Serendiptity

Today, the Writer's Almanac from NPR

had a wonderful piece on

serendipity

here it is....and here too

It was on this day in 1754 that the word "serendipity" was first coined. It's defined by Merriam-Webster as "the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for." It was recently listed by a U.K. translation company as one of the English language's 10 most difficult words to translate. Other words to make their list include plenipotentiary, gobbledegook, poppycock, whimsy, spam, and kitsch.

"Serendipity" was first used by parliament member and writer Horace Walpole in a letter that he wrote to an English friend who was spending time in Italy. In the letter to his friend written on this day in 1754, Walpole wrote that he came up with the word after a fairy tale he once read, called "The Three Princes of Serendip," explaining, "as their Highnesses travelled, they were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of." The three princes of Serendip hail from modern-day Sri Lanka. "Serendip" is the Persian word for the island nation off the southern tip of India, Sri Lanka.

The invention of many wonderful things have been attributed to "serendipity," including Kellogg's Corn Flakes, Charles Goodyear's vulcanization of rubber, inkjet printers, Silly Putty, the Slinky, and chocolate chip cookies.

Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin after he left for vacation without disinfecting some of his petri dishes filled with bacteria cultures; when he got back to his lab, he found that the penicillium mold had killed the bacteria.

Viagra had been developed to treat hypertension an

d angina pectoris; it didn't do such a good job at these things, researchers found during the first phase of clinical trials, but it was good for something else.

The principles of radioactivity, X-rays, and infrared radiation were all found when researchers were looking for something else.

Julius Comroe said, "Serendipity is looking in a haystack for a needle and discovering a farmer's daughter."

Wiktionary lists serendipity's antonyms as "Murphy's law" and "perfect storm."

Last night as I was reading my latest Harper's Bazaar,

I was amused

by these adverts by ghd

To fully appreciate the ads I will repeat the copy which is hard to read:

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, you're quite debonair

Now you've straightened and curled that long flowing hair

Your locks would appeal to many a suitor

So why not find someone who's taller and cuter?"

then,

"Cinderella's a beauty, her hair all a-curl

No need of a prince for this stunning young girl

She's saying goodbye to glass slippers forever

And running away with a bloke dressed in leather."

and finally:

"Little Red Riding Hood, neither timid nor shy

Whilst straightening her locks, a wolf she did spy

But far from fainting or running a fever

She started to laugh and pulled out a cleaver."

Call me crazy

but I was excessively diverted

and then

I had an e-mail about a new collection

from

Heather Ross

(one of my favorite fabric designers)

and who should appear

but Rapunzel

in her designs

Serendipity

Still in hibernation...

but checking out fabric for my spring line.

Thanks to Pigtown Design for writing about all the treasures at

Debois Textiles in Baltimore.

The Ralph Lauren fabric above is one of Meg's finds at Debois.

This fabric might be just right for the mrr design spring 2010 line,

but then so is the beauty below that I discovered earlier today

via Little Augury.

This is part of collection that will be available later this winter

as part of a joint venture between the V & A and Liberty.

This lovely print, called Seaweed, was inspired by the V&A archives,

and will be produced in a limited edition

in conjunction with the

Quilt exhibit at the V & A.

Then I remembered the new Sister Parish Designs fabric.

The blue print has been on my short list for a few months.

Notice the similarity between the fabrics.

Blue frames are the most popular in my line year after year.

I keep a good record of what sells and what doesn't.

Usually the fabrics I select are just right,

but occasionally I choose some duds.

Don't get me wrong, the duds are wonderful fabric,

but sometimes the prints or colors do not work

on frames or boards.

I have yards and yards of unused fabric.

Due in part, to my fabric fetish,

and due to the nature of the business -

not all fabrics will sell.

Periodically I donate fabric remnants to the local turn-over shop,

but this spring I might do a big clean-out...

So I am thinking of having a tag sale.

This could be a huge undertaking...time will tell.

Hibernation is wonderful.

On hiatus for a little bit longer...

... still reading blogs, just not posting here.

Here are some terrific bulletin boards

Allesandra Branca

as seen on Stylebeat

and another smart use of space below

by Benjamin Bradley,

NYC designer,

via NY Social Diary

and brought to my attention by PVE

thanks Patricia

Even though I am not blogging much, I am still working on my business plan.

I want to develop more business with decorators and designers.

I just sent my beautiful cards, pictured at the top of this post,

done by the very talented PVE

to some of the top young designers as listed by Traditional Home.

Who knows, one of them might need a custom bulletin board.

Pass the word...need custom work...

shop no further...

give a call

203-216-8717

or e-mail me

marnie@optonline.net

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.^®

The Writer's Almanac with Garrison Keillor is one of my favorite sites. Every morning I am greeted with a poem and then a few interesting stories about authors. I highly recommend this daily morning ritual - what better way to start the day... a few of the poems have made it to my office wall... a little inspiration goes a long way.

And here is another daily read via little augury - read this book in daily installments courtesy of Diane Von Furstenburg ... no excuses for not reading a book - just catch snippets at your desk while you are reading other e-mail - it is like a piece of candy...

love this photograph

cold, cold, cold

ponds are frozen

i first learned to skate on a pond

maybe i will put the skates on again this week

and take a few turns

can you believe I have had the same skates since I was 16!

PERSPECTIVE

H ibe r nat ion

Finally time to rest and reflect

and

to gain some perspective for the year ahead.

top or bottom photo from little augury

not sure where i found the others

one is obviously a book jacket.

by george i've got it

the pursuit of happiness

maira kalman has given me such happiness

for the last year with each installment

of her blog:

on the pursuit of happiness

in the new york times.

read today's installment here

by george she's got it -

savor the moment

proust said,

and i parphrase,

because i cannot find the exact quote:

you are never as happy as you think...

nor are things as bad as you think..."

savor the moment

try to find happiness

in life's simple pleasures

i say so long too

so long 2009

may 2010 be all that you hope for.

xo

m

with all the Christmas preparations in the studio and at home

and all the end of year work at the office

i completely

forgot...

about

Maira Kalman's blog post last week

heavens to morgatroyd

but it the latest installment has been postponed to New Year's Day

PHEW!

Remember these fortune tellers?

I loved making these when i was a girl.

I watched a you-tube video so I could remember how to make them.

I think this would be a fun activity for New Year's eve.

I tried to load the video

but it didn't work

so click on the link above if you don't remember.

As I wrap up my 2009 season,

I would like to acknowledge an important cog in the wheel:

David Lynch of Wilton Woodworking.

David has been cutting my boards and frames for 10 years...

He easy going and reliable.

David's woodworking talents are extraordinary.

The music in the shop reminds me of my college days.

I keep promising him that I will have a

real woodworking project

for him some day.

If you need some woodworking

call this woodworker extraordinaire

Wilton Woodworking 203-762-7999

Wilton, Connecticut

Thanks David

Merry Christmas

photo from Completely Coastal

The wind came roaring down from the north

and the snow flew.

It looks so beautiful now.

Nothing better than a white Christmas.

Christmas greetings from my house to yours.

I have been so busy that I did not get my decorations up until last Saturday.

I knew I had to rush before the storm.

Phew.

This is the kind of business I love to support; a business that gives back. The founder is an artist and an educator. All her knitters are from Peru. Read more here. It is a wonderful story of building a business an helping others.

mollygoggles was at the recent Church of the Redeemer Christmas Market in Chestnut Hill. I was there too and could not resist the beautiful scarf below.

I love my new blue scarf and I have been wearing it every day. It has been very cold in my neck of the woods and we just got a lot of snow. It looks beautiful.

Finally finished my last order and just in the nick of time.

I felt like an elf in the workshop.

Here are some happy helpers (miss is and dh).

This order made me smile as I worked.

A young girl I know will find this 24" x 48" memento board

under the tree on Christmas morning.

It was designed to display her horse show ribbons.

She will be able to hang the ribbons from any square.

No more help from Mama to arrange the ribbons.

I hope to get a photo in situ after Christmas.

Another view to give you some perspective.

Then I began my own orders

of bon-bon tea cakes,

my signature cookie,

to be sent to lots of people I know.

Another custom order...

This one made from Vineyard Vines silk fabric.

A bride and groom ordered custom VV fabric for wedding ties and tote bags for their wedding party.

The pattern is a series of arrows with names of all the places the bride and groom have lived...or something like that.

I made a memento board and before I had time to blink, there was more fabric in my mailbox for a frame. I rushed to get the board done overnight and forgot to take a picture. In the middle of the mad rush, the power in the house went out for 1.5 hours - oh my gosh - what a night - I worked by candlelight! Just like the olden days.