Pearls of Ice

The weekend has come and gone and Monday Night is back.
The last week of February.
which has got me wondering about the meaning behind the month.
It so happens it is fascinating lore, brought to us by wikipedia :

February was named after the Latin term februum, which means purification, via the purification ritual Februa held on February 15 in the old Roman calendar. January and February were the last two months to be added to the Roman calendar, since the Romans originally considered winter a monthless period. They were added by Numa Pompilius about 700 BC.

Historical names for February include the Anglo-Saxon terms Solmonath (mud month) and Kale-monath (named for cabbage) as well as Charlemagne's designation Hornung. In Finnish, the month is called helmikuu, meaning "month of the pearl"; when snow melts on tree branches, it forms droplets, and as these freeze again, they are like pearls of ice.

Read more at Wikipedia

Sounds like purity and pearls are the way to go - which brings me to what I really want to talk about - the Artistic Luxury - Faberge/Tiffany/ Lalique show at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco.

We spent a lovely Saturday afternoon wondering around, enthralled

The workmanship is exquisite and quite wonderful. The color and designs are incredible.

I found a book that has pictures and descriptions 16 eggs - none appear at the exhibit - they do reflect the beauty and ingenuity of the pieces in the show - check out the lovelies

They are miniature works of art and I was in love! My heart was beating so fast - I could have been the Becky Broomwood(?) in Confessions of a Shopaholic. I felt the surge of adrenalin to buy. Too bad none of these Objects of desire are in my budget.

People are crazy for clothes or shoes - but jewels for body and home are my raisin d'etre.

The amazing work of Rene Lalique - is beyond compare - the jewels, the glass the "dog collars"

the enamel work that somehow goes beyond human comprehension

I thought the dog collars really were dog collars - it turns out that it is the literal translation from the french for chokers. And here I was, totally impressed by the stylish dogs of yore.

After absorbing it all, we then enjoyed the view from the grounds,

before stopping in Clement st to check out Jane Consignment 2249 Clement St San Francisco CA (good mix )

Did you catch the Oscars ?(dont know why the prizes are always males - do you? )

so for us women lets call it Oscarina's and be done.

You know chokers are best when worn at a young age. I bring that up because I thought the choker that Sophia Loren wore made her look bad - and I hated that. Sophia Loren has always been a dazzling beauty with style, but that choker did choke her. It appears however that dog collars are in again.

I prefer to remember my fair lady in her finery at the ball - that elongated neck with the fabulous pearls -not. I guess that would have been too perfect - its something glittery - glass or rhinestones or perhaps diamonds.

I leave you to dream of pearls to fill a girls heart and diamonds to fill her treasure chest.

How can you turn these ideas into rooms? Translating treasures takes elbow grease, but the rewards are sweet.

Vanity mirror sets or even to frame a large mirror.

How about a curtain of pearls?

Which reminds me when I was a child, I was fascinated by the Pearly King and Queen, and here they are in all their glory : more images to look at and check out the Royal Pearlies history

what a room these outfits would make....

Sheer Simplicity

Valentines day has come and gone.
I wanted to share my sweet dog Goldie's valentine look - she is ready for LOVE. She is singing the blues cos she has nowhere to hang her bag of bones, love is thataway.

and when I think about Love, I think about what is truly essential in life -its all about keeping things simple and focusing on friendships and feeling good.

Organizing your closets - giving away the excess for another person to enjoy.
Good vibrations all around when you shed the weight of all those possessions.
The unbearable LIGHTNESS of being.

Living clutter free and loving it Having space in the closet where nothing hangs, having drawers that are empty.
Space on the bookshelf and room in your garage to park a car.

a space in the garage to use with impunity.
a camping shelf or a ski area.
Perhaps creating a fantasy room within the garage for the family to play in.
an Art center at the ready.
A stage for shows. or a craft center.

Make room for life, and letting go of all those darn things.

When I was young I constantly foraged for items, longing to pack my life full, with the debris of living and shopping and collecting.

Now, now I long for peace. Expanses of empty spaces. Clean living. Bare cupboards.
I am loving that empty feeling now its gone, gone, gone.

Imagine a closet where you use everything at least once. Once a day, once a week once a year.
Buying a few good bold pieces you love.
Buying what you love, loving what you buy, and asking yourself - can I do be do without all this dough bought stuff.
What could I do with my time, if I didn't have to buy, clean, care, for all my things?

I would have time to create living moments. Moving memories.
I could write a song about being free - having nothing left to lose:
the blues that left me cos I went and threw it all out .....
dont need no more magic tools that dices and slices- just a good bed, a candle and a book.
Ok maybe a couple candles and a good light. The sweet luxuries that are fabulous.

If you had to make a list of what you couldn't live without, what would that list contain?

after all this rain is done I will head for the hills in my head.