retro bread box

we have a very vintage bread box ... a white enamel metal one - a nice find years ago at the antique fair in alameda, ca.

but if i would have to buy a new one this would be my first choice:: 'grandy' - very cool 40's style retro-classic bread box.

i like the 'breadboy' too ...

design:: 'wesco' (germany)

diy:: refurbish an old commode

before ...

and after ...

this was one of my first diy projects after our move from the bay area to the east coast::
old white chest of drawers. but i saw the potential. the form is simple. and it is real wood + it was a great bargain, we paid $20.- at a garage sale...
so, after grinding, sanding, staining (ebony), ... a lot of tlc, and some new stylish hardware from 'ikea' ... it looks pretty good ... especially next to my lovely bookcases ... i'm still a little bit proud of myself ;-)

... and now it even joins us on our way to good old europe ... we will find a nice place for it! - i'm sure...

yeah ... it's here ... daddy's new toy

::early christmas for the apple*enthusiast::
it arrived - my big boy's new toy:: the new iMac with wireless mouse and keyboard

iMac
design:: apple (ca, 2007)

he admires it for everything that's inside - and i love it for it's look
... simple lines, brushed aluminum, very compact, cute little keyboard
... i'm allowed to play with it, too ;-)

the design seems to be around for years ... talk about 'retro' ... check out the loudspeaker from the 60s::

le1 loudspeaker
design:: dieter rams (germany, 1960)
production:: braun (germany)

eat your breakfast eggs retro

'egg coddler' (1933)
design:: 'wilhelm wagenfeld' (germany), disciple and teacher of 'bauhaus'
re-production:: 'jenaer glas' (germany)

time again to post some cool stuff from home ...
yesterday was one of the days i could have 'bitten myself in my own butt' (as we say in german ...)
... a few weeks ago my lovely hubby send me a link about an egg coddler from one of our favorite east-german companies:: jenaer glas ... we saw this thing before in the company store in my hubbies college town jena. the company had problems, closed down, but another company bought the license to reproduce items that belong to the 'bauhaus'-inspired classic glass tableware 'wagenfeld edition' ... (see also my other post)
... i made a draft of a post, saved it and of course forgot about it... and yesterday i saw the exact same product at 'cribcandy' ... i don't always have to be the first - but sometimes it's just nicer ... well, maybe next time ... but in the end it means that i have good taste!? ;-)

apropos taste ... this is the base recipe for 'egg coddler'::
- 1 egg
- salt
- herbs and spices
beat the egg in the egg coddler and season with salt and herbs. attach the lid with the metal clip and cook in the preheated steamer for 4–6 minutes. the egg can also be refined to taste with further ingredients, such as ham or anchovies.

it's getting serious ... disassembly time

well, we have to move and i will take all my important pieces of our life with us (of course all my nick-nacks, too) ... the little rockers have of course their own important stuff. how else can we possibly convince them that moving is fun other than that all their possessions (and i mean absolutely all) will come with us ... even overseas!
i didn't think about the consequences::
when we built our kid's wooden play structure 1 1/2 years ago, i would have never thought, we would soon be taking it apart again ... it took us forever to build it. we bought the hardware and the uncut lumber, we cut every piece of wood, than painted it with a wood sealer to withstand the weather, before we put all the pieces together ... fortunately with deck screws. this came in handy now ... you can guess it? yes, we did the unthinkable today ... taking the kid's 'party and outdoor entertainment space' apart into pieces that fit into the moving container. took us only about 2 hours ... and i hope we will get it back together the way it was ;-)
let's talk about fair? - our decks have to stay with the house ...

black friday:: my first + my last

sounds sad? not really ...

we've been living in the u.s. now for 6 years + never made it to experience the black friday ... why in the hell do they actually call it black friday ... probably because all the retail stores and credit card companies make a lot of profit!?
now that we know we are going to live in europe in a few weeks, we HAD TO go out to see, what all the fuzz is about... and yes, it's crazy... as if someone unexpectedly announced tomorrow would be christmas ... i didn't even know so many people actually fit in that tiny mall ... and can carry that many bags ... in fact we went to only one store carrying clothes that are cult in europe ... everyone got one treat or two or ... i got one of those sweat pants with the big label + t-shirts, little girl got two dresses (to turn while dancing), the boys ended up with a bunch of t-shirts, and the best is - we got x-mas presents for 4 other family members ... sounds like a really big price ticket, well since we earn in euro soon it was actually a bargain shopping spree + that stuff is worth twice what we spend over there and our beloved will be very (i mean VERY) happy about their presents from santa this year... well and i'm happy too, but i have to say:: i prefer every other day for shopping over black friday ...

staircase vs. artwork

this doesn't actually look like a necessary piece of construction ... more like a beautiful piece of artwork ... what a splash of color ... it draws your eye up and makes you wanna check for more on the next floor ... isn't it amazing, what you can do with some paint ...

found via 'designer's block'

happy thanksgiving!

check out our nice homework artwork for thanksgiving ...

'botanical prints' on bed covering

i'm looking for some elegant, stylish + modern duvet covers and pillow cases ... well, these would certainly do ... 'amenity’s' :: ... large-scale, botanical silhouettes ... :: like this one::

'cocoa drift duvet'
design:: 'amenity' (l.a., usa)

... and the accent pillows 'cardinal on agapanthus'::

i love the splash of color (my 2 boys favorite color:: orange)!!!
design:: joom (s.f., usa)
online store:: etsy :: love birds (no customer orders accepted)

are there any 'bamboo' prints available ...?

diy art:: 'bamboo' by c*e

here are 2 more of the art pieces i made for our house right before we put it on the market... we desperately needed something on the walls. and where we live right now (not very much longer anymore though ...) it is nearly impossible to find some nice modern artwork ... especially if you need it asap ... .
but necessity is the mother of invention - or in this case inspiration ... so once again it was time to do something useful with my hands, some old canvases, a scrap piece of plywood and some paint ...

i love bamboo:: we planted it in the yard, put bamboo floors in the house and now we even have it on the walls ... i love how the paintings turned out + they go great with the asian inspired spa theme we chose for our master bath remodel ...
design:: concrete*enthusiast (2007)

eco-friendly toys for grownups ...

... yes, a downright cool toy for mom + dad. sorry, this time not for the kids ...
the tesla roadster by:: tesla motors (ca) ... if only there wouldn't be this huge price tag (~$100k).
i'm not even sure what i like best:: the remarkably cool sports car design or the fact that it is 100 % electric + the tires & the battery are recyclable ... now how green is this!? well, maybe it's the mix of both that i like so much + the proof - once again - that eco-friendly doesn't have to be ugly.
... perhaps, if i show santa, that i can be a really good girl ...
via:: 'newsweek'

nice ... another set of 'concrete jewelry'

'concrete ring series' is made of cement and stainless steel ...
i simply love the combination of these two materials ... can a girl wear too many rings ?????? ;-)

design:: '22designstudio' (taiwan, 2006), via:: 'dezeen'
see my other 'post' about ... concrete jewelry by:: 'konzuk'

diy art:: artwork by c*e

finding the right artwork can be quite a challenge!!!
everything i found was either to small or to big, didn't quite have the colors matching the rest of our interior design, was way to expensive or we (my better half and i) just couldn't agree on it ...
solution:: diy ... simply take a few old plywood scraps + leftover acrylic paint, find the right design + get started ...
(it's not quite as good as the piece that inspired me, but for my first piece, that ever made it onto a wall, i'm even a little proud + most importantly:: hubby + the kids like it!!!)
it's a night of fun and you can enjoy it ever after ... and the best thing:: it's cheep as dirt :-)
(just in case you shouldn't like it:: you can always paint over ...)

doesn't it look great over our fireplace?
other diy projects:: fireplace mantel + slate tiles + bamboo floor

design:: concrete*enthusiast (2007)
inspired by:: david bromstad ('color splash', hgtv)

finally ...

... my 'boden' order arrived ...

i love their t-shirts, tops, pants, ... for my rockers. cool styles, excellent quality ...

right now we needed to replace the 'shaggy lined zip through' we bought two years ago. perfect for the time between summer and winter. and ... kids grow so fast these days ...

design:: 'boden' (uk)

diy art:: 'family turkey project' by c*e

design:: concrete*enthusiast + the c*e rockers (2007)

i love it, when my little guy gets an art project as homework... well, and if it's just a so called family project we simply turn it into an art project ... i really enjoy doing the arts and crafts stuff with my kids, but since they go to (pre)school we rarely find the time for those things... this is our latest school enforced artwork:: the 'family turkey project' ... we used photographs of things that actually grow in our garden ... our interpretation of what 'thanksgiving' is about ... to thank for the harvest ...
it was a great project getting everybody involved with taking the pics, printing them out, cutting them out, ... and gluing them on the paper ... we had so much fun! ;-)

outdoor concrete furniture

'concrete family' - indestructible outdoor furniture
this series made from glasfiber reinforced concrete can be left outside throughout the year. whether placed in private yards, on patios + decks, in public places, cafes or parks, you will be able to rearrange them - but taking them away should be a challenge ... :-)
design:: 'simon busse' (germany, 2005)
via:: 'designspotter'

panton chairs for my dining room

do they not look great in a dining room? the 'panton s chair'
thanks to mod*mom i know that 'modern dose' is having a buy 1 S chair, get 1 free sale. i think with a deal like this i might even be able to convince my better half that we need them. i would probably go with flat white ... flat is kid friendly + the white goes well with almost everything + since we are soon moving to europe and have no clue yet, where and how we will be living then, it would be a safe choice (although i have to say i looooove the orange + the green one too...)... they can even go outdoors!!!! not that i will ever consider this ;-)

please check mod*mom giveaway:: 1 free vernor panton "s" chair
(ends Dec 5)

design:: verner panton (denmark, 1967),
re-designed in 1999 (polypropylene, more colors, flat surface)
for:: herman miller/ vitra (ch/germany)

can you just pack your home and go?

... i wish i could!!! we just accepted an offer on our house ...
so now it's official:: !!!! we are moving back to europe !!!! ::
this would save my world! ... just fold + go... yeah, i definitely wish ... !!!
'furniture in a box' [umamy] 2005

how much energy did you generate this weekend?

generating power while dancing? sounds genius ... and a little utopian ...
enter the 'sustainable dance club', an awesome project that uses dance moves to power the club’s basic utilities. the project launched with 'the critical mass' party in oct. '06 in rotterdam, nl.
now ... how does this sound for green living ????
so next time you’re out dancing, don’t forget that all that booty shaking could be providing power for lights, speakers, ... .

idea:: environmental organization 'enviu' + architectural firm 'döll' (nl)
by:: 'inhabitat'
via:: 'coolboom'

did i ever say i don't like diamonds and jewels?

well i guess it is just a matter of display... i love jewels!!!! like the 'identity'– stainless steel and precious stone... i love it, i love it, i love it!!!! good that christmas is just around the corner... :-)

design:: 'stahlblau' (ch)
via:: 'designspotter'

safe ride at night

:: witness 'sweetskinZ tires. they're hot. they're art ... ::

now that the days are getting shorter and shorter again, i'm starting to get a little worried about my little rockers safety when riding his bike ...
how about this for a safe bike ride in style (when dark)? 'sweetskinZ' are cool tires, the entire rubber tire itself is light reflective at night ... our little rocker is crazy about those ... let's just say 'flames'.
via:: 'coolhunter'

piggy bank by eero aarnio

design:: 'eero aarnio' (finland, 2007)

eero aarnio has designed a piggy bank for 'plan suomi' (finland).
it's called 'plan pastilli' and shaped like his 'pastil chair' (1968).
'plan suomi' is part of 'plan international', a development agency focusing on the well being of children around the world. in addition to the small 'plan pastilli', aarnio also designed a big 'plan pastilli' which can be used in public places for collecting money to help children in need. the 'plan pastilli' was presented to the press and public in august 2007 in helsinki (finland).
via:: 'eero aarnio'

modern design tableware ... with history

i love the mix of classic design (retro) that goes well with very modern interior design ...
born and raised in (e)germany i am especially interested in good german design ... like this classic item of everyday culture - the 'bauhaus'-inspired classic glass tableware 'wagenfeld edition' ... a similar one has been in the family ever since i can remember and now we own one too, but this is the real deal::

'tea service' (1931):: teapot + teacup

:: in 1931, wilhelm wagenfeld met erich schott, in jena (germany), going on to design glass tableware for the company 'schott & gen' until 1935. among his first designs was the familiar wagenfeld teapot, nowadays on display in the 'museum of modern art in new york'. to this day, the wagenfeld teapot serves as an outstanding example of modern design. its body looks like an elastic glass bubble, gently distorted by its own weight. the lid, spout and handle grow almost organically out of its body. made from heat-resistant borosilicate glass, the unique, hand-blown 'wagenfeld edition' is characterised by its sober, functional use of design. ::

design:: 'wilhelm wagenfeld' (germany), disciple and teacher of 'bauhaus'
re-production:: 'jenaer glas' (germany)

'easy edges' cardboard furniture ('69 - '72)

'wiggle stool + chair'
design:: frank o. gehry (usa, 1972)
re-production:: 'vitra' (germany)

... sculptural chair and stool made from recycled corrugated cardboard was originally designed as part of frank gehry's ground-breaking 'easy edges' series of sturdy cardboard furniture (pdf) ... although it appears simple, the 'wiggle chair' is constructed with frank gehry's care as well as being very robust and stable. it is tested to hold thousands of pounds!

this was 25 years ago ...

... i can NOT believe it ... time flies ...
via:: 'youtube' (13:41 min)

i need to rest ... on concrete

it really doesn't have to be the old wooden sled bed ...
solution:: cardboard beds for the kids ... concrete bed for mom (well, and dad ...) ...

bed 'lit space' made entirely out of concrete ... except the mattress, fortunately ...
design:: 'francesco passaniti' (beton design, italy/france 2007)

cardboard ...

... can be used for stylish furniture ...

'not a box' (2007)

'not a lamp' (2004)

looks like fun to put them together! but it would probably be not a good idea to spill anything on it!? maybe it's perfect for moving ... like we have to do soon ...
design:: 'david graas' (nl) :: the cardboard box as an object of desire :: (via:: 'huh' (nl))

... and ... cardboard seems to work for a cot too::

what a racer (left)! i hope (s)he doesn't suck on it ... ;-)
'album di famiglia’s cardboard bed' - customizable? paint it!!!

i guess shipping is very simple ... it probably comes flat in it's own cardboard box!? ...

this week's hit @ concrete*kids 'dance party'

my 'freitag' bag is coming!

they have an incredible deal on specific 'dragnet' bags by 'freitag' @ 'yoox'::
15% off on bags and shoes (until Nov 4) + 'yoox' coupon code 'pp@yoox' to get an additional 5% discount and free shipping on entire online order (until Nov 30). this is a steal for a 'freitag' bag!

:: 'dragnet' are the original individual recycled freeway bags, sturdy, stable, unique and highly versatile. handmade from used materials, these are bags that always appear in different print designs and colors, hence a new look every time.
each bag is as unique as its owner and meets the highest standards of quality design and sturdiness. they are extendable in two steps and come equipped with an inner and outer pocket as well as a hip belt for urbane frequent bikers. the innovative design extends even to the packaging that converts into a play TV. ::

'freitag' bags are entirely made from recycled materials - used, exhaust-stained truck tarpaulins, the inner tubes of bicycle tires, old car safety belts and air-bags.

i pay only $138 ... i'm so excited and can't wait for the 4-8 business days ... the bag is for me, the play TV (the package) is for the kids. so, i don't really feel that bad to spend so much money on a used bag. ;-)

see also my older 'post' about their flagship store made out of recycled containers.

:: think about what it consumes ...

... before buying ::
(belgian government public services:: "www.energyvores.be" campaign)
photos:: frieke janssens (belgium)
ad agency:: leo burnett brussels (belgium)
via:: epica award 2006 (silver)

when do they replace a 'mom' altogether?

problem: milk mustache
solution: momspit

'momspit':: no rinse cleanser for hands + face ... just like the original by mom? yucky ;-)
in case you wonder, it comes in 3 different varieties: lemon/white tea, fig/green tea, or unscented
via:: 'babygadget'