Being an English major and all-around book lover, I have a lot of books. Even though I have (finally) jumped on the digital books bandwagon, I still cannot part with my old fashioned paper books. I like the way they look and I find them comforting.
However, when I got my new chair, I noticed just how much of a royal mess my book case was. It was a bad backdrop and dark corner of my apartment.
Awesome chair, total mess behind it.
I had run out of shelf space and was stacking things on the floor, I kept piles of magazines thinking I would want them someday (I didn't) and, perhaps worst of all, I had organized my books alphabetically and by genre. You can imagine what happened when I got a new book--the entire shelf had to be shifted.
So on my first day of summer break, I spent some time purging my book collection and storing some books that I still wanted but didn't need out on the shelves.
First I emptied all the shelves and sorted them into piles of "donate" "store" and "keep." With the keep pile, I stacked the books by similar height.
After doing this, I began putting them on the shelves, starting with the tallest and biggest books at the bottom. I also made sure they were all flush with the edge. It took a lot of fussing around.
While putting books on the shelves, I broke up the vertical arrangement of books with some horizontal stacks--keeping in mind what was below. You don't want each shelf to be identical, try to create a zig-zag so the eye moves around.
Finally, I accessorized with some items I had around the house--many of which had been sitting in corners looking for a home for 3 years...
The final result...
Much more visually pleasing and interesting
Vignette One: Vintage Anna Karenina books I wanted to feature and some small vintage glass jars. No idea what their original purpose was, but I am starting to put mini collections in them. One of them currently has a bunch of vintage keys
The top shelf--I actually ran out of books! But this gave me the perfect place to feature my favorite book in my collection: a 2nd edition Rebecca from 1941. I also have that beat up paper back from the 70s. I refuse to part with it! It was my mom's once and then she suggested I read it. I end up reading this book about once a year and that paperback version of Rebecca has been with me since high school. I also put some pretty votive with electric tea lights and a needlepoint vanity tray.
A glass bowl I've had for years that just sat in a corner and 2 decorative "carpet balls" I made out of vintage dictionary pages.
Vintage mason jars and dried lavender
Really neat collection of vintage wooden spools with pretty thread still on them.
Part of my collection of vintage prescription bottles. They're a weird thing to collect, but I just think they are so cool. I have a thing for tiny glass jars
Lace vanity tray, neat jars and vintage Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights
A much better background for the chair! Now what to do about that desk area....
So I've been very lazy about the blog this entire school year. But now summer is almost here and you can expect to see a lot more posts (for all 3 of you who are maybe reading this).
Today I am spending a Saturday in by myself because my body decided it would be a fabulous idea to come down with a cold two days before summer break starts. I'm watching random movies and saw that Step Up 3 was now on Netflix Instant. I enjoy the dancing... normally I can stomach the plot. I enjoy a little brainless entertainment every now and then. But OMFG (and that is one of the very few times I will use that acronym) this movie is ridiculous.
I may be 2 glasses of wine in (I know, I have a cold. bad idea. Whatever.) But I am still sitting here in such a state of WTF that I had to pause the movie 20 minutes in and express myself. I will now give you commentary as I witness more and more craziness. This may be a long post.
Firstly, I don't know why they even tried to set up a back story, because it just makes the whole thing even more asinine. So Moose (yeah, that's the only name he's given) is at Freshmen orientation at NYU when he suddenly becomes ensconced in a dance battle royale with the "House of Samurai" in the middle of Washington Square Park. Cause, ya know, NYC is just that bad ass.
So the 18 year old white boy becomes a force to be reckoned with and is immediately taken under the wings of an older man with a video camera who then takes him to his "secret practice area."
Totally Kosher.
Moose. You will be intimated by his glossy curls and freshly washed face
So Luke (AKA creepy older guy) sees some chica he has the hots for in his club downstairs (he owns it as a front for his little dance studio--did I mention he's creepy?) and proceeds to head downstairs to "court" her. This happens:
yeah.... Number one.. why in God's green earth is she wearing a cape?!
Number two: A video camera? Again? Is he trying to start some porn empire or introduce himself to a girl he finds interesting. Then again... she is wearing a cape. Luke is starting to remind me of someone...
Remember Ricky from American Beauty? The guy obsessed with plastic bags...
Meanwhile... Moose goes to the bathroom. The entrance of which is straight out of Tron. Can't find a picture of that, but trust me. But it's no mere trip to the lou for Moose--because "nobody battles the samurai just once"
So that guy is trying real hard to be intimidating. But those speakers on his pecs kinda sorta look like boobs. Just saying...
So Luke takes his lady friend upstairs to his place (there's a "damsel in distress" situation) and he, I kid you not, makes her sleep in a tent. A tent. They're in NYC not the &$@!#$ Adirondacks.
Next, The Santiago Twins (who are totally straight) show off their wall of shoes and Moose is like "F my engineering degree! Let's Dance!"
I leave you with this clip and say no more. (except this)
The Santiago Twins are the ones in matching long johns with easy access front flaps. Totally straight.
Don't know how much more of this I will watch. If Mystery Science Theatre 3000 were still around (and if this were a SciFi film) this would totally be featured.
