Monday, March 14, 2011

Chic Storage with the Macbeth Collection

It is spring cleaning time over at my house. Every year at this time, I get the urge to nest and reorganize my stuff, and I have so much stuff. Jewelry,books,shoes, body lotions, photography, gardening supplies… the list goes on and I live in a very small house with a husband and a 3-year old. Needless to say, organization is key here. Too often, I feel overwhelmed and just go to Lowes, buy a bunch of clear plastic containers and throw everything into the attic.

Not this year. This year, I am ditching the plastic bins and am going with something with a lot more style.

I found the Macbeth Collection a few years ago while working at the magazine. We used some of their buckets for a Summer picnic photo shoot and ever since, I have lusted after them. Macbeth has buckets, bins, boxes, tubs…and with over 200 patterns to pick from, there is something for every decor and every organizational project.

Also, if you sign up for their VIP email newsletter – you can receive a coupon for $25 off a $100 purchase.

All images courtesy of The Macbeth Collection

Friday, March 11, 2011

Etsy Friday Five - 3/11

Today is a big day over here at Lulu. One of my best friends is getting married today and considering I have known the fellow since he was in diapers, I am beyond elated! Congrats, Jason!

Enough gushing - on to today's Etsy Friday Five.

Lulu hasn't really covered many things for kids so far. There are a few reasons for that, but the main one is that I have zero impulse control when it comes to buying adorable things for my kiddo. If I wrote about kid's stuff frequently, I would be living under a bridge within a year.

However, I happened to meet the next two artists last weekend at the Germantown Friends School craft fair, and since they are a) extremely talented women with great product and b) local (Lulu is based out of Philadelphia) - I had to cover them.

The first artist that I saw at the Germantown Crafts show was Jahje from Baby Jives. Jahje makes the most beautiful nature-inspired fabric mobiles. They are airy and whimsical and would be the perfect finishing touch to any nursery or kid's room. I especially love the butterfly one below. She takes custom orders too, if you are looking for a particular theme or color scheme. And a big congrats to Jahje, my Feb issue of Bust magazine arrived yesterday and she is featured!

Butterfly ballet - handmade fabric mobile by Babyjives - $94

The other Etsian (is that really a word?) was Julia from EIEIO. She has a great line of little girl clothing that is fun and functional. Her designs are excellently crafted and her fabric choices are uber playful. What I loved about her roundabout dresses, is they are they are reversible! I saw some great items at the show and I think it must have been a good show for her, because her Etsy store is a bit light right now. I would bookmark it for sure and check back for her adorable line of Twirly skirts, which are a great spring staple. You will be glad you did.

Modern Home Reversible Roundabout by EIEIO - $35

I am a scent junkie. I am always excited to find new scents and the ones over at Forstrangewomen sound intriguing, complex blends with notes like Violet, Blood Orange, Vanilla Bourbon, Honeysuckle and Jasmine. I know a lot of people are hesitant to buy scent online because they don't want to invest a ton of money on something they haven't smelled yet. Jill thought of that and is offering sample vials of her most popular scents (Cleopatra, Jaded, Sweet Androgyny, Astral Projection, Moss and Ivy, Vision Quest, Winter Kitty, and Decadence & Debauchery) in this trial kit, along with a natural fixative balm to extend the life of your scent.

Deluxe Mini Perfume sampler by Forstrangewomen - $30

The girlie gardener in me squealed when I saw these totally sweet Cherry Blossom hair pins over at Woodland Belle. Mai's store has so many great items (her succulent rings are so clever) but it is the hair twigs that I just adore. They are the perfect way to introduce just a tiny bit of spring to any outfit.

Cherry Blossom Tiny Twig Hair Pins by WoodlandBelle - $29.50

This trio of girls by Theaterclouds had me staring at my computer for more than a few minutes. The use of light, depth and reflection create such a layered mysterious piece. All of Elly's works are like that - tiny complex worlds unto themselves. I am warning you, if you click over to her store, do it when you have some time to spend. Her pieces will draw you in and you won't be able to click away.

Tranquil Morning (11*14) by Theaterclouds - $33

All images are courtesy of their respective owners

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

She blinded me with Science (and her 7 great necklaces)

Monday (3/14) is National Pi day. While that might not be mean much to the majority of us, it is a big day to my statistician and scientist friends (Hi Ladies!). Mainly, they ditch work early, drop the lab coats, hit the bar and consume copious amounts of Apple Pi shots.

This year, they can drop some extra stylish science wearing one of these funky necklaces.

Algal Bloom pendant in 24K Gold Plate by Nervous System - $50

Erlenmeyer Flask Love Fine Silver by NB Design - $50

Capsaicin Molecule Necklace by Made with Molecules - $90

Nerd Necklace at Morphologica Design - $29.50

Neuron Necklace at Uncommon Goods - $65

Periodic Table of Elements Necklace in Sterling Silver by Nikha Jewelry - $54

Pi Stamped Sterling Silver Pendant by Nicholas and Felice - $12

All images courtesy of their respective oweners

Monday, March 7, 2011

Krasznai Ceramics Arms&Crafts Line

Who ever said that every day products have to be boring and cookie cutter? I say fight the mundane, even with your cereal bowl. These quirky ceramic Arms&Crafts pieces from Barcelona’s Krasznai Studio will help you fight the good fight. Pieces start at $31.

All images courtesy of Krasznai

Friday, March 4, 2011

Come play with us - Lulu has a facebook page!

Did you know Lulu has a facebook page?

Why don't you stop on over and "like" us. Chat with other Lulu readers and find out about discounts/sales/promotions that some of our featured stores might be running.

And as always, if you have a store/product you want to be considered for feature, just drop us a comment.

Have a great weekend. Go forth and play!

Etsy Friday Five - 3/4

I have had my eye on PersephonePlus's store for ages now. Every single time I think I found the perfect piece I want to get, I find 6 other things that begging to be bought as well. The store is filled with imaginative and exquisitely crafted jewelry, which are the perfect blend of femininity and cheek. I mean, how can you not love a store that has Anais Nin and Henry Miller earrings? And features Madam de Pompadour, Lillian Gish and Elizabeth the 1st?

Shabby Chic Rose and Crown Pendant Necklace (with earrings) by PersephonePlus - $60

There is something so wistful and ethereal about this print by ThisYearsGirl. There is a story to be told, and this is just a glimpse of it. The artist uses photo manipulation to create a shop that is full of arresting images that are all tiny slivers of dreams.

Merry Go Round (8*8 print) by ThisYearsGirl - $22.50

It is that time of year when everyone seems to be getting married (Congrats, Jason and Laura) or having children (Chance is so cute, Shayne!). So, I am always looking for an unique gift to give aside from the normal money,clothing or diapers cakes. I wish I had found San Jose Engraving earlier, because these might just become my go-to gift. Joanne & Tony Cheng specialize in custom engraving on natural rocks, glass and wood, but I am especially fond of the Mother's Nest Line.

Mom's Nest (c) - set of 3 stones in bird nest by SJEngraving - $38.00

Certain men of my acquaintance have recently complained that Lulu shows no love to the Male gender. I do bow to this point and offer up this great little old fashion shaving kit from Dirty Deeds Soaps. It comes with a a wooden soap dish, handmade beer soap, brush, and shave card with instructions on how to have a classic shave. And, I swear this isn't a hint about getting rid of that winter beard that you love so much.

Wooden Men's Shave Set by DirtyDeedsSoaps - $20

I never thought to buy anything edible from Etsy. Vintage shoes, a hand painted canvas, sure, but food never crossed my mind. But more and more, I am seeing wonderful epicurean delights showing up on Treasury after Treasury. So, I am going to take the plunge - and I think these truffles from Xocolatl Chocolates might have to be my first purchase. Chocolatier Esther Aguirre blends rich dark chocolate with just a dash of sweet rosewater in these made-to-order Truffles. She can also make them Vegan. Yum!

Dark Chocolate Rose Water Truffles (16 pieces) by EstherAguirre - $11.50

All images courtesy of their respective owners

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Tapas, Anyone? 12 finds to make your Tapas party shine.

I was lucky enough to be able to honeymoon in southern Spain (thanks Uncle Mike) and although it has been almost five years, I swear I still think about that trip all the time. The sunlight, the white villages, the people and the food. Oh lord, the food. We quickly took to the habit of going into the Tapas bars, and eating small plates of ham, cheese, shrimp and olives. My husband still has dreams about a ham sandwich we had in a small square in Granada.

For those of you that have never had a chance to try Tapas, they are small plates of food that are typically served in Spanish bars. History (alright, Wikipedia) says that the first Tapas were slices of bread laid atop of wine/sherry glass to keep the bugs out while you had a conversation with your fellow revelers. Now, restaurants all around Spain, and the world really, have raised the idea of these little appetizers to an art form.

Why not make your next dinner party a Tapas party? Some tasty food, some sparkling Cava, a little Gipsy Kings and these Tapa-inspired items below will make your party guests feel like they are in Espana.