Vintage Moroccan wedding blankets!

Made primarily of handspun wool, these blankets fit in beautifully with the current trend for natural fibers and contrasting textures, although taken on their own merit, they are truly timeless in style.

According to Table Tonic:

Moroccan Wedding Blankets are sourced high in the Atlas mountains in Berber villages. They were made for Berber brides, who would wear them as capes to keep warm as they were walking to their new husband’s house. The women in the bride’s family would work on each one for months, using hand loomed sheep’s wool and painstakingly adding round, metal sequins one by one, by hand. All that work takes a lot of time, so these precious creations were reserved for the best and most important day – the wedding.

I adore the alternating fuzzy texture and sparkly sequins, (there goes my inner magpie again).

Although most of the blankets are the natural wool color, some were dyed, or had decorative bands of woven material added for color when they were made.

So pretty.  So shiny.  So sparkly…   I really wish I could “feather my nest” with one of these!

To see the complete collection from Table Tonic, click here.

Now, lately I’ve been seeing a lot of posts on recycled Swiss Army blankets, and I gotta give props to the Swiss for having a striking design, but for me, the drab olive green of a U.S. Army wool blanket will always hold a special place in my heart.

You see, when I was a little girl one of the highlights of the summer was to go on picnics in the park.  My parents would make deviled eggs and tuna fish sandwiches, grab the old Army blanket we kept for such outings, and then pile me and my sister into the families blue Plymouth Fury.  To me, Army Blankets still smell like green grass and cherry Kool-aid.

Sadly, no one else seems to have quite my level of fondness for them, at least in terms of re-purposing them for the home.  I did find a neat article on how to upholster a headboard using an Army blanket, but struck out trying to find much else.

So, dear readers, could you do two things for me?  First, if you know of any interesting items made for the home out of U.S. Army blankets, could you mention them in the comments?  Second, if you know a veteran, take a minute out of your day to say thank you to them.  They deserve it.

Now, I’m not usually a big fan of shocking pink, but this rug is just the sort of cheerful detail that can make a room.  Using technology to cut crisp, whimsical designs out of thick wool felt, Selina Rose has taken an ancient material and given it a new, playful edge.

For her 2010 collection, UK based designer Selina Rose has continued her exploration of striking colors and nature inspired designs in new rugs, throws, pillows and even coasters.  The wool felt’s bright colors come from environmentally friendly dyes, making them safe as well as sustainable.

I love the clever butterfly cutouts on these pillows.  They really seem to invite you to peek beneath the wings to see what’s hidden there.So if you need a little cheer around you home, or are just curious to see more of her lovely designs, click here.  All of the products are designed and produced in the UK, but can be shipped worldwide.

And apparently the baby above loves it too!  This pattern is called Fish and Pebbles, and it’s one of the most attractive, least twee prints I’ve ever seen for a nursery.

The bright, cheerful orange and yellow print called Hearts and Flowers might just be girly enough to woo some of the tween girls I know away from the ever present pink that colors their world.

And for those who come into this world with an innate sense of curiosity and adventure, they can follow the tracks on their own Dinosaur bedding.

Available in sets for both crib and twin, Argington also makes cute floor mats and pillows.

Click here for a list of stores and online retailers.

Just launched today, Redefine Home is the ambitious and amazing interiors shop belonging to Linsi Brownson and her husband David Betz.

Filled with artisan crafts and vintage finds, there is something to please everyone.

Redefine Home sees decorating as an ongoing process, more of a cultivation of things you love and things you need.  We strive to offer a collection of beautiful everyday items mixed with one of a kind treasures and furniture designs inspired by just about everything.  We recognize that some things are a splurge and some are a steal, and we like it that way. – From the Redefine Home website

From the simple, rustic feel of this grain sack throw rug,…

to this charming print, done exclusively for them by Paper Cut Industries, there is a quite a lot to recommend.

Of course, some of you may even remember this table from a guest post Linsi wrote for us awhile back.   Yep, it’s the Bob Hope table, so named due to its (possible) origins from Bob Hope’s Palm Springs estate.  Even if it never actually belonged to “Old Ski Nose”, it has such a lovely character that it should surely belong to you!

Right now Redefine Home is offering free shipping on all orders over $50.  So what are you waiting for???

As a side note – I had the pleasure of being Linsi’s first employer when she completed her degree in Interior Design, and I am really looking forward to the day I can say “I knew her when…”.

So, congratulations Linsi!  No one deserves success more than you.

I mean, how adorable is this Orange Moon lampshade from the Woolroom?  Pretty darn cute don’t you think?  I can just imagine the beautiful, warm glow that moon would give off when the light is on.If adorable isn’t what you are looking for, how about fun and modern?  The Felt Loop shade above has a very Dwell vibe to it.

I love the simplicity of this small pendant Cone shade.  Although it does have a bit of a gnomish quality to it, I’m intrigued with how they have taken advantage of wool being naturally fire retardant in order to create such a close fitting shade.

For those of you who aren’t in the market for new lighting, The Wool Room also has a lovely selection of decorative wool felt pillows, throws and accessories, which they can ship for free within Britain, and for a low cost internationally.

My name is Specioza Mukobwuteta Brown. I am from Rwanda. In 1959, my country experienced a civil war (genocide) and my parents ran away into exile in Tanzania. I was brought up in Tanzania. This is where I went to school. I cam back to my original home in 2003 after Rwanda was liberated from genocide by RPF…  I am seeking a Nest loan for the growth of my business and also I need a market for my products. I started my craft business in 2004 working with women’s groups in handcrafts…. Nest loan will not only help me grow my business, but though the loan, Nest will provide women survivors of genocide and war with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty into stability and self-sufficiency.

Women in developing countries around the world are often among the poorest of the poor.  Microfinance organizations have had great success in providing small loans to assist these women in overcoming poverty, and gain independence.  But microloans must be paid back in cash, which can sometimes create a cycle of debt, as new loans are used to pay off the balance of earlier ones.  The loan recipients must also find a market for their wares in time to earn enough to pay off the loans.  This where Nest comes in…

To address some of these limitations to microfinance, Nest has developed a new way to assist women; we call it “microbarter.” We provide women, or cooperatives of women, with loans that allow them to purchase the supplies, training, bazaar space or raw materials needed to make their crafts. However, rather than requiring repayment in cash, we encourage women to repay their loans in product, which we would market and sell in the United States.

And such beautiful products too!  There is something very special about knowing the story behind each item, and although the emphasis is more on clothing and accessories, there are still a large number of items for the home. Nest also offers many great eco-friendly items by domestic (U.S.) designers, who donate a portion of their sales to provide additional loans through Nest.  They often donate time as mentors to loan recipients as well, giving advice on business practices, marketing and design.

With artisans based in countries all the way from Guatemala to Togo, Nest is having an impact on lives around the world.  Care to join them?

My two fuzzy lumps of lazy good for nothingness spend most of their afternoons and evenings sleeping on our bed.  I’m jealous.

That brought up a pretty serious sticking point for me as I reworked our bedroom scheme.  We desperately needed new bedding, especially after years of abuse by the aforementioned lazy lumps on what we already had, but how to have something organic, attractive and cat resistant all at once?  Typically we would make the bed, and within moments there would be a cat curled up asleep, who would then leave a big, rumply, fur strewn dent in our nicely made bed upon leaving.  Not the most attractive look.

Image via West Elm website

So thank you very much West Elm, for coming up with a lovely organic cotton duvet cover with built in rumpledness!

Available in six different colors, their Pin-tuck duvet is attractive AND practical. It also has shams, sheets and pillowcases that coordinate with it, so there is no difficulty in creating a new look for your bed.  Which is exactly what we did.

Another nod to practicality?  The ties on the inside of each corner, to keep your duvet from shifting around inside the cover.  For that alone, my husband is a fan.

And the cats?  They just ask that the sun keep streaming though the window, and they’ll be happy.

So thank you West Elm, for making something I really needed, at an affordable price, and with concern for the environment.  Maybe next you could figure out a sustainable sofa that won’t show cat scratches on the corners?  Well, a girl can dream can’t she???