Happy Place
I love my desk area so much, though it doesn't always look like this. After many hours of grueling organization and (finally) unpacking, my desk is one of my happy places. It's so me and showcases so many of the things I love. Here's my desk by numbers:
1. Bunting!!!
I am so obsessed with these miraculous little flags. They are everywhere in England-- which is another one of my happy places. What makes this bunting even better? I bought it in one of my favorite shops, "Bow" in Matlock, England. And it is floral. I don't care if my love for floral print makes me an 80 year old lady. I love it.
2. Speaking of floral, Cath Kidston is the queen of the print. The secret about these adorable stacking tin canisters is they are actually empty. I know, I know. Super lame-- but the truth is, I love them so much, I've carted them around in my past three moves and have nothing to keep in them. (The red one did house tea for awhile... it still smells like a goof cuppa.) Maybe one day I will find something worthy of their storage.
3. I have a paper problem. I hoard paper. If you've ever sent me a letter, I have it. If something tickled my fancy in "Teen People" in the late 90's, I probably cut it out and squirreled it away somewhere. To organize my desk, I had to give up some of those paper relics. The multitude of designers papers that was worth saving for future projects made it into this snazzy little Ikea organizer.
4. I know desk space is precious-- especially when there aren't a lot of storage options-- but I like having a few little (and tasteful) bits and bobs. In this collection I have a mini-Eiffel tower (bought at the Eiffel Tower from a street merchant), a tiny British phonebox (bought in London), the most amazing-scented candle my sister gave to me, an apothecary jar filled with a (regrettably) fake flower, which I think I'll switch out for a peony. And hidden in the back, a jar of my favorite perfume, Cleopatra by Tocca, in case I feel the need to spritz and handwritten correspondence. (Not really. I find my writing is more inspired when things smell nice.)
5. Deep under the ground in Oxford is an amazing, ancient printing press operation. My friends who were living in Oxford one year took me to see it. For a few hours, I toiled over setting the type of this Jane Austen quote and an equally ancient old man printed it for me. It's one of my favorite travel souvenirs and sums up my philosophy on life: "I wish as well as everybody else to be perfectly happy, but, like everybody else it must be in my own way."
6. My inspiration board. Shares my love for photography, and my favorite places and people. Plus it tells me to get to work.
7. A postcard from my fiance' that thanks me for "being the best ever". For times of writer's block or days of gloom, this wonderful reminder that I'm awesome brings a boost of positivity to my happy place.