Duende - a Vardo Eatery

Artist and creative mind Jennifer Mata and her husband Kenneth (aka Thorne) are at the tail end of creating a wonderful thing--a gypsy Vardo wagon created to share the experience of food and joy in Portland, Oregon. I asked her a few questions.

- You are building a beautiful example of a gypsy Vardo or wagon. What first attracted you to the idea of having your own version of these moveable works of art?

My husband and I have both always found gypsy wagons--and the gypsy aesthetic--very beautiful. What a wonderful idea-- this exquisite little home that you can roam in! I remember watching a special on the gypsies and their wagons some years ago--it showed the inside of many of them and they were absolutely incredible. It was inevitable, I suppose, that we would eventually try our hand at creating one ourselves.

- What is the intended purpose of your wagon? Do you plan to take it to festivals or events?

We are using our wagon not to live in, but as a restaurant, or "food cart" (Those readers who live where we are located --Portland, Oregon-- know what a big thing the food carts have become here.) This is a long-awaited dream of sorts for us. For many, many years, we have enjoyed having our close friends over for dinners--- food, wine,family, music, good conversation and great friends are the central theme of these evenings ( In truth, we have them even when we do not have friends over, our evening meal is always the highlight of our day.)
It has been suggested for a long time, by just about everyone we know, that we should bring this to another level and open a restaurant. So, now we are! We will be serving regional dishes of Spain and some authentic gypsy recipes as well.

Along side our wagon will be a covered,candle and lantern-lit seating area reminiscent of a moroccan tent with pillows for sitting on and beautiful hangings. I will have a corner of the tent where we will be offering select handmade goods, duende dolls, some jewelry, hand-dyed scarves and wraps.

The emphasis of this endeavor is romance.

Our hope is to create a special, magical environment where people can come together and enjoy the simple things--being with friends and people they love, and enjoying great food in a beautiful atmosphere. A place that brings people together and reminds them that there is still much beauty in the world.

As far as festivals or events--perhaps in the future. For right now we will be located in one spot, on the corner of Hawthorne and 32nd Ave. in Portland,Oregon.

- What all was involved in the making of the vardo? Who did the woodwork and building, the decorating, etc? Where did you find your gorgeous gypsy-esque decorating details for the wagon?

Believe it or not, we purchased it as a plain white trailer. My husband-who is incredible at creating gorgeous environments-- is responsible for the essential design. We have also creatively brainstormed ideas together. and several people skilled in carpentry and woodworking have helped us bring all this to reality.

The decor has been picked up here and there over the years, and just happens to work perfectly. As with so much involved in this project, we find things are just naturally falling into place.

- I see a few pictures of Brian Froud faeries in your album of Duende images. Is this related to the name of your wagon? Can you tell us a little about that?

The Froud images-- like many of the images in the album that are not of our actual cart or items in the cart--are there mainly for inspiration (the Frouds are endlessly inspiring to me and to give an idea of the overall feel we are after. A duende, for people who are not familiar with the word, is a fairy-type creature, so these images are fitting in respect to that.

- The outside of your wagon is not yet painted (from the pictures I've seen). Gypsy wagons are known for their phenomenally vivid colors and patterns. What do you plan to do on yours?

Many of the very elaborately colorful vardos that come to mind when people think of the word are actually eastern european (Rom) in origin--our wagon is a Spanish gypsy wagon, and so we will be using the colors most associated with Spain-- sunflower yellow, with scarlet and charcoal or deep blue accents. When it is finished we will be posting photos in the album on our Duende page on Facebook.


This is also where we will be posting all updates regarding our Grand Opening. Hope to see you all there!

For more information on the meaning of the word 'Duende" you can go here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duende_(art) and here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duende_(mythology)

Now for pictures of the cozy wagon!

Bryony's House in the Pennines

I can't stand it a day longer! I've been sitting on this particular Domythic post for a little over a week now, waiting to share it until the Global posts were done. Now it seems as if a few of those posts are going to be indefinitely delayed while I do more research (and have the time to do the more research) and I simply cannot wait any longer to share with you the home of Bryony Whistlecraft and her husband and son. Bryony is the creator of Woodland Wild, and contributor to FAE magazine. (Bryony is also the creative mind who came up with the name for Domythic Bliss!!) Her husband, Bruce, aka Doktor A, is also a talented artist known for his sculptures and Victorian Retro-Futurist robots. Families don't get much more creative than theirs, and it shows in their amazing home! I asked Bryony a few questions about her house. Visual droolage to follow after the interview...

You describe your home as being "a cottage at the foot of a mountain in the beautiful Yorkshire Pennines, UK." This sounds delightful! Can you tell us more about the location of your home? Do you have any particular walking paths you like to take? How have you encountered magic in your landscape, and how do you try to bring the magic of the landscape into your home?

My home is on the outskirts of a small market town, nestled at the spot where three valleys meet. It is a very 'in-between' place, standing as it does on the border of Yorkshire and Lancashire. From all around you can see nature – steep wooded hills topped with purple speckled heathery moorland, and enigmatic rocky outcrops. There is evidence of human habitation going back to the Bronze Age on the moors, and they still retain a sense of wildness.

We've barely explored a fraction of the walking paths in the 5 years we've lived here, but one of my favourites is the lane which winds its way up the hill behind my house. It takes you through a beech woodland with streams and waterfalls, finally emerging on the moors at the foot of the Orchan Stones, a massive natural rock formation (a place of 'ancient druid worship and sacrifice' if the guide book is to believed, but then aren't they all!).

I recently began exploring the folklore of the area and it turns out to be quite a hotspot of strangeness, including a very famous alien abduction! In fact it is known as 'UFO Valley'. We have our own faery hill, Stoodley Pike, where a door is said to open into the hillside on foggy nights, and there are many reports of lights seen in the sky over it. From our attic window you can see another local landmark, Eagle Crag, which is the haunt of witches and a ghostly white doe and hunter every Halloween. All of this just confirms to me that I have picked the
right spot to settle down!

As for bringing the magic indoors, we keep a seasonal altar in the living room which always has treasures gathered on our walks throughout the year displayed on it, giving us a direct connection to the land.

Does your home have a name?

We've toyed with the idea of a name but nothing has seemed quite right so far, which is quite unusual for me since I like to name everything. I think a name will be revealed once the house is ready.

When you first bought your house, it appears it was definitely not in move-in condition. Please tell us more about how the house was when you found it?

When we first viewed the house we naively thought all it needed was a bit of sprucing up, but on moving in it was quickly apparent that everything needed re-decorating. It had been subjected to a variety of DIY horrors over the last 100 years, and no one had seriously touched it for the past 15 years. The bathroom and kitchen were usable but impractical and rather unattractive, and the vinyl wallpaper used throughout the house had caused damp patches. The living room had a 'feature' fireplace made of reclaimed brick, which was truly hideous and not even attached to the wall properly. Oh, and the first week we moved in the basement flooded.

What drew you to the home and the potential you saw in it?

The location was a major part, whilst waiting for the estate agent we had a little walk around and were immediately drawn to the adjacent woodland and views. Once in the house we were very excited it had a proper hallway (most around here have the front door open straight onto the living room). There were also a few original features surviving, including two fireplaces and a plaster arch in the hallway. Although it is quite a compact house the rooms are of a good size and have nice high ceilings, so you don't feel at all cramped. And very importantly, the kitchen was big enough to accommodate the Gothic dining table we owned!

What changes have you made to the house since you moved in, and what projects are still on your to-do list?

In 5 years every room has been stripped back to the brick and re-plastered, the bathroom and kitchen have been completely redone, we've installed a wood burning stove, replaced windows and doors, replaced the radiators with reproduction cast iron ones, replaced all the light fittings, switches and plug sockets, restored floors, the bedroom fireplace and hallway arch, replaced the modern doors with Victorian ones... There is not a single thing in this house which hasn't been carefully thought about and either restored or replaced. We've even created two new rooms by subdividing the attic and bathroom, meaning we now have space for an art studio and office. When we moved in we had virtually no furniture, so that was also something we needed to acquire.

Thanks to eBay, local antiques shops and salvage yards we've picked up some really stunning pieces including lots of original Arts & Crafts oak furniture. Now all that is left to do is the garden, which has become a little wild since we moved in, and continue filling the nooks and crannies of the house with more treasures. I desperately want a fender seat for the living room, and a vast pair of antlers to go in the kitchen!

Being a wife and a mother, how does your family help in the decoration of your home? What are their favorite parts of the house?

The look of the house is very much a collaboration with my husband. We are both very visual people, with an irresistible compulsion to decorate everything so it fits with our style! Luckily we have quite similar tastes - I veer more towards Arts and Crafts, Pre-Raphaelite, and faerie while he likes Gothic Revival and neo-Victorian, along with modern pop surrealist art. And of course our house is also home to our son, a lively toddler, so we have had to find ways of meeting his needs whilst also having things arranged in an aesthetically pleasing way. We've learned not to be too precious, and that breakables can always be moved out of reach and that you can never have too many toy baskets! The house evolves as time goes on so we can always accommodate Max's current developmental stage and still have a pleasing look.

We all gravitate naturally to the living room, it is definitely the heart and hearth of the house. Most of the playing, reading, making and dreaming that characterises our daily life goes on in that room. Max is also very excited to soon be moving into his own bedroom, so we've had
lots of fun decorating that in a whimsical, faerie inspired way with lots of red spotty mushrooms!

You are also extremely artistic. What are some of your favorite projects you had a hand in that are on display in your home?

Strangely there is not much yet! All our energies have gone into practical projects like building cupboards and shelving. There is a large vintage shop cabinet in the bedroom which houses all of my husband's production toys (he is an artist and toy designer), but most of the artwork throughout the house is by other people. I like to knit and have a long list of projects to do, like blankets and cushions. I'm also half way through a William Morris inspired embroidery which will one day hang in the living room.

What would be your favorite room in your house, if you had to choose a favorite?

The living room, closely followed by the bathroom. The living room is absolutely perfect on a chilly evening when the fire is lit and the lamps are giving off a warm amber glow. It is also where the majority of our books live, and I find it deeply comforting to be surrounded by
books. And the bathroom is just luscious! If bathing can't be a decadent experience I don't know what can!


And now on to the droolworthy visuals. I strongly encourage you to click the pictures to maximum size to see the creative details of this gorgeous home.

We start in the living room, with its warm glow and William Morris curtains & pillows:
Love the creatures under the domes, by Chris Ryniak. And the artworks by Brian Froud and Julia Jeffrey. The shadow box is an 'Evidence of Faery' display Bryony put together, with " elf bolts, a hag stone, a tiny spoon and twigs from an oak, ash and thorn that are growing in my garden."
So many beautiful details...the overhead Art Nouveau lighting, the seasonal mantel display, the statues and books and warm inviting feel...
Bryony's kitchen with her Rangemaster. I love the juice squeezer on the cabinets...it looks like a little robot or alien up there. It is the 'Jucy Salif' design by Phillipe Starck for Alessi.
Her absolutely jaw-dropping kitchen table used to be a church altar. Heading upstairs, be sure to acknowledge the shelf of Cthulhu on your way up.
The bedroom is a perfect place to dream. Love the F.A.O. Schwarz Froudian Goblin, Bimble, on the bed. And of course the bed itself. And the wide-planked wood floors. And the wall art. And the sheer organza curtain. Ok. Everything.
"The mushrooms in the bedroom [on the wall] are real tree plate fungus. They were sliced off and dried out, and a small hole made in the back to hang over a nail."We've already seen a glimpse of the gorgeous wall of Green People (men and women) in a previous post, but here it is in context in the bedroom:Prepare to drop your jaw at this gorgeous bathroom:
"The gentleman's grooming station was made by Bruce using a salvaged Victorian gas light fitting, scrap brass and a plastic picnic bowl from TK Maxx."
We'll end our tour in the attic studio where, if you'll pardon the 'cribbed' phrase, 'the magic happens.' So many little details up here to look at and inspire. Fond farewell from this bewitchingly beautiful home!

Anita's French Castle-Cottage

Today's post is going to be a long one. I'm honored to share with you Rabbit Hill...the home of blogger Anita Rivera from Castles, Crowns & Cottages. I first because friends with Anita a couple of years ago when we started emailing back and forth. Her home immediately blew me away with its fairy tale charm, and I'm thrilled to be able to share it with you today!!


Anita, I believe you are a French teacher? How do the styles and stories of France influence your decorating style?

Yes I am a French teacher! The subtle colors and nuances in my opinion, of French design align with my pursuit of PEACE in my home. In contrast to IMITATION and common elements of décor (plastic, imitation and clutter), I look at how the French have used nature (flowers, wood, metal) to decorate their homes. Cottages of France, whether depicted in fairytales or in the French countryside, always include natural colors from animal life, garden harvest and the earth tones. I have also pulled ideas from the fairytales that include CASTLES. From Chenonceau to Versailles, I enjoy the subtle grays and black and white floors to GAUDY chandeliers. But in my home, I try to use a little bit of every thing within the scale of my home.

What are some of your favorite fairy tales, and how have they influenced your home?

Perrault's Cinderella, by far. I also have a lovely version of Snow White that is illustrated in almost a gothic style, but definitely has marks of French country cottage style. Wooden hearths, copper pots and beams.

What is the name of your house, and how was it named?

Our home is lovingly called Rabbit Hill because it sits on a slope in a Minneapolis neighborhood and because we have A LOT OF WILD RABBITS!

Can you tell us a little bit about what your house was like when you first moved in, and how it has changed since then?

This house has good bones. However, fifteen years ago, the curb appeal was nothing to write home about! It was a simple brick home with gastly white shutters and a storm door that did not enhance the "Chicago brick" of the house. We walked in and immediately saw the potential. Hard wood floors, original wood doors with glass door knobs and a coved ceiling in the kitchen and living room and a LOFT bedroom with wood beams and not to mention the price made the decision easy to make to purchase our first and probably, our only home.

My husband's love for Carmel-by-the-sea cottages and my eye for French detail, he TRANSFORMED this house. It took us 15 years, but we did ALL the work except the recent addition of a great room and a back office/bedroom. He built cedar wood shutters, a gate and two overhangs that are reminiscent of a Carmel cottage or a French cottage.

Do you have a personal space in your house devoted to creation or the creative outlet you prefer? Where is it?

ABSOLUTEMENT! My husband and I used to share the bedroom off to the living room. That was our office. However, now that he has a new office with the new construction, that once tight little office has become an open extension of our living room. Ruben opened up a 6 foot wide door for FRENCH DOORS that lead into my "harp studio" and where I sit and write my blog. I have a French settee and a faux marble fireplace and it is my inspirational spot.

Can you tell us a little bit about the outside of your home? I believe your house has won local landscaping awards. Do you enjoy gardening and working in your yard? What influenced its design?

Again, French design and mostly, the GARDENS OF MARQUEYSSAC in La Dordogne region of France. We have numerous boxwood bushes and we wanted a low maintenance garden that was LUSH. LUSH is the look we were looking for. However, one main motivator to improve our landscape was that Ruben fell many times and twisted his ankle, trying to mow that front hill! Ugly grass as well was another reason to do remedy this situation. We are however, not wealthy or willing to take out a loan to do what many people have done, and that is to have a retaining wall built. After a $15,000.00 estimate for such a wall was given to us, our problem-solving skills kicked in! We took on one side of the hill one year and took on the other side the following year and killed the grass and planted evergreens ourselves. Ruben built a small retaining wall on the bottom, near the sidewalk, to catch any mulch. This garden wins awards from the City of Minneapolis every year since. It has gotten to the point where I have nowhere to put our awards!


Are you ready for this? Here it is...Rabbit Hill!



A transitional shot of the front yard before the landscaping:

Anita's husband made the archway above the door, the shutters, and most everything you see on the outside of the house.
It's beautiful, isn't it? But it's even easier to appreciate it when you see this "before" picture:

Ready for another? Anita's back yard before:


And after:



Now let's head inside:


Here's a feature I especially like in Anita's front room. Her flat screen TV is mounted to the wall and hidden behind this "theater" curtain. The electronics are in the cabinet below:


Every view is just gorgeous!




Now let's transition to the dining room:


And on to the kitchen:




Look at the prisms on the ceiling!


Beautiful bathrooms:


Here's the one project/addition to the house that wasn't DIY....a recent addition of an office space.


I love the words on the archway:



Heading upstairs:



And Anita's cozy bedroom under the eaves: