Planning An Ikea Trip

{road trip! The nearest Ikea to Albany, NY is Paramus NJ}

I'm planning a trip to Ikea - an all day event as you can see how far from Albany, New York the nearest store is! All by myself, no kids, no husband. Just me and a lunch date with Adal, Bjursta and Billy. (Husband went to an Ikea in Pennsylvania once, on a crowded weekend, and vowed never to return again to that "crazy spiral" store.)

{Ikea Kura bed - the panels reverse from white to blue}

I want to pick up a few things for the kids rooms - A desk for Rosie, bookshelves for Evie and this Ikea Kura bed for Son H. This photo above from the Ikea catalog just drew me right in. The bed's not as high as a bunk bed, and has such a cool area to play underneath. Dreamy for a six year old! Should I spring for that tent top, too?

I might see if I can hack it to make the left right and the right left. After looking at other photos online I realize that there are three white solid panels facing the wall that will block a lot of light coming from Son H's bedroom window.  Not a very exciting hack, but a practical one!

{handy}

I told my husband that maybe I should call the store to make sure the bed is in stock before I drive down. I heard this bed can sell out. Then I found the handy "product availability" feature on the Ikea site. Pretty cool, huh?

What's your absolute favorite Ikea purchase? Or do you, like my husband, avoid the store at all costs?

Loretta

p.s. Enter to win my brother-in-law Ryan's invention - Wow Bow Acquabol Portable Pet Water Bowls! Three winners drawn on July 4!

A Little "Custom" Can Make All The Difference

{a larger clasp}

With jewelry, it's little customizable details that can make the difference between a piece a person will wear all the time, and a piece that sits in a dresser drawer. Here's a necklace I just modified with a larger clasp. The necklace was given as a gift - but the clasp was too difficult for the recipient to use. So, back to my studio for a little tweak...

{reversible sterling silver Theresa necklace with Reaching Boxwood}

It brings me joy to make pieces that are PERFECT for my clients. A longer or shorter chain, a custom photograph and custom gemstones are all easy when you work directly with the artist.

 

And here's the beauty in my garden that was photographed for the piece - boxwood! Doesn't she make an great model? I love to capture the elegance of plants in my jewelry.

Have you ever had a piece of jewelry you love, but can't wear because it needs a little "custom"?

Loretta

p.s. Don't forget to enter my Wow Bow Acquabol Portable Pet Bowl Giveaway! I'm drawing three winners on July 4!

I Hate Being Yelled At (and possibly sued!)

Yesterday I got yelled at by a NYC stranger on the phone claiming I, as "Loretta Jewelry" sold her $100 earrings in Queens that turned black, and when this stranger brought them to local jewelers she found they were not sterling silver.

{the perils of Google + an unusual first name!}

Excuse me? I don't live near Queens and have never sold my jewelry in Queens and don't have any galleries that sell my work in Queens. I live upstate, in Albany. Surely, lady you must be mistaken...

Oh no, she rants, her credit card company gave her my name. She paid in cash, but her credit card company looked me up as a courtesy for her.

Now, I have a very unique name. I think naming a girl Loretta peaked in 1910. So when you Google the words "Loretta Jewelry" which was on her receipt, my web site pops up.

I'm Loretta Fontaine Jewelry, not Loretta Jewelry. She wouldn't buy it, she yelled. She's going to get a lawyer and sue me.

Loretta

p.s. Don't forget to enter my Wow Bow Acquabol Portable Pet Bowl Giveaway! I'm drawing three winners on July 4!

Jody Scooped Dwell (and knows the lingo, too!)

{in my mailbox}

Yes, we all coveted the cool New Zealand beach house on the cover of the latest issue of dwell magazine...

{Jody's foot stepping down the stairs of dwell's cover house... photo: Jody Brettkelly}

...but my friend Jody Brettkelly, the beautiful and quick-witted blogger behind About Last Weekend got her manicured foot in the door and scooped dwell with her post "Corker Kiwi Bach" early this year!

{Jed, and Jody expertly dressed to match his tractor}

Jody visited with her friends Kate and Jed last January on the Kapiti Coast of New Zealand and gave us her take on the gorgeous modern home Jed designed...

{photo: Jody Brettkelly}

Of course, being a Kiwi herself, Jody throws us all the proper lingo too. The place is a small beach house, or Bach (pronounced "batch"), where you can throw off your jandals, and join your rellies round a chilly bin on the lawn. 

{photo: Jody Brettkelly}

Isn't the kitchen fabulous! The house has pops of orange and blue throughout. And look how it still looks fantastic on an average day without the team of magazine stylists...

{a wonderful axis, source}

I admire the use of materials - wood, fiber cement and stone framing the views of sky and sea. Masterful architecture. More on Jed's amazing architecture practice here.

{how could she ever leave? source}

Read Jody's About Last Weekend post on the house here, and next visit bring me along, please!

Loretta

p.s. Don't forget to enter my Wow Bow Acquabol Portable Pet Bowl Giveaway! I'm drawing three winners on July 4!

Volumetrics and Vegetables

{prepping a volumetrics recipe- lots of veggies!}

We've been trying to eat healthier here at home, and have been using a lot of recipes from Dr. Barbara Roll's "The Volumetrics Eating Plan". It focuses on food with low energy density - or low calories per gram. Lots and lots of vegetables and whole grains! 

So far we've loved the Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich, Chicken and Avocado Pita Pockets, and Bulgur & Vegetable Stuffed Peppers. Husband requested the Buffalo Chicken Wraps for Father's Day. He loved them, but as I'm not such a fan of hot sauce and blue cheese dressing so not a hit for me!

Have you ever tried Volumetrics recipes? And I wish I could say our kids loved these meals, but they for the most part don't.

Loretta

p.s. Don't forget to enter my Wow Bow Acquabol Portable Pet Bowl Giveaway! I'm drawing three winners on July 4!

GIVEAWAY! Acquabol Pet WaterBowls!

{happy dog!}

When I visited my awesome inventor brother-in-law Ryan in Portland, Oregon last April he gave me some of his products to giveaway. Wanda already won the Travelite luggage scale last month, and this month we'll be giving away three of his Wow Bow Credit Card Sized Acquabol Pet Water Bowls...

Part of the fun of having an inventor as a brother-in-law is I get to "help" at wholesale trade shows, which basically means I watch my cute nephews as my sister and brother-in-law work their booth. At a Pet Show in downtown Los Angeles we all stayed in the historic Biltmore Hotel, where the Oscars were held from 1929-1943. The concierge let us into the empty grand ballroom where the ceremonies took place, and we swam in a gilded pool where Shirley Temple dipped her toes. Such is the life when you know someone who invents such cool products...

{faux crocodile print with silver logo}

 The stylish, convenient and portable Acquabowl folds to the size of a credit card and fits right into your wallet. When your thirsty pet needs a drink, unfold and this durable, reusable waterproof bowl will do the trick!

It comes in three colors and I have three Acquabols to giveaway!

To win, be a follower or email subscriber of this blog, and and tell me about your pet (or pet who will be getting the bowl!) in the comments below. Get up to four more extra chances if you share this on your Blog, Facebook or Twitter, or become a follower of Loretta Fontaine Jewelry on Facebook! Leave a new comment for each. Good Luck! I'll draw a random winner at 12:00 noon EST on Monday, July 4. Shipping in the U.S. is on me!

Loretta

...interviewed!

I was interviewed by Jack Williams last April on "Three Tips for Creative Blogging"

{Jack Williams}

It felt a little nervous in front of a microphone (it was a recorded interview and will come out as an audio file), but can't wait to hear the final interview which should be out very soon!

Loretta