I am usually not a fan of the packaged party thing; I’m a DIY girl after all. I’m constantly getting press releases and pitches for “party in a box” sets that just do it all for you. Now, I’m not a mom yet, and I know most moms out there say that sometimes is just easier to buy a kit. Well, if you must do the grab-n-go thing, at least spring for something as cool as Banter and Frolic. Check out these sweet party kits.
The Carnival is in Town contains (among other things) hot dog holders, popcorn bags, pinwheels, and ticket strips.
The Grandstand Sports Party comes with sporty drink holders, paper to make cones, pennants and sandwich holders.
Standard with each party comes invitations and a manual (yes, a how-to manual for setting up your party-in-a-box). Sad that you’d have to order from an online Australian site (hello, shipping costs!), so if you must have a kit made in the USA, go for the precious ones by Meri Meri.
(But really, if you have any questions about kids’ parties, leave a comment; it’s my specialty!)
I’ve been trying to think of a way to group these hilarious posts from Unhappy Hipsters into a round-up, but honestly, they are just too good to water down with anything else. The writers take images from design magazines and sites and pen new captions for them. As someone who has worked on a ton of photo shoots trying to make scenes look “real”, trying to find the “humanity”, these make me laugh out loud.
It became his morning ritual. He woke, stepped to the window, and fantasized about the day he would be free of his knotty-pine cell.
Trompe-l’œil is an art technique involving extremely realistic imagery in order to create the optical illusion that the depicted objects appear in three dimensions, instead of actually being a two-dimensional painting.
I really have no words to introduce these amazing creations. These photos say it all…
Today I have houses on the mind because yesterday, I closed on my very first apartment! Yes, my husband and I are now Brooklyn homeowners and I’m giddy, exhausted, elated, and yes, a little nervous. But mostly elated.
My sister and I had a few dollhouse incarnations as kids (including the Glamour Gals cruise ship that we loved), and we were very fastidious about our decorating choices. Ok, not much decorating happened on the Lido deck, but our next project was a dollhouse taller than we were—a Doll-Mansion, I’d say. My most distinct memory was hanging a locket-size photo of our Uncle Dore on the living room wall.
So as I begin to dream about decorating plans for my real-life home, I’d like to take a look at where the dollhouse has gone in the last twenty years. (My skills would be so refined if I’d had any of these!)
I saw the Emerson house by Brinca Dada at Toy Fair this year. Ridiculously amazing. Really. It even has sliding glass doors, 2 fireplaces, and solar panels. It’s so 2010. Check out their mini-furniture too.
This fold-able dollhouse from Ferm Living is totally the opposite. It’s design is super-simple yet full of imagination and possibility. Found via Decor8.
Here’s minimal for you. This clean shape designed by Eva Shildt for Playsam is soft, yet modern. For the simple child. Found via Minor Details.
I’ve felt very inspired lately by circus iconography…the striped canvas tents, the food-on-a-stick cuisine, the here today, gone tomorrow transience of it all. Here are some lovely finds that have contributed to these recent daydreams…
Sometimes getting the Anthropologie catalog is better than getting a real magazine. I’m duly impressed by this art direction and this woman’s balancing act.
Okay, really, it’s seriously time for warm slippers. It was the rainiest, most abusively awful New York weather this weekend, causing me to arrive home after every outing (and unfortunately, I had many required ones this weekend) with sopping wet shoes and a broken spirit. Yes, it was that bad.
So it really, really made me want a fresh pair of slippers to, er, slip in to. I found these Collégien knitted ones a few weeks ago on LMNOP, and then saw them again today. No joke, there are over 100 patterns and you can get them in both kid and adult sizes. They are machine washable and have a non-slip, aerated sole. If you know where to buy them in the States, please let me know!
P.S…Here is a classic scene that all New Yorkers will recognize: the umbrella graveyard on the street corner. How many did you lose this weekend?
There is so much potential here. Stamps, stencils, and stickers…mix and match them to make fun note cards, stationery, or invitations. Seriously, you could be 5 or 95.
Just when I think I’m over them, I come across a reinvention of this classic that slays me. So this post just had to be done. No matter how over silhouettes you may think you are, prepare to get back in…
I love the playfulness of pattern here. Found on Art that Fits.
Brooke from Inchmark announced her pregnancy with this thoughtful, beautifully made family tree for her parents. She very cleverly added a third child in her lineage.
Did you know that you can send virtually anything through the mail under 13 ounces for just a dollar and some change? Now I’m not talking about your run-of-the-mill box or envelope, I’m saying anything. Giverslog has deeply invested in this experiment and has even started a Flickr group for others who would like to give our friends at USPS something to chuckle about.
Three pink rubber balls wrapped in cellophane weigh 13 ounces or less.
Just slap a label on a frisbee. It most def weighs less than 13 ounces. It cost $1.73 to mail.
I keep wondering what the next cupcake is going to be…is it the whoopie pie? The macaroon? The homemade marshmallow? None of these hold a candle to the preciousness of the c.c., so I seriously don’t see the trend going anywhere anytime soon. So let’s just commit to them. And what better way to show your dedication than to buy individual cupcake stands. Here are a few of my faves…
Love, love, love these sweet pedestals from Hello Hanna. Found via LMNOP.
The reveal of the cupcake would be oh so dramatic with this lovely ceramic stand by Whitney Smith. Found on Handmade Charlotte.
I would love a windowsill full of cupcakes on these stands from Farmhouse Wares.
