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Hope you find a little inspiration this weekend.

(photo via here)

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The girl with her head in the clouds. Have an inspiring weekend.

(photo for the cloud appreciation society by maia flore. via kinfolk, vol 16)

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This week's links. Enjoy.

Mid Century Modern Meets Victorian
Take a tour of a lovely cottage with great vintage style, effortlessly mixing mid century pieces with other eras for a look that is beautifully timeless.

This App Puts A Museum On Your Phone 
This is such a great idea. The new Google Arts and Culture app brings together over 1,000 museums in over 70 different countries — point your phone at an unfamiliar work of art and the app will identify the work and give you the scoop on it, too.

Read Books, Live Longer?
A new report says that book readers live an average of almost two years longer than those who did not read at all. As good a reason as any to curl up with a good book, I'd say...

10 Best Micellar Waters
Beloved by models, micellar waters cleanse off makeup without exposing the skin to harsh chemicals. Vogue picks 10 of the best, with price points for every budget.

Reassuring Advice For Struggling Artists
In his book Getting There: A Book of Mentors, "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner candidly reveals his years of struggle — and his eventual path to success. Follow the link for an excerpt.

Has Waiting For Things Become the Ultimate Luxury?
In an article for T Magazine, Heidi Julavits discusses how, in an era of instant gratification, waiting has begun to acquire a new cachet and meaning.

Nine Easy French Desserts
Epicurious has put together a tempting list of 9 classic French sweets that are as simple to prepare as they are delectable to eat.

(photo via snake ranch)

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This week's links. Enjoy.

Vintage House into Vintage Clothing Store
Take a tour of a 1940s Japanese house converted into a vintage clothing shop. Great architectural details — love the high, open ceiling.

The Black House
An Australian country house goes against the rustic norm with dark interiors and modern furniture, to stunning effect.

The Best Ways to Save Your Smartphone's Battery Life
The New York Times has a great list of 8 helpful tips (and 7 exploded myths) to keep your smartphone battery running as long as possible.

Milan Coffee Drinking Etiquette
AnOther magazine looks at the history of and correct form of coffee drinking in Milan, in preparation for Milan Fashion Week (I'm a little late posting this).

10 Best New Fragrances for Spring
Vogue picks ten fresh new perfumes that will definitely get you in the mood for spring (even if there's still snow on the ground). I like the sound of Byredo's unisex fragrance Super Cedar. 

The 5,000 Year Old Dress
An over 5,000 year old linen dress unearthed from a First Dynasty Egyptian tomb has been confirmed as the world's oldest woven garment. Follow the link for photos — amazing to actually see something worn that long ago.

The Case for Unthinking
Fascinating article about unthinking (or what we often call instinct), as opposed to overthinking things.

Crispy Sage Potatoes With Fried Eggs
Perfect for Sunday brunch on a cold winter's day, this is easy to make, too.  

(photo via blueberry modern)

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This week's links. Enjoy.

Tannery Into Loft
Take a tour of a former tannery in the Netherlands, converted into a stunning loft with industrial accents. Love the inspired use of interior windows. 

A Radiologist's X-Ray Photographs of Flowers From the 1930s
Extraordinarily detailed and beautiful x-ray images of flowers, taken in the 1930s by osteopathist Dr. Dain L. Tasker, then head radiologist at Los Angeles's Wilshire Hospital.

The 50 Most Moving Lines in Literature
A splendid reminder of how rich an emotional experience literature can be.

The Island of Knowledge
Wonderful, thought-provoking review of the book The Island of Knowledge by Marcelo Gleiser, examining how to live with mystery in a culture obsessed with certitude.

Inside the Beguiling World of Illustrators at Work
Stylist Magazine shares their favourite illustrators on Instagram — great slide show that shows illustrators' work from preliminary sketches to finished pieces.

10 Healthy Foods to Keep in Your Fridge
A handy list of nutrition-packed foods to keep on hand.


Portrait of Björk
Utterly stunning, surreal photos of Björk by Nick Knight with styling by Katy England and face applications by Peter Philips for Dior. Beautiful and otherworldly.

Italian Fresh Cream Lemon Cake
With a cup or two of coffee or tea, this delectable Italian cake would be the perfect way to chase away the chill of a winter afternoon.

(photo by ngoc minh ngo via here)

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This week's links. Enjoy.

Palmgren House by John Pawson
Feeling stressed? Take a virtual tour of this tranquil house by minimalist architect John Pawson. Utterly soothing.

Listening to Stevie Nicks With Kim Gordon and Daryl K.
Stella Bugbee of The Cut spends an afternoon in LA hanging out with two icons of music and fashion, and you'll wish you were there too. Lovely interview.

Cindy Sherman Parodies Street Style Stars
In an interesting mashup of art and fashion, legendary artist Cindy Sherman recently created a series of satirical self-portraits of herself as a street style star — a collaboration with Harper's Bazaar. Follow the link for a slide show.

The 15-Second Films Taking Instagram By Storm
Love this. Shield 5 is a dramatic series being released on Instagram in 15 second installments, the creation of British director Anthony Wilcox. Really inventive use of social media.

10 Female Dadaists You Should Know
Great list of women Dada artists over at Flavorwire to inspire and enlighten.

17 Best Clean Body Oils
Goop picks 17 additive-free body oils with beautiful scents, exquisite texture and serious skin benefits. 

Why We Should All Be More Pretentious
Intriguing book review over at Intelligent Life, arguing that a little pretension is necessary if we are to avoid stagnation and complacency — and how, by being open to trying out various ways of behaving, we learn to be more empathetic to others.

Chocolate Desserts
Food and Wine rounds up delectable chocolate recipes just in time for Valentine's Day. Enjoy with a significant other, family, friends — or enjoy a little bit of self-indulgence.

(photo: house doctor via la maison d'anna g)

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This week's links. Enjoy.

Simple Scandinavian Neutrals
Take Elle Decoration's tour of a calm, minimalist apartment in soothing tones of cream, grey and light woods. So pretty. 

10 Great Fairy Tale Films
Lovely list put together by the British Film Institute of films inspired by fairy tales, including one of my all time favourite movies — La belle et la bête (Beauty and the Beast) by Jean Cocteau (which in turn inspired an equally wonderful soundtrack by Philip Glass).

The Commercial Zen of Muji
The New Yorker's Silvia Killingsworth explores the commercial zen of the Japanese life-style brand Muji. So excited that there's now a Muji in Toronto...

Top 10 Modern Medieval Tales
Lovely list of novels inspired by the medieval age, ranging from Umberto Eco to Shakespeare. Perfect reading for long winter evenings.

The Lost Art of Free Time
Great article on how the down time after a large project is not lost time, but an opportunity to recharge one's creativity.

40 Winter Recipes to Distract You From 4:30 Sunsets
Have a look at this inspiring slide show over at Bon Appétit magazine, with recipes guaranteed to defeat even the coldest winter day.

David Bowie: Heroes
We lost a brilliant artist this week. Here, the original video to his beautiful song Heroes — still my absolute favourite Bowie album. And one of my creative heroes, too.

(photo: fritz hansen via stil inspiration)

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This week's links. Enjoy.

The Ultimate Tree House
The Boy Scouts of America built a sustainable tree house in West Virginia and it's a stunner — an educational centre, it's also so lovely that it can't help but encourage a love of nature (and great architecture, too).

Etre Blank: French Women on the New Normcore
Interesting trend in Paris right now rebelling against the now ubiquitous tattoos and piercings — going 'etre blank' (to be blank), without tattoos or piercings (including ears) is now considered the height of cool.

What's the Best Number?
This is fun — Intelligent Life magazine asked Julian Barnes, Marcus du Sautoy and others to share what their favourite number is and why. Fascinating answers.

Why Props Matter
Great little 10 minute film that examines the important role of props in the movies, and how they enhance cinematic storytelling. (via it's nice that)

The Renaissance Series
Fantastic photography series by Freddy Fabris that recreates classic works of art with mechanics in an old garage. Beautiful, funny and gorgeous to look at, too.

Science Says Art Will Make Your Children Better Thinkers (and Nicer People)
Yay science! A new study shows that children who are exposed to the arts gain benefits beyond simply being more creative — they also display greater tolerance, historical empathy, a better educational memory and critical thinking skills. 

Sweet Potato Chickpea Buddha Bowl
Healthy, easy and quick to put together, this warming and nourishing dish from The Minimalist Baker features four types of roasted vegetables and spiced sautéed chickpeas, topped with a three-ingredient maple tahini sauce. Perfect for chilly weather.

(photo by heidi lerkenfeldt via the design chaser)

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A clock that doesn't just tell you the time — it makes you work for it. The idea is to make clock watching at school more productive, by giving you mathematical equations to calculate the actual time. Interesting idea, though I can see it being exasperating for the impatient. More here on Co. Design.

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Have a cool weekend.

(fab collage by joe webb)

Atelier: Agnes Martin

I've always been a huge fan of the legendary abstract and minimalist painter Agnes Martin — and a quote of hers that I came across the other day has really resonated with me lately:

"The measure of your life is the amount of beauty and happiness of which you are aware."

Love. Watch an interview with her here.

(image from here)

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CANVAS, a series of seating by Tokyo-based design studio YOY is really blowing my mind today. Using a special elastic fabric printed with a chair (or sofa or armchair) image and stretched on a aluminium and wood frame, you simply lean the piece against a wall and then sit into it. More photos here on Design Milk.

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This week's links. Enjoy.

Mid Century Modern in Toronto
Take a tour of a small, retro-flavoured home in Toronto. Great style.

Designing Obsession: The Book Covers That Brought Art Into the Home
Via BBC: As Penguin celebrates its 80th anniversary Brian Morton examines its paperback designs and the artists who created them. Gorgeous work.

A Peek Inside MoMA's Björk Retrospective
This is going to be an amazing show. Opening this week at MoMA in New York, it covers 20 years of Björk's career in music, art and design.

Want to Improve Your Life? Do Something Awesome
This is intriguing. Studies find the emotion of awe may make people more empathetic, trusting, generous and humble. It also gives people stronger health and improved relationships. And it's just, well, awesome to experience awe.

Milan Fashion Week Street Style
Check out a huge slide show of great street style from the Fall 2015 Milan Fashion Week over at W magazine.

Why Magritte Was Like a Standup Comedian
From the article: "It's noticeable that many of the techniques Magritte uses for creating his mysterious images are to be found in comedy writing. His pictures are frequently structured like jokes ... relying upon a simple (almost mathematical) function, like reversal or negation." This doesn't surprise me, actually ... (via Paris Review)

PJ Harvey on the Resonance of Recording Spaces
To coincide with her ongoing exhibition at Somerset House, PJ Harvey discusses the importance of recording spaces in her work. Fascinating.

Spiced Vegan Lentil Soup
A warming and nourishing soup from Cookie + Kate, perfect for late winter days.


(photo by idha lindhag)

Buffet

This week's links. Enjoy.

Julianne Moore at Home
Take a tour of Oscar winner Julianne Moore's lovely Manhattan family home. Great style.

Why You Do Your Best Thinking in the Shower
Interesting essay on creativity and the 'incubation period', and why we often get our brightest ideas not while actively concentrating, but when we're disengaged — like when we're in the shower.

11 Delightfully Unusual Colour Combinations
Apartment Therapy has a great post on using interesting colour combinations in your home — really inspiring ideas.

Inside Yves Saint Laurent's Studio
Lovely series of vintage photos showing the creative workspace of fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, taken from 'Yves Saint Laurent's Studio: Mirror and Secret', the new book by fashion historian Jérômine Savignon.

Three Generations of Oscar Winners
Sofia Coppola and Anjelica Huston have lunch together in New York and talk about growing up around film and life as third generation Oscar winners.

Behind the Scenes — Award Winning Set Design
Architectural Digest takes us on a tour of the films nominated for best set design for the Academy Awards this year. Lots of great detail from the designers about their work.

Fork and Flower
With photographs that are a visual feast, the lovely recipes on the Swiss-based Fork and Flower blog will inspire you to jot down a few new additions to the week's grocery list.

3 Cosy Winter Brunches to Make at Home
The Every Girl invited Kitt Graham of The Kittchen to create 3 brunch recipes — make one, or mix and match them if the mood strikes, too. Check out Raspberry Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Curd, Potato Hash with a Sunny Side Up Egg and Caprese Benedict.

(photo by anna malin for skona hem. via style carrot)

Atelier: Olaf Brzeski

I'm really liking this 2009 resin and soot installation by Polish artist Olaf Brzeski, called 'Spontaneous Combustion'. Works on so many different levels — including a rather sly sense of humour. More about Olaf and his work here.

(via sweet station via here)

Atelier: Claire Brewster

I was so intrigued by the lovely email I received recently from British artist Claire Brewster, describing her collaboration with award-winning interior designer Jorge Canete. Each year Jorge invites an artist to stage a temporary exhibition in his home, a stunning chateau near Geneva in Switzerland. For her exhibition, Claire has created the imaginary world of a well-travelled eccentric collector — one who seeks to amass the best collection of flora and fauna, only to lose control of the creatures she is trying to possess. Lovely, poetic work. You can view the exhibition by appointment only until the end of December 2014.

(photography by patrice schreyer)

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Love this quote from Kate Spade. So inspiring.

(via pinterest)

Atmosphere: Amy Judd

An elusive atmosphere. A delicately surreal painting by Amy Judd.

(via the poetry of material things)

Sweetness and Light

Fashion meets art in the photo 'Everything is Worthless Again' by Gwen Cunningham, a graduate of The National College of Art and Design in Dublin.

(via the poetry of material things)

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This week's links. Enjoy.

A Dutch Artist's Rural Home
I posted a while ago about this lovely country home by a harbour in Holland, home to a felt artist, but it's well worth a revisit — rustic minimalism at its most beautiful.

Poetry as a Part of Everyday Life
Lovely interview with Billy Collins, two term American poet laureate. "We shouldn't have to seek out poetry; it should seek us out. It needs to be part of everyday life." Couldn't agree more. Via @seenandsaid.

Killer Heels: The Art of the High-Heeled Shoe
Yesterday was the opening of a new exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, dedicated to the high heeled shoe through history. Follow the link to see some highlights from the show. This would be a lot of fun to see — it's on until February 15, 2015.

Be Healthier: Ten Tiny Things to Do Around the House Today
A great list of small things we can do every day for better health, happiness and contentment in body and mind. I'm doing these for sure.

The Illusion of Light: Doug Wheeler
I'm spellbound by this extraordinary installation by American artist Doug Wheeler at the Palazzo Grassi, an 18th century residence on Venice's Grand Canal that now hosts contemporary art shows. Titled D-N SF 12 PG VI, it begins at the building's columns, and then visitors appear to walk into a limitless white void. Must see.

The Great Wheel of Food Mash-Ups
From the Cronut to the Cheetos macaron (I'm wincing as I type that), hybrid foods are all the rage at the moment. Check out this infographic at Co.Design that illustrates all the ways chefs (and marketers) have found to combine favourite foods.

Why Walking Helps Us Think
Interesting piece in the New Yorker that addresses the profound relationship between walking, thinking and writing — and will inspire you to get outside and go for a walk.

Self-Saucing Mocha Chocolate Pudding
I pinned this scrumptious-looking recipe recently on Pinterest, and it's by far one of the most popular things I've added. Easy to see why, as it's both straightforward to make and wonderfully comforting to eat.


(photo by greg cox for elle decor uk)