casapinka

Goodbye summer

Goodbye summer dress.

Hello winter cardigan. I'm psyching myself up because this summer weather can't last much longer. The realist in me suspects I'm going to wake up in a snow bank this weekend. In the meantime, some goals for this week:

1. Finish another sweater design

2. Figure out how to motivate myself to write up these designs. Math. Columns. Measurements. Zzzzzz.

3. Finish this book

4. Learn to take better pictures (unfinished wood and sunlight glare that we have here = BAD.) 

4. Go to a corn maze with small children. Leave corn maze without raising my voice once.

5. Limit myself to two blackmail threats per child per day (as in, if you don't eat some dinner you can't wear your viking helmet for your school picture next week.) 

5. Drag out all the winter woolies and store all those cute summer blouses...switching a dress for a cardigan isn't really a reason to pat yourself on the back, Pinkster. UGH, I do not LIKE green eggs and pulling out musty clothes and washing them, kvetch, kvetch.

Cherries in the Snow

This is my first official sweater design (I'm still writing up the pattern) which I'm calling Cherries in the Snow. Yes, it's pretty literal and contrary to what you're supposed to do according to Project Runway. 

Can't you just hear Tim Gunn? "I'm concerned, Pink. Are you really going to hang those godawful cherries from the hood? They look like those fake testicles that rednecks attach to their tailpipes in Alabama! Prepare to defend yourself when Nina tells you it looks like Hello Kitty exploded in Forever 21." And the photo below finds me outside Parsons The New School telling Joan Rivers with a wry chuckle, "That's what they said about the sock monkey!"

Anyway, I'm soooo happy with it and Juniorette has asked me to knit her a matching one, always a good benchmark. The yarn is soft, soft wool - called Lark from the new company, Quince, and isn't itchy at all - I wore it last weekend and it was like wearing a soft little cloud!

 

Feeling Blue and White

I've wistfully been looking around at houses; I miss doing my own decorating. Unfortunately, our apartment has wallpaper over plaster (in textured white, go figure) and the nails don't stay in the walls.  It is also very dark, making photography almost impossible. Ok, so enough with the pity party, let's indulge in some design fantasizing instead! I'm craving a bit of blue and white this week,  and hopefully this time next year I'll be elbow deep in paint and tiles! Designer Kate Ridder's bathroom is small but punchy and I love the nod to Morocco.

 This kitchen has made the rounds for a few years but I still love it. The glossy blue subway tiles are like gemstones, and while I'm probably not brave enough to ever have a marble countertop I would love one.

This  could be done with little difficulty but isn't it sweet? Some wood, some blue and white and a cute little clock make a kitchen very charming.

Finally, I am so in love with this white kitchen - but my love is for the potential rather than its current state. Don't get me wrong: It's lovely and I'm sure many people would like it the way it is, but with my brightly colored dishes and maybe some pink flowers or stripes on the whitewashed floor...oh my, I can't even imagine how much I'd love this space. I'd also  put delicate curtains on the top of the French doors. Oh, and that four oven Aga - well...no words at all for that. One day, Pink, one day. But honey, we could cook a turkey, collard green casserole, chocolate cake and burritos at the same time while heating the house.

Scandinavian Pretty

The Swedish shop Cosas should really be in my neighborhood (in case they're looking for unsolicited feedback.) I like how the wall letters, above, spell "EAR" - sort of random and thought provoking, right? Hmmm, perhaps I read too much into these things. And Dala horses - I'll never tire of them; that ceramic cup in the last photograph is beyond adorable and I'd love to keep my toothbrush in it. 

Home in Uruguay

I discovered this Swedish website via sfgirlbybay. I just love Scandinavian design. That being said, it appears that this home is in Uruguay but it could be a hotel called Uruguay, or Uruguay, Texas for all the Swedish I speak! I thought you might enjoy some gorgeous design inspiration to end the week. I love all of the raw elements in this home, the simple wood and personal keepsakes are just so charming. Even if you're in a tiny apartment like I am, I hope this post inspires you to do a little something to feather your nest: Clean off your dresser, cover the seat of that flea market chair. I'm going to cover Juniorette's little study table with pretty oilcloth. Don't you find that the energy in your home improves exponentially when you take time out to improve your surroundings, even just a tiny bit? Each improvement builds on the last until you live in the space of your dreams (which does not have to be a four storey townhouse in Notting Hill. Have a peaceful weekend, everyone!

Disney Souvenir

 Husband bought this for me last month while we were on vacation. Now, people of my age don't really expect (or want) souvenirs on a trip to Disney World so this was a delight. Juniorette was with me in the bargain section of Anthro when I tried it on and apparently reported back to Husband. I can hear her now..."Daddy, I don't think mommy wants another Buzz Lightyear thong but there's this really pretty sweater over there in the corner... 

 

Today

Today I am: 

1. Enjoying the smell of this mint tea candle.

2. Listening to these folks, self described as "Somewhere between a 1930s Cuban dance orchestra, a classical chamber music ensemble, a Brasilian marching street band and Japanese film noir."

3. Considering the purchase of this book.

4. Preparing yarn for tonight when I meet the ladies for a Sylvi knitalong. I'm so close to finishing!

5. Admiring this bookcase (can you tell I took the kids to Ikea last night?) I secretly think of Ikea as Grandma and Grandpa. Ikea feeds them for a song and lets them watch a movie while eating. Meanwhile, it feeds me hot soup and dark chocolate. It then lets them play in a life sized Dutch shoe and jump in a massive pile of balls while I shop. It does this for an hour and a half if need be and even takes them to the potty! Finally, it bids them goodbye with an ice cream, and hands me smoked salmon and crab pate (for a date with Husband) and it reminds us to breath deeply and enjoy the moment (which we do on the way out - it's our tradition to sit on the floor by the escalator and watch everyone go by.)

6. Knitting, knitting and more knitting. I'm so close to finishing my second sweater design which I can hopefully share with you next week. Enjoy your Wednesday, friends!

Brimfield

Saturday dawned sunny and cool with two children bouncing off the walls. It became clear that there was a need for an exhaustingly fun activity that would involve driving (I can zone out and listen to music while they play I Spy) and a lot of walking, with some yummy food thrown in and perhaps some retail therapy. Well, what better solution than a spontaneous trip to Brimfield, the largest antique/flea market in the world? 

Luckily, I threw a stroller in at the last minute or Junior would have lay down at the lobster roll stand and refused to move. You can see his outgrown overalls that he salvaged from the "outgrown" pile and insisted on wearing. And I can't tell you how many people asked me if the pen mark on his face was blood but I do have to say, despite his flood victim appearance, he is quite the bargain hunter. He scored that vintage fire engine for $5, where it was $65 at another booth! Juniorette got a little bisque doll with nasty polyester hair but she adores her which is all that matters. I bought some vintage wallpaper and that's about it. Pushing Junior with one hand, carrying a camera, bag, drink and dog sized fire engine leaves little room for anything else! What a wonderfully fun spontaneous trip that was and we will return next year, hopefully when we have a house to furnish.

 

Polka Dot Mailbox

We were driving around some small coastal towns a while back and I saw this gorgeous mailbox. This is why I love Rhode Island. That, and if you wear an enormous crimson flower in your hair or a chapeau a la Isabella Blow, people just get it, pretend to get it or plain ol' don't give a toss. Don't you want a polka dot mailbox?

Permanent Magenta

 Can you even stand it? I've posted about my friend Margaret before, but I was at her house yesterday and saw her latest painting and just had to post it. I love the idea of having a painting of the RAR chair, either behind the real deal or on its own. With a 36X36 of this behind your couch, what more would you need in the room? Lights, true enough. 

 We were at Margaret's and our kids were playing earlier in the week. Juniorette was quite upset at Junior after he called her a dum dum head and kicked her out of the fort.  She's a sensitive kid and before you suggest it, telling her to pants him outside his preschool class just won't make her feel better (I've tried.)  Taking teary eyed Juniorette by the hand (while I schooled Junior), Margaret marched downstairs to her studio and said, "Here you go. Hang this in your room for a while and when it sells you can trade it for something else." Needless to say, a pink dress to hang in one's room is the holy grail of the 7 year old girl set (see the other one here but don't tell her about Junior's antics)  and snapped her right out of her pouting episode. Aren't I so lucky to have a friend like that?