Somewhere in our massive virtual rambles, we came across the images of Yves Lecoq, one of the best photographic fantasists we’ve seen. His images seem absolutely real. One of his ongoing themes is humans rigging ways to fly. That, of course, would be us.
Read MoreSea Shell Printed Cookies and Pie Crusts
While putting together our post on Sea Shell Salt Cellars the other day, we stumbled on this lovely idea: impressing cookie or pie dough with a small ridged scallop (or other) sea shell. Then we wondered what to we recommend that we KNOW will take the impression? H-m-m-m. Eh voila! Our friends at Kitchen Repertoire’s…
Read MoreImprovised Life Love
With thanks for your many generous ways of supporting and collaborating with us!
Read MoreGraffiteed River Rock Monster
We found this clever river rock monster on Anonymous Works. It’s a vintage albumen print with year 1915 penciled faintly on the back. We LOVE that guerrilla art was alive and well a century ago! AND the idea of being a guerrilla ANYWHERE!
Read MoreAnnals of Bad Design: COS Lightweight Backpack + Our FIX
When we looked at images of the COS Lightweight Backpack online and read the product description we thought PERFECT. Just what we’re looking for: Made from a lightweight technical fabric, this cotton-lined backpack has an all-over print and fastens using a magnet and wide drawstring. Multi-functional, it can also be worn as a tote bag…
Read MoreFreeform Architecture LEGO Kit in Monochrome White (+ D-I-Y Alternative)
Having long been enamored of building blocks both miniature and life-sized for their cool modularity and open invitation to improvise, I find this jumbo building kit from LEGO is the perfect thing for adults to play/plan/build with. Whether to envision a real-life project in small scale or simply get out of your own head for a minute, these…
Read MoreExploration: Maria Robledo’s Frame Series
In May, we gave photographer Maria Robledo an antique silver picture frame that had no glass or mat; you could see right through it. Hand-wrought, it had a built-in stand of two crossing silver poles. To our surprise, Maria started using it as-is to frame cut flowers from her garden. Over the past weeks, she’s sent us…
Read MoreKid’s Drawings Made Real
Dutch artist Telmo Pieper saved his drawings from childhood. Many years later, he used modern-day digital painting skills to make prototypes. The resulting works comprise his Kiddie Arts Series, an amazing example of a kid’s vision made REAL. (And what an idea THAT is!) We TOTALLY covet the car and think his beetle is pretty…
Read MoreChic Newspaper Hat (Inge Morath)
We love this curiously stylish newspaper hat that a new dealer wore in 1947 in Paris at Place de la Concorde. Captured by the great Inge Morath. Dig the little ends turned up. “Chic” can be fashioned out of pretty much anything! With thanks to Chris Eldredge!
Read MoreConcrete Block Planters and Raised Beds
In addition to a cool shipping pallet table, we found another great DIY at Urban Garden Center: a concrete block planter (below). We’d seen images of them before like the one above that houses succulents and at this Pinterest devoted solely to concrete block gardens. The basic idea holds lots of possibilities, some rough, some curiously sleek.
Read MoreRough-stitched Ripped Linen Pillow Covers
Just as we were wrapping our head around learning to use our new sewing machine, we noticed these big pillow covers on IKEA’S blog Livet Hemma… …which sent us hunting around Ikea USA to discover that it is selling 100% linen by the yard for 7.99 a 59″ yard in white and gray. We’ve long been fans…
Read MoreKenzo’s FAB “I’m Not Afraid of Losing” + 24 African Dances to Brighten Your Day
(Video link HERE.) We love Eddy Kenzo’s joyful “Sitya Loss” (“I’m not afraid of losing”), featuring a group of boys and a girl performing on a dirt road in Uganda. After hunting for the lyrics (which are in Swahili), we found this interpretation from youtuber jerzeykid2006able: “In life we do not have to fear losses because we…
Read MoreGif of the Week: Feel the Sand
It’s summer. Time to play in the sand.
Read MoreIn Praise of Shadows and Quiet, Muted Interiors
I’ve been yearning for shadows since June 21st when the world took a tumble towards autumn, trailing crayon-bright, midsummer color and loud solstice revels. Parched by the bleached Scandinavian cottages and austere, no-tint white rooms that are everywhere online, I’m craving soothing darkness and a place to sequester in silence. This stark, in-your-face, white duvet bedroom suddenly hurts my eyes…and…
Read MoreSea Shell Salt Cellar
Our friend Virgina del Giudice sent us a lovely vacation email with the subject line: “Improvising“: We were on vacation in La Pedrera, Uruguay (very beautiful place!) My husband and I rented a forties garage converted into a cozy little appartment for two. The kitchen was small but perfect for improvising nice recipes like croquettes…
Read MoreRandom Find: Klee’s Tree House via Little Free Library
Recently, when a Little Free Library was set up in the park across the way, we discovered an unexpected pleasure of these little public leave-a-book-take-a-book libraries. In a public setting, when you least expect it, in the most random way possible, a book opens in your hands, as Paul Klee (Art for Children Series) did…
Read MorePES’ Western Spaghetti
(Video link HERE.) This insanely cheeky, surrealistic send-up zaps cooking shows with sly, technological savoir faire. I needed several viewings to fully grok all the nutball details. —Susan Dworski *Editor’s Note: Incredibly imaginative film maker PES‘ “Fresh Guacamole” is the shortest film ever nominated for an academy award!
Read MoreCloset Strategies with a Simple Piece of Fabric
Since when is it hip, slick and cool to lie in bed and stare at your clothes and shoe racks––no matter how neatly organized––when you’re rustling up romance? I’m talking about a very particular theme of design porn these days: highly-styled, out-in-the-open clothes racks that make me wonder: What would happen in this uber-neuter scheme if…
Read Morebig shipping pallet and concrete block outdoor table
Last weekend, we walked down to the Urban Garden Center to check out the pig roast they hold every Saturday in the summer in their rough-and-tumble party pavilion. The pavilion is made of all sorts of found and rustic materials, including mismatched chairs and junk store finds. We especially loved the huge table made of shipping pallets and concrete block, two of our favorite building materials. It could easily seat twelve AND weather the elements.
Read MoreHow to Think in Haiku (and a Haiku about Grasses)
At the very end of May, we planted grasses in the planter on the Laboratory’s patio. Since then, they’ve grown like wild fire, along with the Morning Glory vine we plunked into their soil to further screen us from our neighbors. We love watching the grasses move in the breeze; they seem to constantly change…
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