Helen heels

Is it a sign of some shoe addiction problems that I don't even know what I'd wear these with and I don't like wearing slingbacks and yet the detailing with the chains makes me want these? Probably, but who cares right? Cool shoes! $279 at Fluevog

Dustin Dustpan

I used to have this cute Koziol dustpan years ago, when Target was selling some Koziol pieces. I don't know what happened to it; I lost it during one of my million moves, but I'm tempted to buy another. $22.95 at Well Tempered Kitchen

random outfit #1

So work's been on the hell side lately and I haven't felt like spending much time post work continuing to stare at a computer screen. (I'm really getting to the point where by the end of the workday I have a major headache from staring at the screen)So this blog has sort of suffered of late, which sucks because I'd finally been really keeping up with posts. Today I discovered the joy that is polyvore by clicking for more details on one of the outfits posted on Omiru (one of my favourite fashion blogs.) Granted I could never in million years afford the outfit I just put together above, but it's kind of a fun experiment in trying to discover my style in a put together way. (I feel I'm good at picking up cool pieces, not so good personally at building a wardrobe that can work as a look.) So I'm going to try to do more of these random outfits.

Ebay find: Vintage Cherry Bakelite necklace

One of my obsessions this year is cool vintage necklaces, particularly vintage plastics. I've mostly been collecting vintage thermoset, since most of the time bakelite is out of my price range. I love cluster necklaces like this one because they're kitchy-cute without being too obvious and cloying. Auction ends: 15 May at 12:55 PST so get bidding!

Wall Strap by NL Architects for Droog

these funky rubber bands make a much cooler stuffed animal storage system than those ugly, ugly corner nets that we all had in our rooms in the 80s. $28 at Plastica

mini-vacation

swamped with work, back soon

Wilma Dishes

These are my new dishes. I got the salad plates in the orange though. The colours are even nicer in person than on the web, much better colour depth. I was quite sad that they'd discontinued the pattern on the other plates I had once I'd decided 4 place settings wasn't really enough to maximize dishwasher loads, but now I'm glad I was forced to branch out into a new style. Plus I love the off beat shapes. $3.95-$5.95 at CB2.

Reveal Lights

Now that I've moved to a loft with a jillion windows, I don't long for light and shadows, but I've lived in dank, mostly windowless basement apartments and they were depressing. If only I'd had one of Adam Frank Incorporated's Reveal lights back then! Yes, my imagination could have run wild imagining I had not only windows, but trees outside. $380 at Unica Home.

Subway Stations Buttons

It's been awhile since I was obsessed with buttons. I've always had a couple on the lapel of my winter coat, just to make it recognizable from the others in the sea of black pea coats, but that's about it for me this decade. However I love this set of buttons of the subway stations in Toronto at Spacing. They're hip without being hipster. $48 for the whole set, also availble in lines.

Hable Construction Spiral Top Notepads

So there are basically 2, maybe you'd call it 3, things I wanted to be when I grew up up until the time I was in high school. One was a Ghostbuster, and the other was a "girl detective," which sort of fit in with the possibly third career aspiration, which was to be Fletch. It wasn't that I wanted to be an investigative reporter; it was that I wanted to be Fletch (the Fletch from the books mind you, not so much the Chevy Chase version, who was slightly less believable and more schmucky.) Therefore I carried around a lot of top spiral bound notebooks in which I scribbled a lot of notes about fake scandals I was blowing the lids off of, if I wasn't killed by the bad guys or caught by my non-existent ex-spouses lawyers. None of my notepads were as sharp as these Hable Construction notepads at See Jane Work mind you. $16 each.

BinBin Wastebasket

I love things that are clever and functional at the same time. This wastebasket that looks like it's made of the scrapped pages of my ever-unfinished novel (with of course considerably less ink scratches and pain) fits the bill. $55 at Canoe

Zzz Mini Poster

Fabulously graphic print from etsy artist inkdesigner $40

Pink Chalcedony Necklace

Pink Chalcedony on a copper chain. This would look so great with a safari inspired look. $26 from etsy seller nutraj

Think Tank

I was first drawn to the work of etsy artist who runs Toodlepipstudios because her work, and especially this piece Think Tank remind me a lot of the works of a friend of mine. I love that they work both in 3D and 2D at the same time to produce many layers of meaning. I really should buy one. $150.

Mini-Vacation

Off this week.

handthrown bowl and plate

It's brilliant porcelain like this bowl and plate set from etsy seller Misslo who make me feel guilty for any melamine I might be harbouring in my cupboards.$65 per set.

Keyaki wood Tea Cups

I love these simple, perfectly shaped wooden tea cups at Rare Device. Perfect for a cold crappy day (like this week). $40

Invisible Cities Vladmaster

I love viewmasters. There's something both nostalgic and creepy about them. I have a huge collection (well OK, my mother, who never throws anything away has a huge collection that I remember from my childhood, and which I am planning one day to abscond with)so I really need to start collecting Vladmasters, because the viewmaster reel is such a underlooked artistic medium, and I must support it! $18 at Reform School.

Hanna Mugs

I love the rich designs from Hanna Werning on these colourful china mugs at Hasker. I can think of some great uses from them beyond the typical beverage consumption. $18 each.

Skateboard Clutch

Sometimes I think the biggest lure of green is seeing the brilliantly creative ways that people find to repurpose things that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill. Though I'll admit to sometimes being a little irked at the prices they charge for the resulting objets de consumer art, especially when the main materials were free/or really discounted. I'll cop to it, I'm usually irked because I didn't have the same hook up they did to get those materials, and I'd like to make my own rather than paying someone else. So it's not really because I think it's unreasonable to charge the money. Anyway, these adorable clutches are made from recycled skateboard decks. For just $105, you too can have a one of a kind statement handbag, feel good about one less item being in a landfill, and know that a small donation will also be made to help upkeep and support for a skatepark so kids don't have to run you over in the nearest city square. At Reform School.