Well, as you guys watch the ball fall in Times Square or celebrate with a loved one(s), I will be setting out my clothes for my first day back post Maternity Leave. It was way too short but very, very sweet. For all of you who have been through this, you know how difficult it is. I wish all of you a great new start on whatever you are embarking and I will see you (less often, I'm afraid) in the New Year (sob.)
Finally: Something new in the piggy bank department. TakaraTomy's Life Bank (via CNETasia) starts out with some poor sod living in a dump of an apartment. With each 100 yen coin added he scores a nicer pad until he builds himself up to a champagne drinking penthouse resident who even gets the girl. Of course, this nirvana isn't reached until the $850 mark, but if you rob the bank you start right over in Crapsville.
I can't stop staring at "Winter" by Andrea Heimer, an artist in Washington. This reminds me of sitting by the fire when I was twelve, reading a spooky Nancy Drew book. I actually thought that I was this person with the pink lipstick and dark trees, sleuthing the night away. Good times.
I have always scoffed at New Year's resolutions beyond the obvious "Try not to drink wine before 10am." This year, however, I REALLY want to make life run more smoothly. I'm weary of the random crap that ends up on the counter and has no place. I'm tired of not being able to find the screwdriver. Ditto with small children who relocate every single plastic animal into our living area or dump bags of craft feathers and toothpaste on the bathroom floor. I implore EACH OF YOU to leave me your one favorite organizing tip. Please! I'm talking about stuff that really works, not the B.S. found in organizing books, like "Do quarterly stock inventories" and "Use a large chart with gold stars for chores."
Gretchen at The Happiness Project has cured my indecision of what to do with those warranty books and wires/extra discs that come with digital cameras and new appliances: Everything goes into one big ziploc bag. It works so well, you should try it yourself. Bunny ziploc from Mobi. Another great tip she offers is collecting all small child related stuff and putting it into a clear glass jar. It looks colorful and the kids frequently dump it out to revisit their detritus, but have a place to put it back.
All you anonymous lurkers - this means YOU. One tip for the New Year, please!
Suede file organizer on Etsy from decorativeinstincts.
that I find so darned attractive? When I saw this I figured those pusher folks at Anthropologie had it made just for me. Seriously, don't you guys ever feel like that? They scope you out, find your weakness and BOOM... they just know you can't say no (hint hint hubs: birthday soon.) Oh c'mon...you losers who collect those faux vintage pink glass cake stands know I'm talking to YOU. Now, it's back to Shower Curtain Anon. for me, damnit.
By the way, I saw this on someone's blog yesterday and I can't remember whose. If you know, please tell me so I can credit this maven of impeccable taste.
Drink Vodka.
Russian Never Fall Doll from Plastica. I can see one of these in a playroom or my Studio. THIS is the kind of plastic that won't end up in a landfill, although husband might just dropkick it down the stairs.
One of my favorite blogs, Style Court, posted today about Italian trellis, which inspired this post. I had been perusing West Elm and noticed this in several of their pieces. It seems quite Moroccan to me and I love the look. The caveat lies in the possibility of overexposure after the Cloe Sevigny piece in House and Garden. For now, I'm a fan!
Although just about everyone who has seen my revamped kitchen has a comment for it, I can tell I'm the only one who just loves it. When I finished it, I ran over to my neighbor's to get her and she said that it looked "nice and neat." I felt crushed. Sure, the appliances are donkeys' years old and the color unusual, but I LOVE IT. Like a parent with a child whose ears stick out, it's still beautiful to me.
It still needs curtains and eventually the formica will go, a backsplash placed and new appliances (Aga one day!) bought but all in good time. There is something about having a kitchen with old pine cabinets and formica: Creativity is required to make it a haven. Anyone can move into a house with granite/cherry/stainless and have a coveted kitchen. My hope was to achieve a coveted kitchen, but I guess since I covet it, that is enough. I've gotten a few emails from people with suggestions that I really appreciated. If you have some suggestions for me (nope, I'm not changing the basic color scheme!) please leave a comment.
BEFORE:
Since I am sick today and my family has gone to view a Christmas light display, I am trying not to pout. I decided to look around on Flickr for some photos of Laduree. This is because my kitchen is now finished (but alas, my camera was lost so no photos yet) and you remember that is was matched from the Laduree box below. It is perfect.
I imagine this truck does many illegal acts in Paris. If you were a cop would you give the driver a ticket? Well, not as long as he paid up, and I don't mean with francs! I bet that truck is armored.
If you haven't discovered the blog Paris Breakfasts yet, go. if you like beautiful colors, paintings or sweets, a visit is a true journey of the senses. You will feel like you are in Paris. Here are two of her watercolors.
