Archive for the ‘home decor’ Category
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25
Jan
2010
i’m not a flower kind of girl
i like the look of fresh flowers but even maintaining something that’s already basically dying is too much for me. i always leave bouquets in vases for too long…to the point that the water turns murky, starts to smell, and then i want to just throw out the vase with the flowers because i’m too afraid to confront what i might have let grow in the vase. these cute lil vases though may be right up my alley. only enough room for a flower or two, not transparent so i don’t know if something’s growing or not…the lil clould and heart openings are just too cute!
8
Jan
2010
tasty
i already have pretty adorable salt and pepper shakers (they’re lil figurines that hug each other. one’s white, like The Boyfriend, and one’s yellow, like me), but i’m not sure i can pass up this bird house set.
21
Dec
2009
explain to me this
what is the point of these ultra fancy knives? i assume these are not cheese knives where the extra holes/engraved areas are supposed to help cut things.
17
Nov
2009
butter makes it better
The Boyfriend and i are currently using a hand-me-down butter dish from his parents, which is retro/kitchy cute. i’d have to say though, that i feel like there’s a major design flaw in that it’s shaped like a bowl with a lid, which can make scooping out butter a bit messy. i spied a a glass butter dish at posh that i liked because it was a flat dish with a domed lid. anthropologie has just bested them though. not only does it have the flat dish with domed lid shape, but it’s supercute with a lil lady drawn onto it. happy birthday/merry christmas? (hint, it also comes in yellow, which i like a lil better.)
19
Oct
2009
i need a new jewelry stand
my oversized necklaces, oversized rings, and long dangly earrings have finally amassed to the point where i need more jewelry storage. they’re currently scattered about the top of my dresser, fairly well organized for the rings and necklaces (ah, dustbags, or whatever baby versions for jewelry are called) but my earrings are a tangled mess. paige, over at purely paige jewelry posted a link to a unique feather-quills-in-sand-filled-vase jewelry stand from pottery barn that reminded me that there are pretty ways to organize and display your jewelry. the stands exist for more than store displays alone! i don’t have that much room on my dresser for a stand and a wall mounted one isn’t an option because i’m short, my dresser’s tall, and straining to reach an accessory too early in the morning most likely means i just will go without.
i’ve narrowed down my options to these, the key being a place to hang earrings, the best part being they’re all under $60. thoughts?
i like the dishes that can hold rings or studs and the edges of the dishes can have earrings hang off of them
the most promising choices are from urban outfitters:
comes in white as well, but i am really digging the blue
flat space is a good thing but this one doesn't spin
13
Oct
2009
random cambria cove
in a nice twist of mass mailing list buying, i randomly got a catalog for cambria cove. never heard of them before but i like what i see so far. they call themselves “the exceptional gift experience” to give you an idea of what they sell. it’s everything from jewelry to home fragrance, stationary to tableware. pieces i found of particular note (aka my birthday is just a lil over a month away):
antigua crystal earrings in gold by virgins, saints, and angels (um, awesome name!) the ornate 24k gold shield over the swarovski crystal gives some edge to feminine drop earrings
archangel cuff, also by virgins, saints, and angels. i must be having a gold moment. and a bracelet moment even though i don’t wear them. maybe if someone buys it for me, i will! again, it’s the contrast between the big bad cuff and the delicate, intricate scrollwork that sweeps me away into the fairytale land that i like to pretend life should be.
last but not least the in the jewelry department is the antigua horizontal pendant, once again, by virgins, saints, and angels. it’s not as ornate as the other offerings i’ve mentioned, but maybe it’s that simplicity that’s appealing. the clarity of the single large crystal is the focal point and it suggests that vsa is no one trick pony. i’m going to need to do some research on these folks because i like them. i really really like them.
when i wandered over to the travel and home section i 
found the clever lil ipouch wallet by knomo. right now in my big herkin bag, i carry a small evening size skull and crossbone embroidered bag to slip out of the carryall with the essentials for the quick jaunt for either lunch, coffee, or errand. however, i have to carry my iphone separately since it’s more trouble than it’s worth to try to make it fit into my purse. even so, this is far better than what i see my coworkers do; carrying clutches (which i find so unfunctional to carry around) or a myriad of different tidbits separately that they need for a short trip to the food court, i.e. wallet, phone, and badge. the ipouch nearly solves for all of that. it fits an iphone or blackberry, has slots for your essential cards/ids/badges, and even has a coin compartment, which since barely anyone uses cash anymore, you can stick a small chapstick/lipstick/lip gloss into, i’m sure. the best part is the fact that this all-in-0ner also has a bracelet lanyard attachment so you can sling it around your wrist whilst you juggle your coffee and pastry with both hands.
9
Oct
2009
creepy
i know someone out there who would totally dig this, but i still maintain that bugs are gross. even bugs in glass. even $8,500 bugs in glass. will. not. touch.
7
Oct
2009
why is a giant tin of popcorn considered an adequate holiday gift?
the neiman marcus christmas book came out yesterday. per the usual there were some outlandish offerings like his and hers aircraft and, um, cupcake cars. they even went as pedestrian as a tin of popcorn (seriously, explain that one to me). here is my christmas list are my highlights.
a couple of things that are actually feasible are the metallic embossed ankle high uggs (i don’t need another pair…but they’re metallic…and i don’t have a natural colored pair…). i think it’s because i’m still searching for the perfect pair. i’ve got 2 pairs of knee high uggs, one that i wear schlepping outside in the mornings with the pups, and one that are a bit more snow bunny and i like to wear with skirts/dresses or skinny jeans/leggings. i’ve also got a pair of short uggs that i had hoped would free me of any tightness around my calves, but surprisingly they are of no help in that arena. these uggs with the button look more flexible. oh, and i’ve got a pair of the cardys that i haven’t worn yet. maybe i’ll break them out tomorrow. i should do that before the weather turns too soggy to wear them outside. must now ponder outfit possibilities…
more than the uggs though, i want a gucci scarf! i’ve paid around $200+ for my burberry cashmere scarf, so i’m okay with the price point, but i do take some exception to the fact that this gucci scarf isn’t even cashmere! boo hiss. but i guess the black on grey logo makes up for it. 
a couple other things “within reach” but are pretty low on my priority list are these nambe vases (i like the round one the best) since i rarely keep any fresh flowers around. when The Boyfriend and i were selling our place in queen anne, i kept a bouquet of fresh flowers around, and while i recognize it was a really nice touch…fresh flowers are expensive (and messy) to keep up! whatevs, are these vases considered modern? if they are, that’s how i like modern; in small doses.
the other trinket i liked was a very chic lil iphone case that instantly made me go, “oooh!” it completely encloses your iphone, disguising any fashionista’s inner technophile so that it looks like she’s just carrying around another wallet/clutch. so yeah, thinking about it that way makes this case seem completely awesome and must-have. however, after getting past the initial “oooh!” reaction, i realized this is completely impractical. how annoying would it be to have to open up the case every time you get a phone call to check the caller id? further, the photo doesn’t give you any sort of inkling of whether or not the case’s hinge allows the front cover to be folded back while actually speaking on the phone. or perhaps the assumption is that you would already have your bluetooth earpiece enabled? and if that is true, wtf? walking around with an earpiece completely negates any chic points earned by this case. fashion+function, designers!
so, i am not a bracelet person but this turquoise on black color scheme on these matthew campbell enamel bangles is really appealing. i’m especially fond of the second from the bottom with the big wave on it. not more-than-a-grand fond, but more like admire-from-afar-as-pretty-art fond. oy.
my absolute winner for this year’s christmas book? this red and black houndstooth alexander mcqueen sweater dress (that is somehow only a few hundred dollars more than one of those darned bracelets!). and how nice is it that the houndstooth pattern contours the waist and bustline to flatter one’s silhouette in (what i find to be) the notoriously uncomplimentary fit of knits. but if anyone feels like spending $1,600 on this dress for me, i’ll work my booty off to make sure i look good in it!
5
Oct
2009
redecorate
i need to get my act together and finish decorating this condo! i’ve been telling myself for ab0ut the past 2 months that i’m saving up to buy this awesome bookshelf from the sundance catalog (i know, right?!) but let’s be honest, i suck at saving.
i’ve also already purchased a tv stand similar to the one pictured here. instead of wide shelves, the one i have has 3 shorter shelves, which should fit the dvd player, the cable box, and the various gaming systems just right. the thing is, i’ve had this shelving unit for what’s got to be coming up on 2 months now and it’s still not mounted.
i even have a new chandelier that i hope works instead of the modern monstrosity i’m currently stuck with (came with the condo) that’s been sitting around for coming up on 2 weeks now. i’m starting to really think about these things because of some combination of holiday entertaining planning or because it’s getting chilly and we’re keeping the windows closed so it’s become more apparent that perhaps the puppies are not quite as good as holding their bladders as i once thought they were.
after the bookshelf? hardwood floors! or a mitchell lomas piece from his bird collection! or maybe both since i’m feeling a lil delusional right now!
13
Sep
2009
i did it! i bargained!
walking back home after a lovely dinner yesterday on broadway, we passed a store that i swear popped out of nowhere. i think it was called edgar. it was mostly mexican arts and crafts, which isn’t exactly my aesthetic, but the sandwich board proclaiming END OF SUMMER SALE- 30-50% OFF certainly appealed to me. The Boyfriend and i wandered in took a gander. i was right, most of the stuff didn’t appeal to me, but i did see this antiqued silver mexican eye of the ox mirror and fell a lil bit in love. it was originally $480 and marked for half off. my cocktail with dinner was quite strong so i had enough liquid courage to walk up to the counter and ask if the store would sell it to me for $200. and i won! yay me! (i never bargain. it makes me a bad asian.)
not only that but there was a really cool card of a skeletal mona lisa that i found there, but i’m not one much to send cards so i asked if it could be printed up as an 8×10. score one more for me! i should be getting a call in the near future when the artist drops it off at the store for me. i have two people i think i could give it to and as of right now i’m leaning towards waiting for a certain someone’s birthday to give it to her but we shall see…