PSA: Call 811 Before You Dig

If you have a digging project in mind for the summer, the folks over at the Common Ground Alliance want to remind you to call 811 first. 811 is the new national number to help you locate any pesky gas and water lines before your new deck becomes your new federal disaster area.

I don't think the folks at the CGA can do much about Fido, but they can offer you advice about everything from shrubs to trees to moats. Find out more on their site.

Thanks to Matt N. for the e-mail heads-up.

A Little Real Estate Voyeurism

There's an interesting article in the NY Times about the things people leave behind when they move out. Mostly we're talking a roll of toilet paper or a half eaten jar of mustard. But there are some rather deviant and sort of disgusting items that people are leaving behind (false teeth, handcuffs, a bottle of Valium).

Note to the height challenged: check the top shelf of the closet before you leave.

Via Apartment Therapy.

Mesmerizing: Photos by Lehnert & Landrock

I saw these images on My Marrakesh yesterday and was literally mesmerized. The images of these exotic turn-of-the-20th-century women in Tunisia just blew my mind. They were taken by Rudolph Lehnert, a Czech photographer who fell in love with Tunisia.

Maryam was lucky enough to purchase a few of the prints in an Egyptian bookstore she beautifully described as full of, "dusty, strange books for dusty, strange people."

I immediately began a search online for copies of the prints. I've had limited success so far, though I will continue to look. But I found a few authentic lithographs here for reasonable prices.

I am having trouble finding more information on Lehnert and Landrock themselves. Wikipedia had no entry. Other sites had photos, but no information on the men (man) who took them. If anyone knows of a good resource on this topic, please let me know.

UPDATE: Maryam may be able to purchase some new prints of Lehnert's photos on her next trip to Egypt. If so, she will try to place them up for sale on her blog. Hooray Maryam!

Plants on I.V. Drip

Looking for a slightly morbid way to ensure your plants aren't under-watered? Check out the I.V. self-feeding plant pot from the Vitamin Store.

Via Productdose.

Wake up to Jeeves with the Voco Clock

The last few days I've been reminiscing about Jeeves and Wooster, (both the books by P.G. Wodehouse and the series starring Hugh Laurie (Dr. House) and Stephen Fry).

It all started last week when I saw the Woodhouse sofa on the Jonathan Adler site, progressed to an unsuccessful attempt to locate my copy of a book of Wodehouse short stories yesterday, and culminated in a link to the Voco clock popping into my in-box a few minutes ago.

The Voco lets you rise and shine to the sound of Stephen Fry as the put-upon, too-smart butler, Jeeves, issuing very encouraging and ever-so-slightly sarcastic summons to take on your day.

If you enjoy the sound clips (hear them here) but want to skip the clock (it's nothing special at about $50), you can download all 50 wake-up greetings for about $14.

If you haven't seen Jeeves and Wooster or read anything by Wodehouse, they would make wonderful additions to your summer reading/watching list.

Thanks to my friend, Pablo, for the tip.

These Dragons Spit Tunes, not Fire

First they made our TVs sleeker, now designers turning their eye for style to those ugly speakers. These Dragon Speakers from Axelsson Design
studio in the UK are available in white, black and red or can be made to any spec color you provide.

If you like sculptural speakers, but dragons aren't your cup of tea, try these Woofers from Cultivate.

Andy Warhol Tacoma Plates

15 minutes of fame? Try 15 minutes to sell out. Two of these Andy Warhol plates from Crate and Barrel are already sold out on the site. Use them indoors or out, but get them soon.

Melamine Tacoma Flower plates with embossed signature on back. $1.95 each from Crate and Barrel.

Thanks to my friend Karen E. for the tip.

Pretty in Pink, Lavender, and Sky Blue

What do you get if you mix a little pink, a pinch of Hollywood glam, and a little fairytale whimsy? The below vignettes from this month's FD-Luxe featuring classics reinterpreted in vibrant hues. I wrote about the vibrant pastel trend in more detail last week on Shak in Style, so I'm happy to see I'm not the only one thinking pink.

To see more photos from the FD-Luxe slide show, click here.

The lavender, lacquered "Duke of Alba" velvet chair caught my eye. $4504 from Allan Knight & Associates.

An whimsical wire loveseat looks like an unlikely bet to support even a slight fashion model. Nonetheless, the F.eH. Campana stainless "Corallo" loveseat seems up to the task. It better be at $4200.

I half expect this lacquered turquoise commode to dance and sing. $1500 from James McInroe, Inc.

Bejeweled Bars

Persephone couldn't resist, and neither can I. This pomegranate bottle opener from the jeweler, Vendura, has won me over, even at $170.

Via Daily Dose.







An equine bottle stopper in matt black gres from Lladro.

$95 at Addison Collection.

Mmmm: Meyer Lemon Cake from Domino

I think I'll give this cake a try for Mother's Day. You can find the recipe on the Domino site.

Spring Sample Sale and Dallas Market Center

From the D-Shops blog:

Head on down to Market Hall for "Goods to Go" -- a huge spring sample sale by the Dallas Market Center.

Find the hottest apparel, decorative accessories, gifts, jewelry, furniture and manufacturer samples and more -- all at deep DEEP discounts! Admission is $6, there's free parking and lavish prize giveaways!

It kicks off today and you have until Sunday to shop!

Make's Urban Bazaar

Find one of a kind and handmade home decor, art, photography, jewelry, and fashion at this weekend's Make Urban Bazaar. This year's Bazaar is at the Dallas Farmers Market in Shed 4. For more information, click here.

Tiny Houses

The craze to build ever-larger new homes is dwindling. Maybe it's the new media focus on green living. Maybe we're all just sick of cleaning. Whatever the case, the tiny home is hip. You don't even have to live in a studio in the city to live small. Tiny houses are popping up all over the country.

When I was a kid, I used to go out to the backyard and pretend I had to survive there. I figured out which weeds I could eat. I would build a lean-to out of the scrap wood my dad kept behind the garden. I even made a bow and arrow with some small branches, fishing line, and a few feathers.

In the same way that "surviving" the backyard offered adventurous appeal in the safety of my suburban yard, there's a romantic appeal in the thought of a tiny house. The stature lends a story-book quality to a necessity. You're making the choice to accept the inherent challenge of in living in a small space and making it beautiful.

If you also wax poetic about tiny homes, dwelling on memories of dollhouses and tree-forts, check out Tinyhouses.net. The site offers a gallery of tiny houses straight out of our childhood play-house dreams.

Via Black. White. Bliss.

Silhouette Wall Light

When turned off, the Silhouette wall light looks like a plain, white rectangle. But when turned on with the pull of the cord, the a glowing light in the shape of a light appears. The piece is made of MDF board and fire resistant fabric..

Wall Light
23.6"W x 13.75"H x 5"D
$449.00

Cooler Takes on the Classics

Metropolitan Home (they have furniture now) and Williams Sonoma have some very cool takes on classic furnishings. I've posted more about both over at Shak in Style.

Foley Tray Top Table

It looks like plastic, but it's hardwood coated with lacquer.

Bedside table to breakfast in bed. Tres Classy.

The Foley Tray Top Table from Williams Sonoma Home, $395.

A Couple of Cool Clicks

The Lady Marmalades Bowls for clotted cream and marmalade, neither of which I've ever tired. I'm a total sucker for anthropomorphized housewares.

Via Crib Candy.



Urban scenic illustrations applied to ceramic vases. These look very large, but it's hard to judge the scale in these photos.

Via Poppy Talk.

Ever-Changing Cabinet

A cabinet made from rotating billboard materials.

Via AdverLab.

Bookcase + Chair = Pure Poetry

Where has this been all my life? I saw this chair-bookcase hybrid on Apartment Therapy this morning and it made my week. This is an ideal solution for a small living room or really any room. Imagine a cozy nook in your bedroom with all of your books and magazines tucked neatly into your favorite chair.

Bibliochaise from Nobody&Co.

Pier One Sale

Pier One is having a sale through 5/19. There are several very well-priced pieces listed under furniture on their site.

I like this Miso shelf now $224.50 (down from $449) and this Resa side chair for $49.75 (down from $200!).

Via AT:LA.