Back to Hermes

For many girls, it's the iconic Tiffany's "little blue box" and its whispered diamond promise that sets hearts fluttering. Without going all Blood Diamond on you - great movie, by the way -  let's just say this is the box that makes me a little light in the head.

I have collected Hermes scarves over the years, and I treasure each one because they all represent a special moment in my life. I wear them as belts, headbands, sarongs, and of course the classic wrap around the neck - a college boyfriend told me I looked like an airline stewardess but he dug it anyway. The recent Life Is A Tale campaign featuring stills from childhood fairy tale favorites is so dreamy.

So is the Hermes "Cheval Turc" silk scarf pillow at Vivre - a gorgeous website I enjoy visiting when I am in a Back to Absurd mood and like to believe I have a bank account bigger than Buffet's. Otherwise, Martha Stewart gives a decent lesson on how to transform your favorite scarf into a pillow here.

I also love the idea of framing a favorite scarf - below is an image from Martha Stewart:

In my old life I framed an Hermes scarf featuring the Tower of Babel in my living room because I am entranced by the story - the birth of language, the spirit of man's arrogance (which I applaud), and Babylon - the city of dreams and the song I love. It's something I no longer possess, but Back to A is believing that memory negates loss. Perhaps that's why I'm always taking pictures. Transience disarms me.

I fell in love with this lamp at Gracious Home - it's called the Robert Abbey Sabrina Lily table lamp and you can order it online here if you love it, too.

Then I went to Lexington Lampshade and bought two crystal finials for $20 - a lamp finial is critical and so often overlooked. I'm the girl who very often misses the big picture, but I could spend a lifetime in a detail.

As for the lampshade? Not Hermes, but at $60 just the makeover my table lamps needed to go from anonymous, pretty lamps at Gracious Home to personalized, Back to A lamps on my night tables.

Don't fret - I'm still all about the yellow - but a little splash of Hermes orange gives me a kick. A new lamp shade is an affordable and simple way to make a dramatic change to a room - I hope you are sitting before you go here because you might faint. I know I did when I saw those beauties - Lamps Plus in my opinion is hands down the best place online to get the coolest shades.

I know it's only a one bedroom rental I'm pimping out, but it's my personal Babylon. Life is indeed a tale.