These crafting works by the famous artist Patrick Dougherty was absolutely eye-catching, he calls it “stickwork ”. Imagine how interesting it if you installed one of this living art into a part of your house area, in the garden or in the side of buildings. It certainly will being an amazing focal point and invite a lot of attention from your guests. Mr. Dougherty, who is now in his 60s, has a portfolio of over 200 amazing pieces from houses that look like a grove of trees to large pavilions that seem to have been built by a beaver. Crafting human-sized nest houses made by actually weaving growing trees into the shapes of houses, cocoons, pagodas, huts, giant water pitchers and even people. Pat

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#5: Crack a Window

Like art, the proper placement of window treatments can make all the difference. Window treatments are also an opportunity to define a space by emphasizing a room’s features or minimizing flaws. Hang draperies 6” above the window. This increases height visually and creates vertical lines, drawing the eye up, while softening and finishing the room. Lofts with large windows benefit from solar shades, with varying percentages of opacity, which roll up for maximum view. Ripplefold tracks can be gathered at the top or bottom. These modern takes on sheers offer some privacy and surprising style.

Hint: To get more of the limited winter light, lean a long or tall mirror on the opposite wall of a window. It

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Regardless of what part of the country you are in, winter squashes should be in season and available at your local farmers market. Our market has them for $0.59 a pound, so weve been loving them.

When buying a butternut squash, you want to pick one that has a longer and/or fatter neck because thats where most of the squash is. The bottom part has squash, but also the seeds.

The following recipe for Butternut Squash Fries is one that we have been enjoying a lot lately.

Heres what youll need
• Butternut squash
• Organic olive oil
• Sea salt

How to make:
• Cut the squash where the neck meets the fat bottom part.
• Remove any seeds from the neck.

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Lets get a basic fact out of the way right up front. Bookstores arent going to die. But they are going to change.

Books arent going to die. The concept of a linearly designed book wont die. Ive written about this before about the movement of technology through different stages from mass media consumption though to art form. This hasnt changed. Its just happening now and the impact of this movement is being felt by more people.

The traditional production/printing/distribution of books is changing rapidly and possibly dying. But do not confuse that with the concept of the book as dying. The book lives the way we consume it and produce it is changing.

Heres my take (as of today) on where Id see the bookstore evolving.

1) There would be a section for high-quality old books. (think good used books) And each bookstore will likely develop a specialty whether it be science fiction, romance or even gardening.

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Unveiled at Politecnico di Milano, Albero di feltro is a privacy screen made of a stainless steel frame and synthetic felt body designed for portability and easy installation. It’s ideal to isolate a portion of room either in office, lounge or even in student lodging. The design evokes the organic shape of a leaf leaving you the option to stay minimal or surround yourself in a forest sort to speak. Go small or go all out. Which would you do?

Photo : © Matteo Felici

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