earth day... (hooray!)

Last week we celebrated an unforgettable Earth Day with Anthropologie customers and it was SO much fun!  If you were able to attend, thank you so much for a simply perfect day!  For anyone who wasn't able to join... boy, you missed a party!  Jojo taught 5 terrarium how-to classes in Manhattan and outside Philadelphia on both friday and saturday.  It was such a treat!

The tablescape set-up turned out quite charming and inviting.   It was overgrown with vintage suitcases and copper buckets brimming with natural elements for the picking... pebbles and stones, driftwood, ferns, many varieties of wild mosses, and more.  The entire scene begged to be explored and a number of other shoppers wandered in to say hello and to ask questions about terrariums. Take a peek...

Jojo may have been nervous at first, but no one ever noticed.  He was an engaging speaker and teacher... and seemed to really captivate attendees and passersby.  We were also very impressed by the collective creativity as well!  So many jars of whimsy and wonder!  

I think for most people, it was a nice reason to unplug from the busy day and take an hour escape into a moment of wilderness fantasy... 

          

  

We took away from this experience such wonderful, positive energy given off by our guests and from the amazing Anthropologie store teams as well... just great people.  

It was such a (glorious) shock anytime a mention of admiration for S+S was made.  I guess it is still surprising to realize that people even know about us!   Earth Day will - for us - be forever unforgettable... and its all thanks to the amazing people we met at the events.  


For the first time, S+S felt more than an art/science project.  It felt like a family...

  

(sigh)


Happy < belated > Earth Day.   
ps.  thanks again to anthropologie's events  team (for the wishes-come-true.)

posted by S+S

songs make happy plants...

we think music makes happy people... and happy plants too.  Ours enjoy a eclectic mix of everything from nina simone to lady gaga.  i guess some see the whole {music + plants = ? } conundrum as something silly to consider... but it seems quite logical to us anyway.

Apparently the debate over this issue is under investigation by the royal philharmonic (and qvc strangely enough).  read on here if you are interested and tell us what you think.

I choose to believe that plants do need entertainment and culture just like me or you.  if nothing else... it makes the world a sweeter place... and enchanting evermore.

(one)

berkley girl by harper simon

(two)

a million years by alexander 

(swoon).  completely enamored with this video... which seemingly was inspired by the beautiful works of dutch artist levi van veluw... (like we were too)...

i saw his work in the (amazing) art exhibit Dead or Alive that just closed at the MAD (museum of arts and design) in manhattan.  I love visiting new museums when I travel to new places, but few top my estimation of MAD.  The curators must be an unusual and interesting bunch.  (maybe Jojo should make them a terrarium!?)   They will open a new exhibit in june called Otherworldly.  It sounds exactly akin to our own design theory and focus here at S+S.  Cant wait to check it out next month!

happy weekend!

posted by chris

a pink sunday...

There is a sky of fluffy pink clouds outside our windows this week like a strawberry ice cream-colored dream.  It's the blushing magnolia tree, with her trunk in the neighbor's yard and her pink cotton candy blooms hanging full and heavy over our garden and nearly against the third floor window.  Very soon, it will rain pink petals.  Springtime is divine.

It reminds me of the amazing pink heaven of jellyfish lake in Palau... a dream destination certainly on my bucket list.  An episode of Survivor from long ago allows for a temporary escape via video below.  swimming with millions of jellyfish... something beyond words.

Well, (back in philadelphia) it's been a beautiful weekend of easy-breezes and the budding colors, scents, and freshness... endless are the possibilities of a new spring.  Took a walk around the city after breakfast and enjoyed every newly blooming or budding tree and every freshly planted (frost-fearing) flower from A to B.

Maybe it's magnolia obsession?  But looking though the film on my camera... everything was pink, pink, pink.  I guess its the look of life through rose-colored glasses... I should enjoy it while so easily available, I guess.

Try yours on along with me...

  you see?  life is swell already.   take a listen below to a little zee avi and yael naim (perfect for this mood) and enjoy your own cotton candy sunday.

posted by chris. xx

drifting away to earth day... a sneak peek.

hello, it's Jojo and I am excited to share a tiny preview of my make-a-terrarium workshops planned for  Anthropologie later this month... in celebration of Earth Day 2011!

I will be leading 5 workshops in New York City on April 22 and another on April 23 in Wayne, PA for Anthropologie customers and friends who are interested in making terrariums with me.  I am a little nervous but mostly just excited to meet everyone and to share what I know about terrarium-making!  It should be a lot of fun!

 

Each person who attends the workshop will create their very own wilderness terrarium inside a vintage canning jar.  Everyone will also be encouraged to forage through bins of random bits & bobs to create a truly personal and bespoke living object of their own!  

And... in the spirit of Earth Day, all of the elements for the workshop will be natural and neutral... the beautiful textures, colors, and shapes of the natural world.  

I began to experiment with driftwood pieces in preparation for the workshops... 
What do you think?

This look and feel seems perfect for Earth Day and I hope it will be a hit for the attendees of my Earth Day workshops.  If you are planning to come, then I can't wait to meet you and create something together.  Otherwise, wish me luck!

posted by jojo

a little inspiration... for the bird-brains.

Lots of little birds are always swooping in and out of our little backyard garden, but rarely do we notice the same birds make it home.  One of those rare exceptions and one of our favorite neighbors is a particularly handsome and quick (but hard-to-miss) cardinal with bright red plumage and a great big personality. 


Well, last weekend while gazing out the window and daydreaming about the soon-to-be spring garden (as usual)... Jojo spied our fine-feathered friend and somehow snapped this incredible photo:

The photo turned out like a real-life Charley Harper illustration... and with so much charm. ie: 

BTW, Charley was one of the greats and his book Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life is the classic anthem of his work.  Perfect for a rainy day.  Anyway, in honor of Charley, we dug into our photo archive to share a few more feathered favorites  (all are personal snaps of yours truly).  enjoy...

a stunning peruvian parrot. (cuzco, 2011)

this pair was posing at my feet  (cuzco, 2011)

an ominous trio of morning cacklers perched on the roof of my villa in South Africa  (johannesburg, 2009)

a sand-piper dancing in salty sea breezes  (palm beach, 2010)  

do not cross this pigeon.  just guessing...  (philadelphia, 2011)

So with birds on the brain... we would be remiss without sharing the INCREDIBLE tale of Alex the amazing parrot!  If you have 10 minutes, you MUST watch this jaw-dropping and oh-so-charming short video.  WITHOUT A DOUBT!  the best 10 minutes we've spent ALL WEEK!!!

Watch the full episode. See more NOVA scienceNOW.

ok... when the parrot said goodnight, I was impressed.  When he said I love you, I almost fell off my chair and died.  


I also loved when the one woman commented that Irene was "either brilliant or crazy"... so hysterical and something we ask ourselves as well.

We identify Irene... and admire your fearless passion anyway.  (ahem, 30+ years as a bird BFF!?)

explore more at The Alex Foundation.   Thank you NOVA and PBS.  

that's all bird-brains... stay posted to see the fine-feathered terrariums created from all of this flightly inspiration. 

xxc.  posted by chris