.weekend, here I come...

Agreed.

Enjoy your weekend!

xoxo

(image via Please Sir)

.giveaway. this may be my 100th post!

Not sure. You know where you sign in at your dashboard? It says I have 99 posts. Well, according to another informative area in my blog, I have 88. Clearly, somebody cannot count, and it may not be me. The workings of this blog can be baffling at times(another post entirely), but I wrote this post before 88 came into the picture, and I am now excited about my idea, so we are going with it. Here at Ticklish from a Distance, we celebrate your 100th post on either your 100th....or 88th. Your choice.

That said, I have read it is customary to do a GIVEAWAY in celebration of your 100th post. That's fun.

I have a website where I offer iems of my own design, as well as items made by numerous talented artists that I stumble upon. You never know where or how you will find something that makes your eyes widen and your wallet burn, but as you all know, when it hits, it can hit hard. One day this past Spring, I was meeting with a buyer at ABC Home in N.Y.( I know, big fat YUM!). As we were speaking, she started to write with something I had been admiring on her desk, something I thought was a sculpture! Well, it was, but it was also a graphite pencil. Swear! They fit into your hand and are pencil length, but substantial(see 2nd image for scale). I was into it and she was so excited by how excited I was that she sent me to the artist, Agelio Batle, in San Francisco. Here is how Batle describes his work:

Batle Graphite Sculptures are the artistic creation of San Francisco artist Agelio Batle who creates sculptured "pencils" from a graphite composition. These unique Batle graphite sculptures are functional writing utensils and elegant desk top sculptures. Each surface of the sculpture can be used as a pencil. The composition of each sculpture however will not mark your hands. And each piece is completely lead free and one of a kind. They last for years.

Too cool. I want them! But when I called Batle Studio later that week, they very kindly explained while they were flattered by my hysteria, they did not sell to websites....ever. Aaaaahhhhhh! I said no problem, but, could they please take a peek at my leather books, as I hoped they might see the fit was perfect. They did, agreed, made an exception and sold me these fabulous items, items that I can't keep in stock! So here we are. I have these amazing, functional art objects on my site, one of which is leaving cyberspace and heading to one of you.

Ok, here is how it works. I am selling six different designs, so I think the best thing to do is click here , see the one you most adore, then come back here and comment as to why. I will randomly pick a comment whose answer I like best, and send that person the Batle design they picked! Let's say by next Friday. Yes?

I am totally into these and hope you will love them, so this is a way to say thank you to all of my cool new friends for coming by and inviting me to your blogs as well. You inspire me, in different ways, each and every day. It really is a ball.

Thanks.

(image credit-me)

.lazy days

A hammock, a crisp breeze and a great book. Or dinner by candlelight with wine and special friends. I'd take a wonderful patio lit up with laughter and a cool beer, too.

Is Summer the best season of the year? Or do you favor another?

Do tell?

(images if the lampshade fits, stye redux)

.never too many

I love stripes. My Gramey told me when I was about 19 to never wear horizontal stripes as it was not ladylike. I weighed about 98 pounds and was wearing a guys Ralph Lauren rugby shirt with giant black and navy stripes. I think I must have been quite fetching. But it stuck. I like my stripes better on pillows and rugs. But I do love me a striped dress now and again, and she looks pretty lady-like to me!

You? How do you use stripes?

(image garance dore, pillows Lisbet Fris, rugs Dash and Albert)

.summer, anyone?

Summer is heading straight for us, I can feel it.  These look like great places to keep my toes on the cool side.

You?

..don't scream...

You promised you would send Postcards from Colorado", I said in exasperation to La Marquise des anges."What kind of recipe swap is this??? When I was in Spain Daily a recipe made it your way, well,...daily. We have not eaten something good in a week!" "I am really sorry" replied the Marquise, clearly embarrassed.  " I am normally Write on Thyme. Even when I was in Paris gazing at the French Blue sky, I never kept a meal from you. But things have been a little kooky around here at Little Bird Vintage." Well, I understand kooky, but I was starving. And since I was hungry, my crabby mouth stepped up to the plate. "By the way, these Fanciful Designs you send are frustrating. We don't have pernoid de leche or truffle oil at the Piggly Wiggly. While the store is Mostly Mod, the manager is a droll girl named jae and I heard she spends most of her time playing roller derby for the L.A. Cookies. "The Marquise seemed surprised. "That is odd. When I asked about the selection in the store,  my defensive driving teacher Sara Says Awesome." Silly Marquise. "That is odd",I explained, " given Sara only bakes cupcakes and her main ingredient is alcohol. When she walks into the liquor store she says Please Sir, may I have twenty bottles of Bailey's, and, as you can imagine,  there are A Thousand Clapping Hands." Well, If The Lampshade Fits....

No....I have not hit the sauce on an early Monday morning! This is a new way of tagging people, and as a new blogger, I was tickled that I was tagged. It's a short story, and if you want to join, be my guest. If you find a reference that relates to you, consider yourself tagged-or not. You don't have to link to anyone, or go to anyone else's page. I was tagged by the lovely Joanna at The Fifty Factor. If I did not include you, it is because I saw that Joanna already has or I like you. Kidding. No, I DO like you, but you are not in my little story because I could not figure out how to make it any goofier! Ha! You play, too. I love games...

Have fun and Happy Monday!!!!

.springtime

Relax, kick your heels off, and enjoy this Spring weekend.

(image j. bowden)