>> popular headwear

This is so cute for a little kid's room (via Mary Caple).

>> sky lanterns

Matt and I just got back from The Bahamas for our dear friend Alex's birthday. After dinner one night, paper sky lanterns were set off over the harbor and we all watched as they slowly floated up into the dark sky—one of the most beautiful and poetic things I've ever seen at a dinner party. The airborne paper lanterns (also known as Kongming Lanterns) are a staple in some Asian cultures and are simply constructed from oiled rice paper on a bamboo frame, and contain a small candle or fuel cell composed of a waxy flammable material. When lit, the flame heats the air inside the lantern, lifting the lantern into the air. So cool and so great for weddings and parties! Get a 5 pack right here for $18.

>> tiny toddler chair

How do parents resist the cuteness of toddler furniture? I saw this mini mid-century chair at a vintage store on 4th street in Long Beach (forgot the store's name, but it's right next to Number Nine Noodles). I almost justified the $145 price tag by saying I'd give it to my favorite toddler but logically walked away unscathed. But it was hard. Very hard.

>> current obsession: crafting community

I know I'm not the key demographic for this as I am neither a child nor a mother, but, I'm totally and completely obsessed with Crafting Community, a weekend of hip arty and good old fashioned family fun hosted by Kimmel Kids and Kid Concierge. This time (and don't worry they happen throughout the year) 75 families headed for The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs for fun events, pool time, and plenty of activities to keep the little ones (and big ones) muy occupado.

Splendid, the weekend's main sponsor, set up a pop-up shop at the hotel where kids (and...ahem, grown-ups) could design their own scarves! You pick four fabrics, staple them to a sheet and the seamstress gets cracking on it. I'm wearing mine right now.



The schedule of activities and classes is massive and includes DJ-ing 101, spin art on old LPs, fort building classes (OMG!), Skate-Or-Dioramas, underwater photography, garland making, succulent assembly, friendship bracelet classes and good old macrame.

This is literally too cool for school. For more info: click here!

>> red rocks

Matt and I drove into the Mojave dessert yesterday for a little day trip to Red Rock Canyon State Park, a much needed mini escape from our computers and cell phones. It's about 2 hours east of L.A., and the hike is pretty amazing.

All of these ridges were under water ten million years ago.

You can get misted post-hike at The Jawbone Country store.

A few souvenirs.

>> lost & found is online

Good news for non-L.A. people: Lost & Found, the home, men's, women's and kid's store on Yucca that I live dangerously close to just launched their online store! Check it out!

>> cocktail hour at the pool

Campari soda (recipe); The Savoy Cocktail book ($20 new); 1950s Italian bar cart ($2,400); Kisses 7" single ($7) or here on iTunes; red Supergas ($70); Spaghetti stool, 1979 ($335); Perrier tumbler ($12); beach blankets ($48); Bird-Electron portable speaker ($80); paper straws ($3); Gaucho boardshorts ($58).

>> fallingwater legos

The Frank Lloyd Wright Fallingwater Lego kit ($82) totally rules and since it's for ages 16+ (811 pieces!), I didn't feel like a total loser that it took me hours upon hours to complete. In fact, it put me in a zen-like state of happiness. Adult Legos, it could be the new Prozac.

>> current obsession: truck furniture

There really isn't a single thing from the Osaka-based furniture line Truck, that I don't like—even if I can't really understand most of their website. It's only available in Japan, but rumors are spreading that it may be arriving in Europe or the US soon. In the mean time, two tickets to Osaka please!

>> in the loop

My friend Alex and I went to the Los Angeles Antiques Show preview night yesterday at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, which is open to the public now until Sunday and worth a visit if you're in the neighborhood. There are 50-some exhibitors from all over California, the U.S. and even a few in from Europe. The booth that I really thought was stealing the show was predictably the New York and L.A.-based antiques dealer Downtown. I forgot my camera battery (of course), but they have a great little set up of mid-century designs that actually look really fresh. Downtown also has a collection of pieces inspired by iconic design that they manufacture new, like the above Frances Elkins loop chairs, that I would literally kill someone for. I know the new outdoor chair on the far left can be powder coated in hundreds of colors and I think goes for about $2,200 a chair, and my guess is the prices get steeper from there.

A scan from my copy of Frances Elkins Interior Design ($44) of Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler's living room in Lake Forest, Illinois circa 1934.

>> things to learn!

things to learn from Matt Edgar on Vimeo.

This morning, one of the first things I did was watch this video made for Dutch school children. Hello, good way to start the day. Via Swiss Miss

>> frank lloyd wright legos!

As a kid I LOVED Legos, like, A LOT! I just saw these new Lego editions of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater ($100) and The Guggenheim ($40) and think I might have to get back into Legos again.

Villa Julia

As a kid who grew up as a total tomboy, dolls and dollhouses never seemed to make the cut, which is why I'm loving these new Villa Julia houses for children ($274) designed by Javier Mariscal. What's even cooler is that kids can decorate the cardboard houses by coloring on the exterior.

Kimmel Kids

I just got a tour of the incredibly cool studio of the tremendously talented artist Karen Kimmel. And when I say "tremendously talented" that may be an understatement as she's collaborated with Aardvark Letterpress, New Editions, Fendi, Nike and Marc Jacobs. Her work has been exhibited at a long list of galleries and museums including Chicago's MCA—and featured in Vogue, W, and on Design*Sponge to name a few media outlets. So needless to say, she's an accomplished artist. Recently Kimmel put out a line of laser-cut stencils for kids called The Art of Exchange Art Tools ($12-$120). She was telling me this morning how sometimes kids reach a certain age in school and everything to do with coloring and art becomes about accuracy, so she was inspired to make creative artistic tools for kids that foster exploration and abstract thinking. I think they're great! They're aimed for kids ages 6 and up, but I have to be frank, I want them for myself. Plus, the canvas case they come in can double as a super cool laptop sleeve. For more info check out: Karen Kimmel and Kimmel Kids. Thanks Karen!

Fortune Chicken

I came across this Dutch "Fortune Chicken" ($19) today and had to put it on the blog immediately. I'm not sure exactly what it is or the history (if there is one), but here's what I do know: it's a 3"x3" chicken with the simple instructions of, "Smash this chicken in times of confusion or great despair". To smash or not to smash? The choice is all yours...

Roberta Roller Rabbit

Current obsession: Everything at Roberta Roller Rabbit, and it's pretty reasonably priced. Big cata pink pillow ($40).

turquoise quilt ($125).

Picnic throws ($125 each).

Francesca placemat ($12 each)

Flavia napkin ($8 each)

New Stone Age

If I could make a "dream goodie bag", yes, I just said that, it would all be stuff from New Stone Age in L.A. Incredible little do-dads. And their friendship bracelets are some of my most favorites around. 8407 W. 3rd St., LA.




Sparklers in both the giant and mini sizes!

Babies!

Designing a baby's room must be so incredibly fun. It's free reign to go a little crazy with color, sculpture, paint and all that cool stuff that you would never put in your bedroom because you're too old. I saw this PukaPuka mobile ($68) today (via Swiss-Miss) inspired by Spring blossoms and thought, "could this work over MY bed?"

Ooh La La

On Sunday Matt and I drove down to Laguna Beach for some fish tacos—but really my motivation was to go to the Kerry Cassill store La La, one of my absolute favorite stores behind the Orange Curtain. I love the beachy feel of the store, so appropriate for Kerry's soft, fun, and casual fabrics. I think the Hubz-to-be would agree, doesn't he look fascinated? 1145 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA.