The Air Plant Proposal

Once in a while, I get a story from a customer at toHOLD that just makes me smile.  This story from Cristi of mydogsteeth.com of a marriage proposal via a lonely little air plant she called “Chuck” did just that! Here’s what she wrote:

Chris and I were coming up on year 5 of our relationship and I knew that he was “the one” or as I like to call him “my person”. I couldn’t imagine living with my life without him so I was more than ready for him to put a ring on it! After enough joking around that I was going to have a little too much fun in Mexico unless he was decent and asked for my hand in marriage I was surprised (and totally over the moon) when he asked me Dec 31st, 2010. 

He knew how much I loved designs with air plants, and I [found] a local florist that sold gorgeous and simple air plants and I rushed down to snag one for my boss for Christmas. Chris came with me and enjoyed the flower studio as much as me…he also noticed how much attention I gave to the little “Chuck” air plant because it looked so sad. I joked that after the holidays I was going to go back and get it. 

Little did I know that he snagged it the following week and put Chuck away and hoped to God it wouldn’t die in the dark for over a week while I was away for Christmas break. 

We plan to give Air Plants away as gifts at our wedding because we feel it’s such a fun and appropriate gift!

And toHOLD can’t wait to send them to Cristi, Chris and Chuck for the big day!  Cristi is planning on tying air plants on a cream painted old tree like decorations and while everyone leaves the reception they can grab one.  Great idea!  We hope Chuck gets a place of special honor amongst the toHOLD little guys for the big day!  Thanks for the story, Cristi!!

toHOLD Creator Kara Bartelt in Design Exhibition

toHOLD creator Kara Bartelt shows two pieces in Chicago 360SEE Gallery in Chicago

Kara Bartelt has two pieces included in the annual design exhibition, ‘on the wall & on the floor [2]” at 360SEE Gallery in Chicago.

All of the pieces on display in some way embrace the sustainably-minded media-choice philosophy of the gallery showing works constructed with reclaimed, repurposed, responsibly sourced, and even living materials. Each artist and designer participating has created a free standing or table top piece and a piece for the wall.

Current Lamp

Architect and designer Kara Bartelt creates design objects incorporating living air plants into her pieces. Bartelt is exhibiting both a functional lamp, Current Lamp, and decorative wall piece, the Barque Series, with living air plant elements. The Current Lamp is a response to her widely acclaimed Live Lamp that was created for Bartelt’s decor line, toHOLD, in the spring of 2010.  Current Lamp is only available at 360SEE.

The show, on the wall & on the floor [2], opens Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 with a reception from 7-10 pm.  The show runs through October 16th, 2010.

For additional information on 360SEE, ‘on the wall & on the floor [2]‘, any of the artists, or for high resolution images please contact info@360SEEgallery.com or 773.698.6340. You can also visit the new work in the exhibition online.

Remembering Grandpa Ralph

Got the news today that my Grandpa Ralph is not expected to make it much longer. Unsettling news of course, so I’m headed home to see him one more time and spend time with family as we celebrate and memorialize this wonderful man.  He is a rock in our family.  Always predictable – someone who never, ever sent a birthday card late. Always called on our birthdays too and always described the  the weather in his letters. He takes such pride in his small family.  It’s just us.  And he’s all we have too.

A few weeks ago we visited home and I got to see him a few more times in the hospital and then nursing home.  On the way to one such visit, we stopped at his house to pick up his clothes for what we thought would be a brief stay in rehab.  His home is a small 60s home in small town Iowa. He has lived there for 50 years.  It was the home my mother lived in, was wooed by my father in, and spent the last night in before they were married.  Since divorcing my grandmother in 1970, my grandfather has lived there alone.

I’ve loved the home for a long time.  Not for any other reason than it is almost unchanged in my entire memory. Silent and frozen in time, but still very much my Grandpa Ralph.  It feels like an old home movie, with the familiar furniture from photos of me growing up.  On every wall and corner are relics of memories of my Grandfather throughout. The mind puzzles he was so good at in a cubby on the wall, his beloved third bedroom turned woodshop that looks just like the day many years ago when he decided he was to frail to woodwork anymore. The home’s original refrigerator, my mom’s first ever fridge, still sits in the same place it has for decades – long replaced by a newer one across the room. His bedroom, now with gear to accommodate his aging body, is the most changed place in the house in the last five years – and that is only because he had to.

I’ll miss my Grandfather and I’ll miss visiting him there very soon. Somehow sensing that a silence there was about to be broken, I took quick photos of his home with my phone.  Nothing’s too precious, but it’s all beautiful.  It’s how I will remember him once it’s all gone.

Live Lamp and Mirror Mirror debut at deLaB’s City Listening II

This Saturday, June 26th toHOLD is excited to be participating in the Dwell on Design sponsored event by deLaB, City Listening II: Stories About Los Angeles!  toHOLD contributed two botanical sculptures for the silent auction and must confess – I’m pretty excited about how they turned out.

Live Lamp is a nest of eighty live Fuschii v Gracillis tillandsia air plants.  Illuminated by a CFL grow lamp, these epiphytic plants survive with no dirt – just UV, air and a little moisture.  Remove the dome and run the plants under water or mist liberally once a week.

The second piece (pictures to be posted soon!), Mirror Mirror is a decadent collection of seven different varieties of live tillandsia air plants which frame a plate glass mirror.  Perfect for a shady outdoor patio, the array of plants gives off subtle pink, tan and purple hues year round.  Water the plants by misting or spraying with a garden hose once a week and enjoy a piece that shows your beauty doesn’t need much to flourish.

City Listening II will be an evening of free expression and generous libation in celebration of LA’s design culture at large. Featuring stories about LA read by some of the city’s leading design writers and most notable characters: Nick Adams, KCRW’s Frances Anderton, Ken Bernstein, The City of West Hollywood’s urban designer John Chase, Zach Frechette of GOOD, LA Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne, Brooke Hodge from NYT’s The Moment, Rico Gagliano and Brendan Newnam of Dinner Party Download, Marissa Gluck, LA Creek Freak Joe Linton, Architect’s Newspaper editor Sam Lubell, Tom Marble, Chris Nichols from Los Angeles Magazine, Tibby Rothman of LA Weekly, Alissa Walker, and letters to LA by students from 826LA.

Come on down – tickets still available for the event!

Summertime Secret Sale!

So summer’s finally here, the weather’s warm…and toHOLD is taking off for a little vacation in early July!  The shop will be closed from 6/30 to 7/9 while we’re sunning ourselves (plants included) and getting a little R/R but before we go I thought we’d have a little SALE!  (OK, really I’m scared our house sitter will freak out when she sees the 200+ plants that need a little TLC once while she’s here….) We have a LOT of plants!!

So for my facebook and blog followers, just make a purchase at http://www.toHOLD.etsy.com before noon PST on 6/29 and put “SECRET SALE” in the notes to seller, pay for your purchase on PayPal and I’ll refund 10% of your order back to you within 24 hours!!  It’s that easy peasy to own a few air plants of your very own.  This also applies to GIFT ORDERS – get something for your own house sitter this summer.  I know I will be…!  Thanks all and happy solstice!

Man Cave decor makes the Etsy Front Page – see it via The Vault on Craft Cult

View an Etsy Front Page Treasury List – The Vault on Craft Cult.

Fifth Floor is now carrying toHOLD products

toHOLD is happy to announce that our products are now available at Fifth Floor!  If you haven’t been there, you really should check it out…it’s a design store and gallery curated by Robert Apodaca.  It has amazing design finds that are great gifts for anyone on your list – or I’m sure you’ll find something amazing for yourself.  (I know I did!)

They have rotating exhibitions – right now is the LA Box Collective with their beautiful modern eco-furniture – and throw great openings at the Chinatown Art Walk!  Stop in and say hello – and look for the toHOLD products!

In a store near you…

toHOLD is happy to announce that custom terrariums and Suction Succulents are now available at the coolest store/salon/gallery in Silver Lake, The Hive!  After checking us out at the Silver Lake Jubilee, they came a knocking… Not only are they known for their great styling services, (owner/stylist, Lissa Renn, was described as the “Best of LA” by Los Angeles Magazine!) but they feature unique local items like cool feather hair pieces by Ramona Kama, the Davines essentials line, and now to(HOLD) is in their beautiful storefront at Micheltorena and Sunset Boulevard.  Great magazines, comfy chairs, a great view…I could stay there forever.  So check them out and stop by for some to(HOLD) – no S/H!

to(HOLD)’s eavesdropping at Secret Agent PR

So it’s no mystery that the women of De LaB are my favorite design gals in town. Not only are they supporters of Lettuce and to(HOLD), but they are friends and wonderful to know for their design sensibilities and excellent taste!  Plus they can throw a great party, but that’s another post…

So Haily Zaki, one of the founders of De LaB and owner of Secret Agent PR, recently redesigned the Agency’s office in Mt. Washington.  Perched on a hill with amazing views, she wanted to bring a little of the indoors into her office without bringing in a potted plant that the office mascot, Brutus, might find delectable. So what did she add?  Just two awesome arrangements from to(HOLD) at each of her office stations!

Haily arranged the little guys on a great clutter saving device and hung them amidst some beautiful winding shelving designed by designer, Eddie Park.  We’re so happy that the little guys from to(HOLD) are in such good company!

p.s. Check out De LaB’s upcoming event in LA that’s part of Dwell on Design on June 25 & 26th.  to(HOLD) will be making air plant awesomeness for the silent auction.  Get tickets quick, prices go up after 6/10!

Giveaway Week has Begun…

Get out the BBQs and celebrate.  No, it’s not for the holiday it’s for to(HOLD)’s first air plant giveaway.  It’ll be your choice of a Suction Succulent – the low-no maintenance way to GREEN up your home.

Details at to(HOLD)’s facebook page.  All the action is over there for this…

Have a good weekend, travel safely if you do, and sign up for the giveaway before you leave!