There is still some summer left to enjoy

According to the news, Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer. But nature does not care about unofficial things. Although the pools are closed and the kids are headed back to school; the mosquitoes are still biting. The flowers are exploding with color and the herbs are at their peak. As the warm breezes flow it sends their perfume into the air. The collards, kale, tomatoes and peppers are still growing and waiting to be picked. We will reap the harvest until the autumnal equinox and the first frost hits the ground. It still smells and feels like summer, so until then, I am going to depend on Mother Nature to tell me when summer is over… not the news.

Denys's Rose of Sharon is in full bloom

Denys's lavender gives the garden its lovely scent

If you look closely, you will see a caterpillar that found its home in Denys's Parsley

Monna's Basil & Oregano make great garden-mates

Monna's tomato's continue to blossom

Monna's inviting porch

This guy was just hanging around in the grass!

Tablescapes

Tablescaping is the art of setting the table.  Back in the day this craft was taught in home economics classes and reserved for weddings, holidays and other special occasions.  If you watch any of the cooking shows on television, you’ve learned that the presentation is as important as the food. Setting the table is no longer just about the proper location of the salad fork and water glass. Decorating the table in the 21^st century is all about, color, pattern, layers and creativity. You can find tableware in every color and theme imaginable in home and party stores. So don’t wait for a holiday to use your best dishes, instead use your imagination and add a table runner, place-mats, a charger and flowers to create a one of a kind tablescape. You just might find that the beautiful tablescape makes the food taste better.

The Art of Chairs

Monna and I love to go to furniture stores, flea markets, yard sales, house sales, thrift

shops and any place that sells new or used furniture and accessories. There is nothing like

spending the afternoon piddling around and discovering things that move us. It does not

matter whether we are looking for something in particular or not. The one item that we

are both obsessed with is chairs. We both enjoy finding old chairs with good bones and

giving them a new look or finding a new unique chair that will fit into the right space. A

chair is a necessity but an interesting chair can also be a work of art. Take a look

Hogsten chair from Ikea

 

Hand painted and reupholstered with Ashoke cloth by Monna Morton

Artist, Barbara Bullock's Painted Chair

The Dancing Chair created by Denys Davis

Mudcloth Butterfly Chair

 

Malawian Chair at Galerie Hamid in Glenside PA

Nyamwezi Figural chair at Galerie Hamid in Glenside PA

Jimi King Nigerian Textile and Fashion Designer Trunk Show

We attended a Trunk Show at artist Barbara Bullock’s studio in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. The show featured clothing from textile and fashion designer Jimi King. The vibrant multicolored background of her studio served as the perfect venue to showcase the explosion of color emanating from his collection. His clothing is absolutely beautiful. King, a native Nigerian, who now lives in Atlanta, is a 3rd generation textile designer. He also studied fashion and textile design in London.  He spends a lot of his time traveling the world in search of unique fabrics that he can incorporate into his designs. His artistic techniques, which he was willing to share, ranges from batik to tie dyeing to hand printing and silk screening. He also uses a variety of fabrics such as Dupioni silk, cotton, spandex and even traditional African fabrics. We had fun mingling with like minds and listening to this master of fabric. We probably spent more than we had planned because it was hard to choose just one thing. I think it was well worth it because when you buy clothing from Jimi King you know you are getting a handcrafted one of a kind work of wearable art.

For more information on this fabulous artist and his clothing check out  www.jimiking.net

Denys Davis Meets Emerging Young Artist 

Nilé Livingston at The Gold Standard Cafe 

I met Nilé Livingston, a young artist at the repast of my friend Tanya’s funeral.  I sat at her table and as we were eating and making small talk, I learned that she was a recent college grad and sculptor/artist. We talked about art and all things creative and exchanged emails. I was excited when I got an email about her up and coming show in West Philadelphia.  I attended the event and it was wonderful. There was such a warm vibe in the house. It was obvious that Nile has the support of her family and friends. Nilé is a talented individual and I know that she will have a long and prosperous career in the arts. She is definitely one to watch.  Visit her website for more at www.nilelivingston.com

West Elm 

We love West Elm. We like the look of the store the browse appeal and the affordability of the merchandise. We especially like their commitment to collaborating with artisans around world. Check out their authentic South Africa design goods at a store near you or online at www.westelm.com

Source Bench

 

Kuba Crescent Bench, Patchwork

Kuba Crescent Bench, Batik

Traditional Maasai Chokers

Klash Baskets

ODUNDE

ODUNDE is an annual cultural festival held in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. ODUNDE is a Yoruba word that means Happy New Year. The event starts with a procession to the nearby Schuylkill River where folks offer fruits and flowers to Oshun, the goddess of the River and libations to their ancestors. Thousands of people from all over the world gather on 23^rd and South to celebrate, shop the African marketplace, dance, eat, listen to music on one of the many stages, drum and enjoy the African vibe.