Friday, January 29, 2010

Letters

Dearest!


image

There is an almost forgotten art of letter writing and I must admit that I as well have succumbed mostly to emails and the writing of greeting cards! I feel sad about this!
Even though I have a large family oversees, I feel dreadful not to write more often!
I could now list my excuses, but truly, there aren't any worth mention. It is mainly the lack of discipline. As I sit here in front of my keyboard, I think of papers and an ink pen, things I used to have and use! In the days before PC I wrote many letters to friends, lovers and family. I filled them with pictures, occasional drawings, personal mementos. Sometimes I come across my carefully wrapped letters by my grandmother to me or some of my husband's before we were married and lived thousands of miles apart. I adore them and treasure them above many other of my possessions!
I had recently bought a lovely box with stamps to embellish (handwritten) letters and now I vow to put them to use. I want to write more letters!
There is always a chance to start afresh and last year I had begun to de-clutter our life and household in an attempt to simplify our life. I can report we are well on our way! Now I feel ready to begin more refined changes. I think my sons in Berlin will love to receive letters from their mother (so I hope) and I know my parents will love to find some more often in their mail box. I know, I do and it's seldom enough! I love to receive letters!
What got me thinking about letters in the first place? I had read recently a lovely book by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows:
"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society".



The book written as an exchange of letters had me in it's grip from the very first minute. Not just the subject has moved me deeply, but the form! I love to read letters! It is such an intimate form of transmitting thoughts and ideas.
Now I am aware, that this book is fiction, but real letters fascinate me even more.
I feel I peek into someones life and time, it is exciting and maybe there is a small desire to become part of something I am actually not. Letters are authentic,perhaps this is the most important aspect of it all. Real people, real lives!
I have found some written letter inspirations from the shelves of my virtual library, some letters I have read, some I have on my shortlist now and some I will discover over time.








What better way to get inspired to write letters, then to read well written ones?
I am so glad this winter is still long and there will be many hours, where I can curl up and read.... and - oh... and write some of my own!


Yours with love!
Victoria

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Windows for Eddie

Check on Eddie Ross, his window decoration (with Elle Decor) for the Bloomingdale competition is fabulous and he has my vote every day!



Looking at the results so far, it looks very good for him! Go, Eddie, go!
Please vote for him, today is the last chance!


GOOD LUCK, EDDIE!


XX
Victoria


Picture via EddieRoss.com

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Finds

I love browsing websites to find new and exciting dispatches from the design world.
Some become classics, some move slowly into every day life, some are affordable, most need a lot of saving...
And a few end up at the museum!

Today I visited unicahome.com and found so many desirable pieces, I had a hard time to contain my enthusiasm and make a selection fit for one post!
But I tried and without further talk here is my list:

I love Fornasetti, one of the big classic design firms, always cutting edge and modern! Apart from the famous plates they create chairs, screens, cabinets and much more.


Check those chairs...





I would love to find a space to fit in one of their fantastic screens. Not only they creates instant glamour, they also hide a multitude of sins, beginning with architectural boredom...
And maybe a mysterious place to change in a bedroom? Don't we all recall those movie scenes, where the heroine is helped by her maid into or out of her petticoats and pieces of clothing come flying over the screen?



For a more traditional look how about these?



And this cabinet surely steals the show anywhere...


Another of my favorites is Philippe Starck. I adore his genius. Any household item becomes a piece of art under his hands.






And those clear eyed visions above bring me straight to Karim Rashid's magazine racks/stools/tables:



And those carpets make me smile...

Missoni...


and by Karim Rashid.


And a couple of month ago I saw these innovative planters by Patrick Morris on their UK website, but now they are available here as well:




And last but not least something else for the little ones by the German design team Wolfgang Sirch/Christoph Bitzer:



Since this German designer is not so known in the United States I quote from the Unicahome website:

"...with its minimalist construction, the flix push car by wolfgang sirch combines the timeless appearance of classic wooden construction and modern design. quiet wheels that can be used both indoors and outdoors add to the versatility of this warm, welcoming toy.
dimensions: 17" x 13" x 13" in

about wolfgang sirch:

the sirch family has been producing products in wood for over 300 years in Germany. during the last part of the 20th century, the sirch company specialized in industrial shipping pallets, which they continue to manufacture today. after the death of his father isidor sirch, wolfgang sirch, an interior architect, became president. for a new synergy, he brought christoph bitzer, a sculptor, into the company.

the sirch-bitzer team began designing and producing very special items for children under the brand name sibi. all sibi products are handmade in the sirch factory in bavaria, primarily in wood. ..."
Some other of their designed pieces:




Don't you wish you could be little for a while or at least bestow such pretty and beautiful toys to some lucky toddler?

Trust me, there was so much more I would have liked to show you, but I guess you will need time to browse all those other lovely blogs on your list, right???

I know, me too!

XX
Victoria


All pictures via unicahome.com

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Lavender, beeswax and a tulip


Saturdays is market day for me and it is great to have so many farmers taking the effort to leave their villages at daybreak to make it to our town in the morning.
Usually I buy our fruit and vegetable supply for the following days, cheeses and bread, the occasional pie and (rarely) meat from an organic farm.
And sometimes I indulge in fresh lavender and some delicious beeswax candles. It is such a pity, that the blog's limitation begins with transferring scents....
I love lavender. It always transports me to a summer's day, in my mind. I imagine the fields of lavender I have seen as a young woman visiting the south of France. There are numerous health benefits in using lavender and it's oil in aromatherapy. (Please click on the link above to read about it!)


Last time I brought home a small pillow from here, filled with lavender and buckwheat. It has since then become the favorite at night time with everybody. It gets heated up in the microwave for 1 minute and yields the heavenly aroma of lavender and the warmth of a whole summer day on your neck or tummies in need of a bit attention...


I guess I will have to get at least one more to prevent family feuds over it!
The children have begun to sleep next to it, it's very relaxing.
The pillows are sewn with the lavender cushion inside and covered with a removable and washable pillow case. I found one with a lovely toile pattern, which in turn reminded me of our last month' journey to Vermont.





I love tulips and my bunch in my office corner gives me plenty of beauty to look at...



But one is always reseved for my husband's desk...he spend a few years living in Amsterdam and loves tulips more the any other flower.



Honey gets great use in our household and we love beeswax candles, the farm mentioned above make lavender scented candles too.

Enjoy the rest of this weekend, hope you have some time to relax!

XX
Victoria



All pictures taken by V.Zlotkowski.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Friday flowers

I wish you a lovely weekend with these paper whites from my window, I love how they grew within the last days, I hope they will hold on now and stay like that for a few more days! They scent the air so sweetly!

11 days ago...



And now!



I put in some dried ornamental onion, to support the slender stems...
Can you see the dragonfly which I found on my driveway a few month ago? Wings intact, I set her on top of the dried bloom!



Walking the dog in a park nearby I picked up some moss, it looked so fresh on the bark of a fallen tree, so I took a little and keep it moist with a small spray bottle. I love moss and the smell of forest.



Do you pick things up, when you are out walking somewhere? Leaves, stones, pieces of wood, grasses, flowers? I do!


Maybe you could enjoy a nice long walk over the weekend, it's so beautiful to connect with nature. Let the midday sun warm your face...


XX
Victoria

Pictures by V. Zlotkowski

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Mauve madness


I have a weakness for mauve. Actually for all hues falling between blue-grayish violet to lavender and pastel lilac, to purple... The above picture I took last year in the harbour of Gloucester, MA. It has all the soft colors I love. Mauve has for me feminine qualities without being too sweet, timeless elegance. It feels always a little mysterious. It's the color of the romantic aera and from flowers to sky I love it. It's dramatic with black and silver, happy with light blue, pink and green, mysterious with red and gold. And somehow it workes for me in all seasons.

These images I pulled from the 'English Home' magazine....the latest I found at the bookstore around the corner...




This one can be found here...and you do some good with a percentage of the money spend...



A few more pics from the 'English Home' mag...










This picture I found in a book, but I do not remember... maybe Charlotte Moss or Carolyne Roehm ?



It's so gorgeous! Found here.


And if all else fails, maybe this will convince you???

A little Prada from here...


Mauve along with me! I think it is one of the colors to keep an eye on in 2010!

XX Victoria


Pictures by V.Zlotkowski and as indicated.
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