Sunday Snippets from the Financial Times

My heart goes pitter patter whenever I see, hear, smell anything Liberty of London. This is my all-time favorite store in all the world. I could spend hours here. Days. This is the kind of store you wish you could hide while they're closing down so you could actually sleep here over night and touch every piece in every nook. Sigh.

So I was quite excited to read a little blurb about a new perfume line in Liberty of London's beauty hall. In the article "Fragrance to Stir You," Lucie Muir tells how you can have your own Le Labo perfume mixed and bottled right there for you and your personal label slapped on the front including a "fresh until date." She likened it to going to a bar and having a cocktail made for you. I like that. There's something very decadent about it. And speaking of which . . .

I quickly went to Liberty of London's site to look for the perfume. Instead, I found all kinds of other goodies. I'll take this medium duffel embossed with the most delightful art nouveau pattern. Thank you.

And then this little darling to adorn my neck.

Perhaps this one too.

Both would fit nicely in here with the new perfume made just for me.

Let's pencil in a shopping date for Liberty of London, shall we?

Sunday (FT) Snippets

You know I'm addicted to china (and crystal and silver and pottery . . . ). You know I have more than just several sets. You know I redid my kitchen mainly to find room to store my china, right? Problem is, I still get that pang in my stomach when I see lovely pieces such as these. Like I need more. You know I have two sons, right? Do you think they are interested in inheriting any of my much beloved dinner sets, tea sets, even dessert sets? I think not. (I'm praying both will marry girls just like ME who will love all of my stuff with as much excitement and I.) Fat chance.

When I opened up the Financial Times' House & Home section, it was interesting first to read about the house the Obamas reside in and the houses and condos (8?) the McCains own. I, for one, love me a good old brick home vs. the condo scene. Ask me again in about 30 years and my answer may change. Perhaps it won't. Regardless, the article, The Candidates' Cribs, delves into "the choice of where they make their homes can easily be seen as symbols for their differing ideologies." I've always fascinated by people's homes regardless of who they are.

After finishing that article I skimmed through the normal real estate section picking my next house out in the English countryside (my dream retirement home) and then on through the paper. Of course, when I turned to the photo at the beginning of the post, my heart did a skimp jump. I have no idea where my addiction to china stems. I purchased my first set at a yard sale when I was barely out of high school for about $30. It was a big cardboard box chock full of Noritake's cardinal pattern (made in "Occupied Japan" mind you) that I stuffed in my closet for years before I ever looked at it again.

When my dear Aunt Ollie passed, I was given several pieces of her dessert set in Haviland's silver anniversary pattern.

After becoming engaged to the hub, we picked out "our" china. We were both into art deco and chose accordingly with all our art deco fervor, Noritake's sterling cove pattern. (If he hadn't come along, I was just about ready to pick out my own at the ripe age of 25!) Of course, shortly after we were married the pattern was discontinued. To my amazement, I found it one year at Costco, of all places, and purchased enough to throw a grand party. (Yea right.)

Then, there was the year, out of the blue, the hub purchased for me a lovely tea and dessert set by Villeroy & Boch, their Pasadena pattern. (Bella was not included.)

I fell so deeply in love with my mother-in-law's wedding china, I started collecting it off Ebay. And so, I have that set now. Grin. So yes, you see, there is a pattern--an obsession, I suppose you could call it.

But yes, there's more. There's always more. Here's the china cab I had built in. Did it hold everything?

Naw. I had to finish out the hall closet in the back. Remember that DIY weekend?

It's the shapes of the pieces that always grab me. Just a little different is what makes me giddy. Again, when I saw the picture of the Ina coffee set at the top of the article Coffee Cups and Communism, I got butterflies in my tummy. It's about a new exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum (sigh) "Cold War Modern: Design 1945-70." You know I'd take a cab right over if I were in London to ooh and aww over the exhibit. Obviously, I care more about the coffee set than the crazy modern chairs.

And, of course, the addict I am, I quickly went online and did a quick search of LubomirTomaszewski's Ina coffee set (above circa 1961). And, of course, there was a set for sale dating back to 2006 at Czeczko.com, above, for a mere €1280. I wonder if it's still available? hehe.

Look at the curves on these babies! It reminds me a lot of my mother-in-law's set, circa 1950s. Yep, I could surely fit this set into my collection. And, yes, I could find space for it. There's still another closet that has yet to be refinished by me!

Stop me now! Kidding, of course. But a gal can dream, can't she? But please do not, I repeat DO NOT allow me to get onto Ebay in my state of heightened china excitement.

Sunday Snippets on Wednesday

Again, late with my (Financial Times) Sunday Snippets. The weekend before last there was nothing. Nothing in House & Home, nothing in Arts & Weekend, not even anything in "How to Spend It." But this weekend--aha! Tennessee!

There's a wonderful article written by Ann Patchett about non other than our little Nashville. I was amazed to see it, right there in the Financial Times. Rules of Undergrowth is all about growing up in Nashville and how the beautiful landscapes outside the city have continued to flourish. I'm always amazed myself. I can drive a couple of blocks away and climb a mountain (not literally, mind you) with such awe-inspiring views. I have shared many photos with you which always get some ooohs and aws. I guess we actually are on the map. (Photo above from FT article.)

Then there was the blurb on the upcoming PBS series "Spain . . . On the Road Again" with Mario Batali and Gwyneth Paltrow. The FT's No Ordinary Road Trip gives some insight on the odd couple's food adventures in Spain. I think I may have seen something about this elsewhere and thought "Huh?" But, after reading the article and looking at a few clips of them frolicking about Spain, I can see why the two click. Looking at Gwyneth, and knowing a little about her past "diets," at first I thought "What in the world is she doing running around with Batali?" the major food machine he is. But somehow it works. They are both fun loving and tease each other like brother and sister. The show begins here tomorrow night. I can't wait to see it.

And what does this article about Gwyneth and Mario have to do with Tennessee? Well, you know Mario's bright orange clogs, right? (Actually, now he is pushing crocs.) He had to first buy these here in TN. Of course, he would fit right in at a UT football game. So, all I have to say is go Big Orange!

Sunday (FT) Snippets

I just love perusing through the weekend Financial Times when the hub's finished with it. I can normally find him on the front porch on Saturday morning devouring the papers. When he's finished, he puts them aside for me to look through.

While I didn't find a whole lot of anything in the House & Home and Life & Arts sections this weekend, it was bonus time with the How to Spend It pull out, a big ol' magazine chock full of delightfully decadent (and out or reach) items. While I've never had a hard time "spending it," it's always the finding the money to spend which can be the problem. Am I right? And at my stage in life, I just don't need anything. But, it sure is fun looking!

I would love to have my entire house filled with beautiful rugs, but, of course, I've always found the ones I'm attracted to way too expensive for my blood; so I just ogle over them in catalogs. And while I'm not really a pillow person (I hate having to move a lot of fat pillows when I sit somewhere), this did catch my eye from The Rug Company.

And, I adore this wall hanging. The website is just delightful, I might add. Yes, I would LOVE to have any one of their rugs indeed.

From there, I moved on to Judith Michael & Daughter's site. Pitter patter. That was my heart beating when I opened the page and began looking through the shop. A definite on "To Visit" list on my next trip to London, guaranteed. I can see myself coming home with this vintage bunting paper.

Perhaps even another pillow (you know, I'm not much "into" pillows--grin).

Is this pottery not amazing? I found Di Marshall's site from South Africa. I'd love to get some of this stuff.


But, the pièce de résistance is the Teron Conrad-inspired boat sofa made by Ben Fowler.
Can you imagine this piece at Riverside, a whole bunch of us just curled up in it just giggling? I certainly can. That is if I had room and if I could afford to commission one.

Ok, back to reality. Snap.

Sunday Snippets

I love little snippets of homes. I'm always finding a picture of a corner I want to be transported into. I used to do a post every Friday called Friday's Favorite Corner showing little spots in our home and tell about the pieces there so the boys will one day know what all this stuff is that I have lying about. I gave up on it when I think I covered just about every little nook I could find. Well, hardly. But I forgot about that "series" just the same. Here's one of my favorite little nooks in the study. It's a quiet spot where you can sit and daydream. Looks like Abby and Bella have snagged this corner for the day.

Perhaps now I should start a little post on the Financial Times' House & Home section each weekend. It is always full of goodies for the eye to behold. A couple of week's back, the hub pulled this section for me. I have to admit, I have been downright lazy when it comes to reading anything this summer; and so there it sat.

Until this morning when I finally decided to go through my rather large stack of newspapers and even larger stack of magazines and catalogs. Well, I only got as far as the FT. Everything else still sits on the kitchen table waiting for me to go through. I must just be ADD these days as I can't seem to sit and finish any one project at any given time. Geesh.

It's hard to see in this photo, but this is the most delightful shade of deep delphinium blue I have ever seen, perhaps even an ocean blue. Now I'm thinking of using this color in the main bath at Riverside. To not be a "blue" person, I sure am using a lot of blue paint down there! Hmmm? Don't you just love the simplicity of this bath? (To see better photos and read the article, you can go here.)

Here's another shade of bluish purple. Another simplistic room that caught my eye.

I adore this entryway. I've always loved the primitive/folk artsy look. The creams are so soothing for the soul.

And who doesn't love shades of white? Doesn't this balcony look dreamy? Perhaps I could curl up here and read to my heart's desire? That is, if there weren't any bugs to bother me.

All of these snippets can be found in Stafford Clilff's "1,000 Home Ideas." Looks like it's available in the UK, but not yet in the US. Bugger.