one of my girlfriends sent me this card and i felt so SEEN! my dislike of raisins is on par with how i feel about the taste of mayonnaise (blue cheese, salmon, sourcream and gum are up there, but not at the pinnacle.) but raisins are unique and particularly worrisome because they weasel their way into things that should have chocolate chips like oatmeal cookies, scones, muffins and all kinds of breads. even when my eyesight was tip top i always asked the server about the presence of raisins in any desired baked good and then i would crack it open and examine it before taking a big mouthful, just for good measure. there are few things worse than the gummy, sickly sweet surprise of a raisin when you are expecting warm, velvety, delicious chocolate.
Read Moresneaky raisins!
so inspired to be back in california! x0x0x
the old bunkers in the marin headlands… AMAZING views of the bay! x0x0x
interviewed for an article for HOMES & GARDENS on vintage shopping! x0xx
i was so thrilled to be included wtih this group of talented designers interviewed about best practices when purchasing vintage furnishings and accessories. THANK YOU to eleanor richardson of homes & gardens. here is a link to the full article! x0x0x
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so thrilled to be back in my home state! x0xx
july's FEATURED QUILT of the month, by my mother, ann rhode! x0x0x
(exuberance, 2021 by ann rhode, 45W x 55L”)
most quilters have a “scrap bin” where they collect the extra fabric bits created when piecing quilts. some scraps end up in strips and others in odd shaped pieces. eventually, the scrap bin grows full and the opportunity for a scrap quilt arises. “exuberance” is the result of ann’s bin needing to be reduced. she began by sewing scraps together and then cutting triangles from the pieces. putting two triangles together created the diamonds that repeat. she alternated rows of diamonds with green yellow centers and randomly striped diamonds. she enjoyed the challenge of creating something beautiful from discarded pieces and incorporating so many different fabrics in one quilt.
exuberance is machine pieced machine quilted. fabrics are all cotton.
kids keep you humble! x0x0x
in family
the other week i went to boulder for a visit. i was MISSING my mahjies, my writing group, my neighbors and my friends (i mean, they are ALL my friends…) and especially my colorist, who is also like my yoda. i surprised her by requesting (in addition to sorting out my roots and toning and highlighting) a big chop. i had been thinking about it for weeks, but didn’t tell anyone - except my mom, of course - because i didn’t want to be talked out of it… sort of like not sharing a baby name before the baby comes out! i think she took off almost a foot… i haven’t had hair this short in over twenty years. i can’t tell you how liberating it feels. i spent the next few days bouncing around boulder eating at favorite restaurants with dear friends (ranches and tacos at bolleta, martinis and steak frites at ten ten), walking around my old neighborhood looking for the moose - YES - the week prior there was an actual bullwinkle in my 7th street backyard that isn’t my backyard anymore (i didn’t find him), playing mahjong and sitting around drinking tea at various coffee shops. all the while i was getting super fun comments about my hair like “sassy,” “fresh,” “brave” and feeling pretty pleased with myself. when i got home to berkeley my son was napping (he’s either running, running, running or crashed out.) he opened one eye and said, “oh mom, you look like velma.” as in velma from SCOOBY DOO! that stung a bit, but i DO see the resemblance, especially when i have my glasses on. i will just have to avoid orange turtlenecks, at least until halloween. my daughter was also resting in her bed but both of her eyes opened. she said, “mama, you look like beezus or ramona… i don’t know which one. maybe both.” i LOVE the beezus and ramona books - i read them over and over as kid - but they are CHILDREN! i was going more for a messy 90’s winona or drew bob. anyway, my kids are really good at keeping me grounded and humble, that’s why i don’t need to meditate. x0x0x
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so much FUN to be back in california! x0x0x
“let’s go FLY a kite!” the kids at the berkeley marina! x00x
REPOST: COLORFUL christmas tree drive
in art, dining room, family, garden, living room, office, pet, residential interior, sofa
we did an extensive remodel on this family home nestled under the flatirons in the chataqua neighborhood of boulder, colorado. originally built in the 80’s, we updated the exterior with earthy wood siding and local stone, in keeping with the home’s mountain setting.
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HAPPIEST FATHER'S DAY to my wonderful dad! x0x0x
(my handsome dad in high school)
when i was little my dad seemed larger than life. he could do magic tricks with the windshield wipers and make them turn on by snapping his fingers. he could prevent airplanes from crashing by making sure we all ate an airport hotdog before boarding. he would zip us around in various sports cars so that my hair went flying behind me. he could charm his way in or out of any situation so it felt like the possibilities were endless. he could eliminate bad guys with his terrifying glare or slicing words. he could entertain rooms full of people with his hilarious (mostly true) stories. he could do math tricks and word games that astounded me. he could throw baseballs or hit golf balls with a precision that drew applause. (he always loved an audience.) he would serenade me with songs and original poems so that i never questioned how much i was loved.
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wonderful to be back in california! x00xx
what's in a name? x00xx
(i was in third grade when i became “jenny”)
i was born (and still am), jennifer ann rhode. my middle name is for my mother, also ann. my parents chose “jennifer” because they thought it was beautiful and clearly it was in the zeitgeist of 1968 as it was the 4th most popular name in america, topped only by “kimberly,” “michelle” and “lisa.” (i always assumed it was the MOST popular name as there were typically three to four jennifers in all of my elementary school classes, but apparently, it didn’t make number one until 1970. i definitey didn’t know that many kimberlys, but there WERE a lot of michelles.)
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DELIGHTED to be back in california! x0x0x
i have been enjoying this frozen yoghurt since i was a little girl… the absolute BEST! x0x0x
june's FEATURED QUILT of the month, by my mother, ann rhode! x0x0x
(night garden 2020 by ann rhode, 68W x 45L”)
the design of “night garden” was inspired by the layering technique of paper collage artist, raymond saa. he is known for layering squares and rectangles with slight overlap to create his pieces.
the palette for this quilt is anchored in the black, green and teal floral print that is used for the night flowers. the piece is grounded by the stripes and geometric prints that serve as the earth and the graphic lime and black and white fabrics represent the sky.
twice a year, ann goes to “quilt camp” where textile artists from all over bring ideas, fabrics, sewing machines and treats. any fabrics or blocks people are done using or don’t need, get thrown “under the table,” literally. those pieces may be claimed by any camper. ann found the four pieced blocks using the same fabric as my flowers under the table and was glad to give them a home.
machine pieced and hand appliquéd. machine quilted. all cotton fabrics.
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jennifer rhode design is now in california! x0x0x
ANDERSEN'S PEA SOUP! x0x
(we DID stll get a photo with “HAP-PEA” and “PEA-WEE,” even though the restaurant was closed in 2021 because of corona)
i think with the world absolutely upside down, i am feeling nostalgic. today i was so HAP-PEA when i noticed canned andersen’s pea soup in my safeway. we always used to stop at andersen’s on the way to my grandparents’ house when i was little. i loved seeing the big windmill and all of the carved and painted danish furniture inside. and, of course, the soup was DELICIOUS! during the pandemic, on one of our many roadtrips i brought my kids to andersens and we were so bummed (or I was bummed) that it was closed down. over winter break, lucy, hank and i drove down to LA and on the way back we made a stop at the OPEN andersens. the soup was just as yummy as i remembered and now i don’t have to go all the way to santa nella, i can just pop over to my market! x0x
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jennifer rhode design has come to california! x0x0x
my BOULDER house! x0x0x
(this “double wedding ring” quilt made by my mother has hung in my bedroom for more than two decades)
* i don’t think i’ve ever posted my boulder house in its entirety… of course, this space is wholly representative of my design beliefs: continuity and consistency in the finishes, carefully edited, colorful and full of art, books, collectibles and photographs that tell the story of my family and the adventures we’ve been on. when we moved to california it was exciting to find new places for our various pieces (also a great opportunity to reevalulate whether we needed to keep everything - we did NOT!) hopefully in the not too distant future i will be able to share where all of our stuff landed in the new house. x0x0x
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HAPPY, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! x0x0x0x
(both of my babies 2010…)
these two were not easy to get. i went through a multitude of treatments from both eastern and western doctors in the states and in the netherlands over many years, getting needled and cupped and eating restrictive, pro-pregnancy diets that left me frustrated and unsatisfied (and did NOT include scotchmallows or pinot noir or even fresh fruit), having blood draws and getting probed with all kinds of instruments, injecting myself with so many hormones that at times i truly felt out of my mind. and i am sure i was. but i would not trade any of that because it led to the creation of my darling children. ultimately, they are both from the same IVF batch, even though i did more than one… lucy was just frozen for several years. i think that is why they look so much alike. lucy contends they are technically “twins,” theo believes firmly they are not and that he is definitely older. regardless, bringing these children to life has been the most difficult and rewarding project i have ever attempted. and it’s not even over…
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celebrating my wonderful mother! x0x0xx
(high tea with lulu)
this is the first mother’s day in decades that we are all in the same town to celebrate… even my big boy is back from college! i am so very grateful. wishing my mama everything wonderful and looking so forward to adding to our collection of fun adventures in the coming year! HAPPIEST MOTHER’S DAY to my favorite mama! x0x0x
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