The Hipster Home

When sfgirlbybay asked the general internet if she should put together a tour of blogs talking about what inspired them, the internet answered yet. Blog it Forward was born. For my post today, here’s a handy-dandy list of what inspires me…

1. Colors- the brighter the better,  featuring crazy geometric patterns is best.  See also: kelly green, orange, gray, navy blue, sparkles.



2. Observing the world around me- When I’m stumped by a project, it’s amazing how frequently the solution will appear just by looking around

(All of a sudden, I noticed my week-old Valentine’s day flowers. Stunning in the light.)


3. The Internet- which features makers and doers of the world who share their work and inspiration in thousands of blog posts a day. (See also: Blog I Love)
4. My CSA box, the farmers’ market and Rainbow Grocery- hurrah for bugs, taking 20 minutes to wash one bag of spinach and having someone else send you a box of edibles every week. Also hurrah for other people’s carefully grown heirloom produce. Veggie boner.



5. Cookbooks- the pretty pictures, the idea of using a big, fat combination of ingredients with separate preparations making something wholly delicious, BAKING. Oh lord, put me in the kitchen with a good cookbook and I’m set for days. (See also: a collection of favorites featured in a tacky Amazon affiliate page, my General Store)
6. The area around San Francisco- you can drive anywhere from 1-4 hours out of the city and reach some amazing terrain. Driving up the 1 on the coast feels like you’re on the edge of the world. Field, road, car, cow, cliff, ocean.

(Lake Tahoe)


(Driving through the redwoods)

Thanks to The Goode Life for passing on the spirit stick.  Tag, you’re it living well!

What inspires you?

When you’ve got lots of time to cruise the ‘net but only a little green, I wwwant that! Please join me for a world wide romp in inspiration and completely desirable products that I could (but shouldn’t) purchase.

(Photo by The Small Stakes)

Have I told you lately how much I love WHOLE CAKES?? It is for reasons like this that they are #1 in my baked goods list. That cake topper would look fricken precious (not in a good way) atop anything but a majestic cake. Darling Dexter knew awesome when she saw it and for that reason I am grateful. You too can own a cake topper! For only three easy payments of $13.33… (just visit togetherforever’s etsy shop.)

My life philosophy is that color matches color. Chris Benz apparently believes the same thing which is why his Spring 2010 collection is ah-MAZING. Of course the one and only  Oh Joy! spotted his work the fastest, bringing about what, I’m sure, is an internet flurry of interest in this designers work. See also: sparkles match sparkles. Oh my, that yellow dress makes me want to CRY it’s so cute.

These boots are a real life find. One day, on my way to work, I spotted a woman in the brown pair. The next day, almost the same place, I saw a completely different woman wearing the black! Obviously I was behind the two women and immediately was drawn to the back contrasting zipper. After that second spotting, I knew it was my job to figure out who makes those shoes. Turns out these suckers are from… are you ready?… Steve Madden! WTF? I was as surprised as you. Second of all, I was taken aback at the steep price: $199. For Steve Madden boots? And I wwwant them?? What’s the world coming to?!? Le sigh, you wwwant them too, don’t ya? Well you can get these Steve Madden Roady Boots in black and tan.

The Mr. has a serious addiction to his Vans. Even though he has flat feet too, he doesn’t mind his arches scraping the pavement (ew?) in his slip-ons. I can’t do it. It totally bugs me! I didn’t think there would ever be a Vans shoe that would entice me. Then one day lil ole me was meekly scanning my google reader when I saw that Enchanted Royals had posted this show stopping pair of  Sophie Vans. Yes please! I’ll take two pairs. Retro refashioned. Love it.

I enjoy popping over to Mint to see what’s cooking. Recently, she posted a project that I adore. The Smock Shop exists to help starting artists make ends meet. Andrea Zittel created a simple smock pattern that artists have made into their own unique visions. All completely and utterly wwwantable! Head over to the site to check out the many variations.

I don’t have much to say about these dip-dyed curtains from Remodelista except that I find them mesmerizing. I think it’s the dark blue that really draws the eye. Or maybe the fact that our bedroom curtains are that exact shade without the white top. Either way, I love these curtains, totally wwwant them and think that they don’t belong in any room with a bed (where, clearly, you’d be wakened the second the sun peeped out.)

It’s gonna be a big weekend. I’ve got nothing is set in stone except having lots of free time. Guess what that means? Real THH posts about making things! It’s been spartan around here lately, I’ll admit. Coming to you soon will be a handful of posts that are beyond overdue: cooking for a bridal shower, an author event, pizza balls, candy making, fart chips, an Austin visit and BEYOND.

I also wanted to point out a few ch-ch-ch-changes around here! Last night, while watching Olympic men’s free skate, the Mr. hacked WordPress for me. It was the 21st century equivalent of being fanned and fed grapes. (GLORIOUS.)  Take note…

Look! The Twitter Mess (right sidebar) is no longer a disaster! It’s formatted and pretty and if you don’t follow THH on twitter, you are missing out! But now if you’re too lazy to click over, you can read my thoughts three at a time!

Next, please apply your attention to the BOTTOM of EVERY POST. THH has recommendations! Not only do you see the post title but a pretty, pretty picture preview. There are still some bugs to fix but it works.

He also made a few other cosmetic changes that’ll make your viewing experience like buttah. Welcome to The Hipster Home: now with more formatting for your pleasure.

So did the Mr. and I miss anything? Do you have some feature requests. Go ahead! I’m all ears.

Since the last I wwwant that! post, I’ve been collecting more completely desirous items available for purchase on the web. But something else has happened. I’ve been stock piling awesome inspiration and ideas for things to make too. So today’s I wwwant that! isn’t just for pretty objects I can’t afford but also will highlight incredible projects that are within our creatable realm.

TASTY ART ALERT: Kim Piotrowski was recently featured on My Love for You is a Stampede of Horses. I was immediately transfixed. Her paintings remind me of pantyhose (beige), My Little Pony (pastels), and Monet (everything swirled together) and although that sounds like an unsavory combination, I dare you to browse through her website and tell me otherwise. Her paintings belong in a beautiful world I wouldn’t mind visiting. (Clearly I did not go to art school.)

It might be last week’s internet hotness, but I can’t help but wwwant a Selleck Waterfall Sandwich. “April, that is impossible! It’s an web thing. You can’t own it, silly pants.” Au contraire, my good buddy. You can’t own it yet.  How badass would it be to have the creations available as as a giant fine art print for your house? Don’t you judge me. Just thinking about a print of Selleck Waterfall Sandwich IN YOUR BATHROOM or ABOVE YOUR BED will rock your world a little bit. Someone make it happen!

(photo by thriftandthread)

DIY DISCO BALL SHOES! (or ANYTHING) was originally created by Thrift and Thread and brought to my attention on OutsaPop Trashion. I’d really like to make a headband or yamaka using this technique. (2 for 1! OutsaPop Trashion posted a friggen awesome tutorial for custom hangers.) ((Ok fine, THREE for 1. Their post for this dude’s woven sweatshirt. Heaven.))

I just had to share this awesome DIY Valentine from my recent favorite bloggy blog. I found it while voting for The Bloggies 2010. A Beautiful Mess was nominated for the Best Art, Craft, or Design Weblog. FOR GOOD REASON. Look how easy they make it look to draw people and be incredibly thoughtful. So easy!

(Photo by Karen Barbe)

Recently I’ve noticed I’m stockpiling reusable containers. Unsure why, I knew the minute I saw this. Textile artist Karen Barbe created these playful brooches using old plastic bottles which she shared on her awesome Flickr stream. Yes, let’s do it! You can’t beat those industrialized pops of color. Creature Comforts gets bonus points for spotting the awesome.

The Kid Collective posted an amazing assortment of Parisian home inspiration and this Zap rug, designed by Fiona Curran from The Rug Company caught my eye immediately. Our colorful lil cheap ikea rug is on its way out and all I can think of is replacing it with this luxe business.

(photo by Anthropologie+You)

PRO TIP: Cucumbersome tweeted* about Anthropologie’s newest flower window displays made from old bottles (which are BEAUTIFUL by the way) and I noticed that the store has a dedicated Flickr site. It’s a gold mine. The stream is flooded with inspiration and fantasticalness. If you love the Anthropologie feel, then their Flickr stream will provide you with a good 30 minutes of WOW.

*SPEAKING OF TWITTER! Did you know that The Hipster Home is on it? True story! Hear ideas, updates and news the second it pops into my head @thehipsterhome.

What a life. Another week, another batch of internet temptations revealed as available for purchase. When you la la love it but just can throw down the cash, I wwwant that! This weekly feature is my small corner of the world to wax poetic on amazing products found on the web and in some people’s homes, but not mine.

(photo by Drew)

Although I frequent Laughing Squid at least once a day, Scott’s blog is the last place I ever expected to find something for THH. Laughing Squid always has interesting pop culture, technology and news.  Bakeware? Apparently LS even rocks that. Enter: Helvetica cookie cutters, which I really wwwant. Beverly Hsu made many a designer/baker’s dream a reality. These guys aren’t actually available for purchase yet; the ultimate achievement in an I wwwant that! item.

Is there something in your bag that you use every day and have owned for years? Have you tried to replace it but failed? Such is the story of my Kenneth Cole wallet. Originally a high school Christmas present , I’ve attempted to dethrone it only to come crawling back again. It’s in great shape, and still completely functional but there are always other shiny new wallets to tempt me. Even though old leatha’ prevails, look at this beast! This L.A.M.B. perfection came to my attention in the form of an Okay Great blog post.  (While we’re at it, can we have a heart to heart about Okay Great’s amazing lamp post? I absolutely wwwant all of them!)

Blame the many Martha Stewart books on my desk. Blame Remodelista. Blame el nino. Blame an unswerving devotion to brunch. I want this part shabby chic, part modernist pitcher for fresh squeezed OJ, bloody mary mix, or a bouquet of flowers. Oh Emile Henry, please tell me you wouldn’t actually charge me $50 for the pleasuring of serving with such a lovely item?

Part of the Christmas tradition that was woefully missing from this year’s postponed celebration (due to wedding) was my typical week-long devotion to puzzle completion. Yes, I did receive a puzzle as a gift. No, I wouldn’t have had time to work on it. Seeing the test pattern puzzle on Swiss Miss made me a) sad I had no puzzle time and b) energized that such a colorful challenge waits for me for next Christmas. Begone, Thomas Kinkade!  Things of Colour might market puzzles as boring but I heartily believe this would be my perfect family-time distraction.

Happy Lady Eats loves pomelos but these THH eyes were locked on the rather retro Fishs Eddy Guest Check tray. What’s not to love about giving a longer life to a diner waitress’ workhorse?

There is one moment in time where all of San Francisco bands together in anticipation of the Next Big Announcement. Apple’s Tuesday media events grab our attention, won’t let go and gives us one day to have something in common.  As sfgirlbybay pointed out, we were all rather aghast at the name choice for this newest product so she decided to celebrate her favorite Apple product, the iPhone. I’m so glad she did because I wouldn’t know about the fantastic mobile phone case maker she highlighted, Uncommon. All the skins are created by artists and customizable so you can take one piece of art and showcase your favorite parts. Above is an example from knitter extraordinaire, Magda Sayeg.  I absolutely adore living in a world where you can make your technology look like an afghan from your childhood rec room.

Honorable Mention: Apartment Therapy spotted the perfect kid’s table. It’s a xylophone! But not an old, boring, colorless adult instrument, it’s the fun child-version. Problem: I don’t have a kid. And wouldn’t the slats be a problem? (BONUS: The people who make the xylophone table are called Jellio. Go check out their website. Your inner child thanks you.)