Rose Fever, Rosy Outlooks, Rose Above

(These roses have names such as "ann boleyn",

"tess of the d'urbaville's" and "dick clark's rockin
new year's eve" or something like that.
It's all very jane austen to me.)

Had a date with myself planning my petit jardin this evening. It's the little patio and a 3 x 3 patch of dirt the landlord lent me at the edge of her English garden. Usually I plant herbs herbs and tomaties and all kinds of little piquant peppers, lettuces bordered by tumbly nasturtium (in order to cover the ugly black iron railing) and little peppery pansies etc et al. And then there's the fig who is totally showing off right now: LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME! CHECK OUT MY FEEEGS! My gardens are full of loud-mouthed edibles.

"Man the torpedoes" and "Little Lord Fauntelroy"
(Yeah, I'm making these up)

This year the ready-to-be-bethrothed P. persuaded me to visit David Austin Roses and totally rose out. "Bare root roses" from one rosey camp and one final push from expert jardin afficianado Marie to send me over the edge today, telling how her fleurs "provide perfume day and night" on her little terrace, in an article she was just today featured in. Between them, the poetry of a gorgeous, tender, flowering patio has wrapped a little tendril around my heart (and purse strings).
I didn't labor too long and hit "go" on all of the above. And now I'm taking a break from being enamored by these crazy beautiful creatures from Whiteflower Farm, poppies for June, lavender for July, dahlias for August, imagining them, colors and textures all crunched together in pots on a small, ready to be destinkafied patio along with my herbs and some other strong leafy things (and of course a few tomatoes).

I will dedicate the new fragrant garden to my dad, who loved flowers from his own garden much more than edibles. I'll call it the "Nate Stein Memorial Jardin".

Spring Inside and Out

The Springety week has been filled with watercoloring (with maxine's help)

setting up spring tableaux in an effort to procrastinate.
wait. does procrastination take effort?

working which is easier when you have someone to stop you from running outside such as
a. Vanessa and our newest intern Maxine to work across from you
and b. sweet projects for sweetie-pie brides

and these crazy things that have been happening outside
and in the cracks of the sidewalk.

I was inspired to come back to life by my favorite Marie, Beence and Estorbo at the 66 Square Feet headquarters where she cooked for us the most gorgeous chickens and glasses of prosecco fell from the sky like rhubarb fool and stories of their recent trip home to South Africa never sounded so good. Pictures of the best dinner ever here. I love real life sometimes.

Bonbon Bridal in New York Magazine!

l'erin

le bleuet
bleu nuit
pipeau

Today we have four bridal headpieces in New York magazine's Wedding Edition of Shop-o-Matic! Thanks New York Magazine and the lovely Diana Tsui for being such a cool editor. And brides who want to wear bonbons get extra big virtual kisses from me today.

blues

Spending time

with oranges and purples and little pieces of things. And venturing out into public Saturday for opening day at the Brooklyn Flea, Fort Greene.

And offering 30% off all jewelry* on my site and my shop until April 30th because I'm cleaning house to make way for ducklings. And buffalo and wolves and pairs of legs, etc. Just write Spring 30 in your subject line. Spread the word and I will love you forever.

*excludes keyfobs, moneyclips, bridal and custom orders...for now.

It's not you, It's me

La Pêche Layered necklace,

from the very difficult to photograph Spring collection.

Technical difficulties but happily inundated with shop orders and bridal consultations while all of my attempts to get some decent images of the latest work seem thwarted by evil techie forces. My camera is acting very, uhh, dark and my computer has a new thing where it quits when photoshop gets cookin'. wtf? So I've been keeping it lo-fi, barely a recorded moment to be found but these.
*Dropped my phone on the tracks of the 7 train in Woodside and had it retrieved by a nice guy in an orange flourescent vest.
*Missed my bus as I was playing "word mole" on my blackberry. No one even told me, "hey lady! the bus is here! Stop playing word mole!" Where is civic duty when you need it?
*Sunday, Jim threw me an Easter birthday celebration to beat the band in the backyard. It was like summer outside and we drank pink prosecco, my new spirit drink.
*Nights I've been reading, watching movies (ok and reality tv--I'm not that cultured) and cooking up some springtime delights eaten on the almost cleaned up patio.
*By day Bonbon's getting ready for opening day of the Brooklyn Flea at Fort Greene this Saturday.
*And presently, it's 88 degrees hot in NYC today and all the trees are aflutter with fleurs and buds.
*Oh, and my fig is figging. Now, that's some news.