ancient industries...

there are certain "trends" i will happily wave goodbye to and there are some that i hope stick around forever and ever and ever. in the case of general stores and mercantiles, i never tire of seeing new ones crop up. the latest ancient industries is superb and supremely english country, which i adore! here is a roundup of some items i would( and lets face it-probably will) empty out my pockets for. i'm digging the dishcloths instead of sponges. sponges have always kind of skeeved me out, with the exception of the lovely expandable kind. oh, and anything seasponge-y.

*for my favorite general store of all time, go here. my heart belongs to brookfarm and their beagle, nutmeg.

beholden...

gasp. swoon. can't breathe. beholden just debuted their beautiful site hopelessly devoted to all things bridal. total and utter love at first site. the gowns are so stunningly romantic and nostalgic and the entire site is just perfection. i would love love love to work for beholden in some capacity at some point in my life. it's just magic.

my love for quilts runs pretty deep. in the 90s, the movie how to make an american quilt sparked my interest in quilts. later my love would be fueled after seeing the gees bend exhibit at the high with my fibers class. when grace posted this on design*sponge, my heart did a few cartwheels. AND the company, montgomery rag, is located in athens, GA my favorite town in this lovely state. pop on over to peep their wares, and get ready to fall in love. i could by everything on the site, easily!

new york moment...

oh new york. i told myself i wouldn't miss you, but who was i kidding? as soon as i got off the airplane it felt like coming home. i felt like i was seeing the city with the same bright eyes as i did when i first moved to nyc. i am kind of kicking myself for not taking more pictures, but i was too happy to think of anything other than living in the present.

here are my favorite new york moments that i am so grateful for(in no particular order)...

1. dinner at flatbush farm, thursday night with my nearest and dearest. i talk annette's ear off about my friends and she finally got to meet (almost) all of them. there was plenty of delicious food, healthy libations, and a glittery feather headpiece(thank you peter hale cooney III, you never fail to deliver).

2. drinks at little branch with chelsea, lauren, and madeleine. i can't remember that last time i have laughed so hard. we were definitely a bawdy bunch, giving the folks next to us more than an earful! this was followed by late night french fries at pomme frites, more wine, and ended with three of us cozied up in lauren's bed falling asleep to reality bites.

3. brunch at diner in williamsburg with chelsea and jamie, a delicious upscale diner that gives watercolor pencils instead of crayons to the kiddies. paper tablecloths for the waiters to write the ever-changing specials on. early morning brooklyn fashionistas in full regale.

4. my "polite new yorker" pin from gray's papaya. if you live in new york, i highly recommend getting one. it is the best conversation starter in the world! everywhere we went, folks commented on it!

5. visiting my friends sarah and ryan's AWESOME store, life curated, in williamsburg. nuzzling with nutmeg, brook farm general store's beagle. marveling at darr's treasure-filled new williamsburg outpost.

6. celebrity sightings: caroline rhea in the container store and jack mcbrayer(kenneth the page) at the today show's green room.

7. touring the west village with annette and natalie. seeing my favorite peeps: judi at cafe cluny, mohammed at casa magazines, a former client roy, and my peeps at marc jacobs' bookmarc store and maison martin margiela. if i could collectively give the west village a group hug, i totally would.

8. snagging a copy of lula. if anyone knows a source in atlanta, let me know! i can never find it anywhere but nyc...

9. attending amy merrick's awesome wreath-making class! she and her adorable sister, mischa, foraged the woodlands of maryland and brought back the most delicious smelling firs, juniper, sweetgum balls, and other holiday foliage. they even marvelously merchandised everything in trapper baskets,fishing baskets, and old wooden crates.

10. befriending cabbies. asking them how they aren't afraid to drive in new york, and how many accidents had they been in. also, announcing that i just got my license to all of them.



i miss my friends every.single.day. i am so grateful the majority of them are all corralled in the city that never sleeps. my resolution for 2011 is to travel more, and definitely to frequent NYC much, much more.

one stop shopping: brook farm

i have mentioned multiple times my love for this store. if you appreciate the english paired-down, country-style like labour and wait, toast home, and bailey's home and garden, or if you are an oleson's mercantile fan, then be sure to swing by. for as glitzy as i like to doll myself up, i must admit i gravitate towards homes that are a slapdash of well-worn, crumbly, dusty, imperfect and OLD objects paired with simple, unassuming pragmatism. i don't have bold splashes of color, and there isn't a trace of lucite anywhere. whatever your style is, you can definitely find something for you/your mother/father/brother/sister/husband and the whole farm. my favorite one-stop shop. the owners are downright lovely and their shopdog mascot, nutmeg, sparked my beagle affection.

*also, pop on over to katie's blog to see her brook farm picks!

comin up roses...

(woof. iphone photos not so hot).

today i had the pleasure of taking a field trip to second hand rose, a darling purveyor of fine vintage and antique wallpaper... and man, was it mighty fine! their midtown showroom walls are lined with wood crates stuffed with an array of paper goodness. i came in with the best intentions of finding pretty samples and scraps to doodle on, but alas, "sold only by the double roll".

no matter, i flipped through binders and binders of damask roses(belgian, french, and american), tiny prints, metallic foil, and kitschy kitchen prints, plotting the day i am able to wallpaper our first real home. maybe a closet? a kitchen? while i was acting out "ginny and ed's dream house in georgia" in my head, a sweet father, mother, and daughter were selecting wallpaper for their study. i was both blown away at the thought of having enough room for a "study" in a new york city apartment, and by the fact that all three family members had a say in the matter! so democratic and diplomatic!

bonus points about this charming slice of paper heaven? the owners couldn't be nicer. suzanne lipschutz is the epitome of what a charming, hilarious new york proprietor should be! and her gravely voice... i want it. she enthusiastically doled out bits of trivia, facts, and history about her wares, and i can not wait to be able to afford to do business with her. A++++ for product knowledge and customer service!

for all you guys and gals with serious pocket change, looking for a little home improvement... look no further. and for serious tips from an expert, contact miss merrick. she knows what's up when it comes to layin' it down!

signed, sealed, delivered...

this is my valentine card i sent out this year, which i attempted to fold like a bright star "origami valentine". i made a field trip to champion stamp, determined not to let another holiday card go in a mailbox with a ho-hum stamp. i even sweet talked my husband into accompanying me to a field trip to midtown new york city to visit the stamp shop.

yum. he quickly became disinterested as i poured over their catalogue of vintage stamps. and he could only half-heartedly feign interest, so he left me to my feverish stamp selecting. i even walked away with a jumbo bag of old, used stamps. i spent the rest of the day on the floor, color-coding them and picking out ones to give to my friends and family.

i definitely recommend making a trip if you live in new york, and absolutely shop online if you need a little wedding envelope facelift, or want to pimp a party invitation. this place is such a treasure. honestly, i kick myself that i didn't discover this joint 'til nearly 8 months after my own wedding. blast and wretch.

and my calligraphy. still abysmal, but lettering envelopes is excellent practice. i am hoping to send lots more snail mail this year, so hopefully i will see a marked improvement within the next few months. fingers crossed.

have i mentioned i love my friends and family? everytime i sit down to mail a letter or card, i feel a surge of joy in my heart. and it is a lovely reminder of how lucky i am to know such good people. such good people.

p.s john gardner, darling, if you are reading this, you and miss paige's card came back to me. my computer was busted when i mailed everything, so i mailed this to your old place. i might just have to make a date with you to give you yours.

return to sender...

today i am grateful for...

stumbling upon the champion stamp site, whilst looking for valentines stamps! where was this website when i was searching high and low for stamps for my wedding invitations?! grief, the petty breakdowns i had last spring over the poor showing in the "wedding stamp" department of the usps. this was pre- adorable king and queen love stamp.

this website's vintage archive is pretty fantastic. and i think i've heard multiple friends resolve to write more letters in lieu of sending cold, intangible emails. and honestly, who doesn't appreciate the jazzy little details? well y'all, champion stamp is the answer to all your postage stamp needs.

there are so many that i want, that i am having a hard time staying focused on the task at hand.

and not only am i an admitted collector, but i like to collect things for others. because i am just that sick. a true, blue textbook hoarder. someone should submit my name to that show.

i found the waring sisters stamps.

and the chelsea rose cook stamps.

and the peter hale cooney III stamps.

and the john gardner stamps.

and the amy merrick stamps.

and the jc stamps.

it really is a neat, neat site. i loved scrolling down the vintage archive, witnessing years and years of stamp graphics evolve over time. if you don't live in new york, and can't visit the brick and mortar shop, you can absolutely get your fix via their website. and YAY to no more fretting over stamp decisions for any given holiday-this place has got you covered!

*p.s if this is old news to y'all, i'm sorry. i just discovered it tonight and felt like sharing.

ain't it funny...

today i am grateful for...

adding a new antique store to my menagerie. pretty funny antiques is a pretty adorable lil' victorian house in tarrytown, new york. the whole house is brimming over with irresistible junk-y goodness. i saw many things i wish i had room for.

what sweet spectacles! a true sight for sore eyes, but i had my eye on a particular mad scientist pair...

and a pair of saucy black and white wing-tipped brogues.

and a sweet stuffy for francie.

and an old thread spool cabinet. ooh this made my heart go a pitter patter.

and i had many a reminder of projects to finish in decorating my own apartment...

...like hanging my collection of old photos and artwork. geez louise, i haven't hung a single thing yet. shameful.

...and rearranging my many suitcases.

...and solving my impossible shoe storage situation.

we all walked away with a humble pile each. chelsea found a pair of witchy boots and an early christmas present for a pal. i also found a christmas gift for my sweet pete. and a few other bits and bobs that i will share later. i had to leave behind a pair of specs and a perfect, reasonably sized leather purse that i might have to phone for after my next paycheck...