Escape Plan

February 17, 2012UncategorizedOut and AboutMrs. Blandings

For the last few days my brain has been spinning. Do. Don’t. Good idea, bad idea. This. That. Finally, this afternoon, I said, “Enough,” and rose from my desk. I escaped to the Nelson. I had not visited the Chinese Galleries since they reopened. Honestly, I don’t know them that well as I tend to circle my favorites again and again. But, I started on the first floor. I wanted to go back to see the miniatures, which reside at the end of this very severe hall.

To my delight a small collection of Josef Albers’s pieces awaited me, cheerful with their surprise.

We promised to meet again soon.

I had been a few weeks ago with my middle son and we fortuitously skipped into sculpture. Reviewing today’s visit it seemed to be mostly about squares.

So intent had I been on the exhibits in the past, that I had never before noticed the beauty of this gallery. One of the few rooms without a bench, I wanted to sit on the floor to enjoy it. I did not. I am too conventional.

But I did walk away reassured that sometimes the best things come without planning.

I did not have my camera and took these with my phone. I was pretty darned pleased.

Wonderfulland

February 16, 2012UncategorizedResourcesMrs. Blandings

Hey, remember this piece on The General Store here in Kansas City? I thought that felted skull pillow was pretty terrif.

Then, last Sunday, I was lounging around reading the paper and a piece in the House and Home section by Stacy Downs caught my eye.

Seems that bony guy was the brain child of local Lauren Zabaneh, owner of Alice’s Pocket. She is whipping up these graphic accents from fabric made of recycled plastic bottles, so you can feel good all the way around.

You can find these pillows and more at alicespocket.etsy.com.

Sentimental Fool

February 14, 2012UncategorizedResourcesMrs. Blandings

If you are down to the wire do remember,

in romance it is the thought and effort that matter, not the expense.

Images of the always-delightful window at George, 315 E. 55th, KCMO.

To Twee or Not to Twee

February 13, 2012UncategorizedMusings from the Dream HouseMrs. Blandings

I posted this on the same day three years ago. I am pretty level-headed, not one for sap, but I do love Valentine’s Day. It allows us to gush, encourages us to romance and ensures we need not make excuses for sentiment.

I just read a friend’s blog post describing her back and forth with Valentine’s Day. Commercial, jaded and grown-up v. romantic, inspired and whimsical. Most of us experience a little of both. I love having fresh flowers in the house but flinch when presented with a florist’s bouquet on Valentine’s Day as I know the cost, while equal to the sentiment, was inflated. Especially with roses. So, while my male readers may be small in number, I offer some advice.

Choose another flower, one that can be purchased reasonably, sometimes at the market, and make your words your gift. It is often tricky to say something sappy aloud, especially if your relationship has progressed pass the first bloom. It is much easier to write.

Tell her she is as feminine and complex as French anemones. (Let me stress complex. Don’t get muddled and say complicated as this will surely start a row.)

Tell her your heart bursts with the joy of lilies each time she enters a room.

Tell her she is as elegant and fresh as the day you married her with an all-white bouquet as a reminder of her bridal gown whether you saw it sixteen years ago or sixteen months ago.

Tell her the bend in the stem of the tulip reminds you of the curve of her neck as she leans over the crib.

Or take her a fistful of color wrapped in ribbon and tell her how happy you are that you are bound together. The flowers will enchant her in the short term; the note, which surely if she is a woman worth having, she will keep forever. And every time she finds it tucked in a drawer she will feel the blush of this Valentine’s Day all over again.

You might even get lucky.

Images from top: roses, unknown, but I think House Beautiful, French anemones – which are not inexpensive, I don’t think, but beyond beyond- Vogue, lilies and Todd Romano Elle Decor June-July 2001. Photo by Pieter Estersohn, white bouquet, hmmm..no idea, tulips, unidentified H&G, tulips, again, Southern Accents some time ago. Clearly, my entertaining file could use some due diligence. This last arrangement I have used again and again in a tea caddy with both colorful flowers and all white. Pretty, and pretty easy.

Dr. Drip is a Dream Date

February 7, 2012UncategorizedProductMrs. Blandings

Coffee is very important to me. I can and do start the day without it, but if I don’t have some by 10:00 things can get a little ugly.

My coffee maker has been a faithful and trusty servant and has served me well for years. (How many we can’t quite remember.)

A couple of weeks ago her burner stopped heating before the pot was empty; a little jiggling set everything right.

Then yesterday I came in to the kitchen and she was gone, passed quietly in the night.

Fortunately, my friend had given me a box of Dr. Drip. Not instant, nope, brewed coffee instantly. Sort of like a disposable Chemex.

The coffee is very good (I know these things.) Perfect for power outages (of which we have many) or any natural disasters (like your coffee pot dying.) They mention something about fishing and camping as well; to that, I cannot attest. Dr. Drip Coffee here.

Dr. Drip has done nothing for me other than give me a little pep; while valuable, I would not consider it compensation.