I love that scene in my second-favorite Audrey Hepburn movie, Funny Face, where magazine editor Maggie Prescott encourages the women of America to "think pink!" (though she "wouldn't be caught dead in it" herself). I'm no stranger to pink love -- yes, I made my bridesmaids wear pink, different shades (in cute sleeveless A-line dresses with wide bows tied in front -- very Audrey), and no, they didn't like it but yes, they looked adorable, like a bunch of petals. When I first started hatching Posie in 1999, I wanted pale pink handmade paper with chocolate brown letterpress on it for my business cards. I went directly to the lovely Oblation and can you believe it, we had to special order the paper? Pink hadn't made its comeback yet, and pink and brown wasn't yet overdone -- people actually thought that was a very bizarre combination (and told me so), though now it's seen everywhere and even I am kind of sick of it. Nevertheless, I never tire of pink itself, especially one particular shade of it, sort of a fruit-punch dolloped with heavy cream, lightened considerably with soda water. Mary Jo had some gorgeous pink pretties at her place yesterday that I loved (and thank you, MJ, for including some of my things, so sweet of you). She also told me that she has a pink and red kitchen. Um, yum! My kitchen used to be pink and red too, and it made me think about it and reconsider my current pale blue. . . . It was darn cute. Anyway, these are some of the pink things that I've picked up lately, along with a few that I've had for a long time. Can you see those amazing fur-trimmed baby booties? They're vintage. Lucky the princess who wore those, no?
The lovely Lesley Austin of the lovely Small Meadow Press sent me some beautiful Valentines yesterday and mentioned that I might like the books of Miss Read. Um -- wow! Sooooo many Miss Read books to read! And every one of them looks totally charming. Thanks, Lesley! I cannot wait to dig into these. Also, further fodder for my fellow Anglophiles: A V-Day prezzie from my sweet mother-in-law, fellow friend of books, is Imagined London: A Tour of the World's Greatest Fictional City by Anna Quindlen. She knows me so well! Her son is flying home for a long weekend tomorrow, and she knew I would need something really good to keep me company, I suspect. Thank you, best mother-in-law a girl could ever wish for. I love it, and you. And speaking of love, my lovely friend Misha, who is married to Sewdorky Stuart who makes all manner of felt donuts, introduced me to Nancy Mitford a few years ago, and I had to pick up this edition of The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate just for the gorgeous cover, though I do love the novels themselves (part of Misha's job at the Seattle Public Library is to make book lists for people based on things they've liked; can you imagine?). Here's Linda, the protagonist of Pursuit:
"But oh how dreadful it is, cooking, I mean. That oven -- Christian puts things in and says: 'Now you take it out in about a half an hour.' I don't dare tell him how terrified I am, and at the tend of half an hour I summon up all my courage and open the oven, and there is that awful hot blast hitting one in the face. I don't wonder people sometimes put their heads in and leave them out of sheer misery. Oh, dear, and I wish you could have seen the Hoover running away with me, it suddenly took the bit between its teeth and made for the lift shaft. How I shrieked -- Christian only just rescued me in time. I think housework is far more tiring and frightening than hunting is, no comparison, and yet after hunting we had eggs for tea and were made to rest for hours, but after housework people expect one to go on just as if nothing special had happened." She sighed.
I was reminded of it the night before last as I lay in bed laughing hysterically (which of course turned into a horrifying cascade of coughing and throat clearing each time I as much as giggled; guess I wasn't completely over my cold) at Julie & Julia, which I know I must be the last person on earth to read. I didn't know it was going to be so funny! I'm supposed to be sending it to my sister, the pastry chef, but I'm sneaking in a quick read before I pop it in the mail. Quick is right -- I whizzed through 135 pages the first night after climbing into bed at 10. I couldn't put it down. I was exhausted yesterday. The scene where she is "holding the ragged pig flesh to [her] bosom" while quoting Silence of the Lambs for her husband who is lying sick in bed made me absolutely explode with cough-laughs. I was so loud I woke up Andy. I read it to him today and he smiled politely as I again laughed so hard I had to leave the room for fear that something unlovely might fall out of my nose. Again, feel free not to trust my judgement on this. I seem to be responding strangely to the world lately.
Oh -- and 10 points to whoever can guess exactly what that little pleated spiral thing is in the upper right corner of the picture. Do you know?
Love pink myself. I have noticed over the years that I'm not really satisfied with a room unless it has something pink or atleast soft and sweet looking in it. I've been adding more and more of it each month.
Spiral thingy, First I thought it was a dog leash. But I doubt a dog leash would be pleated so I'm guessing paper trim???
I had the exact same experience with the Julie/Julia project. I'd think something was so hilarious that it needed to be shared, and when I'd read it to my husband he'd get that I-don't-really-understand-why-this-is-sooooo-funny-but-I'm-willing-to-indulge-you look. How could he not think it was incredibly funny? hmmmm......husbands.
Love pink!!!! I didn't for so long, and am really glad that it's more present nowadays. It just makes me...happy. Speaking of happy, if you haven't already you must read The Sisters, by Mary S. Lovell. It's about the saga of the amazing Mitford family, and is fascinating and engaging and wonderful to read! And by the way, I'm loving Fingersmith and can't get enough!
I was so anti-pink for years until I was out shopping one day and saw this perfect twin-set of pale pink with a black band around the neck, bottom, and sleeves. I tried it on and I felt like Jackie O. Now I'm more than ok with it! I don't think it will ever top cobalt blue, but still....
It looks like trim, but I don't know the real word for it. I also am in love with pink. I am thinking of doing our bedroom in a light aqua, pink and red. I think it would be sweet and comforting. Reclaiming pink is a great thing!
i love this vignette! is that cake ruffle there in the upper corner?
I've read all of the Miss Read books, I love them! Fortunately our public library carries them because you're right.... there are alot of them!
my friend is bringing me that nancy mitford book when she comes to visit me this week. i can't wait!!!! books are so darn expensive in ecuador.
oh, and i love pink too, but my husband isn't the biggest fan.
love the photo and everything in it...i love pink. i also adore funny face and that first scene.
will definitely try a miss read book, hadn't heard of them...but am enjoying your last "recommendation" of housekeeping (*so* good!).
the thing up top? hmm...it looks kind of like elastic, but does elastic come in pink??
Are you living in my head?
First of all, I adore Audrey H. I always wished I could be "gaminesque". Guess my hips wouldn't let me!
Second of all, I love letterpress stationery and have been looking all over for the best place to make some personalized notecards.
I was never a fan of pink, until I bought a skirt from you. It was a lovely fabric with fans all over it and I bought several different pink tops to go with it.
That was the beginning of my "girly" phase which is still continuing to this day...thanks!
I love Nancy Mitford, too. I read those books on a train journey once and it was the perfect reading material.
I resisted pink as a teenager even though my mother insisted that it looked lovely on me. As in so many things, it turned out that she was right: it's one of the most flattering colours for me to wear. And I asked my bridesmaids to wear it too! They chose whatever shade of pink they wanted, from pale, pale blush pink to fuchsia, and it looked great.
Looks like some kind of crepe paper to me...hmmm....
By the way, I want to live in the girly, pinky world of your little vignette photos. I spent most of my teenage years trying to hide my love of pink but now I declare it proudly :)
I would like everything in that photograph, thank you very much.
Pink is my veryvery favorite! Such a lovely photo.
And that quote from Pursuit made me giggle so violently that i nearly spewed my earl grey! teehee! :)
yay pink!! I don't know what the frill is but I want to play with it.
baskin robbins nailed it with the pink & brown, huh?
that vignette is so beautiful.
yes. pink. not an admitted favorite color of many lesbian feminists, except this one.
Hello, dear one! Oh...what lovely pictures! Makes me want to taste them....can you tell I've been cooking all day? Played hooky to get ready for our sweet Andrew! The Half and Half is in the frig (check), cookies baked(check), Rice Krispie Squares made (check),and all the extra quilts washed and softened (check!). I only wish....oh you know. This post is so full of lovely words and feelings, as always. I'll read and reread it, I know. xxxooo
Wow - I have looked at every single link you noted in this post and loved them all!
that is the most beautiful pink picture ever. Perhaps we are separated at birth? Not only is Audrey H my all-time fav, but before I changed my company name to my full name, I had a pink & brown beautiful card (3 different English fonts) and it was a bit before the craze hit-stores used to write and ask if I'd make sure my tags were on all the items because they'd sell better. Anyway, I digress, pink & brown is such a great combo, although after shipping so many things in pink and brown tissue for a few years, I'm sort of over it. As usual, your blog is lovely! Thanks, it cheers me up.
Is that pink pleated thing, some kind of shelf edging?
I seem to remember my grandmother having something like it in her house, attached with thumbtacks.
Pink.....ah, I love it. I had a brief discussion with it when my daughter was born, just asking it to tone done down a bit and lose the glitter, but its always been a favorite. Except when paired with black, ick.
Is it a pleated, twilly tape-y, edging turned into a tiered trim cake of some sort??
I just finished reading the biogprahy 'The Mitford Girls'
what a wonderful read!!! great to see another Nancy Mitford fan!