Sarah, a lovely blog friend, recently became a stylist for Stella & Dot, and I was excited to check out the jewelry line I’m seeing everywhere these days. Right now, I’m really favoring chunky bracelets, so I splurged a little (using the upcoming Alt conference as my excuse) on the gorgeous Kalahari Bangle, and I also found a beautiful brooch on sale. My order arrived this week, and it was so much fun to open!
(The pretty Stella & Dot packaging.)
I love the vintage vibe that comes from adding a pin to a cardigan, and this Plume Brooch is so elegant and versatile. It actually has rings on the back that can attach to a necklace, so it can also be worn as a pendant.
(Stella & Dot’s Plume Brooch and Kalahari Bangle.)
But the real stunner is the Kalahari Bangle, which features two zebras with gemstone eyes and details, and I was pleasantly surprised at how substantial the bracelet is. It’s really quite heavy and definitely makes a bold statement all by itself.
(Stella & Dot’s Kalahari Bangle.)
I’m thrilled with my new Stella & Dot jewelry and I know I’ll get tons of wear from both pieces. Sarah is currently holding a Trunk Show, so please head over to her site and take a look around. You won’t be disappointed!
This recent article in my local newspaper really got me thinking. I don’t know much about the steampunk movement, but I’ve seen it used in films like the Sherlock Holmes series with Robert Downey, Jr. Those movies are good, but the BBC series, Sherlock, is even better. (Try saying “Benedict Cumberbatch” three times fast!)
I fell in love with the apartment shared by Holmes and Watson in the modern British series, and you can see bits of it here and here. That wallpaper is simply stunning, and though I’m not 100% certain it technically falls under the steampunk category, I’ve decided I should add a bit of edginess to my home. A little bit of feminine steampunk, if you will. And those curtains I’m pining over are perfect, don’t you think?
Then, this week, I was preparing to buy a new spring wreath from One Kings Lane, when what did I spy but an armillary sphere!
(My new armillary sphere, from One Kings Lane.)
Nothing screams steampunk like an armillary sphere, and it reminded me of my Chaucer class from graduate school. The professor was really into astronomy, as was Geoffrey Chaucer, it turns out, so we spent a lot of time discussing the stars, alongside The Canterbury Tales and the tragic story of Troilus and Criseyde, who were star-crossed lovers.
There’s that quote by William Morris, about “hav[ing] nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful,” and I think this really exemplifies steampunk as a decorative style. Plus, just think of all the fun I’ll have gazing at the stars.
(Deans Mother Goose Book of Rhymes, now out of print.)
When I was growing up, one of my very favorite books was an old copy of nursery rhymes illustrated by Janet and Anne Grahame Johnstone. I’m not sure where my mother found the book (it was the American version of a British publication), but my sisters and I spent hours reading the poems and studying the pictures, which are incredibly detailed and lovely. I’m fortunate enough to have the book in my possession today, and though it’s not in the best of shape, I try sharing it with my boys from time to time. They are more interested in books about animals, trucks, and trains at the moment, but I’m hoping that, eventually, they will come to love this old collection of nursery rhymes as much as I do.
(The book’s inside page.)
We’ve had a really rainy winter so far, and this weather always reminds me of my favorite nursery rhyme, “Millions of Massive Raindrops.”
(“Millions of Massive Raindrops”)
As a little girl, this was my all-time favorite poem in the book, and my mother would recite it to me until I had it memorized. It’s really fun to say, but I was most enamored with the tiny fairies dancing in the rain. The illustrations are incredibly detailed and life-like, and every single rhyme within the book is drawn in a similar way.
(My favorite fairy.)
My favorite fairy plays a harp as others run for cover in the rain, and there are a few brave creatures who dance and peek into windows.
(The boy fairies on the roof remind me of James and Rhys.)
I love this poem and its illustrations, and it’s such a sweet memento to share with my boys. Do you have a favorite book from your childhood?
