Winter Greens

A little bit of holiday greenery today, courtesy of the November issue of House and Home.

Photo Credits:
1. Stairwell, home of Sarah Richardson, Photo by Michael Graydon
2. Home of H&H's Suzanne Dimma, Photo by Michael Graydon
3. Branching Out Feature, House & Home, Produced by Stephanie White and Michael Penney, Photo by Virginia MacDonald
4. Home of H&H's Suzanne Dimma, Photo by Michael Graydon

Contributor's Holiday Gift Guide Series: Will Bryant

Today we're really excited to share with you the first of our Contributor's Holiday Gift Guide! It's fun to see what they all come up with, and our first, Will Bryant's is nothing but rad!


Contributor post by Will Bryant

Happy Holidays, folks! Here's my take on what you should be picking up for that special person in your life, most likely the man/brother/crazy uncle you're trying to find the perfect gift for.

I'm currently searching for a new pocket knife and came across this amazing Roose Bone Handle Knife this week. I love the story that comes with it as well.

This woven waxed twill Archival Clothing Rucksack would look sharp under the tree. You could wear it empty or fill it with your stuff!

Honestly, any print by Sonnenzimmer would make an amazing gift. I especially love this abstract poster for a Chicago art exhibition "Let there be Geo" that featured work from Jeff Canham, Maya Hayuk, Cody Hudson, and more.

From my days in Boy Scouts I developed an interest in Native American culture. Drinking from these ceramic Totem Cups would make any beverage better.

This leather stitchedPresent & Correct Homework Pencil Pocket is just what someone who is obsessed with pens and pencils needs. It also comes with schedule sheets to list your appointments! #organized

What better way to cope with spending too much money during the holidays than by looking at another person's Obsessive Consumption! Ha, this book by my dear friend Kate is filled with her personable line drawings that tell a story in full color.

My wife and I love blankets. This rad collaboration between Geoff McFetridge x Standard Blanket is the bees knees. Geoff is one of my all time favorite makers in the whole world. If you're in search of more blankets you should peek at the wonders created by Pendleton.

Antoine Dodson showing up in your stocking might seem strange, but this Hide Yo' Kids Mug would be a huge hit.

Andy Smith's "I Pretend to Work" print should be on any designer's list. It's available through the Soma Gallery.

Living in Texas you have to own cowboy boots, I just happen to own them as house slippers. I received a pair of Cowboy Kickers last year and have thoroughly enjoyed laughing at my feet every evening.

For additional gift ideas you should totally check out the guide by Svpply and the Official Clifton Burt 2010 Holiday Guide for the Male Humans in Your Life.

Hindsvik: Neorustica by Jahara Studio

Contributor post by Hindsvik

Brazilian Designer Brunno Jahara of Jahara Studio created this beautiful collection of furniture made of brightly colored discarded scrap wood strips.

The collection is an homage to Brazil's rural traditions and culture and each piece is named after a Rio de Janeiro shanty town.

The bright colors and scrap wood symbolizes the living conditions of people that moved from the countryside into big cities searching for a better life (i.e improvised homes made of scrap.)

The collections also includes tables, desks and benches painted white with slivers of raw wood showing through. Each piece is finished with a laminate made of recycled PET bottles and non toxic paint.

We love the contrast of the old dark wood with the rustic tops in these storage cabinets.

Jahara teamed up with a furniture factory which specializes in working with wood leftover from construction and demolition sites. The factory is now launching NDT BRAZIL, an international brand committed to working in a sustainable and design-concious way.

Hope you liked this beautiful collection of furniture and we'll see you next week with more!

-Daniel and Valeria of Hindsvik

Poppytalk Handmade Gift Guide: The Woodland Princess

In case you missed my gift guide over at Etsy yesterday, here's another segment, more can be seen here.

1. Meow Mitts by Tiny Owls Magic Attic
2. Little Mushie Terrarium Kit by Cori Kindred
3. Patent Leather Carry Case by French & English Confectioner's
4. Forever Cupcake and Stand Set by Small Stump
5. Red Cedar Mixed Media Piece by Cori Kindred
6. Hand felted Dahlia Flower Brooch (White) by JurgitaMi

Knitted Letterpress

A very wintery trend that's been going on for a few years, the knitted look still lingers, and what's nice is seeing it morph into different mediums. This time into papergoods by Brooklyn-based letterpress Paper Sheep. (Related fun fact:) December's House and Home featured the look in their Trendwatch column.

Ward-o-matic Sale! 42% Off

In honor of his 42nd birthday, illustrator, Ward Jenkins of Ward-o-matic is marking down all his prints 42% off! Now that's a deal folks! The sale will go on until midnight Saturday, Dec. 4th! Happy Birthday Ward!

Design*Sponge Scholarship

Just in case you haven't seen this yet, and you're a student, professor or contact for a design school, there's an epic scholarship opportunity happening over at Design Sponge right now sponsored by Glos and Room & Board. (Applications are due December 8th)! Click here for the details!

Cards by Dani Press

I love this story of how a business was born by Dani Press: "My friend Dylan and I were on our way to Easter lunch, riding rickety bikes through dutch countryside. He had flowers in hands to give to our hosts, and in this really perfect moment, he threw both his arms out and they looked like wings. Luckily, I caught the shot. I immediately looked at the photo and thought, "That could be a card", and that is the exact moment the scales tipped from thinking to doing and six months later, it was the photo for my very first card."

With her own photography from around the world, Dani of Dani Press creates these little cards that are both inspiring and reminiscent of cards from the 70s. Check her out on the internet, here, here and at our market this month, here!

Holiday Inspiration: Succulents, Air Plants and Flora Grubb

I can never get enough of Flora Grubb. Everytime I visit their site, I'm always inspired and want one of each and everything they make. And as you can see from these pictures, this season they don't disappoint. Love the idea of a succulent wreath or air plant ornament don't you? And those pots, to die for.

Poppytalk Handmade Gift Guide: The Festive Home

Today we're "officially" starting our Poppytalk Handmade Gift Guide (although we slipped in a few last week to get a head start - click here to see them); and we were also asked to do a Gift Guide over at The Storque on Etsy which is being featured today. Click here to see! Hope you like them!

1. Vintage Wool Banner by Jill Bent
2. French Ticking Pillow by Jill Bent
3. Mushie Terrarium by Cori Kindred
4. Star Pillow Case by Chakra Pennywhistle
5. Red Autumn Assemblage by Cori Kindred
6. Vintage Noel Letters by Bellalulu
7. Porcelain Mushroom Terrarium by Kg & Ab
8. Autumn Tea Towel by Bookhou

New Online Magazine: Ivy and Piper

As we start too really cool off here, things are just warming up down under, it's spring and a new online magazine has just launched there called Ivy and Piper! It's their Spring Issue and it's filled to the brim with cheery, spring-y eye candy! Take a look here! (Via Apartment Therapy).

Kelly Deck Spotlights the Handmade

Canadian Interior Designer and Globe and Mail columnist, Kelly Deck wrote a good article about hand-crafted design online this past week in her column Hand-crafted design within easy reach. Referring to handmade, Deck mentions how "intimacy exists between one and one, not one and many" and how impersonal and unfulfilling it can be buying from big box stores.

Cool she mentions Poppytalk and one of our vendors this month, Comma Workshop. If you haven't had a chance yet to see Kerry's handmade quillts yet, they are truly beautiful and modern, and as Kelly states, "they make quilts – but not the patched, violently colourful quilts of my grandmother's generation. Using just cloth and thread, Comma strips the craft to its rudiments". She stitches prose across the surface, using poems such as "Three Blind Mice" or "Striped Dogs Howl". Visit Comma Workshop here or here.

Thanks to Kelly for shining a spotlight on the handmade! Be sure to check out kellydeck.com; it's flowing with inspiration!

Amazing Reviva Winter Wedding offer at Los Monteros extended

We are thrilled to announce our Reviva Winter Wedding offer in conjunction with the prestigious Los Monteros Hotel has had a huge amount of interest and we are now taking reservations for 2011.

Due to the popularity of this amazing offer, we are delighted to be able to extend this offer.

It will run from the 1st January 2011 until the 30th May 2011 (excluding Easter)

It will then continue from the 16th October 2011 to the 15th December 2011.

For more information please read our offer here

http://theweddingdecorator.blogspot.com/2010/11/our-exclusive-winter-wedding-offer-with.html

or email us for more information on info@reviva-weddings.com

DIY: Holiday Mini-book from Cori Kindred

hi there! cori kindred here with a fun little diy that's perfect for the holidays! my 12 things i love about you books are simple to make and mean so much to the recipient. plus they're thoughtful, cute and (my favorite) handmade!

what you'll need:
- 7.5" x 2.5" piece of cover paper (i used wrapping paper for this one but i've also used wallpaper or a vintage map)
- 6.5" x 2.5" piece of card stock (i used white)
- at least 7 different papers measuring 6" x 2.25" for the inside of the book
- a stapler
- double-stick tape
- a label (i used a vintage one but you could also make your own)

step 1 ~ stack your card stock and inside papers (in the order you want them) and fold in half.

step 2 ~ staple twice along the inside fold of the book.

step 3 ~ cover the front and back cover (on the card stock) with double-stick tape. fold the cover paper in half, then adhere to the card stock. fold the extra cover paper over the card stock and double-stick tape down (on the inside of the front and back covers).

step 4 ~ attach the label! or don't, and write the title on the first page of the book. now find a quiet spot to sit and think about all the things you love about your special someone. once you start you won't be able to stop! when you're done writing in 12 things you love about them, stick their awesome present in their holiday card or stocking. voila!

thanks for reading! you can also visit me at my website corikindred.com. see you again soon!

Cori Kindred is a photographer, treasure maker and an avid thrift store hunter. You can find her on the internet here:

website: corikindred.com
blog: corikindred.com/journal
print/paper shop: hCoriKindred.etsy.com
vintage shop: mushroomandmoss.etsy.com
photos: flickr.com/photos/koreana
twitter: twitter.com/corikindred

2011 Calendar Round-Up No.4

1. 2011 Monthly Planner, Letter C Design
2. 2011 Tea Towel Calendar, Bookhou
2. and 4. A Year in Polaroids, Cori Kindred
5. Pawling Print Studio
6. Wolfie and the Sneak
7. 2011 Wall Calendar, Leah Giberson
8. Photo Calendar, Pinecone Camp