Obsessions

Some items I’m loving this week…

Just bought a truly riveting book by Mason Currey: Daily Rituals: How Artists Work ($16).  In brief 1-2 page vignettes, Currey portrays the varied conditions for creativity that artists/writers/creators from Auden to Balanchine cultivated for themselves.  It’s altogether inspiring, though alternately encouraging and despairing in that some times, the artists make the craft of creation feel attainable, approachable; others make it feel as though only the select few will ever achieve that greatness.  I love the format — quick, insightful chapter-ettes that ultimately impress upon you the great variation in the artistic process.

P.S. The book is beautiful in and of itself.  Looking forward to stacking this on one of my bookshelves when I’m done!

Artist Caitlin McGauley has added some new prints to her shop, and I dig these animal prints ($95 each).  The zebra is just calling my name.

I’m always looking for new coffee table books — this Trench book just may have made the cut on its cover alone ($35).

Love these pom-pommed pillows, full-stop ($58 each).  You know my weakness for lavender in the home…

My mother-in-law turned me onto a new obsession: Trader Joe’s pumpkin butter.  I mix it into plain yogurt and sprinkle a little granola on top and it tastes just like pumpkin pie/fall/all-things-delicious, first thing in the morning.  (I almost feel guilty — it makes me feel like I’m eating dessert for breakfast.)  Ob.sessed.  I’m sure it’d also taste great on a biscuit or scone or pumpkin bread or banana bread…and since I am NOT a fan of the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte (I don’t get the frenzy about this drink…), I still get to feel as though I’m embracing fall without following the herd.

I wasn’t a huge fan of mid-century style interior design until I saw my brother and sister-in-law’s home in upstate NY.  They have got that look down.  Ever since, I’ve been trying to determine whether I can incorporate one or two pieces into my home.  These chairs ($449) caught my eye as a possibility.  A little pop of something different to offset our traditional look?  On the other hand, if I’m honest, I think I’d still rather invest in a set of Thonet chairs, or maybe one of the huge, oversized British hunting paintings I’ve been stalking on Etsy and eBay.  TBD.

With my console table FINALLY set to arrive (349898 months later…guess that’s what you have to expect when you order something custom.  So.impatient.), I’ve been daydreaming about styling it.  The key question mark is artwork large enough to live behind it since it’s an over-long length.  One strong contender — a pair of these oversized feather prints ($495).  I love that they are 2 feet x 3 feet — such a great and unexpected scale.

I know I’ve been going on and on about the monogrammed Stubbs, but what about these Scalamandre tootsies ($400), after the wallpaper print I love so much?!

Now, I know this dress is ridic and impractical (Alice + Olivia, $597).  I mean, the feathered peplum is sure to make you look like you’ve got a spare tire around the area you most want to cover.  And I just cannot imagine an event where this would work, outside of – maybeeee – attending the wedding of a famous fashion designer or something like that.  It’s just a little too out there.  But.  I still find myself checking it out on the reg and thinking “but maybe…”

And from cocktail dresses to mini magpies…I was recently in Baby Gap picking up some gifts for a friend’s newborn and I d.i.e.d.  I mean, what.  The stuff there is almost too cute to look at directly.  I had a field day with their animal party stuff, beginning with this little sherpa hoodie ($27):

And, what about this sweater onesie ($36) with this little cap ($17)?!

Adorable!