I've been a huge flickr fan of I Can't Live Without a Poni (aka Brooklyn artist, Parsons grad, and blogger Niki Kelce) for awhile now. So I was thrilled to discover that she recently opened an Etsy shop to sell her mindblowingly intricate and beautiful original drawings. Above: The Seeds Are Thinking, $300

My Frustration, $250

From the Capsules Came a Garden, $400

Floating, framed drawing, $400

Family Portrait 1, $300

Visit Niki Kelce's new Etsy shop right here -- and see more of her amazing work here.

(P.S. For those of us on a tight budget, Kelce promises to add prints to her shop soon. I'll let you know when she does.)

From Sarah:

We’ve had our eye on the Ikea PS Ellan Rocker for a while now; we especially love the way it looks as a suite of outdoor dining chairs at Brooklyn designer David Weeks’ upstate New York farmhouse. Made of wood plastic composite, the rocker costs $39.99. Via Cookie Magazine.

today’s in the kitchen with is a special recipe that i was lucky enough to have land in my inbox this week. brooklyn based food photographer jessika creedon sent over these gorgeous photographs of a picnic she attended in prospect park and i was blown away by the special presentation of the food. rather than using plates or napkins, the hosts decided to use natural “containers” like lemons and avocados. top that off with jessika’s incredible photos and i was sold. so today the group behind the special picnic, sidedish, was kind enough to share one of their delicious picnic recipes with us- a summery chilled avocado soup. i could live off of avocados so this is one that’s definitely going into my regular repertoire. i just wanted to thank jessika (whose website can be viewed right here, and her flickr page right here) for sharing these photos, and to sidedish for sharing this incredible (and incredibly easy to make) recipe. CLICK HERE for the full recipe (and more photos from the picnic) or just click “read more” below.

about sidedish: sidedish is an ongoing experiment in staging uniquely engaging food experiences. at sidedish events, a rotating list of diners enjoys a full five course meal with an unrepeated, custom-made menu. sidedish dinners pivot around food, but go much farther, with each event exploring a particular theme. renee baumann and keren weiner, two alumni from the french culinary institute, are the heads and hands behind sidedish (with much organizational assistance from andrea montejo). photos and past menus from sidedish events can be seen at sidedish’s facebook page right here.

We dropped in (not physically, of course) to ask her if her creative process translated to bricks and mortar.

5 Questions for Jessie Randall, Designer, Loeffler Randall

1. So, is picking out plumbing hardware as challenging as churning out a collection?
Picking out plumbing hardware is the worst. We spent our Christmas vacation buried in plumbing fixture catalogues (Davis & Warshow, McMaster). My husband picked out all kinds of fancy fixtures, but my most favorite are the industrial toilet and urinal we put in the boys’ bathroom. They are so simple and functional. They look better than any of the other stuff, in my opinion. The renovation was a massive project. We have a lot on our plate with the house, the twins and the company. So juggling it all was the hardest part, but it was fun.

2. What one thing do you have to have in your home (even amidst contractors)?
As much natural light as possible.

3. What are you most excited about when the house is complete?
The boys’ room is my most favorite part of the house. I put in a lighted diorama in their room that was modeled off of the one in my friend Bronagh's children’s store in Williamsburg, Sweet William. I also love the color of the walls in the boys’ room, Pensive Sky, a pale grey blue-green that is so calming and relaxing.

4. Taking away anything from the renovation that will infuse your upcoming collections?
I don’t tend to use lots of pattern and print in my collections, but in my house I put up several patterned wallpapers (Osborne & Little, Second Hand Rose, Walnut Wallpaper). I love them and they give so much character to the house. It’s gotten me hooked on prints, so I may incorporate more in my collections.

5. What do you think will be the most often used room of your house?
Who knows? We’ll have to see once we move in. I am guessing it will be one particular area because with two flights of stairs and twins, I am probably going to want to stay put.

i love calling cards- they seem like such a romantic notion in a time where almost everything is digital. d*s is an almost entirely paper-free company but the one place i splurge is on calling cards (mine are from brooklyn social cards), letter-writing stationery and cards. i use them sparingly but when i do, it feels so special. these colorful versions are from avis wampler of avie designs on etsy. there are tons of colorful options to choose from so click here to view the full collection.

ps: we’re about to do a video with david stark but the ny times just did a slideshow of his work that showcases exactly why we love him so much. they’ll sue the pants off of me if i run any images from the page so instead i’ll just strongly strongly suggest that you click here to view the slideshow. i love the way he uses spools and twine as decoration- it’s a MUST MUST read.

WINKS - weekend links. Here we list what has come in during the week, things we've found and things we think you'll want to see. If you'd like to see your blog or website featured email us and if we think it fits with our readers we'll link you. So what's in this week?

• So many beautiful things in my inbox this week. I am speechless over this one. Misha Handmade Wallpapers selects, produces and distributes silk hand-painted wallpapers. You must must must go to their website and drool. Misha also creates stunning contemporary furniture with a twist. Clean modern lines combined with rich, luxurious, hand-painted papers reviving historical patterns. Trust the Italians to take wallpaper to the next level. Go.... what are you waiting for? Swoon.




• Oh my, oh my, oh my!!! More beautiful furniture, some of the most stunning organic lines I have seen for a long long time. The company is Ode Chair .... contemporary organic chairs hand made in Northumberland, England. The creative genius behind them is Jolyon Yates. Must have please please.




• Lina lives in Stockholm, Sweden and has a home styling company. She's just started a webshop C'est la vie Home featuring pretty little decorating objects as well as luxury chocolate and tea. In Swedish of course but that's what page translators are for. Beautiful pictures speak all languages. Check out her blog too. Good luck with your online business Lina!




• Caroline from Belgium recently started her blog, Carrie Can, as a way of collecting and sharing her inspirations and work with her readers. Pop over and say hi!




• Another new blog alert. Designer/artist Annie Coggan emailed to introduce Chairs and Buildings. "I am a new faculty member at Mississippi State University teaching design studio and furniture design. (I was in Brooklyn and teaching at Parsons and Pratt for 10 years). This new life has given me time to organize my thinking for lectures and projects so I started a blog as a sketchbook." It's visual food for thought.




• Jonathan Adler has gone country? Yay? Nay? Or Ye-ha!




• Have you seen the blog Lime in the Coconut yet? Love Linda's profile - "Living life in a humble Florida hacienda...surrounded by family, dogs, art and PLENTY of sand on the floor. Oh, and a lizard or two that always seem to find their way in the open doors and windows. Hey, what can I say...Sometimes it just isn't pretty. But it IS home." The blog is full of eye candy with special emphasis on tropical style.




• Where does Erin from Design for Mankind find the time? The woman is a creative dynamo. She's collaborating with the Art House Co-Op, an Atlanta-based gallery on The Scavenger Project. "We're making a book and we need your help! We're going to send you a list of 24 things which will end up being the 24 chapters of the book. Each chapter is a reference to a moment, scenario, or item and we need your help visually representing each item." Find out more here.




• James Saavedra from Decor Fellow has a new online magazine fellow* and it is soooooooooooooooooo good. Stylish and right on the trends. Can't wait for more!

Please forgive me if I stop here. I have so much to share but not enough time today. There's always next week!

Today these little twins had their first official social engagement: a baptism followed by a special luncheon. This reminded me of my own godmother and the countless presents she's sent me over the years following that first christening gift, which was a porringer.

In the image above, it looks like Ruthie Sommers' daughter Eloise has a porringer in her nursery (Domino, October 2008). These modest shallow dishes with flat handles were originally used centuries ago by adults and children to hold porridge. (Pewter and silver versions were often saved and passed down in families.) In the modern era they continued to be used as practical bowls for babies, and in Vogue's Book of Etiquette from 1969, porringers are mentioned as a useful, enduring, and elegant baby present for godparents to give a godchild.

The idea is that the dishes are easily washable, can be engraved, and can be used throughout one's life to hold jewelry or odds and ends. Tiffany's sells the sleek style also shown above, and the 18th-century piece below is from the Brooklyn Museum.


Sippy cups are far more practical than traditional sterling baby cups, but I still think the silver versions are nice keepsakes that make pretty holders for Q-tips or flowers. Other timeless christening gift suggestions from my old Vogue book include forks and spoons, and combs and brushes. Lasting value is the key, so clothes are not traditional presents in this instance -- although fun for godmothers to give later. Piggy banks and classic picture frames can be more affordable, yet wonderful, options.


Anything that the recipient will hopefully save and use one day on a desk or shelf, or for her own children, is nice. The banks shown at the top of this post and below happen to be from Tiffany's. But consider browsing estate sales and antique shops for other similar items. The vintage and antique silver cups are from Beverly Bremer and start at around $100.


BTW: If you are a goddaughter and wondering what to give your godmother, Vogue 1969 recommended the following. I think they've stood the test of time.


Classic, good-looking stationery (G. Lalo.)
Books with general appeal
White guest towels
"Go-with-anything" home accessories such as a letter opener, simple highball glasses, a clear glass vase or a stamp box.


And finally, while we are vaguely on the subject of nurseries, look at this pretty turtle hardware from Anthropologie. I'm not usually the biggest fan of novelty knobs but these might be perfect on a simple two-door cabinet. Wonder if they could be made into magnets for an inspiration board?