your daily bias

i heart this...

I am secretly wanting to design a kitchen right now (okay, not so secretly right now). One of my best friends, Karen, is in the process of redesigning her kitchen and I'm so anxious to see it that I just can't stand it. We have similar styles, so I'm sure that she will have to walk around with a drool cloth under my chin once I finally make it to St. Louis to see the results in person.

I was doing some searches and found these great images of some of the kitchens that I'm loving right now. Most of these are super-modern – but since we are a no-kid kind of household, we could totally pull it off.

i heart this...

I'm loving how big-time designers are working in unexpected mediums. Cynthia Rowley has dabbled in quite a few industries over the past few years since Swell busted onto the scene, but this takes the cake for me.

How amazing are these Band-Aids? These limited-edition offerings from Cynthia offer sequin, gems, lace and even gold chains. In addition, $1 from the sale of each tin goes directly to Design Ignites Change, an organization that engages high school and college students in design and architecture projects that address social issues in their own communities.

your daily bias

...in honor of the primaries!

Liberals Scare Me and Conservatives Scare Me available here.

as promised...

Sometimes it's the things that take the longest to work themselves out that are the most satisfying. Some of you are aware that this little project has been on my to-do list for, oh, shall we say 7-8 years? I've started, stopped, started again and regrettably stopped again. This time, no stopping.

Drum roll please!!!

I'm happy to finally announce the Grand Opening of the Biased Baby.com storefront.



I opted to work with Café Press to get things off the ground. I'm not 100% content with the limitations that they place on your site layout, but it gets the job done. This will continue to be a work in progress and you'll see new designs showing up regularly. Don't forget to check back!

Now that you've had the opportunity to see some of the Biased Baby themed product on the blog, you have the chance to purchase it and spread the word. If you like what you see, I thank you in advance for sharing with your friends.

Remember, it's all about being edgy and pushing the envelope. Don't get offended, friends – you'll come to love it as much as I do. Then again, I'm biased.

how life turns...

...on a dime. I'm making my way back – or as my very wise Uncle R. would say "keeping it between the ditches" after a fairly rough summer. I might go into more detail about it at some point, but for now, I'm vertical, I'm smiling and I'm trying to let the Lord talk to me instead of me doing all the talking.

I have learned a few key things in the upside down world that has been my life for the last few months.

1. I'm as addicted to coffee more now than I ever was. And I'm okay with it.

2. Watching your children (in my case 4-legged) grow old sucks. I remember well the day my first dog, Mandy, died. And I remotely remember the suffering. I think my parents did their best to help that Irish Setter out as much as they could so that we wouldn't be so burdened by her decline. I have 4 animals that are 12 years old or higher. One of them is really suffering with arthritis and it's such a painful thing to watch. I brought this little baby home when she was only 8 weeks old and no matter how old and feeble she gets, she will always be that little chocolate-eyed puppy. I want her to give me as much time with her as I want...but I hope that she takes it upon herself to show me how selfless my love can be for her when the time is right.

3. I'm extremely impatient. All my really close friends just laughed out loud and are wiping whatever they were drinking off their monitors right now. They are each collectively saying "um, like, did she really just figure it out or has it just taken her this long to admit it to herself?"

4. I miss Winchester. When I was 17, I couldn't WAIT to get out. I was foaming at the mouth to leave that black hole of death. Now, I'd offer up a body part to find my way back. Funny how age changes perspective isn't it?

and finally 5. I have decided to become better at a few key things. I'm not talking drastically better, because if I try to do too much, I'll let myself down and will have to deal with that whole "patience" thing again. But I'm determined to become better at managing my health, at communicating with husband, at being a more considerate driver, at getting my Biased Baby product relaunched and at blogging more consistently. I figure if I can progress on each of them, if only a little at a time, then I'm doing okay. If I surprise myself and set the world on fire, then the world better watch out.

Until then, I'm going to have another cup of coffee.

your daily bias

design i love

My job affords me the chance to travel the world. In almost every instance, it's a complete blessing and adventure. The other instances, well, they include uncomfortable airline moments, toilets that are in the ground (brings a new definition to "squatting") and stolen passports in Communist countries. One day, I'll bring you up to speed on those moments of insanity.
My first time in Paris, I was tucking in and out of side streets and discovered a fabulous shop called Conran. It intrigued me because it contains this amazing combination of modern furniture with a great library of design books and accessories. A few years later, I discovered the "anchor store" in London and was even more blown away by the breadth of design contained within the walls.

Mike and I have plans to, one day, build a home that truly represents our style. If my pocket book would allow it, I could decorate the entire home with product from Conran and never look back.

i heart this...

...vintage jewelry from Pinking Edge Designs. According to her Etsy store, Kay makes "vintage, modern and wedding style jewelry." I'd like to add "...and she kicks butt in doing so!" There's an elegant, understated styling to these pieces – and I am flabbergasted at the affordability of these gems. I had a hard time picking the ones that I liked the best. I strongly urge you to check out her shop.

i heart this...

Most of you know that I'm a designer by trade and therefore I have an uncontrollable fetish with good type. This started in college when a group of close friends decided that we would forever be known as our "font" name. Garamond, the handsome (but, alas, gay) boy that I lived with, named us all...Futura, Caslon, Helvetica, etc.

Most fonts aren't cheap, in fact, the great ones are extremely expensive. For some typefaces, you could safely trade a kidney and barely have enough to also cover the sales tax. But DaFont.com has some really fabulous fonts for FREE. I don't get paid to write about them, but I've always said that "friends don't let friends use Arial."

i'm sweet on...

...pillows that make me smile. Several weeks ago I broke down and bought my first sofa ever. I've been one of those "accept-sofa-hand-me-down" girls for my whole life and it was high time that I invested. It's cranberry...a color that makes my dad cringe and my white husky squeal with delight every time she spots the opportunity to contribute her furry sweetness to the cushions.

This new sofa has done wonders for both my media room and my comfort level. It has also made me crave cool throw pillows. I'm one of those girls that thinks pillows can make or break your space. They can say "I know what's hip and I know what works" or they can say "Sorry, but I'm incapable of anything unless it's spelled out in photos in the Pottery Barn catalog." These pillows make me smile, plain and simple.

Amy Butler

West Elm

Restoration Hardware

i heart this...

If you are a native of Winchester, VA or have ever joined the parade-lovin' world on the first weekend of May, then you are familiar with "The Bloom." The Apple Blossom Festival has become the weekend that northern Shenandoah Valley folks most look forward to...it's full of B and C rated celebrities, high school bands, more firetrucks than any little boy could keep up with and a sea (and I mean SEA) of pink and green that can be seen by the Hubble.

In honor of the craziness that will occur in my hometown this coming weekend, I have scoured my favorite website for handmade treasures, Etsy.com, for the best and brightest pink and green goodness.

Top left: Hair Clips by Aiden101
Top right: Damask Maryjanes by ivoryandmoss
Bottom left: Crocheted Beanie by SparkleberryCrafts
Bottom right: Pink and Green Tutu by TooCuteTutus

Top left: Small Clutch by KaraMiaSofia
Top right: Pink and Green Koozies by PinkGasoline
Bottom left: Beaded Necklace by LoopinLoop
Bottom right: Amy Butler Headband by Bagalicious


Top left: Floral Wreath by AliceMaeDesigns
Top right: Spring Tree Coasters by MonikaDesign
Bottom left: Dish Towels by Lydiaandpugs
Bottom right: Handpainted Rocks Glasses by Marysworkshop

i'm sweet on...

...these great Blacksburg prints. For those of you that don't know, my husband is a full-time Veterinary Medicine student at VA Tech and we have quite an affinity for the town. It's full of character and personality...as well as being full of great places to eat. We both did our undergraduate work at Shepherd College, which has a similar feel, although the schools are drastically different in size. Perhaps that contributes to our love affair with Blacksburg.

This local artist has created a line of fresh and bright prints that capture the energy of the town - primarily centered around the eateries and bars. He doesn't provide much information about "who" he is on his site, but here's what I can tell you:

"A life-long resident of the town and former Tech Art School student, I know
the areas I draw as well as anyone. I walk downtown most every day. I have
seen lots of changes since my years as a Blacksburg teen in the 70’s and some
of my art is intended to reflect those changes."

Here are some examples of his great work:

just so you know...

Some of you have asked where I got the laptop bag that I mentioned in my previous article - you know, the nice Oxio one that I travel with. I originally got it at eBags, but they don't carry it any longer. I have found it here in case you are interested.

i'm sweet on...

I've been looking for an alternate laptop bag to carry when I'm not traveling. I have a really great bag from Oxio that I got for travel - it's cool, but industrial and functional. I love it and I get great compliments on it when I'm hoofing it through O'Hare to catch my next leg (thus, the challenge of no longer living near a United hub).

But I really want a bag that will allow me to tote my MacBook around when I'm just taking the computer - not all the peripheral nonsense that comes with traveling for work. I've found these on Esty.com and really like the feel of them.

fromNancy c/o Etsy

ikabags c/o Etsy

janinekingdesigns c/o Etsy

your daily bias

things I ponder...

So......my blogging (or lack thereof) is directly related to the chaos of my everyday life.

I dream of a day where I can work like my blogging heroes, Dooce©, Oh Joy!, Design*Sponge, Decor8, and Print & Pattern. These ladies dedicate their days to blogging, mixing their love for fashion and style with quick wit and sponsorship. But alas, I am a workaholic who can't even find time to color my roots, much less blog everyday as if my checking account depended on it.

I miss the blogosphere when I'm away from it. I always say that "I'll do better" -- but I rarely do. No more making promises. All I can tell you, is that for now, I'm trying.