Nest Decorating & Designs by Tamar

Home Sweet Home

We are back from NYC, my it's good to be back home!
I think I am finally realizing that I might not be a city girl anymore...it was mobbed, millions of people everywhere, museums were packed, the streets were packed, even the park was packed, I guess everyone was outside because of the lovely weather,but after a while I started feeling that weird sense of being in some kind of battle....it made me remember why I moved to Vermont ...
Now don't get me wrong, I love NYC, I still enjoy my visits, it's good to feel the city buzzz, we saw some great exhibits at the MOMA, visited the New Museum which is a remarkable building, ate at Balthazar in Soho, walked up and down Spring st. and Broadway, went to the new Muji, and CB2 and I got to visit Anthropologie and H&M.
Traveling with three teens can be a little challenging at times... when they were little they all enjoyed a lot of the same things and we where very clear on what to do and what to see,I still have the urge to go the the Children's Zoo, the Merry- go- round in Central Park and the Natural History Museum... these days it's a totally different story, The boys were pulling in very different directions and it was a little over whelming at times....not to mention the three of them sitting and texting in the restaurant...uggggh!!! The only thing we seemed to all agreed on and I know it's totally wonderful, we ALL love art and food...
I managed to squeeze a little bit of shopping in too and when I got home I realized everything I bought matched...how funny.
Yellow glasses from Anthropologie

A stuffed cat from Pearl River

Tiny wooden spoons from Pearl River

An amazing scarf from H&M

Pretty Bobby pins from Anthropologie

A tiny pouch from fabric that looks like "Liberty of London"...maybe it is?

and here they are all together, see how they all match...

OK, back to work, I have tons of orders waiting to be made and sent.
xox

Feeling nostalgic

Sorry I haven't been able to post much lately I am worried about my blog turning into a bit of a medical journal ...having recovered beautifully from my surgery, suddenly about a week ago I contracted  some weird infection in my facial nerve and woke up last Thu. with the  right side of my face completely paralyzed....it was very scary as you can probably imagine, but it turned out to be Bells Palsy,not much can be done, it just passes on it's own. I did take a homeopathic remedy which helped a little and relieved some of the symptoms and now I just have to sit tight and brave it out, there is no pain, and other then burning eyes I don't really feel it.

On a happier note we are all going on vacation to NYC tomorrow, driving down in the morning,staying at a friends house in NJ 30 min. away from town by train, I am so so excited!!
So many things to do, see, watch,taste!!! I still can't run around like crazy but I we have everything planned out and everyone got to choose what they want to do, luckily we all love the museums and the kids all asked to to go to the MOMA to see the Van Gogh's,we will also go to the new Neue Galerie, and the New Museum and if we have time to the Photography Center. Personally I can't wait to go to Anthropologie, Purl soho, and  ABC carpet and home...all of my favorites...

While I was spending some time sorting out old photos I found these great photos of my parents from 1953, they met in Paris, my mom just finished college and was spending a year abroad, my dad who is half French half Israeli was spending time there contemplating what to do next in life, they met in a little cafe, traveled in Europe and then got married in NYC in Sept. 1954.

My mom

my dad

so stylish

have a great week xox!!!

Bold statements

I am not usually attracted to very bold and modern fabrics, I tend to lean towards the girlier stuff, flowers,roses,aqua and green, or an eclectic mix of bohemian prints and colors, sort of like our house I guess,but sometimes I just feel this urge to do something different,I found this interesting patterns at the fabric store and thought that maybe on a small scale it will work well,I wouldn't make anything really big from it but I love the way the Art  pouches look in them, I did softened them up a bit with a surprise pretty pink lining....


Art pouches are something I grew up with, my mom was an artist and my dad is an architect and pouches like these would have been a great hit in my home, my parents could never get enough paints,pencils, crayons,brushes,markers and my dad was crazy about Rapidograph pens.
I recently made a few for my kids to take school and ended up with tons of orders from their friends,now I know what to make as birthday gifts...

of course I couldn't help myself this weekend and made a few matching cosmetic and tissue holder sets from some new imported and much too expensive sweet cotton fabrics I just got in.
Pink set

blue set

all the pouches are for sale in my shop, by the way check out my new shop banner!

On a different note, I drove my son yesterday to the Charlotte ferry, he was visiting a friend on the NY side of the lake, it was such a beautiful crisp and perfect day,I couldn't help but think how lucky I was to live in such a beautiful place, I had to take some photos to share:
Charlotte's beautiful covered bridge

a few friends by the side of the road

Classic Vermont scenery

Have a great week everyone xox

A new year

This year started with a wonderful visit from my brother and sister in law and my 3 adorable nieces, they live in Israel and decided to take 6 months off to tour and hike South America, my little nieces are 12,9 and 6, and I can't begin to tell you what an incredible adventure this is, a giant outdoor school room,they are starting their trip in Argentina, from there they will be crossing over to Chile and then to Antigua Guatemala, if you read Hebrew you can follow their trip here:http://schechners.blogspot.com/. while the girls were here we spent hours crafting, making giant pom poms, baking pink cupcakes and I  basically tried to get in as much girl activity as I possibly could....but then I got sick with the flu....and was (and still am) bed ridden for the last 2 days of their visit, so annoying,we had so many  plans!!!
Thank you Lili my sweet sister in law for taking over the kitchen and basically cooking for 10 people for the last few days! I don't know what I would have done with out you...
In the midst of all this I myself am planning a trip to Israel to visit my family and friends for a couple of weeks and not log after I get back it looks like my husband is off again for 3 weeks of work...
I did manage to make a couple of new bags last week, working with 10 people around is actually very satisfying....everyone has something different to say....can you believe I actually didn't go stir crazy?
This one is a shoulder bag with a tie closure made from felted beads ans linen string

also a ton of new magnets including some new ones of Tokyo...

many new ones of Paris after they where wiped out of my shop this last holiday season

and some of  the NYC subway map, oh how I miss you NY....

and my own personal favorites, the textile collection

All available in my Etsy shop.

My head is exploding with ideas for spring and in February I will be participating in the Poppytalk Hand Made Market place! I am so excited about this! in the meantime check it out, it has a beautiful collection of shops and designers.

My little village

....After posting some photos of Essex NY I realized that what I should really write about is my own little village ,Shelburne VT, so here are I am your own private local guide...

Shelburne is the home of the magnificent Shelburne museum, a heaven for crafters and quilters, I can never get enough of it, I must have been there 20 times!!! I saw the most amazing exhibition of quilts there by Rosie Lee Tompkins

Another wonderful place to visit is Shelburne Farms a working organic farm with a great store,bakery and the best cheddar cheese ever,they also have tractor rides for kids that take them up to the beautiful old farm barn where they can pet the animals and experience the daily farm chores, my kids practically lived there when they were younger...you can see the farm barn in this picture,isn't it beautiful? in the background you can see lake Champlain which is a minute away.

so let me take you on a little tour of the village, Saturday is market day with great  local farmers market

a cute little house and garden on the village green

the local bistro

my favorite yarn shop "Knitter's Laine" 

the best bookstore around The Flying Pig specializing in children books

The most amazing toy store "Jamie two-coats"

your best chance for good coffee in miles Village wine and coffee

and my personal favorite store  Shelburne Country Store they also sell online,
isn't this the best window ever?

and here are a few pictures of my own little house and street, I just love those morning glories on the porch, I thought I bought the purple but they turned out white!

I hope you enjoyed my little tour and hope you stop by Shelburne when you are in Vermont
have a wonderful weekend
xoxo

crazy crazy summer

It's been a crazy crazy two weeks, I am trying to keep a positive attitude dealing with a house full of teen agers (5 including my nieces) all pulling in different directions....the older ones are always wanting to go downtown or chill at friends especially very late at night and getting up at noon which makes it impossible to plan any normal meal ....the younger ones get bored if they are not kept busy every second of the day and they are ALL constantly hungry or hot or restless or annoyed ,oh boy!... It's hard to believe but I find myself wishing for fall again..
Ronen is busy working on a few film projects, and I am trying to get myself together and actually DO some work!!!I have a few new clients,I need to write  articles  for the paper and loads of work for Etsy, all very hard to manage these days...not to mention blogging....

I did  make a new dremcatcher for my etsy shop, this one is suitable for a  boys room (I had lots of requests for boy related things))

and one that is a little more glitzy and suitable for teens and adults

I wish I had more to time to just sit myself down and get the work done, it doesn't look like that's going to happen soon, I am shooting a big article on "Dorm Decor" for the "Burlington free Press" tomorrow, I found some great funky stuff on a budget, I hope it comes out well, will attach a link here when it comes out on the 16th of August, AND Monday my sister, my two nieces and I are going on a all girl trip to NYC for two days!!! I can't wait, I hope it won't be too hot.

We took a beautiful trip out to Essex NY on the ferry from Charlotte VT, Essex is so beautiful, it always looks to me like a great movie location, it sits right on the lake with gorgeous giant 19th century houses,this is one of our favorite trips in the area, we go down there, walk around, and get Ice cream at the only local Ice cream place in town.
Here are some pictures

have a great weekend
xoxo