We take pleasure in answering at once and thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of THE SUN:
Dear Editor: I am 8 years old.
Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so."
Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O'Hanlon
115 West Ninety Fifth Street
Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
...And even I got teary-eyed when this fellow showed up...
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So let me tell you the story of the Foo Dogs...
"Foo Dogs" is the corroded western term for fú shi ("prosperity lions") or Chinese Imperial guardian lions. These lions can be seen outside palaces, temples, and the private residences of the very wealthy. Lions are not native to the Orient but were brought from India and the Middle East through the Silk Road trade route. Both presented by diplomats as a tribute to the Han court and introduced into Buddhist teaching by the monk Hulin, the "shi" lion slowly but deeply became intrenched into religious and nationalistic iconography. Hulin taught that the lions are protectors of dharma, a Buddhist belief in the balance and circle of life. This teaching, merged with the animals' innate power and regal bearing, made them perfectly suited as imperial guardians. The lions are always presented in pairs: one male and one female: yin and yang. The male is placed on the left with his paw on the earth, depicting domination. The female on the left is presented with her paw on a cub, representing protection and nurture. The pair was thought to bring blessing and provide protection for the inhabitants of the structure over which they stood watch.
Is it any wonder that with such a rich backstory, Mayme LOVES anything Foo (we could be snobby and say "Fú")? Just look at this shot from her and her son's trip to China last year. She was smitten with the highly stylized, beautiful statues! Is it any wonder that she incorporates foo dogs into her decor scheme whenever possible?
Consider the material shagreen, a leather made from the scaly hides of rays and sharks. Its use can be traced back many centuries to Asian warrior culture, serving both a practical and decorative function on anything from spectacle cases to scabbards. Fast-forward to the 1700s, when the material found its way into upper-class European decor and sparked a trend even among lay people, who began to pound their more accessible leathers with pebbles to imitate the bumpy texture. {DIY was alive and well!} Shagreen gained popularity in the United States in the 1930s as an exotic facet of the Art Deco movement...
NOW. October 24, 2013: shagreen is trending again, this time for a much less exclusive audience. But if shagreen has been prized throughout history for its exclusivity, its durability, and its aesthetic, what happens when two of those are taken away {enter FAUX shagreen!}? All that is left is the aesthetic, which, depending on the quality of the imitation, may range in appeal. On the other hand, what happens if shagreen is harvested irresponsibly? Environmental values and ethics are at stake. Ironically, to shagreen or not to shagreen is just as personal a choice today as it ever was. A "green" purist may appreciate authentic shagreen but be wary of the environmental consequences and therefore avoid it. A pragmatic fashionista may not care whether or not the shagreen is real, but go for the cheaper faux simply because it is cheaper. What do you think? What place should shagreen occupy in popular culture?
Here are a few of our favorite contemporary shagreen picks, {both real and faux}...
DECOR:
Regina Andrew Design {if you remember from the last post, we have a sister chest in our studio right now!}
Yannick Chastang {this is a custom piece by the artist; isn't the detail unbelievable?}
FASHION:
left: Morven Mulgrew custom {worn by a very fashionable bride!} right: Dara Ettinger Portia earrings
left: Gigi New York Iris cross-body bag right: Chrissie Morris Farrah sandals
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scheme in blue, {accented with some amazing faux banana leaves. trompe l'oeil in real time, friends!}
scheme in green, {with envy, if you must}
scheme in plum and aqua-ducks
scheme in rainbow, {see what I did there, LOVE...}
See something you love?
Give us a call (864.467.1930) and stop by the showroom. Not in Greenville? Some of this may be coming to the online shop, but not all of it, so please, either call or email info@maymebakerstudio.com for specific inquiries.
We would love to hear from you, even if we don't have the joy of seeing your face.
]]>If only your office was this glamorous, right? Here at the studio we're nuts for these retro printed horsehair bar accessories {by Pigeon and Poodle} and statement martini tables {courtesy of the Amy Howard Collection}...
(Pretty self-explanatory, but just in case you've already had a few.)
Avalon Catalina Crawford
Now what would these lovely accessories be without the booze? Chanel your inner January with a Vodka Gimlet:
ABOUT FARROW & BALL
Founded in Dorset, England in the 1930s by John Farrow and Richard Ball, the company that bears their name revolutionized the emerging modern paint industry. Farrow and Ball were completely committed to preserving traditional craftsmanship at a time when the industrial revolution demanded that products be made faster and cheaper, regardless of the effect on quality or the environment. The two paint pioneers formulated their recipes strictly with only the best materials: the paints have an unusually high pigment content and light refracting quality, which in turn produces deep, rich colors. Each hue has a purposeful name, chosen with historical significance or narrative emotion to draw the onlooker into a story. “Mouse’s Back", "Manor House Gray", and "Print Room Yellow” are a few favorites. The company continues to honor the legacy of the old, marrying it with newer environmentally friendly techniques. All F&B paint is water based, dries quickly with minimal odor and is safe for children’s environments. Every one of the curated palette of 132 colors is still produced with pride at the original Dorset factory. This year, Farrow & Ball unveiled nine new colors! In keeping with the practice to choose significant hues, the nine are inspired by and named after the Dorset landscape. You can see those colors here.
Here are a few color combos I’d like to try...
DINING ROOM
FARROW & BALL, A DESIGNER’S DARLING
It is no wonder that Farrow & Ball quickly became prized for its unique quality almost from the moment the company began. As important as the wonderfully soulful color range offered are the fabulous finishes available. I’m crazy for the ESTATE EMULSION flat finish. In my world, wall paint cannot be flat enough...this one is as chalky and deep a finish as I’ve seen. And I love the FULL GLOSS finish - which is incredibly versatile for indoors and out…and it is suitable for metal surfaces too. It has almost a lacquered effect…which makes me swoon – and it’s not from the fumes, as there are none! From Royal and government chambers to the houses of private citizens, F&B continues to garner an intelligently devoted following. This article from House Beautiful features designer Alexander Doherty’s revitalization of a 1911 Manhattan apartment, inspired by rooms at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He used exclusively Farrow & Ball paint!
Walls: Dix Blue; Trim: Oval Room Blue
Walls: Pavilion Gray; Trim: Lamp Room Gray
Walls: London Clay; Trim: Charleston Gray
It’s slow, not as transmittable, and there is no delete button. Though I will resist launching into a protracted defense of handwriting, I can't help but reference a Wall Street Journal article that I read recently. "Virginia Berninger, a professor of educational psychology at the University of Washington, says handwriting differs from typing because it requires executing sequential strokes to form a letter, whereas keyboarding involves selecting a whole letter by touching a key. She says pictures of the brain have illustrated that sequential finger movements activated massive regions involved in thinking, language and working memory—the system for temporarily storing and managing information.” (You can read the entire article here.) But there you have it in a nut shell: handwriting exercises our brains and helps us think. I’m a firm believer in a hand-written list or brainstorming diagram for that very reason! But writing is not only for practical things; it can be decorative, too. We’ve had two fun lettering projects at the studio this past week...
Since our studio is open by appointment, the door is not always unlocked... so we jumped on the bandwagon and got a mailbox. Clearly it couldn't stay blank and plain. I used white acrylic paint, a small brush, and a slow and careful hand, because no stroke could be erased. I may go back and add more of the scrolls from my sketch another day when I am feeling brave.
Here's the final-for-now in context, a little sentry by our door.
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If you thought that chalkboard-painted surfaces were only for children's playrooms, think again. Look at what a fun touch the chalkboard shade adds to this sophisticated Regina Andrew lamp!
Close-up of the sketch: sweet Marleigh is in for a treat! (Also, I did break the chalk in half.)
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While sitting at my desk yesterday morning, I was struck by these simple words: "we can evolve." On the wall just beyond hang several prints of butterflies, optimally positioned as if to validate the mobile's bold statement. Like the butterfly, often the only way for us to truly keep living is to move on to something new, to expand, to reevaluate what is possible, to evolve.
We have several personal examples of our own evolution here at Mayme Baker Studio. Our biggest news is, of course, our new web shop, which enables you to browse from anywhere, any time! Another exciting development is the addition of two new employees. Debi Horton joined the team as Mayme's right hand lady... the organizational genius who makes sure all of the amazing ideas actually happen. The other is me, Tessa Pinner, content manager for the new web shop and the friendly voice you will see and hear in many email newsletters, facebook updates, and blog posts. I'm thrilled at the chance to start giving you some inside eye candy from the beauty and talent that is Mayme Baker Studio! I'll dish a more complete scoop on Debi and me later, but for now, here's a picture of us looking our darndest, just for you.
Tessa, left; Debi, right
While evolution is necessary and often wonderful, it is not without its own challenges. There is something lovely about walking into a tangible space with delightful treasures, all presented beautifully and in context. All of your senses are engaged, and maybe you are happily surprised by that special something in that obscure shelf of the corner case. You didn't expect to walk out with it, but it just spoke to you. We know that while our online shop is superbly convenient and has a much larger selection than we can hold in our studio and booth, sometimes you crave that special tangible interaction. SO! This is my reminder to you that while our studio is not open continuously, we welcome your call and subsequent drop-in! Additionally, our booth space at Antiques on Augusta (6 South Lewis Plaza) is alive and well. I popped up there a few days ago to snap some photos of the prettiness.
Hopefully these shots will tempt you to visit if you've never been or to revisit if you are a regular. We promise, we'll be placing new items there, too!
One of these fun trays displays inspiration from Audrey Hepburn on the topic of evolution: "Nothing is impossible. The word itself says 'I'm possible'!"
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We hope our distinctive take on design and newly renovated website will provide the extra spark you need to make your imaginations come to life! We can’t wait to help you get started.
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Also, while you're reading, check Pages B111-130 for a spectacular BEFORE/AFTER of a Mayme Baker - designed home!
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Read all about it in your hard copy - or view your online edition, pages B70- B71- here!
Mayme wanted to highlight one of summer's brightest and best colors in this month's TALK Magazine - BLUE!
From deep navy to bold turquoise - this color is the epitome of June.
Grab your copy today {or view it here} and you'll be singing the blues!
It's not so mellow yellow, baby!
As the warm weather really starts settling in {since it's been here for quite some time now, it's definitely made itself at home!}, here at Mayme Baker Studio we're into all things bright and cheery!
Yellow is definitely one of such things... and is the focus of color in Mayme's May contribution to TALK magazine.
Make sure to take a look... and add a little sunshine to your day.
Read the online version here- (pages B98-B99) or pick up a copy at designated retailers!
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