rumi

"Stop acting so small.  You are the universe in ecstatic motion."  ~Rumi

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women game changers

Love to read books about inspirational women?  Legends would be a great choice.  Written by women writers, Legends talks about some of the most influential women in history, pulling from a wide spectrum - politicians, musicians, sports figures, writers, philanthropists, artists, etc.  Supplemented with wonderful portraits, Legends is one of those books you'll want to revisit often.

Paris in Color ~ Nichole Robertson

Are you as smitten with Paris as I am?  Then you'll want to check out Nichole Robertson's wonderful photography on her blog, Little Brown Pen.  Her images are soulful and unpretentious, and capture Paris (and her people, food, and light) at her most beautiful.  You can purchase prints, postcards, and calendars of her work, and she's releasing a book next month called Paris in Color (pre-order it here). 

All photos below are Nichole's.

Color Texture Pattern

Color, texture and pattern are important elements of interior design. They are important because they occur in the world around us and are part of our everyday life. Sometimes they are placed by the human hand. 

 Woven chairs placed at  round tables in a neat row create a pattern of various colors and textures.

 A group of handle bags in Betsey Johnson's signature pink make a glorious and colorful pattern.

 Repeated elements in an interior can interest and elegance. The row of paned glass doors and light fixtures make a strong statement in this setting.  photo from French Essence

 Nature provides us with boundless amounts of color, texture and pattern.

 You could design the interiors of your home from the color palette found in these onions and artichokes. There is also the right balance of texture and pattern. Have you found your perfect mix of color, texture and pattern?

 

Pacifica ~ Tibetan Mountain Temple

Had to pass on this great value to all of you!  Most of you have probably already heard of Pacifica, a wonderful line of scented products.  Tibetan Mountain Temple is one of my favorites, and it's on sale.  You get the spray perfume, solid perfume, and pillar candle for just $31.80. Here's the website's description:

This grounded, alluring fragrance was one of my first and most ethereal blends. Vetiver, with a smokey, resinous scent, is reminiscent of the fragrant smoke of incense burnt throughout the temples and sacred spaces in Asia. Patchouli is subtle, but deep. Ginger and orange zest lighten the burning intensity of the blend. This is an homage to the Tibetan people and their struggle and a thank you to the Dalai Lama for all that he has done for our world.

Rethink Pink

I used to dismiss pink as a color that just wasn't "me".  For those of you who have been following my blog for a while, you know that I accidentally stumbled upon the most perfect pink paint (Boudoir by Benjamin Moore), painted my bedroom in it, and thus began a new love affair with the color.  While hot pinks have their place - especially in bohemian decor - I'm more drawn to soft, muted pinks.  They're so warm and peaceful.

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Southern Corn Bread Recipe

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The Fabulous Boyfriend loves cornbread.  A restaurant up the street from us makes a delicious version served with maple butter.  My previous attempts at making (or, sin of all sins, buying) it for him were a miserable failure, but since my mom bought me a cast iron skillet for Christmas, I'm going to try it again and see if I can redeem myself.  The cast iron skillet is, apparently, a must for cooking this bread (what do I know?  I'm just a Yankee).  I'll let you know how it turns out!

Recipe courtesy of One Perfect Bite: 

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups white cornmeal, preferably stone ground
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups buttermilk
4 large eggs, beaten

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Put butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet and melt the butter in oven.
2) Meanwhile, mix cornmeal with cream of tartar, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Add buttermilk and eggs and stir to blend.
3) Remove skillet from oven and swirl to coat with butter. Pour melted butter into batter and stir just until incorporated. Scrape batter into hot skillet and bake for about 35 minutes, or until crusty around edges and springy to touch. Invert corn bread onto a rack and let cool completely. Yield: 1 10-inch cake.