carrie*connects

Check Out The New Blog!

After 4 long years of having this blog on typepad we're moving over to a different platform at http://leberpr.com/blog/ ~ I think you'll notice immediately what a fresh look the new site has as well as many other features that will make cataloging and presenting relevant information about our company and clients much more organized.  

Tsunami Glassworks on Style at Home

Style at Home - the authority for all things design and decor in Canada featured our client Tsunami Glassworks recently - writer Natalie Bahadur found the glass designing duo's work to be "Unique. Truly original.  One of a kind..."  We couldn't agree more!  Check out the entire post here>> 

Monte Design Introduces Grano ~ Style Plus Gliding *and* Reclining!

They're well known for their gorgeous group of rockers and chairs designed for stylish families - and now our client Monte Designs is introducing what's sure to be another big star in their collection. 

The Grano is Monte Designs first chair that both glides and reclines.  Set to hit stores in early December, Grano will offered in a variety of colors including white, stone, brown, orange, green, and gray.

A remarkably comfortable chair, the Grano has all the features of a recliner, without the bulk that you might typically find with some models.  Perfect for the nursery, the Grano will be a wonderful addition to family and TV rooms as well.  Starts at $1195.

Julie Powell Talks Food Blogging With MediaBistro

 
I must admit that I haven't had time to see the new Julie & Julia film starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams- but it's definitely tops on my to-do list.  Both actresses are my fav's and I love the concept of the movie - an aspiring writer, Julie Powell, desperately in need of some zest in her life decides to blend a love of cooking with her passion for writing.  The result:  Powell cooked her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and kept a well documented and very popular blog about it.

What resulted was a book and what looks like an amazing film - just goes to show the power of the blog!   Powell talked with MediaBistro recently about her media odyssey - below are a few highlights ~ but be sure to read the whole interview here.

Powell says:  "I was a frustrated writer. I majored in fiction writing in college and wanted to be a writer, and nothing was happening with that. I pretty much stopped writing by the time I was 29 and was feeling extraordinarily unfulfilled. So I had this midnight revelation that I would cook my way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which came out of talking about going to cooking school. But I didn't have the money and didn't think I wanted to be a chef or anything like that. I did want to learn how to cook well, and Mastering was obviously a great way to do that.

I had no notion of what a blog could do and what the medium was really capable of at the time. I kind of chanced into it. I just was in the right place and time.

I started on a pretty instant level because I thought I was writing for family and friends. I would write, "Here's what I'm cooking." And then I would have some side notes about what was happening in my life. People ended up being interested in the food, but really interested in the other stuff. Then, I realized that I had all these readers interested in the gory details of my daily life; that's what they were following, and they wanted to learn more about that. "Tell me about how shitty you feel about your job, and tell me more about your pet snake," [readers said]. By that time, this bar had been set in terms of intimacy, which was very important to the development of the tone of the blog."

Also check out Julie Powell current blog.

Does the Term 'Shop Your Closet' Give You Shivers? Will the Sartorialist be the Next Mega Brand? Links!

--Style scribes love the term "shop your closet" these days - but the Times Ben Widdicome cautions what you find may be more radioactive than retro on The Moment.

--Edificial bemoans the PR-ization of recessionary design - they write "be on the lookout for the following pitches: flacks will “highlight the eco-friendly features of [their] client’s products”; they will deploy “high-quality images with every pitch”; and they will assault us with samples so that we can see how easy it is to be green with the splendiferous econo-trinkets they’re hawking."

--Fashionista is quite jazzed about the spector of The Sartorialist as the next mega-brand as they report about the intrepid photog's book deal with Penguin that will get its own pop-up shop at Barneys - a possible line for the ever expanding Net-a-Porter is in the works as well.

--The Girls in the Beauty Department took a very long look at Oprah Winfrey's hair last week when Tyra Banks appeared on the show.

Fawn by Petunia: Dewberry Collection

Petunia Pickle Bottom's luscious Fawn Collection is an infant bedding ensemble like no other.

Created from the most delightful brocades and linens one can imagine, the various sets will get your imagination whirling with possibilities.

Here we're featuring Dewberry Roll.   Designed by DeNai Jones, this fabric is an ode to vintage wallpaper from the art deco era.

Dewberry Roll is made from scrumptious brocade and 100% linen. A pink aster scrolled medallion motif dances across a flax colored background.  Flax colored linen sheets and a soft, brocade edged crib blanket complete the look.

The Crib Set includes an ultra plush bumper with box-pleated corners and brocade ties, an elegant box-pleated crib skirt, an incredibly soft double sided velour linen and brocade blanket, a 100% cotton matching fitted crib sheet and a linen and brocade accent pillow.  About $580. 

Dewberry Roll is also available in the super innovative Cariboo Bassinet Set.  Cariboo is a remarkable line of bassinets designed and made in New Zealand.  The Fawn Bassinet Bag features simple yet elegant touches that enrich and personalize the beauty of the Cariboo.  About $158. 

   

Bringing up baby with nature - DeNai Jones gets inspired

When DeNai Jones, head designer at Petunia Pickle Bottom, was expecting her second son recently, one of her prime goals was to create a unique nursery.

"I longed to make my second son Miller's nursery a place of tranquility," says Jones of her design process. "I love color, but this was going to be my one exception."

DeNai opted for soothing earth tones and natural imagery both she and her husband Braden would enjoy.

Here, DeNai Jones outlines her choices for this truly gorgeous baby nursery.

Inspiration and Color Choice:
I found inspiration in the design of my son's nursery from a few key pieces: our Misty Shanghai Boxy Backpack, this amazing wallpaper from Cole and Sons: Trees, and two pillows from Anthropologie. All of these pieces incorporated a shade of grey that I was hoping to use in the nursery and were the perfect elements to create a focus for my mood board. I love a nice monochromatic palette with a splash of color, much like the Misty Shanghai, and these pieces combined these two elements perfectly.

Furniture and Function:
The crib and changing table were the most daunting decisions for me. I love all the new modern and oh-so functional nursery furniture that can be found, but we own an older home so I wanted to find something that would strike the perfect balance of old and new. The Panel Crib by Newport Cottages served up just what I was looking for. As an added bonus-the wonderful people at Newport Cottages indulged me with a custom paint color to match the room's palette. Both pieces contain clean, modern lines, and the changing table converts to a dresser once you are done with diapers-an ideal attribute so that the piece can grow as Miller does.

Hands down my favorite piece is the Luca Glider Chair by Monte Designs. If I didn't have a busy little toddler running rampant I would sit and cuddle my newborn son in it all day-it's incredibly comfortable not to mention so stunning.
 

I love the Tamar Mogendorff mobile. Thanks to Grace over at Design Sponge for introducing Tamar and her incredible talent. The dolls/objects are made from linens, wool, Mohair wool, cotton, vintage fabrics, tweed, antique embroidery, pashmina and other fabrics. Each piece is handmade and the pictures on her website do not do them justice.

My intention when designing my son's nursery was to create a tranquil, organic, and textural experience.

The stump side table and owl night light rounded out what I wanted to achieve, and the cable rug I found at West Elm offers a nubby, wool weave with lots of texture to help soften and warm the room.

Two of the wall art pieces I used to finish the room were from Anthropologie. I liked the simplicity of the art and the organic nature of the two pieces. In addition, I always try to put in every room of our home some sentimental piece or photograph. The archival bird studies were purchased on a trip to Nashville, Tennessee. On a short day trip to Franklin we happened upon an amazing shop dedicated to archival sketches and studies of anything you could possibly imagine. I knew I would use these sketches at some point in my life and this was the perfect spot. Miller loves to look at these while I change his diaper.

Ultimately, the nursery is the most calming place in our home…so I believe I achieved what I set out to accomplish. Now with a two year old toddler and a newborn reeking havoc in our home, it's the place I like to kick up my heels and find tranquility.

Petunia's Scout Bag, and Orbit Baby on People.com

There's a great slide show today on people.com showing some of the goodies in Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry's baby nursery.

Among the cute  and clever items in the slide show are our client's Orbit Baby and Petunia Pickle Bottom's Scout Bag.

The Scout Bag for Gabriel, is shown here. 

Love it! Dose of Design features Illume His and Hers candles

We were happy to see that the blog Dose of Design loves our client Illume's His and Her's candles as much as we do.

In a recent post they said: "[His and Hers Candles are] perfect for a couple, put one on each of your nightstands and let the fragrances merge! Or a perfect gift for any guy in your life. If he thinks candles are too feminine, he won't once he sees it's meant just for him!"

To see the entire post visit Dose of Design.

Illume's Earth Rose gets OK'd

Our client Illume Candles recently rolled out a gorgeous new collection, Modern Naturals, which features a delightful fragrance called Earth Rose. 

The editors at OK Magazine loved the essential oil blend as much as we did and featured it last week in a story called "The Love Doctor is In The House".

The candle is shown in a segment of the feature about natural aphrodisiacs as a way to set the mood with a delightful scent. 

Illume one of Metro 5

If you happen to live in the Twin Cities, be sure to pick up the current copy of Metro Magazine. 

In the Metro 5 Section of the February issue,  our client Illume's 65 Hours of Love Candle reigns supreme. 

The editors chose the famous candle for its all natural soy and beeswax blend.  That combined with the candle's addictive musk and vanilla infusion fragrance makes it a winner.

Check for the image on page 24!

Biography of a fragrance: Earth Rose

Point a camera at a rose and you’ll almost always come away with something spectacular.  Macro shots reveal symmetrical lines and seductive shadows combined with ebullient color. 

From a distance a bud promises many things--while a garden rose in full bloom dappled with morning light is a metaphor for life itself.

It was this universal magnetism that drew the scent designers at Illume to create the Earth Rose Collection.  They were inspired by the concept of the complete woman.  One who exudes both luminosity and harmony; who is approachable...yet at close range, radiates a boundless mystique.    

The Rose is a universal symbol of love, friendship, beauty and peace. In Aromatherapy it’s the Queen of Flowers.  Many use its hypnotic fragrance to calm the mind, and create balance.  Known as a relaxing scent, it’s also wonderful for insomnia, headaches, and as an aphrodisiac.

By blending feminine rose and earthy patchouli, Illume has created a complex yet delicate fragrance.  Top notes of mystical Midnight Jasmine and Sparkling Mandarin make the Earth Rose blend entirely unique.

The Earth Rose Collection from Illume includes a Shea Butter Hand Lotion, Room Diffuser, assorted pillar candles, an oversized travel tin, filled boxed glass, frosted glass jar, and mini votives.

This just in: NYT's Frank Bruni loves Illume's Balsam & Cedar

When New York Times Restaurant Critic Frank Bruni says he loves something it's a seminal moment.

Foodies throughout this country hang on every salacious vowel that he types out.

So when we read that he has a weakness for our client Illume Candle's Balsam & Cedar fragrance from the limited edition Winter Bliss Collection we were enthused to say the least.

As reported on Refinery 29 yesterday, and picked up by the Gothamist, Bruni says, "I've long been a sucker for overpriced candles, and I like Illume the best. This scent smells like the essence of Christmas. I bought it for the first time about a week ago and it hadn't been burning for an hour when I was back out the door to stock up on more. I'm always convinced that things I fall in love with will disappear when I least expect it. Better to stock up."

As soon as the "Hot For" story appeared, Bruni's loyal fans responded without delay.  "A  food critic loving scented candles??" they exclaimed.  Just goes with what we said in our post yesterday about the Winter Bliss Collection being the greatest for parties of all kinds.  How could you not love something that gives out the gentle aroma of a Heavenly Valley ski lodge at Christmas?

Head over to Illumecandles.com to check out the storied candles before they disappear - as Bruni laments, they are a seasonal blend.

Bruni joins a well rounded list of celebs who are addicted to the essential oils blends of Illume Candles custom scents.  Paris and Nicky Hilton, Jennifer Lopez, Will Smith, Mary J. Blige, Jessica Simpson, and even California Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger love Illume!