Celebrating the Life of a Tile Artist

Celebrating the Life of a Tile Artist

December 30, 2017

When we redid our house, Michael DeMartino was pivotal in pulling it together. As the artist/owner of NW Marble & Tile, Mike was the go-to for all our interior tile work, from foyer to kitchen, living and bathrooms. He passed away suddenly a few weeks ago. He was only 56 and he is missed! His energy enlivened a process that at times was daunting, even for those of us without our hands in cold grout. I think that year’s end is a good time for celebrating life, don’t you? Related Images:
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Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

December 23, 2017

We found Santa Claus in a favorite antique shop in Collinsville, Connecticut. He’s completely handmade of metal, which suits me fine because he camps out on the front deck every year waiting for the real Santa. We wanted to make sure he could take the cold New England weather. He used to spend the weeks before Christmas inside a department store. Until he was put out to pasture. We had to bring him home. Related Images:
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Slip a Sable Under the Tree

Slip a Sable Under the Tree

December 19, 2017

Tempting. Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby” was originally recorded in 1953. She was born in the cotton fields of South Carolina and moved with her mom to Harlem. She never knew her father. Her mother was of African American and Cherokee Native American descent who sadly gave her up at the age of nine. As a teenager she lived moving between friends’ homes in New York. And yet, in the 1950s she had sung and danced her way out of poverty. Eartha Kitt passed away on Christmas Day at her home in Weston CT at the age of 82. Related Images:
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Sounds, Sights and Scents of Christmas

Sounds, Sights and Scents of Christmas

December 16, 2017

The Christmas season heralds sensations of traditions  that have lasted generations of families. It’s written that our sense of smell alone triggers more brain activity than visual stimulation. Think of it, the sight of a rose vs… its scent. Which holds more memories for you? The scents of Christmas. No question in my mind. What are yours? Related Images:
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The Color White

The Color White

December 12, 2017

The color white has so many interpretations, almost all are positive. As a colorist I don’t often admit that white is essential in complementing the effusive use of colors, prints and light. Besides, it’s ALWAYS lovely to look out the morning after the first snowfall in New England. Related Images:
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Warm and Fuzzy

Warm and Fuzzy

December 9, 2017

When I was little, stuffed animals were huge for Christmas gifts. Do you remember yours? For those of us lucky enough to have formed good relationships with stuffed animals, it sometimes became an occasion for strife. For example. Somebody cut the whiskers off my brother Joe’s black panther. Although I regrettably gave my beagle puppet a really short haircut (thinking it would grow?) I did not trim Joe’s black cat’s whiskers. Years later, I remember an old fur coat my sister gave me that she’d gotten from an elderly relative. It was divine. Warm and fuzzy. And real. We don’t
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Just Let Go

Just Let Go

December 5, 2017

To some extent, “getting into the holidays” can incrementally increase tension. Anybody else feel a certain amount of increasing stress over… gift expectations, family time, whatever? I found an article written by Arthur C. Brooks that helped me, it might also be of interest to you. An excerpt… Related Images:
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Decorating For the Holidays

Decorating For the Holidays

December 2, 2017

Decorating has easily become a favorite part of the holidays. Last year we found our fresh tree appropriately, in the town of Bethlehem, Connecticut. We’ll be headed there again this weekend. Uncle Frank’s Christmas Tree Farm. We drove the truck into the property and were left to our own devices to find a tree, cut it down and load it in. What’s not to like? Related Images:
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