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.

i'm sweet on...

...Papaya. This eclectic venture is the brainchild of Gina & Anahata Katkin, a mother and daughter pair who have seriously got it going on! From notecards to waterbottles, artwork to jewelry, their buying ambition and creative flair for product is so fresh and so inspiring.

random is exactly that...

i don't sew, haven't since 7th grade Home Economics...

i don't stitch, haven't since college...

i don't knit, but I have a crazy desire to learn...does that make me an old maid, trendy or just plain silly?

i heart this...etsy

Oh, my amazing world of all things beautiful!! I just can't get over how crazy these cuffs are. Not only are they chunky and shiny, but they have this "put together in my workshop" feel that takes me back to the "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" era.

I found these beauties, like I do most things, on Etsy, my favorite place for all things creative. They are designed by Ricky @ edmdesigns. This is called Steampunk jewelry - and uses the contents of vintage watch parts. Ricky says "most of my designs feature the styles and manufacturers of fine watch pieces from the mid to late 1800's and into the early 1940's. I try most often to preserve the integrity of the focal movement and will only utilize pieces that can no longer serve their original purpose."

What a lovely way to be green and goddess all at the same time!

dazed and confused...

I've been trying my best to REALLY dive into the nuts and bolts of the health care crisis here in the US and to educate myself regarding the changes that Obama's administration is proposing. I'm a pretty quick study, but I have to admit that there is SO MUCH SHIT out there to try and sift through that it's hard somedays to feel like you are really up to speed.

Because I'm vocal about my beliefs, my friends too often want to debate with me on the topic of health care - and while I can debate with the best of them (okay, okay, the mediocre-to-mid-grade of them), I claim to be a little skittish on this topic. I want to be sure of myself and I want to speak concisely and intentionally - but I also want to get the point across to people that "FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, people - we're in a crisis here! And isn't ANYTHING that is remotely planned out a better solution than the mess we find ourselves in???"

Most of my conservative and nervous friends are most concerned because they feel like the specifics are too unknown - that they want their own 3rd grade Health Care Bible before they are willing to take a look at another solution. I can't entirely fault them, but please refer to the previous paragraph to understand what I want to scream to them.

Finally, today, the White House posted a down and dirty, bulleted list of what the reform bill would do. It's in no way a master's thesis, but it's a start. I hope you find as much understanding in it as I did - and I hope it makes you more willing to take on debaters like me.

I heart this...

Anyone who remotely knows me, is familiar with my addiction to big jewelery pieces. As a tall girl, I can pull them off and I love the impact they create. I'm trying desperately to figure out how I can afford this necklace. I know that I can't, which makes it all the more frustrating...but I can at least show you the amazingness of it and let you drool along with me!
Tonic Home is a great place to find one of a kind pieces that take your breath away. The Camillia Bib Necklace is designed by Isharya and is made of Tourmaline glass, red, and clear enamel. Amazing, right?

i could spend all day...

...messing around on Polyvore.com. This fabulous website allows you to build your own storyboards of apparel and accessories that you love - then publish them to your friends or other Polyvore fans. Maybe I'm late to the party, but I haven't seen this before and I can't imagine the time one could waste here.

Here are a few of the boards that caught my eye.

I heart this...

I'm a total sucker for great packaging. As a designer, there's a certain aesthetic that accompanies well-done graphics partnered with functionality. Minneapolis based Duffy & Partners has redesigned a collection of chocolate scented candles for Thymes. So delicate and yet so enticing. Love, love, love!!!

And because I can't let a day go by without thinking of tequila, this beautiful limited edition tequila packaged in hand blown crystal bottles makes me what to sit on a beach and quickly forget my name. This is almost too beautiful to drink from...sorry, never mind. What was I thinking?

your daily bias

What was that?

For those of you just starting to read about me, I've got more going on right now than a one-armed wallpaper hanger. I'm in the process of boxing up my home and moving to North Carolina, a move that pains and excites me all at the same time. During my transition, I am living in an extended stay hotel where Miss Margaret Lucille Esmeralda McGillicuddy (aka Maggie) is with me to keep me company. She rides great in the car and would much prefer to be with me than with than her neurotic father at home in Virginia. But Maggie has her own set of family issues and she doesn't mind giving me a lesson on patience every chance she gets.

On her morning walk she normally leaves for me a honking pile of love that is as normal as normal gets. But this morning, as she found a place to cop her squat, she removed from her body something so foul that imagining it might be grounds for prosecution. Because I have to pick it up and dispose of it, I was leaning over this miracle when I realized exactly what I was looking at. The first half of her gift was a mix of used, compacted and slightly discolored sundries that she had eaten out of the bathroom trash can. There were several tissues, a facial cleansing pad AND a few q-tips. Once I got over the shock of the contents in her belly, I looked at her and said "You've got to be kidding me?!? Do I need to hide the tampons and soap today as well?" At which point, she saw a squirrel and darted off -- and the vision of her backside with butt in the air was no different than if she had given me the finger with her tail.

i heart this...etsy

Of all the most recent beauties that I've spotted on Etsy, this one takes the cake. This gorgeous Tree of Love bracelet has a soft spot in my heart. Designed by Soltice Jewelry, this little gem is a combination of turquoise hearts, jasper roses, soft chocolate suede with leaves. How can you NOT like this?

your daily bias

I heart this...

Look at these amazing laser-cut maps of London and Paris. I wish they came in other colors, but I'm seriously coveting these guys...