Vintage Illustrations & Animals

Finally Friday! Happy days ahead... Family gathering for my siblings' birthdays on Sunday (they are not twins though) and a bit of relaxing before yet another busy week. I am slowly but steady getting into my mind framework about my thesis, and I feel ready to start a bit of actual writing next week. So happy days indeed!

 

But today, I will show some of the various scans I have from old magazines and new magazines. Long before I knew the term I have been a scrapbooker - or at least tearing out the things from magazines I liked or which inspired me. Usually, I kept them in plastic envelopes divided by themes - vintage, haute couture, interior, wish list, etc. etc. As I have mentioned here on the blog before, due to a slight try of being more efficient in digging these images out I will post these scans here, so you guys can enjoy them as well.

Naturally though, I may not be able to remember from where precisely these images came from but I will try to credit properly to the best of my ability.

 

I adore old illustrations. Simple as that. And I adore Kay Bojesen's mid-century wood animals.

And I love that both of these things seem to have a sort of revival. On various sites, I see many illustrators' works (just think about Taschen's now 4 volumes about Now Illustration!) and Danish Modern architecture and interior design are still going strong - perhaps stronger than ever these years. Therefore, a little collection of both for you guys to enjoy...

 

 The Bunny, the Hippo with pencil (I recieved this from my sister and her husband for my birthday!), and the Bella the Dashhound which was the first animal that Bojesen created in 1934.

 Perhaps the most iconic, also the one which has been in production the longest, the Monkey from 1951.

 The Elephant from 1953.

 

Have a lovely weekend!

{Decor inspiration} Art Rustic

Welcome October! The leaves are already mastering their Bird Phoenix moment and changing rapidly from lush green to orange and red. I love it! Nevertheless, today's post is about interior decorating, something that we especially love here in Scandinavia. Some attribute this to our traditional way of living by inviting people to our homes rather than meeting out. Therefore our homes have to accommodate both the practical everyday life as well as being the setting of both intimate and elaborate dinner parties.

 

This spread is from an old issue of Danish women's magazine, Alt for Damerne. We visit jeweler, Orit Samuelsen and her lovely home, and I really like the rustic elements she has incorporated into a feminine and elegant universe. I like these clashes which helps to highlight each other. In addition, I really like her bold choices in art..

 The two black paintings in the background are by Claus Egemose.

 Painting by Maria Marstrand.

 The large ring by Claus Melchior, the square ring by Orit Samuelsen.

 Wegner chairs, drawings by Maria Marstrand, and painting from a Parisian flee market.

 Art photo from a gallery in Cannes, France.

Drawing by Maria Marstrand and Prada bag.

 

Home: Orit Samuelsen, jeweler

Alt for Damerne, 11/2011

Stylist: Louise Kamman Riising

Photography: Pernille Kaa-Lund

 

{my scans}



{Monthly Favourites} September 2012

Monthly favourites September 2012

 

Lanvin long sleeve cocktail dress / Moschino Cheap & Chic crepe dress / Victoria Beckham dress / Splendid shirt / Chloé lace sweater / Chloé blouse / Moschino Cheap & Chic chiffon top / Tara Jarmon / Acne green coat / McQ by Alexander McQueen , $455 / Jil Sander leather booties / Gianvito Rossi patent leather pumps, $705 / Christian Louboutin high heel shoes / High heel pumps / Kenneth Jay Lane beaded jewelry / Crystal jewelry / Jil Sander / Marc Jacobs / Burberry felt hat, $640 / Miu Miu sunglasses

Fall is officially started and I am not all together upset by this. Sure I could go on about the circle of life and be very philosophical - but really I just like it for the fashion! Fall wear always speaks glamour to me. Winter clothing is more tricky because you have to have icy streets, snow, and serious cold in mind. Fall is easier. It is about the accessories - you will not die of a heat stoke if you wear a scarf now, or tall suede boots, or gloves, or hats, or.... you get my point. I also love the traditional colour scheme for fall with the rust, rustic, and burnt hues. And this year I will add a bit of the cool winter notes of blue and white together with the summer neons.
This brings out the freshness of 2012 fall fashion.

I have been looking for the perfect A-line midi-skirt in black or dark colours, and maybe this is it? Paired with the lovely white top with the - what do you call that nckline? Bateau high neck collar? Perhaps not so catchy... But I adore this collar. I am subconciously searching for one in black with 3/4 sleeves. And yes, 'subconciously' because I am not scouring the shops for one but if I find one I buy it!

Oh, and how utterly gorgeous are those quilted pumps!? I can't even sit straight!

Well, that's it for now. Tomorrow I will be celebrating my grandfather's 90th birthday!! Crazy to think that you can have a '9' as the first number in your age.. I hope I will too.

Have a lovely weekend and a great start of fall.

Fall Dreaming

The chilly weather has already arrived here in Aarhus, and I'm tucked up in my apartment enjoying a nice cup of Brazilian coffee which my sister brought me from Samos.. So nice.. Other than that I am planning the next six months of working on my dissertation. I do want it to be good, and even though I am already a little scared I still think the subject is really interesting. Perhaps, I will share some of my findings - or most likely anxiety attacks! - with you here, but for now it is all about the big lines and getting into a good and healthy working habit.

 

This also means that I will try to be more strict about my time on the various blogs/sites because otherwise I will be forever known as the procrastination queen! Not good! But I do plan to update here. I would miss it too much otherwise, I think.

However, the calming and warming promises of fall with gallons of tea, good books, knitted blankets, and warming soups will only be on a lower frequence than what I always dream of in the fall. Only downfall of writing my final thesis in the dark months, but at least I wont have the warm sunshine outside mocking me while I'm stuck inside writing. At least, I hope so..

 

Nevertheless, one last gasp of fall dreaming is still available for me, and if I had the infinite means to do it this is how my fall would look like..

 I would read all of the books on my shelves which I haven't yet read.. So many classics and must-reads! And just for fun and pleasure, not because of a professor's curriculum..

 One of my favourite things about fall is all the fruits coming. Here in Denmark, we have all these old apple sorts and they are just lovely. Some for cruchy snacks, some for baking, some for stews, and so on. And is there a more gorgeous sight than a basket filled with apples?

I cannot explain how much I love this outfit!!! A more stylish fall adventurer is not to be found anywhere... That tartan cape/coat is beyond perfection.

 Another od my favourite things in the fall is soups. There's just something soothing about it which I cannot explain. Also I find these bread rolls functioning as bowls rather amazing. Imagine the softness when you have finished the soup and just tuck in with the bread! Heaven!

Dutch coffee warmers (I think they are called!), perfect little treat to go with your coffee; honey, waffle, crunchy, and warm.. Yummie!

 

Ah well, a lovely fall it would have been.. sadly, this fall is not going to be as picturesque but I will definitely love 'geeking out' for six months. How many times do you get such an opportunity? So no bad feelings and all good kharma.

 

{all images from my Tumblr}



{Sonnet Sunday Shakespeare XVII}

{my scan}

 

Just enjoying a silent Sunday before what will most likely be a busy week with signing my dissertation contract (things just getting real!!!!) and getting into a good writing routine.

I really love this particular sonnet by Shakespeare. So graceful and elegant. I hope my little scrapbooking does it partly justice.

 

Have a wonderful and peaceful day.

Karen Blixen 1885-1962

 

On September 7th, it was 50 years since one of Denmark's and perhaps the world's greatest writers died. Both known by her pen name, Isak Dinesen as well as her real name, Karen Blixen, she established herself as almost a living legend everywhere she went. The allure of Africa, the sombre feelings of Scandinavia, and her luxury of the old world made her a mythical creature in her own time.

 

In Denmark she still casts a long shadow in the litterary landscape and writers are both fearful and naïve when they try to compare themselves to her. Most don't dare, and those who do are looked at as 'slow'.

 

If one was to compare or try to decide who has been the greatest writer in Denmark of all time, people will find it hard to choose between Hans Christian Andersen and Karen Blixen. Their writing styles are different but both bodies of work and both their lives can be seen as fairy tales - and by this I don't mean the Disney-fied world of fairy tales. But tales of both good and bad in excess. It is a common legend around Karen Blixen that she had made a pact with the Devil, and people who was around her a lot seems to have been almost absorbed by her presence. She was ruthless in many ways, perhaps due to early groundbreaking sorrows in her life, but nevertheless she spilled out the things she wanted to tell on paper for the rest of us to enjoy, fear, and learn from.

 

I am constantly surprised about how much new I gather when rerererererere-reading her works, and I have actually only read very little by her hand. Sorrow-Acre still stands as one of the most haunting short stories I have ever read. Not that it was scary, but that you keep thinking about it. The same goes for The Sailor-Boy's Tale.

 

To me, Karen Blixen and her work, embodies some of the underlying forces of Scandinavian thinking and culture, even though they can be quite dark and cold. Perhaps there is something about having such dark and long winters here which create a mark on our mind and souls. Who knows?

 

{Image}

{An English site with a general overview of her life, works, inspirations (this is VERY interesting to read), and other things about her}

Tea cures everything

At least I hope so because I have a serious cold and I hate being ill... I'm like a man in that way, I always think I'm dying when I'm ill. So my only upside right now is gallons and gallons of tea in various flavours and designs. Yes, I am a sucker for pretty packaging.

 I prefer my tea so hot it almost scolds my tongue... Best thing on winter days.

 Usually, I dress up my black teas with honey and milk, other teas I take au naturel.



And with a madeleine it is always a tad nicer to have tea. Just a little something on the side...

 

{images: 1, 2, 3 & 4 (slide 19/31)}