A FLAIR FOR VINTAGE DECOR - IN NASHVILLE

Sometimes, blogland feels like an imaginary decorland, full of pretty pictures of pretty houses, where pretty people live (interactive Architectural Digest meets The Thomas Crowne Affair or something). But every now and then, you get a chance to interact with the virtual world in the real world, even while on a shopping expedition! I visited friends in Nashville this week, and had a chance to swing by the A Flair for Vintage Decor shop in the Gas Lamps Antique Mall, where blogger Caroline hosts a collection of lovely chinoiserie pieces that would do Palm Beach proud. I had so much fun!

I wanted so badly to strap this baby to the roof of my car and head home. But, right now, all my available shelf space has to be filed with millions of stone-weight tomes that would bring down this delicate beauty faster than you can say "book addict." In my next apartment...

These faux bamboo chairs were just lovely in person, and surprisingly comfy (I'M not the person who put the pillows back wrong...).

A fun pop of color - and ANOTHER amazing chair. I wanted them all, but I already sit too much. Maybe I could start a chair museum.

Or a table museum...

Ok. So it was me who put the pillow back sideways.

Yowzah! A China-style china cabinet to put your china in. I could get all three of my sets in here, with room to spare!

The rest of Gas Lamps was a treat too. It's HUGE, and my friends agreed that we were suffering from sensory overload - it took forever to pick through all the booths, and we found some great pieces. So my advice is:  go to Nashville for the (Palm) beach; stay for the (vintage) bounty. 

Happy New Year!

FELIZ NAVIDAD, POINSETTIAS!

For centuries, Christmas has been celebrated with various flora and fauna, from trees to holly, but the poinsettia is a fairly recent addition. We have our own U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Poinsett, to thank for its introduction to the U.S. in 1828 (in a tribute to aimless walkers everywhere, he found it growing next to a road while out strolling), but botanists deserve our gratitude for breeding this feisty Southern flower into a demure house plant.

A beautiful poinsettia tree in Southern Living.

The U.S. National Botanic Gardens put on a display this season of various breeds of poinsettias, like these lanky, long-leafed beauties. The Aztecs prized poinsettias (called Cuetlaxochitl) and used them for red dye. 

Some of the specimens were 8 feet or taller - not exactly decorative material! I love the variegated patterns (below), the rarer, pink hues, and the tree-like limbs.

Do you bring poinsettias into your home at Christmas?

 /Images/ poinsettia tree/ all others, my own/

My first poetry

Tum arzoo k diye jala k,

khuda say achi umeed rakhna..

Khizan k mosam ki rukhsati py,

bahar e gul ki naveed rakhna..

Wo tera rab hy, wo tera apna,

usi ko apna habbib rakhna..

usi say karna tau dil ki batein

tu ankh mein aik nami si rakhna..

Wo tera rab hy, wo tera Aqa,

usi say raz o niaz rakhna..

usi say ghum ki kahani kahna,

Ghamon ko dill meinnihan na rakhna..

Raheem hy wo Kareem hy wo,

tu rab ko apnay aziz rakhna..

Hy saans say be kareeb tar wo,

usi ko apnay kareeb rakhna.

Ek shakhs ko deakha tha
Taron ki tarha Hamney

Ek shaks ko chaaha tha
Apnon ki tarha Hamney

Ek shaks ko samjha tha
Phoolon ki tarhaa Hamney

Wo shaks qayamat tha
Kya uski karein Batain

Din us ky liye Paida
Aur uski he thi Ratain

Kab milta kisi se tha
Ham se thi mulaqatain

Rang uska Shahaabi tha
Zulfon mein thi Mehkarein

Aankhain thi ke jaadu tha
Palkain thi k talwarain

Dushman bi agar dekhein
so jaan se dil Harain

Kuch tum se wo milta tha
Baton mein shahaabat thi

Han tum sa hi lagtaa tha
Shokhi mein sharaarat main

Lagta bhi tumhe sa tha
Dastur-e-mohabbat main

Wo shaks hamain aik din

Apnon ki tarhaa Bhoolla
Taron ki tarha doobba
Phoolon ki tarha tootta

Phir haath na aaya woh
Hamney bohat dhoondha

Tum kis liye chonkey hom
Kab zikar tumhar hai
Kab tum se takaaza hai
Kab tum se shikaayat hai

Ikk taaza Hikayat hai
Sun lo tou inayat hai

Ek shaks ko chaaha tha
Apnon ki tarha Hamney.

(Hikaayat:Saying)(Chonkey:Shocked)(Dastur-e-Mohabbat:Rules of Love)

Tum Jo Hastey Ho To Phoolon Ki aada Lagte Ho
Aur Chaltey Ho to Ek Baad-e-Saba Lagte Ho

Kuch Na Kehna Mere Kandhe Pe Jhuka Kar Sar Ko
Kitne Masoom Ho Tasveer-e-Wafa Lagte Ho

Baat Karte Ho To Saaghar Se Khanak Jaate Ho
Leher Ka Geet Ho Koyal Ki Sada Lagte Ho

Kis Taraf Jao ge Zulfon K ye Badal Ley Kar
Aaj Machli Hui Saawan Ki Ghata Lagte Ho

Tum Jisey Dekh Lo Peeney Ki Zarorat Kya Hai?
Zindagi Bhar Jo Rahe Aisa Nasha Lagte Ho

Main Ne Mehsoos Kia Tum Se jo Baatein Kar k
Tum Zamane Main Zamane Se Judaa Lagte Ho

Bas Ek Choti Si Haan Kr Do,
Hamare Naam Is Tarha Sara Jahan Kr Do!

Wo Mohabbtain Jo Tumare Dil Mein Hain,
Un ko Zuban Pr Lao 0r Bayan Kr Do!

Aaj Bas Ap Kaho 0r Kehty Hi Jao,
Hum Bas Sune Aisa Be-Zuban Kr Do!

Hoi Purani Dastan Heer Ranjha Ki,
Tarikh Mohabbat Ki Phir Se Jawan Kr Do,

Aa-Jao Ke Aisa Toot Kr Chahon Tumhe,
Hmari Mohabat Ko Mohabbat Ka Nishan Kr Do!

Apne Dil Me Is Tarha Chupa Lo MujKo,
Rahon Humesha Is me aisa Mera Makan kar Do!

(Bayan:Express)(Dastan:Story)(Be-Zuban:Vocally Challenged)

Main uske chehre ko dil se utar deti hoon,
Main kabhi kabhi to khud ko bhi mar deti hoon,

Ye mera haq hai ke main usko thora dukh b doon,
Main chahat bhi to use beshumar deti hoon.

Khafaa woh reh nahin sakta lamha bhar bhi,
Mein bohat pehle hi us ko pukaar leti hoon.

Mujhe siwa uske koi bhi kaam nahin soojhta,
Woh jo bhi karta hai, mein sab hisaab leti hoon.

Woh sabhi naaz uthaata hai mein jo bhi kehti hoon,
Woh jo bhi kehta hai, Mein chupke se maan leti hoon.

An Entrapment

 My love, I have tried with all my being

 to grasp a form comparable to thine own,

 but nothing seems worthy;

 I know now why Shakespeare could not

 compare his love to a summer’s day.

 It would be a crime to denounce the beauty

 of such a creature as thee,

 to simply cast away the precision

 God had placed in forging you.

 Each facet of your being

 whether it physical or spiritual

 is an ensnarement

 from which there is no release.

 But I do not wish release.

 I wish to stay entrapped forever.

 With you for all eternity.

 Our hearts, always as one.

 - Anthony Kolos -

If I could have just one wish,

 I would wish to wake up everyday

 to the sound of your breath on my neck,

 the warmth of your lips on my cheek,

 the touch of your fingers on my skin,

 and the feel of your heart beating with mine...

 Knowing that I could never find that feeling

 with anyone other than you.

 - Courtney Kuchta -

What I Love About You

 I love the way you look at me,

 Your eyes so bright and blue.

 I love the way you kiss me,

 Your lips so soft and smooth.

 I love the way you make me so happy,

 And the ways you show you care.

 I love the way you say, "I Love You,"

 And the way you're always there.

 I love the way you touch me,

 Always sending chills down my spine.

 I love that you are with me,

 And glad that you are mine.

 - Crystal Jansen -

A stranger you were once.

 Then, with a gentle look you took my hand.

 As our lives engaged,

 you lit my life and I held both your hands.

 Now that decades have passed,

 ours souls have indeed become one.

 How fortunate we are 

 that we have found the love so true

 that everyone dreams about.

 - Laura Veronica Merodio -

CHRISTMAS AT THE NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

Braving the chill winter air and delighted throngs of toddlers, I made my way to the National Botanic Gardens to see their Christmas displays last weekend. It's a gorgeous building, all glass domes on slender supports, enclosing tall palms, an orchid trail, and several small streams. But things were a little different in the usually flora-filled great hall, where instead of a Victorian crystal palace, it looked like a band of hyper-active, genius squirrels with degrees in architecture went on a building spree.

To wit:

Everything in these miniatures is constructed from organic material - twig pillars, glazed leaf roofs, acorn -crusted pediments - creating a charming tableau of D.C.'s famous buildings.

Bartholdi Fountain (note the jets of water - it works!)

Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building

Check out those little leaf floor tiles!

The Lincoln Monument

The White House

National Museum of the American Indian (roofed in mushrooms)

The Washington Monument

The Smithsonian Castle

The Supreme Court

The Thomas Jefferson Monument (gourd dome included)

/All images/ my own/

SANITY FAIR DECORATES FOR CHRISTMAS

This year I was determined - DETERMINED! - to have a Christmas tree. But if you live in a thimble, you have to have magical properties, and mine happens to be finding tiny little fir trees that fit in thimbles. Or at any rate, three-foot-fir trees that fit in a ginger jar. Here's a little tour of my decorating. Hope you enjoy!

I love Chinoiserie, and I have a burgeoning little collection of asian-inspired ornaments (along with greek key ribbon from - wait for it - Walmart!).

I have a particular mania for glass-blown ornaments, like this darling little kimono.

A little Chinese girl carries a lantern.

What's your fortune?

A glamorous pagoda sparkles in several tiers.

A geisha, parasol at the ready, promenades the branches.

Darling panda!

An unfurled fan makes a tree topper.

A little glass fan.

Take-out!

Sushi (non-edible).

White poinsettias (badly in need of a decorative ribbon) adorn a garden stool.

Paperwhites and pagodas (apologies for the terrible photos - iPhone is my only resource right now!).

And I couldn't resist slipping a spare branch and a Chinese knot onto a picture or two.

/All images/my own/

HOUSE TOUR

This is my first apartment of my own; I moved here about 16 months ago and decorated it from scratch. 

Dining/Desk Area, Main Living Space. The plates are a mix of vintage and modern (Tiffany's, Anthropologie, Wedgewood, Urban Outfitters, and thrift stores).

All frames are finds in vintage and thrift stores. I took photos that had personal value to me, and gave them uniformity by printing in black and white and adding white mats. Lamp: Crate & Barrel; desk, Home Decorators Collection; mirror, thrift store and painted to match the desk.

The Foo Dog is a family piece; my parents bought it in Asia years ago, and I ran off with it! I sewed the pillows myself from a Tommy Bahama tablecloth found at Tuesday Morning. The photo I took of cherry blossoms at the annual D.C. festival; the frame is IKEA, with the mat wrapped in Thaibut wallpaper, found at a sample sale. Chairs:  Ballard Designs; stool:  Cost Plus World Market. The dining cushions were custom made by my mother; fabric is Premier Prints.

The frames are from IKEA and a hotel furniture re-seller store outside Atlanta (all were $10 a piece). The prints of winter scenes at the White House were Christmas presents to staff when I worked there; the orange photos of stylistas are ads from Kate Spade and J.Crew, respectively. Mirror from Home Goods. Ribbon hanger from Wal-Mart.

Pillows from West Elm and Etsy; screen is vintage (found in an Alabama antique store for $150).

I taped off and painted the "hall" wall, using Martha Stewart gold accent paint. The piece over the door is a window valance I found for $5 at a church yard sale; the brass white-washed sconce and geisha statuette are from a flea market. The rug is from Pier One Imports.

Living Room. Couch was purchased as a floor sample in Alexandria; pillows are from Etsy and Wisteria. The small bolster pillows are Ballard Designs, and I added the green ribbons. Side table is from vintage shop Circa Who in Florida; coffee tables, CB2; sideboard is from Etsy, re-painted.

Living room corner; the wall display is IKEA frames, filled with my favorite magazine clippings. Total cost: $120.00. The little green foo dogs are a Target buy spray-painted to match the room.

Rug is carpet panels from Flor; "artwork" over the credenza I created from black paint and posterboard in IKEA frames.

Kitchen:  Extra storage from World Cost Plus Market baskets; topiaries from Home Goods. Laquer boxes from The Container Store.

The bathroom - the mirror reflects a gray and white zebra shower curtain. Antique pages from nature books (found at flea markets) are hung in - what else - IKEA frames. Turkish bath towels found at Eastern Market, a special DC open air market on Capitol Hill.