Macrame is making a comeback. There. I said it. Granted I am not the first to declare it but am a big fan. The craigslist/estate sale search for the most over indulgent 70′s piece to put above my sofa (don’t tell my boyfriend) has been on for a bit now. A lot of old pieces have been popping up on etsy and such but they are not all…. as you say gems (this one for example). Sally England contemporary pieces have me reconsidering buying vintage. I know….It was a shock to me as well. Her designs are simplified and elegant. Really letting the knots have their moment.  No fuss with big beads or fraying rope.  Allowing the space to be versatile and not scream ‘hey I’m groovy’. Ya know?

p.s… if you love macrame as much as i do follow her on instagram. you will not regret it.

Los Angeles gets poke fun of for many things but small dogs in big designer bags is one of the most true, kind of annoying one there is (in my opinion). Don’t get me wrong I like dogs just generally not ones I am afraid of hurting if I pet them to hard. To my great pleasure and surprise (for being downtown) I met a full-grown regal Bernese Mountain Dog this past weekend. *note: the pic above is not the dog I saw but who could resist a puppy pic?*  He was gigantic! Sitting tall and proud in his striking black brown and white coat. What a perfectly balanced color scheme. The brown not being to dark to really offset the two other extremes.

Two different ideas of the same vision. The black brick in the first picture defiantly makes for a moody office but really allows the beauty of the wood to be the focus. Granted the white in that space is being cheated a bit being only in the papers but a nice fresh piece of art work would really add dimension to the wall. The second image has a lighter hand with a copious amount of white leaving the black to play a lesser role. Even when the hue is used it is very faded.  A bold patterned kaftan dress would look amazing with the contrast of the black and brown with pops of white. Oh- the dog’s name was Loo, just in case you were wondering.

A few weeks ago now marked my 6th year living in LA. In truth at times it feels like it was just a few months ago my car was pack to the brim and we made our way across the country from Chicago. On the other hand I tallied up all of my various jobs and parties I’ve thrown and there is no doubt it has been half a dozen years of adventure. In that time I’ve learned that a career take time. Realized that what you DON’T want to do with your life is almost more important than finding that magical profession. Come to terms with the fact that people are on different time lines and I will get married and have babies when it happens and not feel pressure to settle. To make my life one I will look back on with no regret.

When I am feeling a little bogged down by it all I play ‘I don’t care’ at top volume, on repeat. The line I scream at the top of my lungs :

‘You’re on a different road, I’m in the milky way
You want me down on earth, but I am up in space
You’re so damn hard to please, we gotta kill this switch
You’re from the 70′s, but I’m a 90′s bitch’

]]> http://beeofdesign.wordpress.com/2013/05/09/you-want-me-down-on-earth-but-i-am-up-in-space-2505/feed/ 1 beeofdesign strength http://beeofdesign.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/mad-style/ http://beeofdesign.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/mad-style/#comments Thu, 02 May 2013 20:31:47 +0000 BeeofDesign http://beeofdesign.wordpress.com/?p=2500 ]]>

Confession: I have a slight obsession with Mad Men. From the very first episode I devoured  the splendid color and vintage eye candy of every shot. From Betty’s plaid kitchen to the chairs in Don’s office (which I have at my dining room table) to Joan’s whistle necklace: everything seem to have a reason for being there. Another confession: The first thing upon waking up on Wednesdays is read Mad Style, a blog post breaking down the previous episode in insane detail with just the right amount of sass. Explaining the historical accuracy, why the character would choose those colors or patterns for the scene and general purpose of storytelling through costume. I’m  honestly not doing it justice. you MUST check it out. It will change the way you watch the show. (you’re not? I mean… you have to!). The only bad thing is that it is a new read for me, only this season. So now I take a trip down memory lane and rediscover my love for the first few years.

Life always seems to be two gears: 1. the warm up, leisure time for day dreaming and catching up with friends. Always secretly hoping for new projects to come on. Getting one self organized for when you slowly transition into a new routine. Then there is 2. the crazed zone, a blur of days where you don’t know how you got everything done because you don’t really remember doing it. When one week passes of not seeing a favorite person and it feels like a lifetime. Does the happy medium exist? May isn’t even technically here and yet it is solidly booked. Okay- It may seem like I’m complaining… but I’m not. I’m simply taking a moment for perspective and realize that the cool down zone will come too soon.

Yesterday was a rare night where I finished my work early and could spend some time on making my business better. I took to my little studio with a drill and level and put up a curtain rod on the best photo taking/afternoon light wall possible. Why a curtain rod? Well to make/sew cool backdrops for little vignettes of course. Having my own creative space is amazing but am always dream of the day where I have an industrial space: creaking wooden floors, drafty windows, exposed beams. Katie, a freelance painter, studio is just my style. Light filled and roomy. Want to see more? Check out Katie’s blog but also more about her studio on A Beautiful Mess.

Welcome to the quaint world of Yelena an awe-inspiring illustrator and story-teller. Not many things can slow my mad pinterest scrolling but the beautiful red head stopped me in my tracks. Each scene has an overwhelming calmness. A deep sigh, if you will. The odd perspective, rich colors and detail is different from anything I’ve seen recently. Clicking through, fingers crossed I wouldn’t be entering a tumblr rabbit hole. Thankfully I was lead to her portfolio and even better her etsy page! Now only problem is picking just one… well for now. The bobbed blond with round glasses is probably the best representation of myself but my inner most desire is to be a flower child in a field somewhere, casting love spells and star gazing. Click on the image for the direct link.

Candles are a tricky subject for me. The flickering of the frame certainly sets the mood but the majority of the time the smell is overwhelming or the container is just pure ugly.  OR if you own cats they become quite curious and may set their tail on fire (True story). Well it’s true for most but Waverly and Irving is an exception. Hand-made in Brooklyn with vintage American glassware. The colors are stunning. There is nothing more to be said! Though it’s true I may have a slight obsession with vintage table home goods. I do work at a vintage plate rental company (you should check out the sale on One Kings Lane). And after it’s all burned up you could reuse the vessel for flowers, wine or a little not so amazing tea candle. They even come with a book of matches!

It seems like every few months I rediscover my love for maxi dresses and post them. I know you are probably like, ‘ does this girl wear anything else?’ um… not really. It makes me feel better/sexy walking around the house in them all day then leggings or pjs. Let’s talk about it. Outfit One: grey t-shirts are also an obsession. My most over worn was bought at a garage sale and I wear it inside out because I hate the print so much but it is beyond comfortable. A simple knot over the gorgeous navy skirt with floral makes me weak in the knees. So easy yet provocative all the while being modest. Outfit two: The day I buy myself a Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress is the day I will know I’ve made it. Everything is so chic about the garment: length, fit, color, PRINT! I could go on. The pairing of the chunky chain isn’t exactly my style but it gives it a more modern feel. Who knows; someday soon I may get out of the maxi phase.

Marie Olsson Nylander knows how to set the mood. Soft and gloomy without being emo. Wonderful textures with washed out greys and whites makes the little bits of color pop that much more. The cool lavender pillows on the bed  is my favorite. Oh, no wait the gigantic brass pendant lamp is. NO NO… the striking black and white photos that are strangely erotic. Marie, you know what I like.

And… I’m back. Well- technically I got back Sunday just in time for the premier of Mad Men (I promise no spoilers but I gasped out loud on several occasions!) and jumped back into everyday life. Just like my man promised, our trip to Detroit was a whirlwind of food and drink. Thankfully we got a few hours to ourselves to check out Ferndale’s local vintage shop Mother Fletcher’s. As anyone would hope it was packed to the seams with patterned dresses, pill-box hats and little vignettes that just made my heart sing.  Bruno and I had a ball trying on outfits we picked for one another, finding some gems along the way. The owner adored us. My man did purchase the coat modeled above 1. because it makes him look like a russian mobster and 2. it was COLD and we were not prepared.

I was so ready to jump into winter clothes I almost got this little number. It fit really well but does it ever get that cold in LA? and it was really itchy. But it’s just as beautiful on the hanger.