April 26, 2008

Today is cool and windy and perfect after the beautiful warm weather we had all week. Today I am feeling thankful for many little things in my life - for the quietness of my apartment, for a dinner that's already made, for J who picked something up for me just because he thought I'd like it. I'm also feeling thankful for all the get-togethers that have happened over this month. For me, April has become The Month of the Bloggergals.

This past Thursday, I hopped a train into New York and met up with my friend Karen and her two wonderful friends, Kathryn and Joy. When I entered the apartment where they were staying, I found a table covered with evidence of creativity gone wild. Old books, paper, scissors, glue, little trinkets and swatches of fabric were all being assembled into beautiful works of art. I was shown treasures in paper bags, collected from unique shops throughout New York. The lovely Maddie (who is just as sweet and poetic in person as she is on her blog) joined us and after a coffee and breakfast, we began our day exploring the city.

I took them to one of my favourite shops - John Derian. It's a little shop of wonders, selling decoupaged glass plates, little paper mache vegetables (my favourite are the radishes), giant grey featherdusters, photographs of 19th C. folk with dog heads and so much more.

Then Karen took us to one of her special NYC finds: New York Central Art Supply. It's a plain-looking store from the outside but on the inside there is an assortment of paints and paper, brushes and (oh my, oh my) sketchbooks that would make any artist's heart skip a beat. Now I am quite fussy about my sketchbooks. I always look for a particular style that will set the mood for what will be inside the book. Well, New York Central Art Supply had the exact books I have been looking for - hooray! And the brushes...they have a wide selection of brushes that go beyond the typical art store variety. We're talking brushes that you could display in a vase...brushes from around the world...in all shapes and sizes and styles...brushes with character and personality...

Later that afternoon, we bid farewell to Joy and Kathryn and Maddie and I caught a ride with Karen to her home in Pennsylvania.

Karen is the hostess with the mostest. Oh yes, she is! Her house is filled with artwork and photographs of her family which really makes you feel as a guest that you are stepping into a house full of creativity and love. We ate chocolate, drank coffee, talked about art and blogging and pretty well chatted away an evening and a morning.

Before Maddie and I returned home, Karen took us to a couple neat shops in Pennsylvania. There was a second hand store called The Barn (sorry, no website) which was literally packed floor to ceiling, wall to wall, with everything imaginable. There was a drawer full of "monsters" and a shelf full of porcelain sugar bowls still containing sugar. After seeing all the assemblage art over the past week, I stepped out of my box and bought three metal door locks. I'll make something out of them, really I will!

Maddie found her dream green typewriter there...

 

We also wandered through a large second hand bookstore that would make any ephemera fan swoon. I bought two little children's books with terrible stories but fabulous illustrations throughout them. This one particularly caught my fancy as it reminds me of my cat's early morning personality:

 

Comments

[collette]

I want to hop a plane and come invite myself to all these fabulous gatherings you are taking part in. Sigh........
I love hearing about every single shop and great find you stumble upon. I was swooning when you mentioned ephemera. Central Art Supply sounds like a small slice of heaven.
xo

[rochambeau]

Sound like Wonderland! All wonderful creative friends connecting from around the world. Just love how the blog world connects like~minded souls! Also glad you found the sketchbook of your dreams!
Have a great day Susanna!

I have a copy of that Puss in Boots too!! Coco's going to wear that outfit to the Swashbucklers Soiree!

xox
Constance

[Ulla]

Oh HOW I WISH I were on your coast sometimes...! Isn't it just the grandest to meet up with kindred spirits and spend a day playing??? Sometime I'd love to be in your pocket and skip along too!

[stephanie]

Me too Collette....I want to be a fly on the wall and enjoy all this blogger gal fun!

Someday I'll get back there and am keeping notes on all the wonderful haunts to go explore!

In the meantime thank you for letting me tag along here...

x...x

[art Tea Life]

All of these FAB outtings you have been on lately ! I love being able to tag along thru your stories and pictures..but I wanna BE THERE TOO !

That John Derian shop window picture came out so RIGHT

I love the shop and am itching to hit that link as soon as I finish submitting my comment here...

I Loving Maddie's typewriter find and the lanterns and your children's books that I only imagine are such a delightful sit with a cup of tea. ( I know what you mean about some of them having terrible children's stories...some really do have frightful stories you can only wonder about !!)

Well you had a day, gleaned some goodies, and Spent Time Good.

ah you live so far from here....darn.

Love, S

[Jennifer Jeffrey]

The typewriter is FABULOUS! What a great photo.

I'm so glad you've had these special outings - they sound like exactly what you need to keep your Muse happy...

[Leslie M]

I'm sorry I missed this get-together! It sounds like you all had a blast. I can't wait to see what you do with the locks. The Barn is something to behold, isn't it?

[Judy Wilkenfeld]

OMG Susannah - I now have derian on my hit list for October - i may have to put you in charge of places/stores to see that I missed out on. I spoke to Karen last night -she said you had great adventures too.
Ciao for now.

[darlene]

what a wonderful day it looks like : ) and i heart maddie's beautiful dream green typewriter : )

[Gillian]

What a fabulous wonderful free spirited time!
I wish I could have joined you guys!!!
Love your photographs!
xo

[le petit cabinet de curiosites]

Great ! I have never heard about John Derian but I love it , it reminds me Fornasetti's creation ! A little lib surrealist.
And the green typewriter is stunning !!!
It seems you had a wonderful day

[o l g a]

And I. I would have LOOOVED being there as well! :)*

[annieelf]

I've just been exploring the Derian store. What a dream of a place.

[mary cooper]

What a great selection of photos. I love the mix of the black and white and the colors.Sounds like a fun trip too. love mary cooper

[Yoli]

Oh my, thank for such a lovely post. I am completely enchanted. I needed it so much today. I miss NYC with all of my heart and soul.

[devil mood]

I have to say that Maddie's picture with the typewriter is so brilliant it reminded me of Magritte's paintings, with the man and the hat and the apple...you know ;)
Fantastic!
I'm enjoying a little visit around your blog.

[maddie]

I wish your winged messengers would come and
scoop me up and bring me back there ~
I had such a fabulous and
utterly delightful time with you Susanna ~
you get me so inspired and filled with ideas ~
and these photo's are terrific ~
:)
the john derian sign looks stunning ~ love
the gorgeous design and colors and wow!
I think that hours sign for the antique shop
is marvellous!

can't wait to get back to NY and see
you girls again:)

[Paris Parfait]

Oh it all just sounds like heaven! So glad you had a wonderful time. I'm so excited I get to see Maddie in Vancouver later this month!