Blog Archives
Hitting the Links (9/9/09)
“New York City” by Shawn Rocco from Cellular Obscura
Baby’s got background. I heart this house-themed desktop wallpaper-slash-calendar from Lena Corwin.
Garden Pretty. If I had a deck or a porch or even a sunny enough spot in my living room, I’d consider splurging on this planter I found by way of Cool Hunting. It reminds me of those old-fashioned multi-neck vases meant for tulips.
Map Quest? So you’ve probably figured out by now that I have a heart-on for anything travel-related, especially if it’s also vintage and/or handmade (or at least handmade-looking). These gorgeous maps from A La Carte certainly fit the bill, and—bonus points—you can even order customized versions marking your favorite spots. I’m jonesing to get the DC one ASAP and the Paris one as soon as it’s out in December. (And yes, that was a giant hint as to what you can get me for Christmas and/or my birthday and/or just because.)
Lickety split. Let’s face it. You can never have too many recipes for a good, tummy-tempting, split pea soup. This one’s by way of All the Best: A Passport to Stylish Living. Let me know if anyone tries this one out before I do. (And don’t be scared by the mention of the pressure cooker; a few lines down the recipe assures us that we can also use a regular pot. Just plan on it taking a little while longer for the peas to soften. And by the by, does anyone still use pressure cookers? Hmmm, might have to steal my mom’s.)
You had me at “Come in.” Another ooh-worthy moment from All the Best (thanks Ronda!) Check out this house tour courtesy of Eric Kohler design. I particularly love the stairwell-as-gallery—an idea I encourage you to steal immediately if you’ve more than one floor to your abode. I’m also in love with the various tablescapes, which encourage you to spend some time taking a good look at the various treasures.
Book’em Danno. So I never met a coffee table that I didn’t want to adorn with a coffee table book or five. On my wish list is photographer Shawn Rocco’s new book cellular obscura (also the name of Shawn’s blog). What’s utterly, absolutely, impossibly cool about this volume is that he’s taken all of these amazing photos with various CELL PHONE CAMERAS! Don’t believe me? Check out the neck-craning view of the Empire State Building above. Despite being shot using digital technology, I love how Shawn’s photos display all the moodiness of film. (Yes, you can get me this for my birthday if you’ve already gotten me an A La Carte map for Christmas.)
I’m still catching up with my Google reader, so more “Hitting the Links” or “Favorite Things” or whatever I decide to call this post tomorrow. . .perhaps . . . .
Hitting the Links (9/25/09)
Golf cupcake tier by clever cupcakes from Flickr
First, I apologize to anyone who thought I was actually making a golf reference and is now dismayed to find out that it’s just little old me working some puns to entice you into my little old shelter blog. (And come on people–me talking about golf? Have you met me?)
Instead good folks, today’s blog will be a hurlyburly hodgepodge of the groovy tips and treasures that take my fancy as I take my daily passeggiata through cyberspace. Enjoy!
First up, by way of Design*Sponge, check out this gorgeous stationery from oh joy. Yes, yes, I know e-mail is quicker, but really, I can’t be the only one that appreciates having something show up in my mailbox besides my American Express Bill, can I? And with folders this pretty, I might actually file my receipts rather than just making a big pile of them in my closet to file “some day.”
Again from Design*Sponge, a round-up of reasonably priced hardware. Updating drawer pulls or hanging a few decorative hooks to corral coats and such is the easy-peasiest of upscales. It’s especially handy if you’re a renter like me who wants the design pick-me-up without the permanence. Upgrading the hardware is also a perfect way to put the “It” as in “I want it, need it, gotta have it” into your IKEA finds. (Hint: Anthropologie often has swoon-worthy hardware at thrifty prices on its sale page!)
Today’s house tour from Apartment Therapy makes we wonder why the heck I left Chicago, especially the gorgeous view of downtown from the ubiquitous Chicagoland porch. What I really love about this post are these priceless words to live by from Sarah & Steve. “We’re finally at the point where we love pretty much everything we have. . . Since we started buying less and spending more time waiting for the right piece, our home has improved.” I also heart the list of sources at the end of the article, which prove that IKEA, craigslist, and haute hand-me-downs can be a designing diva’s best friends. By the by, my fellow leasees, note that this cool pad is a rental, which means that “But my landlord won’t let me . . . ” is no excuse for not dishing design in your (temporary) digs.
Speaking of IKEA, I kinda fell a little in love with this headboard this past Saturday. (There were a couple of others, but the images don’t seem to be available online.) Now if I can only figure out how to sell my current bed—which was a present from my mom and sis—without having said mom and sis disown me, or worse, stop giving me their clothing/accessories/chick lit castoffs.
Lena Corwin is one of my favorite bloggers. I really love the visual lushness of her blogs and the spareness of text. (Which is kinda weird since I’m a writer, right?) And yes, I have blatantly copied Lena’s style for many of my own posts. BTW, she and fellow artist Maria do lots of lovely partnerships–like their new Plants journal–which they sell on their even lovelier Web site Lines & Shapes. I’m thinking the Lena-designed travel poster will be winging its way to some folks for Christmas this year . . .
I have a glue gun. I have tons of fabric. Now I can have a groovy magnetic knife rack thanks to this DIY to-do from The Farm Chicks. So who’s giving me a ride to IKEA? I’ll treat for the cinnamon buns!
Full disclosure: I did not just “happen” to run across this next—and final—link in my “daily passeggiata through cyberspace.” I sought it out. For you. So you wouldn’t worry that my obsession with/stalking of 20×200.com had abated. So here’s “Hot Dog and I” by Fernanda Cohen, which I’d really like to get because it reminds me of Ignatius J. Reilly and a particularly amusing section of John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces, but I’m not sure if good Christian girls should have pictures of naked men eating hot dogs on their walls . . .Sigh . . . .