into the Wildes:

.

& less is MORE.

Frances Howard countess of Somerset,

attrib. to William Larkin c 1612-15 

NPG Painting 

the Countess seems to concur.

Simple pleasures are always the last refuge of the complex.

Oscar Wilde

coming up with 7 wonderfully stylish blogs is easier than

talking about myself after publishing this blog for two years- that  is harder. 

when I am given an opportunity to tap7 blogs with a stylish blogger award I jump at the chance-this is a required part of  the receiving of it.

also a part of  the receiving is the sharing of 7 things about Me. that is when I balk.  Easy too- is the introduction of- if you don't already know her blog- Moira's SKEINS OF THOUGHT. One of her ongoing topics is "this is romance"... Old Movies are the topic-
I'm a fan.
& since rules are made to be broken- and I enjoy that- Here are YOUR NEW MUST READS and you can say I said so-

you will love these

Ingres
The Turkish Bath 1862




ACRAVAN

BRUTTI MA BUONI


 GARDEN HISTORY GIRL

PIMP MY BRICKS

  

SYBARITIC

ST TYL

THE TRAVELER

where I break the rules 

the Getty Museum © Man Ray Trust ARS-ADAGP 

Le Violon d'Ingres Man Ray

silver gelatin print 1924

THIS IT WILL TELL YOU 7 THINGS ABOUT ME-at least.

I think the biggest problem with the BLOG MANTRA one of live and let live -is fear of no reciprocity from fellow bloggers.  There are diffierent blogs and there is something for everyone. Designers have always sought to find a clientele by giving them something not everyone else can find. Rendering up a beautiful room that has not been filled to the gills with stuff-stuffed into it, mediocre furniture and trendy fabrics will be a designer's calling card. If that is what a client is seeking-don't call me.

Few  bloggers will commit to separating themselves from other blogs by simply eliminating  from their blog lists  bloggers who repost a story from a publication and cut and paste the pictures & have heavy sponsorship on their pages.

It puts me in mind of a new blog called PIMP MY BLOG

I am always looking for new &  interesting original blogs to add to my blog list. If a person is writing to express themselves, educate, illuminate- they are elevating the medium they work in. I don't think for bloggers that are cutting and pasting from other web sources-  story and text are in the least concerned with originality.. taking an idea from other sources should be a way of  inspiring, expanding, offering something beyond a "copy."plagiarism is another expression- too harsh? 

Yes, well-I did say you would learn something about me here.

at this juncture in blogging-  it's the wild wild west out there- but at some point states are going to be annexed.

.

“Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.”

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and so said Gore Vidal, and for the most part- all in fact- I agree.

 I can cook- however almost and  always I would rather read about someone who is a fabulous cook-when I can not dine with said cook . that is why and love the blog LINDARAXA by Julieta. She makes the most beautiful, and no doubt delicious delectables, if only I could sample everything.  The charming  24 CORNERS has also dropped this bouquet in my lap, so I am doubly blessed. It is the onset of Awards season-no not the Globes or Oscars- the BLOGS. A swarm of Awards start buzzing around from blog to blog- and -thank you Julieta for the Stylish Blogger Award.
I swore off accepting them for a time  last year-but with the great NEW blogs I have been reading lately-it seems right to spread their Light and share my finds.

Here is what Julieta says "These awards carry a price (with a c not a z!), better known as rules, and they are  as follows:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you (DONE)

2. Share 7 things about yourself (Not Doing, I share quite enough-too much really)

3. Award 10 other bloggers

4. Contact those bloggers and tell them about the award

(some will be thrilled and they should, always nice to get a nod from one's peers-

and some will just moan- and bemoan -and they should not)

Since the whole point of this is to really spread the love around-
Here are some NEW and perhaps not SO NEW that I am discovering:

ALL MY EYES

ALL THINGS RUFFERIAN

DIARY OF A WANDERING EYE

MODE PARADE

MOSAICOLOGY

PICTURES OF ELEGANCE

STRAWBERIGE

THE CANVAS DIARIES 

& here are some FAVORITES that have returned after a -too long, hiatus.

SOODIE BEASLEY

THE MODERN TRADITIONALIST

this list is worth a look , and startling to see such good minds at work. many other wonderful new and always enjoyable reads exist on my What I Read list.



.

at 6's & 7's

.

the LOVE BLOG AWARDS

or 

MRS TREFUSIS TAKES A TAXI wonderful blog and truly BEAUTIFULLY written, dropped this little box on me  and I offer her my humble thanks. She tells me- This award," like all good inheritances, comes entailed with conditions" - pass the award onto 6 other bloggers & reveal 7  things about yourself.

6

BEAUTYSLEUTH for BEAUTY

SAVOIR FAIRE for STYLE

GATHER for COMFORT

BOOKTRYST for KNOWLEDGE

CAPITOL BLOG for FASHION

&

 SMILLA4BLOGS for THE SOUL

(go see them all by clicking on the blog title)

7

 random things about me

 I love Myrna Loy-in any movie, especially and for always the THIN MAN'S Nora Charles 

or here as Mrs. Blandings:

Sarah Bernhardt and I share the same birthday- make of it what you will. I am thrilled.

I insist that I am a woman, though I still get occasional emails asking, I am amused-still.

4th grade photo offered as proof

Turtles are my talisman- ok, So I have blogged about this once, 

but it gives me an opportunity to offer this blog post  you may not have read.

"tortoise or hare?"

 I love the music of Mother Maybelle, this started at an early age- It just comes over me, I have to hear some Mother Maybelle.

I would easily select Oscar Wilde as my dinner partner-if asked to choose from the famous & drink in his witticisms and feast on his erudition.

I am a bit superstitious, why risk it? What about you? Tell me something I don't know about You, dear reader.


drawing by YSL from book LOVE by Yves Saint Laurent
.

 

the Magnificent 7

One of the pleasures of this pursuit- getting a little pat on the back-in this venue it actually says-Someone  IS reading all this stuff and appreciates it.
Very Nice.
Thank You Very Much.
&
So many thanks to a new blog I have been enjoying recently- MADEMOISELLE POIROT
Her profile says "Originally from Paris and now trying to find my feet in London I have set up this blog to collect everything that inspires me" & herraison d'etre for establishing her blog is "For lack of attention a thousand forms of loveliness elude us every day" & she also has a sweet tooth-

this little gem is the PROLIFIC BLOGGER AWARD.

  "A prolific blogger is one who is intellectually productive, 

keeping up an active blog with enjoyable content."

After accepting this award, recipients are asked to pass it forward to seven other deserving blogs.
the MAGNIFICENT 7.

BEST of all those bloggers can suggest several blogs they find worthy of a daily read.

They do not have to tell us things like:

I xo chocolate,

:( rainy days, 

:) rainbows after a storm

or

Happiness is a warm puppy.
(charlie brown)

You may well say-shameless self promotion!  little augury-
Do Remember I have been a practicing decorator, designer for going on 30 years. It would not be possible to have avoided such temptations to do that before.

I ask You-
Think about the BIG self promoters in the Home Design and Lifestyle business-Living and Not.. Don't you like them, in spite of what you may say?
& Yes,
I also sold furniture-some of the good stuff. This is when I learned  "How to Sell."  Why? I worked on commission most of those years. (the trenches)

There is one thing you learn and I believe (if you don't -you are doomed in this business of interior design):

Believe in your knowledge and believe you will be paid for it. A recommendation to a client is a Your Gift. They should and do appreciate it.  Something like-Madame X- You should absolutely -Go to the little dump of a dry cleaners in the little dump of a shopping center, next to the dump of a service station. They are the experts in how to keep a paillette  from melting. These are the things that make other matters-like insuring Madame X that the $20,000 sofa is worth every penny. It really is.

Now for the little assemblage of the sparkling paillettes that make up my 7 Prolific Bloggers- that I read daily and you should give them a go as well-

MY DOG EARED PAGES

REGGIE DARLING

THE DOWN EAST DILETTANTE

THE MODERN TRADITIONALIST

IT'S ABOUT TIME

VICTORIA THORNE

PORCELAINS AND PEACOCKS

the catch- 

These 7 darlings have also been AWARDED

 the

BEAUTIFUL BLOGGER AWARD

Christina Lindsay of Fashion's Most Wanted  graciously bestowed this award upon little augury. I found FASHION through the HOUSE OF BEAUTY AND CULTURE. Superb both!  Christina shares her take on fashion, beauty and gives us the occasional glimpse into her London life.

She says,  

"Whether it's the latest thing or something from a bygone age, if I like it I'll write about it

NOW-  

In tradition of that BEAUTY- I must tell seven things you may not know about me. Could it be possible there are actually 7 things I have not blabbed about on this thing ?

I actually DO xo chocolate,

I DO Love rainy days, 

& I firmly believe
Happiness IS a warm puppy.

(charlie brown)

I am a big animal lover-

not to the degree that I love them better than people-

Just Some.

I love cutting flowers-

Peonies, Heirloom Roses, Iris.

I am pleased that the wonderful

Charlotte Moss

at tete a tete has Little Augury on her blog links.

I read too many Blogs!
(YOU?)

all the photographs are of Elsie de Wolfe- the first BIG SELF PROMOTER. What about a blog exclusively about Elsie? I have considered a second BLOG devoted to ONE of interest Woman in the World of Design. She is a possible, Suggestions?
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