los angeles design guide

thanks to the lovely and talented lizzie garrett of designwatcher, d*s now has a guide to design shopping in la to join the brooklyn guide! lizzy put together a fantastic guide that covers some of the must-see home and design shops in the los angeles area. i've edited the list and we've provided links wherever possible directly to shop websites. there are also recommendations for grabbing a bite to eat when you're in each area so hopefully the guide can be helpful if you're looking to make a day of it. also, this is just a starter guide and will be expanded over time, so if you don't see your favorite area or shop covered just send us a note and we'll add it as we go. thanks so much to lizzie for all her hard work and i hope you all enjoy the guide! [photo above from new stone age]

[i'm out filming my very first video for h&g's website today so i'll be out for the afternoon- see you tomorrow!]

new from dwell

i am absolutely smitten with dwell's new collection of linens. i was too sick to go see them in person at the gift fair but my press cd just arrived in the mail and now i'm dying to check them out. some of my favorite color palettes yellow/brown, yellow/slate gray and yellow/blue are back in a big way and dwell seems to have really taken some great steps forward with the new pieces. moving away from the all-geometric look of their past collections, they've added some great new patterns including a bird print, a lovely worn in blue stripe and my favorite, a new gold/blue/brown floral pattern. pictures speak louder than words so i'll let you form your own opinions- i think they're gorgeous but you can take a look for yourself above and below. the new pieces aren't online yet but you can browse dwell's current collection right here and i'll be sure to update when they're ready for online shopping.

whiplash: contest

whip up is hosting a fantastic recycled crafts contest this month. starting thursday, february 1, whip up invites you to, "make something that utilizes pre-used/pre-loved/trash/junk/waste items in an interesting creative challenge to get your crafting juices flowing". each entry must use at least 90% recycled materials but that's pretty much the only restriction. let your imagination run wild...the details are here and i can't wait to see the winners. good luck!

v-day (and a note to those in LA)

in honor of the impending holiday of love- youngandwithit's penguin heart screenprinted cards. $9 for three and perfect for sending a little love note.

speaking of things i love, a wonderful d*s reader (and fellow design writer) is working with me to create a guide to design shopping in los angeles! much like the d*s guide to brooklyn, the d*s guide to los angeles will include shops, restaurants and transporation notes by area so those of you visiting can have an edited guide for must-visit shops. look for it in the next few weeks :)

credenza love

as i continue to hunt for the perfect mid-century credenza i keep coming across the loveliest pieces that are just too big for our space. this piece is the sort of thing i'd normally jump at if it wasn't about 15 inches too long. damn! it's available on ebay right here...so cute.

bizbox: the rut

i took a rather extended hiatus from posting at the slate bizbox blog, but my new post sort of explains why. it's all about small business burnout and what to do when you've hit the proverbial wall and can't see over it. i listed my top 8 time-tested techniques that always help me push past a plateau and find the next level of productivity and growth. so whether you're a blogger, designer, teacher or a shop-owner it might be of help if you're feeling a little stuck these days...click here for the full post.

gocco

i've become something of a gocco nut lately, trolling etsy for anything with this keyword. i've stumbled across some great prints and these super cute cards by heatherjeany. a set of 8 bike flats is only $10 and you can pick up the cute cat version for $4. i find that searching etsy by printing or production method often produces the best results...

new at d*s on hg today...

beautiful recycled glass bottle lighting by jerry kott. prices ranges from $140 to $310 depending on size and number of colored rings. click here for more information.

sick day = survey time

since i'm down for the count today i thought it would be a good day to run the little d*s survey. every year i post this in the interest of using the results to shape content so it more accuractely fits the needs of the community. unlike last year i've been hearing from everyone pretty regularly about what aspects of the site are and aren't working so i'm not going to make quite as big of a deal about the survey, but if you have a minute or two i would really really appreciate it if you could share your thoughts via the survey. no email address required and it will only take a few minutes- it always helps to know what people want to see and how i could improve content to better serve the design community. thanks so much, i'll see you tomorrow, d*s. [above: gocco printed moleskine notebook, $10 by shoofly at etsy]

theresa cole

i'm about to call it a day and crawl into bed with my tissues but i wanted to add this link from another shade of grey- beautiful handmade linens by theresa cole. so lovely.

jhill design

i'm home sick today (no gift show for me today, sorry) but nothing helps brightens my mood like a beautiful card. this lovely thailand greeting card ($2) from jhill design is just the ticket when you're feeling a little icky. so i'm going to keep browsing her colorful collection in between sneezes and coughs. click here for jhill's full collection.

spring

joy has a great interview with anna cosentino, the owner of spring gallery in dumbo, at the guest blog today. anna explains what inspire's the shop's layout, design and her product selection. i love the corduroy trees...click here for the full piece.

odds + ends

lately i've been somewhat obsessed with heavy chain-link patterns and books about graphic design (i find they're really helpful when you're in a color cut). well, not necessarily together, but in this case they happen to be in the same place. i checked out these beautiful mollie dash bracelets in person and had to force myself to walk away from them. i'm on a tight budget right now so pretty jewelry isn't really on my list of must-buys. but if you have a little extra change in your pocket these gorgeous pieces are available at rare device (just call, they're not online yet). and while you're there check out the olle eskell book- a collection of inspiring graphic design by the swedish designer. $40 right here. enjoy!

craftyness

still reeling from the whole bloggie nod thing (thank you!), i went looking at all the other nomimees this weekend. i've been a fan of not martha for some time now (she is the queen of tiny cupcakes) so i thought i'd check out some of her latest craft projects. while i'm not sure that d*s is really a craft blog, i'm honored to be included among this group of talented women. especially one that posts fun projects like this door draft stopper. not martha has an easy guide to creating one (very timely considering the recent drop in temperatures) out of your favorite fabric. it's super simple and seems like a fun way to personalize your home in a way i know i'd never even thought of. click here for more.

modernity

beautiful mid-century design at swedish shop modernity. they take international orders and can arrange for shipping, so if you're not in stockholm but see something you can't pass up, you're a-ok. via bloesem.

lovebirds

just in time for valentine's day- lovebird napkins from etsy seller pengcath. they'd be perfect for setting a romantic table for two. available right here for $20.

d*s at h&g

emma woffenden and tord boontje's transglass vases come in beautiful serving vessel styles that are perfect for using as juice glasses or a caraffe for water and tea. these recycled glass designs come in a variety of beautiful colors and your choice of polished or satin finishes. click here for more information.

2007 bloggies: thank you

just wanted to say a little thank you to everyone who nominated d*s for the 2007 bloggies. i was shocked when someone emailed to say they saw d*s in the best craft blog category. it's an honor to be included with sites like not martha (my personal favorite) and make magazine's blog, among others. thanks so much.

oh joy! at the d*s guest blog

just in case you haven't caught this week's guest blog, be sure to check out joy's wonderful interview series with shop owners. highlights are to the left but you can click here to see her latest post: an interview with jim and corbett of variegated.

judy ross

new hand-embroidered pillow designs from judy ross- set to debut at the gift fair this weekend. click here for more information on judy ross.

linda plaisted

i'm loving this beautiful verdigris 8x10 print by artist linda plaisted of many muses. linda's work always has such a nice moody-ness to it and a strong sense of time and place. this print is available on archival paper for $35 right here. linda also has a piece in the d*s shop this month right here.

caitlin hinshelwood

alice stevenson sent me a link to her friend caitlin hinshelwood's beautiful illustration work. i always like to start my fridays off slowly with tea and some internet browsing so this was a lovely way to start the day. caitlin's illustrations have been applied to paper, textiles and clothing so there's plenty to see. i'm quite partial to the par avion textile above. click here for more information and to contact caitlin about purchasing requests, etc. [thanks, alice]

till tomorrow...

so sorry for the long delay- i'm up to my ears in work so i'm going to have to close up early today. but i've added a list of great posts and links to check out so you're sure to get your daily dose of design. i just wanted to add these new pieces set to debut at the gift fair this weekend that will be shown at elsewares booth: new pieces from poketo, alissiaMT (who'll be speaking at the biz ladies night), watdesign, & adam frank. the booth # is 3877 so be sure to stop by- click here for more info on the products (no prices and details yet). i'll be covering the show on monday so be sure to stay tuned. i'll see if i can get some audio of the show, as well. have a great day- i'll see you tomorrow!

• be sure to check out joy's great interview with papa stour and short piece on photographer aaron dyer at the guest blog (photos below)
• scandinavian finds at bloesem
• maria's new photo blog- a year of mornings
• imm cologne coverage at mocoloco
• eco lifestyle tips from treehugger
• jewelry by tarja tuupanen and marc monzo at karin's style blog
• domino's paint palette galleries- when you're in a color rut

marimekko spring/summer 07

thanks so much to robin for the tip that the new spring marimekko fabrics are up. they're a feast for the eyes- click here for the full collection. i'm running out a mini biz ladies coffee with maria, lena and rena so i'll be back soon.

[biz ladies update: we will record the speeches and run them as podcasts on d*s so we can all benefit from their advice. i'll also provide downloadable printouts that highlight the basic "tips" from each expert]

zaishu

irene at bloesem posted these beautiful stools from the zaishu project. inspired by japanese design, this slot-construction flat pack seat and table featuring unique designs by international artists. click here for more info.