housemartin

a pause for tea

Woke up this morning and heard the rain. Pulling myself from tiny tendrils of dreams, I wander around. Sit. Wander around. While being an independent store owner can be wonderfully rewarding, it also can be exhausting. Today I officially hit the wall. Since it is my day off, I decide to camp out on the couch and go through old design magazines with the sweet, smoky scent of Royal Apothic's High Tea candle burning in the background. A pot of jasmine tea is in order to wake the scenses. I brew it in my Japanese iron pot and serve the tea in my DBO Home ceramic handle-less mug. Ahhh that's better. Simple luxury.

(photo via a fabluous iphone ap my sister told me about - Hipstamatic. The most fun $1.99 could buy)

a sip of heaven

Coming this spring to ink & peat - these lovely Bellocq teas! This line of teas is curated...a well chosen mix of blends and pure teas all packaged in gorgeous tins and boxes. They are a throw back to a more elegant time. And the lapsang souchong is so smoky and delicious. Here is the description from Bellocq  - "Organic black tea scented with pinewood smoke.  Plucked at high elevations in the Wuyi Mountains, this tea has a distinctive earthy flavor, with strong notes of honey and a rich red liquor.  ". A wonderful antedote to a rainy day.

little black book

We are so excited to again be invited to be a member of the Style Me Pretty Little Black Book! It is a wonderful resource for brides and grooms in so many cities. Take a look at our profile here.

 

framed

I have always loved the look of industrial metal and glasss windows. they can be so fabulous as patio doors to open in the summer or even as shown here in the bathroom - so lovely.

(seen at Remodelista)

poetic

Coming soon to ink & peat - Lollia's gorgeous new candle line - Poetic License. The scents are lovely and the packaging divine. Rich sumptuous colors on the boxes trimmed in gold edging...a perfect gift or just the right thing to treat yourself. The scents are whimsical..."Sunspots on photographs, "Score from the End Credits", "Summer of 1982, and "Running in grass".

ready for spring

With all the rain today and the forecast of snow (in February??) for thursday, I am loving these sweet little watercolor paintings by Sarah Storm. Just the right thing to make a girl's mind wander to grassy meadows with birds chirping!

 

valentines from ink & peat

botanical beauties

I am so excited to be bringing this beautiful line to ink & peat. Gleena is a line of gorgous porcelain pieces in delicate but almost glowing colors. Designer Asya Palatova  handmakes all the pieces at her studio in Pawtucket, RI. You can read more about Asya's botanical inspirations on her blog here.

valentine's inspiration

I put this photo on my desktop and can't seem top stop looking at it. What lovely inspiration from Lonny Magazine. The colors, those full garden roses, the composition...all exquisite. Any little tricks up your sleeve for your special Valentine?

 

decorate book

I just got back from the New York Gift Show - what fun! I always feel so fortunate when I get to go to those shows - I feel like a kid in a candy store. The trick is staying on budget with all those wonderful goodies in front of you. Still working on that part. Anyway, as I was rambling through the Chronicle Books booth (which we sell in the shop), I came across the Decorate Book which is due out in May. I have always been a fan of co-author Holly Becker's blog Decor8. It is always full of eye candy and inspiration. Oh boy, this is a good one and I was so honored to be quoted in it! Put it on your wish list folks, it will be a treat.