fergusandme

winter light at york minster

2012-01-09T13:06:00.001-08:00

#york #minster #england #winter light #lakbdesign
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

~ those medieval architects, designers and stonemasons -not to mention town planners- certainly knew a thing or two about building ~

robin hood's bay

2012-01-06T17:50:00.001-08:00

robin hood's bay
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

a few days ago, we were here: robin hood's bay, on the northeast coast of england -- formerly a cosy cove for smugglers and pirates, but today more likely to host families and dog walkers. lovely (although deceptive -- when i snapped this photo, it was a slightly quieter moment on a squally, wet, and windy day).

x lynn-anne

Kickcan & Conkers: L'Affiche Moderne Giveaway

2011-12-13T19:10:00.000-08:00

if you don't know about deborah beau's beautiful blog, you should --- and she hosts lovely giveaways, too :)

Kickcan & Conkers: L'Affiche Moderne Giveaway: La Parisienne Surprise, Surprise! I have some wonderful news for you tonight. Les Amis The very talented Pepillo , of Plic, Ploc, ...

tad carpenter - genius illustrator

2011-12-09T17:43:00.001-08:00

images via tad carpenter

check out this whimsy - a fun little video introducing tad carpenter, one of my favorite illustrators - genius! perfect stuff for loads of places, and games and holiday cards besides ... love it, and i hope you do, too.

x lynn-anne

friday flickr faves: britainalia, the best of everything british-y on flickr

2011-12-01T20:06:00.001-08:00

britainalia, the best of flickr
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

*please click through for links to all my fabulous flickr friends whose work these images represent*

hey, any guesses where my head (and heart) is wandering off to these days? yep, not such a tricky question, really :) off to britain in a few weeks for the happiest of holidays as my second to littlest sister mairead is getting married to her lovely alex. can't wait.

x lynn-anne

natalie's living room, or, what you can do with some fab tag sale stuff

2011-11-30T18:15:00.001-08:00

natalie's living room
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

a few weeks ago i did a little styling at my friend (and sometimes design client) natalie's pretty, old colonial house. natalie and i actually met at an estate sale, and like me, she loves to use her fab finds, along with family pieces and the occasional new thing, to create a warm and pretty home for her sweet little family..... lovely, no? and how about that gorgeous pup :) love him.

so, head out to an estate sale this weekend. it's fun, and earth friendly (recycling!), and it'll help you find ways to make your house as cleverly chic as natalie's. good luck!

x lynn-anne

first weekend of the holiday season, 2011

2011-11-28T09:09:00.001-08:00

first weekend of the holiday season, 2011
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

one more, just because i think it's pretty and i have promised myself that i'll blog every day. new year's resolution, a bit early ;)

Old and new Christmas things on the top of our lockers #hipstamatic #lakbdesign #whynotmakeitpretty

2011-11-27T18:14:00.001-08:00

Old and new christmas things on the top of our lockers #hipstamatic #lakbdesign #whynotmakeitpretty
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

i'm trying not to go crazy with the decorating this year ... but i had to get out this past-its-best-but-still-so-perfectly-kitschy tree, and i like the way it looks on top of these old lockers. it brings back some sweet, and long ago memories -- watching my dad untangle our (two) strands of lights, his lanky 6'4" frame stretched out on the floor of our little scottish living room -- that's one of my earliest Christmas memories (that and my mum's delicious cakes), and then, - the breathtaking moment of surprise when the room lights go off and the sparkling tree is all that's left ... i think simple lights are the best thing about decorating for the holidays.

x lynn-anne

christmas in a wythe blue room

2011-11-27T06:26:00.001-08:00

christmas in a wythe blue room
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

hello everyone....

i hope you're having as much fun at your house as we are here! it's been a lovely weekend, with our oldest home from college and plenty of time to do a little decorating, craft up a storm, see a couple of movies, and, of course, eat. we've also managed to catch up on an avalanche of laundry. and today? more decorating (outside and in), more crafts (pompom garland!), more eating (made the first gingerbread of the season last night), and yes, more laundry (have to send Nathan back to harvard with only clean clothes ;)

love to you all, and best wishes for stamina and strength in this lovely but exhausting time of year

xx lynn-anne

we're ready for halloween tomorrow ...

2011-10-30T20:57:00.001-07:00

Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

and you ?

Hands down weirdest thing at #HPmkt- #blueoceantraders -genius importers- have this odd stack of #vintage baby dolls from #india .... um.

2011-10-29T12:12:00.001-07:00

Hands down weirdest thing at #HPmkt- #blueoceantraders -genius importers- have this odd stack of #vintage baby dolls from #india .... um.
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

freaky, no? happy halloween!!

treasured.

2011-10-08T19:47:00.001-07:00

treasured.
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
hello -

it's been ages, i know. life gets so busy, and i've been working on lots of design projects, which i love, but i'm starting to think it's time to have a little more time with the people i adore -- my darling husband and our four precious kiddos. so i hope you'll bear with me as i try to figure out my life (again) ~

x lynn-anne

rock painting: a craft eminently suitable for uncertain economic times ;)

2011-08-20T05:12:00.001-07:00

caroline was painting rocks today
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
most of us can find a couple of (free) rocks in the yard or on a walk. most of us have at least a few old tubes of paint. ergo, most of us have the makings of a fun little project -- for free. perfect for down market times, and you're limited only by your imagination, which is (hopefully) abundant, and also free. and these sweet and lovingly crafted things can be recast as gifts - paperweight, anyone? (but no throwing stones, no matter how cranky you get ;)

happy saturday! i'm off to do some work, then cupcakes and ice cream with the entire first grade, and all of this to be topped off by a soccer tournament ... it's lovely to be a mom ;)

x lynn-anne

x

in the playroom today

2011-08-14T20:30:00.001-07:00

in the playroom today
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

i like this space in our house -- it's a room with lots of uses, from entry (our side door opens right into it) through playspace for teddy, our six year old, to hang out space for tv watchers and storage place for soccer bags and cleats and backpacks and gloves and goggles and even games; it's also a space full of repurposed things, from a fixed-up-with-old-quilts sofa, to a vintage breadbox with wheels used to store hot wheels to an assortment of estate sale art, to a set of old lockers stuffed with kids' stuff (sprayed a fresh blue at the auto body shop), to a tree stump (from our yard) turned side table, to an antique, very primitive cupboard piled high with games and decorated with this month's postalpix .... just perfect.

IDA Interior LifeStyle: Flickr says it's Friday {random pics}

2011-08-05T16:38:00.000-07:00

IDA Interior LifeStyle: Flickr says it's Friday {random pics}: "Hello everyone, it's Friday, time for ' Flickr says it's Friday '. But before, a little update about my house searching. In the past weeks ..."

thanks to the lovely ilaria for featuring us along with some pretty awesome company ...

happy weekend!

x lynn-anne

festive times in the playroom

2011-07-25T17:23:00.001-07:00

festive times in the playroom
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
or, another day, another decorating cliche ... ;)
but seriously, i made bunting for the fergusandme shop, and since my lifelong hopelessness with mechanical objects has now resulted in the disastrous snarling of the thread on the sewing machine, i was forced to conjure a no sew method (always the best, find) ... also, i'm prominently featuring a really sweet little vintage folding stool that i bought at an estate sale a while ago for a client -- it was in rough shape, but we cleaned and sanded and painted it yesterday, and it looks splendid, i think. and it has that fabulous folding action (this one's for you, amy, if you're reading ...)

x lynn-anne

in the playroom

2011-07-24T20:41:00.001-07:00

in the playroom
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
this sofa's slipcovers have been washed a million times (henry and fergus, our dogs, like to lie across the pillows waiting for people to walk up the stairs behind pillows; plus, people who shall remain nameless sit here wearing mud encrusted cleats and soccer kit .... anyway ..) and rips and holes were starting to appear .. all of this meant time for a sofa revitalization project. so i got some of those recycled indian sari quilts that are pretty much everywhere right now, as well as some pillow covers, and i took off all the too-stuffed original down back pillows, then wrapped the cushions in some bigger quilts, et voila! newly fun sofa! (the longest & most tiresome part of the project was vacuuming under the cushions - yuck).

here's hoping the next project you dream up is just as easy ...

x lynn-anne

in country living may 2011

2011-07-24T09:14:00.001-07:00

in country living may 2011
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
our house, with thanks to photographer extraordinaire lucas allen, stylist natasha louise king, and country living

in june, and july

2011-07-23T21:10:00.001-07:00

in june, and july
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

hello!

i thought i'd resurrect a fun little thing i've done in the past, where i make a bighugelabs mosaic captioned, for example, "at home in june". so i started trolling through my flickr uploads from june, and although i found lots of "at home" shots, very few of them were of my home (they were mostly the homes of clients that i store, marked private, on flickr so that i can easily access them from any device) ... and in fact, most of the shots were of anywhere but home ... i guess we haven't been here much this summer. we've been at the lake, visiting museums, zoos, and all manner of odd places, having a birthday camp out, going to auctions and estate sales, shopping the Atlanta market and stocking our shop.... busy days indeed, and probably the best way to spend this rather fleeting summertime. i hope yours is just as full of fun and love and silliness ~

x lynn-anne

little c. 1960 vintage cake topper & candle holder train for a little one's birthday cake. sweet!

2011-07-06T21:06:00.001-07:00

little c. 1960 vintage cake topper & candle holder train for a little one's birthday cake. sweet!
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

we found this yummy little beauty at an estate sale - it was in its original box, and in perfect condition (except for a smidgen of presumably ancient chocolate frosting stuck to one of the tiny wheels .... love it :) i've been finding and giving special vintage-y things as presents for a while now -- seems more meaningful (certainly more meaningful than a gift card) as well as more compelling and interesting, and sort of responsible, as it's reusing old stuff.... what do you think? isn't this the perfect thing to wrap prettily and pass to a friend or family member whose little boy is in the throes of typical toddler and preschooler train mania ? i like the idea. i love that things that were once a treasured part of one family's celebrations can live on in usefulness, bringing a little bit of retro, non branded sweetness from the past into our modern lives -- silly, but that's me ;)

x lynn-anne

in the shop today - fergus&me

2011-06-27T13:52:00.001-07:00

in the shop today - fergus&me
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

life is quite mad at the moment -- i've been very busy keeping the shops stocked and the design clients happy (not to mention keeping the kiddos happy, too) ... hoping your summer is full of color and crazy-good stuff so far -

x lynn-anne

sunset silhouettes, avila beach, california

2011-06-09T09:29:00.001-07:00

sunset silhouettes, avila beach, california
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
last week, my oldest son (nathan; that's him on the right) graduated from high school. while i'm excited and proud (and i still have three more at home, including a rising first grader), i'm feeling a little nostalgic for some earlier days, and this image, taken at avila beach on the central coast of california, sort of says it for me. it's a very special place.

happy thursday,

x lynn-anne

these moments: that priceless summertime backyard discovery

2011-06-08T21:56:00.001-07:00

First blueberry harvest that the wild bunnies didn't eat - he can't wait! nothing tastes sweeter than berries you grew all by yourself ;)
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

..yesterday, we found the very first blueberries that we've gotten to before our sweet wild bunnies nibbled them all to bits. teddy was thrilled, promptly gobbled them (all three!), and pronounced them delicious. hooray for summertime, and blueberries. here's hoping we get some more before the bunnies do ~ !

x lynn-anne

2011-05-19T19:25:00.001-07:00

WIP: we often make these tree-stumps-on-casters stool/tables (esp when we have to have a tree taken down;( but this is the first time I've gotten creative with the finish ...
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
WIP: we often make these tree-stumps-on-casters stool/tables (esp when we have to have a tree taken down ;( - recycled right off the ground into something cool .... but this is the first time I've gotten creative with the finish. even if it was just some random pie slices (wish i'd thought to make them represent some piece of the proverbial pie, but i didn't).

anyway, nest time one of your trees has to come down, remember that you can make yourself a quick and easy log stool on castors ... love it.

anstruther seafront, scotland

2011-05-16T08:32:00.001-07:00

#anstruther #harbor #Scotland
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

don't you love the world of easy artistry in photography that iphone apps have opened up? and yet, maybe like me you miss the effort in post processing that used be required to turn a pretty shot into something really special?

happy monday!

x lynn-anne

mum and me, somewhere in Scotland, late 1960s.

2011-05-15T14:45:00.001-07:00

mum and me
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
i meant to post this on mother's day or thereabouts, but it didn't happen for one reason and another. my mum gave me this photo a few months ago, and i must say, i really love it - her pretty sixties self, the pretty scottish hills in the background, the suggestion of a picnic, the feeling of beginnings - that silver cross pram!- and the fact that this was probably taken by my dad, gone far too young. ... it's a beautiful image. the old adage is that a picture's worth a thousand words, and to me, this one sure is.

i'm wishing you lots of lovely afternoons with people you love ...

x lynn-anne

wythe blue room on a rainy afternoon.

2011-05-14T08:51:00.001-07:00

wythe blue room on a rainy afternoon.
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
this little sitting room is right off our kitchen -- together these two rooms form the hub of our very busy home life.
as our family changes and the children grow, and we need more of some things and less of others (like more craft table space and less toy storage) ... so i change this room little by little, or sometimes a lot, to suit our needs. right now, we've got a big old farm table for crafts and writing and building lego starships, two small vintage settees for sitting and talking and catching up, and a lot of extra chairs for the inevitable friends,
i think the point is to go ahead and make your space reflect your family's loves and needs: move things around, find new uses for old things, and celebrate the now, rather than getting stuck with what worked last year, or what will work next year. speaking of which, i've got some revamping to do in our all-purpose entry/living/laundry/play room .... ;)

have a happy saturday!

x lynn-anne

tumblr_lkt1x5cymz1qzia3x

2011-05-11T09:33:00.001-07:00

via Gem2niki.tumblr.com

i was quite excited to find today that Poyo Yo Doodles on Tumblr used one of my images of Teddy's room as a speed painting subject ... apparently she did this in 38 minutes ~ very clever!

i love pretty surprises like this ;)

x lynn-anne

In the fergus&me shop at post & gray - fun things, old & new

2011-05-04T14:12:00.000-07:00

just in case you didn't know: about pinterest, a place to find the most amazing and lovely things

2011-05-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

via bettybroccoli.tumblr.com

happy tuesday, (hopefully) happy people!

apparently i'm in a party mood, as the images i've chosen for this post are all party related, so here goes ...

in case you didn't know, i wanted to let you know about pinterest, a super, searchable site where thoughtful (mostly) people post, or 'pin', images from all around the web ... spectacular images, like this one, of party planning, kiddie things, travel destinations, decorating ideas, the cutest tiny chairs, or hats, or puppies ... you get the idea. it's easy to search and carefully categorized. so, for example, if you're planning a wedding, or a nursery, or just a new pendant light for you bathroom, you can rummage through other people's 'boards' of favorites -- it's like rummaging through the brain of a bunch of cool, connected friends for ideas - perfect!

i've got a bunch of boards (but there are so many more inspired ones) - including the hopefully aptly named "kid cool", found here ...

that should give you a jumping off point!

my apologies for the hours and hours you'll lose to pinterest ...

x lynn-anne

via sweetapolita.com

via lmnop.com.au

via popandlolli.com

wythe blue room - bargain hunt

2011-04-27T19:48:00.001-07:00

wythe blue room
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
in the fergus&me family home today, our kindergartner teddy practiced his writing on the slate fireplace in the wythe blue room today -*why not?*- .... and i found a sweet dwell studio mandala pillow at target for $20 (on sale; run, don't walk ...! they're adorable). this little spot is also sporting a slipcovered $75 estate sale sofa, a pretty chinoise table (from the habitat restore), a honeycomb gilded mercury glass lamp with a burlap shade from jamie young co. (okay, i admit it, that was pricey) & a piece of art from natural curiosities -it's four bees around a hive :)-, a fireplace stocked with plenty of vintage lincoln logs (ha, ha) and couple of old tonka toys from the thrift store (LOVE that winnebago!), oh, and a selection of estate sale and thrift shop goodies, as well as polaroiods and another natural curiosities print on the mantle. comfy, cosy, perfect family space. why not make it (your space) pretty (cheaply)?

x lynn-anne

nostalgia.

2011-04-25T08:59:00.001-07:00

nostalgia.
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
one of my favorite memories -ever- is of a golden day, the kind of buzzy, flowery, glorious day that i think happens mostly in england, a day that my husband and i went adventuring by ourselves all through somerset and down into devon. that day, we picked the tiniest, most delicious, and most perfect strawberries at a somerset farm, and ate them together in the car, dipping them into a fresh little jar of clotted cream that the farmer thoughtfully provided for sale. it was a beautiful afternoon, one to remember.

-yesterday, we went berry picking with all our four children -a minor miracle as the two teenage boys tend to scorn in-town adventures- and the whole afternoon at that sunny berry farm in north carolina my head was buzzing with nostalgia for that long ago day, before children arrived ... (not that i would exchange the two, for anything).

easter mantle in a wythe blue room

2011-04-20T20:41:00.001-07:00

easter mantle in a wythe blue room
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
i don't have much patience in my own home for formal, planned mantle arrangements - we're a busy, even slightly chaotic, family of six, not to mention the menagerie of pets, and everyone has a collection, an art piece, something that they want to display, so i generally just put something new up every week or two, and let the thing evolve. a few days ago, i dusted off this sweet sweet vintage illustration (it was done in the 1950s by a local charlotte artist who was creative director for a department store, presumably the original for a newspaper spread advertising children's easter outfits) and popped it up here. i've been amused by what has cropped up underneath it: a pirate cove photo in a hand illustrated frame - my kids made that for mother's day for me years ago:) - a pottery nest by alec, who's now 15; some polaroids, a whimsy bunny out of a red rose tea packet; a save the date for my sister's wedding; some fluffy chicks; and gaily wrapped german chocolate chicks and bunnies, presumably put there so henry and fergus the dogs don't eat them ... ah, the joys of a creative family! and an easy mantle arrangement! wishing you and yours the happiest of holidays! x

new letter k

2011-04-20T06:18:00.001-07:00

new letter k
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
hello again! i'm over my (months long) writer's and creativity block :)
thanks so so much for being patient.
today's effort is our smelly shoe and cloakroom (can you tell I'm british originally?) where we also play and fold laundry and watch tv, sometimes - yes, one might call it a multipurpose room - anyhow it now has a fun and bright light up letter k from design legacy. hooray! ,akes the smelly soccer cleats a little easier to bear :)

happy wednesday!

x lynn-anne

2011-03-02T19:23:00.001-08:00

tweet
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
i'm terribly sorry i've been so slow to post ...
i'll try to do better!

if you do want to keep up more regularly with the madness that is lakbdesign and the fergus&me family, you can tweet me @lakbdesign, or follow me on instagram (a free app!) @lakbdesign_fergusandme, or on flickr, also at lakbdesign/fergusandme .... there's lots to see from me in the microblog world.

all my very best to all of you,

x lynn-anne

spring is here ... possibly...

2011-02-17T14:56:00.001-08:00

Our #pussywillow is blooming ! #faux #spring but still pretty
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
trader joe's had these irresistibly fuzzy pussy willow plants last week, and sure enough, teddy and i just couldn't resist. after a week of gently rubbing the fuzzy buds against his cheek, he was shocked this morning to find that the buds had burst into a semblance of flower... so we talked about spring, and he gets it, but he'd still rather have the fuzzy buds....

oh, and if you have an iphone, and don't have the (free!) instagram app --i used it here-- you should go get it right away. it's got lots of lovely filters and it's a fun way to see the work of very talented people from all around the world. if you get instagram, and you should, i'm at lakbdesign_fergusandme.

happy snapping,

x lynn-anne

what I'm doing today - painting eames chairs for a school fundraiser with 90 kindergartners - so much love & energy

2011-02-15T16:34:00.001-08:00

i'm so sorry i've been painfully absent ... so much to do, so little time.

i spent today in the company of teddy and his kindergarten classmates, not to mention some lovely and talented teachers and moms, working on a fundraising project for school -- we had the kids choose and paint elements of a garden (get it? kindergarden ?:) on the outside of a repro eames rocker (here without its base) ... you can see the one i did late late last night at right ...) i'll keep you posted as to how much we raise!

please bear with me! in the immortal words of arnold: i will be back ~

x lynn-anne

The week that was: savannah, shop, and sweets

2011-02-06T17:44:00.001-08:00

The week that was: Savannah, shop, and sweets
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
so last week, i was: in savannah (not really the sleepy southern town you'd think it is); checking out new artists at the SCAD (savannah college of art and design) shop -always tres cool-, snabbing a daisy-laden 1960 tv tray table for caroline's room (from a friend -she had 2!), styling my newly relaunched and much larger shop, fergus&me @post&gray (too too many ampersands, i think!), making off with some most excellent mid-century tuffets at a slightly country auction, and thinking, just a little, about valentine's day ... oh, and there was lots of soccer, too (eleven games since last saturday!) and two championships - yay for my boy alec and his team .....

i hope yours days were as busy and as happy and as full of life & love,

have a happy week~

lynn-anne

spring flowers - like the penhaligon's bluebell I love so much

2011-02-02T20:42:00.001-08:00

spring flowers - like the penhaligon's bluebell I love so much
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
something simple for today:

two blue-ish bunches from trader joes +
two blue jugs (one modern, one old, old, old) +
two minutes to set up =
one sweet looking, sweet smelling moment at our house ~

so, did that crazy groundhog see his shadow?

i guess i don't care; so what if we're in for six more weeks of winter -- i can get by with this simple little bit of spring to sustain me.

you can, too.

x lynn-anne

Making photo mosaics: Teddy calls this 'the picture of glad" ;)

2011-01-24T19:47:00.001-08:00

Making photo #mosaics: Teddy calls this 'the picture of glad" ;)
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

it seems as if there's a new and delightful photo app almost every day, and i must admit i do tend to get a little lost in exploring and editing and making; and the advent of the ipad at our house has just added to the fun and games - i used the filterstorm and photolayout apps for ipad to make this ... did i mention that i was one of those teenagers who put together sweet but silly collages for friends ....

x lynn-anne

Friday found......

2011-01-23T06:41:00.001-08:00

Everyone loves this #thrifty find: thirty-nine #bouncy balls for a fiver...
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

This was the most popular thing I brought home from the estate sales this week -- who knows why a ninety-four year old lady (she's just now moving in to her retirement apartment ;) had thirty-nine bouncy balls ? Young at heart, I think .... Anyway, apart from the inherent play value -just ask teddy about that- these bouncy balls are a great reminder that even the silliest, most pedestrian, most mundane thing you have bouncing around the house can help you create a personal, colorful, and vibrant home -

I hope your Sunday is full of fun --

x lynn-anne

trend alert: wintry white gnomes

2011-01-22T19:16:00.000-08:00

center image westelm.com, others lakbdesign

have you noticed the continuation of that early winter trend, crisp white, stylized porcelain figural things? they're everywhere, but i especially like the newest additions, these gorgeous garden gnomes.

the first of the photos features a tall ceramic gnome from my bricks and mortar shop ... the second depicts west elm's new mod gnomes, and the third shows urban outfitters sweet gnome (and owl!) lights ... nice.

i'm not sure how long this trend will last, but i do love it.

possibly this dates back to my childhood love of Big Ears, Noddy's gnome-y sidekick.

have a happy sunday!

x lynn-anne

Spoke & Wheel

2011-01-20T07:40:00.001-08:00

hello!

i've been thinking for a while about how to share decorating advice here, beyond just posting mood boards. when i'm working on a house (or even if i'm not actually working on it ... just ask my friends!) i can go from room to room and very basically and instinctively see what furniture pieces and textiles and art should be together. i often tell design clients that decorating a successful house begins with a collection of things that have individual and important resonance for the family, but then what? how do you put all those sweet things together? the answers lie in repetition and connection, and i've tried to show that here: if you start at that strong spoke & wheel mirror, you can create a pretty and harmony-filled space by finding other things that subtly echo the spoke & wheel motif, like the repeated circles on this lovely decorative tile, and the wide owl eyes of Roddy & Ginger's sweet pillow (take a look at their charming etsy shop here.... but there's a fine line, and you'll need to find some things that work into the space in different ways, like john lewis' die cut wooden tree, and rie munoz' 1974 silkscreen, 'the kiss'.

i'll keep working to share design tips ... it's honestly a bit like painting by numbers, with a little bit of pixie dust thrown in.

happy thursday!

x lynn-anne

love is all you need

2011-01-10T11:58:00.000-08:00

1. regalo para la maestra * teacher's gift, 2. new banner, new blog, 3. 5:365, 4. all you need is . . .

except it might help to have some lovely, clever flickr friends ...

some sweet ideas to celebrate the love in your family ~

*collect some heart shaped rocks - they're everywhere*

make a *love* pie

*create a love-ly garland*

craft a chalkboard clock, and put some *heart* in it

love one another ~

x lynn-anne

heart garland, many years of love in the making: have had my kiddies write what they love

2011-01-10T11:02:00.001-08:00

heart garland, many years of love in the making: have had my kiddies write what they love
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
so sweet to get out -- almost like those glitter and popsicle stick ornaments i treasure -- i started having y kids write these hearts (and i write them, too) back when my oldest, now 18, was about 5 ... it's so (bittersweet) to think of how they've grown. teddy made a new one today: "i love mom" awwww. x

a bright and shiny january; or, deco deconstructing and reconstructing.

2011-01-05T14:16:00.001-08:00

yesterday, i was on a mission to find a little peace in my home after all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, so i did a little decorative deconstructing and reconstructing and came up with .... this!

who says orange is only for october?! .... more deconstruction and reconstruction to come ~

i'm working on making this a bright and shiny january - i hope you are, too.

x lynn-anne

instagram-ific

2011-01-02T19:52:00.001-08:00

instagram-ific
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
have you checked out the new iphone photo app, Instagram?
it's like a combo hipstamatic, flickr, and twitter all rolled up, mixed together, and made extra fabulous. the key is the pics -- it's all about the image, and funky finishes and processing ....

someone probably needs to make me stop.

but you can follow me on instagram, if you get it. i promise loads of lovely snaps. other people's aren't bad either.

oh, and happy new year. more to come on that, but i hope all is well in your neck of the woods ....

x lynn-anne

multitasking dollhouse

2010-12-26T10:21:00.001-08:00

the little tree that had these lights became a bit of a fire hazard, so we put the lights on the house ;) and stuck the dollhouse/christmas bookshelf in the fireplace to counteract the black hole scenario... festive!

wythe blue kitchen at christmas

2010-12-26T09:34:00.001-08:00

wythe blue kitchen at christmas
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
after the cook-a-thon yesterday, and before we sat down to the feast, i took a few minutes to make the table a little bit pretty, and i'm glad i did..... the kids seemed a little more happy to stay a while and talk. it wasn't much, as it was just the six of us, but it was beautiful.

i hope your holidays are all you've wished for ~

x lynn-anne

just in case you didn't know: about small, an online zine dedicated to what's new and fresh in the world of little people

2010-12-20T15:01:00.000-08:00

need something yummy to do as you're whiling away some quiet time by the fire (or wherever ...)? go here, and have a look at Small magazine. it's quite delicious.

i especially love the piece on the art of houston based lisa chow, here. and i adore the letterpress calendar roundup, here, just in time for 2011 . . .

i hope you love it, too.

x lynn-anne

at home at christmas

2010-12-20T14:25:00.001-08:00

at home at christmas
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
some christmas moments at our house ~
i hope your preparations are going beautifully!

x lynn-anne

our christmas card.

2010-12-15T17:46:00.001-08:00

our christmas card.
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
i love it.

all the very best from my family to yours this christmas ~

x lynn-anne

christmas palladian

2010-12-05T14:07:00.001-08:00

christmas palladian
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
this is the branch-with-a-sweater caroline was working on yesterday: it's just a fallen branch from our yard wrapped in recycled cloth twine made by a home based business women's collective in india (you can just see the ball of twine under the table) --it's all really fun because the twine is made of recycled worn out sari fabric, and it is different with each unroll . . . sometimes there are even sparkles and sequins. the branch seemed to need some vintage ornaments, which we hung from twine . . .. so pretty, and something different, definitely.

i hope your decorating is coming along nicely!

x lynn-anne

guerilla tree wrapping; or, knit kits for our forest friends

2010-12-04T12:16:00.001-08:00

guerilla tree wrapping; or, knit kits for our forest friends
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
we're wrapping a fallen tree branch from our garden with recycled string (made from clean old clothes by home-based women in india, giving these women a chance to make some money) . . . we're going to hang some vintage ornaments on it when we're done, so stay tuned for pics . . . anyway, as we were doing it caroline remembered this sweet image of an elf knitting sweaters for his forest friends - elf design by ian marsh ~

vintage pen and ink fashion ad drawings

2010-12-02T21:13:00.001-08:00

vintage pen and ink fashion ad drawings
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
in the 1950s and 1960s, babies and children were always bright, clean and cherubic . . . or at least that's the way they were drawn for the newspaper ads by this charlotte artist, esther fishel, who was creative director at a local department store chain. they were tricky to frame (as i'm sure it never crossed esther's mind that they would be framed), but i reused a few old frames, and i bought a group of really really dirty, diamond in the rough antique ones, and gave them a major scrub -- and sure enough, they were pretty and glittery and gilded underneath. i love having these gorgeous old hand drawn images in old frames ~ so perfect for a child's room. (i framed them for our fergus&me pop up shop this weekend - wish me luck!)

x lynn-anne

who doesn't love a new logo, especially one as adorable as this ?

2010-12-01T19:23:00.001-08:00

Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
i am so thrilled with the dancing leash logo for fergus&me created by the super-talented husband and wife --ashley & joel -- graphic/print design team thispapership (check them out at thispapership.com: you'll be so glad you did) -
i can't wait to have them do some more stuff, starting with a logo for my design firm, lakbdesign.

thanks, ashley and joel. you're so talented!

x lynn-anne

what we made this thanksgiving holiday

2010-11-29T13:28:00.001-08:00

what we made this thanksgiving holiday
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
we were at a family lake house this thanksgiving, and while it was lovely as always, our usual hiking and boating schedule was interrupted by a nasty cold that made the rounds, so we kept busy by a toasty outdoor fireplace making things, including these bead drop decorations: we just strung old beads and bits of necklaces and vintage buttons and sequins and the leftovers of a bunch of bracelet making kits --basically the contents of a few big mason jars -- on lengths of embroidery floss. they're so sparkly and pretty hanging from this tree, and i think they'll look lovely hanging from a branch in the house as an alternative to more ordinary holiday decor ~

let me know if you try it ~

x lynn-anne

anthro sale

2010-11-23T08:06:00.001-08:00

anthro sale
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

just noticed: anthro has just put a pile of hostess gift-ish goodies on sale - cheap! easy, quick, totally cute.

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/category.jsp?popId=SHOPSALE&navAction=jump&viewall=true&pushId=SHOPSALE-DINING&id=SHOPSALE-DINING

friday's finds

2010-11-21T10:58:00.001-08:00

friday's finds
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
i love the hunt.
adore the sweet old things.
and i'm glad to give them new life.

have a happy sunday ~

x lynn-anne

harry and the potters

2010-11-18T14:11:00.000-08:00

it's potter-magic mania around here. --you?

2010-11-18T14:08:00.000-08:00

1. Harry Potter "HedPig" Owl Bracelet, 2. Death Eaters and the Dark Lord., 3. Harry Potter like, Magic Wand, 4. Draco Malfoy Mouse, 5. Gryffindor Hand Embriodered Felt Ornament from Harry Potter, 6. Gift wrap, 7. Chester the Post Owl, 8. Hedwig, 9. Harry Potter Slytherin Shield Hand Embroidered Felt Ornament

today's the big day -- unless you've been imprisoned in Azkabahn (sorry!), you'll know that harry potter and the deathly hallows part one opens at midnight. so, in honor of this most important occasion, we've picked out our favorite etsy handmade gifts with a potter-mania bent. (we especially love all the owls, and the house of mouse).

from the metrolina flea, charlotte nc

2010-11-16T14:47:00.001-08:00

from the metrolina flea, charlotte nc
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
isn't it funny how your favorite flea market finds end up being the bits and bobs, like these, that you unearth in a furious rummage through the sketchy, damp-ish boxes lined up on a usually outlying muddy scrap of grass by an equally sketchy, disheveled-looking man, who funnily enough ends up being quite nice and quite charming to your naughty five year old -- funny too how what looks like some useless junk ends up having a sweet grace and stateliness to it, as here -

look twice.

x lynn-anne

A Collection a Day, 2010: Day 300

2010-11-13T09:53:00.000-08:00

image via lisa congdon, a collection a day

this won't be a surprise if you know me personally at all, but when natasha louise king (she's sweet and amazing!) was at my house styling for country living's shoot, she remarked on the variety and sheer numerical intensity of my collections: need a red accessory for that spot? here's 17 to choose from; need some vintage desk accessories/a charming old dollhouse/pretty dishes/obscure and esoteric pencil drawings/scottie dog figures/chinese papier mache? have that, and that, and those . . . i love so many things, especially old things, and i can sniff them out like a hound dog in search of a bone, even when i'm somewhere you'd think was hopeless in terms of potential for unearthing lovely things . . . . so it was with delight that i discovered SF artist lisa congdon's blog, and with, a kindred soul; A collection A day, 2010.
gorgeous images, gorgeous collections. my favorites are Day 300, "nautical objects and ephemera" ~ lovely, lovely. have a look!

x lynn-anne
A Collection a Day, 2010: Day 300: "Nautical objects and ephemera."

gosh, i love the pogues.

2010-11-12T20:32:00.000-08:00

from halloween to thanksgiving; a designer (not so) secret shortcut.

2010-11-12T20:03:00.001-08:00

from halloween to thanksgiving; a designer (not so) secret shortcut.

Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

take your mantle from all out halloween howl-icious (left) to simple and elegant for thanksgiving dinner with the family (right) - here's how: lose the cheesecloth draping and halloween accoutrements, keep the big pumpkin in the fireplace, muster piles of cute and quirky little pumpkins randomly along the mantle, and prop a heart at about one third of the way along . . . easy. fun. perfect. done.

at home today

2010-11-12T19:27:00.001-08:00

palladian
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
the light was so pretty ~

tree cosies, or more guerrilla knitting fun ~

2010-11-11T19:11:00.000-08:00

anyone out there having a bit of a bothersome day?

take a quick look at these beauties ~ they're guaranteed to make you smile.

i keep wishing that something like this will show up in my neighborhood, but so far, alas, no.

i know i've shared some guerrilla knitting before: i think i'm possibly developing a dangerous obsession. before you know it i'll be up all night knitting tea cosies for the streetlight outside my house; or possibly tree cosies. that might be a problem . . .

image via http://mywonderworldnr1fairytale.blogspot.com/

now that's a tree cosy!

Stop Motion Toast Miracle

2010-11-11T18:55:00.000-08:00

Stop Motion Toast Miracle
seriously amazing
you HAVE TO watch this.
x lynn-anne

turn an old globe into a wonder of the world (okay, just a tiny bit of hyperbole there)

2010-11-10T13:28:00.001-08:00

laundry
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
something old
something new
something fixed up
something blue

here's an easy project with an old globe . . .

from russia with love, and color~

2010-11-07T20:49:00.000-08:00

image via aauumm.ru

every once in a while, i come across someone or something that just makes my jaw drop. this image was that for me today. this is the glow-y green bedroom of russian blogger Olga Mazur Tkachuk, who lives in odessa. here are some more rooms by olga, and you can see more at her blog, aauumm.ru, and on flickr, http://flickr.com/photos/_aauumm_ you won't forget her fabulous tricia guild-esque sense of style:

image via Olga Mazur Tkachuk

tag sale find

2010-11-06T22:58:00.001-07:00

tag sale find
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
i had to stifle a gasp when i entered a room full of sort of generic granny stuff at a tag sale last week and came upon this exquisite hand knotted, vegetable dyed, vibrant and stunning old carpet. i'm a complete nut when it comes to animals and birds on carpets. it is just so lovely.

ever had that experience? please share ~

x lynn-anne

august in england

2010-11-05T07:27:00.001-07:00

august in england
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

and a really special, really lovely day shared with beloved people. perfect.

eighteen candles

2010-11-04T22:08:00.001-07:00

eighteen candles
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
serious sugar-y sweet story alert . . . feel free to stop reading now, but if you're up for it . . .
can i just say that one of my proudest mom-ments happened when i watched my not terribly domestically inclined oldest son toil over a recipe (for an entire day!) from 'hello cupcake' in order to create this tower of treats for his girlfriend's eighteenth birthday ? . . . seriously, that's marshmallow fluff icing (told you it was sweet!)

anyone want the recipe for marshmallow fluff icing? ah, didn't think so ;)

sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite (just kidding!)

x lynn-anne

it's never too early. be prepared. holiday gift guide begins today.

2010-11-03T20:37:00.000-07:00

image via blabla

if you, like me, have little ones on your list, then you, like me, will want to take a look at the most adorable line of fair trade-ish, people and planet friendly knitted toys around today. purely perfect, handmade in peru, and picked by stylish kids everywhere, blabla's line of soft toys and dolls is practical and pretty: backpacks, and baby clothing, now augmented with the addition of darling paper products, come in various guises and sizes for your gifting pleasure. have fun (i just bought a bunch for the store, and i can tell you, it was nothing but fun!)

all images via blabla

beauty!

have fun with the blablas ~

xlynn-anne

would you be happy if you got this in the mail?

2010-11-03T15:54:00.001-07:00

vintage
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

happy wednesday night --

help me out, guys . . . i spent ages today figuring out a cute font and editing various images (not to mention -horrors- ! spending at least an hour in my local papersource finding postcards and other stuff i really, really needed . . .) and then figuring out how to print this at home on cardstock without creating a giant paper jam like usual (turns out it's easy if you follow directions - who knew?) and what i've got is some -i think- pretty sweet postcards that look like this. i'm using them as thank yous for people who've very kindly bought things at our bricks and mortar shop. so my question is - good? or should i try again? (please say no to that one! ;)

thanks!

x lynn-anne

fall flickr faves

2010-11-02T21:21:00.001-07:00

fall flickr faves
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
photos via some lovely and talented flickr friends ~

this is the time of year when i begin to feel the headlong rush toward the sort of fundamental holidays . . . that time when i think we're all forced into this ~ the

hollyberry*sparklydeco*toysgalore*shoptilyoudrop*turkeycooking*guestprepping*seriouslyscaryfrenzy*nightmarethatisthetimebeforechristmas ~

that seems always to define the end of the calendar year, especially for us moms ~ shops shove halloween to the nether regions of the sales floor to make room for acres of tinselly tat, and we feel the weight of our family's elevated expectations on our already sagging shoulders. . .

anyway, this year i say -No- (at least for now) . . . this year, i plan to stay focused, to stay calm, to stay centered in the season - so for now; ~ autumn, i celebrate you.

enjoy the orange ~

x lynn-anne

halloween house

2010-11-02T13:42:00.001-07:00

halloween house
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
hello!

we've been so busy here with halloweenie spooky goings on . . . .thought i'd share . . . .

x lynn-anne

how do you deco for halloween? spooky, or not so?

2010-10-26T14:27:00.001-07:00

a halloween hallway
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
i have been thinking about this issue all day, i think ever since hgtv.ca used a pic of teddy hanging halloween letter garland as the lead-in for a similar post. around here, we tend to go the no-so-spooky route -- although teddy asked me yesterday if we could have 'a graveyard with skeletons poking out' (thanks neighbors two streets over!) -- just using pumpkins and cut out black paper bats and that sort of thing.

pretty much like this, actually ~

happy almost halloween!

x lynn-anne

HGTV Canada - Decorating, Entertaining, Real Estate and Renovation Advice, and teddy, on the homepage!

2010-10-25T17:36:00.001-07:00

http://www.hgtv.ca/default.aspx

teddy is on the hgtv canada style page, and homepage today . . . and he learned to spell 'halloween', too!

he was quite tickled to see it (and so was i!)

x lynn-anne

the decorated cookie: attack of the zombie marshmallows!!!

2010-10-24T20:18:00.000-07:00

the decorated cookie: attack of the zombie marshmallows!!!

these are seriously a hoot. now i know what to do with the giant packet of positively ginormous marshmallows that i bought at walmart yesterday . . . (if you know me personally, you'll probably know that walmart makes me nuts . . . too overwhelming, and too much temptation to over buy giant things we don't need -- see above!) but i'd never seen such marshmallows. they could be described as epic. and i did have a vaguely hatched plan to make some sort of ghost-y thing with them . . . but now i have a real plan: the decorated cookie's too-too-cute zombie marshmallows. can't wait to make them for teds' halloween party saturday.

don't hold your breath on pics -- it will be a super busy weekend, for you as well as me, i'm sure!

nighty-night!

x lynn-anne

a vintage lite brite light moves from esther's sun porch to my downstairs bathroom

2010-10-24T20:09:00.001-07:00

a vintage lite brite light
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
for weeks and weeks, our downstairs bathroom has been making me crazy every time i'm in it -- besides the fact that it always seems in need of a good scrub, or at least a lick and a promise, -- i had come to hate the chandelier (plain drippy crystal, you get the drift) quite passionately. and, bored, bored, bored, i had also removed all art in a fit of bored annoyance.. . . . result: even more boredom and annoyance.
SO . . . . -- what to do? -- well . . . today, i decided to go with the jeu de paume, seriously silly approach. my darling husband rewired this pendant for me -- i adore it, and i think it may even be unique; i call it the lite brite (you know, "lite brite, makin' things with li--ii--ii-ght") light. caroline and i found it a few weeks ago at an estate sale, and it's been sitting around ever since, waiting for a new home. have you ever been to an estate sale where you really get a sense of the person, even maybe relate to her? that's what happened here. esther fishel was a charlotte artist and department store art director who died last year at age 92. she's not well known, but her work is lovely -- c. and i scooped up piles of her fashion advertising drawings (so Mad Men!) and a few of her oils . . . she was obviously making and creating well into her eighties. i love that she made this pendant from a plastic plant pot and those little translucent beads that little ones make necklaces from . . . at any rate, i'm glad that this piece has moved from esther's sun porch to my family's downstairs bath. i like to think that esther would approve, especially as when teddy saw it (and he'd completely ignored it for weeks when it was sitting cold and dark and quiet on the work room floor) he pronounced it "MAGIC" -- thank you esther, and thank you all for reading :)

x lynn-anne

oh, and ps -- those pretty yellow birds and flower pieces are naturalcuriosities.com's spectacular renditions of paule marot's work -- . . . more to come on her . . . she's amazing and suddenly, everywhere.

halloween crafty faves - clever flickr contacts

2010-10-15T17:45:00.001-07:00

halloween crafty faves - clever flickr contacts
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

we're planning a crafty halloween party for teddy and his five year old friends, and while we've got a lot of old favorites and crafty stand-bys, i went looking tonight in my favorite crafty flickr pools for some new ideas. i found these beauties, by some very clever people. you'll find the where, which will lead you to the how and the why and most importantly, the who, if you follow the links below ~ happy not-so-creepy crafting!

x lynn-anne

1. owl, 2. Oh, Hello Dere, 3. Wild Max, 4. VICTORIAN GOTHIC HALLOWEEN TAGS Hang Tags Gift Tags PLUS BOOKMARK Digital Collage Sheet - 0083, 5. Halloween matryoshka dolls, 6. Happy Halloween from TADA*s Revolution, 7. Googly eye Halloween wreath, 8. Halloween Friends, 9. halloween broom treat bags

wythe blue room in autumn

2010-10-11T18:37:00.001-07:00

wythe blue room in autumn
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
no school today, so we stayed home -- apart from a trip to the pumpkin patch, which was quite entertaining -- and dragged out the halloween things. i'm not a big fan of skeletons and stuff, and today, i managed to keep it to warm fall color and witches. oh, and a few faux crows.

when i'm trying to create a mood in a room, i tend to pull things from other spaces that have the right colors, the right textures, and the right shapes. that way, you get a fresh feel without spending much money -- here, i pulled this sort of heavy console from the living room, left the ballard designs stella mirror that's been there for ages, and popped in a pair of vintage 1970s brown knight chess piece lamps (i bought these at a flea market in cincinnati in september; the burlap shades from target were an easy, wheaty, kind of harvest-feel option). the curve of the horse's neck echoes the arc of the mirror . . . charming. and that tweedy orange grandpa chair is a tag sale find (scrubbed to within an inch of its life!!) . ....

pretty, individual decorating is fairly easy and achievable. almost like paint by numbers.

more to follow on this!

wishing you the happiest of fall days ~

x lynn-anne

2010-10-08T09:15:00.000-07:00

Having trouble uploading treasure hunt finds to the blog today -- this is an experiment;)

an october moment

2010-10-06T18:07:00.000-07:00

colder weather has finally happened here in north carolina, and, predictably, caroline and teddy have been busy this week after school rummaging recklessly under-the-eaves for our gigantic stash of halloween stuff, as well as debating the relative attributes of pirate, ghost, and viking costumes . . . . and every day, they've begged for me to get everything out to decorate the house for halloween . . . . but i just haven't been able to do it. it's madness, really, boxes and boxes of faux crows and black candles, and all that sort of thing -- and i will get there, but not till this weekend, at the very earliest. so, in the end, i relented a bit, bought a pumpkin or two, and found a couple of stone ones from africa in my work room. so this is it so far for fall; more to come, i guess.

so where are you on the big halloween deco question? all the boxes, or just a few? i'm not sure yet. stay tuned . . . :)

ps: what do you think of that bright, bright blue chair? i brought it home from the shop -- it's one of a pair. i really like it. some brave soul 'redid' it around 1970, i think -- painted it, and upholstered it in white-ish pleather with brass tacks. let me know!

x lynn-anne

just in case you didn't know: about houzz.com, a treasure trove of design inspiration

2010-09-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

i got a message today from becky, who i know from her work on hatch, the design public blog, about Houzz, a site stuffed full of amazing pics of inspiring rooms, with quite a few clever little gadgets besides (try the Buzz. it's fun.) i'm sort of ashamed to say that i had no idea about Houzz -- how did i miss it?! weird! but, i'm pretty well addicted at this point. love finding cool stuff that other people so sweetly share. and i'm sharing some of my stuff, like the recent shots here . . .

okay, maybe not that last one. you've heard of trendy designers and their 'pop-up' stores, like whats-her-name's at Montauk? well, this is teddy's pop up art studio. seriously, i was busy making globe mobiles out of recycled cloth string and old globes, and stringing these flags into a garland, and this table had migrated out of the living room to make room for something else, and it just seemed like the ideal place for a kindergartner artist to ply his craft. fun.

a new old chair

2010-09-12T19:08:00.001-07:00

a new old chair
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

a new old chair

i spent my sunday afternoon painting this old chair (used up a bunch of little paint pot samples from farrow & ball -- mixed together, the paint became a pretty swedish blue-grey) . . . then, we covered the seat in an old piece of quilt top -- it's pretty, i think.

it was a lovely day here in north carolina; perfect weather to revamp an old chair outside on the driveway ~

i hope your weekend was just as lovely.

x lynn-anne

new look

2010-09-09T15:41:00.000-07:00

i'm a little under the weather (curse those back-to-school diseases!) so i'm not up to much beyond sitting on the sofa . . . and that invariably leads to messing around and tinkering (as much as a person who is not particularly computer literate can) with the blog, etsy, twitter, twitpic, and everything else.

i like this, i think. what do you think?

thanks!

x lynn-anne

fairy tale bunny, taken with my favorite iphone app, hipstamatic on Twitpic

2010-09-09T13:25:00.000-07:00

fairy tale bunny, taken with my favorite iphone app, hipstamatic on Twitpic

marine screen in the living room

2010-09-06T17:14:00.001-07:00

marine screen in the living room
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme
i'm an unabashed lover of the sea and all that goes along with it, and i adore old things, so i'm always so happy to find something really special that reflects both these mild obsessions . . . so when i wandered in to my favorite secondhand shop the other day and spied this amazing old screen, i had to bring it home. and it inspired a quick restyling in the living room -- since my workroom is jammed full of samples and fabrics and tile and treasures, i've put my desk here in our otherwise slightly underused living room -- and i'm always happy to have a fresh, new, and inspiring look in here. i shop like mad for myself and design clients in consignment stores, antique shops, and flea-market-y places; they're where you'll find the unique, the spectacular, the downright divine pieces that will make your spaces shine - and the price and environmental impact are minimal, too.
all good news :)

happy secondhand shopping!

x lynn-anne

A flock of cranes

2010-08-17T17:06:00.001-07:00

A flock of cranes
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

caroline's newest cranes.

she's flogging them at our etsy store -- i kind of think she's saving up for something big. (hmm, possibly i should investigate what that might be? a new ipod? a bell for her bike? a penguin???) -- she was inspired by the sale of some of her crane mobiles (thanks so much lovely buyers -- you made her twelve year old day, and i so love that she's getting positive reinforcement for her industry and creativity) . . .

but back to the cranes. . . they are really pretty and kind of uplifting (pun intended :-) and they seem to be super popular now (witness caroline's room going a bit viral on the web). and the legend goes something like this: IF you make a thousand cranes, you'll get your dearest wish . . . . wonderful idea, huh?

So,

really, you don't have to buy any . . . . maybe we could have a giveaway?? tell you what: let's see what happens -- we'll do a random drawing (names in a hat, i think) for fifteen equally randomly chosen cranes from the flock in this photo. all *you* have to do is comment on this post, and let me know your fave crane color. we'll see that you get that one if you win :-)

oh, and put your email address so we can let you know if your name is drawn. fun!

it's an experiment.

x lynn-anne

today's uber-cool thing at our house: the ball chair, shortly after its arrival

2010-08-16T20:49:00.001-07:00

ball chair, shortly after its arrival
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

at our house, because of my work, you could say we're on a first name basis with the ups guy and the fed ex lady, not to mention the conway trucking guys and the webb company, and our foyer often looks more like a shipping department than a pretty house entryway . . .

SO . . . anyway, today's new arrival in said shipping dept./entryway was this child-sized ball chair, very 'mork-from-ork' (my kids said "who??" when i made that comment!), which may or may not ever make it to our little shop, as everyone here thinks it's adorable, especially teddy, who's helpfully demonstrating the chair in this snap.

did i mention that the chair twirls, delightfully ?! also, it has that shiny, sleek, space-agey white exterior, not to mention a brightly blue, comfy interior (complete with pillows which are obviously suitable for throwing on the floor, to be used as actual pillows for a passing teenager, as usual, exhausted . . . )

SO, back to the chair: it's adorable and total cool all wrapped up in a round little ball. check back for actual pics. SO sorry about the hipstamatic iphone app thing: i should be over it soon.

x lynn-anne

iphone hipstamatic

2010-08-15T19:47:00.001-07:00

iphone hipstamatic
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

i admit that i am a bit mad about photography in general (pretty much never without some sort of a camera!) and i take a lot of quickie iphone shots (and my three iphone equipped kids are almost as obsessed -only teddy is without one, and he can't see the reasoning behind my 'five year olds don't get iphones' explanation !) so i was very excited to find out about and immediately download the histamatic app for iphone -- it randomly (you shake it) sets up a shot using a software-generated combination of effects you'd get using old school lenses, film, and developing techniques, et voila!

magic! it is fun.

artists we love: studio tuesday

2010-08-15T17:30:00.000-07:00

image via studiotuesday

caroline and i are loving the perfect watercolor-and-ink art of maryland artist david scheirer, sold via his etsy shop, studiotuesday, which you can find here.

david's blog, with more of his work, is here.

david writes that he's inspired by his walks along the seashore, and we really love his work, maybe because the sea's a very special place for us, too.

we can't decide which one is the one that's meant for us. these four are our favorites.

what do you think?

image via studiotuesday

oh, and ps. ~ i first saw david's work on artist amy perrotti's lovely blog, which is here. apparently, david donated a print of the hot air balloon piece above to the (oxfam and world wildlife fund approved) gulf coast fundraising etsy store, which is here.

thanks, amy and david, and other generous etsy people.

x lynn-anne

just in case you didn't know: about papier mache, a lovely online mag

2010-08-15T10:10:00.000-07:00

image via papier mache

just in case you didn't know, i thought i'd get back into writing by sharing one of my favorite online mags devoted to children and family life, the lovely australian papier mache. it's full of stunningly pretty scenes and ideas, like this ~

all images via papier mache

and there's lots more.

and, btw, i'm sorry for my complete lack of postings for the last week or two . . . life has been full and busy, and super fun with our country living photo shoot . . . more to follow on that!

happy sunday

x lynn-anne

WolfDreamer: Despicable Minion

2010-08-02T13:39:00.000-07:00

WolfDreamer: Despicable Minion: "Minion army anyone? I just had to. I've not seen the movie yet, but the little guys are just so charming. This is only one of them . . ."

okay, this little guy might be just the thing to persuade me to try crochet . . . every kid in our house wants one. LOVED despicable me, and the minions were eternally cute and quotable.

guerrilla knitting

2010-07-29T04:17:00.000-07:00

via birhobi.com

i was just trolling around this morning, and i found this. definitely an arresting development in the ongoing craze for all kinds of granny chic. we have a honda fit (not too much bigger than a smart car) and yesterday i bought a bunch of beautiful old granny square throws, some of which slightly fell to pieces when i washed them ... . possibly an exciting new project?! i'm sure the boys wouldn't mind driving a slightly improved honda fit -- ?!

patched perfect

2010-07-27T20:20:00.001-07:00

mosaicdcd85fe5de0b97a743b4f7fa42eadd42db131856
Originally uploaded by lakbdesign/fergusandme

i was taking a wander through my flickr favorites this evening -- i can get lost for hours; there are so many wonderful things to see and experience - i LOVE flickr -- and i noticed that patchwork and crochet of the most nostalgic kind kept showing up again and again. it's true that design is in a handmade sort of moment, a return, hopefully with longevity, to small batch, unusual, carefully, beautifully made things.
we're really celebrating this brave new world, and i rejoice. won't you join in?

x lynn-anne

sandra monat, and herzensart

2010-07-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

all photos c. sandra monat

i discovered these delightfully expressive softies lovingly made by sandra monat just yesterday, and i so wish i'd found sandra and her creations a while ago . . . but you can find them today~ right here

she also writes a gorgeous blog, http://herzensart.blogspot.com/, and has a range of rubber stamps and other yummy things. around here, we're thinking we might need a bobby, or a viking. lovely!

all photos c. sandra monat

Cuckoo clocks - Kuckucksuhren

2010-07-22T20:56:00.001-07:00

Cuckoo clocks - Kuckucksuhren
Originally uploaded by *Püppilottchen*

we bought another old cuckoo clock yesterday - i think it's number five! - just at a charity shop, and it's just one of those 1960s or 1970s tourist-y things, but it's so sweet, with a little bluebird. cuckoo clocks are, i admit, a bit overexposed, but i do love them. is it the disney/heidi/ski-glam thing? or just a sincere longing for bambi-esque kitsch? don't know, but do love.

thanks to flickr member puppilottchen for this mosaic ~