Shhhhhhhhhhh!

It was very loud in here yesterday - did you notice that? Well we're toning it down a little this morning to a few pretty muted tones starting with wonderfully resurfaced, and repurposed, vintage furniture from Knack Studios - love it! Makes me want to snap on my rubber gloves, grab a can of paint stripper and refinish that cupboard that's in the barn.

Found

I am really taken by these aprons from Ice Milk Aprons. These beautiful linen aprons are so cool and so crisp - and so french! I love the big wide waist band on the first one and the wide sash on the other 2. They are just great and I love the way they display them on their site. Very nice - really glad I ran into these on Twitter!

Oddities

It's the odd things that catch my eye most often like these 2 inexpensive, but very eye catching, little necklaces from Sisply - I would wear that horse around my neck any day.

Random Objects

Beautiful and ethereal ceramic art from Molly Hatch - original and unique, how refreshing!

Wake up eyeballs

Now before you all yell at me, "I thought you didn't like anything from the 70s!" you are right - I normally recoil at most brown, orange and psychedelic combinations in honor of the horrible stretchy crimpoline monstrosities we had to wear in that decade of bad taste - BUT this is different - take those retro patterns and colours and combine them with some calm white space, group them in complimentary ways  and I can be convinced of their merit - yes I can! These super pillows and quilts are produced by Canadians Ouno Design, who use, amongst other things, vintage scarves to produce these wonderful home wares. They also have an Etsy shop.

Random Fun

I think this is so funny and cool. This is the 'business card' of a certain hairstylist who obviously has a great sense of humour and lots of crafty time on her hands. Designed by Alexis Rom, you can mix and match the rubber stamp hairdos until you are blue in the face - or red in the face and blue in the hair, as is the case here!

Interiors

We are all about interiors here at the cafe this morning! Here's something different - a renovated church in NW London. What do you think of this? The space is simply breathtaking - though I wonder if you would have to speak quietly and be on your best behaviour all the time if you lived here?

Interiors

This is a very pretty New York city apartment. I love all the turquoise accents and the pale green trim. Check out the beautiful bed below.

Interiors

This is an interesting space - a beautiful country house in Wiltshire, England. Very grand but really stark. Uncluttered rooms with faded grandeur - I like that look - reminds me of some of my grandma's friends houses in Scotland that had amazing hidden rooms and secret staircases - as a kid they were great fun to visit.

Isn't this a wonderful hallway - old floors, high ceilings and long pink drapes - yes please!

Inspiration

These mid century pieces of furniture were upholstered in vintage Middle Eastern fabrics by Lebanese designers Huda Baroudi and Maria Hibri of Bokja. Love the juxtaposition - what do you think?

Random Objects

Look at this pretty pin from 5 Gardenias. I love the way she uses vintage dolls house furniture as props in her photography - great idea. I think this pretty green brooch should be a ring - a fabulous ring!

Illustration

I managed to sneak this out of Doug's studio today. He worked on this on Friday - a rush job for the Wall Street Journal. I love it! Nice job Doug! The story was all about slowing your life down, giving up your cell phones and computers and going low tech to find more time to enjoy your life . . . hmmmm, nope.

Inspiration

I ran across this on Maya Made the other day via Mari at Small For Big.  I see these vintage Indian wood blocks all the time in cool import stores but it never crossed my mind to actually print with them - duh? Well  Maya went ahead and printed lovely linen with fabric paint (rolled onto the block with a brayer) and voila - looks fantastic. Now you try!

Scored

Well I scored at the weekend - I scored a pair of absolutely brilliant, really old, cast bronze elephant book ends. I love them. I got them at our local antique store who always have great things - the Bronze Peacock. Marlene had purchased a whole lot of bookends from a collector and they are selling fast. What a great theme for a collection - so beautiful and useful too. She has a couple of art deco owls(look like a Rockwell Kent illustration) that are on hold for some one else(hmmmm, who would that be?) - but I am hoping I might score those too. Thanks Linda for the heads-up on those.

Random Objects

These are a really great idea - I have dozens of vintage felt pennants and I have them stashed away, never to see the light of day -  well really, I love them but what am I supposed to do with them? This pillow idea is very cool . From Leslie Janson.