forcute

I love this website - Branch. They sell only the best sustainable products and gifts for the home, and everything is just so much fun. New merchandise is always being added and the prices are very reasonable too. Nearly everything is made in the USA, and most of that is handmade quality stuff. Love it!

Vintage Belt Floor Mat by TING

Vintage leather belts on a reconstituted leather backing.

Handmade in the UK $698.

Blanket + Poncho

100% recycled cotton and polyester. Comes in lots of great colors.

Handmade in the USA $56.

Figure Pillow (Cat) by K Studio

Made of 100% organically grown cotton

Handmade in Grand Rapids MI $108.

Childrens Chair by Daniel Michalik

100% pure cork cast with non-toxic binders

Handmade in Brooklyn $238.

Simply Silhouettes is a great concept. They create custom products using images you give them to create great products for your home, including stationery, dishes, mugs, mouse pads, room decor, pillows and t-shirts.  Its all just so adorable and sounds like the perfect gift for grandparents or just to add a little something special around the house.

Here are a few more examples of their work:

Simply Sihlouettes

Since I will be at a lovely wine tasting today as part of my cousin’s wedding festivities, I wanted to share with you my most favorite wine in the whole world…Pomelo.

Pomelo is a sauvignon blanc made by Mason Wine Cellars in Napa Valley, California. I tried my first glass at a restaurant here in Chicago called Bin 36, but if you cant find it in a store near you, perhaps they can order it for you, or you can order it right from Mason Cellars. Their latest vintage, 2007 has also just been released!

Pomelo is acutally a large yellow citrus fruit native to southeast Asia, especially Malaysia. The fruit tastes and feels a lot like a sweet grapefruit and smells oh so nice. If you love zippy citrus flavors in your white wine, you will love Pomelo. And the price is nice too at $15 or less per bottle.

Mason Cellars’ Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc

My favorite obsession, Freddy&Ma have come out with the sweetest Mother’s Day gift idea. The newly released “Minnie” coin purse is available in a variety of colors, incuding pink, green, camel, blue, and red for just $30 a pop. Buy one with a gift card of $50 or more, you will get free express shipping and a nifty little set of fabric and leather swatches to give you some ideas for your full size bag!!

These great little numbers are perfect for change or any little thing you’d want to use them for. Since Im always losing earrings, this might just the the perfect thing to keep them organized when your’re on the go. And I just love the ombossed f&m logo.

 And dont forget, they are made right here in the USA.  

Visit Freddy&Ma

Living in the city, I have a greater appreciation for gardening that when I had a lawn. When all you have is a balcony, every container pot is important. I have learned a lot over the last few years about container pots and the plants I like to use. The most important thing is that the plants do not have to be expensive to be beautiful. Plant flowers in groupings for greater impact. Also, use grasses liberally; they are tall, cheap and make the whole arrangement look really put together.

I said a big “awww” when I saw this adorable gardening set at the Paper Source. Not the place I would normally expect to see gardening supplies, I was really impressed with its high cute factor. Made for the Victoria and Albert Museum in Lonton, these tools have an arts and crafts era floral wallpaper design by William Morris. Lightweight and made from aluminum, you can purchase the garden tool set, the pruners, or even just this cute water bottle.  This great pink color is called ”cray” and a lovely blue print “anemone” is also available.

V&A Garden Tool Set ($16-$38/50)

I wondered if I made a post about cleaning products would that mean I am slipping. But then I realized how much I really love this stuff and use it for everything, so what the heck! Besides, these products are natural and biodegradable which is a really good thing. Caldrea has a lot more than cleaning products. They have really great soaps, lotions and candles too.

I am obsessed with Caldrea’s Ginger Pomelo scent. I am obsessed with all of their scents. So naturally I got excited when I saw the brand new watercress wild lily scent for spring. What could be more cute than one of these petite sink sets with the little mesh basket? Besides puppy dogs and rainbows, of course.

Caldrea Watercress Wild Lily

I want this… Yes, I know its for little girls and I haven’t been a little girl for some time now; okay a long time.  

It is a sewing kit with all kinds of felt shapes, fabrics, threads and trimmngs for you to make little stuffed animals, book covers or any number of other things. All of this packs away in a fun little orange suitcase. My neices were having a good time playing with this kit yesterday and I liked it because the needle and thread looked so easy to work with and the brightly colored felt shapes were irresistable. $20 from The Land of Nod.

And Sew It Goes Sewing Kit 

Oh what a lovely shade of green. A great way to make any desk look more civilized. Each piece is molded and polished with care, a timeless look just right for everyday use. $32

Jadeite desk set

Impress your friends (or yourself) with a dizzying array of hand shadows; make them ooh and ahh with nine, you heard that right, nine hand shadows! ($3 at Day-Lab)

Shadow Pictures Card

I dont wear ties, but these ties by Sovereign Beck are just too cool for school. Designed by Ryan Sovereign and William Beck from Brooklyn, these ties are ‘made in the USA, in limited quantities, and using only the finest ingredients.’ I’ll take two, please. ($60 and up).

Sovereign Beck