(Leftover carnations from a store bouquet.)
This week was all about catching up, as things around the house tend to go on hold when Ryan travels. We’re back to our routine and looking forward to a relaxing weekend. Here are a few things that caught my eye this week.
Leslie Cochran, the Austin icon, is the subject of a new film and a statue is in the works, too.
An interesting article on buying handmade items. (I’m inclined to disagree with the author.)
Reese Witherspoon’s new store aims to bring clothing manufacturing back to the south.
Thoughts and photos from the Met Gala, in case you haven’t had your fill.
Have a great weekend and a very happy Mother’s Day!
(My grandparents’ old typewriter.)
When my parents came to visit last week, they brought with them my grandparents’ typewriter. It’s the kind of thing that a lot of people probably have sitting around their houses, tucked in a closet or attic somewhere, a relic of a time long past.
My grandfather bought it used years ago, when he was the secretary of his local labor union and needed something to type up meeting minutes, and my mom used it to practice her typing skills when she was in school. When I was little, I’d beg my grandmother to let me play with it, and she’d willingly set up a small card table and then lug the typewriter out of the closet where she kept it. It’s a heavy piece of equipment, and I’d make sure to play with it for hours, since it didn’t come out very often. I couldn’t type then, but I would do my best to spell words and sentences, pretending to be a secretary in an office or a writer working on a novel.
When my mom asked if I’d like to keep the typewriter, I immediately agreed. I have no idea what I’ll do with it, though I’d like to display it when the boys are a bit older and won’t be tempted to bang on it or accidentally pull it down. It’s a curiosity from a different generation and a link to the past, and I like having it around.
I read this poem in Monday’s Writer’s Almanac, and it goes perfectly with my feelings about my grandparents’ typewriter.
Do you have anything from a different generation that you are keeping?
(My mom brought some pretty candies when she visited.)
Last week, Ryan traveled for work and my mom and dad visited to help out with the boys. It was a long and busy week, so I took some time off from blogging. I’ve noticed that little breaks from time to time help me find new inspiration and things to write about. Now that May has arrived, I’m working on photographing all of my pieces for my store and preparing for the opening soon.
A new Karen Kane catalog arrived this week, and I’m really impressed with some of the styles for spring. They seem a bit younger and edgier than usual. This dress is gorgeous, and I love this top in both colorways.
Anthropologie’s May lookbook is out, and some of the pictures surprised me. The current setting is South Africa, and there’s a hint of cultural appropriation going on. I’m curious to know what other shoppers think about this issue, which seems quite common in fashion catalogs. Leah pointed me to this article about this year’s Met Gala, and it is relevant to the discussion, too.
I have a pair of jeans that are on their last leg, literally. I’ve patched them repeatedly and now the inseam has torn beyond repair. They can’t be donated, so I’m thinking of ways to recycle them into something else. Do you have any suggestions for reusing denim?
I enjoy perusing Laws of General Economy, a blog that allows readers to sell gently used, higher-end clothing. I’m trying to pass on a pair of shoes that didn’t work out for me.
And I was up early Saturday following Ryan’s coming-home texts, so I followed the royal baby’s arrival as well. I admit to being excited about a new princess, and I think Kate is such a great reminder that birth is a normal process.
These things have been on my radar recently, and I’m glad to return to blogging after a quick break.
