oh no…i’m having another of those elle decor = tiger beat  episodes…of all my beloved shelter magazines, why is it that this particular one sends me into squeals beside the mailbox?  in december’s issue, they feature an idol in my personal design pantheon, john derian, who lists among the “12 things he can’t live without” a hole is to dig,  the great children’s book…one of my all-time favorite books, too, and a treasured gift from long ago.  (“mashed potatoes are to give everybody enough”, “dishes are to do”, “the sun is so it can be a great day”)…some exciting finishes also in this issue: on page 70, a gorgeous gold-leafed ceiling in an entry hall with handpainted wallpaper, and on page 120, knockout painted stripes on a bathroom wall. 

     mr. derian                      a darling book