31.12.10

a new year


resolved: do more good

i've got a few 2011 resolutions,
the rest a bit more concrete (&
in smaller bites. do more good's
a big one, i believe. wish me luck.)

whether you opt for the
resolution thing or not
(i don't every year, but
this one seems a bright
time for a start), i wish
you a new year full of
wonders. good ones.







We have learned to say that the good
must be extended to all of society
before it can be held secure
by any one person or class;
but we have not yet learned
to add to that statement,
that unless all [people]
and all classes contribute to a good,
we cannot even be sure that it is worth having.











addams: hay quaker

30.12.10

categories





















how we listen
to our lives
determines
whether we
simply categorize things
as
bad or good,
whether
we spend our lives running
toward
or away
from certain
people
or interactions,
whether
we
greet
the possibilities
in all of life


r. wicks







image: [splendid] topsy design

28.12.10

random pairing moment

















because: i don't know why.
but the goods at old town
industries, are awfully neat,
aren't they? the rest: apple
via remodelista. chair from
gould in maine. astonishing
dining room: rhinelander
mansion in the fifties.
tartan: i can't remember.
anyone know? will add.











all clothing: old town

the devonshire parure and lady philippa speke






adding a little splendor
to your tuesday morning













27.12.10

the hairdresser's wife said That woman writing a cookery book is like sending a blind man down the M1



did you happen to see this interview? they do cover
some interesting questions. those sisters. something
else. quite an indomitable spirit there, hasn't she?
very remarkable. and ms. wilson has done such a
brilliant job on the covers. a joy to behold. truly.











(but perhaps a tray of madeleines would be fine)








i thought about naming this
post temps perdu, but that
would be sort of. well. to be
honest, it would be silly (since
i've never actually read mr.
proust's great work and what
do i know?). the reality is that
i'm trying to clean off my
desktop some, and these are bits
i've saved. the procrastination
one is from merlin mann. i think
he's right on this. the sheer &
haunting chandelier is from
tim denike; it's a snapshot of
an rrl room. the party-goers
are from room 26. the chair
is a gould (lord knows i've
raided their coffers lately;
thank you gould auctions,
i love you). and the real
thought behind this is that
times change. our little house
used to be stuffed to the gills
on the holidays, and now it is
not so much. and where i once
prayed for an hour to catch my
breath, i now have ample time
to marvel at the future. and it
is good. but it will be better, i
think, to marvel less & remember
who we are more. here's to a
busy, happy 2011. may you well
remember who you are and what
a great gift it is. i am thankful,
today, for where we have been
and where we are going. and i
wish all of you godspeed.









19.12.10

absolute attention







it's time to take a bit of a break. for now, perhaps, wander over
& visit beth nelson. a sea both poignant & sublime, her blog is.














who knows?


"Who knows?" Emily said. "The main thing
is to be as aware as you can, every single
minute. Never be bored by anything."



















Madeleine L'Engle


17.12.10

homebodies & card catalogues



while i channel wrapped presents in the mail (outbound),
please go thou & be edified by the exceedingly inspired
card catalog that david john is putting together. & even
though i never make a list, if santa reads this he can run
out and get this book for me. thank you. (in the instant
gratification department, i must note that i don't need a
subscription to liz's excellent blog: i'm signed up. love.)














16.12.10

reading writing & wrapping

besides wanting to thank about six dozen people and send them all notes + get out christmas cards, i have a rather-too-long-in-waiting stack of gifts to wrap & (yes, it's funny, actually; why wait 'til this moment in december?) mail. all of this, honestly, might be easier to tackle if i didn't sort of expect to do a cracker-jack job on each one & have them be worthy of a small space in a bergdorf (sigh) window. anyhow. i'm going to read this (because i need to) and get back to all of you after at least a half-dozen of those gifts have been wrapped. and they won't need to be bergdorfy, they'll just need to be mailed. right? see you soon. happy wrapping to you, too.







image: jean prouvé desk via sweet handmade charlotte



15.12.10

sarah melling: pencils & paper



a dear friend of mine recently started a blog;
i think her work is divine. (& i can promise you
that she's divine, too. we completed quite a few
projects together, each one a joy -- thanks to her
good eye and keen skills.) sarah melling, so good
to see you here! you made me smile. coffee, soon?