i think i'm in love

I know there are tons of amazing bookshelves out there, but here are a few that I came across (while looking for an image) which I just adore:

Available from Katz

Created by Ron Arad

I've always had a weakness for floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.

Found at this site.

Books can truly be the heartbeat of someone's life. Like mine...heh.

This one just looks so cozy...surrounded by books! Available from this seller.

Oh my gosh, I kept finding more and more and more that I loved! But I couldn't make this post that long, so I'll stop here. Hope you enjoy...and are inspired! :)

xo

2011 Support Your Local Library Challenge

Oh, I am SO on this:

...But, for right now, I am exhausted and I need to go lie down.

xo

Detroit in ruins

Found via FlaxenTawney, this is a breathtaking collection of gorgeous images of the ruins of Detroit.  What I love most is the speculation about why things - buildings, dental equipment, a grand piano, an entire beautiful train station - would simply be abandoned.  It looks in some cases as if one day everyone just walked out (or fled), leaving everything just as it had been during everyday use.  I love imagining the stories behind some of the photographs...although I am sure they're not nearly as glamorous as I'd like to think.  I'll bet it's more got to do with finance and politics and all that way-less-exciting stuff that is often beyond me - but that would be the frustrating cause behind stunning ruins like the ones pictured.

(I wanted to include a copy of one of the images, but I'm not sure about fun copyright laws, and since the Guardian is kind of a Big Deal, I figured I'll leave it as a link...hah.)

my own set of intentions

 I'm currently participating in a Mystery Sock Knit-Along using this gorgeous yarn I purchased several years ago at the MA Sheep & Woolcraft Festival.  (It's Damselfly Yarns in Tequila Sunrise.)

Although I'm not usually big on New Year's resolutions (or really even all that into the holiday - it just feels like another day, to me), I've been reading a lot of others' blog posts on the topic and been inspired, so I figured I'd join in on the fun. :) Besides, it'll be nice to be able to look back at this list at the end of the year & see how far I've come (or not) on my list of intended changes (which, I suppose, is after all the point of resolutions! heh).

In any case, here are some of my thoughts (I'll add to this over the next few days as I think of things) -

• write more snail mail (I've already started to do that)
• knit from my stash ONLY unless I have presents which require a certain yarn
• walk the dog for at least 20 minutes a day
• read at least 50 books (I hit 46 this past year while swamped with school, so this should be feasible)
• get back into watching more movies! (Netflix at least one movie or TV show a week)
• create a budget & actually adhere to it
• GET A JOB!!! (hopefully a library one, but anything will do at this point...sigh)
• start school projects earlier
• cull & improve my wardrobe (I need to stop dressing like I'm 16...) 
• stay on top of emails! (try to keep <100 in my inbox...)
• clean a lot more STUFF out of my life...not sure how to measure this yet - I just am certainly noticing it as I'm moving my stuff and wondering why I think I need to have so many things!!
• blog more? - I want to, for sure, but I feel as if I don't have much to write about!

Like I said, I'll edit this a bit as ideas occur to me...just trying to get my bearings here, for now. :)
xoxo