Classic Kate

Kate Spade stepped down as chief designer of her namesake brand nearly 2 years ago. And while her shops are still completely fresh & chock-full of amazingly fun objects...

I miss Kate.

J'adore Cookies

and Laduree macarons are my favorite. The best I've had this side of the Atlantic are from Bouchon, but nothing beats the real thing!

Harbor & Home

The latest exhibition at Winterthur is Harbor & Home: Furniture of Southeastern Massachusetts, 1710-1850, which opened Saturday. On display are 84 pieces of furniture, and more than 100 paintings, prints, historical photographs and other items drawn from 50 public and private collections. Lenders include The Met & Old Sturbridge Village, plus many smaller institutions throughout southeastern Massachusetts.

Isn't this scrimshaw dressing box perfect?  It's attributed to whaling captain Richard Luce of Vineyard Haven, and was probably made at sea between 1830 and 1850.

Kudos to Captain Luce for crafting this beautiful piece while sailing over the Atlantic's rolling waves.  Just the thought is making me a little seasick...

Domestic Goddess

I wake up early on weekdays.  I love reading e-mail, walking the dog, and having my first cup of coffee watching the sun come up.

Weekends are different. And Nigella Feasts is on a very short list of things {w/estate sales, Wimbledon, Metrolina, and dog} that get me out of bed before 8:00 a.m. But I can't help it. Her show is warm & cozy, like a big hug. And I adore her Web site as well. Here's what's cooking today...

Isn't that lovely?

Spring Cleaning (blog)

Like the new look?

Spring Cleaning (house) this weekend...

Happy Spring.

Dog Perfect

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful, she said.

SoHo / Greenwich Village

Sunny.

I squashed 4 favorite things into 2 hours.

cupcakes & Magnolia

fresh cut flowers near Broome

trunk shopping on W. Broadway

and inspiration @ Purl.

I love NY.

No Green

What better way to spend St. Patrick's than drinks @ Zanzibar and some fabulous Italian @ Cascina next door?  Fun.

Ok, maybe a smidge of green...

Wellies

I love Great Britain. Pringle cashmere, Harvey Nichols, Number Sixteen, Ab Fab, PG Tips, aran sweaters, Lush, Aston Martin, Boots Apothecary, Tate Britain, St. Martin in the Fields, The Conran Shop, Mary Poppins... And on days like today, when it rains cats & dogs in the Carolinas, making huge puddles & kicking up red clay, I head to the mud room for my black Wellies -- the classic Scottish rubber boot.

But when I saw the original Hunter Wellingtons in Silver @ WinkNYC, I had to re-think my blind love of all things UK. Silver. Really. Not sure even Trinny & Susannah could make it work.

Crisp White Sheets

Of all the rooms in my house, I love my bedroom most. I designed the headboard to add punch to those All White walls, and the tufted cotton velvet upholstery is a soft support for bedtime reading. Nothing relaxes me more than settling under freshly laundered, egyptian cotton sheets with a wonderful, aromatic candle flickering on the night-table.

Jane Scott Hodges, founder of Leontine Linens, originally opened her New Orleans shop in 1996 to showcase the Eleanor Beard Studio's artisinal work. Jane offers very special products based on her belief that one’s linens should be a reflection and extension of personal taste and lifestyle. I first laid eyes on a Leontine Linens sham in Town & Country. The hand-worked monogram on crisp, white cotton appealed to my love of both timeless quality and a 'less is more' aesthetic. I immediately ordered a pair of my very own in Althea and fell in love.

As for the candle, what else but Votivo's Clean Crisp White?

Purl Patchwork

When was the last time you were inspired to try something new?

A year ago I was shopping in New York and came upon a tiny shop tucked into a snug SoHo side street. Full of fabulous textiles. It was Purl Patchwork.  

At PP, 100% cotton fabrics are displayed floor to ceiling, all colors and styles, artfully arranged to make selection the easiest thing in the world. But here's the thing... finding wonderful fabric has never been my issue. I adore all textiles -- new calico, old ticking, crazy quilts, antique toile, even ric-rac. 

It's sewing that scares the *&%! out of me. Ever since 7th grade Home Ec and an unfortunate reversible bermuda bag cover incident.  

So it took a year.  And I'm not sure if it was vintage ticking at The American Antiques Show or a documentary on the Quilts of Gee's Bend that pushed me over the edge. But last week I finally bought a new Janome and some Liberty fabric. 

It's time to face my demons.