Say "Hello" to the Future of Laundry

Okay, so I digress from my normal design rants. I don't normally get excited about cleaning products, but this new laundry detergent from Method just rocks. And I feel that I just have to let people know. I purchased it on a whim at Target the other week, mostly because I had walked to the store and realized that I was going to have to carry back anything that I bought. Eyes scan shelves and land on a laundry detergent bottle that promised to wash 25 loads and was smaller than a grande Starbucks drink. Sold! (Ok, so there's some little nugget of innovative packaging design appreciation in this post...) I initially bought the smaller version just to give a try, but we've loved it and have since bought this larger 50 load pump bottle. This 50 load bottle is the size of a 20 oz. soda bottle. I haven't counted, so I'm not sure how many loads it actually does, but it seems quite close to what the bottle promises.

Good things do come in small packages. This new super-concentrated, small packaged detergent is probably the most eco-friendly option on the laundry detergent shelves. Less plastic waste (the Method website says 36% less plastic is used to create these bottles vs. other concentrated detergents. 50% less plastic compared to normal detergents. whoa). You're buying a super concentrated detergent (so less water) and less weight to lug from the store and around your laundry room. Bonus: it saves space in your laundry area (my laundry area is a tiny closet, so that's a big deal to me!).

If you're still not convinced, the Method Laundry website outlines everything much more scientifically than I ever could. Take a look and next time you're out of detergent think about giving this brand a try for a few loads. The earth will thank you. (ok, i'm literally stepping off the soapbox) xo-Kami

Image Source: Method website

Modern Dollhouses

Like a lot of girls, I had a dollhouse when I was a kid. My younger sister and I would set up our dollhouses in a circle (our "town") and play for hours. Each of our dollhouses was a different style. I had a rustic, wood cabin while my younger sister had a pink and blue victorian as well as a larger painted traditional house. We exchanged furniture, "redecorated" and played for hours in our imaginary, little world.

Fast forward to almost 20 years later: I come across these "Modern Dollhouses" and the stories of their collectors on The New York Times website. I seriously gasped when I came across the first image. Who ever thought that you could have a modern dollhouse? As a grownup? Genius! The thought hadn't even occurred to me, but what better way to live out your modern furnishing obsession without going bankrupt? Personally, I love modern furnishings, but they're really not in the budget at the moment and also not really in-line with my hubbie-to-be's style.

The current collectors seem to be about portraying "real-life" in miniature (if not better-designed) versions of their real lives. In some of the pictures of these modern dollhouses, like the one below, it's hard to tell if it's a life-size room or the dollhouse. The amount of detail put into these houses is amazing!

I'm not sure if I could get into full-on collecting (especially because there's just no extra room in my apartment now!), but it might be fun to have just a few mini-modern furnishings spread around as little surprises.

Ok, you've got to check all the pictures out. They're just fascinating! Here's a link to the full slideshow. Enjoy!

All Photos: David Azia (for The New YorkTimes)
Source: The New York Times

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the lovely mothers (and motherly figures) out there! I'm thinking of all the Moms in my life today and thanking my lucky stars that I have all of these wonderful women surrounding me. Hug your Mom! (or I hope that you at least sent her a card! :) xo -Kami
Me and My Mom circa 1985 (wasn't she sweet to let me play in the warm, clean towels?)

If you need to find me...

...I'll be here. At my (pretend) home in Napa Valley, California. Doesn't it look heavenly? Have a great weekend everyone! -Kami

Photo: Erhard Pfeiffer
Source: Remodelista

Wedding Notes :: Father-Daughter Dance Song Ideas

As my wedding day approaches (just 5 months away!), I'm trying to get more and more things checked off the to-do list. One fun thing that I wanted to figure out was the Father-Daughter dance song. Now, I know not every bride wants to do this tradition, but my Dad is my buddy, and I definitely wanted this to be our special time during the crazy wedding day.

After a lot of research (hours!), my Dad and I finally agreed on Adele's version of "Make You Feel My Love," which is is originally a Bob Dylan song. This song has special meaning to my family, too, because my Dad danced to this same song with my older sister at her wedding, but in the Garth Brooks version (which is also very, very pretty..even for non-country fans!).

It was surprisingly hard to find some good (read: non-sappy, non-corny) songs to choose from, so I wanted to share this list of sweet and modern father-daughter dance songs that I found. I didn't want all of my labor to be for naught! This can be a great starting off point for your search, or maybe you love one of these! Enjoy! -Kami

--Michael Buble "How Sweet It Is" (There are also many other artists who do a version of this song, i.e. James Taylor)
--The Beach Boys "God Only Knows"
--Adele "Make You Feel My Love" (also a lot of other versions of this song by various artists)
--Billy Joel "Just the Way You Are"
--Billy Joel "Lullaby (Goodnight, My Angel)"
--Paul Simon "Father & Daughter"
--Ray Charles "Ain't that Love"
--Johnny Cash "You Are My Sunshine" (lots of other versions of this song)
--Ozzy Osborne "Here For You" (a little long, but maybe you or the DJ could shorten it)
--also Neil Young's version of "Here For You"
--James Taylor's "You've Got A Friend"
and one of my all-time favorites:
--Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (I still want to work this song into my wedding somehow!)

That's all I've got! Hope this helps!

Gorgeous Stockholm Home

Ok, I've never been Stockholm, but Mr. M (my hubbie-to-be) has and assures me that it's a place that I would want to be. And stumbling across images of this amazing house situated in the center of Stockholm, makes me pretty sure that he's right. The aesthetic is a bit stark for my taste, but it's just so different. So many pieces of furniture and ideas in construction that I've never seen. And don't even get me started on that bathtub. Seriously? Hello, Bathtub of My Dreams. It would just need a little floating raft to hold my book and a glass of wine, then I'd be set for a few hours. Perfection!






All images ©Sköna Hem via Designfragment.

Coming Soon to the Shop: The Jardin Wedding Collection

Hello, everyone! Wow, I have been away from the blog for awhile. Things have been a bit crazy here with my work (you know, that job that pays the bills :) and with planning my wedding. As we settle into summer, though, I am committed to being back in my shop and on the blog full-time. Very soon, I will be bringing a lot of new, exciting items into the shop! The first of which will be my "Jardin" Wedding Collection. I was printing out my test samples the other day and just had to snap a shot and share (I apologize for the not so great lighting).

The Jardin Wedding Collection is centered around this beautiful floral illustration, created by yours truly. The entire collection will be offered in 8+ color combinations, but of course, you can always customize any of the designs with your own colors and text options. The color options can change the look of the design from dramatic (red and black) to more relaxed (green, yellow, blue). The softer colors would be great for a garden/beach wedding, or you could go glamorous and dramatic with the red or black versions. The options are endless!

The Jardin collection will include invitations, rsvp cards, engagement party invitations, table numbers, and more! If something isn't in the shop that you need, just start a conversation with me via Etsy or the blog and I can create something especially for you, no problem. Be sure to check back in a few weeks for the full collection in the shop!