Whew! What a day! I just finished writing a small section of the book I’m working on and I realized, “Oh no, my blog friends!” and raced over here to post some sign of life. :) How are you? How was your weekend? I hit a flea market, here are some of my inspirations from that and also from my weekend in general. I’ll share them with you briefly now as they may also serve to plant some new ideas or inspire you in some way, too.
Above: Flowers casually tossed in buckets at a market, two petite tea cups that I found for $6 total at the flea market on Saturday (vintage porcelain from Germany), some beads from a fair trade shop going out of business nearby — all you see was around $25! I have Maryam to blame for starting me on this obsession with beads ever since she sent me strands of beautiful turquoise ones from Morocco years back… Next are these Japanese interiors magazines and books that I spent time looking through on Sunday — all from Kinokuniya in New York City (I lingered in that shop for 3 hours after I had breakfast two Sundays prior in Bryant Park. In the park I spent an hour chatting with a homeless man who was a doll and in the store I met a darling Polish girl who recently moved to Brooklyn for a new life. I loved the random conversations I had while in NYC, the most inspiring part of my trip were these little connections that I made with such a diverse group of people from street vendors to homeless Vietnam vets in the park). The $14 slippers are from Pearl River, also in New York, which was a gorgeous store to browse. I walked away with these silk sequined slippers for the hotel and a CD of classical music from China (so beautiful). I could have purchased a ton of ceramics but there was no way I could travel with them to L.A. then back to Germany so I opted to keep it simple. And finally, the tiny blooms from a table in L.A. where I had a hearty breakfast before work, dining on a lovely patio in sunny, 80 degree weather with a slight sea breeze… Ah, bliss.
I want to add that I reviewed the new Apartment Therapy book today over at Real Simple and thought you may like to read it. You can purchase the book at Amazon, I’m an affiliate so I earn a small percentage for each book sale which, ultimately leads to me buying more books since so many publishers refuse to ship to me now that I’ve moved outside of the U.S. Boo! So the affiliate dollars really help me to keep current with the new releases out there so that I can keep sharing inspiring titles!
Before I get started on the next post, I have to quickly shout of some of the ladies who came out to NYC while I was there to welcome me! We met at the lobby bar at the Ace Hotel and even though I had major complications in the end since the manager ran my credit card through 8 times leading to over $4,000- being taken out of my bank account while on a business trip (not fun!) and they ran a tab on our party but charged us for drinks that people who were NOT in our party, but who were seated nearby, drank – annoying! Well despite the disappointing Ace Hotel lobby bar experience (too bad) in the end, the joy of being around so many amazing women, some with their husbands by their side, was simply lovely. Michelle from Design Evolution rounded up the ladies and so she was there and just as lovely in person as I imagined, as well as my pal Nichole from Little Brown Pen, Jenna from Whimsy & Spice/Sweet Fine Day, Amy Atlas, Michelle from When I Grow Up Coach and her man, Debi Treloar and her son Woody who was also our wonderful assistant on the US trip, my husband Thorsten, and Karen Mordechai from Sunday Suppers. It was just lovely to hang out with so many creative, supportive and successful women (and men). Yay for taking the online offline once in while!
Oh, I must note: The Marrakesh/decor8 adventure that I posted about end of June sold out while I was in the states, I’m sorry to those who did not register in time. I promise to do another workshop somewhere else in the near future. I’m already considering another location so we’ll see — perhaps in 2011!
(images: holly becker for decor8)
July 26th, 2010 at 5:50 pm
Wow, those are some lovely weekend inspirations. I just love vintage china, they are always the most amazing colours!
July 26th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
I love to put tiny blooms in a small pitcher… it sits in my windowsill by the sink!
laura trevey´s last [type] ..Giveaway – Hot Pink Chick
July 26th, 2010 at 6:38 pm
I love the beads, some of my favorite colors, and the butterfly hook is really pretty too.
July 26th, 2010 at 7:15 pm
i think i would have had a heart attack if that happened to my card…what a whirlwind trip…love the china…love gold and pink…ooooh how i wish i could have afforded that marrakesh trip…someday i suppose!
shellie´s last [type] ..Billie Holiday – they cant take that away from
July 26th, 2010 at 7:51 pm
Hello lovely lady so happy to see you here today. I was wondering where you were hiding. So glad we had the opportunity to finally meet in person and hope we have the opportunity to do it again in the not too distant future.
michelle´s last [type] ..Happy Monday!
July 26th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
oh that beautiful colorful china and those pretty pink slippers,, divine :)
xo
Edyta
July 26th, 2010 at 8:31 pm
Thanks so much for including me in your NYC shindig, Miss Thang! Please move here ASAP so we can have more fun times (but without the $4K worth of fake drink charges), or at least just plan a trip every, oh, week or two. See, I’m spoiled now by getting to see your face! You’re the bestest.
July 26th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
Those pictures are just YUMMY!! So pretty…
It must have been a flea market weekend…I hit them too, & got some great stuff!!
Mona Kay at Home´s last [type] ..Inspired by Porcelain
July 26th, 2010 at 9:49 pm
Wow, you are very busy! Great post.
Small Sweet Steps´s last [type] ..Print & Pattern- Small Sweet Steps!
July 26th, 2010 at 10:22 pm
I just might have to order that book. I love to read and really love design and decor books.
Holly´s last [type] ..Delightful Dinnerware
July 26th, 2010 at 11:42 pm
i LOVE those tea cups. gorgeous
audrey marie´s last [type] ..weekend round up 725
July 27th, 2010 at 12:00 am
What a fabulous post! Its neat to see all your finds clumped together! They all look so cute with one-another. My favorite is the pink slippers and you mentioning the classical music from china. Sounds like a great evening with bubble bath and a cup of hot tea!
Jess @ Reclaimed Marketplace´s last [type] ..look what i FOUND!
July 27th, 2010 at 2:16 am
I love your photos, such great colors! Flea market sounds fun, long time since I visited one. :-)
Tina´s last [type] ..Home again!
July 27th, 2010 at 6:26 am
Holly –
It was so nice to see you and to hang out with such a fun bunch of ladies.
STILL can’t believe what happened to your card. Crazy.
Maybe some day we’ll go back and “pay them back.” If you know what I mean. ;)
nichole´s last [type] ..Sky Blue
July 27th, 2010 at 6:46 am
Nichole – ha ha!!! You know what is funny, I even tweeted a few weeks ago telling them (nicely) about what happened and no one contacted me, even to apologize. I was so shocked and offended by how Astrid, the manager there, treated me and the party in general — and to think that she ran my card through 8 times on top of it — wow, there are really no words for that because it’s not how I expected to be treated there at all. Even the waitress was snippy and unresponsive even when I explained to her the situation. I told her that due to her mistakes, I would have to tip her lower because it wasn’t fair to us to absorb those added expenses and she said it doesn’t matter because the lobby bar already adds in a mandatory tip to the bill so I had to pay her I think 20 or 25% which was crazy. Is it even legal to add a mandatory tip to a bill like that? Isn’t a tip just that, a “tip” or a thank you for the service with the tip reflecting how good (or not) the service was? I honestly will never go back there after this experience, just the overall lack of professionalism and unresponsiveness when I nicely approached them about the problem… Too bad, I never expected it from the ace. :(
July 27th, 2010 at 7:48 am
Holly, seriously, I cannot believe they treated you like that. I remember your tweet to Ace. I really truly hope that the charges got reversed!! What the hell? I am sooo disappointed.
Jenna @ sweetfineday´s last [type] ..rainy
July 27th, 2010 at 8:54 am
Jenna – The bank gave me back all of my money so that is good. Yeah, they were totally unresponsive. It’s a shame.
July 27th, 2010 at 9:04 am
Ooo I so love your weekend inspiration post, I too posted about things that had caught my eye over the weekend, but after reading yours I feel some how lacking in words. your posts awlays inspire and conjure up a dreamy life, perhaps its the personal aspect that does it. Anyway just had to say you write so lovely. :) Thank You.
Those Japanese books, got to love um, even though I cant read a word, the photos are always great! I have the appartment de filles a Paris, Paumes book and am getting ideas for my daughters bedroom, and what a home without flowers…
Samantha´s last [type] ..Currently clicking on
July 28th, 2010 at 9:44 am
Since I am reading newest to oldest (still catching up!), I am not sure if you went to a flea market in LA (??) or in Germany. Since I am near LA, – if you did go in the LA area – could you tell me which one you went to? I’ve never been to a flea market but would love to go to one!!
Torrie @ a place to share…´s last [type] ..Batali family blackberry pie
July 28th, 2010 at 9:48 am
I apologize, I got LA in my mind when I read the part about not being able to transport from “LA to Germany” …but it looks like you weren’t in either, but actually in NYC!!
Torrie @ a place to share…´s last [type] ..Batali family blackberry pie
July 28th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Torrie – Sorry for the confusion! I live in Germany (though I am American) and I recently flew to NYC for work, then flew from there to work in LA and then flew from there back home to Germany! I know, lots of flying!