Look Look Look Look

I love this adorable series of murals in Philadelphia by Stephen Powers:

via Morale Agency

Terrariums

I kind of want to cover every surface in my apartment with terrariums. There's even a group on flickr devoted to these wonderful things. Plus, I'd bet they're relatively roommate-friendly!

first, second

Kismet

Sometimes I wonder how often the people in missed connections listings actually get to meet. If nothing else, wouldn't it be a funny story to tell their friends?
A few weeks ago I left a note on a guy's car because I liked his bumper stickers. We went out a few times but nothing came of it. I still believe in kismet. Reading these illustrated missed connections gives me hope--it could happen to anyone!

"Are you scared of birds or something? Well, whatever the case, it was cute. Do you live on N7th too? We could hang out. "

"If not for your noisy Tambourine, I would not have seen you. Your green skirt looked terrible, but that leather jacket makes you look just right. I was the attractive guy sitting to your left just before you got off. "

Cold Weather

I would love to own a print by Jon Klassen.

Jacques Hnizdovsky

Loving these woodcut images by Jacques Hnizdovsky. The grey tones remind me of autumn.

Light

This piece, called Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity, by Yayoi Kusama, is purely stunning. I love the title too.

via Morale Agency

Instructions

David Horvitz decided to write clever instructional ideas throughout 2009. You can buy a subscription or opt to view them online. I love how completely random and sweet his suggestions are.

Frivolous Machines

I'm pretty easily charmed by flashy contraptions. It's almost a given, then, that I'm taken with Rube Goldberg-style designs, which are purely devoted to garnering an audience rather than doing anything remotely useful.
Couple that with my love of internet design and programming and you get this amazing website by Hema! It's an adorable little page whose contents interact to form a Goldberg-esque chain reaction.

via finsbry

Beat of your own

Check this out: a Do-It-Yourself music box. It comes with a hole punch and instructions so you can punch away the notes to your own mini-masterpiece. This would be a really cute small gift.

I bet

What do I need? To quit spending money so freely-- and a hug. However mundane, it's always interesting to listen to the perceived necessities of others. Doing so can provide perspective-- or perhaps the realization of another personal need!
This clever little site provides a forum for every sort of necessity under the sun, be it cherry limeade, love, or socks. It was created by the fabulous Kristen over at postcards from the side of the room, and I love it.

Mailbox

Lately I have been inspired by handwritten letters. With good reason, as I've been receiving quite a bit of mail from Evan. Speaking of a similar aesthetic, he must have gone to an antique store to buy some of these gorgeous old-timey postcards! I love looking at them. It really is so nice to receive snail mail; I'm a lucky girl.

Birch nightstand

This tutorial on building a birch log table is really great. I'm fascinated by the shape and texture of the grouped logs; I'd love to create my own to use as a nightstand. Doing so would definitely add some personality to my bedroom!

Bicycle built for anyone

Today I'm looking at this whimsical illustration of quite a few different bikes as observed by Scott Barry in Amsterdam. I love their impossibly curvy frames and exaggerated details!

Green with envy

A bunch of my friends have been toiling away this summer creating a garden at Evan's apartment. There are sections for potatoes, garlic, greens, and herbs, among other things. Needless to say, I'm ridiculously jealous. I'll be back in town by the end of summer to sample the fruits of their collective labor, but for now this photo will have to suffice.

Try not to look

Does anyone else remember the Hamster Dance website that was popular in the '90s? Well, Sweet GIFs is a step up from that. The site contains the most hypnotic moving images you'll ever find.

(via kate spade)

Knit Blanket

I suppose it's just a silly whim, considering it's summer and all, but I'd love to own a colorful hand-knit blanket like this. It just looks so cozy!

photo via Merricat

Here are some adorable lambswool options from Donna Wilson:Come fall, I'm totally on the lookout for one.

Eye Candy

This past Saturday I visited San Francisco for the first time ever. The city itself was amazing although the weather was pretty dreadful-- 50-some degrees and foggy. I'd been warned to expect such a climate but was still a little shocked by the chill in the air.

The weather was nothing compared to the fascinating rowhouses in the city. As much as I had anticipated the gorgeous architecture, I was still blown away by the zany use of color, intricate plasterwork, and the sheer individuality of each building.

All by urban city arch

The Creative Process

Check out these writers' creative spaces on Apartment Therapy. Should there have been a shiny old typewriter somewhere in the above photograph, every one of my own romanticized notions of becoming a writer would have been completely indulged.

Dylan Thomas' Writing Shed: Kenny Hemphill under license by Creative Commons

Free Association

Today is a big day. All of the following is running through my mind:

PostSecret

evanpaint

Amy Nieto


What's on your mind today? Happy Memorial Day : )

Love Letters

The one redeeming feature of a long-distance relationship is the wonderful letters I anticipate receiving. I've already bought some neat stationery for this purpose; too bad I couldn't use these amazing Mexican stamps.
You can, however, find 'em on eBay. Since the USPS won't take them, at least they're frame-worthy.