A little tease from San Diego!

I thought I'd have a bit of time to give ya'll some Xmas luv from Texas but I was too busy and my Alienware was getting a little tune-up. To tide you over, I have a snap from my cute boutique hotel in SD. Nicer pics to come. Happy New Year.

Spotted! {library wallpaper}

Spotted this bookcase wallpaper at Herve Leger in Westfield in SF. Cute! Especially with the white shelving in front -- they kind of resemble those library ladders that go along with such tall bookcases.

Color Report

I apologize for the poor pics (c'mon Apple, add a small flash). My co-worker was cleaning out his house and found this old binder of The Wagner Color Response Report. I had never heard of this and couldn't find a new version on Amazon. The binder has two books and a color fandeck that breaks down color and the effects on people. A lot of what it advises equates to some of the advice we learned in my Color Theory class. For example, bright orange is a declassifier -- thus good for fast food.

By the way, in case you haven't heard, the Pantone color of 2010 is going to be Turquoise!

Magazine Clipping

A couple of clippings from the January Martha Stewart Living. I love how restrained the cabinet is. I know I'd be tempted to put in milk glass, colored glass, etc. but this person has all clear glass and it looks so refined in that large cabinet.




The family was featured in a few pages which showcased the some of their creations: look at that giant envelope and twisted chair sculpture.

SCRAP

See that itty-bitty sign that says "Scrap -->"? That is the sign you have to look for when driving down a warehouse-filled, pot-holed road if you wanna find some CHEAP art/craft related items.

Here is the front entrance for SCRAP, I am so glad I went in the truck (Bogey wouldn't have made it down that street).

So what is SCRAP? It is a place to donate and pickup crafty type items. They have so much, here is a short list: old tiles (including Heath), scrap wood, ribbons, faux flowers, old newspapers (I picked up a Greek one from the 60s), old maps, Nat'l Geos, etc. There are some felines who reside in the building and only occasionally do you spot those mysterious kitties. Yesterday when I went, there was a group of youngsters in a creative session in the back room.


Here is the business card as well as a flyer of artisans who'll be showcasing items made from scrap.


And here is everything I got yesterday -- for 1 buck! What on earth am I using this for you ask? My latest and greatest collage.

Update: Experiments in Fabric

Remember when I blogged about Karma Kraft? Well I wanted to experiment a bit with textile design and voila! this is the result. I used the book Petite Pattern Book -- there is cd with dot and stripe patterns in jpgs and EPS files. I plugged one I liked into Photoshop, changed the background color from orange to blue, and played around with effects on the black & white stripes. Then I sent the file to Karma Kraft where I filled out a questionaire on how I'd like the repeat, what type of fabric (I used organic cotton decorator fabric) and a kind employee emailed me back to confirm. Then I waited a couple of weeks... Delivered from China (which was a surprise there). The colors are quite saturated unlike my Spoonflower order (which was a different fabric type though). Like Spoonflower, no minimums! So if you have a project in mind and would like to change up a favorite pattern, try this out, it is pretty fun!

3 nights :: 3 concerts

How do you do three concerts in 3 days? With friends, beer and comfortable shoes. Muse, Metallica, Lady Gaga. Design-wise, Gaga was queen...her sets & costumes killed. The Muse guitarist/lead singer had some sweet custom guitars as well as an outfit that just screamed rock and roll: black leather pants/jacket with poufy collar & glitter shoes. Metallica had awesome laser lights and giant moving coffins.

I don't have a ton of pics since I am pretty much turned off to taking pics at concerts. Hubby got the Muse & Gaga pics and EvilCarlos got those clear shots of Metallica. I know, I know, not a music blog... Rock on! \m/

Spotted! Chloe display

Check out the display at Chloe in Bloomies. File this with the burlap trend -- plywood decor!

Gifts with Flare from FredFlare!

Here's a roundup of fun & creative gifts from FredFlare.com. The pet's eye camera is right up my alley!

pet's eye view camera

"What HAVE Fluffy and Spot been up to all day, anyways? Find out with this amazing digital camera that clips onto a pet collar! You can set the timer to take a shot every 1, 5 or 15 minutes while you are at work and then come home and view the world from their perspective. Internal memory holds over 40 snaps. Kit w/ USB charger, cable, battery. Camera is water resistant and so lightweight. Approximately 2”x2.5” $50"

let's hang zipper pulls

"Make your plain ol’ sweatshirt a whole lot cuter with these special zipper pulls designed by illustrator Aaron Meshon and Kid Robot. Blind packaged, so it’s a surprise which one you get! Styles include steak, ice cream, skyscraper, plus 23 other fun characters! Vinyl. 1” $6"

graphic tape

"Your packing-tape skills could use a lil' pizzazz? This colorful tape will do the trick! Also great for hanging pics in your locker, wrapping gifts or fun collage projects!!! Variety of styles. From Japan. 2” wide. Over 75ft long."

No Plot No Problem Novel-Writing Kit

"Want to write a novel or know someone who does? Just pick up this kit and turn that somewhat daunting project into a reality! Written by founder of National Novel Writing Month Chris Baty the set includes a 48-page instruction booklet, 31 daily noveling brief cards, 2 sticker sheets, a guided progress log, coupon booklet, a colorful “Novelist” button, a noveling affidavit, & a letter from the author. Measures approximately 6”x8”."

table saw cake cutter

"Make a dramatic presentation with this useful “table saw”. It’s great for cutting cakes or anything else soft, like lettuce! Start using it and you’ll see: it’ll become your #1 fave kitchen gadget! Plastic. 11” $9"

spyro gyro pen

"Take your doodles to the next level with the pen of your childhood dreams! This motorized and oscillating pen can create squares, circles and triangles with just a simple switch of a pattern. It even has 5 interchangeable ink colors! Batteries not included, requires two AA. Measures 8” $12"

early bird alarm clock

"The early bird gets the worm, so why not let the bird's song wake you? This analog style clock features a chirping bird alarm that glows to simulate the morning sun. Battery required. Measures about 5"x5.5" $28"

hanging flashlight lamps

"These stunning porcelain lamps have a sophisticated design touch mixed with an everyday silhouette. Now, you can always be able to see in the dark! Created by a Toronto based design brand, imm Living. Made in three individual varieties, SM to LG. SM is about 7”x2”, MD is 7.5”x3”, & LG is approx. 6”x4.5”. Includes 12’ cord with one switch. Lightbulb is not included."

porcelain coffee carafe

"Add some class to every meal with this dainty little coffee carafe! It’s great for entertaining your friends in style. Made with sturdy porcelain for a timeless and elegant look! Holds 18 fl. oz. 6"x 4"x 7" Regular $44 SPECIAL $9.99 "

tiny mighty magnets

"These chrome magnets by the girlz at Three by Three Seattle are tiny yet amazingly strong! They’ll hold up almost anything. Set included 8 mighty magnets."

White tree & green walls

Here are a couple more iPhone pic snaps from my LA getaway. This white tree was at a great coffee shop (the name escapes me) near the Disney concert hall. Apartment Therapy has a post relating to the non-green tree here.

I had lunch at the Lemonade cafe at the MOCA museum. The food was fresh and the digital green grass wallpapered walls kept the atomsphere casual and easy-breezy.

Pacific Design Center and JANUS et Cie

I went to LA last week and stopped by the Pacific Design Center -- very chic!

I loved the JANUS et Cie window display of outdoor furniture with the houndstooth pattern.


Thanks to the gentlemen at JANUS et Cie for all their advice on design schools in LA.

Delightful Dining

How enjoyable is this dining setup from the Williams Sonoma catalog? It isn't my usual modern aesthetic, but a lovely image regardless. BTW, just ordered some goodies for the fams back in Tejas -- can't wait to dig in myself. Peppermint bark and stollen... yum!

Cheetah Print Baby!

I have been crushin' on cheetah and other animal print (print of course, not skins). The animal print trend often pops up and I have never jumped on the bandwagon... until now! While I missed out on a Zac Posen cheetah print sweater during a Gilt.com sale, I started wondering, where else can I get me a piece of that wild & zany print -- I typed "cheetah print" in the Neiman Marcus search box and found this lovely chair. Hot! Find it here.

Look out! Attempting Crafts {Coin Purse}

I followed the Purl Bee's tutorial on the Japanese coin purse over the weekend (before the food poisoning, ugh). It is a great step-by-step, especially since the clasp's included instructions are all in Japanese. Find the Purl Bee's blog (from the store Purl Soho) here. I followed the advice to use a lightweight fabric on the outside and heavyweight on the inside. I think I did okay... except the job I did on the pleat could be a bit nicer.