Over and Out

Photo by burnt_sugar

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

P.S. If you're local, don't forget:

* Last chance to take advantage of the exclusive discount at Atomic Garden.

* Saturday is the final day at Mignonne Oakland, with 30 percent off almost everything.

* Maker Faire!

Etsy Find of the Day: Pigeon Toe Ceramics

As far as I'm concerned, you can never have enough white ceramics. And white ceramics with flashes of glossy, saturated color inside? Yes, please.

So of course I immediately fell in love with the work of Portland, Oregon potter Lisa Hough, aka Etsy seller Pigeon Toe Ceramics. My faves:

Small Tripod Pot, $28

Mini Creamer in Peacock, $6

Small Tripod Pot in Espresso Stoneware, $28

Porcelain Bud Vase in Lemon, $18

Mini Pleat Cup, $18

Small Tripod Pot in Cinder, $28

See all of Pigeon Toe's Etsy offerings right here -- and check out more of Hough's creations here.

Cool Stuff: Blossom Creations

Fresh and pretty papergoods and textiles from Australia's eco-minded Blossom Creations. The paper is 100-percent recycled and printed with soy-based inks, while the linens are made with hemp, organic cotton, and non-toxic dyes. Clockwise from top left: Fig Napkins, two for $60 AUD (about $47 U.S.); Sprig Kitchen Towel, $40 AUD ($31 U.S.); Fig Notebook, $8 AUD ($6 U.S.); Branch Cushion Cover, $40 AUD ($31 U.S.); Gingko Apron, $20 AUD ($16 U.S.)

Sigh -- I want it all.

If you sew, Blossom Creations also sells lovely hand-screenprinted hemp fabric by the yard.

See all of the company's eco-chic offerings right here.

Real Estate Envy: Ferris Bueller House for Sale

Well, not actually Ferris's house, but the house where his best friend, Cameron, lived in that cinematic opus, Ferris Bueller's Day Off. (C'mon -- you know you saw it, like, six times.)

The house -- all cold, sleek glass, steel, and hard edges -- was meant to symbolize poor, chronically depressed Cameron's lonely, loveless family life (as opposed to Ferris's own cluttered, cozy, love-filled traditional abode).

But looking at these photos of the 5,300-square-foot Highland Park, Illinois home -- which just went up for sale -- today, I don't find it cold at all. There's a lot more warm wood than I remember from the movie, and being nestled amidst the trees like that? Dreamy.

Anyway, the house is currently listed with Sotheby's International Realty at the bargain price of just $2.3 million.

So, who's gonna grab it? Bueller? ... Bueller? ... Anyone?

The Artful Home: Scott Parry Prints

Oooh -- mesmerizing new prints from Portland's Scott Parry. Above: Starscape Glacier

Mountain Starscape

The 10-by-13-inch prints are just $20 each from Little Paper Planes. See more of Parry's trippy work here, here, and here.

eBay Finds

Vintage Bauman Dress Form

George Nelson Drafting Desk

Hollywood Regency Golden Mirror

Yellow Planet Lamp

Four Original Nicos Zographos CH-66 Chairs

Paul McCobb Fiberglass Chair

Peacock Blue Lamp

Vintage Coat/Hat Rack

Vintage Scoop Chair (pick up in Los Angeles)

Moss Terrarium With Handmade Mushrooms

Pair X Benches Hot Pink

Vintage Metal Dental Cabinet (pick up in New York City)

Hollywood Regency Chair

Suck UK Come In/Go Away Doormat

Maris Art Pottery Bowl

60s Danish Modern Teak Credenza

Vintage Stiffel Lamp

Danish Modern Studio Pottery Vase Collection

Milo Baughman Lounge Chair

Blanc de Chine Pierced Lamp

Pierrot Harlequin Jester Lamp

Italian Tole Floral and Murano Glass Lamp

Herman Miller Wire Chair With Eiffel Base

Antique Cage Lamp

French Santos Doll

Note: These auctions end between today and Monday morning, June 1.

Cool Stuff: IKEA Maskros Pendant

I know -- you're getting whiplash trying to keep track of my ever-changing stance on IKEA. Let's just say that my feelings about the Swedish superstore are ... complicated.

Top photo by Timothy Hartley Smith; bottom photo from The Brooklynist

Right now, I'm edging toward a "love" phase in my cyclical love-hate relationship. And all because of the Maskros Lamp -- part of IKEA's long-awaited PS 2009 Collection, which was shown at New York's recent International Contemporary Furniture Fair. The collection has been available in Europe for months, but it's finally headed stateside, and should be available at select U.S. IKEA outposts in August.

Photo by Pascal \o/ - lagarde

The dandelion-like pendant measures a generous 31.5 inches across and retails in the U.K. for £65 (about $103), so my guess is that it'll be among the more expensive lighting options at the blue giant this summer. But wow -- what impact.

P.S. You can get a sneak peek of the entire PS Collection here.

Etsy Find of the Day: Fréya Art & Design Prints

An utterly charming combination of words and image from Etsy seller Fréya Art & Design (aka London- and Australia-based illustrator Fréya Eté). Above: Let's Plant Our Dreams in This Garden

Without You I Would Be Lost

Home Print

This is Where the Music's Grown

All the Most Beautiful Things

Footprints

You Fill Me With Sunshine

Each image is available as an 8-by-8 or -11-inch ($45) or 11-by-11-inch ($75) print on heavyweight German etching paper. See all of Fréya's sweet sentiments right here.

Over and Out

Photo by La Tartine Gourmande

Have a lovely long holiday weekend, and I'll see you back here on Tuesday!

P.S. If you're local, don't miss the farewell party at Old Oakland's Mignonne (1000 Jefferson St. at 9th) from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, when nearly everything in the shop will be marked down 30 percent. And don't despair -- the French-flavored boutique is moving to great new digs in Berkeley in June.

eBay Finds

Antique Dental/Medical Cabinet (pick up in Virginia)

Recycled Glass Candle Holders

Orla Kiely Multi Stem Wallpaper

Bodyscopy Human Anatomy Charts 1948

Antique Letterpress Wood Printers Blocks

Audrey Kawasaki "Tear Me" Limited-Edition Giclee

Vintage Raymor Table Lamp

George Nelson MAF Chair

Modernist '60s Lamp

Knoll Saarinen Chairs Set of Four

Midcentury Modern Sofa (pick up in Wisconsin)

Danish Modern Bent Ply Clamshell Chair

Note: These auctions all end between today and Monday evening, May 25. Happy bidding!

Cool Stuff: Schoolhouse Electric Clear Glass

Really liking this new collection of clear glass shades from Schoolhouse Electric. The glass gives a clean, modern edge to the Portland, Oregon company's line of vintage-style light fixtures.

The mix-and-match shades range from $21 to $115, and the accompanying fixtures are $75 to $129 right here.

Cool Stuff: Cyanotype Fabric

Photo from Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts

If you've been reading for awhile, you know that I'm not exactly the craftiest chick on the block. But my daughter showed me this project from her beloved and already dog-eared copy of Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts, and even I was tempted to give it a try.

Martha (or, more accurately, Martha's army of people) used fabric that had been specially treated to become photo-sensitive to create textile cyanotypes, which were then used to recover a pair of chair seats.

Photo from Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts

Simply choose an object or set of objects you'd like to silhouette, lay them on the fabric, expose the fabric to the sun for a few minutes, and rinse in water to permanently set the image. Then use the resulting print to cover chair seats, sew up a throw pillow or table runner, stretch and staple around a canvas for instant fabric art, or for any number of other simple projects.

The cotton fabric is from Blue Sunprints, and costs $16 per yard.

P.S. For a similar effect on paper, check out the Sunprint Kit (a small set is $6 at the Curiosity Shoppe, or you can pick up a large set for $13 right here). I bought the paper as another gift for my creative daughter, and am planning to frame a collection of beautiful fern frond prints she made with it.

Cool Stuff: Oaklandish Screenprints

This one is strictly for the locals: Brand new, hand-screenprinted posters from the 510's own Oaklandish. Above: Sunny Side Poster (That's right -- suck it, SF.)

Classic Poster

Pigeon Poster

Grotto Poster

Cityscape Poster

The 16-by-24-inch screenprints are $20 each right here. And check out all of the homegrown merch from Oakland's own "stealth multi-form public art and media cooperative" here.

Etsy Find of the Day: Abigail Brown Birds

I just want to go on record that I'm completely over the whole bird thing. But I'll make a huge exception for these exquisite fabric avians from London-based textile artist Abigail Brown, which transcend the twee, tired trend and qualify as true works of art. They're not exactly inexpensive, but they are absolutely covetable. Above: Fabric Bird in Nest, $154

Blue Birds Canvas, $137

Large Fabric Bird White, $150

Pink Bird in Blossom Canvas, $204

Fabric Bird Blue Gray Cream, $125

Matchbox Tweeter, $31

See all of Brown's Etsy offerings right here (I'm a fan of her crafty foxes, too) -- and check out more of her handmade creations here.

eBay Finds

Vintage Scandinavian Pottery

Bauhaus Adjustable Desk Lamp

Vintage Tin Letter "R"

Kaiser Idell Adjustable Wall Lamp

Midcentury Child's Table and Chair

West Elm Tripod Floor Lamp

Original Bolta Snack Tray

Herman Sperlich Ironrite Chair

Vintage Bojesen Style Teak Duck

Vintage German School Chart Foxes

Stunning 1950s Anglepoise Lamp

French Botanical School Chart

Tres Chic Midcentury Desk Lamp

Pair Vintage Cherner Armchairs

French Vintage School Poster Mushrooms

1890 Fowler & Wells Anatomy Chart

West Elm Fluted Glass Table Lamp Gray

Midcentury Thonet Club Chairs

Old Toy Sailboat 20 Inches Long

Antique Aluminum Glove Molds

1960s Jasper Johns Litho on Canvas

Note: These auctions all end between today and Thursday evening, May 21. Happy bidding!

Over and Out

Photo via ffffound

Have a lovely weekend!

Objects of Lust: Bus Sign Wingback Chairs

The transit sign trend has finally made its way onto furniture: These leather wingback chairs from Sydney design company Davidmet Nicole have been upholstered with authentic vintage English and Australian bus scroll signs.

They're a mere £3,995 apiece (about $6,083) from London's Atelier Abigail Ahern (where the red turned-wood side table also pictured above is a relative bargain at £1,500, or about $2,284).

Etsy Find of the Day: New Pie Bird Press

Fun new card designs from my blog buddy Hannah Berman of Pie Bird Press and Printer & Piemaker. Clockwise from top left: Thermos, $4.50; Camera, $4.50; Typewriter, $4.50; Stay Cool, $4.50; Candy Apple, $4.50; Seymour, $4.50; Milk, $3.50; and Globe, $4.50

See all of Pie Bird Press's Etsy offerings right here -- and check out more of Hannah's colorful, retro-style cards here.

eBay Finds

George Nelson Speaker Cabinet (pick up in New York)

Vintage Green Ginger Jar Lamp

Danish Modern Secretary Desk

Holmegaard Yellow Shakers

Laurel Desk Lamp

Half Round Hollywood Regency Side Chairs

Antique Painted Wood Ceiling Medallion

Chemex Coffee Beaker

Vintage Florence Knoll Settee

Eames Herman Miller LCM Chair

Aldo Londi Bird Sculpture

George Nelson Swag Leg Chair

1970s Wall Mounted Scissor Lamp

Peill & Putzler Glass Lamp

Danish Modern Sofa

Vintage Bakelite Mah Jong Set

Vintage Coronado Desk Fan

Antique French Rococo Mirror

Hans Wegner Teak Ottoman

Vintage C Jere Wall Sculpture

Eames DSR Eiffel Side Chairs

Note: These auctions all end between today and Sunday evening, May 17. Happy bidding!

New Flora ad

Cool Stuff: MissPrint Lampshades

Colorful, covet-worthy lampshades from London's MissPrint (aka designers Yvonne and Rebecca Drury). Clockwise from top left: Berry Lime, Catkin White, Exotique Orange, Panache Pebble, Box Bush Slate, Fleur Lime, Pennyroyal Slate and Sunflower, Nectar Cherry, Saplings Slate and Sunflower, and Trailing Flower Pistachio.

The handprinted duppion silk shades are £59 to £140 apiece (about $89 to $212), and each pattern is available in several sizes and colorways.

See them all right here -- and while you're there, be sure to check out MissPrint's equally awesome cushions and wallpapers. (I'm seriously lusting after Saplings, above, in Sunflower Yellow or Turquoise and Gold, about $83 per roll.)

Etsy Find of the Day: Birch Bark Planters

Digging these pretty planters, crafted from birch by Etsy seller Bear Paw Rustics.

Each is formed with a ring of natural bark finished with a leather-laced wood bottom complete with drainage holes, and planted with a selection of yummy, hardy hen-and-chicks succulents.

Handmade Birch Bark Planter With Succulents, $28

Small Birch Bark Planter With Succulent, $10

See all of Bear Paw Rustic's Etsy offerings right here.

The Artful Home: Mel Kadel

I was researching a freelance piece on San Francisco art galleries recently when I came across the work of Mel Kadel, who's showing at Hayes Valley's Fecal Face Dot Gallery in September. It was a jaw-on-floor moment.

The Los Angeles-based artist creates pen-and-ink illustrations that are surreal, darkly humorous, and utterly hypnotizing. I could get lost for hours in those delicate and intricate patterns, and in following the adventures of her imaginary heroine.

Kadel's originals run several hundred to several thousand dollars (a number of pieces are available through Santa Monica's Richard Heller Gallery), and notable collectors include artist Shepard Fairey, musicians Sheryl Crow and Mick Fleetwood, and actors Harrison Ford and Jason Lee.

But luckily for those of us on a slightly tighter budget, Kadel also has a limited-edition "Power Like a Flower" serigraph (above) available for just $20 through Oakland's Rowan Morrison.

If you're in the New York area, check out Kadel's current show, Sun Days, at Manhattan's Nancy Margolis Gallery through the end of the month. And Bay Areans, make a note of that Fecal Face exhibit in September.

In the meantime, you can see more of Kadel's work right here.

Cool Stuff: Slip Lamps

Fun and funky lamps with candy colored bases and mix-and-match fabric shades, $187 to $290 each from Slip.

Guest Post: Katherine's eBay Finds

Photo by Nicole Radja for Time Out Chicago

Today's guest eBay post comes from Katherine Raz, a Midwestern blogger who grew up scouring garage sales with her crafty dad, and who now shares her love of thrifty secondhand style on her blog, BackGarage. Take it away, Katherine!

"This July, it'll be ten years since I bought my first item on eBay: a retro magazine rack that I bid on sight-unseen, since most listings then had no pictures.

A decade ago I only knew that I liked clean lines and light wood and retro molded plastic. Then one day I asked the proprietor of an uber-hip antique mall what, exactly, was all this stuff I loved so much and she exclaimed, 'Why honey, it's midcentury!' (I know: Bizarre that I wouldn't have known that word, but honestly, I didn't.)

That one moment opened up a new world: I could now describe my style. And if I could describe it, I could locate it cheap. And that's my number one eBay tip: Build your design vocabulary. Do you want a 'retro lamp' or are you looking for a 'Danish Modern tension pole lamp'? A 'see-through buffet' or a 'Lucite console table'? The more you know, the more refined your search, no matter what your particular style.

So here are some of my favorite current eBay auctions using words I've learned over these last ten years. Happy bidding!"

French Italian Hollywood Regency Wall Mirror

Pair of Vintage Deer Planters

West German Lava Vase

Six Midcentury Chairs

Vintage Retro Melamine Serving Dishes

Knoll Tulip Stool

Midcentury Modern Green Wood Desk

Danish Modern Retro Footstool

Vintage Samsonite Travel Makeup Case

Thanks so much, Katherine! Be sure to check out her many secondhand scores and shopping tips over on BackGarage.

Over and Out

Photo by Cortni Marie

Have a lovely weekend, and happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there!

Mark Your Calendar: Weekend Roundup

* Saturday, May 9, from 10 to 3: Feria Urbana at Pizzaiolo in Oakland

* Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 4: Open Studios and Factory Store Sale at Heath Ceramics in Sausalito

* Opening Saturday at noon at Johansson Projects in Uptown Oakland: Val Britton and Michael Meyers's Echo Fields (the artists' reception for the show is next Saturday, May 16, from 5 to 8 p.m.)

* Saturday from 2 to 4: The First Annual Cupcake Bake-Off at Oakland's Rock Paper Scissors Collective (across the street from Johansson Projects); $4 at the door

* Saturday from 7 to 11 p.m.: The opening reception for Isabel Samaras's Into the Woodz at San Francisco's Shooting Gallery

* And at the same time next door at White Walls Gallery: The opening reception for New Work from Ian Johnson

* Finally, if you're still on the hunt for a Mother's Day gift, don't forget the exclusive discount for More Ways to Waste Time Readers at Atomic Garden in Rockridge.

eBay Finds

French Vintage Bee Poster

Antique Tootsie Toy Truck

Morton Last Co. Wood Shoe Form

Pair Ben Seibel Jenfred Raymor Brass Bookends

Gustavberg Small Plate/Bowl

Architectural Salvage Wood Panel

Gunnar Nylund Rörstrand Handle Vase

Christian Dell Table Lamp

Emil Stejnar Sputnik Chandelier

Vintage Store Display Case (pick up in Delaware)

George Nelson Swag Leg Table

Four Saarinen Knoll Chairs

Eames Era Vase

Marais Stool in Lemon

Wood Boot Forms

Vintage Danish Modern Teak Magazine Rack

Antique French Mannequin

Large Letterpress Ampersand

Vintage Louis XVI Side Chair (pick up in L.A.)

Milo Baughman Marble Top Burl Credenza

Vintage "Nobody's Perfect" Wall Plaque

Note: These auctions all end between today and Monday evening, May 11. Happy bidding!

Cool Stuff: Noun: A Person's Place for Things

Sweet (mostly) vintage goodies from Noun: A Person's Place for Things, which recently opened an online outpost of its wonderful Portland, Oregon brick-and-mortar boutique. Clockwise from top left: Vintage Anatomy Charts, $25; Porcelain Pear Vases, $14 each; Vintage Green Wooden Boat, $17; Precise Tabletop Adding Machine, $28; Cherry Blossom Cups and Saucers, $12 a pair; Vintage Black Desktop Fan, $61

Check out all of Noun's charming wares right here.

Cool Stuff: Leafcutter Designs Trade Tokens

Here's a novel idea (and I know this is mighty rich coming from someone who publicly covets things all day long): Instead of another scented candle or useless tchotchke for Mom this Sunday, how about the simple promise of your time, or something made with love and your own two hands?

Based on historic "tough times tokens" (shown above), which took the place of currency when money was in short supply, these charming wooden trade tokens from Lea Redmond of Oakland-based Leafcutter Designs (aka the woman behind the equally charming World's Smallest Postal Service) offer something of infinite value: A homecooked meal, a walk together, a pep talk when you're feeling down.

As Redmond says, "Many of the best things in life don't take much money, anyway. I've created this series of trade tokens to help spread thrifty and wonderful homegrown goods and services through our culture. Give them as gifts, pass them out at potlucks, leave them around town for other people to find and circulate. Let them take on a life of their own and remind us all what true value is." Hear, hear.

The tokens are 75 cents each, or 12 for $8 right here.

Bonus Deal of the Day: Deep Discounts at Henry Road

The deals are hot-and-heavy this week: L.A.-based Henry Road is having a blowout sale to celebrate its brick-and-mortar store's first anniversary as well as Mother's Day.

Every item in textile designer Paula Smail's online shop -- table linens, pillows, bags, fabric yardage, lampshades, and even exuberantly reupholstered vintage furniture -- is a whopping 40 percent off until Sunday.

See all of Henry Road's cheerful wares right here. To get the discount, enter coupon code SALE at checkout between now and May 10.

Deal of the Day: Cinco de Mayo Savings at LAMA

Yet another local, indie e-tailer that's offering tempting savings right now: Oakland-based LAMA (Latin America in the Modern Age), purveyor of colorful textiles, whimsical ceramics, fresh accessories, unique papergoods, and more from traditional Latin American artisans as well as modern-leaning artists and crafters.

Peruse all of LAMA's updated south-of-the-border styles right here. To take advantage of the 15 percent discount, simply enter coupon code CINCODEMAYO at checkout between now and Friday, May 15.

Objects of Lust: Yellow Goat Lighting

Though they're likely named after the shelters for a completely different creature, these delicate metal and natural-reed Coop Pendants from Australia's Yellow Goat Design remind me of antique Japanese fishing traps. I think I'd like one for every room in the house.

Or maybe what I really want are these vaguely kelp-like Pequeno Pendants.

Or perhaps these organic modern Wicker Pod Doubles ...

See all of Yellow Goat's out-of-this-world lighting right here. No idea about pricing, but I'd hazard a guess that they cost a pretty penny. Anyone feel like buying a few for me?

(Via If the Lampshade Fits.)

Deal of the Day: Mother's Day Sale at Tikoli

One of my favorite local companies, Tikoli, is offering 15 percent off all orders this week. This could be the perfect excuse to stock up on Oakland designer Maja Brugos's graphic, modern linens to give out as gifts or to add a fresh accent to your own kitchen.

Check out all of Tikoli's colorful , 100-percent cotton tea towels (just $8.50 each after discount) right here. To take advantage of the savings, enter coupon code MOM09 at checkout between now and Sunday, May 10.

Etsy Find of the Day: Inklore

I'm a total a sucker for nubby, natural linen -- and for graphic, botanical prints. Both of them together? Forget about it.

So I was destined to fall hard for the hand-blockprinted pillows, table linens, and other household accents from Etsy seller Inklore (aka Northern California artist and textile designer Sam Hirst).

My faves:

Linen Bucket, $30

Set of Four Linen Napkins

Branches Linen Pillow Slip, $38

Yarrow Tea Towel, $12

Branches Tea Cosie, $35

Linen Table Runner, $55

Yarn Keep, $30

Quatrefoil Pillow Slip, $38

See all of Inklore's Etsy offerings right here -- and check out more of her beautiful designs here.

eBay Finds

Two Green Ribbed Apothecary Bottles

Vintage White Flowers Chandelier

Vintage Industrial Light Fixture

Herman Miller Eames DCM Chair With Cowhide

Danish Modern Rocking Chair

Ten Vintage Metal Locker Baskets

Vintage Hornsea Bird Salt & Pepper Shakers

Herman Miller Eames Fiberglass Side Chairs

Pair Italian Modern Lamps

Antique Leather Chesterfield Sofa

Ingrid Atterberg Modern Bowl 1950s

1940s Modernist Male Oil Portrait

Vintage Heath Ceramics Teapot

Midcentury Plycraft Lounge Chair With Ottoman

Vintage Oil Portrait Beautiful Woman

Vintage French Toy Sailboat

Four Eames Eiffel Tower Chairs With Bikini Seatpads

Vintage Pfizer Anatomical Charts

Russel Wright American Modern Lot 10 Items

Set of Four LaGardo Tackett Bottles

Note: These auctions all end between today and Wednesday evening, May 6. Happy bidding!

Deal of the Day: Discount at Atomic Garden

Attention, locals: The lovely ladies at Atomic Garden, the beautiful Rockridge eco-boutique, have generously offered More Ways to Waste Time readers 15 percent off all of the shop's gorgeous, earth-friendly housewares through the month of May.

Whether you need to pick up a unique Mother's Day gift, are looking to subtly and beautifully green up your home, or simply owe yourself a small-but-wonderful treat, the shop has an array of handmade and sustainably produced items from which to choose.

Goods include low-impact ceramics; recycled glassware; organic cotton, linen, and hemp textiles from companies such as Plover, Fog, Transylvanian Images, and Flock Home; pretty, reusable shopping bags and lunch sacks; natural beeswax candles; locals Rebecca Stevens's and Nabil Samadani's eco-printed seasonal soup cookbook; recycled-paper notebooks and stationery; and even salvaged-wood birdhouses by Oakland artist and furniture maker Billy Kroft.

To take advantage of the 15 percent savings, just mention More Ways to Waste Time when you bring your purchases to the register between today and May 31.

Atomic Garden is located at 5453 College Ave. near Kales in Oakland's Rockridge district, and is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Read more about the shop right here, and feel free to pass along the savings to friends in the area!

That's Random: Keeping the Dog Dry, and Other Domestic Pursuits

My daughter, who turns 11 today, spent much of yesterday morning fashioning a raincoat for our corgi, Bonnie. She insisted -- and since it's her birthday, I reluctantly agreed -- that I show it to all of you. She wants everyone to admire her handiwork, but she declined to provide step-by-step instructions for this project (as she has for others in the past), because she doesn't want anyone copying her design. (Hint: It basically involves a rectangular piece of oilcloth lined with cotton and held in place with Velcroed straps at the neck and belly. Shhhh -- you didn't hear it from me.) So here you go: Dog raincoat by Laurel.

Then, at her own insistence, she spent the afternoon baking her birthday cake from scratch. (Lemon with curd and berries -- yum. An overly complicated recipe from my arch nemesis Martha, of course.) While she was doing this, I believe I was taking a nap. Hey, she's been baking cakes with little assistance from me since kindergarten ...

It's a good thing this girl was born at home, because otherwise I'd worry that she'd been switched at the hospital. Still, she did not get this domestic gene from me. (Just curious: Does anyone else's fifth grader beg for a copy of the humongous Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts for her birthday? That's kind of weird, right?)

Anyway, happy birthday, my love! And by the way: That 10-pound package with the big bow on it? I think you'll be pleased by the contents. Me, well, that's a different story.

Over and Out

Image by her, from here

Happy May!

Cool Stuff: The Perfect Tote for These Economic Times

Sad but quite possibly true. ;-)

Get yours for £4 (about $6) here.

(Via Switched on Set.)

eBay Finds

Vintage Industrial Safety Light

Retro Desk Lamp

Mari Simmulson Decorative Dish

Architectural Pottery Peanut Planter

Vintage Laurel Lamp

Antique Wooden Juggling Pins

1930s Oil Portrait

Pair of Retro Canvas Deck Chairs

Tripod Projector Lamp

Vintage Exit Light

Set of Four Thonet Bentwood Side Chairs (pick up in Atlanta)

Vintage Glass & Crystal Chandelier

Five Vintage Drugstore Medicine Bottles

Paul McCobb "Calvin" Series Chair

Early Crude Demijohn

Three Gainey Architectural Pottery Planters

Lightolier Thurston Candelabra Chandelier

Henredon Barbara Barry Brown Velvet Sofa

Antique Wood Millinery Hat Block

Four Teak Kai Kristiansen Chairs

Note: These auctions all end between today and Sunday evening, May 3. Happy bidding!

Mark Your Calendar: Weekend Art Openings and Events

A few things on my radar this weekend:

Friday, May 1

* The Den, the brand-new lounge at the fabulous Fox Theater, hosts its inaugural "First Friday" Poster Art Party featuring gigposters from Jason Munn of The Small Stakes and Lil' Tuffy. The party (complete with drink specials and posters for sale) runs from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. The Den is located at 1912 Telegraph Ave. at 19th St. in Uptown Oakland.

* Old Oakland's FiveTen Studio presents The Home Show, a group exhibition featuring work from Modesto Covarrubias, Miriam Fagan, Linda Braz, Glenna Alee, Elyse Hochstadt, and Dave Higgins. The opening reception runs from 6 to 9 p.m., and the show will be up through May 30. FiveTen Studio is located at 831 Broadway at 9th.

* From 7 to 10 p.m., 21 Grand hosts its 9th Annual Art Sale featuring more than 100 affordable pieces from a dizzying array of local artists. (If you can't make it tonight, the sale continues Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m.) 21 Grand is located at 416 25th St. near Broadway in Uptown Oakland.

* Over in San Francisco, Rare Device unveils Rachel Denny's Out of the Woods, showcasing the Portland artist's textile taxidermy and other sculptural pieces. The opening reception is from 7 to 9 p.m., and the show will be up until June 2. Rare Device is located at 1845 Market St. near Guerrero.

Saturday, May 2

*After you hit the Modern Economy Sale at Fort Mason Saturday morning, swing over to the other side of the City for the Dogpatch and Bayview Artists Spring Open Studios, which runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Artists Annie Galvin and Eric Rewitzer and ceramist Diana Fayt will open their doors for studio tours, art previews, and light refreshments. Galvin and Rewitzer's 3 Fish Studios is located at 610 22nd St. #243 at Illinois, and Fayt's space is at 1044 Revere Ave. #B29 at Griffith.

* Close out the day at Needles + Pens for the opening of You've Got Light in Your Eyes, a group show curated by art blogger extraordinaire Meighan O'Toole of My Love for You is a Stampede of Horses and featuring work from 1911, Kate Bingaman Burt, Jill Bliss, Will Bryant, Kime Buzzelli, John Casey, Lisa Congdon, Liam Devowski, Bill Dunlap, Kenn Goodall, Maxwell Loren Holyoke-Hirsch, Know Hope, Olivia Jeffries, Aidan Koch, Ashley Lande Brown, Jeremiah Maddock, Leslie Martinez, Terri Olsen Von Schaub, Mike Perry, Shannon Rankin, and Dan Szymanowski. The opening reception runs from 6 to 9:30 p.m., and the show will be up through June 28. Needles + Pens is located at 3253 16th St. at Guerrero.

* P.S. Don't forget that Saturday is World Naked Gardening Day! And Sunday is, of course, the Alameda Flea Market.

Have fun!