Friday Finds or this week's roundup of some goodies to inspire the creative genius inside of you!



Lovin' what Foulard Threads is doing with these oxfords!



This ad campaign by Marithé and François Girbaud S/S 2010 line with the tagline "This is a Crazy World" can't help but make you smile!



The amazing artist collaboration of metalsmith 3Squares and fabric designer Daisy Janie has resulted in some totally stunning work you don't want to miss!



The fascinating magic lanterns created by Victor Vague of GhostHaus.


Namolio's gorgeous crochet pin cushions!



Brittany Harriman's fun petpeeve hangtag series.


Designed by Merav Eitan and Gaston Zahr as part of the Green Garden Exhibition, this giant birdnest is all about breeding new ideas!


Have something to say? Check out Life Tokens.


This little cookie cutter from William Sonoma can pop a little message into your cookies- just the ticket for those of us with too much to say!



Great packaging idea for these little notebooks- don't you think?


Adorable hand-painted drawer pulls from Sweet Mix Creations.


A collection of 30 retro cereals- I don't remember most of these- where's Quisp?




The gorgeous illustrations of French artist Christelle Huet-Gomez and yes, she has a locket!

Thoughtful Thursday - time to JUMP into the unknown

Old American/World Dream:

K eep your head down
Follow instructions
Show up on time
Work hard
Suck it up ... and you will be rewarded fired


New American/World Dream:

B e remarkable
Be generous
Create art
Make judgement calls (not judgements)
Connect people and ideas ... and you will be rewarded
(I promise)

Words from "Linchpin" by Seth Godin, amazing print by the equally amazing Jess Gonacha Swift, promise from life to everyone

Whining Wednesday or a junk tv confessional, I get my black belt and Olive prepares for the Dog Show

W hine 1 - So, I finally got a new cable cord for the tv in my studio and since I have been almost television-less for quite a while now

(listening to the radio or books on tape while I work)

I was like a dieter on a chocolate binge last week ....

First, I watched two episodes of What Not to Wear.

The premise of this show is that the hosts take unsuspecting women and, over the course of a week, teach them how to dress like gay men.

The women get a new wardrobe

(not anything they are ever going to wear again, of course)

out of it and I guess this is why they allow their flaws to be catalogued and closets plundered on national television. I know I'm not that strong. The second Stacy tried to wrench the Joan Jett t-shirt from my fingers, I would probably set myself on fire.

(confidential to producers- if this is something you would be interested in, please contact me through my agent, ie Olive)

Then I watched 3 episodes of Wife Swap, 2 episodes of Montel Williams, 2 days of Court TV, 2 episodes of Deadly Women, 2 episodes of Ghost Hunters, 2 episodes of I Shouldn't Be Alive, 1 episode of Dirty Jobs- the list goes on.

As you can imagine my head is about to explode. I think it is time to go junk tv cold turkey.

I will now be watching the Olympics and the Dog Show

(which has Olive practicing walking very fast with her tail in the air- I haven't the heart to tell her that her own breed- the four letter word that starts with M isn't on the AKC's radar)

so I can refocus and get myself off the tv smack.

Actually, I just remembered that on tomorrow's Montel they will be talking to women who were impregnated by devilish spirits

(which I think is code for Kevin Federline)

and some lady named Zelva (Zelva?) who is afraid of eggplant.

Hmm. I may hold off on my junk tv cold turkey for one more day.

Whine 2 - Now I promised hubby I would cut back on my posts with his name in them, so to protect his privacy and my blog's future involvement in a marital lawsuit I will just call him Mr. Mystery.

So anyhoo, I went to the movies on Sunday

(yes, we rocked Valentine's Day with the Wolfman, which is a film I totally do not recommend by the way - Whine 3)

with Mr. Mystery and - after the movie I went into the restroom in the mall.

(this is where it gets a little gross)

GIVEAWAY-licious $25.00 Gift Certificate to FOODZIE CLOSED


And the winner is chosen by True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 211
Result:
55 = HOLLY! Holly chose foods from
DolceNonna as her winning picks!

Foodzie is the most amazing site for foodies; the place where you'll find the most fantabulous food and beverages made by small food companies!

Foodzie is an online marketplace where you can discover and buy food directly from small passionate food producers and growers. They are helping change the way people eat by helping the small food producers across the country find customers and grow their businesses!



Foodzie believes that instead of a small number of large food companies there should be a large number of small food companies (yay for that!).

They are obsessed with good food and passionate about connecting those that like to eat it with the people who make it!


WHAT YOU GET:

One lucky winner will receive a $25.00 GIFT CERTIFICATE to use in any shops on Foodzie!

(I received one, too, and still can't decide where to spend it!)




HOW TO WIN:

Visit Foodzie and take a look around - then pop back here and leave a comment with your contact info!

For additional entries:

(5) Twitter this post
(5) Blog about this contest; linking to this post
(5) Follow my blog

Let me know if you have done these things so I can give you additional entries. This contest is open to everyone.

DRAWING:

MIDNIGHT on Sunday, February 28! Good luck!! CLOSED

Small Things = Big Difference or the bitter truth about your Valentine's Day chocolate

I don't want to be a stick in the mud

(although what is wrong with being a stick in the mud anyway other than the fact you are getting .. well .. muddy..)

and ruin your Valentine's Day chocolate binge .... but ....

much of the world's cocoa (chocolate's main ingredient) is grown in developing nations by very poor farmers.

70% of the world’s cocoa production is grown in West Africa employing more than half the country. Most of the world’s cocoa production includes child slave labor and starvation level wages for farmers.

U.S. chocolate manufacturers have deflected responsibility for the conditions on cocoa plantations, citing lack of ownership of the plantations although 4/5 of the chocolate candy market is controlled by three major American firms — Hershey's, M&M/Mars and Nestle.

Now, I know you need your chocolate fix now and then. I need mine, too and I have to admit I have not always been so mindful of the brand I was buying (I am now), but one small thing we can do that would make a big difference is to choose chocolate with meaningful eco-labels.

This can help make a real difference in the lives of the people who grow cocoa and this can also benefit the environment.

Organic certification means that:

• Farmers emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality

• Crops are grown without using synthetic fertilizer or the most persistent pesticides

• Crops are produced without genetic engineering or ionizing radiation

Fair trade certified means that:

• Farmers and workers receive a fair price for their product

• Trade is done directly between farmer-owned cooperatives and buyers

• Crops are grown using soil and water conservation measures that restrict the use of agrochemicals

There are alot of fair trade chocolate choices these days and they can be found at your local grocery store. We can stop buying what the major candy companies provide us on the backs of impoverished farmers, children forced into slave labor and the environment.

It may cost a bit more, but good chocolate really is a luxury, was never intended to be a daily treat, and can be one pleasure you do not have to feel the least bit guilty about.

(the dark kind is even good for us)

Whining Wednesday or another snowpocalypse and breakfast for dinner

I'm living the dream, folks.

It is 8:30 a.m.

I am snowed in (sort of).

I am listening to Shawn Colvin and my hubby's audible intestinal noises - he used to try to cover it up with a fake cough ... not anymore

... we may be losing some of the magic ...

(I have to whisper-type this because he is starting to complain about me blogging about him)

Actually, it could be my tummy rumbling- hard to tell when we lie this close.

(more whisper typing) - looks like hubby is headed downstairs to make us all breakfast ... he must have forgotten we only have breakfast for dinner now ...

We started breakfast for dinner with a couple trips to the IHOP when we were renovating (term used loosely here) our kitchen a few years ago.

(yes, IHOP for dinner ... I know this is making you jealous, but we can't all be living the dream folks)

I have tried to recreate this experience at home. Many dinners have been trashed after my version of the Rooty Tooty Fresh & Fruity failed to reach the standards set by the International House.

Apparently, it just doesn't taste right unless it's being served by a toothless woman with a tattoo of Dale, Jr. on her forearm and a dirty apron.

(actually I take that all back, I, too, see my apron as an essential culinary tool, much like a cast iron skillet, and rarely wash it, lest it lose some of its 'flavor' and based on family history and lack of dental insurance should be toothless in 6.7 years)

(more whisper-typing) Sounds like hubby is starting the coffee. He is making alot of noise down there now. The man just can't relax and enjoy a snowday.

(sigh)

Seems like I have to get up and lend a hand.

Hard to whine with a snowpocalypse and something that tastes kind of like a Rooty Tooty in my future - it's all good.

Hope you are all living the dream today, too.
1. Wonderful tea cozy from KnitStorm
2. Amazing Beakfast in Bed print by Mutrux
3. Paint your own eggs by GooseGreaseUndone
4. Adorable felt short stack by LittlePicklepotamus
5. The perfect muffin unbleached tshirt by NottyPouch

Time Out Tuesday or some stuff to check out while the kids trash the house and you sip your double mocha and convince yourself they are napping



I think Riot Siren's cupcake skirts "put on your party skirt and roll in the dirt" are sssooo adorable!



I am obsessed with Osusowake (means sharing in Japanese) - the little cake slice planters that make sharing your favorite cuttings so easy peasy.



Olive is in love with Lucy Snowe's urban art for nature lovers and in particular this little snapshot.



Your kids don't need a clubhouse - you do, especially something as awesome as this Happy Loves Rosie Caravan!





Kella made my 2009 blog posts into a book for me at Blurb for my birthday last week- make books, not war!



I heart Haddock (do you?) mug from Black Ink.



I am head over heels for this little smiling frog! Is this not the cutest little frog you have ever seen - like, if I didn't have George I would totally kiss this little guy and am almost certain he would turn into Daniel Day-Lewis or Paul Newman or someone equally fabulous.



Beautiful little brooches from Caroline Dulko.



The amazing installation art "Chemical Balance" by Jean Shin created from thousands of prescription bottles recycled from nursing homes.





If you are going to be in Brooklyn and love insect art as much as I do Entomologia is a must-see ... am wondering if there will be any stinkbug art ...



Bits of brutality smothered in a rich, creamy marshamallow sauce - the adorable world of Cuddly Rigor Mortis artist (and Jersey girl) Kristin Tercek.




And, yes, she has a locket!

GIVEAWAY BTaylorQuilts AMAZING COASTER SET - CLOSED

AND THE WINNER IS: SillyLittleLady!

Chosen By True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 326
Result:
52

BTaylorQuilts is the amazingly multi-talented Briana Taylor. Briana was born and raised in New England, where she still lives and works and creates the most gorgeous quilted table runners and quilts and coasters and pot holders and all kinds of other goodies.

Briana is also a favorite Etsy painter whose series of Vessel paintings always make me think of the hopes and wishes and deepest desires they hold and protect.

Check out both her shops for some absolutely amazing work!


WHAT YOU GET:

One lucky winner will receive BTaylorQuilts GORGEOUS Coaster Set!





HOW TO WIN:

Visit either of Briana's shops :BTaylorQuilts or BrianaTaylor and let her know about a favorite piece by leaving a comment below!

For additional entries:

(5) Twitter this post
(5) Blog about this contest; linking to this post
(5) Follow my blog

Let me know if you have done these things so I can give you additional entries. This contest is open to everyone.

DRAWING:

MIDNIGHT on Sunday, February 14th! Good luck!! CLOSED

If IKEA Was Your Mom .... what would your name be?


After spending a week (give or take a day or two) assembling some Ikea shelving and desks and hanging thingies

(and yes, we are still married - marriage is hard work people!)

I needed to know what hubby and I would be called if the amazing Swedish furniture company decided to name a line after us!

It would be KAT and GEOR

(not a big stretch for us- maybe yours is more fun)

find out your Ikea Name HERE

P.S. I stole this from the amazing How About Orange blog- she finds (and makes) all the best stuff!

P.S.S. It's my birthday!!

Small Things = Big Difference : Using NonToxic Paint


Traditionally, paint has all kinds of nasty stuff in it: petro-chemicals, solvents, mercury, formaldehyde, benzene, lead, cadmium, chromium, dibutyl and diethyl phthalate. This scary chemical cocktail then releases VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the air.

You might assume that the VOCS are only a problem with a freshly painted room and that you can 'air it out' after painting. But it turns out that paint and other finishes release low level toxic emissions for years.

We used non-toxic paint for the first time a few years ago. It didn't go on very smoothly and chipped off very fast in areas like over heating ducts. But, we painted a few months ago with some of the newer stuff and it went on perfectly and looks great; no chipping.

Non-toxic paint, along with non-toxic cleaning supplies and air purifiers- we recently got an Advanced Pure Air purifier for our bedroom and noticed a difference almost immediately- are small things that can make a huge difference.

Van Gogh (and other painters) went crazy from the heavy metals and toxins in their paint. The expression "mad as a hatter" refers to all the chemicals used to shape hats, which eventually caused neural damage to the hat makers- who became the town "crazies". Today we have more of a choice about the chemicals we work and live with, so when people call you 'mad as a hatter' you will know it is just because you have been showing up in bunny slippers and metallic blue eye shadow at bus stops and PTA meetings and not because you have been inhaling toxic chemicals.

(or maybe that's just me)


1. Very cool red bicycle with paint by number background by Doecdoe
2. Adorable little paint by number bib by HushBabyCo
3. Awesome vintage paint by number notecard set by Busguss
4. Stunning green paint by numbers plate bracelet by The Broken Plate
5. Beautiful paint by number deer purse by TheSeaWithin
6. Amazing letterpress paint by number bird card by LarkPress

Whining Wednesday or as my car might tag me these days STINKEEGRL


Whine 1 - Our credit card company raised our interest rate to something like 26 gazillion for absolutely no reason.

(well, no reason that has anything to do with us anyway)

Confidential to Chase - instead of the minimum payment this month, I'll be mailing in a bag of used wine corks and an autographed doodle of a sad face, hope that is o.k.

Whine 2 - About a month ago I started finding these strange moth things in my studio and bedroom (which is directly over the studio). At first it was random enough to not bother me, but then one night last week, we had two of these little creatures flying into the bedroom lights.

They don't bite (thankfully) and are not very smart or fast-moving, but you cannot squash them because they emit some foul smelling substance when you do.

I had never even heard of such critters and admit I had flattened a couple and didn't notice any odd smell before hubby screamed, "Stop!" -

(I was about to flatten one with his beloved Farmer's Almanac)

and then he told me the 'stinkbug story'.

They are also known as shieldbugs and if George had called them shield bugs (or if they had been a pretty green like shown here instead of looking like creepy gray alien spaceships) I might not be as freaked out. I have moved everything in both rooms, checked all the window cracks and can't figure out how they are getting in.

Hubby says, "maybe they are not getting in because they are already in", which really freaked me out and has me shining a flashlight into my boots before putting my feet in them every morning.

We hate the idea of pesticides and exterminators, but we may have to take some kind of action soon.

(or start a little stink-bug circus sideshow to pay off Chase)

Whine 3 - My memory is totally disappearing.

When I'm driving and think of an idea for a project or blog post (or whine), I have a tendency to write down a key word on a snippet of paper

(yes, I know how dangerous this is ... mainly because I could spill my scalding hot coffee and that would interrupt my cell phone conversation)

and then write the whole thing down later. This morning I found a gas receipt from Friday on which I had scribbled:

Hipster
Chess
That guy's feet

If anyone has any idea what the hell I was thinking, please contact me.

Whine 4 - Vanity license plates have taken over New Jersey - neighbors, friends, everyone is feeling the need to tell me a little something about themselves with their car tags. I have never understood why anyone would pay additional money to outfit their Ford Taurus with a "UGOGURL" license plate.

I think they are just plain yucky.

(if you have a really cool one, let's hear about it, maybe you can change my mind)


Mainly there are 3 reasons I would never have one:

Hit. And. Run.

If someone remembers seeing a light blue Escape in the vicinity, well, that could be just about anybody, but I guarantee some meddling eagle-eyed eyewitness would recall a "CORKYMUM" or an "UPCYCLEGRL" mowing down that Scout troop.

P.S. To clarify, I don't actually talk and drive as this is illegal in New Jersey.

(and, no one calls me anyway)

Whine 5 - Hubby and I recently visited an 84 year old neighbor to check out his amazingly impressive coin collection. He also has quite the library although 99% of the shelves are filled with books related to the value of coins. We noticed at the far right of the middle shelf a gigundo tome titled, "Secrets to Great Sex" and right beside it was a smaller book called, "Guide to Better Public Speaking".

At first we were a bit shocked,

(I mean, we didn't know he did any public speaking)

but then it all began to make sense, because if I were 84 and still having sex

(and I mean anything even slightly involving friction with another person who was not my paid caregiver)

I would tell absolutely everyone about it.

Guy behind counter: "May I help you?"
Me: "I am 84 and am still having sex. Yes, that kind of sex."
Guy behind counter: "This is the post office."
Me: "A book of stamps, please."

Then I would hobble over to my SXYGRNDMA car and drive home to train my stinkbugs.