We’ve had this fab, rare, 19C French dining table in storage, hoping that we’d have a place for it in the Laboratory. Unfortunately, it’s eight-foot length just won’t work in the configuration of our space. We’ve decided to sell it, for a steal. The buyer would arrange for an pay for shipping from Seattle (or pick it…
Read MoreMaking Music with…Rain
(Video link HERE.) Recently we stumbled on this video of music made with rain drops. Rain as percussion instrument: MUSIC. It’s pretty swell, and very carefully thought out, with its haute technology and count of rain drops. We love Fast Forward’s Rain Music for it’s utter in-the-moment directness and accessibility. (Video link HERE.)
Read MoreAnthony Giglio Kills at the Moth!
Anthony Giglio is journalist, sommelier, and author of Food & Wine Wine Guides, Cocktails in New York and Mr. Boston’s Official Bartender’s Guide. He is wine blogger for Details and Improvised Life’s deviser of brilliant, simple strategies for celebrations both grand and low-key. Of late, Anthony revealed yet another side of himself: a superb storyteller whose personal stories move and transform. He brought…
Read MoreBack to Basics with Homemade Household Products
Here’s something to put up on your refrigerator door: a chart showing 72 practical uses of common “core” ingredients that make up our (far more expensive) store-bought soaps, lotions and surface cleaners. The idea is that all of the countless “new and improved!” drugstore potions lining our cabinet shelves are really just permutations of six or seven simple active components
Read MoreStylish Repurposed Tables from RioEtc
When we start poking around the google translate version of rioetc.com.br, a site meant to show the stylish side of Rio, we found, over several separate posts some compelling mashups of tables. The first, the coffee table, above, which appears to be made of mismatched crates, some with wheels, some not, and a cubist hunk of…is…
Read MoreMaira Kalman on Daydreaming, Eccentricity, and Not Knowing What is Going On
(Vido link HERE.) Portraits in Creativity is a series of short-form videos by renown creative director Gael Towey about the bravery and processes of artists and artisans. Who could better start off the series than the great, wise, observant Maira Kalman? Kalman’s drawing and writing gets to the essence of “not knowing what is going on” and celebrates…
Read MoreSchool Girl Parcour
(Video link HERE.) In the annals of “breaking stereotypes” is this thrilling, mind-boggling, closer-than-bird’s-eye view of two Japanese schoolgirls doing seriously Ninja Parcour — usually the realm of young men — all around the city of Atami. YES!!!!!!
Read MoreGo DIY (or buy) and Fly a Kite!
Fredericks & Mae’s beautiful Floralia – Fighter kite is meant to hang a wall to IMAGINE flying in air. But for us, it is inspiration for diy kites you can fly, like the one we saw the other day being flown from a Harlem rooftop. Made by Joel has a great tutorial, one of many kite plans we found online.
Read MoreAmazing Makeshift, Human-Powered Mobile Home
Liu Lingchao built a makeshift dwelling to house himself as he walked back to his hometown in China. He has carried it on his shoulders daily for five years as he walks home.
Read MoreHouse Tour with Life Lessons: Tom Fallon’s Shelter Island Cottage
When our friend Tom Fallon’s Shelter Island cottage was featured in Hamptons Cottages & Gardens, we realized just how many lessons about home design and LIFE we learned from him over the years. Here they are, with pictures by Jason Penney.
Read MoreMay the Mistakes I Make Light the Way
We were really struck by this sign we found on Hedviggen. Burning bridges is a pretty intense thing to do, and it made us think hard about that idea, of being able NEVER to go back because of a bridge we’ve burned. We do believe that in just about any action, there are always possibilities…
Read MoreDo a Wheelie!!
We LOVE everything that is in clear defiance of age (or any other) limiting stereotypes. You GO girl/woman/lady/man/daddy/mister/ms/miss/mama….! via Pinterest
Read MoreIndustrial Materials for DIY (Incl Vibration Fixes)
We have a thing for industrial materials: the mysterious raw materials used by various industries that were traditionally off-limits to the public. Years ago, we learned that if we could find a source, we could buy them like anyone else. Recently, we had an adventure and lesson in the vast possibilities of rubber products (and made some big discoveries we didn’t expect).
Read MoreSculptural, Dimensional Textiles—for Couture or DIY
We love designer Zita Merényi’s Provo-CUT collection of seared-and-soldered neoprene garments. Forgoing traditional draping and stitching, these pieces are instead constructed panel-by-panel, pleated together, and heat-joined into dimensional, puffy, future-ish jackets and cloaks punctuated by thick, raw seams and unlikely openings. The gist: synthetic fabics melt, so heat, not thread can be used to join the seams.
Read MoreLearning to Fly at Home (Yves Lecoq)
Somewhere in our massive virtual rambles, we came across the images of Yves Lecoq, one of the best photographic fantasists we’ve seen. His images seem absolutely real. One of his ongoing themes is humans rigging ways to fly. That, of course, would be us.
Read MoreSea Shell Printed Cookies and Pie Crusts
While putting together our post on Sea Shell Salt Cellars the other day, we stumbled on this lovely idea: impressing cookie or pie dough with a small ridged scallop (or other) sea shell. Then we wondered what to we recommend that we KNOW will take the impression? H-m-m-m. Eh voila! Our friends at Kitchen Repertoire’s…
Read MoreImprovised Life Love
With thanks for your many generous ways of supporting and collaborating with us!
Read MoreGraffiteed River Rock Monster
We found this clever river rock monster on Anonymous Works. It’s a vintage albumen print with year 1915 penciled faintly on the back. We LOVE that guerrilla art was alive and well a century ago! AND the idea of being a guerrilla ANYWHERE!
Read MoreAnnals of Bad Design: COS Lightweight Backpack + Our FIX
When we looked at images of the COS Lightweight Backpack online and read the product description we thought PERFECT. Just what we’re looking for: Made from a lightweight technical fabric, this cotton-lined backpack has an all-over print and fastens using a magnet and wide drawstring. Multi-functional, it can also be worn as a tote bag…
Read MoreFreeform Architecture LEGO Kit in Monochrome White (+ D-I-Y Alternative)
Having long been enamored of building blocks both miniature and life-sized for their cool modularity and open invitation to improvise, I find this jumbo building kit from LEGO is the perfect thing for adults to play/plan/build with. Whether to envision a real-life project in small scale or simply get out of your own head for a minute, these…
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