Guess What?! 3 Piece is featured on Hip Hop Muse

Here is the link: http://hiphopmuse.com/2010/06/28/inspiring-home-decor-by-3pieceonline-com/ . Toi makes my products so great I clicked the link wanting to buy something. lol.

j

Visual and Written Inspiration June 28th 2010

photo taken by Jacquelyn Roberts


"I hope you will go out and let stories happen to you, and that you will work them, water them with your blood and tears and you laughter till they bloom, till you yourself burst into bloom".
Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Playing in the Shop: Jill Scott "The Real Thing" Live

You Inspire Me: Frida Kahlo

photo taken/altered by j


"I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality".
Frida Kahlo

"I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best".
Frida Kahlo

"Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?"
Frida Kahlo


Frida Kahlo inspires me to no end. Whenever I feel that one person should not have all of this on their shoulders she is one of the sheroes I turn to to guide and give me strength. What really grabs me and propels me forward about the stories of her life was that even though she was strong she knew how to be pliable, even though she was physically broken into pieces she put those pieces together to create her own beautiful and most importantly she LIVED. That to me is the mark of a life well lived. Part of her bio is below but for more click here and here.
Frida Kahlo (1907-1954), Mexican Painter.

From 1926 until her death, the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo created striking, often shocking, images that reflected her turbulent life. Kahlo was one of four daughters born to a Hungarian-Jewish father and a mother of Spanish and Mexican Indian descent, in the Mexico City suburb of Coyoacán.

She did not originally plan to become an artist. A polio survivor, at 15 Kahlo entered the premedical program at the National Preparatory School in Mexico City. However, this training ended three years later when Kahlo was gravely hurt in a bus accident. She spent over a year in bed, recovering from fractures of her back, collarbone, and ribs, as well as a shattered pelvis and shoulder and foot injuries. Despite more than 30 subsequent operations, Kahlo spent the rest of her life in constant pain, finally succumbing to related complications at age 47.

During her convalescence Kahlo had begun to paint with oils. Her pictures, mostly self-portraits and still lifes, were deliberately naive, filled with the bright colors and flattened forms of the Mexican folk art she loved. At 21, Kahlo fell in love with the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, whose approach to art and politics suited her own. Although he was 20 years her senior, they were married in 1929; this stormy, passionate relationship survived infidelities, the pressures of Rivera's career, a divorce and remarriage, and Kahlo's poor health. The couple traveled to the United States and France, where Kahlo met luminaries from the worlds of art and politics; she had her first solo exhibition at the Julien Levy Gallery in New York City in 1938. Kahlo enjoyed considerable success during the 1940s, but her reputation soared posthumously, beginning in the 1980s with the publication of numerous books about her work by feminist art historians and others. In the last two decades an explosion of Kahlo-inspired films, plays, calendars, and jewelry has transformed the artist into a veritable cult figure.

Visual and Written Inspiration June 25th 2010

photo taken/altered by j


I want to exhaust all of the possibilities

j

Playing in the Shop: The Roots "How I Got Over" Live

Yeah the next time they are anywhere near the ATL I am there. Their new album How I Got Over is absolutely one of the best hip-hop albums I have ever purchased. I mean Wow!

j

Dining Room 3 Piece Style...

Dining Room 3 Piece Style


Craftwork 101: The Barber Coaster (new in the 3 Piece Shop) $10.00

Sweet Potato Print by Cedric Smith $125.00

Handcrafted Walnut and Copper Dining Table by Jesse Dirk $550.00

Custom Maple and Cherry chairs by Ruppel Design $525.00

Some of the items above especially that walnut dining room table really get my motor running. I have had my eye on the print by Cedric Smith for over a year now and those chairs boy oh boy all I can say is I am a chair freak.

Visual and Written Inspiration June 23rd 2010

Totally biting Brandie and posting my own cloud of words. I love it!


In the word cloud is this inspirational quote for today:

"May your light become a living universal light"
from my Yogi Peach Roobios tea bag

Playing in the Shop: Lucy Pearl "Dance Tonight"

I had such high hopes for this group, I'll never understand what happens when they self-destruct.

Summer 2010 is rocking and rolling...

all photos by j

Above is a collage of some of the activities I have participated in this summer and we are only on the first day whew. I have been to 2 cookouts, 1 of which was my maternal family and the other a Soul in the park affair that had me dancing for 4 hours straight. The next big thing was I Jacquelyn Roberts took a ROAD TRIP to Birmingham Alabama to visit the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. I went on this great adventure with two of the best road warriors around Stephanie and Zipporah. We keekee'd all the way there and back and almost gave several nice southern ladies in Birmingham an old fashion heart attack because WE COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES. I really wish they allowed pictures inside the institute but I do not think pictures can capture the absolute mind blowing experience that I had. This institute is a true multi-media experience with a multi-layered cultural story being told. Between the artwork, artifacts and actual stories it just surrounds you with the history and reminds you of the massive sacrifices that were made to allow our generation to enjoy the many privileges we currently take for granted. As we were entering the gift store after the experience we met a young lady from Canada who complimented my friend Stephanie on her short natural she stated that this was her first visit to the Southeast and she was there for a family reunion so I remarked "Oh one of your ancestors made it" and her reply "Yes". Beautiful experience.

Zipporah, Stephanie and I then became ladies who lunch at the Surin Thai restaurant in downtown Birmingham. It was just what I needed because I have been in Creation ever since I returned. I have 10 products making their debut this week in the shop, so I told Boy Wonder I needed that trip to recharge my batteries. By the way this was my first road trip without kids in over 9 years I feel my wings growing a little.

Hope you are having a grand time this summer too.

j

Visual and Written Inspiration June 21st 2010

photo taken/altered by j


“Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think.”
Horace quotes (Ancient Roman Poet. 65 BC-8 BC)

Playing in the Shop: Outkast "Hey Ya"

If I could land anywhere in the world right now...Charleston

I would love to land in Charleston South Carolina. Not only do I have a very good friend who lives there and has asked repeatedly that I visit I have also heard that Charleston is a southern foodie mecca which is right up my alley. So if I were to land there I would love to stay here:



The Indigo Inn


I would love to eat here:

Fig because John Kessler wrote about it in the AJC and he pretty much rocks.

and I would love to go on this walking tour and visit this museum:


since my primary reason for traveling is to learn the history of the land and engage with the current generations thriving now.

Charleston you are officially on my to do list.

j

Visual and Written Inspiration June 16th 2010

photo of my Maternal Grandparents/altered by j


"Love is in the details." My maternal grandparents were married 54 years before my grandfather Bo passed away. Two years before he passed he had a stroke which lead to dementia but all you had to do was ask about his beloved Ola the story would almost tell itself. He would always recount the story of how he drove around for 2 hours nervous because he wanted to propose and he didn't know if she would have him. After he passed to honor him I created the candle scent Beaux it smells like lemon poundcake frosting because he loved lemon poundcake.

j

Playing in the Shop: Prince - I Would Die 4 U (live in Atlanta)

Eclectic 3 Piece Style June 15th 2010

Oak Jigsaw Puzzle End Table $40.00
Leather Love Seat $500 (for sofa and loveseat)
Denim and Cork pillows $48.00
Recycled Fire Extinguisher Lamp $275.00
Ibiza Coral Lampshade $41.00
Desertland Multi-Color wool rug $638.99
2 ounce Incidentals votives $5.00

So I decided to start doing posts that feature items that I would actually purchase to create the looks I love for homes.

Visual and Written Inspiration June 15th 2010

photo taken/altered by j

Be Content with what you have;rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking,the whole world belongs to you. Lao Tzu

Playing in the Shop: Prince - D.M.S.R Live at Much Music 2004

Playing in the Shop: Prince "Purple Rain"

This week is my tribute to Prince Rogers Nelson. I cannot believe I did not do any posts on his actual birthday. He changed my childhood. I remember being seven years old and one of my Aunts had the poster of him when he first came out with the Prince self titled cd and he had long hair. I would kiss that poster every night before I went to bed. When I was in 6th grade I remember another of my Aunts buying me tickets to go to his concert at the Fox theatre he had a bed in the middle of the stage, after that you might as well had branded me with a great big F on my arm. But the defining moment was when Purple Rain was released I saw it the first screening and at least 100 times after that. I owned every album he ever released I even met one of my boyfriends at his Under the Cherry Moon screening. I realize now that he had a profound influence on me loving Genius minds. I also loooove the fact that he is 52 years old and can still put most of the performers today under the table even with hip surgery.


I love him that is all.

j

Playing in the Shop: Prince and Lenny Kravitz"Fly Away" Live

Playing in the Shop: Prince - My Name Is Prince The Arsenio Hall Show

Friends with yourself...

The quote below was on my tea tag yesterday and I knew when I read it I would have to post it. I have been thinking a lot about Child Genius leaving and how much I am going to miss her because she is the only person on this Earth that knows me as well as I know myself. As I have thought about this for weeks I had an epiphany yesterday while steeping my tea.

Wait! I know myself better than anyone else on this Earth because I am my own best friend. Woohoo! It changed my mind yesterday when I came to this realization not that I had been moping around because C.G. is leaving I had been just a tad melancholy but also excited for her if that makes any sense. I want her to fly free and become her own best friend without it taking her 20 years to get there like it took me. So as I thought about how well I know myself and how I have forgiven myself for the idiotic choices I have made over the years I started to swell with proud about my accomplishments too.

I LOVE ME and when I say that I don't mean it in some oooh I'm the best thang that was ever made too self-absorbed to see the rest of the world way. I mean it in a way sort of like a breath of fresh air, I love the way my mind works, the way I word associate and can never have a 5 minute conversation with anyone. I always say to my kids to live as though you would choose yourself as a friend. I would choose myself as my own friend hell I have chosen myself as my own best friend. I read a book years ago (can't recall the name) where it talked about being present in all of your moments and I think that is the best advice ever. I started by being present in tying my daughter's shoes, being present in cooking dinner, I have learned to not allow my mind to drift and focus on anything other than what I am doing at this moment. So because I have been present in my moments I have also been present with myself perfect in all my imperfections.

So that is all I have and as you can tell with this post touched off by a tea tag I am okay with rambling.

j

Visual and Written Inspiration June 13th 2010

photo taken/altered by j


"Unite with your own higher self and create a friendship".

Taken from my Yogi Peach Roobios tea bag

Playing in the Shop: David Bowie Let's Dance (live)

I looooove David Bowie and this song was at the end of the King Britt so now I have been transported back to the 80's.

j

True Hip-Hop Stories: Kwame

I loved Kwame when I was in high school. Well it is well documented here that I loved hip-hop in high school but when his music came out I just loved his style too.

j

Drop Dead Diva (my obsession)

This is the trailer from Season 1 but the all of it once again is on Hulu. Oh yeah the entire series is filmed about 45 minutes from here.

TedTalks: David Byrne

Do you Hulu?

I don't watch t.v. at all especially since I haven't had cable in two years however I have recently discovered Hulu and I think I may be addicted to it, really. One night last week I was up until 2 am watching the entire first season of Drop Dead Diva I looooove that series. Now I've moved onto The Office starting at the beginning which I had never watched previously. My Que currently contains over 60 items including the entire line up of Charlie Rose interviews I am beside myself.

Hulu is awesome that is all.

j

Visual and Written Inspiration June 11th 2010

photo by j/altered by j


“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.”

Albert Einstein

Playing in the Shop: King Britt Long Live Love Mix

KING BRITT VALENTINES DAY MIX

King Britt's FiveSixMixes

New chapters and living the dream...

So I know I've been very sporadic this year but I am working on changing that. You see Child Genius graduated from High School in May and with that came SAT, College Applications, College acceptance/rejection letters, and decisions decisions decisions. So she decided on a small all girls college located in Virginia and I am very happy for her. However as the day draws closer that my oldest child and longest relationship leaves the nest I take a much closer look at my life.

I have made great strides over the past 365 days regarding various lists I keep around my abode. As a matter of fact on every list (5) I have done all but one thing which I am working on now. So it's time for a new set of lists of things I want to accomplish and habits I would like to work on changing. There are some flaws of mine that just are what they are and I refuse to waste any more time beating myself up about it, or as Child Genius likes to remind me I am perfect in all my imperfections. With that said there are some things I really want to do in this life that I live one of which is travel more and with Child Genius going to Virginia for college that is just the kick in the pants I needed to start planning these great road trips not to just visit her but to see the lay of the land. I also am fine tuning the new product offerings from 3 Piece but I don't want to reveal too much too soon (guilty of that for many years).

So I am working on more frequent posts as well as frequently traveling with Boy Wonder as my companion.

I am living my Dream...

j

Visual and Written Inspiration June 10th 2010

photo by j/digitally altered by j


"The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can dream of things that never were."
John F. Kennedy

Playing in the Shop: D.J. Doc and Jodine's Spasmodic Movements #10

SPASMODIC MOVEMENTS RADIO-Episode 10

DJ DOC's and JODINE'S Podcast