Off To International Contemporary Furniture Fair

POSTED BY By Decor Girl ON May 20, 2013 – 6:00 am
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Today I’m in New York viewing the latest offerings from a slew of design companies from around the world at ICFF.  ICFF NYCAt noon on Sunday, May 19, 2013 from 12-1 pm EST I’ll be participating in the BLANCO and Modenus “Design Around The World Event” live from the show floor.  Tweeps from across the pond will be with us live from London to take part in this Global Design blogger meet-up.  Follow me on Twitter @TheDecorGirl for all the action.   This is where I’ll find out if I (we) won the iPad Mini from the Water for People Pinterest Challenge.

Last year I found all sorts of new products especially in the wallpaper and tile category.  Here are some posts covering the goods:

I’ll be back Wednesday.  See ya!Lisa sig

Posted under Everyday Design for Home Interiors | Tagged |

Vintage Hood Ornaments – What Do They Symbolize?

POSTED BY By Decor Girl ON May 18, 2013 – 7:27 am
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The hood ornament originally perched atop the the radiator cap in the old days.  What started life as an embellishment for a necessary item has since almost left the automotive world.  Nowadays the kiddies likely don’t even know what a hood ornament is, other than the modern disappearing Rolls-Royce one in music videos.  Let’s look back at some vintage hood ornaments I found during the 2012 Pebble Beach event.  1933 Delage D8S Coupe1933 Delage D8S Coupe This hood ornament is one of the less flamboyant of the cars from the 1930′s.   This car still has the temperature gauge, which was the useful portion.  Okay, a winged woman means what exactly? 1932 Daimler Double Six Sport Saloon 1 (640x360)This Daimler Double Six displays an example of a personalized hood ornament.  Reading the history of the car gave no clue to the elephant hood ornament only that it was not from the original owner.

Today we look with different eyes, if a hood ornament was often a personal choice, what were these car owners trying to say?  Of course some mean nothing, just the stylized art of the day.  But others, really make one wonder. 1931 Chrysler CG Imperial hood ornament 1932 Stutz LeBaron Sedan hood ornament I’m thinking, he’s got control issues and maybe an ego problem.  Traditional Spirit of Ecstasy still on Rolls-Royce cars today.  Hmmm, one set of wings isn’t enough?   Feels the need to over-compensate. Greyhound hood ornament on 1925 Lincoln Racing greyhound seems pretty safe. Packard Swan hood ornament Unrestored Packard Bird hood ornament (640x480)The Packard birds.   Birds were a common symbol of the time, but why?  Freedom, maybe. 1929 duPont Model G Merrimac Speedster Not exactly sure about these, but if not positioned incorrectly, drag or an odd noise might be an issue. Packard Hood ornament (640x480) “Here, you lost a hubcap.”  Not sure about the symbolism here, but it is a later addition.

And now things just get weird… proof there is not always a correlation between taste and money.  Nah, I’d rather just call it men accessorizing badly.   Hi Ho Snail (640x580)An Indian chief riding a snail, means what exactly?  A corporate titan who doesn’t know a thing about horsepower?  Old fart, still holding on to yesterday?  Leaves a trail of slime?  Yeah, I wanna snail moniker on my car.  Does the license plate say, pass me I drive slow?hood ornament in 1913 Rolls RoyceTo my knowledge this is not original to this 1913 Rolls Royce.  Should have stuck with the Spirit of Ecstasy.  Ego maniac. boy hood ornamentGymnast or what? Somehow this just seems wrong.

Hood ornaments were sculpture for the automobile.  At first they came with the car, a distinctive figure or resembled the badge of the maker, such as the flying B on a Bentley.   Animals, birds and other oddities became the calling card of the car.  What do they really mean?

I remember the flying goose on our 1930 Model A four door sedan.  What did that have to do with Ford?  Wait I get it… is it because we called ourselves Michi-ganders.  Gander is a male goose, in Dutch.  Ford is from Michigan.  Okay it is a stretch, I haven’t a clue.  If someone knows do tell.

On another note, I have a tiny bone to pick with you.  Yes you, my Saturday car post reader.  You like cars, I like cars, we have a bond.  Can you do me a tiny favor?  Throw me a bone here people…  Can you please comment once in a while, tweet, share a post on Facebook or Google+, let me know you care.  Blogging without feedback gets a little lonely after a while.  Thank you.  XXOO!  – Lisa

Posted under Cars & Fun | Tagged , |

Favorite Cupcakes From Around The Country

POSTED BY By Decor Girl ON May 17, 2013 – 7:30 am
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I love a cupcake.  A personal sized dessert, no utensils required and small enough to claim not big enough to share.  Between Cupcake Wars, DC Cupcakes and The Cupcake Girls, cupcakes have infiltrated our daily lives way beyond the childhood birthday.  And why not?  They’re cute, fun, inventive and bursting with enthusiasm – to the point where a generic cupcake is just soooo pedestrian.L& J with cupcakesCupcakes aren’t new just newly minted and full of new flavor combinations.  Our wedding cake was all cupcakes, over thirteen years ago, before all the current cupcake hipness.  Go ahead, I know, it is a cross I bare… always a trendsetter. :)   Actually I just couldn’t see the point or the waste of a great big cake and I like choices (and color).  Plus I still have and use those cake stands!

Whether traveling or baking I’m constantly on the prowl for a delightful cupcake.  This is one time being judgmental is a good thing.  Everything involves design in my eyes.   It has to look great and deliver.  Here are the goods from my recent food travels. Cupcake QualitiesRecently while traveling in Austin, TX (okay, eating my way through Texas) I was in food truck heaven on South Congress…Hey Cupcake in AustinCupcakes are the perfect food for a food truck!   I loved the super-sized cupcake atop of the airstream trailer used by Hey Cupcake.  Had my attention.  You’ve gotta get here early, they only make so many and the specials run out quick.  The strawberry cream cheese frosting on my Sweetberry cupcake (2nd choice) was awesome.  A repeater. Georgetown Cupcake store Georgetown Cupcake, in Georgetown, gets top honors for store decor and display.  Clean, crisp and not to overdone. Delights of Georgetown CupcakeThey also have a charming selection of cupcake flavors, combinations and specials.  The specials run out here too. Georgetown Cupcake But not before I got the seasonal Cherry Blossom cupcake.  Yummy, but too much frosting for my palate.   A repeater.  Alexandria CupcakeAnother DC area cupcakerie,  Alexandria Cupcake had some interesting flavors like their signature Rosewater (not a lot of flavor) but after Georgetown, they just missed.  Though the hubs liked their chocolate version better than others.

One of my favorite purveyors for truly decadent cupcake creations and my hands-down pick for best value is Crumbs Bake Shop.  Their Signature cupcakes are large enough to cut into sharing bites and sinful.  Blackout and Baba Booey are outrageously delish.  I’m partial to a cupcake with a filling.But that’s just me.  If I can do it at home… in my opinion this is how one should step up a cupcake.  cupcake ratioLuckily one doesn’t actually have to visit to sample the goods.  All of the above mentioned cupcake stores ship.

Lest you think I travel by myself, I don’t.  The hubs is with me during all my cupcake indulgences but he only has chocolate.  Chocolate frosting / chocolate cake, he is not a judge of a cupcake (his mother only baked from a box) – not a serious cupcake connoisseur.

And you wonder why I can be a bit fanatical about my kickboxing class… I exercise to eat. :)   Do you have a favorite cupcake place?Lisa sig

Posted under Entertaining & Food | Tagged , , , , |

Three Components Of A Great Nightstand

POSTED BY By Decor Girl ON May 15, 2013 – 7:45 am
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When decorating a bedroom the first question one must address is: what goes on in the bedroom?  Now get your head out of the gutter, I don’t mean that.  We are talking about activities which require furniture.  Last week we went over the importance of the bed and some cool bed choices.  Now lets address the nightstand or bedside table.Old bedroom furnitureBack in the 1940′s America’s decorator, Dorothy Draper poo-pooed the idea of matching sets of furniture.  (Aaak, choking.)  Remember those, the sets?  Mom had one, dad had the other.  Then we had the armoire craze.  Bedrooms used to be like sleeping amidst an arsenal of cabinetry, not so relaxing.old school dressing table via pinterestBedroom decor has evolved.  We also don’t primp and fuss in the bedroom with long dressing gowns… but back to nightstands.

Nightstands are there to serve.  Accessibility is key and like other things, size matters when it comes to nightstands or bedside tables. bedside tablesThe nightstand needs to be large enough to relate to the scale of the bed, which in this case is a queen.
Too often one sees these skimpy little things hardly large enough for a tissue.  (Pinterest is loaded them, just because something is in a picture doesn’t make it a good idea.)

They need to be tall enough for one to reach conveniently from the bed.  This really comes into play with those new pillow-top mattresses which make the overall sleeping or seated height taller than older beds.  Finally they need enough storage space to hold whatever one needs at the bedside.  Drawers, doors or shelves – it is up to you. Jeffers Design Group - Pacific HeightsHere is a great example of great nightstands from the Jeffers Design Group.  They don’t match, and they do not not have to.  They are large enough to hold what is needed and a comfortable height for sitting against that glorious upholstered headboard. nightstandsNightstands come in all shapes and sizes.  Rectangles seem to be the most efficient whether your needs call for a full blown chest or not so big cabinet.  Having a space to hide items away is the optimal choice for keeping clutter at bay.

The next time you are in the market for a nightstand just remember three things:great nightstandAnything else you wanna know about nightstands?   Just ask in the comment section. Lisa sig

Nightstand photos: Worlds Away, Bungalow 5, Redford House, West Elm, Oomph, and Julian Chichester.

Posted under Bedroom | Tagged , , , |

BLANCO “WATER FOR PEOPLE” PINTEREST CHALLENGE: CELEBRATE PURE WATER

POSTED BY By Decor Girl ON May 13, 2013 – 7:30 am
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Like your water?  Like your ability to get drinking water, even if you have to pay for it by means of a filter system or a 24 pack at the grocery store?  Well, I’m not gonna preach because you already know clean water is not available to everyone.  Water for EveryoneThere is a global initiative called “Water For People” which supports local sustainable water access and sanitation to people in developing countries.  What does this have to do with a design blog?  If you’ve been here before you know how I am about the color blue… but that isn’t it.  Plus I’m a water sign (Scorpio), anything with water peaks my interest -  nope, not it either. Water for People BlancoAs a designer and Modenus BlogTour participant, one of our sponsors was BLANCO, a manufacturer of cutting edge sinks and faucets for the fabulous kitchen.  They have set up a Pinterest contest to raise awareness of the access to pure clean water.

Can you imagine not having water where you turn your faucet on?  Or to water your plants?  Or wash my car?  I can’t.  Access to water is easy for many of us to take for granted, raising hand right here.  Pure clean water is not available to everyone, and this is where you come in… access for access, no money.

Win and iPad MiniCan I peak your interest?

What’s the deal?  Every like you give me on my Pinterest BLANCO Water For People Board counts towards helping me win a IPad Mini 32gG.  Pinterest Board

Why do you want to help me win a iPad Mini?  Easy, I’ll give it to you.  I like my regular iPad, no I love it.  I’d rather share the love and let you have the latest and greatest.  I will select a person from the likes I see on Pinterest BLANCO Water For People Board, get your info from you and whizz bang you are the owner of a new iPad Mini.  Access for access, make sense?

Seriously just for a couple of likes… like stealing candy from a baby.  Well, maybe not today’s babies they are a bit possessive and they likely already have their own iPad Mini.

Not a Pinterest Junkie?  No matter, you can still help the cause by watching this You Tube video.  For every view BLANCO receives until 5/30/2013, BLANCO will donate $1 (up to 1,000).  Not bad.

Look at it this way, you are on here clicking and liking things anyway why not do some good?  We appreciate water, lets help others do the same. Access for access.

Thank you!

XO

Lisa

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