things. Not everything is a success and it is definitely trial by error, we are far from experts! Our most successful crops so far have been broccoli and cauliflower. We had tomatoes which only did okay. We also planted leeks, peppers, herbs and cucumbers. This year our selection includes tomatoes, cilantro, basil, lemon cucumbers, melons, squash, eggplant, lettuce and a few other herbs. Sometimes we want to kill our dogs or the squirrels that dig in the planters but overall it has been a really fun experience. Our kids love seeing what new veggie is growing and eating it fresh off the vine. This year I hope we have a bumper crop that lasts all through the summer. We often rely on Sunset Magazine to help with ideas, it is a great resource. What are you planting this year? Any favorites that we must try or special tips on getting the most from your garden?
Remember this?
My little “work room” had become a place to put crap so I decided to reorganize. I took all of the furniture out so I could get a fresh perspective on the space. Then I noticed that I hate the carpet that’s been in there for 10 years. So I tore it out. Then I had crappy plywood floors. Then I figured since the carpet was torn out I might as well paint. Now it looks like this.
My new favorite room.
It was important to keep the desk clear of clutter so I have a place to do projects and wrap gifts, hence the industrial shelving with baskets so I can see that I already have a hundred spools of ribbon before I run out and buy another one.
Necessary components of gift wrapping.
I wanted a place on the wall to pin up inspirations and momentos so I made a pushpin board out of cork squares. I layered some burlap with a sheet of gift wrap that was too beautiful to use on a gift. The “wallflowers” are from Target.com, they’re super easy to put up and come in other shapes and colors.
Waiting to be covered with pinups.
Burlap valance. Yeah, I made this.
I didn’t really need a curtain on the window but I wanted a nice finished look. So I glue gunned sewed this valance out of burlap and used some Simon+Kabuki white patterned cotton fabric for the panels.
My effin’ home office project is finally almost done. I still have one blank wall that needs some loving care but I’m taking a little break to give my addled brain a chance to air out and come up with something supercute. And hopefully easy.
We are working on some new florals here at S+K. We are doing them in a wide range of colors. I am imagining them on fabric especially bedding. I just got my Johnnie Boden catalog in the mail yesterday and our floral patterns really remind me of the fun patterns and colors they use. If you are unfamiliar with Boden check out their website. They are an English company that started in 1991. They are always ahead of the curve with color and pattern and they also have a somewhat retro/vintage vibe. I’ve ordered from them in the past, bathing suits and tops. I love that the bathing suits are cute but not slutty! You can also put outfits together on their website and they have great accessories as well. Here’s a sneak peek of our new floral collection, Fleur Moderne.
I love the fit and patterns that Boden uses on their swimsuits. I need some boyfriend jeans I can roll up with flats and a cute top. I might even wear a dress, I know my hubby would like that!
I know it is winter and in some places there is snow on the ground but here in Northern California old man winter has taken a break. I am totally okay with having 75 degree winter days, no complaints here. It’s fun to hit the parks and beaches and not worry about mud. The dogs can go in and out without tracking mud into the house or car and the kids can play soccer to their hearts delight! In honor of our sunny winter I thought I would show off some of our design collections that are directly inspired but sunny California. And I don’t want to give away our ages but you can tell we grew up in the 80′s!
In honor of our new color of the year, Tangerine Tango, I decided to take one of our popular patterns and adapt it using Tangerine Tango. I started with Mediterranean Dreams (click to see the original blue and green pattern) and adjusted the colors. It is amazing what a difference using new colors makes. The original definitely has a Mediterranean feel to it, soft and soothing, but with orange and pink I felt like I was transported to India with the colorful saris and fabric you see there. There are so many options with using this color and how the different color combinations evoke different feelings. It will be fun to experiment with Tangerine Tango this year.
The Pantone Color Institute just announced their color of the year and it is Tangerine Tango. Pantone is the global authority on color and the originator of the color matching system that established standards for the use of color in manufacturing and print. That means every time you pick a color it will match in fabric or paint. Pretty cool. Orange has never been a super popular color until lately when people have noticed that it pairs great with most other colors. Add it to gray to give your outfit, design or room a pop of color and a modern feel. It also goes great with colors like navy and even red. Add pinks and you get a tropical vibe. It has a friendly happy tone, an instant pick me up. As designers we have always loved orange and try to add it whenever possible. Now we have the proof that we were right all along! Here are some great ideas from home to fashion. I love an all white kitchen and adding just a pop of color or adding throw pillows with orange accents to brighten a room. Have fun adding some Tangerine Tango to your life this year!
For more ideas on adding color check out our Pinterest Boards.
Since it is political debate season, year, month, whatever, I thought I would try to focus on something positive (stop laughing) about politics. No not the lies that are coming out of their mouths nor the attacks on each other, you would think they are all in middle school or high school, so cliquey! And are we not trying to teach our children to not bully? Hello presidential candidates and their PR firms lets cut the crap and lead by example. Enough with the he said, she said, you all need a time out. I digress… The real reason for this post was to take a look at some of the political posters over the last couple hundred years. It might be the one bright spot in the race for presidency. There are some pretty cool ones and it is fun to look at ones that were done so long ago. There are some good designers out there. I also like that lately people have come up with their own versions (as long as they are nice and tasteful. One great example of that is the Obama Hope poster.
Here are some additional places that you can view more posters:
Presidential Campaign Posters: Two Hundred Years
The Library of Congress
