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Saturday, December 25, 2010

ho, ho, whatever

Ornament-shaped flask.
We'd need a treeful at our place.

Source: foolish gadgets.

Damn, I forgot to memorise some Latin Christmas carols from Bestiaria Latina.

Monday, December 20, 2010

hissssssssssssssss

(My jealoussss hissssss at not getting thisssss for Xmasssss)


Lalique 'Serpent' amber glass vase, c. 1924 (US$57,000 at auction here).

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

lap cat


John Aldridge, Lady With Cat (c1950).
From the Fry Art Gallery, Saffron Walden. 

Sunday, December 5, 2010

wish-list

I'm guessing that I won't be getting this for Christmas.


Pablo Picasso, La Minotauromachie (1935). 
Recently sold for a record £1,273,250 at Sotheby's. Source: artdaily.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

pineapple

I love this:


But then again I also love the Big Pineapple.
Read about the pineapple in Georgian London

Image: the Dunmore Pineapple (1761), Dunmore Park House, Falkirk, Scotland (via the tiny pineapple)

Monday, November 15, 2010

Friday, November 5, 2010

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Ambler

I'd buy these just for the covers, but the books are also involved and well-written late-1930s' espionage stories. It's sort of weird to see them as "Modern Classics" though. 


Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Pillycater

Next birthday is a big one.
Seriously considering this cake.


Source (apart from The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle):

Monday, October 4, 2010

Squirrels

Squirrels for sale in Australia! It's the Northern Palm Squirrel. Runs 15kph and needs a harness and desexing. Only in N.S.W. though, so none for me. From $1200...

Image: SMH.

Links: 

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Tiny Things


Dalton Ghetti's alphabet pencils,
found via paper tastebuds
(with many more images here).

If you like little things, check out little people.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Now Lies the Earth...

I was reminded of this gorgeous, sexy poem while reading (the excellent) The Girls of Slender Means by Muriel Spark:

Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal (Alfred, Lord Tennyson)
Now sleeps the crimson petal, now the white;
Nor waves the cypress in the palace walk;
Nor winks the gold fin in the porphyry font;
The firefly wakens, waken thou with me.

Now droops the milk-white peacock like a ghost,
And like a ghost she glimmers on to me.

Now lies the Earth all Danaë to the stars,
And all thy heart lies open unto me.

Now slides the silent meteor on, and leaves
A shining furrow, as thy thoughts, in me.

Now folds the lily all her sweetness up,
And slips into the bosom of the lake.
So fold thyself, my dearest, thou, and slip
Into my bosom and be lost in me.

Titian's Danaë (1553: Prado, Madrid)

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Chicken of the Sea

"Chicken of the Sea" - now why hasn't that brand survived?


From found in mom's basement, source of many wonderful things.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Kitchens

Could I live without over-counter cupboard space? 
It's unnerving.
Mostly I dream about a new bathroom.



Top: from the kitchn.
Bottom: from canadian house & home via the sadly defunct decorno.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

No Squirrel Love

I recently spent a few days in Perth (Western Australia) which has Australia's only squirrel colony. Sadly I saw neither hide nor hair of the Northern Palm Squirrel (Funambulus pennantii). It has a mean look...

Image: Wikipedia

Monday, August 16, 2010

Link Love

Some food bits and pieces:

Friday, August 6, 2010

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Feline Mascot

"The feline mascot of the light cruiser HMAS Encounter,
peering from the muzzle of a 6 inch gun" (World War I):
Australian War Memorial collection (no. 304910).
Image source: Australian War Memorial.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Papier


Currently addicted to Papier d'Arménie -- "Le plus ancien désodorisant naturel de l'air ambiant" ["The most ancient natural room deodorizer"]. From the website:
Created more than 120 years ago, the famous "Papier d'Arménie" booklet contains detachable strips of brown perfumed paper. It is still produced in the same factory in Montrouge, where only traditional manufacturing methods are used.
The paper owes its unique pleasant fragrance to benzoin resin. Without it, "Papier d'Arménie" would never have become what it is. Whilst on a trip to Armenia, Auguste Ponsot discovered the resin's disinfecting qualities and subsequently decided to introduce them to France. Renowned since ancient times for its antiseptic, healing and expectorant properties, benzoin balm has been traditionally applied externally to treat asthma, coughs and hoarseness.
How to use: Tear off a strip, fold it accordion-style and place it on your "Papier d'Arménie" burner. Light the paper, blow gently so that the paper begins to glow (it should not burn quickly).
It smells a bit 'soapy' before you light it, at which point it is transformed into the most wonderful church incense smell. Lots of smoke too; most impressive.

In Australia I found it at Simon Johnson in Sydney. 
Other sources: papier d'arménie site and amazon.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Link Love

  • Yum... Lemon Layer Cake with Campari Frosting (from serious eats).
  • Sassoon at the Cambridge University Library (from war poetry)
  • The Old Foodie explores a scrumptious menu for the Royal Family during Ascot Week 1938. I can't decide whether Consommé Jeanne Garnier would have been divine or foul: a chicken consommé with pigeon added when the consommé is clarified, then champagne is added; then a final garnish with rice and prawns.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

A Sign


Maybe I should print it out and stick it on the monitor?



Source: brocantehome

Monday, June 7, 2010

Mag Mogs

Paolo design magazine rack
Fornasetti magazine rack
Two covetable magazine racks
(hi-fidelity cat by Fornasetti; Neko by Paolodesign).
Found via jeri's organizing & decluttering news.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Heysen

Hans Heysen exhibition: National Gallery of Australia - details.
Image: Spring (1925), Private collection.

Friday, April 30, 2010

DM

DM
Peter Porter
1929-2010.

Obituary: The Australian, 27/4/2010. A handful of poems.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Still Life

I've finally framed these beauties from Still Life with Wallpaper:

Still Life with Drawing Pins (above) & Found Objects - Coins (below)

Image source and (c): still life with wallpaper.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Religieuse


A memorable mid-morning snack in Paris...
Ladurée's Blackcurrant-Violet Religieuse: choux pastry, blackcurrant and violet crème patisserie, violet icing, crystallized violet on top.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Butter


From a supermarket in Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy. I'm already missing lovely butter and wonder if redoing the pantry with this print as wallpaper might help...

Monday, January 25, 2010

I'm off...

To be more precise:







Image sources: Rome, Genoa from posterclassics.com; Santa Margherita Ligure, Menton, Nîmes from internationalposter.com; French Riviera from travelpostersonline.com; Marseille, Paris from allposters.com.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Leftovers

Miniature Champagne bistro chair. Note to self: carry pliers in handbag.

Source: image from, and instructions at, design*sponge.