Whale print for good, by Children Inspire Design

The print above is not only adorable, but also charitable. Children Inspire Design has created this super-cute signed, limited addition print, with 50 percent of the proceeds going to the National Wildlife Federation's Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund. Bonus: along with your purchase of the print, you not only get to feel good about helping the sad situation in the Gulf, but you also get a $10 gift certificate to ChildrenInspireDesign.com. Score!

I love the friendly whale - I think he'd make the perfect gift for anyone with kids (too bad your birthday's not 'til Dec, Cov and Finn's not 'til March!).

I also happen to know that Children Inspire Design is a great company since I bought this little print as a kids gift for the holidays:

Though I'm not sure if the recipient liked it or hung it up... but I thought it was cute, so that's what matters, right? ;)

If you're in the mood for some fanciful art, or just to help out with the Gulf restoration while getting something fun, definitely go check out this adorbs whale print for 30 bucks well-spent.

Originally spotted here.

Bringing the outside in: wrap-up

With spring in full swing, I keep noticing all the beautiful greenery that seems to be popping out all over the place. (Thank goodness I don't have allergies!) Today I came across another gorgeous "plant table" on sfgirlbybay and was about to share it. It's not outdoor greenery, but it is indoor greenery at its best.

Funnily enough, sfg's plant table was inspired by one from Lonny mag, which I featured here back in October of last year. Since I was already sharing another indoor plant set-up, I thought I'd do one final round-up of all the gorgeous indoor garden scenarios I've come across and love. So, without further ado, enjoy this collection of verdant indoor pics (and then get outside and enjoy it in real life!):

I love that this (photo above) was inspired by this (photo below):

Via.


Via.


Via.

Aren't they all so pretty? They make me want to run out and buy a plant table or supplies for a greenhouse window post-haste. Oh wait, we've already got a ton of plants in our guest room window. Well then, I guess I can just breathe deep and enjoy the purified-by-plants air I'm breathing. Happy Spring, y'all!

Bringing the outside in, part deux

I featured a lovely round plant table here and a garden window (a greenhouse window/shelving set-up type thing) here. So - for posterity's sake, and perhaps for some inspiration if you're looking to bring the green in when you don't have your own garden (like us!) - here's another bringing-the-garden-in way to go:

This look is a bit more organic and unstructured than the plant table or garden window (see links above for photos), but I like the layered look it creates. It's much more wild garden and a little less English garden, but it's cool nonetheless. Would you do this in your home?

Photo of Nina Shen (of Dwell Studio)'s apartment, as spotted on Design*Sponge.

Earth Day 2010

Photo 1- via Fairy Tale Diaries; photos 2&3- by Paul Costello

I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge today, Earth Day 2010 - which also happens to be the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Appropriately, it's beautiful here in Annapolis today: sunny, warm and pretty. But if the insane volcano in Iceland has one thing to teach us (other than the fact that international air travel is less reliable than we think), it's that Mother Nature really is boss.

I don't like to use this blog as a platform to preach, but I do want to say quickly that I hope you're all doing your part to keep our planet healthy. Please, please, please, if you don't already recycle, start now - there's absolutely no reason other than laziness or ignorance why anyone shouldn't be recycling at this point. Switch out lightbulbs, unplug appliances, buy locally and organic, stop buying bottled water (I love these, these and these options), plant trees and so on.

B and I are doing our best to do better little by little (we're certainly not perfect but we're trying) and I hope everyone else will join us in doing what we can for our beautiful planet.

And if you have a spare moment, check out The Official Earth Day 2010 Campaign to see what you can do to help.

Okay, stepping off the soap box....now. Thanks for listening (er, reading). Happy Earth Day, all! :)

Herrrrre, pretty birdie

Sweet adorable B is such a nature boy. Even in our abode high up on the third floor, where we have no garden and no dirt, he's somehow managed to bring the outdoors in.

Now, he's harkened all kinds of creatures (okay, just birds and squirrels, really) to our windows by rigging a bird feeder off the deck and squarely in front of one of our living room windows so that we can sit on the couch and observe the wildlife high up here. He's so MacGyver meets Martha. (He even has bird calls on his iPhone - nature dork and tech nerd all in one! Just kidding, I love this kid to bits.)

I wonder if he'd like one or a few of these lovely original watercolors:


Watercolors by Dimdi on Etsy, spotted on I Suwannee.

Aren't they beautiful? She does other animals too:




And tons more... at only 25 coins each. Not bad! All available here.

Bee-eautiful paintings by Roz

Isn't this bee painting just so pretty? Of course I'm drawn to the lovely blue paint, but the bees buzzing by seem so charming to me, and I love the rough brushstrokes of the background. Sadly, this exact painting is sold, but the artist has tons more available in her shop on Etsy.

I also like this rolling landscape:

This original oil painting is on sale here.

(Bee painting originally spotted on a room somewhere).

Seasonal citrus and flower bouquets

The girls at Studio Choo do such beautiful work. Remember the gorgeous picnic bouquet they did this summer, shown here? Well, they're back on Design*Sponge with another perfect menagerie of arrangements, this time using more winter-y materials (well, winter-y by California standards at least).

Here are a few ways they used seasonal, locally grown flowers and produce:

I love how these pretty little kumquats (which are in season right now) are tucked into "nest" of rosemary - can you imagine how fragrant this must be? It would be lovely as a centerpiece for a dinner party, or even just in your kitchen to liven things up and bring in some amazing scents.


This arrangement, as well as the one pictured at the top, are my favorites. A combination of
ranunculus and rosemary, along with the fresh pop of orange from the kumquats, make this bud-vase bouquet colorful, fresh, beautiful and not too stuffy.

As soon as the Studio Choo shop opens in San Francisco, I'm sending my friend Lauren (who lives in SF) over there to investigate and take pictures so I can see it vicariously through her!

Living Christmas tree rental (alternately titled "hug a tree, don't cut it down!")

Photo by Michael Czerwonka for the NYT

Since I celebrate Hanukkah and B is a tree-hugger, we don't have a real Christmas tree come the holiday season. Trust me, I'd be all for it - a reason to buy things and decorate with them! - but we don't feel it necessary to cut down a tree just for our short-term merriment. I'd rather have fresh, clean air than a shedding tree, no? Instead, we string white lights onto our kayak (yes, we have it in our house - it's a long story) and put a sparkly bird on top. It's festive but subtle and twinkles nicely next to our fireplace.

But, if I lived in California (which I gladly would), I would seriously consider renting a tree from livingchristmas.com. Scott Martin, a landscape architect and the guy behind the awesome concept, rents out living trees - which are potted in soil, don't shed and remain alive while giving off that amazing Christmas tree smell - to families for the holidays. You can even get the same tree year after year. Some of the families who do this have even named their trees.

Even better than the brilliant concept is that the company is green in more ways than reusing trees. The trees are cared for throughout the year by adults with disabilities, the delivery trucks run on biodiesel, and the drivers are willing to take your used wrapping paper for recycling.

The article in the New York Times is really interesting; check it out here. Think B and I should start a similar service in Annapolis? Somehow it seems like it would be more fun in year-round sunny California...

Found via beachbungalow8 on twitter.

DIY holiday decor: terrarium ornament

I love the idea of using natural elements on a Christmas tree - from shells to fruit (real or fake) - I think they add a nice feel to the tree (real or fake). So when I saw these miniature (fake) terrarium ornaments, I was in love. Since they're DIY, you can add any natural element you want from a fake butterfly to a bug to a shell, pine cone, mushroom and so on. I think they'd be lovely on a tree, but they could also be placed together in a hurricane glass, or placed here and there on a mantel. How pretty would they be peppered throughout your holiday decor?

Design*Sponge has the full instructions here so that you can make these yourself. A great way to add some nature to your own tree, or a fabulous gift to give to others (no watering required!).

Holiday gift idea: science nerds and kids alike

My boyfriend B loves nature and being outdoors, though I'm not sure his science geekiness extends as far as cloud formations. But, if you know someone who is totally into that stuff - or a young child who might be fascinated with clouds (or just learning about them in school) - this 10 primary cloud formations print would be a perfect gift.

And, it's not only a really cool illustration, but it's also made with glow in the dark ink so it will glow long-past daytime gazing.

Surprise below your feet

Photo by Steven Beckly, as seen on Oh Joy!

How lovely is this little surprise wonderland below the roots of this tree? I would love to come upon these paper cranes while hiking one day.