Sunday, July 6, 2008

Favorite Things: GlassyBaby

Over 70 colors: GlassyBaby.com
I love to look at this site just to see the beautiful range of handblown glass colors, and I try to choose which one I like best. I can never decide. These tiny glass votives are so precious, and they can be used as a candleholder or tiny cup. They are virtually indestrictable and indescribably beautiful!

Saturday, June 28, 2008

The Joy of Using JOYS

Just Organize Your Stuff  -- Organize life to enjoy life.
In my quest for clutter-free living, I bought all of the JOYS products after reading about them in HOW magazine. I have not been disappointed.

The filing system is really fantastic. It is beautifully designed, and you can really customize it to work however you need it to work for you. The color coded tabs are really easy to read and they just look great in your filing cabinet. Be aware: you will need to buy plenty of hanging filing cabinet space, as well as plenty of folders! These are not inexpensive, so plan to invest a lot of time and money into getting this to work.

The binder is really beautiful. But not as useful...I find that I am afraid to write in it! For the majority of sections, there is only one page. So I tend to write in pencil so I can erase it later. Also, it is harder to customize, so I spend a lot of time flipping through material that I really don't need. 

Overall, the investment has been worth it. Everything has a place. I can file my taxes fairly quickly. We can find random things, such as the manual to the printer. I know where my passport is. And I enjoy using it. It has been another way to incorporate great design into every day life!


Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Kid-Friendly: Harold and the Purple Crayon


Harold and the Purple Crayon (by Crockett Johnson, 1955) is quickly becoming a bedtime favorite. Harold can draw whatever he wants with his purple crayon and it becomes his reality. I often think about the fact that he can design his entire world, and yet he still encounters unforeseen problems (for example, he falls off of his own mountain, or he falls into water that he accidentally drew with a shaky hand). Even with such great talent, Harold cannot completely control his own environment, but he learns to solve his own problems -- no one is coming to save him except for his own quick thinking (well, drawing).

The series of Harold stories on video is also amazing, but hard to find.


Monday, June 23, 2008

Affordable Luxury Item: Sigg Water Bottles

DRINKING WATER IS more FUN!
Everyone in my family has their own Sigg water bottles. The designs are beautiful. I can't stop looking at mine, even though I have been using it for over a year. Slick painted metal (non-toxic, of couse)! The water really tastes better...like it was from a flowing river...and we have saved plenty of plastic water bottles. The kids have the mini-version, and they tend to use them as their bedtime drinks -- the bottle with the moon design even glows in the dark!