A Quilting We Will Go

Personally envious of her talent and in love with her work, quilt designer and Cleveland etsy shop owner, JenSpot, creates custom blankets and accessories for the home. A woman who loves playing with fabrics is equally adored by her fan base.

Where Does Your Garden Grow

I love when designers place unexpected, whimsical elements into their art as Cleveland's own Lillyella does with her creatively playful nod towards vintage with modern appeal.

The City's Natural Elements

I came across the Cleveland based etsy shop Smashing and instantly loved her work. Such a quiet reflection of the city's architecture and nature.

Think: Environmentally distressed heightened by beautiful pops of color.



Smashing artist Kathy Patton is inspired by her surroundings--whether it's a decayed building with bright spray paint or shiny stones sifted into the debris on a beach.

"I think of my pieces as something you'd find in a mermaid's treasure box." Glimpses and grabs of the city.

Take Care of Yourself...A Broken Heart

Currently, I'm hugging infamous French artist Sophie Calle's Take Care of Yourself. Here's her story, which led to an internationally renowned installation and an incredible book...

I received an email telling me it was over.
I didn't know how to respond.
It was almost as if it hadn't been meant for me.
It ended with the words, "Take care of yourself."
And so I did. I asked 107 women
(including two made from wood and one with feathers),
chosen for their profession or skills, to interpret this letter.
To analyze it, comment on it, dance it, sing it.
Dissect it. Exhaust it.
Understand it for me.
Answer for me.
It was a way of taking the time to break up.
A way of taking care of myself.

These are the perfect accessories...

A Scene from My Childhood Imagination

Independently beautiful, collectively entrancing--there's something whimsical yet grounding about this setting.

It evokes the child in me who loved to sit in a room and stare at each painted pinwheel and treasured heirloom for hours and just let my imagination wander....



One of Kathryn M. Ireland's many genius designs

My New Favorite Dinner Party

Some of us love bulgur while others love burger. Regardless of your nutritional propensity, I highly suggest that this cookbook becomes a staple in your kitchen. The author, Patrick-Goudreau (P.G), offers seasonal menus based on themes...and every recipe sounds amazing.




We recently had a dinner party that quickly became a challenge to our new year resolutions--until we found The Vegan Table and thought--what the heck? (A few of the vegan friends felt quietly victorious). So after a cost-savings trip to our favorite organic stand at the West Market, we divided the courses and got to work.

What we all agreed on throughout the numerous plates was that P.G has found a way to combine natural ingredients into incredibly flavorful, delicious meals. We selected the Indian inspired menu, "Sugar and Spice."

Result: A Vegan Table Success. We're going to get together once a month and cook our way through the seasons. It's healthy livin, amazing home cooked meal with friends...and right now we can't think of a better way to evoke the summer months.

A Beautiful Game

Who wouldn't want little Charlie Harper squares all over the house?



What was initially the most beautiful twist on my old Memory game has now become a staple whenever guests pop by. After a yummy home cooked meal or a trek back from brunch--this has become one of our favorite ways to past the time during an infamous Cleveland snow day.



Oh, and the absolute very bestest lip balm (and cure for chapped skin) during the cold season (favored by models, makeup artists and a staple for over a century, so we hear) is Rosebud Salve. (We love the original the best...and were desperate to use a parenthetical phrase again;)

C.G