This photo made me smile — happy monday!

via Habitually Chic (who is indeed habitually chic).

I love this look — and that yellow! via who else but the Sartorialist.

I recently wandered into the Kenneth W Rendell Gallery on Madison Avenue — they specialize in historical letters, manuscripts and documents. The sheer variety of objects they have framed and for sale makes it a bit of a cabient of curiosity. A sweet note from Agatha Christie, below, a letter from Audrey Hepburn discussing her garden in full bloom, a sort of sad Christmas card from the Prince of Wales. I could post hundreds of photos — a document from Chippendale, a letter from Marie Antoinette but I’ll stop here and let you check it out if it interests you. Everything is beyond expensive, but, just looking at these artifacts is enough — it’s tiny bits of insight into these famous people.

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I tracked down the name of the fabric store where I bought the fabric for the pillows. It’s B&J Fabrics! Located at 525 7th Avenue, on the second floor, as you can see from this street shot. Its HUGE (and really, fabric heaven) although somewhat overwhelming, so I’d go with an open mind (I never thought I’d end up with cool japanese imported cotton) and leave yourself some time. They will also give you (I think) up to four samples.

I’m into glamour this week. First 1930s Hollywood babes, now these Art Nouveau, sort of “aesthetic movement” vintage postcards found on French Ebay (my favorite place to browse). I especially like that they were “give-aways” at Le Bon Marche, the venerable Paris department store (I think sort of like Clinque “gift with purchase” these days). I want to find a way to bring more glamor into my life and home.

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I love libraries — the quiet, the possibilities in the stacks of books, just waiting to be opened. I’m a bit of a library romantic, I guess. Now that I’m a full time graduate student, I’m spending more time in the Cooper-Hewitt’s excellent library. Yesterday, I came across these fantastic scrapbooks (which are in the rare book room). I went into the program because I’m interested in collecting and have been researching scrapbooks for my thesis. These three 1930s scrapbooks are of various movie stars. They are funky, a little random, but clearly the person (unknown) who put them together is drawn to the glamor of these women. (I’ve posted all the photos I took on Flickr).

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Nancy, my mother-in-law, is always finding cool and unusual items (she’s a design scout!) It’s not surprising given that she runs a fantastic floral design business in Needham, MA which you can check out here! She sent me a link to Ferm Living Wall Stickers and I particularly liked the “waterworld” decal set pictured here. How awesome is the coral? What a fun way to decorate a bathroom, entry way or ceiling.