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Meditation Chairs...

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My house is not big enough for any more furniture, I am even contemplating selling my beloved Peacock Chair as, although it may be beautiful, I never sit on it.... I have a thing about sitting crossed leg and I just can't do that on my vintage rattan wonder...

....however if I did have a house bigger than a matchbox and I could squeeze in just one more piece of furniture, it would be a meditation chair.... in fact it would be the rattan one in the top picture by Gaiam. Slightly resembling a dog bed (lets be honest) this chair has a thick cushioned seat and looks super comfy. It has recently been improved and now has a super high back, which is great for lanky ladies like me.... and of course it has been designed to sit crossed legged on.. perfect!

Below are some other beautiful examples I have found including the meditation area in the home of Oroboros Marini Burini, that has two meditation chairs facing her altar.... What a dream!

Seagrass meditation chair

Carved Meditation Chair
Mediation area in the Home of Oroboro's Marina Burini




My Nest... The London Home of Gudrun and Julian

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In this weeks 'My Nest' feature, we are chatting to London based fashion designer Gudrun and taking a little peak inside her earthy bohemian home. Full of beautiful natural fibers and ethnic textiles, her home is perfect retreat to the hustle and bustle of London.....


 
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Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and where you live? 

I live in Muswell Hill, North London with my boyfriend and our 2- year old son. I’m Fashion Designer and my boyfriend is a writer and Managing Editor of a magazine called ‘The Idler’.





How did you find this beautiful home and how long have you lived in it?

We moved in a week before I gave birth. As you can see from the pictures, we’re terrible hoarders, so it was quite a task boxing everything up and shifting it across London. Thankfully we have got some really great friends who rallied round and helped us on moving day. 




 How would you describe your style/ aesthetic?

I am drawn to natural fibres and textures like wood and ceramics in earthy tones and hues. The flat is full of plants and I love handcrafted one off pieces - I have a real thing for wicker baskets, wooden bowls and ethnic textiles. Nothing is particularly valuable or cost a lot but they are really precious to me. Finding little things in markets in France, Germany and around London means that every piece tells a story and reminds me of where and when we bought it. I am inspired by books from the 70s like 'Woodstock Handmade Homes’, ‘The Craftsman Builder’ and ‘Houseboat’ I could look through them all day long and never get bored. I hate that much overused word ‘boho’ but I suspect that our style does fall into that bracket! 




How has your home and style changed since your son was born?

To be honest our style hasn’t really changed since our son was born, but now the flat is full of wooden toys -  his favourites are his little tricycle and rocking horse.  We haven’t gone mad and baby proofed everything. We are lucky as he is pretty relaxed and loves to flick through records with his daddy and actually prefers to unpack the kitchen cupboards and rearrange them rather than play with his toys!  




What are your favourite things about living in this area?

Before we moved here we didn’t know the area at all so it has been a joy to discover it together as a family. It is semi-rural in a way with several woods on our doorstep for lovely walks and lots of great cafes and record shops. We are lucky to have a Steiner school nearby where we go to the Parent & Child group. 






Your ceramic collection is really beautiful, where do you buy these pieces and what attracted you to these colour and textures

Thank you! It has become a real obsession of mine to hunt down pieces that are made from natural materials. I find them in all sorts of places from car boots to charity shops and even occasionally online. 



Do you have a favourite room in your home?

I suppose the sitting room is the one we spend the most time in. It is light and airy with a little balcony that we sit out on in the summer months. It is big enough for our son to roam around on his bike and cart (for the moment!) and is filled with our books and records. 





You have an enviably huge record collection, when did that start? What are you currently listening to? 

The records are mainly my boyfriend’s - he has a bad vinyl addiction! He has been collecting since he was a little boy, taken to shops and car boots and initiated into the record collecting world by his dad. At the moment we have been listening to our friend Flo Morrissey’s debut album which is really beautiful - also old favourites like Judee Sill, Jackson Browne, The Incredible String Band and Cass Mccombs - and of course Raffi gets played on a daily basis for the little man, he loves his songs!






What are you currently reading?

 Well we don’t get much time to read these days! I currently have a pile of guide books on the go to California as we are heading over there in the spring. If anyone has any tips of things to do when we are over there then let us know! 



  If you could travel either back in time or to a far off land to grab some interior items where would you go?

Definitely the 1970s! That is the era that I always come back to. Fashion wise and interiors wise it is full of amazing designs and has a timeless style all of its own. Almost every day I post up inspiration images mainly from the 1970s on my instagram account river_of_daisies. It’s been a real joy to connect with like-minded people all around the world.





Do you have any recommendations of places to shop in London?

  We love going to Portobello market. We lived just up the road from it for years and even though it is not as good as it used to be, it still has a magical atmosphere and we know most of the traders so it is fun to go and chat to them. Julian (my boyfriend) recently wrote a book about the area called Portobello Road: Lives of a Neighbourhood, looking at the last sixty years telling the story of the street. Nowadays it is more famous as the location for the film Notting Hill but of course in the 60s and 70s it was the counter-cultural capital of London with many fashion and music trends emanating from there. He tracked down most of the important figures connected to the street and interviewed them - it’s a fascinating read even if I do say so myself!  




Do you have any wish list items ?

There are always more things that i want to buy for the flat but we are limited by space or lack of it. To be honest I tend to wait and see what I spot out on the markets and car boots rather than having a wish list - and then when I see something I want I can’t imagine how I ever lived without it! Those wicker chairs in the sitting room for example were picked up from a French brocante last summer for a couple of Euros and they are so comfortable I never want to part with them. 


A massive thank you to Gudrun and family for letting us into her home xx

If you have a home you think readers would love tag moontomoon on instagram xx


Off Line....

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Rita Lee

I am here to apologize for my time off line....My computer stopped working over a week ago. It was pretty bad timing as I had some great posts in the pipe line for Moon to Moon and so I booked a whole day off work (without a toddler in tow) to actually get on top of emails, photographs, and interviews I have been too run down to manage recently...

.... but sometimes these things happen for a reason, and actually in hindsight I really needed a day off to chill and recharge with no 'work' to do, or role to play (mum, nurse, blogger etc...). Living in a large concrete city, life can get all consuming. It is so easy to slot into the hectic , one upmanship that seems to happen.... since having my son I have taken a dramatic drop in wages and at the same time found myself walking around my neighborhood a lot more, I have begun to compare myself to others, wishing my house was bigger, that I had nice wooden floors and a roll top bath, wishing I could afford a shiny new car and take my family on warm winter holidays abroad, getting annoyed that the majority of my wardrobe is second hand....and starting to feel a bitter sense of entitlement....

... I really needed a day off!!!

So last Friday my sister and I went to Glastonbury Town and as cheesy as it sounds I kind of 'found myself' again. In Glastonbury there were loads of people shopping in the Charity shops, every shop seemed to be tailored exactly to me and the staff were so friendly, actually taking the time to show us how to play the Hapi drums, giving us free incense because we hadn't tried the shop owners  (Dilliway and Dilliway) favorite brand, and one sweet shopkeeper exclaiming I had 'a new friend' when I brought my new chunk of Quartz!

It was bliss, it was therapeutic and it felt like home. No one was perfectly groomed, the houses were perfectly scruffy and full of character!! It gave me a chance to really consider how exactly I am benefiting from living in a city..... and the answer is despite being able to walk to work and the local shops... I am not. I have totally had enough of the concrete and the pollution and living on top of other people. ..... I don't need a bigger house I really need to move!!!

Rambling over... I will return tomorrow with a new 'My Nest' Interview from Sunny California xxx

 

Cool Kids Rooms: Henry's Californian Montessori Bedroom

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 I love this Montessori style bedroom belonging to Henry, the son of Photographer Jamie Street. Natural coloured wood, baskets for storage and houseplants are ideal for making a relaxed child's room and the look can be replicated really cheaply by keeping your eye out at your local charity/ thrift store or eBay!

The idea behind the Montessori style room is that is is child focused. Instead of all the furniture being at a height suitable for the parents it is at a height where the child can easily reach their toys and books. The bed is also just above floor level.


 Here's a couple more pictures of the rest of the house... the rest can be seen over at Design Sponge



Thyme Herbal's 'Everyday Living Series'

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I think I have featured the bottom Thyme Herbal poster before on Moon to Moon, but the collaborative work of hebalist Brittany Wood Nickerson and Illustrator Chelsea Iris Granger is just so beautiful I thought it deserved a re-share.

Although I am a nurse in a very clinical/medicine based field, I truely beleive in the power of plant based medicine and nutrition, however like many people can become lazy when cooking for myself.  These pretty posters would be perfect for the kitchen wall not only to brighten up the room but also to inspire me to cook healthy food for the family.

The Moon Calendar is also stunning and educational......About the Moon Poster the collaborative duo say...

The intention of this year’s poster is to help inspire connections with herbs associated with sleeping, dreaming, and relaxing. The moon is a nightly creature, long associated with quiet, darkness, and soft introspection. It carries a dreamy energy that helps us access the more watery, intimate places inside ourselves. Connecting with moon energy is a great way to connect with these more subtle elements of the self.



Herbal Wisdom by Brittany Wood Nickerson , Illustrations by Chelsea Iris Granger
Close Up of Kitchen Medicine Poster

The Posters and inspirational information about Herbailsm/ recipies can be found over at Thyme Herbal and I thoroughly recommend a visit!!

To view More posts on Herbalism on Moon to Moon click here

'My Nest'..... Vanessa and her Vintage store HoneyWood Vintage

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Vanessa From HoneyWood Vintage shares her beautiful Vintage store with us


I am so excited to re-introduce you guys to Vanessa from HoneyWood Vintage. I have a bit of a crush on Vanessa and her impeccable tastes and have featured her home, her peacock chairs and snips of her home many times... so i thought it was about time I featured her beautiful store and Interviewed the lady herself....

So Hi Vanessa......


What inspired you to open Honeywood Vintage?
When I opened the store I was doing a lot of business online and I kept getting requests from customers to come try on items and see the pieces I was selling in person. I didn’t want people coming to my house so in the back of my mind I had started fantasizing about a small space where I could work, take appointments with clients and showcase my collection. It also seemed like all of my time was spent at home in front of the computer and I was very isolated not to mention the house was super cluttered with vintage clothing and textiles.


Why did you choose the building /area?
Honestly price, I had lived in Northeast Los Angeles on the boarder of Eagle Rock and Highland Park for a while and I was watching the change happening in Highland Park. I really wanted to get into the neighborhood before the rents skyrocketed. It’s a very creative, eclectic, and quickly gentrifying neighborhood, lot’s of artists, musicians (Jackson Brown is from Highland Park) and creative types as well as being a very culturally diverse area.. We feel very blessed to be where we are. I really couldn’t imagine being anywhere else other than the desert…


How would you describe the style/vibe of the store?
The vibe of the store is definitely an extension of our own personal styles, 1970s Ethnic bohemian mixed with a Rock n Roll vibe. We love anything that is Artisan created, Mexican hand embroidery, Indian Block Prints, 70s handmade leather, Native American jewelry and textiles. Charlie (my boyfriend/partner)  is a musician and has a pretty deep history in Rock and Roll so there are a lot of vintage Rock t-shirts, motorcycle boots, a few guitars and records as well. It’s very romantic with lots of textures and patterns but it also has a southwestern/desert vibe. There is a feminine and masculine energy which is a nice balance. A lot of our customers come to shop but end up hanging out for hours which is really cool, we love that people dig the vibe and feel really comfortable here. We’ve been told the shop is kind of a mix between Joshua Tree and Laurel Canyon in the 70s.



What is the inspiration behind the name?
People ask that all of the time and that’s a hard question to answer! It seemed like a good combination between hard and soft. I could have imagined a little western town years ago, named Honeywood.


What are your 5 favorite products?
Hmmmmmm, that’s a hard one! Like any die hard Bohemian woman at heart I am a sucker for vintage Indian Dresses, I have been obsessed with them since high school they always sell fast and I struggle because I want to keep them all! I also live in Calamity Pass Trading Co braid wraps (whose home was featured on Moon to Moon here) , I sell out of them and we generally have a waiting list. We are really in love with a brand we recently started carrying out of Joshua Tree called Totally Blown , they are a conceptual clothing company that distresses their one-of–a-kind pieces with shotguns. I am also so proud to carry my close friend Stormie’s beaded pieces, I have been obsessed with her Native American beadwork for years and years and we are honored to carry her pieces in our store. Last but not least we are pretty proud of our own creations my one-of-a-kind Honeywood overnighter carpet bags made from vintage woven textiles and Charlie’s hats, Lone Hawk @lonehawkhats



What’s next for Honeywood?
For over a decade, Honeywood has carried curated bohemian vintage and always will but we are very excited to be branding and making our own one-of-a-kind items, like the bags. Incorporating vintage handmade elements with luxury one-of-a-kind products is rewarding and has been a very organic progression for us. It’s also been VERY rewarding to move away from 3rd party online sites and be able to function autonomously as Honeywoodvintage.com. I also plan to launch my own line of handmade dresses this year as well so stay tuned!
 Vanessa's Collaborations with Free People and Lone Hawk hats


You recently Collaborated with Free People, do you have any future projects you would like to share? 
Yes! I am thrilled about Free People carrying my bags, it’s pretty cool to be recognized on that level. It has really given me confidence to push my boundaries as a designer and produce on a larger scale. Producing quantity while making one-of-a-kind pieces is a big challenge but one that I love and I am familiar with.

Honeywood is also the home of Charlie’s brand of hats “Lone Hawk” @lonehawkhats which has grown amazingly fast. Nine months ago he received a request from a friend in a successful rock band and Lone Hawk was off and running. Lone Hawk has quickly developed a loyal following of musicians and entertainers. Charlie picks only the finest old vintage hats and carefully and lovingly reshapes, restyles and puts his own vibe on them purely by hand so that every piece is one of a kind and of the highest quality. It’s been a really great blend, incorporating some of the textiles and bohemian elements of Honeywood into the hats.


HoneyWood Vintage Overnighter bags and Lone Hawk hats


If you had the choice of traveling back in time to shop for furnishing for your home or Honeywood what decade ?
I think London in the late 60s early 70s must have been amazing! The music, the fashion, Biba, Zandra Rhodes, all of the textures and patterns. I can only imagine how amazing Portobello Market must have been! One of my favorite movies of all time is Performance (1970) with Mick Jagger and Anita Pallenberg, the art direction and wardrobe is to die for! Decadent and rich but relaxed and unstaged.



A big thank you to Vanessa for taking the time out to talk to Moon to Moon.

Images sourced from Honeywood Vintage Instagram 

and Apartment Therapy

Tree House Hideaway.....

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I am sure you wont be surprised to learn that this beautiful Atlanta Tree house hideaway has recently been listed as Airbnb's no 1 most desirable listing worldwide...

Secluded Intown Treehouse



The tree house is just magical. Imagine lying in bed watching the stars through the trees canopy, and waking up to the birds singing overhead!!

For more images and bookings visit airbnb here

Secret Garden.... Ultimate Indoor Pool...

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Check out this indoor pool area that I found over at Desire to Inspire!! This place is totally magical isnt it? It reminds me of a cross between my gym's swimming pool and a botanical garden.... the perfect combination!

It is designed by Australian Landscape Gardening firm Secret Garden . The only thing I would do differently was maybe replace the white plastic chair with an Eames style lounger and choosing terrecotta or basket pots for my plants... but I am just being picky :)


A beautiful relaxed bohemian Artists home in Baltimore

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A Beautiful Relaxed Bohemian Artists Home in Baltimore



Having lived in Belarus, New York, Pennsylvania and now Maryland, Daria Souvorova has seen her fair share of apartments. Moving can be tiresome, but it has taught her exactly what a home must have in order for her creativity and happiness to flourish. Her latest move saw her strolling around Baltimore’s Mount Vernon neighborhood looking for a new apartment. Checklist in hand, she was eager to find a place with “decorated mantels, parquet floors, huge windows, chandeliers and high ceilings.”

It was another feature, however, that had Daria pining for this 2-bedroom walkup: leaded, glass windows. Every room in the 800-square-foot apartment has them. The windows’ history and beauty immediately caught her eye, but the planner in Daria had to make doubly sure this was the right fit. In the same thoughtful manner in which she approached her apartment search, she crafted a 2D, scale model of the walkup. She even gridded out furniture beforehand so she could know exactly how every item would fit inside! Luckily this exercise proved the home’s worth, and she moved right in.

 To see the full  interview visit Design Sponge here
Photography by Rafael Soldi


Cozy White Warm Bohemian Bedrooms .....

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Cozy White Bohemian Bedroom: Styled by Urban Outfitters

Relaxing warm white bedroom
White bedroom: From Ikea....love that lampshade!!
Dreamy, warm white bedroom


Here are some beautiful white bedrooms to prove that white doesn't have to feel minimal and clinical. Using layers of cream and white textiles, including knits, sheepskins, and fluffy rugs etc... can still give a chilled out, cozy bohemian vibe to your room. Of course house plants and natural wood floors also help, but for those of you with carpets like me, layered rugs made from natural fibers also do a perfect job.......or a dreamy beach view....swoon

White bedroom: The most dreamy view!

David Bowie Tributes.... Aladdin Sane

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Aladdin Sane

I am sure I am not alone in being a bit tearful when the news hit that David Bowie had died. I was at work and tried to remain professional in front of my patients whilst running a clinic... it was tough, I love(d) Bowie.

One of my first memories of him was whilst visiting the London Science Museum and seeing a picture or video of the Aladdin Sane cover. Even at 5 or 6? I was totally captivated... he had such cool eyes... and they were real!!

So todays little inpromptu post highlights some cool dedications to Bowie and that seminal album

Major B Doll From 'My name Is Simone'

Donna Wilson's Bowie plate


David Bowie Mug by SuzaLuna on Etsy
Bowie Wallet by CouchGuitarStraps on Etsy
Aladin Sane Raglan T-Shirt by Exile Wear on Etsy


Nevada City Series: Gold Dust Collective

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-->A few months ago I re-blogged the home of Tiger Lillie and Aimee from The Gold Dust Collective. Since then I have become a little obsessed with the magic that is Nevada City. The vibe is that of my favourite book "Handmade house" and it is great to see these awesome wooden homed communities are still very much alive and kicking ...... such a dream of mine to live like this........So i have decided to make March a Nevada City Month on Moon to Moon and will be featuring a few artists, shop keepers and other creatives lucky enough to call Nevada City their home....

So to kick off the Nevada City Series here is an interview with Nikiya from the source of my obsession...... the fabulous Gold Dust Collective
Jessica Agnew's wooden cabin and Ceramics in an artists community in Nevada City
Jessica Agnew


 Who are the Gold Dust collective?
 We are Kat Alves, who is an architectural photographer and mama and myself, a designer and mama. We were born here, left to go to college and see the world some, and returned to make lives for ourselves here. 


The home of Fat and The Moon's
 




How did the two of you meet?
 We were both born here, though didn’t know each other growing up, and were working on a styled photo shoot one day and realized we had a mutual love of quirky hand-made homes and homesteads that were built during the back-to-the-land period in our watershed. 




What inspired you to start the Gold Dust Collective?
 It’s a funny small town story. Gold Dust was originally a group of three of my dear friends who started it to do event and wedding planning. I was a part of a little retail establishment called Kitkitdizzi. The Gold Dust women had been working as employees at Kitkitdizzi and rented the back out to use for meetings. Not long after starting Gold Dust,  they bought Kitkitdizzi and realized they couldn’t do retail and event planning so the Gold Dust entity lay dormant until I begged for the name and green light to make it into something else. I wanted it to be a container of sorts to represent all of the local artists and creatives that make up our community. I was going to do design work and see what else came through collaborations with other creatives. Then I met Kat. We started talking about how we love people and spaces and letting the process dictate the direction our energy goes.




How do you meet your subjects for your Folktales? 
 We’ve known all of them so far. This is a small, tight-knit community. If you don’t know someone personally, chances are someone you know does, or your folks know their folks, or you’ve seen them a hundred times at the grocery store, or you go to their Yoga class, or they fix your car, or your kids go to school together.  You get the idea. There are many ways we all overlap, which is both wonderful and challenging. There are a few folks on the horizon we don’t know well, but are humbled to be able to meet. This whole project is having the side effect of growing us closer to the place we come from and the people in it.  

 


Can you tell us a little bit about the history of Nevada City? 
 Prior to the Gold Rush these lands were inhabited by Nisenan and Maidu Indians. The discovery of gold nearby in 1849 changed that dramatically with the sudden influx of miners and immigrants. These hopefuls blasted the hillsides with water, dug elaborate tunnels underground, and excavated the river beds and  in search of gold. It was short lived, successful for some, and devastating. There are huge swaths of land called the diggins where the soil has been all but washed away until Central Valley farmers put an end to it when the flooding became intolerable. But while it was happening a town was built, the architecture of which defines the downtown historical district. Ironically, the same river that was sought after as a source for gold by the miners, the Yuba,  became a source of magnetism for a new wave of preservationists and back-to-the-land enthusiasts in the 60’s and 70’s. They came here for the slow pace, the solitude, to be a part of some burgeoning spiritual communities, the mountains, and as so many say, for the river. We, myself and Kat, are the children of these folks. We are each raising kids in the town we were born in. We take our kiddos to the same holes we swam in as children. Nevada City is not one thing. It’s hippies and rednecks and artists and tradespeople, liberals and conservatives. It’s dynamic and it’s boring, Its history is informing its future. And its just really beautiful. 





You are working on a book , can you tell us a little more about this?
 A little. We set out to produce a visual story of the community and the diverse group of folks that make up this place, but it’s evolving all of the time. Presently we are digging more deeply into what story we want to tell. We always ask people why they are here and why they stay and what we hear is often some expression of a love of place. It’s hard to put words to. In a broader culture where people tend to migrate for work, we seem to be a community of the opposite, of folks who stay put despite the lack of it. And it’s not easy, especially for our generation. We seem to be, generally speaking, folks who favor quality of life over standard of living. 




You mention on your website that Dick Hotchkiss took a while to convince, do you have any other homes that you would love to capture?
 He’s just private. It’s one of the things we have to contend with being drawn to the very people who prefer to be reclusive or have homes that are illegal. We only want to capture the homes of people who delight in sharing them. So far we have been blessed. Being welcomed into someone’s private world in exchange for images and information is very intimate. I almost always get teary and absolutely, every time, am filled with gratitude. These places reflect the hearts of souls of the people who built and occupy them. We don’t take it lightly and are careful not to have it be an expose. There are many homes we would honored to be let into, that we haven’t even reached out to yet, and some we’ll never see. 



Thank you so much to Nikiya. Please be sure to check out their awesome website, especially their Folktales section for more about the Nevada City Residents

All photos by Kat Alves and can be found on The Gold Dust Collectives Instagram here
 

Grimm's Wooden Rainbow

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Grimm's Wooden Rainbow

Way before I had Alex, I spotted one of Grimm's Wooden Rainbow Toys in my local Waldorf Toy shop, and promised myself that if I ever had kids they (I) would get one !

And now I have a little-un, we have a Rainbow I am pleased to say it hasn't disappointed. Not only does it look really cool, and brighten up my sitting room, it is also one of his favorite toys and it gets daily use. Perfect as a tunnel for trains, a hidy hole for teddies or for stacking (and knocking down)..

Grimms Wooden Rainbow: The perfect tunnel for Trains

All of Grimms Toys are all handcrafted with non-toxic, natural dyes in Europe.  The rainbow is made from a single piece of wood and has a great slightly rough tactile feel and is great for the development of creativity and sensory awareness for kids and adults :)

The Rainbow toy is available from loads of online stores too, in the UK it is available, along with plenty of other lovely natural toys from Myriad 



Toast: House and Home ss16

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Toast: French Floral bed Linen




I love Toast and get really excited when the new catalog hits my door mat. My mum has been shopping with them since their first catalog in the late 90's and they have only got better! I just love their House and Home wear and for the last few years have found myself buying bedding from them at least once a year.... this year I am determined to get the Washed Lace Bed Linen that I have been dreaming about for a few years...


Toast: Vintage sari Quilt

Not only do Toast make beautiful, hand crafted, fair trade items but their photography is always really beautiful (although they do feature the obligatory miserable looking models) and shot in stunning locations in India...... What are some of your favourite shops?

Nevada City Series: Fat and The Moon

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Fat and The Moon
IN the Second part of the Nevada City Series, I am so pleased to be talking to New Nevada City Resident Rachel from Fat and The Moon. I have been a big fan of Rachel's work for a few years and have tried many of her wonderful creations, including her magical All Creme (sent to me by UK stockists The Future Kept), and really sensitive deodorant Creme.... So over to Rachel....
Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Rachel Budde, I’m an artist, herbalist and mama of Fat and the Moon.


What is behind the name fat and the Moon?
I had a hard time arriving at a name for my business. Everything I was coming up with sounded like names for vibrators- so I reflected on what influenced and inspired me about the potions I was brewing. I thought of the oils and butters, the mediums of external plant medicine.  The herbs are infused in the fat which we then feed to our skin. It also struck me that using ‘fat’ in a ‘beauty care’ line would be a way to recontextualize and question the word’s negative connotations. The moon is influential on most aspects of life, especially the cycles of growth and transformation. I wanted to invoke the lunar, with all of it’s magical and feminine associations. Naming a business is like coming up with a prayer you want to be spoken, Fat and the Moon has become my mantra. The meaning of the name grows the longer I’m with it.


You have recently moved to Nevada City, what was it that attracted you to it?
Nevada City has the most beautiful composition of gorgeous landscape, inspiring people, and small town goodness. I feel so lucky to be in this community.
What attracted you to studying Herbalism?
In my art practice, I am very interested in mythology. A common thread running through all mythology is the story of how people relate to the landscape around them, the plants, animals and forces of the ecosystem they belong to. When I was going to art school and living in NYC, my love of myth made me realize I needed to get to know the other, non human beings in my landscape. New York City is nature, it is just a particular kind of ecosystem. So the weeds became my friends. I soon discovered that many of the common weeds are potent medicinal plants. My orientation to my environment was forever changed. Even in the middle of a concrete jungle, dandelion makes its presence known. Derelict and ugly became alive and magical. My curiosity about plants continues to grow, I continue to be amazed by them.

Do you have a favourite of your products that you use daily/weekly?
I’m always in a rotation of favorites. Lately, I’ve been really digging using the Mermaid Mask as a cleanser and the Dusk Lip Paint as a blush. I never leave home without my All Salve- I use is as a lip balm, to smear on my lashes for a little oomph and to heal the various little owies I seem to cultivate.

What advice would you give to anyone stuck in a rut who is interested in starting a more authentic life for themselves/ new business venture?
First off, appreciate yourself for wanting to make a change that comes from your heart. It is a sign of true bravery. Being true to yourself and your aspirations is not an easy path. You have to be willing to face yourself, your edges and your gifts head on. Curiosity is the key.


A massive thank you to Rachel. Visit Fat and the Moon here

Cleobella : Over the Moon

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 Ummmm...... How amazing is this 'Over The Moon' look book from Cleobella?

With a kind of a Psychedelic 70's Morocco meets Art Nouveau vibe going on this has to be one of my favorite look book sof the year. Makes we want to drink Absinthe, listen to the Stones and smoke a hookah pipe.


 Models: Daria Zhemkova - @dariazva // Amanda Smith - @amandaphotogenics
Photography: Dana Trippe - @trippydana // Taryn Kent - @taryn_kent
Video Footage: Taryn Kent - @taryn_kent
Video Editing:  Dana Trippe - @trippydana
Makeup: Kelly Niemann - @hmuabykellyk
Hair: Chanel Marshall - @goldstruck
Styling: Cat Wennekamp - @catwennekamp




Green House: Garden Room Dreaming....

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Garden Room: image By Brian Ferry
THE NYT BOOK OF INTERIOR DESIGN AND DECORATION ©1976

Spring is finally here...... At the beginning of the week I got to play with Alex in the garden and it was magical to finally feel the sunshine on my face. I automatically felt like the heavy weight of winter was slipping from my sholders.

So why have I posted images of indoor gardens?... becasue although I love the sunshine, I love it even more from the slightly cooler shade, in a comfy chair, glass of Pimms in hand and a good book on my lap....bliss!!

Victorian Style Conservatory.
Success With House Plants , Readers Digest 1979
Bringing The garden inside

Hope you are all having a great weekend... Look out tomorrow on Moon to Moon for part 3 of The Nevada City Series...

Nevada City Series: KitKitDizzi

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So here is the slightly delayed part 3 of the Nevada City Series, and this time we are talking to KitKitDizzi.... a Nevada City Store that stocks the fine crafts made by the creatives in and around Nevada City... accompanying the interview are some of my favorite items from their online store.



Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and the motive to set up kitkitdizzi? 
Jennifer Shefield originally opened kitkitdizzi in 2011 with the help of Nikiya Swartz (Gold Dust Collective). Kira and I both worked there and loved the shop. Jen decided that she needed to get out of the business. Kira and I had always talked about having a shop, so we made an offer and she sold it to us in 2013. The shop certainly was not bringing in any numbers that would make us think it was a gold mine but we thought that maybe it could bring us a little income, give us a platform to participate creativity with our community and offer us a chance to be our own bosses giving us the flexibility necessary of two single mothers. 
Kira has an extensive knowledge of vintage items and all things old. She has a great eye and endless energy for hunting down amazing treasures. I have a background in business, design and merchandising. We are motivated daily by our friends who we believe are exceptional artists. Artists struggle with translating their work into a sellable product and it is hard to put a price on someone's craft. It feels so personal. We feel honored to be able to offer a platform for their work. 

Nevada Fucking City Mug by Pickle Pottery


What does kitkitdizzi mean
It's a native plant. Bear Clover, Mountain Misery or Kitkitdizze, as the Miwok referred to it, is endemic to the western side of the Sierra Nevada. If you've hiked in these woods and haven't noticed it underfoot, it's resinous leaves adhering to your pants and shoes, you've most certainly taken in the scent of this highly aromatic little fern like plant carpeting the forest floor. It is essential to the health of the forests in these parts and for many of us, is the smell of home.

Nevada City appears to be a real creative hub, what do you think is so inspiring about Nevada City? This town has been the home to artists for as long as I can remember. Its hard know if its the already-inspired that move here or if it's the natural beauty of this area, the slower pace of life and the exposure to other artists/makers that brings the inspiration and creative mind. Or, just maybe, it's the gold that fills the areas soil that somehow draws folks here...
Pheylonian candles


What is it that attracted you to / keeps you in Nevada city? 
We were both born in Nevada City 40 years ago. What attracted our parents to this area? Simple. They were hippies fleeing the urban confines of the city and running for the wild hills. We have lived in other cities and we always come back. We've never seen another community like this. It feels like a big family and has all the love and dysfunction that comes along with that, which we will take over the disconnect that we've felt in other places.


What are some of your favorite shops and cafes in Nevada City? Considering that Nevada City really only consists of three small streets we are really lucky to have so many great places. 
Shops; 
Lily Vigil Art Gallery (best Native American Jewelry and artwork)
The Grey Goose- I cant imagine Nevada City without this shop 
Enid & Edgar for vintage clothing
Nevco for Vintage clothing and locally made crafts
The Earth Store is also a wonderful shop for the nature/science minded
Cafes:
Ike's Quarter Cafe, The Curly Wolf Espresso House and Fox Hound Cafe.


Where do you find the artists? A lot of our artists/makers are localWe either know them or we find them through word of mouth. The non-locals we tend to discover through social media and through other artist



What are your three favourite pieces in the shop at the moment and why did you decide to stock them? 
This is a very hard question. Kira and I have one rule about what we pick or do not pick and that is that we both have to LOVE it. We cannot honestly sell something that we do not love. I think that we both agree that the Pheylonian beeswax candles that we carry are the best candles in the world. We have beautifully hand-made knives by a local 17 year old boy; Everet Noel, I would be heartbroken if he ever stopped making them and Fat and the Moon local, natural, organic, herbal body care products that actually work and have inspired me to rid my life of all chemical based products. Pickle Pottery Ceramics, Juniper Ridge, Olo, Ace & Jig... and everyone else that we carry.

KitKitDizzi: Nevada City Store

Reading List: Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes

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Women Who Run With The Wolves

Women Who Run With The Wolves
Women Who Run With The Wolves
Die Wolfs Frau


Women Who Run With The Wolves

Women Who Run With The Wolves is one of those books on my shelf that has a spine that is falling apart. The first time I read it, well actually I heard it via you tube, I was pregnant and needed a little girl power (yes, I just said 'Girl Power'.... cringe!) motivation/inspiration, to perk me up from a hormone induced existential funk. By the end of the you tube reading, read by Estes herself, I felt empowered and slightly changed....

I am not going to do a proper book review as to be honest I am a totally rubbish writer and could never do this fabulous inspirational book any justice.... but if you havent read it already I really would recommend you buy it, or borrow it from your library and find out for yourselves...

What are some of your favorite books?

xx

Collections: Crystals and Minerals...

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