Rustic Summer...

I was reading one of my favorite design blogs, Poppytalk the other day and they had posted these awesome images from H&M's Home collection, currently only available on their Swedish site. I love the rustic, bohemian feel for summer and I had to share...

(Photos: H&M)

Countdown to Mother's Day- Part One

With Mother's Day around the corner, I have started thinking about gift ideas for all the mothers in my life. While my mom would probably prefer the latest and greatest power tool, here are a few other ideas...

 

Hand stamped tags for her garden or indoor house plants...

 (photo: hammerman on Etsy)

A funny card...

 (photo: Lost Bridge Design on Etsy)

Some bright and colorful hand towels for the kitchen or bathroom...

 (photo: Mengsel Design on Etsy)

As an alternative to cut flowers which only last a week, maybe a plant or dried flowers...

(photo: Succulents Galore on Etsy)

(photo: Flores Del Sol on Etsy)

A paper cut silhouette of her favorite picture, or a picture of you...

(photo: Papercuts by Joe on Etsy) 

Countdown to Mother's Day- Part 2 coming tomorrow...  

Brooklyn Flea Market

On Saturday, I piled on the sunscreen and ventured over to Brooklyn to go to the Brooklyn Flea. Known for the eceltic mix of vintage clothing, housewares, furniture and jewelry, this market also sells kits to make your own beer, mini cupcakes and silk screened T's among other things...

Some of the more unusual finds at the flea...

One of the best things about the flea is the fresh, local food. It's hard to decide between the grilled cheese sandwiches on homemade bread, pizza fired in a portable wood oven, or the tacos filled with meat and fresh cilantro.  I loaded up on some Salvadoran pupusas filled with cheese and jalapenos and piled high with pickled cabbage.

 Photo: Me So Hungry

After a day of hunting, I ended up a chrome and glass martini shaker from the 1960s, a box of flower glasses and brass mirrored vanity tray. Be sure to check on Facebook for sneak peeks...

Friday Obsession- 1920s Vintage Typography

Lat weekend, I went to see a great design exhibit at the MoMA. The exhibit featured graphic, colorful ads of Czech, Russian, German and Dutch designers from the 1920s and 1930s.

During the so-called New Typography movement in the 1920s and 1930s modernist designers, "rejected traditional arrangement of type in symmetrical columns, [and instead]  organized the printed page or poster as a blank field in which blocks of type and illustration (frequently photomontage) could be arranged in harmonious, strikingly asymmetrical compositions."

 I would love to get my hands on a print for my apartment...

The exhibit runs through July 26, 2010 at the MoMA

Living in the Great Outdoors...

With only month to go before summer officially starts,  I already looking forward to sitting outside and enjoying the hot, summer nights. Living in the city, space is limited so I am drawn to small spaces where available inch is used to create an inviting outdoor area. (Pops of color and seating go a long way too!) 

Suspended garden pots add color and maximize wall space

Slim cafe chairs provide seating and can easily be stacked for storage

These chairs and table can be easily folded and stored

 Growing healthy food can be easy and compact...

A few things to get the space in order...

Love this vintage blue bench from Terrain

 Seed bombs from Anthropologie

Organize with blackboard stakes from Terrain

Stylish and functional, Anthropologie

Every garden needs a gnome (photo: Living, Etc)

(Photos: Living Etc, Domino Magazine, Apartment Therapy)

For the Love of Myrtle...

In high school, I worked part-time in a flower shop named Wild Thyme. This shop had the most gorgeous myrtle topiaries and started my love affair with this plant... 

Unfortunately, these fickle plants are sort of like having a pet. They need just the right amount of water, sunlight, heat, humidity and regular grooming. If any of these conditions are off, you've quickly got a perfectly shaped dead plant on your hands.
 
However, when maintained these topiaries are beautiful and chic. They are a perfect accessory for the home and have a great architectural quality to them.

Larger varieties that can withstand changes in temperature are also great outside...

They perfect in place of flowers at a party (and can be rented and returned)...

(Photos: Snug Harbor Farm, Living it at Home, Martha Stewart Living)

Multiple Uses...

I found this awesome vintage letter holder the other day and I have racking my brain trying to think of different ways it could be used.

So far I've come up with notecard holder (obvious choice), jewelry stand, photo display and napkin holder.

Any other ideas?