room to grow

One of my dear friends (and devoted customers) is remodeling her daughter's bedroom. Our few conversations today about the new room inspired me to do a little web surfing.  Because I clearly need a reason to sit on the computer.

I stumbled upon the inspiring images above at Cookie Magazine online.  See, I love a kids bedroom that can be whimsical, yet sophisticated.  Cozy, yet uncluttered.  Eclectic, yet modern.  A room that exudes the personality of the child yet remains welcoming to everyone else.

Someday I'll get around to photographing my own kids rooms for you.  But until that time...I hope you enjoy (and maybe even get a little inspired by) these!

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nesting

Ooooh.

Aaaah.

Loving this new bright bedroom from Serena & Lily.

The floral nesting tables are absolutely perfect.  Truly.  They couldn't be more perfect.  Unless of course they were photographed from my home rather than their studio.   

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everything's coming up ponies

We've been busy making and listing ponies today!
Which are your favorite?

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just another rainy tuesday

Apologies for my sudden disappearance.  Been feeling a little under the weather the past week.  Been feeling a little soggy here in Northern California this past week too.  But I saw the sun today...and I'm feeling a wee bit better too.  Hope to be back playing with you soon.  In the mean time, enjoy these sweet Etsy goodies.  And don't forget to smile in the rain.  Love that one.

1.buttons 2.charm necklace 3.girl print 4.smile print 5.paperweight 6.t-shirt 7.change purse 8.earrings 9.soap

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sweet tooth

Oh yeah, it's valentines day over at the decorated cookie.  I hang out there whenever I'm craving something sweet and lovely.  What I really enjoy about her designs is that they are totally doable.  Fantastic and bound to get ooohs and aaahs from their recipients yes, but not daunting to an inexperienced chef at all.  Well, maybe just a little bit.  I'm only wishing I could peel that licorice off that cookie right about now...

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we {heart} crayons

Ever wonder what to do with your old broken crayons?  You know, the little pieces that your kids artfully peel the paper off?  We say bake 'em.  Really! And we promise, it's the quicker and easier than you imagine.

Just break up the crayons and toss them in a muffin pan (or better yet, have your kids do that part if they haven't already).  I've used both silicon & metal baking pans.  They both work just fine.  Use any shape pan, we chose a heart pan for valentines day.  You can either mix up the colors for a tie-dye effect or keep them in the same color range for a cleaner look. 

Pop them into a 250 degree preheated oven for 10-15 minutes depending on the depth of the pan.  Put a cookie sheet underneath to help in retrieving them later.

Be careful taking them out of the oven as the wax is liquid and runs over the sides pretty easily.  It also cools pretty quickly.  Wait about 20 minutes, flip the pan upside down and you are good to go.

These make fabulous valentines for your preschool age kids...just be sure to remind them that they are not edible!

Come see our article in the Spring modern handmade child issue launching February 1st for this and more homemade valentine ideas!

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dream

Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream.  And today we give thanks, not only because he was a dreamer, but because he aspired to make all his dreams come true.

This dainty blooms print is courtesy of zuzu girl handmade... where we love to dream.   What's your dream?

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child's play

I've got valentine's day on the mind. Yup, in January. I've also got 1000 Markets on the mind. If you shop Etsy but you haven't visited 1000 Markets you really should give it a whirl. It's a smaller market place but the layout is lovely. You can shop by keyword or by "market". All of the valentine inspired items above are part of the Child's Play Market to which I belong.  I've even supplied all the lovely little shop names & their links for you here...

1.lalas pequenos 2.the enchanted cupboard 3.made by jackie 4.bug and boo designs 5.lil peeper keeper 6.by nanas hands 7.strawberry luna 8.pretty dreamer 9.birch leaf designs 10.jennifer dennis potter 11.zuzu girl 12.the yarn chick 13.boise beanie company 14.daisy blu 15.auntie jill 16.the crochet nanny

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very vintage friday

Tonight we are thankful for the warm roof over our heads and our tummies full of yummy pizza.  Our thoughts are with those in Haiti and around the world that are not quite as fortunate as we are right now.  May your weekend be full of lovely experiences with those you hold dear and may you create memories to last a lifetime. Oh, and we like this old memorable stuff...

1.miniature bowling pins 2.clock 3.cherry blossom urn 4.floral melamine platter 5.kissing collage 6.catherineholm enamel pot 7.balance scale 8.street sign

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cleaning up my act

Anthropologie does it again.  Below is their product description; because I just couldn't say it any better myself.  But the question remains... which flavor should I buy first?

These moisturizing, handmade soaps are wrapped in softly spun, naturally anti-fungal wool to create an exfoliating, fragrantly lathering, long-lasting bathtime gizmo. When the soap dissolves, reuse the pouf by making a small slit and slipping your own bar inside.
* Key ingredients: olive, palm and coconut oils, purified water, essential oil
* 4.5 oz 
* Handmade in USA
Amber: warm and exotic, with a coppery patina thanks to genuine, hand-grated amber
Lavender Mint: classic lavender with a hint of wintry peppermint
Verbena: crisp and uplifting, with a citrus tang
Lavender: relaxing and calming lavender
$14.00 

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i {heart} new york

I love California. I can't imagine I'll ever leave. But I definitely have occasional New York withdrawal. Enter exhibit #1. Moomah. 

Moomah is an indoor retreat for kids and their parents with a decor inspired by the simplicity and warmth in nature, activities that are low key and creatively driven, and food that the entire family can enjoy.  How fabulous is this concept and exactly why doesn't the Bay Area have a "Moomah" yet?

Headers on the about page of their website include "connect", "discover" and "nourish".  I like these words and I would like to visit this little oasis. So someone either needs to deliver our family to Tribeca stat or they need to bring it to us.  While it's still cold and rainy out.  Please.  And thank you.





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whitney smith pottery

Meet Whitney Smith. Well, meet some of her pottery at least. Whitney is a ceramic artist and Etsy shop owner. She's also a fellow Bay Area dweller and I really, really like her style.

From the profile in her shop:

My design sense is primarily informed by my obsession with flowers and other organic forms found in nature. It is also very important to me that my ceramic pieces are functional for everyday use, while being absolutely beautiful, refined, and unique. I have been strongly influenced by Art Nouveau and the Arts and Crafts movement of the 19th and early 20th Century. I like the look and feel of old things and antiques, and my glaze choices have a certain look that reminds people of an different era.

If you'd like to stalk her you can find her on facebook, twitter, flickr & blogger.

Now, who can guess which of the above pieces I purchased today and which I asked to be customized slightly? C'mon...give it your best shot. I bet I can surprise you!

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apartment therapy

It was love at first sight. The colors, the styling, the combination of danish modern furniture and whimsical accents and the irresistible presence of art. Simply lovely.

This is the home of Lisa Congdon as featured by Apartment Therapy and blogged about at a few things from my life. Lisa is co-owner of San Francisco shop Rare Device which is equally as divine.

I really love the way she has infused color into the kitchen. It was the first thing that got me. It is such a dominant force in the design yet still manages to remain subtle. Nicely done.





Love the combination of art & chotchkies in this room. The art is arranged in such an informal way yet it works with the balance of the lamps and vases on the table. Oh yeah, and that print in the middle is awesome.








What a fab hallway. From the decorative wainscoting, to the simple lighting, to the linear art arrangement. Even the pup is stylish!

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art abounds on Etsy

What do you think the likelihood is that I might actually wake up happy if I hung this print by artz ink directly over my bed? Not so much, eh? But I might go to bed happy looking at it!


This new Hadley Hutton arrived yesterday. It's my fourth. I just adore her style.


This photograph by Timothy Irving makes me want to jump into the print and look around. I wonder what else I might find there?


Um, yeah I am. And thanks to Pepper Beaumont for noticing!

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feeling blue

Even when I'm feeling blue I can always escape to Etsy. Isn't that lucky? And that makes me feel a little less blue. Kudos to the following happy shops for their inspiring blues...
1.cuff links 2.doily bird print 3.wool broach 4.dress print 5.birds on a vase 6.handbag 7.stacked rings 8.neck rag 9.lotus plate

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arts & crafts

Quote by Studio Mela.
Painting by my dear son, Gage.
This whimsical piece is currently on display in the foyer of our little home for all to see as they come...and go...
(of course I had to replace the kid's scrabble game this morning!)

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houzz

nina van de goor
blog: nina in vorm
etsy: nina in vorm
more photos: flickr



veronika
blog: a few things from my life
etsy shop: sarah & bendrix
more photos: flickr

This morning while leisurely perusing Twitter, I stumbled upon a tweet by Mom101 that introduced me to my new obsession named Houzz. Houzz is probably one of the reasons why home decor magazines are dropping like flies. Sad, but true. And it's not hard to see why. Hauzz is home decor tear sheet heaven on earth. Search by a variety styles, spaces and geographical locations to find the look that suits you. Then add photos to your own personalized "ideabooks" for reference later. A paperless tear sheet binder. Hmm, I suppose that makes it green too.

Above are just two lovely homes that I stumbled upon today. Both women have an eclectic, playful style & lovely little Etsy shops to boot. You are welcome to visit all of my personal favorites by visiting my Houzz ideabooks here.

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