Oh My.

I don't think I even need words to go with this picture. Am I having a diabetic seizure?

Find 'em at Sprinkles.

Mmmmmm....... Cup-cakey.........

How novel is this? Don't you just feel like Doris Day when you send your dear hubby and kiddles off with a fresh-as-a-daisy cupcake to snap open and eat, arriving perfectly as if fallen into a wormhole?

You know you do. Now go visit Cup-A-Cake and bake a dozen.

Okay, they're a little pricey. But I want one anyway. At first, I was like, whaaaat? A bike with not pedals? Then reading a bit, I found out that this has been a long-lived European tradition, and it makes sense: first you learn how to steer, THEN you learn how to power yourself. After watching Isabel try to ride her tricycle, I quickly realized that as smart as she is (and I am convinced she is a golden-child-genius), she can get the pedal-power down, but only at the sacrifice of the steering. I would love to be able to make it all easier for her. I believe this is my answer. I also like the way the mostly-wood construction, minimal paint, looks as well. Check 'em out over at maukilo.com, where they also have our beloved Rody the Jumping Horse, which Isabel affectionately refers to as "Donkey." Beautiful colors.

Ooooh, I could just EAT YOU UP!

Okay, I admit it, I talk to Isabel like this. Poor baby. Some days I could just devour my little pumpkin, jellybean, yummy baby.

Here is something adorable for your adored: cute-as-a-button hair-clips, with cherries, puppies, bunnies and more. As if you didn't want to eat them up already....

Swell Baby

I was just emailing a friend back and forth about old-fashioned words (you know who you are), and was delighted (yes, I said delighted) to again come across this lovely collection of softly colored pastel wooden blocks, with a darling retro graphics. Apparently they were even good enough to be featured by Martha Stewart, no doubt. Nice work, Swell Baby.

Good, more than one way.

Brought to you by a fair trade member, these yoyos are not only beautiful, but you can feel good about what you are buying;s something always in the back of my mind. They make great gifts which come with cards that explain the story: to make your recipient feel even better, that you were not only thinking of them. While you are at it, check out the rest of the Fair Trade Store.

Live Earthy.

I just ran across this site again, apply named Viva Terra. There are so many great things here that it was hard to choose just one pic, but this slate cheese board was pretty friggin' awesome. Who doesn't need one of these to impress your guests?

I also really love the teak bath accessories, and a lot of the kitchen decor such as driftwood trivets and wine caddies. You simply can't go wring with the Hinoki Wood Bath Mat, especially after reading what they say about it...

"Hinoki, or Japanese cypress, has long been prized for its natural antibacterial agents and its resistance to humidity. Both make it ideal for bathing accessories. The highly therapeutic wood contains minerals and essential oils traditionally used in Japan to treat skin irritations, cure asthma and reduce stress."

I am sold on just about all this stuff. Great site.

Squiddles the Shriner?

Oh - this stuff is so reminiscent of a simpler time. I just love the humor in this simple graphic 50's style art. It is almost hard to believe that someone is so talented that they are producing art in this fashion - flawlessly. Not to mention their fabulous selection of t-shirts, Gigantic Brand has unique art prints, and "other fun stuff," all in the same fabulous vein.

What's better than chocolate?

Chocolate in the form of laughing Buddha. Here is Hotei, or commonly known (albeit incorrectly, as Hotei is not Buddha at all, silly kids) as the Laughing Buddha. Like eating chocolate doesn't make you happy enough... just looking at this makes you revved up in glee.....
The folks at chocolatedeities.com have created lovely handmade chocolates in just about every form of deity and religious symbol, of which Hotei is my all-time favorite.

artists abound

I seem to be on a kick of finding artists and wanting to post their artwork: one of the glorious attributes of the Internet. Here is something beyond craft/crafty and so on....
This image doesn't do this work justice - you have to go see the work of Lisa Solomon, especially this work here, entitled Doily Body [lungs, gut, brain, heart], 2006, colored pencil and embroidery on dura-lar, 12" x 9". It is intricate and apparently random and precise all at the same time. The colors are lovely, and composition delightful. This reminds me of the brightly colored yarn we used to dip in liquid starch and dry in elementary school, only much more sophisticated.
There is just something very appealing to be from an artistic standpoint, to a fascination with robots, flowers and pretty dresses.

The age of tech is better than I thought.

I must confess.
I come from a long line of sceptics. I remember listening to my grandfather, a WWII Flying Tiger, drawl out in his angry gruff voice, "I don't need no goddam radars!"
After all, computers DO make my life much more complicated in many respects, especially when things I need NOW go missing. And when it comes to art, I tended to think technology just makes things simpler, not better. I mean, Photoshop can make some pretty corny stuff. I have seen some okay phots destroyed with the "artistic" options on more than one occasion. However, and I will unabashedly admit that there are those that take it to a new level; I occasionally go, "Yup, I could never do that myself."
Here is an example of some pretty fine digital manipulation of photographs. I know enough about design to identify some crucial aspects of Michelle Caplan's work. You can't just go around diluting and lapping images; there is a master mind behind the subtle colors and crafty composition. The ephemera is gorgeous as well.
In plain words... the stuff is cool.