it's been a while

wow.. it has been some time since I've written anything on here. a lot has happened since i last checked in! what's ironic, is the last post on here was a few days after my wonderful friend of 22 years told me about zach, and just 6 days before our first date.. fast forward a year and zach and i are engaged, i have a new job, and we have a new home!  it's really crazy how life works.  

as i mentioned, i  have i left my menswear bros for the wonder-filled world of event design.  i have met some of the most incredible women (with a sprinkling of some truly amazing men). this next chapter in my career has pushed me, creatively, in ways i thought i would never experience.  this world is truly magical..  and it puts a whole new pressure on planning a wedding!  i am completely up for the challenge.

now.. onto the new space!  though we stayed in the same building, sadly the cozy studio did not provide enough space for the stuff of two people.  zach moved into my studio last july, and in september we moved upstairs to a one bedroom, better known on IG as the #antonioucohenhaus!  i wanted to share some photos of the new place, and as of yesterday i think we are finally as finished as we will ever be!  we still don't have a bed... but you know.. we'll get there.

happy sunday!

The Christmas Surprise

About a year and a half ago I bought my mom a picture frame with an I-O-U for a painting.  Finally this holiday season a light bulb of inspiration went off and I decided to paint a family tree for her.  I know she misses her mom so much and there has been a lot of growing pains in my family the past few years, so I figured what better way to remind her of her roots and who matters most in her life than painting a family tree.  This piece took a while to create.  I would say a solid 20-25 hours of sketching and painting, which is why I stopped with the cousins.  That, and it was hard to fit everyone on the page!! Hopefully later I can expand the tree a bit more to include the littlest kiddies!   

I made prints of the piece and gave it to my family for a little Christmas surprise.  I also documented the moment with this little video above! 

inspiration trip: brimfield

The first Brimfield of 2015 was perfect.  The air smelled of lilacs and the sun was shining.  I was there for 3 days and met so many talented vendors and designers.  

For those of you who are not familiar, the Brimfield Antique Show is this massive flea market filled with acres of antique vendors and collectors, as well as furniture designers, from all over. It happens 3 times a year in western Massachusetts and you get a little taste of small town countryside.  It is so nice!

3 days is definitely the way to do it.  Day 1 was about taking it all in and seeing what was out there.  I didn't pressure myself to buy anything.... and so I bought a couch.  Day 2 my dad joined me and it was adorable.  He loved seeing all of the antiques and loved spending time with me and experiencing a little piece of my world.  Day 3 I knew exactly what I wanted, did my final purchasing, and explored the vendors on the other side of the street that I had missed the other 2 days.  3 days and I think I made it through 75% of vendors.  And that guessing on the high side. 

I walked away with some brass ship sconces, a pair of 1930's industrial floor lamps, a stunning royal blue and cream wool rug, hemp pillows, over sized hand-carved wooden kitchen accessories, and a danish modern leather couch.  That was all for a project I'm working on.  For me, I scored a handmade barn wood frame and this really cool vegetable scientific print.   My favorite vendors by far were Nomadic Trading Company and eneby antik. 

I was very selective in my picture taking this time around.  I'm getting better at editing my eye, if that makes any sense.   For more photos check out my Instagram on @thecrabandthemoon!

mother's day gifts

Mother's Day is coming up and I reworked some pieces for the special day!  There are prints, iPhone cases, and my personal favorite, mugs! You can check them out on Society 6.  Click the "SHOP" button above!

I have such a great weekend planned for Mother's Day.  My mom is coming to visit me in New York and her big gift is going to see Kelly & Michael Live.  She has been planning her outfit ever since I told her the big news.  We are SO excited.  May 10th is just around the corner!!  

interior inspirations: beach house round 2

There were some changes made to the gypsy nook.  It has taken on more of a surfer girl aesthetic.  I really would love to have an ombre wall like the one pictured (where it's darker in the corners and then fades out) and have the quote "you can't stop the waves but you can learn to surf" large scale in white.  The details will be muted and washed out colors with images from She Hit Pause Studios.  I also picture a vintage surf board in the corner of the room, beach wood on the wall behind the bed, and some type of floor seating area.  I want this little sweet pea to feel inspired, calm, and like a little ocean goddess in her new space!

interior inspirations: paris

Now THIS... is the second theme for the children's rooms that I am styling. Paris. This was the first concept board that I came up with. My first step was to get far away from the cheesy Eiffel Tower furniture and accessories that you would find in Homegoods and create a more updated and modern design concept.   I wanted it to be graphic and bright and super girly! Oversized floral with details of gold against thick black and white stripes.  I think for an initial jumping off point it was great and it got the creative juices flowing.  After analyzing it a bit it was a little too "girl in her 20's".  When I go back in I will be sure to sprinkle some innocence and cuteness into the mix!  

This is SUCH  fun project.  I can't wait to meet the little girls!  Their mother tells me that the oldest loves to draw and has been looking through my illustrations.  That seriously melts my heart. 

interior inspirations: beach living

I am very excited to be working on a very inspiring + fun side project. I will be styling two adorable little girls' bedrooms. Each with different themes, beach house + Paris.  Pictured above is the very first concept board for the beach house theme.  I want the room to really encompass a calming and whimsical feel.  There will be lots of twinkle lights with cozy little nooks.  Perfect for a little beach babe!

I'll be sure to share the 2nd theme very soon!

xx

interior inspirations: kids rooms

Interior styling for kids and baby has come a long way.  I am loving these spaces that I've seen on Instagram. There may be a new project coming up!  Excited to see where it goes.

Photos by: @littlepeainteriors . @sophie_vine . @shinasiconcept . @maecocointeriors . @kristinplanskymurals . @bexyylou . @sweetcreationsboutique . @bebe_sac . @alwaysme_baby . @littletotem . @littlegatherer . @roxyoxy_creations . @genwoocraft . @tralalagifts . @littlewillemsens . @houseofhawkes . @the_wild_unknown . @chairishco 

interior inspirations: stick pose

Today we had a snow day in New York so I got to wake up and start my day with the lovely Adriene.  I really do love waking up early and doing my yoga before going to work, but lately I can't seem to get in bed early enough to not wake up late and be in a complete rush in the morning! Today was definitely a healthy balance of work and yoga.   Everyday should be like that.

Day 12 and lucky day 13 were all about realigning the spine and building endurance.  We sat in stick pose for a second so of course my brain went right to my new stick decor!  Sounds weird.. but it looks great!  I've got branches on the brain!  I love when my yoga practice can relate back to my art and design work.  Keeps me inspired.   

inspiring sundays

Today I found some inspiration on Franklin Street in Greenpoint.  Sadah and I had the most adorable brunch and then walked around.  We hit up People of 2morrow, Home of the Brave, a few other cute home decor shops.  The store designs were all just as beautiful as the product.  Makes me excited for the day that I have a whole house to design instead of just one room. 

I also got closer to finishing my frame wall.  Very excited about that.  I think I need maybe three more and my collection will be complete!

So the shopping therapy was taken care and now we take care of the mind and body...

Lately I've been doing two videos a night.  That's just how I function... I'm in my zone and I want to keep going.  Day 10 was nice and is why I love these videos so much.  They are challenging but they also allow you to relax and not feel like you have to have this crazy difficult work out everyday.  It's nice.  I also just think she's hysterical.  

I hope some of you have tried these videos or at the very least they have inspired you to get out and move around in your own way.  One of my best friends, who was also a yoga instructor, would always encourage me to just simply move around a little.  It doesn't take much to release stress and make your body feel good.   

I hope everyone has a wonderful week.

day 5 + 6 + i found my crow

And by crow I mean my crow pose in yoga and not my original raven painting.  Trying to be a little witty here combining my yoga practice with my painting practice. And yes that's my Treasure Troll top knot and belly button.  Anyways, I am SO excited because, like I said, I found my crow again and I held it for a whole 10 seconds!  It's the small victories on this feel good inside and out new years resolution challenge.  Tonight I completed days 5 and 6 of the 30 days of yoga and I feel great!  I will of course leave the videos for you to follow along as well.  But first!  I want to share my very special surprise from today... it felt a little like Christmas..

My dear friend Kat finished my wall tapestry!  This is her first woven tapestry and I absolutely love it.  I have big plans for this guy.  One of which is that he will hang from a branch from my home town on the wall next to my bed.  When he is finally complete I will of course show him off! For now he's just hanging out on some antlers.  So excited!!

I hope you are getting inspired either through these little yoga videos or through learning about new and beautiful ways to make your home feel cozy!  Part of feeling good in the mind and body is feeling good in your space!  Maybe that will be my mantra.  Keep my mind, body and space clean and feeling good.

With that being said, I'm going to light some sage and cook a little dinner!

Namaste. (prayer hands emoji)

pet portraits: for the plant owners

There's a gift, an illustration, and a pet for everyone!  Every Christmas for the past 2 years my assistant and I have exchanged some epic gifts (his gifts were more epic than mine).  This Christmas I decided to make it super personal.  Plants, art, and tattoos are a few of his favorite things, so I decided to hand paint his most recent tattoos on a wall hanging pot for a new cactus pet!  A friend then gave me the witty idea to paint a "pet portrait" of the little guy.  

A big thank you to Baked in Brooklyn for making my personalized gifting dreams come true!

interior inspirations: woven tapestries

I am currently obsessing over these wall tapestries that these talented weavers are creating!! They are SO cool.  They are the epitome of handmade perfection.  The pieces shown above are by Warped Threads and Anne Djupvik Andersen.  Absolutely beautiful. 

Lucky enough I have a friend who makes magic with fabric and yarn. We will be doing a little trade for trade!  Loving this project.  We will be documenting the process of the piece on a crafternoon hopefully in the near future!  I LOVE the mauve, camel and cream color story.  Eek! I'm so psyched.

To shop Warped Threads go to etsy.com/au/shop/WarpedThreadss. Follow Anne's weaving blog at weavemeaway.blogg.no. You can follow both of them on Instagram at @warpedthreads + @ada_interiors.

photos 1-7: warped threads, photos 8-10: weave me away

interior inspirations: frame collage

Before finding my new space I knew I wanted to have an entrance wall with vintage frames that cover it from floor to ceiling.  In my mind it was simple, graphic with a feeling of home.  After finding my new space and starting my beautiful display wall I was perusing through Instagram and I discovered @twinkleandtoast.  They had also created a frame wall for a wedding which I thought was absolutely stunning!  I loved the addition of the cream flowers and gold leaves.  I would love to add these accents after my collection is complete.  Also.. funny enough, the lady behind twinkle and toast.. is named Taryn.  

Visit twinkleandtoast.com to see some beautiful photos of their work.

occulter

As an artist you need visual stimulation and inspiration to keep the juices flowing. My girl Liz Wong, who has an extremely sharp eye, just introduced me to this site occulter.org that absolutely made my jaw drop. It's so inspiring how perfectly curated their site is. These pieces make me salivate. That crab ring was born in my dreams.

All photos are from occulter.org.

the scorpion, the eagle + the phoenix

Happy Birthday Month Scorpios!  

I am surrounded by Scorpios.  My mom, dad, best childhood friend, assistant, etc. are all Scorpios.  This sign is an interesting one because it has three symbols.  Most immediately think of the scorpion.  The scorpion is their dark, earth-bound side that is protective and ready to strike whenever they feel threatened.  The second symbol is the eagle, also ready to strike at any moment however can fly and is free and aware of its surroundings.   Lastly is the Phoenix.  The mythical creature that encompasses rebirth, resurrection and transformation.  When Scorpios fall to their lowest point is when they can fully transform themselves.  This sign is certainly a powerful one. Never underestimate the power of Scorpio.  They will cut you. 

Kidding! (sort of)

Happy Birthday to my best girl and my best assistant!!  

This Scorpio illustration can be purchased on Society6! We have mugs and iPhone cases available as well! View it, share it, shop it.

pet portraits: duke weiner

This little guy is the most loving pug I've ever met.  While babysitting him one time I noticed he kept hopping up on the back of my couch, perched up like a cat.  Any chance he got he would crawl up on my lap and put his little chin on my knee.  When his dad came home from his travels I told him all about his quirky little behaviors and his response was "Haha! Ya, he was raised with a cat."  I couldn't control my laughter when I heard that.  Duke is definitely a special little guy. He's been by my best gay's side for 8 years.  I was so excited when his partner asked me to do this piece for him.  And yes.... that's a Gucci paisley print in the background.  

Below is my process of building up this little piggy.  The first layer of paint and shadows always look a bit scary.  If you are interested in getting your own pet portrait feel free to email me at thecrabandthemoon@gmail.com!

pet portraits: stella monstarr

I watched this little kitty grow from the tiniest kitten who woke me up by snapping the hair elastics on my wrist to the most spoiled pampered cat I know.  Here is the completed illustration of the one and only Stella MonStarr.  Stella lives in Sea Bright, NJ where she sun baths by day and curls up in a bean bag by night.  

the crab + the moon is now doing custom pet portraits!  Please email us for pricing!

pet portraits: olive angelina benicula who

Olive Angelina Benicula Who, also known as Olive the Cute, is a rescue who lives in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  Her birth name was Betty in her days of biting rope and mild gingivitis.  She loves sports radio and her lamby.  Her mother spoils her with all organic goodies and lots of hugs.  She is a hipster pup and I am also her auntie. Who loves her very much.  You can follow her on Instagram at @olivethecute.

flora grubb gardens

I am still thinking about my trip to Flora Grubb when I was in San Francisco last week.  Their space was so inspiring and fun.  The first thing I said to the owner was of course...... do you allow pictures.

What made this moment even more perfect was the little coffee shop inside. They had an awesome playlist going.. I had my tea in hand and everything in the world was right.

If you're ever in the area it's a great little place to grab a coffee and walk around for a bit!  They have great things for the home as well.  

If you're not in the area you should visit them from the comfort of your home at floragrubb.com!