Chinatown Summer

The drizzling design parasols from Pearl River are dang cute. I've been looking for a cute parasol to protect myself from the sun. In spite of being 50% rican, I burn easily!

For summer fun on the Boston Common, I want to pick up a silk butterfly kite.

Nothing classes up a campfire like these adorable camp stools in peony prints.

I'm Green, and Blue, and Red all over!!!! (not to mention cute!!!)

Last night I went to Trader Joe's for some chicken sausage and walked out with a slammin' new reusable shopping bag. I've been trying so hard to keep it green this year. I'm committed to never getting one of those flimsy plastic bags again. This beautifully designed shopper encourages just that. It is collaged with whacky and bright images, is reusable and can hold up to 6 gallons of soy milk and Cats Cookies. Not to mention, every time I use it there, they enter me to win another bag that is filled with TJ's goodies.
You could spend your money elsewhere and purchase the $960 Hermes, or the $495 Stella McCartney shoppers I've been reading about, but if I had an extra $958 to spend, it sure as hell wouldn't be spent on an upscale shopper. I'd rather by the Sharon's Coconut Sorbet to fill up my Trader Joe's satchel that cost me a buck 99.
Get yours today, after this blog is posted, they're gonna be sold out everywhere!
Keep it Green (and pink!)

Tree Houses

Forget Swiss Family Robinson-style tree houses. Washington Architect Travis Price's residence features a two-story living room with uninterrupted views of Creek Park. HGTV describes the house as "one part industrial, and two parts tree house".
Design*Sponge posted a great slide show of Todd Oldham's Pennsylvanian tree house on the House & Garden blog. Worth a peek!

Flair

We're going camping this weekend – so in the spirit of outdoorsy-ness I decided to check out the Girl Scouts' web site. In my childhood imagination, I would have liked to have been a Wilderness girl from Troop Beverly Hills. Sadly, the real life Girl Scouts don't consider sleepover parties in hotels "roughing it". Kelley was a Girl Scout and even won an award in a patch design contest – hello jr. designer!
I never did get into scouting, but I am into flair(i.e. badges and patches). Visit the GOShop to check out the latest Girl Scout merit badge and interest award designs. These caught my eye:
1. Uncovering Evidence
2. Smooth Sailing
3. Creative Cooking
4. All About Birds
5. Art in 3D
6. Making it Matter

Clever Ad Campaigns

I thought these children book covers that were used for an ad campaign for Natural Resources Defense Council were really clever. Everyone can recognize these famous children’s books, which have been made into ads for the NRDC, an environmental action group. Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree has been changed to “The Giving Factory. Dr. Seuss’s One Fish two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish becomes “None Fish Few Fish Dead Fish Who Fish.” Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak has become “Where the Wild Things Aren’t.” Done by students at University of Colorado Boulder it won a bronze for innovative marketing in the 2007 One Show college competition. The One Club is the world's foremost non-profit organization for the recognition and promotion of excellence in advertising. The One Club produces three annual award competitions: the One Show, One Show Design and One Show Interactive, which culminate in award ceremonies held in New York City each May. Another ad campaign that won a bronze for The One Show are these full page spreads done for Axe body spray. When I saw these I laughed out loud with the tag line, “get a girlfriend”, and you can see why.

Moo Cards

The concept of digital printing sites is nothing new, but the Moo formats are just so fun. Moo Mini Cards are roughly half the height of a standard business card. A pack of 100 cards will run you $20+shipping. You can grab images from your Flickr library or use stock pics from Moo. The really awesome thing about Mini Moos is that you can customize each card in the run. 100 tiny canvases to express your personal style!
They make great calling cards: because you don't need the guy you met at ZuZu's calling your office. Artists can use them to showcase their portfolio... Moms can use them book playdates... The possible uses for these little trendies are infinite.
Moo Mini Cards are becoming something of a fad among the Flickr community. (They're organizing swap meets!) To that end, don't forget to pickup some Moo Pockets before you trade cards with your new friends.