Pinners I Love: Fabulous Furniture

Curtis Popp Sidetables

I get a kick everytime I stumble across a new board on Pinterest full of amazing, adorable and super fun things just waiting for me to dive into. Of course, Pinterest is all about sharing, so I'll be passing these great boards right along to you! Today's board is Fabulous Furniture from Christine Martinez. With tons of brightly colored, mid-century modern pieces, this board is a must-see for design lovers. Here are some of my personal favorites:

CBY sideboard

Canteen Utility Chairs

Anthropologie Amorphous Nesting Tables

Sustainability at the Olympics

You may have heard by now the uproar over the Team USA's Olympic uniforms being made in China. This is not a political blog, so don't worry, I won't be adding my voice to that issue. I only bring it up because that side of the story has overshadowed another side which is way more positive. All USA track and field uniforms are partially made from upcycled materials, including plastic bottles and recycled fabrics!

These uniforms are just a small part of a new change in environmental attitude we're seeing from the Olympics this year. Due to the scope of the games, the Olympics have a hugely negative environmental impact - from the venue construction to the transportation of all the participants and spectators to the waste created at the event itself. The 2012 London Olympics are billing themselves as the first sustainable Olympics, and this was a major factor in why London won the 2012 summer games. Under the program, "Towards a One Planet 2012" the London Olympics have built sustainable practices into every stage of the games. To list just a few: cycling programs are in place for spectators, permanent green spaces have been built alongside venues and all food vendors are required to use compostable packaging. I applaud this long overdue change and expect future Olympic cities will follow suit.

Full details on these sustainable plans and the environmental impact of the games can be found at London 2012.

Fun Finds: Simple Summer Accessories

Summer is a great time to play with your accessories, when they won't be over powered by sweaters, coats or other bulky winter gear. Here's a few of my current favorites from Lilyshop. Highlights are below, and be sure to check out the full collection here. Enjoy! 

Bird Cage Necklace by Nell'amore Jewelry

Linen Cluth by BlackGipsy

Shabby Chic Bracelet by Wilwarin Designs

Fun with Stamps

One of the favorite crafts my sister and I would do with our mom when we were young was stamping. On the outside it doesn't sound so exciting...you press a block into a color then press it onto the paper (not so thrilling, huh?)...but for whatever reason stamping was utterly cool. And, add a little glitter or embossing into the mix and stamping was downright amazing.

So it makes me happy to see that stamping has once again achieved a cool factor. The reason? These ultra quirky, adorable handmade stamps. The ones pictured here are available on Etsy and were recently featured in a stamp-filled post from DesignSponge. 

Trash Can Be Beautiful

We hear about the garbage polluting our environment all the time, but seeing it can sometimes bring the message home. That's the idea behind these beautiful works of art made from trash found in the ocean. Check out more images at Earth911. Do they make you think differently about our pollution?

If you are in the DC area and have the urge to create your own art from discarded goods, check out Scrap DC's upcoming show at The Center for Green Urbanism. Submissions are being accepted through July 30. Or, if you are more of the spectator type, the show opens in September.

Fun Finds: National Ice Cream Day!

Tomorrow, July 15, is National Ice Cream Day in the United States. There really is only one way to celebrate this national holiday - kick back with a cone (or cup, if you prefer as I do) and enjoy this tasty summer treat! But before the official celebration begins, take a look at these ice cream fun finds and facts. Highlights are below, the full collection can be found on Etsy. And, I won't tell if you sneak an early treat :)

Thank You Notes by paperinkandearth

FUN FACT #1-- National Ice Cream Day was established in 1984 by Ronald Reagan, as the third Sunday of July, also designated as National Ice Cream Month.

Print by ZUUCAZU

FUN FACT #2 -- About 9 percent of all dairy milk produced in the U.S. goes towards ice cream production (but don't forget about the yummy soy and other non-dairy varieties out there!)

Felt Kawaii Ice Cream by MySweetieBean

FUN FACT #3 -- The ice cream cone, as we know it today, gained popularity during the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. The legend is that an ice cream vendor ran out of cardboard dishes, so he asked a neighboring waffle vendor, who had low sales due to high temperatures, to create dishes out of his unsold waffles.