Martha Punches

Sorry for not posting yesterday! I was still in vacation mode... Have you seen the "punch around the page" sets from Martha? They make some really cute borders. I was excited to find a set on clearance at Michael's. I can't wait to use it!

Friday Featured Etsy Seller: Alfred Stark

I mentioned a two-man show that they had at the art gallery at the college last week. Well, one of the artists was Alfred Stark, who also happens to have a shop on Etsy. His lovely woodcuts are usually based on nature. Isn't this downy woodpecker so cute? And how about the baby robin?

Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! It truly is one of our favorite holidays. Today we'll be enjoying roast turkey breast from Whole Foods and time with each other. I hope you'll be enjoying today, too.

Buri Animals Christmas Ornaments

These little ornaments are so adorable. They're from Martha's collection at Macy's. Forest critters are a great way to dress up a Christmas tree.

The Swan

I love having the Turner Classic Movies channel. The other day I saw part of The Swan with Grace Kelly. I didn't see enough to catch the story, but I did see the dresses. Beautiful.

John Derian

I'm sure many of you have seen John Derian's stuff at Target. (I know Sara got some cute tumblers.) I found a cool binder and some stationery on clearance last week. His official web site has some beautiful things, like this giant hare serving tray or some bookish wrapping paper.

Friday Featured Etsy Seller: The Bee & Nie

Have you seen this fantastic Etsy shop? The Bee & Nie sends 50% of their proceeds to the Maricopa Burn Foundation in honor of Stephanie Nielson. They have some really cute items. I ordered the bee themed kit. I really like the cupcake wrappers, too!

Thursday Text: Thoreau

Our little college is having a two-man show at their art gallery that consists mostly of nature-inspired woodblock prints. It is lovely. One of the things that I really liked about it was a quote on the wall by Thoreau:

You only need sit still long enough in some attractive spot in the woods that all its inhabitants may exhibit themselves to you by turns.

We have had many wildlife encounters in our family that make me believe this to be true.

Finding Neverland

I recently got Finding Neverland on iTunes. It's one of my favorite Kate Winslet movies. It is exquisite (and sad). Such a beautiful film.

Garrard Jewellers

Garrard is the official jewellers to British royalty and claims to be the world's oldest jewellers. Some of their famous pieces include crowns for Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II, engagement rings for Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson, and the Premier League trophy. They have a beautiful web site.

{P.S. I wrote this post before seeing the announcement of Prince William & Kate Middleton's engagement. Exciting!}

Antique Silver Jewelry Box

Here's another fantastic item from Pottery Barn. You can't see the smaller box very well, but I love how the pieces are tacked onto the linen backing using ribbon. Very elegant.

Friday Featured Etsy Seller: Snapcrafty

I've gotten some cute things from Snapcrafty on Etsy recently. She has a lot of vintage-looking plastic flower cabochons and some great findings (like these darling bobby pins).

Thursday Tunes: Quiet City

We went to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on Saturday. The whole program was Copland. The first number was Quiet City, one that my husband really likes.

Anthony-Thomas

When we were in Cleveland, we stopped in a nut store that also sold candy and got some of these chocolate-peanut butter buckeyes. The Anthony-Thomas company is from Columbus, but of course we thought it was especially funny because Anthony Thomas is my husband's name!

Scarf How-To

Sorry I missed yesterday! We were in Cleveland for part of last week, and I'm still catching up around here... While we were in Cleveland, we went to an incredible 2-story, chandeliered version of Brooks Brothers. I'm not a scarf wearer, but sometimes I wonder if I should be. They seem like a great accessory, and there are some very pretty ones out there. To learn how to tie a scarf in a jaunty way, go to the Brooks Brothers web site.

Friday Featured Art: Michelangelo

Here is more glorious Michelangelo. I really love his sculpture. This is Dawn and Dusk from the tombs at the Medici Chapel in Florence. Another pair represent Day and Night. The bodies are amazing, but the faces are the most beautiful to me.

Thursday Text: The World Is Too Much With Us

I recently re-read a Wordsworth poem that I liked. The World Is Too Much With Us:

The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
The Sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not. --Great God! I'd rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on the pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.

Caldrea - Herbs of Provence

Did you know that Target carries an Essential Collection by Caldrea? I got the Herbs of Provence dish soap, and I really love it.

Charade

Each year for Halloween, we rent an Alfred Hitchcock film. We like suspenseful movies - not scary ones. This year we went with Stanley Donan's Charade. Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant are delightful. Walter Matthau and the rest of the cast are stellar, too. And so suspenseful!

Tiffany Yellow Diamonds

I really love the marketing put out by Tiffany & Co. I have an old catalogue that I've kept forever because the pictures are so exquisite. Recently I saw an ad for their fancy yellow diamonds. If you go to their site, you can see a look book with lots of great pictures.