Weekend

The weather in Southern California has been beautiful this weekend...I think the beach would be the perfect escape from the Super Bowl!

(Photo credit: Rodney Smith.)

Maira Kalman

Makes me happy to see Maira Kalman's new blog post (on the inauguration) for the New York Times...(And I adore the pink chair).

Flickr Tree(s)

From a gorgeous post this Saturday morning on the flickr blog.  (I'm loving images of bare trees at the moment!)

(Photo credits: Natureluv and Biancavanderwerf)

A Prize

Awarded by the Denver Post in 1925! And now, a charm for getting through hard times.

(Photo: Twig & Thistle.)

What's Your Inspiration?

When I was little, I would build inspiration boards on whatever piece of cork I could find.  They became the mediums of self expression and cheer, packed with cards, scraps of wrapping paper, fabric, dried flowers, love notes.  I still have an inspiration board (It's almost as big as the kitchen table now). I will try to get good photos of it for an upcoming post. In the meantime, I wanted to share with you some other boards I spotted around the Internet this week. Which image do you like the best? (The full moon on d.Sharp's board especially caught my eye.) xoxo

1. Bandelle Blog

2. Coach (via Bandelle)

3. d.Sharp Journal

The Evening Sky

I have enjoyed the past few days watching the moon and Venus make their transit across the winter sky.  This evening, beyond the trees, the waxing moon was shaped like delicate bowl, to toss wishes in. 

(Photo credit: megseggs)

I Love....

Goodies:

1. Vintage Bird Correspondence Cards

Lindsey Ryan Design

2. Custom Made Silhouette Pendants

Lucky Me Beads

3. Decorated Moleskine Notebooks

Shoofly

As found on my quick Etsy break! xoxo

Life Through A Viewfinder

I'm awed and inspired by Pennsylvania artist Valorie Cox's photos, meticulously taken though the bubble-top glass viewfinders of vintage cameras. (Usually Rediflexes).  She has a number of prints for sale on Etsy at the moment and she also has a blog, where she generously shares her process for creating these little works of art.  Unexpected and beautiful.

Mother & Daughter, Milano

There are so many interesting images on The Sartorialist, but this one really struck me. How beautiful is this mother and daughter? Picture taken in Italy, of course. 

Le Love

From the blog Le Love. So lovely...

Postscript from Elizabeth, one of my dear readers:  The quote is from a page in a book by artist/author Brian Andreas.  You can find more of his work here. 

Chinatown Treasures

In honor of the lunar new year, Dylan & Jean from Ladies & Gentleman  have a charming post (via Poppytalk) on all the treasures they've found in Chinatowns from Seattle to Los Angeles.  The little coffee pot is very functional, but I prefer the pink plastic cake stands. Frivolity in plastic. Pure bliss. 

John Updike 1932-2009

My small tribute to John Updike:

From Rabbit Run:  "Men are all heart and women are all body.  I don't know who has the brains. God Maybe."

(And I also love "The Witches of Eastwick.")

Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year.  We've left behind the year of the rat (take that Bernie Madoff). And now for the year of the ox, a symbol of strength and good luck.  I love visiting Chinatowns in various cities--Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and, last week, Washington D.C.  I can never resist the mooncakes. Gong hei fat choi!

(top photo: liquid sky arts.)

My DC Holga

I just got my film developed from my trip last week to DC for the inauguration. I wanted to share with you some of the images I took on my Holga camera at the Jefferson Memorial. The middle picture is of the ice and frost on the Potomac River. It glistened like diamonds. Please visit my flickr page to see the entire set!

Home

Hello everyone! My friend Susan has been encouraging me to post more photos of my house. I've been hesitant because, really, I find other people's houses more interesting. Anyway, here's a little collage of a few spots around the house. The bald poppet wearing the crystal necklace on the perfume tray is one of my favorite things, for reasons I can't entirely explain.  

Old Magazine Covers

Which one is your favorite?  I love the top one. I always feel I like I'm walking on a highwire (but not quite with as much style.)

(Source: AllPosters.com)

Chateau Getaway

Doesn't this sound divine? Kaari Meng of the French General is planning a girls getaway this summer to a chateau in Southwest France!! Let's go!!!

Last chance to win Pitt hat!

Hello All,  Don't forget to register for the great Brad Pitt "Make It Right" hat giveaway!  (Details here!)  The winner will be chosen randomly and announced here this evening! xoxxo

UPDATE: Random Moments is the winner! Thank you all for playing. Stay turned for more giveaways!! xoxo

Pansy Lane

I'm so smitten by Pansy Lane's apartment set on flickr.  I love the way she's grouped the photos over the couch.  And the mismatched chairs around the dining room table warm my magpie heart. And the wallpaper! Where was this apartment when I was looking??? 

Camellia Season

I always look forward to camellia season.  But this year,  it surprised me. I was so busy with work, I almost missed the early blooms.  One afternoon, I looked out my bedroom window and saw the saucer-sized flowers--pinks, reds and white. 

Photos

Top: white camellia on my dresser.

Middle: from the always beautiful Liquid Sky Arts.

Bottom:  from Akaitori

Kat Macleod

Blogger Oh Joy! reminds me, with her weekend post, of the charms of Australian illustrator Kat Macleod, who mixes up her drawings with bright watercolors and bits of interesting fabric, touched with sequins, ribbon, string and other found goodies. It's assemblage for the chic set, and I simply can't resist it.  I first learned about Macleod's designs while browsing in one of my local bookstores. There, on the shelf, was a pink cocktail book, "The Cocktail: 200 Fabulous Drinks." Not only were the recipes a delight (an entire section on Champagne cocktails!), the illustrations made it clear:  This was not your dad's bar guide.  It was, to borrow the name of one of the drinks, a Flirtini. (Of course, I had to buy the book and the followup cocktail deck).....

.....Besides the cocktail book,  Macleod has a full portfolio, with works appearing in magazines around the globe. (The umbrella illustration appeared in Real Style. Afterall, those editors know real style when they see it. ) A number of her illustrations are also available for viewing on the website, Jacky Winter group.  And, according to Oh Joy!, Ms. Macleod has a new book, called  "Like I Give a Frock", coming out in the spring. Like her art, her bio on the Winter site includes colorful details. "She finds fashion, textiles, new art supplies and old books inspiring."  Plus: "She enjoys hot chips, talking on the phone and her cat." In other words, she's someone you could meet for a Yacht Club Punch, garnished with a maraschino cherry. Cheers! 

Ranuncu-whatever...

I'm spending the evening catching up on my blog reading.  Design*Sponge this week did an interesting story on one of my favorite flowers, ranunculus. (Ok, I can't really pronounce it.)  Lovely, all the same....

(PS: don't forget to register for the Brad Pitt hat giveaway, two posts below. xoxo)

Malibu

I'm probably one of the few people who prefers the beach during a rainstorm. The colors are so moody:  The ocean blends with the clouds and the air is fresh.  I love these photos of Malibu, posted on flickr by imagebysp, a seascape photographer extraordinaire. The last picture is fantastic: the surf forms the median between air and sea. Gorgeous. 

Brad Pitt Hat Giveaway!

Dear All, I'm giving away one of my Brad Pitt "Make It Right" newsboy caps! I purchased it in New Orleans during the launch of Pitt's effort to rebuild the lower 9th ward.  (See Pitt, above, wearing his version of the hat.) To win, simply leave a comment on this post OR sign-up as one of my blog followers!  (See sign-up link on the right. Please join the lovely Urban Muse--my first follower--in tracking my latest posts!) The winner will be announced here on  Monday evening! xoxxo

UPDATE: Random Moments is the winner!!!  Thank you all for playing. Stay tuned for more giveaways!

Home

It's so nice to be home on a rainy Saturday morning with all my favorite things  (and people and animals.)  It's supposed to rain for days, one of the hallmarks of winter in Los Angeles.  I love it. I have a stack of books, new magazines (what do you think of that New Yorker cover?) and a new recipe book. Bliss.