Happy New Year!

Looking forward to a cozy night in with my kids. I am making Mark Bittman's Cassoulet with Lots of Vegetables, to serve with a big salad, loaf of crusty multigrain bread, and a bottle of Malbec.  For dessert, Pear Gingerbread with whipped cream. Later, we'll make popcorn, light a big fire in the fireplace and watch some Marx Brothers and Errol Flynn movies. Good times!

The Pear Gingerbread is a recipe based on one of Laurie Colwin's. I love her writing and it's time to re-read her novels and short stories (my favorite is The Lone Pilgrim). Several of the recipes from her book More Home Cooking are staples in my kitchen (the Buttermilk Cocoa Cake is a standout).

Maurice Sendak

Lovely interview. "You have to take the dive. And you do not know what the results will be."


(via boingboing.)

Quote of the day

Source: modernhepburn.tumblr.com via LB on Pinterest

(The Avett Brothers)

Enjoy! Hope your holidays are good ones.

Shakespeare suzuki method

Brian Cox teaches the Hamlet soliloquy to a toddler. Via Even Cleveland.

Why little bird do you not sing

Gorgeous voice.

You can learn more about Savina Yannatou here, and here.

"Yet the moth has trim, and feistiness, and not a drop
of self pity.

Not in this world."
— Mary Oliver, from “Flare” (via a la recherche)

To do list by Johnny Cash:

Source: listsofnote.com via LB on Pinterest

What a gorgeous cake!

Source: magpiescake.com via LB on Pinterest

Beautiful tiny anatomical sculptures by Anne Ricketts:

Source: coolhunting.com via LB on Pinterest

Philip Glass, Trilogy Sonata, Act III, Conclusion from Satyagraha:

French cows love jazz.

Of course they do. Via swissmiss.

currently reading...

Brian Dettmer

aka "The Book Surgeon". More marvelous book sculpture.

from My Modern Met:

"My work is a collaboration with the existing material and its past creators and the completed pieces expose new relationships of the book’s internal elements exactly where they have been since their original conception," he says.

Read a brief interview with Brian Dettmer here.

Link to Brian Dettmer's website here.

Pretties, etc.

Well, you know me, I'm not immune to pretty things!

First up: these mittens, found via Pennyweight.

Next, some French Picardie Tumblers, from Alder & Co.

 Hedgehog boxed note cards from B Designs Letterpress. How cute is that? (I don't care if the post office is cutting their service!)

Any or all of these Color Block Scarves from Martha McQuade's Scarfshop.

Source: eloisegrey.com via LB on Pinterest

And last, this gorgeous, gorgeous skirt from Eloise Grey. Just perfect.

Quote of the day

"Your style is a function of your limitations, more so than a function of your skills" - Johnny Cash

Friday

The Library Phantom returns. An anonymous sculptor in Edinburgh leaves incredibly detailed, beautiful sculptures made of paper/books/words hidden in various libraries and museums as gifts. I can't tell you how much I love this.

 a complex scene in a paper cinema; punters arrayed on seats watching men and horses coming alive from the screen and charging outwards.
The tag?

For @filmhouse - A gift in support of libraries, books, words, ideas..... and all things *magic*

The tag on this reads:

To @edbookfest 'A gift' This is for you in support of libraries, books, words, ideas...... & festivals xx

It includes a teabag filled with cut out letters, on the tag of which are the words "by leaves we live". The cup on the top has a swirl of words which read " Nothing beats a nice cup of tea (or coffee) and a really good BOOK", and on the 'tray' next to the cupcake it says "except maybe a cake as well".

A wonderfully atmospheric street scene with what appears to be a silvery moon with wisps of cloud hanging from it. This tag reads:

"@CuratorEMG A Gift "The stories are in the stones" Ian Rankin In support of Libraries, Books, Words, Ideas ...... and Writers."

Pictures and captions are from here, where you can also see and read a lot more, and find other links. Photos and captions are by Chris Scott at The Central Station Blog.

Edward Gorey book covers for Anchor Books

Done between 1953 and 1960. Found via Ancient Industries.

I think this one's my favorite so far, but you find a whole bunch more here.