Crazydecorator’s Life

We're in love with Prince Albert!

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 18:15:06 -0400

At last I have decided what I want to be when I grown up - a crazy, watercolour painting old lady, living in the back of beyond!

Ever since we bought our house in South Africa in a fit of excitement after ‘Madiba’ was let out of jail, the hubbie and I have taken little side trips from our holiday time in Plettenberg Bay, exploring and re-discovering our homeland. Over the last couple of years, our ardour for the hot and dusty Karoo; the vast semi-desert area that sits behind the majestic mountains of the Eastern Cape, has grown from being charming to a full on passion! It is Prince Albert, the tiny Victorian town, nestled at the foot of the Swartberg Mountains that has truly captured our hearts! Here’s why...

I have London on my Mind

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:41:54 -0500

Its not really surprising that today I have London on my mind. Yesterday, my first born child, actually a strapping 6 foot 2 inch, 31 year old boy - (but what’s the difference??) -had his tonsils out in London. It was just horrible being far over the ocean from him, but all is well and he is in the perfect care of Matron Quirk - his sister.

My timing was a little off, as last weekend I was in London with both of them to celebrate their birthdays and generally catch up. It was a lightning visit, punctuated with shockingly cold weather for London, and a snow storm that left everyone reeling!!

My Darling Friend Lucille

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 19:12:24 -0500

When we bought our house in South Africa seven years ago, I was intrigued by the drop-dead stylish house that sat behind our side wall. Elegant and organic, the house blends itself perfectly into the indigenous vegetation in which it is nestled. Little did I know that I had been blessed by the Good Neighbour Fairy!! My neighbour Lucille turned out to be one of the most charming, stylish and fascinating people I have every had the pleasure of calling my friend.

Plett Dreaming.........

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:58:24 -0500

Its been 3 days since we traveled back home on that endless flight from Johannesburg -(16 hours non-stop to JFK), and some of the fog of jet lag is just beginning to clear, but as I scroll through my photo’s of the three dreamy weeks we spent in our house in South Africa this Christmas, it’s understandable that I feel a little gloomy to be back in chilly Boston.

Here’s why:

I miss the astonishingly pink sunsets over the ocean:

Lightning visit to LA - my new Showroom!!

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:34:42 -0500

A couple of weeks ago I made a quickie trip to LA - (my new favourite city) - to finish installing of my fabric line, and attend the opening party, of Nicky Rising’s lovely new showroom on Melrose Avenue.

The Standard in West Hollywood seemed to be in the right area, and looked as trendy as all get out on Orbitz - so I gave it a whirl.

London Design Festival - My Take

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:02:26 -0400

It’s that time of year again - time for some daughter bonding in London and catching up on what the designers on the other side of the pond are up to. But first, as soon as I hit England’s terra firma -there is Arthur to be walked. Those unblinking eyes fix you with a laser stare until you reach for the lead and ball - and we’re off.

The Old-Fashioned Joy of being a Collector

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 07:03:10 -0400

Its late September, Sunday morning, and we are spending our last weekend of the summer season at our beach house in Cape Cod. This time of year brings out the melancholy in me in such a big way. Our summers are so treasured, and so fleeting, here in the Northeast. Every year I try to remind myself to pay attention to all the wonderful moments, but it just feels like it will last forever when you’re in the warm, thick of it.

This year was no exception. Biking to Woods Hole and devouring mediocre sandwiches like we hadn’t eaten for a week, endless rounds of bad golf with the Hubbie- my golf hope always springs eternal - at least there are the amazing Red Tail Hawk feathers to collect for the vase on my desk when I get home! One of the things my daughters and I love to do more than anything, is take off on one of our antiquing adventures around the Cape Cod area. These little trips, with no particular purpose in mind, have taken us to some strange and sometimes slightly scary places, and the characters along the way!!

Over the years we have fallen in love with the little town of Sandwich. They have the best co-operative antiques emporium, packed to the ceiling with some good, some very nasty stuff, and a little musty smelling, just like we like it!!

The Shining Sea Bikeway - Falmouth’s Jewel

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 10:42:03 -0400

After cooking a business dinner for the hubs down at our Cape house this week, I found myself rewarded with an unexpected, and utterly luxurious, empty school day on my calendar!

It was one of those magical, sparkling days on Cape Cod that you want to freeze in time and save in the back of your brain for the dreary endless days of February. So, I decided spend the day documenting the joy of our Falmouth Bike Path for the rest of you guys to enjoy!

That’s my lovely blue bike in the pic- bought it for the gorgeous colour only to discover it only has three gears! Oh well - hope that means I burn more calories, plus its just perfection for my kind of biking - ie. tootling!

London,Paris,Time with My Girls - Priceless!

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 09:54:25 -0400

June is travel with my girls time. The academic year is over and its the perfect season for exploring new places before the crowds arrive. First stop was checking in on Jess in London; I’m in the midst of helping her decorate her new house - such a labor of love!!

My lovely Western Massachusetts Week

Sat, 21 May 2011 13:53:05 -0400

Right after my Mother’s Day brunch with David, Gabs and I headed out on the Mass Pike to have dinner and stay overnight with Peter and Elizabeth Fasano. We needed one last meeting get my Africa Collection rolling and we thought it would be fun to have dinner in the Berkshires at their favourite restaurant and get an early start. (By the way - the early start didn’t happen, but whatever...) Then later on in the week, I was down the Mass Pike again for a Brimfield Tweetup that was organized by a bunch of my New England Twitter buddies.