happy balloons!

I so wish I could have been there to see this in person... (via dezeen)

Matt Carr Biblioteca shelf for U+ Umbra

I recently got the latest catalog from U+ Studio collection by Umbra (thanks Cynthia!). At the last ICFF show, I stopped by the Umbra booth and saw lots of great things they have in store for this fall, but somehow totally missed this one! It's the clever Biblioteca bookshelf- It was inspired by two vintage coffee tables designer Matt Carr found- which he then created a bookshelf from. Now you can get your own (granted for $525) here. But, I guess if you're handy with a power saw, you could probably DIY it with some brackets and some paint? For some reason, I see this being a great display piece- could be fun mixing different table styles too... hm... ideas...

I heart Dutch by Design

How cute are these things from Dutch by Design?! I just got an email from them, and I love these little bird salt/pepper shakers. They also showed this amazing bunny dish rack, by Chris Koens, who also designed the salt/pepper shakers (and its only $25!) but I can't seem to find it on their website... but as soon as they put it up- I must have!

fishy...

It was soooooooo hot here in So Cal this weekend. Yesterday was even hotter. In the morning, decided to go to Laguna Beach for breakfast. Ate at the famous Beach House restaurant, which had a nice beachfront view. As we were waiting for our table to get ready, I was like a little kid, staring at the row of aquariums. Fish are cool...

Blue Munday: cyan and silos

As I mentioned before, this year's Back to school/college 07 offerings at Target has not excited me much. Compared to last year's, it still doesn't feel very new or exciting. However, I am a big fan of the displays, with the striking and cool black silhouettes against solid the cyan/aqua...

Home is the most important place in the world.

Oh those clever and brilliant IKEA copywriters. It's true. Home is the most important place in the world. "...homes are not just made of bricks and mortar with four walls. Home is an emotion - a feeling of security, safety, comfort, peace, about being yourself and being together with your loved ones. Home is the place where memories are made, relationships are built, where children and families grow together. ...regardless of where you live or who you are, home is the most important place in the world..." Check out the ad here.

TGIF-catch up!

Happy Friday folks! This weekend is a long weekend (monday's a holiday here in the States) so I'm super excited for this mini-break. The past couple weeks have been quite hectic and I'm hoping to take the weekend to just - CATCH UP. There's a ton of magazines I need to go through, general maintenance, and just ... enjoy? I'll have more posts this weekend... in the meantime, I spotted this interesting pattern the other day. It's sort of a less deliberate version of this that I posted awhile back. I'd like to say it's a "natural" occuring pattern... but it's not. hehe, I still found it kinda unintentionally pretty...

pencil view

What a great cover image for the latest album by The Pinker Tones. It brings back memories of looking at my Crayola box and at the same time reminds me of mosaic tile from Morocco or something... Muji has a pencil set that kinda reminds me of this too... (too bad I use ink pens the most...)

glamorous rustic?

I'm fascinated with this chandelier that I saw in the July/August 2007 Southern Accents Magazine. It was featured in the home of Chuck and Kathy Hawkins' weekend getaway home in Georgia. The house is great, but the chandelier struck me. It's so unexpected- She put those traditional rock crystals on an antler chandelier! I also like the column shade that sits inside of it, makes it more modern. I'm thinking how cool it could also look if it was all one color, like white or black or even a light blue! But I guess just the contrasting juxtaposition is what's so fun about it and it totally works to glam up and balance the rustic and elegance in the room.... DIY project for Labor Day weekend anyone?

2D furniture

Funny 2D furniture by Suzanne Van Oirschot and Wouter Nieuwendijk (via Designboom)
For some reason, I'm seeing major IKEA hack idea potential here...

Close a bag without using a clip

My friend Dreanna just sent me this. Must try when I get home...

Ten of My Favourite Sounds

Yikes- I've been double blog tagged! First is from Gregory. (I'm cribbin' his image set up too) Here are 10 Sounds I enjoy (in no particular order). What are yours?

1.) rain on the roof
2.) the *ping* notification on my email (I got mail?! oh. just junk mail.)
3.) scooping rice out the storage container
4.) nylon swishing against nylon
5.) a thumpin bass and a good beat
6.) the snap crackle pop of Three Flavor Sizzling Rice Soup
7.) the crunchy sounds inside my head when I eat cereal
8.) a crisp page turn of a glossy magazine
9.) the dripping of a flowing fountain
10.) The sound the Transformers make when they "transform!"

"rings around the world"

Saw this on MoCo Loco, these logos by Jamie Weick for Virgin Atlantic are so clever. They show a very subtle skyline of a city. There are 3 more versions you can see here.

Blue munday: lace bedding and stuff

Happy munday. Hope you enjoyed your weekend! I had a nice quick trip down to Palm Springs and picked up a few goodies which I'll be sharing later this week. In the meantime, it's back to the grind (at least until this weekend - Labor day weekend! yay!) Anyway, it's been awhile since I've looked at what's new at Walmart. (I realize a lot of people have issues with Walmart, which I respect, so you may want to skip the rest of this post...) I went online and was surprised at some of the things I saw, particularly this "true- blue" lace bedding set. I really liked how bold and graphic it looked. I also was very surprised that they had this cuckoo clock, which I've seen similar at Urban and Anthropologie, but I would've thought to see it at Target before Walmart. Anyways- I went over to my nearest Walmart to see what they looked like in person, but sadly, they were not to be found. The bedding is apparently on clearance, so perhaps I totally missed it... oh well, very intersting...

My cuppa tea mug

My AT:LA co-editor and buddy Gregory just sent me this fun mug from Suck UK that he saw via Gizmodo. I wonder if they'll make one for coffee... I've only had cream in my tea once when I was on a plane to London. I remember I liked it though... Do you put cream in your tea?

EDIT: I realize now that I drink milk tea Boba all the time, so I guess I do have cream/milk in my tea more so than I thought!

Cole Gerst at Van's Sky Gallery

I'm a big fan of Cole Gert's (of Option G) work. He's currently being displayed on a billboard as part of the Van's Sky Gallery. See my post at AT:LA for that. He's also got some new prints up for sale. I love this Blackbird one, and the Ocean Series. I also love the group called the Deer Island Series- They are fantastic. More info on his site! He also has blog. (images from Option-G)

basketball wastebasket

This is one of those things that really borders on so bad it's good, but I find great amusement in it. I think I need it for my office... or hung on my office wall... Can't find on the Target website, but saw it in store. Only $4.99 in the kids back to school/bedding section...

Lauren Saunders Sale!!

Lauren Saunders, who I can't stop raving enough about, is having a sample sale! She's clearing room and selling lots of one of a kind samples of her goregous pillows. Click here for more info and act fast- cuz' these surely won't last long!!

Taking Things Seriously

Wow, this book looks amazing. Taking Things Seriously: 75 Objects with Unexpected Significance, is by Joshua Glen and Carol Hayes. The cover alone is so beautiful and striking. It's basically a collection of random things that have special meaning to individual people, and has little essays that accompany each image. It's totally happy mundane and I'm sure if you put together a little book of all the random little things in your home that you cherish, it would make a pretty interesting book too don'tcha think? It's funny how little seemingly insignificant objects can trigger emotions or a memory. It's $11.90 and its paperback. Click on the Amazon link to see more images (via Moco Loco)

blue munday: Graphic children's cups

Saw these super cool little kids mugs at Anthropologie over the weekend. I love how the graphic animals are part of the color stripe. There was a frog one, a lion/giraffe one, and this polar bear one- (obviously my favorite, hehe) I can't find out any more info about them. I couldn't find them on the Anthropologie website. Any one knows who makes them? I think they came from Japan...

hillarious. design videos.

Just saw this on Swiss Miss- Rock on David!


and one of our newest AT:LA editors, Grace, just sent me this one-

The Herb Savor by Prepara

This is sooo cool. I just saw this in the new Metropolitan Home and must get one! Now, I loved the herb pot by Sagaform, but this new Herb-Savor from Prepara seems a little more condusive to keeping herbs fresher longer. It not only has a water holding base, but it also has a casing AND it has a narrow profile so it can easily store in your fridge! Apparently it can prolong the life of your fresh herbs for up to 3 weeks! The website also says it can hold asparagus really well too! More info here!

Stawberry Poppyseed & Chicken salad

Ugh. It's been so hot and humid the past few days here in So Cal.When it gets like this, lunch time is all about a crisp yummy salad. Lately, I've been obsessing over this salad at Panera Bread Company. It's the Strawberry Poppyseed and Chicken salad. It's basically a fruit salad, but with some lettuce and chicken thrown in. It has strawberries, blueberries (I have never thought to put blueberries in a salad!) pineapple, mandarin oranges, apple chips, AND pecans, drizzled in a poppyseed dressing, and with chicken and romain lettuce. Yummy!

Blue munday: Little fluffy clouds vs. Grey clouds

When I was a wee little wannabe rave kid, I used to loooove this song by the Orb...


My friend Jenny just sent me a link to a fantastically funny spoof of it, called "Grey Clouds"- that is much more appropriate for mundays, don'tcha think? (hehe) Listen to it here and download it too!

"What were the skies like when you were young?"
"That's a stuuupid question!..."

happy munday...

magazine mobile!

Happy friday- I have a crazy day today- but just wanted to put up this fun idea for all of you that have waaaay too many magazines (like me)- I know I've seen these before (can't remember where though), but just saw them again yesterday- Frazier and Wing have created these hand cut, beautiful hand strung mobiles out of magazine clippings! Could also be a fun DIY idea for an office area... (via LA times) Have a great weekend!

Fractured Fairy Tales Display by Thomas Wold

I totally love this idea for a wall display. So cool and inspiring! (via AT:SF via Thomaswold)

cupcake love: Smores cupcakes!

Ok. wait. hold up. how come no one told me you can make Smores Cupcakes?!! AND it has graham cracker crust bottom?! OMG. Must (try to) make this... or better yet, must find someone with skillz to make me some! (please??!)
(via Urban Outfitters blog)

mundane aesthetic: It's the Best Day Ever!

funny what you can see in traffic.

blue munday: Indian Teal/Peacock blue?

Happy munday. For today's blue munday, I've been really attracted to this rich blue/teal color that pops up every year about this time. Something about late summer/early fall calls for more jewel toned rich warm hues. The image above is from the June 07 Australian Vogue Living, and the image underneath is from Living Etc. I love how both use light neutrals to ground it, making the blue color really pop. I have used this color in one place in my home,(this is my front entryway) but now thinking maybe I need to use it in a few more... hm... There are so many names for this color- I'm stuck between "indian teal" and "peacock blue"- how would you describe this color and have you used it in your home?

inspiration: Polly and Ben's home via AT:LA

Gorgeous house tour my fellow AT:LA editor Gregory did of Polly and Ben's fantastic home in Sherman Oaks. First off- how awesome is the complex it is in? Look at that front signage and little water feature thingy- OMG. This is what my house was supposed to be when it grows up, (and if I was neat and tidy and organized.) I covet the blue lamp. Also really love the idea of using just plain decorative papers displayed as art. You could easily switch it out at whim. Genius!

mundane aesthetic: port2port press

I simply love this image from Port2Port Press, via Oh Joy's Currently Loving series. It's so happy mundane!

Slipper Genie

um...

I'm a little scared to say, but I think I might need this.
Like right now.

Color block dresser

Picked up the June 07 Japanese Elle Deco (always a fav- but couldn't find a link) because of the beautiful cover shot. I love the concept of taking an older dresser, and giving it new life by color bocking it! It looks like they just decoupaged painted pieces of paper (although I would have probably tried to be a little neater about it, hehe- but I guess there's a certain handmade charm to the wrinkles!) I'm not sure who did it or the details, cuz it's all in japanese (sigh) but what a fun DIY project for someone! I think it also works well because everything else in the room is pretty white. I could see other color combinations work well too- like maybe something tonal, or just using one color... hm... ideas....