I wonder what they were all in for?

the ears of french prisoners

image via here

just a little stationary update

Certain things, certain designs or subjects, just lend themselves so well to the application of stationary. For example, remember when I was talking about those amazing woodcut prints by Ryan Nash Gill a few months ago in Martha Stewart? Sure you do. Well if you liked them as much as I did but, like me, couldnt hope to afford one, how about these blank notecards, instead? Sets of 12 cards, featuring six designs, are available now from Princeton Architectural Press for $15.95 (which I think is pretty good!)

this is what they should be using

If you want to talk about a source of print and color inspiration that deviates, refreshingly, from the ubiquitous digital floral, why not look to this most beautiful series of magnified butterfly wings, by Linden Gledhill? What could be more beautiful?! I want these to be wallpaper and bed linens and silken ball gowns and everything. And arent they so mermaidy, somehow? The softest little scales. 

via notcot

the nicest day in years.

So far we are settling in nicely here in Bloomfield, and today was the best day yet! Because, it wasnt freezing, it wasnt raining, Chase had the day off, and Felix only lost it like twice at the italian grocery, where the pizzelles only cost $1.49 for like, ten of them, and come in vanilla and anise. And chase is in there making ramen from scratch, and later we will have homemade ginger donuts and coconut sorbet! 

pabral gurung for target

Graphic floral prints are cool but you know they wont last long, and will look foolish to our children looking back at pictures in old magazines. Itll be like those horrible mustard-colored wall-papery florals from the seventies. You know what I mean? Which is why I hate to love some of the prints featured in the latest designer capsule collection for target, by Prabal Gurung. In particular, that black and floral panel dress looks cute and oh so flattering. But my favorite thing(s) about this collection, by far, are the shoes. Ankle strap heels are so sexy and timeless, especially if you avoid the dresden blue and sulfur spring (?) shades and just go with black. But I wish they came in tan! 

lookbook via refinery29

cosmic winter

 

Hi everyone! Remember me? We are living in Pittsburgh now and are getting closer to settling in all the time. As you know, we didnt have the internet for the first few weeks we were here, and it was a little unsettling to discover how important the internet has become in our daily routine. But we got through it, and it was even great! Thanks, mostly, to watching movies rented at the excellent, friendly, and accessible Carnegie Public Library. What else can you really do in this longest part of the year? Stay cozy, of course!

On that note, Id like to take this opportunity to recommend to you one of my favorite book/movie combos with which to while away the rest of the short grey days and long winter nights. Because sometimes you feel like reading, and sometimes you feel like watching, and you definitely dont feel like going outside... but its nice for the things you read and watch to share in a similar vibe. You know? In that regard, these two works--Cosmos, my favorite documentary series created by the sexy, lovable Carl Sagan (what a pear-shaped dream boat, am I right ladies?) and Cosmicomics, my all-time favorite book, which is actually a collection of theoretical short stories by my soulmate, Italio Calvino (who also writes about living in trees, imaginary cities, and uses the tarot to structure his plot lines, if youre interested in that sort of thing)--were made for each other. They even sound alike, in case you didnt notice. I wonder if Carl ever read anything by Italio? Or if Italio ever read anything by Carl? 

but if you havent already enjoyed these, I really think you should!

wild west, woodcut by m.c. escher

please dont forget me!

All right you guys, were in Pittsburgh. The Burgh. Old PB  (those are just special nicknames pittsburgh residents use, youve probably never heard of them...) Its fun! Chase already has a job, and I have an interview, and were living the life and the dream and all our wishes are coming true! Except for the one about the internet, because we still dont have it! Im writing in the kids section of the Carnegie Library right now, which is relaxing... but it wont last for long, and you have to pay to park here, and blah blah. Anyway, what Im trying to say is, soon we will Get the Net and Ill be back to normal and will blog about everything and things will be great! 

So just dont forget about me in the meantime! 

Please!

(ps this is a pic I took of felix right after he woke up from the nap that he took wearing his super cool 3D glasses yesterday. What a dork!)

melamine dream

 Isnt that the best word? Melamine. If only it was a girls name, it would be the perfect one. And speaking of which, my friend Ivy just gave felix the cutest set of dishes for christmas. Id seen them in a shop window and fallen in love with them, and theyre even better in person (because you cant see the cup from the box)

 Only later did I discover that the maker of this set, Thomaspaul, also made these other, nautical trays that I already liked. So then I got to browsing the website, and I made a kitchen decision: I only want to use melamine dishes. All in white and covered in intricate, kistchy or adorable patterns in bright colors,  they look like the modern version of old fashioned china, from the twee future. They even have sort of the same, translucent quality. Plus theyre cheaper, lighter, wont break, and are generally and obviously more durable. I guess you face the inevitable fading of the patterns... but nothing lasts forever! And if you spent even a fraction of the money you could on proper china, it wouldnt have to look tacky or cheap or dorm-y at all. 

Even though I already made the decision only to have white plates, always, I think I could make an exception for these florilegium dinner plates. Or I could just buy three or four more of those rabbit sets and have them as my regular, people plates. The little cups are perfect for tea--they only need a matching teapot! Ive been thinking, and have decided that a floral, bunny-filled Easter-theme is almost always appropriate: Its an obvious choice for springtime, of course; in the summer it can seem sort of jolly and circus-like; in the winter, rabbits somehow seem festive again--its only in the fall that they might not be completely appropriate. And theres something about rabbits that pair so well with anything else I can even imagine, especially from the thomaspaul collection. For example, how amazing would these Hong Kong dinner plates look with a blue rabbit plate on top?

Or more nautically (and neutrally), these maritime plates?

And also, did you know about this? Theres a Zodiac set! How completely perfect, and exactly in line with what I was just talking about.They would look so great with rabbits, and I want them so badly! If only they were proper sized plates, instead of baby coasters. Its too bad!

I like the idea of picking a range of patterns in a limited color palette, and ranging blues seem like an obvious choice. And to set all of those cool colors off nicely, how amazing would it all look over these red lobster mats, and various other pinkish table linens? (Can you tell Ive thought a lot about this?) 

Alas thankfully,  however, Chase is on his way to pick up a set of old dishes his Yia Yia has very kindly donated to our new home at this very moment. So all of this will have to wait. In the meantime, as a means of quenching my melamine obsession for the immediate future, Ive got my eye on this black, enamel-looking floral tray. Ive spoken before about how trays are useful and a great thing to have for the home, and Ive realized, we dont have one! How am I supposed to serve drinks or, more importantly, be served breakfast in bed? Come on!

its only $24, you guys. Pretty reasonable. Right? And so beautiful!

images via here, here & here

goodbye-o, ohio: the sequel

Only when packing does one fully appreciate the extent of monotony that exists in ones wardrobe. Am I in a rut? Whats the difference between being in a rut and having a strong sense of style? If youre consistently drawn to certain articles of clothing, does that automatically mean they suit you, or are you just shopping automatically? I guess I have the rest of my life to figure it out... But did you know? Were leaving for Pittsburgh, once and for all, in a matter of hours! Im so excited, you guys! We dont have internet there yet but there is a delicious bagel place with free wifi just around the corner... so hopefully this wont be goodbye for long. 

See you soon!

also, Happy Anniversary to Me!

to SBC, that is. Did you know? I wrote my very first ever blog post one year ago, today! Can you even believe it? What a wild and crazy ride! For the next year of my blog, I promise to make a concerted effort not to begin posts with "speaking of" anymore... Hopefully this move to Pittsburgh (we're still in the process of moving but will be there finally and foreverafter by tomorrow!) will influence me in a positive, blogitive way. That is to say, I feel a change coming on, and I hope its a good one!

Thanks for reading, you guys!

images from the New Tarot illustrated by Jon Horler, via here

kids in america

While were on the subject of girly stuff that is actually cool but is also maybe too geeky to care and/or talk about, Im loving this Kids In America editorial/tribute to Amy Heckerling. Or, I think Im loving it... something about it strikes me as a tad too literal in a way that seems tacky to me... but Wildfox is always a little tackier than I like, yet Im drawn to it anyway. I wont go on and on about it but here are some of the better shots from the story. Everything I like these days makes me think of summertime! And also that wonderful week a few years ago that I spent in Chicago with my dear friend Carmen, during which we watched Clueless at least once a day. Miss you Carmie!

via i♥wildfox

seriously: nerdalert alert

Speaking of my favorite models and casting them. So far I havent really dont much this New Year (aside from move to Pittsburgh, of course)--Ive been sick, felix has been sick, Chase has been sick, and weve watched a lot of daytime television while snacking on teddy biscuits. But, during the 9-hour-drive back to Ohio after our trip to Columbia, I did do something, sort of. Which is that I realized, if you get my top five favorite models of the moment all together, they match up perfectly, girl-for-girl, with the five inner-planetary sailor scouts! Its true! Let me show you what I mean...

For Sailor Moon you need a spunky, girl-next-door type who can also be dramatic and tough. Cara Delevingne has exactly the perfect anime eyebrows and range of emotion to pull it off 

the blondest, most enigmatic, and definitely the coolest, Hanne Gaby Oidele is Sailor Venus

seemingly quiet, serious, and short haired, Freja Beha Erichsen as Sailor Mercury the only one Im not one-hundered-percent sold on... (though she does look good in glasses); let me know if you have any better ideas, of course...

But Jacquelyn Jablonski as Sailor Mars is absolutely perfect: dark, serious, and mystical

And obviously, Karlie Kloss is Sailor Jupiter: so tall and friendly and sporty and scrappy... and she looks great in a ponytail!

So how do you like that! Obviously, youd only see what I meant if youve watched the show and care about it, which  probably doesnt describe very many of you. But if you are familiar, maybe youll agree with me? If only we could convince them all to do a live-action production. And, if only they could all act. And, wanted to. What are the chances?

Im sorry if you hate me now and think Im a big dork! Please dont!

images via here, here here, here & here