rearranging the studio
The very nature of a creative space dictates that it has to be dynamic. My furniture and belongings are accustomed to being maneuvered and shuffled around, but that’s doubly true for the stuff in my studio. Each new artistic endeavor or novel idea can put new demands on the space. It usually starts in stacks and […]
casa cordati | tuscan home tour
Wedged in one of the narrow streets inside the walls of Barga, Italy, is a 17th century home – Casa Cordati. It was once known as the “red house of the Grand Duke”, because Grand Duke Leopold ii of Tuscany slept there. This amazing, historical building offered accommodations for part of our group as well […]
subtle seasonal dining room
The week after I got back from Europe, summer was still hanging onto Rochester, but it finally released its grasp. The trees are turning fiery hues at their tips, there is a refreshing chill to the air, and I donned my favorite leather boots in church this weekend. Fall is here. Having missed a week […]
barga quietly captivates
When Dana, the owner of Inspired in Tuscany, first pitched the idea of a creative retreat to me, she sent along some pictures of Tuscany to woo me to that beautiful little corner of the world that seems stuck in time. I honestly thought the pictures were stock photos from a travel website. Truly. They […]
hutch makeover in tuscany
I must admit, when we got on a plane headed to Florence, Italy, I wasn’t ready to leave Paris, yet. I loved our time there and it was tough to pack up our belongings and leave that apartment. I was excited about Italy, but Paris would be hard to top. Well, Tuscany was not going […]
paris mélange
Before we move onto Tuscany, I wanted to write one last post to scoop up a medley of things from Paris that I haven’t written about in other posts. If you missed any of them, you can catch up on them here… 1820’s Silver Dip Pen The Louvre and Museé d’Orsay The Paris Apartment The […]
I gained 12 lbs in paris
You might think this title would fit better with the post about the patisserie tour, but I didn’t gain 12 lbs on my body…just in my suitcase. Yes, this post is about shopping! I was looking forward to everything I would see and do while in Paris and a few towns in Tuscany, but I […]
where julia shopped
One of the things on my to-do list when visiting Paris was to buy a copper sauce pot, either a useable antique one from the flea market or a new one from E. Dehillerin, the kitchen supply store that was Julia Child’s favorite. The copper at the flea market was mouthwateringly gorgeous, but it was […]