Writing about style, design and all things that catch my eye!

Perfectly imperfect and casually luxe; these are a few of my favorite things.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

The past morphs to the now.

Tying it all together with my own definitions for: 
gingham + gold + alchemy

gingham |ˈgi ng əm| noun

The concept of this word simply references a tried and true classic fabric that originated in the 17th century, possibly from the Netherlands, or Italy, or Indonesia-- the Malay word ging-gang means striped. The original fabric was imported to Manchester England where factories began producing it in a checked or plaid pattern. Eventually, it was exported to America. I like the idea of gingham's accessibility, and its continued ability to charm us.


ORIGIN early 17th cent.from Dutch gingang, from Malay genggang(originally an adjective meaning striped’ ).

Toast 2011 Catalogue, Corynne Scarf

gold |gōld| noun


The metal gold speaks for itself with its naturally appealing shape, that once melted, gets turned into nearly anything that we want it to be. Gold has a long history as a highly sought after precious metal that has been used for coins, art, jewelry, architecture, decor, and even as gold leaf on food (entirely safe to eat, but why?). If you ask me, leave it off my chocolateI'd rather wear a gold necklace or a big cuff bracelet.

ORIGIN Old English , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch goud and GermanGold, from an Indo-European root shared by yellow .





alchemy |ˈalkəmē| noun

Alchemy, in it’s most commonly known form, is the ancient pursuit of turning base metals into gold. Over time, it became much more than that though. Spanning more than 2,500 years (around the world) it’s been known as such things as: a philosophy, a spiritual path, a base to modern inorganic chemistry... with a continued part in art & literature. For me, it's about mixing luxe items with more accessible goods to make the world a more visually appealing place for all. I guess I'm a scientist after all. In theory!

ORIGIN late Middle English via Old French and medieval Latin from Arabicalkīmiyā ', from al ‘the’ kīmiyā ' (from Greek khēmia, khēmeia ‘art of transmuting metals’ ).

Ancient Alchemists in a hazy lab (artist unknown) 

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