I'm Susan — devout Francophile, mother of twins, writer, creative director, and aspiring author. I've been sharing my life here since 2010...thanks for reading!
I discovered Le Petit Atelier de Paris recently via Anne, and have yet to visit this shop in Paris. A concept store with a workshop within, they invite artists to create additional expositions and displays. Their handmade porcelain designs are absolutely divine…simple elegance at it's best!
Jane Flanagan of the blog Ill Seen, Ill Said recently launched her beautiful online boutique, Coterie. Her aesthetic is simple elegance and that is reflected in the shop's offerings. All the items are selected personally by Jane, and feature handmade pieces by artisans in Canada, the US, Wales, Ireland and elsewhere. The lovely porcelain creation shown above is by artist Jennifer Graham, and it's one of my favorites. The wood pieces, textiles, and paper goods are so unique. Congratulations Jane on a thoughtfully and beautifully curated shop!
Peter Beard's work has moved me since I was in high school. I don't even remember how I first discovered his art (it's been a while), but it still moves me. His life is quite interesting…wealth and fame have played a big role in his life. He started keeping diaries around the age of 11 in 1949, and inspired by the book Out of Africa, he traveled there in 1955. Thus began his craft of combining stunning (and sometimes shocking) animal photography with his writings, developing his now well-known collages. I actually had the great pleasure of meeting him (by accident) in Soho many years ago, and I felt like a giddy little schoolgirl (for various reasons)!
If you are a lover of Isak Dinesen's book, as I am, you will find it interesting that he later met and became friendly with her (also known as Baroness Karen von Blixen-Finecke). He fell in love with Africa, as she had, and eventually purchased a 43 acre area of land adjacent to her farm in Kenya. Even though her book was written around the time of his birth, he looks so much like the handsome Robert Redford in the film Out of Africa, it is uncanny! Google his photos…seriously, and I encourage you to visit his site to learn more about his philanthropy…
If you haven't yet discovered this amazing iPhone app, I suggest you follow this link and download it right away! It is one of my favorites, and it is an elegant way to send a quick note to a friend or loved one. I can confidently say I was one of the first to buy it since I follow Fiona's blog and was so excited when she launched it! Cartolina offers beautiful eco-friendly greeting cards and paper goodies, and you just may have seen them in a boutique near you!
