Pariscapes...

there was something bittersweet about seeing these locks, the way some people took the effort to have theirs engraved with a message, or their names and dates, will they ever return? it was nice to think that maybe you can have some sort of permanent marker in this city...a thought for my next visit.

cityscapes...

I love cities.

I like the chaos and the patchwork mash of buildings, the sounds, the traffic.
I relish finding a high vantage-point and seeing it at a distance.
I love looking down on London as we fly over to Heathrow.
I grin like a maniac when I see the glimmering air-conditioning vents on top of
apartment blocks in Athens that shine like jewels from the plane.
I find the coloured squiggles of metro maps comforting.
I delight in the variation of tiny train tickets and stoic validation machines.
I am fascinated by the tiny differences in pedestrian lights in different cities, walking over bridges that break up the cities and peering over to see their hidden decorations,
wondering who named them, how many people it took to build them.
I feel like I'm standing under a sturdy umbrella in the vaulted roofs of big train stations.
I hold my breath as the London buses navigate their way through the streets like slow crimson whales and tree branches brush past the big picture-windows.
I agree with the contrasting textures of smooth street signs on building walls and feel like it's a game trying to spot the names of the streets from as far away as possible.


I loved this moment in 500 days of Summer, where Tom draws his improved skyline ideas onto her arm...



xo

a city is named by her hidden words....

a little surprise poetry in a Copenhagen window
walking around

just as it started to snow lightly

yeah you know, grey is my favourite colour....

Winter is fast approaching and I have now accepted this by turning on the heating in my room.

I have some ideas for easy and thrifty ways to brighten up my room (attack the walls!) so that I will be even happier on those cold cold days with a pot of tea but I thought I'd also share some of the design things that make me drool.
I love the internet, click click and things are on their way to your home from countries far far away....bless.

ok here goes:


I've always wanted a wall covered with polaroids. I think they are dying out which is so sad, their square shape is perfect for repetition and looks so attractive en masse.
Then I spied this little beauty which ticks many boxes for me; colour, design, literature, typography, uniformity....hey presto, a wall of penguins!

On a more sombre note, this actually reminds me of Emily Jacir's work 'material for a film' where amongst other things is a small collection of book covers from the library of the assasinated Palestinian intellectual Wael Zuaiter. The effect was the same...there is something so attractive, comforting and fascinating about seeing uniformly sized book covers laid flat side by side, I guess we are so used to just seeing the thin slivers of the spine as they are jammed on the shelves.
No more I say! To the wall!

delightful decals

topo choco wallpaper julia rothman wallpaper

my two favourite wallpaper designs from the last 6 months...every now and then I go back and look at them again...I love the hand-drawn-in-pencil look of the first one but I also adore the dreamy swallow pattern of the second (I love love love swallows, so much! )

xenia taler tiles rachel austin

These bright tiles would be so lovely in a kitchen (not my crappy kitchen) but even so, you could use them as coasters or stands for teapots I suppose?
Every 6 months or so I make this resolution to start painting/drawing...and I never really do. I know what I want to do, I have specific ideas and designs I want to try out. I just...never get around to it. Amazing if you consider how often I go into Paperchase to the top floor art/paper supply section...and yet I never pick up any paint or canvas/paper! Note to self: be inspired by Rachel Austin's vivid colours and Get Thee Some Gouache Already! Jeeez....

volksfaden fabric

I don't have a sewing machine, that's another thing on my list of 'not essential yet would still be nice to have'. I've written before about my mama's amazing sewing skills and that is something I want to get at least competent in sometime soon (did I mention my repertoire is limited to sewing buttons and mending holes?). I'm a sucker for fabric, especially a vintage-y print fabric...you can do anything with it! make it a wall hanging, turn it into a bag, make a cushion, use it as a table cover, wrap presents in it....



xo

Miss Pillsbury I presume?

We all love Glee don't we?
Aside from seeing what songs they will perform, the highlight of each episode for me is waiting to see what Emma-the-gorgeously-prim-and-sweet-guidance-counselor is wearing.
It's a nice throwback to good tailoring in classic cuts with very feminine and retro details like bows, beads, mary-janes and flower brooches.


Her outfits seem perfect for the office but sadly not practical for handling heavy books at a busy library all day...so, I will have to console myself with her accessories instead of her pretty pencil skirts and heels for work

(oh yes, and cardigans/sweater clips....always the faithful cardigan! )

Here are some things that I'm sure both me and Miss Pillsbury would like to get our paws on.

whoever said 'blue and green should never be seen' was a complete idiot...they are great together!

my heart hurts when i look at this satchel....repeat after me;
cream.patent.leather.handmade.65 pounds. want.

fabric, beads, enamel, plastic, metal...it doesn't matter so long as it's colourful

I like the idea of turning some handmade crocheted lace into a necklace...and I love the colours and texture in this little purse....must find me some lace.

♥

PS: here is a great little blog I found devoted to the accessories that Emma wears, with screen-shots from each episode so you can swoon to your hearts content...introducing Emma Pillsbury's Box of Baubles