Seven-year-old Skylar Montague is one very lucky little girl.
Not only does she have a beautiful, talented, and big-hearted mother (My Marrakesh's Maryam Montague), but she lives in a breathtaking home in exotic, faraway Morocco, where her bedroom floor just got this absolutely dreamy custom lace stencil treatment.
Now Royal Design Studio's Melanie Royals, the California artisan who helped transform Skylar's floor, is selling the stencil pattern she used to create it. The 27-by-39.5-inch, two-part stencil can be applied to floors, walls, ceilings, or even furniture.
It's $199 right here.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Cool Stuff: Skylar's Lace Pattern Stencil
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Objects of Lust: Missoni Throws
It's cold, wet, and dreary here today, so I'm craving color and coziness. These delicious wool throws from iconic Italian design house Missoni fit the bill perfectly. (Even in flush times, I can't see spending quite so much on a blanket, no matter how lovely -- buy hey, it doesn't cost a cent to feast the eyes, right? And if you're in the position to cough up some cash, one of these would make for a bold, colorful accent draped over the back of a chair or folded at the foot of a bed, even in warmer weather.) Above: Jamiro Throw, $410 from Bedding, Etc.
Humbert Cushions and Throws, $102 and $315 each from Bedding, Etc. (For those of us on a tight budget, IKEA's $20 Jorun Throw is a comparable -- though far less luxurious -- option.)
Kiruna Throw, $670 from Bedding, Etc.
Karlos Throw, $295 at Bedding, Etc.
Harpo Throw, $275 at Pillows and Throws
Cool Stuff: Forest Silhouette Lamps
Crafted from unglazed porcelain and illuminated by low-wattage bulbs, these Forest Silhouette Lamps cast a soft, almost ghostly glow that highlights the subtle tree designs etched inside.
They're $118 each at RianRae.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Over and Out
Hope your weekend is filled with love, in all of its incarnations.
(Nick and I are super-excited for this. Do you have any special plans?)
That's Random: What Are You Listening To?
I've been on a music jag lately, dusting off old favorites and giving a few new things a spin. Back in our record store days, Nick and I probably brought home ten new discs a week, listening to them rather obsessively and debating the merits of one album or act over another for hours with our equally music-obsessed friends.
But then, well, life sort of intervened -- as it has a way of doing -- and our voracious appetite for new music trailed off a bit. It didn't die, not by a long shot. It was just side-channeled into things like raising kids, renovating houses, and earning livings.
But I'm feeling the love again, and am hungry for some fresh new music and to soak in. So I wanted to ask: What are you listening to these days? What's been your favorite disc this past year? What band or songwriter is rocking your world right now? Above is what's on constant rotation at our house at the moment, just to give you all a sense of our taste. What else should we check out?
Please let me know about your current faves, or share your own playlist in the comments. Thanks!
Cool Stuff: Justin Rothshank Decal Ceramics
Beautiful, provocative decalware from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ceramic artist Justin Rothshank.
Rothshank designs custom decals on his computer, laser-prints them with ceramic ink onto special decal paper, and applies them to his handmade pottery before firing in a kiln. The results are as startling as they are lovely.
Contact Rothshank directly for pricing and ordering information. (Update: Just discovered that he has pieces for sale on Etsy as well.)
See a video of Rothshank's decal application process here, and check out more of his work here.
Cool Tool: Free Valentine's e-Cards From Kate Spade
Step away from the Hallmark aisle.
If, like someone (cough!) we know, you've lagged on hunting down a cool Valentine's Day card for your sweetheart, bestest friend, or other special someone, all is not lost.
Thanks to designer Kate Spade, who commissioned 26 artists to create a selection of hip, sweet Valentine's e-cards, you can still send your SO or BFF a V-Day greeting that doesn't reek of fromage.
Even better? They're 100% free.
Check 'em out right here.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Mark Your Calendar: Lisa Congdon at BellJar
Opening tonight -- Thursday, February 12 -- at San Francisco's BellJar: Lisa Congdon's Love Me Not, a modern reinterpretation in painting, illustration, collage, and shadowbox of the lush, effusive, and slightly bizarre Valentine's notes of the Victorian era.
Here, Congdon explains her inspiration for the show: "Valentine's Day reached its height of celebration in the Victorian Era. Valentines cards were produced in tens of thousands, from whimsical to slightly vulgar. Their designs included lace paper, embossed envelopes, glass or metal mirrors, ribbons, real feathers, and flowers or dried ferns. Chubby, adult-looking children called cherubs adorned them. Just as important as the decoration are the unabashed pleading for affection and pledging of undying devotion that accompany traditional Valentines.
In Love Me Not, I explore both the traditional decor and subject matter of Valentines from the Victorian Era along with common Valentines sentiments and proclamations. In some cases I have taken the gaudy decoration and purposefully toned it down to be more austere to play with the viewer's sensibilities."
There will be an opening reception for Love Me Not this evening from 6 to 9 p.m., and the show will be up through March 11. BellJar is located at 3187 16th St. at Guerrero in the Mission.
Check out more of Congdon's work right here.
Etsy Find of the Day: Mudpuppy Bud Vases
I stopped in yesterday at Berkeley's Lola (which, by the way, is an absolutely beautiful shop and definitely worth a visit if you're local) and was immediately drawn to these delicate bud vases with woven waxed linen "knotless nets" from Mudpuppy (aka Denver ceramist Michael McDowell). I don't know what it is, but the combination of needlework and other, non-textile mediums gets me every single time.
In the end, I couldn't resist. I need more white pottery like I need a hole in the head, and we really shouldn't be spending on non-essentials right now. But the heart wants what it wants, y'know?
Lola has a few more of these, so pop on by to take a look if you're in the area. If not, you can find them for $26 apiece on good old Etsy, where Mudpuppy has a shop filled with lots of little handcrafted ceramic lovelies that you probably don't need, but that your heart will undoubtedly desire.
(P.S. Check out my Etsy widget at left for a few more Mudpuppy creations. I update the widget with five new Etsy finds every day, so if you view the blog via an RSS feed, it's worth clicking through to check out the bonus goodies.)
(P.P.S. Click through to the comments on this post to see a great discount offer on Mudpuppy wares, just for More Ways to Waste Time readers. Thanks, Michael!)
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Cool Stuff: New from India Rose
Brand-new goodies from India Rose (the Bay Area-based company that brought us the oh-so-covetable White Devil Shower Curtain):
Fabric Lanterns, $35 to $43 each
Large Pillar Candles, $89 each
Simple Pillar Candles, $69 each
Canggu Duvet, $260, and Lucy Pillowcases, $27 and $55 each
See all of India Rose's pretty, feminine products right here.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The Artful Home: Evan B. Harris and Amy Ruppel Print
Stop the presses! A new collaborative print, Noble Growth ($24), from Portland art darlings and studio mates Evan B. Harris and Amy Ruppel just hit Tiny Showcase, where it's sure to sell out in 3, 2, 1 ...
Grab yours while you can.
(P.S. Also be sure to check out the haunting original paintings -- such as Winter Growth, above, $975 -- from Harris and Ruppel's current Land, Air, and Sea show at Portland's Mark Woolley Gallery.)
Object of Lust: Dandelion Clocks Wallpaper
I am sick with lust (sick, I tell you!) for this Dandelion Clocks Wallpaper from the venerable British company Sanderson.
Psst -- the cheerful pattern is also available in fabric. (And by "available," I mean available for purchase in England, Wales, and Scotland.)
Any U.K. readers out there willing to swing by John Lewis to pick up a roll or two for me? ;-)
(Via Design Undercover.)
The Artful Home: Plywerk Art at Olio United
Portland's eco-chic boutique, Olio United, just added pieces the the website from its great new art show, Plywerk. The collection consists of affordable, ready-to-hang work from artists Betsy Walton, Yellena James, Kim Oanh Nguyen, and Joanna Bean. The pieces were created by mounting images from each artist to half-inch, FSC-certified Plywerk panels and sealing them with a protective laminate finish.
A few of my faves:
Set Free by Betsy Walton, $70
Rainbow Quilt Mountain by Betsy Walton, $70
Burst by Yellena James, $65
Vintage Ballet Dress by Kim Oanh Nguyen, $45
Geometrics 6 by Joanna Bean, $65
See all of the Plywerk art at Olio right here -- and peruse the shop's other great art selections here.
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