Legumes of the Week #14

Mary Dixon Palmer, 1920, from Shorpy

• Antique patterns for all kinds of needlework, from sewing to tatting to knitting. Via WhipUp.net.

• Unclutterer shares three easy ways to straighten up your house (and computer) on weekends.

• Elsa Mora's adorable Kokeshi-inspired doll.

• Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing interviews Carolyn of Diary of a Sewing Fanatic on biases against plus-size sewers.

• My Favorite Color is Shiny comes up with a very sweet (and thrifty!) DIY Valentine's Day gift idea.

• The Happiness Projects shares 19 tips for cheering yourself up from 200 years ago.

• Fashionist, a San Francisco street style blog, showcases James and his amazing outfit for those in-between days when the weather can't decide whether it's spring or still winter.

Legumes of the Week #13

I didn't do a Legumes of the Week last week, so this list will be a bit longer (and some of the links are to blog posts that are older than a week):

• First off, how riveting is this illustration from an 1896 book called “Safe Counsel: Searchlights on Health: Light on Dark Corners”? I found it via a Web site called From Old Books, which is exactly what it sounds like. Lots and lots of transfixing graphics, borders and fancy lettering from out-of-copyright books. Hours of intriguing searching!

• Kev shares photography tips on Jen Loves Kev.

• Moodboard is inspired by black lace and rustic wood -- an awesome combination I never thought of before.

• Hello Sandwich on Japan 7-Eleven's new healthy bento plan. I love this! I hope the concept comes over here to Taiwan because our 7-Elevens have bentos that are basically sodium molecules bonded together by rice and meat.

• For psychology and mental health geeks -- Wise Bread reviews "Bluebird: Women and the New Psychology of Happiness" by Ariel Gore. The book examines how the construct of happiness (and what makes a happy life), the self-help book market and the pharmacetical industry all impact American women.

• I'm glad I'm not the only person who was obsessed with Rosemary's tanis root pendant in "Rosemary's Baby"! Stay Fancy Free was also fascinated.

• Junk Jewelry on Madeline Albright's pins.

• Daily Blog Tips on how to make a to-do list that will actually increase your productivity.

• The fabulous Meggy Wang of Fashion for Writers on her incredible, eye-popping, inspiring weekly planner hacking.

• Last, but certainly not least, Bonjour, It's Jinah rounds up different ways you can help Haiti's earthquake victims.

Legumes of the Week #12

Illustration by Cat Maske

Image is used with permission. © CJM 2010 All Rights Reserved http://www.agreencat.com/copyrights

• A coterie of very talented female animators and artists draw girls -- pin-up girls, space girls, kawaii girls, eerie girls, crazy girls, all awesome girls -- on Girls Drawing Girls. The above illustration is by my wonderful friend Cat Maske.

• For all you chronic vacillators out there -- a fascinating interview with the author of "How We Decide" on neuroscience blog The Frontal Cortex.

• Hello Sandwich always finds the best blogs! Here she introduces us to Tokyo Connection, which has the most gorgeous photography of everyday sights in the city that is currently on top of my "must visit" list.

• Dear Golden Vintage shares a creepy/cool/pretty/thought-provoking photography series by Ofer Wolberg.

• We're gonna decorate like it's Nineteen-Sixty-Three, thanks to Millie Motts!

• Victorian infographics on BibliOdyssey (via Nubby Twiglet).

• And one for those of you who are already falling behind on your New Years Resolutions (like, erm, me) -- Unclutterer explains how to increase your energy with just a tiny bit of planning ahead.

Have a wonderful weekend! Ron and I are hoping to finally see "Avatar" in 3-D. It's been a busy few weeks, but we won't let this weekend pass without going!

Legumes of the Week #10

Yongkang St. (永康街) playground

• Vain and Vapid's favorite holiday tutorial round-up for everyone who is itching to run with scissors (to their craft table, that is).

• B. Vikki Vintage shares photos of African-American weddings from 1959.

• Brook and Lyn introduces her readers to house plants by I'm Revolting.

• Jenny at Fashion for Writers on being exotified.

• Live near San Jose, California and have a sewing machine you need to unload? Consider donating it to a senior center.

• Art and Ghosts gives us a magical peek into her winter mornings.

Legumes of the Week #9

Mopeds and goldfish near Shida Rd.

• The Cat's Pajamas shares a cool set of found drawings she discovered via Flickr.

• Lisa's Likes is inspired by the costumes and styling in "An Education."

• The Art of Jordon on how to create a brand.

• Dear Golden's home office is located on her sun porch and is AMAZING.

• Threadbared's very intelligent three-part analysis of style blogging (via Fashion for Writers)

Legumes of the Week #9

Wall decal above our bed

• I've forgotten if I shared this link already, but it's worth posting again: back in August, love forever shared how she displayed her amazing collection of paint-by-number paintings.

• forestbound visits the sweetest pop-up store (I love that phrase, by the way).

• Thumbelina's beautiful collages and writing. She also loves Jan Svankmajer's Alice, which makes me love her, because I LOVE Svankmajer!

• Tips on how to use false eyelashes from The Freelancer's Fashionblog. I had a pair on for Halloween (along with glitter liquid eyeliner) and I thought they were actually a lot of fun to wear! I should just wear them around the house.

• Holga Blog has some really great tips on how to improve your photography without a camera and scans from a 1952 Kodak picture-taking guide. I can't wait to apply these 57 year old tips to my own photography!

Martha Stewart... foxy lady!?!?!?

Don't get me wrong-I know Martha Stewart has always had those patrician good looks and I've heard before that she was a model. But I didn't know that she was downright foxy... as in Bond lady, swimsuit model, I'm going to tempt Don Draper in an alternate universe foxy:


For more, check out Apartment Therapy Los Angeles.

Blogger of the week on Lulu Letty!

A big thanks to the very lovely and talented Maria for featuring me! I'm very flattered!