a drop of golden sun

My middle name is Rae, like a drop of golden sun.  And this necklace makes the insane winter we've been having seem sunnier.



The price tag would make my house a little chillier, though.


These vintage $7 earrings make me happy too.



Here's a great print: babushkas AND sunshine.  Try not to smile!



But my favorite all time sun painting is this one, with Akhenaten.  (Speaking of: did you see the awesome Egyptology news?)  I love the sun's hands, and how its feeding ankhs -- little vitamin D packets -- to Akhenaten and Nefertiti. 


Man, I need me some sunshine.  Who's up for a cruise?

from The Novelist

Lovelies,

It turns out February's been rough on my blog. I started a crazy challenge to write a novel -- 50,000 words -- in 30 days. My brother and two sisters are in on the madness too.  I've just passed 23,000 words: 15 days and 27,000 words to go.  I've always wanted to write a novel and even though this one is, well, craptastic, I'm thrilled to finally be getting something down.  (Plus, once it's done I plan to start referring to myself in third person as "The Novelist."  As in, "The Novelist requires breakfast in bed" and "The Novelist is too busy writing A Novel to do laundry this week.")

Although it's taken a toll on my blogging.  Sorry about that.  Words are pretty much leaking out my ears by the end of the day and they won't seem to stay on the computer screen.

I sure am thinking about books, though.

These book cover postcards are fantastic.


I covet this anthropologie book wallpaper.  I'd love to have it line the walls and ceiling of a reading nook.  I'd love to have a reading nook.  And while we're at it, how about a pony?


Here's a lovely book box to hide treasures in.

And, for reading, a new favorite:
 

stay warm!

We've had snow snow snow -- which makes me want to buy things.  I think it's some spin on hibernation.  Must make the den as cozy as possible.

Anyway, here are my picks to brighten a winter's day. 

To wear: divine leather hex goodness, $350. (A girl can dream!)

To cuddle: yummy Pottery Barn Kantha throw from used saris.  (Not being sold yet -- watch for it this spring.)




To flaunt: comfy heels, $98.
 


To enchant: lovely suit in stunning color, $115.
 

rope jewelry

Jewelry's on my mind.  I'm tardy to the rope party, but found these great pieces I wanted to share anyway. 


For $230, Sabrina Dehoff has this divine 4- strand rope:




Here's a great necklace from Munted Kowhai (though I would probably change the necklace's name).  I bought earrings from this store and love them.  The necklace is only $35.




Greedy Girl, a must-read blog, had a post today about wonderful The Vamoose.  This knotty nautical bauble is $29.




I couldn't pull off this necklace ($65), but I know some of you who could:




These bracelets smell like sunshine! And they're only $4 a pop.

valentine jewelry

We covered Valentine's Day cards; now for jewelry!  As Mae West said, "I have always felt a gift diamond shines so much better than one you buy for yourself."


 Geek love.



Loving Naomi Murrell's cheery necklace -- I'm on a big wood pendant kick.



Hourglasses are crazy romantic; is it the  "gather ye rosebuds while ye may" subtext?





So charming, my favorite color combo, and people! That's velvet frigging ribbon!




Understated and adorable.   If I had a brother who had a girlfriend, I would nag nag nag him to buy her this.  (Good thing you're off the hook, brothers mine.)




Because hearts are fantastic.  And girls love sparklies. 
 



Tooth-achingly sweet. 

letterpress valentine cards

Letterpress cards make my heart beat faster.  Here's a roundup of my Valentine faves.

So you love a geologist?  Mazel tov.  Get this card from egg press.



Scallops, diving bird, pepto-bismol pink, cute murderous infant -- that's amore!
 


Because nothing says "you light up my life" better than a Mexican wrestler.  Or two.



 I adore Zeichen Press, and also this "strange and wonderful" card.  (Also adore the word "trilobite." If that is in fact a trilobite.  Not sure.  Still: trilobite.  Trilobite trilobite trilobite.)



Simple and gorgeous. Possibly gorgeous enough to work as a "what the what? Was yesterday February 14th AGAIN?" card.
 


When you know exactly what you want for Valentine's.



For the Pandora aficionado: juxebox love.



Hate Valentines Day?  Or suffer from low blood sugar? Either way, here you go.

favorite recent blogs

Since I've been, um, embarrassingly incommunicado for a while, I have billions of links and movies and books to share.

Top Three Recent Fantastic Blog Discoveries

1.  Neo-Traditionalist

I only found this blog a few weeks ago, but already it's becoming a highlight of my daily Google Reader ritual.  It combines impeccably curated finds and a lovely, restful layout: be still, my heart! 

2.  Rikshaw Design

 Along with the eponymous store, this is a treasure trove of boho sensibility.  The store carries hand-blocked sheets for the little folk, but a line of grown-up goodies is rolling out soon.  And in the meantime, the blog is a great source of eye candy.  Like this wonderful Australian store, Fenton & Fenton.  

3.  Passive Aggressive Notes

Word of advice: run to the bathroom before you start reading this collection of real, live, whacked out passive aggressiveness.  As a veteran of, wait for it I figured this out one time, 67 roommates, and a former cubicle dweller, I can totally relate to these.

home. sweeeet home!

Hubba hubba.

Oh, honey.

Please, please: be mine.

This gorgeous Moorish home (in Key West, whoudda thought it?) was built by a team of Moroccan artisans who camped out in Florida for a year.  (Hilariously, they got weekly check-up visits from the FBI.) 

I love love love it. The hand tiled floors, the incredible wood ceilings, the mashrabiya screens -- I swear we are meant for each other.

I figure all that stands between us is about $50 mil.  Well, that and my poor sweet husband, who is still coming to terms with our awesome new wallpaper.

Check out more photos and details at Architectural Digest.  (Seeing this house alone was worth our magazine subscription.  Which, come to think of it, we didn't pay for.  Thanks for the Christmas gift, Amberphivia!)

hit the road, jack (but stylishly!)

I've only been back home for three weeks, but I'm feeling some wanderlust kicking in.

If I could go anywhere: Marrakesh.

If I could take anything: a fabulous (flatten-able!) suitcase.

Climb, dollar, climb!

counting the gray hairs

So I've been getting some odd catalogues lately. (Not as odd as the ones we got when we first moved in though: I feel like I know A LOT about the previous owners.) Yesterday's catalogue, though, has ensured that I will spend the rest of my life here dodging the mailman.

Behold:
Can you tell by the name?  How about the subtitle, "Support, Comfort, Independence"?Apparently some consumer algorithm's been tracking my spending habits at yarn stores, and concluded that I really am over 80 and in need of all kinds of orthopedic aids.

But it makes for interesting reading; Support Plus has an array of ingenious products and even more ingenious copy-writing.  Here's some of the best: a phone speaker headlined "Don't Miss the Joy of Friendly and Loving Phone Conversation!"  Aww, sweet.  I'm reminded of the awesome seminary video The Mailbox -- I'm trying desperately but unsuccessfully to find it online, first time youtube has ever failed me, but it's all about this lovely old lady who lives alone and spends her WHOLE DAY waiting for the mail. She never gets any letters, ever, because her grandchildren are ungrateful little slobs, and on one lonely trek to the mailbox she ends up slipping on the ice and dies cold and alone and is eaten by wolves.  Or maybe I dreamt that part. 

 Anyway, good movie, and that lovely old lady would've ADORED this catalogue.  And Friendly and Loving Phone Conversation could've brightened her lonely days.

Another attention-grabber promises you can FINALLY "Overcome the Difficulties of Cutting Toenails!"  As we all know, "getting to the toenail cutting position is hard enough. This clipper multiplies your hand strength and helps prevent injury. Very well made."  Toenail cutting injuries? I think I just came up with a great new House episode.

I also heart the $4.95 non-slip rubber doorknob sleeve, with, get this, anti-microbial protection.  I'm adding this to my Thanksgiving litany: I'm grateful to be able to turn doorknobs on my own.   Even if they ARE covered in microbes.

OK, just found a super excellent product and just in time for the holidays: you can "Maintain Independence & Hygeine" with a Self Wipe Toliet Aid.  It's "helpful and discreet, for people who have difficulty performing self-hygiene when using the toilet."  Hee.  White elephant gift, anyone?

christmastime in the suburbs

The sudden cold weather makes everything feel like Christmas--it's too early but I'm ready for hall-decking.

This wreath would be fantastic, no?

And for decking out oneself, look at these Australian lovelies:

Sweet rose pendant here, outback-boulder inspired earrings here.

you stylish traveler, you

In two weeks, I'm going on a glorious Middle Eastern tour with extended family, and I'm so excited I can barely stand it. I was thinking about it so fixedly this morning, that I caught myself trying to shave my legs with a toothbrush. Oy.

There's much to do before I leave for happy hummus lands. I should probably fold the laundry that's been heaped on the floor since August, and I ought to finally figure out how to unclog the second sink in our bathroom, and I definitely need to find appropriately adorable travel accouterments. Like iPod cases, baggage tags and passport holders.

I've been checking out the passport holders, at least, and am so amazed by all the adorable options out there that I can't believe I've gone this long without one. And if you're already stressing about Christmas gifting like I am, may I suggest a passport holder is an excellent gift option for the have-everything kind of recipient. They're affordable, cheap to ship, and a perfect blend of practicalness and whimsy.

Here's one from duct tape -- nice and urban.

I love the selection at buyolympia, which includes the crash position one above. They've also got a great pirate n' octopus fight on one of their passport holders; I imagine it would be very comforting to travel with. If you were afflicted by food poisoning, or an amorous taxi driver (ah, how I love the Middle East), or construction outside your hotel you could at least take out your passport holder and realize life could be much, much worse: you could, after all, be a pirate monkey being throttled by an angry octopus.

I ended up going with a passport holder that's slightly less twelve-year-old-boy: this great thrush one from buyolympia is my fave.

More fun passport holders can be found here, here, and here. Nothing says, Security! I'm a innocuous! like a passport covered in skulls.

Enjoy. I'm off to go clean Peter's toothbrush--hope he hasn't noticed yet. Turns out, he may not miss me at ALL.

to everything there is a season

Fall is the BEST.  I could breathe nothing but fall for a year and still want more.  I love the way everything gets golden; I love that fall smell(what IS that, anyway?); I love apples.

And I love it when ilee's releases next year's calendar.  It's letter-pressed perfection, and happily much more affordable than ilee's (equally mouthwatering) custom-made invitations.

And it went on sale today.  I won't tell you how long I spent this morning hitting refresh, waiting for it to -- finally! -- be posted.

Now I need just need to figure out what to do with my 2008 ilee calendar.  It's waaaay too pretty to sit in a landfill somewhere.  Anyone have any suggestions?

j'adorable

just wanted to say...

I love this t-shirt.

baby blocks

I've got a friend's baby shower coming up, and I am stumped on what to get.  I think these cheerful wooden blocks would be a lovely gift--if they weren't $11 each.   

Or what about these hand-crocheted alphabet blocks for $130?  (Wow!)

Actually, my all-time favorite blocks are these Arabic alphabet ones.  I love the retro graphics and the colors.

(Yes. I read waaaay too many mommy blogs.)