Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Nantucket Style

In my house search I've fallen in love with a few houses. It seems that each on calls to be made into a beauty in its own style. There was the 1940 home that wanted a farmhouse sink and floral curtains. A 1980's tudor that wanted to be a craftsman with a red door. But this new house doesn't really call out to be something in particular. In a lot of ways it is a blank slate and I can choose whatever I want. Although there are many styles I find beautiful and would very much enjoy making my own, I've always dreamed of living in a traditional colonial-ish house. I love red brick and black shutters. Recently, I've discovered some thing calling itself "Nantucket Style" which seems to be a fresher/seaside take on colonial style. (I would just need to add some cedar shakes to my mostly red brick/black shuttered home :)

I really liked this house at Hooked on Houses.
I especially liked the light fixtures.
I liked how house this house at House Beautiful used unexpected punches of color, like this orange. Orange happens to be my favorite color.

I'm starting to really like grasscloth wallpaper, but I'm not sure if I'd be brave enough to use it.Sarah Richardson from HGTV's Sarah's House designed this lovely cottage. Of course, this room is breathe-taking in large part because of what is outside the windows. I'll have to make due with an ordinary Sandy neighborhood view:) But I think I might be able to make it work.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Christmas Card

With Love Blue Christmas 5x7 folded card
Shop Shutterfly.com for elegant Christmas photo cards.
View the entire collection of cards.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Shutterfly Christmas cards

I found the perfect cards for Christmas. A friend of mine took some family pictures for us and I found some cards at Shutterfly that are going to work great. I'm getting my cards free because I'm writing about it on my blog, you should go here http://bit.ly/sfly2010 to get your cards free, too. I think doing a story card is a great idea, it is almost like giving everyone a little photo book for Christmas. I also love that they will address and mail your card for $1 more per card. I am really considering using their cards for everything.

Look how simple and elegant this one is. You can even include pictures inside the card, which is a special bonus. I think because I'm getting so many cards free that all of you can expected a to receive one. It is making one of the things on my Christmas to do list super easy.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Gilgal Garden

Yesterday, I took the girls to a very quirky garden downtown. Have any of you heard of the Gilgal Sculpture Garden? As bizarre as it is, I kind of fell in love with it, I can't get it out of my mind and I want to go back.

I was in the mood to see a garden yesterday so I googled Salt Lake City gardens and Gilgal is what I came up with. The online description said it had Mormon religious sculptures, most notably a Sphinx with the head of Joseph Smith. Weird but I was intrigued. As I was parking, I noticed a tattooed artsy guy get out of the car next to me. He was bring along some of his hipster friends and I asked if they were going to the garden. The guy was super excited and started to tell me all about the garden -- he had obvious love for the place. I'm guessing he is an artist himself. He explained that the Sculptor was a Mormon bishop who had built the place in his backyard and by some miracle had been saved from destruction after his death and had now been turned into this garden.


I guess when I read “Mormon religious sculptures” I had pictured the sweet mother and son ones that you find on Temple Square. This was nothing like that. It was random; definitely, Joseph Smith’s face on the Sphinx, random sculptures of hands, feet and human hearts, tablets with hymns and scriptures, and a shrine to the Sculptor’s wife. At first it was almost disconcerting but I as I walked around and read the inscriptions, I realized this was a man’s life work and he had pour everything important to him into this. There was something so raw and real about it. It is possibly the most sincere art I have ever beheld. Not created because the artist would receive money or fame, but just a genuine human need to communicate what was most meaningful to this man. It was beautiful.


The quirkiness reminded scupltures of Antoni Gaudi that I saw years ago in Barcelona. Like these ones from the roof of the Guell Palace.

But unlike the whimsical Guadi statues, there was the emotionally intensity you find in the religious works of the master's. I kept thinking of the rough unfinished Florentine Pieta. To me the fact that it is unfinished makes it all the more powerful, it is as if Michelangelo was just so emotionally drained he couldn't finish. The Gilgal works have that same quality.


I'm will definitely be visiting the Gilgal Garden again. Lots of my favorite art is very far away, it is pretty amazing to find something this thought provoking in your own backyard.