Antidote to the Snuggie!!!

I know what you're thinking--it's soft, it's warm it's only $19.95 and it comes in fashion patterns like zebra and tiger! Listen to me--NO! May I suggest some alternatives to the Snuggie? Here at said we have beautiful throws priced from $59 to $285. A black wool mohair throw from 18K is as luxurious as it is beautiful, and is priced at $75. This would make a fantastic gift this holiday season. For $59 we have a soft light wool throw that comes in a lovely variety of colors and my personal favorite is from Kelly Wearstler for Sferra is a 100% Merino wool throw in a faux bois pattern that is to die for! This one runs $285 so it is really a special gift.

We like these dining chairs from Nathan Anthony with the nailhead trim. They are not oversized so you can comfortably fit six around a dining table without feeling squeezed and they are available in a variety of fabrics.

I wish all you dear readers a wonderful holiday season and the most wonderful New Year.

Cheers!

Sue

Bird by Bird

The days are definitely getting shorter. Today it is dark and rainy and I just feel like curling up with a glass of wine and a good book! Speaking of books, my blog title today, Bird by Bird is taken from the book of the same name by Anne La Mott. If you have never read it, I would most certainly recommend it! I loved it for several reasons; one it is about procrastinating, something I know quite a lot about. Second, Anne LaMott's writing style is laugh out loud funny, and lastly, I love birds, and although very little of the book is actually about birds I had to throw that in! Put this book on your must read list.

Bird by Bird came to mind today because I have acquired the coolest bird paintings that I currently have in the shop. The artist is Jay Hill, and I find his simple depictions of birds (and horses) delightful and also easy on the budget. One thing I feel really strongly about is if you can buy original art, you should! Why settle for poster art or reproductions when there are so many wonderful artists right here in Portland. If you are not in Portland, I bet there are lots of artists where you live as well. Almost every town has some kind of First Friday or First Thursday art events. Check it out in your city. Make that a resolution for the coming year, that you will buy at least one piece of original art in 2010. Hey, that's way easier than losing 10 pounds--right?

I also wanted to show you a line of furniture that we are carrying here at said-- it is Nathan Anthony Furniture. There are lots of fabrics to choose from, the size can be customized and they also have a green line called Envi that is getting lots of great press! Come in and test sit our love seat here in the shop. We would love to order one just for you. It is super comfortable--and now that I think about it, the perfect place to curl up with a glass of wine and that book! On that note, Cheers and I will see you next week.

Back on the Blog!

Hi Everyone--

Well as you can see, I fell off the blog bandwagon, and I realize that it is very much like exercising. If you quit, it is really hard to start back up! So note to self, don't procrastinate, BLOG! Even though it is now incredibly old news, we did have a fantastic time in NYC. The plays were great, the food fantastic, museums inspiring; it all went by too fast. We could have easily stayed another week. If you have never been, go to New York, there is nothing like it.

Fast forward and Thanksgiving is bearing down upon us! Can you believe it? It's time to get ready for entertaining, holiday dinners and decorating! In the shop right now I have a beautiful dining table the perfect size for large dinner parties. The armchairs are a pair of fantastic Hickory White modified wing chairs upholstered in a heavy linen. The scale is a little oversized and it creates a stunning effect at the table. Of course they are beautiful as living room chairs too, but I really liked them paired with the dining table. On the tabletop I have a wonderful set of vintage dishes. As you prepare for the holidays think about what you have. Do you have a set of dishes that you rarely use--or does your mom? If not think about looking for vintage dishes that you can mix and match. Remember, you don't have to wait to inherit dishes--they are readily available at estate sales and thrift stores or here at said!

Thanks for reading, and I promise to not fall off the blog bandwagon again!

Cheers

Sue