PrettyOldStuff

Terrazzo is Back!

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 10:22:00 +0000

I have been trolling the designer's internet to see what are the 2018 design trends. I have found quite a few but I am only here for this one: Terrazzo. The 70s are back, apparently. I love it for bathrooms, patios, kitchens and I love it for furniture. I am particularly into Dzekdzekdzek.com and their creations.

Valentine's Day is Coming

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 10:18:00 +0000

I think I've mentioned this but I'll say it again: I am not the fan of Valentine's Day. But my daughter will be on school vacation around that time and she has become aware of the significance of the holiday. And last year she had me convinced that Valentine's Day is best celebrated with children. They have the best perspectives on any life event. So I have downloaded loads of images to inspire me. I am thinking of hosting a Valentine's Day sleepover for Hazel. We'll see..

All of Me

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 18:36:00 +0000

This Jazz player is deaf. Mandy Harvey lost her hearing gradually, and then completely by the time she was 18. She was always involved in music but when she lost her hearing her father persuaded her to sing. She has a beautful voice...she doesn't "audibly" hear the music or the musicians accompanying her. But she can feel the music...like the drums under the sole of her feet, the booming bass in her chest and the high pitch sound of the saxophone on her skin. Beautiful, lovely music. When the Lord closes a door He opens windows...

I know I have been missing all year...I promise to do better. Just over here in the forest trying to figure out all of me.

Pumpkin Season

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Thu, 05 Oct 2017 14:52:00 +0000

Hope you get to do some decorating.

Where Are You Going: Iceland?

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 19:46:00 +0000

I learn the neatest things on BBC's Where are You Going? So, fancy a handbag made from fish leather? There are souvenirs and then there are souvenirs. Leave it to the Northern Europeans to not throw away anything. Eco-living is a thing. Head to Iceland for a fish leather handbag. And head over to Atlantic Leather to read all about it.

What Am Reading: KinFolk

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 08:01:00 +0000

Image: Kinfolk

Hello everyone. Yes, I am still here. I have a project working on and it's taking up a lot o my time but it is also a lovely distraction that sucks me in. What can I say? I'll try to post more.

In the meantime, I am reading Kinfolk Magazine. I love the diversity and theart and culture share. You might too.

Bare Bones Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 10:29:00 +0000

Pour La Maison

Chester Jones Interiors

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 19:05:00 +0000

I love it when a design studio does both modern and traditional interiors. UK's Chester Jones uses some lovely pieces of furniture. It's a shame they don't include more pctures of their bathroom designs in their portfolio- no kitchens either.

Sad Mondays

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 08:56:00 +0000

I do not hate Mondays. I haven't had to since I started working for myself. But this Monday is a little gloomy and put in my mind to hear an old ballad--Barbara Allen. Definitely pretty and old--if plenty sad.

Faith Ringgold

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 21:02:00 +0000

"Faith Ringgold, painter, writer, speaker, mixed media sculptor and performance artist"

But what I love best by Ms. Ringgold are her quilts. So much story telling happening here.

Netflix and Chill

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 07:39:00 +0000

It's my birthday amd I don't mind that the number's creeping up to 40. What I do mind is 20-somethings running circles around me with urban slang...not knowing what the hell people are talking about because I am not in sync with the latest lingo. So I was chilling by the pool at Vytautas Minseral Spa in Birstona and reading a book when I came across "netflix and chill" and it made me wonder: at 38 years old, just what I else don't I know...? While growing up, I hated it when my aunts couldn't relate to my life and I really don't want to be able to communicate or even understand Hazel when she is a teen. So, how to keep up...or do I need to keep up? Do I really need to know what "netflix and chill" means at the age of 38? My feeling is yes. Right up until about 55 I want to know what it all means. You?

I had a lovely weekend at the Spa. Such a charming and unspoiled town is Birstona. It has the prettiest, little houses, a beautiful forest, a yellow dude statue (maybe Dali...lol), exercise equipment in the forest and a river running through the town.. And mineral water. You have to go!

I spent the weekend in mud wraps, Himalayan-type and mineral water saunas, jacuzzis and massages. We bicycled through the forest and along the lake and enjoyed the cool breeze and sun above (btw I now know I am allergic to the European sun--I break out in red, swollen rashes. It's why I am covered in a blanket). But it was lovely, I couldn't ask for a single thing more for my birthday. It was so lovely.

Birthday at the Spa

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 21:45:00 +0000

It's my birthday on Monday. I'm headed out today for a long weekend at the Spa. Am gonna relish this.

Look Up!

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Thu, 25 May 2017 06:51:00 +0000

I am sitting in the middle of a Women's Empowerment conference here in Vilnius. And of course we are talking about women's ability to earn, to forestall victimisation, being made use of, suffering violence. And of course we are discussing the ever-present glass ceiling. My mind is on the discussion but I veered off ...because the speaker at the time started to talk about the history of colonisation, etc....so my mind left the conference. Glass ceilings put me in the mind of what's 2017 doing with ceilings these days?

So, what do you want on your ceiling--apart from the light fixture?

Movie Stars and Marshmallows

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Mon, 22 May 2017 17:09:00 +0000

It's been a while. I know. I was compelled to come here today. Ms. Nicole Kidman is the style, is the fashion, is the risk and the pay-off. She (and also Cate Blanchett) is a movie star! No questions. O.K, so yes, the face is suspect (like she's storing marshmallows in her cheek just in case she needs a snack on the red carpet) but still...the dresses here are everything. The lady is wearing ruffles. And sequins. Together. Who could do that and not look like an elderly hooker in Vegas past her sell by date. I love it. She never, ever gets it wrong, in my book.

I misssed blogging for you guys. And yeah: I'm just gonna not see the person in the Hunger Games meets Willy Wonka outfit.

Back Soon...

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Tue, 09 May 2017 16:12:00 +0000

This is my life at the moment. Please, gimmi a minute to recoup....Thx!

CAVTAT

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 12:08:00 +0000

It's our last day in Croatia. We decided to move closer to the airport which is about 30 km away from Dubrovnik. We are in the sweetest little bay town called Cavtat. It's sleepy, quiet and sits right on the bay. Lots of little Villas, boating and fishing and waterside dining, plus there is a cute little town with a maze of uphill cobblestone streets to explore.

It's rare when I don't buy anything on a trip. But the shopping is not great. Lots of lavendar, some ok wines and basic liqueur, but nothing really special. The shopping experience, I think, is the most under-developed part of the tourism in Croatia. But the views and the service are spectacular.

The Prettiest Sunset

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 08:08:00 +0000

Living in the forest in Lithuania means that we are cut off from the state-supplied infrastructure services like gas heating, sewer lines, water supply and garabage collection. My water is from an underground source, I have to pay for the sewer truck to come three times per year to extract my sewer and also for the garbage truck to come once per week to collect my trash. As for my heating---it's coal. I have a giant coal machine in the basement and I have to dump two bags of coal into it every other day. The coal gets delivered by the tonne once every two months or so. Well, a month ago the machine quit, and the technician has no clue what's happening with it. So sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. So I was miserably cold for three weeks prior to coming on vacation. We have an electric boiler that supplies hot water and we were using electrical heating fans but these things are not a great substitute for centralised heating.

I say all the foregoing so that you know just how much we needed this vacation to Croatia. It's so warm and lovely here. It's around 68 F most days and sunny with a lovely cool breeze coming off of the sea. We started out with a two-night stay in Split at a pretty little boutique hotel called Heritage Hotel which is at the edge of the waterfront promenade in Split--just a 10 minute walk from the old town. We also spent a day in Trogir which is a UNESCO heritage site. Then we took a Catmaran cruise from Split down to Dubrovnik and on our way we stopped in at Korcula and Hvar.

If you plan to come to Croatia expect great/fresh seafood, Italian-like cuisine (pizza, pasta and seafood pasta dishes), lots of stonework architecture and old castles . Dubrovnik is the ideal spot, actually--we prefer it to Split. It looks a bit like something between Nice and Monoca--except nicer and less pretentious. We are staying at the Hotel Durbrovnik Palace.

I head home on the weekend. I hope my cell phone dries out by then so I can post pictures of Dubrovnik. It seems to have died after a couple drops of drinking water got into it.

On Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 06:52:00 +0000

We're in Split. We also spent part of yesterday in Trogir. I'll be blogging from Croatia all week. Such a big change from our cold forest in Lithuania. It's sunny and warm with a cool Spring breeze.

A Tienda To Love

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 21:02:00 +0000

This looks like a shop somewhere in Spain. All I see is that I need a vacation. A real one. I'll be planning one this weekend. We leave for somewhere as soon as the Easter Holiday has passed. More on my vacation spot pick next week. Happy Easter.

Couture Please

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 03:57:00 +0000

I wish I could afford couture and that I had the occasion to wear it. How fabulous is Sarah Jessica Parker dressed up like a hooker from the Moulin Rouge while looking sweet as pie? Someone like SJP must get to wear couture all the time . I absolutely love that outfit on her and I love that Schiaparelli Fall 2016 couture dress. But for those of us who can't push the envelope too much we can settle for a Black French manicure, putting an orchid bouquet intended for a Spring bride on our dressing table, and breaking out our yellow shoes at the start of Spring.

Photographer Spotlight: Manolo Yllera

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Mon, 03 Apr 2017 21:05:00 +0000

Yesterday on the way home from the gym, am driving through the forest and I realised that everything was on the verge of being totally rejuvinated. On the verge of bloom. The forest park is all green and pretty again and not parched by frost and snow and more often than not the sun is bright and yellow above the pine trees. It's definitely Spring and colour is back. The Spanish do colour so well. And I always go to Nuevo Estilo or AD Espana to seek it out. And so I know I love Manolo Yllera's photography. e does work for AD Espana and Nuevo Estilo. He looks for the colour in any room and focuses on it. So I went to stalk him on instagram to see more of his perspective.

We're looking forward to Easter...so much so that we took the Easter egg basket to pick wild flowers in the forest. It's officially Spring.

In Distress

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 06:12:00 +0000

These are by the designer Serge Castella. The walls, the wood, the art. They all look to be in distress, right? I love all of it.

Black and White Bathrooms

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Sun, 26 Mar 2017 21:16:00 +0000

I think they've mostly been shot by Jean-Marc Palisse who does work for Cote Paris, sometimes. It's all very French. Some of the elements fit nicely together and then some of it seems so incoherent. Like, how on earth do they think the lights in the above picture fit with that space. And that carved, gold-painted mirror does not fit so well with the faucet or the strangely placed round wall shelves. But still, there is plenty of inspiration here from the black subway tiles to the black bathroom fixtures.

Out of Vogue

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 08:17:00 +0000

I am utterly bored with today's style/fashion magazine covers. I think it's because they focus too much on the celebrity or the model and not enough on style. So I decided to go back in time...

Pretty in the Bath

noreply@blogger.com (PrettyOldStuff) — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 06:32:00 +0000

Ever since I made the bath bombs for Hazel's School Craft Fair, I am pretty obsessed with everything related to a big tub of steaming water and me. And, I keep thinking of what the various products out there are. Like, is that scented oil in that little bottle and are those cylinders of soap and can I make them at home? Well, the answer is yes to all of those questions. So I am watching every single youtube video I can find on how to make bath salts, bath bombs, bath melts, rosewater and cold-processed soap (I hope you have time because this is mesmerising). They'd all make great gifts for friends at special holidays; but honestly I am only thinking of myself at this point. I have become very familiar with the supplier called brambleberry and I am now simply trying to figure out if there is a European equivalent (if you know of an EU supplier, email me) because if not I'll be shipping a whole bunch of stuff from the US.