A great bookstore

Selexyz Dominicanen
Originally uploaded by rob4xs

 This picture doesn't do it justice, but if you jump over to The Coolist, you can read about and see more pictures of this amazing bookstore in Maastricht, Germany.

Field trip?

Roast!

This was the start of a scrumptious roast stewed with carrots, onions, portabella mushrooms and thyme. I don't like beef very much, but N. loves it so I made this last Saturday. Even I had to admit that it was pretty delicious.

Part of the prompting for this dish came from the fact that it has been just a little bit cooler in the South this week, even though I know our real "Autumn" won't come until November. If you want your own inspiration for fall cooking, check out Nigel Slater's article on autumnal food over at the BBC...the Stilton, Onion and Potato Pie sounds fantastic (to easily convert from the metric system, use this tool).

Wearing Perfume (and on the cheap!)

I've always been disappointed that perfume never seemed to "work" for me. No matter how nice the smell, about 20 minutes after I put it on I began to smell like a combination of rubbing alcohol and the makeup aisle at CVS. Gross. But I liked the idea of having a signature scent and I decided that there had to be a solution!

I realized that if I spray the fragrance in my hair after I'm done blowdrying but before I do the final styling, it holds the scent and doesn't revert to the gag-inducing alcohol stench upon contact with my skin. Success! And now I have a signature scent (thanks to sweet N), which is Daisy by Marc Jacobs - classy and fresh.

With my new fragrance-freedom, I've discovered that the better department stores (Nordstrom, Macy's, Bloomingdale's) will happily give you sample sizes of all sorts of perfumes, even if you haven't made a purchase. A great way to find a perfume you like - or just to try out some new ones. I've been enjoying Lily Pulitzer's summery scents (Beachy, Sqeeze and Wink).

Lots of Shoes!

I have been quite busy working on finishing up a bunch of custom orders before taking a little break (now that school has started for the fall).

Here's what I've been busy with:

a pair of bride's shoes for a funky do-it-yourself wedding (she has some great ideas!)

a pair inspired by Anthropologie (my secret plan is to sell my shoes there some day)

classy, inspired by Chanel's recent line

this customer said "go all out". it was really fun (there are even pink feathers!)

Of course, sometimes I really just like to get a pair that's not for someone in particular and just see what happens... especially when the sister sends me some really fun shoes:

I just wish they were my size... but since they're not, you can buy them in my shop! I have some more fun happening in the shop, so I'll be posting again soon!

Book Review: Elizabeth Goudge

Elizabeth Goudge
Originally uploaded by rbjaneite

Elizabeth Goudge is the perfect author for that specific sort of reading which you do before you go to bed. Her books are Good stories with pleasant endings. They may not challenge you as a reader, but I like to think of them as Comfort Food for the mind. Goudge doesn't enjoy quite the widespread popularity that she once did (perhaps because her books now seem quaint more than anything) but I think she's ready for a revival.

Some of her prominent themes are the enjoyment of nature and beauty, of being tidy and of generally Putting Things Right. We could all use more of that.

I'd recommend starting with The Dean's Watch or The City of Bells. Your library has them. Check them out and see what you think.

Etsy Favorites

One of my favorite things about Etsy is the Favorite feature. Like most of Etsy's options, it's clean and easy to use without making navigate away from your item or getting all crazy with options like some sites do (Amazon, you know who you are).

Consequently, I frequently add to my favorites (you can either add an item or a seller). When I'm working on a project, I'll add a whole bunch of things and then I can look at them all together and delete items I decide I don't want.

So here's an outfit I've put together for fall. I always like it in magazines when they show you an outfit you can do for a certain amount.

This is my cute "under $100 Fall Fashion" from my current favs.

(polka-dot cardigan $10 from teamkrause, vintage plaid mini-dress $35 from tltvintage, corduory clutch $16 from bellevuevintage, leather slouch boots $35 from AnyywhereButHere)

Fun Cards From Etsy!

photocredit: boygirlparty

RKP recently gifted me these so cute recipe cards from boygirlparty's amazing Etsy shop. Their stuff is quirky, whimsical and reasonable. These would make great hostess or aunt (or sister) gifts.

Recommended?
Yes!

Negative bits
The only negative bit is that the recipe cards (I don't know about the other products) are printed on heavy, glossy cardstock. Although this makes a beautiful image, it also means you can only write with ballpoint pen (other ink smears). As we all know, ballpoint pen is a horrible thing to use because it quickly deteriorates and easily fades. This librarian/archivist says thumbs-down to ballpoint.

Miss Rumphius (inaugural book review!)

Miss Rumphius - Cooney
Originally uploaded by hmrlibrary

RKP makes beautiful shoes, but the things I tend to make are often more functional (things like bread or book cradles). Part of this is because I'm in graduate school right now and busy studying to be a librarian (RKP is in school too, but she finds a way to make it all happen!)...so even though I can't often make amazing and beautiful crafts, I can tell you about amazing and beautiful books.

And is it possible that there is a more beautiful book than Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney? You probably have read it already, but if not, here's why you should:

The story
Miss Rumphius is a little girl who can't wait to grow up so that she can live by the sea and travel to faraway places. Her grandfather thinks both of these are splendid ideas, but adds that there is a third thing she must do: find a way to make the world more beautiful. This book is the story of how Miss Rumphius does that "third, most difficult thing."

Best quote(s)
(while traveling in the South Seas) "Before she left, the Bapa Raja gave her a mother-of-pearl shell on which he had painted a bird of paradise and the words, 'You will always remain in my heart.' 'You will always remain in mine too,' said Miss Rumphius."

Scary bits
Unless you are afraid of riding camels, this book is not scary.