mountains from molehills

I have piles of vintage linen, lace and scrap cotton which I keep in the back of my mind, and brainstorm projects. A few weeks ago, I got an idea and left it to incubate. Finally, on a free evening I began. Here's a bit. More to follow:

favorite things (five): a good pen is hard to find

You may have heard the same thing about men, but I guarantee, finding your soul mate of a pen brings a host of rewards in its own right.

Mine, these days, is Le Pen. It has a micro-fine plastic point that gives a great clear ink saturated line. We wrote our thank-you cards with these, I use them for most journaling, and the colors are fantastic. My go-to color these days is slate gray, though periwinkle is a close second.

You might notice the chewed end, which is not the result of love, but of accidentally throwing him in with the kids' marker bag. Luckily, Le Pen doesn't care where he ends up and mingles amicably with Crayola.  I, however, will end up at the stationary store buying another.

Do you have a favorite go-to pen? A pen you can't write without? Do tell.

favorite things (four): velvet ribbon

Luscious and sweet. My velvet ribbon coils fill old mason jars.

Just looking at them is a quick trip to happiness. After all "velvety" is nothing if not the perfect adjective.

Have you ever heard it used to describe anything other than delight? 

I'm not sure there's much more to say. I just love velvet ribbon. Especially in small pieces. A full garment is almost too much, but give me a swatch any day.

My mason jar spillith over with love, velvety love.

favorite things (three): mom

I don't have a collection of moms, but I have my collections because of my mom. No question. Pitchers and vases, pears and fabric. My mom knows how to put it all together (sometimes with thumb tacks and safety pins but it always looks fantastic).

I wouldn't be here without her, but frankly, neither would this blog. My mom, more than anyone, taught me about color and contrast, lines and shadows. She's the best present wrapper, house decorator and granola pancake maker I know. She believed in make-believe with me, let me stay up late to watch kittens be born and made tiny dolls for me and my friend Sophie when we were awesome nefarious kids (Sophie was more bad, for the record). She gave me bangs, taught me to love calico (cats & fabric), didn't let me get out of the car until the Beatles song was over, is my best critic and advocate, and dressed me in that awesome poncho (see photo above). I totally love her. And while today is just a day, it's a good day to note how much of me is from her. And how much I love her. In my bones and in my soul and in all of my best moments. Love love love. All you need is.
xo, momma, xo.

favorite things (two): tiny sterling salt & pepper shakers

I went through a serious Salt n' Pepa phase in high school. This is apropos of absolutely nothing and will undoubtedly result in some marital ridicule, but I have to bring it up because I can't say salt and pepper (even when referring to vintage shakers for actual salt and actual pepper) without thinking of the girl hip hop group.

But I (de)digress.
Number two: miniture sterling salt & pepper shakers

I found these tiny sterling silver salt and pepper shakers at the tail end of my egg cup collecting phase and had absolutely no functional reason to buy them.

So I left store, sans shakers.
But, like all of my favorite things, I couldn't stop thinking about them.

I returned quickly and purchased set # one.

They are delightful to hold, light and airy but with the inescapable weight of real silver. They clink together like chimes and feel almost buttery.

The first set led to a quick conviction that someday I will have a lovely dinner party and on the eve of that day, I'd surely regret not having individual shakers for each guests' place setting. After all, who needs only one set of tiny salt and pepper shakers?

 Suddenly other little sets popped up like tiny buds in the corners of several antique stores. One, two, four, six. The more the merrier (especially when they all fit in the palm of my hand).

And that, dear readers, is how a collection is born.

brown paper packages tied up with string. favorite things one: egg cups

My sewing machine took a bit of a respite during the beginning of 2010. Thanks to a wayward patch falling from O's cubscout uniform, I finally pulled it out again last week.

My plan for this week was to update with the new mini-sewing project I'm working on - full of bits and pieces of lace, vintage cotton & silk.


But the morning and afternoon light lately have been soul swelling and I've pulled out all of my favorite things to photograph.



And so begins a series I've been meaning to start anyway:
my favorite things (, a few of).

Number One: Egg Cups

 
I began collecting these a few summers ago. There is something about the sweetness of their shape that always catches my eye. Especially those with that tiny gold rim.

 
Though the simple plain ones are just lovely.

This set came as a pair though they have a crooked symmetry.

My mom says I used to love what she called an "eggie chopped up in a cuppie."

If nothing else, I still devour the cup.

yes, letterpress, yes

Saturday. Letterpress class at May Day Studio.
Absolutely positively delightful.

And so, the imaginary "Oh! Hello" onesie line, gets its own accompanying line of letterpress cards.

More to follow.