Posted by Bluelines

We dropped in (not physically, of course) to ask her if her creative process translated to bricks and mortar.

5 Questions for Jessie Randall, Designer, Loeffler Randall

1. So, is picking out plumbing hardware as challenging as churning out a collection?
Picking out plumbing hardware is the worst. We spent our Christmas vacation buried in plumbing fixture catalogues (Davis & Warshow, McMaster). My husband picked out all kinds of fancy fixtures, but my most favorite are the industrial toilet and urinal we put in the boys’ bathroom. They are so simple and functional. They look better than any of the other stuff, in my opinion. The renovation was a massive project. We have a lot on our plate with the house, the twins and the company. So juggling it all was the hardest part, but it was fun.

2. What one thing do you have to have in your home (even amidst contractors)?
As much natural light as possible.

3. What are you most excited about when the house is complete?
The boys’ room is my most favorite part of the house. I put in a lighted diorama in their room that was modeled off of the one in my friend Bronagh's children’s store in Williamsburg, Sweet William. I also love the color of the walls in the boys’ room, Pensive Sky, a pale grey blue-green that is so calming and relaxing.

4. Taking away anything from the renovation that will infuse your upcoming collections?
I don’t tend to use lots of pattern and print in my collections, but in my house I put up several patterned wallpapers (Osborne & Little, Second Hand Rose, Walnut Wallpaper). I love them and they give so much character to the house. It’s gotten me hooked on prints, so I may incorporate more in my collections.

5. What do you think will be the most often used room of your house?
Who knows? We’ll have to see once we move in. I am guessing it will be one particular area because with two flights of stairs and twins, I am probably going to want to stay put.

Posted by Lena

Volume Two of  "Lines & Shapes," a series of small books I co-curate with Maria Vettese, came out last week.

This book's theme is "block," and it's dedicated to projects created by our contributing artists. I find the projects so creative and absorbing, and hope that others will too.

But I'm especially fond of a section in the back of this book, where we show some of the artist's "favorite things." I thought I’d share images of these pages, which include favorite corners of the artist's homes and studios, and single objects which make them happy.

And here is one of my favorite things (not included in the book). It’s a framed bird print, purchased by my mom at Sears in the 1970s.

Posted by Jodi

I was recently preparing my house for a friend’s baby shower when I noticed the non-curtained French doors in the den provided a great view for guests to my not-so-neat bedroom.

It’s the kind of thing you don’t think of until the door bell is about to ring.

My quick fix: I took a few of my son Sammy’s paintings from our massive collection and taped them neatly with white artist’s tape to the back of the doors.

It was meant to be a temporary solution, but my husband and I love it. (We know we are biased.) I might even laminate the art so I can hang the masterpieces neatly with some tiny eyelets on cup hooks.

Since there is a lot of Sammy art where that came from, we often have “art shows� at our house. (His teacher told me that he “uses up more paper than anyone in the class.�) I was proud, even though I’m not sure it was meant as a compliment.

Our shows are installed in hallways, on doors, and strung on clotheslines under the mantle. One “piece� that is on permanent display over our mantle is a series of his first people drawings collaged and hung in one of Ikea’s “NYTTJA� frames.

They come in lots of colors and sizes. The one above is the large (19 ¾� x 27 ½�) orange one and it’s only $7.99! (One downside with the frame is the plexiglass starts to bow and sag after a while. I plan to replace it with glass.)

Collaging a bunch of your child’s artwork is a great way to capture a series and create a larger piece of art.

Now that my younger son, Lionel, is starting to draw himself, we may have to move to a place with more walls!

Posted by Kerstin

During this important year (presidential election and all), I readily admit that I don't rush to the front page of the New York Times or the Washington Post each morning.

More than likely, I am flipping through party pictures on style.com or my new favorite: a weekly blog feature on New York magazine hilariously dissecting the latest "Top Chef" victim.

See the latest cooked turkey, Spike, below.

I plan to return each Thursday (the day after the Bravo show airs) to read through the silly commentary. After that, I will look through this and last season's archives.

It's frivolous. I am not learning a thing. But a girl needs to ease into the weekend.

Share your online guilty pleasure -- we won't tell your boss.

Posted by Lisa & Rena

A couple of weeks ago, I left Rena alone at Rare Device in the cold and windy San Francisco and headed for one of my favorite spots in the world: California's Mojave Desert.

I flew into Palm Springs (which is a treat itself) and met my aunt and uncle, who live about 50 miles outside of Palm Springs, near Joshua Tree National Forest, in the town of 29 Palms.

A sign entering 29 Palms

29 Palms is a bit of a sleepy town, and that’s what I like about it. I have returned time and time again for its clear, clean air, gorgeous sparse desert landscape, and mountain vistas. There isn’t a whole lot to do there besides hike around Joshua Tree, but this activity alone makes the trip worth it.

Joshua Tree National Park is one of the most special places in the world -- there is nothing else like it on the planet. (In fact, sometimes walking around the park you feel like you might be on another planet).

The famous Joshua trees of Joshua Tree

Before my aunt and uncle retired there last year, I stayed twice at the lovely 29 Palms Inn, a rustic, affordable, and beautiful accommodation in town, near the entrance to Joshua Tree Park.

Besides hiking in the park, there is some great antiquing and thrift store shopping in nearby Yucca Valley. And any kid will enjoy a visit to Pioneer Town, a cool movie set where they used to shoot western TV shows and films. If you like driving around and taking photos of old signs, the expanse between 29 Palms and Yucca Valley are chock full.

An abandoned homestead

Low on pretense and cost, high on hidden charm, gorgeous desert views and fantastic weather (especially in the fall and spring), 29 Palms is truly out of this world.

Posted by Bluelines

Love or hate the label, there is no one who doesn’t appreciate the comforts of home from time to time.

Briton Jane Brocket, creator of yarnstorm, is a self-described “domestic, but not necessarily domesticated, mother of three.�

She shares her twist on stitching, baking, nature, art, and more in “The Gentle Art of Domesticity,� out this September in the U.S.

It’s filled with quirky, warm DIY projects. Whether she is knitting a tea cozy or baking jam tarts, Jane’s approach and accompanying photographs are always done with touches of wit and whimsy.

Witness this pairing of handmade socks and sweets.

And candy-bar-foil bookmarks for your classic novels.

If you can’t wait until September, check out her daily blog and revel in the domestic wanderlust.

OK, one more. A heart-shaped marshmallow.

Posted by Lena

I just got back from a quick trip to Portland, Maine. I was there to work, but spent a big portion of the time eating!

Dining in, dining out... both simple food and sophisticated... it was all so delicious.

Here are some snapshots of my meals in Portland, and a list of restaurants I highly recommend.

FORE STREET
Fantastic local, seasonal food in a beautiful old building.
288 Fore Street

BRESCA
A sweet, intimate restaurant with great Italian dishes, also made with fresh, local ingredients.
111 Middle Street

BLUE SPOON
The perfect place to get a really delicious soup and salad for lunch.
89 Congress St

FLAT BREAD COMPANY
Wood fired pizza with toppings like organic vegetables, homemade maple fennel sausage, and goat cheese.
72 Commercial Street

SARA'S TEA SHOP
This sweet little tea shop doesn't have a website, but the loose teas are wonderful and the homemade scones are to die for.
195 Congress street

I recieved an email the other day bearing some of the best news I've heard in weeks.

One of my favorite culinary TV series, "Two Fat Ladies," is finally coming to DVD!

For anyone who doesn't remember this fantastic British show (which aired back when Giada's decollete was just a glimmer in some TV executive's eye), there's still reason to check it out.

Don't expect healthy twists or 30-minute meals here. Instead, prepare to ride off with Jennifer Paterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright (by motorcycle and sidecar, naturalement) around Britain (and beyond) to prepare seriously hearty meals.

How about joining a hunting party in Scotland for a menu that includes roast grouse and venison with blackberries (episode 5)? Or perhaps you'd enjoy making lobster for a sisterhood of Benedictine nuns in Ireland (episode 14). Soused herrings, Welsh rarebit souffle, onion soup with Stilton, fruit tartlets...the list goes on.

These aren't all recipes that you'd likely rush out and make, but that's not really the point. The settings are verdant and the ladies are undeniably charming, entertaining, and passionate about food.

Even though the show itself is dated, it's novel and refreshing to see them, polar opposites of the squeaky-clean, book-deal-sniffing personae of today's food TV stars, preparing honest food without pretension.

Welsh Rarebit Souffle
Ingredients:
    2 large slices of good-quality white bread
    1/2 pound of high-quality, aged cheddar cheese
    3 egg yolks
    4 egg whites
    1 level teaspoon dry English mustard
    1 vigorous shake of Worcestershire sauce
    1 vigorous shake of Tabasco sauce
    Salt and Pepper

Grate the cheese and place in a bowl. Beat in the egg yolks, a level teaspoon of mustard, a good shake each of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce, and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Toast the bread; whip the egg whites until they stand in stiff peaks. Add a spoonful or so of the beaten egg whites into tothe cheese mixture then gently fold the rest of the egg whites into the bowl. Put the toasts into an ovenproof dish and pour the mixture over them. Bake in a preheated oven at 450 degrees for 10 minutes until browned and risen. Serve at once with a salad or spinach on the side.

Recipe reprinted from the Two Fat Ladies DVD box set, Acorn Media, 2008.

Posted by Kerstin

This year I am determined to conquer the very thing I attempt each time the weather starts to heat up.

Find that one dress that is stylish, classic, and won't wrinkle or wilt in the sweltering city heat.

It's a tall order, finding one garment that can go from the office (add cardigan) to a dinner out (add dangly earrings), to the beach (add flip-flops), or wear errand-running around town (add shopping bags).

So every time Memorial Day hits, I scour catalogs, web sites, and newly-stocked stores hoping it will be there saying, "Look, over here."

Unfortunately, every Labor Day, I discover the same thing. I have bought way too many throwaway dresses that fit no more than one of the above requirements. And most I never want to see again.

This year, I have come up with a few candidates. Tell me what you think.
And be sure to tell me of any you think could be "the one."

Candidate 1:

Candidate 2:

Candidate 3:

Late Entry: Candidate 4 (I forgot about this one)

Posted by Scott

If you are like me and have terrible sneezing fits in the middle of the night, why not treat yourself to one of these guys i found on Etsy?

Optic Blossom

Wallflower

Blue Wallflower

At least you'll be sneezing bedside in style.

I like the lighthearted playfulness of these three, but there are a ton to choose from. Check them out!

Posted by Regan

There's bound to be plenty of parties to swing by this weekend for what many consider to be the official kickoff of summer.

Leave the burgers and beers to the hostess, but don't even think about showing up empty-handed. You can never have too many appetizers, desserts, or drinks at an outdoor shindig; here are some recipes sure to liven things up:

Appetizers: "The more, the merrier," is the general rule when it comes to dip. These are both great choices. Spiced-Up Hummus
Sweet Onion Dip

Bring the ingredients for this easy corn recipe for and you'll be the most popular person at the party. (Feel free to substitute a Mexican cheese such as cotija for the feta in the recipe.)

Dessert: Pies are easy to make (well, if you make one of these pressed crumb-crust varieties they are!) and are also easy to transport. They're also ALWAYS well received.
Espresso Cream Pie has it all -- it's cool, creamy, crunchy, and caffeinated.
Everyone loves Key Lime Pie

Drinks: Who doesn't like an unexpected beverage? These are all easy to make and sure to impress.
This Watermelon Punch is so simple and uses one of my favorite, often underappreciated alcoholic beverages--vermouth.
A Pimm's Cup is the perfect early-summer beverage.
And for the Puritans and the pregnant (myself, included), this non-alcoholic Punchy Cocktail hits the spot.

If you really want to keep the party going, join the Summer Workshop

Posted by Bluelines

Whether you are hitting the beach, heading to the mountains, or just headed to the fridge to enjoy a beer on the porch, Bluelines bloggers wanted to share their favorite new (and old) songs that say “let’s start summer, already.�

If you want the entire mix, we’ve compiled it here.

Happy Memorial Day!
xox Bluelines

“Out on the Weekendâ€�            
Neil Young
“Wouldn’t It Be Niceâ€�            
The Beach Boys
“Summer Dayâ€�                     
Coconut Records
“Sweet Darlin’â€�               
She & Him
“Wasn’t Born to Follow�
The Byrds
“Eye Know�
De La Soul
“Fa Fa Fa�
Datarock
“Let Go�
The Feelies
“Soledad�
Jorge Drexler
“Baba O’Riley�
The Who
“Heavy Metal Drummer�
Wilco
“Easy�
The Commodores
“Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)�
Digable Planets
“Mercy� Duffy “Tequila Sunrise�
Eagles
“Somesault�
Zero 7
“Six Days on the Road�
Gram Parsons
“Flying High�
Jem
“Pressure Drop�
Toots & the Maytals
“What I Gotta Do�
Macy Gray
“Sumthin’ Sumthin’"
Maxwell
“Beautiful Beat�
Nada Surf
“Murray�
Pete Yorn
“Weekend Love�
Queen Latifah
“I’ve Been High�
R.E.M.
“Happy People�
R. Kelly

Posted by Lisa & Rena

We are so excited this week at Rare Device because we just got a fresh shipment of tote bags from Transylvanian Images. They are a green company that imports hemp bags and other items made by Transylvanian villagers.

The totes are made from vintage grain-sack material that was hand processed, hand spun, and hand woven from organic hemp. The fabric content varies from a makeup of 100 percent hemp to a blend of 80 percent hemp and 20 percent cotton. Best of all, they are machine-washable.

The color options are wonderful. It is a tradition in Transylvania that each village woman weave her fabric with a different stripe color so that she will be able to find her sack at the mill.

Great for beach, farmer’s market, and general toting around, you can find our Transylvanian Images totes in our online shop.

Posted by Kerstin

I can't afford much in The World of Interiors May issue.

That doesn't stop me from drooling over the thick glossy pages of images that range from a custom Louis XV Dishwasher-and-sink unit or a sleek Jean-Louis Deniot club chair ( U.S. price: 7,400, without fabric).

But, I don't close it feeling depressed. Why? I found some inspiring ideas and affordable finds.

This palace room, painted with clouds and gold leaf lightning flashes, is not in my future. But, the look has inspired me to make some bolder color choices.

I plan to scour flea markets and kitchen-supply stores to find copper pots to make a shelf or narrow wall like this one at a palace in Portugal.

Instead of paper napkins or the usual washcloths, I am ordering these vintage towels that look like they were given to me by a French aunt.

Honestly, I've never been a fan of cactus plants. But, I've changed my mind after seeing them in these charming, slightly chipped mugs. Now, I can have a green spot while recycling those cups that are unfit for guests.

Posted by Bluelines

In Beacon, New York, this past weekend, a collective of graffiti artists turned a real-estate lemon into lemonade. With a twist.

Electric Windows brought together 24 street artists, including Lady Pink and Smith, and the exterior of a 19th-century factory building in order to create an inside-out art gallery.

Check out some of them in action below.

In addition to the countless empty cans of spray paint, there was live music and a gallery show.

If you missed the action or will be traveling in the area before June 7, be sure to check it out.

Do you like what you see? Why not reach out to your local street artists to turn a worn-down relic into a modern-day masterpiece?

Posted by Page

I studied ceramics in college and then had to put it on hold for 10 years while I was busy working crazy hours, living in different cities, etc. But the desire to return to it never left.

When I moved to L.A. and met the master ceramicist Otto Heino, I realized it was a passion I could no longer put off. Otto was gracious enough to let me work beside him. He learned from the world-famous Bernard Leach and has an incredible story of his own. (Read about Otto and his famous yellow glaze here.) I learned so much from him.

When I wasn't working with Otto, I would race to a local studio and work as many hours as I could each day. I tend to primarily make bowls; I have always been obsessed with their shape. I think that every culture has a beautiful bowl in its history.

I love making the foot of the bowl as much as the body itself (see below).

The large bowl above is by Joan Platt and the smaller one is Japanese.

My husband is quite amused by my collection of antique bowls, bowls by other ceramicists, and bowls I have picked up in my travels. Though the collection has come in handy as a prop stylist. You can always use a great bowl to complete an inspiring picture, whether it's a still-life, an interiors shot, or a picture of food.

I have been influenced by so many different things when it comes to my own ceramics. It may be the colors and shapes I see in nature, wonderful ceramicists that have been at it a long time, old ironstone wash bowls, Japanese ceramics, Scandinavian forms -- the list goes on.

In addition to the artists above, check out more personal heroes:

Taizo Kuroda

Edmund De Waal

Rupert Spira

Gwyn Pigott Hansen

Joan Platt

Matin Gallery sells some of the best ceramics from around the world

Posted by Bluelines

Ideal for city-dwellers and garden neophytes, here's some easy and out-of-the-box (er pot) ideas from our favorite gardener.

Guest Blogger: Margaret Roach

What’s going to fill those pansy and viola pots once the weather heats up and they go by? For season-long color in containers, true annuals (like petunias or coleus) aren’t the only answer.

What I’m using for “annuals� in some tough low-light areas of my garden made their way to my pots from points as diverse as the shrub department of the local garden center; from my vegetable garden beds -- and even from my favorite mail-order houseplant nursery. The best part: All either were recycled from prior garden use…or will be recycled into another spot indoors or out when I’m done admiring them.

These baby fancy-leaf begonias just arrived from Logee’s Nursery in Connecticut, and are perfect for pots for a location in filtered light -- like under a tree. How many annuals for shade offer this kind of nonstop color? Come October, they’ll move inside with me as permanent members of the family (and summer outside again next year).

Begonia ‘Little Brother Montgomery’(below)

and ‘Marmaduke’ (above) are two of my favorites for their leaf color and texture among Logee’s many choices.

To add some structure to my grouping of pots in a semi-shaded spot with the begonias, I bought this little-leaf evergreen holly or inkberry, Ilex glabra. It is hardy in my zone, and I have a spot in the garden for it…but not till after summertime service. I’ve also potted up some small trees trees, like Japanese maples (below), with pansies and creeping perennials at their “feet.�

I always keep a few choice hostas ready to do duty as pot plants, carrying them over from year to year in the vegetable garden when it’s empty all winter, then lifting the big clumps out and popping them into shade pots. You can also buy some hostas for this use -- or one of many other perennials. It’s easy, showy, and the hostas don’t seem to mind being put on display. A favorite for this purpose: the classic vase-shaped blue ‘Krossa Regal (above)’. Variegated hostas are especially ornamental, too (like Hosta fluctuans ‘Sagae,’ below).

I plug in extra bits of golden moneywort, Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea,’ that have outgrown their place in the garden, or snippets of the gold Sedum called ‘Angelina’ (detail, above) to cascade over the rim. Little-leaf ivy (perhaps snatched from a hanging houseplant?) would be great, too. The salvaged snippets of Lysimachia don’t look like much now, but wait: Soon the top pot, about 30 inches wide, will be spilling over. And I didn’t buy a thing.

Heucheras, another perennial, make great potted subjects, and I love using the newer Euphorbias, like ‘Helena’s Blush’ and ‘Efanthia.’ Both would be showy all season at the base of taller things like my maple trees. Use your imagination: Curley parsley would make a similarly great edger below a taller plant, and the whole herb department is filled with good choices…and you can cut off bits for supper, too. Like I said, recycling at its best.

Pottery Sources:
Great mossy, old-looking terra cotta from Campo di Fiori; lead and stone lookalikes of wonderful quality from Campania. In both cases, these are wholesalers; use their dealer locator to find the seller near you.

Posted by Scott

Recently, I have become a fan of Nydam Press on Etsy, especially these Eagle Mirror Linoleum Block Prints.

A framed series of these on one wall would be spectacular. I love how there’s a hint of fancy ornateness to the frame mixed with the craftiness of the linoleum print to bring it back done to earth. That’s my kind of art!

Want more? Check out these other charming prints.

Rocking Chair Print

Italian Greyhound Print

Whale Block Print Card

Note from Bluelines: If you are thinking that our blogger is lazily surfing Etsy all day, not so. In addition to bringing us a constant stream of charming (not to mention affordable) finds, he is a talented stylist who recently launched his own site. Here he is hard at work on a shoot (far from an Internet connection).

Posted by Kerstin

I was in Virginia this past weekend, and a few exits away from the Southern Kitchen (raved about by many food writers as a superb roadside destination).

Although it’s dangerously close to bathing-suit season, I decided this was too tempting to pass up.

Located in the small town of New Market, Virginia, the large vintage sign outside says it all. No trendy food fads have tainted the down-home menu.

House specialties include peanut soup and the friend chicken platter (served with choice of two sides, ranging from the smart (house salad) to the sinful (buttered corn, fried potatoes).

I chose stewed tomatoes, forgetting that most true southern cooks put a half cup of sugar into any vegetable dish. Thankfully, it turned out to be a nice balance to the savory chicken.

I don’t know how they did it, but the fried chicken was the crispiest and most flavorful I have tasted, yet it had no greasy side effect. Note: only one napkin was needed.

And the meat inside, well, let’s just say it was juicy and tender enough to leave the plate clean. (You did see the plate above, right?) About the only unauthentic things? Our charming waitress (from New Jersey) and some of the taxidermy on the walls.

Although the atmosphere and service was no worse the wear because of it.

Posted by Katie

Soon the warm, breezy days of spring will give way to the hot, humid days of summer. Unless you are opting for a Mia Farrow cut, you will need something to keep your locks from going limp.

One solution? a ponytail or bun with some glamour.  I give my elastic hair bands an upgrade with a simple and inexpensive accent: buttons. The ones below were found at Lou Lou Buttons in New York City, but there are other sources such as Tender Buttons, M&J Trimming, or Great Buttons.

They're a cinch to make with the right materials. You will need elastic hair bands, available at any drugstore, jump rings in brass, silver or gold, and a pair of needle-nose pliers. Your fingers or tweezers will do in a pinch.

Simply bend open the jump ring with pliers and attach hair elastic and button (remember the jump ring will need to be big enough to fit around both).

Then, close it up and you're ready. Since there were no hair models around the office, fellow blogger Kerstin and myself opted to show you a few of my favorite creations.