It's Friday and the best thing of all is that we get to sleep in tomorrow. Sleeping in is something I am very good at! See you on Monday.
Image - Rodney Smith Photographer
Jumat, 30 Januari 2009
Fabulous Friday
It's Friday and the best thing of all is that we get to sleep in tomorrow. Sleeping in is something I am very good at! See you on Monday.
Image - Rodney Smith Photographer
Kamis, 29 Januari 2009
Breath taking Bathrooms.
Check out these incredibly beautiful bathrooms. I don't think I could actually use them if I owned any of them. Enjoy, Heidi
Image via Hotel Des Arts, Kelly Tunstall.
Image via Jessica Lagrange.
Image via Domino Magazine.
More Porch Love
Now let's try and get back to the pretty things....
I am completely IN LOVE with these porches and chairs. I adore the lattice in the top picture the most though!
Rabu, 28 Januari 2009
For Like....Gone!
I don't usually like to post sad news here at ABT because I personally try to concentrate on the happy things in life and I try, as much as possible, to make ABT a happy, positive place for you my readers. But today is not a happy day. Today is a sad day and a day which I cannot let pass by without making my very small voice heard.
This morning I woke to emails from some of my lovely blog friends {Jo, Heather & Natalie} letting me know about the awful and I must say depressing news that Domino Magazine is finished....what we all thought was 'For Like Ever' is now 'For Like Gone'.
Each month, like lots and lots of people around the world I looked forward to my Domino subscription arriving in my mail box, albeit much later than my American friends...but always worth the wait.
In my opinion Domino has been a breath of fresh air. It has supported young, up-and-coming Designers and has been a magazine which has inspired me as a young Designer to think outside the square. It has offered Eco-Friendly Design, Budget-Friendly Design and overall I feel that it has offered achievable Design.
I spoke to Natalie Walton this morning {via email}, the Deputy Editor of Real Living Magazine here in Australia and I said to her I hope this doesn't start happening to our favourite Australian Home Magazines. Her response was interesting.....
"I think part of the problem with US mags is that they charge so little for the subscriptions – often only $1 an issue – that they’re really heavily reliant on advertising so when that drops they don’t have much room left to manoeuvre within their budget."
I agree with Natalie. I certainly think Domino was very inexpensive and I would have paid double, even triple the price for my monthly issue. Our Australian Home magazines range in price from roughly $6.00 to $10.00 an issue.
However, there really isn't anything we can do. I feel sad for the contributing Sylists, Writers, Photographers, Designers featured and Staff of Domino and I feel sad that these horrible times are taking away our small pleasures.
Good-bye Domino. You will be missed by many.
Image - Domino Magazine
Selasa, 27 Januari 2009
I Love Circus Tent Bathrooms
I know you've all probably seen these pictures before but I can't get enough of them. I have a very small {and I mean very small}, unrenovated bathroom at home and another unrenovated bathroom at the beach, one of which I would love to do in this style....one day!!
Image 2 - Via Habitually Chic
*Reminder
**Reminder: Some days we all need a little lift so if you see someone you think looks really great today make sure you tell them as it will be sure to make their day...
Image Via Lolita via This is Glamorous
.Happy List
I'm loving .Vanessa's new .Happy List Series....so much fun seeing what makes people happy. Vanessa has just posted my .Happy List today. Click here to see...
Image - Flickr
Senin, 26 Januari 2009
Su Blackwell
Su Blackwell is one of the most amazing Paper Artists I have ever seen. Here are some of her pieces. Make sure you click on her name or an image to be transported into a world where paper seems to come to life. Enjoy, Heidi
Image via Su Blackwell.
Image via Su Blackwell.
Jumat, 23 Januari 2009
The first week of a workout routine. (Very funny story)
I received this in an email today and when I read it I laughed till I cried and my side hurt, that tells you right there that I am out of shape. So grab a tissue and make sure you have peed, it's extremely funny. Enjoy, Heidi
WEEK AT THE GYM
If you read this without laughing out loud, there is something wrong with you. This is dedicated to everyone who ever attempted to get into a regular workout routine.
Dear Diary,
For my birthday this year, my daughter (the dear) purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for me.
Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.
I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Belinda, who identified herself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear.
My daughter seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.
________________________________
MONDAY:
Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Belinda waiting for me. She is something of a Greek goddess - with blond hair, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile. Woo Hoo!!
Belinda gave me a tour and showed me the machines. I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which she conducted her aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring!
Belinda was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time she was around. This is going to be a FANTASTIC week-!!
________________________________
TUESDAY:
I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door. Belinda made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air then she put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. Belinda's rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT-!! It's a whole new life for me.
_______________________________
WEDNESDAY:
The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot.
Belinda was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. Her voice is a little too perky for that early in the morning and w hen she scolds, she gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying.
My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Belinda put me on the stair monster. Why the hell would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Belinda told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. She said some other shit too.
_______________________________
THURSDAY:
Belinda was waiting for me with her vampire-like teeth exposed as her thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a half an hour late - it took me that long to tie my shoes.
Belinda took me to work out with dumbbells. When she was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. She sent another skinny bitch to find me.
Then, as punishment, she put me on the rowing machine -- which I sank.
_______________________________
FRIDAY:
I hate that bitch Belinda more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic little cheerleader. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat her with it. < /div>
Belinda wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the damn barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich.
The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?
________________________________
SATURDAY:
Belinda left a message on my answering machine in her grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up to day. Just hearing her voice made me want to smash the machine with my planner; however, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.
________________________________
SUNDAY:
I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my daughter (the little shit) will choose a gift for me that is fun -- like a root canal or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!
WEEK AT THE GYM
If you read this without laughing out loud, there is something wrong with you. This is dedicated to everyone who ever attempted to get into a regular workout routine.
Dear Diary,
For my birthday this year, my daughter (the dear) purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for me.
Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.
I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Belinda, who identified herself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear.
My daughter seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.
________________________________
MONDAY:
Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Belinda waiting for me. She is something of a Greek goddess - with blond hair, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile. Woo Hoo!!
Belinda gave me a tour and showed me the machines. I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which she conducted her aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring!
Belinda was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time she was around. This is going to be a FANTASTIC week-!!
________________________________
TUESDAY:
I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door. Belinda made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air then she put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. Belinda's rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT-!! It's a whole new life for me.
_______________________________
WEDNESDAY:
The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot.
Belinda was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. Her voice is a little too perky for that early in the morning and w hen she scolds, she gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying.
My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Belinda put me on the stair monster. Why the hell would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Belinda told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. She said some other shit too.
_______________________________
THURSDAY:
Belinda was waiting for me with her vampire-like teeth exposed as her thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a half an hour late - it took me that long to tie my shoes.
Belinda took me to work out with dumbbells. When she was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. She sent another skinny bitch to find me.
Then, as punishment, she put me on the rowing machine -- which I sank.
_______________________________
FRIDAY:
I hate that bitch Belinda more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic little cheerleader. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat her with it. < /div>
Belinda wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the damn barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich.
The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?
________________________________
SATURDAY:
Belinda left a message on my answering machine in her grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up to day. Just hearing her voice made me want to smash the machine with my planner; however, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.
________________________________
SUNDAY:
I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my daughter (the little shit) will choose a gift for me that is fun -- like a root canal or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!
Kamis, 22 Januari 2009
New Cane Vase
Micah and I have been experimenting with cane a little bit. As a matter of fact, we have decided to really spend some time focusing on cane in our glass blowing. It really helped us a lot to see Dante Marioni and Janusz Pozniak and the team @ Tacoma Museum of Glass in our recent trip. Some of the things we observed have already helped us quite a bit and will continue to help us. We have many more things we are gonna get into.
We made this vase based also on a technique that I saw Lino Tagliapietra and crew do earlier this year. It was our very first attempt and we made it look pretty easy. Not as easy as Lino, Dante, or Janusz, but for us, a huge big deal!!!! It couldn't have turned out much better. It's about 12-1/2" tall x 9" wide.
We are really excited about the cane. Stay tuned as we progress. We have several commission pieces to blow, so we will ease into it as we can get to it.
Cobalt Blue.
Lately I have been seeing a ton of cobalt blue in blogland, so I thought that I would do my part and show off my favs. Enjoy, Heidi
Image via Christian Oth Studio. Found on Style Me Pretty.
Image via Christine Rudolph. Found on Desire to Inspire.
Image via Shannon Fricke.
Image via The Vintage Moth.
Image via Christine Rudolph. Found on Desire to Inspire.Image via Shannon Fricke.Image via The Vintage Moth.Selasa, 20 Januari 2009
Wendy Addison's Theatre of Dreams Via Heather Bullard
Here is a two for one since I have been laying off the blog lately. This is one of my favorite artists, Wendy Addison. She captures magic in her work, the kind that you find in old treasures. This is her workshop, the Theatre of Dreams. Her line has been picked up by the company Midwest of Cannon falls so you probably have seen her stuff in stores (Curious Sofa). All of the images are via Heather Bullard who not only has a good eye but loads of talent. If you are looking for more eye candy her blog and her work are fabulous. Brace yourself, you are about to go on a magical escape. Enjoy, Heidi
Image via Heather Bullard.
Image via Heather Bullard.
Image via Heather Bullard.
Image via Heather Bullard.
Senin, 19 Januari 2009
Did You Miss Us?
Micah and I snuck out of town and got to spend 5 solid days watching Dante Marioni, Janusz Pozniak, Paul Cunningham, and the great gaffers at Tacoma Museum of Glass blow extremely good glass! Without exception, Micah and I were the first two spectators in the hot shop every day of those five days and with one exception we were the last ones to leave. We learned alot of stuff. We met "Gabe", "Ben" and "Alex" (all very talented and competent). Heather and Jeannie were great announcers! We even got a tour behind the scenes and got to see the "cold shop" at the Tacoma Museum of Glass. Many thanks to Ken for some great shots!
I've got over 300+ photos. I'll post a few.
Also, here's a couple of pieces Dr. Kelley and Nan commissioned that we just got done after we got back.
Selasa, 13 Januari 2009
I'm not dead, but if I were, this is where you could find me.
Ralph Lauren Home, Mayfair Collection is my HEAVEN. These pictures are not the best quality because I had to print them out and then scan them back into my computer. Apparently Ralph does not want to give up his fabulousness so easily. My Beefcake/Computer Geek husband couldn't even figure out how to copy the images from the Ralph Lauren Home site. So, to all of you out there reading this, you must click on any of these glamorous grainy pictures or aqua words so that you too will feel as if you just died and went to HEAVEN. Thank you Ralph. Enjoy, Heidi
Image via Ralph Lauren Home, Mayfair Collection. 
Selasa, 06 Januari 2009
Lowballing Turns Predatory - The Real Deal Magazine
The Real Deal is one of our more widely read trade magazines. The recent article "Lowballing Turns Predatory" paints a picture of buyers being in control at all times. This piece talks about offers being made 40% below the ask price and buyers making offers on multiple properties. How accurate is this picture?
Generalizing can obscure the facts. As a downtown specialist under $1M I can safely say the reality is much closer to the following:
1) Inventory has remained somewhat stable, particularly in the sub $500K range. We have not seen the normal influx of new apartments on the market at the beginning of the year. This doesn't mean the existing inventory is moving, just that the number of new properties coming on the market is less than the average for this time of year.
2) Interest rates have moved much lower in the past few weeks - as of this writing below 5%. Several buyers I've been working with have noticed how much more they can afford now per month, and of course this makes a big difference.
3) Sellers have begun to realize they really can't ask any price they want and hope to get traffic, let alone bids. There have been some significant price reductions and some apartments must be considered fairly priced.
4) There are some buyers out there. These are generally people who have not been directly effected by Wall Street's meltdown, both because they didn't work in a bank and also because they haven't lost significant money in the stock market.
5) As the weather improves more people decide to look for apartments. During the colder months of the year less buyers are inclined to shlep out in the snow to look.
The other important point the article makes is about how 'trigger-shy' buyer are even after an offer has been accepted. Reports of people walking away from deposits or simply not signing contracts are common. This piece also doesn't mention the ever growing challenges even qualified buyers can face in getting a mortgage or gaining board approval.
It would seem the stage has been set for some activity in the next several months. What is completely clear is that the seller's margin for error has never narrower. There simply isn't room for bad marketing, incorrect pricing or other various mistakes far to numerous to mention.
Generalizing can obscure the facts. As a downtown specialist under $1M I can safely say the reality is much closer to the following:
1) Inventory has remained somewhat stable, particularly in the sub $500K range. We have not seen the normal influx of new apartments on the market at the beginning of the year. This doesn't mean the existing inventory is moving, just that the number of new properties coming on the market is less than the average for this time of year.
2) Interest rates have moved much lower in the past few weeks - as of this writing below 5%. Several buyers I've been working with have noticed how much more they can afford now per month, and of course this makes a big difference.
3) Sellers have begun to realize they really can't ask any price they want and hope to get traffic, let alone bids. There have been some significant price reductions and some apartments must be considered fairly priced.
4) There are some buyers out there. These are generally people who have not been directly effected by Wall Street's meltdown, both because they didn't work in a bank and also because they haven't lost significant money in the stock market.
5) As the weather improves more people decide to look for apartments. During the colder months of the year less buyers are inclined to shlep out in the snow to look.
The other important point the article makes is about how 'trigger-shy' buyer are even after an offer has been accepted. Reports of people walking away from deposits or simply not signing contracts are common. This piece also doesn't mention the ever growing challenges even qualified buyers can face in getting a mortgage or gaining board approval.
It would seem the stage has been set for some activity in the next several months. What is completely clear is that the seller's margin for error has never narrower. There simply isn't room for bad marketing, incorrect pricing or other various mistakes far to numerous to mention.
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