gettin' crafty

Despite all my attempts over the last year to hone my homemaking skills, I often hear myself say "well, I'm no Martha." It's not a self-deprecating comment, more like the ability to laugh at myself and give credit for trying.

I recently stumbled upon a blog with the same sentiment. Not Martha is a crafty and creative blog focused on all things homey. While the writer actually does come up with the high quality results of Ms. Stewart, she also reserves the right to mess up, and laugh at herself in the process. And I like it.

This recent post is one I just had to share. I love the creativity of it and they just look so beautiful. I can just imagine serving these on Christmas Eve.

These mini-gingerbread houses perch on top of a mug - form and function at its best (save a plate, plus it gets straight to the point of dipping).

Click here for the full post and step-by-step instructions. Happy Holidays.

one man's treasure

Check out our sweet finds from the Pasadena Flea Market last weekend. After a little sanding and some (non-toxic) clearcoat, the rocking chairs will be gracing our patio. More on the table later.

can't believe I didn't know about this!

Can you hear the trumpets? I just stumbled on something so genius and wonderful that I can't stop smiling (maybe a tad melodramatic, but seriously I am excited). What did I find?

Spoonflower, a company that lets you create custom fabric that they will print for you with no minimum yardage requirement. In my constant quest for the perfect pillows and curtains (and chair re-upholstery, etc. etc.) I have totally hit the jackpot here. To sweeten the pot, they offer eco-friendly fabrics and some seriously amazing prices. Plus, you can order a swatch for only $5 so you get to see your creation before you commit.

If you are looking for some inspiration or you'd prefer to let someone else's right brain do the walking, you can browse through the public libraries that are also for sale. And to make it all the more exciting, you can enter your creation in a weekly contest. So bring out your inner textile designer and get to work. I know what I'll be doing this weekend!

Here are a few of my faves:

blank canvas

It's official! I am finally moving into a new place and I couldn't be more excited. Our apartment has a couple of great features: vaulted ceilings, 5 huge closets, 2 bedrooms (upgrading from a one bedroom, this is like heaven) and a fairly efficiently planned kitchen, making it the ultimate blank canvas for me to play with.

So I decided that it would make a cool blog feature to document the process of making this place our home. Here we go:

Just got the keys!

This is the view from the entryway looking at the living room, with the dining area straight ahead and kitchen on the left. The door leads to the master suite.

A shot of the pass-through at the kitchen (another feature I love in small spaces)

A nice little kitchen (take note of the open shelving on the left. This will be fully utilized)

looking at the living area with sliding patio door (the patio extends to the left across the master suite with doors as well. I didn't photograph this.)

And, finally, a not-so-great shot of the 2nd bedroom, which will be my new office. Despite the photo, it actually has great natural light.

Stay tuned for my moving adventures. I'll come up with some nifty storage solutions too when we move onto the closets and bathrooms. So fun!

beachy green

Summer is in full swing and the local heat wave is practically forcing people to hang out at the beach. But with all the cars baking in parking lots, trash that gets buried in the sand, and chemical sunscreens washed off in the ocean, a day at the beach isn't exactly good for the environment.

If saving Mother Earth is your M.O. and you want to do it in style, these eco-friendly beach finds will be right up your alley. Let's see if we can keep our footprint the size of the ones we leave in the sand.


These bamboo and organic cotton beach towels are a perfect blend. The colors are fun, plus the bamboo makes them super soft and the cotton makes them absorbent. Find them at Sea Glass Organic


This bag can go from beach to barbeque. Made from repurposed sailcloth, it's water resistant and will keep its shape when you plop it in the sand. Also at Sea Glass Organic.


I love this organic cotton bikini from BTC Elements...
and this dress from Patagonia to thrown on later


Pack a picnic and stay all day with containers from ReusableBags.com




These fun and flexible bowls will fit easily into whatever space is left in the bag.




And dont' forget the sunscreen!


The Sun Stick from Purple Prairie Botanicals is perfect for keeping in your beach bag all season long.


The Sun Shield system from MyChelle works to prevent sun damage, but it also contains ingredients with anti-aging properties, pain relief and anti-inflammatories. Perfect for the people who have already been in the sun a little too long...but aren't quite ready to pack it up.

The Mincing Mockingbird

I have a new obsession. Birds.

The piercing eyes and vibrant palettes are what really capture me in these amazing prints from The Mincing Mockingbird.







The birds each have a very distinct personality, which is playfully described in the title of the piece (for example, the one above is called It is Folly to Assume My Awesome Lies Dormant).

These will be in my home. Soon.

Friday Fab Finds

Today I'm in the mood for white ceramic.


A delightful dish from laurawallstaylor



these porcelain frames can turn pretty much anything into art.
visit the framed objects


a new way to save your pennies.
from smakparlour




create a little garden with Pigeon Toe Ceramics



Mixed nuts.
Needs no further explanation. Kgrandey.


Happy Friday!

Martha Stewart Cupcake Contest

I know this is a design blog but technically these fall under well-designed food. Plus, they are just too cute and I'm a total sucker for anything cake.

Martha Stewart is doing a cupcake contest to promote her newest book, Martha Stewart's Cupcakes. To enter, upload a photo a your best-dressed cupcakes and you may just win a copy of her new book. Here are a few of my favorites so far.

horseshoes in the house

I love these fabric horseshoes from Hable Construction. Use them as paperweights, wall decor, or for a quick game of indoor horseshoes on a rainy day (I added in that last suggestion)



Each new season brings a new series of fabrics, so buy them while you can. Here is the current selection.

Featured Artist: Whitney Smith

I recently found Whitney Smith's beautifully functional handmade pottery on Etsy and was saving it for a rainy day (yes, today is gloomy and wet). Each fanciful piece adds a bit of charm to your serving collection and no two pieces are quite the same.









Whitney creates her art-ware in Oakland, California and her favorite materials are clay and bacon :)

Elephant Artists

I have actually blogged about this before, but it just makes me happy every time I see this!



This amazing piece of art is part of a collection of paintings done by, yes, Elephants.
They were introduced to me by a dear friend who is an ambassador for Exotic World Gifts, a Fair Trade member and the company whose owners took the now infamous footage of the artists in action. Check out the video and visit the site for more wonderful offerings from around the world.

after the rain

this cracks me up!

I love the creativity (not to mention the functional side; I hate when wet soap gets all goopy sitting in a pool of water) of this ceramic soapdish from Deb Babcock. Her pottery all has a bit of flair.



Find this and other fanciful items at Etsy.

something springy, bright and cheery

I love these log bowls by Loyal Loot Collective,
found at ReForm School




...and this handmade raffia clutch from BTC Elements




I'd like to sit outside with some iced tea served in this enamel pitcher from Vivaterra




...then curl up for an afternoon nap on a bedding collection from
Rubie Green


Happy Friday!

bee season

As the honey bees make their way back this season I can't help but think of the variety of uses for honey in my daily life. On our trip to Santa Barbara we stopped at the Clairmont Lavender Farm and picked up a jar of lavender-infused honey. Yum.

Then I found this adorable and slightly quirky 'honey jar' on delight.com and just couldn't help myself.

spied it, found it

One of the first stops on our trip to Santa Barbara was the city of Solvang, also known as Little Denmark.

We ate at a cafe called Panino, which can be found all around SB County (which we did not know at the time...oh well).

Our sandwiches were served on these great splattered enamelware dishes, which I obsessed over for the rest of trip. I thought I would find them in a shop in Solvang, but alas I did not.

photo courtesy of Flickr


I took this photo through the window of the closed cafe just as we were leaving town - last chance for a picture!

So...when I got home I immediately began my search for this lovely enamelware. I found them at Crow Canyon, along with the rest of the collection of servingware, bakeware, and flatware if you really want to go nuts!

I would like to have a couple of plates and bowls to mix in with assorted white dishes for a casual but fun dinner party.