05.16.11
if you want the rainbow…

…you’ve got to put up with the rain.
Great quote - I bet you can’t guess who said it.
One of the biggest challenges in my life is trying to create a balance between ‘living for today’ and ‘building for tomorrow’. Thankfully I have my husband, mother and friends to remind me to ‘stop and smell the roses’ when I find myself buried in work. And yet, how often have I read about a role model who achieved greatness in their lifetime through hard work, focus and perseverance.
How do you bring those two things together in one lifetime? Well according to a mega-rich teen singing on the radio ‘it’s all about the climb’. I know one of my biggest faults is that I’m too focused on the future rather than living in the present. And even though I’m aware of that, my natural instinct is to work, prepare, and plan for tomorrow. I suppose the upside is that I also imagine, dream and build.
As I head ever closer to a very big birthday next year, I think I might as well stop fighting the fact that I’m a builder at heart, and focus my energy on not just putting up with the rain, but enjoying it. It will definitely be a climb.

“If you want the rainbow, you’ve got to put up with the rain.” Dolly Parton

Cobi Ladner, Creator and Editor, cobistyle

from my studio

I love this cherry blossom fabric and the fresh, crisp stripe that coordinates with it. Both are from the cobistyle fabric collection I developed with Joanne Fabrics and Sunbrella.

Outdoor fabric is usually thought of as canvas, used on awnings and boats, it’s hard to believe these fabrics have the same amazing resilience and yet feel so soft. Bringing the qualities of ‘outdoor fabric’ indoors, we get the best of both worlds - performance and now great looks!