Big Wheel Keeps on Turning

I've worked countless scenic & mural painting jobs in these shoes above by Steve Madden. Impossible to see a brand name now, sort of shredded off years ago and the soles are close to being completely worn too. Not sure how many more projects these shoes will see, but so far nothing has surpassed them in comfort! I wanted to celebrate them by posting a photo here :)




Recently came across these Coney Island pictures from a few years ago. It was a stormy looking day and I went with my friends, Melissa and Lance, Mirabelle & Odille. If you follow my blog, you know how close I am to them all! Amazing how fast kids start to mature.

Below an even younger Mirabelle pushing her stroller with mannequin head ;) Melissa Zexter is a professional photographer and she is particularly skilled at capturing mystery in the everyday world.



Melissa took this eerie picture of me at the Sacred Heart Church which sits atop Tibidabo amusement park in Barcelona. It was a very foggy day. Below, a much brighter look.






hi - hello there - save me ?


Onto other big wheels, I loved the size of this tractor wheel parked at Broadway Stages in Greenpoint yesterday.


These stages are situated directly across from a major sewage treatment plant. Yes, sometimes you can smell it, but it's a state of the art building, with a very important job! Looks very cool at night.




Now for something completely different...


Today I received my little package of adorable fabric and trim from This and That from Japan on Etsy. I'm not yet sure what I will be making, but I just love their selection. You can see some of my picks below which includes Little Red Riding Hood, i love donuts and German patchwork. They also sell craft books, kits, stamps and more!





Speaking of cute things from Japan. I am in love with this series of books by Paumes This is Petits Appartements a Paris and it's full of inspiration. Everything is written in Japanese, but you really don't need words when you have such fantastic photographs. This one is full of creative decorating, great color and overall charm you'd expect from a petite apartment in Paris!


I bought these 2 books at Kinokuniya, a wonderful Japanese book store across from Bryant Park, NYC. If you haven't been and you're a fan of stationery & products by Sanrio or Shinzi Katoh, it's a must-stop!
Also found out about the London shop, Lapin & Me from Ohdeedoh blog couple weeks ago. Fortunately, they have an online shop and also sell Paumes editions. Take a look if you love cute things like this Lapin Lamp below :)



Above is Maisons de Campagne des Parisiens. This is also a beautiful little book full of gorgeous country homes, furniture and color. You can imagine having a glass of champagne on the veranda, shopping the fresh markets, eating a great meal or just reading in a cozy library. Blissful images :)

Back to my neighborhood, here is Yesterday's News Everyday, you'll find a new selection of furniture and funky objects & books lining the sidewalk just waiting for you to take notice!


Above is Midnight, the softest cat I have ever met. She is a real sweetheart, too! She lives at my corner bodega. It often takes me a loooooong time to pick up a few items, because it's so hard to leave her. Of course, she has many admirers so I can't feel too bad ;)

Two of my favorite "Car Guys" Kal and Abraham are dispatchers at Court Express Car Service across the street from my apt. I've known them a long time now and I take a car whenever I have the extra money or have something to lug around ;D


Interesting lawns in Spring :)



I want to give a big shout out to Margot for starting her blog Margotk in 2010! These are photos from a craft fair last year in Beacon, NY with her son. She makes precious bags and coin purses, plus takes some beautiful photographs for her new blog. I see on her latest post she has some brand new pieces!!


I particularly like her attention to detail and the fun fabric linings :D

I decided to come full circle and share a small part of one of my very favorite buildings. Above is the archway to Hospital de Sant Pau in Barcelona, Spain. It is a real beauty by the architect Lluis Domenech i Montaner who also designed the equally wonderful Palau de la Musica de Catalana.

Have a Splendid weekend! xo, Allyn