Getting my fix from down under

{Image courtesy of Armchair Trader via The House That A-M Built}

My self-admitted, much maligned purse addiction is about to be fed by the lovely A-M of The House That A-M Built. When she's not blogging about the day-to-day of designing/building/decorating a new house from the ground up down in Brisbane, Australia, she is running a wonderful little shop, Armchair Trader, loaded with all the kinds of delicious bits and bobs that make this girl's heart flutter. To celebrate her 100th post she did a little giveaway, and yours truly won the lovely purse above. I love the nautical trim and I hope those are pockets on the outside...

To be honest, its a good thing she selected a particular item from her shop as I would have had a hard time picking one thing.

I have no idea if this would be "my" scent, but I love the packaging.

I love notecards and these are bold, stylish and just the thing to write A-M a little thank you note for the purse.

I need another evening clutch like I need a hole in the head, but that soutache trim is so pretty...

And as if the lovely merchandise wasn't enough, the site is loaded with b&w photos of beautiful actresses: Grace, Audrey, Lana, Rita, Veronica, Marilyn. Tres glam! She does mail to the States, just drop her a line for the postal rates.

All photos from Armchair Trader.

Hooked On House Tours Blog Party

I'm participating in Julia's Hooked on House Tours Blog Party today. She has over 50 bloggers participating, its like her own little Home-A-Rama so be sure to pop on over later and tell her Robin sent you. But first, please step inside...

This is my building. When it was originally built in 1875, it was the largest apartment building in Connecticut. In the late '70s it was slated for the wrecking ball, but an enterprising developer bought it and the yellow brick building to the left of it and turned them into condos. He kept much of the period details like moldings, trims, carved copper hinges, doorknobs, and light fixtures, but installed modern amenities like new sheetrock, modern plumbing, heating and electric. I'm up on the 4th floor, but don't worry, there is an elevator.


When you walk in this is what you see. My place is about 970 sq ft. I was going to "stage" it for this photo shoot, but I figured it is perfect in its imperfection. Oh, and also I did not have time.

To the right when you walk in and up two steps is my office, which is kind of messy today due to a bunch of book orders from half.com, plus a craft I'm in the middle of, so this is all you'll see today.

I like my books organized by topic vs color, so that is why they are not neat and tidy at all (and interior designers everywhere are cringing). Top left is cookbooks, top right is historical non-fiction, poetry and vintage. The whole middle is fiction and the bottom is non-fiction, reference and books I loved as a child (Narnia, Anne of Green Gables, etc.). Tchochkes and photos everywhere, and there are more books and magazines all over the rest of the place.

Through the office is the half bath. My camera doesn't scale back enough and the room is small so this is as good as it gets. I love this wall color - Chocolate Sparkle by Behr. There is no "sparkle" per se, but there is plenty of chocolate and after I did this room I wanted to paint every room this color. It is delicious. On the left is a framed page from Godey's Ladies Book, circa 1860s, that I got for a song at an antiques market in Vermont.

Back down the steps to the living/dining room. On your right is the buffet/bar, I just realized the lampshade is slightly crooked. But you don't see it because you are too busy looking at my favorite painting, "Plunging Neckline" by local artist Sandy Welch. I bought this as a (very expensive) birthday present for myself a couple of years ago. Coincidentally I bought it the same night Mr. Marie-Louise (married to my BFF Marie-Louise of Cottage Industries) showed me the engagement ring he had picked out for her. It was an expensive night for both of us. And there was a lot of wine.

Here is the dining area and living room. The dining room set is reproduction Duncan Phyfe lyre-back chairs and pedestal table that were given to me by my ex's grandmother. I recently had them refinished and recovered the seat cushions myself in two different toiles.

A closer look at the living room area; the wall color is Carribean Coral by Behr. The black lump on the sofa is Zoe, one of my two black cats. The sofa is her personal throne (or so she thinks). Her brother Simon is around here somewhere.

I couldn't not show you the kitchen, although I detest it and it is slated for a makeover. Dig that 70s linoleum and light fixture! And don't you love the obnoxious placement of the thermostat on the left? I can't hang anything there and I can't move it. Aaargh!

My bedroom. The wall color looks white-ish in this photo but it is Coffee with Milk. I love my bed. If I could drive it, I would.

Master bath. A new vanity is on the to-do list here as well.

As you leave the bedroom you pass this view of the Farmington River. It was painted by Mr. Marie-Louise and he tells me it was his first oil painting. I don't believe him.

Speaking of views, here is the eastward-view from my little balcony. The beige monstrosity is the federal courthouse, completely devoid of any architectural interest.

And here is the north view, the Hartford skyline, or at least what I can see of it, as the sun sets. We also have a lovely garden that we just redid, but I don't have any photos. It is perfect for a quiet evening with a book and a glass of wine, or a festive barbeque (we are a very social building).

Thanks for stopping by, I promise next time there'll be wine and cheese. Now scoot on over to Julia's and be prepared to not get anything done today because there are lots of houses for you to look at and comment on!

New bird on the block No. 23 and a visit to the farmers market

{Wonderful hand-made soap from Susan Parks at Rich Valley Farm in Stafford Springs, CT. It has a fresh, spicy scent and rich, creamy feel thanks to all the goat milk from Scooter and Olive (pictured below) and their friends.}

On Sunday, Marie-Louise from Cottage Industries and I went to the Coventry Farmers Market, a festive and busy weekly organic extravaganza on the bucolic grounds of the historic Nathan Hale Homestead (as in "I regret that I have but one life to lose for my country"). We tried not to gorge ourselves on the best kettle corn in the world (it even says "Caution! Highly addictive substance!" on the package), bought veggies, fresh blue-ribbon pickles, big bunches of dahlias and homemade fudge. We also visited with Heather of Beauty That Moves and Paula of The Beading Tree; Marie-Louise will be blogging about them and their gorgeous handmade wares sometime this week. I did buy one of Heather's stylish dog collars for my neighbor's golden doodle Boddington, and admired all her pretty bags and pouches made from modern and vintage fabrics -- you can see some in her Etsy shop.

I love handmade soap and spent a good deal of time sniffing and savoring the delicious products at Susan Parks' booth. All her soaps are made with a goats milk or the hard-to-find egg yolk base, and use plenty of shea butter, soy and beeswax for silky rich lather.

{I'm a sucker for pretty packaging too, and all Susan's soaps are wrapped in white parchment with charming labels featuring unique and whimsical woodcuts.}

{Olive and Scooter were not at the farmers market but back at Rich Valley Farms enjoying the sunny day.}

{Top photo by me, all others from Susan's website}

Dreaming of candy pink earrings

It is evening. I am five or six years old. I am in the bathroom with my mother, she at the sink, me sitting cross-legged on top of the carpeted toilet seat cover. Our bathroom has the most fabulous '70s wallpaper: giant purple poppies (or anemones?), white daisies and bright green ferns.

I am watching her "put her face on". She is getting ready to go to a party with my dad, wearing a pink satin tunic that she sewed herself, two rows of silver sequins adorning the keyhole neck and the cuff of each 3/4 sleeve. Her frosted hair is pulled back from her forehead with a tortoise barrette, the ends are straight with a flip. She looks so glamorous and pretty, even without the makeup, and I am in awe as I watch her apply powder, blush, eyeshadow. Her eyeliner is in a red plastic pencil that requires a twist, and it doubles as an eyebrow pencil. Mascara, lipstick for her, less lipstick for me. A spritz of Joy perfume for her, much less for me, on my wrist.

I am holding her earrings, candy pink squares that dangle from long silver sticks. They almost touch my shoulders when I try them on and they have always fascinated me. They are one of the items I covet most in her jewelry box, even more than the iridescent green crystal earrings, which are like shiny fairy moss, or the chunky smoky quartz ring, which barely fits my thumb and I'm always tempted to lick, certain it would taste like the root beer barrel candies that I don't really like anyway.

The babysitter is here. She is very pretty and she gets me into my pajamas soon after they leave for the party. She lets me brush her hair, which is dark brown and really, really long. It's time for bed, and I fall asleep smelling the perfume on my wrist, dreaming of candy pink earrings that dust my shoulders like magic.

{all photos from Etsy, click on the earrings to get to their respective shop}

Good morning sunshine

{red gerbera, originally uploaded by robinsegg0523}

While my "Charlie Brown Christmas Tree" tomato plant puts forth one lonely little fruit, my gerberas are doing nicely thank you. They smile at me every morning when I water everything in my little balcony garden.