investigating gold and green around the house and on the internet
Hi friends,
2025 continues to MARCH forward, but at least spring is beginning to peak it’s head out. Whether that means the weather is getting nicer or that you are breaking up with your situationship to go be free outside again, I find myself here in my thirties, sitting on the back porch, trying to get the neighborhood cat to stop harassing my baby cat. Internally, I’m doing every mental gymnastic I know to quell the anxiety of waiting for an employer to call me back. I’ve had time to think and I’ve come to realize that I’ve spent the last ten years feeling my feelings out loud, and though my resume is cool, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to an employer looking for consistency. I’ve done a lot of creative gig work, tried a bunch of different staff positions in different industries, moved cities three times, and learned a lot about humans and our limits, I suppose. “Excuse me, but what does all this mean exactly?” I’ve confused myself a little, honestly.
So what did I do consistently in the last ten years since I graduated college? Speak in public spaces about my feelings through all the adventures, I suppose. Bark bark! And because those feelings have been so meticulously analyzed and expressed, I know myself very well (you’ve heard me brag about this before). It’s something I’m really proud of! It’s a calming perspective, to know how you operate and still like yourself. Sorry, I can’t hear your retort over all these well established boundaries (double brag). But alas, being in tune with your feelings doesn’t make our American capitalistic society run, so this is why I find myself confident, but broke and thirty.
Nonetheless, we persist in an effort to get the money (blame my hungry body), and if my perfectly eloquated feelings aren’t getting me the business deals, it would seem logical to stop thinking about my internal life and start shouting constant vitriol at the top of my lungs to become synonymous with the lowest common denominator. Then I’ll get noticed and win big, right? Well, while I do respect the simplicity and power of the lowest common denominator [meaning the most basic or least sophisticated level of thinking or behavior – a person’s emotional reaction to something, like lust or fear, for example], I’m not in the business of scary movies (yay) or politics (nay). I’m in the business of… housewares? [Candle and website are getting a facelift, stay tuned!!] And it appears the housewares business is less about my personal adventures and feelings (WHINE, FINE) and more about product design and marketing. Lucky for me, it turns out that’s also a game I enjoy!
But we aren’t here to talk about the cash (unless you want to sign-up to be a paid subscriber: I am pushing the pedal to the metal on this blog here in tandem with the product development, and would love the actionable support if you can handle it!)
We are here once again to talk about design! New to scrolling through the substack app, I’ve been finding it to be very inspiring and educational. So much great visual art! So today, I’m bringing you an investigation into two colors, a pairing I find supremely elegant: green and gold. The inspiration comes from the writer Taylor Deaux, who’s blog is very informative and the graphic design is flawless. She’s doing daily posts called “good pairings,” that are aesthetically pleasing combos of textures, colors, visual ~vibes~ and they rock. So I’m copying her idea for this post, thank you Taylor!!
Let’s get into it.
The choice of colors was originally selected based on these two perfume bottles. GREEN AND GOLD. Got them from my grandmother. The gold paint on the vibrant green is so delicate and the flower-like shadow from the gold bottle make me fond of this pairing. I kind of understand why we don’t really use perfume bottles anymore, because what a pain to move your scented liquid from one container into another when perfume comes in such cool containers already these days (plus then you have to remember which is which, and there’s no spray mechanism). But I’m tempted because this stately floral green container would compliment my Tommy Girl perfume perfectly with it’s bright fresh scent, and Maison Margiela’s Replica Jazz Club in this gold Murano glass?? I feel beyond bougie just thinking about it. ⇣

Another combo found in our 3810 home, I’m just obsessed with the contrasting shapes and the colors that evoke early spring! ⇣

If anyone is going to an Eyes Wide Shut party soon (I’d advise against it), or simply a fun a Cinderella story type masquerade ball – this italian place has these beautiful Venetian masks. In a sense, green and gold are both colors found in nature, but in another sense they both reference a high cash value. ⇣


I’m always talking about Italians and their goods. Maybe I study there.

I’m always in need of new sneakers and these are the vibe. They are mint green and I’m mynt-TI. Stop asking dumb questions, Janine.

I found this gorgeous saree just by typing “mint green and gold” into google images, which mostly brings up wedding mood boards. While the options were saturated by mint ice-cream colored chiffon, I found this gown to be the most inviting to the eye. No foreseeable Indian weddings for this whitey coming up, so I, with sadness and respect, look from the outside in (cries in ancestral regret). Nonetheless, I wanted to comment on how the green and gold in this saree are so well balanced with one another, especially with the pops of darker green underneath and in the trim to make it feel more grounded and serious. Maybe one of you readers have an appropriate event coming up!

I’m gonna leave you with this Robert Frost poem, because I love a rhyme and elegantly grieving our fleeting youth.

That’s it for now. Bisous and talk soon,
Carson