this is...

...very Kate Moss

If you admire her style, you probably know everything about her Topshop collection and you've probably been waiting in line for it to launch. If you got this bag then, that's great. If not, you might think of doing so, because we consider it a great addition to your wardrobe. It's really a summer-to-autumn piece which will make you look stylish every time of the day.

DIY...

...gypsy lanterns

Do you like these lanterns above? I love them!!!! They're so easy to make and they can bring out the interior designer in all of us. Not to say they're great for your summer parties that are going to rock your nights for the following weeks!
Go here for a simple tutorial and make your own!

Too cute!

P.S.: i think I'm going to make mine tonight, to replace a lightbulb that exploded in the bathroom :)

kill me now...

...use research!

I don't know why, but "research" is overwhelming me these days:

- I read a post about research done badly on Razvan's blog;

- I have a good friend who just got a new job in qualitative research and works days & night like

crazy;

- I met a lady researcher who impressed me (but only fashion-wise :));

- I've been to some focus groups with cigarette smokers and left there completely puzzled about the method, the interviewer, the questions, the place, the selection process...well, EVERYTHING! (it's been the worst focus group in my life :P);

- I' ve had to complete some questionnaires together with some friends and we totally screwed them up - yes, on purpose, because they were very poor (both in idea and execution), with lots of mistakes, lots of questions that were uselessly complicated and so on. Do you know what everybody said? "Fu*k them! Let's choose the middle line!"

So there's no wonder researchers complain that people always choose the middle answer - but it's really not their fault!

You see, with all this research hype, I'm not sure I have the answer for "what can be done?", but I've sure got a bit of a view on the subject: it sucks! And it really needs a lift!!

P.S.: the lovely bee above can be bought here, but handle it with care. No research, please!

wasabi & curry...

...soda?

Well, yes, of course. Only in Japan.

yabba dabba doo!

...work it out like it's the Stone Age!

Designer Robert Stadler created these funny-looking 3 and 5 kg dumb-bells out of Carrara marble. The "Forever Young" set is so trendy and looks so gorgeous, we guarantee you'll attract all eyes at the gym! Just don't let them hanging around the room at home...or you might find out they also make a good dog chew!!!

via NOTCOT.com.

what's your...

Hylephobia: The Fear of Epilepsy

Atelophobia: The Fear of Imperfection

Uranophobia: The Fear of Heaven

Athazagoraphobia: The Fear of Forgetting or of Being Forgotten

...phobia?

Today is a day of little words and lots of feeling.
Shannon Bonatakis does great illustration work - and I'm especially impressed by her "phobia" project. Do you like these?

meet...

...Pon and Zi

They are the wonderful creation of a very young artist named Jeff Thomas. Check out his super-cool stuff - including art prints, mouse pads, earrings, mugs and much more - in the shop.

I don't have anything more to say, except I love all these cuties, with their sad and lovely eyes.

Go grab them all!

P.S.: I would have put all the prints in here, but there's not enough room. The selection above was very hard to make - but there are a few situations that I think we can all recognize and relate to. Find yours :)

is fashion...

...frivolous or not?

My, my, my! Here's a subject everybody loves talking about. There are many sides, but the most common ones go like this:

- the ones that are regarded as being superficial because they admit fashion is important to them and because they love everything connected to it;

- the ones that say they don't care about fashion (they would, but they are too afraid to take chances, try stuff and have fun with it) only because they know they wouldn't be able to compete with their fashion-forward peers;

- the ones that say they don't care about fashion, but they do in fact- and that reflects in their attitude & the way they dress - it's only that they don't want to be labeled " frivolous".

Now, here's something Adrian Gill wrote on the subject: "People think that fashion is all frivolity and done by people who can’t do proper jobs, but Issie understood that it is very, very serious business in terms of civilization and culture. It’s the one piece of culture that every single person in the world participates in. Not everybody reads poetry or listens to music, but every single person in the world gets up in the morning and puts on something, and whether you like it or not, that’s a statement about who you are." (from here and here)

I know, it's not enough to change people's perception about fashion and not enough to make the ones that usually "cover themselves" make the big step to "dressing themselves". But it's enough to understand that, as we're all involved in this fashion process, we might at least accept it and like it. What's the point in living with our tomahawks under the pillow each night - when fashion is really such a great thing once you open up to it?

And if you don't believe any of this stuff, maybe the wonderful clothes from Kisca (above) will convince you.

we're just...

...doing our share

I already know you're going to say - "not again!" - but yes, I feel like talking a lot - and not superficially - once again (wow, that makes 2 of them! :P).

I dunno about you, but I'm beginning to get a little concerned. It's not that we're fuckin' (pardon my French) use billions of plastic bags each day, that we throw away even more plastic bottles or tin cans or that we use air conditioning appliances to the maximum or that we act totally careless and totally carefree about other life forms that breathe around us (yeah, I'm talking about burning down those weeds on the ground, cutting down those trees in the forest and killing that acvatic fauna by throwing tons of toothpaste, detergent and soap down the drain).

It's just that...the environment is really paying us back for all the harm we've done - and continue doing. I'm getting really serious about this and I think we all should. Fact is, people are laughing in your face when you say these kinds of things these days. Last week, I asked the lady in the supermarket NOT to wrap everything I bought in plastic -- she looked at me with sincere doubt on her face, like I was mocking her, and wrapped the stuff, saying "Look, this is the nice way we do things". But can she stop for a second and think - maybe I'M READY TO GIVE UP A NICE PLASTIC WRAP FOR SOME 1-2, maybe 3 more years of life on this planet. Yeah, I know, I'm being a bit over the top, but hey, this niceness is starting to piss me off. I really think we're over-consuming (the era of CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION is like SO OVER, people!!!!!!!!!!!), in spite of all the warnings.

You know, when I first saw the "Global Warming" campaign from Diesel (above), it felt pretty funny. And so does the "Global Warming Survival Handbook" at first sight. But try to look a bit deeper into the subject - and maybe you'll get the point.

my mood today is...

...grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!

After a full week at work following a full weekend at work (!!!!) - and especially after today's stuff, I'm feeling a bit shocked. Thinking of some days to come, I think I'm gonna get crazy! But thoughts of the weekend (plus my wonderful vacation soon to come) make me feel super-happy :)

Well, yes. We all have different moods at different times (though we'd love to be just happy all year long). And Poketo! gives us the funny set of mood bottle openers to celebrate this: Crazy, Shocked and Happy come together for $37 and separately for $13.

it's summer...

...yes, indeed!

Real surfing is not an option for me right now (as I work weekends and the seaside is off limits until next week, when I'll get my holiday!!!! yes :)), but that hasn't stopped me from surfing...the net. And while doing so today, I found this gorgeous picture on Sart's blog. I don't know what it is about this outfit, but I love it! Aren't you sick of guys sporting only black, grey or blue? And looking uncomfortable or too messy in their clothes? Yeah, there's plenty of that around.

But sometimes you just stumble upon someone like this - who feels utterly stylish and at ease with his clothes - and you get instantly happy!

The perfect hues, the imperfect ironing, the casual and sexy look of the shirt, which is tucked in, but not obssesively - they all make for this great picture! Plus he looks as he's in vacation (even if going to work), but without being sloppy or undone.

Two words: mucho style!

can you...

...can it, please?

This is a very ingenious idea from MacWay to hold your CDs. It's a can! Be

sides the fact that it looks very nice, you can also use it as a hiding place for stuff you don't want your parents (or little nosy brothers or sisters) to get their hands on.

Pretty great, huh?

ice cold...

...cool

From an era when everything had to match, when the ladies were super-elegant and things had a slower and much more enjoyable pace - here's International Harvester's "Decorator". A sticker that immediately improved the look of refrigerators or air conditioners, the Decorator seems such a funky retro idea today! Who wouldn't want one of these?

sweet memory via Hey, that's SWELL!

what the...

...oh, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

This is a very funny birthday card from Fomato. It really captures the late gift buyer's feelings and it's a really great way to make sum' fun and celebrate.

I'm not going to tell you what it says, you'll just have to click on the picture and see for yourselves :) It's big fun guaranteed!

bring the seaside...

...at home

Nautilus, Octopus, Coral, Seahorse...have you been scuba diving lately? No, these are all just great pillows in the "Seaside" collection from Dermond Peterson. Made out of natural linen and sporting fresh designs, these pillows can bring some of the relaxed maritime feeling to you, even if you're busy at work and getting no suntbaths this season.

via Design Sponge.

keep your thoughts...

...in one place

With all these heat waves hitting us right in the head and with the temperatures rising everyday, we're susceptible of losing our minds in the process. To prevent your thoughts from melting, use a beautiful journal like these above. Our favourites are the "Garden" and the "Owl" from SEAMRIPPER.

They are really super cute and colorful, exactly what we need this summer!

one hand...

...washes the other?

Or something like that! Well, you might not believe it, but this saying has now moved from being only a proverb! Yes, you can actually wash your hand with another one - and it's not yours!

Made out of goat's milk and glycerin, the baby hand soap is both creepy and cute. Imagine a handful (!) of little hands, reaching for you when you enter the bathroom.

We advise not to use them while cold or with the lights off - or if you do, make sure there's someone there filming: you could make a great scary movie scene in your own home.

via Kaboodle Blog.

hungry?

you know you are!

What could be yummier than these Egg and Orange tables (pictured above)? Nothing, I tell you! If you find yourself in the same situation as a friend of mine who just bought a new house and is looking for furniture, or if you're simply in the mood to buy something cute for your home, don't hesitate to get these cuties into your life!

For a fair price of around $300, they will be happy to decorate your place.

via Rare Bird Finds.

forward thinking...

...for the fashion-forward

OK, so we're all enjoying summer and making the most out if it. But don't forget it's in fact time for the winter list: what to buy, what to throw away, what to refresh in your wardrobe.

We found some very pretty pullovers from potipoti - who describe themselves as a "graphic fashion company based in Berlin and Spain" :).

Beyond this cute description, there is a super-interesting concept: all their products are inspired by a fantastic world of geometric and simple trace creatures who have both naive and sinister souls. A mixture of rage and tenderness. Hummm...you know I JUST LOVE THAT!!!! So that's why I couldn't help myself and chose these 2 pullovers above: THE PIGEON and THE MULE have this oldskool look, while they're also very childlike and funny.

They have some kind of a "grandma-and-grandpa-go-out-for-a-ski-trip-and-a-hot-tea" style that is really lovely! Think about cuddling with sweety in these on those winter nights... (oooh-kay, nobody wears pullovers in this case, but it seemed like the right thing to say).

jump in...

...the back to school mode

Sorry for the lack of posts these days, but I've been really stressed-out with my dissertation paper - an endeavour that seems to have had some (OK, a lot :)) of success. Now that I'm feeling free and super-happy, I'm back to my usual activities like loving pink (yup, still there) and enjoying cute and cool stuff.

But going back to the university after a while (I've skipped classes big time this last year) gave me some kind of a nostalgic feeling. It felt so great - like being a kid again and just hanging around at school and having fun, no worries or duties attached :)

So here's something to celebrate this feeling: the Gary Baseman "Lunch of unearthly Delights" lunch box from Tokyo Store. You can even take it to the office - though some people might find it strange if you're over 10, it's guaranteed you'll find a lot of other peers who feel the same.

Being a kid is great - nothing wrong about loving that. At least in our book.

what's new...

...in your supermarket?

The "heart stick" and the "star stick" - funny shaped cucumbers to be found in...Tokyo, where else? :) And that great salad...who could refuse such a lovely thing?

via Ping Mag.

tuna, peppers...

...and extra cheese, pleese! :)

Don't you just love it when artists start drawing on everything they have at hand (or in hand)? :)

This one - by the name of Brad Eastman a.k.a. Beastman :P - made this cutie above on a pizza box. If you don't believe us, just look deeper into the picture. Huh? See the greasy parts?

I guess it adds a bit of flavour to the work :)

Love it!