What I’m Reading: Vol. 125.

January 16, 2024

What I'm reading. A beautiful library, photo by Valdemaras D. on Unsplash

Hello darlings,

Happy new year!! Is it still okay to say that on January 16th? I’m going to say yes, because the year still feels all fresh and new.

January can be a rough month for me: the sky is dark, the weather is cold, and I’m still worn out from holidaying through the end of 2023. But we just had the fireplace in our new house repaired, so I’ve been spending a lot of time curled up in a fuzzy blanket in front of a warm fire, reading great books. It’s lovely.

The sun will return eventually and then there will be fun things to do, but for now I’m leaning into the hibernation vibes and taking lots of time to rest and recharge.

How is 2024 treating you so far?

xoxo,
Becky

What I’m reading

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros.

I read this entire book yesterday from start to finish. Not only is it exactly my type of book – fantasy romance with dragons and a strong woman protagonist – the author has the same rare genetic connective tissue disorder as me (hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) and so does Forth Wing’s main character.

The world definitely feels like a modern reimagining of iconic fantasy classic The Dragonriders of Pern but with fewer sexual consent issues and less domestic violence (no shaking of women). There’s adventure, intrigue, and awesome dragons who each bond to a rider and have the ability to communicate with that rider mind-to-mind.

I was honestly shaken by how much it meant to me to read a book about a character whose body works the same way mine does. Apparently that’s something that I was craving so deeply that I wasn’t even consciously aware of it. I’m definitely looking forward to book two.

Fair warning: this book sounds like YA, but the sex scenes are a little more on-page action than I associate with YA. There are only a couple of them, but the spice level puts on the same shelf as ACOTAR rather than The Hunger Games.

Want to see more fiction I’m loving? Click here.

Internets

Amateur Treasure Hunter Discovers Trove of Sixth-Century Gold Jewelry: Found in Denmark, most of the 22 objects are bracteates, or medallions inscribed with mystical symbols.

Anatomical Sculptures Made of Crystals Explore Themes of Love and Loss.

The Story Of The Dress From My Date With The President’s Daughter. Did anyone else LOVE this movie and know the exact dress?? Well, it has been DISCOVERED in a THRIFT STORE. The exact dress.

An Antique Dress Held a Secret: A Coded Message From 1888: For nearly a decade, sleuths had tried to decode a cryptic note discovered in the silk bustle dress. An analyst finally cracked the case.

Not Even the Rich Can Buy Fancy Watches. If you’re in the market for a $25,000 Rolex, you better know a guy. And you better have $50,000.

Nerding Out at New York’s Antiquarian Book Fair: The fair showcases thousands upon thousands of books, ephemera, and historic works on paper.

An Ode to the Patron Saint of French Art Nouveau.

Haunted Houses Have Nothing on Lighthouses. From drowning to murders to the mental toll of isolation, these stoic towers carry a full share of tragedy.

Booktails from the Potions Library, with Mixologist Lindsay Merbaum

Book images via UnSplash. This post contains affiliate links.

Chillin’ like a Harwell Godfrey snail.

December 28, 2023

Hello my darlings,

It’s the absolute tail end of the year, and I’m spending a lot of time moving slowly and cocooning myself in blankets. That’s all my body wants to do when the temperature drops and the world is filled with shallow gray winter light.

What’s the best role model for this kind of slow-moving behavior? Why, it’s a spectacularly bejeweled Harwell Godfrey snail, of course.

This Harwell Godfrey snail brooch features rainbow sapphires and diamonds with a pink sapphire heart for an eye.

This glorious gastropod, this marvelous mollusca is formed of lush 18K yellow gold set. Its shell is a rich tapestry of multicolored sapphires, while its body is studded with sparkling diamonds and its single visible eye is a vibrant heart-shaped pink sapphire.

Be like the Harwell Godfrey snail and take a minute to slow down – we all deserve a little rest and reset before 2024 kicks off.

Please take care of yourselves, my darlings. I’ll see you next year!

xoxo,
Becky

Image c/o Harwell Godfrey.

Seal & Scribe Love Letters collection captures the romance of wax seals.

December 12, 2023

I’ve been looking forward to sharing today’s post with you since last year, when Shari of Seal & Scribe called me to tell me she was creating this new collection with antique seals and would my readers be interested in hearing about it? Now it’s here and I can’t wait to show you!

This antique wax seal ring from Seal & Scribe features a romantic red seal with a heart that says 'He is there for you.'

Seal & Scribe Love Letters collection captures the romance of wax seals.

First things first: what’s a wax seal? Before modern adhesives, letters were sealed with wax. For special missives, letter writers could add another layer of meaning by pressing a seal into the molten wax before it hardened so that it would leave an impression: a reverse image of any symbols or words engraved on the seal’s surface. This could be a coat of arms, a monogram or – the most fun – images or saying that communicated something about the letter writer’s feelings for the recipient.

People would wait weeks to hear from their loved ones, and when word arrived through the mail, the first thing they would see would be whatever tiny, precisely carved message had been pressed into the missive’s wax seal.

Seal & Scribe’s Love Letters collection preserves these carefully carved antique wax seals by setting each seal in a luxurious, one-of-a-kind ring designed to complement that specific seal and its meaning.

The blue seal is set in 18K rose gold with a Yin-Yang style diamond halo. This wax seal has no words, just symbols: the two birds joined by a ribbon with a knot in the center is associated with the saying “the higher, the tighter” which means that if you give a loved one the freedom to soar and achieve their dreams, it will only bring you closer together.

I’ll give us all a minute to stop swooning, because that’s so romantic I can hardly stand it.

Each ring from Seal & Scribe's Love Letters collection is designed around the romantic symbolism of an antique glass seal.

There’s a lot of things I love about these rings, but I think my favorite is the many layers of meaning. Anyone can give their loved one a ring, even a beautiful ring – but how many can say that their ring features a specific sentiment carved in words and symbols into an artifact that has been used to send messages of love for more than 100 years?

The Love Letters rings could work for any number of occasions, but the history of love that they carry means that they’re utterly perfect as a romantic gift: whether it’s for an anniversary, special occasion, a symbol of self-love, a treasured friend’s birthday, or even as an engagement ring.

Every one-of-a-kind ring in Seal & Scribe's Love Letters collection is designed around and features an antique glass seal.

A few more seals and meanings for you!

Left features a purple seal that shows a sunflower leaning towards the sun, with the words “So I To Thee.” For the person you turn to as if they were life-giving light and you were a flower. (Pardon me while I fan myself.) This setting features a Greek-column inspired 14K white gold setting with diamonds.

On the right is a green glass seal showing Cupid with a wheelbarrow full of hearts and the French word “Choisissez,” for “Choose love.” This beauty (a personal fave of mine) is set in 18K rose gold with rose cut diamonds in Georgian-style settings.

Here on the left, we have the most colorful piece in Seal & Scribe’s Love Letters collection: a pale blue wax seal with the engraving of a delicate butterfly alighting gently on a heart, with the motto “Tu Me Fixe,” which is old French translating to “You are becoming my only love.” The seal is set in 18K yellow gold with red ruby pavé in a gradient of hues from pale to vibrant pink.

On the left, we have a yellow seal that shoes Cupid with a winnowing basket that has tiny hearts falling through it with the words “Je cherche le plus fidèlle” or “I’m looking for the most faithful.” This wax seal is set in 18K yellows gold with a gorgeous triple arrow shank that features sterling silver and diamond accents.

Every ring from Seal & Scribe's Love Letters collection is designed around the meaningful symbolism of an antique glass seal.

As a major book nerd with extreme affection for the written word, I just adore this collection. It’s perfect for poets, readers, writers – anyone who appreciates the magic that words can weave and wants to use that power to commemorate their truest love, whether that’s for a friend, a family member, a romantic partner, or even themselves.

What do you think of Seal & Scribe’s Love Letters collection, my darlings? Does it call to you? Which of the antique seals is your favorite?

You can find the Love Letters on Seal & Scribe’s website here or their Instagram here. Don’t forget that every Seal & Scribe Love Letters ring is one of a kind, so if one of these is speaking to you, don’t wait to snap it up!