retro wallpaper

this nama rococo wallpaper describes my mood at the moment - esoteric. it would add character to any studio - but i haven't quite decided what it's trying to say - maybe, i'm from the hip, psychedelic 60's, or maybe i just think differently.

corinne bailey rae

corinne bailey rae permeates the air with her silky smooth, earthy rich voice. i close my eyes and let her melodies soothe my soul and i'm in another space and time. listen to this 'rae' of light and be enchanted.

kcrw

it's my favorite time of year - my birthday and the kcrw winter pledge drive. this year, as a birthday present to myself, i decided to pledge my support. kcrw's all around eclectic music is so refreshing. special programming like npr's morning edition keeps me company on my daily commute while on weekends i look forward to hearing the tales of this american life with ira glass and good food with evan kleiman.

twirl, twirl away

i love this miguelina black dress. it looks so comfortable, pretty and so fun to twirl in. charm your way through crowds, glide down staircases and flow through the park in this airy black dress.

egg candles

this delicate set of egg candles reminds me of a lovely egg and caviar dish i once enjoyed at l'orangerie restaurant. it's not your everyday candle, but something that would add to the warm ambience of your room. . i'm sure they look even prettier with the flame burning.

tornado

somewhat destructive, but there's something about this work by jamie cullen that i just like. it just makes me want to stare at it a little longer and procrastinate from working a bit longer.

dishy aprons

mince, chop and whip up a feast in this cute and sexy apron. pink and brown argyle hint towards preppy, but the the v-neck halter gives it a dishy twist. sugar and spice and everything nice. that's what these aprons are made of.

doo the dishes

these diva dishes are so dainty it will be hard to decide whether to dine on them or to let them 'doo wop' your walls. made of melamine plastic, they're dishwasher safe and their silhouettes are just too pretty to pass up.

dandelion pillows

these delightful dandelion thomas paul pillows will dance their way into your hearts and across your living room. pick from ivory, sky blue, and light mocha, but personally i'd take one of each. these cushions are so luxurious and silky that everyone will want to hug and toss them around.

wonderland

any girl would feel like looking through the looking glass wearing this adorable shirt. maybe go for a walk in a garden, find a white rabbit and get lost in your very own wonderland.

the perfect bed

this is the perfect bed to have the perfect sleep to have the perfect dream. in a peaceful, serene place, this is how sleep should be. theblackapple paints with a dreamlike fairytale quality and has quickly become one of my favorite etsy artists.

fairy good advice

ever need some advice and no one's around? well these cute little fairies will be your perfect listening buddy. you can ask them anything and they will respond yes or no by nodding or shaking their heads. should you buy one? ask an unazukin . . .

tea time

tea time couldn't be more lovely with the audrey tea strainer. add some tea leaves and allow the aroma to permeate the air. add a dollop of honey and the bees might even come buzzing.

eye candy

don't let the cold weather get you down. spring is just around the corner and bubblegum stripes are here. this delicate melody table and these fanciful candy striped walls hooks are the perfect kind of candy, cavity free and easy on the eyes.

'big kid' stickers

when i was young, i loved collecting stickers and sticking them everywhere. now big kids can play too. these oversized, self-adhesive and removable 'big kid' stickers allow you to be as creative as you want and change your walls as often as you like.

eggs for brunch, anyone?

i love eggs! what fun would it be to have breakfast/brunch on this fried egg table.

by the way, i love browsing through etsy. it's a great place to find unique, artsy homemade items. more to come . . .

inside skating

i don't know how to skateboard, but i'd learn just to get one of these. gliding through halls on this stylish cushiony pillow with wheels, you will be sure to turn heads in any household.

my daily reminder

sometimes we need to be reminded to just be.

grow! grow! grow!

nyokki is the japanese version of the chia pet, except with much more personality. you can style or cut it's 'hair' any which way. all you have to do is water it and watch it nyokki!, meaning grow! grow! grow! these egg shaped creatures with legs would make a fun first plant for the little one, or a nice green addition to your workspace.

beetle art!

the uk beetle allows you to customize your car with art designs. beetle art lasts 3+ yrs and when you tire of it, you can peel it off after heating it with a hair dryer.

could your car be the next empty canvas?

reflections on a tea cup

this whimsical tea cup designed by ross mcbride is one of a handful in his anamorphic series. seeing things through this reflective property reminds us to take a different look on things once in awhile.

pet dinosaur

browsing wired led me to this little fella. from the creator's of the furby, this interactive pet dinosaur can see, hear and touch. when it gets tired, it will go to sleep and dream. my favorite part is it can even sneeze! this little dinosaur has all the qualities of a real pet minus the excrements. aibo, roll on over, here comes the pleo.

kim family auction

an arts and crafts auction is currently going on to benefit the family of james kim. i was so saddened by the unfortunate loss of james kim and it's really nice to see people gathering together to help the family.

over 40 different artists have contributed pieces of art, stationary, stuffed animals and clothing, with 100% of the proceeds going towards the memorial fund. there are definitely some items worth taking a look at, such as the wool dress, and the paper leaning tower of pisa, and it's all for a great cause. bidding ends sunday, jan. 7.

bubbles and fizz

lavender fog seeps through the water as bubbles fizz and the bath bomb withers away. there's no better way to wind down after a long day of work, than to take a nice hot bath. i've had this cute set of sweetheart fizzies that smell good enough to eat and today i finally dropped the bomb, in my tub that is.

my next victim - think pink. what could be more girly than a bath full of pink heart confetti and sugar flowers. bombs away!

shake it, shake it like a polaroid picture

my new toy of the week is this fuji instax mini 25. my friend brought it back for me from japan, but you can find it on the internet, i.e. ebay. these credit card sized instant pictures are decorated with delightful animated borders such as disney princesses, winnie the pooh and the adorable hello kitty (see below), among others. now the only dilemma is having enough film, as each pack comes in only 10 and everyone will want one!

doing something good.

so after all of the material gifts and such given and received over the last few weeks, i wanted to start the new year on a positive and inspiring note.

i started off at the hunger site store and found some material things that will also donate cups of food for your purchase.
first, the triple wish hoop necklace. this would make a charming gift and you also fund 25 cups of food for your purchase.

then there is the bag ladies tea. i actually bought for xmas for a girl friend, but would have bought it here, had i found it here earlier. each tea bag has a different message, and this also donates 25 cups of food.

then i found these 2 ceramic penguins. also donates 25 cups of food. who wouldn't love these little plump black and white suited fellas?

then i came across this gift which sends a bear to a child in a south african hospital or orphanage. sounds like a sweet idea and the organization was started by a couple in honor of their wedding.

lastly, i came across this light for the cause candle set, which would make a nice gift for your friends or family and help spread 'awareness.'

after some more thought, i figured why not just go directly to the charity itself and make a donation there. i've found that charity navigator is a great site where they evaluate charities and you can see the financials and what percent of the revenue actually goes toward the program itself. you can also make donations through the site, which takes you through network for good, which charges 4.75% for credit card transactions.

this Peace Kit$50 would make a great gift for a friend as well.
Share a message of peace
Generations of families in troubled areas like Afghanistan and Sudan have neither known true peace nor freedom. Their lives have been shattered by violence and shuttered from the outside world. Mercy Corps is helping these children and families to take initiative and gain pride while participating in their nation's new opportunities.

after hours of perusing, i decided to make my contribution at the mercy corps to the darfur crisis. i remember watching a segment about it on 60 minutes with my grandfather, thinking with such despair, how unfortunate it is for the people in darfur. it is so hard to believe that genocide is still going on in the world today.

anyway, i wanted to start off the year with doing something good and i hope 2007 inspires you to do something good as well.