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We have received our first order of a new kind of art that is already getting rave reviews from our customers. The art has a glowing effect due to it's construction. It is printed on acrylic and is invisibly mounted on the wall. The piece below is 30" long. They also come in different sizes. Kind of Andy Warhol like, it is a great decorating addition for a tween's bedroom..
Also great modern artwork for a baby's nursery or child's bedroom..
See you...
Christina
A spur of the moment change in plans, coaxed on by a fabric vendor, lead me to a very interesting evening at the New York Design Center. Oh I wish I had more time to spend there. That is the story of all aspects of my life right now. Never the less, it gave me a nice decorating jolt. I saw some interesting new lines...
The highlight of the evening was listening to a talk given by Carlton Varney. I am afraid to say that my limited knowledge of him was a crazy Dorothy Draper inspired wallpaper that I wanted so desperately in a dressing room of a little client. The client's mom did not like it at all. Read more... I loved his crazy color. I saw a man with a crazy tie, and I said to a friend of mine, that must be him!
He is inspired by nature. But not the sand, the driftwood, or tree bark. The true brilliant color of strong brilliant flowers. Mix it up with true Hollywood glam and you have Carlton Varney at his best.
He teaches design students to recall their very first room as children. What do they remember about it? That memory will form them into the designer they are today. His first memories were the colors of forest green and red. My first memory of my room were my Alice and Wonderland window treatments. Hmm. That makes sense.
See you...
Christina
Whether you are heading to the beach,lake or your club, these stylish bags will organize your children's stuff. Made of canvas, but not too heavy. A great gift that can be personalized. A favorite for the baby gift registry. We love our club bags!
A waterproof bag for all the little stuff that can get wet ..
Happy fourth of July!
See you...
Christina
Last Monday I was driving down 30th street from the west side highway to get the kids to fencing. Rising out of a grimy, dirty silent spot on the far west side was this island of colorful madness. What was that! I had to go back. So yesterday I returned to the crazy island. It just opened in celebration of the new extension of the High Line. Well it was almost 100 degrees in NYC when I finally got to check out. It was simply too hot to take a nice walk along High Line.
But what was great fun was this island. It is called Rainbow City created by Miami art duo FriendsWithYou. The sculptures move with the breeze and some are even interactive. It is made especially for children in mind. Kids can crawl into some of the large inflatables...
My favorite guy..
So great. It made for a perfect afternoon when I saw one of my favorite food trucks. Ok not really a food truck. But they have the best ginger mint slurpees! I was looking for Kelvin earlier in the day around their usual Union Square spot. Well they moved here for the next month, along with other food trucks. There is a huge picnic area set up.
The installation runs until the end of June. Go if you get a chance.
See you...
Christina
Just browsing through some of my vintage children's books, I came across a lovely book, Children and Animals. From the School of Emmy Zweybruck, copy written 1935. It seems this book was originally printed in Austria. These pictures are so stencil like and stylized. You can really decorate a kids bedroom or baby's nursery nicely with these pictures. How great they would be as art.
I just love them.
See you...
Christina
How lucky to live right around the corner from the NYIGF. Store owners, designers and bloggers descend from all over the world, to check out all the new looks. Most of the vendors I had already seen at the Atlanta show. But New York always brings out a different feeling. I go with a shopping list so not to forget customer requests. I got the new blablas for one customer. Leo Leoni books for another. Organic doll is still outstanding. Another asked for a moroccan pouf on steriods. Check, I found one. Wow, 36"x16h"!
Even though they had a whole new baby and children gift and decor section, the vendors seemed to be the same ones I had seen before. Nothing really striking sticks in my mind.
But the home decor vendors showed some flair.
I just loved Pacific Connections lacquer ware.
Mondrian inspired tables...
The color of the inner section of this table can be changed out to any color requested....
And of course they are known for their boxes. So I asked if they could make a chic little diaper caddy. Maybe, he said...
I noticed some really nice chairs for curling up and reading a book. Could work in a chic little girl's bedroom..
A bit campy...
A Bit Bohemian...
Oh soo cool...
And then there was Jonathan Adler kids .....
Just as I was about to leave for the day, I came across Tedde. Tedde is made in NYC. Cici Crib is a little too populated right now with other stuffed animals. Maybe they will find a home at the shop next year. But I really felt like they did. It was a long day at market.
See you...
Christina
The boys came home from camp with piles of dirty, stinky laundry and stories. Oh boy the stories. Justin, my oldest says camp was soul revealing. There is always something so calm and zen about him. Fiery James, says no way. He goes on to tell me he received a formal behavioral warning for climbing on the roof of the dorm and pouring a bucket of water on a counselor. It was an act of retaliation for a super soaker incident that happened 4 years ago when the counselor was a camper. My 2 boys are polar opposites. The house was tidy and neat when they were gone . Now it is back to normal. The kitchen counter is full with ipods and books and hats and sunglasses. Sneakers and jackets all over. Messy again. All of sudden I was reminded of the few vintage items I found at the flea market recently. A sweet little doll, from the 1940's and a 1950's picture created by Johnson and Johnson "dedicated to mothers and fathers of America."
Ok so the poem is a bit corny, but how the house so changes when the children are around.
So there are no more diapers, but loads of t-shirts and shorts. Baby cereal is replaced with Lucky Charms. Beautiful cribs are replaced with messy beds. The red faced cherub is now a teenager sleeping until noon. But the feeling of having them home is the same, joy and heartwarming. My oldest will begin his junior year of high school this fall. Time at home is fleeting . Enjoy every moment...
See you...
Christina
This past weekend Miles and I decided to do a last minute getaway. It was the last weekend before the kids came home from camp. In order to maximize the down time and minimize the hassle, we decided we wanted to stay close by, but we wanted to be on the Atlantic Ocean. Not many choices fitting that criteria. We decided on the Panoramic View in Montauk. Although the place was "renovated" , it seemed so tired. It didn't take long to really appreciate this hotel. Clearly it had been around since the 1960's. For the time being there are no spas or fancy restaurants. The main attraction is the ocean. It is the last sound you hear when you close your eyes at night and it is the first sound you hear when you wake up. A Canadian high settled over us for the weekend, creating the coolest of mornings, the driest of days and the most spectacular sunsets. The beach was quiet, private and beautiful.
Other favorite moments were the bike rides around Amaghansett's Napeague Harbor.
The fish tacos and the fruity Rosé at the Fishbar in Montauk. Who knew the lovely chef was just on Food Network's Chopped.
The wine was so nice that we picked up a case at the Wolffer Estate vineyard on the way home.
We stopped for lunch in Southampton. Checked out some of the shops. Loved Hatchlings for children's clothes. I liked the embroidery at The Elegant Setting.
The Ralph Lauren Home shop with it's side entrance, felt like it was in a tiny carriage house. A memorable little shop...
We're home now and I still can't forget those sunsets...
See you...
Christina
Life is so hectic, I forget what I did an hour ago. Yesterday seems like last week. Last week seems like a year ago. Gee, I think I am getting old. It's Wednesday and I am leaving the shop early to gather up the boys for their fencing lessons in the city. I walk in the house and the announcement is made by both boys- It's a night of crushing homework. Fencing will have to be postponed until Friday night. I have a night at home that is unexpected! How nice. I see the package on the kitchen counter. I ordered something? It was Susanna Salk's new book Room For Children.Style connoisseur, Susanna Salk , has put together a well edited book on children interiors. I sat quietly in my sun room and read the book cover to cover. This book, published by Rizzoli, is so worth getting.
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She picked some really stylish interiors. She loves the juxtapositon of vintage and modern. I love this nursery designed by Kim Zimmerman. I spy Blabla's little Lulu the flower sitting in the crib.
I love this apple green nursery, designed by Celerie Kemble. They used a Ducduc crib. Mixed with black and white vintage prints.
This space, so lovely and traditional, designed by Charlotte Moss.
A little glamor for a little girl, designed by Alex Papachristidis.
An organized, clean space for a little boy, designed by Katie Ridder.
What an inspiring book.
See you.
Christina
Keepsake boxes have different meanings for different ages. Traditionally, for adults we like a nice box to keep our most treasured possessions. I like this box, handmade in Brooklyn. One can put a birth announcement inside the glass lid. It is lined in a chic gray velvet.
For children, a keepsake box can have a slightly different meaning. I remember having a tiny doll's suitcase where I stored all my very important items. I don't know what happened to my orange suitcase, but any day now I bet I will find it at an antique fair. My older son, Justin began collecting rocks from the garden when he was around 2. As he learned about dinosaurs the rocks became fossils and a collection was born. He needed a large keepsake box. Really a mini display case was more in order. I found one at a flea market and was thrilled because it fit so perfectly on his dressser. He is a teenager now, but his box is still there. So I removed the cool sunglasses and the ipod and his Beats that lay on top so I could peer inside. Fossils,bones, rocks,shells and even the glass insect we purchased in Venice years ago. All the things that were special to him as a little boy.
My younger son, James still adds to his small keepsake boxes. I see some amber he purchased last year. He is far more tidy than his brother. He even labeled his "My Display Case."
In the shop there is a large jewelry box for a little girl. The ballerina twirls to the sound of "The Nutcracker". The top can be personalized.
Of coarse, there are some nice suitcases to store special cars and trains and dolls and all their accoutrements.
A vintage ballet case would work well.
Or some new suitcases that are even large enough to hold sleepover essentials.
Everything to keep your child's special items..
See you
Christina
Flowers were bursting in many store windows around the city last week.
Fantastic paper flowers in Kate's Paperie in Soho.
Completely covering the window at the tasty Teuscher.
Anthropologie in Chelsea showed some enormous playful looking flowers. Looks like they were made out of paper mache.
Even Cici Crib has an overflow
Inside there were lots of flowers to discuss. Bedding for a little girl's big girl bed is inspired by the nicely exagerated flowers on the fabric of the window treatments.
A possible combination for bedding and a headboard to complement the flowery treatments.
Another customer wanted to look at light fixtures that were not chandeliers. It is her third daughter. The first 2 had lovely chandeliers in their room. So we came up with this white rose wrapped fixture from Maura Daniel.
After 2 sweet sons, another customer is awaiting the birth of her first little girl. For her nursery, a delicate floral chandelier was in order..
An then there was the Mom looking for art for her tween. Art by Jacqueline Shapiro for Oopsy Daisy.
or maybe
Lot's of different styles but one focus, flowers...
See you.
Christina
The poufs are in.
Poufs can add a stylish element. They can be a great alternative to an ottoman. In a nursery , use one with a glider. They add additional seating that is low enough for kids to use. Use them in a bedroom at the foot of the bed. Use them in a playroom.
So many places...
Kelly Wearstler used them in her little boy's bedroom.
What's not to love about poufs...
See you
Christina
The Doherty household was up early this Sunday. Justin and Miles were scrambling to get out the door for a tournament on Long Island. James and I were readying ourselves for our first flea market outing of the season. James is my new flea market buddy. He started to go with me last year. He is the perfect partner. We work well together. He knows that for me, it is serious buying for the shop. I have interests and he has interests. He is thirteen and is very strong willed. "No way Mom is that ever going to sell." "If you buy that I am not going to help you take it to the car." "Oh, that is so cute." "I want to help you build your dollhouse." That's my James. I love everything vintage. It is the backbone of Cici Crib. It's inspiration for the new stuff in the shop. It is about finding vintage accessories to go in the shop.
It was a dusty, gusty start at the flea market. We arrived after eight. I knew from the amount of cars in the lot that we were too late for uncovering any super treasures.
I found a few pieces of art. But as I laid them out at home, I realized that they will need a ton of clean up and repair before they are allowed into the shop. Sigh...
The Currier and Ives print is so lovely. The little girl has a cane in one hand and her doll in the other. Perfect for a little girl's nursery or bedroom. It's title, "Grandfather's Cane." The dealer asked if I was a cane collector. No just a shop owner.
The 1960's Circus litho is so stylish. Really nice in a modern nursery. Needs a hefty cleaning.
I bought a group of children books from the 1920's-1940's. They are not in great condition. But the illustrations are crisp and vibrant. Time to talk to Judy at Framings, an absolutely top notch frame shop across the street from Cici Crib.
The dealer told me Rags was a precursor to Raggady Ann.
Mother Goose
Peter Rabbit
Wynken Blynken and Nod
I found a little metal train. Inside the train, it reads Midge Toy, Rockford, ILL. USA.
One day I will make my own dollhouse. I had a great one growing up. For now I collect items for it. Maybe when I retire I will make one. I found this metal refrigerator . The dealer and I think it was an advertising piece from General Electric. It is the perfect size. It will fit into my imaginary dollhouse 1/12 scale.
James was happy with his purchases. He found some steel pennies from 1943. He is discovering political memorabilia. We came home with our little treasures. It's back to reality. Time to prepare for the week ahead. James tells me about his 5:00 A.M. departure for Washington DC this Tuesday. Oops, I forgot about his field trip. Time to get packing.
See you.
Christina
Kids were at Grandma and Grandpa's house last week, so Miles and I took an afternoon off from work to do some fun things in the city. First stop was the Knoedler Gallery on the upper east side to check out the Milton Avery show.
The art of Milton Avery's art was so indicative of the time. I love the industrial nature of it, yet it is such a gentle take on it. So beautiful. They would fit perfectly in my living room. Just a bit out my price range...
Afterwards, we strolled down Madison. I checked out some children shops, Bonpoint and Baby CZ. Always something new. It's funny as a shopkeeper, I look at other shops differently. Not only is new merchandise always on your mind, but interesting displays, lighting, merchandising and traffic flow are also. We came upon Itoen tea shop. Itoen sticks close to it's cultural guns, always pure in Japanese tradition. It's closing it's doors, as well as the upstairs eatery, Kai Restaurant. It hurts to see another shop pass away. I bought a lovely handblown glass that now holds my makeup brushes on my new vanity in the master bathroom.
We reached the subway and headed downtown to Moss. So crowdy was Soho, that it was nice to find a quiet spot at Moss. Moss is part galllery part store. The owner's folly. A section of the store was closed for remodeling. Flos Lighting will set up a new shop in the closed area .
Last year we decided that our everyday flatware and china were tired and needed replacement. So I found some flatware at Moss that we both liked.
Nice and simple, not too heavy or light. Italian. I am still raking over the china purchase.
Across the street from Moss I eyed a new shop that Kisan. A shop that has a little bit of everything, with a large dose of children and women's clothes. Owned by a French and Icelandic couple, the shop holds carefully selected items from around the world.
I fell in love with these necklaces made by a Parisian jewelry designer, Servane Gaxotte. So Cici Crib cute!
Miles said it was time to buy my much belated birthday gift. I am kind of hard to buy for, so after 20 years of marriage, we kind of settle for this approach. I love my new necklace.
We ended the day with an early dinner at WD50 . The chef is imaginative . You have to go with an open mind. My meal was delicious! A nice ending to a sunny day.
See you.
Christina
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