Mother Dammit

A great blog.

Really Cute Packaging Idea

I read about is packaging idea by Mandi posted at A Beautiful Mess, basically sewing an envelope out of paper grocery bags. So simple and easy and cheap, and when it comes to packaging my items I've sold, I'm all about recycling, reusing, and cheap. And now it can also be super cute! Here are my results, where I didn't exactly follow Mandi's more intelligent method, because reading instructions after a project is how I usually work things.

Cool Blog: .Speck

XYQ over with .Speck in Portland has left us a few nice comments through out the blog. She's got some great style and seems very much the West Coast Deluxa counterpart--great vintage furniture for sale, posts on design and interiors and whatever strikes her fancy. She even has Bill Stephens chairs in stock. I certainly look forward to keeping tabs on her blog and site to see what finds she comes up with and what inspiration she'll dole out. Just check out this bookshelf on her "about" page on her site:

Super cool.

Tumblr

I did mention an interest in Tumblr about a month ago, and have been happily going at it since. While I don't participate on it socially (although a quick peek now and then, especially here, is worth while), I do really like using it as my own special keepsake deposit of images that inspire me as I wonder around the internets. I also like how it hooks up to your Twitter account incoming feeds, so it is one less place to go. Further in the social-ese firmament, I've been using my personal Buzz a bit here and there in a similar way, connected with my Google Reader shares and this blog, but while that seems more a platform for sharing content other people may like, Tumblr (for me) is what I use quite specifically for what I like, without feeling so much like I'm imposing. Here is my Tumblr, if you'd like me to impose. The account has also made its way into the sidebar, which I'm really enjoying having there as gratuitous eye candy.

On a somewhat related note, I tumbld this, and can't get it out of my head. I have no apologies. There are some awesome moments to this song.

Market Publique

For those of you who may be a fan on Facebook, you may remember some time ago when I shared a tip on the new vintage online market place Market Publique. In a round about way I ended up getting in contact with one of the founders, Pamela, who also runs the awesome blog.

In short, MP is alot like Etsy, but for vintage clothing hounds, way way better. There is room for hosting many more and much larger photos (without having to click to zoom in, and really, with clothing, you need more than just 5 pictures), a much more clothing-friendly layout, a way hipper aesthetic and logo (really Etsy? that's the best you can do on a logo?), and maybe the best part: selectivity of sellers. This means you don't have to sift through five thousand posts of some crazy lady trying to convince you that something that is butt-ugly isn't. No crappy photos, no faux Hong Kong "vintage", no 5 seasons old Target clothes. It's a big sigh of aesthetic relief for the vintage clothing shopper.

Lucky for us, we've been made members, joining the likes of NYC neighbors Amarcord, Boston's Artifaktori, along with MP's very own selections. I've only got a few items up, but many more soon to follow. Here's a photo of a belted leather coat that is a MP exclusive:

And just look how cute Pamela is!

SOLD: Lucite and Nylon Chandelier

SOLD

Matthew Lyons and Tumblr

Discovered thorough the impeccable Scott Hansen of ISO50 the work of 21 year old Matthew Lyons. Here's a little tease of some of his excellent retro inspired illustrations:







It seems the more you study his work , you can really see how he takes the stylized geometries of the vintage style but turns things slightly askance, a little Gorillaz, a little sinister, a little awesome. Also, these look better larger, so click the pics to achieve full awesomeness.

After looking through Lyons portfolio, I also came across his Tumblr account, and am now a Tumblr convert. Here are just a few of his jewels--can't wait to build a collection of my own...





Let the hoarding begin!

As A Lover Of Sharpies

I'm in love with Long Live Analog's work on a pitch for Sharpie. I kid you not: from where I sit, I have, within arms reach, no less than seven Sharpies, including silver, fine point purple, and ultra fine point lime green. I'm thinking of taking an hour off tomorrow to doodle in the afternoon sun...

Grain Edit

How have I missed this blog this long?

Alvar Aalto Studio Tour

Bowled. Over. Kicking myself for selling my Aalto stool and chairs now... Full tour and lots more incredible photos over at Apartment Therapy.

These perfect flat files.

The chairs, the pendant lamps, all those little boxes, SWOON.

The light.

Sighhh.

DIY Bead Chandlier

Can't say enough how in love I am with this DIY project on Design*Sponge. IN. LOVE.


Click here for directions.

Vintage Pyrex on Apartment Therapy

I'm loving these two shots from a recent post on Apartment Therapy on decorating with vintage Pyrex. The bottom shot is from the creators of Pyrex Love, which is a great site and resource for all that is Pyrex. So wonderful to get a peek into their home and see that their style extends far beyond utilitarian glassware! More with Pyrex here, here, and here.

Design*Sponge Pic on Ffffound!

Ffffound! picked up the star photo of our Design*Sponge photo spread. That makes two interiors by Lorie Reilly and me now! Here is the first.

Left Over Design*Sponge Pics

Here's a few other photos from our shoot for Design*Sponge that didn't get picked up. Enjoy!

I knitted this bunny to look just like Bernina. (The one of Belikin is still on the way.) From a pattern by Jess Hutchison.

Detail shot of our dinette top. That's my favorite Ekco Eterna Canoe flatware there which I adore.

At last more pics of Eva Zeisel! That is my slowly growing collection of Red Wing Town and Country plates, next to Eva Zeisel Federal Glass "Lo-Balls".

The BF's wall-o-music.

This last one is my favorite shot of the entire shoot. In the back are panels from my mother's Mercury dime collection. The photos are both of my parents as children; the Spirograph set is one that is identical to a set I had as a kid. Some very favoritest books including Andrew Wyeth, Factory Records, and some of the excellent Ellen Lupton. The circular block art is from Sophia's Sweet Spot. The "pretend bunny" was bought on the street in Manhattan, long before we had any real bunnies, foreshadowing what is now quite the collection...

Check out the selects from Design*Sponge here if you haven't gotten a chance yet--we are still so super flattered that we got to share our home. Also, we've switched things up in our space since the shoot, and have moved the dinette set back to the sales floor, so it's available for $550.

We're Featured on Design*Sponge!

The supremely awesome Amy Azzarito who covered Deluxa for Apartment Therapy some months ago invited us to participate in one of Design*Sponge's Sneak Peeks! We got to literally and figuratively "pull back the curtain" to share our living space in the store, and show off our "little beasts" (our pet bunnies, Bernina and Belikin). Here's some of the pics from the post; here is the link for the full post, with explanations and descriptions.




In all we are so incredibly flattered and delighted to be a part of Design*Sponge and to get to share our home with such a great community!

Big thanks to Lorie Reilly who also did our website photos for all her help. She took tons of great shots, and of course D*S couldn't use them all, so don't be surprised if the strays pop up on the blog sometime soon!

Blog Layout Updates

At long last, we've got a blog roll. I still may tweak it here and there for a bit, but it's up and ready to be plundered--have at it!

Also, I added a little Facebook widget, which is pretty darned cool. You can +1 Fan right there, and keep up with our Facebook posts as well.

Softly Sparkling

Video called "Softly Sparkling" via Sleepy Faun. Charming and vintage-y. My favorite part of course is socks with sandals.

Loveless Music Group Mix by RX Gibbs

Here is another great mix from a dear old friend who put this together for the Loveless Music Group Blog, RX Gibbs. Highly recommended--it's been playing in the store all day.


The Ruby Suns - Blue Penguin.mp3
Kiln - The Colorfreak.mp3
Lusine - Push.mp3
Sun - Sleepin(Hrvastski Mix).mp3
Casino Versus Japan - Aquarium.mp3
Seefeel - Industrious.mp3
School Of Seven Bells - Half Asleep.mp3
Telepathe - So Fine.mp3
Boat Club - Always Away.mp3
The Still Corners - History Of Love.mp3
Moose - Love On The Dole.mp3
Cocteau Twins - Sighs Smell Of Farewell.mp3
Casino Versus Japan - Slow Dance Of Dungeons.mp3
Grouper - Invisible.mp3
Loscil - Emma.mp3


Don't foget to check out RX Gibbs as well, beautiful, blissful stuff.

Weekend In The Poconos

As Deluxa is fast approaching its one year anniversary, unbelievably, we've only sneaked away on our own this last weekend for our first get away since this whole thing began.



It doesn't look like August, but it was beautiful, serene, and completely regenerative. We BBQed, went for a drive, swam, saunaed, drank wine, played tennis, pet cute kitties, hung out with good friends over great dinner, listened to good music, slept in comfy beds, all the things normal people do. Relaxing.

Huge thanks to our friends J & K (K of the fantastic Modern Good Life) for letting us stay in their amazing and inspiring home.

Now that we are back though, lots more updates and good news and great vintage to come!

Our Chairs Are On Apartment Therapy!

Unfortunately for the burst people that have been calling, our sea foam club chairs that were featured on Apartment Therapy sold in a flash this morning.

Here's the link to the post, and a screen shot below, along with the photos posted with the Craigslist ad:











Also after poking around AT a little more, I nicely saw that Deluxa made it into AT's New York Shopping guide--woo hoo!

In equal awesomeness, the lucky buyer for these chairs is Abbey, from Abbey Goes Design Scouting. How I've missed this blog in my life, I'm not really sure, because it's fantastic. I'm really excited to see how her new apartment unfolds and follow what her great taste will scout out. She did a lovely post on Deluxa here also.

Super cool-y enough, she is friends with Joanna at Cup of Jo, which is another fantastic blog I'd highly recommend and have been reading for some time (I know, I know, I'm incredibly behind on putting up a blog roll), and Abbey is friends with Amy Azzarito, who blogged about Deluxa on AT back in March, and was so incredibly nice. Read her original post here, and all her posts here (which are always among my favorite in the sea of loveliness that is Apartment Therapy).