Love poems for Valentine's Day

                                       

                                            

    It's getting to be about that time of year again....and we found these two lovely books by two of the greatest poets of the twentieth century.  What a fun gift to leave by the pillow for some great bedside reading.

Favorite Winter Flowers

I love me some hyacinths....And they are out in all their glorious, highly scented, every shade of violet and pink gloriousness.....I like placing them right at nose height on the banister in my hallway and I smell them everytime I walk by.....

One of a Kind Textiles from Oaxaca

                                       

I finally decided to cut loose and put all the textiles I brought back from Mexico out on the floor.  Round and square cushion covers, some handwoven, hand embroidered, huipiles (a kind of traditional shirt), and a runner or two. So for those textile lovers out there amongst you, it's worth a visit.  The hand crafts and needle arts are alive and well in Central America.

Getting that Earthy Organic Look in Home Decor

Might I suggest a branch, a root, a stump, a vine?  Seriously, are you looking for some organic bling chez toi?

Why not hang a beautiful branch on that empty wall?  Or a dramatic piece of driftwood down the center of your dining table?  Contorted Filbert, manzanita branches, lichen covered wood, moss covered branches we've got some beautiful choices at Passionflower.   Click here to see  my favorite sandblasted grapevine branch in use.

Photo by me taken at the Roost Home Furnishings booth at New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF)

Getting Excited About the New Year

It's been a busy time for me......not so much in the store with customers but inside my  head.....I am planning the coming year, and going through all the myriad of new catalouges that are coming in contemplating how I'm going to put it all together in a Passionflower kind of way. I was particularly pleased to see that Princeton Architectural Press is offering a book of Bryan Nash Gill's work.  He has been described as "an artist rooted in nature"  which makes him the perfect candidate for my imaginary art gallery.  And the coming book prompted me to share with you these amazing prints he makes of cross sections of wood.  Again it's one of those simple yet powerful ideas.  Click here to find out about the process.

Thoughts for the New Year & How We Like to Party at Passionflower

The palm reader said I have the mark of Mars on my left hand....wielding a weapon.....which kind of reminded me of this collage I was playing around with  ( above).  I fully intend to claim and reframe this imagery as though I am carrying a growing staff fighting for truth and beauty in the world.......

    

 We had our annual holiday party last night, the one we always have in January, where we visited he of the neon palm reading sign fame, across from the tattoo parlor on 7th & Lincoln......His name is Charles David and he was great, great, great!!!  His card features a red hand with a blue flame in the center of the palm and his house is crazy, cool with a little kind of creepy/spooky but not too creepy, New Orleans, slightly swampy energy.  He'sbig picture and high on symbolism and imagery.  Plus he laughs a lot.  I cannot say enough good things...Call him at 541-343-5297 should you like to look at your hands with him....In the meantime, I will tell you he told us we are a mostly creative and very independent bunch of folk here at Passionflower......though we each seem to have our own  particular shape and movement :).

A New Year's Journal

I am generally an optimist at heart and always looking forward to what might be coming.  Even though the holidays are barely over, I can hardly contain myself as I anticipate the new set at the store....I am thinking lots of yellow and white, and bare branches, and big terrariums and raw wood..that's baby daffodils and white hyacinth, pussywillow, and acacia, filbert and alder..January is like a palate cleanser for December.  And in the meantime, the Happiest of New Year's to You & Yours.....