Earth friendly.

We all do the best we can to be environmentally friendly so I won’t preach to the choir here but there are a few products that have come into my life recently that I have to share with you. The first is the Bobble.  These BPA free reusable water bottles come with a replaceable carbon filter which helps remove contaminants from regular municipal water.  I usually take my SIGG bottle with me when I fly and fill it up at a drinking fountain before I board the plane but airport water always tastes gross to me.  Most municipal water is fine but for me it’s a taste issue and the carbon filter eliminates taste and odor. It doesn’t hurt that it’s got a cool design either. Buy yours here for $9.95.

With the new babe I am amazed at how much laundry we do. It had actually started bothering me how much water, detergent and energy I’ve been using up for such tiny clothes. So I was so excited when Method, one of my favorite brands, came out with Method Laundry detergent. The small bottle is made from recyclable material and holds enough detergent to wash 50 loads of laundry!  Their formula is biodegradable and 95% plant based so it won’t pollute the waterways, it’s hypo-allergenic which is nice for the babies skin and it smells great! Next up is a clothes line for the backyard so we can reduce our energy cost.  You can find out where to buy Method Laundry here.

Lists.

I have lost so many brain cells since giving birth and as the hubs is fond of saying, “coffee makes parenting possible”. How true that is but so is having a handy dandy list to get you going in the right direction once you have that coffee coursing through your system.

This clever Feelgood List™ from Up Up Creative is exactly what I need.  It’s hard to stay motivated to do things for yourself when you are so sleep deprived. Having my own feelgood list sure would help, because some days I can’t even remember that I need to shower! Create your own list and see more printed matter from Up Up Creative here.

Convenient.

I thought I was hungry all the time while I was pregnant, but now that I’m nursing I’m positively ravenous.  With the mental exhaustion from the lack of sleep things start to go by the way side real quick, like keeping organized and remembering to feed yourself.  One of these cute and convenient lunch skins reusable sandwich bags would make me feel like I have it together and would be easy to toss in my diaper bag for when I’m on the go.  Now I just need to find the time to make that sandwich!

Pretty pink things that struck my fancy today.

The Little Willow pet collars

Garnet Hill Lilly Pulitzer bedding collection

Port Canvas black duffel bag

May Luk ceramic Love platter

Calypso Alexa tunic

A couple of years ago my favorite flower, the gerbera daisy, was surpassed by my love for ranunculus.  Don’t get me wrong I still love gerbera’s and their bright cheerful colors and how they look like they are saying “smile” when you look at them.  But now I am more interested in the wide variety of ranunculus (over 400 species!) with their mysterious and tightly wound buds and their exotic colors and the way their petals glow as they open up.  With Valentine’s Day just around the corner I wanted to share some images of my new favorite flower. Oh and yes this is a lightly veiled hint to you Mr. hubs if you are reading this.

(top image: Winston Flowers, bottom image: Dandelion Ranch)

(thanks @simplepretty for the inspiration)

I don’t know about you, but I love wandering into antique shops with no plan and looking into every nook and cranny until I find some unique item that I have to have.  This love of antique shopping definitely comes from my Mom Penny. Growing up our house was filled with the fruits of her searches, from a beautiful old library table to an old fashioned barber chair, which was the cause of many fights with my siblings over who got to sit in it while watching Cheers.  I think this thrill of the search is partly why I love losing myself in the internet as I look for unique items that I have to share with you.

So for you antique collectors, I’m warning you in advance, you might lose yourself for days in this website.  The folks behind Modern 50 search the universe for decorative artifacts, furnishings and lots of random bits of 20th century design which is then added into their ever revolving antique collection.  I spent about 2 hours surfing their wares and came up with a nice selection of items I’d add to my antiques collection and this doesn’t even include anything from their amazing furniture collection! Lose yourself here.

George Nelson Bakelite Trays, Sven Markelius Pathagoras Trays

(2nd Row) Henri Clante Soup Bowls, Massimo Vignelli Clear Heller Maxi Mugs

Nelson Bubble California Craft Lamp, Cast Iron Halloween Owl Lantern, Vintage Fire Scorched Bottle Collection

Vintage Gum Wood Elephants, Early Century Crane Stationary Box

(2nd Row) Old 19th Century Petite Steamer Trunk, 24 Hour Vintage Train Station Wall Clock

Someone on my Christmas list is getting a set of Jane Austen’s hard cover books from Penguin Classics (available through Barnes & Noble or Anthropologie).  This person is notoriously hard to shop for but I happen to know her favorite books are Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice which she re-reads almost every year.  I thought these pretty cloth-bound editions designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith might actually be the perfect gift for her, wish me luck!

It’s that time of year again, time to buy my Dolphin Studio calendar for 2010!   In case you like it to be a surprise what each month looks like I’ve used images from past years and 2010. You’ll just have to order your own to discover which images are which!

Looking for a less traditional wreath to funk up your abode? Then check out these neat laser-cut cardboard wreaths for the holidays from Cardboard Safari. Choose from a funky wreath of skulls,  a sweet heart wreath or the more tradish wreaths of leaves and snowflakes.  All for just $30 buckaroo’s.

(via Twig & Thistle)

Yummy, Mast Brothers Chocolate, wrapped in gorgeous Italian papers.

Also yummy, the Mast Brothers, Rick and Michael.

Buy online through Mast Brothers Chocolate, Murrays Cheese or Provisions Shop.

(images via shopcomposition)

Growing up in Buffalo, NY I understand what it’s like to be from one of the Rust Belt cities where you often feel like you are just another sad statistic when the economy is tanking and completely left off the map when the economy is good.  I have been buoyed by some positive articles about Buffalo in the recent past and I’m hopeful for its future. Detroit, on the other hand, has had it worse than usual lately with the demise of the car industry. So I think it’s time to give them some love. What better way to support the Detroit economy than to shop one of their local boutiques, City Bird!

Siblings Andy and Emily Linn, who both have degrees in the arts from the University of Michigan, have combined their eye for design into cool Detroit themed housewares, accessories and jewelry. It makes me happy to hear about locals who understand the opportunities available in their hometown cities even if they do fall under some unfortunate statistic from time to time. By returning to the nest these locals become a part of the positive change that will give these cities the boost they need.  Visit City Bird here!

Here are just a few of the beautiful items available from one of my new favorite online shops, Fey Handmade.  Fey Handmade specializes in what else, delightful handmade things. Christine Lindstrom, the curator of the online shop, focuses on unique pieces with a eco-conscious slant from a variety of individual artists.  I will definitely be bookmarking Fey Handmade for help with my Christmas shopping list!

If you haven’t already heard the news spreading like wildfire through the design blog world….there is a new alternative to Domino magazine coming to your desktop in October!! Michelle Adams, the former Domino market Editor and founder of the textile line Rubie Green is launching Lonny magazine. Lonny (a name combining New York and London) will follow an online platform like Selvedge, the popular online textile magazine, and as far as I can tell it will be free.  Instead of flagging the pages with the products you love then going to the computer to look up the link, this online alternative will make it easy to click directly through to the products you want to see.  I love it already!

Here is an interview with Michelle Adams and more information on the new Lonny here.

I’m taking another trip across the Atlantic this week to the lovely London online boutique Pale & Interesting, love that name!  Take some time to explore the hand picked products from the husband and wife team behind the shop for pretty things for your garden, your table and your bookshelf.  I really liked this line of tableware designed by owner Atlanta Bartlett for the Big Tomato Company.  Thanks to blogger Simple Song for turning me on to this boutique.

Wannekes the name of the online shop based in the Netherlands translates to “the little things you want” I couldn’t have said it better myself. For starters if my last meal on earth had to be fresh baked bread dipped in olive oil, one of my favorite treats ever, then I would be thrilled to have this porcelain oil platter.  Or if I wanted to find out if a caged bird really sings I could splurge on this amazing hand forged bird cage inspired by the Versailles gardens of the sun King.  See more of this beautifully curated collection of unusual items from a host of talented designers here at Wannekes.