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Finnish designers, like WooDoo Designs, create beauty with simple form. Take for example these 2 candle holders in either walnut or elm... simply elegant. These would look stunning on a mantle or set in the middle of a dining table with a crisp white linen cloth. Puts my cookie dough Yankee candle to shame.
Karen Hilton Designs is a shop run by a woman out of London and her handmade pillows are fantastic! The pillows are constructed of thick calico fabric and high quality felted wool. All are sewn by hand and did I mention they were fantastic? She also has a few designs other than the "Union Jack" pillows that include dogs, a queen and a very mod target. Check out her Etsy shop and BUY HANDMADE!
The New York Botanical Garden has a wonderful online store with fantastic gifts for the gardener in your life. Take for instance these Eco Pots that are made of renewable grain husks. Under normal use they will last up to 5 years and they are resistant to freezing and thawing damage (unlike the very pricey ceramic pots). They come in a beautiful color palette and run about $6.00 for a 5 inch high pot.
Boden.... a fantastic website for women's, men's and kid's clothes. Be not afraid that it is a UK company as free shipping, returns and exchanges are pretty standard. In fact, you can usually find a 10% off coupon as well. Either way, check out Boden for some witty copy and downright jolly good clothes.
If you wanted to be the ultimate eco-conscious female, you would not need a fancy designer bag to carry your wares, all you would really need is a paper bag. HA! A paper bag you say.... Ta da!!!! This, my friend, is in fact a paper bag. The red and white satchel from Engage Green is made from woven recycled paper with a red cotton lining and brown canvas straps. Truly a paper bag that looks good and is only $45 to boot! Go green!
The Crawling Critters mobile from BabyGeared may be a tad on the pricey side ($180), BUT this one is handmade. Lou the snail, Steve the centipede, Ziggy the spider, and Willie the worm are painstakingly crafted by hand with cotton, wool felt and free form sewing (aka, no sewing machine). The back of each critter is a polka dot print. Sure to make your baby, and you, visually stimulated.
The Jetsons have invaded your kitchen. Or at least the Orbit Bowl has! I have never been one to find food boring, but in case you do, this bowl will make your dining experience that much more interesting. Load it up with ice cream, cereal, soup, fried rice, grits (I could go on for awhile). Check out the rest of Ochelly for some equally entertaining things!
Oops! So tired I missed the coffee pot and now I have coffee grounds all over the floor. I'll just grab my handy dandy Norman Copenhagen designed dustpan from RetroModern and sweep that right up. Thank goodness it was only $25. Such a bargain for such a beautifully designed housekeeping staple.
As soon as I ran across the shop of Jessica Jane, she instantly became a favorite of mine. Her style is simple, modern and inspired by nature. These adorable black bird pendants can be added to a chain for a necklace or she also sells them as a set of earrings. She also has some amazing faux woodgrain pendants. Check out her shop and BUY HANDMADE!
Glad Midsommar to all! Today, June 21st marks the Scandinavian holiday of Midsommar (Midsummer). This is the longest day of the year or the day of the midnight sun. Typically, folks decorate their homes and tables with flowers and leafy branches. The festivities culminate with the raising of a maypole and dancing and eating. Typical menus include pickled herring, boiled new potatoes with dill, strawberries and of course the shot of aquavit (my gram always said it was to prepare your stomach for the meal ahead). To Gram and all my fellow friends and family, I raise my Aquavit Glass (available at Glimpse Online) and SKOAL!
