Each Little World

Pine cone projects

Recent frost warnings made me realize it's time to gather up the garden "debris" that can be transformed into interior and exterior decor. I'm talking about pine cones and assorted pods from trees in my garden. Now's the time to collect them before they get beaten down and damaged by fall wind and rain — should we be lucky enough to finally get some rain. 

Though you can make elegant creations, I often take the lazy way and just pile my finds in containers like this glass jar (above) filled with pine cones. Come winter, I'll add bowls of paperwhites but for the moment the cones are my solitary decorative item in the front entrance.

I found the two images (directly above and below) last winter and saved them as inspiration for this fall when my trees star shedding cones. I paticularly like the long string of pine cones because you can use any color of ribbon — matching or contrasting with your house color outdoors or indoors in the room you want to decorate. Such an easy way to personalize a decorative item. 

You can see more photos of designer Dorothee Schumacher's home (below) here.

Here are some of the other ways I've used pine cones and assorted pods for fall decor:

Pods in the parlor

What to put in a fancy vase

Cluck. The Chicken Store.

The mere name of this new little shopping emporium (see above and below) makes me start humming that song from The Music Man: "Pick-a-little, Talk-a-little, cheep, cheep, cheep." Somehow I never pictured myself falling in love with a business that caters to chickens and their fanciers, and yet there I was: out in Paoli admiring chicken coops. 

And though Cluck caters to chickens, they're only one part of the vision of owner Susan Troller. I am admitting right here that I am a friend of Troller's as well as her former editor, and I know from personal experience that whatever she turns her hand to, it will be well worth my attention. Cluck is no exception.

Cluck is the latest tenant in a hundred-year-old building that has housed everything from a blacksmith to a gas station. The original curved ceiling trusses still bear the painted warning "no credit." You can tell from this view of the shop's interior that Cluck is about more than chickens. While Troller is a lover of many kinds of animals and a "chicken wrangler" with a laying flock of six on her family's farm in New Glarus, Cluck is a much needed new home for all of us would-be domestic divas. Pull up a chair, sit down and peruse Troller's nicely "curated" displays, as the shelter mags like to say. 

The front half of the store is a gallery-cum-gift shop with chicken and country-themed art, old and new. Merchandise ranges from witty tea towels, stuffed pillows, mugs and sets of dessert plates, to vintage ice cream molds and a gorgeous cabbage-shaped soup tureen.  

There are books for kids, practical tomes for those who want to raise chickens (or bees!) and a tantalizing array of titles for the rest of us. I snapped up one on natural home decor and also a delcious cookbook of fall and winter dishes. Both titles are from a UK publisher and a nice change from what I find at B&N these days.  

 "Cluck," Troller's own book published by Wisconsin's Itchy Cat Press, is also for sale as is the new 2013 Wisconsin Local Foods Journal/Calendar.

And for those of us who still can't figure out why chickens are the fastest growing hobby in America, Troller has some adorable peeps in the shop. While they are not for sale, she'll help anyone who's serious abut chickens get started with advice, information, chicken feed and more. Live chickens are one of the few things Troller doesn't stock!

The chickens above are known as Lavender Orpingtons, and while they are beautiful, I fell for this rubber chicken coin purse. There are also full-size versions which are equally tempting. The big ones would also work to carry knitting or whatever project you might be schlepping around. 

Cluck's decor includes this feed sack from Troller's grandfather, Irvin Johnson.

There are chicken coops for sale that are as pretty as they are well made. Cluck will be hosting a meet the coop builders event on Sat. Sept. 29th.

Among the assorted artworks were a series of nicely-framed black and white illustrated covers from a British poultry publication called "The Feathered World." They'd be perfect for adding a spot of color to a kitchen or a touch of history to a library or den.

And perhaps my favorite find at Cluck, this pile of fluff from the British toy company, Jellycat. A young friend of Troller's recommended "Matilda Hen," with the pronouncement that "children love this toy." Matilda and her friends will charm more than children. 

Cluck is open every day but Monday. For times, events and blog posts visit Cluck's website. 

Staying on message in Wisconsin 4

I love this handmade sign urging Wisconsinites to support Tom Barrett and Malon Mitchell for gov and lt. gov. in the upcoming election. It's nested in a tall hedge on a corner property on Madison's west side. But what's even better is what's behind the hedge:

This is Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonia 1. Locally we refer to it as the First Jacobs House since it was built for Capital Times' reporter Herb Jacobs and his family in the mid-1930s. Today it's owned by Jim Dennis, an emeritus art history professor at UW-Madiosn. This Just goes to show you that no matter whether you live in a big house or a small house, a famous house or a just folks house, not many people in this part of Wisconsin will be voting for Scott Walker on June 5.  

The Journal of Japanese Gardening

When we moved to this house more than 17 years ago, we turned mainly to books for ideas and information about designing the garden we envisioned. We quickly came to the realization that most garden magazines focused on traditional European style ornamental gardens, with a nod to American prairies and vegetable gardens. But we were interested in Asian, especially Japanese, gardens. Until we discovered The Journal of Japanese Gardening — now known as  Sukiya Living — we just assumed there was no publication directed entirely at folks who want a garden based on a different cultural model than the typical British or American landscape. 

We've been getting Sukiya Living since late 2005 (Issue No. 47), and we find it fascinating and frustrating in equal measure. Because it is the creation of a small staff with a highly opinionated publisher, the magazine can be didactic, dismissive or delightful from issue to issue and page to page. We're never sure what to expect when it arrives in the mail. It comes out 6 times a year and costs $35.00 in the U.S. We subscribe since it is not a publication you'll find on the newsstand.

 Sukiya Living publisher Douglas M. Roth has very specific ideas about the magazine and the subject of Japanese gardens. He's not one to mince words if readers' attitudes or preferences don't fit his definition of Sukiya Living. One time the magazine published a long letter (Issue No. 72) from a reader critical of a story and the attitudes it expressed. The letter writer wrote, "I really don't like your attitude of intolerance and your snotty lambasting of those that don't meet your ridiculous and self codified standards of authenticity." The Editor's comment was "It's nice to hear that you enjoy your garden so much."

While that letter writer was an unknown garden designer from Louisianna, I had previously noted an even more critical letter from Douglas Dawson of Chicago (Issue No. 54). Dawson owns a prestigious art gallery specializing in "ancient and historic art from Africa, Asia and the Americas." So he knows what he is talking about when he criticizes Sukiya LIving, saying that like Mark and I, he is "often both humored and entertained by the vituperative opinions expressed . . ." But he went on to censor the writer of the particular article for "her narrow and borderline racist attitude" directed at all of us gaijin gardeners.

The attitudes and writing style by the staff of the magazine seem to be less strident in tone these days. But I would like to have a better sense that they recognize that the mere fact that we're trying to learn about this subject — and paying for this education with a subscription to the magazine — is a praiseworthy endeavor in and of itself. Not everyone has access to the same materials, skilled craftsmen and budget to create the kind of garden we might admire and aspire to.

Despite my criticism and that of other readers, I must admit that Sukiya Living is filled with informative articles, tips and directions for everything from pruning to concrete work, book reviews and assorted commercial and public resources. If Japanese gardens are your passion, definitely subscribe to Sukiya Living. Just remember to keep some grains of salt at the ready while you're reading.

Understanding Garden Design

Over the years I have read so many garden books that I am always surprised when I discover something new. In this case it's something I've thought about but rarely seen discussed: why design a garden at all? Vanessa Gardner Nagel doesn't pull any punches in "Understanding Garden Design," another great new title avialable from Timber Press. Nagel worked as a commercial interior designer before she switched gears and moved outdoors. How to talk to clients and break down a project from initial questions through concepts to finished projects is her forte. While this book is inteded as "The Complete Handbook for Aspiring Designers" it is useful for those of us trying to design our gardens on our own.

Among the very useful topics Nagel (pictured below) details are the critical practicalities that must be attended to if your garden is to succeed: how to measure your slope, how to calculate how many gallons of water come off your roof for harvesting, how high and deep outdoor steps should be to name a few.

She also suggests that one make a "scope statement" which describes and ennumerates all the things you want your garden to be and do. This is a generalized list of items like creating a space for evening activities or allowing room for pets. Nagel creates a "scope statement" for a hypothetical property and then uses that imaginary home as an on-going example as she goes through the design process step-by-step. 

Nagel also includes a section on plants, considering them from a structural perspective and cataloging them as "thrillers, spillers and fillers." You get the picture. Once you've created your plan, she gives advice on working with contractors, including how to find and screen candidates.

And lastly she deals with post-construction issues: adding furniture and art and dealing with guests. This may be the first garden design book I've ever read that squarely offers "crowd control techniques" and strategies for having a successful garden party and open garden events. Nagel brilliantly ends with a list of protocals she calls "garden etiquette for the unintitiated." The question is, would it be rude to hand out this list to the next group that visits the garden?

. . . 

Vanessa Gardner Nagel's "Understanding Garden Design" is available through the Wisconsin South Central Library System.

Same tiny tree, new concept

For the last few years my sister-in-law and I have both been buying these small table-top live trees. One year I decorated my tree with ornaments made in India that were covered with bits of silver, glass and beads. The colors were mainly blues, greens and silver. The next year I added flocks of different birds made of glass, glitter and feathers. 

Meanwhile my sister-in-law's tree was dripping with glass icicles; a vision of cool elegance — just like her. I have a collection of icicles that were always the last ornaments that went on the full-size trees I used to do for the holidays. This year I borrowed her idea and got out all my icilcles, a few beaded snowflakes and some miniature mirrors to create a tree that sparkles without screaming.

One of the benefits of a small tree like this is that you can decorate it quickly and easily. And you can mix and match your ornaments each year instead of having to drag them all out of strorage each December and find room for every one on the tree. This way, I get to constantly re-discover forgotten ornaments, notice collecting themes and get to enjoy a bit of nostalgia while I create an entirely new tree. 

Textiles: The Whole Story at Monroe St. Library

Professor Beverly Gordon of the Design Studies Dept. at UW-Madison will read from her new book, "Textiles The Whole Story: Uses, Meanings, Significance" at the Monroe St. Branch Library in Madison on Monday, Dec 12 at 7 p.m. The evening will include a slide show and Gordon will have some copies of her book for sale. The event is free and open to all.

Not long ago I went to a similar event celebrating the publication of "Textiles The Whole Story" and the many people who assisted Gordon along the way. Judging from the presentation that day, this should be an equally entertaining and informative evening. The book is beautiful, filled with visual riches that the cover doesn't begin to suggest. It's a must for anyone who loves textiles. The illustrations include almost 60 objects from the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection, part of the School of Human Ecology at UW-Madison.

Here's what the book's publisher, Thames and Hudson, says about it: 

"There are few aspects of our lives — physical, emotional, spiritual — in which thread and fabrics do not play a notable part. Beverly Gordon reminds us memorably and movingly of the powerful significance of fabric throughout human history.

The author bridges past and present from the Stone Age, when humans first learned to make cordage or thread, to twenty-first-century “smart fabrics,” which can regulate body temperature or measure the wearer’s pulse. Her discussion integrates art, science, history, and anthropology, and she draws on examples from around the globe.

A dazzling array of illustrations includes paintings and photographs of both historic and contemporary textiles and a broad collection of textiles being created, worn, and lived with."

A bejeweled tree

When I was right out of grad school, my roommate and I had a great old apartment that allowed us to play out our decorating fantasies; albeit on a very limited budget. That means that at Christmas we could afford a big tree but not the ornaments. So we made paper chains, strung popcorn and improvised. One of the things we did was to put all our jewelry on the tree to add a bit of sparkle.

This year I decided to resurrect that idea and hung assorted earrings on the tiny tree that I ususally decorate with miniature ornaments. I have to say that it turned out to be easier said than done. Since I was using earrings that I actually wear, I had to be careful not to damage them by bending the posts or the loops that go through my ears. I resorted to hanging a few using ornament wires — until I remembered the stash of 1950's clip-on earrings I have that belonged to my mother. They proved to be easy to attach to the branches and added the touch of glam that my little tree needed to shine!

The Secret Garden, again

The New York Times recently published a story pointing out that most parents prefer real, tactile, paper books for their children even if they themselves prefer to read e-books. That group included even those parents who work in digital industries.

As an adult who has long loved children's books I completely understand their reasoning. Something important is lost when the size, shape, thickness of a book and the quality of the paper it's printed on are replaced by a digital device. For me the loss is a connection to physical, material culture and the way an artist or writer wants his or her work presented.

My attitude manifests itself in the fact that I own four copies of my favorite children's book: "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Unlike e-books, they represent four different concepts about how this story might be pictured:

• An original 1911 hardcover version with four full color illustrations interspersed thoughout.
• A 2005 paperback from the Barnes & Noble Classics series with pictures by the famed 19th century illustrator, Charles Robinson, and excellent notes and intro by Jill Muller.
• The 2008 version released by the Candlewick Press of Cambridge, MA, with drawings by Inga Moore. I consider it the definitive illustrated version.
• And last month I bought the one just released by Penguin in celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the original publication of "The Secret Garden" in 1911.

The covers fully extended including the french flaps.

The text of this latest purchase is the original 1911 version and the book has no internal illustrations — just a brilliant cover that is the entire selling point of the book and my reason for buying it. The book was commissioned by Penguin art director Paul Buckley, and is one of three titles with special covers created to debut what's called the Penguin "Threads" series.

The books feature stunning embroidered covers designed and created by artist Jillian Tamaki. You can see pictures of the other books — Emma and Black Beauty — on her sketch blog along with pictures of the work in progress (directly below).

The images, accoring to Penguin, were "sketched out in a traditional illustrative manner, then hand stitched using needle and thread, the final covers are sculpt embossed for a tactile, textured" effect. So, no, you don't get an actual embroidered book; more a facsimile you might say — though that doesn't do justice to how clever and creative the book is in concept and execution.

Indeed every stitch is as visible as if one were holding the original textile. What is particularly delightful is that the design wraps around the entire cover including the large front and back "deluxe french flaps." Not only that but the end papers show the backside of the embroidery. The thick paper of the pages has deckle edges — something not often seen in newly published books these days. All in all, it's a visual and tactile treat for $16.00. I found my copy at Anthropologie in Madison but it appears to be available at general bookstores and online.

The front and back sides of the same stitched images.

If you are a fan of "The Secret Garden," I've written more about Frances Hodgson Burnett's background and inspiration for the book as well as the various film versions of the story.

Inspiration: Steve Jobs