It's been a little over year since our move to California and for the first time we're enjoying our past season's gardening efforts. Succulents and bromeliads planted months ago have matured and blossomed into an array of very interesting, delicate looking blooms. Even our vertical garden is displaying itsy-bitsy blossom wonders. Take a look:
This month Sunset Magazine and Galanter and Jones have teamed up for the hottest contest of the year offering a Helios Heated Lounge to the lucky winner. The lounge, which is super sleek in design is also innovative since it is heated. Literally, it's a hot seat and I want one. I'm submitting an entry and you should too. Details on how to enter can be found here.
The Helios Lounge at Flora Grubb.
During a recent family visit to Flora Grubb Gardens, not only did Alex and I get inspired (stay tuned for that), but so did our son Max. While soaking in the array of plants and vessels so beautifully displayed, Max decided he wanted to put together a terrarium. Knowing a thing or two about creating terrariums, I was thrilled about his excitement in making his very own. Once we got back home, Max was anxious to get started. Using nature scavenged branches, lichen, and some adornments I provided him with, Max created the most beautiful terrarium all by himself. After setting him up with the all materials we had at hand, I walked away. This was a bit difficult since I can be somewhat of a control freak, but I did want Max's creative juices to be unencumbered by my presence. To my utter delight, this is what he created:
Max is eager to create more hanging terrariums. Thanks to his Babik, he now has a few more vessels to work on. I asked him if he wanted to sell them, but he replied that they were too pretty to part with. Below are few tips on helping your child build a kid-friendly terrarium:
1. Collect branches, moss, pebbles, lichen, etc., while on walk/hike with your children.
2. Provide your children with feathers, buttons, chandelier crystals or any other elements/miniatures they may want to decorate their terrariums with.
3. Provide them with easy-care plants, i.e. Bromeliads (air plants), lichen or moss.
4. Support the glass vessels your children use for their creations in a box with plenty of tissue paper or bubble wrap while they are working on them.
It's so heartwarming to watch one's child begin to channel his/her creativity through a medium one is so familiar with. Cocoon Home Design lives on!
Apartment Therapy is holding its annual contest for the best design blogs and Cocoon Home has been nominated! YAY!! Being considered among so many other wonderful design and lifestyle blogs is an honor, but winning the contest would be SUPER cool. If you have enjoyed my blog as much as I’ve enjoyed creating it, please cast your vote here TODAY!!!
Remember that you need to register with Apartment Therapy in order to vote. If you’re not registered yet, click here to do so. Thank you so very much!!!
It didn't take long for me to head back to my new favorite spot for a botanical inspiration. On this visit, I bought a concrete vessel and lots of succulents to fill it. The planter sits on our courtyard table and fits in perfectly with its surroundings. Take a look:
This week's Out And About features 2 of my very favorite things: coffee and plants. They come together seamlessly at Flora Grubb, in San Francisco, creating an urban oasis for the coffee connoisseur and the horticulturalist. Wanting to visit Flora Grubb Gardens for some time now, I finally went this past weekend. Its artful botanical displays and vertical gardens were even cooler than I had imagined. The interesting variety of plants and, of course, the coffee made for an inspiring experience. Take a look at some of the many photos (I went a little camera crazy) I took while I shopped:
Many thanks to Flora Grubb for creating such an inspiring and beautiful place to shop and to AM for taking me there this weekend!
AND, many loving thoughts out to all to my friends and readers back East who have been hugely affected by the storm.