Etsy Pick of the Week: Circa Ceramics

Thank you to Jerry James Stone for the tip on Circa Ceramics, a fabulous Etsy store featuring colorful ceramic ware with pop graphics.

Each piece, which range from mugs, bowls and plates to necklaces, magnets, and mini tiles, is available in 12 colors (reminiscent of fiestaware) and more than two dozen graphics so you can create exactly the look you want.

The options for graphics include my favorite, the whale (top), as well as a full range of hobby themes and other popular icons such as the VW bus and bug, a sewing machine, a rolling pin, a camera, a bike, an owl and so much more.

I hope The Pioneer Woman has this spoonrest. Ah, the spoonrest! Whatever happened to it? I feel like nobody every has them in their homes anymore, but they are such a useful item, and when you can have one this as good looking as the ones Circa Ceramics offers, you should really have one.

These ceramics have a decidedly retro feel and would obviously look amazing in a retro kitchen, but individual pieces make great personal gifts and show people you were really thinking of them. And it's also always a huge benefit to be able to customize your pieces. How often do you find something you love, but the color is all wrong?! So hop on over to Circa Ceramics and start creating your very own piece. As each item is custom made, delivery takes three weeks. Waste no time!

Ikat Bowls

I know these Ikat Bowls from Anthropologie aren't exactly the newest thing on the shelf, but they are my newest obsession. Of all the ikat things that have hit the shelves in the past few years, they are by far my favorite. I love the gold rim and the colors in general. While I'm partial to the navy one, I would really like them in every color. They are perfect to keep on a side table or as a way to dress up a buffet. And at $8 each, you can't beat the price. Fill one with fine chocolates for the perfect hostess gift.

Etsy Pick of the Week: Whale Tissue Holder

How cute is this? This distressed wood whale tissue box cover comes complete with whale tale and a blowhole tissue dispenser. It's the little things like this that really give a room personality. Tissue box covers always remind me of my grandmother because she had one in every room in the house, but I have to say that they really do look nicer and when they are as cute as this, how can you resist. If this shade of blue doesn't work with your decor, have no fear. Etsy seller Gnome Sweet Gnome also makes it in green, white, blue, yellow, and red.

Croissant and Preserves Set

Back in my days at Rue de France there were a few things that I became obsessed with. In addition to luxury bedding and table linens by Yves Delorme, china by Bernardaud and Match Pewter, I couldn't get enough of the quirky table accessories. From knife rests to wine bottle shaped pepper grinders, I think I ended up with one of each for myself or for someone else as a gift. And at the top of that list was all the adorable salt & pepper (I do have a slight obsession with salt itself as well) sets we had. While you can find vintage ones in just about any theme you want, it's hard to find really well done sets that are fun, but not cheesy. When I was perusing the Gump's web site this morning, I came across this Croissant and Preserves Salt & Pepper Set and it brought me back to my catalog days at Rue and brought a smile to my face. And I love smile inducing products so just thought I'd share. This set would be great on the breakfast table every morning. Fill your home with things that make you happy.

On the Chopping Block

I am in love with these serving trays and cutting boards by Darien based Soundview Millworks. And in addition to be beautifully made, they are also made from FSC certified wood which makes me twice as happy. The cleat board comes in three sizes and is also available as a double cleat board. This is the first of their pieces that I saw and must say it really fulfills that nautical decor urge I tend to have, and looking at them sure does make me dream of cocktail cruises on Narragansett Bay.

The bar blocks might just be my new favorite gift to give whether it be a hostess gift, a shower gift or a birthday gift, but it's especially great for guys! These 7" square blocks are perfect for chopping fruit at the bar, and did I mention all of these pieces can be monogrammed or engraved with any image you want!

Some of the stock images Soundview Millworks offers include a lobster, crab, turtle, compass, sand dollar, starfish, anchors, seahorse, lighthouse and more. Or choose your monogram, logo or any other image you want.

All of the pieces are equally utilitarian and beautiful so they can be used for prep as well as for serving making them twice as fabulous. If you've got a wedding or event coming up in 2011, this is a gift that is sure to be a winner or just treat yourself to a piece you'll likely have forever.

2011 Pantone Color of the Year: Honeysuckle

I have to admit that when I first heard that Pantone chose Honeysuckle as its Color of the Year, I envisioned something in a yellow tone. In my neck of the woods, the incredibly fragrant bushes and hedgerows of honeysuckle bloom in white with a yellow center. But they were indeed talking about the even more lovely variety of pink honeysuckle, and there are few colors I love more than pink (and I don't mean that in an I feel pretty, I'm a girly-girl kind of way).

This pink is not a soft pastel pink, but a bold, powerful statement pink which is just the way I like my pinks. You'd be hard pressed to find a ballet pink in my house. The bolder the better in my opinion. Pantone says, "Energizing honeysuckle lifts spirits and imparts confidence to meet life's ongoing challenges." This is MY color, and I don't think there could be a better year for it as I feel like all signs are pointing to GO this year and I'm ready to meet every new challenge and opportunity.

Of course, if you live with any males, it's not always easy to find an acceptable spot in your house for pink, but if you can, I say go for it. Great spots are a dressing room, sitting area, powder room, office or even the inside of a closet (if you really have to hide it and HAVE to have it) or the back of cabinets with glass doors.

Of course, you can always be really bold like the folks who have this kitchen. High gloss bright pink cabinets are sure to put a smile on your face every day.

If you can't quite make the commitment to such a bold color as a wall color, there are plenty of other ways to incorporate it without having it be the focal point in a room. One easy way is with fabrics like the above Balinese Batik by China Seas. I want a chair or bench in this.

Another one of my just discovered favorites is Jackie Von Tobel's prints which include the above Circle Trellis in Candy.

Von Tobel's Paisley Pillow would also be a lovely addition and add a punch of honeysuckle.

And of course, I can't leave out my favorite lacquer trays by Jonathan Adler. Put this on an ottoman or bar cart and you're sure to attract the attention you're looking for.

It's going to be a very (good) pink year!


Image Credits:
Pantone, Gypsy Magic, FJ Design, Decorating Room, Quadrille Fabrics, Jackie Von Tobel, Jonathan Adler

Etsy Pick of the Week: Tray Chic

I always love to use chalkboard paint in fun ways, but it's true that while functional it isn't exactly chic in most cases. That is until now. Etsy seller Her Majesty's Pug transforms silver plate trays into magnetic chalkboards that are perfect for to use for both entertaining or to hang on a kicthen wall that's a little more glam.

The trays come in a round, rectangular and oval shapes and are a mere $10.50! I was going to suggest that these wouldn't be that difficult to make, but really at that price, I'm not sure it would be worth the trouble. I think these are a fabulous way to put the menu up on a buffet. I think I might take a look for some smaller silver plate dishes and make them place card holders, but any way you use them, I love this idea!

Etsy Pick of the Week: Dede Pillows

There is something about this three dimensional Hydrangea Pillow by Etsy designer Deanna that caught my eye. I'm not sure if it's my love for hydrangeas, being from coastal New England, or the color combination and texture of it. It's likely all of these things combined.

There are thousands and thousands of pillows for sale on Etsy, but really only a small fraction of them stand out as truly interesting and well designed. The simplicity of this Cream Linen Circles Pillow makes it perfect for so many places. It's a little shabby chic and just fun and girly without being too fussy.

This Red and Aqua Disc Pillow caught my eye because the color combination is so unexpected, but works so well together.

This Owl Pillow was just too cute not too share. It's clearly perfect for a child's room. As I mentioned, there are loads of pillows on Etsy, but it's not always easy to sort through them. This shop has much more to offer and at amazingly inexpensive pricing, like under $35 inexpensive. Pillows are such an easy way to change the look of a room and at these prices, there is no excuse not to.

Etsy Pick of the Week: Jeanette Zeis Pottery

I don't have a sweet tooth, but I seem to have a thing for cake stands. Cakes and cupcakes just look so much better when on a pedestal, and when I saw the beautiful stands made by Jeanette Zeis on Etsy, I knew they had to be my Etsy Pick of the Week. I love that they come in sizes ranging from tiny to large, and I think her colors are amazing.

Her stands also have wonderful details ranging from scallop edges to lace inspired rims. And in addition to the standard Happy Birthday message, I think she'll do custom messages as well which means this would make a great gift for weddings or even babies. We're all so drawn to baby clothes as gifts, but why not give something that could be used every year on their birthday with a date or monogram.

I also wanted to share a few of her other pieces. I love this ceramic hanging basket set for fruits and veggies. I love having a big bowl of fruit on display, but my toddler thinks that means she can take a bite out of every apple and put it back, and I'm not a big fan of the mesh hanging baskets so this would be the perfect solution.

And this berry bowl is lovely. It's so nice to be able to wash, store and serve fresh berries all from the same piece, and again the color is fabulous. If you need a gift or just want to bring your kitchen to a new level, Jeanette Zeis has pieces that are sure to please.

Etsy Pick of the Week: Recycled T-Shirt Pillows & Rugs

I must admit that I am slightly torn about this item. On the one hand I find these Recycled T-Shirt Pillows very fun visually, and I think the designers at Talking Squid have a great eye for color like in the rug shown below. Plus, it's not often you find a pillow in a sphere shape. On the other hand, the only info they give on the material is that it's recycled t-shirts which does not sound like an appealing thing to put in my home. Based on the fact that they have so much of the same material, it is clear that these t-shirts have not been worn and they are probably either buying overstocks or just straight out remnant t-shirt material.

I really wish they provided a little more info on their Etsy page, but in the end I am a huge fan of re-using or finding new uses for materials and I think they add a splash of fun and color to a room. Plus, they'd make pillow fights more like dodgeball which sounds like fun!

Serena and Lily's New Fall Catalog

Belgian Club Chair
Serena & Lily's Fall catalog is out and there are some truly fabulous pieces in it. I've been a fan of theirs for several years, and I just love that they keep expanding into home furnishings while continuing on with their bedding collections. Here are a few pieces from the fall catalog that I just can't get enough of. I think the Belgian Club Chair could easily be used in any room of the house, but is probably the perfect bedroom chair. It's not too large so it would be really great for a kids room too because it would carry them right through their teens and into adulthood.

Senegalese Storage Baskets
The Senegalese Storage Baskets might just be the perfect place to store those items you use every day, but don't want to look at all the time. Think extra blankets, toys, etc. Suddenly storage is looking fun and interesting. Also available in pink and a navy/green combo.

Chakki Ottomans
I'm really loving the Chakki Ottomans which are available in both white and dark walnut. The details in the wood add interest and it's nice to see a round ottoman instead of the rectangular ones we are so used to seeing. Great as a coffee table too!

Lucky Lacquered Table
We've talked about the Lucky Lacquered Table before, but now it is available in Black and White. Tres chic!

"The Coast Is Clear"
This "The Coast is Clear" wall art may not be new, but it was too fun not too include. I love the pink and orange combo. For boys, check out the "Save Our Ship" wall art which is equally as cool. If you haven't checked out Serena & Lily in the past, be sure to add it to your must see list!

Etsy Pick of the Week: Fabulous Mess

Vintage Art Deco Mirrored Credenza
I know that my last Etsy Pick of the Week (which was sadly a few week's ago) was for The Vintage Supply Co. which specializes in vintage furniture, and I generally try to mix it up, but when I happened upon Fabulous Mess, I just had to share it. I don't really know where to begin and narrowing it down to only eight images was hard because they have so many A-MAZ-ING vintage pieces, from furniture to lighting to accessories. I don't even really think there is anything to say since they all seem to speak for themselves (at least they are all telling me to buy them!) so just enjoy.

Vintage Bamboo Lacquer Dining Table

Vintage Brass Owl Trays

Vintage Brass Nautilus Shell Bookends

Vintage Brass Sea Creature Andirons

Vintage Moroccan Wicker Shelving Units

Vintage Lucite Demilune Tables

Vintage Lucite Table Lamps

I hope you all like these as much as I do. Be sure to check out the dozens of other selections at Fabulous Mess as well. You will not be disappointed!

Scalamandre Fabric and More for Less!

For a few years now, I've been driving by this tiny shingled storefront called LooLoo Design in Portsmouth, RI and have always been intrigued by it. For one reason or another, I've never had the time to stop in, that is until this past Saturday. I had seen in their ads that they had discounted Scalamandre fabric, and while that sounded wonderful, I assumed that discounted Scalamandre fabric would still easily be in the $50-75 range per yard.

Well, I was wrong! Sometimes I love it when I'm wrong. LooLoo Design goes directly to the Scalamandre warehouse to select the fabrics they sell. While some of them are only sold by the bolt, the prices are still fabulous. I believe I saw some bolts of maybe 7-10 yards for around $140, which is closer to what the price of Scalamandre fabric retails for 1 yard.

They also have fabric squares that sell for about $7-10. Fabulous for a small project.

And there are plenty of trims to go along with it all.

I loved this large square of crewel (which I adore) fabric. It was $50. I was trying to figure out if you could cut it to make pillows and still see enough of the design, but then I decided that the best thing to do with it would be to make an oversized square ottoman and upholster the top with it. That would be amazing!

Here are some of the bolts and bolts of fabric that you can purchase by the yard, mostly in the range of $18-30/yard.

More bolts.

This Turquoise Linen was just about the most beautiful thing I've seen. I bet this would make great curtains for my bedroom with that new headboard I just finished.

Red vases on black would make a great wingback chair or drapes or I would even be tempted to upholster a wall in this.

This strawberry fabric has just the right touch of vintage in it.

LooLoo Design also has drapery panels that once hung in the Scalamandre showrooms. Because they were sample panels, most of them are singles, but there were a few in there that had multiples. For $35 a piece, sometimes you can make anything work. If you only have one window in a room, a single panel pulled back with a great tieback is all you need. I actually almost bought one for my daughter's room, but decided the colors weren't quite right.

It's hard to believe, but LooLoo Design actually considers their main business to be vintage bath fixtures. In fact if you go to their web site, that is pretty much all you'll find. Despite the fact that most of the walls are lined with fabrics and wallpaper (I found amazing wallpaper for the 18th Century Colonial Renovation we've been following), they do have some fabulous fixtures as well, like this swan neck faucet.

They also have some great antique frames and artwork. The above frame would be great to frame out some chalkboard paint if you didn't have a piece that needed framing.

More bath fixtures.

Brackets for shelving, including some really unique shapes.

They also have lots of vintage lighting fixtures ranging from modern to very traditional.

I loved these knobs.

These are vintage birthday candle holders. How cute are they! I think these would be an amazing christening or baby gift.

Vintage hand held vanity mirrors

Large spools of thread from the Scalamandre warehouse.

In case you couldn't tell, I was pretty psyched that I found this place. I have many more pictures beyond this. The owner, Jill, told me that a lot of designers try to keep it to themselves so that other designers won't find out about it. And I have to admit that the thought crossed my mind, but my feeling is that it's important to promote businesses that provide great products and services, especially in this economy. I want them to be around for a long time and so I want to encourage people to go there to make sure that they stay in business and keep offering these goods for both the benefit of myself and others so I'm letting the cat out of the bag and hopefully those other designers will inderstand why.