Marcel the Shell...

I spotted a link to this video over on artist Amy Ruppel's blog, Waxing & Waning. It's super adorable and made me smile...so I thought I'd share.

A Real Hoot

{new pendants by Yellow Owl Workshop}

I was delighted to discover an email from Yellow Owl Workshop in my inbox this morning, as I tend to love everything they create...and the studio's new cloisonne pendants and correspondence sets are no exceptions. Seriously, the Je T'aime, Velos set is adorable...and if anyone wants to send me some snail mail on it I would be thrilled!!

Star Power

I'd forgotten how much I loved this song until it came up on my Pandora playlist...and, well, it just fits perfectly with this breezy fall-like day we're having. Romance rekindled.

The Impeccable Mr. Adler

{Private residence, New York}

I love, love, love everything Jonathan Adler touches. I mean, it's like the man can do no wrong. Throughout the years I've accumulated a few JA pieces...and trust me, I've got my eyes set on several more items from his collection (for instance: this, this and these). My obsession with JA started when I stayed at the Parker Palm Springs Hotel several years ago and while I would love to furnish my home from floor to ceiling with his creations, my wallet simply can't handle that kind of workout. So, until I win the lotto, I'll just sit back and enjoy his interior design projects, which have included: "groovy pads, modern mansions, glamorous boutiques and the over-the-top majesty...of the Parker Palm Springs Hotel."

{Private residence, Shelter Island}

{The Parker, Palm Springs}

{Private residence, Palm Beach}

{Private residence, Palm Beach}

And the Winner Is...

Congrats, ladies! I'll be contacting you regarding shipping your new goodies off to you. Thanks to all who entered.

Magnetic Fields

Magnetic key ring by Emily Rothschild}

Industrial designer and RISD graduate Emily Rothschild pretty much rocks. Take for instance her magnetic key ring (pictured above), which is beyond awesome. You see, there's a magnet inside the sterling silver ring that allows the powder-coated steel key to stick to it. Brilliant, huh? Of course, since the ring has a magnet inside it, don't be surprised if you find yourself attracted to other magnetic objects.

Also, don't be surprised in you find yourself being drawn to Rothschild's other creations, which are equally covetable:

{Type O Cuff from Rothschild's Medical ID Jewelry collection}

{Pinky Wings ring in gold vermeil}

Pal + Smith = Dreamy Interiors

{images by Pal + Smith}

I've had a crush on Pal + Smith since I first discovered their Madison Custom Sofa back in March (see my Sexy Sofa post here). Well, they also put together some lovely and inspirational interiors. Here's a small sampling of their work:

Wall Flower

{French Dot in Ooh La Black by Nama Rococo Wallpaper Studio}

Oh, if only I had enough money to splurge on this lovely French Dot wallpaper by Nama Rococo. Alas, the gorgeous "couture" wallpaper is a tad spendy at $220 per sheet. That's not to say it isn't worth that much. I mean, each 25"-by-38"sheet is hand-painted and then overprinted with the black detailing - meaning there are no two sheets exactly alike. Oh, and don't you just love the use of the wallpaper as art in the above photo? Dream on, dream on.

Free Finds :: Belated B-day Card

{click here to download a free PDF}

My coworker's birthday was last Friday...and the sneaky girl didn't let me know in time for me to make/do anything for her! Don't worry, Kimberly has been properly reprimanded and has promised to send out a company-wide email announcement next year. At any rate, I wanted to do something nice for her...since she is a total sweetheart and is always doing thoughtful things for others. So, I whipped her up the above belated birthday card and got her the itty bitty birthday cake from Freeport Bakery - both of which she seemed to love. Feel free to download a copy of the card for yourself - in case you have any sneaky friends out there. You're on your own as far as the cake goes!

Giveaway :: Flexicord Mini

{the flexicord mini charger - damn sexy, don't ya think?}

I'll admit that I was a little surprised when the folks at Cyberguys first contacted me about doing a giveaway. I mean, let's be honest, iPhone/iPod chargers aren't exactly the sexiest things in the world. Still, as a total iPhone junkie I can certainly appreciate the importance of a charger...and I figured some of my readers probably could, too. Plus, the charger they wanted to send me - the flexicord mini - sounded pretty cool. Just 12-inches long when fully extended, the charger can be bent into various "cable origami" shapes (think pen holder, iPhone stand or business-card holder).

Anyway, on to the good stuff! I've got two flexicord minis to give away to my readers. To enter to win, simply leave me a comment telling me what bands are on your iPod. If you tweet about the giveaway you'll receive another entry, just be sure to leave an additional comment with your Twitter handle. All entries must be submitted by 12 a.m. PST this Thursday. Come Friday, I'll pick and announce the two winners, who will be selected by a random number generator. Good luck!

Sea of Love

{black spotted urchin cup by DiTerra}

I need to take a few moments to confess my love and obsession for small bowls. I mean, they make perfect catch-alls for a variety of things: paperclips, bobby pins, matchbooks, pocket change and basically anything else that's small and needs containing. Take a walk through my apartment and you're guaranteed to spot a few such containers in every room. That said, I'm not the least bit surprised to find myself coveting this black spotted urchin cup (with blue interior) by Minneapolis-based Etsy seller DiTerra. It's super cute...and with my upcoming trip to Maui only a few weeks away, I've got the ocean on my mind.

Tea Party

{me & the ladies enjoying tea at crown & crumpet}

Yesterday, me and five of my lovely friends got dolled up and headed to San Francisco for an afternoon at Crown & Crumpet, an adorable little tea room located in Ghirardelli Square. The weather was perfect, the company was impeccable, and the atmosphere and decor at Crown & Crumpet was perfection! Pre-tea, we poked around in the little gift shop, which was chock-full of imported British treats and covetable creations by Etsy sellers. Two highlights were this "Let them eat cake" poster by BluLima and these crochet dream catchers by Pretty Little Things. The shop also had British candies, various Crown & Crumpet swag and an assortment of other tea-related gifts and souvenirs. 

In honor of the event, me & the ladies sported crowns that we had fashioned for one another - each crown was uniquely its own, reflecting both the creator and the recipient. Darcey made mine, which featured two blue sparrows above a sea of white swirls - too cute! 

On to the food: everything on the menu looked amazing, but we opted for two orders of the "tea for three," which came with an assortment of sandwiches, house-made scones (served warm with clotted cream & lemon curd - yum!), toasted crumpets, various sweets and several large pots of tea. Everything was delicious - especially the Fig de Blanc tea, a delicate white tea with hints of fig. 

All-in-all, it was the perfect day...and if you get the chance, I highly suggest you visit Crown & Crumpet.

{the ever-so-stylish jasmine patiently waits for our tea to begin} 

{darcey & me killing time in the gift shop with a pre-tea photo shoot}

{sarah & darcey - looking lovely, as always}

{a little seating area in the far back corner - too cute!}

{can you say, "three tiers of delicious?!!}

{darcey sampling a mini cupcake}

{me sporting the amazing crown darcey made for me}

{the crown & crumpet entrance)

{why yes, yes that cozy fire is actually a flat-screen television}

{the ladies: me, darcey, erin, jasmine & rosemary}

I Turn My Camera On

I'm having a Camera Obscura morning...and that, my friends, is a beautiful thing. So, I thought I'd share:

Feathered Friends

{all photos by sian melton for headmistress)

I stumbled upon Headmistress this evening and absolutely had to share the amazing photos featured in the fall/winter 2010 lookbook - as they are simply stunning. Apparently, the shoot was done on a sweltering day in July and the fur- and feather-adorned models were able to toughen it out, turning out some great shots despite their discomfort. That said, these photos also owe their remarkableness to photographer Sian Melton, who is amazingly talented. And of course, it goes without saying, the photos would be nothing without the Headmistress creations. 

Headmistress came into existence back in 2008, when Toronto-based designer Jillian Wood began creating unique and whimsical feather headbands. In 2009, Wood relocated to London, setting up shop at the Sunday Upmarket on Brick Lane. She's since moved back to Toronto, and has added feathered headdresses, rings, brooches and more to her collection of creations. Wood also sells some vintage and faux fur pieces that have been repurposed into the likes of headbands, cuffs and muff-clutches. Check out her site to see the goods. In the mean time, here are a couple more shots from the lookbook:

Fire It Up

I just bought my ticket to see Arcade Fire play at the Greek in Berkeley come October - yay! At any rate, purchasing my ticket triggered a reminder of this awesome video of the Montreal-based rockers playing an acoustic set inside a freight elevator in Paris. Most of you have probably already seen this, but I'm sure you'll enjoy watching it one more time! In this version, the music starts about 2 minutes, 30 seconds in...so skip ahead if you're not interested in the lead up.

My Type of Tote

{serif tote bag by TheLittleFactory}

Fellow design junkies will appreciate this canvas serif tote bag by Hong Kong-based Etsy seller TheLittleFactory. Too cute!

Gold Finger

{sfero ring/pendant by Silva/Bradshaw}

I'm loving these gold-plated rings by Silva/Bradshaw, a Brooklyn-based, multidisciplinary design studio founded by Mathew Bradshaw and Sergio Silva. In addition to designing some pretty kick-ass jewelry, the duo also designs furniture for companies like MatterMade and Areaware. Oh, and if gold is not your thing, most of the pieces in the jewelry collection are available in a variety of colors and metals.

{ring #2 by Silva/Bradshaw} 

{shift ring by Silva/Bradshaw}

Best. Present. Ever.

{Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book, 1956}

Today, I came home to what can only be described as "the best surprise ever," a giant packaged wedged into my tiny little mailbox. I mean, who doesn't love snail mail? Wait, it gets better. Upon opening said package I discover a copy of the Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book - dated 1956. Seriously? Okay, now this is where I tell you all how awesome my friend Jen is...seriously. I mean, what an amazingly thoughtful gift. Girl knows me so well.

So, back to the book. I mean, aside from it being the most amazing shade of blue-green, it's chock-full of amazing interiors, clever illustrations and still-relevant decorating tips. The only downside is I wish it were a catalogue I could order from! At any rate, here are just a few snippets from the book. Oh, and Jen, you rock! Love you, girl!!

{some of the chapters are: furniture arrangement, lighting, space-makers and dollarsavers}

{caption reads: "Shell of gray encircles coolness of green and white furniture, sharpened with black}

{did you know "good lighting is decorating's third dimension"?}

{learn how to accessorize!}

{caption reads: "The small, lightweight table can be moved quickly, easily when making up the sofa bed}

Seeing Red

{swimwear from the Red Carter Resort 2011 collection}

My upcoming trip to Maui has me scouring the Internet for a new swimsuit - 'cause Lord knows, I couldn't just wear one of the 20 I already own! At any rate, I've found a lot of totally covetable suits...including these two pieces by Red Carter. Now, if I could only have her legs and perfect tan, I'd be all set!

All About Eve

{pierrot top by eve gravel} 

Apparently, I'm on a bit of a Canadian kick this morning. I guess I just think the Canadians are pretty cool. Take for instance, Montreal-based fashion designer Eve Gravel. She's one talented lady...and her Web site features tracks by the likes of Ratatat, MGMT and the Beach Boys. Hello? Awesome. Plus, her pierrot top is totally covetable - with its flirty and feminine ruffle-and-button detailing. Love it. Below are a few more of her creations, including her beru shorts, which are fashioned from cotton and feature gold trim!

{beru shorts and la danseuse top by eve gravel}

{skarf by eve gravel}