KATIE D.I.D. BLOG

Last Weekend, Tim and I had a weekend away in Mendocino. It was such a great weekend, full of inspiration and relaxation....and lots of delicious food (more on that later!) One of the things I love to do is look at the shops that line the oh-so-charming streets of this small coastal town. Sadly, it seems that the economy has affected this town no less than any other. Some of my favorites were no longer to be found, and the store fronts were empty with no newcomers.

HOWEVER!! I did find one newcomer who has just opened a jewel box of a shop! It is actually so much like a jewel box, I was charmed from head to toe. Erin Keller, the proprietress in residence, took a small storage shed from an adjacent property and transformed it into the most delightful and welcoming little shop one could imagine. Erin has created magic here.....truly. She has been able to fit all sorts of delicious things into a very tiny space.

Erin is a wanderlust who has traveled the world collecting textiles and rugs which she has brought back to Mendocino, where she has made pillows of every shape and color, tablecloths and napkins, spreads from Ikats and Suzanis, bead work from Afghanistan, rugs from Syria, and Ikats from Uzbekistan.

She has such an amazing collection, I was sort of shocked into a Mendocino fog. I was so caught up in all of the goodies and finding out from Erin where she found everything, I forgot to ask the most critical questions! How much, and can I get them for clients after I get home?! Never fear, I will be calling her this week.

Erin was just as charming as her shop. Petite and so pretty, Erin took time to chat with me about her shop, her passion for travel and her experience with decorating her own home and those of her friends. She also had her rescue pup with her, and I have never seen a cuter, more cuddly Chihuahua....

Erin not only makes the beautiful pillows, but she also creates these artful arrangements of birds and bits of nature under glass.....

I just loved how Erin was able to fit so much into this tiny space. She had metal shelves, bench and table to fit perfectly into this tiny building which she also renovated herself. I loved all of the moldings and especially the barrel vaulted ceiling. And it was a perfect fit for her rug from Syria....

It is off season now in Mendocino, but I assure you, I will be making a plan to get up there as soon as possible to visit Erin again and bring home some jewels from her jewel box of a shop.