Caitlin McGauley's Watercolor World

This New York City artist has become the house illustrator for Lonny Magazine, with her charming watercolors:





She's also painted for Kate Spade and Hermes. Her work reminds me so much of Maira Kalman's -- whimsical and smart.

More here!

Media Bits

Eyecatching and interesting:

Dueling portraits of Tina Brown: One in the New York Times; the other in AdWeek.

What are your greatest unread books?

A new flicker bookshelf group.

More Great Ideas from Penguin

Bob Dylan is turning 70???

(Collage by Gemma Bayly)

One Year Ago

My father died one year ago today. I have missed him every day since. Some hurts never heal.

(My tribute from last year.)

Photo by Realyn 1.

30-pound cat

Ok, maybe he doesn't weight quite 30 pounds, but Shoes is now officially as wide as he is tall. I think he's responding to the stress of the move by eating. (I am too.)

We're still working our way through stacks of boxes on the porch. And my husband and I are having an intense debate: He says we should go to Best Buy to get a new stove; I say we should buy a Wedgewood on Craigs List. Vintage stoves are so charming.

Until we get this settled, we're all living on take out!


(Pictures of Shoes when he only weighed 12 pounds.)
I'm dreading the lecture I'm going to get from the vet...

Dear Deer

I took this picture tonight on my way home from work. This young deer was out for a stroll a couple blocks away from our house. (It's a little blurry on my iPhone!)

We moved to a community on the edge of the Angeles National Forest. It's pretty common here to see deer, coyotes and black bears (!) walking down the street. A few years back, the town had to form a special squad to deal with all the bears coming down from the mountain late at night to swim in backyard pools and eat oranges and avocados.

Our neighbors warned us to keep our pets in after dark. I feel like I'm living in the wilderness!

Matchbook Magazine, May Issue

The new issue of Matchbook Magazine is out today. As you guys know I LOVE this magazine...but I'm especially excited this month because I'm included as one of the featured bloggers. We were asked: What would you bring to a potluck?
Visit the magazine here!

PS: We're finally done moving...Now comes the hard part: unpacking the boxes.

Almost....

We're almost finished moving -- now putting favorite things in suitcases instead of boxes. I wish I remembered where I packed my handcream!!

Hope you're having a lovely weekend!

xo

Victorian Die Cuts

I love Victorian die cuts, of course. But these are just so good....Look at the guy in the wild hat!! Wow...

This little collection was put together by Ginny Branch Stelling, of the blog My Favorite Color is Shiny.

Gracia & Louise

The collage creations of Gracia Haby and Louise Jennison...






The two artists from Melbourne are the publishers of zines and books,
spotlighting their compositions of curious and colorful things.
Their art is the visual equivalent of marzipan.

LOVE!!!

(Even more on Gracia & Louise's Flickr page.)

What I'm reading....

I just started "The Man Who Invented the Computer," by Jane Smiley (yes, that Jane!).
It's fascinating so far.

I'm such a computer geek. Of all the profiles I've written, one of my favorites is about Michael Heilemann, who created WordPress' Kubrick theme. I love the backstory of the Internet.


What are you reading this week?

Wuthering Heights -- A Family Tree...

Although I know from previous comments that some you absolutely hated Wuthering Heights, I wanted to post this illustration by Lizzy Stewart. I think it's so charming and I love how Catherine is in sepia.

Have a lovely Monday, everyone!

Keys to the Castle! (Rather, the little house)

We're out of escrow! We just got the keys to the little house. The books are all packed and we're ready to go. I'm taking the camera over today to get pictures for you. I need lots of advice on how to turn this very plain (but cute) house into a really lovely cottage...

More later!

(Illustration by Mellanie C.)

The Mortimer/Gaghan Library

The April issue of Matchbook Magazine is out and I've been poring over every page. There's a wonderful story about Minnie Mortimer (her family is considered New York royalty.) She's married to Oscar winning writer/director Stephen Gaghan, who did Syriana and Traffic.

Their Los Angeles home is amazing, but their library is beyond wonderful. It's stylish, but in the way true bibliophiles' collections are stylish--an arrangement that evokes both care for the books and their frequent use. Stacking is the tip-off!

(Photo from Matchbook Magazine.)

Can't walk away...

...can't quit...

Last night I had made a decision to close down this blog. But the truth is, I just can't. It's too important to me for reasons
I know all of you understand. I'm sorry about the drama.
Come what may, I'm here to stay.

If I'm Dooced, oh well. I've been unemployed before.

Thank you for reading.

(Photo by Parpadeo.)

Tuesday Media Bits

Three smart -- and beautiful -- newspaper articles:

Wall Street Journal: A Chanel Tweed or a Ladylike Existence?

New York Times: "Rooms with a View" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Wall Street Journal: The season for bitter orange perfume.

(Photo, above, by Thereza Rowe.)

We got the house!

Now comes the hard part: Packing all the books...

Maybe I should have opted for a Kindle after all!

(Photo by Liis Klammer.)

A new place to call home...

After a year of apartment living, we put in a bid on a little cottage in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. The house is tiny but the yard is huge -- and I'm really looking forward to starting a new garden.

We're hoping to find out today or tomorrow if we have the house.

Please keep your fingers crossed it works out this time!

(Collage by Little Gold Poppy.)

What's Your Favorite Book?

For me, it's still "A Moveable Feast," maybe because I read it every time I go to Paris.

What about you?

(Photo by Sabino Aguad.)

Lunch at Louie's: Dining on Blue Macarons

There's a restaurant two blocks away from my downtown LA office
that has the most amazing macarons...




The blue ones are filled with chocolate and taste like candy.
For a moment today I felt like I was at Ladurée.
Sigh...

Penguin Foodie Books

This is why I could go broke buying Penguin books...

Beautiful illustrations by Coralie Bickford-Smith.

The Great Food Series on pre-order here.

Monday Media Bits...

A little round up of interesting links:

A Glimpse of Maira Kalman's Home Office

T Magazine features the lived-in look.

Was the new Jane Eyre movie too tame?

A look inside Nico Magazine.

(Photo above by illustrator Lizzy Stewart.)

And now, I'm going to bed because it's actually almost Tuesday!

Sunday at the Flea Market

Plein-aire paintings, vintage glasses, theatre programs,
old skateboards, wire flower frogs,
plastic bead necklaces,
rose quartz and sodalite,
and me, on the run,
trying to do
the Pasadena City College flea market
in an hour!

My score of the day:
A Victorian cameo brooch.

(More on my flickr page.)