mini me modern kids furniture

Oh no they didn't.  Oh yes. They did.  But exactly why didn't they when I was furnishing THIS house? The pint size "Bertoia" chairs might just keep me up at night they're so damn cute.  Just be sure to read the fine print before purchasing what you might surmise to be a downsized original reproduction.  Somehow the use of these iconic designs (and defining them as such in the copy) without licensing just doesn't sit right with me.  But they're still so damn cute...

We respectfully appreciate the masterpiece of the original designs and wish to clarify that our kids chairs are in no way affiliated with the original designers or licensed manufacturers.

 

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DIY terrariums

That's it.  I want a terrarium.  Or two.  Or six. 
The above images are all courtesy of Lori Marie at Pretty Little Things.
She did a lovely *terrarium madness* tutorial on her blog back in August with fabulously complete step by step instructions.  I love when she refers to the completed terrarium as "your very own portable world of enchantment".  Darling. 

I'll start my hunting and gathering of supplies tomorrow and will be sure to post the finished product(s) soon. 

Lori also recommended checking out Flickr for some additional ideas.  Which, of course, I did.  Here are a few of my favorites...

"teacup" by godzilla

 

"Mimi+Charlie's Homemade Tiny tiny lands" by mimip

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DIY dinner plates

I stumbled on this fabulous DIY tutorial on Bloesem last night. It is courtesy of 101woonideeen, a lovely website/blog from the Netherlands.  I'm not up on my Dutch these days (although my maiden name might lead you to believe otherwise) but Bloesem has the DIY steps all laid out for you in plain English. Take a peek. They are super easy and especially lovely.

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hearts for haiti

Hearts for Haiti is an Etsy collective of donated items from hundreds of Etsy shops to raise money to rebuild Haiti. 100% of the proceeds from this shop (minus Etsy fees and Paypal fees) go directly to DoctorsWithoutBorders in bi-monthly increments. The shop has permission to use the DoctorsWithoutBorders name and a separate bank account and Paypal account have been opened to maintain the integrity of this shop.

Items have been donated from many individual shops; each shop has included their particulars (country, shipping time) in each listing. All items include seller-donated free shipping (most worldwide, see individual listing) because the need is SO great, they  all want you to buy and help support Etsians helping Haiti.

If you would like to donate an item to HeartsForHaiti.etsy.com, please send an email to etsyforhaiti@gmail.com for a copy of the donation guidelines.

You can follow along with Hearts for Haiti's progress on Facebook as well.

The above items are all for sale today thanks to these fine Etsy shops...
1. kikibirdcrafts 2.dearange 3.crochetRUs 4.pocketcarnival 5.reluctantdamsel 6.inspiredbythesea 7.magnoliasurprise 8.fisheye 9.zuzugirl

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every picture tells a story...

 

 

I love how Yvette Inufio's photographs make me feel.  Calm.  Delicate.  Beautiful.  I just want to jump into her photographs and live there.  And that, my friends, is not easy to achieve.

You can find a wide array of her work where I did, in her exceptional Flickr account. Not only does she generously share her stunning photos there, but each photo is accompanied by an inspiring and complimentary quote.  Just watch out, you can spend hours there it's so darn pretty!

If you'd like to purchase Yvette's work for your own home you can do so in her equally lovely Etsy shop.

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art appreciation

 

The Moma is definitely not just for art anymore. Easy to overlook, but full of great gifts.  Become a member, go appreciate some art and save a few bucks on your gift tab.  Loving these quirky finds for myself...and a few others...

1.diana mini camera 2.subway token cufflinks 3.fruit loop bowl 4.sparrow clips 5.margrethe prep bowls 6.paper masking tape 7.elephant bookend 8.chemex coffeemaker 9.scribbles drawing & coloring book


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be mine

No really.  I'd like these things to be mine.  All of them.  And not just because Valentines Day is coming up.  Really just because they are super cute.  And all available via these fine Etsy shops...

1. handmade buttons by Tessa Ann 2. stacking heart rings by Lilyja 3. felted wool bowl by The Fuzzy Monkey 4. ruffled up pillow by Miss Mosh

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bluebird vintage

This is one of those blog posts that I hesitate to write. Not because I'm not absolutely in love with the product I'm sharing. Quite the contrary. I'm actually rather terrified that you all will go and buy up all the good stuff before I get a chance. Really, it's that good. The shop is called Bluebird Vintage and the talented stylist behind these fab photos is James Kicinski.  So go...enjoy the goods, but hands off my favorites, ok?

oooh, and thanks must go to Lori Marie for the introduction!

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spring is here!

Well, the season may not have official arrived yet but the Spring edition of Modern Handmade Child is here at least!  It's fun...and it's FREE.  Click on over and take a peek.  And don't forget to checkout my handmade valentine spread beginning on page 22 as well as my dear friend Lisa's yummy spring recipes beginning on page 48.  Happy reading!

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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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