If it's Tuesday, it must be another pot pourri day ...

My final report on the Brave Little Rosebud. He's had his day in the sun - or frost, as it were. His petals have all been shed and he's gone for good. Amazingly, the two buds that were inspired by him have actually bloomed! They're rather small, and not particularly well-formed, but they made it! So the Brave Little Rosebud not only pushed himself to live a full and happy rose life, but inspired others to do the same ... is that La Marseillaise I hear in the background? I'm somewhat sorry that my saga of BLR (Brave Little Rosebud) is over ... I was enjoying this burst of color every day amidst all the brown and grey that our plants and vegetation have become.

...just an idea of why that Brave Little Rosebud was so amazing - this is what the rest of the entire rosebush looks like! Definitely sleeping in for the winter!
Okay. On to much more important things - like shopping! ... even if it's only window shopping. This fabulous and intriguing window was shot at Disneyland! Tim Holtz shot the photo at "New Orleans Square" and posted it on his blog Live the Life You've Imagined. I think it's most mysterious and inviting. Notice the raven body and the human head in the shadow box - loving it here!

Tim's photo reminded me of this wonderful gallery of tidbits and treasures. It was posted by Vanessa at A Fanciful Twist. Doesn't it make you want to go shopping in her living room?! You must visit her blog and read her Nature Collections and Sweet Confections post - it's a beautiful and thoughtful entry in the blog world!Fashion photography is getting so bizarre and 'out there' that I'm never really quite sure what they're advertising. It's becoming as esoteric as the ads for perfume - which, for some reason, always seem to be about blue jeans, to me at least. I have no idea what this fashion shoot was about - but the photos are really wonderful - magical and enchanting. I'm especially fond of the chandelier hanging in the forest!



But, really, don't we all know that to be really fashionable, you merely need to match your frock to your toilet paper? I assume that is, in the event that you leave the powder room with tissue stuck to your shoe, it will be color coordinated.
Okay. Back to shopping! I suggest we fly to the best shops in this uber-fab ballon by Sandra Evertson - she of the uber-fab rubber stamps! She also has an uber-fab blog - check it out! But, first, let's climb aboard the balloon and go shopping!
I've long been a fan of miniature Victorian Follies ... and some have compared my mini-theatre constructions as a type of Victorian Folly. But this is the first time I've seen an opportunity to actually own a real Victorian Folly, built for displaying in a garden. This was built rather late during the craze (1910), but certainly no fanciful idea went unheeded! The sculpture is over five feet high and almost three feet wide. I believe the 'second floor' (with the blue floor) was intended to house a potted plant. I would so love to have this - and I would keep it indoors!

My bibliotheque of the week is this magnificent 1840 English Anglo Indian ivory inlaid breakfront bookcase. I believe this is where I would store all my history books - there is something about this bibliotheque that says 'history' and 'relevance' and 'tales of foreign lands.' Be sure to click on the detail photo to get a really good close up look at the fine ivory inlay work. It's such a treasure!

I am one of those crystal chandelier purists - I like my crystals clear - crystal clear. Other types of crystals I can enjoy seeing in others' homes and in other situations. But, for me, it's clear crystal all the time. It's the rule.

But all rules are to be broken - no?! I just adore this pair of 19th century Belgian chandeliers with accents of ruby-red teardrop crystals. How wonderful to have a dining room large enough to accommodate both of them!

Our final stop is to see this exquisite 9' high 1/100 scale model of the Eiffel Tower. It is accurate to within 1/4"! It is fully electrified and has a working elevator. The top section is missing in this photo because it wouldn't fit in the shop where the photo was taken - but it's intact and also accurate to 1/100 scale. I want this in my bedroom! Since my chances of waking up every morning in Paris with a view of the Eiffel Tower are slim to none, this would be a lovely alternative to have in my bedroom!

As you know - all too well! - I'm fascinated and enchanted with miniature theatres. Even shop giveaway children's theatres from the turn of the century I find charming. This miniature play theatre featuring two characters from Sleeping Beauty (la Belle au bois Dormant) was a giveaway by the Parisienne shop La Belle Jardiniere. If you would like to put it together, you can click on the images and they will grow to a more workable size. Or, if you would like to put one together for your favorite young person (who could be you, of course!) go here and click on "all sizes" - the large one will make quite a large theatre!

I'm not sure where I found this (if it was on your blog, please let me know so I can credit you!), but I think it's an absolutely delightful change from the ubiquitous 'welcome' sign!
On Turner Classic Movies - or as I refer to it, the station that never leaves my tv - I watched the most bizarre and unknown film called "Poor Pretty Eddie," starring Leslie Uggams, Shelley Winters, Slim Pickens, and the most motley and creepy collection of actors/characters ever assembled. Well, until David Lynch started making movies, anyway. It is scary - and funny - and probably has no redeeming social value at all. But if you like campy trashy creepy and cultish movies, search out a copy and see it. However, let's face it - if you only are interested in Meg Ryan/Kate Hudson chick flicks, you want to avoid it like a jar of bad glitter.

Did I mention that Ms. Uggams is assaulted and held prisoner by a bad Elvis Presley impersonator who is the youthful lover of the fading burlesque queen, Shelley Winters?

I want this palace dog bed for Dusty. He probably wouldn't sleep in it (the contrary thing), but it would look wonderful in the bedroom at the foot of my 9' high Eiffel Tower model!This magnificent art quilt (click on the image to really see the detail work!) is by M. Joan Lintault. This photo is only a small portion of the entire piece. I don't know what to say except go to The Art of the Quilt and see the entire quilt and more of her work, along with the amazing artistry of Susan "Lucky" Shie and Radka Donnell. Lucky was actually the first person to whom I ever wrote a fan letter! I saw her wondrous quilts in a magazine about twenty years ago and sought out how to mail to her. She impressed me beyond measure.

Just one final image before I head into the studio and get to work. I love this picture. I wanted to post it on Pink Saturday, because even though it's in black and white, it should be pink. But, since it's not, I'll post it here today. I just love "Dinner at Eight" - and Jean Harlow couldn't be any funnier. My favorite exchange in the film is between Ms. Harlow and Marie Dressler:

Kitty: I was reading a book the other day.
Carlotta: You were reading a book?
Kitty: Yes. It's all about civilization or something. A nutty kind of a book. Do you know that the guy says that machinery is going to take the place of every profession?
Carlotta: Oh, my dear, that's something you need never worry about.
Thank you for spending a few minutes with me today. I hope you found something to give you a glimmer of inspiration.

Now go make something beautiful!

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(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ Tristan ♥