Lighthouses

Hello everybody!

Although I've been missing Tina an awful lot, it's been tremendous fun and excitement to meet and read all these wonderful bloggers who have been guest blogging on English Muse. It truly feels like we are all part of a wonderful and inspiring community.

Let me very quickly tell you a bit about me - my name is Tina, I'm an artist living in San Francisco. I do painting and charcoal drawing but lately I've mostly been focusing on my Papercut Art. You can see my work in my Etsy shop and read my daily thought patterns in my blog, called, well, Thought Patterns!

I'm originally from Croatia, a beautiful country with a gorgeous coast, numerous islands, old towns with cobble stone streets, wonderful nature.... and amazing lighthouses. Yes, lighthouses! If you've ever dreamed of vacationing like Robinson Crusoe, owning a castle-like lighthouse and being a lighthouse keeper (well, at least for a week!), this post will be for you. There are thirteen lighthouses on the Croatian Adriatic coast that can be rented out throughout the summer. Some of the lighthouses have keepers, but several don't. You can choose a lighthouse in the vicinity of tourist centers or a lighthouse in the open sea, scattered on various islands in what many call the bluest sea in the world, the Adriatic Sea. So, as I'm in the midst of fog in cool San Francisco, and I need some sun, let me indulge and share several photos and information about the sunny and beautiful Croatian lighthouses...

More? :)

I can't believe that summer's almost over!

xoxox

Tina Tarnoff

{For renting info visit Lighthouses-Croatia, all photos via Lighthouses-Croatia}

Nothin' Good to Eat

Hey, it's me again, Pugly.


I go through this occasionally. No matter how much good food we have at home, sometimes, there's just nothing good to eat. I realize that this sounds ungrateful. But really, I'm thankful for all the food that we have. It's just that sometimes, I get bored with a lot of it.


Yesterday, as I ran my errands after work, I couldn't help but glance at some of the menus of the restaurants I strolled past. Nothing seemed to grab me though. So I proceeded home, hungrier than hell, desiring everything and nothing.


When I got home, I foraged through the refrigerator and cupboards. Thai green beens... nah. Black beans and cheese.... nope. Frosted shredded wheat? Eh. Nachos? Fried tofu with baby greens? Noodles? Fish? No. No.. NO.


Wait a minute... oohhh... the last two slices of Acme Olive Bread. Yum! Olive bread dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar is yummy gooood. But when I saw the tomato on the counter, memory of Rabbit's delicious tomato cheese sandwich whet my appetite. Yeah! I found my dinner.


Topped with a ton of Trader Joe's four cheese mix, it was primed and ready for the oven. With a bit of freshly ground pepper and a cup of tomato soup, I was ready for a grubbin' dinner. Yum.

{ Recipe inspired by Spot The Pot. }

Behold, Geek Chic...

Bakerby

Ariel G.

Germaine

Embren

Lanulop

Drew Barrymore

Enid, Ghost World

More Geek Chic: Lulu Letty, Jek in the Box, Whitneybee

On this Tuesday in August...

I just wanted to drop in to say hello
and show you this little collection of vintage images....









I came across several of them on istockphoto, a really good design resource. The rest were found on ffffound. As I was putting together the new template for the English Muse (what do you think of it?) I wanted to include a variety of vintage pictures. The photo of the mannequins is my favorite. I love the old dresses against the black-and-white striped background. And the little phone directory is very funny.

How is your summer going? After several very hard weeks, my father is finally doing better. I'm hoping that his illness is in a sort of remission. I want to thank all the wonderful guest bloggers who have helped keep the English Muse going these past few weeks. Their posts have cheered me up and dazzled me. I put together a little page for them, with their bios. (Please visit). I'm hoping that they'll stay on and continue to post.

Next week is the week we usually go to our little rented cabin in the High Sierras. I really want to make the trip this year. (I need to, actually.) I'm already scouting for wifi spots to blog. (Bringing the photo scanner along the fishing gear). Wish me luck!!

xoxo

Tina

VINTAGE REVIVAL

Hello the very dear readers of English Muse!
This is Shokoofeh from A New Simple Something!
It's about one month that I am eagerly waiting for this moment to find a time and post here as a guest blogger.
Thank you darling Tina! it's so very great!
:)

so lovelies!
FOSSIL website has a great photo contest which sadly doesn't accept more entries but you can browse its wonderful gallery! you can find lots of beautiful vintage photos there! and you can also vote for your favorite on August 20th!
dears, the gallery is like a full inspiration family album!
Don't miss it!

above images are a few of my favorites.
which one is your favorite?!

Lili Diallo

Hello! It's Lori of automatism again, and today I'd like to share a space I love — stylist Lili Diallo's beautiful Brooklyn loft, featured last year in the late lamented Domino magazine. I really admire Lili's philosophy of starting with neutrals and then adding colour, which works to brilliant effect in her home. She's also utterly genius at mixing disparate elements into a beautifully cohesive whole, too. You can have a look at Lili's lovely portfolio on her website here.

Pretty painted china

I must admit I am a real sucker for pretty china and crockery. Whenever we go thrifting (which is rather often) I cannot leave without a new teacup, teapot or a plate or two! None of our dishes match really, which is just the way I like it, and although I really don't technically need anymore I would absolutely love to have a selection from these lovely designers. They all alter vintage (not all vintage, but mostly) pieces either by painting, ink drawing or collage, and I absolutely love them!

Lou Rota is one of my favourite designers, I love the quirky mix of pretty romance with creatures that wouldn't normally be considered beautiful. That crow is one of my favourite pieces! She not only re-purposes china, but furniture and all sorts. I never thought I would be one to like decoupage, but this chair is definitely one to swoon over!

Esther Coombs is a London based designer selling on etsy, whose line drawings are to die for. All her pieces are originally thrift store or boot sale finds, which she then transforms by adding fantastic detail of beautiful buildings and the like. I particularly love her seed markers!

Ninainvorm is another favourite etsy designer of mine! Located in the Netherlands, she not only re-purposes vintage ceramics, but also makes and screenprints her own bowls and the like! I absolutely love her sense of colour and folky illustration style. That wee plate with the bunting is so unbelievably sweet! Nina also has a lovely blog where she talks about all things lovely and crafty. Go take a peek!

Happy Monday to you all, I hope it is treating you well!

Becka xo

a beautiful revolution

I found a blog and fell in love and now am sharing it with you. a beautiful revolution is the blog of a misfit who found his calling, published his book, found love and his place and in this world through his blog. It's a wonderful story, and here is what he says on his blog:

In 2005 I was depressed. Suicidal. I went to a therapist. I began writing a beautiful revolution. In 2006 an agent approached me - then a publisher (John Murray) and my doodles became the book If You're Happy And You Know it. It was published during the week of my 40th birthday. I began doodling for BBC Ouch. 2007. I had finally found my place in this world. In 2008 I met my American publishers (Harper Perennial) in Soho. We sat for 2 hours in my favourite place in London Patisserie Valerie and planned how Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now would be. A memoir. A memoir.


My love life was still a complete disaster - going from one bad relationship to another. But then I met her. The girl on the internet. She lived in America. I went to see her. If I could write it down, it wouldn't come close to how she was. She came to England. In 2008 we sat in my bedroom and laid out every doodle, every word I had ever written on the floor and formed the narrative of my book Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now. June 2008 I went back to America with her. We got married. January 2009 my book Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now was published. In America. The place I now call home. I got a new agent. An American agent. Began to doodling for A Way To Garden. 3 months ago my wife and I bought our first home together. We adopted a dog. An unloved pit bull. We named her pickle. Last week my green card came through. In 2007 I found my place in this world. In 2009 I found everything.


I used to think you needed to see it, to believe it.

But now I realize that to see it, you must first believe it.

Everything is possible. Everything is possible.

Here is a video of his book, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, the story of his depression and how he came out of it: