Etsy rolled out its new Shop Local tool right before the holidays -- when, presumably, we were all scrambling for last-minute gifts that we could actually pick up in person instead of waiting for the overloaded and backlogged mail service to deliver them.
It's a great idea: Not only can you discover and support the talent right in your own backyard, but you may also be able to save on shipping charges and prevent all that packing material from ending up in landfills.
When I gave Shop Local a test drive recently, I was delighted to discover more than 100 Etsy sellers in Oakland alone, offering more than a thousand items -- including this sweet Basement Mice collage print, $18, by RISD alum Karen Ondracek.
By expanding my search parameters a bit to include neighboring Berkeley, up popped this pretty letterpress calendar ($30) from ©&@.
San Francisco? Why, it's blogger sfgirlbybay's custom-colored Keep Calm and Carry On posters ($25 each).
But here's the thing: You can also use the tool to browse wares from vendors who are decidedly not local.
Say you're into Scandinavian design. Simply type in "Sweden" (or "Finland," or "Denmark") and see what turns up:
Ms. Ursula Buttcrack Character ($56), from Gothenburg's Smosch
Now let's try the Netherlands:
Handfelted Pebbles ($24 for eight), from Geleen's Reya Veltman
Italy: I'd Rather Be Happy With You Again print ($13), by The Good Machinery
Argentina: Patterned Birds print ($15), by Pequinio Craft
South Africa: Pink Stamens blockprinted fabric ($20 for about a yard), by Cape Town's jezze
Japan: Sakura Woman ACEO, $10 from Gallery Juana
Australia: Hey Little Birdy print ($12), by Perth's Little Red Bicycle
See how fun (and potentially addictive) it is?
My only complaint -- and I have a similar quibble with Etsy's Shop by Color tool and general search form -- is that you can't further narrow the results by category or keyword. So if I'm looking for local ceramists, it'd be nice not to have to wade through all the jewelry designers who are based in my neck of the woods. (Are you listening, Etsy wizards?)
But still, it's a really nifty little feature. Give Shop Local a whirl -- whether to keep it local or to drastically expand your shopping horizons -- right here.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Cool Tool: Etsy's "Shop Local"
Cool Stuff: Petrified Wood Cheese Trays
Absolutely beautiful -- and only 20 million years old.
The 7-inch tray is $78 and the 10-inch version is $148 from Jayson Home & Garden.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Mark Your Calendar: Olafur Eliasson at SFMOMA Through February 24
Yesterday was Nick's birthday and Austin was still on winter break from school, so we all played hookie and spent the afternoon at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, which is having the most amazing exhibition right now featuring the work of Danish/Icelandic conceptual artist Olafur Eliasson.
Eliasson is known for his mindbending multimedia and multisensory work, which employs sculpture, photography, geometry, and science and jolts viewers out of their normal, passive interaction with art by tweaking the temperature, moisture level, color, illumination, and even the scent of his exhibit spaces.
Unfortunately, photography isn't allowed inside the museum, and the watchful stare of several security guards was enough to keep my camera tucked safely in my purse. And though there are a few pictures of the Eliasson exhibit on the museum website, they don't really do his creations justice. Happily, a quick flickr search turned up photosets from several intrepid SFMOMA visitors.
Take a look:
In the museum's rotunda, you're greeted by Ventilator, a whirring fan suspended from a cable and swinging low enough overhead to make you instinctively duck. It's a fitting introduction to the Eliasson exhibit, which is all about interactivity -- as well as placing visitors outside of their physical comfort zone.
The One-Way Color Tunnel is a stunning kaleidescope in the form of an enclosed bridge suspended high above the entrance rotunda.
Photo by solupine
Beauty consists of streams of mist and a prismatic light show, both of which rain down on visitors.
The Waterfall Series is comprised of 50 color-filtered waterfall prints, each unique and yet all of a piece.
The 360 Degree Room for All Colours cycles through the entire color spectrum, with observers' silhouettes becoming part of the visual experience.
In Notion Motion, raised floorboards are employed like piano keys and image prompts, creating both musical notes and projected waves when they're stepped on.
The image-refracting facets of Multiple Grotto create a kaleidoscopic view of its own bisecting angles.
Your Mobile Expectations is a space-age vehicle constructed of steel and ice, housed in a walk-in freezer.
The Model Room showcases small-scale models and prototypes of Eliasson's installations as well as modestly sized creations, such as the faceted light fixture above. It's a fascinating glimpse into the artist's mind at work -- not to mention a collection of breathtaking geometric objects.
SFMOMA's Olafur Eliasson show runs through February 24, after which it will tour various museums around the country. If you're in the area, move earth and sea to catch it before it's gone.
And whether you're in the area or not, the exhaustive and beautiful exhibit catalog, Take Your Time: Olafur Eliasson ($50), would be a worthy addition to your bookshelf or coffee table.
The Artful Home: Amy Kligman Prints
BlueFlip Art is kicking off the new year with the addition of three prints from Kansas City, Missouri artist Amy Kligman, whose work is described thusly:
"Amy paints scenes that at first glance seem like they could be from a children's book but upon closer examination take a slight turn to the creepy." That had me at hello.
Top: Little Screams archival giclee print, limited edition of 100, $25; above, Fields and What I Think of When I See Them, $20; below: Surrounded, $20.
A portion of each sale benefits the Smile Train, which provides free corrective surgery to children around the world with cleft lip and palate.
See more of Kligman's work right here, and see all of BlueFlip's offerings here.
Etsy Find of the Day: Ikea Chair Pattern
Reinvent that tired IKEA Skruvsta chair with some fresh new fabric.
It's a simple weekend project thanks to this chair cover pattern from Etsy seller Yvestown (who's also the author of the delightful Dutch blog of the same name).
The $25 paper pattern includes sewing instructions and worldwide shipping.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Trendspotting: Laser-Cut Felt
Lately I've been noticing more and more products -- from tableware to lighting and flooring -- created from laser-cut felt.
It's such an interesting juxtaposition: The fuzzy, woolly, wintry felt gives weight, warmth, and earthiness to the delicate, even ethereal laser-cut designs.
Take a look:
Chrysanthemum Placemat, $42 for a set of six from Venucci
Snowflake Coasters, 12 pounds sterling (about $24) for four, and Little Doily Placemat, 16 pounds ($32), from Donna Wilson
Gabrielle Lewin Flowers Placemats, $32 for four, and Coasters, $10 for four, from the MoMA Store
Lacey Felt Placemat, $4 at Crate & Barrel
Sweat Pea Table Runner, 25 AUD (about $22), Black Tussie Mussie Table Runner, 35 AUD ($30), Sweat Pea Placemat, 7 AUD ($6), and Coaster, 4 AUD ($3.50), all by Venucci, available at Hart & Heim
Bouquet Placemats, $35 each from Out of Gray
Cappelletti Vintage Cushions, Sconcigli Cushion, and Lotus Throw from Illu Stration by Mary-Ann Williams
Sconcigli Pendant, Xolo Pendant, Bloom Light Chain, and Oak Leaves Pendant from Illu Stration by Mary-Ann Williams
Mixko Delight Light Shade, $161 at Rose and Radish
Laser Cut Felt Rug, $199 to $499, from Brocade Home
Cappelletti Rug from Illu Stration by Mary-Ann Williams
Doily Rug, 440 pounds sterling (about $880) from Donna Wilson
Wool Wall and Room Divider Panels from Bev Hisey
eBay Find of the Day: Danish Modern Chairs
Granted, the faded Eighties-era fabric is beyond fugly -- but these classic midcentury modern chairs have potential written all over them.
The seller claims that the bentwood clamshell chairs, which retain their original "Kodawood of Miami" tags, were designed by Danish icon Finn Juhl, whose furniture regularly fetches hundreds and even thousands of dollars at auction and from high-end dealers.
With the seats and backrests recovered in a poppy graphic print, you'll have some super-stylish -- and possibly valuable -- seating on your hands.
Current bid: $10 for the pair
Update: Two readers have called into question the seller's assertion that these chairs were designed by Finn Juhl. So, as always, let the buyer beware.
(P.S. For more of my eBay picks, check out the new eBay widget I've added at the bottom of the page.)
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Cool Stuff: Marimekko Spring Fabrics
It's not feeling much like spring around here, but of course the design world is always several months ahead of the rest of us.
Finnish fabric giant Marimekko just released its new spring fabrics (like Keisarinna, above), which will inject a bit of sunshine into these dark and dreary days and perhaps spur plans for some spring sewing projects. (Speaking of which, I just signed up for a sewing class! I am so making new throw pillows for the couch.)
My faves from the spring collection (most of these patterns are available in several colorways):
Dadel bright, $125 per panel, and Kevatjuhla green, $70 per panel
Kaakaopuu pink and Palma yellow, both $42 a yard
Ruusupuu blue and Kirsikka black, both $42 a yard
Matkalla green/pink and Pelimanni blue, both $42 a yard
And these new patterns and colorways aren't available yet, but will be soon.
See the entire Marimekko spring line at Textile Arts.
