Sunday, May 22, 2011

I spy...

in the June 2011 issue of Elle Decor, in an article about the beautiful Brooklyn brownstone owned by
actress Keri Russell...

a  conk !

photo by William Waldron


See it on the plank box that holds the ficus?!
I love how reading the stories about the photographs of rooms changes how you see them.  Her husband built the plank box and the mirror in this photograph. This is a fun read!  Elle Decor here!

I think they're catching on!! ;)



You can read about my love for conks, aka "tree fungus" here!


My conks in an antique French fountain on the back porch.
here



My recent gift of conks from my painter/handyman Seth!
here


okay... I promise- no more conk stories for a while ;)


at

35 comments:

  1. A Perfect GrayMay 22, 2011 at 3:08 PM

    just flipped thru that issue and totally missed it! donna

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  2. PondsideMay 22, 2011 at 3:13 PM

    Mine's sitting beside the pond out back. Sometimes I think I should take better care of it, but it looks right there and I wouldn't enjoy it half as much if it were in the house.

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  3. AnonymousMay 22, 2011 at 3:14 PM

    Beautiful. May I just correct your spelling, it's conch not conk.

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  4. An Urban CottageMay 22, 2011 at 3:30 PM

    You definitely set that trend. She must be a follower!

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  5. ℳartina @ Northern NestingMay 22, 2011 at 3:58 PM

    Joan I LOVE LOVE your antique fountain, and it looks so pretty filled with your conks! Have a great week, Martina

    PS- Love the copper tub under the table too:)

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  6. UnknownMay 22, 2011 at 4:04 PM

    I love conks too! They are wonderful props for my nests...great story, thanks for sharing.

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  7. Linda@ Lime in the CoconutMay 22, 2011 at 4:09 PM

    I've always said....I love a good conk story.


    ...But not as much as a bowl of good cocnch chowdah.

    ;)

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  8. laneyMay 22, 2011 at 4:12 PM

    ...joan are you familiar with the miss read books...sweet(but certainly not sappy)stories about an english school teacher in the village of fairacre post world war two...i had never heard the word conk before reading the stories of fairacre school... and had to go to the dicionary to find the meaning...conks were collected and valued by the school children as great treasures...speaking of books...are you a fan of gladys taber and her books about her house stillmeadow...know this is not a "book blog" (unless we are counting the one we are all hoping will evolve from your mind and heart)...but certain books are worth sharing...as are houses...

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  9. Blondie's JournalMay 22, 2011 at 4:32 PM

    What a nice collection you have and I love how they are displayed!

    XO,
    Jane

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  10. karen - Simply InspiredMay 22, 2011 at 4:56 PM

    conk cultivating... you introduced me to this "catching on" trend...thank you, kindly! and thank you for sharing! happy sunday, friend!
    -xok.

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  11. Upscale DownhomeMay 22, 2011 at 5:03 PM

    Your conks are cool. I really like the idea of them in the planter on your back porch. I also really like the contrast between the white walls and feminine room and the wood items her husband built. Gorgeous!

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  12. DianneMay 22, 2011 at 5:16 PM

    Love the conks and the way you display them. I have to tell you that after one of your conk stories I spied what I thought was one on a tree. I cut it off and brought it home to my back terrace. The next day it smelled awful!! It never did make it into the house. What was wrong? Did I indeed have something else besides a conk...perhaps a fungus kin to a mushroom? yuck! Are conks regional?

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  13. ConnieMay 22, 2011 at 5:24 PM

    Conk? Do you mean the shells? That's spelled conch. Hey, what can I say, I used to be a proofreader :-)

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  14. CathMay 22, 2011 at 5:41 PM

    The conks are beautiful and remind me of my childhood. My grandfather and I would take walks in "the forest" which was an area about the size of a small backyard but to a young child it was never ending. There were conks or "toad stools" as he called them on the sides of the trees and he said elves used them to see above the tall grasses of the forest floor if they lost their way and needed to find their way home. My grandfather told me if we removed the toad stools from the trees the elves would no be able to find their way home and be lost in the forest forever.

    I was always facinated by the story and by the amazing colors. To this day if I come upon one I cannot remove it from the tree as nothing was sadder to me than not being able to find my way home. Funny how some stories stay with us for a lifetime.

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  15. Sécia MischkeMay 22, 2011 at 5:48 PM

    LOL. Conks are pretty cool, aren't they?

    ♥ sécia
    www.petiteinsanities.blogspot.com

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  16. much older sister SusanMay 22, 2011 at 6:17 PM

    One of the perks of being your 'much older sister' are my conks you sent me a few months ago. I LOVE them!!!!!!!!

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  17. Pinky at Designs by PinkyMay 22, 2011 at 6:17 PM

    Not to worry, I love readng about the conks! I had never heard of them til you told us about them! XO, Pinky

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  18. for the love of a houseMay 22, 2011 at 6:33 PM

    Anon 3:14 and Connie- "Conks" are tree fungus not shells!

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  19. Brenda WattsMay 22, 2011 at 6:38 PM

    I am on the hunt for 'conks' each morning I walk the dogs in the woods..I am not even sure if they grow in PEI...Love them in the fountain.

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  20. for the love of a houseMay 22, 2011 at 6:52 PM

    Dianne- I think it is the variety. I've had some (but they weren't the "shelf bracket" fungus) that did that too:( These are hard as rocks on the tree. Were yours soft on the tree?

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  21. KarenaMay 22, 2011 at 9:07 PM

    These are so cool, I adore your collection!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

    Do Come and enter my Great Giveaway from Serena & Lily!

    You will love it!

    ReplyDelete
  22. GailMay 22, 2011 at 9:40 PM

    I gotta admit, for a second there I got excited thinking you were writing about the master and your headboard. Haha! I love the conks though and soaking up that pretty room of Keri Russell's! No need to apologize about the conks...they're beautiful!

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  23. Maison de linMay 23, 2011 at 8:35 AM

    Hello,

    I love this blogspot! verry good idea to put the conks int he fountain.

    Thanks
    Jérôme

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  24. designchicMay 23, 2011 at 11:08 AM

    Perfect beach house decor...

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  25. KatherineMay 23, 2011 at 12:14 PM

    Conk :a fibrous but sometimes fleshy fruiting body of a wood-rotting fungus.
    Conch : marine gastropod molluscs, commonly known as a spire shell.
    Nature's Beauty.....currently on display on Joan's back porch.
    Dear Lady, you have a great eye for all things special.

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  26. CindyMay 23, 2011 at 1:01 PM

    Joan, Dan, and Ella: Not only do you share beautiful pictures, you teach us! Cindy

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  27. AndreaMay 23, 2011 at 5:45 PM

    Just found your blog - directed from the tokyojinja blog - and love it. I feel the need to harvest conk!!

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  28. UnknownMay 23, 2011 at 6:28 PM

    my cousin is wanting to do art work on some shelf fungus , I think she called it. it grows on trees in UP of Michigan. many people do art with it. this reminded me of that.

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  29. RebeccaMay 23, 2011 at 10:01 PM

    I found some conks growing on a stump. I will harvest them soon and use them somewhere. I never knew what they were before you - nor that I should collect them.

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  30. home before darkMay 24, 2011 at 3:01 AM

    Oh, go ahead. Conk yourself (and us) out! Love the stories.

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  31. lisaroyMay 24, 2011 at 4:05 AM

    You have a lovely collection and I love how you've displayed them on your marble-topped table! I came across many of them while walking through a couple of parks near Dublin. Sadly I won't be finding any here in Dubai! :)

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  32. DonnaMay 24, 2011 at 8:55 AM

    Beautiful! And I love how you decorate with your shells.

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  33. La DolfinaMay 24, 2011 at 10:31 AM

    Joan,
    I'm in love with your conk collection!!
    I have one and would love to find more. Do you have any suggestions?
    Would your friend like to sell me some?:)
    Check out my post today, I'd love your opinion!
    Take care,
    Terri

    ReplyDelete
  34. micheleMay 24, 2011 at 10:34 PM

    saw kerri's house and immediately tore this piece from the magazine--i found much to love and learn about their space. i know nothing of your conks so thx for the lesson. how about her closet with that painted brick wall--seriously j.e.a.l.o.u.s. and not an easy idea to steal!

    michele

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  35. ~Grace Happens~June 23, 2011 at 1:08 AM

    hi joan! i was just told to by a blogger that we have similar marble tables, so of course i had to check yours out. they are definitely "twinsies!

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Welcome! Thank you for leaving a comment; you have no idea how much your comments inspire me to keep writing- I appreciate each and every one. Comments are moderated by me prior to publishing on the blog, so if you don't see your comment post immediately it will be posted as soon as I receive and read it. joan