A holiday treat

If you haven't seen the blog Nest by Tamara then you are in for a treat!

Tamara Matthews-Stephenson is the talented lady behind nestnestnest and she has a holiday treat for you.

She has gathered recipes from a bunch of her blogging friends and has listed them all out in one post.  It is a one-stop destination for holiday recipes that will have you drooling.  Orange Glazed Cinnamon Rolls, French Onion soup, Mulligatawny Soup, Swedish Meatballs, Elegant Caviar Pie... yum!

And there is more... English Trifle, French Apple Tart, Bread Pudding, and fancy holiday lattes!  And more too.

Be sure to find out what Banoffe Pie is!

I was delighted to contribute a family recipe that I make every Christmas Eve called Scalloped Oysters.

Tamara is so sweet and this treasure trove of recipes is a true holiday treat!



Marcy

Living with what you love

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending the "Living with what you love" event in NYC.  It was held at the showroom of The New Traditionalists in SOHO.  {what gorgeous things they have!}

These two people started it all:

Jonathan Legate and Amy Dragoo who team up every Monday on twitter to host the #DesignTV chat.

They designed all of the beautiful floral arrangements.

Jonathan was at the front door greeting people when I arrived.  Anishka Clarke and I arrived at the same time.

There were lots of people and a mixologist who was making yummy drinks.

I think design people are some of the most warm and inviting people that I've met.  They have been most welcoming to me and it was a terrific evening.

Thanks to Philip Erdeos, CEO of The New Traditionalists for opening up his beautiful showroom to us and hosting the event.

Don't you love those chairs!

Amy, Michael Partenio "Dunes", D. Bryant Archie, Stacy Kunstel "Duchess", Jonathan

Oh, and did you notice that stunning candelabra?  That was given away at the end of the evening by Dunes and Duchess.  D. Bryant Archie was the lucky winner.

It was a fabulous evening in NYC!

Marcy

Halloween Tweet

Are you on twitter? I am. ( @MarcyMichaud ) I jump on in the morning and again in the evening - I never seem to have enough time to chat too much - but I love reading what others are doing. One person who is on most mornings is Leslie Carothers ( @tkpleslie ). {I've met her and she really is a sweetie!} Leslie has a company, The Kaleidoscope Partnership, that helps other companies with social media.  She knows her business, but she is also a perfect example of social media in action.  She is friendly and personable.  She is helpful and informative.  So often people are unsure of what social media is, so they do nothing.  Instead, if they learned a bit about the different formats (facebook, twitter, etc.) and then just jumped in, it would be better than not trying it.  Leslie's example of being yourself, sharing information, and making connections, is a good model.

Here is something that Leslie wrote this morning:

So as I was getting ready for Halloween this evening, I was thinking about all of the other Halloweens that my son has dressed up for.  I pulled out some pictures of the costumes that were created through the years:

He's in high school now so the trick or treating days are fewer, but I love the outfits and creativity that he and I would collaborate on in past years.  He had definite opinions, from a very early age, of what each character should be.  Some costumes were bought but most were made (my favorite!). 

So Leslie, that's my Halloween treat for you.  Hope you have fun looking at the pictures. 

And if you are on twitter, follow @tkpleslie - she's the best!

Happy Halloween!


Marcy

Saturday

Happy weekend!  It is a beautiful day here in Connecticut. 

The sun is shining, you can feel the cool breeze of autumn in the air and people are outside raking leaving, cleaning windows, and decorating for Halloween.  The fall leaves are a stunning backdrop for all of the activity.

Wishing you a Saturday filled with beauty!


Marcy

Pink!

Last evening I had the honor of attending an event hosted by Marcy & Irwin Feld of Irwin Feld Design and Mid Century Antiques for the New England Home Connecticut Fall Networking Event.  October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month - and pink is the color!  Marcy and Irwin had a bench made in a luscious shade of pink.  All the proceeds of the sale are going to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure fund.

Love this shade of pink!

It was fun to look around at the stunning furniture and accessories that were on display.  And the place was packed!  Lots of people from the design industry.  I met up with bloggers Jessica Ryan, Liz Orgera and Tamara Stephenson (as well as Marcy!), who all had been at The Nate Berkus Show.  I was also delighted to meet Kyle Hoepner (Editor-in Chief of NE Home Magazine), Stacy Kunstel (stylist extraordinaire and Homes Editor of NE Home Magazine) and Nancy Moon (PR whiz from Moon & Company) who I follow on twitter but met for the first time in real life.  I also got to meet Gloria Collins, Cynthia Mason and Carolyn James McDonough.  What a fabulous evening - and for such a great cause!

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Next Thursday there is another event, Pink Night, sponsored by the Young Emerging Professionals at the Hotel Sierra in Shelton, CT from 5:30 - 7:30 PM.  The evening is in support of the Campaign for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital.  There will be food, an auction, music, networking and more - tickets are $30 per person.  {RSVP by Tuesday: 203-925-4981}

Cancer has touched the lives of so many people that we love.  I'm glad to support these terrific causes to try to put an end to cancer!

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And for a final touch of pink, pinkberry is opening their first Connecticut store in Fairfield!  I'm looking forward to sampling this frozen yogurt treat - yum! From what I hear I might have to do a lot of sampling; it sounds delicious!


Marcy

I will miss Cathy

Today is the last day for the comic strip "Cathy". Cathy Guisewite has been creating the comic for 34 years and she has chosen to stop now to spend more time with her family.

When I used to read a daily paper, I would always look forward to "Cathy". The cartoon below is one of my favorites (that I had taped to the inside of a kitchen cabinet door) from February 15, 1994. I think it is just as true (and funny) today as it was then!


Do you have a favorite comic?

Marcy


P.S. Tomorrow is the day that The Nate Berkus Show (with the bloggers in attendance) is airing!

One week ago...

... I was headed into NYC.  Wow!  Last Tuesday was a whirlwind day, followed by a full week, and it has taken me until now to wind down and tell you about it.

Tuesday was Nate Day when a group of bloggers filled the studio for a taping of The Nate Berkus Show.  I was delighted to be part of this group.  I am learning that bloggers are a very special type of people.  They are very giving, friendly and welcoming.  What a fantastic group of people to spend the day with!

The day started off with taking the train into the city that morning with Liz from Shorely Chic.  We met up with Jess from The Entertaining House to go to brunch with Marcy from Irwin Feld, Catherine from Avery Design Interiors, Maybelline from Frou La La, and Jonathan from Jonathan Legate.

May, Liz, Jess, Catherine, Marcy, me, Jonathan

We arrived at the studio, and after waiting in line we were escorted in and were split up into two groups. While we were waiting, we got to chat and talk and visit with the others in the room. What fun! To have people that I've been reading - and feel like I know so well! - sitting and chatting with me was a fabulous experience. There was so much talent in that building!

We were brought into the studio and the show coordinator, Dena Blizzard, took the stage and told us what to expect. She did a great job of guiding us through the segments of the show and she kept us laughing.

Nate was a charming host.  He has so much warmth and charisma that it just oozes.  I was thrilled that he did a segment with blogger Susan Brinson (House of Brinson) showing photos from her creative home.  I had thought that it was going to be a show about bloggers - with examples of their work and interviews, but that was my misperception - no one had said that - but I was a bit disappointed that more bloggers weren't featured.  I enjoyed seeing the show anyway and Nate very graciously stayed after the show and answered our questions.

After the show, we went to a party that The Nest held (thanks Camila for arranging that!).  It was a terrific way to kick back and spend some more time chatting with everyone.

NYC is such a high-energy city and being with such a dynamic, energetic group was a thrill! {Chanee from {me}longings has put together a list of some of bloggers who went to the show.} To follow along with them on their blogs or on twitter, I think you too will find a talented group of people who are willing to share their thoughts and their friendship.  I'm delighted to know this fabulous group!


Marcy

#nateday921

I've been doing a lot of contemplating.  Kind of like when you clean out a closet - you step back, figure out what is working and organize it, and then get rid of the rest.  This time I've been thinking about my life.  So often things get added here and there and then you end up with a jumble of things going on.  Time to organize!

Here's the inspiration: I love reading blogs!  I especially like the design blogs and websites. The ideas, the inspiration, the beautiful pictures - and the people.  But there are so many great, fantastic blogs to read and I'm having trouble keeping track of it all. 

That's what I've been thinking about.  And I've decided to organize.  I'm putting together a website that will highlight the best of the design bloggers and websites - showcasing a different few each day - as well as creating a directory.  But it won't be just rooms, I want it to have heart too.  I thought others might like to have a resource too, to get inspiration, find a new blogger, and see a new post.

I'm calling it "style lesson" - and if you smush the "le" together it becomes: stylesson - there it is stylesson.com.

Well, a while ago on Twitter, the moggit girls challenged Nat Berkus (who has just debuted The Nate Berkus Show this past week) to have a show with design bloggers.  Julieann (CreateGirl, who I was following) joined in the discussion, as did others, and word came back that Nate agreed!  When the date was set for the taping, design bloggers were invited to be in the audience.  I submitted my request for a ticket... then held my breath...it took a while {what felt like forever!} and then I got the confirmation that I could go!  I was thrilled...and in disbelief...and joyous! 



To see Nate and the show in person would be thrilling, but to go and meet design bloggers too was making me deliriously happy!  {am I using too many exclamation points?}  The taping is on Tuesday and there is a whirlwind of excitement in the design blogging community about it.

So what do you think of my new website idea?  Does it sound like something you would use?  Any other suggestions to add to it? 

What have you been contemplating in your life?

Marcy

I’ve changed…

I’m just back from BlogHer10 and my head is ready to explode! This is the first BlogHer conference that I’ve attended. I feel there is so much that I took in… so much to contemplate…and so much to act upon. I feel like I could burst!

I was so excited and nervous to attend. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Robin’s {Pensieve} advice ‘Be brave, be bold, make the 1st move’ stayed in my head through the weekend. I did just that and the response each time was so positive – people were so welcoming and friendly.

And I think that was one of things that made this weekend so wonderful… these people (mostly women and some men) are committed, active, interested, passionate, caring and smart. Their blog might be big or small but their heart is in it. And they are willing to share.

And the session speakers – wow! – the speakers were so knowledgeable and were willing to tell about their experiences. They came prepared with thoughtful information and tips, as well as a willingness to help share information for everyone to obtain whatever they want for their own blog.

The conference speakers were some of the most powerful presentations. First, international bloggers who truly risked their lives to be able to have a voice for the women and communities that they represented. I felt so humble to listen to their heroic challenges. And then the keynote speakers – strong, confident, women leaders – with the message to get involved – to be active – to create change.

There is so much more… but I’ll have to leave it at that for tonight. It was a conference unlike any other that I’ve attended… and I’ve changed… I’m not sure yet where that will take me but I’m looking forward to the journey!

Marcy

Are you going? BlogHer10

When I saw that the BlogHer10 Conference was going to be in NYC this year, I had to sign up.  I love getting to know the people that are behind the blogs.  And this seemed to be the place to do it! 

Will you be there too?  If so, please let me know - I'd love to meet you.  And if not, I'd love to know what you'd like to learn if you were going.  This will be my first BlogHer conference and there are so many interesting sessions to attend.  There will also be live blogging if you aren't able to attend. 

I'm excited, nervous... and did I say excited?! Yes I am!

Marcy

Floating

Hope you are keeping your head above water...

keeping cool...

enjoying the day...

just floating along...


Marcy

Exhale

I've been holding my breath...

Our son was on his first mission trip.  A large group of kids (and adults) were going to Appalachia to work on houses and we had the jitters,

... would he remember to use sunscreen

... would he work hard

... would he make friends

... would he have fun

... would he remember to shower

... would he return home with all of his fingers??

It started off with lots and lots of packing... too much stuff! - but what to leave out?... well, while the buses were being loaded, we were pulling things out and condensing everything down to one bag... one very large, heavy bag.  A quick goodbye and he was off!

Now you would think that my hubby and I would be kicking up our heels and enjoying this new freedom - but no, we moped about, sulked, took a nap {or two}and then heard from our son.  He was on his way, he was having fun!  Then we lost contact. He was out of phone range... out of touch... for 7 days... s.e.v.e.n. long days. 

We knew that if there was a problem that we'd hear from them.  So we tried to relax... and have some fun... We went out to dinner to places that we enjoyed... we planned small trips and reconnected with each other.

But it was hot - really hot and humid (you too?) - and we don't have a/c (hubby doesn't like a/c, so no a/c here) and we kept thinking about what it would be like working on a house in all of that heat.

But  f  i  n  a  l  l  y  Saturday arrived and hubby was able to speak with our son as he was heading home!  And he was thrilled (hubby that is!) and son had had a great time, a fun time.  There had been lots of work and lots of friendships made.  We waited anxiously for the bus to arrive... and then there he was!  And the stories and adventures started to pour out.  So much growth in one week. 

And then...

I was able to exhale...

Marcy

America

Wishing you a happy 4th of July! 

Hope you are able to get out and enjoy this great country of ours and appreciate the freedoms that it offers.

Marcy

CPG

I miss you, Dad.  Happy Father's Day.

Love,

Marcy

Millerton, NY continued...

On Sunday I took to the road to go to the yard sale that Eddie Ross was having.  I wrote about it here, but thought I'd show you what I got there.  There was china, glassware, fabrics, dishes, furniture, books - lots to look at.

Pictured below are my items: a tan scarf, two floral fabric pieces, a white tablecloth, a transferware dish, a sweet cup and pitcher and a pineapple doorknocker.

I've had a great time placing them around my home - and I smile when I see them and know where they are from.

After bidding goodbye to Eddie and Jaithan, I continued into the town of Millerton to look around.

It is a pretty town with a lovely main street that has scenic views,

...and a vintage feel.

It is very easy to walk up and down the street, looking into the shops.

I stopped at Irving Farm to sit and have some lunch.  There food was delicious and the atmosphere was relaxed and cozy.

I was delighted to find Shandell's, that Eddie had talked about.  It has "things that make you smile" - don't you love that phrase!  I was excited to look inside.

Susan Schneider runs the shop and she greets you {along with her two canine cuties}.  She has gorgeous lampshades and lights, as well as handmade night lights, tissue box covers and matchboxes.  It is a fun place to explore and Susan is great fun to talk to. 

I was delighted to have a beautiful day for a car trip and to see some new places. 

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Today I was back at home, enjoying the Memorial Day holiday.  I appreciate the freedom that we have in this country and am thankful for the men and women who have made it possible.  I hope you had as an enjoyable weekend as I had!

Marcy

Sunday drive… to Millerton, NY

It was a beautiful day here, sunny and warm with just a little breeze. A great day to take a drive! My destination… a yard sale in the country being held by Eddie Ross. I’ve been following Eddie’s work and I admire his ability to create beauty out of just about anything. So when he said he was going to have a yard sale, I was thrilled that I might have a chance to meet him.

So this morning, I hopped in my Beetle and took off for New York. Highways soon turned to roads and the scenery was spectacular. Rolling hills, blue skies, farm land and fields.

Down a country lane, after seeing a couple of yard sale signs, I came upon the house. Jaithan Kochar, Eddie’s partner, greeted me and soon Eddie appeared.  They were both so gracious and friendly. It was a gorgeous day to be outside in the country, under the shade of a large tree, having a cup of coffee and talking about the things that I loved. 

Jaithan and Eddie:

Eddie and me:

I love yard sales (and I purchased some fabulous things!) but mostly I love connecting with people who share my same interests.  And, to have the opportunity to meet them in person... priceless!

Marcy

Slow Love

Last evening, a group of us gathered at the Borders bookstore in Fairfield to hear a presentation by Dominique Browning. Dominique has just written the book Slow Love. I have been following her blog Slow Love Life and I was looking forward to seeing her in person and hearing more about her book.

As the minutes counted down, the audience - mostly women - sat and whispered quietly in anticipation. Soon, Dominique was being introduced and to our surprise she rose from a seat within our group.

She introduced us to her book - the result of reinventing herself after losing her job as editor-in-chief of House and Garden magazine combined with her children leaving home and the ending of a long relationship.

I was delighted to hear her read excerpts from the book; it means so much more when you are able to hear the author's words in their own voice. She answered questions with honesty and humor.  Dominique has such a warm, compassionate manner that it soon felt like a group of friends sharing thoughts over a cup of coffee.

Too soon it was over but I was delighted to get the chance to meet her and chat one-on-one, and have my book signed. 

And this book!  It is beautiful, colorful, a handy little size - a gem.  I am looking forward to unwrapping the stories that are inside, sharing the journey and savoring the beauty that unfolds.

Dominique is just starting out on her book tour.  If she comes to a town near you, I urge you to go meet her and hear her share the journey of Slow Love. 

Meanwhile, find the book and share the journey with her there. 

Marcy