Grace

I'm just coming into that time in my life where everyone I know is getting married, and while I'm a little ways away (I think) I've definitely done some thinking about what I would and wouldn't want. The dress, however, has been somewhat of a mystery. I think I would need to go try on many different styles of dresses to see what would really look good on me, and what I would feel comfortable in. I'm really not sure if I would want more casual or more glamorous.

BUT.

The boyfriend and I went to a double feature of Hitchcock films last week, and after seeing To Catch a Thief again (and on the big screen!) I am swooning over Grace Kelly's white gown in the fireworks scene. It is the epitome of simple, elegant, and classic. She is exceptionally full of, well, grace, but I think if I put on a gown like this I would be too. Ideas...

(images via google search)

Pretty ladies

I have been thinking about cutting my hair super short again for a while, but have been holding off partly because I'm not sure exactly what style I would want. After seeing these gorgeous pictures of Michelle Williams, I know exactly what I would want.

Also I hope someone takes a picture this beautiful of me on my wedding day. Or any day.

(images via The Neo-Traditionalist)

They're here!

It's been awhile since I posted, but Christmas preparations and celebrations took over, followed by a week of totally relaxing, followed by a week of being busy at work. But I am back, and last night I stopped by the framer to pick up these bad boys...

That's right! I got my gorgeous eBay botanical prints enlarged and framed (thanks for the Xmas money, Grandma!) and they came out perfectly, nearly exactly as I wanted. I couldn't get round corners (didn't want to break the bank) but the frame is the perfect antiqued, gold foil finish. They fill that once-empty wall perfectly!

Next, to get those red chairs reupholstered like this...

(from lonnymag.com, Apr/May 2010)

That rug is on the list too, for the area around the couch.

How to make candy canes!

OK, I am a nerd and this is really cool!

Hello blackbird, hello starling...

So, I will admit that I never knew until now that a starling is a kind of bird. I thought it either had to do with, well, stars, or was a pretty made-up poetic word. But, alas, it's a bird. And one whose flocks make pretty pictures.

These are photos of starling flocks flying through the sky in Rome, preparing to roost for the night, creating beautiful shapes in the sky. Oh, and leaving a lot of bird poop behind.

I'm thinking it might be cool to frame some of these as a group (minus the car photo) in a single collage frame.

http://www.gaia-photos.com/italy-european-starlings-in-rome/

Would you pay $10 million for a book...

...of birds?

When it's the original Audubon "Birds of America" book and it's 2 feet by 3 feet, well, apparently you would.

From LATimes.com:

Naturalist John James Audubon's "Birds of America" sold at auction in London on Tuesday for $10 million, making it the world's most expensive book. The book, which was sold by the auction house Sotheby's, was purchased by an anonymous telephone bidder.

"Birds of America" is oversize -- more than 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide -- with 435 illustrations. When first published in 1827, the images were printed in black and white and then hand-colored by specialists.

The combination of accuracy and artistry make Audubon's work unique. The first plate alone -- of a wild turkey -- could fetch $200,000. The Associated Press reports:

Because each picture is so valuable, there have been fears the volume will be broken up and sold as separate works of art. However, experts believe that's unlikely. The tome is probably more valuable intact. And collectors hold Audubon in such reverence that the notion of ripping apart a perfect copy would be akin to sacrilege.

"Audubon's 'Birds' holds a special place in the rare book market," said Heather O'Donnell, a specialist with Bauman Rare Books in New York. "The book is a major original contribution to the study of natural history in the New World."

A much smaller, low-resolution -- but entirely free -- version of "Birds of America" is on view on the Audubon website.

-- Carolyn Kellogg

Look at how gorgeous that flamingo is! I'd love to have that print on my wall.

Black and Gold

So I just discovered the glamourai (I don't know where I've been), and I'm loving it (especially her amazing cropped hair), and just this week there was a feature on her lovely Brooklyn apartment over at Apartment Therapy. I am dying over the black, white, and metallic color palette and unique objets d'art, though admittedly some of the pieces are a little bit too 80s glam for me. But in small doses, it's got a great art deco feel, and I love the glam gold touches. Check out the whole post here.