week 68 - we're inspired...

we are all inspired by something...perhaps you are inspired by a sunny day, or maybe a favorite fashion catalogue you get in the mail? well, we have realized that mesh is not only inspired by travel and window shopping...we are also inspired by countless other things! mesh is going to start sharing everything we are inspired by. please don't hesitate to chime in on our blogs, posts, etc... as we want to know what inspires you too!

this week our inspiration is a medium for creative displays that most people have in some shape or form within their home....bookshelves! the possibilities of a basic bookshelf are endless. there are color combinations and textural variations that you can't help but get inspired by. whether it carries a collection of books or timeless treasures you have collected over the years, it is difficult to ignore a filled bookshelf. i always gravitate towards visuals of bookshelves. i have a bookshelf image hanging just over my laptop at work that i must have ripped out of a magazine during my first week in my workstation 6 years ago...and somehow the image is still relevant. i love the photo of some stranger's living room bookshelves, and the worldly decor that they exhibit.

i have one small bookshelf in my living room that is forever evolving. sherry has a favorite bookshelf that can be found at design within reach. where would we find your favorite

bookshelf?!

keep the inspiration coming!

on the table | new one of a kind creations for our mia sorella delivery next week!

week 57 through 67 - on-line shopping

we're back and we've been busy!!! for years now people have been asking ‘do you sell mesh on line?’ well, until today our answer has been ‘no.’ it would sound more convincing if we were trying to make some artistic statement or something by not being on line. but, the bigger reason is we hadn’t found something as simple as store envy! really effortless and free for mesh to use! perfect combination!

drum roll, please . . .

hope you enjoy our new store! we’ll be updating you with new products and updates via facebook. so, join our page if you aren’t already following us.

-mesh

on the table packaging for our first online order!!!

week 56 - asian excursion

well mesh fans…it’s been a while since you heard from us and we apologize for that! but we have a good reason! other than the typical summer schedules, our lives took a bit of a turn with an impromptu trip to shanghai and hong kong in may. it wasn’t all sun and fun…there was work to be done…but i will admit there was a fair share of shopping. and when i say fair share, i might mean
daily.

as you know from previous blog posts, melissa has been traveling back and forth to shanghai for work. and when she invited me along this time I didn’t hesitate to be her designated body guard for 8 days. i’ve always wanted to go to china!...and it just so happened to be my birthday while we were there! so i jumped at the chance.

i must say the style of the chinese ladies was quite inspiring. the mix of patterns worn in one outfit are unexpected, to say the least. striped shirt with polka-dot skirt and mis-matched shoes is the norm. they know good taste for sure . . . as most duds are partnered with a high-end bag. gwen stefani is right on target with the styles displayed on her japanese inspired harajuka girls' perfume bottles.

so, nevermind the larger than life skyscrapers, roof-top infinity pool, and disastrous flight home (future blog entry perhaps). the big question is ‘did you bring back mesh goods’? of course! we are pretty pumped about the scarves we purchased. great color combinations and textures . . . and a different size than we’ve ever had. you can even get creative and wear some of these as a top.

we also bartered for beads . . . just enough to make some new mesh delights! our first mesh night back post-jet lag is tonight! we’ll be launching all these sensations from the orient at nici’s homeshow in less than 2 weeks!

-sherry

on the table #1 Chop Suey from across the street.

weeks 53 through 55 - r & d

i started this blog 3 weeks ago...before leaving for my spring break getaway...and i was apparently lacking inspiration...

'on this rainy evening in chicago, i am sitting in my sister's living room brainstorming blog topics with my dad - after the quick intro i gave him on what a 'blog' is...and then a brief seinfeld rant that he went into about one of peterman's urban sombrero blogs - we have now established that this week's blog will be on mesh's r&d...research and development that is

after further brainstorming while visiting the island of vieques off of puerto rico - where wild horses roam and white sand beaches flow seamlessly into crystal clear water - i realized that mesh is in constant r&d mode. we are always thinking of a bigger and better ideas, and while we have many dreams for mesh and our growing inventory of 'must haves', we have to pace ourselves.

so...now that i have lived through an inspired vacation filled with vibrant color schemes, bold textural combinations, and SUNSHINE; this week's mesh production night is sure to be flooded with new ideas, concepts, and strategies on how to retain our momentum and energy through 2011!

it is amazing what a simple plane ride, and a few days of reading design magazines while basking in the sun, really does to rejuvinate the creative soul. stay tuned for new and exciting mesh endeavours. it is only a matter of time until we really start concuring all of our wildest dreams!

-melissa

on the table | notes of inspiration for tuesday's production night

week 52 - art anyone?

so, i have this big dream to some day be fancy enough to own an artwork collection. i mean the big pieces of art that take up your entire living room wall fancy! the one that you think..."i couldn't spend that much, could i?" but you do!

my current problem is...that I've found the art. however, i'm not really in the right stage of life to be fancy yet! (translation: get me out of my one bedroom condo already!) there is an art gallery just a few blocks down from the church my husband and i attend. it is called the thomas masters gallery. occasionally, we stop in when something from the storefront catches our eye.

last year, there was an amazing painting in the front window by artist and french painter, david gista. it was spectacular...a library scene with a girl in an amazing blue dress staring at her books. he work is noticeable with just the right about of abstract. since that show, i've dreamt of hanging that piece in my living room someday. the day after i win the lotto, mind you.

well, i was thrilled to get an email last week that announced that the artist was featured again and that the opening night was last friday! perfect! our friends, mike and erin, were in town and we figured we would sneak in a quick peek before dinner at pizza art cafe in lincoln square (go there-get the bruchetta...now).

the work was spectacular...so much so, that now my slight intrigue has turned major obsession. this collection featured the typical library scenes and these new amazing stair shots.

i really would recommend a quick stop into the gallery. it's worth it. 245 w. north avenue in chicago.





-sherry

on the table| new spring necklaces!

p.s. hope to see everyone on thursday at spring bling!

week 51 - late night

after a late sunday night mandarin/english conference call with my shanghai project team; i just got off a monday night call with our latest design partner in hong kong. first, i am very disappointed in myself that i have never learned a second language, beyond my 7 years of spanish that i barely made it through in high school and college... second, it amazes me that someone on the other side of the world can accommodate my lack of motivation/brain capacity to learn a second language, by speaking to me in english. while there is always a slight barrier between our phrases and speech patterns...sometimes more than slight...i can only be thankful that my teammates speaking to me in their second or third laguage have taken the steps to accommodate their counterparts around the world. this makes me want to take up a language...what shall it be?!

aside from this worldly epiphany...mesh had a very productive evening tonight. six new necklaces ready to find a home, and a vacation afternoon scheduled next week for a buying trip! we can't wait to update you on our 2011 finds!

-melissa


on the table montage delights!

week 50 - go big or go home

so, you know the saying 'go big or go home'? well that pretty much sums up mesh for tonight!

one of our 2011 goals is to dedicate time to press and publicity. logically, the next natural action step is to send mesh goods to both oprah and michelle obama (would you expect anything less?).

michelle's necklace :: mrs. o is getting a lot of attention for the vintage broaches she has been sporting. therefore we've designed her piece around a 50s stunner we found at an antique booth last year. the teal accents on the broach will beautifully compliment her skin tone, and the necklace can be worn both with a jcrew cardigan or a cocktail dress.

oprah's necklace :: to celebrate her 25th year on television we knew we needed to do something BIG for oprah. we've created a longer piece for oprah; made with aquamarine, rock crystal, and a massive chunk of labradorite to tie it all together. rarely do we fashion a triple strand of beads...but for oprah there is no holding back.

so, wish us luck as we put these pieces in the

mail this week...and stay tuned for news! you will either see mesh on the entertainment tonight broadcast or....well, at our next home show. either way we'll be thrilled!

-melissa and sherry

on the table | gifts for oprah & michelle :)