It's been a productive day.

This is what I'm wearing to my imaginary NYE party 2011. It's going to be one hell of a time.

(Oscar de la Renta pre-fall 2011)

Anyone want to get this for me for Christmas?

(click the picture for the link, to buy, for me :)

I hate White Elephant Gift exchanges. Dirty Santa. "Gag" gifts. Whatever you want to call them.

Unfortunately for me, my work has one every year, and there's no way to get out of it. What is the point of these gift exchanges? For someone like me, who doesn't keep junk around her house, there's nothing to get rid of. These exchanges usually result in me getting more junk and someone else going home with my Mary Poppins book (I'm still sad that I gave that one away....)

They're awkward too--what do you do when you open up a lovely box and inside is a heated rock for your nonexistent lizard? Laugh? Roll your eyes? Thank the giver? Get competitive and try to pawn it off on the next person?

I wish I could think of a good alternative.

So French women don't get fat, and now Dutch women don't get depressed. What about American women?

"The ideal American woman doesn't just putter around in the kitchen or dabble in knitting. She opens a cake shop and knits scarves for fashion shows. She appears on Oprah. She follows her dreams."

A quick mental run-through brings me to conclude that I have always considered my own hobbies or skills as potential business situations,* even though I've never acted on these thoughts (it's really just a matter of time). Is this a result of my American upbringing? Is the entrepreneurial spirit born into every American?

*upon closer scrutiny, I think most of the entrepreneurial spirit comes from a desire to get out of the rat race, no? That would bring this little conversation full-circle. And now you know how my mind works. Lucky you! It gets pretty convoluted in there sometimes :)

Home libraries, throw pillows, and natural light. Oh and slanted ceilings. What more does a person need? This room is perfect.

photography by morten holtum

Q

This book is just ... well, it's so "kate." Over the years, you've worked with a number of designers. How do you keep the brand voice so clear, consistent, and authentic?

A

This book is a perfect example of how we work - we always go back to the things we love as a foundation and continue to reinterpret and modernize them.

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