Some things I’ve come across lately, too lovely not to share:

Photo by Sinemage

Photography: Sinemage on flickr. Lovely photos of food and other things from New Zealand.

Film: Honey Harvest. I haven’t seen an issue of Kinfolk yet, but I am tempted to subscribe.

Music: Shake it out. I like the regular version of this song, but I love this acoustic version even more.

Craft: Paper Mache Teacup. I’ve long admired the work of Ann Wood, and I want to try paper Mache. This looks very doable.

Knit: Moss & Bluebell Pocket Scarf. Another sweet design from Tiny Owl Knits.

Sweet and Funny: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. I hope you saw part one, now there is a part two!

I want to do better with this whole blog thing, so I’m playing around with some ideas and design and improving my photography, and just generally figuring out how to make time to do more here. So please don’t mind random changes in the look of things around here, and I hope I don’t get too rambly with my posts while I figure all this out.

Today I give you some random links:

Why have I never heard of this before? Art Project by Google. High-resolution images of prominent works of art from the best museums in the world. You can even walk around the galleries, Google street-view style. When I lived in Northern Virginia, I spent as many of my days off as possible visiting the museums on the National Mall and all around town. I was pleased to see that one of my favorites, the Freer Gallery, was included! Although the National Gallery is missing, which was another favorite. The Sunday night concerts there were one of my favorite D.C. events.

The Princess from the Land of Porcelain, by James McNeill Whistler, The Freer Gallery

I think I need to start saving up for one of these bags. Is that yellow one not just perfect?

I just got this book (by this blogger/photographer/chef), and I love it. I can’t wait to work on my food styling and photographing. It’s a challenge, since during the week I’m not home during daylight hours long enough to spend any time taking pictures, and I do most of my eating at work. While I enjoy the spontenatity of iphone photography, I’d like to improve my regular photography (not to mention my food-stying skills, which are currently non-existent).

The first words out of my mouth when I saw this were HOLY COW. And then I bought the pattern. Three of my favorite things-quilts, knitting, and bees (or at least honeycomb), all colliding in one, enormous, clever, beautiful project. It may take the rest of my life, but I am going to start making hexipuffs whenever and wherever I can.

Photo by Tiny Owl Knits

Since we’re in the middle of this bathroom renovation and life sucks right now (for example, it’s 6:30 a.m. and I couldn’t hold off any longer and had to go visit Spanky and the outside temperature? 25 degrees, that’s below 0 to you Celsius  people. Not fun at all.) I think I’ll try to divert attention elsewhere, and direct you to some other pretty things out there in internet-land.

I swear, one of these days I will take all the adorably cute ideas I have in my head (and in my book) and just make them and add them to my etsy shop, to join the two sad, lonely monsters that have been languishing under my neglect there for so very long. In the meantime, however, you can visit some other lovely shops at etsy and pick up some really wonderful stuff. I think I may do a big chunk of Christmas shopping there this year. Doesn’t that sound delightfully un-stressful? And with so many great designers, artists and hand-crafters there now, I bet I could really find some perfect gifts for all my special peeps. Meanwhile, although I’m not spending much on myself right now, I have recently splurged on a couple items there. Sheesh, I sound like a paid advertisement.

First of all, as soon as I saw this pillow, I knew it was meant to be mine. I was sure it would be snatched up quickly, but miraculously, after saving my egg money for a few weeks (hee hee), it was still there and now it lives in my guest room. Janet Clare draws charming pictures with her sewing machine, as well as designing lovely quilts, often with a barnyard theme. I just love how she captures the personality of this chicken and all the creatures she creates. In addition to her cushion covers, you’ll find mini quilts and quilt patterns and embroidery patterns in her shop.

Next up, I bookmarked this seller earlier this year, when I saw her 2007 letterpress calendars, which had long since sold out. I was determined not to miss out on her 2008 version, and as luck would have it, I checked the other day, and there it was. I just checked again, and she’s still got lots in stock. I just love the designs for March, August and November so much! I’ll probably pin all the months up on my cubicle  wall, so I can enjoy all of them all year long.

Not  on etsy at all is artist Emma BrownJohn. I’m really loving her landscape paintings. The colors in this  one really speak to me. Actually, I just picked up paint this weekend for our living room, bathroom and laundry room, and they are all really similar to the ones in this painting. Isn’t it so very dreamy and soothing?

And one more link that is giving me perspective: Renovation Voyeur, a new site where you can see lots of before and after pictures of renovations.  I think I’m hooked. And are you following along with apartment therapy’s fall cure? There’s always lots of inspiration to be found there.

One last little matter of business, once upon a time, a long time ago, I was going to give away some pamphlets. And then I took a long blog break and completely forgot my promise. I could blame my ADD or my falling down tree or the fact that there’s a porta-potty in the driveway, but the fact is, I was stressed out and being selfish, and totally forgot. So, I hope you will forgive me, and I’ll draw a number right this minute. Actually, I’m going to use a random number generator. And the lucky number is: 7! That would be Dawn. I’m sure the lovely nine commenter’s that participated in that post are probably no longer reading my blog, cursing me for my thoughtlessness, but I’ll be sending you an e-mail, Dawn, to get all your info :o)