Feeling a bit blue… Maybe because Christmas is over.  Maybe because it is year end, and I have a mountain  of Cici Crib paperwork in front of me.  I am really looking forward to this weekend’s  trip to Vermont.  Kids are excited to ski. We will be hanging out with Miles’ family.  It was decided that a Raclette dinner was in order for New Years.  For dessert I will make a chocolate fondue. I will try to make it in my new  slow cooker,  otherwise known as a crock pot. Really easy!

In the mean time, I was just looking through my inspiration file. Found some really  nice blue boy’s rooms. Whether it is navy, light blue or gray blue, it’s always crisp and classic.

Love the  window treatment.  A soft roman shade…

A very comfortable study area with modern touches…

 Another nice window treatment. Classic roman shade and valance…

Love this blue/gray and orange combination. The wide stripes really anchor the beds..

 Another fantastic combo. The lamp, we sell in the shop…

Ok back to the paperwork…

See you..

Christina

This time of year creates some of the nicest light. It’s not just the  beauty of the artificial lights, I mean the  low sun light in the sky. The long shadows and red sky that are on display this time of year is magical. Our very good friend from Luxembourg told us once that the sky is red because the angels are baking. Love that!

Last year We had some of Miles’ family over for Christmas.   I wanted to eat around dusk in our sun room.  So we all piled in. I removed the chandelier over the table so we could fit a prancing reindeer as our centerpiece.

My flower arrangements are always quite simple. The tin containers are French gardening pots, the salt cellar is 19th century American and the pepper grinder is antique Christofle.

I lined the sideboard with old linen feed sacks and out came my collection of antique American sterling..

We put the Christmas tree in the sun room as well. The ornaments have such memories attached to them.

When the kids were really little, I went to a very special estate sale. I remember driving through windy roads and reservoirs to get to this small home under huge pine trees near a pond. The house was owned by set designers, who worked on Broadway in the 1930′s. As  you entered the front door , the staircase greeted you in a happy turquoise. The couple created an enormous dollhouse out of one of the bedrooms. I purchased only a few items from that magical house…

My favorite items are these boxes made out of cigar boxes. I have no idea what they were used for. They really are a fine example of folk art. I put them in a sled and they sit near our tree…

It was the first time I visited the little town where the magical couple lived. It’s name is Armonk, NY.  Now the home of Cici Crib!

Merry Christmas.

See you…

Christina

I sold my vintage sock monkey in the store last week. A bit sad about it. I will miss him.  Another customer picked up her bumper made with this great monkey fabric..

Monkeys are such a popular inspiration for decorating a baby’s nursery or a child’s room.

Vintage sock monkeys makes their appearance…

New Arrivals bedding and accessories….

Monkeys used in wall stickers…

More  mod monkeys…

Look how Tobi Fairley decorated for her daughter’s playroom. Tis the season…

Happy Holidays! See you…

Christina

We had a moment this weekend while the kids were at fencing to do some errands in the city. After buying some fabric in the fashion district, we thought we would stroll about, maybe look at some holiday windows.  The city was packed. There was no such thing as strolling. It was just wall to wall people. Up in the distance, I saw  Tinsel Trading Company. A complete respite to the outside world.  An absolute treat to step in. A shop filled with notions and trims, both new and vintage, and other lovely objets d’art.

Ribbons from the early part of the 20th century made out of 14k gold.

I couldn’t resist this ornament. It has a new home on our tree…

What a lovely shop.

See you..

Christina

Every holiday season we reserve  a weekend afternoon to go to the New York Botanical Gardens to see the Holiday Train Show. My teenage boys still enjoy the visit, but more for it’s nostalgic content. It was a real moment of excitement when the boys were little.

This year’s new addition is Sarrinen’s TWA building..

The creations are made by a low key guy, Paul Busse.  I struck up a conversation with him one year at the show. His group of guys come up from Kentucky and stay at the Ardsley Motel.  Yes, that was their lodging budget.  I told him how inspired I was by his creations. When the kids were little, we made our own nature house. Not at all as impressive as Mr. Busse’s creations, but just as fun for us.

Our nature house is part of our Christmas decoration that makes an appearance each season. It is one of many boxes that come down from the attic.

The structure of the house came from a cheap kit dollhouse. The aluminum basin was made by my HVAC guy.  We found all the natural materials in our neighbor’s and our yard. The siding is from birch tree. The roof is from branch of an oak tree. We found shelf mushrooms and acorns and bittersweets. The fake  green moss came from Martha Stewart catalog. The window glass is “antique glass” from a mirror and glass shop.  And the fence was purchased at a flea market one hot summer day .  Three hours at a flea market  in 100 degrees and all I had to show for it,  was the fence. The perfect fence for the nature house. I was thrilled!

See you…

Christina

Sometimes you know when a client is perfect for you. You hit it off right from the start. I’ve been working on this nursery in NYC and it will be coming together just in time for the arrival of a sweet  boy.

I was so pleasantly surprised when this client wanted to use the light woods of the Duc duc line.

The crib  bumpers   are custom from Henry & Henrietta, one of  most beautiful  bedding companies out there. No need for a crib skirt.

A clean white changer/dresser..

An organic changing pad will be used with a very soft cover..

She will need a little diaper caddy to go next to the changing pad. There are really no modern diaper caddies out in the market.  Maybe we can use this box without the lid..

A classic glider similar to this one in slate blue

Instead of an ottoman, we would like to use this fantastic  leather Hippo.

Next to the glider will be a laquered grass cloth side table

We will use this table lamp, but the shade will be a burlap and the base is an ice blue.

The artwork will be this cute hippo.

I would like to flank the picture with some of my vintage animals from a 1920′s Milton Bradley game…

The day will soon be here!

See you..

Christina