{ the jaunty magpie }

So, color me obsessed, I know -- if there's any nationally-known store I'd spend my paycheck on, Anthropologie would be it. Well, either that or Target. But the way Anthropologie presents itself, you'd think they all lived in some magical, imaginary land, full of inspiration and ideas, and everyone knows how to crochet lace and mix a perfect gimlet. So what if in reality, it's a total cubicle hell like the rest of retail corporate America -- I can live in my dream, can't I?

Where I'd really like to live is Anthro's latest catalog. I'm such a print hound -- I'll save catalogs from favorite stores and keep them for years, and this 09 November one is a keeper. Dr. Zhivago dreamlike salons filled with snow, hand-cut paper silhouettes made from book pages, overcast misty country hills whisked from a Bronte novel... who wouldn't keep this to moon over? If you want to take a look at it online, do give it a peek here.

Wanting another dose of inspiration? Their microsite, The Anthropologist, features several artists of written word and image, creating visual, intellectual mood boards that features objects of inspiration. Director Jane Campion is personal favorite, and her collection is comprised of things that made her go "hmm" while she was making the film, Bright Star, chronicling the affair between poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne. As our fickle autumn days ebb into the lull of winter's dearth, it's all the more important to keep the candle of inspiration alight.