Wishing everyone a warm and peaceful Thanksgiving. So much to be thankful this year! We will be celebrating with family in Pittsburgh. My mom continues to improve. It is a very happy Thanksgiving!
See you...
Christina
Final day at the flea market
It was the end of a very busy weekend due to our jewelry show. Overall, pretty disappointing. Lots to learn on doing trunk shows... I came home from work last night to find my son James and his friend pleading to go to the Sunday market. Teenage boys willing to get up at the crack of dawn to go shopping ?? How could I say no.
This morning we started out in the freezing cold, on a day I didn't expect to find much. Season has ended and dealers are just getting rid of stuff. Who could believe it would be such a fantastic day. Once at home, we got to rake over our treasures. The boys purchased binoculars, a very special coin and an army mask from desert storm. Not exactly Cici Crib merchandise, but it made them happy.
I so love the vintage table I purchased. Thanks Miles for schlepping it to the car. I will eventually have the base painted. James' friend asked me what color will the table be. Maybe hot pink, I said. He burst out laughing. James added, my mom is a girly girl. Ok, maybe I am...
But how nice is this table in a little girls room with one of Cici Crib's mid century inspired modern lamps on it.
Everyone loved this sled, definitely made in the 1960's, when space exploration was all the rage. Space Rocket XS-17 Orbit Control.
Loved the graphics on the wooden base. A great piece of wall art. So I did, what you are not supposed to do to a collectible. I took it apart. All the extra parts will be saved. How fantastic would this look in a play room or boys bedroom wall...
A vanity tray and container for a very fancy little girl..
And this lamp, I just couldn't let go. An architectural melange of styles. Never the less, it is a great castle. It is ceramic with a wooden base and top. Took forever to clean up, but now looks perfect. I could see Jonathan Adler getting inspired over it. It could go either in a boy or girls room..
I want to line this peach crate with burlap and use it for display purposes.
Loved these kitschy girl pictures. Their hair is made out of yarn. They made me smile. Something so charming about them..
A weekend that started out a touch disappointing, ended on a very light note.
See you..
Christina
The little holiday window at Cici Crib
Cici Crib has small storefront window. Most of the time, I wish it was larger. This holiday season, it took a lot of doing to get this little window into form. Because we are having our holiday children's jewelry trunk show, the inspiration for this window is ofcourse jewelry. During the 1990s, my sister amassed this huge vintage costume jewelry collection. Our tremendous collection's focus was 1950's plastic jewelry. The price point was completely right. Very cheap, but high in style. For this season we used mostly earrings to decorate the window.
I purchased a white tree from Target. I was so not happy, when it came in the mail. It looks like a branch. Oh well, no time to waste.. We needed to make the Charlie Brown Christmas tree beautiful with pink lights and sparkly necklaces and earrings...
The menorah came from Home Depot. Who knew?? Well, it was perfect. I decorated it with pink glitter foam and sparkly jewelry. It is a Barbie Menorah for sure. So very pretty..
A glittery moon was made out of packing material from a light fixture...
We clipped earrings onto garlands of snow flakes and hung some huge icicles...
The window is just a sparkle at night..
Now we are ready for the show...
See you...
Christina
Crazy headboards for a Girl's Bedroom
I am currently working on a pretty traditional bedroom for a little girl in NYC. We will be doing a nicely tufted headboard with a soft arch. The fabric will be neutral so as to allow for future flexibility as the little client grows into her own style. So I started daydreaming about funky headboards...
We will stick to the traditional. It was just a thought.
See you...
Christina
Wallpaper on the ceiling
As far as children's rooms go, we are oh so familiar with clouds on the ceiling. Whether they are painted or wallpaper, it seems like we see it quite often. But what if we just chose beautiful wallpaper to line the ceiling. How nice... House of Turquoise
original
Nursery by Rhoney Design. I so love this sweet home for baby...
2009-09-rhoney
47b9d639b3127cce98548ffe747600000045100AaNXLhq3csmSg
47b9d639b3127cce98548ffc747400000045100AaNXLhq3csmSg
Girls bedroom by David Cafiero...
194027-33-009
Then there is Miles Redd, oh so chic constellation ceiling.Ok maybe this isn't wall paper, but so inspiring...
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7-10-2010+5;45;56+PM
See you...
Christina
Jewelry Trunk Show at Cici Crib
We are just crazy busy getting ready for our jewelry trunk show! So much fun! It will be held in the shop on Friday Nov. 19th and Saturday Nov. 20th. We have been gathering jewelry from fantastic artisans from around the country. So sweet this jewelry made from felt. They are perfect for little ones...
Bottle cap bracelets are just fun...
Swirly bracelets that can be personalized. Even some made for moms..
Necklaces made from vintage finds...
Budding animal activists will love these recycled bracelets that highlight endangered species..
Owls and other little chicks have joined a larger group of hair accessories...
Don't forget all the accroutrements. Especially for the sparkly girls, the ballerina jewelry holder on top of the "diamond" tufted tuffet...
See you...
Christina
Touch of Aqua
Mom of 2 tween girls needs to update their bedroom. Everyone loves the aqua, but not in huge doses. The Mom and the girls loved House Inc.'s new collection. House Inc., creator, Annette Tatum, delicately layers fabrics in such a casual way. For a room that could have touches of modern, but is pretty firmly traditional, Annette Tatum is for you. Her combinations are just lovely...
The fabric they chose the bedding...
Now to integrate the aqua with the pink that is scattered throughout the girls' bedroom.Found great inspiration in House of Turquoise...
Love Toby Fairly's room as shown in The Neo Tradionalist.
It will all come together...
See you..
Christina
Jewelry Trunk Show at Cici Crib
We will kick off this holiday season with a jewelry trunk show for girls. Six different lines of jewelry, from diamonds to bottle caps! My new favorite jeweler from the city will be making her way up to the shop. The planning has been in full swing for a while. Check out our postcard that will go out shortly.
I am gathering together some pics of the jewelry for upcoming blogs...
See you... Christina
Toys from the Old Salem Museums and Gardens
So sad to see a closing of a museum. Significant toy collections from the the Old Salem Museums and Gardens in Winston-Salem, NC will be up for auction in the coming weeks. Two auction houses will clear out the most unbelievable inventory. Northeast Auctions in Portsmouth will hold it's auction on October 30th. On November 19 and 20, Noel Barrett Antiques and Auctions in New Hope,Pa will hold their event. Most of the toys are 19th century, European. Just fantastic. How different children played. The toys were meant to last forever...
Dollhouse furniture to die for....
"Toy collecting is the best anti aging medicine, I know" says Noel Barrett, owner of Noel Barrett Antiques and Auctions.
See you...
Christina
It's getting chilly.. Think Plaid!
Ooh it is getting a bit chilly outside. We haven't turned on the heat, but as I write, I am wrapped up in my plaid, cashmere throw. It's cozy warm. Classic plaids are used in many ways. We see it everywhere in the decorating world. On tables..
On light fixtures...
In bedrooms for both girls and boys...
As wallpaper...
On sheep, oh my...
Plaid at Cici Crib has taken a calmer tone. New in the shop this week is a little toast to the Burberry plaid baby...
Delightful little burps and bibs...
Coming soon are hooded towels and crib bumpers trimmed in the signature fabric.
See You ...
Christina
Conran Shop At ABC Carpet
I was in the sort of new Conran shop in the basement of ABC Carpet the other day. The sign on the landing is the first notice of the shop that lies below. I guess we shop owners are all the same in our goal of making a customer's visit a personal experience.
The merchandise is surely well edited and really fresh.
A ping pong table with a chalkboard surface..
So I found my 2 favorite items. Love the robot...
What about these bird pendants for a nursery..
So cool.
See you...
Christina
Decorate with vintage toys
What is it about vintage toys and games and pictures that make us smile. Is it their innocence that stands out in this i-everything world we live in? Does it make us feel warm and cozy? This week, Velvet &Linen, one of my all time favorites, blogged about her fantastic design project. Her talented family business, Giannetti Home, created this most inviting family game room.
The room had strong bones and much potential to start out with.
They gathered collections the family had accumulated over the years...
And created a room that tells a beautiful story...
I love these images from a French children's bedroom...
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The lamp below was made in NYC in the 60's and 70's..
Vintage blocks are small touches that create nice atmosphere.
Love this room by design team Lila & Tom from Design Sponge:
Vintage games are quite inexpensive and can make a nice statement.
What a sweet shelf. I gave my sister in law a baby present, similar to the See Saw toy below. It was long before Cici Crib was born. I thinks she puts it out for Christmas every year..
See you..
Christina
Children's jewelry at the ENK show
I had to make a quick visit to the ENK show at the Javitz Center yesterday to see some new products from 2 of my steady vendors. ENK is primarily a clothing show, but there are also children's accessories. I was not planning on buying anything. I certainly didn't need any children's jewelry. My main line at the shop is from Mija. A delicate line made of sterling and vermeil by a designer out of Washington D.C. A very sweet line of jewelry.
In betwixt and between the very colorful children's clothes at the ENK, was a very small booth of fine children's jewelry, Briati. Silvia Heiden, the jewelry designer and Belgian transplant creates her jewelry in NYC. She uses only sterling, 14k gold, pearls and diamonds.
She has the classic sterling pacifier clip...
She creates diamond letter necklaces as well as small engraved initial ones..
You can layer the engraved initial necklaces with the most teeny tiny of charms I have ever seen.
Little butterflies, ladybugs and hearts and stars become teeny earrings...
These little jewels will find their home at Cici Crib. Maybe a holiday trunk show is in order.
See you..
Christina
Built in beds for kids rooms
Doing some research on built in beds for kids rooms and came across these gems... Kristen Panitch
Makes me want to take a Sunday afternoon snooze...
See you..
Christina
Rocket ships at the flea market
Soon the flea market days will be coming to an end in the northeast. I used to be able to stick it out until November. Guess I am getting old, but by November, it is just too cold for early mornings at the market. So I took advantage of the warm morning and headed to the field with my younger son, James. He found the coin dealer he was looking for and I found some really cool amusement park cast offs? Yep. It was a strange market. Not that I purchased any of them, but they were just too cool to not notice.
An aluminum horse that escaped from some cruel carousel....
Silly animals...
And the piece de resistance was a rocket ship that really lights up! How cool would this be hanging from the ceiling in a loft playroom or kids bedroom. Perfect for the Novogratz family! I was really tempted to purchase it. But I could hear my husband, loud and clear, complaining about storage issues. So I took the dealer's card. Maybe one day I can find a home for it.
Another fun morning at the market with my flea market buddy, James.
See you..
Christina
Alphabet decorating for a nursery
I found these brushed aluminum letters at a flea market not long ago. They are quite large. The dealer told me they came from an old car dealership. The letter A went into a little boy's bedroom. We mounted the A on top of a large aluminum framed bulliten board. I still have the letters F and C. I wish I had more. The font is so simple and clean..
Collecting letters and putting them up thoughtfully can be a really fun way of decorating a nursery.
Shabby chic letters in a shabby chic nursery...
You don't need an entire alphabet to make an interesting statement. Just begin by collecting the odd letter at a flea market and look what you can create...
This is one of my favorites...
This is no ordinary mural in this modern nursery...
At Cici Crib, Binth's alphabet poster is oh so stylish.
This print has alphabet whimsy..
Crib bedding with an alphabet pattern.
Many different alphabet directions.
See you..
Christina
Ode to Madeline Weinrib
How beautiful are Madeline Weinrib's goods. I see why she is a favorite of design blogs. I was picking up some her fabric samples of the other day at ABC Carpet. Weinrib's atelier is a bit gallery and a bit workshop.
The ikats are hand dyed and woven in Uzbekistan. The fabric was intended for a chair in a little girl's bedroom. Because of it's nature, it must be lined before upholstering. Unfortunately, I think it will be the deal breaker in an already tight budget.
But look how fantastic they could be...
Not sure what else to say about her rugs....
They fit into all different interiors. From traditional to modern to eclectic. This rug below is such a pleasant surprise..
The chair, upholstered in a Werinrib fabric in Gweneth Paltrow's home.
The photo of this big girl's bedroom is taken from one of my favorite blogs, Cote de Texas. Just fantastic..
See you...
Christina
Flecks of gold
A customer came into the shop this week to work on her daughter's new room. As we worked, I was reminded of Anna Shea‘s chocolates. Anna Shea used to have a tiny shop in Tarrytown. Just for a moment you could imagine you were in Paris. Her chocolates are delicate and dusted with flakes of gold like it was made by a fairy. So lovely, yet another recession casualty.
Back to decorating… The mom was inspired by Zoffany wallpaper that had speckles of gold and raspberry on a light pink background.
Elizabeth Allen bedding had the right vibe.
The bedding she chose for her little girl was as delicate as the wallpaper.
Her bedding would work well with these new pillows from Sivaana that came into the shop this week. It would just add a little twinkle. They are handmade with Swarovski crystals and gold fabric. They have already created such buzz. See Hamptontoes did a nice post about them. My pictures do not do them justice. They are just beautiful.
Another Sivaana pillow..
A little sprinkling of gold for my customer's little girl.
See you...
Christina
Leryn's Nursery
I would say one of the nicest parts of my job is meeting some really good people. I remember the first time Bari made her way into Cici Crib. Her smile filled her entire face as she talked about the upcoming birth of her daughter, Leryn. We discussed many details of the nursery. After months of planning and waiting, the moment finally came. Leryn arrived in early July. It' s so nice to see good things happening to good people. Bari wanted the nursery to have a bit of a bohemian feel. Very soft and relaxed. Perfect for baby. The bedding completely inspired her. It is by Elizabeth Allen.
A petite chandelier was needed in this cozy little nook.
Storage bins from Macbeth were purchased from Bari's registry at Cici Crib.
The artwork is from Oopsy Daisy.
Birdies and butterflies are delicately painted through out the room The inspiration was taken from the bedding, as well as the artwork.
A lovely nightlight fits right in.
And, of coarse, a vintage pin caddy that came from Bari's nursery when she was a baby.
Thanks Bari for sharing your daughter's lovely space.
See you..
Christina
Welcome back
Everyone is returning from their various summer journeys. It's time the kids get back to school. I am back from Pittsburgh for a bit. So far, everything is going very well with my mom and sister. They are getting stronger every day. My mom has a new future. It is just amazing what the doctors can do. I am so thankful! The huge weight that lies on my shoulders is beginning to lift. Life is ok right now... Tina and Beth have been great caretakers of the little shop. I am thankful for them too!
We put together a new window display celebrating the return of school. I picked up these cheap vinyl floor tiles from Home Depot to cover the base of the display.
I recently purchased this giant abacus from an auction that was selling items from a schoolhouse from the turn of the century. It is enormous. It would be fabulous in a great playroom or bedroom that needs to fill space because of high ceilings. It would look great on top of a bookshelf. A piece of sculpture.
Bookends came into the shop in late August. The vintage globe also makes a nice addition to the window.
Another set of new bookends...
So we put it all together along with some other items and made a welcoming display.
See you...
Christina
