Oh to have my evening tea with two of the best in the world gingernuts tucked right underneath. This is the cup for hubby and myself.  The original, brilliantly designed dual purpose drinking mug from Mocha is designed by a british designer and I can only find it in the UK for about NZ$20. These guys ship internationally though, and it is available in right and left handed versions as well. Dimensions: H 10.5cm approx.

Wow, wow and wow.  While wandering through my feeds, I came across Yulia’s work and couldn’t take my eyes off of the design above.  And now that I know what mixture our baby will be, I would LOVE one of her pieces on the wall with the babies name across it.  Even her website and font is stunning so go take a quick look at her work.

via [Design Is Mine]

This is clever.  The first thing you do is put your hand to your childs head when they are ill to check for fever. Although it’s not in production yet, the Lunar Baby Thermometer by Yanko Design hopefully will appear in the not too distant future.  So much easier and less invasive than the ear thermometer or the …ahem… butt thermometer!  Just one thing though, it needs to be able to read in celsius, otherwise I’ll be forever on the computer doing a conversion from fahrenheit….(not so clever then).  For more information take a look here.

It’s Christmas and all the decorations are out but you want something else.  I found something pretty today and you don’t have to go out and fight the crowds to buy it!   How about making this great looking flower garland.  You could use christmas fabric or something that you can then go and sling around the edge of your mirror!  

Start by printing out the flowers template and cut those shapes out with paper scissors.

Step 1)  You want your garland to be pretty on both sides so you need to fuse two pieces of fabric together. To do this, cut one of the pieces of fabric in half so that you have two 8 ½” x 11” pieces. Lay one piece of fabric wrong-side-up on a flat surface. Peel one side off the paper backed fusible webbing, place it on top of the fabric and iron to the fabric to fuse. Peel the other side off the fusible webbing, place the other piece of fabric right-side-up over the webbing and iron to fuse.  Repeat Step 1 for the other fabric.

Step 2)  Use your tailor’s chalk to trace the garland templates on the fused fabrics and the felt. You want an even selection of the different shapes and the felt and fabrics.  To give you an idea, I cut 18 fabric flowers and 36 felt flowers plus 15 of the felt circles for flower middles.  Cut all of them out with fabric scissors.  Brush away any of the marks left by the tailor’s chalk.

Step 3 + 4)  Thread the yarn with your needle and make a knot about 4” away from the end of the yarn.  Pierce the center of a flower with the needle and thread onto the yarn to the knot. Make another knot right over the flower.  Make another knot about 2” above that and thread on another flower, making a knot right above that flower. Continue making knots and threading flowers, adding flower centers every few flowers or as desired.  Don’t worry about measuring every 2”; it doesn’t have to be perfect, so you can just eyeball it.

Step 5)    Add the last flower and knot about 4” away from the other end of the yarn.  Voila! You have a beautiful flowery garland!

Step 6)  Adorn your abode with your beautiful creation or give it as a gift to someone special!

via [Creature Comforts]

image [This Is Love Forever]

This made me want to get out my left over fabrics and sew something cute up.  If you’re not a sewer but looking for a great little bag, then get it right here for US$30. 

images [Itty Bitty Ladybug]

I have a soft spot for this print.  As a family we often all stand together for what we call a ‘family hug’ with Master Four and we always have to give each other a kiss as well – I love them!  This kiwi artist is over at Etsy selling a great colourful selection of limited edition prints.  Take a look right here.

I know, I know – it’s her again.  But I just fall head over heels for everything that appears on her site, so this time it’s all about crafts.  The new Lotus line of paper, scrapbooks, stamps etc is all made from recycled paper and comes in recycled packaging!  With bright, bold patterns and super mod looking, these are a must to recover those tired looking cardboard files in the office.  Take a look at the whole range right here.

This house is just outside of Rio de Janeiro, with it’s own private beach and jetty.  The roof shelters the house just like a leaf.  It is designed as an open air abode to provide natural ventilation and passive cooling in the warm climate.  Designed by Mareines + Patalano, the roof even harvests rainwater for use in the house.  Take a look at more images here.  It looks like my favourite frangipani leaf.

Wow, this girl is just churning out the goodies for our Christmas period to be filled with home crafts over the holidays.  The Daisy Chain is super pretty and girly.  Its quilting and fashion weight, so it’s perfectly light and breezy to sew a top or skirt for our summer down here in NZ and Australia.  There are several stores that stock her fabric down-under, click here for a list of stockists.

images [Amy Butler Design]

Sigh! Design Sponge is a kicking site full of goodness, and today this post just seemed to sit on my desktop all day so I could look again and again.  These photos showcase Keith Stephenson’s (of absolute zero degrees) live/work space.  Click here to see more images of this calm, simple home.  The best part, the wallpaper you see on the walls, you can buy right here from Mini Moderns for about NZ$105 per roll, plus there’s loads more to browse.  

images [Design Sponge]

We use to have hens as kids.  Mum would buy old battery hens, drive them back home in a huge refrigerator box and they roamed all over our little farm.  Then it was time to put them in what we called the ‘hen run’ (which by the way was about the same size as half a tennis court). They also had a large coop, which Mum use to shovel out regularly and re-lay fresh sawdust that Dad kept from the wood heap. The Cocorico coop here is more for the small yard owner who still wants a few chickens, or bantams (we had those too;  oh, and baby chickens!).   Where was I… oh yes…I have to say, our hens wouldn’t have liked such a small ‘hen house’ – and where do you begin with the cleaning!

I have no idea where to get one, but take a look here at more pics.  All very mod and cool!

via [Dwell]

At last I get to post about the Verdier Camper.  It’s been sitting in my ‘must blog about’ folder since our winter but thought I would share it as we come into summer; and just saw it blogged about here.  Based on the VW Kombi/Combi, this my ultimate idea of a good time, even with a couple of kids jammed in. What features does it have…lordy!…where do I start!  You can choose from several colours, select from the extremely expensive Solar Powered or the better priced Ground Powered Model (US$129k vs $69k). Has a fold out kitchen with cooktop, fridge and freezer, four chairs and a table – yes, that’s right, they do look like Wassily chairs – except these are foldable; a home theatre with large pull down front blind for the screen; two gazebos, and it sleeps four inside.  Order yours now here, or just take a look at their models and video.  If I win lotto and get to move back to the US, this in Blueberry will be the first thing I order.

So a while ago I posted about Master Four wanting a clock radio, and now I have discovered another that would look just so right, but for myself and hubbies room.  The Vers 1.5 Clock Radio is smooth and sexy, curved in bamboo or walnut and you can wake to music on the radio or your Ipod.  Perfect.  The other thing I like about it, is the glowing numbers; I like to see what time it is in the night if I wake, without having to whack a button. There are several online retailers where you can purchase it but I found it here via Creature Comforts blog.  It’s not cheap if you’re paying in NZ dollars, about $NZ362.00 with todays exchange rate, so I guess mine will do just fine for another few years I suppose.

To me!  Today eight years ago I was all dressed up walking through the rose gardens to marry Mr Bohaute. The image of the peonies is because I had them in my very pretty and heavy bouquet, and each year my mum-in-law brings me some to remember.  So here’s to us my love…with a traditional gift of bronze or pottery for the occasion perhaps.  No…. probably not, just a yummy dinner out this weekend – even with Master Four.   

Amy has added a few more prints to her Midwest Modern quilting line called Midwest Modern 2 – they all work with her existing collection. Also she has a new Fall Look Book – Fashion Afield, filled with great colourful photos to get your creative juices flowing for using these fabrics, so click here to view it.  I already have a few yards of her original line to make new cushion covers, or perhaps even a fitted sheet for the upcoming nursery!