bohemian hellhole

Huldra Press

Based in Pennsylvania, Huldra Press is the studio of artist Marianne Dages. She makes books, boxes, drawings, letterpress cards and posters. Her work has finds inspiration in childrens' literature, old books, movies, nature, and craft. I love the nod to pop culture as well as folklore that can be seen in her books and prints. You can read up on current works at her blog. Huldra Press has an Etsy shop where you can purchase cards and prints. She does custom work too, including invitations, stationary and business cards. Her portfolio is great and can be found at the Huldra Press website.

Making tea, Alice

 

In the Bedroom

No closet? Just hang some shelves and hanging rods then cover the whole thing with curtains. {a disco ball is always a good idea!}

via Marie Claire Maison

This room reminds me of several bedrooms from one of my favorite books, Moroccan Interiors. Simply tacking up some fun fabric would serve as a substitute for wallpaper when it wasn't available.

via Wary Meyers

I especially love this Wary Meyers bedroom, with its fancy wallpaper and piles of books. All you would need is some shelving, {Ikea is good for cheap, wood shelves that are surprisingly durable} and a collection of artwork to group around the open spaces. Corner your bed near a window and gather some vintage pillows. I think you could achieve this feel with some art deco print curtains and a warm paint color on the walls, if you couldn't {or wouldn't} wallpaper.

Get this lamp from $90 on amazon, it makes a fantastic pattern on the ceiling when it's on! 

Beautiful Harlequin Arkona wallpaper available at Curtain Up.

Etsy is a great place to find antique animal prints and art.

Reading this awesome book I got for my birthday yesterday, Alice

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Hippo Hardware {and more cheap lights}

I have been wanting to visit Hippo Hardware since we moved to Portland. This weekend a dear friend came to visit and we went on a bathroom light hunt, beginning at Hippo! It was really fun, just wandering around with someone I know, talking and examining lighting treasures, and ultimately scoffing at the prices. I was pretty disappointed in how expensive everything was, but I might have been slightly affected by my last lighting purchase. We stopped by a few other places and ended up at the Rebuilding Center, or as I call it "home of the $5 light". I thought maybe they would have something that I could fit together that might work at least for a while in the bathroom. Guess what? I found a matching pair of Rejuvenation Humboldt lights in polished chrome. Guess how much they were? $5 each. Yes, I am available as a personal shopper, if you ever need a light. Just ask! The shades are probably not going to work, they are frosted square-ish ones that look a little too 'I wish I owned a craftsman bungalow', BUT, the bases with a nice clear globe {or round open} shade will look perfectly modern in the space.

Painting my bedroom, Alice

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High/Low

I recently decided that this was the medicine cabinet for me. Then I realized that in the large size, with polished chrome, it would cost me $650 per piece. So I started looking for a suitable alternative. What do you think about this one? I don't have much to say for Broan's styling and marketing department.

I know the piano hinges don't show {possible to hack?} and that there is no frame around the door {maybe a slim wood frame?} but at $130, it might just be the way to go. Thoughts? Ideas? {Trust me, I still like the other one better, but I so don't have $1300 lying around. If I did, I'd be going to Alt Summit}

Watching the new neighbors engage in possibly illegal activities, Alice

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$19

Please note: the red bird porcelain light switch plate was here when we moved in. There are many more equally atrocious switch plates around the house. Every day I swear I am going to take them down, but I haven't done it yet. It looks like the picture is from some kind of retirement center, and that the mirror is actually plastic. It isn't, I promise!

I got this mirror yesterday while I was supposed to be shopping for others.  I just couldn't help myself. The best part about it? No eagle. These bird topped semi-colonial feeling convex mirrors are almost always adorned with some giant eagle holding arrows in their talons. There are just two regular birds {no idea what kind} up there, hanging out. Not being hugely into colonial or extremely traditional east coast decor, or just giant eagles for that matter, this mirror was such a great find, I would love to know more about its history. 

This image of Cindy Greene's apartment has stuck in my head for years, and kind of gave me a round mirror bug. I never found one I liked until now.

photo via Decor8

Emily Chalmers has a similar one too! It is a mental illness to prefer mirrors to artwork, especially when looking at myself in one is something I usually avoid? I think maybe it has to do with living in tight quarters and wanting more {illusions of} space.

Correcting my posture, Alice

 

How I spent Black Friday

(sorry for the terrible pictures~ I was too impatient to wait for better lighting)

I went to the Rebuilding Center on Black Friday. They did not open at midnight nor did they have any crazy sales*. I walked in looking for something that I could just temporarily replace the awful ceiling fan with, but instead I found an original vintage fixture that Rejuvenation now makes called the Nimbus. I grabbed it, like I was actually at a black friday sale, looked around and realized that no one else was even around. Then, on the next aisle, I found another identical fixture. I grabbed it too. I was now hugging two rather cumbersome and fragile lights. Then I found the globe light.  Unable to grab it too, I had to ask for help. There was also the issue of the price, which is never marked there. I asked how much for the first two, and hoped it would be less than $30 each. The lady I asked came back with a $7 price tag for each. Amazing. Now that I wasn't breaking the bank, I asked about the globe. She looked at it, raised her eyebrows and informed me that it wouldn't be so cheap. It was 'really cool'. So I bravely walked to the counter with her to hear the verdict. $5. I bought them as quick as I could so that the guy who priced them couldn't change his mind, and carrying all three very precariously, bolted for the car.

The Nimbus retails for $172, and the Rejuvenation version of the globe light the Sfera retails for $228. So, essentially I saved myself $553. That doesn't happen everyday.

Unpacking boxes, Alice

*{unless getting three lights for $19 counts}

Schoolhouse Electric

A dear friend pointed out to me that Schoolhouse Electric had recently expanded their offerings significantly, and I have to agree. There were so many lights and things there that were fantastic, I wanted to share a few.

I love a good mirrored bulb, but housing it in a classic clear shade adds a little finish to the industrial modern bare light bulb look. I think the whole thing looks more current with the bulb showing too. I normally wouldn't give this fixture a second look if it were a white glass shade.

This fixture would look amazing if the interior were gold....

I don't even know how much this set is, I just want it. Badly.

Lucky for me, I just purchased a white bed identical to this from Portland Craigslist, for $40. The best thing about it is the little stamped brass badge on the foot board that reads 'Property of Multnomah County'.

Ticking sheets always make me feel like I might be on vacation somewhere on the coast.

Recharging my batteries, Alice

Heath Ceramics +

dinnerware by Alabama Chanin + Heath via Heath

Storage canisters by Commune+Heath+Alma Allen via Heath Blog

Lamp and table linens by Commune Design




Tile installations by Heath Ceramics

I recently wrote a little about a potential fireplace and it's aesthetic issues.  Sara wrote in and mentioned Heath Ceramics as a good source for fireplace tile, so I spent some time looking around their site and found some interesting things. First of all, they have a whole dinnerware line collaborated with Natalie Chanin, founder of Alabama Chanin and significant other to Butch Anthony who I featured in my 'Vivalabama!' posts. Second, they have an extensive partnership with Commune Design ~ a firm led by Roman Alonso, whose apartment is fantastic!

What a small world!

The good news is that you can still get a great set of vintage Heath dinnerware for about the price of one place setting new! This set is for sale on Etsy, at $199 for service for 8, it's hard to beat!

I am still a die hard fan of Denby, but Heath is very similar, and beautifully made, plus they make house numbers!

Eating Second Breakfast, Alice

 

 

 

I totally love this

via Virginia Wulf's Etsy shop

On sale and everything. I would end up using this for something other than wearing, maybe, I just don't know. I love it.

Virginia Wulf {real name} has lots of other beautiful items in her shop that I also am quite fond of as well.

You know, it is less than two months until Christmas...

Crocheting, Alice

Dominic Crinson

{amazing floor tile}

all via Crinson

I first looked this guy up because of this quote from Design Turf: "We like Crinson's quality wallpapers particularly because they are made from 100% natural fleece that is friendly to the earth. It is even suitable for wet areas." It reminded me of the scene in Big Daddy when the delivery guy says {about George Washington} "Yes, his teeth were made of wool". Clearly I am not in the know about wallpaper, but fleece wall coverings in a wet location just sounds soggy. At least I had a good laugh, and the floor tiles are beautiful!

Googling, Alice

P.S. I have it all figured out. Here's what I know now. Fleece wallpaper is not the same as polar fleece. It is not the same as the golden fleece or lambswool. It is "a material with stable dimensions made of textile and cellulose tissue that does not expand when in contact with the moisture of the paste". Thanks Walls Like Pictures!