I saw this image on Desire to Inspire, and wanted to post it myself:
It’s from the portfolio of Sydney-based photographer Anson Smart. We all know I’m a sucker for natural curiosities, and I think this is a great way to display these butterflies. I seldom think of windowsills as places to create little scenes like this, so it’s nice to be reminded of their potential.
I have a weakness for bird-themed art. I blame my parents, who were very into birdwatching when I was young. They have a big collection of bird prints that they’ve collected for years, so there were always birds on the walls when I was growing up. I just spotted these paintings over at Oly (one of my favorite companies):
Fork Tailed Petrels
Pelican
Snowy Owl
Band-Tail Pigeon
I’m especially partial to the petrels.
There was an article on SF Gate the other day about contemporary terrariums. I was really charmed by the work of Bay Area artist Kat Geiger:
She creates amazing little landscapes using repurposed or recycled glass. What I like best are the little objects she puts in them – little trinkets that she makes herself. Some of them even resemble little villages:
I think these are a fun idea for people (like me) who don’t have any garden space – it gives them a miniature landscape to enjoy and maintain.
How did I not know about Roost until yesterday? They have tons of interesting and not terribly expensive home accessories. Including a whole section of animal themed products! A few of my favorites:
Little ceramic birds that have a slot in the bottom so they can sit on a branch or the edge of a vase or bowl. I’m so ordering some of these. Keeping with the bird theme, check out these carved wooden birds :
They’re not super cheap, but that’s a lot of impact! The crowned crane is especially cool. And while we’re talking about carved wooden animals, why not indulge your big game hunter fantasy with a carved trophy head?
I’m also digging these bronze antler candlesticks:
That’s just a small taste, they’ve got a huge line. I’m sure I’ll be posting more in days to come!
I was browsing online at Jonathan Adler the other day, and saw that he’s got a lot of great new stuff. I especially liked his new line of salt & pepper shakers.
These penguins are pretty cute. Not quite as cute as these whales, though.
But my favorite is the Garden of Eden. I think it has something to do with all those years of Catholic school…
Better Living Through Design posted about this the other day, but I thought it was pretty cool so I’m sharing it as well. You can choose from a number of designs, sizes, base colors and embroidery colors to create a pillow to perfectly complement your decor. I especially like this grey & orange monkey.
A friend of mine, who is also an interior designer, has this amazing bust on her fireplace. I’m not sure who it is – Heracles, Paris, someone like that. The last time I was at her house, the bust was sporting a pink tie. I decided then and there I needed one of my own. But nice-looking busts aren’t exactly everywhere you look. Anything that was actually made of stone cost a fortune, and anything resin looked kind of cheap. So I was excited to find this guy at the Alameda Flea Market a few weeks ago:
So he’s plaster, not stone, but he’s got that well-worn look about him. Also, it’s Chopin, who happens to be my favorite composer. He’s currently making an appearance on my newly freshened-up home page. I haven’t tried accessorizing him yet. He’s already sporting a cravat, but maybe a jaunty hat?
Lately I’m noticing lanterns in almost every store I go into. It’s kind of making me wish I had a patio that needed a little illumination.
I love this simple rectangular number from Restoration Hardware, which seems to come in about a million sizes. Then there’s this number from Pottery Barn. It kind of makes me think of a grain silo, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
And leave it to Z Galerie to tart things up a bit:
Summer is upon us, and that means that garage sales are cropping up almost everywhere I go. I love garage sales, flea markets, and pretty much any place where you get to dig through piles of junk in hopes of finding something great. Last weekend I stumbled across a garage sale full of the usual – old paperbacks, ugly furniture, scary old clothes – but this little bowl caught my eye:
Why yes, those are deer heads on the sides:
You know how I feel about animal heads, and at $2 I couldn’t resist.
So despite not having any outdoor space of my own (which seems especially cruel when you live in California and can actually use it most of the year) I’ve been trolling the internet looking at things that would be great on my future porch or patio. Thomas Paul is doing an especially good job these days – check out these great sea creature designs.
