Mint

We’re all moved in to our new house, but the settling in part… let’s just say it’s going slowly. Who knew it would take 4 coats of paint to cover wood paneling? Or that hanging blinds on, like, 20 windows could be so time consuming? But it’s coming along and with every unpacked box it feels more and more like home. Last weekend we hit up the Raleigh Flea Market to find a TV stand and living room chair. Let’s just say the flea market has been very good to me lately, and of course we came home with a few things that weren’t exactly on the shopping list. Above, a couple of vintage chairs ($35 each) and a standing lamp ($15) in our living room.

An old dresser ($30) which we turned into a TV stand with a shelf for electronics, and an orange knob I bought without knowing where it would go ($7).

Old salt and pepper shakers are good places to store paper clips and push pins! Sculpture, mine, and salt and pepper shakers were bought a few months ago and I’ve forgotten the price.

A little $8 snuff bottle which I couldn’t leave behind. It caught my eye a few weekends ago, and when I saw it was still available I had to bring it home.

Sweet little rusty pig, you. $5.

I found Alexander Beeching’s prints on 20×200 and couldn’t resist the bison. Of the series, Alexander says:

“I have long been interested in the idea of finding one’s way, both literally and metaphorically. The stars can give you your bearings, like Polaris, or tell you your longitude and latitude. The Mesopotamians saw many things in the heavens: Orion’s belt, and the twelve signs of the zodiac to name but a few. Later, others saw different patterns there so that, for instance, the Assyrian Hired Man and the Swallow became the constellations of Aries and Pisces.

What struck me about these star maps is that with the slight effort of imagination one can see what one wants there…

I decided to come up with my own set of imaginary constellations. First drawn in pencil, they were scanned into a computer and then turned into a negative.”

The talented woman behind MinxShop is Anna-Marie, who lives in Pittsburgh and taught herself to sew in college. Her clothes are eclectic and unique, but comfortable and wearable on a day to day basis. As Anna-Marie says, “I think we all need something that is easy to put on with a pair of jeans and boots, and not look like we just crawled out of a dumpster. But on the other hand, most of my pieces can easily be dressed up with heels, amazing tights, and weird mismatched blazers and cardigans.”

Thanks MinxShop! Sponsors help make Mint possible, and I am so grateful for their support. If you’re interested in advertising on Mint, please get in touch by emailing mintdesignblog at gmail dot com, and I’ll be happy to give you all the details. Holiday spots are still available.

Lady Ann de Borja is participating in the Sketchbook Project, and I love these two spreads I found on her website.

When Brendan and I started planning the Thanksgiving menu, it all sounded so good… you know, turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pies… and then we realized there wouldn’t be a green thing on our plates. Here are four delicious sounding and highly rated recipes from Epicurious: Apple-Filled Acorn Squash Rings with Curry Butter, Green Beans with Lemon and Pine Nuts, Broccolini with Smoked Paprika, Almonds, and Garlic, and Roasted Carrots.

Problem solved. Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving vegetable recipe?

photo credits, left to right & top to bottom: Mark Thomas, Romulo Yanes, Elinor Carucci, and John Kernick

Papier-mache animal sculptures by Brighton, UK artist Elizabeth Jardine. Aren’t they amazing? My papier-mache projects never looked like that…

I’m just crazy about these hats. They remind me of my brother.

Felt artist Barbara Keal says, “Big furry ears make me happy. It might work for you too. Can you imagine the winter high street bustling with creatures? Foxes, badgers, the odd Minotaur, not to mention all the beasts you can’t name. Could hats change the world?”

I think so.

via Remodelista