Boxaholics

I have a thang for tiny little boxes . . . burled wood, shiny tortoise, wormy pine, the lot of them. They alight perfectly on stacks of coffee table books, and are ideal for hiding baubles from tiny prying hands.

We use them quite a bit to soften and personalize sign-in tables and centerpieces- especially when you need a little something to banish the sterility of matchy-matchy florals.

Antique tea caddies that rock my world. Mom gave me one that I adore- the inside is still lined with peeling lead and dusty bits of tea.

Sewing and thread boxes . . . love the detail.

Antique glove boxes . . . the mother-of-pearl one ROX.

The first one in all wood looks like it weighs 100 lbs. Fun stuff.

And one more cool box of sorts- the Tantalus. While it may sound like a Greek god, it’s really a sea captain’s decanter holder with lock and key and tiny little boards that pull out for cocktail assemblage.

Foodie Photogs

My friend Charlotte and I love to swap gossip on the latest + greatest photogs around, especially since she’s just left her day job for her life job- wedding photography.

Lately, we’ve been drooling over food photographers and stylists, whose ability to make the inanimate come to life is uncanny.

Below are a few of my faves – enjoy!

Gorgeousness from Helene Dujardin of Tartelette

She just so happens to be local, which is the first of many props in her court. I could on any given day sit happily in her kitchen (or on her front stoop, like a Dickensian-era orphan) and have a feeding frenzy on the scraps from her photo shoots. Follow her on Twitter (@sweettartelette) because she’s lighthearted and fresh via that medium too.

Honeydew-Mint-Lemon-Thyme Soup? Dreamy- from Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle et Vanille.

I am one in literally thousands carrying the torch for Aran’s work. I just learned the other day that cannelle is French for cinnamon- some Francophile I am! Her styling is expert, and I love her aerial views of the lovely food she makes. Follow her on Twitter at @cannelle_vanille.

Nicky + Oliver of Deliciousdays make a mean papery-thin pizza, among other things. I adore how their blog is set up; it’s informative, clever, navigable, and rife with a-ha recipes. Follow them on Twitter at @missesdelicious.

Katie Davies of What Katie Ate crushes it on the other side of the world in the Land Down Undah.

Follow her at @WhatKatieAte and revel in the yum.

Question is – are they photog foodies or foodie photogs? Hmmm . . .

S’mores Party

I am just johhh-nesing for cooler weather. (My frizztastic summer hair is too.) Oyster roasts, boots + jeggings, bonfires, and- s’mores. Q: Why do they have to be constructed with HoneyMaid grahams and Hershey’s bricks? Yawn. I think I’m going to throw a late Fall snooty s’more party with all their fussy fixins.

Like ziss . . .

Homemade grahams in cinnamon and chocolate, reese’s cups, fresh raspberries, peanut butter and marshmallow fluff, homemade marshmallows, assorted chocolates (white!), sliced bananas, and chopped Twix . . . and I’m just getting started.