modern renaissance

Gala Darling is spending the entire month of February dedicating her posts & podcasts to radical self love..and I more than kind of think it’s a fab idea. Kind of no surprise as I’m a very hippie centric person. Although it has been argued that even though I wear absurd hats, big ass jewelry, and am a vegetarian, the fact that I don’t use recreational drugs (or smell like patchouli) pretty much negates my standing as a hippie. But I’ll let you be the judge of that.

My 26th birthday is only a few short weeks away & so it seems like this month is the perfect time to make some life changes. I have to thank Gala for introducing me to the long version of my life motto. If I could live my life in anyway, and I certainly plan on it, it would be following this advice -

“So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, & demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long & its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people & grovel to none. When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food & for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one & no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools & robs the spirit of its vision. When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep & pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song & die like a hero going home.”
— Tecumseh

The shorter version of this would be a line from one of Emily Dickinson’s poems, “Forever is composed of nows.” Gala suggests that anyone participating in a February’s radical self love movement get themselves a totem to remind them of their dedication. Girl, I am way a head of you on that. I recently had a ring custom made by Delias Thompson and imprinted with Emily Dickinson’s suggestion that we embrace the present. It looks a little something like this and I really encourage everyone to check out Delias shop and commission her for a piece. I think these rings make such sweet gifts to yourself and others, and they are far more attractive than post-it notes.

My mother always says that I have a big mouth and my reasoning is this – I want nothing in my life that I am ashamed of. I want to be able to speak freely about my life and feel confident in my decisions and actions. If I should do something wrong, I want to be able to recognize it, to own it, to take responsibility for it, to learn from it, and to share my experience and what I’ve learned with others. Be proud of who you are and take no prisoners in life.

Saipua is a family owned soap and flower business out of Brooklyn. Their arrangements are gorgeous and their soap sounds positively luxurious. Sadly they only deliver to Brooklyn and Manhattan, but perhaps I’ll pick myself up a bouquet next time I’m in the city & feeling decadent

(photo by ziktay)

Unlike a lot of people, especially single people, I’m not particularly bitter about Valentine’s Day. However, I was pretty sure that that it was just another holiday created by the greeting card and candy companies. But – I am wrong! There’s actually much more romantic and surprisingly sweet history to Valentine’s Day -

February is known as a month when love begins anew, in part to to the widespread celebration of Valentine’s Day. In some parts of Europe, there was a belief that February 14th was the day that birds and animals began their annual hunt for a mate. Valentine’s Day is named for the Christian priest who defied Emperor Claudius II’s edict banning young soldiers from marrying. In secret, Valentine “tied the knot” for many young couples. Eventually, he was captured and executed on Feb. 14, 269 C.E. Before his death, he smuggled a message to a girl he had befriended while imprisoned — the first Valentine’s Day card.

Aw! So sweet. It melts even my cold, bitter, single heart. So even without a special someone you can still get in the spirit, right? Since I’ve been making up lots and lots of Valentine’s Day related goodies for Etsy there’s really no way I can avoid the holiday, so I might as well embrace it. A while ago I came up with this list of alternatives to sitting alone on V-Day and this year I’ve got a few plans to get into the spirit…

• I actually managed to get my orchid to re-bloom but one of the blossoming branches broke off in my recent move. So in an attempt to make myself feel a little better about the situation I’m buying myself another orchid. It won’t be the same but it will still be pretty…
• My BFF and I are making reservations at The Melting Pot for a romantic dinner for two. Nothing says Valentine’s Day like a pot of melted chocolate and liquor (yes, fondue made from milk chocolate + Bailey’s is pretty much the best thing ever).
• After dinner we’re going to go see a romantic comedy…maybe Valentine’s Day?
• My birthday is shortly after V-Day so I’m considering gifting myself with a piece of jewelry as an early birthday present – I’m thinking the Jessica Cushman Zodiac Cuff

(photo by Ella’s Dad)

Here are a few more ideas to get you in the mood…or something.

• Take a relaxing bath - turn off the lights, light up some candles and try adding a few of these things to your bath – Black Tea and Mint Bath Salts, Warm Vanilla Sugar Powdered Milk Bath, Beach Babe Bath Bomb Cupcake, Floral Bomb Bath Gelato or Pink Cedar and Tuber Rose Soap
• Check out Sephora’s Valentine’s treats – Philosophy’s Kiss Me Lip Gloss, Too Faced’s Walk of Shame Set (not sure if this is more handy for the single or the attached ladies), Nars’ Temptation Gift Set, Robert Piguet Little Pink Box Fragrance Set or Sephora’s Give Me Some Lip Valentine’s Day Gift Set
• Get some new sheets! I love my Quilt from Anthropologie, and fully encourage you to scour the sale racks. Oh, and these Happy Heart Sheets are super colorful, cute and reasonably priced, or if you’d like to indulge Gaiam has some beautiful organic sheets, my favorite being the red and white Fiore Bedding. If you’re looking for something cozy, everyone in my family is obsessed with Northern Nights bedding and can’t say enough good about them.
• Lingerie…who doesn’t love lingerie? And when you’re single you wonder “what’s the point, because no one is ever going to see it?” So Valentine’s Day is, in my opinion, a good excuse to treat yourself. Pretty Plum Sugar has a sweet little lounge set, and how cute are these How to Marry a Millionaire Side Tie Knickers? Check out this Organic Cotton Peacock Tank and Panty Set, or this super sweet Organic Cotton Chemise with Flounces and Ruffles (yeah, I totally want this). On the Inside’s Forget Me Not Panties (their word not mine, I kind of hate it) have great reviews, and Under the Root makes custom Bloomers.
• Homemade treats! Sure, you could make some homemade treats…or you could just go buy some homemade treats made by someone else, like this Pink Champagne Truffles, anyone of the amazing sounding caramels (Almond, Cardamom & Honey or Lavender & Vanilla Bean !?) from La Bella Caramella, Pecan Pralines (a fav of mine) or  how about have some Cupcakes delivered to yourself? Because that just might be the best idea ever.
• Read a ridiculous romance – Actually, it doesn’t have to be that ridiculous. According to some random statistic whose source I know not, “Women who read romance novels are reported to make love 74% more often than women who do not read romance novels.” Hell, if romance novels are going to improve my nonexistent love life maybe I ought to get a subscription to Harlequin. Some less trashy alternatives are The Time Traveler’s Wife (it made me cry), The Outlander Series (it’s less lame than the review thinks it sounds), the Into the Wilderness series, which picks up where Last of the Mohicans left off, or if  you’re into vampires try to Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) books, fantasy? – Stardust. Anyway, there are loads of books out there to make you feel warm and fuzzy.
  

Photos from The Craftsman Builder by Art Boericke & Barry Shapiro, published in 1977 (via Old Chum). Though I’m pretty sure I could live in anyone one of these homes fairly happily (and sitting in that indoor pool/bathtub!). Though I would definitely have to add some plants…

Naomilingerie on Etsy

photo by Yoshiko314

I am a tea fiend, right now I have approximately a dozen different types of tea (AT LEAST) in my cupboard. It’s pretty much the most perfect drink ever – some teas help you sleep, some soothe your stomach, iced tea is refreshing on a hot day, a cup of tea can curb your hunger, or can keep you warm on a cold day. So here are some practical and folk uses for tea and tea bags.

1. Cure carpet odor – Choose spice or vanilla flavors. Let it sit for 15 minutes and vacuum it away.
2. Use it as a dye – Soak light colored fabrics and paper in strongly brewed tea to give it a mellow tan color.
3. Use chamomile or lavender tea as a sleep aid.
4. Use tea to clean caked on or greasy pans. Drop a tea bag into it and allow to soak over night. The acid in the tea helps to break down the caked on grease.
5. Take a moisturizing antioxidant rich bath. Place a couple of green tea bags under the faucet as you run hot water for a bath. The green tea will help rehydrate and sooth your skin.
6. Use warm tea bags for a DIY facial. Place the warm tea bags/leaves on your face and the tannins will tighten pores and reduce puffiness.
7. Chamomile or peppermint tea makes a soothing footbath, get rid of orders and is softening.
8. When making soap, melt the glycerin and add tea in nearly any form to a mold of soap before it cools. The tea will settle in the bottom of the mold, (top of the bar of soap) and makes a great exfoliant.
9. Tea ‘sachets’ made with plain old black tea and placed in the refrigerator will help to eliminate odors.
10. Tea can tenderize meat. The tannins in tea work as a tenderizer to make the meat tasty and delicious when you use it at a marinade or cook the meat in tea.
11. To eliminate food odors on hands, especially fish odors, rinse hands with tea.
12. Mirrors that sparkle and shine. Brew up a batch of strong tea, let it cool, then use it to clean your mirrors. Buff it dry with a soft cloth for a great streak-free shine.
13. Strong footbath of black tea will strengthen the pads of a dogs feet.
14. Use as a breath freshener. A cup of mint tea is a good-tasting breath freshener for after meals, especially if you can’t brush your teeth, or don’t like gum or candy mints.
15. Place hot teabags on canker sores or fever blisters to draw out infections.
16. Place tea leaves in a smoker box when grilling to give your foods a unique flavor.
17. Use herbal tea, such as chamomile, as a soothing facial steam. Place the tea in a bowl of hot water. Hold your face above the bowl and cover your head with the bowl underneath with a towel to hold the team in.
18. Wash your face with tea as a cure for acne.
    
19. If you have a broken fingernail that is still hanging on, cut a small piece of tea bag and coat in clear nail polish. Place over the broken nail and it will adhere the nail together until it grows out. Cover in a colored coat.
20. To heal plantar warts, place a hot wet teabag on it for 15 minutes a day.
21. Freeze leftover tea in an ice cube tray. Use these tea ice cubes the next time you need to cool iced tea.
22. Use dried tea (especially herbal and lavender) as an air freshener.
23. For Brunettes – Wash your hair with black or rooibos tea to give it red highlights.
24. For Blondes – Use chamomile tea to darken your hair (depending on how strong the brewed tea is)
    
25. Add tea to soups, stir-fried veggies and meats for an interesting twist.

And here are a few ideas of what you can do with your already brewed tea bags…

1. Used tea leaves are great food for acid loving houseplants (like ferns and roses). Tear the bag open and empty the leaves into the dirt at the base of your plants.
2. Compost them. Just make sure you remove the staple (if it has one) from the tea bag first.
3. Use them to soothe puffy eyes. This works best if you place the tea backs in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes beforehand.
4. Cold tea bags work well for soothing sun burns.
5. Dry tea leaves out of a teabag make a potpourri, you can also add essential oils if you like.
6. Remove and prevent rust on cast-iron pots and pans by wiping them with a brewed tea bag.
7. Sweeten a litter box. Sprinkle used, but dried out tea bag contents into your cat’s kitty litter. The antibacterial features of the tea help to neutralize odor.
8. Take the leaves from a freshly brewed tea bag and roll them in a scrap of fabric. Use this compress to soothe toothaches, canker sores, and fat lips.
9. Sprinkle damp tea leaves over the ashes in your fireplace before cleaning it out. The tea will help keep the ashes from rising and getting all over the place while you lift them out.
10. Cold, wet teabags will soothe bee stings and insect bite.

Tasty recipes using tea…

1. Stash Tea has a long list of recipes, including some super tasty sounding smoothies (Like the Apple Chttp://www.jesslyons.com/wp-admin/post-new.phpinnamon Smoothie or Lemon Blossom Blaster)
2. Bromley Tea has some tips on cooking with tea as well as recipes.
3. The Cat-Tea Corner Recipe Collection has both tea and tea-time recipes.
4. SerendipiTea has some great recipes for both drinks and food.
5. Earl Grey is my favorite tea, here are some tasty recipes using it: Earl Grey Infused Tea Truffles (so good!), Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies, Earl Grey Madeleines with Honey, and Earl Grey Tea Cookies.

I once tried to make macaroons and totally failed. For some reason meringue is beyond my culinary talents and I ended up with flat little discs instead of cookies. C’est la vie, right? So now I just stick to buying macaroons. They’re generally very pretty and it’s quite satisfying to eat such lovely looking treats. I think a big box of pink macaroons instead of a box of chocolates is a lovely alternative on Valentine’s Day. By the way, the top left macaroons are pink peppery and raspberry – How unique and tasty sounding!

• Wow, Sandra makes New Bedford, MA actually look really fun. I kind of want to visit…
• Cat lovers have a new place to flock to.
• Can you find the interloper brings the lolz
• Discotheque Confusion loves upstate New York…and obviously so do I
• Sea of Shoes showcases some of the most insane jewelry ever
• Reasons I Laughed Out Loud, Offending Several Fellow Patrons, During The Major Motion Picture “Avatar.” Oh lord, this is so hilarious (and I liked the movie a lot, so don’t get your panties in a twist!
• I don’t remember Cardiff being this creepy last time I was there…
• I love Design Sponge’s “before and After” feature. Check out this makeover. These people have mad skillz.
• US  News says these are the 21 Things We Can Live Without
• These shoes are my holy grail of shoes. If anyone finds them, in any color, in a size 36 give me a holla!
• Attention travelers and poor college students, check out The 10 Hostel Commandments
• Top 5 ‘Pants on the Ground’ Parodies – my favorite would have to be Jimmy Fallon as Neil Young. Kind of blows my mind.
• If you’re traveling to Austin, Texas, then A. has got some tips for you. What do you think Elyse? Yay/Nay?
• The Pioneer Woman whipped up a birthday dinner for her husband (lovingly known as the Marlboro Man). Damn, this stuff looks so good it makes me consider seriously eating meat.
• I’m not a coffee drinker but Re-Nest has 11 Uses for Coffee Grounds. If you actually dye your hair with coffee ground please send me some pics, I’m quite curious
• Have you ever heard of the Cave of Crystals? It’s located in Mexico and was discovered in 2000. This video is amazing, it’s like Superman’s fortress.
• Avatar is so amazing it causes depression(!) Doctors in Taiwan say this guy died from watching Avatar(!). It was just too awesome.

pic credits unknown