MOVE to this!

HAPPY MUNDANE HAS MOVED! YOU WILL BE REDIRECTED TO THE NEW SITE IN A FEW SECONDS- BUT PLEASE REDIRECT YOUR BOOKMARKS TO HAPPYMUNDANE.COM
SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE!...

changes coming (...really)

hello my fellow happy mundane-rs- Apologies for the lack of updates this week. Lots going on- The big news is that, as mentioned previously, we've been working on the blog (um... off and on.... for a few months now... ) for a new-er look. We're pretty close- The image above is a sneak peak. We're still tweaking things a bit, fixing some bugs, and doing some adjustments- so please bear with me and stay tuned next week for a refreshed Happy Mundane (hopefully monday). In the meantime, check over to my twitter (to the right), i'll be posting updates and links over there for the next few days until the new site goes live. Stay tuned!...

cardboard elephant

One of the things I love most about Kings Highway (besides the food) at The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs is the big rope elephant head.

It's a little random, a little safari, appropriately desert and totally genius. Well now you can bring that same feel into your own home with Cardboard Safari's latest release, Eyan the elephant!

It's not made of rope, but actually recycled cardboard which is equally awesome. (they even have a small version in case you just want to make just a little statement- oh and both versions come in white as well) Check it out more here.

TGIF video break: bittersweet

architecture of density

Stunning images of buildings in Hong Kong. By Michael Wolf as part of his "Architecture of Density" series. More here. (via trendland)

Like... really?

So, if you are a fan of Happy Mundane on Facebook, I guess you're now a "like"-er . If you're on Facebook, and not a Facebook fan yet, but you like Happy Mundane- click on the "like" please! (see right side bar)-

gradation stairs

A little color gradation always brightens my day-
(From May 2010 Living Etc. photo: Chris Everard styling: Harriet Paterson)

mundane aesthetic: frosted mini wheats

Everything looks so much tastier when it's in a pretty bowl

new marimekko stash

I often get asked where I got the pillows for my downstairs bedroom (see reference pic here). I actually made several of the pillows myself, and the rest are store bought. For the ones I made, I got a lot of the fabric from remnants at the local fabric store (Jo-Ann's) but the best place I found for awesome fabric scraps is... the Crate&Barrel Outlet! You can get amazing Marimekko fabric scraps for waaay cheap. If you follow my twitter or FB, you probably figured out that last weekend I went to Palm Springs for a little getaway. On the way, I stopped by a few thrift stores and also made a point to go to the Crate&Barrel Outlet in Cabazon.

I got a few things (they also have CB2 items there as well) , but the best was this pile of remnants. They have this big barrel of scraps and it's sold by the pound for just 95cents a pound!! So I got all this for just $2 bucks! My favorite is this blue one with these gorgeous streaks. I'm thinking it might become a table runner for summer... hm...

Of course I have no idea what I'm going to do with the rest of them, but the patterns are so lovely I'm sure I'll use them eventually- (famous last words, I know) but anyway- if you happen to be going to Palm Springs soon, (and are in the market for some great fabric scraps, maybe for a pillow, or some other project, definitely check it out!

I'll share the rest of the goodies I got from the thrifting in the next day or so- stay tuned!

siki im: "a new era"

happy munday. City Sonata- Siki Im fall 2010 "a new era" - by Robert Hamada

(via nowness)

spam.

so... yah. apparently my gmail account got hacked. apologies if you got a spam email from me this morning.

delorean- stay close

anticpiating summer!

Delorean - Stay Close (HD) from Weird Days on Vimeo.

TGIF video break: So What'cha want?

IKEA kitchen things

Had a little IKEA run with fellow blogger Mary Jo of Trust Your Style yesterday. Spotted these two neato kitchen things:

This IDELIG mixing bowl is so happy with it's vintage-esque turquoise color (also comes in red).

And I loved this RARITET container. I'm thinking it'd be perfect for rice- it has a built in measuring cup in the lid!

fishcondo

um... Love this! Fishcondo by Teddy Luong- from Unica Home- via LAT blog

never leave you

It's kind of a moody sunday morning. Feelin' a little french pop mystériuex with my morning coffee via Alizée. Hope you're enjoying your weekend! Whatcha up to today?

Alizée - Les Collines (Never leave you)

Alizée - Limelight (video teaser)

beach house beautiful

Happy weekend folks! I'm leaving you with some beachy chic and relaxing images of this Shelter Island home in the current issue of House Beautiful. It was designed by Harriet Maxwell MacDonald and Andrew Corrie.

Totally inspired by all the washed wood and artwork! (I'm a little on the fence about the pink in the last image, but we'll be discussing that in a separate post next week)- Anyway, check out more here. (photos by Ditte Isager for HB)

TGIF video break: upside down

andrea plant air purifier

I remember seeing this as a prototype in design mags a few years back, but how cool is it that it is actually in production AND available at Home Depot?! Created by Mathieu Lehanneur and David Edwards, the ANDREA uses a plant's natural ability to "absorb and metabolize gaseous pollutants" in the air. I totally want one! oooh the future is now! Available here. (via)

new prints from brainstorm

awesome new prints from brainstorm design- more here.

i gots strawberries!

The other weekend, I stopped by the flower nursery to pick up a few succulents to spruce up the patio. They were giving away small strawberry plants as gift with purchase. I planted one in a pot and it's growing! I have three little strawberries- which is quite a miracle seeing as anything besides succulents seem to die a cruel, quick and mysterious death around these parts. They're not very big and a little mangled/ gnarly looking, but cute and special nonetheless. When are you supposed to pick them? Do you think they'll grow any bigger? or when they turn red, is that as big as they'll go?

home typography

Type + Towels= awesomeness. Spotted this towel at Target the other night and had to have it.

Color wise, the towel is more true in the second image- with the dark brown and blue-ish grey- so lovely. (the lighting in my bathroom blew out the color in the camera) Anyway, available in a set here. (but you can get them individually in store- I just got the hand towel)

TGIF video break: Tightrope

WOO HOO it's friday! time to get funky and on yo feet!

Janelle Monae - New Music - More Music Videos

streak dye bowl

Really loving the look of these streak dye bowls. I think they'd be perfect for summer lounging... I wonder if you went to one of those Color Me Mine type places, if you could recreate this look using different colors?... anyone ever tried anything like this?

gastrotypographicalassemblage

This amazing piece of graphic design history, by graphic gurus Lou Dorfsman, Herb Lubalin and Tom Carnase, is in jeopardy. Over the weekend, read a great article about it in a recent issue of Monster Children (Issue #24) magazine. The Center for Design Study has been trying to raise funds to save it. You'd think something as iconic as this would be preserved by now, but it keeps running into stumbling blocks and no major institution has stepped up to give it a proper home. Find out more info and/or donate to save it here. Also check out these articles here and here about what's happening to it and it's history.

TGIF video break: You've changed

Sia - You've Changed from piximory on Vimeo.

History of the Sugar Shaker

Awesome profile piece about the men behind the iconic sugar shaker- cool to know it originated in So Cal! check it out via LA Times (photo by LA Times)

mundane aesthetic: yarn art honolulu airport

One of the things I love about the Honolulu Airport are these two yarn/textile art installations. This time I managed to remember to snap some pics.

They're located in the Central Concourse on the opposite side of the little outdoor japanese garden.

I couldn't find any information about the artist. (anyone happen to know?) They look like they've probably there since the late 60's-70's. The lighting is horrible, but I'm glad they're still there and still so beautiful.

One random thing, for all you LOST fans... POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERT: on the way to the airport, after dropping off the rental car, guess who was in the shuttle with me??

It's hard to tell from the blurry picture, (I was trying to be really stealth and incognito), but it was none other than actor Jeremy Davies! aka Daniel Faraday!! He's wearing a hat and sunglasses in the photo, but it was definitely him. He was apparently travelling alone and was pretty quiet and kept to himself. I'm sure he was in Oahu for Lost filming. That must mean they're bringing him back!!

adaptable dining table by muuto

Great concept for the "architects adaptable table" by mutto, spotted in the April 2010 Dwell. you can choose 3 different table tops, and 4 different frames, and 3 types of legs.

I'm thinking this could be great inspiration for an easy DIY update (with some paint and masking tape) to a plain wood table. It's basically a similar blocking technique, like I did with my chairs... hm... getting some ideas!... Check out more of mutto's work at their site- i'm sure you'll recognize many of their pieces- so cool!