Wednesday, July 17, 2013

On the Radar -- Black and White and Red All Over


We've talked about black and white -- you know, the trend that never ends.  Well, it seems designers have moved on to another classic combo.  Black, white, and RED.  I was flipping through my latest Harper's Bazaar and started noticing all the red.  And then all of the black and white.  Hmmmm...

So here's my round up of some of my favorite finds, like Alexander McQueen.  Oh, and a few other designers.  Really, what more do you need in life?  

Well, maybe Robert Downey Jr.  But hey, that's just a Blackbird girl preference.

Enjoy!

John Paul Gaultier, Fall/Winter 2013

Alexander McQueen, Fall/Winter 2013

Vivienne Tam, Fall/Winter 2013

From Vogue Portugal.

Giambattista Valli, Fall/Winter 2013

Vintage silk scarf, available in our shop, here.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Junk Love: This Love is Cold

After a deliciously mild and rainy summer, the sun has decided to punish us. I know--I shouldn't complain. I should instead be grateful for all of those moody, stormy afternoons. But it's hard to keep a smile on when 30 seconds outside makes my hair a giant frizzball. As the sweat trickles down my forehead, I seek the comfort of cold things: my ridiculously air-conditioned house (this is going to cost me a fortune on next month's power bill, but today I am in the mood for a bit of meat locker chill), a tall cup of sweet tea, and a bit of the Arctic (or Antarctic):

I have posted about penguins in the past, but I didn't bother to include pictures of our babies. This collection began with Chilly Willy and his gal pal, Milly. We actually have an extra Milly, so Willy could step out with twins (wink wink). But, he'd probably rather just eat a giant stack of pancakes (and there's nothing wrong with that).Of course, Willy + Milly + Milly = 3. And we know what 3 means...dum dum DUM! A penguin collection. So, it was only natural to add to the family!


And then, there's this guy (the big lummox), who holds a special place in my heart:

Of course, we have to have crossover potential with the cocktail collection:
Our West Bend ice bucket was too hard to photograph, but this one's on ebay

Fabulous vintage penguin decanter.
And let us not forget some other dwellers of chilly climates. Here is a hint:
This one was our first.

These ladies weren't acquired together, but now they are the best of friends.

And this guy was purchased for three reasons: the maker's name, the fact that he would hold perfectly chilled root beer, and his Alaskan heritage. Oh, Charlie!

The littlest Eskimo (wouldn't that make a great movie?) and the salt and pepper shakers live in their own little world, created by me on a white shelf in front of a pale blue wall. It's the perfect merger of the Great North and Frigid South. They seem pretty happy with it, anyway. The rest of them are scattered throughout the house, to give a bit o' the Arctic to almost every room.

Ahhhh! The cold air gushes forth from my vents once more. I feel that an ice cream cone is in order. And, just maybe, another Eskimo to love:
1970s clothes hanger; Etsy