my sister's bath and beauty sense

My sister, Melanie, is one of Bloomingdale's most noted patrons. Where I am content to find an odd scrub or cream from a shack on a street in Bali, Mel knows what's "In" on the stars' bath and beauty lists. Though I could appreciate her fifth Avenue saavy, I really didn't understand what the big fuss was.

Later, when I had my own cafe and boutique, I enjoyed being a buyer and retailer of such luxurious products. My sister, for example, loves Bliss , a bath and beauty line from New York's "hottest" spa. I was always delighted to get samples from her. My favorite is still the Lemon + Sage scent.

I usually spend my money on globe trotting; for Melanie, a busy mother of three, she spends it on pampering. (This to be sure, is quite understandable). In the near future, with our Mild Child:BODY line, I will definitely look to my sister's prowess to charm our products onto Bloomie's shelves.

a day at the beach

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This morning a good friend of mine was heading out to the beach with her kids and I tagged along. It seems like some time since there's been a beautiful here on the island. Other friends came around with their kids and we surely looked the odd bunch, lying out to get some rays while the Korean beach-goers hid under big umbrellas, long sleeved shirts and visors.

Sand between the toes and the smell of coconut oil (though I was using olive), was just what the doctor ordered. A beach body line is definitely in order, and I think it would be fun to have during the deep dark days of winter when one is loathe to venture outside because of the sheer gloom and frigid cold. It will be a beach in a bottle, or something of the sort. Time to start drawing.

more inspiring patterns

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Karen Barbe has a really fun collection that Bloesem featured a few days ago. These patterns remind me of the tiles in my old cafe. Prior to my cafe, the building had burnt down to reveal beautiful Italian tiles, hidden under layers of old carpet and glue. These colors are very similar to the palette I used in the wallpaper design below.

sample packaging

vintage wallpaper inspired mod design

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I'm sitting down with an amazing smoothie combination: banana, coconut milk, a dash of pineapple juice, plain yogurt and a dash of cinnamon. I bet it would make a yummy body butter. I was looking through san fran girl's blog, I saw this amazing photo with vintage wallpaper. I love vintage and modern mixed together and would like to create a line of designs that serve not only as packaging for Mild Child, but also for stationery, wallpaper and fabric.

As a young child in the seventies, my mother, even with five children, was much the seamstress. With her humble little Singer sewing machine and patterns of smocks and jumpers, my mom made some of the cutest outfits for us with some of the coolest fabric.

a yummy candle + soap flavor

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These coconut and lemon cream balls by san fran girl are great, yummy inspiration for our candle and soap line. Each flavor will be available in soap and candle form. Of course I'm partial to the soothing colors and the aroma is certainly glorious. I can't wait to get into the kitchen and start mixin' a batch.

itchin' to make an office + studio + nest

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I love the color combination she's come up with here. It reminds me of my forlorn office back at home in Savannah (I wonder if it's still intact?) I'll have a makeshift office space for a few months- perhaps the garage? - and then it looks I'll be trekking back to my little island lost at sea here in S. Korea.

still awake, burning the candle at both ends

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dreaming of campers from DecorMaison

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"Swedish wallpaper company DecorMaison are releasing a new collection in September, called Oas, or Oasis in English. I really like the stylist's idea here, removing a wall from a camper van and placing them in different environments." (emma's design blog)

So this might solve my problem of where to live when I get back to the States next month. I think I'll get a sassy-cute-little-old-school camper. Heck, I could get three or four and park one in Bali, another along the Seine, right in the middle of Forsythe Park in Savannah and perhaps another in Spain? Buenos Aires? All in the name of art (okay, it's really time for me to go to bed.)

tea with amy + david butler

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I had the amazing opportunity to meet David and Amy Butler right after I graduated from Kenyon College in good ol' Gambier, Ohio. There was a craft sale and we both had booths set up selling our wares. I had a team effort of my two pottery friends, (both, interestingly enough, were named Dave) and my homeade jam creations. Though I can't say I made my fortune that day, I met some lovely people, including the Butlers.

Time passed and I was taking my cat, Mia (yes, my cat) for a walk along the Kokosing Gap Trail and caught the attention of the Butlers, yet again. I joined them for tea in their amazing apartment in downtown Mount Vernon. Both talented artists and designers, I remember what a great pair they made and how well their different styles suited them.

Piles of fabric, baubles, and buttons cozily tucked into a small studio; it didn't take much for me to see that this friendly and mellow gal's passion would take her far.

Several years ago, my friend Liz Demos of @HOMEgave me a beautiful design book, and lo and behold! it was David and Amy's! I was so amazed, though not the least bit surprised.

tokyo milk soap

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the perfect candle votive

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It looks like I'll be "home" in a month and straight to the kitchen I will go. There I will whip up yummy body butters, candles, and luscious soaps. The sooner I get this line going, the sooner I can get back to Thailand and eat mangosteens (that's right, Jorge; lots of them).

I'd like to create some soy based candles and they'll be featured in this beautiful votive. Once the candle is a sweet smelling memory, the votive will make the perfect piece for plant cuttings or perhaps some spare change. There will be a whole series of colors based on the various fragrances.

ergo, and a candle in a tin

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I was wracking my brain trying to remember one of my favorite lines of soy candles that I used to sell at Cafe Mucha. I knew the word "ego" was in there; well, now you have it: ergo. Probably one of my more extravagant store purchases (it was a pretty penny to carry the line), but well worth it. The scents were as heady as the fruit itself. Juicy would definitely be the way to describe the oh-so-edible soy-based candles. Once you've gone luxe, it's quite easy to become a soy snob, so to speak.

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Of course I never grow bored browsing through Anthropologie's fun finds. I'm aching for a yummy catalog of theirs to flip through au moment. And wouldn't you know it? Their August catalog is in jolie Paris.

instead of going to bed

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Here I am being *really* bad, when I should be in bed sleeping. I was so excited to find that the Bloom and Just Add Water lines by Archive still existed and are doing well. I used to carry these lines in my cafe/boutique several years ago and everything about them is great.

thoughts on mild child's bath and body line

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