Ally at From the Right Bank posted new photos of her lovely living room just the other day and a small detail popped out at me – her needlepoint dog pillow – a boxer, to be exact. (Correction: I don’t know what blogging drugs I was on, as it is not a boxer, but a French bulldog) It reminded me that I have been meaning to do a post on these so-out-they-are-in accessories for quite some time now and it seemed like a light-hearted anti-dote to the last few heavy posts.
The needlepoint dog promptly made me think of the one in Ruthie Sommer‘s living room, which was featured in Lonny as well as House Beautiful.
Ruthie is a big user of needlepoint pillows in the spaces she designs, using them to add a bit of quirky light-hearted fun.
Note the needlepoint iris pillow in the photo below…more on that later!
She even offered some in her One Kings Lane Tastemaker Sale.
Rachel over at The Lovely Lifestyle has a cute story about her purchase of that very same iris pillow from the OKL sale, now happily ensconced on her couch. Note yet another dog pillow!
Jonathan Adler is the other great user of needlepoint pillows and perhaps I should have mentioned him first as he really is responsible for resurrecting them, first in the bargello ones he made popular again and now cute and kitschy ones too. He was recently featured in the one year anniversary edition of online magazine Matchbook.
Zodiac anyone? Check out Adler’s website for more pillows and his portfolio.
Adler’s pillows are popular with other designer too, like this beach living room by Leslie Klotz.
The idea for this post has been percolating for almost a year as last spring during our evacu-vacation, I had the pleasure of visiting a dear friend in Hong Kong with the best kind of needlepoint pillows – inherited ones! I find those with personal connections and stories to be the most authentic. As always with me, we are back to grandmas.
…or in my case, get my mother-in-law to make it.
Image Credits: 1. via From the Right Bank, 2-3. Lonny July/August 2011, photo credit: Patrick Cline, 4-5. House Beautiful March 2011, photo credit: Victoria Pearson, 6-7. via One Kings Lane, 8. via The Lovely Lifestyle, 9-11. Matchbook February 2012, photo credit: Rima Campbell, 12. House Beautiful July 2008, photo credit: Laura Resen, 13-14 &16. me, 15. via Purl Bee.
The zodiac pillows are fun! Would love one for each family member on the family room sofa. Looked at the Jonathan Adler website & love the neat selection, including the Big Sur & Osaka, but no Tokyo, ne?
I love your blog! It is adorable!
However; you must learn (I am assuming you are very young) the difference (it is vast) between a “boxer” and a “French bulldog”!!
I do love your perspective; and your appreciation of “old” needlepoint; which is of great sentimental value. I am a “Granny; and I did some needlepoint in my extreme youth!
I think your blog is delightful!
Oh my goodness, I am a huge fan of yours!! I have been fretting for ages because I forgot to include your wonderful pink bedroom with its antique toile coverlet in my “Pale Pink Bedrooms for Cherry Blossom Season” post – I may just have to do another this year so I can include it!
Thanks for commenting – I will admit to being completely dog illiterate – mea culpa – but to lessen the blame, it was Ally herself who called it a boxer!!
________________________________
Your reply made you even more adorable! No one who has ever owned a French bulldog (I think you need to get a dog….more later) could possibly call a French bulldog a boxer!
I adore all dogs…….(I am not exaggerating……I adore all dogs)
I am captivated by your blog!
Keep going……..and the best thing ever is to admit….”OOPS”!
Charming!!
Everyone in the world should have a dog. Mixed breeds from the shelter are always my recommendation……..
Just get a dog. Anyone who doesn’t have one has no idea what you are missing.!
go to the shelter. I have a great , and totally true “Oprah” story to tell you!
(about dogs…….she is my next-door neighbor on two sides). Pure luck. We had built our house……the neighbor in Montecito was my mother’s friend from Pasadena, California….Mrs. Bacon…..who lived to be 105.
Some other lovely people bought it when we had lived here a couple of years…..the Veloz; and then one night…….we saw a friend in a restaurant who said…..”how do you feel about your new neighbor?” I said…….”we love our new neighbors; but they aren’t that new! Our friend said; with a ‘knowing glance’ Oh, you don’t know who your new neighbor is! Oprah!”
Well…..A lovelier neighbor has never been. She is an angel walking….and any time there is a hint of a problem (and when you have 50 acres….there are problems) I can get Urania in a matter of seconds. Once we saved thousands.; and I mean thousands of baby orioles…….because I called Urania and she told the tree trimmers (who were being bombarded by the mother orioles like MAD!!!)
They told Urania…….”no orioles are here……no oriole nests are here!”
She stopped the trimming and saved at least……(I am not exaggerating) at least 12,000 baby orioles in their nests in the palm trees all along Oprah’s secondary driveway!
Lucky us!
Mrs. Bacon lived to be 105; I hope Oprah lives even longer!!!
Penelope
I so regret not buying a pair of JA Bargello pillows from Barneys of New York in Ginza whilst we lived in Tokyo, maybe I have to see if I can pick up a couple on line somewhere. Lovely post, I hope you had a lovely birthday week, will be thinking about you all on Sunday, much love, Angela xx
oh, of course I forgot the dog story with Oprah. Next post. I will comment again! I am thrilled beyond that you saw my pink bedroom.
Blogging is beyond fun!!!
I love your entire house and drool over the photos! Remind me to send you a photo of my duvet cover here. I made it from antique document print fabric I found at Les Puces in Paris. Similar feel to your toile cover!
________________________________
Girlfriend, I am ALL about granny-chic. Otherwise, my entire house would simply read granny. 🙂
Brilliant post. I don’t know WHERE you come up with this stuff. Truly impressed.
Camille
Camille, you are the sweetest! This coming from a girl with some super posts herself!
Hello there, You have done an incredible job. I
will certainly digg it and personally recommend
to my friends. I’m sure they will be benefited from
this web site.