Nesting, With Abby Glassenberg
Monday, July 20, 2009 at 11:31AM Amidst so much to choose from, decorating and registering can become overwhelming. To sort things out a bit, our new Monday series invites happy nesters to share insight about the gifts that have helped make their homes welcoming and functional.
This week's guest is the very admirable Abby Glassenberg. Her work as an artist is beautiful, and her path in life is inspiring to me.
She grew up in Maryland and went to Hopkins, then participated in Teach for America and earned her graduate degree from Harvard. After teaching for a few years, Abby became a mother to two gorgeous little girls, but I would hardly say she has settled down.
In fact, during the moments she can grasp while her daughters are asleep, she is hard at work on her newest endeavor: soft sculpture of
of owls, larks, swans and other interesting birds. Abby thoughtfully pens her journey of motherhood and artistry on her appropriately-titled blog, While She Naps.
Recently, Abby was kind enough to share a bit about her well-feathered nest:
What is the most loved housewarming or wedding gift you have ever received?
"We have a Dansk Jens Quistgaard teak ice bucket that we really love," says Abby, adding that it looks like this. "Every time we use it we admire it. We collect mid-century modern furniture and home decor so it is just perfect for us."
What is the most loved housewarming or wedding gift you have ever given?
"Last year I gave my brother and his wife a Cotton Monster by Jennifer Strunge. Cotton Monsters are just so fun and crazy to look at. The whole family can play with it and be silly with it and enjoy it together, plus it is a piece of original plush art and I love plush art!"
What is the most useful housewarming or wedding gift you have ever received?
"My parents gave us the George Nakashima rocking chair that they bought directly from Nakashima many years ago when they visited his workshop in New Hope, PA. I was rocked on that rocker as a baby and it is still so simple and beautiful," shares Abby, noting that hers is similar to the one pictured here. "Now it is in our family room and I rock my children on it every day to comfort them and just to snuggle. We love it."
What is your favorite home item that you purchased or found for yourself?
"We collect artwork and every year we buy a new piece or two, either at open studios around the Boston area or at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts holiday sale. My husband, Charlie, and I love to look at art together, especially art made by emerging local artists. The artwork hanging on our walls is a daily source of joy and inspiration for us and I know we will enjoy the thrill of collecting together for the rest of our lives."
What is your favorite little treat {a certain type of flower, hand soaps, towels, sheets} especially for houseguests?
Abby simply places fresh flowers from her garden in a pretty vase in the guest bathroom. "To me," she explains, "it shows them that I was thinking of them and anticipating their visit. It is free and easy to do and it looks pretty."
What dishware do you use on a daily basis?
"All of our dishware is white. White goes with anything and it can be fancy or casual. It is easy to replace if something breaks. Currently our plates are a mix of Target and Crate & Barrel. I also think white dishware makes food look appetizing."
Have you ever registered for china or entertaining tableware {or invested in some for yourself}?
"Yes, for our wedding we registered for china, crystal and silver. Our china is a very simple, modern Wedgwood Sterling pattern - white with a silver edge."
What is your next dream or goal for your nest?
"We are currently transforming our formal living room, which we never used, into a home office. So far we've bought an incredible teak dining table that we are using as a desk, along with a teak stereo cabinet and lingerie chest that we've tucked under the table to store office supplies. Now we need a carpet and some shelving and maybe French doors. The computer has moved downstairs which makes blogging and updating my Etsy shop much easier, especially with a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old to look after."
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If you'd like to follow along with Abby's life and work (she is in the process of publishing a book full of her designs and project templates!), you can visit her blog or Twitter feed. And if you simply must have a small piece of Abby's talent for your own, you can shop her work on Etsy or visit her Web site for other stockists and a complete portfolio.
It's so interesting to learn a bit about the homes of such wonderfully smart and talented women as Abby & Blair. More stylish and thoughtful home makers are coming up in the series, and I hope you will continue to join me here for Nesting.
Reader Comments (1)
I just popped over to Abby's gorgeous Esty store! Such fabulous and unique work!