{ baked }

Ridiculously good cupcakes from baked in red hook. Salted caramel and red velvet with cinnamon icing, oo la la.

{ the highline }

Finally went for a walk on the high line, which might be the coolest reuse of space ever. Read more about it here. Have you been?

{ the menagerie }

Gorgeous porcelain creatures by Élise Lefebvre at Egg Mercantile in Amsterdam.

{ the fireworks }

They switched rivers on us this year, but it was still smashingly gorgeous from a Brooklyn rooftop.

{ the daily o }

Thanks to the editors at The Daily Obsession for posting about the bullet hole disc earrings today.

Signing off for the weekend, happy 4th!

{ reminder: jewelry making class }

Just a reminder about the sheet wax carving jewelry class I'm teaching over at Lena's studio, there are still a few spots available. Make your own original jewelry designs out of wax to cast into Sterling silver. No experience neccasary. The class begins next Wednesday. Details here.

{ clay + letterpress }

Beautiful letterpressed dishes by gleena. I just love the color of unfired clay but I'm sure she will work her glazing magic on these and completely transform them.

{ stone barns field trip }

We arrived there early in the morning and one of the first things that surprised me as we were walking around was that we didn't know where we were not supposed to go. There really were no "do not enter" or "employees only" signs.
Was it really possible for us to walk right up to these bees, unaccompanied? I'm just not used to this kind of freedom, but I think I like it.

{ swapped }

An outgoing package for Nadia's swap, going to a secret recipient in a faraway land.


And an incoming package from Leigh, a talented photographer, filled with nice, summery things like seeds, organic tea towels, hand-picked music, chocolate, and beautiful parisian labels (how ever did she know my love for all things paris)? Thank you Leigh for such a thoughtful package!

{ domestikate }

A nice (and simply styled) vintage shop. I remember my parents had a bright orange Swedish dala horse on the bookshelf when I was a child.

p.s. i can't watch the mj coverage, it's feels too strange. and sad.

{ nap here }

At marie claire maison, via apartment therapy.

{ laws of nature }

I love the work of Ted Muehling, with it's clear and distinct reference to nature.

Images by don freeman, via saint verde digest and 2 or 3 things i know.

{ jewelry making class at lena's studio }

I am oh-so-excited about this! I met Lena Corwin a while back when I took one of her screenprinting classes. I was delighted when she asked if I would teach a wax carving jewelry making workshop at her fort greene studio.

For the class, we're going to work with sheet wax, which is what I use for a good 60% of my line, to make beautiful and original Sterling silver pieces while learning about the process and technique and honing some serious carving skills! Class size is limited, just e-mail Lena or myself if you have any questions.

Here is the workshop listing from Lena's site:
CARVED SHEET WAX JEWELRY MAKING WITH JENNIFER SARKILAHTI

Jennifer is the designer and owner of the beautiful jewelry line Odette New York. Her pieces are sold in stores around the world, including many of my favorites shops (like Rare Device in San Francisco, Yolk in LA, and Cog & Pearl in Brooklyn). She works using ancient and modern wax carving techniques and hand fabrication in order to create pieces that are truly unique. Each of her designs begin with a pencil sketch that is carefully translated by hand into wax, and then cast into metal (gold and silver). In this class, Jennifer will teach a simplified version of her technique, using traditional and not-so-traditional tools and methods. Students will plan a two-dimensional design for a pendant, earrings, or charm, and learn how to carve the design in a sheet of wax. The wax will then be cast in the jewelry district and students will learn to hand polish their finished piece(s). Students will have the option of having a rubber or silicone mold made from their design so that multiple pieces can be made in the future. By the last class, you’ll walk out wearing your own designs. No experience required.
Four 1-1/2 hour classes
Wednesday evenings, 7/8, 7/15, 7/22, 7/29
6:00- 7:30pm
Class held in Lena Corwin's Fort Greene, Brooklyn studio.
to sign up or ask a question, email lena [at] lenacorwin.com
More details here.

{ fox claw }

This photograph of an wearing the fox claw necklace is one of my favorite images from the photoshoot with jeff fried.
Something about this one seems a bit accidental and unintentional, which always seem to make for the best images.

{ pocket camera }

Apparently, this was considered a pocket camera in 1915. How great would it be if we got it working?

{ storm king }

It took me five years of living in New York to make it to Storm King Art Center, even though it's a relatively short hop up the Hudson River from the city. At 500 acres, it's really too massive to be considered a sculpture garden and sculpture park doesn't seem adequate either. As much as I love museums, this land is really an incredible setting for sculpture.

Just across the river, you can see Richard Serra's Torqued Ellipses in tight, confined, interior quarters at Dia:Beacon and they feel gargantuan, while here it seems even the largest sculptures shrink into the vast landscape.

My favorites included Maya Lin's undulating Wavefield, which just recently opened to the public (though her exhibition of small works in the museum building was fascinating as well), Andy Goldsworthy's Storm King Wall, Ursula von Rydingsvard's piece, and all of the Calder and di Suvero pieces, which seem to decorate the landscape like cake toppers.

{ exporta stamps }

I love the color palette and simple graphic illustrations of these stamps, designed by Rafael Davidson, and made from 1975 to 1993 to depict Mexico's exports.

Via twig & thistle and serious eats.

{ doorbells of florence }

The Doorbells of Florence is a peculiar little book of fictional short stories inspired by doorbells and their possible inhabitants. I ordered this book as a gift for a friend who had recently been in Florence with an obsession of photographing postal boxes, so I thought this might be a good match. And as everyone knows, one of the perks of gifting books is that if you're careful not to crack the spine, you get to read it first.

Chronicle Book's slightly more telling description:
"These alluring photographs of doorbell panels in Florence, Italy, inspired stories that imagine the lives of the people who dwell at each address. Charming, whimsical, and elegant, each story is a perfect match for its photo, balancing the antique, old-world appeal of Florence and the contemporary, gritty realities of a modern city."

{ up in the air somewhere }

I stopped by Renegade yesterday and one of the standout booths belonged to Susan Dwyer of Up in the Air Somewhere. I've seen these incredible photographs of her work before and things were every bit as impressive in person.
I debated long and hard between a silo ceramic and a gold point vessel but ultimately decided the vessel was both beautiful AND clever (it's papier-mache!). Paper as a vessel, how delightfully subversive.

Find her work here and here.

{ on plants }

Were I to have outdoor space here in Brooklyn in which to attempt to plant things, I think these pretty garden labels would keep things nice and orderly.

They make me think of the humid Virginia summers of my childhood, pulling bright red tomatoes off the tomato plants with my mom in the backyard, and watching the rising fireflies flicker at dusk. Ahh, summer.

Via Little Jane St.