making spirits bright...

{1. st germain elderflower liquor, 2. infinium, 3. bulleit bourbon, 4. & 5. swanson wines, 6. fee brothers bitters}


{7. silver drink platter, 8. white enamel ice bucket, 9. gin rummy glasses, 10. vintage ice cube tray, 11. silver spoon straws, 12. decanter labels, 13. gold martini shaker, 14. peppermint sticks, 15. cork screw}

my husband and i spent the weekend nursing our colds with hot toddies, a drink that normally repels me(not a whiskey gal) when i happen to stumble upon this recipe from the new york times for a smoky eggnog(again, not a cocktail that appeals to me), and i found myself feeling adventurous. after all, the holiday season is a perfect excuse to try new things and make spirits bright. here are some things i would happily stock our bar with.

*and, for some more spirited fun, pop on over to mystic domestica!

found my animal...

{all pictures from found my animal's website}

how fantastic are these doggy accessories? this brooklyn-based company employs new england rope-makers to handcraft leashes utilizing special nautical techniques! read more about the additional features here. what also won me over is that a portion of their proceeds are donated to the louis animal foundation. i think i may have found my christmas present for our rescued beagles! and it's a little luxury worth spoiling them for. good lookin' and philanthropic, yay!

flow-etry

{how to be a star style blogger & how to get photographed by the sartorialist}
i love cheeky little flow charts, especially with a side of biting wit. humor is one of my favorite things.

color wheel of dresses...

{images via susie bubble}

do you pinterest? it is one of the most helpful online site for archiving and bookmarking my favorite imagery. i stumbled upon andreas murkidis' shop of sheer silk dresses, in every color imaginable and instantly "pinned it" for my inspiration board. can you imagine a whole shop of these confectionary delights? yum.

voila...

colette's lighter collection at opening ceremony is the perfect stocking stuffer for your francophile, smoker pal OR for your stylist kit. honestly, i always forget to include matches or a lighter and someone always needs it for a shoot. i love the white one, so simple and graphic. i have a certain pal (ulysses marinez) who needs this. i smell a good stocking stuffer...

handerchief how to...

{source: one kings lane}

such a helpful little napkin folding tutorial on one kings lane. i must admit that i ALWAYS forget to add any extra touches on my table linens whenever i host a dinner party. i don't even own napkin rings! well, this has definitely inspired me to be more mindful of the little details.

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.

table manners...

anyone else collect mis-matched silverware? i do! especially spoons. i like having pretty spoons in my life. comes in handy when i justify icecream as my fifth food group. i have old sweet tea spoons, berry spoons, caviar spoons, and table setting spoons. i feel like the bubba gumps of spoons.

my mother usually sneaks a few pieces of vintage flatware into care packages or my christmas stocking. my favorite are the pieces she thrifts that belonged to hotels. from the swanky, fancy pants variety to the humble likes of holiday inn.

i love the little markings and ornamental flourishes.

but nothing is more special than wedding silverware. mine is gortham lancaster. it was apparently very popular in the gilded era- ooh la la! and it is also the same pattern as my grandmother's and my big sister's. i like the beaded piping, and the girly roses.

it might be about time to practice super-adultish, wifely homemaking duties. like polishing silver, for instance, not exactly a chore i incorporate into my cleaning routine. or maybe it is time for me to pull out the ben and jerry's americone dream out of the freezer and watch the daily show with my husband. i will probably go with the latter.

masculin feminin

with december fast approaching i realize i am still at an utter loss how to stay warm and look like a lady. last year i hibernated under a huge l.l bean sleeping bag of a coat and destroyed many wonderful pairs of shoes.

so i'm collecting a few pairs of hard-wearing, winter-y boots.

and balancing out the butch footwear with feminine flourishes.

glittery bras, card cases, and fur collars. now all i need is an all-weather coat that isn't so utilitarian that i feel like a frump. if that even exists.

it begs the question, "what would sarah sophie flicker wear?"