Art Love - Betsy Podlach

I wanted to pay homage today to an artist whose work I find to be completely and utterly mesmerizing...

I feel beyond lucky to own an original piece of this artists work...

and count it as a purchase I will never do anything but be incredibly thankful for.

That pink hat and those haunting eyes...heaven in my books.

Here's Ms. Ophelia....as I like to call her...in my living room...

I adore her.

She truly is enchanting and makes my entire living room come to life.

I wish I could show you in photos the real beauty that is her face...hard to come across in pictures...her eyes seem to follow you as you move around the room...but not in a spooky way...in a moving/soulful way.

A look through Betsy's portfolio, and one can start to see how incredibly arresting her work really is...

 Most of Betsy's work is large in scale, which makes it even that much more captivating...you can see more of her gorgeous portfolio HERE.

Doesn't get art just give you goose bumps?

Does me.

xo

Designer Spotlight - Commune

Good Monday morning peeps.

I had a cray-cray weekend...lots of good fun but I'm sort of oldish, and 3 days of fun in a row means an equal number of recovery days.

So....the party recap will have to wait and for now, I'm going to shower you with pretty portfolio pictures.

I might not even write anything...though I know (thanks Blog Podium;) that not presenting your point of view is bad blogging, I'm just not sure I have the energy to really think clearly today...And besides, I do sometimes think that pictures speak for themselves...and thanks to Commune Design, I can use that excuse to inch my way out of thinking this morning.

Ha.

So let's get to it.

I'm sure you've all seen this facade...

...which PS, will be the colour scheme of my yellow house once my bank account recovers from #pkg...which might be never but one can dream;)

Anyhoo...I know most of you have seen it...along with this one...

...the stair side of it that is...I've never seen the shot of those farking fantastic dining chairs.

Well it turns out that both these shots come from inside the same house and thanks to Commune, there's also this 'good as good gets' pretty...

...which PS, makes my knees buckle...if ever I longed for a giant leather chesterfield, it's now...thanks to this.  I'm also digging the slightly gimmicky movie light- totes works in here... partially because it's beside a pretty leaning mirror, which as a rule, acts like super hero in any room...I'm of the belief that a large mirror (preferably ornate) instantly rescues any space/makes it waaaaaaay more resistant to evil ugliness...I think the same thing about gorgeous antique carpets...want one...or 5.

Here's the dining room...

It's a little moody glam to float my personal boat but I certainly wouldn't throw it out of bed for crackers.

I'd also happily shack up with most of the homes/rooms in Commune's portfolio...like say this beauty...

...it feels like the man/bearded version of the pretty girl chesterfield room above...all moody and dark...handsome.

Same with this one...

...black walls and yellow office chairs...perhaps a little buzzy as a colour combo but most definitely arresting in its entirety.

And on the flip side of the coin...i.e. back to the girly end of the spectrum...i.e....my favourite feminine pink/ornate/maximalist side....the Juicy Couture showrooms...

I will tell you that my brain is hurting from thoughts of the things I'd love to do to my house, thanks to the inspiration above...starting with an Aubusson/Persian in every room...and a giant hunting painting that's framed in gold for my yet to exist office...you know the one...it's coming as soon as I maybe...you know...get a job or something.

I'm also thinking that lacquered pink something must probably find a place in my abode...perhaps in the master closet...hum....I wouldn't mind a dash of the plaid wall to wall carpet either...SJ's room?  Along with the Perroquet paper...are you reading this Meredith?

So...it seems as though I can't simply give you pretty pictures...apparently my brain is just too damn tangenty (god I love made up words...see...another tangent) to every let that idea slide.

As always, I digress;)

You can see more of Commune's pretty HERE.

xo

Congratulations !!!

After a beaucoup fun night, I'm up and ready to divulge the winair of the fabulous Milk & Cookies pillow giveaway.

So...without further ado, congratulations....

{via}

You Me + Sophie...you've won your choice of two pillows!!!

I'll be in touch via email;)

A big thank to everyone who entered and remember, Milk & Cookies is offering 15% any pillow in the shop for this weekend only so get buying my friends...trust me when I say, you can never have too much cushion pretty!

xo

These Were a Few of My Favourite Things

I'm home for a quick bleep before round 4 of my weekend fantastic continues.

So far, I've been to:

1. A Business of Design party, hosted by the fabulously talented Kimberley Seldon...PS, she's he-larious...so speaks my language...also...if you're in the design industry, this website/resource is a must!

2. The Interior Design Show opening night gala....PS, way too many pretty gay men in one place to focus on much else.

3. Blog Podium...PS, learned so much and can't wait for the next one...apparently the next panel will discuss blog monitization...ears perked...god knows I'd love to figure out a way to really make this venture PAY....hard!

And tonight...it's the Canadian Design Bloggers meetup...PS, that's party, party fun time...the ladies and I are even getting a limozeeeene...only because Toronto taxis are a total rip off and it would cost us more to pile our bums into a stinky cab as it would to get a stretch 7 seater...it's hard to believe but the return taxi ride would literally be at least $50 bones more than the limo...ridiculous.

Anyhoo...it's going to be tres tres fun.

I'll post photos of the whole weekend soon but in the meantime, here's a little snapshot of the standouts for me at the design show...these pretties all most definitely caught my eye.

Gold bowls from Elte...the perfect warm hue...would be perfect on top of a small stack of books on a coffee table or on a hallway console as a key/change depot...getting one.

These rugs from Elte are actually made from Saris that are all sewn together with silk...I DIE a thousand glorious deaths.  Remember my earlier thought about monitizing...let's just say employment really must happen just so I can farking buy one of these rugs....I need one...like really...tell me I don't...rug gods...are you hearing this?

These Japanese  paper prints...so pretty and feminine...they can be purchased at Open Studio in Toronto...a fabulous source for original Canadian art...on my list of places to visit verrrrry soon.

Um...this is wallpaper people...are you still breathing? I passed out when I walked up to the 

Mushaboom Design booth (will be posting more about them this week).

Each pattern is hand drawn, painted and then transferred into a digital file that can be adapted to any palette.

All I can say is that my mind is reeling with thoughts of that left pattern in a paler pink, mint, pastely combo...can you see it? I CAN!!!!

Rug Company nirvana.  

How fabulous would these be in a teenager's room? My big girl would volunteer babysitting services for months for one...and that's saying alot folks;)

She's probably have to child mind for the next 20 years to pay for one but details people.

I snapped this one without noting where it was from...slap my hands...I'm blaming the fog created after seeing a large architectural pink velvet chair...I can't be held accountable for such things...only natural.

In any event, it's a reeeeeal good chair...if you're into minimal/every piece must be sculptural and arresting...this piece is most definitely for you.

Kate Thornley-Hall carpet pretty...I'm sad that I didn't get a shot of her newest venture...large scale wallpaper...de-vine people...think giant crowns and huge scale damasks in baby pink...glorious.

And with that, I'll say ta ta for now.

I've got a mall to hit...need a little skirt action for tonight's festivities.

Oh and before I forget, make sure you link over to my latest Milk and Cookies pillow giveaway if you haven't already entered...the draw is tomorrow!

And I've got another treat in that regard...Misty, the very talented owner of M&C, has offered up 15% off anything in her shop (this weekend only)...use promotion code IDS12 at checkout.

Later lovers,

xo

Drama

Hair is done.

I'm not blonde anymore.

And here's the good news...so far (and it's only been 12 hours so things could chage) I kind of maybe, sort of love it...makes me feel kind of bad ass.

It's got me thinking about punchy stuff that's a little different from the norm...because god knows, after 30 years of blonde hair, this new do is most certainly a whole different can of kidney beans for me.

Here's what I mean...

It's not everyday that you see a large brass gazelle holding a red velvet purse...and PS, I still NEED a brass animal...and when I say need, I mean it...gazelle gods...hope you're listening...I wouldn't mind the purse either.

Moldings...I don't have to say anything more about that.

Chrome bed...ah-maaazing art...schwing!

Hotness and sex..that is all.

With a name like Lulie Wallace and the talent to paint a picture like the one above, me be loving her hard.

I. MUST. OWN. THIS. PAINTING...I probably can't but wow...the colour and roughness of it...pretty and ugly all mushed together in a gorgeous art fantastica...love.

Why on god's green earth would you have a boring white bookcase when it can be hot pink and blue?

Crushing on this hard and PS, a certain master closet might be getting something a little apropos of this very soonly:)

If I could marry floors and moldings, it would be these.

And if only I could speak french...I'd so rip the family from their comfy beds and move to Paris...just for the apartment bliss.

Ridonk modern kitchen, antique fireplace, hood...gah.

And since we're on the kitchen front...let's discuss this...aside from the white gloss/brass House and Home favourite and my own #pkg, this is definitely a top 3 all time favourite kitchen...that hood makes me weep...as does all that black millwork.

Perhaps a little over the top for this cat but for realz...stuff to learn here...emerald velvet, floors, mirrored cabinets...check and check.

All. of. it.

Twin chionoise day beds in a living room...yes thank you please.

Nicole Cohen {edit...the hair dye must have affected my brain - I originally posted the bloody wrong shot- sorry Nicole...this one is what I had meant...and PS, it's more gorgeous than the first;you're my hero for hand painting that fabulous on the walls...sort of want to try something similar in my playroom area...maybe in pink?

Black and white giant houndstooth, in pussybow blouse form..yup.

{via}

Oh Daphne Guinness...your mirrors, cray art and red velvet make me feel all warm and gushy inside.

And since my parents don't have Twitter or Instagram, I must end this drama parade with the 'after' shot of my attempt to jump the normal ship...

And mom...I know you're reading this and your ticker tape is saying "eee...it's awful dark" ...don't worry...it's a little brighter/lighter in real life;)

So what say the rest of you...do you like a little 'out of the norm' in your house...space...life?

I'm embracing...hard.

xo