tIO Combo: Banner Day! meets Mid-week Music

As we close-out 2009, I decided to celebrate by combining the final 'Banner Day' and 'Mid-week Music' posts of the year: a special 'combo' post of banners famous, not-so-famous, and even infamous - ending with a musical celebration of our 'Banner'. Take a look (and listen):


The online newpaper, the Provincetown Banner, and its 'wicked local' information.

    
The Banner Art Collective "creates, collects, and distributes net.art and poetry within the limitations and context of web adverts".


The Star Spangled Banner Flag House, "home of Mary Pickersgill, maker of the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key's famous poem that later became our national anthem".


Be "the Hulk", aka  "Bruce Banner". You know it's cool.


                                    
Ace Banner's "Unfurl Yourself" Program: Ace Banner has been "manufacturing custom fabric displays since 1916". The "Unfurl Yourself" program is the company's "way of giving back to a non-profit each year in the form of banners and other signage for their annual event". 


'Banner Cloud': the peak's flag (shown here on the Matterhorn, the best site for its formation)


What-to-do on/around  Banner Street, London EC1Y. And some know-before-you-go: EC1 history.




Rock on, lovelies! And I'll see you next year.  tIO x

Today's conundrum: Can you drink too much hot cocoa? Computer says "no".

Future conundrum: Is it right to want world peace and tougher sentencing for parole violators? Gracie-Lou thinks so.

Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon!

Finding Inspiration

Have you ever flicked through a magazine and encountered "the room"? The one that ticks the boxes and makes your heart beat a bit faster? That stays in your mind for years?

Mine was featured in the November 2003 Elle Decor, and technically is two adjacent rooms. And every time I have a design decision to make for my own home, these rooms come to mind: lacquered walls, coffered ceiling, fabric wallpaper, extended wainscoting, round table, covered chairs, painted cornicing, mouldings, and trim. And those floors.

Detail of the dining room

It almost makes me swoon. But I'm studying everything too intently to do that. The rooms were designed by the immanently talented Ellen Hamilton, president of Hamilton Design Associates in New York.

Even the shop front is clever and creative.

While the two rooms above hooked me, it was the designer's personality - and her shop windows originally full of Cath Kidston fabrics - that solidified my adoration. She seems thoughtful and gracious. And she carries a Bean tote:

Thank you for these gorgeous rooms, Ellen. My design fantasies are richer now - and include this beauty from you as well:

Because who doesn't want a treehouse?

Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon!

PS: When you click-through to the Hamilton Design Associates site, be sure to read Ellen's description of the room she designed for the Hampton Designer Showhouse 2009, too. tIOx


All images in this post from Hamilton Designs Associates, 2009.

It's tea time.

Would anyone care to join me for a cuppa? And some cake?
I put the kettle on. Can you smell the 

steeping? And the cinnamon and sugar topping crisping on the cake while it's baking? See this wonderful blog by Maris Callahan, "In Good Taste", for an amazing recipe featuring this:

Oh, dear. I still have 25 minutes to wait.

Today's conundrum: What happens when you move from the big city to the flyover and you can't just walk a couple of blocks for lemongrass, sultanas, or white peach puree?

Future conundrum: What if we all planted a fruit tree in our back gardens?

Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon!