Do-Goodism » Europ’Africa Deco
While perusing the child-centric wares of one of my favorite Tel Aviv shops, Carousella, I came across these oversized baskets by Franco-Senegalese company Europ’Africa Deco…
Crafts + DIY
From: Tel Aviv » Playtime with Timo!
Our baby niece Lir is pretty much the apple of YZ’s and my eye, making it hard to resist buying her every little cute thing that we come across. But, when we stumbled upon a beautiful striped bunny by Tel Aviv label Timo in a boutique in Jaffa, we just had to add the critter to Lir’s collection of toys. Totally in line with Lir’s parent’s philosophy of hugging (not mugging) the earth, each toy is…
Found @ Etsy » Sara Carr Knitted Garden
Sara Carr's Monty the Fox
So, you might say it’s far from wool-wearing weather, what with NYC temperatures up in the 90’s, but with every store, theater, and restaurant cranking the AC like they’re charged with re-freezing the glaciers, it’s comforting to have a little fuzzy critter to curl up with at the end of the day (or a cute scarf to wrap around your little one’s neck to keep the summer sniffles away!)…
Welcome Home » FilzFelt Great!
In a house bursting at the seams with typewriters, teapots, and every other imaginable tchotchke, it’s refreshing to mix in simple, high-quality basics to balance out the madness. Filzfelt, the minimalist line of felt-by-the-yard and felt accessories launched by Traci Roloff (blogger behind The Girl in the Green Dress) and Etcetera’s Kelly Smith is one of those purist, interior design gems. What I love about Filzfelt is that it serves as a launching point for the creative possibilities that the fabric holds: pick up a durable floor mat or one of the lovely table accessories and get inspired to create your own home accents with the company’s huge line of ready-to-DIY felt! More of a follow-the-instructions kind of crafter?
Kawaii! » Divine Twine
Who doesn’t like rope!? From worn, dirty-white sailing rope to neon mountain climbing rope to… baker’s twine. Red baker’s twine is pretty common, I actually finagled some out of the Something Sweet Bakery on First Ave…
Found @ Etsy » Aid for Haiti
Geekology » If an iPhone Rang in the Woods…
Love this! Love this! Woodtec’s handmade cedar docking stations for iPhones and iPods are made-to-order, meaning each one is unique with it’s own knobbies and marbling. The docks are compatible with all iPods (except the shuffle) and use a standard USB wire…
Bookworm » Have Some Modesty! Cover that Book Up!
I just loved Back-to-School when I was a kid. Pacing the aisles of Staples, I made sure not to let a single thumbtack’s worth of office supplies slip past my scrutinizing eye. One of my favorite things to do was to wrap my textbook covers (mostly because I found the cover design so hideous). My mother helped me at first – she did it perfectly (as with every single thing the woman has wrapped over the years, from gifts to broken bones) but I soon took over the task and began using all sorts of materials for the eclectic covers. Of course, the books would become cluttered with doodles and notes as the term passed – something that lifted the simple piece of paper from utility to keepsake.
Gift Guide » Top Ten Bookworm
1Nel's Pack of Dogs Bookshelf & Bench$413
2Penguin Classics with Cover Illustrations by Coralie Bickford-Smith$14
3My Wonderful World of Fashion by Nina Chakrabarti$13.5
4Studio Smeets Design Lili Lite Bookshelf Lamp€99
5Harry Allen Rollerstop Bookend$95
6Folk & Flora Pattern Books and Notecard Set by Reprodepot$44
7Zelco Itty Bitty Book Light$35
8Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller$29
9Pictorial Webster's$23
10i3’s Help! Bookmarks – Set of 5$19
Fashion Scout » Priyo Oktaviano’s Hipster Hunchbacks at Jakarta Fashion Week
Photo Credit: MTV Iggy / Getty Images
Ok, so, the shoulder pads are a bit… rugged. But hunchback-chic aside, the very hipster ensembles in Priyo Oktaviano’s portion of the Fashion 1st Show at Jakarta Fashion Week represent a comfy-looking hodgepodge of loose cotton layers, subtle clashes of color (ie. salmon and red), and traditional Ikat dyeing techniques. One of three collections that Priyo featured during the week, these garments are part of his casual wear line, SPOUS (est. 2003), an acronym for his full name: Stefanus Priyo Oktaviano Umar Slamet. Loving the Ikat-print harem pants and pale pink beaded necklace…
Gift Guide » Top 10 Eco-Friendlies
1Eding:Post’s Picnica Bunny Bag$27
2Angharad Mclaren’s Recycled Climbing-Rope Mat£68
3Singgih Kartono Magno Sustainable Radio$200
4Freitag F74 Bob Bag$300
5Esque Studio's Recycled Glass Slump Vases$285
6Handmade Bird Calls by Sweet Bella$36
7Bamboosk8’s 100% Bamboo Skateboard Decks$45
8De Paper Bag By Jos Vandermeulen$20
9The TransNeomatic Bowl by Fernando and Humberto Campana$89
10Recycled Bike-Chain Bottle Openers by Resource Revival$14
Found @ Etsy » Innards for Sale
Gosh… Where do I even start. I boycotted Dissect-a-Frog day in middle school. My teachers saw it coming though, and sat me down with an IBM and the CD-Rom of the 6th grade science massacre. Now, if only Crafty Hedgehog’s knitted version had been available at the time… It could have jump-started my crafting career aaand piqued my interest in a possible biology career! The cuddly anatomy projects over at Crafty Hedgehog’s Etsy store are available in frog, rat, and fetal pig models and come pre-pinned to a bona fide aluminum dissection tray!
Found @ Etsy » Yokoo!
The first signs of Autumn drifting through the air are just intoxicating… that very particular smell, a deceivingly fertile odor of leaves wanting to fall and countless plants on the cusp of metamorphosis: ready to shed their layers (backyard compost!) as we pile the layers on. Oh, layers! Accessories! The other splendid sign of Fall! Where oh where to buy?
Papercuts » Jenny Lee Fowler
Jenny Lee Fowler’s snowflake-style papercuts capture the storytelling esprit of old-school European scherenschnitte with a good dash of Americana aesthetic. The artist’s brightly colored collection of clients’ family trees and celebratory events are at once deeply personal and universally resonant. Although various pre-cut designs are available in her Etsy store, the real allure here is the totally affordable customized design options. Profile silhouettes run about $20-$50 (check out the doggie silhouette!) and unique snowflakes like the ones seen here run around $100 a pop.
Papercuts » No Cutting Corners Here
“I create paper cutouts and seek to extend it as a contemporary, global art form that is deeply rooted in Chinese folk art traditions. To do so, I strive for a universal and amalgamated aesthetics that incorporate imagery rich in cross-cultural references and contemporar subtexts. In these very dense and intricate paper cutouts, I explore the universally shared experiences of power, sacrifice, and survival.” – Bovey Lee