Raised by Design

Friday Links

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4.4.14-links

Last time I posted links from around the web I called the post “Let’s Link Up”.  All went well, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something kinda creepy slash dumb about the phrase I’d chosen on a whim. So I did some poking around (doubling down on the creepy phrases) and decided to switch things up. I don’t need to go into detail because Urban Dictionary can do it for you – a handy little NSFW resource that’s also useful for translating Kendrick Lamar songs.

So…Friday Links.

  • Wes Anderson Fever 
  • The poor Pangolin – maybe Randall and Honey Badger can help save these little guys!
  • Speaking of Kendrick Lamar…he teamed up w/ Alicia Keys and Pharrell for this song from ‘Amazing Spider-Man 2’ and I totes dig it.
  • Working on a stationery project this week and thinking about fonts fonts and fonts.
  • How Well Do You Know 90’s R&B Lyrics?  For me? Surprisingly not well enough to continue to sing them in public.
  • What’s the Problem with Pink Anyway? I’m pumped that we are talking about this since my Star Wars Legos made an awesome house for my My Little Ponies when I was little.
  • We’ve been eating (store bought frozen) black bean veggie burgers for lunch all week. Don’t judge. We roll them up in corn tortillas with avocado and sriracha for some lean protein + satch fats + antioxidants. But I realized there are a ton of nasty preservatives, salt and fake shit in them so I want to try and make my own now. Maybe this recipe is a good start?
  • Did you say Sriracha? And peanut butter? 
  • Oh, also…my Mom called me out on an ITS vs. IT’S typo this week (special non-existent prize if you noticed it too). So I will be visiting this site more frequently and practicing the ‘fresh pair of eyes’ rule with my posts. Cuz we don’t want no typos up in herr.

Have a smashing weekend! Loveyoubye, Maggie

In Like With : Gifts for Cool Babies

/ In Like With / 4 Comments

2014 has been a good year for babies so far! Several close pals of mine welcomed little sweeties in the last few months and I’ve been enjoying getting to know each of them, near and far.  All these newbies means I’ve also been spending lots of time searching for the perfect gift to welcome each one home. Being that I was [gratefully] raised by design, I usually leave the nipple creams to Aunt Phyllis and try to hunt down a cool piece of original art or handmade heirloom toy on Etsy.  If you’re not using Etsy yet…get there. It’s an easy way to support the artist community AND give an awesome/original/handmade piece made by someone who gives a hoot. I like to think handmade gifts come with a little extra soul that will rub off on the little guys somewhere down the line. Here are just a few picks that I’m in like with:

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  1. It’s never too early to introduce Baby to one of the greatest American illustrators of our time. Becky and Lisa of Organic Quilt Company totally get that and they use high quality organic cotton for all of their receiving blankets, burpers, bibs and hats. Plus, the cheeky label on their burping cloths reads, “Spit Happens”, so I automatically love them. Organic Quilt Company’s CHARLEY HARPER Collection Organic Burp Cloths, $19.50
  2. What if Baby’s Dad owns a set of turntables and his Mom is an awesome snowboarder? Well, in that case you can check out the original watercolors by Kara at GeometricInk for Baby Badass. There are so many beautiful options to choose from and each will be hand painted and signed. GeometricInk’s Geometric Bear Original Watercolor, starting at $20.00 
  3. Don’t you want to be the one that gives Baby that one stuffed animal that gets dragged everywhere until it’s covered in dirt? Me too. I’m pretty sure ViolaStudio’s Animal Woolies, hand sewn from super-soft wool sweaters, would be a serious contender for the title of “1st Chair Stuffed Animal”. Viola Studio’s Handmade Hippo Woolie, $45.00
  4. My engineer husband always approves of a good set of building blocks, but you don’t have to be an engineer to fall in love with this gorgeous set. Justin and Kathleen of Smiling Tree Toys craft sustainable wooden heirloom toys in their workshop in Minnesota. They even hand press the seeds of camellia flowers grown on their family’s land to make the all-natural finish. AND if you didn’t think they could make you feel any better about yourself for buying something, they also donate a portion of all profits to The Peace Corps. Smiling Tree Toys’ 20 Piece Hardwood Building Block Set, $40.00 
  5. My closest pals know I’m crazy about animals of all kinds. In the nerdy, wildlife biologist way. Not just puppies and kittens, but sea creatures, backyard friends and especially birds! Italian watercolorist Irene paints the sweetest mini renditions of animals in her shop DIMDImini. It’s so fun to put together a group of Mini’s (3.5″ x 2.5″) as a set for Baby – and you can shop by horizontal and vertical orientation to make framing your group easy as pie. DIMDImini’s Puffin ACEO print, $5.00 
  6. There’s no shortage of great artwork options out there for Baby’s new digs. I love the work of sketch artist Tommy Kane, one of the founding members of Urban Sketchers. His prints are full of [real] life and vibrant color – grit and fribble. So many of our friends are bringing Baby home to a 4th floor walkup and I like the idea of celebrating the urban nursery with one of these awesome pride of place prints. Tommy Kane’s Williamsburg Bodega, $35.00 

Happy Shopping! Loveyoubye, Maggie

PS – Nobody paid me to say any of this stuff. I’m just sharing the love!

Eating Well in Charleston, SC

/ food, travel / 5 Comments

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that we just took a couple days off and went down to Charleston, SC last week. It’s been on my list of places to see for a few years and NOW is a great time to visit. Charleston is BLOWING UP right now with awesome restaurants. And when we travel…we eat. Aside from the awesome food scene, the city is brimming with history and you can walk your meal off while admiring charming Georgian architecture, antebellum mansions and scenic plantations. Spring is a good time of year to go, too, at least for Northerners who aren’t used to the extreme humidity of summers.

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If you’re planning a trip, I highly recommend making dinner reservations before you roll into town. Most restaurants are poppin’ off so hard that they’re booked for lunch AND dinner. Once you’re in town eating and drinking your faces off, make sure to get your fair share of local oysters, She-Crab soup, pimento cheese, shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes, iced tea, coconut cake, chocolate pudding and fried chicken. Here’s a short list of places we were able to check out that I highly recommend.

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We also had a heck of a good time at The Cocktail Club, upstairs from The Macintosh. They make awesome cocktails (obvi) and you must order their BACON SPICE POPCORN for $3 (!!) that comes in a giant straw basket. Holy sheet was it good.

We didn’t have enough room in our bellies to hit up these spots, which we’ve heard are also outstanding:

  • Fuel Cantina (in a re-imagined gas station)
  • Two Boroughs Larder
  • Jestine’s
  • Martha Lou’s Kitchen (for the real deal fried chicken)
  • Xiao Bao Biscuit
  • Dixie Supply & Bakery
  • S.N.O.B.
  • Basil Thai Food
  • Aluette’s Cafe
  • The Grocery
  • Prohibition
  • Sugar Bakery

charleston-2Take me back! Who else knows what’s up in Charleston?

Loveyoubye, Mags

 

 

Mixtape: Loggins vs. McDonald

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Today I did some catching up. We had an awesome trip last week to Charleston but I’m behind on everything because of it. Don’t you hate when people complain about being behind after vacation? A-holes. Whoops! Just scratch that whole last bit.

While I’m catching up and being douchey at the same time, here’s some early eighties magic for you to enjoy. (Don’t be afraid to download and join Spotify – it’s safe, easy, free and awesome.) If you refuse to listen to this playlist because you swear it’s garbage and no amount of bearded twin foxes can change your mind, at least listen to This Is It. This song is ready to have it’s day again. Yah-Mo-B back later.

image credits: Columbia Records, Warner Bros. Records
image credits: Columbia Records, Warner Bros. Records

Loveyoubye, Maggie

In Like With: Home Fragrance

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You guys. Did you know that this Friday is National Fragrance Day?! Welp, it is. And I know I was hating on March earlier, but it turns out this week has been pretty sweet. First St. Paddy’s, then the first day of Spring (tomorrow!), and then this fragrance biz! Yippee skippy! 

in-like-with---home-fragrance

In all design blogging seriousness though, there best be a National Fragrance Day. Fragrance is a major part of living, in all aspects. Can you imagine if you couldn’t breath in the scent of freshly cut grass in  summer, or bacon sizzling on the stovetop on a Sunday morning? What about never catching a whiff of a campfire at dusk or a squeeze of fresh lemon in your drink? No thank you to that life! (I know, #snobproblems)

I happen to have a very sensitive sense of smell (AKA a big nose) and include choosing scents for your space as one of the most important elements of styling. Every beautiful space should smell as distinguished and handsome as it looks. Don’t you agree? The key is to be subtle about it (no gagging on ‘fresh’ pine spray from the cleaning products aisle) and to stick to one fragrance per space (too many pretty smells at a time = same as a giant barf bag). You want to be like a wild fig and patchouli ninja. I recommend sneaking a scented candle in near the front door, putting out bar soap in the bathroom or tucking a reed diffuser behind a stack of books on your shelf. And for those that are styling au natural, opening the windows for a few hours, simmering a pot of water with some kitchen aromatics (I like lemon peel and bay leaves) or baking a little something (for guests, or not) will do the trick. 

Pictured above and listed below are eight home fragrances that I’m in like with:

  1. Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus Shea Butter Soap – $4.99
  2. Antica Farmacista Lemon, Verbena & Cedar Reed Diffuser – $26
  3. Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Bar Soap in Basil – $3.99
  4. Archipelago Bergamot Tobacco Soy Candle – $24.50
  5. Sabon Liquid Hand Soap in Lavender Apple – $14
  6. Astier de Villatte Aoyama Incense Box – $50
  7. Buckler’s Camp Blend Soy Candle – $38
  8. Seda France Japanese Quince Travel Tin Candle – $9.95

How will you celebrate National Fragrance Day this Friday?

Loveyoubye, Maggie

/ let's link up / 3 Comments

3.14.14

It’s Friday! And time for Happy Hour. So Let’s Link Up.

We’re still getting to know each other so I thought this would be a good time to share some of the things I’m creepin’ on lately:

  • St. Paddy’s is Monday, everyone! Irish lineage runs deep on both sides of my family and I’d love to make these babies this weekend!
  • Gorillas are my all-time favorite animal – this week Radiolab beautifully tackles the paradox of zoos.
  • This should find its way into your baby boy’s nursery, I think.
  • Since we’re on the topic of St. Paddy’s – we should make everything GOLD!
  • Did you say St. Paddy’s?  That’s what I thought you said.
  • Everybody LERVES SJP right?! If you think you don’t…you will. Best interview format ever, btw.

Ok time for that drink!

Loveyoubye, Mags

Small Luxuries – My Dresser and Vanity

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Ok, first off, I want to clear the air. I have absolutely nothing against poor Keanu Reeves. Except for his nasty facial hair, he’s a perfectly charming guy and plus, he was awesome in Bill and Ted’s.

Moving right along, this week I found it a little tough to set aside time for blogging, as you may have probably barely noticed. I struggled to allow myself enough time to even throw on some mascara before I got out the door. And that’s unfortunate, since someone, at some point in my life said, “a lady should never leave the house without at least putting on mascara – you never know who you’re going to bump into.”  Which reminds me…a couple of years ago, while recovering from having my appendix out, I left the house without getting dressed OR putting on mascara and guess who I bumped into on my quiet nobody famous ever comes here Main Street? Keanu Reeves. And guess what? He was pretty hot. And I looked like a homeless gym teacher. So, listen everyone…put on your mascara! (btw, he was filming this movie, which I never saw – was it any good?)

In a time when we seem to be in a constant state of running out the door, I like the idea of carving out one space in the house and an extra ten minutes in our schedules for some good old fashioned primping. It’s a small luxury that can be worked into any space with a little creativity.

When we were rethinking the floor plan at Lil’ Spot we decided to take the smallest room as our master bedroom. Consequently, my “dresser” is actually a built-in bookshelf that we designed into the space when we redid the adjoining bathroom.

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The built-in unit is about 10″ deep and has adjustable MDF shelves that we painted white. The unit handily houses my shoes, jeans, scarves, jewelry boxes, makeup, perfume collection, a baseball hat and a few things I like to look at.  Although having open storage means that everything has to be kept neat and tidy, it’s fun to get dressed when your things are displayed as if they’re in a fancy boutique. I rotate shoes and scarves seasonally and bring forgotten pieces out of my jewelry box to remind me to wear them more often.

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My ‘vanity’ space occupies one of the shelves hung at eye level with a thrifted mirror leaning against the back. I keep it from looking too cluttered with a variety of trays, cups, bowls and dishes. This is one of the all-time best and easiest styling tricks! Plus it justifies my totally unchecked hoarding of new and vintage dish ware. I keep my perfume collection on a vintage beaded glass tray.

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My makeup is tossed in a vintage African bread basket (big enough for me to rummage around in) and my makeup brushes are in a gold-trimmed glass.  There are also some thrifted elephants that might be ivory (?) but they were probably just found on the floor under some dirt and junk mail so I’m not contributing to the demand for illegal ivory, I swear.

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I drape favorite necklaces over the mirror or hang them on a pair of brass scallop shell hooks. My scarves are kept in another vintage African basket. Baskets all up in here.

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Sure, it’s a standing room only situation in a tiny room with a basket of laundry that I haven’t put away yet. But it’s a space just for me, that is entirely dedicated to getting pretty for dinner. It’s a small luxury. And we like those!

March Madness

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It’s March. Which to some folks means St. Paddy’s Day shenanigans and the NCAA Tournament are upon us and they’re pumped. Which is awesome for them. For me, March is just a long ass month that’s Mother Nature’s last bitter six miles in the marathon of winter. It ba-lows.

My husband loves winter, which is totally weird but has actually started to rub off on me. It’s so nice to be around someone who doesn’t complain every time it snows…in the Northeast…in January…when it’s supposed to snow. But still, this time of year I long for Spring like every other human who endures New York (or Chicago, Boston or Minneapolis) because they thought they could overlook the crappy winters.

Today it’s 50 degrees and everyone’s running around in shorts because their brains are self destructing. Here are a couple things I’m doing today to get a little Spring in my life without looking too crazy. 

1. I’m burning a fancy scented candle with a fresh herbal or grassy scent to make it smell like it’s 70 out. I like this one today: PaddyWax New Mown Hay 

2. I made a smoothie for breakfast instead of wintery porridge. Here’s a quick recipe for two peeps: 

Blend until smooth:

  • 1 cup ice cubes
  • 1 1/2 cups OJ (you can add more to adjust consistency)
  • 1 avocado (yup)
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup frozen or fresh hulled strawberries 
  • 1 cup frozen or fresh cubed canteloupe 

3.  I’m doing some garden planning. We have a pretty big yard (because our house is so dang small) and I’ve been chipping away at a total landscaping overhaul since we bought Lil’ Spot in 2010. Gardening is HARD! Mostly because it takes a lot of research if you don’t want to waste a whole bunch of money planting things that aren’t meant to thrive in your area. People who pull that shit are probably the same ones who expect it not to snow in January. Oh, and it takes a whole bunch of money too. Anyway, this is the time of year to think about what you’re going to add, move, yank out, etc. This is when gardeners who know what they’re doing pre-order stuff from the local nursery. I’ve made a lot of progress, but still have some big problems to fix. Like our grass, which looks like Keanu Reeve’s pathetic attempt to grow a beard. More on gardening issues later though.

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We’re almost there!

Loveyoubye, Maggie

 

 

Geometric Pillow Cover

/ lil' spot, projects / 3 Comments

geometric pillow

Hi. Last week I made a pair of pillow covers out of fabric scraps. I’m sure that doesn’t sound awesome to a lot of people, but here’s why it is. These fabric scraps are stored in a small pile in my studio that’s part of a bigger pile in my basement that’s becoming a mountain of half-baked craft projects. You know, “I really think I should start needle felting all my friends’ baby gifts. Hm, maybe I’ll take up oil painting en plain air and buy a stupid beret while I’m at it. Those mittens are totes adorbs – I can probably make them myself I just need 8 skeins of alpaca wool.”

Said pile has been growing for at least the last three years and making my husband worry about me. The new rule is that if I’m not going to use it, out it goes.

So I made these pillow covers out of some old samples from a design job and a random piece of cute vintage green tomato fabric from my Mom. Green Tomatoes!! It was super easy and I’m NOT an expert at sewing. I have a beginner machine that my Mom and I picked out together in college from the local Kmart. It’s a  Brother LS-1217, which they don’t make anymore but is probably most comparable to this guy. It’s bare bones but it gets the job done.

So here’s how I did it. After perusing the internets for inspiration, I decided on a simple geometric pattern.

pillow-pattern

Here’s what you need:

pillow-supplies

1. 20″ SQUARE PILLOW INSERT  (LIKE this one FROM IKEA)

2. THREE PIECES OF CONTRASTING FABRIC FOR YOUR GEOMETRIC PATTERN (I used a neutral woven, a black textured microsuede and a blue-gray wool)

3. ABOUT ONE YARD FABRIC FOR YOUR BACKING

4. PINS

5. GOOD FABRIC SCISSORS

6. IRON (optional)

7. SEWING MACHINE AND THREAD

step-by-step2

STEPS:

1. Cut your triangles for the front – one large and two small as the pattern shows. I find it easiest to just drape the fabric over the pillow insert to see how much I need to cut. When you’re sewing anything, you always want about one inch of extra fabric all the way around so keep that in mind when you’re cutting your pattern.

2. Cut two rectangles from your backing fabric and set aside. Each rectangle should be bigger than half of your 20″ square…so that they will overlap by a good six inches (see pattern above). That would mean your rectangles would EACH be about 17″ x 22″. For this pillow, instead of using a zipper (too hard) or sewing the entire cover shut (too permanent), we’re going the easy/non-committal route. We’re making an overlapping fold so the pillow insert can be removed easily but won’t peek through. Like this:

back

3. Iron all of your pieces. This step is optional but highly recommended.

4. Back to your triangles. Take your two SMALL triangles and align the edges so the hypotenuse edges face outwards (what, you didn’t think a GEOMETRIC pillow cover would involve GEOMETRY?).  You should now have two triangles that, together, are roughly the same size as your LARGE triangle. Capisce? If you have to read this step a couple times I won’t judge. I had to write it nine times so we’ll be even.

4. Now fold those two SMALL triangles onto each other so that the good sides FACE INWARDS. Muy importante! Pin along the middle edge and sew along this line. Yay.

5.  I like to iron the new piece so that the seam sits flat and doesn’t cause any problems. Also optional.

6. OK OK OK. Take your two big triangles and lay them down, hypotenuses facing IN this time, to make a square! Fold those two pieces onto each other along that line, good sides IN again. Pin…and sew. Easy peasy!

7. BOOYAKASHA geometric square.

step-by-step

Let’s make the back now!

1. Lay your two rectangle pieces down so that they overlap by about 6″. Just check yourself here to make sure you have a square big enough to cover your whole pillow. This would be the time to adjust if you need to…

2. Hem one (22″) edge of each rectangle. This hem will be VISIBLE so use a thread color and stitch you don’t mind looking at. I have exactly two stitches available on my machine…so I chose zig-zag and used black thread. You could be super fun and use hot pink thread and a fancy pants stitch.

3. Now lay your overlapping rectangles down over your geometric square…good sides what? GOOD SIDES IN. Pin all the way around that bad boy and trim wherever you have extra fabric. You should have a nice 1″ border around a 20″ square to fit your pillow.

4. Sew all the way around…inevitably run out of bobbin thread and struggle to remember how to reload and thread a bobbin. Curse, get up and go eat something, come back and calmly finish sewing.

5. DONE! Turn it right-side out, stuff your pillow inside, and give your cat a brand new thing to shed on.

futon

Loveyoubye, Maggie

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