untitled

again the color issue. i hope you get the idea...

dear Mr. Maurer,

my favorite part

for me, the best part of these little light specimens is the engineering that goes on along the way. it is a lot of fun to experiment and this light in particular gave us plenty of problems to solve.

here is a heat test on the green transformer. the transformer and little red circuit let us run the LEDs on a regular wall plug. green transformer failed but the yellow one passed with flying colors.

here is d making the circuit. i am so glad he loves the soldering iron. our old one shorted out and caught fire while i was using it. it was in my hand flaming with big sparks while plugged into the wall. i am now afraid of the soldering iron. it is the boogey man and as d would say, i am a delicate flower.

all the connections, nice and neat.

this container is big but the mouth is small, so the base had to be cut into three pieces, wired with slack, folded up and squeezed through. this is my first LED specimen! look at my cute transformer! i can not wait to put it all together.

last chore of the day, watching glue dry. yes, i am in my robe and slippers....from three days ago..... sad but true.

this is a test

so, LEDs are NOT plug and play. here is my dear hubs conducting a test to see if we can run 3volt dc only LEDs with 6volt flashlight bulbs on the same power source by using a dividing network of resistors, a transformer, and a regular 120 wall plug. i thought i would take a cute little photo of him working away. then i really looked at what he was up to. you know, 120volts will leave a mark.... careful the end of those red wires.

exciting times: architectural digest home design show 2008

...and i will be there. i was invited to exhibit my lamps at the architectural digest home design show by claudia of the paris apartment, who will have a booth this year. i know my posting has been spotty and will continue that way for the next two weeks while i prepare. two weeks. yikes.

i will post each lamp as i finish it. i hope you will all bear with me while i try to take two steps forward without taking two steps back! work, work, work.

free range

kate blee

painted cashmere

draw rug

cast rug

kate blee. the painted cashmere is unbelievable. and you could absolutely paint glass panels yourself for the same effect as the blue installation.

patricia van essche: pve design

patricia van essche of pve design is simply the most lovely person. look at her illustrations inspired by my lights! what a kind thing to do. look at me with my little rake, i love them!

patricia has all sorts fine ideas, like these love bird note cards. a perfect valentine... her commissioned house illustrations are such a great idea for housewarming or welcoming baby or stationery for either occasion. such a thoughtful gift that is useful, personal and unexpected. patricia is very prolific with her paint brush and is always posting new ideas. how lucky to be able to express yourself quickly and beautifully. i can just imagine notebooks full of sketches.

chris redecke, peter zumthor and getting one's peacocks in a row

i was reading an article about peter zumthor's kolumba project and all the lacy architecture reminded me of another project i have been watching by none other than chris redecke. mr. redecke's design for peacock pavilions (of my marrakesh fame) looks to me as if it has been crocheted of concrete. so massive, but delicate. so solid, but open. the maze of archways and openings is exciting, like unwrapping a present within a present.


i have always loved architecture, even as a small child. i used to walk around with my mother's hand mirror under my chin just to make my house more interesting. that way, you could step over door frames as you entered rooms and walk around ceiling fixtures that became lighted side tables. that is the first thing that came to mind when i saw the pierced dome above, i imagined what it would look like in the mirror and how fun it would be to walk down into it.

a little bird tells me chris is a modernist at heart and is completely preoccupied with the casting of shadows with light, not with his carbon footprint. admirable indeed. he has done a beautiful job here marrying the clean, soothing modern aesthetic with the exotic tradition of marrakesh. what an excellent quality of space and light. check the light in the room above. it is all such a dream.

christien meindertsma

with flocks, christien meindertsma explored issues of consumerism, production process and the lost connection between farmer and final consumer by working with one farmer and producing product from one flock of sheep, attaching each animal's ear tag number to the final product made from it's wool. three years in the making, christien takes it one step further with PIG 05049.


this book chronicles every product made from a single pig, number 05049, showing the products at their true scale (1:1). unexpected results include ammunition, medicine, photo paper, heart valves, brakes, chewing gum, porcelain, cosmetics, cigarettes, conditioner and bio diesel. i really appreciate christien's work. i often wonder where people and things come from and really, most people and things have very interesting stories if you bother to ask.

rhinoceros for baby

i stopped everything today to make a gift for tomorrow. i figure, who wouldn't love a rhinoceros? so i embroidered one on linen in variegated red (which looks orange here but it's not)and made some little pom-pom stripes with variegated blue, lined it with cream flannel and frayed the edges of both layers. i was inspired by this red rhinoceros and of course i am always insired by lalannes and their rhinoceros(es?). this blanket is too big to show the whole thing but the other side has a few blue pom-pom stripes but no rhinoceros. i am no skilled embroiderer and i am not a seamstress but i thought it would be cute....and different. i hope she likes it.

untitled: in progress

exciting news coming soon...

feather: these have sold, thank you

inspired by anna lewis and her spectacular feathers, i dug out some feathers and made these earrings with aquamarine. i like that all the feathers are different. i will explore further.

jan garside

impending storm, the piece below, is so incredibly beautiful. in fact, it hurts my feelings it is so beautiful. i have an overwhelming need for it. it shows the hand of the artist, imperfect but perfect, such balance and detail. i love that it is blue and so very interesting.



hand woven textiles by jan garside. how i wish i knew how to do this. another blue beauty below.

wrist: these have sold, thank you

a little burst of color just in time for spring. semi-precious stones with gold on wire. these bracelets are $75usd each. just email me for details if one in particular strikes your fancy.