I go through phases with my headphones. Sometimes I happily tune out the sounds of the city in favor of my own personal life soundtrack, and other times I want to listen to the people around me. These days I’m in a major headphones phase and finding myself constantly trying to untangle the wires from my coat buttons or the keys in my pocket. These little earbud holders called Spooled are perfect for the headphone-wearer in your life who prefers minimal buds to chunkier headphones. Each little unit is designed to look like a vintage thread spool and will keep the cords in line and the buds protected (good if, like me, you have a cat that likes to hunt the buds and try to eat them). If you’re looking for a last-minute stocking stuffer, this little $8 device would be perfect. Click here to pick up one online. xo, grace
new online shopping: amelia
Just about this time last year, we featured a Sneak Peek with Erin Abbott, and then she wrote our D*S guide to Oxford, Mississippi. This tiny southern town has a lot going for it, including Erin’s store, Amelia. But after the Design*Sponge at Home 30-city book tour, it’s going to be a while before I get on a plane again. So I was thrilled to learn that Erin just launched her online store. She specializes in quirky handmade items and even has a small vintage section on the site. — Amy Azzarito
Image above: 1. Gold Brass Rounds Necklace, $54; 2. Essentials for Any Pirate, $70; 3. Wooden Compass, $24; 4. Handmade Journal, $28; 5. Chef’s Pencil Set, $12; 6. Tipi Pillow, $70; 7. Recycled Leather & Canvas Purse, $140
Image above: Vintage Italian Pushpins, $4
Image above: Hofdi Pillow, $112
Image above: Little Drop Earrings, $34
2011 d*s scholarship: grad finalists + voting!
The undergraduate scholarship voting is already off to a great start, and it’s been so fun to read people’s comments and see how excited they’re getting about the next generation of young designers. Today I’m equally thrilled to announce our second and final group of top 10 contenders: our graduate student finalists! These artists and designers have already completed undergraduate work and are now in advanced programs for everything from metalsmithing and graphic design to fibers and painting. There is some really thought-provoking work in this set, so I hope you’ll take the time to explore each finalist, check out their websites and cast your vote (in the poll after the jump) for your favorite. Winners of both the undergraduate and graduate contests will be announced on Friday. Thank you so much to all of the graduate students who took the time to enter, and thank you again to this year’s scholarship sponsors: West Elm, Perigee Books (a division of Penguin) and Artstream.
Please note: All applicants are listed in alphabetical order below. There will be four prizes awarded, which will be determined by voting. The voting order below will randomize with each new viewer; you must click on the poll to register a vote. Comments will not count toward the total. Voting for graduate applicants will end Thursday, December 22nd at 10pm EST (East Coast).
View all 10 graduate applicants and VOTE after the jump . . .
living in: white christmas
White Christmas is the crown jewel of holiday movies in the Merrick house, the gold standard by which all others are judged. Classy but funny, with mind-boggling dancing and more costume changes than Christina Aguilera at the VMAs, it’s the movie we reach for year after year. Sure, there are a couple gratuitous musical numbers, but in my old age I find myself less aware of them anyway and more focused on the mash-up of rustic and mid-century that steal the show. Or would steal the show if Rosemary Clooney weren’t involved. — Amy Merrick
1. Green Banded Cup and Saucer, $9; 2. Vintage Copper Pot, $55; 3. Vermont Poster, $20; 4. Cable Knit Socks, $45; 5. Antique Windsor Chair, $1150; 6. Revlon “Cherries in the Snow” Lipstick, $6; 7. Belle Noel Hoops, $69; 8. Hot Dog Fork, $5; 9. Firewood Bundles, $5; 10. Random Stone Fire Pit, $500; 11. Bottlebrush Trees, $6
The second roundup and set of stills continue after the jump . . .
biz ladies: how to get your business attention by giving it to others
Today’s Biz Ladies post is from Meagan Visser, a creative business owner and coach who inspires moms to follow their creative business dreams. She offers marketing, time management and basic strategies for building successful creative businesses while having a family on her site, MeaganVisser.com. She is also the author of Creative Business Marketing 101, a seven-day e-course designed to get your creative business marketing on the right track. Today she shares some great tips to building key business-growing relationships. Thank you, Meagan, for this wonderful post! — Stephanie
Read the full post after the jump . . .
istanbul city guide
Today’s city guide comes from Melinda Mahaffey, a blogger and copy editor at a daily English-language newspaper. Melinda moved to Istanbul six months ago, and her Istanbul-native and graphic-designer boyfriend, Cagatay Icden, helped with these city guide selections. Melinda takes us on a tour through the many historic neighborhoods of this now somewhat metropolitan city. Thank you, Melinda and Cagatay, for this beautiful guide! — Stephanie
Read the full guide after the jump . . .
