Sheets to the Wind

So I've been thinking of buying some new sheets, since Eric took the honeycomb ones we had back to Alameda. I can't quite bear to buy a new duvet cover, since I love mine so much, so that pretty much eliminates any floral patterns. I would love to find something graphic and green, but I'm definitely not into polka dots, which also eliminates a huge portion of the sheets out there. Here are some that I've been considering...

These are from Pottery Barn Kids


These striped ones are from grown-up Pottery Barn


These are from Crate and Barrel


These paisley sheets are from Horchow


... and these nautical sheets from Land of Nod are completely inappropriate for my bedroom, but I totally love them...

Stubborn Fellas

I am not a gardener, and so I am very grateful to the plants and trees in my yard that seem to grow on their own. Notably, my fig tree, my walnut trees, and my camelia have been remarkably hardy, coming back year after year in spite of the lack of water or care. Here are some of the camelia blossoms in a vase by fellow RISD alum, Coon Lam.

*I just saw this lovely photo of similar camelias over at Posie Gets Cozy!

Don't Forget!

This weekend is the big Oakland Museum White Elephant Sale! The doors will open Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, and it is well worth trying to find parking. For more information, click here.

Sigh...

These are the PERFECT end tables for my living room. They match my Lane coffee table, they are tiered, in great condition, and cost only $50... but the shipping from Pennsylvania is $200! Argh.

Magic!

... Some more fabulous gelatin creations from the D'Gari Mexico website.

Jello, Operator

I have been collecting Jell-O cookbooks for many years and have some beautiful specimens dating from the 1910's to the present, so I was really excited when my mother found me an amazing magazine in Mexico called "El Arte de la Gelatina Floral." Apparently sponsored by the company D'Gari, the magazine features some incredibly colorful and ambitious gelatin creations that put our American work to shame. Here are a few examples.



These rose petals were made by using a spoon to slice into the gelatin and injecting liquid, colored gelatin with a syringe into the space where the spoon was.

Pillow Talk

I am so proud to be done with my callous-inducing, back-breaking, eyesight-ruining embroidery project, that I am posting it on two blogs! I was so enamored with the Judy Ross pillow I posted about last month, that I decided to try my hand at making my own. My work is not nearly as refined or pretty, but it feels good to have finished it on my own!


*That's a Karen Hilton pillow behind it.

Sunshine On My Window

I've been eyeing this "Songbird" bedding from Pottery Barn for a little while now. It reminds me a little bit of these gorgeous, embroidered Mexican linens that were featured on Design*sponge a couple months ago, from Jacaranda Home.

No Strings Attached

Chelsea over at Frolic posted about Plumo the other day. They have some very covetable things for sale, including this string container that made my heart skip a beat. If only it was in blue, I would happily pay the international shipping.

*It is also available here on Ebay, for slightly less money...

Collection Box

I have been collecting things for longer than I can remember. Chopstick wrappers, Jello cookbooks, ceramic deer, antique trophies, airplane safety cards, Swiss sugar cubes, printing toys, metal punches, cream pitchers, and on and on... And I've always been attracted to other collections, particularly those of natural specimens displayed in boxes. I have a few such boxes of minerals and seashells, and would like to have more. A few years ago I found the most amazing salesman's sample case of dental molds from the 1920's: a series of black velvet-lined trays filled with rows of white, numbered teeth. The pricetag was too high for me at the time, but I have come to regret not splurging for it. Here are some interesting specimen collections from Ebay.

Pretty Things

Here are some pretty things I've been looking at on Ebay...

Pillow Dreams

Holly at Decor8 posted about Tracy Porter the other day, and while browsing her products, I found this pillow that was apparently made for me. Sigh...

Elephant

Every year the Friends of the Oakland Museum hold an enormous White Elephant Sale. Donations are accepted starting in the fall, and accumulated in a gigantic warehouse. The sale itself is only one weekend, the first in March, but as a donor you can go in for the entire month of February to shop. I usually try to go at least a couple of times before the sale, since that weekend is madness, and I always come away with some great finds.

This year so far, I've found this Takahashi tape dispenser


This amazing piece of art, made of zippers


Woodgrain Dymo tape (SO hard to find- I found my last roll almost 5 years ago and had to buy an entire lot of tape to get it)


Woodgrain file boxes


Some vintage giftwrap


This adorable pillow cover


And a couple of gifts which I can't share just yet...

Things I Want

This turquoise Chinese vase on Ebay...


This gorgeous print from Rob Ryan on Etsy...


These mixing bowls from Martha's collection at Macy's...

Early Spring

To celebrate the lovely weather we've been having, I picked up some springtime flowers yesterday. I've always loved ranunculas, and I couldn't resist buying these tulips in the same shade of orange.

Let the Sunshine In

After a few very rainy weeks, we've been lucky enough to have some gorgeous, sun-filled days this week. Here are some pictures from around the bay.

The Soft Bulletin

Today we took a little trip to Toy Safari, an excellent toy shop in Alameda. I was very excited to discover a line of plush food items manufactured by the German company, Haba. I purchased this sandwich set, which includes magnetic pieces of toast (so you don't lose the contents of your sandwich) and a selection of lunch meats, cheeses, and vegetables. I love the bright colors and am planning to re-seal the package and hang it in my office.


The toy store also carries the wiener schnitzel set and the hamburger set, and an internet search reveals all kinds of wonderfully designed plush and wooden foodstuffs, as pictured below.