It’s been nearly five months since I’ve enjoyed a steamy soy latte — and boy, will the baby need to give me plenty of coffee IOUs when he’s born!   In the meantime, will you visually join me for a virtual cup of coffee?

Yes, my cravings for coffee are so powerful that I’ve been creating “steaming” cups of paper sprinkled with coffee grounds in vintage Italian cappuccino mugs.  The sad part is that I am only half kidding!

The empty coffee canister seems so naked…but thankfully, he is accessorized with retro type!

I promise I won’t even plug in my espresso maker! (Thank goodness for Italian stove-top ingenuity!)

Thankfully, I can still enjoy an occasional cup of green or white tea.  I’ve also grown partial to Roobios, as it is delicious and naturally caffeine-free.   (P.S. If you happen to spot the above mid-century modern tea set I prop sourced to Mad Men for the new season, please let me know!  I sadly don’t watch the show, as we don’t have a TV in our house.)

What is your favorite indulgence beverage? May you enjoy one or several this weekend!

[Read more →]

As my belly grows bigger, it seems as though the progress on my DIY projects grow slower.  I promise I have new projects and inspiration to share with you very soon, especially as the “nesting” stage starts   In the interim, for this week, I’d like to share a glimpse into vintage desk lamps and lights that have meandered through my home.  Why do today’s desk lamps fall so short in their aesthetic appeal and functionality?

For the love of faux bois and the 1970s….

Live on forever faux bois!

Mid-century modern, meet Mr. Gooseneck

Interrogating time

This lamp is a transformer, as it snaps neatly into itself

Twiddle Light and Twiddle Lamp

An Unidentified Mid-Century Modern Object

Here’s looking at you kiddos!

[Read more →]

In my treasuring hunting adventures, I’m always delighted to meet the acquaintance of vintage clocks.  I wind each clock and put it against my ear, hoping to hear that familiarly comforting tick and tock.  A surprising number of vintage wind-up clocks still work brilliantly today, which is a testament to their enduring quality and engineering.   Shall we take a peek at a few of the nostalgic time-keeping treasures that have come across my path?  I’d love to hear about the vintage clocks in your home too!

I took this photo to send a subliminal message to my husband: time to travel!

Don’t you think this German “Oldtimer” was simply begging to be with an antique library card catalog?

Even vintage Baby Ben clocks could not resist the grooviness of the 1970s!

Mid-century type found a happy companion in the face of a Baby Ben.

Can we say sibling rivalry?

[Read more →]

I recently began to indulge my naturalist side and started collecting butterflies (only ones that are allowed to live out their full complete lifespans).  However, I quickly realize that there was much more to butterflies than a beautiful bright turquoise color or symmetrical patterns.  Instead, I began to see owls, foxes, snakes, hawks, spiders, and more on the wings of these beautiful insects!

My small collection of South American butterflies currently consists, from left to right, of an owl butterfly, a “hawk” butterfly, and a “leaf” butterfly (these are their scientific names, of course!).  If you look on the top left and right wings of the owl butterfly, you will see two snake heads, as well as a spider in the middle.  When I first saw the owl butterfly, I had to ask if it was real or painted, but this is indeed how they exist in nature!  The butterfly in the middle has a hawk face on its top two wings, while the leaf butterfly truly looks like two fallen leaves.

I’m slowly adding to my collection with butterflies my husband affectionately calls “transformers.”  Are you a butterfly collector?

[Read more →]