Since I know that throwing batteries in the landfill just means you’ll eventually be drinking the toxins in them later when they have seeped into the groundwater (lovely thought), I’ve always been a good girl and taken them for safe disposal at a place I found on Earth911.  However, I don’t want to drive to my local battery recycling center every time my son uses up another set of AA batteries in his flashlight (which he uses under the covers to read books at night when he doesn’t think I’m looking – kids never change).  So I let a small stack of them pile up on a back bookshelf until I realize that I no longer have a small pile of batteries, but rather a very large, messy pile of corroding acids and metals.

Not that it’s ever actually gotten that bad.

Not exactly (ahem).

That (not so big and messy) pile of batteries is why I want one of these!  See, those “dead” batteries still have just a little life in them yet, and by combining the power of twelve of them at once, I could not only point out to my son that it is actually past his bedtime (and that I know he has a flashlight and a book under his covers), I would also have a place to store up to twelve batteries before making that trip to the hazardous waste center.  I love stuff that multi-tasks!

The clock will even tell you when a battery is REALLY dead.  As opposed to mostly dead.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sometimes a company’s product is difficult to define: I had this trouble while browsing Tim Leefeldt’s RailroadWare website.  Is it rustic?  Industrial?  Modern?  Nostalgic?  Well, take a look.

You decide.

There’s simplicity in these glass and steel designs, a clean look, one that’s versatile enough to be used in any number of decoration schemes.  I think they would complement just about any setting.

As much as possible, the materials are reclaimed objects.  Old glass & ceramic insulators, traffic light lenses, and hardened steel parts – the clips, spikes, and random hardware so abundant along unused rail lines – all hand-gathered by the artist and repurposed into lighting, door & cabinet hardware, and home furnishings. Read the rest of this entry »

First off, I’d just like to say a big THANK YOU to all of our wonderful veterans out there!  We wish you a very happy Veteran’s Day!

In honor of the day, here are a couple of wonderful, recycled Army blanket pillows I thought you might like to take a look at.

Created by Etsy seller Shop at Ten, these pillows are made from old Army blankets that are then hand felted with fun new patterns.

Here, a series of patches added to the blanket over time were surrounded with colorful, needle-felted roving, becoming a wonderful pattern of irregular squares.  What many would see as a flaw has instead become an inspired design.

You can see more of Shop at Ten’s work here.

Thanks for visiting – and don’t forget to give a Veteran a hug today.  They deserve it, and so much more!

Rachel

Be still my heart…

The pairing of artisan ceramics and beautiful textile creations has brought forth the Alabama Chanin Collection for Heath Ceramics.

Like stitches in clay, the patterns quietly emerge from the same soft palette of colors seen in Alabama Chanin textiles.  Both place settings and individual plates and serving bowls are available.  What a pretty table setting that would make! Read the rest of this entry »

The perfect fall accessory…

Created by Etsy seller Ann Tucker, of The Lavendar Tree, out of a recycled wool blanket and recycled leather scraps, this pillow was tailor made for life on a cozy sofa in front of the fireplace, don’t you think?

Cut and stitched to the pillow by hand, the leather rosettes provide just the right balance of randomness to the regimented nature of the stripes.

Read the rest of this entry »

Does anything feel as luxurious as a warm towel on a cold autumn morning?   Mmmmm….  Cozy!

With the Thermique Heated Glass Towel Warmer, you can have have that wonderful warm fuzzy towel without sacrificing style, or the environment.  Read the rest of this entry »

For me, colder weather brings thoughts of cozy mornings by the fire, wool sweaters, and hot cups of tea.

This little stool fits into my daydream perfectly.  Created by Etsy seller Hogenbirk Knitwear, this handmade stool, with its knitted wool cover is the epitome of simple, stylish Dutch design.

Sweet, no? Read the rest of this entry »

I just returned from a brief (but fun) business trip to San Francisco, and once again I remember why I love to travel.  Seeing new places, making new friends, and getting out of my daily routine are so invigorating to me.  Now all I can think about are the places I want to go next!

Since I have such a severe case of wanderlust, I thought it appropriate to make this week’s “Etsy Find” a globe and map themed one.  Enjoy!

Map covered wooden chair by New Yorganize.

Collier’s 1935 Map Drawer Pulls by Sherry Truitt

Read the rest of this entry »

We have a cold weather system inching it’s way across our (previously) sunny Southern California skies today.  I realize that for many of you the fact that we are ready to break out the sweaters because the high will only be 68 degrees today seems a bit, well,… laughable.  After all, it’s October and many of you are already in the,…

Oh wait.  I just looked it up.  Almost EVERYONE in the U.S. is experiencing weather in the 60-70 range today.  Minneapolis, MN is in the EIGHTIES!  WHAT???

Now I lost my train of thought…..

Oh yeah.  So anyway, I’m sure that soon (real soon now – right?) areas of the country will be getting that first taste of crisp autumn air, and what better way to stay stylishly warm than these handsome Eco Blankets by Happy Habitat!

These fetching throws were woven in the U.S. from 80% recycled cotton, and are available in four patterns, and four colors: Paprika, Mushroom, Ochre, or Cerulean.

But wait, there’s more!

Read the rest of this entry »

I went on a bit of a de-cluttering rampage this weekend, much to the amusement of my husband (who, bless him, got in the spirit of things and started culling too).   I have had an overwhelming urge these days to simplify life.  My new rule is to keep only those things which have real emotional value to me, or are used at least once a year.  That means the Goodwill donation site is going to be getting regular visits for some time to come.

At the end of the month, If I can haul at least a carload of stuff away each week, I am going to reward myself with a single purchase.  You’re going to laugh – or at least raise your eyebrows – but bear with me here and I’ll explain.  This is what I want…

Such a beautiful combination of function and aesthetics, don’t you agree?

Still think I’m a little wacky?

Well, here’s the thing.  Along with my “vow” to keep my home filled only with meaningful objects, I have also decided to limit my future purchases to items that have a tangible quality of craftsmanship and innate beauty.  Hence my desire for this simple, perfect little dustpan designed by Masanori Oji, and made by hand in Japan, using traditional techniques.

Read the rest of this entry »