Monthly Archives: September 2010

Etsy Pick of the Week: Dede Pillows

30 Thursday Sep 2010

Posted by in Accessories, Etsy Pick of the Week, pillows, textiles

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Cream Linen Circles pillow, Deanna, , felt, Hydrangea pillows, Owl pillow, Red and Aqua Disc pillow

There is something about this three dimensional Hydrangea Pillow by Etsy designer Deanna that caught my eye. I’m not sure if it’s my love for hydrangeas, being from coastal New England, or the color combination and texture of it. It’s likely all of these things combined.

There are thousands and thousands of pillows for sale on Etsy, but really only a small fraction of them stand out as truly interesting and well designed. The simplicity of this Cream Linen Circles Pillow makes it perfect for so many places. It’s a little shabby chic and just fun and girly without being too fussy.

This Red and Aqua Disc Pillow caught my eye because the color combination is so unexpected, but works so well together.

This Owl Pillow was just too cute not too share. It’s clearly perfect for a child’s room. As I mentioned, there are loads of pillows on Etsy, but it’s not always easy to sort through them. This shop has much more to offer and at amazingly inexpensive pricing, like under $35 inexpensive. Pillows are such an easy way to change the look of a room and at these prices, there is no excuse not to.

If you like this post, then you might like these:
Caitlin Wilson Textiles Brings Classic Style to Modern Times
Etsy Pick of the Week:  Recycled T-Shirt Pillows & Rugs
Laura Megroz Pillows and Rugs 

Popham Design Tiles

28 Tuesday Sep 2010

Posted by in Bath, Flooring, Kitchen

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Design Sponge, Fretwork tiles, Moroc, Popham Design, tile, Zig Zag tiles

One of my other favorite blogs, Design Sponge, came out with their list of their top 15 tile resources yesterday. And while I’ve fallen in love with many of them before, I was so excited to learn about Popham Design. This is my kind of tile! These graphic patterned tiles are available in multiple sizes and colors so that you can truly create your own unique look.

Here are just a few of my favorites. The Zig Zag tiles (top) can become a chevron pattern, diamond pattern and much more, and can even be done in multiple colors. A great way to create the permanent look of popular rugs in high traffic areas. I also love the Moroc tiles (above) for a more subdued but still graphic look.

And the more intricate Fretwork tiles can create a truly elaborately detailed look in bold or muted colors. I love these tiles for backsplashes, but they would also be really fun on the floor too. Check out their web site and play with the different layout and color options to find your favorites too.

If you like this post, then you might like these:
Modwalls Tile
Roseberry Winn Tile
Etsy Pick of the Week:  Nature’s Rigid Beauty

City Girl Farm Chickens

27 Monday Sep 2010

Posted by in Accessories, Furniture, Inspiration

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

City Girl Farm, footstools, New York International Gift Fair,

Hmmm, why would I post a picture of a bunch of chickens in a corn field? Because these chickens are in fact furniture! City Girl Farm makes these amazingly life like wool and bronze chicken footstools. They get filed under smile inducing objects because it is virtually impossible not to smile when you see these guys.

When I saw them at the New York Gift Show in August, it was also almost impossible not to touch them as they are upholstered in incredibly soft hand felted Kansas grown wool. They are sturdy with cast bronze feet and beaks, and are available in a variety of colors.

The “grass” rug is also available and would be incredibly amazing under foot when you step out of bed each morning. Each piece is hand made to order by sisters Emily and Sally Ebright. The only problem is that I’m not sure I would want to put my feet up on them as they are each an amazing piece of art.

If you like this post, then you might like these:
Shepherding the Goods (a.k.a. How I Find Cool Stuff)
Papier Mache Graduates from School Projects to Fab Decor
Upholstered Butaca for a More Traditional Look

Etsy Pick of the Week: Jeanette Zeis Pottery

24 Friday Sep 2010

Posted by in Accessories, Celebrations, Etsy Pick of the Week, Kitchen, Tabletop

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

berry bowl, cake stands, cakes, ceramic hanging basket sets, cupcakes, , Jeanette Zeis

I don’t have a sweet tooth, but I seem to have a thing for cake stands. Cakes and cupcakes just look so much better when on a pedestal, and when I saw the beautiful stands made by Jeanette Zeis on Etsy, I knew they had to be my Etsy Pick of the Week. I love that they come in sizes ranging from tiny to large, and I think her colors are amazing.

Her stands also have wonderful details ranging from scallop edges to lace inspired rims. And in addition to the standard Happy Birthday message, I think she’ll do custom messages as well which means this would make a great gift for weddings or even babies. We’re all so drawn to baby clothes as gifts, but why not give something that could be used every year on their birthday with a date or monogram.

I also wanted to share a few of her other pieces. I love this ceramic hanging basket set for fruits and veggies. I love having a big bowl of fruit on display, but my toddler thinks that means she can take a bite out of every apple and put it back, and I’m not a big fan of the mesh hanging baskets so this would be the perfect solution.

And this berry bowl is lovely. It’s so nice to be able to wash, store and serve fresh berries all from the same piece, and again the color is fabulous. If you need a gift or just want to bring your kitchen to a new level, Jeanette Zeis has pieces that are sure to please.

The Party Closet

23 Thursday Sep 2010

Posted by in Celebrations, D.I.Y., Holidays

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

Butler's pantry, Caterer's Dinnerware Sets, Christmas Tree Shops, flatware, napkins, party closet, , stemware, Table Clothes Factory, Taylor Rental

Everyone should have a party closet! A few years back (well maybe close to a decade ago) the close family friends I grew up with started getting married and having kids and the moms started throwing bridal and baby showers, and before we knew it my mom had a full on huge closet dedicated to all things parties. We joke about it, but really, it’s a truly fabulous thing to have. Now my mom, my aunts, my sister, our friends and so on all run to the party closet when we have an event coming up. The trick is not to have the fanciest pieces, but to have a matching set of dishes, glassware, flatware, napkins, etc. in large quantities. Plain white dishes are perfect because you can plan any event decor around them. My mom happened to get her 20+ plates at the Christmas Tree Shops, but I was thrilled to see that Pottery Barn is actually selling Caterer’s Dinnerware Sets. These come in sets of 12 and ideally you’ll want 24 or more, but I would suggest finding a friend that wants to do the same thing and agreeing you will share your sets for when either of you are hosting larger parties. It’s best to pick someone that will always be invited to your events to avoid needing them on the same night.

Pottery Barn also sells stemware sets and flatware sets for the same purpose. While it’s not always easy to find exact matches, we found that rental stores like Taylor Rental are a great source for pieces. They often have excess pieces or pieces that somehow landed in their hands after an event that don’t belong to them and they’ll sell them super cheap. Again, discount stores are great as are thrift stores, tag sales and anywhere else you can find bulk of like items at low prices.


While most people have a decent white tablecloth on hand, you can easily stock up on other colors or stock up on napkins, table runners in every color and more at the Table Clothes Factory. The items on this site are sooo inexpensive, it doesn’t even seem possible so grab two dozen napkins in a few of your favorite colors and throw in a few table runners and toppers to go with them. They have chair covers and sashes and other party supplies too.


Before you know it, you’ll be ready to host the most beautiful parties at only a moments notice and everyone will be wanting invites to dinner. So many of us are stretched so thin and the last thing we have time for is entertaining, but if you have everything at your fingertips, a huge amount of stress is taken away and we all need those nights with friends to rejuvenate ourselves. Plus, this makes the holidays a lot easier. A little effort goes a long way so go get yourself a party closet!

Trompe l’Oeil Wallpaper at Couture Deco

22 Wednesday Sep 2010

Posted by in Inspiration, wallpaper

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Couture Deco, Eric Carle, Kapyton Leather wallpaper, knit paper, Louis XV Old French Door wallpaper, trompe l'oeil, , wallpaper stencil

You would think that with all the wallpaper posts I’ve done that my house would be filled with it or would at least have a drop of it, but no, I still don’t have a single room in my house with wallpaper. I think I’m getting close to reaching my breaking point and we’ll be seeing it soon, although I have been contemplating a wallpaper stencil (never thought I would say stencil and my house in the same paragraph). Here is yet another group of wallpaper gems from Couture Deco. There is just something so fun about tromp l’oeil (trick the eye) wallpaper that will have all of your house guests talking. The Kapyton Leather wallpaper (above) even has the texture of leather even though it is made of paper.

With winter just around the corner, why not curl up in your cozy knit papered room.

I’ve always loved the idea of having a library filled with beautiful books, and while I love to read, with two little kids I’d be lying if I said the last book I read was anything but Brown Bear, Brown Bear. No offense to Eric Carle. I do love his books, but they aren’t exactly what I have in mind for my dream library that makes me look really intelligent. Anyhow, now anyone can have a beautiful, expensive looking library with the XIXe Century Biblioteque wallpaper. Of course, there won’t actually be any books in it.


And if you’ve always wanted beautiful hand carved French doors, you can have the look of those now too with the Louis XV Old French Door wallpaper. All of these papers install with regular wallpaper paste and are sure to be a conversation starter. There are many more great trompe l’oeil wallpapers are Couture Deco so be sure to check them out.

If you like this post, then you might like these:
Lotus Wallpaper is in Full Bloom at Farrow & Ball
Studio Ditte Wallpapers
Jill Malek Wallpaper

Catalog Living

17 Friday Sep 2010

Posted by in Bedroom, Inspiration

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

Catalog Living

“Gary Jr. was getting a little tired of his parents none-too-subtle digs at his recent bed-wetting phase.” -Catalog Living

There is no better time than a gray Friday afternoon to share a good laugh. I found the hysterical blog Catalog Living earlier in the summer, and must apologize for not sharing it earlier. The blog chronicles the so-called lives of the people who live in the pages of catalogs. Molly Erdman, a writer, actor and comedian based in L.A. came up with the blog and has named her catalog residents Gary and Elaine. Having worked on many catalog photo shoots, I can completely see where the stylists were starting out and then how they took their propping too far. If you are at work, be prepared that it will be almost impossible to not burst out in laughter and you may even laugh so hard that you cry.

Happy Friday!

Etsy Pick of the Week: Recycled T-Shirt Pillows & Rugs

16 Thursday Sep 2010

Posted by in Accessories, Eco-friendly, Etsy Pick of the Week, pillows, textiles

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , Recycled T-Shirt Pillows, recycled t-shirt rugs, rugs, Talking Squid, upcycled

I must admit that I am slightly torn about this item. On the one hand I find these Recycled T-Shirt Pillows very fun visually, and I think the designers at Talking Squid have a great eye for color like in the rug shown below. Plus, it’s not often you find a pillow in a sphere shape. On the other hand, the only info they give on the material is that it’s recycled t-shirts which does not sound like an appealing thing to put in my home. Based on the fact that they have so much of the same material, it is clear that these t-shirts have not been worn and they are probably either buying overstocks or just straight out remnant t-shirt material.

I really wish they provided a little more info on their Etsy page, but in the end I am a huge fan of re-using or finding new uses for materials and I think they add a splash of fun and color to a room. Plus, they’d make pillow fights more like dodgeball which sounds like fun!

If you like this post, then you might like these:
Etsy Pick of the Week:  Sweet Meas for Upcycled Vintage Finds
Etsy Pick of the Week:  Vintage Wallpaper Lampshades
Etsy Pick of the Week:  Trophy Bottle Stoppers

Every Girl Every Boy

14 Tuesday Sep 2010

Posted by in Accessories, Inspiration, Kids

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

This past weekend, I was reminded of just how different my two kids are from each other while catching a rare moment of snuggling with my daughter. My 4 year old son wants to be a fireman and a parachuter, but loves to set the table, help me cook and gives hugs and kisses followed by “I love you Mommy” all day long. My almost 18 month old daughter spends most of her time trying on shoes and making sure everyone else is also wearing theirs. But when not worrying about that, she is climbing stools to get on the counter, climbing ladders to the slide, or jumping from the ottomans to the couch. She has no fear, is happy to go off on her own at the park, the beach, etc. and I’m hard pressed to get a hug or a kiss out of her. Their differences aren’t gender specific, but I think people often like to explain “reasons” for differences by focusing on gender. A few years ago, when I walked into a new job, this poster was hanging in one of the office’s. It is used in a lot of classroom settings. My first thought when I read it was if I ever have a daughter (in addition to my son who was already born) I would hang this poster in between their rooms. I have the perfect spot where our hallway ends and to one side is my daughter’s room and the other side is my son’s room. There is a lovely sailboat print their now, but I think the message here is much more important than the beauty of anything else, and it makes the space more personal in a way and hopefully reminds them that everyone is unique and they don’t have to be like anyone else. Kids, and even adults, are under so much pressure these days that sometimes it’s nice to have a reminder that we should just be ourselves and accept others as they are too.

Serena and Lily’s New Fall Catalog

10 Friday Sep 2010

Posted by in Accessories, Furniture, Shops We Love

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

"The Coast Is Clear" art, Belgian Club Chair, Chakki Ottomans, green, Lucky Laquered Table, navy, pink, Senegalese Storage Baskets,

Belgian Club Chair
Serena & Lily’s Fall catalog is out and there are some truly fabulous pieces in it. I’ve been a fan of theirs for several years, and I just love that they keep expanding into home furnishings while continuing on with their bedding collections. Here are a few pieces from the fall catalog that I just can’t get enough of. I think the Belgian Club Chair could easily be used in any room of the house, but is probably the perfect bedroom chair. It’s not too large so it would be really great for a kids room too because it would carry them right through their teens and into adulthood.

Senegalese Storage Baskets
The Senegalese Storage Baskets might just be the perfect place to store those items you use every day, but don’t want to look at all the time. Think extra blankets, toys, etc. Suddenly storage is looking fun and interesting. Also available in pink and a navy/green combo.

Chakki Ottomans
I’m really loving the Chakki Ottomans which are available in both white and dark walnut. The details in the wood add interest and it’s nice to see a round ottoman instead of the rectangular ones we are so used to seeing. Great as a coffee table too!

Lucky Lacquered Table
We’ve talked about the Lucky Lacquered Table before, but now it is available in Black and White. Tres chic!

“The Coast Is Clear”
This “The Coast is Clear” wall art may not be new, but it was too fun not too include. I love the pink and orange combo. For boys, check out the “Save Our Ship” wall art which is equally as cool. If you haven’t checked out Serena & Lily in the past, be sure to add it to your must see list!