Groove Salon and PodArt!

I'm super excited to announce that my mother in-law, Natalia, is exhibiting her PodArt at Groove Salon in San Francisco.  The salon features a different bay area artist every 3 months, thus offering its clientele and staff an interesting, rotating backdrop for their enjoyment.  Natalia's show runs until September 10th.

On August 26th there will be an artist's reception, where you can meet Natalia and learn more about her art.   Keep posted for event details.  In the meantime be sure to check out PodArt here.  Congratulations, Natalia, your work is beautiful! 

Upcoming Event: Dedicated To Design

I'm please to announce that Cocoon Home Design will be a presenter at the Dedicated To Design event taking place at the Jennifer Perlmutter Gallery in Lafayette, CA. on October 21st through the 23rd.  During this two day event, experts will show you how to choose paint colors, build terrariums, place art and textiles in your home, and how to accessorize spaces to make them your own.  I will be doing a live [before and after] styling demonstration with art, botanicals and decorative items to demonstrate the importance of personalized touches in a home.

Tickets are on sale now.  For more information about the event click here.  Hope to see you there!! 

Out And About: PodArt Studio

Visiting my mother-in-law's PodArt studio is an adventure for the senses.  She utilizes seed pods, foraged branches, lichen and precious stones to create one of kind wall sculptures.  Whenever I'm there, I want to touch and closely examine all the materials she uses.  From feathers to birch bark, it's all very intriguing to me.  I'm happy to announce that Natalia will soon have her PodArt website up and running.  In the mean time take a look at a few images of her studio from my last visit:

Stay tuned for the PodArt website launch...

The Happy Flag Project

Before leaving for our month long trip to the East Coat (more on that later), I had the opportunity to spend some time with friends I met through an artisan guild.  This group of craft artists, interior designers, architects, painters and entrepreneurs gather every month or so to share their passions, professions and creative expressions.  For this recent gathering textile designer Jennifer Sampou invited us to her studio to create Prayer Flags for The Happy Flag Project.  Using fabric samples and scraps, buttons, stickers and feathers we each decorated one flag to be sent to the Dalai Lama and another flag to keep.  With themes of peace, joy, contentment, compassion, empowerment and healing we all put our creative hands to stitch flags together.  Take a look at some images from the evening and the flag I made for Zoe.

Many thanks to Jennifer Sampou for opening up her studio for us and inspiring me to break out my sewing machine.

Be sure to check out Jennifer Sampou's amazing fabric designs and collections here and give some thought to gathering a group to participate in The Happy Flag Project.  It is great fun!

Learning To Relax***Dolce Far Niente

With 3 kids and their schedules, our schedules, work, household chores, social and  personal obligations, there seems to be NO down time anymore.  Whenever a free moment appears, I find myself filling it with a yoga class, garden work, walking the dog or some type of screen time.  I see this in my husband, too.  We never sit for a moment and do absolutely nothing.  Lately, however,  my body has been practically forcing itself to try it, as if it's applying its own internal brakes.  At times, I feel both mentally and physically fatigued, and I'm learning to recognize it and let go of things that "have" to be done.  I'm hopeful that my current need for quiet moments will also affect Alex and our children.  It's OK to do nothing.  Perhaps even sweet...

Do you find it difficult to slow down and relax?  I'd love to hear how others find the time, or even the will to let go and enjoy a state of true relaxation.

Image via Pinterest