small business saturday

Tomorrow, Saturday November 26th, is the 2nd annual Small Business Saturday! It is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year…small businesses create half of the jobs in the private sector, in fact, they have created 65% of the net new jobs over the last 17 years…if we support independently owned small businesses in our community, we can truly make a difference…today’s post is a tribute to twelve of my favorite small businesses in the Boston area…from colorful silk scarves at Artisans Way in Concord to a wooden box of chocolate mice from L.A. Burdick Handmade Chocolates in Cambridge, these lovely shops are filled with unique gift ideas for everyone on your list!

Wishing you a glorious holiday weekend! Happy shopping!

Artisans Way, fine art and contemporary craft ~ Concord, MA

Nesting on Main, antiques, home and garden ~ Concord, MA

West Concord Five and Ten, old fashioned five and ten (perfect for stocking stuffers and wrapping needs!) ~ Concord, MA

Didriks, home accessories, tableware and outdoor furniture ~ Cambridge, MA

L.A. Burdick Handmade Chocolates ~ Cambridge MA, Walpole NH, New York NY

Reside, specializing in vintage mid-century modern furniture and home accessories ~ Cambridge & Boston, MA

Good, jewelry and accessories ~ Boston, MA

Hudson, furniture, home accessories and vintage items ~ Boston & Wellesley, MA

Neil Devlin Antiques, antiques and decorations ~ Wellesley, MA

Lakota Bakery, homemade cookies, brownies and bars ~ Arlington, MA

The Elephant’s Trunk, children’s bookshop ~ Lexington, MA

Andrew Spindler, antiques and decorations ~ Essex, MA

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merry christmas

“Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to. Don’t you see? It’s not just Kris that’s on trial, it’s everything he stands for. It’s kindness and joy and love and all the other intangibles.” ~ Miracle on 34th Street

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

photo from my trip to Nesting on Main ~ 11/26/10

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fabrics

Photographing fabric is a challenge. It’s close to impossible to capture the color and even more difficult to show the beauty of its texture. Today’s post is my attempt at sharing with you a few fabric samples I purchased the other day at Zimman’s. The photo above (my antique salad servers from Paris, purchased at Nesting on Main) is the inspiration for the color palette ~ a golden brown with hints of earthy green. I was so fortunate to find just enough mohair in the exact color I was searching for! This fabric will be used for one of my current projects, restoring four 1940s dining chairs for my house. I adore the chairs and was determined to find just the right fabric for durability, color, texture and longevity. Voila, a mohair in my inspirational color palette! Also, to update you on the other chairs I had posted about (the pair of 1940s bergeres), I found a gorgeous white cotton (similar to the texture of a french grain sack) that will be the perfect compliment to the unfinished wood. When they are complete, the two will grace either side of the fireplace. The other fabrics are just for fun! (possibly for accent pillows) I absolutely love the linear designed fabric! (it reminds me of the Fendi logo) I’m thinking I might order a few yards, perfect for pillows on the white bergeres. I’ll be sure to include photos when the chairs are complete! (ps – the chair in today’s post is a decorative chair I purchased at Nesting on Main ~ great for photo shoots!)

below, The mohair! C’est magnifique!

below, The linear designed fabric, perfect colors and beautiful texture! Reminds me of the classic Fendi logo!

below, photo from Fendi

below, An animal inspired textile can be the perfect pattern to enhance any decor!

below, photo from Charles Spada

photos of antique salad servers and fabrics by me, 12/10/10

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follow up

Yesterday’s post included some photos of my home featuring a few beloved treasures from Koo de Kir. After posting, it occurred to me that you might be interested in knowing about the other furniture and objects in the photos! Here we go!

below, clockwise from top left ~ the antique sunburst mirror from Neil Devlin Antiques in Wellesley Center (part of E.A. Davis Design), the vintage white porcelain baluster table lamp (one of a pair) from an ebay auction, white paper drum shade from Concord Lamp and Shade, white silhouette console table from Brocade Home, walls are covered in a gold grasscloth, natural woven window treatment from Smith and Noble, wine glasses from Riedel, vintage parfait glass from a yard sale, woven rattan charger from The Kimball Shop in Northeast Harbor Maine, fine bone china white dinner plate by Studio Tu, small faux bois plate from Koo de Kir, flatware by Sabre Paris from Enclave in West Concord, glass votives by Orrefors.

below, clockwise from top left ~ an original oil painting by E.N. Bennett (American, born 1902) purchased at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum Auction, mercury glass lamp with bamboo shade from Koo de Kir, wood curl ball from The Kimball Shop in Northeast Harbor Maine, antique silver compote from Upstairs Antiques in Concord Center, horn box from Good on Charles Street, black and white lacquer tray from  Yates and Kennedy in Provincetown, porcupine quill and glass ink well from Nesting on Main in Concord Center, original oil painting by Anne Packard from the Packard Gallery in Provincetown, bleached oak antique table (one of a pair) from Neil Devlin Antiques in Wellesley Center (part of E. A. Davis Design), bottom left ~ antique white urn from Nesting on Main in Concord Center, dry grass balls from The Kimball Shop in Northeast Harbor Maine.

below, coral fan from Nesting on Main in Concord Center, antique milk glass footed bowl from a consignment store in Northeast Harbor Maine, old gold chair with canvas seat from Nesting on Main in Concord Center, two original Anne Packard oil paintings from the Packard Gallery in Provincetown.

photos by danielle boudrot

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nesting on main

I am very pleased to share with you the 2010 holiday decor at Nesting on Main in Concord center! Sparkling Christmas trees adorned with nature inspired ornaments set the tone for a silver and white winter wonderland! My favorite ornament this year, the vintage cotton birds (pictured above) credited to a Filene’s Store Christmas display from the 1950s. They are in perfect condition and at only $5 each, I just couldn’t resist their vintage charm. 10 of these little lovelies came home with me and will be my inspiration for this years holiday decor. I also purchased a gorgeous set of antique salad servers from Paris (pictured below). The original case is as exquisite as the flatware, green snakeskin leather with a pale blue velvet lining…simply divine!

Please enjoy these photos of Nesting on Main! If you live near Concord MA, I highly recommend a visit to Nesting before Christmas. If you are too far away, I hope these images bring you a few smiles as we celebrate the magic of the holiday season.

photos by danielle boudrot

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nature inspired

With Thanksgiving around the corner, my thoughts are filled with the holidays and the beauty of the season. My favorite shopping destination, for decorative inspiration and one of a kind accessories, is Nesting on Main in Concord center. Every year, owners Wendy and Melissa close the store for a few days in preparation for the day after Thanksgiving. I am so excited to see what they have planned for this year! In anticipation of Friday’s unveiling, I’m posting some photos of Nesting on Main I took this fall along with some nature inspired table settings. Notice the lovely use of feathers, birds nests, eggs and branches! Enjoy!

above and below, photos by me of Nesting on Main

below, make merry events

below, Domino

below, Veranda

below, Country Living

below, Martha Stewart

below, Country Living

below, young house love

below, Frolic!

below, lisa luby ryan

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