October 31, 2017

October Favorites

1/ Burt’s Bees Natural Throat Drops Honey and Lemon
Seems like everyone has already suffered their first cold of the season, and I’m no exception. Mine lasted about a week and a half and I swear these throat drops saved me from losing my mind from coughing. They’re all natural, which made them more palatable too.

2/ Fifty Type Specimens: From the Collection of Tobias Frere-Jones
These postcards from Frere-Jones’ personal collection will be loved by any type nerd. I’m looking forward to sending some out in the mail soon to brighten the day of some graphic designer friends!

3/ Gretchen Christine Vegan Leather Embroidered Convertible Tote
A sizable bag that’s perfect for toting along a ton of stuff – including my laptop some days – this bag is on point with the embroidery trend this autumn. It’s really well made and will make a great piece all winter.

4/ Honeycrisp Apples
These have been my favorite apple variety for a few years now. If you’ve never ha done before they’re super crisp and fragrant with a sweet-tart taste that varies depending on how ripe the fruit is.

5/ It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
I will never tire of watching holiday specials from my childhood. I’ve watched this one twice in October and will probably squeeze in one more viewing tonight after trick or treating wraps up. (Please, remember never to jump in a pile of leaves with a wet sucker!)

6/ Maybelline Dream Velvet Foundation
After running out of my go-to MAC foundation a few months ago I picked up a tube of this on a Target run and was pleasantly surprised! The whipped gel formula gives my skin a soft matte finish while also hydrating – basically unheard of.

7/ Orange Clove Signature Soy Jar Candle
While this candle smells more like a bonfire to me, I still really like it. The fragrance permeates most of the first floor and even manages to make its way upstairs.

8/ Record Storage Cube
I have one of these birch cubes with a plexiglas garage front in my living room, it acts as a sweet little stand for my portable Crosby turntable and favorite vinyl. The plexiglas is available in 13 colors as well as a wood option.

9/ Google Home
Yeah, I’m a little late to the party but I’m here. So far I love telling it to play music at any given moment as well as the phone functionality.

Posted In accessories, bags, beauty bag, cards, create, favorites, food, furniture, house and home, living, paper goods, see it, series, style, technology, wear it
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October 31, 2017

Naji Chalhoub

 

Naji Chalhoub‘s ink illustrations for make for an incredible stop motion short – don’t you think? I really love their erratic nature, how each piece feels really haphazard at first but far more thought out and full of emotion once you really look.

Shop Najo Chalhoub’s work

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted In create, illustration
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October 30, 2017

Alphabuild Magnetic Blocks

 

Alphabuild consists of twenty large magnetic pieces that can help kids practice problem solving skills by matching the pieces to build familiar objects or imaginative shapes. Perfect for practicing capital letters, this is one toy you probably wouldn’t mind laying around the house.

 

 

 

Posted In kids, living
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October 27, 2017

Trending: Mustard Yellow

 

While I prefer to call it goldenrod (because ew, mustard), I think its’s pretty much a potAto/potAHto situation and either way I love it. As I was gathering resources I realized that the only item I own in this color – whatever you want to call it – is a throw blanket. Might need to rectify that sooner than later!

 

80 Denier Tights // Ceramic Hanging Planter // Carla Velvet Armchair

 

Egg Bird House // Chunky Cable Knit Beanie // Georgia Flare Slingback Sandals

 

Knot Cushion // Large Wood Handle Macrame Tote Bag // Highway Honey Tee

 

Mini Macrame Wall Hanging // Peplum Hem Cotton Shirt Dress // Polly Pouffe

 

Pom Pom Blanket // Wool Peacoat // T-Shirt Jersey Pillowcase Set

Posted In accessories, bags, furniture, house and home, living, series, shoes, style, trends, wear it
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October 27, 2017

Femke Hiemstra

 

Femke Hiemstra uses thin layers of acrylics and water to create her surrealist paintings, sometimes adding colored pencil at the very end. Each painted stories takes creatures from the animal kingdom and places the in unexpectedly human situations.

I can get inspired by anything from music lyrics, a news item or someone’s weird nickname. I also get inspiration from animal behavior, nature, old packages with hand drawn typography, tattoo’s, old encyclopedias, firework wrappers, vintage toys, comics, Japanese woodblock prints, old Little Golden Books, (tin toy) collectables and the art of Max Ernst, Hieronymus Bosch and the engravings of J.G. Posada.

Shop Femke Hiemstra’s work

 

 

 

 

 

via Neatorama

Posted In create, painting
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October 26, 2017

Let There Be Porch Light

 

This is the story of a porch light fixture that was supposed to be an easy self-install last spring, but my 117-year-old house has something to say about that. Namely that the electrical needed revisited. No sooner had we removed the old fixture that it became abundantly clear that something was amiss – the grounding wire was charred and literally crumbled when touched and there were two black wires rather than one white and one black.

This is the end of any novice’s electrical work ability, and I’m not one to mess with anything that has the capability of burning down my house.

 

 

I had picked out a fairly low-profile three-light, energy-efficient, LED Vance outdoor fixture back on April 14th. April 14th. The heads swivel a little for light placement and I loved the modern-meets-traditional design of the piece.

 

 

Luckily an incredibly competent electrician was referred my way who was able to get the job done, as well as correct a few things that weren’t up to code. So maybe this was actually a blessing in disguise? Not burning a place down is always a good day in my book.

 

 

The LED lights are wonderfully bright and much improved over the old one-bulb fixture that had most likely been hanging up there for decades. And I not so secretly love how my little collection of decorative gourds are on display until all hours.

 

 

In fact, here are a few more gratuitous photos. I couldn’t resist adding geometric shapes with some paint pens to these two.

 

 

And I’d really like to turn that Hubbard squash into a crow’s face before October 31st rolls around next week.

 

 

I’ve also been wondering whether or not that butternut squash will last past next Tuesday so that I might cook with it? Only time will tell! Now let’s talk about how long it will take me to box in those scrollwork pillars…

This post sponsored by Lamps Plus. All words and opinions are my own, as always. Thank you for supporting the brands that help Design Crush create fresh content!

Posted In behind the scenes, lighting, living, my house, outdoors, sponsored post
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October 26, 2017

Claire Tabouret / Makeup

 

Claire Tabouret‘s Makeup series could easily be taken at face value, little girls playing dress up and experimenting with their mothers’ cosmetics and captured in the immediate aftermath. But the paintings also seem to have a bit of a sinister side – is that really makeup?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted In create, painting
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October 25, 2017

Culottes!

High Waisted Army Green Linen Culottes // Cami Satin Jumpsuit with Culotte Leg // Crop Culottes

Culottes is a word I associate with my grandmother, she often wears below-the-knee shorts in summer and has always called them this. It’s also a garment I’ve never thought twice about before seeing this style of cropped, wide-legged pant run rampant as of late. If you’re thinking they’re past their summertime prime or that they’re too dressy for your style, think again. Culottes can be cold weather ready by adding a fitted turtleneck or knee-high boots. They can just as easily be made casual by pairing with a tucked in t-shirt or cropped top and sneakers. Sold yet?

 

Mix & Match Clean Culotte with Side Split // Tailored Patch Pocket Culotte // Culotte Jumpsuit

 

Corseted Wide-Leg Pants // Velvet Culottes // Cotton-Poplin Culottes

 

Wide Leg Tie Front Culotte Pants // velveteen langford wide-leg crop pants // striped culottes

Posted In round up, series, style, wear it
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