Heartstrings

A mini kit is in the works!

I'm working on four of them, as we speak.
They'll be available in the shop
on or before Wednesday.

Thought I'd give you a little peek ...

For My EYES Only

This morning, I was having a bad dream just as I woke up. I don't like how bad dreams sort of stick to the rest of the day, making it difficult to remember what's real and what's not.

* * *

At this moment, I'm in between my two jobs, slurping coffee, trying to keep my eyes open, and browsing some edgy Etsy jewelry. Not jewelry for clothing, like yesterday's musings, but jewelry for the neck. Here's what I wish I'd dreamed about:

from Diament Designs

from Homako

from Laura Lombardi Jewelry

from Ball & Chain
{those are freshwater pearls and nuggets of pyrite!}

The Chain Gang

Two or so weeks ago, I got in trouble. Unknowingly, I was "out of uniform" at work, and I was told so by my supervisor.

!!!

When sporting jeans, I am required to wear a third piece -- a blazer or a cardigan are the only third piece options. Turns out, there's quite a difference between a cardigan and a sweater. Ah, the nuances in the English language! I'd selected a fern-green v-neck sweater, pullover style, to wear over a long burnout tee, not realizing that a sweater, without buttons or an open front, is not a viable third piece.

Sounds particular, I know. But I like my job. And I want to keep it. Plus, I own plenty of cardigans, so it's not at all inconvenient for me to dress within the code. However, not all cardigans have buttons {a shawl style, for instance}, which is fine for work, but sometimes I just really want the security and ease of a closed sweater.

Yesterday, I was over here, and was reminded of how much I adore sweater chains, or clasps, or clip guards ... whatever you call them. This, of course, led me to an Etsy search.

from Tin Hooves Vintage

from Luna Chica

from Hossyboy



from Past Enchantments

from Maggie's Vintage Market

The clip guard is a dainty vintage detail and a perfect alternative to buttoning up a cardigan that may look or feel best unbuttoned. Plus, it's essentially jewelry for your clothing, and who could say no to that?

Autumn: Might Not Be A Bad Idea, Part I

You'll notice {maybe, maybe not} I deleted my Lap {Dog} Of Luxury post from last week -- the one wherein I list four things I'd like to be able to one day buy for myself. That's because I'm interested in developing the idea into a small series here, in the cupboard. I want to be faithful to both practicality and the season, and I'd like to use this series to narrow my focus on something attainable and truly smart.

Meanwhile, whenever I add an item to the cupboard, I notice I either continue to lust after it just as strongly as before, or it ceases to have that magical effect. A pretty reliable litmus test, if you ask me. So, the benefits of the series are twofold: I get to dally in a not entirely hand-to-mouth existence by entertaining options within my {current and/or eventual} budget, and I allow myself the opportunity to consider what personal luxuries will really endure the test of time.

Okay, enough yakking.

First up: the driving moccasin. More specifically, the driving moccasin in a punchy, happy-go-lucky color, like autumn sun {appropriate, eh?}.

My feet dig driving moccasins. I know this to be true. Also, this type of shoe is classy, timeless, and a totally practical investment, considering my line of work and the number of hours I spend on my feet during the day. While some might say preppy, I say chic and I say it loudly. A more elegant alternative to my usual choice of autumn/winter footwear -- the cowboy boot -- the moccasin will hold up just as long and become just as much of a personal style trademark.

The {punchy, happy-go-lucky} driving moccasin for autumn? Might not be a bad idea.

{Photo from jcrew.com}

Back To School: The Working Woman's Edition

Just in time for back-to-school season, I've gotten a bit of a promotion at work. So far, this promotion involves lots of important papers with information I'll need to refer to many times over the course of the next few months.

I must say, the two handiest tools I've incorporated into my routine are two tools I already owned. In the name of sharing a good thing, I'd like to introduce you to:

Moleskine 12 Months Monthly Notebook

A bit skeptical of the whole Moleskine scene, I put off test-driving this planner for as long as I could. But, following one too many one-month stands with weekly {and daily!} planners, I met my match in the month-at-a-glance variety. I realized I'm someone who needs always to see the bigger picture when it comes to planning and visualizing. I'm sold on this middle size, too -- not a pocket planner {too tough to write in}, and not a full-on notebook {makes me feel like I'm carrying a rollbook}, my Moleskine of choice measures in at 5 x 8.25 ... just right! A note to the wise: If you wait until November or December to make this purchase, you'll be sorely disappointed. Moleskine plannerse sell out fast and early!

Russell + Hazel Mini Binder

Originally selected as a potential planner {see above for information regarding one-month stands}, this fierce hot pink number finally revealed she never wanted to be a datebook. Turns out, when stocked with mini sheet protectors {wherein I store said important papers}, she happily transforms into the perfect handbook for the specifics of my promotion and title change.

Hurray for form and function, and back-to-school not-shopping!

Spot On

This Ali Ro top is everything I'd ever want in a floral silk blouse.


{Photo from Bluefly}

How Helen Got Her Groove Back

This past week, I've started and deleted three different posts. Why? Because none of them felt very me or very museum cupboardy. I don't even know what that means, but my constant dissatisfaction has made it impossible to post with the same frequency as before.

Where did my museum mojo gojo?

Anyway, here I am, done with a long work shift, coming down with a nasty cough, eating copious amounts of Parmesan risotto {yes, I cooked yesterday!}, and trying to reconnect.

So, on a scale of one to ten, how strange is it that there's a huge part of me hankering for this ring?

Glossy Research

I'm kicking off this fashion interlude with some bits I've pulled from my style archives. The kind of research that involves my sitting down at eleven o'clock last night, flipping through all the clippings I've collected for outfit inspiration. It's interesting, because, as I studied each page, I knew exactly what I'd loved about it and exactly why I'd saved the look for future reference. And, last night, I found that I still adored the ensembles I'd adored months and years ago!

The following images represent some of my autumn sensibilities. These channel my favorite silhouettes, colors, and patterns, as well as several looks I'm hoping to try come fall. Please note, I do not have a scanner, so the image quality may be below par. Click on each for a clearer sense of what I'm proposing.

{Images 1 - 4 from Lucky Magazine; image 5 from In Style Makeover}

Late Summer

I'm so inspired by this photo from Lucky Magazine's fabulous site. I'm going gaga over that slouchy, drapey jacket and its amethyst color. Also, it helps that the woman has gorgeously tousled hair, doesn't it?

Wearing Layers

Friends, you are wonderful. Your replies are incredibly helpful and encouraging, and have made me realize I'll think about that painting forever if I don't snap it up while I can. A masked reader called The Night Url has mysteriously suggested parental support in the snapping up of the painting ... so, there's that to consider ;)

I am behind on blogging, and I'm feeling it. I get this little twinge of sadness when I don't visit this space every day, and I'd like to remedy that, though it's difficult when all I've been doing is working and I feel a little out-of-sorts, creatively speaking. The slow arrival of fall always makes my mind whirl with fashion-related excitement, and I think I've been feeling a bit reluctant about indulging too much in that aspect, here in the cupboard. I don't want this to become a blog solely about clothes {though there's absolutely nothing wrong with that!}, because that's not how I originally envisioned this space. But, I love clothes! And self-expression through fashion is a huge part of my private life {and my job}! Dear readers, would you mind so terribly much if we veered into that territory for just a little while? I won't get carried away, I promise. We are, after all, nearing the season of new shoes and wardrobe updates, though I'm not so interested in buying and consuming as I am in using what I already have in new and fun ways. Really, I just want to make a little more room for fashion in my cupboard.

I must go -- it's time to get dressed!

Hard To Get

Oh! While thrifting this afternoon, I found a painting that I absolutely adore!

I didn't buy it. It was one hundred sixty-five dollars. Which is nothing for a piece of art ... but quite a lot of something for a gal with two jobs as it is. But, I'm really itching to build an entire room around it -- I liked the colors and the mood that much.

Back when I lived in Baltimore, a wool Pakistani rug stole my heart. It was a lot of money for me. I bought it anyway, and sat on it every night, eating nothing but cheapo soup. That rug cozies the floor of my current cupboard ... and I still love it and have used it as the central color story here.

What I'm saying is this: It's those big-ticket items that get me every time. I'm okay passing up most of the smaller things I admire in shops, but it's the one-of-a-kind, loftier-priced items that I see as investments ... in my personal style, in my future cupboard, in my contentedness with my home ... and the price tag doesn't seem to matter as much because I figure I'll do what I need to do to get by.

So, friends, do I venture back out and buy the piece? Or, do I save the one-sixty-five for a couple pieces of fall clothing I've been eyeing?

Ring Around The Rosie -- Now Mine!

You will not believe what I found in my mailbox the other day ...

Yes! That's this bracelet!
My dear friend Jessica surprised me with it,
simply because she's good like that.

It fits like a charm and gives me a little,
what I like to call,
French edge.


P.S. Go visit Jessica in her space and tell her Helen sent you.

I Capture the Cupboard

I inadvertently took a blog break this week. I'm sorry to have left you high and dry! I assure you, I wasn't doing anything too fun without you. The only thing you missed was my unclogging two stubborn drains in my cupboard. And I cleaned the floors.

In all seriousness, I've been busy with work and reading {!}, the latter being something I've neglected quite a bit this past year. I finished Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle last night, and wow, I was completely moved. The last paragraph in particular. I'm not giving anything away when I say it; knowing that final bit is as good as it is might be a lovely thing to read toward. I was truly reminded of being seventeen and in love, a time as stunning as it was brutal. Cassandra, the narrator, writes the entirety of the story in a series of three journals, and I wish, in my year of heartsickness, I'd thought to do that -- though, in making that wish, I should probably also acknowledge that my experience wasn't half as interesting as hers and would've made a poor, poor novel {lots of hiccupy writing and tear-stained pages, to say the least}.

But, for the sake of a good time, let's just say my story was as compelling as Cassandra's. Next step: finding the journal to house it.

This floral journal by James Journal definitely seems fitting for the English countryside, but is it appropriate for the wretched feelings of an adolescent? Not sure ...

I love that this journal by Baghy uses a buckle as a lock. I'm not generally a fan of leather covered journals {does Moleskine count?} -- something about not being able to separate what I'm holding/looking at, from the animal who met an unfortunate end -- but this one seems old-school and classic, and really perfect for pretending my heart broke while I was living in a castle.

No journal round-up would be complete without a red book, tied tightly though gushing on the inside. This one from La Paperie is probably what I would've picked at seventeen, if not for its color {I wrote much of my depressive and lovelorn poetry in an orange faux-snakeskin journal ... not exactly inconspicuous}, then for some perceived drama in its knotted leather closure.

Ah, yes, a madras journal. This is it for me, friends. Something with a touch of cheekiness, a dash of nostalgia, and a fabric cover? Sign me up. This square journal from May Day Studio is exactly where I'd want to write the story of my first love and all of the dreadful feelings that ensued. Thankfully, I don't have to go back in time and write those chapters. Gosh, I'm really thankful for that. But, if I had no choice, I'd purchase this book, kiss Mr. Original a temporary farewell, and reluctantly climb into the time machine that would bring me back to seventeen.

The Shelves Are Full And Tidy

Now that I've figured out shipping prices {a trusty little scale certainly helps}, I was able to drop some of the prices on my vintage goods in the shop. Take a look! If there's something you had your heart set on, it might now be a couple of dollars less and ripe for the picking. Plus, I've just added three new items I've long put off posting ... mainly because I so want to keep them for myself. Alas, that's not the point of this venture, so into the shop they go. I know one of you will give them the love they deserve.

Sunshine Yellow Teapot

My Idea: Deliver this teapot, filled with bags of your favorite kinds of tea, to the desk of a retiring or resigning colleague. Tell her you'll miss your fifteen minute breaks together.

Clear Glass Creamer

My Idea: Bake a cake for your dear friend's housewarming party. Take the fruity glaze over in this cute creamer. After the cake is coated and consumed, your friend will be left with a sweet token of your affection.

Tiny Clear Glass Dome
{with leaf design}

My Idea: Give this dome to your little one and ask him/her to change the object displayed each day. Call it a museum, and see what a growing mind deems special enough to include.

Tu Me Manques

I'm about to finish I Capture the Castle, maybe this evening, maybe tomorrow morning. Putting the kettle on for tea as we speak, washing dinner dishes next, and leaving all crafting bits and bobs strewn around the kitchen floor indefinitely. Received Saipua's heady cedar moss candle for Christmas last year -- still plenty to burn -- and have kept it on my bedside table to accompany sleepy reading. Listening to a ton of cricket sounds, distinct even through the windows. Washing my face and then maybe putting on that sweater I mentioned.

Safe-Keeping

Yesterday morning, Mr. Original left for his native California. I miss him. Without his warm, good-smelling arms, I have bought a sweater. I should probably admit that, in my neck of the woods, it's eighty-seven degrees Fahrenheit. I'll not need a sweater for another month or two. Mr. Original will be back on Sunday. But, still. If I must go without his warm, good-smelling arms, I'll do so with a just-in-case sweater.

I'm gearing up to add several more kits to the shop -- each a bit different from the others -- and will post here just before they go live, but probably not until Monday, as I continue searching for the perfect containers {in addition to vintage cigar boxes, vintage candy, cookie, and tea tins are at the top of my list}.

High Of Forty-Eight

Happy to have gifted myself with this treat {if you're interested, buy it from here, in the States, as shipping is quite a bit cheaper}, as I pine for a look at the premier issue.

* * *

One thing I love is traipsing over to a few of my favorite blogs and reading their autumn to winter archives, specifically the time between Halloween and New Year's. I love this. Maybe inordinately so. Please, do not howl or jeer at me, but I am so looking forward to a little snap and chill. Not because I don't love the now, this summer humidity and steamy overcastitude, and the fact that everything's looking its finest, still blooming and beautiful. But, because I just adore autumn and winter that much more. All of the making and sending off of little somethings that seems to get along so well with colder temperatures. I'm excited to craft straight on through these next five months. I'm excited to surprise people with carefully curated packages and hand-addressed envelopes, full of warm reminders. I'm excited to bake sweet things, wrap them up jovially, and then tell the postal worker that no, this package does not contain anything fragile, liquid, perishable, or potentially hazardous {are you supposed to lie when they ask that? I never do know}.

Anyway, I feel cozy when I read these archives, and I trick myself into thinking it's chilly outside, so it's okay that I'm still in my sleepy yoga pants and washed-soft tee shirt, as we near one p.m. That's what I'm doing this morning {er, early afternoon}, with a little red cup of coffee by my side, recovering from yesterday's long shift at work.

Sweets, Shoes, & Vacuum Cleaners

I have had a week-long sweet tooth.

Mr. Original laughs at me whenever I guiltily mumble something about having eaten another chocolate chocolate-chip cookie. Last night, we had caramel cone ice cream on the carpet {um, I bought it and sort of forced it into our floor date}. Mr. Original took a few spoonfuls and then reclined. I kept going. It's just that there were so many little chocolate chunks that needed to be pried out. Oh, dear.

So, the only thing sitting on my cake stand this weekend is FRUIT. Juicy nectarines, plums in two colors, and a bunch of bananas. That's it. Nothing with butter or cream inside. Nothing involving greasing a pan or preheating the oven. It's time to start thinking about a late summer trip to the swimming hole, and I do not want to feel like a pound cake in my polka-dot bikini.

I worked last evening and I'm working tonight. There appears to be the tiniest of dramas there, completely unrelated to me and of which I want no part. But still, I can sense it, and I'm trying to sidestep whenever it hovers near. Luckily, my shoes are quick and excellent at sidestepping {ah ha, you liked that little insertion of fashion, didn't you?!}. In other news, I think I might've broken the vacuum at work. Shhh. Don't ever tell a soul. I call him Nobles, because that's what's printed across his tubby body. He's a stout little guy, and he usually gets the job done. Last night, though, he just gave out. I accidentally {side}stepped on his hose, for the briefest of seconds {the shoes aren't perfect -- sometimes, they let me down}, and when I plugged him in again and went to fire him up, he wouldn't go on. It's electrical, that much I know. Can you affect the electrical business by stumbling over/onto the hose? I didn't think so, but maybe he took it personally. In any case, Nobles is busted and I fear it's my fault.

Okay, friends, that's all I've got for this Saturday, a half-sandwich after noon. Rest assured, I'll be back.