I am always impressed with Aliza's beautiful ceramics from Henry Street Studio. Whether she is working in metal, porcelain or stoneware, she never ceases to amaze with her style, keen attention to detail and sensibility. These stoneware, sturdy but delicate scoops, are simply perfect.
For more info, please contact Aliza at the email address below.
Please click on the heart below if you like our postings, and if you would like to follow us on this blog, click "sign up" above.
I found this beautiful produce at the farmer's market in the city on the upper westside. It was a matter of 5 minutes, and my sack was filled with spectacular watercress, sweet cherries, aromatic sage and crisp sugar snaps, inspiring us to shoot, cook and eat this fresh produce.
Wishing you all a great July 4th holiday.
These petal, feather and sunburst bowls are from the shop "Terrain," in Westport, CT.
I spend a lot of time in home goods stores for styling. Most times, I'm focussed solely on the task at hand, and search for those props that will work for the shoot, but not at Terrain. Even if I have a goal in mind when entering the store, I become enveloped in their beautifully styled space with great merchandise. You can visit the website, but it is definitely worth a visit to the shop.
This past weekend, Steve and I went to Pittsburgh to see the Rolling Stones play at Heinz Stadium. Reluctant to take the 6 hour drive, I fervently started researching flea markets, estate sales and antique stops along our route. Craig's list, estate sale websites, flea market listings etc. We were covering a lot of ground and I figured there would be loads of options.
I was right. The area was filled - so many places, great options - and then the rain hit.
We do not let weather stop us often, but boy did it rain. Vendors scrambling to pack up, shoppers running for cover and a muddy, sopping mess.
What I saw in the midst of the rain, will bring me back to western Pa for antiquing. The pricing was good, the choices were great, and there were loads of dealers with great finds. I found this coffee pot there in a quick moment before the downpour.
I just can't help myself with ironstone. The more discolored and crazed the better. The more irregular and aged and individual the piece, the better, and I'll drive the 6 hours to find it.
I was nervous driving to Heinz Stadium for the outdoor concert in this rain. When we parked at the stadium, across the sky was a spectacular rainbow. It turned into a beautiful night with clear skies. Steve and I were hanging out, the Stones were great, and I had found a beautiful ironstone teapot to add to my collection. What a perfect weekend.
Please continue giving us feedback by writing or clicking on the heart below.
http://www.keysfleamarket.com/fleamarket/state/pennsylvania.htm
Years ago, I saw a show at the Steven Kasher Gallery in Chelsea, It was a show of vintage prison mug shots. I loved it, and I thought the images were fascinating. My attention to black and white small portraits was forever changed.
These are not mug shots. They are from photo booths from the 1920's through 1950's, At that time, many of the booths offered an option of framing your photo.
I always like finding them. To me, it shows the importance of that moment, understanding that the image frozen in time is important and relevant. Something to be saved.
The phone as a camera has certainly changed the experience of the photograph. Once a visit to the portrait studio, dressed for prosperity, has changed to the recording for some, of multiple moments throughout the day. Those personal poses in the photo booth have become much more public and visible for all to see.
Maybe that is one of the reasons I love these images. The feeling of the past and the special quality of those moments, capturing seriousness, laughter and love.
As always, please let us know what you think by sending us comments or clicking on the heart below. We love hearing from you.
I found these small date nails in Austin Texas. They were at the Austin Antique Mall, which is a great place if you have the time for it. It is quite big, and many of the vendors have great collections and I always accumulate a diverse pile each and every time I am there.
More recently, I found the pole markers in South Jersey, with the graphics and markings that were attached to telephone poles throughout the country identifying their ownership.
I really love them together on this wooden piece.
The numbers indicated on each nail noted the year in which the nail was made and used. 38 referring to 1938, 42- 1942 etc. It allowed them to keep track of the year the track was laid. Some railroads found that the date nails lasted longer than others because the men tended to take special care of the numbered ones.
By now, you know I love them because of the numbers, the fonts, the graphics, patina, character and history.
Let us know if you like our postings by clicking on the heart below.
At 6AM Sunday mornings, on my way to the flea market, I listen to Lynne Rossetto Kasper host a show called "The Splendid Table" on WNYC. The show explores everything that is loved about food, sharing recipes, history, food science, and culture. I love listening to the show on the radio. Lynne has a gift of expressing her passion for good food through her word and I learn something new every time.
One morning, on Our Splendid Table, a caller asked about his garden tomatoes and Lynne gave him a simple recipe that is easy, quick and delicious. We make it often.
Of course, with the sweet tomatoes available this year, you can simply choose to wash them and eat them like a fruit. You will not be disappointed.
http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/classic-italian-tomato-sauce
There is nothing like a beautiful vintage set of paints evoking history, passion and creativity.
I love collecting vintage letters, signs, fonts, stamps etc.
Maybe my addiction to scrabble has encouraged this collection, or the countless word and number games played as a child, but I am definitely hooked. I notice them, photograph them with my phone and seek them out. These are some of the pieces I have found over the years. Usually, I find them at small flea markets and often at Brimfield. I like to go through old games at estate sales and often find them on Etsy and Ebay, They are around, they vary and have so much character. Their availability and huge variety feeds my obsession, and I am pretty comfortable with that.
We sell letters and numbers at our shop in Nyack, NY - Archive Home. Right now, we have wooden vintage worn carnival letters from the 50's which are pretty fantastic. I also like The Vintage Wall for letters. They make it incredibly easy to shop and the layout of their site is great.
These Beehive sewing cotton packages from Manchester are beautiful. They were found in a sewing factory that was closing down and I bought them from the lucky woman who cleaned the space out. There is really something special about doing a clean out of a factory or warehouse that was dedicated to 1 task - a woodworking shop, a sewing factory etc. The energy and magic of the place is like nothing else. The attention to detail is usually exquisite and one can find discarded gems.
I thought the blue of this old paper and the string that tied it together was rare and special, not to mention the beauty of the thread for sewing.
They are available for sale at the store, Archive home in Nyack. I think we have 6 packages left in stock .
In Steve's vast and loving Sicilian family, there are many cousins both here and in Sicily. Our summer has started off together celebrating the wedding of Dana and Joe. Dana is the first of the "next generation" to marry. Joe easily fit right into the craziness and connection of this group and we were all thrilled to join in their celebration.
This post is dedicated to them. I found these beautiful glasses the weekend before their wedding at a yard sale in Milford, PA. Let's fill our glasses and toast to new love and the endless possibilities that await them.
Congratulations Dana and Joe.
If you like our postings, please click on the heart below and show us some love.
As a child, I spent my summers at sleep away camp. Summer camp is a foreign idea to many, but in the suburbs of NYC, it was pretty much the norm, and I cherished it. My "camp friends" were the best, and we shared our deepest and most sacred secrets. We forged friendships that have lasted a lifetime.
This feeling of comfort and rusticity always brings me back, time freezes and life is simpler.
These are the objects I found this past Memorial Day weekend at yard sales and flea markets near Bethel, NY. I don't know if it is just coincidence that they feel like camp or it is simply the natural order of things for me. 'The unofficial summer" season has begun and I drift back to those outdoor days and the rustic comfort it has always provided for me.
Steve's family is Sicilian. His mom and dad were born in Baucina, a small village near Palermo. Fortunata, his mom, learned to sew at an early age. As the youngest daughter, she sewed for her family, and then upon moving to the US, began sewing as her profession. Luckily, we benefit from her talent, as she frequently sews and repairs clothing for us.
I periodically find vintage buttons and notions when I am running around, and buy them, offering vintage gifts to my mother in law. I am not sure if she loves them, but I like the bond created between us, and I know she is always a little curious about the old and odd things I find.
My next obstacle will be learning to use the gift of that sewing machine, which sits in my closet since my engagement party so many years ago. I hope she still has the patience to teach me.
These beautiful jars of buttons are available through our blog. If interested, please email us.
I can think of a beautiful table we had when we were first married. It was rustic and I didn't think it mattered when we put a hot pot on it, but I was wrong. It had a light natural varnish on it, that remained bumpy and dark until we sold it many years later.
I use trivets for styling, creating layers and always beautifully protecting the surface. It is actually another styling obsession, necessity and desire, and I look for them often.
There are so many options out there. We tend to use the wooden ones at home, but I love the other ones as well. I found the quirky coiled wire trivet in NYC at the 25th st flea, from a woman named Maria. She really has a great eye and great style, and I look forward to seeing her finds each week.
The indoor flea market on West 25th Street in Manhattan has closed, but many of the vendors have moved to the outdoor Chelsea flea market on west 25th Street, between Broadway and 6th Aves. Now that the weather is warmer, it is definitely worth a weekend morning visit, open Saturday & Sundays 9- 6.
On a side note -What an amazing week it has been. Your emails have been so supportive and helpful. We really appreciate it. Keep them coming. We love to hear your thoughts.
I collect string for work. It is always part of my prop kit that I bring on set, and love it when it is a bit discolored and aged. I find it used, faded and textured, and always repurpose it.
I like when I end up with a variety of wooden and cardboard spools like these, and keep them in a large glass apothecary jar in the studio. It adds character, but equally as important and practical, it prevents knots from forming.
I wish I could be as lucky when I pull my headphones out of my bag.
When we were traveling recently, there was a man in front of us in line at the airport with large oversized worn cases. I immediately assumed that he was working in production, and his bags were filled with cameras and equipment. It was difficult to turn my attention away from his experience while we waited on line for our turn
As he loaded each and every bag onto the scale, they were getting heavier and heavier and the attendant was getting increasingly overwhelmed, until he explained their contents. He was a ventriloquist.
Our imaginations began to run wild, smiles were seen ear to ear, and each bag was marked FRAGILE and handled from then on, with extreme care.
This suitcase was found at the Columbus Flea Market in South Jersey. I can only imagine the contents this has held, and the places this worn and loved suitcase has been.
www.columbusfarmersmarket.com
Margaret Braun is best known for her exquisite and intricate cakes. Lucky for us, she has now expanded her talent and style to porcelain, and has created these exquisite pieces by using her cake decorating techniques and tools. What has resulted are these hand built, wafer thin, one of a kind, beautiful porcelain dishes.
We were inspired by the beauty and individuality of each and every piece, with the stunning curved handles, the sensitive piping, the smooth yet irregular glaze and the imperfection of the shapes. I was excited to have found them to include here on the blog.
I am pleased to tell you that this collection is available for purchase though her website along with information about her upcoming "4000 Sugar Cups" installation at MAD in NYC, and a special group workshop she is planning in Italy in October.
This collection of silver forks was acquired over a few decades of styling. The length of the tines, the amount of them, the length of the handle, the ornate fork, the simple fork, a set, a single, tiny, large, matching knives, tarnished beyond repair, monogrammed, new, old, all considerations for a shot, all reasons to be chosen or disregarded.
Together I love the quality of them. I love their patina, and I love how they have set so many table settings on so many shoots throughout the years.
You can scour flea markets for silver and silver plate forks at reasonable prices with good variety. Last year, I found a few great pieces at Renninger's Flea Market in Kutztown, Pa. Their extravaganza is taking place this summer June 25 - June 27. They also have a weekly flea market on Saturdays.
The moment you land in Huahine, you know you are somewhere special. The baggage handler put down his ukulele to unload our luggage from the plane, and we were immediately taken by the natural beauty around us with the slow pace, sweet air and simplicity.
The island was truly beautiful, with varied shades of lush green forming the landscape of trees and mountains, calm ocean water with crystal clear shades of stunning blue, and the smooth chanting of the birds. People were kind, singing often to themselves, seemingly appreciating where they live. I certainly would.
We took many hikes and swims and had the opportunity to slow down. I found these in the sea, or fallen from a tree on the beach, except the pearlescent shell, which I bought at a local shop in town.
There are 118 French Polynesian islands for you to choose from. I urge you to do just that.
https://www.airtahitinui.com/us-en
It started with the black wooden car with the nails hammered in as the steering wheel, and the notches on the side of the car with the odd metal wheels. The collection grew from there. All a bit different in material and scale, but each possessing, to me, a special piece that I wanted to collect.
This great background was painted by my friend Leslie Siegel. She owns and runs the surface section at Prop Workshop, a wonderful prop house in NYC, supplying many stylists with beautiful choices of surfaces and props for shoots. This one was painted by Leslie, and I love the feel of it. It reminds me of a painting by Gerhard Richter, and was inspiring to work with.