Larkin & Catcher

I’ve just came across these images of artwork by the Belgian painter Fernard Khnopff again:

I find his work quite disturbing — but in a ‘beautifully disturbing’ way. The two on this page are the only images of his work I’ve seen until today and I’ve been surprised to see the variety of his work in terms of subject matter and style. A lot of it is less dark but I see some sense of underlying threat in a lot of it.

Khnopff’s motto was “one only has oneself” — which might be true but it’s still a pretty depressing observation on life. More on Khnopff and his art here.

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I found this book a while back — lost it — then found it again:

I’m not much of a gardener and know next to nothing about flowers — but I do like this little book.

I love the illustrations and the quaint old names of the plants: Eyebright, Red Dead-Nettle, Water-forget-me-not, Wintercress, Germander Speedwell Bird’s Eye.

So much work must have gone into this little book…

I don’t keep many books but I think I’ll keep this one — and learn all about wild flowers. There’s worse things to do…

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I love looking around online shops for unusual vintage gifts and I’ve just found something else that seems like a good gift idea for lovers of vintage Hollywood. How about a signed B&W photograph of James Stewart from the 1965 classic Flight of the Phoenix from Rutland Autographs. I love old movies, though not usually action ones — but I’d make an exception for ‘Phoenix’,  as Stewart is practically iconic and the film has all that ‘human spirit triumphing against adversity’ thing going on.

Now I’m thinking I’ll have to have a look around for something on James Dean, one of my all-time favourites (though not especially for his acting skills — he was just so damn beautiful).

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Just how sweet are these little French Speaking Cuffs?

 Cute little gift  – perfect for a little extra gift for girls.

Here’s another two pieces of cute jewellery just in store:

Follow the road necklace — it’s kitsch, it’s retro and it is all-round cute. 

Orb & Cross Necklace — a great little night-time piece of jewellery

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Another retro doll in the store (we just love those old dolls — this one looks earlier but we think it is from the 1960’s).

Retro Doll

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Just random really — loads of amazing old illustrations of giant whales over here (via Curio Cabinet at Twitter).

Last shout out for the bag sale: ends tomorrow. Some fantastic bargains still to be had.

Cute bags sale

Stéphane Gaboué from Hint Magazine on Bernhard Willhelm telling us to stop wearing beige. As if  — I get what he’s saying, though.

Typical UK July; clammy but not sunny — and always the rain. I love rain. Real rain of the big-massive-downpour sort but enough already with this drizzle. This little Rainy Day Necklace won’t offer you any protection from the rain gods but will bring its own kind of cheer:

 Rainy Day Necklace

This whimsical little Flower Fairy necklace has a great retro summer days-gone-by look and has such a sweet  innocence about it.

 Flower Fairy Necklace