Pretty Birds

From the Grange Hall Urban Flowers website. Their displays are unbelievable. Worth a visit to Dallas maybe?

Keep Calm

Helpful thoughts of the day. I bought these "Keep Calm and Carry On" silkscreened posters, new revivals of street posters plastered around Britain during World War Two. Instructions for keeping hold of yourself while facing the real fears of war, it's funny that the new adaptation can be used to keep your sense of humor when the sh*t is hitting the fan. (or to quell the modern anxieties of work and life before you get out there and participate). I bought mine as gifts from the lovely SF Girl By The Bay here in the U.S. but these are from a terrific website in the U.K called "Keep Calm".

I absolutely love these framed versions. I'd love to have the three above where I can see them first thing in the morning. Also love these silkscreens below, being a big fan of the power of words, by artist Douglas Wilson.

This would make a nice Valentine, by Douglas Wilson

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Feliz Cumpleaños terrific ole' Jennifer El Knox!!! Can you believe it my dearest, sweetest, tallest friend? I knew you when you were a tiny corgie pup, with bright orangish hair and a propensity for large thoughts and good doodles. You just keep on getting better, wiser and corgier every year. Laughter--there is always laughter (pronounced "daughter"). On this, your oldest year yet, I wish you wonderfulness and excellence, savory and sweet times, and the wisdom to see the difference. Or else the terrorists will have won.jen loves red velvet!

art + commerce

My friend came over tonight to talk about our upcoming photoshoot this week and introduced me to the art + commerce agency website for some inspiration. We're going to do some portraits at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on Sunday and were discussing our "story" and feel for the shoot. Posted here are portraits and fashion work by Steven Meisel, Nathaniel Goldberg and Richard Burbridge.
I love Steven Meisel's work, above, particularly these last three photos from a shoot for Vogue, "Paris je t'aime". His work is so beautifully crafted.

I also liked these focused quiet atmospheres taken by Nathaniel Goldberg.


And Richard Burbridge...he seems to get the essence of his subjects flawlessly--love these portraits of Iggy Pop, Vivienne Westwood and Francesco Clemente.

all photos from the art + commerce website.

Tonight in the Kitchen

Took some pictures around the kitchen tonight while we waited (2 hours) for a fat little chicken to roast. These are the quinces I bought at the green market this week but couldn't bring myself to cook them yet. Too pretty on the table. And the cats were pretty tonight with them.

I reorganized my cookbooks a few weeks ago and I can't stop looking at them these days. Not through them but at them. I just like the way they look.

Laquered wooden toys from the toymakers I knew in Varanasi, India.

Finally.

Daily Candy Redux

That Williams Sonoma catalog that keeps showing up at my house has arranged it so now I really want these in my home.

Glossies II

And I'd also like all the back issues of Li Edelkoort's Bloom. Ok that's it.

Glossies I

At one point we subscribed to so many magazines, they'd just pile up. Sad piles-no joy in receiving them because there was no time to read them all! So eventually, no more subscriptions. If there's something I really want to read, I just buy it.

But now I'm happily making room for one and I just received my first issue today. Joie, one of my oldest and closest friends, gave me a subscription to my all-time favorite magazine (and one I've always wanted), Saveur. Each issue visits exotic/lovely locales, explores their culinary traditions and we're along for the ride. And the photos...they're so damn sexy! The whole magazine is inspiring. I am so excited for a year of these...thank you Joie!

Hammermill

I keep coming back to Hammerpress. It's amazing work--everything I love: layers and richness and deep colors and an antique feel without sentimentality. I'd love to see what they could create for us. We could have great boxes made, and our whole biz package, stationary, cards, tags, all of it totally duded up.

The New Collection Is Up and a Daily Candy Deal!

On a dreary gray day in January...a bright spot. The Spring Collection is up with a slew of new lapel pins and hand-crafted necklaces with reverse-painted "Essex Crystals" from the new "Le Tour du Monde en 80 Jours" and we were in Daily Candy Deals today. The Deal expires on February 22nd so treat yourself or your sweetheart to something. And if you leave a comment anywhere on my blog in addition to your order, I'll throw in a little extra treat!
Can't wait to hear from you!