Tortoiseshell for Summer

Tortoiseshell Clutch

 

I am a huge fan of tortoiseshell, especially in the summer. Tortoiseshell headbands have had a big resurgence since the airing of Love Story: John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette because she was a wearer of wide tortoiseshell headbands.

The Chinoiserie Bowl

Blue Print Store

 

I came across this very pretty picture of mahjong tiles in a lovely chinoiserie bowl. I am sure that the lucite boxes that mahjong companies sell are the preferred way to store and display your mahjong tiles, but I love this bowl idea. Lots of people do use decorative bowls for storing and displaying their tiles. Crystal bowls are a popular choice, but I would prefer a chinoiserie option. Mahjong did indeed originate in China.

Grandmillennial Hobbies

Oriente Italiano Needlepoint

Grandmillennial hobbies are a very popular trend. Granny hobbies are low-tech and tactile. No longer for just octogenarians, these hobbies are being embraced by Gen Z and millennials. They include needlecraft like needlepoint, knitting, quilting, and crocheting. Domestic arts include cooking, baking, canning, gardening, and bird watching. Puzzles, cards, board games, and tile games of all sorts are wildly popular, especially mahjong. Art activites like pottery, painting, and drawing as well as paint by numbers have renewed interest. (I think collecting chinoiserie especially blue and white Chinese porcelain should be added to the list.)

Luxe Blue & White Chinoiserie

Tamara Day Watercolor Striped Chinoiserie Pillow

 

One special blue and white chinoiserie piece can transform a room. Take this pillow that combines blue and white stripes and Chinese porcelain in a stunning oversized feather filled pillow. This pillow retails for over $200.