Getting the Most out of Your Garden Roses

The Rose Chronicles or Getting the Most out of Your Garden Blooms:
1. Look out in utter disbelief that you have woken up to such an insane amount of blooms.
2. Think, "What did I do right?"
3. Pick and cut as many blossoms as possible (before the petals fall off in less than half an hour) and surround yourself with them in as many places as your abode has to offer.
4. Look at them constantly and think, "Oh you little guys. You little magical miracles."
5. Put your nose in their soft little blossom faces as often as possible and breathe deeply. Cliché sure, but let it be said: intoxicating, right?
6. Catch all the delicate velvety petals (which will fall off in the aforementioned half an hour) and scatter over your husband while he sleeps, throw in your bath water, save for your ice cream or make jam or use for this something delicious, (as long as you don't grow them with chemicals.)
7. Let them make you fee romantic. Suffer tiny heart pangs if you have to leave them for a few days. Appreciate them as fleeting jewels, inspirations, the kindest offerings you can give to yourself as they keep on coming to you and you stop. to. smell them...

*I both blame and thank P. and Marie for David Austin.

Rose-splosion

Last week I picked my first patio rose, you know the ones. It was little and delicate and fragrant like licorice. That little guy is a game changer as they say. The rosesplosion is on. Rosewater will grace tonight's roast chicken, rose petals atop dessert, in honor.

Bright Color and Sunshine at the Brooklyn Flea

New colors for our silver lining necklaces, and in this case a translation with pretty old stock brass chain. Every cloud has a brass lining? Doesn't sound as good but these are super pretty (and affordable). Mod, a little hippy, and very very pretty, camera's coming with me today to find some willing models!

(Next week, all the Silver Lining necklaces will go up on line for reals, ready for the larger word beyond Brooklyn.)

I Do Not Love You

I drew a blank as I went through the DO: CALL: WRITE: SEND: MAKE: 's and went into wild monkey brain while I pulled up a folder on my desktop labeled: NICE where I found (or re-found) these.

Then the sun came out and I had an urge to tell Jim how much I love him today and that he will always be in my NICE folder. Icky's too, as she reads this over and over and over, purring into his armpit when he gets home from work.

(Sorry for the mushy post.)

Weather Like a Cloud

I love this weather like a cloud forest, a steady mist and rain you can count on. It's like a monsoon in it's relentlessness but hopefulness too, that from the tedium will come verdant things, and in the meantime, mild, humid, steadily grey.
It's keeping me focused on watercolory ideas and sprouting some new plans.

ICFF & Stationary Show Walkabout

card I love and the "sunprint" section from

the new book buy Christine, Yellow Owl Workshop
Must to buy this book asap.

Watery prettiness, a sneak peak of Linda & Harriet's new calendar

A hint of the new amazingly intelligent and gorgeous collection by SusyJack*

favorite calling cards from Set Editions

Bluff City lamps from Brooklyn based Roll & Hill.
These I will have, the perfect lamps for my newest Frenchie/seaside/early 60's interior project, TBA.

Really Love the Sky planters from Boskke at the ICFF

like a lyrical library/ butcher cart from akmd

new wall coverings from the gorgeous new collection from
eskayel. This will be mine.

Took a (six hour) walk through both the ICFF, the International Contemporary Furniture Fair and the National Stationary Show Sunday, with the very sweet Melissa of Melissa Loves fame and finally got to meet Vana (!) from Le Papier Studio, in town for the show. I was really inspired, not only by some of the incredibly creative and down-to-earth new industrial designs at the ICFF but by all of the talented and smart ladies I met at the Stationary Show. The hard work and beautiful products created by Breck from Sesame Letterpress, Susy from HeySusy* , friends I specifically came to see, was impressive as was the good conversations with all of the above.

Pictures above, my favorite picks from both shows.
I sense a theme?

P.S. I particularly loved meeting Christine from Yellow Owl Workshop, hoping she'll come and live with me for a while.

Oh and also take a look at the Bamako Collection by Katherine Ladd...love

Bon Weekend

I'm thinking of bringing thermoses of mint juleps with me to the Brooklyn Flea tomorrow. I know I'll be betting on that fabulous lady jockey and wearing a really good hat. As for Mothers Day, I'll be tele-prompted in to a luncheon I can't join while I am outfitting sons and daughters, husbands and boyfriends in last minute sparklies, also at the Brooklyn Flea, hopefully hung over from aforementioned thermoses.

Bon Weekend mes amies!

Some Words

With flus and big news behind, with Mother's Day ahead, bridal orders starting (thanks NY Mag's Shop-o-Matic), with Spring coloring and greening all the little world around us, I want to feel lucky again, rich and thankful and open.

I've had few words this week with so much to digest, and there are some who have so many, but I found someone who has just enough words and they seem to be just right. So allow me to share with you Marie who says it perfectly and beautifully and sweetly too.