the818.com » Design

Woot Woot for Hoot {Design Co.}

Morgan — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 20:56:21 +0000

Kristen, the artist behind Hoot Design Co. has done some other pretty amazing work, currently on display in her Etsy Shop, and I am full-on triple rainbow freaking out about it. Here’s a peek:

f{Alpha Tower}

{Custom Watercolor Print}

{Columbia, MO Map Print}

{Holiday Card 6-Pack}

Oh! And also Kristen interviewed me on her blog ~ she does a very cool feature where she follows her prints home with the families she created them for, and ours is up right now! Check it out HERE!

Hoot for All!

Morgan — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:25:18 +0000

Over the past few days I’ve gotten a bunch of emails asking about this custom print hanging in Dee’s room from Hoot Design Co. (I don’t blame you – I love it too.) So, Kristen, the lovely and talented designer behind Hoot has offered to give away one of her sweet Simply Baby Prints to one lucky reader of The818. CLICK THROUGH to not only enter to win & find out how you can get $25 off a custom baby print by the ultra talented Kristen. Yay Friday! Yay Free Stuff! Yay Hoot! (I had three cups of decaf this morning and I’m having a psychosomatic caffeine high!)

UPDATE! STACY B., You’re the winner! Email me to claim your prize!

Holy crap this is cool.

Morgan — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:15:23 +0000

So you’re looking at [estonian designer Pavel Sidorenko's] Smart Kid Conversion Kit, and you’re probably thinking “well, that’s pretty.” And it is. But it’s so much more than that.

Is your mind blown? Hold on.

This might be my favorite variation. I’ve been trying to get Scott to build almost this exact thing (sans chalkboard back, which is pretty brilliant and has just been added to my plea.) Because there are literally NO pretty play pens out there. {At least none that I’ve seen. If you know of one, please! share!} But wait…one more…

Man I love this design. Nursery furniture with the shelf life of a twinkie. Pavel Sidorenko is a genius. He set out to conserve both money and natural resources with his design, and if you live in Belgium and don’t have to pay the $700+ shipping charge, then I would say he succeeded hands down. Plus it’s really pretty. And even if you live here in North America and you do have to shell out for shipping, $1100 for your Crib, Changer, Mattress, Dresser, Desk, Playpen, and Magazine Rack/Chalkboard thingy really isn’t that bad.

Also worth checking out (in addition to EVERYTHING ELSE EVER DESIGNED BY THIS DUDE) is his Rocking Horse/Toy Bin/Cradle combo. Both designs are available through Adensen Furniture.

Finally. Something to Obsess About.

Morgan — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:13:01 +0000

Dee’s first birthday is less than three months away and I’m starting to contemplate what I’d like to do to celebrate. I guess I should probably consult Scott at some point, since she’s 50% his to shower with love and affection {Shanny, if you’re reading this, let’s talk about that, okay?} but I promised Eva that she could select the “theme.” (Because as we reviewed in my Bat Mitzvah post, all self respecting birthday extravaganza’s have themes, no?) Eva is still mulling it over. She has until Saturday to pitch her top three ideas. Eva is very methodical about these sorts of things.

Anyway, my first bit of birthday party inspiration came in the form of this invitation for…I think a picnic first birthday party? I stumbled across it on the blog of ultra talented Peruvian artist and illustrator Daniela Carvalhoh, which I can’t understand a word of (okay a word or two maybe) but could spend hours on nonetheless.

I think I’m going to attempt to lift and twist this beauty into our own creation. Just as soon as Eva decides on that theme.

Finally – It's Tramp Stamp Barbie!

Like Crack for Design Enthusiasts.

Morgan — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 19:45:35 +0000

That is approximately 1/3 of the pile of crap I brought home from Dwell on Design to sort through and eventually, in some form or another, write about.

The LA Convention Center is BIG (and NOT easy to navigate) and the eye candy was plentiful. Designers and creators were on hand to chat at almost every booth, and as an added bonus for a PreFab fanatic like myself, the exhibition floor was {as always} literally litered with mini-homes, each one it’s own unique architecht-designed floorplan and range of materials – some of which were being autioned off on eBay (for really, quite an impressive bargain) while modernists strolled through.

I was amazed by the perfect blend of modern rustic luxury I found in the Reclaimed Space house {pictured below} and intrigued by the concept of the eco-friendly Hybrid House [from Sander Architechts] “part prefab, all custom” as their literature so elequently puts it. I was thrilled to finally see IQ Haus in person (some of my favorite siding options in the industry) and it’s always nice to see the stunning quality of Marmol Radziner’s Skyline Series (part of the Dwell Homes Collection) as a periodic reminder as to why they seem to price their floor plans so far above most of their competitors.

We brought Dee, which in retrospect, was il-advised {except I don’t regret it one bit because she got to sit for portraits with the incredible Sarah Wert of [San Francisco Based] Modern Kids Photography – teasers below} because she wasn’t quite big enough to take advantage of the Modern Family Lounge (although it was not to be missed if you are a fan of modern nurseries and children’s products that blend beautifully with your grown-up decor without sacrificing whimsy.)

The Outdoor exhibit was enough to tempt me to want to hold up my nearest bank branch and make off with the lot of it {odd that I think it would be easier to rob a bank than individual vendors at the the LA Convention Center, but the mind is a weird and wonderful thing…} most notably (for me) the breathtaking (and massive) Ancient Olive Trees which stood in massive wooden planters every 20 feet or so throughout the outdoor exhibition, hung with eye-catching orange and white Hanging Circle Pots filled with succulents from pottedstore.com . (The trees were shipped in from Santa Rosa for the event and have already laid down roots in Laguna Beach.)

I also flipped for Plain Air’s throwback line of outdoor furniture {which reminded me of my beloved, now-defunct, vintage 1960′s rattan set which my dogs literally ate, a fate unlikely to befall Plain Air’s vinyl-corded update on the mid-century classic.}

Read more…

Meanwhile, elsewhere on the internet…

Morgan — Fri, 28 May 2010 17:26:29 +0000

So, I have some exciting news: I’m now blogging daily on all things art & design at a wonderful little place across the internet called CARGOH.COM.

If you’re a lover of art, or fashion, or music, or design…this place is for you. My new home away from home, the Cargoh Culture blog is an eclectic mix of the current, the vintage, the obscure, if you can name it, and it was crafted or created rather than mass-manufactured, chances are you’ll find it there.

I’ve been working on this for a couple of months now, and I am so excited to finally get to share it. This is a dream gig for me – getting to work with people I love who are so passionate about what they do, and truly want to serve and support the independent art community has been incredible. Getting to learn about new artists and watch the marketplace begin to grow is a true testament to the power of the internet to unite and mobilize, and I’m excited about the possibility that presents to independent artists and craftspeople. So come visit. I’d love for you guys to see what we’ve been working on.

* * *

In other elsewhere-on-the-internet-related news, I somehow found myself nominated to be nominated for the 2010 Nickelodeon Parents’ Picks Awards for Best Parenting Blog (I’m not totally clear on the nominated to be nominated part myself, but that’s how they’re doing it, and as the old saying goes, it’s an honor just to be nominated…to be nominated.)

So, to be actually nominated, Nick (that’s short for Nickelodeon, we’re on a first name basis ever since they nominated me to be nominated for their award) has informed me that I should “Get the word out online! …let everyone know that you’re a potential Parents’ Picks Nominee! They all love you so they’ll totally nominate you every single day!”

Pssssh. Nick thinks that I can get you guys to click that little icon every single day. I’d be happy (like, really happy) if you guys would just click it once. So, if you’ve been visiting The818 for a while, and you enjoy the content, then would you consider giving that button a click? Then you’ll need to scroll down, look for THE818.com, and click the “nominate” icon below it. That’s it. You’ve nominated me. (And hey…if you really like the content on this site and you want to click it every single day as Nick suggests, I would totally appreciate that too – voting ends June 17th.) You can nominate as many of Nick’s Pick’s as you want, so if you’re a fan of parenting blogs, you should check out the other potential nominees (including my friend Joanna’s blog RAISING MADISON!) and give them some love too.

Well Hello, Internet.

RipeGoods are Delicious

Morgan — Tue, 04 May 2010 06:28:36 +0000

I can’t believe it’s effing May. It seems so recent that Scott and I were anxiously awaiting our 20 week ultrasound wondering if our little Danger Baby (as we often called Dee in utero) would turn out to be a boy or a girl. And yet here we are and a whole year has gone by. My sweet Dee is nearly seven months old, and Mother’s Day is fast approaching. My first Mother’s Day as a Mom. Which is pretty freaking crazy.

Sometimes I look at Delilah and I try my hardest to comprehend her very existence, and I can’t. I simply can’t wrap my mind around the fact that she is my child. I’ve waited my entire life to meet her, and here she is. And she has a personality. And it’s wonderful. She’s a quirky little thing. She has a surprising sense of humor. She’s very determined, and really doesn’t bother much with crying unless she absolutely must…usually she’s too busy singing and chirping, and smirking at things…she likes to make you work for a smile, but once you get it – she can’t hold back. She’s a whole amazing person, and I made her. I simply can’t believe it.

Today my Mom stopped by and when Dee saw her, she immediately reached for her neck – brushing her collar out of the way with her tiny hands, as if searching for something. My Mom laughed and said “Oh, sweetheart – I’m not wearing a necklace today!” I couldn’t believe it. My baby has memories. Not only does she recognize her Grandma on sight (I know, I know she’s been able to do that for months now, but it still blows my mind to think about what might go on in that tiny head) but she knows that Grandma Margie always wears fun necklaces for her to play with. I got a little emotional, because I remember being small enough to be held by my Mom and play with her necklaces…back then it was two thin gold ones that I often wear now.

And I know that soon Delilah will be big enough to start forming lasting memories of her own. And when she does, she’s going to remember those same thin gold necklaces my Mom wore. And she’s going to remember the necklace that used to be my Grandmother’s which my parents had reset and gave me for my high school graduation. And she’s going to remember the pearl drop and stamped brass necklace in the picture above.

That’s the Mama Necklace from Mother-Daughter design duo Kathie and Lindsey of Ripegoods. It’s stamped with Dee’s initial and birth date, and I am absolutely in love with it. And in honor of Mother’s Day, the lovely ladies from Ripegoods have generously offered to give one reader of The818 a Mama Necklace of their very own… Click through to enter!

Tiny and Gold

Sunshine and Rose Bowls

Morgan — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:45:13 +0000

On Sunday we had a lovely stroll through the Flea Market with Randi and Adam.

We mostly window [tent] shopped, but I did score this beauty for my vertical garden project:

(Until we’re ready for it in the yard, we’re letting it live out it’s final days as a room divider and Dee is enjoying the patterns it makes on the wall in the mornings.)

(And I don’t know why I called this post “Sunshine and Rose Bowls” [other than the fact that I have a sick penchant for pun-ny titles] since it drizzled the entire day, eventually forcing Scott and I to race back to the vendor we bought our room divider from for fear that he would pack up and head home early with our new treasure in tow.)

Not-So-Easy Chair

Morgan — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 06:17:42 +0000

Remember when I said that Scott was going to reupholster our Plycraft Lounger himself? I bet you guys thought I was lying because then I never showed you the finished product. But we did actually do it! (Again WE in these situations is Scott, although I held the staples.) A little back story:

Grandpa Barry (Delilah’s Grandpa, not our Grandpa) gave us this Plycraft Lounger a few years back. Here’s a before picture:

So, not a bad looking chair, considering it’s age. It’s a pretty decent knockoff of the Eames Lounge except it rocks. No, literally, it rocks. And when putting together Dee’s modern nursery, we thought maybe instead of investing in a glider we should look into giving our trusty old Plycraft the new upholstery job it deserved. But then we started shopping around, and found that people charge kind of a lot of money to reupholster these bad boys… And then we stumbled across THIS BLOG via Apartment Therapy and found pretty much step by step instructions on how to go about doing it ourselves, and we [I] thought it would be an excellent idea for us [Scott] to do ours ourselves, too.

Fate intervened, and when Scott’s Mom and Barry moved into a new house over the summer, they found a few sides of vintage white [snakeskin embossed, it's subtle, and it's awesome] leather just sitting in the garage. They offered it to us for the chair, and when we laid out the sides and discovered that we had six pieces amounting to almost exactly what we needed for the chair (but still with enough for a safety margin) Scott couldn’t fight it [me] any longer and he finally agreed to give it [the chair] a go.

Following Amanda’s [if you didn't click that link above, she's the lovely lady who's chair inspired us] lead, we opted to have the buttons done professionally, but with the baby on the way, and the crib still a work-in-progress (yes, that’s how long ago we actually did this project) we decided to leave the welting and the armrests to the professionals as well. Scott had the idea to bulk up the padding on the armrests and add welting to mimic the Eames version more closely. [Unfortunately they only sort of did what we asked, and kind of botched the armrests anyway, but we have enough leather left to give it one more try one day] Scott managed to reupholster the damn thing in about a week’s worth of evenings, and while we left the refinishing of the wood for a later date, he did buff up the chrome legs with some steel wool, and they cleaned up really nicely.

Okay, so all in, since the chair was free, and the leather was free (woot!) we paid $60 for the welting/buttons/armrests job, and about 11$ for the jumbo box of heavy-duty staples. That’s it. We already had the steel wool, and we used the original stuffing. (Price-wise, it should be noted that the upholsterer gave us a discount on the armrests because it took them freakin’ forever, they did an admittedly sub-par job, and, well, we had no choice but to take them, ’cause you can’t feed your newborn baby in a chair with jagged metal brackets for arm rests.) Anyway, SCOTT DID AN AWESOME JOB, and the chair is working out great as our rocker in the nursery. It’s so comfy that Dee and I spend most of our nights in it. (Actually, that’s not why. But being cozy certainly helps cushion the sleep-deprived blow.)

Succulent Green

Morgan — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 23:31:36 +0000

The arrival of this CB2 Catalog on my doorstep reminds me of two things:

1. Summer is coming. (I’d be more excited if I didn’t still look pregnant in my ass.)

2. Our Backyard is…in even worse shape than it was when I whined about what bad shape it was in last summer.

But last summer, we neglected our yard in favor of putting together Dee’s nursery, and this summer, we will be throwing all of our DIY efforts at the little patch of land behind the Duplex we call home. On the agenda are a new fence, some new [DIY, of course] furniture, and now, a living wall.

So, I love the wall-scaping (is that a thing?) on the cover of that catalog. I love everything about it. [I especially love the fact that on the CB2 Blog, their catalog art director did a great DIY showing how he did it without slaughtering the succulents - pictured, right] But I’m not about to spend $800 on the six Maze Wall Hangings I would need to recreate that piece. (Although they’re lovely, and I’d love to, but NO.) So, my ever-talented hubby and I are putting our heads together and coming up with our own spin on this “vertical garden” (as CB2 Catalog Art Director Curtis calls it.)

So far, we’re inspired by (in addition to, obviously, the above) the following:

Succulent Living Wall by Mosstika (via Re-Nest)

Vertical Vegetables (via Instructables)

[but maybe a clear one, like my Sister-In-Law's odds and ends collector]

Plant Wall (via Nori’s Stuff)

We’re still in negotiations over which direction we’ll go – my way has Scott building something between the Maze Wall Hanging, and the close up portion of Mosstika’s design (which is actually a snippet of one of her incredible “green graffiti” installations, but we’re nowhere near that ambitious) while Scott’s preferred way involves hacking the existing wall to hold plants, or utilizing the built in planter below.

I think I’m gonna win.