A Creative Collective

Friday night I was invited to participate in an artisan 'guild' meeting.  Craft artists, interior designers, architects, painters and entrepreneurs gathered to share their passions, professions, advice and creative expressions.  I felt honored to be among them.    It was the first time I  publicly introduced myself as a blogger and it felt really good to do so.  I also spoke to my experiences as an interior consultant and botanical designer and I found it liberating to speak "off the cuff" about what I do.

Looking forward to more meetings like this, where I can meet interesting people and broaden my social and professional networks.  Here are a few images from that evening:

Many thanks to ST for inviting me.

Botanical Inspiration: A Soaking Rain

It rained for the first time in a long time.  California is parched and yesterday's rainfall gave a little reprieve to the dryness that is so apparent all around us.  The whole family was excited at the sight of the falling water.  I brought all our indoor plants outside so they too could get a soaking and our children set up buckets to collect water for the future.  With my rain boots on and the camera by my side I set out to document what seems to have become a rare sighting.  Take a look:

 Here's to many more rainy days…

Pod Art

When it came time to unveil my latest endeavor on Debra’s lifestyle blog, she asked me to write a little something about it.  Where to begin?!

“Pod Art” is perhaps the newest expression of my love for plants.  Ever since I can remember, the happiest childhood memories revolved around them.  Whether playing with dolls on a bed of violets, watching my grandfather weave daisy crowns for me, or climbing trees to eat their fruit for what seemed like hours, these experiences forged a bond with Nature that continues to fulfill and inspire me.

Love of perennial gardening led me to create both live and dried floral arrangements for friends, boutiques, restaurants and the grandest of hotels.  Together with Debra we’ve designed, planted and sold [too many to count] original compositions for weddings, as bridal bouquets, terrariums, succulent planters, mini biospheres and even vertical gardens.

“Pod Art” evolved naturally from this.  It combines both the end AND the beginning of the growing cycles and it provides an interesting array of visual shapes and textures that allow me to wield a glue gun as a painter would his/her brush.  Foraged seeds and nuts, twigs and feathers, lichen and moss, beads and metal come painstakingly together to form unique and beautiful art.  I hope that some of you will agree with me on that...NS

It's always exciting for me to watch Natalia create art no matter what it may consist of.  I'm honored to feature her latest works, as well as reflections on her personal creative journey.

If you’re interested in buying or commissioning one of her original wall hangings, please email me at:  debra@cocoonhome.com for details.

Before And After: Metallic Painted Walls

For our home office makeover I decided to paint the walls a metallic gold after my mother-in-law, Natalia, suggested to do it.  After trying out several different brands, Modern Masters won me over with its  amazing color selection and incredible coverage.  Most metallic paints need a primer undercoat, but not this one.  I picked three samples to test:  Brass, Green Gold and Gold Rush.  The color of choice for us was Brass.  Take a look:

'Til Monday: 5 Friday Favorites

1./2./3./4./5.