halloween is cool

as a kid, i really don't remember if i loved halloween, but as a mom..it is a blast. seeing all the kids in their costumes is so fantastic, particularly the ones who diy with their family and come up with something truly original. i also love a guy who goes all out to entertain his hood, and these pix were taken in winchester where, apparently, this gentleman ups the ante every year. his house was completely decked out, and our kids went nuts watching all the ghouls pop out of their hiding places. trick or treat people!

flavia black

remember my chairs? well the fabric arrived from roberta roller rabbit, i have handed it off to the marvelous john vasquez..and he has promised to return 2 slipcovers to me next week. i really do not want to admit how excited i am. keep your fingers crossed.

i heart my first crush

ex-squeeze me?

when i was in high school i had an enormous crush on frye boots. i had to have those damn boots. BUT it became a longstanding family joke, because after i finally had them in my closet, that is exactly where they stayed. i loathed the dreaded fryes! well people..the fryes are back..with a vengeance..and girls everywhere are panting over them. but i learned something really important today from my new favorite blogger.. erin of elements of style. she pointed out that you do not have to spend the $278 for the real thing because target has made a great version for $49.99! oh! and props to target as their version is really comfortable unlike the original. so there! the big question is..if i get these..will i wear them?

chris paints his entryway

remember chris? and his paint conundrum? well it looks like it's "problem solved!" in the ol' behan household, because he sent me this photo and this little note as well..

Dear Lady Miss Jill, Isn't it ironic that both your young daughter and perhaps the best decorator in Boston, Douglas Truesdale, both recommended the very same color for my foyer?! Hermiston Red by Pratt & Lambert. Although Douglas also suggested a drab olive green that he said would knock down the green tones in the oak. Ultimately he pushed the red, even though he said, "Haven't we all seen million of these red halls? But still is a warm, welcoming way to enter the house. And it looks good with the brick outside." He is right. And I couldn't be happier. XO Chris

well all i have to say is kudos to you darling! and don't forget to keep these updates a comin" because we will keep our readers apprised of your progress with your portland, me. victorian.

love the coat tory burch!

what can i say? loved it..and you cannot see the gold buttons, but they added just the right amount of glitz to the ensemble..the bag was terrific too. seen at flour bakery in fort point.

thank you decor8

the other day i was delighted to hear from our studio friend holly becker of decor8 ..the wonderful design blogger..that she was able to put a post on friday all about the work we do here at the studio. thanks so much holly!

snarky cards

thanks to marcy i just discovered snarky cards over at etsy. i do have mixed feelings about negativity when giving a card to a friend..but i just laughed myself sick over at her shop. maybe i will be moving over to the land of the seriously cynical after all. have fun friends!

classy

what can you say? i found this wee bit o' genius on marcywrites blog. i mean..ok. what???

giving props to Lily Pulitzer

i rocked this chocolate dress the other night and felt like a million bucks. i wear it all the time. it is silk jersey and is shockingly from lily pulitzer..no lie. pretty good..right?

i love NY

Minetta Tavern
classic DVF wrap dress
here i am in NYC! and i just realized that new york really is the greatest because even though i never left the apartment where i had my trunk show, my friend leslie had the quintessential NYC evening, came home.. told me about it, and i got to pretend i had lived it all! here is what we missed. Pastis for drinks, just so you know, is still very happening. second..diane von furstenburg threw a party last night..a fundraiser..and now you know! and Minetta Tavern which was packed with celebutantes. is so hot..you can't even get in! now look who is so smart!

cibeline at design salon!

last night cibeline, the boston fashion designer, hosted the design salon in her amazing store at 120 charles st. what a hot ticket she was! now hear this people, she designs all her garments and has them made in massachusetts..no lie! she loves putting a woman into pieces that make her look and feel great. so she said, "if we can get her into the dressing room, we know she is going to leave here with an outfit!"
cibeline's grandmother, who taught her to sew, said that a garment should feel and look good from the inside out, and so with that in mind, one of cibeline's signatures are the delicious linings she puts in all her pieces. last night she showed us the pink charmeuse inside her slacks and said, "every time you undress, you get a little treat!"

Hotel Parco Dei Principe

Gio Ponti designed this gorgeous hotel in sorrento on the italian riviera in 1962. i saw the magnificent mosaic work in the lobby, and it provided me with a great inspiration for a new rug. i think it would be great in a lot of colors.

J. Crew on fire

thanks to brilliant merchant mickey drexler, ( formerly of the gap) j. crew is having a major renaissance. mr. drexler has been able to take a brand that was looking so tired..with all it's khakis and polo shirts, and refreshed it in such a great way, without walking away from its customer. we all know the j. crew girl..she is kate spade's little sister, preppy and stylish, classic, but doesn't mind getting her hands (a bit) dirty.

i love the way they are using basics like jeans and jackets, and spicing them up with great accessories like big jewelry, fun ruffles, and funky styling. it really could make a girl want to go shopping again!

can ochre cords make you blonde?

my good friend, style maven, and jewelry designer susan monosson
stopped by the studio yesterday with THE cutest cords on that she got from the gap. the best part about them she said was that suddenly guys were saying hello to her, and totally checking her out! so she said to me, "now i know what it feels like to be a blonde!..you know boys..yellow up here (pointing to her head) or down here (at the pants)..they're thinking blonde!" needless to say she is a brunette. and now i am thinking... these have GOT to be a better deal than foils..i know..right?

to bog or not to bog..

yesterday was most definitely the yuckiest day of the season. i walked around alot in the mess and got soaked...particularly my feet, as i was wearing leather boots..dumb! my friend connie told me about these..bogs!! she says that they are perfectly waterptroof and they keep your feet toasty warm, AND they have those cool pull-on handles..bingo! the only thing is that i am not sure i love all the flirty patterning...hmmm..fashion or practicality?
i am a total sucker for these sweet hunter's in black, but i know from experience that your feet freeze in these...dude, they do look nice!
these are sorels..they look warm..but how can i tell? love the colors.
michael kors doing a frye knockoff..huh.
what do we think about logo crazy burberry's attempt?
you know these "joan of arctic" boots would be super cozy warm..right? but i wonder is this my look..nanook? a little help, before i obsess.

time for country

we had a great trip to new hampshire during the height of peeper season to visit our friends the galligans at their magnificent home that was designed entirely by sheila who is a local boston designer par excellence! while lawrence and sheila were on location shooting the house for boston home..i took some of my own photos. i love seeing our pottery in situ..plus it looks so fab in the house.


oh and all that wood? yeah.. i moved it all by myself..not.

o blue pots

how do i love thee blue pots, let me count the ways. these i made for a client. she's a lucky duck...that's all.

fort point open studios

this weekend is open studios in fort point channel, and i have been so busy with the prep, my head is just spinning! our studio is looking sahweet tho, lots of great stuff.

marimekko orgy!

i was in harvard square yesterday during the wildness that was Oktoberfest, and my heart skipped a beat when i walked past the old crate and barrel store ( a classic ben thompson structure a mass of concrete and glass), and saw that it had been transformed into an orgy of vintage marimekko. it couldn't have been a more brigadoon moment when for a moment i thought a new store had opened with these things for sale. well, no such luck.! i have so much nostalgia for these wonderful lively prints that have been a huge influence on my design oevre.