It appears, nationally, that we’re in for a long, hard summer. If you are in any of the places suffering in what we now call “spikes,” i.e. increases in COVID-19 cases, I am so sorry. If you are in one of the lucky places where caseload is stable, and the community has agreed on how to cope–masks, distancing, testing, tracing–well, me too. Lucky in comparison, but I still find it blindingly hard.
Even as a Sturdy Gal. Having relied on native cheer all my life, I am unused to this feeling of constant peripheral distress. I spend a lot of time talking myself down from, wait, what? I am never quite sure.
While adding pretty things to one’s life remains a privilege, it’s only tangentially helpful in this time. But talking about the pretty and its import, in the company of friends, accompanied by abiding gratitude and curiosity, well that’s what we do here.
So in the hopes of providing you and me some ease, behold a few furnishings. For going out and staying, relentlessly, fortunately, resentfully, gladly, in.
So, I haven’t changed out my seasonal pillows yet. It’s still winter in my soul. But as it turns out these Marimekko pillows are simply too small. And my pale blue cashmere blanket too warm. (We might ask, what do seasons mean, in a pandemic? Or we might put that question aside for another day?)
Now I covet a linen throw. Plain,
or striped and on sale?
Or maybe bright?
And pale pillows, figured with flowers perhaps?
Or, chinoiserie,
or geometric?
What I really wish is that Diane Hill would add home goods to her line. If this were a pillow, for example, painted on linen rather than silk, for a twist.
Finally, since I keep forgetting to bring my mask when I visit my father, and therefore too often prevail upon my dear stepmother to give me one of hers, I’ve ordered these from Liberty of London. Reused scraps of Tana lawn, memories of lighter times.
My comfort lies not in these objects, per se. It’s in imagining your reading–on your phone as you hike, on your laptop on your sofa, lying in bed with some sort of device or other–and your subsequent thoughts.
I hope everyone is OK.
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50 Responses
Looking at pretty things virtually seems to be the order of the day. I don’t seem to have any desire to acquire anything new on this our 106th day of staying at home. Sadly, we are in a state (Texas) which has not handled the virus well and our citizens are paying for that–some of them with their lives. We are prepared to stay home through the rest of 2020 and mostly likely well into 2021. What bothers me is not knowing the end of the story.
@Susan D., It is hard, not to know, when and how we come out. I expect it to be in and out for some time:(
Ooooh! Liberty of London! What memories! Also loved all the pretty things you posted. We need some pretty things to see! Thank you.
@MaryAnne, You are very welcome:).
I love the soothing blue tones!
@Sadira Stone, I’m so glad you found them soothing too:). Sigh.
Thanks for all the beauty, Lisa. So soothing to scroll through this post.
@Linda, I’m so glad. I swear hearing that others have been soothed makes me feel calmer.
mmmmm. Thank you. Lovely.
On sofa with laptop, having just opened package containing blue silk pillowcases. Texas has lost it’s collective mind so we mostly hunker. Owning a camper van has been a godsend. Stay safe, stay well. xox
@Rosie, You are so welcome. I wish I could see your blue silk pillowcases, I’m sure they’d do me good:). I am guessing they are not for the camper van though?
At some point I’d love to start sprucing up our decor and those pillows are lovely. (We’re still in the clearing out decades of stuff from closets stage.)
But Great Minds yada yada…I also ordered those Liberty masks! ;-)
@Susan Blakey, Wait. Where did I find the link to these? From you? It was just one of those tabs I kept open forever and finally said yes to:). Good luck with the clearing!
Things are rather different here in the UK but I’m not sure if that is necessarily better .
Two things bother me at the moment ;
1 From 4th July we are told that only 1 metre will be required for safe social distancing , citing WHO amended advice . Has anyone told the virus yet ? And if advice has changed based on science why can’t we follow that immediately ?
2 I don’t regard masks as another fashion opportunity so have been using a cotton scarf – I already own 3 . This has caused unbridled hilarity in shops and online when demonstrating how I wrap it . Why ?
These things wouldn’t niggle if we were not still so confined ! Thank for one of the blogs I still follow .
@Rukshana Afia, I can’t imagine why people would laugh at your scarf. I would applaud. And the sheer irrationality of much of the public advice around this disease is 30% of what makes it hard, IMO.
Ooooh – Liberty of London masks! Now why hadn’t I thought of that? I’ve just ordered a set, and am looking forward to dazzling my (one-way, socially-distanced) fellow shoppers during “senior hour” at my local grocery store.
My state of New Jersey HAS managed the pandemic pretty well so far, and I was finally able to get my hair colored and cut on Wednesday – into a new “short bob” style that I have never worn before, but which my previous shaggy pixie style grew into quite effortlessly over the course of three months. And “ding dong, the gray is gone”- so I am currently in a very good humor! But still no getting together with friends, and still no light at the end of the tunnel.
Thanks for all the pretties you feature this week – the pale blue striped throw and pale blue flowery pillow are particularly soothing. Suitable for curling up with a cup of tea and a Barbara Pym, and wish all anxieties away…
@Victoire, You are so welcome. What a nice effect of this difficult time; a new haircut you might not otherwise have assayed.
I like the bright geometric options.
It does seem like the world has gone a little crazy.
I’m Not a doomsday sort of girl so I don’t believe the articles that I read on Medium about the apocalypse I do think that things will work out somehow. Try not to think about it too much.
@RoseAG, It does feel crazy. I am assuming we will find a vaccine, and all will be better, but of course I do not have any kind of guarantee…
oh, went down the Liberty of London rabbit hole, some very nice pj’s , although $$, but beautiful. The pillows pictured are beautiful.
In Oregon, we are slowly opening up. Interesting, the difference among my friends and acquaintances, jumping back into things. Some, are readily returning back to gyms( modified) and groups of people… I am more cautious. It is messy, managing reentry into society.Fortunately, most seem to be wearing a mask..
How is your daughter up in Washington doing? For mine, in NYC, things have calmed down at the hospital. But, has said NYC is so different without the tourists, and all the fun bars/restaurants/shows. Will be interesting how Covid ebbs and flows in the future.
@Elizabeth, I think, lacking firm directives from all levels of governments, people are bound to vary in their response. I am glad your cohort is mostly masking. Washington State is doing pretty well, but the biggest turning point for my daughter is moving from year 2 of residency to year 3, where the workload is operational rather than case management. She is quite happy to have moved on. Thanks for asking! Glad your daughter is OK in NYC. I can’t imagine what the city is like now.
Ha! I just got my Liberty masks yesterday. I too could not resist the sweetness of their lovely prints. Before I’d been making do with a variety of scarves tied bandit-style, and that would have been fine for my infrequent forays into the public sphere, but I was ready for a bit of new brightness. It’s my favorite store in the world, and who knows when I’ll ever get back?
@Charlotte K, Aha! We will make up a flock o’florals! I am only hoping that my fondness for the prints will help me remember to bring them along!
I’m with Victoire on the pale blue striped throw and flowery pillow. But really, they’re all lovely. I breathed a gentle sigh as I looked at your choices – very soothing, which is just what I need now.
@MJ, I am very glad. I feel hooked into how you are all feeling. Your sigh calms me, if that makes sense.
Your right about the simpler times. I remember being in Georgetown and wanting a set of Liberty of London napkins. (The cotton was softer than).
Feathering your nest now makes perfect sense when everything about our lives away from home has changed. You write so beautifully.
Luci
@luci short, It is feathering a nest, exactly. Thank you for the very kind words about my writing. Much appreciated.
We’re in Arizona, where I wonder if our governor is actually trying to kill us all. We’re totally bored, just bored spitless. Those Liberty of London masks are just gorgeous, how do they feel? I actually cut up some of my batik fabrics for masks – they’re lightly dyed so are fairly comfortable. One does wonder if this will ever be over.
@Allison, BORED SPITLESS!!!!
Ha:).
I admire anyone who can sew and has done so. Batik sounds gorgeous.
You’ve inspired me with those Liberty masks. The masks I’ve been making using quilter’s cotton feel “heavy” and hot. I have some Liberty FQs stashed away… Still healthy, but nervous up here in B.C., where the case numbers are creeping up again.
@Em, How wonderful to be able to make your own masks. Good luck with the virus. It seems that we in the US won’t be able to do anything indoors safely in a group until there is a vaccine:(.
I spend a lot of time on pinterest, organising boards and looking at pretty things. It genuinely soothes the slightly troubled mind. Good to know that there are lovely things out in the world. Cold, wet, windy here in England today so it will keep people at home. Our pubs open soon and I think it will lead to trouble and illness. Could be an interesting autumn ahead.
@Annie, Pubs would be tough, I think, indoors. They’ve had to change their plans about a full reopen in NYC, and will keep it outdoor only for now. I hope the UK fares better. It is good to know that there are lovely things out in the world. xox.
Hello Lisa, The Liberty masks are some of the brightest I’ve seen. They remind me when I visited their beautiful store in London to get some similar fabric pieces for a friend’s mother who did quilting.
I am glad your father and stepmother are doing well. I wish I could be spending time now with my own mother and family instead of being stuck in Taiwan. Please send the Professor my regards.
–Jim
@Parnassus, I am excited for my masks to get here! So sorry you are stuck in Taiwan, and I will absolutely say hi to Professor C. for you.
What a cheerful post. You have lifted my spirits considerably as I have been in a bit of a 48-hour funk. This seems to happen to me regularly in this topsy-turvey world. I am actually quite fortunate that I have adapted quite well to having long periods of time for creative pursuits, or just for daydreaming, and that this suits my nature. But even for an introvert like myself there is easy ability to find succor in community during times of need, so I flit nervously, leave too many piles undone, sink into a hole in the sofa and let my mind be numbed by some show or another.
So again, thank you. I don’t really want anything or need anything, but my heart leaps at your thoughtfully curated collection and reminds me of the effervescence of community and hope.
@Mardel, You are so welcome. I had just come out of a full five-day funk when I posted this. You probably sense my relief that it hadn’t turned into a permanent state. I feel lucky.
Liberty masks are out of stock, how sad, but another way to look at it is that I don’t go out much and they may be back in stock soon. I’m lucky to live in NJ where the gov is doing a great job. Even though we are all getting very tired of being at home and away from friends we are enjoying the benefits of all this hunkering down. Keep the faith, it will get better sometime.
@Kathleen, Nice work New Jersey! A big hand to you. And I think the masks will come back in stock, if they haven’t already:)
The linen throws are gorgeous – I am torn between the darker blue and the lighter stripey blue, but I think that’s because I am uncertain in my mind as to the sofa and rest-of-room – can it use lightening, or is the deeper, dramatic color just the right thing? (and yes, floral pillows)
We’re working on decluttering – dredging out our nest rather than feathering it – at the moment, so it’s lovely to see the placid possibilities. :-)
@KC, If you are in the mood for solid slight blue, here’s one from Serena and Lily…https://bit.ly/2BNqiCn
i have started leaving a handful of masks in my shoulder bag at all times – it’s hard to forget them as a general proposition, since we are expected to wear them in our building and yard any time we step beyond our own thresholds, but we’ve had straps break a few times, and it’s helpful to have spares.
on linen throws, i was gifted a pale sand version of this one – which is a blend – late this winter. it is the perfect weight for summer, and while i know price points aren’t such a concern for you with pieces like these, it is extremely reasonable. as a nap connoisseuse, i find the cool weight a great comfort, and perfect for a weekend afternooon.
@lauren, That’s a very good idea, to just chuck them in my tote bag. And thanks for the throw recommendation, much appreciated. Experts always welcome;).
Sorry to be late commenting, I did read it yesterday when you first posted it, but was waiting for my mood to improve. It hasn’t so I’ll go ahead anyway.
First of all, thank you for being honest about all of this being “blindingly hard”. As we all learn more and more about the affects of the virus, for me, it has also become a lot more frightening. That, coupled with the surge in Los Angeles, has left me very down. We’ve had to back off from even seeing our kids and grandkids as of this weekend.
I do find feathering the nest to be comforting and I love doing it. As long as we’re going to be home for what appears to be a very long time, it should be as comfortable and as appealing visually as it can be.
I’m liking the geometric pillows, and the all blue linen throw. I love African mud cloth pillows, which you can find tons of on Etsy as well. If you want any help, you know where to find me, and also, that I love doing it. XO
@KSL, I am so sorry you have to stop seeing your kids and grandkids. So depressing to have to give up hard won and dearly loved ground.
As for the feathers, I do know where to find you and I probably will;). xox
Never underestimate the value of pretty things
@Naomi Lisa Shippen, So true!
I love the blue linen throw – it reminds me of denim.
@Jane, I agree!
These times are most difficult. No doubt about it. Everyone is impacted in some way. The most difficult part of all this is not knowing when it ends and when life goes back to normal. This could be a very long time. Many states are spiking and this could bring another shut down. Then there is the impact to our economy. I often ask, why some individuals are throwing caution to the wind and decide not to social distance. Large gatherings with no social distancing and no mask seems irresponsible to me. What are people thinking?
I believe that they are trying to convince themselves of something based in pure feeling, that thought plays a very, very small role:(. Most difficult.
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