Daily Diversion #319: Tea in a Special Cup

My grandmother is downsizing. A couple of weeks ago, she gave me some of her Pope Gosser wedding dishes from 1952. I’ve made it a point to incorporate them into daily life, which,  given their delicate prettiness, has been easy. The cups and saucers are a wonderful addition to my tea ritual.

Tea Time

Tea Time

A Year in Books/Day 178: William Morris by himself

  • Title: William Morris by himself Designs and writings
  • Editor: Gillian Naylor
  • Year Published: This Edition/2004 (Barnes & Noble Books)
  • Year Purchased: 2004/2005
  • Source: Barnes & Noble clearance rack
  • About: This book is a great reminder that William Morris was also a writer, and not just an artist/designer. Although his aesthetic is instantly recognizable, his words are not. That’s a shame. William Morris by himself goes a long way to rectify that, but I hope that his diverse writings somehow find a wider audience. As the title well relates, you’ll find a blend of his art and words (including excerpts from letters, essays and poems) in this pretty little edition. They have also inserted brief biographical paragraphs for the sake of cohesion. If you have ever been drawn to one of his textiles or wallpapers, why not take the opportunity to learn more about the full oeuvre of the man?
  • Motivation: I’ve long been intrigued by Morris.
  • Times Read: 1
  • Random Excerpt/Page 83: “We have taken a little place deep down in the country, where my wife and children are to spend some months every year, as they did this-a beautiful and strangely naif house, Elizabethan in appearance, though much later in date, as in that out of the way corner people built in Gothic till the beginning or middle of the last century. It is on the S.W. extremity of Oxfordshire, within a stone’s throw of the baby Thames, in the most beautiful grey little hamlet called Kelmscott.”
  • Happiness Scale: 8 1/2

Shopping for the Bookworm: Edgar Allan Poe Edition

The Raven, a thriller starring John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe, arrives in theatres later this month. In anticipation, I’ve collected the best and weirdest Poe-themed goodies from Etsy. Enjoy!

Edgar Allan Poe-Handpainted Wooden Kokeshi Doll by Licoricewits

Edgar Allan Poe-Handpainted Wooden Kokeshi Doll by Licoricewits. $17.00.

I have no idea what I would do with him but he is adorable!

Edgar Allan Poe Painting-1-inch Scale Dollhouse Miniature by Particularly Unusual

Edgar Allan Poe Painting-1-inch Scale Dollhouse Miniature by Particularly Unusual. $7.00.

I do not own a dollhouse but I want this anyway. Is that creepy?

Scrabble Tile Pendant-The Works of Edgar Allan Poe by Missing Pieces Studio

Scrabble Tile Pendant-The Works of Edgar Allan Poe by Missing Pieces Studio. $6.95.

What a quirky, bookish piece of jewelry!

Edgar Allan Poe Pillow by Old Village Hall

Edgar Allan Poe Pillow by Old Village Hall. $60.00.

Your guests will think twice before settling on your couch.

Zombie Edgar Allan Poe Poster Print by Erika Jane

Zombie Edgar Allan Poe Poster Print by Erika Jane. $10.00.

What an inspired combination!

Tales of Mystery and Imagination Book Purse by Novel Creations

Tales of Mystery and Imagination Book Purse by Novel Creations. $47.00.

A new way to carry your favourite book with you.

Edgar Allan Poe-Pop Art Spray Paint Canvas by Mr Slappy

Edgar Allan Poe-Pop Art Spray Paint Canvas by Mr Slappy. $30.00.

You can call me morbid, but I really want this for my studio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mae’s Writing Days] Cocooned by Creativity

I’m very particular when it comes to the ordering of my writing room. I’ve been back in my studio for nearly two weeks, and have been spending a lot of my spare-and not so spare-time tweaking the hell out of my surroundings. I’m not interested in perfection, which is too bad; that would be remarkably easier to achieve! Oh, I have all of the big basics in place-modern IKEA desk, vintage chair, shelves, design and storage space. What I’m looking for is more along the lines of the “I’ll know it when I see it/feel it” school of aesthetic and psychological satisfaction. I’m creeping closer to that amorphous goal by the day, one kooky tchotchke or inspirational magazine clipping at a time. Anything more committal and I feel like I’m slogging through molasses. My goal? To see a strange, beautiful and rotating array of images and words, books and art whenever I glance up from my keyboard, fingers fleetingly paused mid-stroke before they fall, deftly yet heavily, in service to another sentence. To be cocooned by creativity. That’s happiness.