Beautiful Flowers

Article Posted on Sunday, January 22nd, 2012 at 8:47 pm

These 2 photos were cut out and juxtaposed in my sketchbook. For some reason, I just think that’s kind of perfect.

Hope you’re having a *lovely* weekend!

The mid-January Funk

Article Posted on Friday, January 20th, 2012 at 12:48 pm

I have been in a major funk for the past week. I got sick over New Year’s, and I swear I haven’t been the same since. This past week we’ve been trying to adjust to a new routine, the house isn’t in the best shape, I keep feeling like no task is ever complete, and I just haven’t felt like myself. Anyway, I think I’ve figured out at least part of a solution: Creatively I think I need to mix things up a bit. Does everyone get like that? You do the same routine for so long that it loses all it’s spark? I find that learning a new technique or going back to something I haven’t done in years is both therapeutic and exciting at times like these.

I’ve been blogging for a while, but I don’t know if the stuff I’ve been blogging about for the past year is really where my head’s at right now. On that note, I was going through old sketchbooks a few nights ago and came across some really fun things. I thought I’d share some snippets over the next few days. Long before Photoshop and Pinterest, I would cut up magazines and catalogs and make collages in my sketchbook like these…

5 Random Things

Article Posted on Thursday, September 15th, 2011 at 8:46 am

I admit, I have been a bit absent this week. Blame it on Birthday Week. or work. or fun outings with friends. or cleaning the house. or whatever other number of things there are. However, today I have quite a few fun Random Links to share so here goes…

1.) We have been cleaning like maniacs trying to get our house back in good shape after the dust storm that was our AC installation. So when I saw this on Valet last week, it was a good reminder to share a tip: Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap is one of the best products ever. I started using it as face wash when I stopped using ProActive this Spring with great success. It is gentle enough to use on our old wood floors and also strong enough to get off that grime that builds up around the stove from splattering oil. Every Belle has a trick or 2 up her sleeve, and Castile Soap is mine. If you haven’t tried it, you must!

2.) This week Sweet Paul’s Fall 2011 issue was released, and I am totally in *love* with the feature called Black Halloween. I also can’t wait to try some of the recipes. Fall seasonings are just the best!

3.) Kiel James Patrick just released a collection of belts perfect for Fall called the Peyton Heritage Collection. The fabrics used inside and out are beautiful and would be perfect for you or your sweetie. I’ve got my eye on a couple myself.

4.) I recently saw the work of Becca Stadtlander somewhere around the interwebs and completely fell in love. There’s a tension between a feeling of old warmth and a sort of untouchable moment in time in her paintings that I really enjoy.

5.) I saw this list of the 100 Best 1st Lines put out by the American Book Review, and it has added a few novels to my reading list.

What’s your favorite 1st Line?

A Little Afternoon Eye Candy

Article Posted on Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011 at 2:32 pm

In the spirit of our ‘Back to School’ theme this week, I couldn’t resist sharing this video I saw yesterday. It is a short film  produced by Walt Disney to promote CalArts which, as it turns out, he founded. I just *adore* the drawings for the symphony hall (especially the chandeliers) as well as all of the great outfits. Plus, it makes me miss art school. *sigh* Ah well– hope you enjoy!

No nation – and no community – can flourish, or possibly even survive, unless it provides full opportunities for the encouragement, the development, and the full utilization of the intellectual and the artistic talents of its people.
-Lee A. DuBridge

The CalArts Story from CalArts on Vimeo.

Dress the Part…

Article Posted on Wednesday, August 10th, 2011 at 9:42 pm

This evening Husband is out with friends recouping after his first day of school. So here I am, perusing the web and watching the documentary Herb & Dorothy. It’s about 2 of America’s most-loved, and most unexpected, art collectors who have made it their life’s work to search out art that speaks to them before anyone else finds it. It is the sweetest story of how a post office worker and a librarian literally changed the face of New York’s art world. If you are interested in art or if you just love an interesting story, be sure to add this film to your queue.

All that to say, I while watching this film I came across this gorgeous outfit in Club Monaco’s new collection (I’m a bit taken with this skirt!), and I just couldn’t resist…

1. / 2. / 3. / 4. / 5.

Hello, gorgeous!

Article Posted on Monday, July 11th, 2011 at 11:44 pm

I hope you had a *lovely* weekend! Tonight  I thought I’d share a few things to get your week off on the right foot…

:: Listen ::

While at the beach last week, we picked up this album, and I am totally hooked! Here We Go Again features Willie Nelson, Wynton Marsalis and Norah Jones (3 legends themselves) celebrating the music of Ray Charles. The album is taken from 2 sold-out nights at the Rose Center recorded in February, 2009, and I swear you can feel the electricity in the concert hall when you listen to it! Get it; you won’t regret it.

:: Read ::

Last weekend we were waiting for our plane to take off having a couple of drinks and reading the Wall Street Journal (him) and the New York Times (me) when I couldn’t resist snapping a picture of this gorgeous illustration. As it turns out, the caricature of Rossini was done in 1867 by Hippolyte Mailly. Anyway, the article was about Rossini’s early retirement, at the age of 37, after premiering his 39th and final opera. Perhaps the part that I found the most interesting, however, was on the last page…

"The idea of art making as a craft, even a job... is foreign to our modern
sensibilities. But our sense of artists as separate from the everyday world,
 engaged in some kind of obscure magic, has made it easier for us to ignore
them and believe that their work is irrelevant to our own, comparatively
ordinary lives. It also relieves us from having to think too hard about
something that mattered a great deal to the shrewd Rossini: compensating
artists fairly for their work." 

Fascinating, no? The writer gives a picture of a world that was changing around the composer and ponders the ability of any artist to separate himself from his work. Read the full story by Zachary Woolfe here on the NYTimes website.

:: Dress ::

As evidenced in the photo above, there is no more chic (or beneficial) accessory in a Belle’s Summer closet than a wide-brimmed hat. I swore by mine at the beach last week. After all, a Belle can never be too cautious when it comes to protecting her complexion!

P.S. I believe this photo is from Anthropologie’s Spring, 2009 catalog.

:: Live ::

Tonight, as on many other nights, we could be found on the front porch sipping cocktails and listening to the stereo. Trust me, it doesn’t get any better than that!

{ Radio source }

Literary Still Life

Article Posted on Friday, June 17th, 2011 at 9:36 am

The other night I was flipping through flickr, hoping to get a little inspiration, when I happened upon the most beautiful, surreal photography. The most surprising ____? The subject was a book, or perhaps I should say a story. You see, photographer Juliette Tang starts with a book and then picks objects to represent different parts of the text. The result is perfectly dreamy photography for any avid reader…

Visit Juliette’s website //  her tumblr //  and be sure to follow her on Twitter & say hello… she’s super sweet!

Julia Denos’ *new* Shop!

Article Posted on Wednesday, June 15th, 2011 at 9:00 am

I have told you before how much I *adore* the illustration style of Julia Denos. (I believe the 1st time was gooshing about this beautiful Audrey Hepburn biopic.) I’ve also found her to be quite a *lovely* lady thanks to the wonderful world of Twitter. As a result, I just couldn’t resist sharing that Julia’s opened a new online storefront! I’m going to be picking up some of these notecards for sure. I also think this limited edition (never before released) print called Audrey and the Children is simply beautiful and, if you’re interested, Julia is kindly sending 50% of the proceeds to The Audrey Hepburn Children’s Fund!

Also as an added treat, if you want some office inspiration, check out Julia’s studio. I may or may not have gone a little crazy on Pinterest last night with the “Rooms I Want to Be In” category… it looks like the perfect place to work.

I also like to read surrounded by pretty things…

Article Posted on Tuesday, June 14th, 2011 at 1:00 pm

When I work, background noise is a must. I don’t do well with music–it’s so distracting, but old radio shows, NPR and random YouTube clips can assist my work all day long. Well, often I google my favorite artists or designers for a little inspiration and when I ran across this video of Maira Kalman’s work with the RobinHood Foundation, I just had to post it. I’ve adored Ms. Kalman as an artist, writer and designer for a long time and having a soft spot libraries myself, I think this installation is just magical!

Dandies & Quaintrelles

Article Posted on Tuesday, June 14th, 2011 at 12:26 pm

{ Dandies & Quaintrelles on flickr }

I was searching flickr the other day doing a little research for an upcoming post and came across this painting that I completely fell in *love* with. It’s by Elizabeth Graeber and is from a piece she did illustrating the Seersucker Social in Washington D.C. last year. I just love the definitions… it’s totally Husband & me, don’t you think? Anywho, I couldn’t help but contact Elizabeth and order the print because I think it’s just the thing for our home. After all, what Belle isn’t a Quaintrelle at heart and is married to her very own Dandy? (And on that point, when did Dandies become so rare?) If you like her work, be sure to visit her shop, her blog & her website.