I met Linda Garriott last spring at Build Boston's Residential Design 2006. Through her company, Linda Garriott Design, she designs some amazingly beautiful contemporary rugs. She was recently featured, along with Angela Adams and Company C, in the newest issue of Boston Magazine's Home & Garden, which I wrote about earlier. The good news is that Linda has added the article to her website, so you can read it online. Thanks Linda!

Medford-based custom rug maker Linda Garriot was recently featured in HGTV Magazine. In it, she discussed the transition of rug making from hobby to full time career, and how HGTV shows like "Designers' Challenge", "Divine Design" and "Get Color!" helped inspire the change.

You can read the article in the Media section of her website. Congratulations, Linda!

This weekend, skip past the mass-produced nonsense and get your loved ones some truly unique gifts.

Crafts at the Castle 2007, now in its 22nd year, will bring "150 of the top craftspeople and designers in the country for this annual major cultural event in Boston." Meet the artists and see (and buy!) their handmade clothing, jewelry, art and more.

Not only will you find great, unique gifts, but you will also be helping charity: 100% of the ticket proceeds goes to "Family Service of Greater Boston, boasting over 170 years of serving families and communities in Greater Boston... 100% of the ticket proceeds directly benefit programs for children, youth, and families struggling with emotional, psychological, and economic effects of poverty, abuse and neglect."

For 21 years now, the United South End Artists have been opening their doors on the third weekend in September for their annual Open Studios.

This year, you will have the chance to meet over 250 USEA artists "working in a range of media...oils, watercolors, photography, sculpture, mixed media, fiber arts, ceramics, jewelry, wood, glass, and metal as well as other visual and performance arts."

Rug maker Linda Garriott emailed me to let me know she'll be in the group space at 460 Harrison Ave on both Saturday and Sunday, September 15 and 16. Be sure to stop by and say hi to her!

The Huron St./Fresh Pond area of Cambridge is teeming with great design stores. Right up the road from both Reside and Marimekko is Didrick's, a unique store with two floors of elegant interior and exterior furniture, tableware, rugs, and accessories.

Designer products include "glass and pottery by Simon Pearce, crystal and metal by Nambe, Belgian linens by Libeco Home, tablemats and floor mats by Chilewich, designer rugs by Angela Adams and Linda Garriott and so much more." They are also the exclusive in-store supplier of Bamboo Fencer structures.

The space is well laid out, and Jonathan Henke, the owner, is friendly and quite attentive.


Didrick's
190 Concord Ave
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-354-5700