Stashpot

Grub: Cake Pops

2012-09-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

No Merckens or Wilton candy coating handy? No problem! Veronica's Cornucopia suggests using "...real chocolate, add a tablespoon of vegetable shortening or oil per pound or bag of chips (12 oz) and melt them together."

Veronica answers another conundrum of Cake Balls:

Q: I find cake balls too sweet. Is there something I can use besides frosting?

A: Certainly! All you needs is a binder to keep the cake crumbs stuck together when you roll them into balls. I have a co-worker that uses peanut butter in her chocolate cake balls and lemon pie filling in her lemon cake balls. Other ideas would be pudding, cream cheese, softened butter, bittersweet or semisweet ganache, sour cream, mayonnaise, jams & jellies. Just be careful and add a little at a time, as many of these would go further than frosting and you probably wouldn’t need very much.

If you don’t want to add anything, here’s what you do: make my favorite chocolate cake, process it to crumbs in the food processor and then wad up balls of the crumbs and roll! This particular recipe sticks together with nothing added! The pops end up tasting more like cake than candy, although the texture is still more dense since the crumbs are compacted.

How to make Cake Pops at Bakerella, of course!

And now, courtesy of Aubrey & Lindsay, how to make "cake pops" faster using (more) delicious Timbits!

Decorated paper straws at The Sugar Diva.
Lollipop sticks at Amazon.
Candy coating at Amazon.
Edible Ink pens at Amazon.
Cake Pop tags for the sticks by Bakerella.

Ou, si vous préférez macarons ...
Macaron Pops by Bakerella.

Duchesse brisée

2012-02-06T00:00:00.001-08:00

I love chaises, daybeds, ktl.
Current favourite: a duchesse brisée

A history at Design Boom.

Lexicology

2012-02-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

06.ii.12
Duchesse brisée - this word is used, when the chaise longue is divided in two parts : the chair and a long footstool. Or two chairs with a stool in between them.[2] The origin of the name is unknown.

30.i.12
Blixa... wonderful name of Lisa's cat

21.xii.11
Paquerette... as an alternate to Maguerite des prés

13.v.11
casse-couilles, courtesy of Tibiloo

25.iii.11
Bathymetry, courtesy of Crafterall

25.i.11
luxemburgerli ... est le même que macarons

23.i.11
Bunga Bunga, courtesy of Silvio Berlusconi

11.vii.10
Magdalena Squalor from Michelle Tea's Valencia ... now that's a name!
Vuvuzela courtesy of FIFA 2010

03.vii.10
la salopette
les taches d'herbes
bigoudis
Rubirosa

Movies to See

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

Coriolanus

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, 2011 Remake - if it's even half as good as the original, it will be worth it.

Pina - because it's Wim Wenders and because of this Anthony Lane review.
~~Margin Call because of David Denby's review.~~
~~Alice by Jan Švankmajer~~
I first heard about it over at Poupée Mechanique. With images like that, how not to see it? Oddly enough, I just saw Tim Burton's 2010 Alice offering. It looked great but I found the weird vibe between Alice and the Hatter very distracting. Kudos to Anne Hathaway though for sending up goodness.

~~The Hurt Locker~~ for the film.
~~Bright Star~~ for its good looks.

Travel: Paris

2012-01-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

Magasins:
Achête Avibon!
La Case de cousin Paul - light balls (bring an empty valise!), courtesy of Oh Happy Day!
Repetto shoes, courtesy of Paris Breakfasts
La Droguerie - Oh Happy Day! tells us why.

Lists:
A kid centric list at Frog Mom
Jordan Ferney's Paris Picnic Guide
Jordan Ferney's list
Sprizee's links to lists
Kiss My Spatula lists 10 reasons to go in the winter.

Manger:
Le Boulanger des Invalides Jocteur, courtesy of Paris Breakfasts
Luxirare at Les Cocottes de Christian Constant - she recommends it for lunch.
Luxirare's Park Hyatt breakfast
Luxirare's L'Atelier Robuchon dinner

With Big Boy:
Le Centquatre - for the bug carousel.

Travel: Santa Rosa

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

Pacific Coast Air Museum
2230 Becker Blvd.
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
707-575-7900

Things I Would Like/Ought To Do

2012-01-09T00:00:00.001-08:00

Get comfortable with the manual setting of my camera
Polish up my French
Spinning ... on spindle or wheel
Travel more but not for work ... to Africa/Asia/Europe.
Wing Chun! ... but sometimes Krav Maga.

Wing Chun might be more" woman-friendly" (i.e., not so dependent on assumed body strengths ... from what I have read, it was developed by a woman to address these very concerns).

RETIRED (and, in some cases, what was I thinking?):
~~More effective Baby Signing (For the Record: I do it all the time ... my audience seems receptive but not participatory).~~

Travel: Rome

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

Rome... with Biggity.

The inspiration came from Hugh Garvey's article on travelling to Rome with the kiddos (keep in mind that he seems to be a professional food/travel writer).

More, more and more recent, intel from Jordan Ferney's trip.

Travel: Hamburg

2012-01-05T00:00:00.001-08:00

Knuffingen Airport: Kleinster Flughafen der Welt - The world's smallest aeroport in action at the Hamburg aeroport. See it in action here.

Photography: (Macro) Lenses

2012-01-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

17.xi11 UPDATE: I received the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM as a gift. It is an amazing piece of equipment but I still need to learn to use it fully. It is very heavy but it can deliver some amazing results.

Now I am thinking about adding a EF 50mm f/1.4 USM, Standard & Medium Telephoto lens... not exactly a macro but look at this.

What do I need/want:
Aperture: ≤f/2.8
focal length: ≤100mm - longer means less chance of you blocking light ... or startling bugs
magnification: 1:1
IS Technology

Top Pick This Week (barring the $$$$ Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM): Tamron SP AF 90 F2.8 Di 272E

The candidates:
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM - $$$$ but has IS and faster autofocus than Tamron; heavier (not so good for handheld work).
Tamron SP AF 90 F2.8 Di 272E - good reviews here. Half the price of the Canon 100mm and only 10mm difference.
Sigma 70mm F/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens
EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro - compact but is the focal length too short? Good as a portrait lens.
SIGMA 50mm f2.8 EX Macro 1:1 Lens for Canon SLR digital cameras

Explanations and Examples:
Macro Photography 101 at Metafilter - Jedrek suggests the EF 100 f/2.8; he also suggest this book.

Excellent explanation of macro equipment by Ken Rockwell.

Chookooloonks tells you how to choose a lens. The macro stuff is at the end.

Good ol' Wikipedia has a pretty good explanation of macro photography.

Smitten Kitchen uses Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens. Food, miniatures ... kinda the same. This is available at Amazon. Or you can rent it at BorrowLenses.com (It only has 1:2).

Things to remember:
Ken Rockwell: This seems silly but it's very important. You need at least a foot or so between your lens and the subject so you don't block your light or scare your subject. You usually want the longest macro lens you can afford.

Chookooloonks: The smaller the aperture number, the more desirable the lens generally is, and therefore it will be priced accordingly. My general rule is that you should always buy a lens with the smallest aperture number you can afford.

Magnification matters. I need 1:1 (not available with the 50mm but available with the 60mm).

Working or Focussing (thank you Renatta!) distance is how close you can get to your subject (e.g., 90mm)

Travel Copenhagen

2011-12-31T00:00:00.001-08:00

Tivoli Gardens - especially for Biggity

René Redzepi's Noma - excellent article on Noma at The New Yorker.

Gavin - children's clothing

Travel: Charleston

2011-12-31T00:00:00.000-08:00

I don't really want to visit Charleston, per se. But I do want to visit Sean Brock's two restaurants, which happen to be there:
Husk
McCrady's

The reason being this excellent article about Sean Brock's cooking at The New Yorker (you may need a subscription to view this).

Lexicilogy: Flora

2011-12-21T00:00:00.001-08:00

English-French-Latin names for flowers at Earthly Pursuits

Books To Read

2011-12-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

China Miéville's Embassytown - "read" it as an audiobook for reasons of the language

Why you should read it.

15.xii.11 UPDATE: Excellent read. The audio book does a great job of conveying Ariekei Language.

Party Planner

2011-12-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

Just a list. Not necessarily in this combination.

Hallelujah! Party in a box:
Amanda Jane Jones's grown up versions of Party in a Box - courtesy of Oh Happy Day!
Acme Party Box Collection
Make it Mine Parties

Themes
All about (oversized) balloons at Design Mom
Dinosaurs at Wants & Wishes - active volcano cakes (recipe here!)

Miscellaneous
Zubbles - coloured bubbles
Origami lidded boxes by Dave Brill

Invitations
Mini Frisbees
A message in a whiffle ball, perhaps?
Inflatable Beach Balls by Silke Stoddard over at the Crafts Department - perfect if the ball idée fixe sticks around.

Decor
Paper Airplane Garland at Armelle - I'd like to see a room-spanning garland like this!
Huge Balloons with streamers from Geronimo! - expensive
Felt Balls from YUMMI Shop - there must be a use for these!
Whiffle garland?
Re-nest's Newspaper Pom Poms
Jordan Ferney's Frilly Streamers at Oh Happy Day!
Origami Waterballs for a Garland at The Hurried Housewife
Tissue Pom Poms by Prost to the Host
DIY Tissue Pom Poms at Martha Stewart
Paper Lollies by Make and Takes
Tissue Paper Garland at Prudent Baby
Fabric Pennants at Form and Reform
Ruffled Streamers at My Paper Crane
Pennant Cupcake Toppers at Fog and Thistle

Favours
DIY Molded crayons and glitter crayons at Mini Eco
Chalkboards by Making It Lovely - she suggests them for New Year's Resolutions.
Molded Crayons from Lil Doodlers
DIY Scratchers at ArtMind - just remember: detergent + metallic paint!
DIY Animal Crackers and Bags at Celebrate Creativity
Superhero lollipops at Zakka Life.
Kick Balls!
Traditional Medallions by Twig & Thistle
Mod Medallions by Alissia Melka-Teichroew
Match Boxes at The Storque
Toys on top of cupcakes = Party favours and toppers
Clown noses
Top Hats
Thaumatropes
Martha's Bouncy Ball Party Favours

Food
Black Dinah Chocolatiers Froglets
Molten Chocolate volcano cakes recipe at Wants and Wishes
Cupcake topper pennants like these at Oh Happy Day
Cupcakes in a Jar at Cakies - a bit mooshed looking ... hmmm. Might rethink the presentation (i.e., shorter jar, no layers?)
Cake Pops
Planetary Cake Pops by Paper, Plate, and Plane - Marbelizing Candy at Wilton.
Inarizushi at Ready-Made
Chirashi by Tea and Cookies
Red Velvet [Cup]Cakes
Popsicles

Activities
Poof Balls at Tops Malibu, courtesy of Oh Happy Day
Dinosaur Egg Hunt at Wants & Wishes - eat the "eggs" afterward!

Costumes
Rabbit Mask

Suprises
Balloons in boxes and out the window at On-Hand + Modern

Christmas Crackers

2011-12-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

Ready-Made
Robin Reed - especially their Concerto Crackers!
Tom Smith
Roundup at The Independent - Smythson's sound nice
Wee Birdie's covetable roundup - with links to more!

DIY
Templates by Kate at Minni Eco (more great, and often kid-centric, Mini Eco tutorials here)

Dollhouses: Prêt-a-Porter

2011-11-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

Casas de Beltrán - Spanich architecture, refreshingly different from the usual crop

Image by Upon a Fold
A less practical dollhouse but very pretty in all its pristine paper whiteness.

Maileg Mouse Milk Carton House

More Paper:
Kroom's cardboard dollhouse.

Joe Freedman's beautiful but 1/2" scale paper dollhouse.

Wood:
Image by Playsam
Check out the curves on this beauty by Eva Schildt, available from Playsam.
Image by David Lee Design
This is an intriguing design from David Lee Design. Be sure to visit his site for more pictures of it unfolded. It should be available in October. I am waiting to hear back how much it will cost. I am a bit worried about its scale. It seems a bit small for 1:12.
17.xi.10 UPDATE: I read somewhere that this is not 1:12. What a dreadful shame! I believe it is 1:18 or something along those lines.

Image by Our Children's Gorilla
Nice geometry here with punchy colours.
Available from Our Children's Gorilla and other retailers.

Decor:
Image by Chen Karlsson
And if you do not have room for a dollhouse, not even a roombox, you can shell out for this clever display.

Plans:
Betsy McCall Dollhouse No. 150W

Digital:
Online subscription based Digital Dollhouse.

Art:
Heather Benning's giant dollhouse installation.

And I must not forget I still have this hiding on top of the refrigerator. Tsk, tsk.

Sewing Techniques

2011-11-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

Tutorials galore at Colette Patterns

Bias Tape

2011-11-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

Printable (!!) Bias Tape Makers by The Scientific Seamstress - 1/2" wide single fold bias tape version and 1" wide single-fold bias tape version.

Fastest method I have seen yet at Prudent Baby.

Tutorial at Don't Look Now!

Tutorial at Posie Gets Cosy

And if you cannot find your bias tape maker, here is Creative Little Daisy's tutorial.

Gifts: DIY Food

2011-11-02T00:00:00.001-07:00

The Easiest Cookies Ever at Blog Con Queso, courtesy of Design Mom - not very haute cuisine but apparently easy and tasty!

2011 Xmas Toys

2011-11-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Melissa & Doug's Folding Castles - Fold & Go Castle
and the even better Folding Medieval Castle (hmmm, I can see some decorating possiblities there!)
Actual Size by Steve Jenkins

Blog Tips For David, Part Four: Pages

2011-10-31T00:00:00.002-07:00

STEP 1: Activate Pages Gadget

Select Design Tab.

Select Add a Gadget.

Select Pages in the new window that appears.

Edit (if you want to) and save.

Save new blog layout. You have enabled Pages for your blog.

STEP 2: Use Pages

1. Select Posting tab and then Edit Pages. Select New Page button.

2. Add anything you want here ... just like a post.
It will live on the new page and not mingle with your regular posts on the home page.

Add text.
Add links.
Add images.

Publish and view page or blog.

3. Here is how it looks:

You can create up to ten pages.

Now when you select Edit Pages, you will see all pages all as icons. You can view, edit, and/or delete them as you wish.

STEP 3: Rename, reorder, delete pages.

1. View Blog; click on crossed screwdriver and wrench icon.

2. You can drag and rearrange the order of the pages, rename them, or hide them here.

3. Remember: to delete a page, visit the Posting tab and then the Edit pages link.

Scarf Tying

2011-10-31T00:00:00.001-07:00

Courtesy of Making It Lovely.

Grub: Hallowe'en

2011-10-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

Ghost Meringues at Anthologie
Eyeball Cookies at Craft Gossip
Snakes on a Stick at Food.com
Anatomical jellies.
Cthulhu like Spaghetti Dogs by Plum Pudding.

These might look great with meat balls too. Can you boil meatballs?

Cinéma Verité: Amy Merrick at Design Sponge

2011-10-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

Amy Merrick at Design Sponge tells you how to live like they do in the movies.

Some Personal Favourites:
Fortnight Oxfords from Howards End
Lana Shoes from Heathers
Pith Helmet from The Sheltering SKy
Holly Golightly's sleep mask from Fled Flare

(Good Looking) Chocolate

2011-10-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

Clever Pie Chart from Chocolate Editions - also their funny Googly Eyes
Ticket Kitchen's ingot-like chocolates on a stick - I love how the mint squares are jammed into the chocolate of these (courtesy of Simplesong)

Connect Four

2011-10-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

It is all Making It Lovely's fault: a dreamy photo of Connect Four, being played by her darling daughter, and mention that the pieces are pink and brown!
Now, what is not to like about Connect Four? And how to resist one that is as pretty as this one? I am even willing to overlook the JC packaging.
My rationale is that it will make an excellent fine motor skills development tool for Big Boy. As for the pink, well, he can use the brown discs.

19.x.11 UPDATE: CB2 is carrying a beautiful version of this in Monkey pod wood and rubberwood. Sold!
Image by CB2.

T-Shirt Hack

2011-10-14T00:00:00.003-07:00

Becky's T-shirt widening tutorial at Craftzine - not that I would ever need to make a T-Shirt bigger.

Dollhouse: Inspiration

2011-10-14T00:00:00.002-07:00

Image from The NY Times Magazine
General:
Enfilade - but at a Gustavian scale not a Baroque scale
Eloise Moorehead's renovation of her childhood dollhouse - but also anything else she has to say on the subject of dollhouses.

Now I know what to do with that small, white, glass Red Rose rabbit that has been rattling around my kitchen.

Diary of a Dollhouse
Lucy May Schofield's Dolls House
~~Lonny's 2010 1 Week Challenge Dollhouse from Curbed.~~
Mousehouse's bright and pretty, but still modern, playline renovation.
Michael Williams's Johnathan Adler-esque Barbie House - this one is actually a set of dioramas but is has a great, bold sense of colour and pattern.

Architecture:
Secret Rooms - Meghan Boody’s at The NY Times Magazine (courtesy of Eloise Moorehead) - The Secret Playroom reminds me of my less tricked-out cupboard childhood lair

Walls:
Phases of the moon like those by Bartsch
Cole & Sons Woods wallpaper - ominous
Cole & Sons Woodstock wallpaper - à la Suspiria

Stairs:
A ribbon for a runner like at Making It Lovely

Painted Wall Patterns

2011-10-14T00:00:00.001-07:00

Not wall paper but painted walls from Bartsch - I agree with Jordan Ferney, Croissants de lunes are the best

Container Gardening

2011-10-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

Compact and integral system Mobile Food Garden by Nancy Wang (Courtesy of Shoebox Dwelling) - elegant but are those pots really big enough?

Big Wooden Boats

2011-10-13T00:00:00.001-07:00

Image by Postlerferguson
What
Where
And here too.

Cottage Town

2011-10-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

Remember Minature Gardens and Thyrza Segal's creatures?

In a similar vein: Cottage Town by Ontwerpduo. From their site:

Change your potplant into a mini village with 'Cottage Town', and ordinary plants will be turned into huge trees or fields. These tilted tiny constructions in soft colours are made of waterproof 'paper', and can resist rain from a watering can. Fold and place your own house into the nicest plant you can find, or give away as a present with the enclosed wishcard.

Available at BijzonderMooi

Book Stand

2011-10-12T00:00:00.001-07:00

Image from Levenger.
I have always wanted one of these in a kitchen for cookbooks. I need to get the kitchen big enough to hold it first!

Night Stands

2011-10-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

DH said look at these. He likes this one.

I like these:
Kalon Studios Caravan Dresser - mod lines in wood
This oldie but goodie from Martha Stewart

Levenger actually has some promising tables for readers:

Periodical table - imagine an Ipad on that lower, sloped shelf.

An argument for a higher bedside table at Apartment Therapy.
Inspiration at Apartment Therapy NY

Poufs

2011-10-10T00:00:00.003-07:00

DIY Moroccan Pouf by Bromeliad - pattern and tutorial

Humidifiers

2011-10-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

Anton by Stadler Form - review at Shoebox Dwelling.

Naoto Fukasawa for Plus Minus Zero - $$$$ at Japan Trend Shop

(Big) Baskets

2011-10-07T00:00:00.001-07:00

I need a robust, huge basket in which to put some huge blankets that are in heavy circulation but always underfoot.

Pottery Barn's Beachcomber Baskets fit the bill but those handles!
Crate & Barrel's Basay Basket is in a similar vein

Spoons

2011-10-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

Image from Leif.
Glittery but not impractical spoons by Leif (courtesy of Making It Lovely) - they also have tart and salad servers!

Grub: Breakfasts-To-Go

2011-10-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Crustless Mini Quiches at The Kitchn
Ham and Cheese Casserole at, again, The Kitchn - Aychihuahua recommends not cubing the bread.
Heidi Swanson's Cottage Cheese Muffins.

Shawls

2011-10-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

What are nupps?

Echo Flower by Jenny Johnson Johnen
Evelyn Clark's Swallowtail
Funky Summit Shawl - are those snakes or circles?
That Peacock Shawl by Gail Nightsong.
Canary Knits Wishlist - Aeolian and Laminaria are pretty.
Torreyana Shawl

Shawl Yarns To Consider:
Tanis Fiber Arts Pink Label

Garden Wishlist

2011-10-03T00:00:00.001-07:00

Image by Botanical Interests.

Ornamentals:
Porcelain Berries, 'Elegans' - invasive?
Viola Cornuta 'Black Magic'
Varigated Nutmeg Geranium
Heuchera
Nectaroscordum siculum
Thunbergia alata "Spanish Eyes"

Edibles:
Kumguat or Mandarinquat Tree
Hairy Cucumbers
Costoluto Genovese

Tools:
Besom

Decor:
Bamboo and twig trellises

When Sam Is Older:
Japanese Lanterns/Physalis alkekengi

Style: Mrs. Frederick

2011-09-30T12:31:00.000-07:00

Image from Warehouse 13
When I grow up, I want to look like Mrs. Frederick.
(Isn't C.C.H. Pounder the best?)

Big Boy: Clubhouse

2011-09-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

Mossy's Under the Stairs Clubhouse - So much better than Harry Potter's (courtesy of Making It Lovely)

Apparel: Interesting Big Boy Clothes

2011-09-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

Zara Kids - I wish that they extended their baby sizes up... the boys stuff is not as cute.
Tea Collection
Olive Juice
Black Kite - great prints on their wovens

Dollhouses: Tools

2011-09-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Small Manual Saws
Karin Corbin's Roundup - the flush cutting saw sounds useful!

Digital Calipers:
Karin Corbin's Review
Amazing Miniatures's Review
Wixey

Miter Cutter
MidwestProducts Ultimate Cutter - Amazing Miniature's Pick
Miter Master

Needle-tip Glue Applicator

Micro-Mark's Magnetic Gluing Jig

Clamps

Dollhouse: Amsterdam Canal House

2011-09-23T00:00:00.001-07:00

Image from Our Lord In the Attic.

Josje's Canal House - this is exactly what I had in mind!

The Crooked House from Corrie ten Boom's The Hiding Place
Anne Frank House
Getty - nice sections and elevations

Cookie Ziemba's 17th Century Dutch Canal Dollhouse - built by Peter Mattinson
NGA Kids - Interactive Dutch Dollhouse

Related:
75 1/2 Bedford Street - not Dutch and not a canal house but narrow and reminiscent; great description by wallyg.

Jewelry: Lockets

2011-09-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

I love the idea of glass or gemstone lockets where you can see, not always clearly, what is inside.

Basil the Cat's lovely vintage, refurbished moonstone four-in-one locket

But Beklina has some very pretty French enamelled lockets.

More pretty lockets, er, "safekeepers," at Old Gold Boutique - they even have a camera!

Dollhouse: DIY Supplies

2011-09-22T00:00:00.001-07:00

Architectural Elements
Miniatures.com

Victorian Dollhouse
Swan House - nice selection of architectural elements

Decor:
Itsy Bitsy Mini - wallpaper, fabric ... murals!

Furniture & Tchoktes:
Kari Bloom - Arts and Crafts and other retro style furniture
Marquis Miniatures - messy, nitty-gritty accessories of life

Many, many of these were discovered while reading Eloise Morehead's blog.

Besom

2011-09-19T00:00:00.002-07:00

So this is where you find a besom (a real, workhorse deal of a besom and not a Wiccan altar besom):

Moontree Forge & Broom on Etsy - her long whisk brooms remind me those Indonesian street brooms; this is the one I have (and love).
Justamere Tree Farm - seen in Martha Stewart Living 10/2009
Hida Tool & Hardware Company
Building for Health Eco-Center

Or you can make your own.

Sprout

2011-09-19T00:00:00.001-07:00

Evan Gant's ingenious Sprout topper for empty milk jugs in order to better deliver water to plants.

DIY Masks

2011-09-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Image by Martha Stewart

Maholo felt masks at Etsy (and capes too!)

Bird Masks at Martha Stewart

Beautiful Inspiration by Lenaah

Milk Jug Bat Masks at Filth Wizardry.

Oodles of downloadable masks courtesy of Super Punch (the official Star Wars ones are superb not to mention the Clone Wars ones, and these earlier Star Wars ones)

Paint-by-Number Murals

2011-09-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

Prêt-à-porter Paint-by-Number mural: wallpaper by WallPaintbyNumber.
Making It Lovely piqued my interest in PBN's as murals with her round up:
I love how Curtis Robinson's PBN mural wraps the corner but would have forgone the red barn wall treatment.
Beautiful inspiration at Camp Wandawega.
Cabin Collective does these too.

Elly MacKay

2011-09-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

Steam and Sails by Elly MacKay.

Based on her process shots and descriptions, she appears to be photographing a type of collage, or more accurately, a set, carefully lit within a toy theater. They feel very evocative to me and dreamy without being too sweet. Steam and Sails (shown in this post) is on its way for display Big Boy's room. I was interested to learn that she studied in Nova Scotia too.

EllyMackay.com
Theater Clouds is her Etsy Shop.
And she shares her approach along with some dreamy process shots here.

Yarn Stores

2011-09-15T00:00:00.005-07:00

Artfibers - They are back in the city on Sutter near Grant!
266 Sutter St., third floor (elevator)
San Francisco CA 94108
Phone: 415.956.6319
Toll Free: (888) 326-1112
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday: 11-6 closed Monday
http://www.artfibers.com

Jimmy Beans Wool - excellent online service; Panda Silk available
5000 Smithridge Drive #A11, Reno NV 89502
Phone (775)827-YARN (9276)
Toll Free (877) JBW-KNIT (529-5648)
http://www.jimmybeanswool.com

Atelier Yarns
1945 Divisadero St
San Francisco, CA 94115-2518
(415) 771-1550
http://www.atelieryarns.com/

Imagiknit - massive selection
3897 18th St. (at Sanchez)
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 621-6642
Monday-Saturday 11-6:30, Sunday 11-4
http://www.imagiknit.com/

PURL
137 Sullivan Street
New York, NY 10012
phone: (212)420-8796
(212) 420-8798
Monday through Friday 12-7;
Saturday and Sunday 12-6
http://www.purlsoho.com/purl

Granny Circle

2011-09-15T00:00:00.004-07:00

Image from Where Your Heart Is. (But first spied at Oh Happy Day!)

Note that stool cover as a possible cosy cover idea for the bathroom's toddler step stool. I could totally make that!

UPDATE: Apparently, this is a cover to beautify a rattan stool.

Tops

2011-09-15T00:00:00.003-07:00

Colourful and beautiful Klaus Mader tops at The Wooden Wagon
Handcarved Japanese Wooden Tops at The Curiousity Shoppe - I have one of these and they are gorgeous.

Zenith 548/E Plier Stapler

2011-09-15T00:00:00.001-07:00

Beautiful, Italian office equipment.
Stapler of the Week has a nice biography of the Zenith Stapler.
I was driven to purchase one by Oh Happy Day! (a name that is cropping up around here more and more!)

You can find these at:
Silver Crow Creations
Plastica
Castle in the Air
Amazon
ASC - best price!

Light Balls

2011-09-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Spherical, colourful lights from La Case de cousin Paul, Courtesy of Oh Happy Day!

Also available locally at Kinokuniya in J-Town.

Florists

2011-09-14T00:00:00.001-07:00

Studio Choo
c/o Prairie Collective
262 Divisadero Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
Wednesday through Saturday 12 to 6PM
Sunday 12 to 4PM
T: (415) 624-5981
http://www.studiochoo.com/

French Tulip
3903 24th Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
8:00 am – 7:00 pm
Monday – Sunday
T: (415) 647.8661
http://www.frenchtulip.com

Birch
3263 sacramento street
san francisco, ca 94115
415.922.4724
tuesday through friday 10 to 5 pm
saturday noon to 5, unless booked with an event

or

564 hayes street
san francisco, ca 94102
415.626.6860
tuesday, wednesday and saturday 12 to 6
thursday through friday 12 to 7
sunday 12 to 5
http://www.birchsf.com

DIY: Exploration Bottle

2011-08-22T00:00:00.001-07:00

I first saw one of these up close at the vacation house we stayed at recently. It seemed to be geared towards grown up but even Big Boy was curious about it. Then recently, I saw a lot of online buzz about The Crafty Nest's nicely executed DIY versions.

SHOPPING LIST:
Empty bottle - Vanessa uses a Voss bottle in her tutorial and I think she nailed it aesthetically. I had a terrible time sourcing the plastic version of the bottles locally but finally found some at the local Bristol Farms.
Tchotkes - anything non perishable and interesting that you can fit through the neck of the bottle. My button jar is a bit bare but I hit the motherlode online at the Sausalito Ferry Co. Other sources could include Etsy and Tiny Things Are Cute.
Filler - the tutorial uses popcorn but I am toying with using rice or orzo.
Glue

I will post photos once it is complete!

Chalkboards

2011-08-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

Outdoor chalkboards at Ohdeedoh and Angry Chicken - could this work on a balcony too? Hmmm.

Wallcandy Arts Mini Chalkboards - I have had these for a while for we grown ups and they're great! Just recently, I did a second, lower installation for Big Boy. It's been a hit.

Eton Suit

2011-08-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Big Boy needs an Eton Suit to wear at his Godmother's wedding.

What is an Eton Suit?

From 1820[24] until 1967, boys under the height of 5'4" were required to wear the 'Eton suit', which replaced the tailcoat with the cropped 'Eton jacket' (known colloquially as a "bum-freezer") and included an 'Eton collar', a large, stiff-starched, white collar. The Eton suit was copied by other schools and has remained in use in some, particularly choir schools. From the Wikipedia entry.

Blue Linen Suit at The Best Dressed Child.
Navy Blue Velvet Suit at The Best Dressed Child.
Navy Blue Navy Blue Pique Suit at The Best Dressed Child.
Black Leather Oxford shoes at The Best Dressed Child.
Patent Leather Oxfords at Dapper Lads.

Dollhouse: NYT Article with Sources

2011-08-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

This New York Times article comes courtesy of a good friend in, suitably, NYC.
J. Courtney Sullivan's list of favourite online miniature sources form the article:

Boston Miniatures - apparently her go-to site.
Kent's Minis - especially for the laundry.
Amazing Miniatures - also a very good blogger.
Literature in Miniature - The Origin of Species or Mrs Beeton's Household Management is just what I need.
Tree Feathers - a miniature house of cards!
Pepperwood Miniatures - they do Tiffany lamps!
L. Delaney - clutter up your house in style and in scale.

Tiny Things Are Deadly

2011-08-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Enchanting but addictive sites for small, cute, and (un)necessary tchotchke:

Harapeko Doggy Bag Store - it always seems to have those Re-ment sets you can never find (or afford) elsewhere.

NRFB Queen - Priscilla really is the queen of reasonable Re-ment rates and wonderful service.

Tiny Things Are Cute - an as of yet outmatched inventory of quirky, cute, tiny thingamagigs (e.g., those houses!)

Decor: Swingline by Henry P. Glass

2011-08-06T13:22:00.000-07:00

Nice summary of Henry P. Glass's swingline pieces by Whorange.

Decor: Glimpt

2011-08-06T13:19:00.001-07:00

Swedish design duo that specialize in Scandalicious (i.e., Scandinavian + Delicious, word courtesy of Grassroots Modern), knockdown furniture with nice lines and bold pops of colour.

Decor: Snail Candles

2011-08-04T19:16:00.001-07:00

Rad Megan's tutorial (via Craftzine) for snail shell candles inspired by that beautiful scene from a terrible movie based on a fantastic book (well, it is by Michael Ondaatje)

Art: David Barth

2011-08-04T19:11:00.000-07:00

David Barth - pages filled with detailed animals, bugs, birds, and snakes!

Decor: Cable Management

2011-08-04T17:49:00.000-07:00

Applecore International - I have a few different sizes of these. The small ones are especially good for earbuds ... and cute.

Søren Refsgaard's Great Ball of Wire - gotta try one!

Sunhats

2011-07-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

I love sunhats and I love what they do (yes, I am one of those palid people).
Jordan Ferney reminded me of this with her recent, post-holiday photo/post. Her hat-crush is made by the
San Diego Hat Company

The local branch of The Gardener carries their highly covetable baskets/bags. It never occured to me, despite the obviousness of their name, that they might also carry highly covetable hats. The only thing that worries me is whether they will or will not fit. I have a massive head.

The Gardener

San Diego Hat Company

DIY Solid Perfume

2011-07-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Kate Pruitt's beautiful tutorial at Design Sponge - extra points for her choice of receptacle.
Fashion Art's and Kate Morawetz's tutorials let you use your own perfume.

Some possible receptacles:
Vintage Estee Lauder Flowering Tangerine box (Used by Kate Morawetz)
Vintage Estee Lauder Pleasures Solid Perfume Spinning Top Compact

Decor: Tubtrugs

2011-07-19T00:00:00.005-07:00

If I had not found the wonderful, hose-able Land of Nod bins for Sam's room, I might have considered Tubtrugs.
Maybe the balcony could use one.

Kumquats

2011-07-19T00:00:00.004-07:00

Two techniques to candy them by Katherine Martinelli

A larger, sweeter alternative: the mandarinquat

Four Winds Growers

Vietnamese Coffee

2011-07-19T00:00:00.001-07:00

Kiss My Spatula's meditation on, and instructions for, Vietnamese Coffee ... the most delicious beverage ever.

Shopping List:

sweetened condensed milk
medium-ground, dark roast coffee with chiory (e.g., Cafe du Monde)
ice cubes
Vietnamese drip coffee filter
small glass
tall glass
spoon

Claire-Anne O'Brien

2011-07-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

At the complete opposite end of the scale from Petit Tricotage, we have Claire-Anne O'Brien's jumbo knits:

Knit Stools
British Wool Chair

From her website:

"... Her work plays with technique and scale creating playful and tactile fabrics for interiors. This sculptural approach to textiles brings fabrics to life in three dimensions through form exploration and furniture."

Ukuleles: Chords and Tabs

2011-07-18T00:00:00.001-07:00

Ukulele Hunt's Chord Tutorial
Ukulele Hunt's Tab Tutorial

Kit Cat Clocks

2011-07-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

My grandmother had one.
I think I need one.
Official Kit Cat Website

Big Boy: Tunic

2011-07-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Because I have so much free time ... Made by Rae's awesome Charlie Tunic. I made the 2T, which fit for all of about five minutes. A size 3T is underway.

Rae used this tencel/linen blend from The Material Girls for the body and this fantastic print from Cosmo Cricket for the trim.

09/23/11 UPDATE: We caught Rae's eye! Yay!

05/31/11 UPDATE: Rae's released the pattern!
~~03/15/11 UPDATE: She's working on a pattern! ¡¡YAY!!~~

Technology: Dish Dryer

2011-06-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

Image from Shoe Box Dwelling
If you love Dyson's Blade, you will love this concept dish dryer, called the Breez from a, ahem, Canadian designer, Andrew Parsons.

Travel: Seattle

2011-06-22T00:00:00.001-07:00

Sights:
Observation Deck of the Columbia Tower - best, free overlook of Seattle ( with Starbcks at hand) courtesy of Not Martha
Food:

Eats:
High 5 Pie

Big Boy:
Frantic Foodie's staycation with kids

Travel: Hawaii

2011-06-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

KAUAI

THINGS TO TRY
Ukuleles

Why buy one
How to choose one
How to play one

FOOD
Koloa Fish Market, 5482 Koloa Rd., Koloa, Kauai, (808) 742-6199 - get the poke, lau lau, and kalua pork

Rentals:
Shells at Poipu, 1660 Kelaukia Street, Poipu, Kauai
Plantation Cottage, 2254 Pane Rd., Poipu, Kauai
Marriott Timeshare Villas - kids activities and Marriott points but the nearby beach is rough
Waimea Plantation Cottages
Kiahuna Beachside - calm beach and " a GREAT toddler kiddy pool lined with sand" (BPN).

Things to see and do:
Slow Travel USA's kid-centric itinerary
Marriott Kauai Beach Club - feed the koi daily at 9:00 AM
Hilo Hattie's - they'll give everyone a shell lei at the entrance
Poipu Beach - you can see the sheltered area here in the background
Kauai Plantation Railway - at the Kilohana Plantation
Lydgate Beach - calm with lifeguards ... and fish!
Kamalani Playground (next to Lydgate)
Poipu Beach/Poipu, Kauai - good beach for kids ... with a nearby park
Dangers of Kauai
National Tropical Botanical Gardens - an easy toddler "hike"
Little girls' hula dancing at Coconut Marketplace, Wednesday at 5pm
Strings and Things, 5 5190 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei, Kauai, (808) 826-9633 - LYS

Christy says:
Puka Dogs, Poipu Shopping Centre
The Fish Hut across form the P.O. in Kiloa Town
The Old Movie House, Kiloa Town
Roy's and Kioki's, Poipu Shopping Center
Toddler Beachwear - UV t-shirts from GAP + sunblock + umbrella
Whalers Cove - nice and right on the beach.
The Kauai Tree Tunnel is beautiful
Wild chickens
Hamura Saimin, Lihue, 2956 Kress St, Lihue, HI 96766, (808) 245-3271 - order "the special," large ... and the lilikoi pie!
Koloa Landing Cottages
The Whaler (condos – right on the ocean)
The Sheraton
Suite Paradise
Marriot Waipoli

Per the Berkeley Parents Board:
Baby's Away - equipment rentals

"Don't bring a stroller, there are no long paved places in Kauai to use them. It's all road or beach."

"I've heard that the north is better weather in the summer months, and the south has better weather in the winter. But you know the south is nice year round and has more baby friendly beaches ..."

"The North Shore is at it's best in the summer (June-September I think). Outside of those times it can be rainy and the surf can be rough."

OAHU

Things to see and do:
Matsumoto's Grocery, Oahu, Hawaii - Shaved Ice, Oahu

HAWAII

Things to see and do:
Yarn Basket, 50 East Puainako Street, Hilo, HI 96720, (808) 959-0034 - LYS
Tink n Ink, 73-5568 Olowalu Street, Kailua Kona, HI 96740 (808) 326-2820 - LYS

Leaf Identification

2011-06-21T00:00:00.001-07:00

LeafSnap app by CU, UM, and the Smithsonian - I have been dreaming of this very thing forever!

Travel: San Francisco

2011-06-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I live here. But I might not forever.
And maybe someone is planning a trip here?
And maybe I might need to entertain some visitors?

Saint Francis Fountain - Oldest
What/Where to eat in SF - according to 7x7, their 2010 version
Mighty Girl's handy-dandy Map Version of 7x7's list
Mighty Girl's list to visit like a local.

Must try:
Ilaria and Chinotto at Una Pizza Napoletana Mission Chinese, courtesy of Siri

Kid-Friendly Hikes courtesy of SF Gate

Art: Nina Lindgren

2011-06-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

Nina Lindgren's Cardboard Heaven

Decor: Kast van een Huis Cabinets

2011-06-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Image from Tulp Kids
Meant for children's clothing storage but wouldn't you like to store all manner of your grownup stuff in these?

Sewing: Periodic Table

2011-06-09T00:00:00.001-07:00

The Scientific Seamtress's free printable of this very clever poster.

La Clonette

2011-06-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

Image from Facteur
Who is La Clonette?
Where can you find La Clonette?
How is she made?

Accouchement machine clonette by FC

Decor: Coil Lamp

2011-06-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Image from Craigton Berman.

Coil Lamp by Craighton Berman

Available as a kit or prêt-à-porter.

Decor: Lightbulbs

2011-06-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Image by Plumen.
Fear of incandescent bulb extinction is causing a mild panic in some circles (thanks for the link to the NY Times article, Siri!).

But these beauties from Plumen can help sweeten the change.

Totes

2011-06-03T00:00:00.002-07:00

BAGGU Duck Tote - this was a pleasant suprise; I use my nutmeg one 99% of the time.

Moop, of course - I have/love a Rosewood Market Tote but I "need" The Porter and, possibly, The Very Useful Tote

BAGGU - These are my work horses. I have Big Baggus for laundry, Baggus for groceries, and Baby Baggus for everything else.

Gildem Leather Tote - not sure how it would handle a heavy load but, dang, it's pretty.

Apparel: Turbans

2011-06-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Remember all that hoo-hah about turbans over at Petit Tricotage? Well, apparently they are of interest in the 1:1 world too right now.

Say Yes To Hoboken shows how to wrap two turbans for everyday, rather than Norma Desmond, style.

Decor: Occasional Tables

2011-06-02T00:00:00.004-07:00

Gnome Tables by Phillipe Starck for Kartell - especially the black version, seen in Kevin O'Shea's living room with a tray on top

Eileen Gray's glass & chrome adjustable end table

Elephant Tables

Decor: Balcony

2011-06-02T00:00:00.003-07:00

<
I think about the balcony a lot. It does have the Adirondack chair and the garden gloves but we're are doing the "right thing" and growing our herbs and vegetables in white food industry plastic buckets rather than beautiful planters.
That's why Design Sponge's post about Creating An Outdoor Room has me in a lather. Yes, I definately need an outdoor rug!

Tiered Serving Tray

2011-06-02T00:00:00.002-07:00

I love tiered serving trays. They make me think of high tea.

Koziol's Collapsible Babell - you can find it at Amazon
DIY ÅRYD Server at Ikea Hackers

Rerooting

2011-06-02T00:00:00.001-07:00

Pronged Reroot Tool

Buy one at Dolly Hair
Make one at Dolly Care
Use one at Dolly Hair

Knotted method - my favourite

Locked-loop method - default method for Blythes as seen at the Puchi Collective

I wonder if there is a way to combine the knotted method with the rerooting tool to avoid opening a Moof head?

Decor: JuJu Hats

2011-06-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous feather hats from Cameroon - seen at Design Sponge

DIY faux hats at Flutter Flutter
Get the real deal at Authentic Africa

Apparel: Caftans

2011-05-31T00:00:00.001-07:00

Weekend Designer sews a caftan (great images too).

WD's pearls of wisdom:

Measure from the nape of your neck down to the desired length: purchase twice this amount of 45″ [114cm] wide fashion fabric and four and a half times this amount of 2″ [50mm] wide flat braid trim .

Teacher Appreciation DIY

2011-05-26T00:00:00.002-07:00

This year we put in chocolates, cute stationary items like jewel-toned bulldog clips, and a lotto ticket.

A Little Hut's Slide Lock Boxes (pictured) or Gift Boxes - next time use skinnier pencils or make slits longer

Cake Favour Boxes - Template at eWillow

Owl Gift Box template at Nina Makes - for wise teachers!

Quilt: Hoo-Ha (a.k.a. Cathedral Windows) Pouch

2011-05-26T00:00:00.001-07:00

Patchwork Notes has a tutorial to make a very pretty small pouch that features Cathedral Windows.
Read the intro to get the joke.

NB: A great deal of hand sewing is involved!