I recently took a trip to Kinokuniya for some Japanese crochet books, but as always, I left the bookstore with more than I’d planned. I think anyone interested in art, design, or fashion should go to Kinokuniya, and especially if you’re into Japanese art, design, or fashion. There are so many incredible books here that you won’t find anywhere else.

I came across this book, Apartements d’amoureux a Paris while browsing around and couldn’t resist its charms. This seems to be part of series of books. There were also books called “Stockholm Love Apartments,” “Paris Ateliers,” etc. I wanted all of them, but forced myself to choose just one. I liked the Ateliers books because I love looking at creative workspaces and studios, but these pictures of Parisian love nests were especially gorgeous and happy-making, and include some home work spaces. The Stockholm series was great too, but a little more sleek and Scandinavian. I like the messy jumbles here.

Also, I like to see that some girls have as many shoes as I do:

Honestly, some of the most adorable couples ever.

This is me in my giant new closet, in which my clothes will no longer have to fight for space with fabric and patterns.

In other news, I am going to see Siouxsie Sioux tonight!

* East Bay is pig latin for Beast. fyi.

I just bought this beautiful giclee print from Karen Klassen, an illustrator I greatly admire.

Karen’s etsy shop has some pretty cool home accessories as well.

I decided to say goodbye to summer and start getting organized. Summer clothes just end up taking up room in the closet all winter, so I pulled out all my summery things to store away in the garage. Come next spring, it’ll be like having new clothes again.

I also started organizing my craft stuff, since my sewing box (which really just a huge tangle of thread and bobbins and pins) broke last week. I ordered this ArtBin thread box and this small but efficient craft storage stacker.

Last, I had to do something with all my ribbons, trim, and bias tape. I originally began sorting it into mason jars by color, until I realized I had this big apothecary jar leftover from the wedding.

It feels so nice to have everything in its proper place. I’m sure it will only encourage me to do more sewing.

When I came back to the trip, I had to work out some hardcore nesting instincts. So we took a trip to the farmer’s market and bought bags of beautiful stone fruit, which I cooked into some tasty preserves that should last us through winter: pluot with vanilla and black pepper, nectarine with port, gingered peach, and peach with coconut.

Poor Kenn has been dealing with a cold since we came back, so I made up some whole grain lemon scones and tea to have with the preserves. It is now finally autumn in my mind.

I’m back! I hope you enjoyed some of my old project posts while I was gone.

The wedding went better than I could have ever hoped. It was absolutely lovely, filled with so many of the people I care about. I can’t wait to get the photos back so I can inundate everyone.

Italy was gorgeous, particularly Capri. It was magical, and I mean that in a very real way. All my life, I’ve had such a fascination with the Mediterranean, and to actually swim in that historic blue blue blue sea was just incredible.

People seem to act as if I should be depressed coming home from such a place, but that isn’t the case at all. Despite being dead tired, I was absolutely blissful after we returned. I suppose traveling always gives you this fresh perspective on your life and priorities, but this time in particular, I just felt so incredibly relaxed and blessed and had this giant surge of creative energy. There’s so much I want to do and accomplish now, and everything feels so ripe with possibility. Not to mention how lucky I feel to have such incredible friends and family.

We took many many photos! Take a look:

More photos from Naples

More photos from Pompeii

More photos from Capri

More photos from Sorrento

More photos from Amalfi

More photos from Atrani

On Sunday, we rode our bikes to the new Flora Grubb Gardens location. What a gorgeous nursery. I was clutching my heart, pining for an actual house with an actual yard. Or at least a porch that gets a bit of sun. Anything.

San Francisco, why do you taunt me with your stylish nurseries and completely insane housing prices?

Ritual Roasters has a little outpost here. We took our coffee and pumpkin bread into the garden. A perfect way to relax on a sunny sunday.