With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas less than three weeks away, it is high time to start decorating the house for the holidays. I have always preferred a more restrained color scheme, and I think glass and silver accented with blue and pale pastels are so elegant and festive.

That’s not to say I don’t include a bit of red here and there, but more on that in another post. In this one, we’re focusing on my latest favorite understated holiday ornament finds:

1. Ornament within an ornament – tinsel star in a glass from Anthropologie

2. “Vintagey” crystal ball with an ornate silver hanger from Save on Crafts

3. Glass ornament with a star and a silvery frame, meant to hang in a window. From Indiska

4. Egg-shaped mercury glass ornament from My White Country House

5. Small silver onion mercury glass ornament from LunaBazaar.com

6. Adorable reindeer ornaments in silver and gold plating with crystal rhinestones and satin ribbons from One Kings Lane

7. Glass ornament with silver decoration and a little glass drop from Lene Bjerre

8. Small silver pinecone ornament from By Nord

9. Glass heart with a pearly snowflake from Pottery Barn

10. Mercury glass and brass ornament from Dommo by Gawor

Yes, that was intentional. I just couldn’t help myself.

I’ve said it before, and I am sure I’ll say it again: The Dutch are so crazy creative and their designs are always so unique – what is it that makes them think not just outside of the box, but way, way beyond it? Whenever I am looking for something highly unusual, I always start with Dutch designers, and they never disappoint

Bertjan Pot is a perfect example. After graduating from Design Academy Eindhoven, he started freelancing and formed the design company “Monkey Boys” together with a classmate, Daniel White. They worked together for a few years, designing furniture and lighting, but eventually parted ways and each started freelancing on his own.

Over the years, Bertjan has designed lots of very interesting, fun and gorgeous items – the pink sofa “Rits”, the beanbag “Pitstop” and the smile-inducing “free potato wallpaper” are some of my favorites.

But his light fixtures are where his design really wows, in my opinion:

The Downstairs, which was born out of the (permanent) installation “Stairway to Heaven” at Cafe Wennekerpand (in Schiedam, Holland) comes with LEDs or regular light bulbs in three sizes (4, 6 or 8 steps)

The Revolving Chandelier (right) is made with propeller-like, semi-transparent and reflective shades, which starts to rotate (and produce a twinkling effect) when the three halogen lamps inside heat up.

Bertjan designed the famous Random light (left) as an experiment in 1999, and the epoxy-soaked fiberglass sphere has become one of his most popular designs (there are countless DIY “recipes” for how to make one on the web).

The mid-century modern-looking Non-Random light (below) came to be when an attempt was made to make the Random light mechanically rather than manually. The machine was unwilling to create the random pattern and the Non-Random light was born.

The Disco Dome is a clean, smooth white on the outside and a disco ball light on the inside – brilliant! I have never stopped loving disco balls, but for some reason, other family members feel that they are “a bit too much” in certain rooms. Well, here is the solution! So fun and festive.

Bertjan has received numerous awards (among them, the 2012 FRAME moooi award), his work has been featured in many exhibits, and some items are part of the collection of, among others, the Victoria & Albert Museum (London), the Stedelijk Museum (Amsterdam) and MoMA (NYC). I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next!

All photos: Studio Bertjan Pot

For samples of the work of some other amazing Dutch designers and artists, also see my posts on Paper Cutting, Warming Metal Wall Decor, Interesting Wall Lamp Designs, Using Curtain Fabric on the Walls, and Baby Nursery Decor Inspiration.

I love the look of those classic, 70s Dymo labels and after many years of being out of vogue, they have become quite popular again. Just the other day, I got an email update from one of my favorite blogs, Fuzzimo, announcing a new embossed label generator. Antoniu, the designer behind the blog, creates and generously shares new, fabulous freebies on a regular basis, but I think this online dymo labelwriter might be my favorite to date.

It’s super easy to use – you just type in your text, choose label color (red, blue, green or black), select text size and voila! Your label is ready for download. Great for blogs and websites, but you can also print them out and use them for anything around the house (or as address labels or with crafts or on gifts – the possibilities are endless). To make my own label stickers, I created a blank word document, imported the labels, adjusted the sizes, and printed them on just regular white paper (if I had had removable labels handy, I would probably have used that). Then I cut the labels to size, and applied them with the help of double sided tape. I think they came out great – thanks Fuzzimo!

I recently discovered the interestingly-named Stockholm (Sweden) real estate broker firm Fantastic Frank. While one might feel that the name is a tad, I don’t know, hokey? Silly? Odd?, they have some really great listings, and what I like most of all is the unusual and very cool photography.

They hire film and fashion stylists and photographers for these shoots, and the result is a mix of “close-to-regular” real estate photos with gorgeous natural light, fun shots with people, and stylish closeups of pretty details. Such a great way to get a prospective buyer’s imagination going. You can really see yourself living in that space; you start picturing yourself with a cup of coffee on a balcony, in the kitchen with your purchases from the Farmer’s market, or in front of an easel working on your art.

Take a look:

For the shoot below, they got Peter Bjorn and John to perform “Young Folks” in the living room!

Photos: Fantastic Frank

For some reason, I have never managed to get all that excited about Facebook; I’m on it, but never check my page (is that what it’s called?). I signed up for Twitter when it first started, but immediately got overwhelmed by the whole concept and have never been back. But Pinterest, oh, what a wonderful (albeit time consuming) addiction that visual feast is! I got an invitation when they just started, but didn’t have time to play with it until recently, and now it’s one of my favorite ways to spend a few spare minutes! A little treat after finishing an especially challenging project or boring house chore. Or while drinking my morning cup of tea. Or a glass of wine in the evening. Or while unwinding from a long day in the office, or…

I love that you can find pretty much everything there, and how easy it is to add images from just about everywhere. And it is the perfect place to create vision boards (or mood boards, dream boards, inspiration boards, whatever you want to call them).

Last year, I went to a fabulous book release event for Holly Becker (of the awesome blog Decor8) at Anthropologie (it was for her first book, Decorate, which I absolutely love). Holly gave a wonderful and inspiring talk about creating mood boards and how to pull inspiration from all kinds of things you come across (pieces of string, fabric, candy wrappers, anything), magazines you read, etc. All great advice, except she suggest tearing out pages with things you like from magazines – well, I simply can’t bring myself to do that.

I don’t know why, but it is impossible for me to tear anything out of or throw a magazine away (at least if it’s in decent shape, I did sadly have to get rid of several boxes of old ones recently that had been sitting in the basement for quite some time and collected disgusting, and probably hazardous, amounts of mold). Instead, I have lists of where I have seen things, scans of images, dog-eared pages, small post-its sticking out of everything, handwritten notes, spreadsheets with links to inspiration, etc. As you can imagine, after a while, things get a bit out of hand and you can’t find anything.

Enter Pinterest. I can’t imagine why I didn’t come up with the idea for that site! It is the perfect solution for people like me. I come across so much information and inspiration every single day online, and now, instead of copying it all and pasting into a word doc or bookmarking the URL (have I ever looked at that bookmark list? No!) it is so easy to just save it on a board, with a little note to yourself. Before you know it, you have a colorful collection of favorites and can clearly see where you’re going with a re-decorating idea, or dream home location, start working towards a specific, tangible goal, and hopefully get that law of attraction working for you (which is the whole idea behind a vision board).

I’m currently working on a few that I have been adding to in my head over many years now: a Dream Home vision board (below), a Swedish Summer Cottage vision board, and a Cottage Home vision board (as well as a bunch of other random likes and wishes – cute animals, wall art, DIY projects, recipes, etc.)

How about you, are you finding it as irresistable as I do? And for those of you who haven’t tried it, you have to check it out! Sign up for a Pinterest invite and start pinning!

Wallpaper has really come back in style with force in the past few years, and while it may be a tad more work intensive to put up, it truly is a great alternative to paint. There are more colors, styles and designs to choose from than ever, and the abundance can be quite overwhelming. Where do you start? What would look good in a particular room?

Color plays an important role in any decorating project and the right choice of shade brings together the entire room and helps you set the overall mood of the space. Neutral colors include gray, white, brown and black, while red, pink yellow and orange are considered warm tones, and blue, purple and green are cool. Today, we’ll focus on the color green.

The Color Green

Green is the color of nature and provides an air of freshness and relaxation. If you want to bring a touch of nature indoors, green wallpaper helps create an inviting atmosphere. Different shades of green provide different benefits: dark green often feels masculine, rich and conservative; light green has been found to be calming, and all shades are associated with freedom, good luck, fertility, rebirth, peace, nurturing, harmony, compassion and generosity (and also a few negative aspects, such as envy and sickness). In chromotherapy, green is used to strengthen the bones, muscles, tissues, immune and nervous systems, help heal the kidneys, and balance the digestion, liver and hormones.

Green is in the middle of the color spectrum, and is very easy on the eyes. They don’t need to make any adjustments (as can be the case with other colors), and we are able to see a larger number of green shades than we are those of other colors. All these facts contribute to making green an ideal decorating backdrop. And it is easy to mix various shades of green, and even several green patterns, in one room without it becoming an assault on the senses.

Green Color Combinations

Any shade of green looks great with white, and green and white is a classic combination that feels fresh and crisp (great for living rooms and kitchens, and even outdoor rooms). Green and brown is soothing and somber (perfect for bedrooms or bathrooms), while green and pink is playful and cheery (adorable in a nursery or young girl’s room). Blue and green looks wonderful together, creating an urban, chic look. I wouldn’t go 50/50 with blue and green though; let one color be the dominant one in the room and use the other for accents. Having said that, in a totally white room (walls and decor), using half blue and half green accents looks fabulous.

Green Hues

In general, darker shades provide a more soothing and calming atmosphere and lighter, brighter greens add energy and vitality to the room. I personally do not like dark green in a kitchen, for example, I like to use even something as intense as a lime green there. It instantly cheers and wakes you up as you stumble in at 6 am to start the coffee. On the other hand, that shade would look out of place in a study or library, where you want to be able to settle down with your thoughts or a good book in your favorite chair.

Pattern

When it comes to patterns, it’s pretty much up to you and what you like. A pale green flower pattern on a white and cream background provides a “barely there” touch of nature. Geometric retro wallpaper (I especially love the ones from the 50s) can have both discreet and really loud designs, and definitely work in modern spaces as well. In fact, Sanderson recently released a whole new line of original and 50s-inspired prints.

Vertical stripes in various shades of green can help a room with a low ceiling feel larger. If you want to use large, bold prints but are afraid they might be too much, try putting it up on just a focal wall. Another alternative is to keep the rest of the decor in the room plain and neutral, making the wallpaper the center of attention. Or try it in a space where you’re not spending a lot of time, like a foyer, or guest bath. Bold patterns in very pale colors are also a good alternative – you get the fun of the patterns without it being too overwhelming.

Tie The Whole Thing Together

If you can find fabric in the same design as the wallpaper, try upholstering a chair or couch in it, or just a few pillows. It will help tie the whole room together, and surprisingly, helps with cutting down on the overpowering look of a very bold and colorful wallpaper.

I love wallpaper and it is so much fun to decorate with it; even simple prints can dress up a plain-looking room, and with the right choice of colors, it brings harmony and life to any space.

What makes something art? Is it beauty? Is it in the eye of the beholder? Is it because it is original and creative? It’s an old question that has as many answers as there are people asking it. A common definition is “The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power” and I have to agree with that. To me, art is a visually appealing (or interesting) original creation, even though it may not always fit the definition of “pretty”.

Here are a few good examples:

Silverware Art

Did you know that many restaurants replace their silverware on a regular basis (at least once a year)? I had no idea, but British artist (and product, interior and exhibition designer) Osian Batyka-Williams did, and realized it was a fabulous opportunity to get inexpensive material for his projects. He creates items like these: a very pretty reclaimed cutlery candelabra and this slightly frightening-looking arm chair from spoons, knives and forks.

Bolt People Sculptures

A former shipyard welder, Arizona artist Steve Appel creates his metal art sculptures using bolts, nuts, ball bearings and metal fasteners. Handcrafted and welded to form detailed figures, the 200 varieties include images of people from all walks of life in their daily routines as workers, athletes, etc. The free-standing sculptures, sometimes with a humorous twist, measure about 4-5 inches high.

Bidum

Artist Laetitia Florin created these malleable wire containers as a graduation project while she was a student at ECAL [in Switzerland]. They are made from fabric-wrapped spring steel and look like huge vases, large enough that a human can fit in them. I find them quite humorous – there is something so uplifting about the way they bounce and move with the slightest touch, and for some reason, they remind me of Barbapapa.

Woven Metal Bench

Inspired by Frank Gehry’s Apple Crate Chair Design, Industrial Designer Can Onart’s Basket Bench is made from1″ strips of brushed aluminum. The interlaced sheets come in three varied sized molds arched and layered over each other, and fixed with rivets at the bottom edge to keep the bench stable. Gorgeous to look at, but I wouldn’t want to sit on it after it’s been in the sun for a few hours…

Wire Art

Frank Plant, an American sculptor based in Barcelona creates 3D sculptures described as “drawings in steel.” Themes range from simple stuff (giant shoes, headphones and corkscrews) to portraits of people in everyday activities (vacuuming, hanging laundry, picnicking, etc.) in black and white. They certainly make for unique metal wall art, and his creations can be found in private and public collections worldwide.

So we started working on this article in March… because March is Adopt A Rescued Guinea Pig Month, and I thought it would be extra appropriate to feature Massachusetts-based artist Lesley De Santis then. However, our crazy schedules got in the way, and we’re posting it now, even though we’re in April already (where does the time go!?!). But helping rescued guinea pigs (and all other animals) and giving them a new forever home is something I feel strongly about regardless of which month it is, so it doesn’t matter.

Lesley opened her Etsy shop When Guinea Pigs Fly in January of 2010 and it immediately became one of my favorite stores. Her paintings, which almost exclusively feature Guinea Pigs, are adorable, and very funny. The Guinea Pigs are often depicted as historical figures (Beethoven, Robin Hood, Schubert, etc.) and many come with a cute little “blurb”.

In this second part of our “interview with the artist” series (the first was Amber Alexander and yes, I do see the trend here – I’m obviously completely smitten with anthropomorphized animals), we get to hear the story behind the Guinea Pigs and get to know the multi-talented, funny and very inspirational Lesley a little bit more.

Lesley, how long have you been an artist?
I’ve always been creative and had artistic tendencies, so though it probably sounds a bit cliché, I suppose I was born one! In terms of being an artist in a more professional light, I’ve only been publicly selling my artwork since I opened my Etsy shop in the beginning of 2010. Prior to that, I had done some pet portraits here and there, and actually illustrated a couple of ballet-themed children’s books that are now making the rounds being put to music and performed by dancers across the country!

Oh, I didn’t know about the books, what are the titles?
Gwendolyn, the Graceful Pig and Gwendolyn Goes Hollywood (they’re under my maiden name)

How did you get started as an artist?
If you’d peeked into my home during kindergarten, you’d hear me asking the same question day after day after day. “Mom, what should I draw?” haha. I had my big pad of newsprint paper and my baskets of markers and I’d sit and draw all the time, but I’d always struggle coming up with ideas. Over time, I enrolled in some outside-of-school art programs to teach me new mediums to try and help me learn how to ‘see like an artist’.

Are you self-taught or formally trained?
I’m mostly self-taught. I grew up in a very small town and in addition to my school having a limited arts budget, most kids didn’t take art class seriously, seeing it more like a study hall, which made me sad. I didn’t go to art school (though I thought about it, and still may someday!). But the thing that transformed me the most was actually an open studio program I attended in late middle school/early high school led by a wonderful, enthusiastic, free-spirited woman named Patty Dugan as our mentor. She helped me to free my inhibitions about painting big (though my illustrations are small now more out of convenience for making prints from them), and often had me painting on canvases over 4′ tall. She would come and stand with us and help us to try to see shapes and values of light and shadow, rather than trying to paint what we thought we were looking at. She inspired me and lit a fire under my artistic abilities that I didn’t know I had.

Most of your art features Guinea Pigs – why Guinea Pigs specifically?
That’s a great question! Guinea pigs just tickle me like there’s no tomorrow. I had never paid them much mind my whole life, growing up with only cats for pets in my house. Once I got to college, I adopted a hamster and fell in love with him (rest in peace, William Wigglesworth!). I’m not sure what made me want to look into guinea pigs, but I was browsing Craigslist one day and looking at the pets, and this baby guinea pig at a local shelter was on there. Something in my heart told me he needed to be in my life, and now looking back on the journey since then, it turned out to be so true. Something about that little guy just melted my heart, and he opened up my eyes to the world of guinea pigs! They’re so cute, and sweet, and I love the sounds they make. Their little floppy ears and their teeny lower lips…it sounds ridiculous but I guess they turned into my muse! haha. They just make me smile.

Cattie: I absolutely agree, they are the most adorable little creatures, and so sweet.

How did you come up with the idea of Guinea Pigs as famous historical figures?
My first guinea pig painting ever was ‘Superpiggie’, the main image in my Etsy shop. Next came the guinea pig floating with the balloon. And then Beatrice Buttercream and Cheswick Tiddlywink, the Victorian couple. I was sketching in my sketchbook and just thought portraiture of guinea pigs dressed in period costume was a really hilarious concept. I was doodling little ideas for different ‘proper piggies’ and somehow Mozart came to mind, with his frilly shirt and gilded jacket. And when I realized that Ludwig could actually become LudPIG…it was all over.

LOL. Speaking of Ludpig… I love all your paintings, but my favorites are “Ludpig Van Beethoven” and “Robin Hood”. Do you have a favorite piece or character from your own art?
Aw thank you so much! Hmm… I think one of my favorite pieces is probably the birthday party. Those little characters all have such strong personalities, I can feel who they are and want to explore more pieces featuring them. For individual characters, I’m kind of partial to Ferdinand in the reindeer suit. His little back story that came to me lends him to more outfits in future paintings. And he’s just so excited haha.

So can we expect to see more of the same characters in your art?
I hope so! I think the birthday party gang is definitely going to continue to have more picnics (I just created a new piece last night actually with them having pancakes!), and Ferdinand will have more costume parties to attend. But I also have ideas for other characters that have yet to appear. We’ll have to see what happens!

What is your creative process like?
I tend to be very sporadic with things and I may make several drawings and paintings within days of one another, and then artist’s block creeps in and I creatively dry up for weeks or months. Sometimes it’s nice to just sketch and see where my brain takes me, and other times I’ll see something on Facebook, on TV, or elsewhere in my travels that inspires me and gives me an idea.

When I am in a good ‘flow state’, generally I’ll sketch my idea on drawing paper, often starting over a bunch of times (guinea pigs, as simply as they’re shaped, are actually really hard to draw sometimes!). I’ll chip away at it until it looks how I want it, and then if I’m doing a watercolor, I’ll trace my pencil drawing onto watercolor paper. I used to press my paper against a window to trace, or in moments of true desperation…the oven door with the light on haha. Thankfully this Christmas my parents gave me a light table! If it’s to become an acrylic painting, it gets more tricky because I use canvas. So I’ll prop the pencil drawing up and try as best I can to draw it over by eye in pencil on the canvas.

Do you ever have to push yourself to be productive?
CONSTANTLY! Ohh my goodness it’s my tragic downfall. Like many artists, my brain and life are a bit of creative chaos. I’m currently working with an AMAZING creativity career coach named Michelle Ward (whenigrowupcoach.com) who is helping me to figure out where I’m headed and how to establish goals, embrace my whim-oriented tendencies and somehow stay more productive throughout!

Is painting your full time job?
Not at the moment, and I’m kind of glad. I’m a bit of a Renaissance Soul, meaning I have many many interests that all vie for my attention at different times. My career is in a transition period right now from having a more corporate past to more fully embracing and trusting my creative side, so while this may never be full-time in the traditional sense, it’s definitely a big part of my life and will continue to be!

Cattie: I can totally relate to the renaissance soul thing, you should see the number of unfinished products I have lying around the house (I actually have two copies of Barbara Sher’s “Refuse to choose” because I thought I had lost the book and bought a new one, and then the first one surfaced!).

Lesley: I love that book!! It totally kickstarted me to exploring what it means to be a ‘scanner’ and I found the exercises so helpful (and, as you can probably imagine, I got sidetracked and didn’t keep them all up, hahah. oh the irony). I recently bought “The Renaissance Soul” by Margaret Lobenstine and I’m looking forward to digging into that too.

Cattie: Oh, I hadn’t heard of that one, must check it out. Thanks for the tip!

How does a painting come together for you? Do you finish them in one sitting or are they work in progress for a while?
Usually I do my paintings in one sitting. Sometimes I’ll come back over the course of a few consecutive days for a few hours at a time. It’s rare that I give up on a painting, but I have one of poor little Marie Antoinette that I have probably painted over about 10 times and still can’t get right. All those folds of silk in her dress, ahh! I’m determined to finish her eventually!

Is there a message you are trying to convey with your art?
I don’t think I have a cut-and-dry message, per se, but more of an inward intention. My goal with the artwork I create for When Guinea Pigs Fly is to make people really happy when they look at it, ideally even make them laugh aloud. That’s how I know if a sketch will make it into a painting. I’ll show it to my husband, and if he laughs, it’s a keeper, and if he doesn’t, then I need to keep tweaking it. I kind of live for that ‘burst of joy’ reaction, and I’ve had the real treat of selling my artwork in person just a couple of times and getting to see strangers’ reactions (particularly children!). For some, this might seem a bit safe, like I’m not pushing the envelope and making people think. But for me, it kind of is! It’s bringing people’s attention back to their inner child, showing that there is still so much joy on this planet, and that joy spreads like fire. I want people to see my artwork and forget their stresses and worries for a moment, to feel like their day is a little brighter, and to maybe give the humble guinea pig a second look.

Cattie: You’ll be happy to know that that’s exactly what they do for me: they make me smile and forward links to them to everyone I know.

Lesley: aw thank you so much! that makes me so happy

What inspires you (besides Guinea Pigs)?
Oh my goodness if I listed it out your website would crash! hahah. I just love being alive and living on this beautiful planet and all of the possibilities and mysteries that surround us. Nature inspires me greatly and I don’t spend enough time out enjoying it. Animals, particularly cute ones, are probably pretty obvious inspiration for me! Seeing a play, going to a museum, or taking a walk to a local farm are all things that fill me up with new life for creating.

Do you have any favorite artists?
I’m still getting acquainted with current artists…there are so many to explore and Etsy is making that a fun journey of discovery! I love Beatrix Potter and only recently looked into her work more fully. A couple of people told me some of my art reminded them of her, which I felt like I couldn’t even accept such a high compliment! I got a book of her work out of the library and practically wept from the cuteness on every page.

Dallas Clayton is endlessly inspiring. I also love the work of an artist I just recently discovered named Jen Mann. She does amazing work combining people with animals and that dynamic is something I’d love to explore more outside of my whimsical illustrations. Other Etsy artists I love are Belle and Boo, Splodgepodge, The House of Mouse, Holli, Myko Bocek Studios, gosh there are so many. I also love fashion photography and spend a lot of time admiring portfolios of talented young photographers like Emily Tebbetts, Parker Fitzgerald, and others.

Cattie I’ve often thought your work reminds of Beatrix Potter too, especially the “Birthday Party”.

The Birthday Party

Do you do custom work (say if someone would like a painting of their own Guinea Pig as a famous character)?
This is a tricky question because I have advertised that option here and there in the past, but currently I’m not doing custom paintings (I say this now but it may change!). Since I do sometimes find it hard to stay motivated, and…and this may be kind of surprising… painting, particularly the acrylic style that I use for the portraits like Beethoven, doesn’t come easily to me, it’s tricky for me to offer custom commissions without getting nervous that I will take too long/not be able to deliver at the level I want to (that Marie Antoinette painting is haunting me!!).

What is the hardest part of being an artist?
Struggling to feel clear-headed and not second-guessing myself. I find when I haven’t drawn or painted in a long time, the idea of doing it gets bigger and scarier until I’m stopped in my tracks. Keeping the momentum going and focusing without pigeon-holing myself is a challenge I face often. It’s also hard to ‘stay the course’ of creativity and not be lured back to a more unfulfilling day job promising financial stability.

And the best part?
Knowing that people all over the world are smiling because of something I’ve created! It’s such a powerful concept, and makes me feel so happy!

Do you do any other creative “things”?
Yessiree! In addition to visual art, I write musicals (one is here: http://alicemusical.com and another is here: http://www.nctcompany.org/tortoiseandhare/), play piano, sing, and I’ve tried my hand at a batch of cold-processed soap or two (hoping to do more with that!). I’ve previously done some theatre, both onstage and off with acting, accompaniment, set design… but I can’t dance for beans haha. I also love to write and I’m looking forward to hopefully launching a website soon in support of living a creative life.

Cattie’s note: Lesley was previously the resident composer, accompanist, and music director for Cellar Door Stage in Stoneham, Massachusetts. In the past, she has served as accompanist and music director for the Stoneham Theatre, and has been a composer and music director for the Kidstock! Creative Education Center in Winchester, MA.

I thought I had an overwhelming to-do list, but you have more projects going on than anyone I know! (the Etsy shop, musicals, a blog, Squidoo, Bounding Leap, keeping up with social marketing…) How do you stay on top of it all?
Hehe that’s a great question that I often struggle with, myself But in the true Renaissance Soul style, I’m not usually doing allll of those things at once (whew!), and some are no longer really actively happening. For example, I’m proud of launching Bounding Leap, but my career’s headed in a more artsy and musical direction now. It was like I proved to myself that I could do it, but I realized I was more interested in the planning and launching part than the actual growing and maintaining the business in an area that’s not as creative as what I typically pursue. It’s nice to have my co-founder there so if she’d like to develop it further at any time, it’s an option for her. And right now, for example, I’m not actively working on any new musicals. I don’t doubt that at some point in the future I’ll return to it, but I’m in a little musical lull at the moment. Thankfully the interests often overlap, wax and wane, and I’m working with my career coach to try to feel okay with that and not put so much pressure on myself to do everything at once (or choose anything permanently!).

Final question – what’s next? What are the plans for the future?
Time will tell, I suppose! As I continue to work with my career coach, little tidbits of what may be ahead are sprinkling in. As I mentioned, I’m working on building a blog/website celebrating unconventional living and creative entrepreneurship. I’d also love to write and illustrate some of my own children’s books, even if I self-publish. Maybe some more musicals. I’ll also be attending a puppetry workshop this spring and would love to get more involved with that. (I made a puppet video in February that got a positive response. I’d always shrugged that pastime off, but secretly wished I could be on Sesame Street someday…so I’m gonna see where that goes!) I just want to share my ideas and work with others and see what happens. The excitement for me is seeing how it all connects and what unfolds!

Cattie: That video is HILARIOUS! I especially love the guest appearance by the cat.

Thank you so much Lesley for taking the time out of your (insanely busy) schedule to answer all these questions! You have really inspired me, and hopefully my readers, to not be afraid to try new things, welcome and embrace new ideas, and believe in your talents and passions.

If you are interested in adopting or fostering a Guinea Pig, contact your local shelter (you can also find available animals in your area on Petfinder.com), but before doing so, please make sure that you have the space and time to make your new friend’s home the best it can possibly be. Guinea Pigs are very friendly and social animals who need a companion (in the wild, they live in large herds), so please consider adopting two, and make sure to spend a lot of time with them. They need a constant supply of good quality hay to stay healthy, a large cage with a solid floor, a house to hide in, food and water, and lots of time to exercise outside of the cage.

All images are courtesy of and © Lesley De Santis

Cloches, which are also known as bell jars or bell glasses (“cloche” is French for “bell”), were originally invented to help hold in moisture and protect tender plants from harsh weather, insects and other potential hazards. In gardening literature, they were first mentioned around 1630, and they are listed among mandatory garden tools and equipment in John Evelyn’s Elysium Britannicum, or The Royal Gardens.

Either it’s because I’m seeing them everywhere or because spring has come very early this year, but I’m feeling a new obsession coming on. I think they are so pretty, not to mention versatile. If you’re not lucky enough to have a garden (or don’t have any interest in gardening), you can still use them to display everything from photos to jewelry to holiday decor, or just as little sculptures all on their own.

The most common material is glass, but they do come in other materials as well, such as plastic, ceramic, metal, wire, etc. Most have a finial – either a traditional little “button” one, or in fancier designs (birds, fleur de lis, pinecones, etc.).

These have become very popular in the last few years, and you can find them in many decorating stores. Flea markets and vintage shops are also great sources.

Here are a few favorite finds:

Collage by Decoration Decoration

1. Gorgeous DIY chicken wire cloche (tutorial on the website) by Carol of Raised In Cotton

2. Glass cloches with antique silver finished aluminum and brass bases from Pottery Barn

3. Mercury glass cloche with inscription in French from Jeanne d’Arc Living

4. Recycled glass cloche with a dark brown wooden base from Louise Interiör

5. Large metal wire cloches with deep planter bases and bird finials from The Green Tuffet

6. Glass cloche with a mirrored black wood base by House Doctor, via Inreda.com

7. White Iron Filigree Fleur-de-lis cloche from Save On Crafts

8. Etched glass cloche with a metal wire base by Danish company Krasilnikoff from Faster Safiras Bod

9. Ceramic cupcake stand and Scalloped Bell Jar with a bird finial by California artist Whitney Smith

10 . Clear glass cloches with slightly elevated wood bases from Restoration Hardware

11. Glass cloche with pedestal base in terra cotta by In The Garden And More

Since Helsinki is the design capital 2012, I thought it would be extra fitting to shine the light on a few Finnish brands this year, and first out is one of the largest jewels in the Finnish design crown: Marimekko.

I have always loved Marimekko, and growing up in Sweden in the 60s and 70s, you saw their patterns all over the place. My Mom had a fabulous dress that sadly got lost (or, gasp!, was thrown out!) in one of our many moves, which irks me to no end!

The Beginning

Marimekko, today one of the most well-known Finnish brands, was founded in 1951 by Armi Ratia. Armi was born in 1912 and in her early twenties, studied textile design at what is now the University of Art and Design in Helsinki. After graduation, she started a small workshop and hired weavers to produce her designs.

By the time WW II ended, Armi was married and worked in Helsinki as a copywriter. Her husband, Viljo, who had just left the military went into business with a friend. Their company, Printex, produced oilcloth fabric, and did quite well, but at the end of the 40s, the business was struggling. Armi, who had been helping out as a consultant all along, suggested that they switch their focus from oilcloth to

Unikko

modern fabrics. They hired their first designer, Maija Isola, creator of over 500 patterns, among them the famous Unikko (interestingly, Armi had dismissed all flower patterns, saying she did not like them and that they were not in line with what Marimekko was all about, but Maija designed Unikko anyway. Armi liked it, and it went on to become one of the most iconic of Marimekko’s patterns), and Printex started producing fabrics with her designs.

At first, sales were slow; it seemed the public was not interested in the bold, graphic patterns. Then Armi had what turned out to be a brilliant idea: she teamed up with designer Riitta Immonen and put on a fashion show (called “the Marimekko project”) with dresses made from the fabrics, to stir up business and showcase what people could make themselves with the Printex fabrics.

The show was a success, BUT it wasn’t the fabrics people were talking about – it was the dresses. Armi realized this was a great business opportunity and in 1951, together with Riitta Immonen, she started her own company, Marimekko Oy (Oy is the Finnish equivalent of “company”). More (young) designers were hired and given free hands to create, which resulted in many more unique, bold patterns in vivid colors. Business was picking up, and the company opened its first store (in Helsinki) in 1953.

Going International

Marimekko started gaining popularity in other parts of Europe as well, and their first store abroad opened in Stockholm in 1960. Their big international break however, came when Jacqueline Kennedy started wearing their dresses, and the 60s was the company’s heydays. Armi Ratia was a very charismatic person and became a favorite of the press, resulting in lots of free PR.

The Good Life

Things were going well, and business was booming for the next couple of decades. Armi enjoyed every minute of the success; there were rumors of wild parties, where visiting artists and designers were entertained lavishly for days on end, and everyone would come away with new ideas and inspiration (and presumably hangovers!). Her plans for Marimekko, which she described as a “cultural phenomenon guiding the quality of living” included the ambitious project “Mari village” (Marikylä), which was going to be a small village consisting of a Marimekko office building, lab and factory, as well as housing for the company’s employees. Only parts of that plan came to fruition, and the project was eventually abandoned.

Marihouse, revealed 1966

By now, the company was growing at an incredible pace, but there was little control over the cash flow. In 1966, Printex merged with Marimekko to make bookkeeping a bit easier, but by the late 60s, it was clear that changes had to be made. And not only on a business level; Armi and Viljo divorced, Viljo left the company and Armi spent even more time working and developing grand plans for Marimekko.

The Difficult 80s

The successes continued in the early 70s, then, Armi became ill and after a short battle passed away in 1979. She had been the face of the brand, as well as the force behind it, and her death was a big blow for Marimekko. The 80s was not a good decade for the company, and her heirs ended up selling their shares to Amer Group. It turned out to be a bad decision, and by 1991, Marimekko was on the brink of bankruptcy.

Back On Top Again

Kirsti Paakkanen

Luckily, Kirsti Paakkanen, who after a long and successful career in PR had retired to the French Riviera, felt the urge to return to Finland and the business world. She bought Marimekko and in just a few years, turned it completely around, back to its old glory days (and better – five years after she took over, the shares were selling at record prices).

NYC flagship store

Today, they are coming out with new designs and products on a regular basis, and are constantly expanding, opening new stores all over the world (a new flagship store just opened in New York City in the fall). But aside from a few people, the company’s board is all Finnish, and all fabrics, clothing and accessories are still made in Finland. Kirsti Paakkanen thinks that that, along with the fact that good, unique design is the most important part of the company, is the key to their success.