10 cent designer is worth her weight in gold

i've been idolizing lori andrews from afar for a while now. so it's high time i came out with it & shared her with you. if you like interior design, photography, humor, aesthetics, and boldness then you're going to enjoy lori's work as much as i do. she is really living the life ~ you know, that dreamy sort of life one can fantasize about having in their head when their own life seems to lack a little lustre? yes, she is living that life for me. but i'm not jealous {not a jealous girl at all actually}, i'm just utterly inspired. studio wellspring is all about collecting inspiration, so the 10 cent designer definitely needs a place here too.

she's a very busy lady with several fun spots to explore on the internet:
the 10 cent designer blog

the lori andrews photography blog

the 10 cent designer website

the lori andrews interios website
and now you can just go ahead and kick back and spend the rest of today culling through her flickr account ~ it's full of so many delights of her work & life you may not be able to stop yourself. ;o)

color therapy ~ orange crush

{polaroid from sean tubridy}

these grey cold days in san francisco have a way of depressing a sunshine girl like myself. being the pro-active type, i thought i'd try to combat the coldness by gathering some cheery orange images and beaming them out to you. i'm all about adding some brightness to an otherwise dull day ~ hope you enjoy these too!

{top row: room service, lara robby, jay jeffers ~ bottom row: weego home, victoria pearson, kenneth wingard }


{top row: jay jeffers, lara robby, west elm ~ bottom row: victoria pearson, west elm, scott sanders}


{top row: lara robby, scott sanders, lara robby ~ bottom row: west elm, jay jeffers}

relax ~ it's friday!

another weekend away for me ~ this time heading up to the oregon coast for a wedding. it'll be so nice to see old friends and spend time with my family. i've been craving down-time outside the city and there's no better place than my parent's home for that. nestled amongst huge trees, no neighbors can be seen, the air is fresh, and time just slows down. counting down the hours til lift-off. . . .

hope your weekend is filled with down-time and deliciousness!

{photo found on dark gardyner's photostream}

chihuly and di sarli at de young

yes, you read that right..... both dale chihuly's glass work and carlos di sarli's tango were found together in one night at the de young museum in san francisco's golden gate park. it was a magical coming together of artistic pleasures. but, before i delve into that evening specifically, this requires some background: i'm sure it's obvious by now that i enjoy tango, but less known is my affection for chihuly & his work. he is from tacoma washington & also attended my alma mater there {univ of puget sound}, so i became well aware of him in those formative college years. his work is on campus and all over town ~ beautiful adornments where ever you find them. and his studios are there too. i find it particularly perfect that so much genius beauty-making comes from a small city placed right on the puget sound.

the puget sound is one of the most naturally beautiful places on earth. not only on land but below the depths of the sound too ~ the largest concentration of cepholopods in the world are found in the waters {that run so deep the deepest point has yet to be measured}, and phosphorescent water creatures are incredibly prolific here too {full moon kayaking here is divine}.

not to mention the snow capped mountains that surround the emerald forests & vast waterways..... the inspiration for everything creative and contemplative is never ending.
and this is where we connect with tango ~ the creative and contemplative. i've been dancing since i was 4 {i still have my first pair of tap shoes} and have tried many forms of dance from west african to bhangra to ballet and none have evoked such depth of connection as tango. for me it's the perfect blend of feminine and masculine, an exchange of creative surrender and inspired decisiveness, a transfer of energies made more beautiful by mutual understanding and trust. all done to the most evocative of music.on the very same evening as the first ever milonga en el museo, you could also go down stairs and see some of the most extraordinary blown glass ever made. being able to take in the sounds of di sarli and the feelings of tango, while also getting completely absorbed into chihuly's mystical glass wonderland was something so fabulous i couldn't help but try to share it with you here. {many more photos here}


this post wouldn't be complete without a soundtrack to get you in the mood:
CARLOS Di SARLi

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{1st photo of puget sound by wild celtic rose. 2nd puget sound photo by canis latrans. all other photos by me}

domestic bliss

these elaborate wall stickers designed by graphic artists, designers and artists such as finnish-born klaus haapaniemi and london-based hanna werning, take the realm of the tired wall sticker to another level. sold through the french site domestic, you can find tons of interesting decals and stickers for any place that needs a little special spice. i fell for about 20 of them.

{yes, this last one is laser cut mirror ~ swoon!}

rock and royal

hello gorgeousness! these bohemian crystal chandeliers are custom designed by hans van bentem and sold through rock and royal. based in rotterdam, rock and royal considers every piece they sell a unique exclusive piece of art ~ fully customized to their client's needs. they made their debut in 2006 at the millionaire fair in cannes {also called "a fairy tale for the affluent", this is an exclusive event showcasing the latest offerings from the international luxury goods industry. invite only, of course}. perhaps someday i'll specifiy a piece by rock and royal for a wealthy client? until then, i'll just enjoy the photos of a world i'm entirely unfamiliar with.....

{thanks to ms.90/10 rule for the tip}

makin a splash

today i'm heading off to a huge pool party planned for me by the best of the best, jenni & sharon. sharon happens to be fortunate enough to have a gorgeous house in marin with lovely gardens, a large pool and a very nice hot tub. it's a perfect place to gather fabulous people and celebrate all day and into the night. there will be bbq chefs, dj's mixin' their grooves, puppies, watermelons, water play and lots of beautiful people {all my friends are beautiful!}. i'm a very lucky girl.

i hope your weekend is filled with beauty & fun in the sun too! xo!

{photo shamelessly taken from the delightful blog absolutely beautiful things}

true beauty never fades

i'm not usually one to post about celebrities {unless they're designers}, but i just couldn't help myself today. first cyd charisse and now dorian leigh ~ two of the most gorgeous women ever have recently bid adieu to the world. . . . but they've left a treasure trove of images and film legacies to remind us what classic, true talent and beauty are all about. these two women are big inspirations to me, even if they are in a completely different league, so i just couldn't let the birthday week end without honoring them as they pass on from this life.

friday fun: wordle

the ever affable and insightful johanna {of the tangri-la blog} posted about wordle yesterday and i couldn't resist doing one for my lil' swellspring too. i just entered my blog's url and let wordle do its magic ~ but you can customize one with your own words too. just something fun to start off a celebratory weekend right. what's your wordle? c'mon, ya know you wanna try it. . . .

33 sparkling lights in my sky today

light

will someday split you open

even if your life is now a cage

for a divine seed, the crown of destiny,

is hidden and sown on an ancient, fertile plain

you hold the title to.

love will surely bust you wide open

into an unfettered, blooming new galaxy

even if your mind is now

a spoiled mule.

a life-giving radiance will come....

{from the poem in a tree house by hafiz, from the book the subject tonight is love translated by daniel ladinsky}

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i consider birthdays a very special time. for me, they're more like the new year than january 1st, with reflection and celebration abounding. and i have continued the habit my parents set for me from a very young age: to remember all the things you're happy about and declare all the things you wish for on your own special day of brith. {yes, i lucked-out and got some very good parents}

so, they say 33 is your jesus year. that's kind of a lot to live up to. but what with the fact that i will be called upon to perform several minor miracles this year i suppose it's a really good time to try to emulate the strengths & vitures of him, that christian symbol of compassion, connection to a higher power, and renewal.

the past year has been filled with some really amazing experiences that i am eternally grateful for ~ making new friends, making deeper commitments to shambhala, making new accomplishments in my career, making new places on this planet more familiar, making a baby, and making a new home to name just a few. and my wish for this coming year is to be blessed with the lessons i need to further deepen my practice and deepen my connection to that which is really most important: compassion, love and peace.

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p.s. i share this special day with 2 of my fave boy bloggers: happy birthday to alex and bradford!

p.s.s. thank you with all my heart to jenni , teri & tangobaby for your incredible blog posts for me today. i swear i am the luckiest lady on the planet!

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{photo credits ~ row 1: seed, crown, homing. row 2: time, love, caring, unfettered. row 3: tiptops, tango, tiptoes, music, dance}

a pregnant dancer

on being in the sfdc studios & performing again:

for the last month my tango teachers have been blessing european tango communities with their charm, beauty & skill. so with my extra free nights in the week i signed up for a fusion dance performance workshop {taught by the diva of delight, jenni}. in 4 weeks time, 20 dancers went from nothingness to a complete 7 minute piece that we got to perform before a live audience, twice. {this is all because jenni has vision and skill and perserverence, just so you know}. it was a challenging and fun experience to not only perform with a group again but to do it while in the middle of pregnancy. i got a bit frustrated that i couldn't jump as high or balance as long or get up off the floor as easily as my pre-baby-bump body, but for the most part i was really happy with the results. i even did a few partner lifts and had much better stamina than i expected. i was asked by several people if i should be doing all that while in my condition. i suppose the thought crossed my mind a little, but not long enough to stop me. i am a dancer. that is what i do ~ it's one of my greatest passions & joys. so why should i not continue it even if i am gestating? besides, i really think the little peach liked it too. the music, the movement, the positive energy i was flowing. so i'm glad i did it and am planning to continue dancing until i literally can't any more.
{that's me on the far left arching back, and in the photo on the right i'm the one almost in the middle of the clump of dancers pulling on that high leg while looking down at the ground}

on being back into the tango vida:

{gorgeous image by smooth}

with the performance workshop over and a week break for work & vegas reasons, now this week i've jumped right back into tango. and none too soon. ney & jennifer are back with more vitality than ever and even though i'm a bit bigger than last time they saw me, i still felt like a shining star in their capable tango hands. i've enjoyed happy reunions with my tango community friends ~ lots of belly rubs and comments like "wow you can still move that beautifully in 4 inch heels?". why yes, surprisingly, i can. sure the balance is a little off, but the strength and muscle memory is there ~ and i think my musical connection is stronger than ever. the senses are much more heightened during pregnancy, so perhaps that has something to do with it. i was worried that my embrace might be off, what with a little someone now very much between my partner and me, but that fear was unfounded. maybe for the leads to dance with me it feels kind of like how it feels for we followers when we dance with a man who has a big gut? it's not like you can't form a great embrace and walk with ease even if there is a bit more between you than with other partners. at any rate, tangoing again feels incredible, and i dare say there may be a new tango angel on the horizon ~ thank heaven's.

{my dear friend seth & i dancing at a wedding}

{all photos of me dancing taken by jendita}

nautilus notice

{bronze shell stand lamp by jrm international}

{hightech's concrete ammonite wash basin}


{ankasa shell pillows by vivre}


{ammonite on aged copper pedestal by spirale collection}


{same-same table lamps and contrare wall lamps are made of treated crushed silk, resistant to mold and fire, laid on a metal structure. by aqua creations}


{the venus chair ~ an austro-hungarian ormolu-mounted mahogany and parcel-gilt armchair from the ann getty collection, limited edition}

a grown-up fort

after being in vegas for 3 days i'm ready for a retreat. so imagine my delight in finding the exact place i'd love to run off to this very minute when perusing kirtsy this morning. . . . . the shack at hinkle farms. designed by broadhurst architects, it reminds me of a grown-up fort, complete with the basic necessities including a great view. and even more wonderful, it's completely off the grid. i just started digging into the sakyong's latest book, ruling your world, and oh how would i love to have a sitting practice in this adult fort to really take in all the wisdom i'm enjoying from the book {i highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't had the pleasure of experiencing it yet}.

let freedom ring

july is here and i'm in full celebration mode! this is my favorite month of the year; the one i look forward to the most. not just because it has my birthday in it. but also because it has fireworks {i am a huge fan}, and all the deliciousness of summer's bounty comes into full swing: warm summer nights, summer fruits, lounging on porch swings, playing on the beach, full bloom gardens, and outdoor tango {union square & goldengate park here i come with my dancing shoes ready}.

also, i enjoy celebrating being an american ~ for everything i dislike about this country there's plenty to appreciate too {made even more clear by living abroad}. even though our government does some horrific things, we as citizens of the good ol' u.s. of a. can make changes if we get off our lazy rears and actively fight for what we believe in. some fights take a long time {women's suffrage, civil rights, saving our national parks to name a few}, but history proves they are still worth fighting for and change can happen. if you haven't given any time or money to a national cause you believe in for quite some time, please consider the 4th of july an excellent time to do so. this country was created with our freedom to shape it and the remarkable concept of the "pursuit of happiness" as the cornerstones ~ so don't let them be in vain.

if you're not sure where to start, here are a few ideas to get you going:

american civil liberties union

national wildlife federation

native american rights fund

obama for america

american forests

save the children, usa

green for all

national endowment for the arts

and please let me know how you're spending your 4th of july weekend ~ i'd love to share in your stories and traditions!

me? i'm breaking all my traditions and going to that mecca of american excess: las vegas. i know, crazy right? well, i've never been and i think it's funny & fitting that i'm going for the 1st time when i'm pregnant. but it's for a good cause {and really the only reason i'd go}: to help a dear friend who's in dire need of my tlc. her well-being means so much to me i'm willing to go somewhere i never thought i'd go. but hey, i'll try {almost} anything once and no matter what it'll be an adventure. i won't be getting involved in all that debauchery but i'll hold my friend's hand as she does if that's what she wants, and i'll be the very best listener & cheerleader ever for the next 3 days. my goal is to be sure we both leave more light-hearted and balanced than when we arrived ~ yes these can be found in vegas and i intend to prove it. ;o)

where ever you are, whatever you do, i hope you have a very happy & healthy celebration of your freedom this weekend!

{several of the photos taken by me, a couple from flickr friends, & the rest from the depths of the internet}

what i've been up to

well, besides being up to my ears in the details surrounding "oh my god i'm brining a baby into the world in 3 months", i have put in no less than 55 hours of work in the last 5 consecutive days. yes, that means no weekend whatsoever for me. but it's all over now, the drawings are off to chicago and i am rewarding myself with a massage tonight {thank you so much, sofie!}.

i thought you might enjoy getting a little peek into what i do {what has been keeping me away from you} on the more technical side of my career. . . .

i realize auto-cad is a foreign concept to many people but it consumes much of my working day since it's the primary tool i have for communicating what my design vision is to contractors, architects and all other team members on a project. as useful as it is, sometimes i loathe it. auto-cad use needs to be limited. and i have had my fill for the time being. i much prefer hand sketching, but even though it's more artful, it is inefficient and doesn't come close to getting the job done as the computerized drawings do. especially on large projects the scale i usually work on.

first off, here's an example of something i do enjoy drawing on auto-cad: a custom designed side chair. this drawing is sent to the furniture maker who then returns what we call "shop drawings" to me to mull over, make changes and eventually approve:

this is a photo of a similar style chair, so you can see what drawings can turn into in real life:

and here is an example of something i do not enjoy drawing quite so much: a door detail {this particular one is for a custom barn-style door}. this drawing is sent off with dozens more like it to the contractor and door manufacturer so they all will know how to build it. sure it's necessary, but after drawing-up 15 or so my brain hurts and all i can think about is melting into a puddle with a sangria in hand.

to give you a better idea, this drawing is a plan view detail of a door similar in style to this one {only our track is hidden up in the ceiling rather than exposed along the wall as this one is}: