Tomato + Teal

Not to be confused with red and green {or even cherry and turquoise, as in my blog header}, this combination is all about nuance of color. Can't say I'd wear it, necessarily; but in small doses, it really is something else.

Above: A striking Moleskine and the happiest Swingline stapler you've ever seen.

Below: A cheeky, little tomato bag to top off an outfit. {I also like the added dash of a lettuce-green button.}

You Will Not Want to Eat Anything Else

I'll let you in on a lick of deliciousness: Vanilla ice cream {not vanilla bean; try the kind marketed as "homemade" or "creamy"} + honey + cinnamon. Go do it and report back.

Celluloid, Not Cellulite

I apologize for that little absence. I've been so busy, and busy never seems to leave time for inspiration. {Is there any way we can change that? Who should I draft the letter to?}

Anyway, I wanted to share with you a vintage necklace I found in August at antique shop in Bath, Maine. It's made of celluloid, which is a thermoplastic now largely used for ping-pong balls. I'm gaga over the color combination: Something about that particular shade of green paired with an almost turquoise blue ... it kind of rocks my world.

The necklace rattles all over the place when I move around, and I'm pretty keen on musical jewelry. Plus, it's such a statement piece that I can get away with a plain t-shirt and jeans when I sport it.

Stay tuned for more of my favorite color combinations in the next few days.

Miles to Go Before I Sleep

I'll be burning the midnight oil this evening ... a lonely feeling right around the hour when I know no one else is awake. If you're out there, come say hello.

Oh, and yup, that's an Orla Kiely for Target mug. It was a proud moment when I snapped up the last one in the apple & pear design.

Sleep tight.

I'm Mailing This to My Cousin ...

who happens to be a redhead.

I can't resist an opportunity to be cute and clever. This card was in a Valentine's sale bin for only $2. You're impressed. And hungry.

{Cookie Sandwich Letterpress Card made by Motormouthpress}

WANTED: Mischievous, Striped Critter; Answers to the Name Pee-Yoo

These are the mugshots of the bad guy, appearing adorable and bedecked, pandering to your belief in all that is fluffy and wonderful in this world. Let me tell you: He's not as innocent as he looks. Here in my cupboard, I have had many an issue with the skunk. The skunk's stench has woken me up more times than I can count {okay, really only twice} because he seems to be fond of spraying his cologne on some outside component of our ventilation system. The skunk is bad news. The skunk is stealthy.

Last night, my dear friend {the same friend who bought me those Anthro plates; and yes, the same friend for whom I bought those small, Dutch casserole dishes -- we're quite good to each other} gifted me with Pee-Yoo for Valentine's Day. She thought we should try to turn around my bad experience in the name of love and affection. Being the coordinated gift-giver that she is, she also included this card:

She just might have me on the road to recovery ...

We'll see. Or should I say smell?

{"Stinker" Letterpress Card made by Dee&Lala}

Watch Less, Write More

I just received a letter from my cousin on this adorable Kate Spade stationery:

I'm thinking about popping it into a little frame ...

French Press, French Press, On the Floor

A new coffee cup for me. And a wave for you.

How does it get to be three o'clock in the afternoon? It always happens with little warning ...

Coming to a Mailbox Near You

I bought two packs of note cards yesterday. They're pretty darn adorable, no?

Made by Green Paper Company, these cards are printed with soy ink on 100% post-consumer recycled paper ... which means no new trees were used to create these cards. And, the plastic sleeve they come in is biodegradable.

Look!

I've staged my own botanical print inspired photos! Ah, I feel so much better.

After looking through my photo folders, I found this, which would seem to suggest that I was on to this whole concept before I was even aware:

Pluck and Press by Number

I only ever post my own photos on this blog, but this Flickr photostream is too good {and strange} not to share. I'm not as much a fan of the strange bathtub pictures ... but I quite like the botanical print quality of some of the shots. This one is like a museum cupboard of its own ...

{Photo Credit: "4" on antufev's Flickr photostream}

It's True

{I *heart* Kevin Pin purchased from day-lab}

Cupid Wuz Here

I have a friend who's just had a financial crisis. She has no money whatsoever. For Valentine's Day, I left her a little something in her mailbox, just to take the edge off.

Charity can be a sticky thing ... so, as far as she knows, Cupid's got her back.

Day of Smooching

Whatever you're doing {or not doing} this Valentine's Day, do it with a smile.

An X and an O to each of you.

{Vintage Swedish Tin Tray purchased from Joules; Letterpress Calendar made by ilee papergoods; Cuddle with Cider Sachet purchased from Chewing the Cud}

Junk Shop Booty

You're looking at about $15 worth of goodness. The creamer just slays me, it's so cute. It's Balmoral China from England. The little hints of turquoise, the funky handle, and the overall silhouette made it a must-have. You can't quite tell from the first photo, but the shape starts out narrow and bells out toward the bottom.

The tea cup and bowl are both vintage Stoneware, which isn't anything fancy, but the patterns make me smile. They look like someone took a fine-tipped pen and went to town with some line drawings.

I practiced restraint at the junk shop; there was so much more that had me oohing and ahhing, but I had to think quick {I arrived only forty-five minutes before closing and had a lot of territory to cover}.

Happy Friday. I'll be popping in tomorrow, so stay tuned.

How Old Are You Now?

Today is Mr. Original's birthday. He's an old man. I wanted to show you how I wrapped up one of his presents because I think it looks pretty swell. Can't tell you what's inside ... a certain someone might be snooping. The paper is made by Cavallini and it's in a muted {and fairly masculine} color palette. I topped it off with brown satin ribbon.

P.S. The trick to a good wrapping job, as I learned in retail, is double-sided tape.

P.P.S. I have some junk shop finds to show you tomorrow. Off to bake a loaf of banana bread for the one I love.

Freebies

While at a former employer's home, I complimented her on her bright blue juice glasses. She said "OH!" and ran off to her cupboard, returned with these beauties and told me they were all mine. The intricate gold-detailing is what I love most about them. Oh, and the fact that they didn't cost me a thing.

Lucky Me

Mr. Original gave me these tulips last night. It's rare {and wonderful} that I have TWO vases of flowers at the same time!

Thank Goodness for the Flowers ...

because I didn't actually leave my cupboard this weekend. I've been sick, so pajamas and tea were the only requirements. I thought I'd share a peek or two from around here:

I hope you've all had a good weekend {perhaps pajamas and tea, but no sickness}. To cheer me up, tell me how you spent it.

Bringing Spring In

I just bought myself these roses -- their color is called "Mambo" -- to liven up my cupboard. Lately, I can't stay away from orange {they're pretty fiery, actually; lipstick red on the outside petals and butterscotch in the middle} ... the brighter, the better. In truth, these are more gorgeous in person.

Who of you have flowers inside your cupboard today?

An Auction

The talented Leanne Shapton {of Elle Magazine fame} has written an incredibly innovative "novel" set in the form of an auction catalog. I'd read about this in the back of the most recent Elle and knew I had to get my hands on it. Shapton's book preps us for an auction -- to take place on Valentine's Day of this year -- of all the possessions associated with a now-ended relationship between {the fictional} Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris.

I just bought this book last night, so I'm loathe to flip through it too much until I really have the time to sit down and commit to a session of reading. But I thought I'd at least tell you about it. How fascinating to render a relationship using all of the physical evidence it leaves behind ...