Summertime Client Gifting

C&C helps a lot of clients with custom gifting campaigns for their respective clientele throughout the year. This particular one recently executed for Emily Janak Interiors in Jackson, Wyoming, was especially fun.

We partnered with local jam company, Tram Jam, to whip up batches of their popular variety — mountain huckleberries, organic blueberries + a spritz of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and can for us.

Then, we engaged Paris-based illustrator Jane Black Design, to create beautiful illustrations and packaging, along with London-based Chelsea Textiles to outfit the jars with scalloped-edged covers, tied with green and white twine, a nod to Emily's branding.

Finished with a horned jam spoon and a lovely hand-written note from Emily, this subtle and chic gift is the perfect way for Emily to share a bit of summer in the Tetons with her clients, project partners and vendors. It's also what I refer to as subliminal marketing at its finest.

#candcconsulting

Photography Credit: Lisa Flood Photography

Settling in to Summer

It seems that I tend to write near holidays as of late. Apparently they are moments of reflection.

We just returned from a trip to California to visit some dear friends. It truly warmed our hearts to have a week spending time together with our littles while enjoying the landscapes of the Bay Area that were such a big part of my life.

And now, with the July 4th holiday days away, we settle into summertime on the east coast and attempt to somehow slow down our fast and furious life. We have trips planned up and down the coast this summer, but we’re excited to relish in this sacred time with our family and the weather we dream about for months prior.

Of course, I couldn’t leave our trip to California without a visit to MARCH SF. I love admiring their exquisite pantry, kitchen and home items while scheming up reasons to procure more splatterware. Below, a snap of their custom colorways of their Italian handmade dinnerware pieces...the perfect palette as we welcome all things red, white & blue this weekend.

Summer in a Photo

Summer is so close, I can taste it. Below, an image that has always depicted summertime splendor for me — Tom Scheerer’s family’s home in East Hampton. The beautiful wallpaper, a bold stairway and pingpong table in the entry just do it for me. Pretty, uncontrived and whimsical. Outside, a tall privet and potted plants beckon. Sublime!

Photography is by Tria Giovan.

Easter Sunday

Easter was a bit different this year. We spent it up north in our little cabin enjoying quiet time with family and an Easter lunch on Sunday with friends. Admittedly, we were a tad cooped up in the house as mud season in Vermont has commenced, coupled with the fact that it snowed on and off — those factors can make the idea of outdoor activities a tad lackluster — however it ended up being a restorative few days I find myself reflecting on.

I don’t cook as often as I’d like, but I do enjoy cooking when we are in Vermont as the access to local produce and provisions makes it all the more inspiring. Saturday morning brought a trip to the Woodstock Farmers’ Market for local vegetables and sweets for the table (chocolate caramel eggs, of course!), followed by a trip to The Village Butcher to pick up our leg of lamb roast. I managed to procure some beautiful purple asparagus from Hawes Fine Foods in Providence prior to our road trip, which I am still dreaming about! It had an elegant nutty taste with a perfect simple crunch — an intoxicating taste of spring. My husband cooked the lamb to perfection, and of course, as a nod to my Mother and Grandmother, it was accompanied by mint jelly (the bright green old school variety right from the jar), potato gratin and a spring salad.

For the table, new D’ASCOLI linens brought a casual cheery pep, muscari from Farm & Flora for a little life from the garden and bunny rabbit place card holders from Reed Smythe for some cheeky practicality. The plants of course made their way back to Rhode Island with us, and I’ll plan to snip the pansies and pluck them into ice cube trays for spring sips.

As someone that loves connecting others in my personal and professional lives, I think perhaps that is what I adore about planning for some of these holiday celebrations. They become a result of a creative curation and collaboration, and for me, a chance to continue to build my collections of tableware. From the bounty from various farmers and proprietors, to little details from my favorite retailers, the end result makes me so happy.

And now, a new week begins. I gave myself some time this morning to ease into the work week with a coffee and stroll, and now, it’s time to dive in.

Here’s to spring!

Spring things

It’s the time of year when my spirits really perk up. My Gardener’s Bed Book says that when you start to hear the “peepers” at night, that’s when spring has truly landed. As such, we have been leaving a bedroom window open at night to take in all of the earthly tunes as my heart embraces the thought of spring and summer. I’ve begun some weeding maintenance and love seeing the little buds form on the shrubs we planted last year. Rebirth and renewal. I think we all need that more than ever.

In the spirit of a joyful spring, enjoy this beautiful plate from the Casa Cabana x Richard Ginori collection. I love its tangerine hue, the delicate floral motif and the happiness it brings me upon inspecting it. I love my Richard Ginori plates, but might have to indulge in these which are perhaps more suitable for the warmer months. See more, here.

Living with Meaning, Creativity and The Natural World

Aside from bonding over our collegiate sailing experiences, my friend Meredith Ewenson (@meredithewenson) and I have continued to share a deep connection to and reverence for the natural world.

The ocean and mountains in particular, have shaped me as an individual and continue to bring joy, creativity and a certain re-grounding to my life. Even in my lonely, dark moments, nature has played a supporting role. My husband and I immediately connected over our mutual love of the outdoors and its constant force in our respective lives. Nothing thrills me more than a quiet woodland walk surrounded by lush ferns and moss, or the exhilaration of the first summer swim with its salty sting.

Meredith invited me on her podcast to talk about the story behind Citrus and Cedars, fostering a life (and business) surrounded by meaning, asking the all important "Why?" and much, much more.

In part, this conversation was pure therapy for me, at a time where our world feels so heavy.

LISTEN HERE if you so desire.

Here’s to surrounding yourself with all things green!

Photography Credit: Apparition

The C&C Gift Guide: 2021 Edition

It’s that time of year again — The C&C Gift Guide. I’m really focused on a less is more mentality and shopping for items that truly spark joy, bring beauty and practicality. I enjoy gifting pieces that stand for quality, craftsmanship and tradition. Below are a few items I am currently coveting. Enjoy!

CeCe Barfield’s Étoile Cocktail Napkins are jazzy and chic. Their hand cut edges and festive star motif are playful and pleasing to any aesthete. They make for the perfect hostess gift, or better yet, buy for yourself! Shop here.

Quite frankly, anything from Kate Rheinstein Brodsky’s Upper East Side shop is a sure thing, but this candle wrapped with its camo-botanical packaging is divine. Its black matte vessel and clean scent is most certainly #candcapproved. Shop here.

This vintage chair had me at “bouclé”… and the ladies at Anyon do such a wonderful job curating unique and meaningful pieces for the home. I love how versatile it is. Santa, baby! Shop here.

I swear by all things Patty dreams up at Chasseur, and am particularly fond of my fox fur hat. Fluffy, warm and chic! Now I just need a trip to Megève! Shop here.

The Cook’s Atelier is one of my favorite go to’s for all things kitchen and pantry. When they launched their Garden Shop, I was over the moon. The copper and beechwood tools make my heart pitter patter. A perfect gesture for the garden aficionado. Shop here.

The Magic of The adirondack

I’ve always shared my fondness for The Adirondacks as the landscape holds a special place in my heart and was a big part of my upbringing. After all, my husband and I were married in the High Peaks. This past Thanksgiving my family (all 14 of us!) gathered in Lake Placid. We had about 9” of snowfall which made our time together particularly magical and cozy. There is something about the cold sting of upstate air, with a beautiful view of the wilderness in sight…I loved watching the sun creep over the mountains each morning, and the peach skies in the evening disappear over the snowcapped horizon. It is a sensory feeling I wish I could bottle up.

I’m looking forward to the next few days and weeks of holiday decorating, menu scheming and wrapping presents. Until then!

Faye Toogood

I’ve adored the work of celebrated British Artist Faye Toogood for quite some time. Her Spade Chairs are some of my favorites, designed in a range of materials from rubber to stained ash and aluminum. They are created with a nod to English country life — the top shape mimics a garden spade while the bottom, a milking stool. They are sculptural with their sleek linear lines and quite versatile. Perhaps it’s no surprise they are so striking — a great deal of her career was spent as Interiors Editor at The World of Interiors. For more of her furniture pieces, see here. Be sure to review her Interiors work as well!

Jeffery C. Becton

We escaped to Southwest Harbor, Maine this past weekend for a cozy October adventure. While much of the quaint coastal area was winding down for the season, we managed to enjoy a beautiful hike, some lovely meals, and classic Maine merriment.

One particular highlight was the discovery of Jeffery Becton’s work in Shaw Jewelry, a stop recommended by a friend. There were a few of Jeffery’s works hanging in the gallery that sincerely captivated me, to include the piece directly below, mounted to aluminum and then framed simply in a white gallery frame. I found it incredibly striking — its long linear format, the manipulated nature of the combined scenes — decidedly traditional and timeless, (unmistakably Maine or marine?) then met with subtle visual disruption and confusion. It was provoking in the best way.

Photography is one of my favorite mediums for artwork. I especially love how it can often provide a juxtaposition to a more formal space, especially if framed in a specific fashion.

Below, Jeffery’s Artist Statement, as well as a preview of some of his work for your viewing pleasure (my personal favorites). For more, I encourage you to visit his website here.

“Since 1990 I have worked in the medium of digital montage — Combining primarily elements of photography as well as painting, drawing, and scanned materials, the techniques I use foster and give form to intriguing ambiguities, reexamining the boundaries of mixed media and creating altered realities that merge into images rich in symbolism both personal and archetypal. It is not my intention to school the viewer or place before them a fully resolved work that is clear in message, but rather to invite or draw them into an emotional connection, a recognition and unfolding of their own inner experience and understanding. Something akin to finding a unique feeling or emotion that is truly their own. That is the completion of the work.”

Dry Squall 2016 digital montage realized as archival pigment print 15" x 42"

The Pilot House 2014 digital montage realized as archival pigment print 20" x 30”

Blue Chest 2013 digital montage realized as archival pigment print 20" x 22"

Thanksgiving 2017 digital montage realized as archival pigment print 15" x 41"