Bad Girl Leroy Brown over here. I couldn’t resist, I bought this piece by Nate Lambdin from the Seattle based Studio Piano Nobile last Friday! Turns out I had almost the exact cost in an old Paypal account so it felt like it was meant to be! There are still a few left on Piano Nobile’s website. Contact Isabelle through their website for availability or check out their Etsy shop for other goodies.

I just stumbled upon the website for art studio Piano Nobile and instantly fell in love with these marker drawings by artist Nate Lambdin. It’s a dream of mine to have my own art gallery someday where I would carry affordable artwork by talents like Nate. In the meantime I will need to figure out how to buy just one of them for myself. I’ve contacted Piano Nobile for info on availability but for $225-325 I would imagine they will sell out quickly. I’ll update later.

I finally snapped up an original edition print at 20×200, the online art project from NYC gallery owner Jen Bekman. The idea behind 20×200 is to make art accessible and affordable to the masses by offering two new pieces a week, one print and one photo and make them available in three sizes. The smallest size is 8.5 x 11 for $20, a medium size is $200 and the largest size is $2000.

Each week I eagerly await to see which emerging artist is featured and what they’ve created. Art being subjective, it’s pretty rare that I react to a piece and have to have it. But this week when I saw Sophie by artist Jacob Escobedo, I fell hard and quickly snatched her up. I love how the intricate spirals and twirls of the pen lines make the slow kerplump movement of Sophie the elephant come to life and make her bigness appear graceful and beautiful. It looks like the $20 are sold out, but if you’re up for a splurge there are a few $200 versions still available here.

On Tuesday night, after running around like a mad woman all day getting the house ready for the first broker open on Wednesday, our new light fixture from Restoration Hardware finally arrived. At that point I was beyond exhausted and couldn’t imagine dealing with the installation. So up I get at the crack of dawn Wednesday morning determined to install it myself. Let me paint the picture, there was almost no light in the bathroom that early in the morning so I was using a flashlight balanced on the back of the toilet for light, I’m in my PJ’s surrounded by all the parts on the floor and my enormous cat George was bent on stretching out on the floor on top of all the tiny screws and hiding them from me. Oh and it was during a heat wave and its never hot out here! The whole fixture was so heavy I was grunting like Maria Sharapova trying to hold it up and screw it to the wall. There were more than a few curse words, oh hell an entire book of curse words, but I am happy to report I DID IT! When I hit the switch I swear a tear of joy rolled down my cheek. It was my proudest moment and no one except for George was there to rejoice with me.

Therefore I think its only fitting that I treat myself to a merit badge. A Proud As A Peacock merit badge! Yes I am a total dork. Artist Lee Meszaros has created a whole collection of merit badges for Good Egg Industries. Silk screened and embroidered on cotton by hand, Lee has created some really adorable badges to praise yourself or a friend for surviving whatever life throws at you. $25 at Good Egg.

Rolling with the Punches Merit Badge

Surviving First Love Merit Badge

Do you ever think about the places you would like to have your ashes scattered when the time comes? Tennessee Valley in the Marin Headlands is one of those places for me. I have hiked every possible trail and have spent so much time there alone or with friends or with the hubs that I feel likes it’s my own private playground.

Over the years I have seen owls and hawks, deer and bobcats and lots and lots of bunnies. My favorite creature though and the unofficial mascot of TV is the Quail. As my friend Parry likes to say: “Quails are the epitome of nervousness”. When they see you coming they waddle quick as can be into the brush with their heads darting about nervously making the cutest warbling sounds (Parry does a great impression too). I like them because they mate for life and they are always in pairs with their little babies wobbling along behind them. I was thinking that a little quail memento might be a great idea to commemorate our years in the Bay Area before we take off for Salt Lake. Here are some adorable quail images courtesy of some fabulous Etsy shops:

Top: Studio Lyon mixed media print ($20), Jen Skelley quail magnet ($3); Middle: The Bees Knees Designs stencil on canvas ($25), Cindy Mindy Pindy California quail print ($15); Bottom: PaperStories letterpress quail ($4), Urban Splendor “all we ever wanted” giclee print ($15).

One of my favorite artists, Amy Ruppel, has just added a bunch of new work to her online shop. I love her wax paintings of little birds and owls but it’s the titles she assigns them that give them personality and make me love them more. They are tiny 5×5 or 5×8 but I think that just adds to their sweetness. Hurry up to her online shop because they are going fast!

“the guardian”

“weight of the world”

I want to say Thanks to blogger Leah Hennen from More Ways to Waste Time for turning me on to the West Berkeley shop Relish At Home. I need to get there ASAP. Check out her blog post about Relish filled with great photo’s. Here are a couple fabulous items she covers:

Foxy & Winston limited edition prints titled “Mammalia”

Plush “Autumn birds” from Jill Blissen

Hello Beautiful People! Just sitting here on a sunny Thursday listening to the soothing tune-age of folk rocker Josh Ritter and classical violinist Hilary Hahn and peeping these Etsy items that struck my fancy this week and hopefully will strike yours too:

I wish I’d seen this Deco Sun banner earlier - it would have been perfect for the hubs birthday barbeque this weekend. Etsy seller Earmark Paperie creates their line of clever invites and personalized stationary from their beach view bungalow in San Diego:

I love this gorgeous, atmospheric photography from Under the Sugar, there is something very Summer of 1973 about them that I like (prints start at $35):

Fun Summer jewelry from Wiyomu, affordable too ($20 for these necklaces)!

Wedding planning is a thing of the past for me and I have no regrets but I can’t help but stumble across things from time to time and wish they’d been around when I got married. Don’t even get me started on J.Crew, if their bridesmaids dresses had been around in 2002 I could have saved my BM’s a lot of agony by giving them more flattering options instead of a boring tank style (I stand by the color though, they all looked amazing in red).

I saw these adorable plastic wishbones from Etsy seller Somethings Hiding Here and thought they would make a memorable and sweet wedding favor. We did mini-daisy soaps and I think somewhere in my Moms garage there is a bag full of disintegrating soap. The cute cotton bag and the Best Wishes sentiment complete the package.

Then the other day I caught site of this fantastic sign over at blogger Chere Amie. Please somebody have this at your wedding and invite me!

I’ve been meaning to write about artist Jessica Gonacha’s newest work for a couple of weeks. Inspired by her love of “type-art”, Jessica’s latest experiment are these sweet gocco prints that provide a little reminder some of us need everyday. At $7 how can you not buy one for yourself or someone you love (this would be a perfect belated Mother’s Day Gift!). I have a certain very special and very LOVED relative who might benefit from her “You Are So Loved” print today. Check out Jessica’s Etsy shop or her fun blog Treasuring for more inspiration.

I’ve been a busy bee lately and have found it’s hard to keep up with all the things I want to share with you. I’ll keep my blurbs short and sweet so you and I can both enjoy these finds.

I love these mixed media on plywood pieces from Berkeley, CA artist Sheila Metcalf Tobin. Check her etsy shop for availability:

In honor of Earth Day, love a tree today with this “Save a Tree for Me” limited edition print by Camilla Engman. Printed on 100% post-consumer paper with soy-based inks it’s available at one of my favorite LA shops, Reform School Rules for only $35 buckaroos.

One of the things I miss the most about our years living in San Francisco was meandering home from work, up and over the hills, to our apartment below Russian Hill. I loved the discovery of a new boutique on Polk, taking a peek at the menu for the latest hipster restaurant on Hayes or stopping into a little sweet shop on Union for a before dinner treat. So last week I came up with a plan. The hubs and I commute home together, so instead of waiting around for him I decided to get a head start and walk in the general direction of the Golden Gate Bridge and he could pick me up wherever I ended up.

This plan led to the best SF discovery I’ve had in awhile, the design boutique Eden & Eden! As soon as I turned the enormous antique doorknob to enter I felt a wave of awe fill my soul. I was like a kid in a candy store, oohing and awing over the ferm Living wallpaper, the stunning Ivana Helsinki clothing and bags, colorful Antoni & Alison cashmere sweaters and my new favorite, People Will Always Need Plates witty mugs and of course plates. The shop has a real international vibe, due to owner Rachel’s British beginnings. There are items from Denmark, Finland and the UK all displayed with the sophisticated eye of a curator. On the Eden & Eden website they have made a select few goodies available for purchase which gives a sense of the diversity and the quirky personality of the shop. Rachel could not have been more kind or easy to talk to, in fact I think I talked her ear off!

If you like what you see at the shop, Rachel and Christiane from ferm Living have joined forces to offer design consulting. I would love to hire an interior designer but have often been intimidated by the thought that a designers taste might take over and my home wouldn’t feel like mine anymore. I was happy to hear Rachel talk about their low-key design services, often reusing items you already own to revise a room or an entire house. It is truly a pleasure to visit this unique boutique, if you live in San Francisco or come visit don’t miss Eden & Eden! Located at 560 Jackson Street at the base of Columbus Ave in North Beach.

Here are some snaps Rachel graciously allowed me to take on my last visit.

I have fallen in love with illustrator Sanna Annukka and her Maidens of the Midnight Sun. I was browsing Finnish design on FashionFinland when I stumbled upon her screen prints. Her images combine bright colors and the intricate patterns associated with Russian folk art and the purity and symmetry of Scandinavian design.

Sanna spent her childhood exploring the arctic rivers and forests of Finland and her love of nature is evident in her designs. Influenced by Finland’s national collection of folklore songs called the Kalevala, she started making silkscreen prints of different scenes and characters from these songs. You may purchase from her directly or in the U.S. at Rose & Radish. I have already told the hubs to line one up for my Christmas/Birthday/Anniversary gift!

Remember these gorgeous interior collages from artist Stephanie Levy? Well I’ve just been notified that Stephanie launched an Etsy shop, so it’s now even easier to purchase her designs. Stephanie also started her own design blog where she shares her unique perspective of an American living in Munich, Germany.

Here’s a snap of the framed artwork by Stephanie that the hubs bought me for my birthday last December. If you live in the Bay Area and need something framed, my framer is extraordinary. Her specialty is the double mat with a painted beveled edge, she takes any work of art and elevates it to a masterpiece. Email me if you want her info: larkyn@gmail.com.

Love Friday’s. I am drinking the most amazing coffee from the little Italian coffee window that just opened up two doors down from my office, browsing Etsy and listening to Bon Iver’s album “For Emma, Forever Ago”. I can’t get enough of his song “Skinny Love. It’s the perfect morning album to ease into the day. Here are some pretty Etsy items to brighten your day.

Sketchbook springtime handbags, hand crafted from wool, linen, cotton and leather:

From her cottage in England Alice Apple crafts sweet treats like these stuffed dogs and pigs made with vintage fabrics:

Loveage these shrinky dink rings from Broken Fingers Art, outta Vermont:

I am longing for one of these magical drawings from the mind of artist Mel Kadel. When I first saw her drawings they reminded me of the illustrations by Shel Silverstein in Where the Sidewalk Ends, one of my favorite childhood books. Then I read that she grew up in Harrisburg, PA, where my siblings and I spent some of our most imaginative family vacations, which made me feel even more of a connection to her work. Grandma Helen and Grandpa Doc lived in a spooky but very cool penthouse apartment overlooking the Susquehanna River. I don’t remember watching television on our visits, but who needs one with Grandma Helen acting out poems from Where the Sidewalk Ends and Grandpa Doc’s medical offices to explore downstairs! This might sound strange but as 6,7, 9 and 10 year olds, it was heaven. There is something really sweet and a little bit dark about these pieces that reminds me of the fantasy world we created for ourselves in that apartment on Front Street. For Sale at Richard Heller Gallery.

I’m back! The hubs and I were in New Paltz, NY this weekend for my crazy, but loveable, brother-in-laws wedding. It was quite the extravaganza! One of the highlights of the weekend was the late night music jams back at the Super 8 with Jacks amazing group of friends. My face still hurts from smiling. Congrat’s to Jack & Kelly for surviving wedding planning and making it off safely to Rome last night.

We had a great couple of days and I was even able to finagle a few hours of shopping in NYC before the weekend festivities. My friend Amy and I made the most of it, zeroing in on the West Village. Here are some crappy snaps I took with my iPhone.

We got lost for almost an hour in the amazing letterpress shop Greenwich Letterpress. They carry their own line of cards and custom letterpress invitations and a huge variety of cards from other small presses around the world.

Our next stop was Lori McLean (they are working on their website), where we were dazzled by jewelry and Laura Zindel’s ceramics.

We dropped in at Kid-O where I saw these marvelous pear (la pera) and apple (la mela) prints by Italian designer Enzo Mari, the picture just doesn’t do them justice. They would look great in my dream kitchen with my Smeg refrigerator, someday…

Lastly, we unexpectedly stumbled upon Castor & Pollux where Amy and I successfully peer pressured each other into buying their gorgeous leather wallet clutch. I bought it in orange, Amy bought hers in brown. We finished off our brief shopping excursion with the most insane pretzel croissant from City Bakery! I’ll have more fun stuff later but right now I’m pooped from traveling!

Domestic, from France, has the most amazing collection of vinyl wall stickers and mirrors from an incredible roster of talented international artists and graphic designers. Geneviève Gauckler’s Potato Queen set above is one of my faves.

I love the freedom and possibilities of vinyl stickers over the permanence of wallpaper, though I do love wallpaper too. Warning you will spend hours browsing this site!

(via Husmusen)

Still very much in touch with her childhood imagination, artist Sarah Neuburger who grew up in Normal, Illinois, hardy har har, makes lots of wonderful things over at The Small Object. I heart her celebration candle kids and her little people necklaces that double as stamps. But the object I need the most would be the Good Wood Feeling Flip, happy on one side - sad on the other, perfect for warning my boss of my mood-of-the-day!

Ana Ventura is a talented illustrator, jewelry designer, craft maker from Lisbon, Portugal.  I love her whimsical little people. Visit her online shop here.

I think I will make this a tradition and post some of my weekly Etsy favorites every Friday. Enjoy the loveliness!!

Mirabel and her sweet prints inspired by Japanese folk art dolls (I had to post her Madonna print, it is after all Good Friday!):

Spring time wrapping paper and cards from Riff Raff:

Julie Lake stainless steel earrings, airy and light:

Handmade bags from The Wren, all the way in Cape Town South Africa!

I was recently hired as a freelance blogger for a new eco-blog called EcoSalon.com. At EcoSalon I will be covering artisan, decor and fashion items, similar to the things you find here at Little Willow but with an eco-edge. The thing that sets EcoSalon apart is its authenticity. It’s real people sharing how to live an eco-friendly lifestyle without being preachy or crunchy. For example you can find out how to properly wash a pillow (which I am doing as I write this), where to buy stunning recycled glass carafes made from broken windshields or how to get a healthy high from herbal espresso. I am really excited for this opportunity to contribute to the rainbow of “green” knowledge available to women! Feel free to send me suggestions and if my Editor approves, (yes people I have an Editor now, it’s the big time), we’ll write about it!

Thought I’d send some love out to a few of my favorite Etsy sellers today. Somebody’s sister has a birthday coming up and that lucky sister will be receiving a gift from one of these talented folks.

Felt and sterling silver jewelry from Colleen Baran:

Suezybees felt iPod covers:

Limited Edition Screen Prints by artist Anna Cote:

Lovely jewels from Second Sister:

Xenia Thaler is the magnificent Toronto tile design studio. They make tiles to hang on the wall and tiles to install. All the tiles are decorated by hand and all the glazes mixed from scratch. I like the idea of installing the tiles in a kids bathroom or using some of their more sophisticated designs for a kitchen back splash.