A Summer Garden Gallery
A little portfolio to cool you off from the summer heat, perhaps inspire you for next year's planting. Taken this year and July last at Chautauqua Institution.
Jody Lee / a Studio by the Sea
Summer Cocktails from the Garden
from left to right, cilantro, oregano to be planted this weekend, sage and chives from last year and mint.
One of my favorite parts of the summer is sitting outside enjoying a refreshing cocktail. Last summer I learned about a new book and attended a book reading for it with the author at the New York Botanical Garden. It's called The Drunken Botanist, by Amy Stewart. It's a great collection of recipes and history. Also a lovely way to use those herbs in the garden.
Martha Stewart has 6 ways to change up your mojito and Terrain shares this tasty grapefruit cocktail recipe.
photo from terrain.com
This year I have planted an herb section in my garden. I have planted oregano, basil, chocolate mint, dill, parsley, cilantro, mint and thyme. What can be better than having friends over, mixing cocktails and plucking your ingredients right from your own yard.
Enjoy!
Tracey Toole
www.traceytoole.etsy.com
Summer Color Palettes
above image from Bodie and Fou
With warm weather, gardening and numerous outdoor events, comes a whole feeling of revival. Being an indie business designer I work closely to seasonal timelines. This past spring I started working on my summer product. Sometimes it is a challenge creating palettes for the warm weather when it is still in the 40's but magazines are my savior. Summer is a time when you can really go bold with however you apply color; your interiors, your garden, your clothing, or sometimes individual things like a new set of bathroom towels, new pillows, new napkins.
collection of tear sheets
the beginning of my pantone wall.
I have quite the collection of pantone chips from my days as a mens sportswear designer. It's nice to have a visual and helps me keep focused. Once I start sewing I tend to sometimes start redesigning which slows the whole process and results in a cluttered palette.
Even if you are recreating your room, kitchen or want something to make you feel good. Tape a few pictures to your wall. It helps when working inside on a beautiful sunny day.
Happy Friday!
Tracey
www.etsy.com/shop/traceytoole
www.traceytoole.com
Floral and Cacti Color Palettes
Recently I made a trip to Los Angeles for a family wedding. I have not been to the City of Angels in about 15 years. The last time I was there was for work, a design research trip. So my experience and exposure was specific. This recent trip I stayed in the Brentwood section. We didn't have a car so we walked or took a cab. We were there for 5 nights and each morning my 15 month old daughter and I would walk for coffee. The walk was about a mile, which for us living in NYC is not a big deal. We would pass many beautiful houses but what I was more in love with was the landscaping. Living in the northeast we can't really have a cactus garden. Our growing season is not that long and we have 4 seasons. I fell in love with the bamboo, the varieties of cacti and the large beautiful blooming flowers. And what I find most interesting is as a designer, this time of year I start thinking about fall color palettes. I can create my palette from these floral landscapes. Inspiration.
I couldn't believe how thick the bamboo can get and how full and large the lavender shrubs can grow.
This rose with dew, above, is like a photo from a book. I couldn't believe my eyes that this was so natural and perfect. Crimson red, deep pink, purple tips surrounded by shades of green. My favorite is the green cacti with orange at the top of the post. Below is the palette I created from it; fern green, blue sage, dusty white peach, faded carrot and burnt red. A beautiful end of summer, beginning of fall palette. Look around you and create some color.
Enjoy the rest of our summer days and I look forward to Indian Summer.
Tracey
https://www.etsy.com/shop/traceytoole
http://traceytoole.blogspot.com/
Keeping your Cool. 5 Friday Finds
Summer is here, the heat is on and living in the city can be a bit like an oven. Here are five Etsy NY finds to keep you cool.
Sleeping in something light on hot summer nights. Here are some adorable, breezy shorts from Aurora Lingerie
Aurora Lingerie Shorts from on Etsy
Ice Cream Cone Onesie by The African Llama
Keep your little one cool with overalls from Overall Baby. Lightweight cotton overalls with a lightweight cotton lining. Perfect for hot weather!
Rocks and Salt new floppy hat
Keep your lid covered with this new and beautiful chambray floppy hat from Rocks and Salt. Top stitched in bright red adds a unique touch to this sexy sombrero.
Want to find more Etsy NY? Just visit etsy and type in etsyNYteam. Support local!
Tracey
https://www.etsy.com/shop/traceytoole
Summer Hues - Peaches
Summer is here. If you can't tell by the temperature, take a look around. One of the best things about summer is the refreshing, vibrant colors everybody wears. And this summer, peachy neons, beachy corals, sherbet shades and all varieties of melon seem to be the new pink.
New York City subway riders June 2014
Peach stripe clutch from LondonTierney on Etsy
coral print outdoor pillow from crabbychris on etsy
enamel necklace from Be in the Moment on Etsy
Shibori Dyed Surf Skirt by katrin reifeiss
melon and peach sherbet colored vintage purse from John Met Betty
water repellent tote from Jenn Eng Studio
Peach, melon, sherbet, nectarine.... the list goes on of summer treats that we are seeing on the streets!
Tracey Toole
http://traceytoole.etsy.com/