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Xocoa
Kat is back from her European adventure and brought us each these lovely chocolates from Xocoa in Lisbon. Mmmm…
by erin 
Escape Down Under
It’s been a crazy month or so here in the studio: in the midst of deadlines, new projects, new classes and all sorts of exciting New York chaos, we’ve each been zipping off to exotic destinations for some much needed respite. I have just returned from a glorious trip to Byron Bay: hippy destination of Australia. Here are a few little peeks into my time there (you get the idea… food… beach… coffee… more food… more beach… it was rough).
by erin Easter Feast
Wow. That week zoomed by! We’ve been so busy of late (lots of gorgeous new designs are launching as a result) and it was so nice to have a weekend of relaxation, good food, family and friends. My Italian in-laws put on quite a show, and I wanted to share some of the highlights… there’s nothing quite like a sunset stroll down the Hudson with a belly full of pasta, pinot and pastiera.
by erin Worries
Monday morning is usually a time reserved for anxiety and too much caffeine… let F. Scott Fitzgerald put you in the right frame of mind with this gorgeous letter penned to his 11 year-old daughter Scottie in 1933. Way to hit the nail on the head…
Found via listsofnote.com
by erin Unexpected beauty
I think my favourite part of learning watercolour are these small ‘practice’ sheets that sit beside me as I paint… I love the random beauty and unexpected forms. This one came about while I was sitting outside painting tulips on the weekend (I’m not showing you the tulips… not my finest hour… but practice makes perfect!)
by erin Fu Baoshi
Oh, Changhai Mountain!
Landscapes of the Four Seasons
Last week in my watercolour class we went to The Met to take inspiration from the masters… we visited Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh, Rousseau and Cezanne (aaaah delightful…) but then went on to the Chinese wing. It was staggering, to say the least. Fu Baoshi left me in this strange, dreamlike daze… I’ve included a few of my favourite pieces and if you’re interested, the NY times wrote a great article about his exhibit.
by erin Summer hues
Aren’t these super sweet? Kat gave them to me because I’m alllll about afternoon naps… speaking of which… I can feel one coming on…. (happy weekend everybody!)
by erin Bonpoint does it again…
Okay, are you ready? Because this needs your full attention. Silence your phone, turn off Pandora and prepare yourself for the smallest and sweetest of fashionistas…
by erin Spring refresh
Here in NYC, Spring has well and truly come early! Apart from the obvious pro’s (gelato, open-toed shoes, fun spring florals, fetes, festivals and picnic lunches) it’s also a great excuse to make positive changes in your everyday routine. If you need a little kick-start, check out our latest monthly feature which highlights a bunch of our favourite healthy/organic/fab spots around the city.
by erin Back to basics
We’re super busy in the studio at the moment, and it’s easy to get caught up in the stress of deadlines… sometimes it’s nice to take 5 minutes and sit and doodle… anyway, happy March everybody!
by erin My Manahatta
It’s so easy to get caught up in this city… in chaos, in deadlines, in parties and planning and pretty things… so when a project like this comes along, it’s that much more powerful. The Welikia Project (meaning ‘my good home’ in Lenape) aims to change the way we see New York City by transporting us back in time to 1609. Explore the interactive map for yourself – navigate block by block and learn about native animals, local topography, Lenape Indian lifestyles and all sorts of super cool stuff.
by erin 
Back to school
In keeping with our new years resolutions, we’re each taking a class at various institutions around New York and learning all sorts of new skills. I’ve just started taking Watercolour classes at The New School and am having a ball! Here is a sneak peak at my homework for this week, which involves painting out gradients of each hue. I’m not quite finished… no copying! Hehe.
by erin Loved up
To mark the month of love, our February feature is a collection of all things Valentine-y. Check it out and be inspired (or start dropping hints to your special somebody). Also, for anybody who lives in Manhattan, start getting your butt over to City Bakery for their (drumroll please) annual Hot Chocolate Festival! Finally!! Today’s flavour is Espresso and tomorrow’s is Ginger… two of our favs mmmm
P.S Petite Alma Valentine’s Cards are still available and still super cute! Get ‘em while you can!
by erin Paris vs New York
We love all things Parisian and adore our very own Big Apple, so you can imagine my excitement when I came across this fab little book the other day. The graphics are so gorgeously simple and the contrasts are clever and funny. A little bit of healthy competition is never a bad idea…
by erin Creativity
Today was my turn to present the weekly inspiration and I showed the gals one of my favourite lectures on Ted Talks (best website EVER) by Sir Ken Robinson, who is so likeable, witty and beautifully spoken. This particular talk is an inspiring call to action about educational reform, and about the importance of valuing creativity in all facets of life and never being afraid to ‘have a go’. There are some hilarious anecdotes thrown in there also…
by erin 
Valentine’s collection
Okay gals: Valentine’s Day is nearly a month away and whether you’re planning to wine and dine, hang with friends or cuddle up with George Clooney and a bottle of Merlot, we’ve got a little something that you’ll like: our new collection of photo cards, invitations and kids classrooom cards have launched and are (not to toot our own horn or anything), pretty darn adorable. Enjoy!! Grand bisous…
by erin poor little penguins…
My husband is a second grade teacher, which means I’m always learning fun and interesting little facts over breakfast. This morning, I learned all about this story, which just broke my heart and then tugged on every string… New Zealanders have been knitting away for months to create sweaters for penguins that were affected in the terrible oil spill last year. The sweaters keep them from ingesting toxins as they clean themselves. What an adorably clever idea by Skeinz (click here to contribute to their efforts).
As a side note, Scholastic News is a fantastic and age-appropriate resource to help your kids become informed and engaged in the world around them.
by erin a cup o’ kindness
We’ve all known and loved the song, but until recently I wasn’t aware of quite how lovely the lyrics were… we popped up to The Morgan Library for some carol singing a couple of weeks ago and we were quite struck by the Auld Lang Syne exhibit. You can read the story of the song here (or visit the Library yourself). If you do happen to pop by, the Charles Dickens exhibit was also wonderful.
Happy New Year!
by erin 
