I spend a lot of time on my computer (at work and at home) and on the phone.  These two items have gotten me thinking about the possibilities for an incredible home office/studio/desk/base.  First, (pictured above) the iRetrophone Classic Black by Free Land Studios, $195 via Etsy.  Wouldn’t it also look great on my bedside table?  Yes, yes it would.  If only I had $200 laying around…

Second, the USB Typewriter is just too cool for words.  Of course, not only do you need the DIY kit, a typewriter (which I have), and an iPad but the time to put it all together and the ability to “ruin” a perfectly good typewriter.  Oh, and they cost anywhere from $300-500 plus the screen/monitor.  Yikes.

Lovers of the look, feel, and quality of old fashioned manual typewriters can now use them as keyboards for any USB-capable computer, such as a PC, Mac, or even iPad!

Finally, the desk itself– a steel mail sorting desk.  Yes, I’d love a wooden vintage one but they are expensive (ahem not that this isn’t) and the desk portion isn’t quite as deep as I’d like.  I’ve thought about this a lot.  Plus, how totally awesome would be it be to have all those compartments up there to keep things tidy!

Behold, The Bobble.  It is a water bottle with a built in filter that you can fill over and over again from the tap.  Genius.  Right?  Maybe.  I mean, the US has some of the cleanest drinking water around.  Plus, you’ve still got this filter to deal with.  Of course, in DC the problem may not be with the water per se but with the Civil War-era pipes.  Although, really… WASA doesn’t really do a whole lot to inspire confidence (large chlorine dumps, anyone?)

I bought one, as you know I adore gimmicks.  However, part of me wonders if this is the worst kind of greenwashing.  While the item itself hits all the right points, do I really need something to filter my perfectly safe US water?  That said, the Bobble is made in the USA, BPA-free, and recyclable.  Even the filters are recyclable– which is more than I can say for Pur.  You can either mail it back to them (and pay the postage) or drop it in curbside recycling since it’s a plastic “1.”  I can’t remember if I posted about this before, when the “Take Back the Filter” campaign was in full swing.  We switched from Brita to Pur since Pur is a slightly better filter– as far as I can tell, you cannot recycle a Pur filter.

image via Luxist

If nothing else, I’ll use this at work.  Although I carry a reusable water bottle, I typically drink from the water cooler at work.  Switching to the tap won’t make my office stop getting gallons of water delivered, but at least I’ll be drinking tap water and wont have my belief in the lameness of bottled water take a break just because we have a water cooler at the office.

Oh, and I picked this one up at a local shop, Home Rule, for under $10.  I love this shop.  They carry all sorts of fun and brightly colored kitchen, bath, and bar supplies.  Sure, you can’t outfit your whole kitchen here, but you can get some awesome, awesome gadgets and conversation pieces.

Note: I’m in no way affiliated with Bobble Water, just someone interested in cutting down my plastic use and carrying nicely designed things.

I’ve just dropped this in the mail to its recipient so I don’t want to show you what it is completely… here is a taste of something I put together for Sarah, the lovely magical mailbox maker.  I’ll show you a proper picture in a week or so– when I’m sure she’s gotten it.

Mostly, this post is an excuse to tell you that oh boy does Cavallini and Co. have some great new stuff out… That wrapping paper is their “Vintage Office” design and I am in love with their vintage Par Avion stickers.  As much as I would like to find everything on e-bay so that it’s actually vintage, reproductions are so nice.  I find it much easier to part with a reproduction than with the real thing– that might explain why I horde things that are over 50-years old…

Also, you know who else has been coming out with some great stuff lately?  Chronicle Books.  I think it’s great that they’re working with bloggers like The Small Object and Paper+Cup.  This weekend I picked up the “Old School Letter Set” designed by Paper+Cup and have, for weeks, been debating if I can justify buying the Pictorial Webster’s Wall Cards.  The book is incredible, and its image of a mocking bird formed the basis of the one in my tattoo.  It’s just, $24 seems a bit steep– especially since I’d probably send them as postcards.

I am in love with these spoof merit badges.  I’ve been looking around for merit badges lately, and I’m not really sure how I got onto this trend.  Well, “trend” in my life– obviously, not a trend in other people’s lives.  They’re cheap too.  Most of the badges from Boy Scout Store are $1.50-3.00/each! Oh yes, oh yes indeed.  These will make excellent enclosures in cards, presents, and as encouragement gifts.  I’m a fan of giving small gifts, by the way.

There are several other sources for adult/non-scouting merit badges.  Including:

• Lee Meszaros‘ “Be Proud” series (I adore the “pushing the envelope” badge);
• PodPost has several sets for the letter writers, letterpress printers, and bookbinders among us;
• NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) sells badges that could work for office life too;
• Nerd Merit Badges: I think the name says it all– for the techy in your life;
• Meritorious Baby’s set for infants and toddlers; and,
• Mama merit badges which, I’m *almost* sad to say, some of my friends will soon qualify for.

Actually, after drawing up that list I’m thinking maybe merit badges are a trend.  I just haven’t seen any adulty merit badges but that might say more about my friends or our relative hipness than it would about the trend.

This was a semi-impulsive Ebay purchase… there was a “pop off” and I should’ve held back.  But did I?  No.

HOW COULD I LET THIS BEAUTY OUT OF MY GRASP?!

Ahem. I don’t know much about the Postal Service Station made by the American Adjustomatic Corp– clearly a precursor to today’s APC.  It seems to have been made in the 1950s, although the text on the map and rate list are from the 1970s.  It didn’t come with keys to the locks, so I’m going to see if I can pick them (easily) and find out if I can actually get it working.  How cool would it be to get stamps out?

Any suggestions for learning more about this thing?  Some Googling just gave me that basic info above…

Also, prepare for ALL my photos to now be staged on or around my Postal Service Station.  Jon says I’m slowly building a shrine to the mail.  That might be true.  I’m also going to take a break from Ebay for a bit… the postal collectible area was just too much temptation.

Jon and I went to see Sherlock Holmes this weekend.  It’s a great film if, and only if, you are okay with it being not really anything like the books or the Jeremy Brett version.  Robert Downy Jr. and Jude Law are just too handsome to be Holmes and Watson really– and since when did Holmes fight in boxing matches?  I thought he was an opium addict.  Of course, I’m biased because a) I read many of the stories with my Mom and b) I watched almost all the A&E/Jeremy Brett episodes between the ages of 10 and 14– an impressionable age.  Anyway, Guy Richie made a great film about sleuthing in Victorian England and nobody, but nobody, can film a boxing scene like Ritchie.

Anyway, although I didn’t love the plot I loved the richness of all the sets.  I definitely understand the appeal of Steampunk (if I didn’t before when I was scouring the DC area for antique glassware).  It’s not quite my thing– I like my Steapunk diluted with a little 19th century history–probably because I want my very own Cabinet of Curiosities some day.  Herewith an incomplete list of some of my favorite quasi-Victorian objects:

Contemporary German Safety Goggles from Restoration Hardware.

Antique Sterling Silver Perfume, Smelling Salts Decanter, Bottle in Domed Original Leather Etui, Box via Rubylane.com

W. Watson & Sons Ltd., The Van Heurck No.1 model microscope, c. 1910, via Antique-Microscopes.com

Jasmine Ruffled Side-tie Panties from Espalore’s Etsy Shop.  I don’t think I could ever wear these because really I can’t take myself that seriously but, I like the way they look on other people.

5 Light Silver Plated Candelabra via FoodServiceWarehouse.com.  I think this would look just lovely covered in loads of dripped candle wax.

And the grand finale…

Brass cash register via Solvang Antique Center.

]]> http://www.bashfullydesigned.com/2009/12/28/living-within-sherlock-holmes/feed/ 0 http://www.bashfullydesigned.com/2009/11/05/more-calendar-worries/ http://www.bashfullydesigned.com/2009/11/05/more-calendar-worries/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:39:56 +0000 ashleyb http://www.bashfullydesigned.com/?p=476
“Stand Up Straight” 2010 calendar from Athertonlin’s Etsy shop.

Perhaps you remember last year when I kind of panicked about my calendar rut.  It’s come again– to Moleskine or not to Moleskine for my day planner, to head back to the Nikki McClure calendar I’ve sort of missed even though I loved the art I had this year or break out into something new?  Plus, I’m trying to decide if I want to keep my work day planner and my personal day planner seperate.  Yes, even when I’m not working or in school full time I keep a planner– I find it oddly peaceful and it will be useful for my future biographers.

So hard.

Anyway, I’m starting to find some really intriguing things pop up on Etsy.  I like the pick your own images calendar that Bomobob offers but am also intrigued by the “A Year at the Fair” calendar in the same shop.  Plus, can I really pick 12 images?  Clearly just picking one aesthetic for a whole year is too much for me.  Similarly, I like UrbanPinkPhotography’s 2010 Carnival Calendar, which is small enough to put up on my office bulletin board. Oh the possibilities.

For my full sized, on-the-art-wall calendar I’m 90% sure I’ll go with “Stand Up Straight” from Athertonlin’s Etsy shop (picture at top of this post).  I like the idea of a story unfolding over the course of 12 months– talk about taking the calendar to a whole new level of interesting.

Some others I like: this hand rest calendar (photo above), the Dutch Door Press wall calendar, and Caitlin Keegan’s circular wall calendar.  And maybe a running-themed day planner would keep me motivated?

Do any of you obsess about day planners and calendars?  It’s like buying 12 little art pieces and really you can’t make that decision lightly– esp since you have to live with it for a whole year.  Although I guess each page you just have to live with for a month.  Clearly, I continue to over-think this.

Do you remember a few months ago when I was talking about how I really needed a perfect set of candle holders? No?  Well, I did.  Except I never found the perfect candle sticks.  I’m actually not sure these are perfect, but they’re pretty good.  I suppose a lot would depend on how stable they are.

One would look nice next to my bed on the world’s-most-perfect bedside table– and I do love vaguely 19th century things these days.  When I was at a re-enactment a few weeks ago I really liked the lanters they had in the Sutlers’ area but found they were way to big to use at home (or, in our small apartment anyway).

I can’t tell how I feel about this new Sundance Channel program Man Shops Globe.  I’m not sure what I’m more uncomfortable with- that the show isn’t a hard-hitting expose of high-end “bobo“/”boho” lifestyles or that it reveals just enough about what made Anthropologie such a perfect place to go when the library stressed me out that I start to see the artifice.

On one hand, I’m hardly one to complain about Anthropologie; if I had enough money I’d probably by 70% of my clothing and home items there (the other 30% would come from Etsy, of course).  Plus, I’ve been known to abandon all willpower in that store and come out with dresses I’ll get to wear… maybe three times in my oh-so-casual life. When I was finishing up my MA there was an Anthropologie about 7 blocks from the university library and I’d sometimes sneak off to just look at all the beautiful things.

On the other hand there is something about this show that is kind of off putting.  Probably two phenomenon are part of this.  First, something about seeing where all this stuff comes from actually kind of ruins the fantasy.  Suddenly its his vision and huge warehouses full of stuff and it’s all brightly lit.  I guess it is nice that we get to see where things are coming from and that these seem to be artisanal workshops and antique stores but I still suspect there are some less-than-ideal workshop practices involved in Anthropologie’s production, not because they’ve set out to do anything bad but because that is often the nature of trade and production for an upscale American brand.

But I think more interestingly, the show highlights that the “lifestyle” Anthropologie creates is just… well… commodity, a series of exchanges between wealthy countries and developing countries (though also western European countries) that seems to disregard the cultural context in which many of these products are produced.  When I go to Anthropologie I am emphatically not thinking about workshops in Thailand or Indian furniture markets– it is all about my own, American, upper-middle-class fantasy life.

Am I going to continue shopping at Anthropologie?  Of course– I could really use this or this or this or… Do I kind of feel like I should apologize for fashion?  Well, that’s a much trickier question and one that gets harder to answer the more curtain is pulled back, so to speak.

But, let’s be honest, who wouldn’t KILL for that man’s job?!

How cool is this candle?!  Maybe it’s me.  I haven’t actually purchased it because, really, I don’t know that we need a giant candle.  BUT, isn’t that an awesome stand?  To me it looks kind of steam punk-ish but not too over-the-top steam punk.  We’ll see.  This might be the kind of thing that seems like a silly indulgence in early-Sept but, come October, seems like an excellent addition to our apartment.  I can just see us in autumn now, drinking some lovely red wine and watching our coil candle burn.  Yes, clearly I’m losing it. (Thanks to Eben for pointing out that this is a 17th century desgin, not a 15th century design.  That’s what I get for blogging too early in the AM).

Sometimes though, I wonder if this is a sign I’m prematurely turning into a very old lady.  Something in the Land’s End catalog appealed to me last week too.  Jon teases me about this.

Anyway, I’m also loving this write-on coffee/tea cup from Fred Flare (a site I’ve actually never ordered from but really like– go figure).  I know this was all over the web 6 months ago, but I’ve still got my eye on it.  I can think of at least one person it’d be a great gift for.  Maybe I need one for my office?