A Boston Tradition

Here in Massachusetts, we have a holiday called Patriot's Day that always falls on the third Monday of April. The holiday is only observed by three states in the entire country. It commemorates the Battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775 but is more famously known as "Marathon Monday" because it's also always the day of the Boston Marathon!

The city is covered with signs like these all along the marathon route, and people will be cheering along the entire 26.2 mile course. It's a happy, joyous day in Boston that has been made even more poignant because of the terrorist attack that happened back in 2013. 

That was a very scary day - one of the scariest of my life. My husband actually heard the bombs go off and saw people screaming and running away. Then we couldn't leave our apartment for almost a whole day, as the entire city was on lock-down! I was almost two months pregnant, feeling terrible because of morning sickness, and insanely freaked out about what kind of world my baby would be born into.

Since that horrible day, the city, the runners, and the spectators have made it their mission more than ever to return the marathon to a commemoration of the human spirit's ability to triumph over adversity and a celebration of community and I think they have succeeded!

Happy Halloween

Just wanted to wish you all a Happy Halloween - I hope you have fun plans for the night, and great costumes to wear! Oh, and your favorite candy to eat. Can't forget that part!

I couldn't resist posting these photos of faux carved pumpkins on Beacon Hill in Boston to my Flickr, in honor of the holiday. You never have to worry about these pumpkins rotting - or getting smashed!

Happy Fourth of July!

Here's wishing a Happy Fourth of July to all of you in America! I hope you have a day/weekend filled with red white and blue, fireworks, barbecues, rocket popsicles, and parades.

I'll confess: I don't really decorate for Independence Day. It's one of my favorite holidays, but I always want to do something different than little flags and bunting everywhere. I love both of those things, but I'm always looking for something that's more classic Americana and that could be displayed year-round.

Some of these items might just do the trick! I like the vintage charm and classic look of these wooden pallet star signs by RusticDesigns1. They'd look great on top of a mantel, over a couch, or even hanging on a porch by the door. I just can't decide if I'd want one color, or all three. Tough decision! You could easily DIY your own version as well. Just take a square or rectangle piece of wood (or strips of wood nailed together), varnish or stain it with your choice of color, then stencil a star in the middle with red, blue, or white acrylic paint. Let dry, and hang!

I've been obsessed with barn stars like these vintage iron ones by Becaruns for ages. If you walk around the older parts of Boston, you can see original ones from the colonial days still attached to the sides of old brick buildings in the city. They remind me of our patriotic and historic past.

July 4th wouldn't be complete without some stars and stripes! This flag by PassedBy is a vintage one, featuring only 48 stars (from before Alaska and Hawaii joined the union). It's discolored a bit with age, but I think that only adds to its loveliness.

I'd like to take a minute to thank all those who have served in the military, risking their lives to protect our country, and to remember family members and ancestors who have served but who are no longer with us.

Again, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday! 

Boston, You're My Home

My heart is so heavy for my city this week. I've lived in or around Boston my entire life. I've walked down that street - right where the bombs went off - hundreds of times. I've been at the marathon, down by the finish line. I can only be grateful and glad that I did not go this year, try not to think of all the "what ifs", and pray for the victims, their families, and all the Bostonians who are having a hard time believing that this could - and did - happen in our beloved city.

If you would like to donate to help the victims, you can go to http://onefundboston.org/, established by the Mayor of Boston and the Governor of Massachusetts.

(Image by Aaron Bouvier Design.)

Quilts from Haptic Lab

I was completely in awe of these unique quilts from Haptic Lab when I saw them on Fab.com last week. While I love traditional quilts and their ancient, intricate block patterns, it's fun to see a more modern and playful take on the craft.

Haptic Lab incorporates street maps into all their pieces, including their baby versions, and most of them come with alternate color choices and can be personalized.

Some of my favorites are (from top to bottom) their Central Park baby quilt, their brown-on-white London king size quilt, and their Boston baby quilt.

See more of their inventive goods here!

City-Themed Posters by Anderson Design Group

These city-themed posters by Anderson Design Group are so iconic and fun! They do a wonderful job of depicting the memorable characteristics of each metropolis, and the clean shapes and style remind me of WPA and vintage posters.

The silhouette of the couple in the boat in the last print is one of those genius details that makes you wish you'd thought of it yourself. The girl leaning back while the guy steers is right out of "The Notebook", don't you think?

See more posters from Anderson Design Group here!

Fourth of July Fireworks in Boston

I know it's been quite awhile since I've blogged. The truth is, I've been making and photographing lots of diy projects for you guys that I'll be posting over the next few weeks!

In the meantime, as promised on my Twitter page, here are some photos from the Boston Fourth of July Fireworks Extravaganza (that's really what it's called!).

I hope you had an enjoyable long weekend and got to bbq and watch fireworks as well!

Bazaar Bizarre Boston

When I arrived at the South End a few minutes before the Bazaar Bizarre Boston opened this past weekend, people were already braving the chilly weather to line up down the block. It's obviously a popular show! Luckily, the queue moved quickly, and admission was only $1.

Although it was too crowded to get a good look at every single booth, the above vendors managed to catch my eye in spite of the masses.




Visiting farmers' markets is one of my favorite activities, so this fun and colorful bag from Bang Bang You're Thread would be perfect for toting fresh veggies home.




When the weather gets cold, playing cribbage is a great way to while away a snowy night. This handmade steel board from Mean and Wroughten gives an old game a modern look and feel.




Everyone knows Sunday mornings are perfect for sleeping in and then making pancakes - in your pajamas of course! This print by Flowers in May is a colorful tribute to weekend breakfasts. They also have wonderful homages to Parisian vacations and the art of baking.




Twigs and Heather always amaze me. This lovely mussel pendant looks like it's been sitting on the shoreline, its edges being gently worn down by the ebbing waves.

If there's a Bazaar Bizarre in your city, I hope you take the time to go and browse it!

Spring Gardening

Hope you all had a restful, wonderful Memorial Day Weekend! Spring is definitely here in the city, although it feels more like summer these days. I even had to put the air conditioner in before June 1st!

Posting will be a bit light this week as I scramble to plant the garden before it heats up too much, in between tending to my shop and working on new prints.

In the meantime, check here to see what's new!

A Mansion in the City

Who knew you could fit a 26,000 square foot mansion in the heart of the city? The Ames-Webster Mansion, built in 1872 on Dartmouth Street, contains 50 bedrooms, 28 fireplaces, a four-level staircase, a two-level conservatory (shown in the last photo), and a carved oak great hall.

Did I mention the asking price starts at a mere $18 million?...

Twilight Silhouettes

I took this photo at twilight on the Fourth of July here in Boston. I couldn't resist capturing the beautiful silhouette of the Old South Church against the twilight sky, and I loved the bursts of light from the street lamps.

Enjoy!

Going On in the City

I'm definitely going to check out the new solo show by Shepard Fairey at the ICA in Boston. Though he started off as a street artist posting stickers of Andre the Giant, Fairey has become most well-known for his iconic portrait of Obama.

I've always been intrigued by propaganda posters, one of Fairey's influences, so I'm really looking forward to seeing more of his work. Even better, the ICA is free every Thursday night from 5 pm to 9 pm!