Amy Sedaris LOVE

 This is her new book...and I must have it.

Over here on the Renegade Handmade blog they have a video of her and Martha baking.

Amazingness.

The Little (finished) Prince!

Hooray! I think he deserves a re-read. Happy Wednesday!

What do you have planned for today? For lunch I'm going to visit Georgia's Farm to Market to see what kinds of goodies they have. I've been passing it for years on the way to and from work and have never been in. For shame.

This afternoon seems like a good day to scratch a thrifting itch I've had for a couple of weeks.

I finally finished Time Traveler's Wife so I let myself watch the movie...and as good as it was, I'm going to have to go with the classic..."The book was better".

It's also a good day to work on some Summer Goals. There are quite a few big ones so I need to focus and make a plan.

OOOO exciting!

" On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux."

So here's my new embroidery project a la Le Petit Prince!
drawing traced from:

I'm looking forward to hunting for that perfect mint green floss.

If i ever saw this graffiti, I'd die from happy.

Can't wait to post the final product!

a collection of manuscripts, publications, and other materials for reading, viewing, listening, study, or reference

Oh libraries...
[ i would slay to have an old card catalog in my house... to keep recipes, knick knacks, buttons, art supplies, anything.... ]

Wouldn't it be so wonderful to have your own personal library/ study... with a fireplace, big overstuffed leather chairs... dim lighting except for a bankers lamp on a desk... rugs.. wall to ceiling shelves packed with books, records, old newspapers... WISHESSSSS. Aren't those libraries/ studies/ reading rooms so beautiful?

Maybe I don't have my own study, but I do feel lucky enough to have a brand new Houston Public Library branch next door to my office!

Hurrah! The new Kendall Branch is open! and its soooo pretty inside. So clean, fresh, new books, so organized, squeaky floors, shiny! It opened last week so I went today on my lunch break for an inaugural visit. The views from the windows are so pretty, it overlooks a great park. I borrowed 3 books about sewing and hand stitches. I can actually walk there, I just need to remember to keep a pair of comfortable shoes in my office.

If ants are such busy workers, how come they find time to go to all the picnics? - Marie Dressler

With the beautiful weather here now, and more on the way, it just puts me in a picnicy mood. Everything just tastes better outside! (or al fresco, if I were fancy...) I just want to go to Leibmans deli, get one of everything, a good bottle of wine, and relax in the sun after filling my belly. Maybe read, maybe nap... maybe do absolutely nothing... and enjoy every second. I'd really like to get a set of these bad boys: wine glass stakes! You have a place to keep your wine glass without spilling.. it just sticks in the ground! Genius! Perfection! Certain to look like a professional picnicer when you roll up with these. (must... have..)
I went to goodwill yesterday on my lunch- so many baskets! pic-a-nic baskets! May have to go back and snag one (non-buyers remorse). Here are a few photos of beautiful picnics for inspiration! Have a beautiful weekend and may all the ants stay far, far away from your snacks.

[ all photos ]

Peacocks and Princes

The weekend was sprinkled with some surprises, some sleepless nights, and lots of SE Asian food. Friday after work I met with Mom and Dad for a rainy lunch. There's nothing like enjoying your chicken salad, looking out the window, and seeing one of these guys looking at you. Pretty much the best surprise ever.

I'd also like to thank hot and sour soup for making stuffy sinuses just a little better. Sunday was sleepless. I had been feeling like getting a little sick was imminent, as I haven't been eating or sleeping very well, so I guess it finally just hit me. Monday didn't really exist, except when I crawled out of my cave at 4:30 PM to finally get some soup in my belly.

While looking for a new book this weekend and half price, I perused their record section and purchased 2 new/old records- one old Artie Shaw and a "book on record"- Antoine de Saint-Exupery's The Little Prince. Although it's in French and I do not speak one word ( maybe I'll give it to Michelle and Dylan.. if they ever get a record player..?) it was fun to attempt to read along with my book.

...and I sort of forgot how much I loved that book.

it's been decided.

today i have decided to embark on a new hobby. when i get back from omaha, i am purchasing a holga camera. houston camera exchange said they would develop and i'm so excited to see if i can do those double exposure/ accidental shots. i absolutely love the look of these photos and it seems to be a rather inexpensive hobby. yee! i want to check this book out, see what this little sucker can do.

the weekend in a few photos

Dixie found a warm, festive new napping spot and its the cutest thing on earth ughhhhh cat picturessssssss!
This weekend was busy and wonderful! I finally cashed in my birthday massage gift certificate from Ryan and was extra relaxed all day. So so good! I should probably do that more often. I did so much Christmas shopping in the Heights on Saturday. I should go there more often. I discovered a craft studio and spent about an hour choosing supplies for gifts to make. I just sat at this big table for an hour with my hands in various jars. It's called Sew Crafty Houston and I pretty much want to live there. They teach sewing classes and I'd really love to take one.

It was a dreary, foggy, chilly day but people were definitely not deterred. 19th street was littered with shoppers and I got so much accomplished. I found something really great for my friend Amy at Mercader's Antiques right next to the vintage shop Replay. After my 19th street venture, I went over to W 9th to check out August Antiques. I had been meaning to visit this place and I'm so glad I went this past weekend because I knocked out so many Christmas presents. I have never seen such a huge selection of religious relics in one place. After antiquing, I went back home to wrap presents and relax after such a productive day.

Are you finished with your Christmas shopping? ( have you started?) Love from perma-foggy London Houston!

Favorites!

One of the greatest parts of going to Mom & Dad's for Christmas is re-reading all of our holiday books from when we were little. We had so many great Christmas Golden Books and they're still in pretty good shape for the most part, the majority of the damage occurring years ago when we'd get a hold of a marker and make our own additions. These are just a few of my favorites:

copyright 1958

Copyright 1982, this particular version of the nativity story, specifically the illustrations, are a little funny to me now.. because... what are the odds that Mary was a red head..? I remember the angels in the pictures were so pretty, so bright yellow, I'll have to scan them.

And then to the "big one"...

This is the exact same cover on the version we have and my parents still pull this book out every year. First published in 1976 with art by Holly Hobbie, ours is a very special edition, complete with "illustrations", i.e. crayon scribbled and scotch tape patched pages torn by toddler me. There's a mouse hidden on each page and Dad would make a game out of letting us find it. Michelle, Pete and I would ask (demand, maybe?) Dad to read it to us every Christmas eve.. and pretty much throughout the entire month of December, and by read, I mean act out every single word. We wanted the full, one-man production of the Clement C. Moore poem.

There's a stanza that reads:

"When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash."

Dad would actually go to the window, pull up the blinds, and do a faux investigation of the yard.

We ate it up.

So what if I'm almost 30, and Michelle is married, and Peter is about to graduate from college...

I really hope he reads it to us this year.

Books! Elna Baker: The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance

Elna's site

I first heard one of her stories on This American Life, "Babies Buying Babies is about my time as a toy demonstrator at FAO Schwarz adopting Lee Middleton baby dolls..."

She's too funny and a great storyteller.

"The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance is a coming of age story about Elna Baker’s experience as a practicing Mormon in New York City. Elna’s life changes when she loses eighty pounds and gets the sexual attention she’s always wanted…. only to discover that as a Mormon she can’t follow through. The book takes on identity, faith, sex and love as Elna questions traditional values in modern times. "

Today just happens to be payday and I'm in need of a new, good book.

More stories here!