Sometimes it's the simple things that make me happiest. Case in point: Sweet Bella's adorable masking tapes in stripes, checks, plaids and dots, which I spotted at the New York International Gift Show. What a way to elevate the everyday! Just think of the myriad possibilities -- a boring to-do list, a plain envelope, a white-tissue wrapped gift all become super-chic with the addition of a Sweet Bella number.

Printed on Japanese rice paper, these tapes will cost you a little more that the average drug-store variety (thought not much). However, patterns like the blue plaid above just make me instantly happy, which, for me, makes it totally worth it.

I wasn't the only one who liked Sweet Bella, check out The Haystack Needle's shots of the adorable way they displayed the tapes in their booth after the jump:



For some ideas of what to do with a patterned masking tape, check out this post:
- HappyTape! DIY inspiration

Cardboard Safari introduces new products to its line of cool cardboard creations at the 2010 NYIGF

Christmas might be a long way off, but checking out Cardboard Safari's amazing white cardboard wreaths at the New York International Gift Fair got me in the holiday mood again. (You might recognize the company's runaway hit, the recycled cardboard deer head trophy from years past).

Though I love Christmas greenery, the thought of no shedding pine needles (!) is very exciting. Not to mention, the possibility of having the coolest front door on the block is pretty inspiring. Next to these modernist creations, fresh pine seems so 2009!

Can't wait until next December to display one of these wreathes? Maybe this heart wreath can tide you over until next year; it's just in time for Valentine's Day.

Love the look of cardboard? Check out these posts:

- Cardboard designs at 2009's summer NYIGF
- A hotel room made entirely out of cardboard
- Wall art made out of cardboard tubes

The best and brightest new designs at this year's New York International Gift Fair

Sometimes when I enter the sprawling Javits Center for the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF), I think to myself "Same vendors, same old stuff -- time and time again." But then, every year I'm happily surprised with all the amazing new vendors and designs. Somehow, I always manage to forget that this happens, but I'm almost glad I do. The temporary amnesia is worth the delight I feel when I discover all the new wares!

Here's a round-up of some of my favorite surprises from the many fresh and innovative companies exhibiting at NYIGF:

First on my list of new favorites are the delicate porcelain pieces at Bailey Doesn't Bark. New York-based designer Re Jin crafts gorgeous home accessories like gold-accented plates and teacups. She also has a sense of humor, as evidenced in another series of plates that features a swirling procession of ants. Her ant motif also appears on some tiny porcelain pendants, which we loved.

Alice Supply Co. has moved over to the Accent on Design section for their third time exhibiting at NYIGF. I was crazy for their new navy striped brooms, screwdrivers, garden tools and other utilitarian goods, and I was especially fond of their navy-striped trash bags, which might just make taking out the trash less of a chore. Alice Supply Co.'s cute products come in the aforementioned navy stripes, a multi-hued stripe, a camouflage and a pretty wood-grain print.


Next up is one of my favorite all-time finds: Waylande Gregory Studios' gorgeous hand-painted ceramics, which have the coolest story ever. The company's namesake was an early 20th-century artist who produced warehouses full of ceramic sculptures. Though well-known in his day, Waylande Gregory's pieces remained largely unknown until one of his descendants discovered a gold mine of his works. Presto, a company was born and the rest of us can benefit by owning one of the show-stopping pieces.

Equally elegant were British import Nick Munro's aerodynamic coffee and tea servers. Made of steel with rattan-wrapped handles, the engineer-turned-designer totally nails the balance of modern-and-trad. Though already available in Europe, this is the first time Munro's products are available stateside. Sign me up for when the mad rush for his products begins!


Another Brit showing solo in the U.S. for the first time is Thorsten van Elten, and we're all the luckier for it (his work has appeared in others' booths before, but this is Thorsten van Elten first show on his own).

Many of van Elten's desgins tend towards the witty -- plates emblazoned with "Good China" or "Bad China" anyone? On the other hand, some of the new offerings from van Elten are just plain cute. Check out these vegetable 'Gemüse' mugs and wooden dump truck toys. Please sir, may we have some more? Text

The textiles at Scintilla Limited blew me away. I loved the original designs of painterly, romantic brush strokes with a Rorschach/Pac-Man-esque edge. And the colors? Bright, fresh and out-of-the-ordinary combos that tied together the cutting-edge patterns.

If like me, you thought the outdoor rug market needed some spicing up, look no further than Fab Habitat. The Moroccan-inspired 'Lhasa' rug was my favorite, but a Greek key-bordered rug came in as a close second. In fact, these rugs are so nice and soft I might just opt to keep one indoors. Better still, Fab Habitat's rugs made of recycled polypropylene, which makes them super-duper eco-friendly.

Last but not least, is comeback kid Jardins du Jour (formerly known as Jardins de Fleur). The former manufacturer of lacquered chinoiserie furniture has reinvented itself as a print-making company. The results are beautiful framed grisailles, exotic birds and yes, more chinoiserie -- pagoda scenes, figurines and other eastern motifs are cast in luscious colors. Hats off to their new efforts!

Want to read more about the New York International Gift Fair? Check out Jessica's post about 2010's turquoise trend.

Blogger Lil Blue Boo shows us how she made her New Year's resolutions into graphic artwork

Inspirational posters usually make me think of doctor's offices and my 7th grade Issue and Ethics class. But just wait until you see what blogger Ashley of Lil Blue Boo fashioned out of the simplest of materials. She turned her New Year's resolutions into a black-and-white Richard Prince-esque mural.

But the coolest part about it? Since you're making it yourself, It can say anything you please -- sky's the limit! (Just no obscenities, please!)

We loved the project so much that we put Lil Blue Boo's step by step directions below.

Here's What You'll Need:

-A 2' x 4' piece of wood shortened to 2' x 3' (the local hardware store or lumber yard are sure to have this)
-Long wood molding strips 1/2" wide and 1 1/2" deep
-A large mitre saw (or a plastic mitre box and hand saw will also work)
-A pencil
-Wood glue
-A hammer and nails
-Nail-in brackets from the hardware store (to secure the edges of your frame -- more on this later)
-Sandpaper
-Primer
-Spray-paint in black and white
-A computer with PowerPoint or another graphic design program
-Vinyl contact paper
-Spray Adhesive
-A brayer
-Screw eyes pictures hangers and wire (from the local hardware store)




Here's How To Make It:

1. Get a 2' x 4' pieces of wood from your local hardware store or lumber yard and ask them to shorten it to 2' x 3'.

2. Also, get some long wood molding strips that measure 1/2" wide and 1 1/2" deep while at the hardware store or lumber yard. These will serve as your frame, so make sure you get over 10' of length.

3. Measure the molding strips alongside the piece of wood and mark with a pencil where you will need to cut to make the strips even with the length and width of the wood board. (For example, if using a 2' x 3' board, you will end up with two 2' strips and two 3' strips.)
4. Cut the corners of the strips at a 45 degree angle using a mitre saw if you have one, or a hand saw with a mitre box. Your moldings should all fit together in order to form a frame.


5. Next, apply wood glue onto the long edges of your 2' x 3' wood board. Press it onto the short side of one of the wood trim pieces. It should line up exactly at the top and the bottom. Using small nails, hammer it in to secure it. Repeat with the remaining three moldings.


6. Nail the little brackets onto the corners of the moldings to further secure them.


7. Spray the entire wood piece with primer.

8. Sand down any rough edges, and then cover with a coat of white spray paint.


9. Create a template with the words you want to use with PowerPoint or any other design program that you're comfortable with. Check out Lil Blue Boo's template and use it in case you're stuck.

10. Print out your template, and then bring it to Kinko's or another print shop that can enlarge it to your desired width (the cost will be about $4).


11. Next, using vinyl contact paper, cut strips that will match up with the width of your wording. For example, Lil Boo Blue's contact paper was only 12" , so only 3 lines of her resolutions fit at a time.


12. Mount the photocopy of your words to the top of the contact paper using spray adhesive. Make sure to adhere to the top of the contact paper, not the paper side as you'll be peeling this part off later.

13. Trim each line of words with scissors.


14. Evenly space out your words on the wood board, using light pencil marks to guide you. Now you can cut out each letter, peel off the paper back, and adhere it to the wood.

15. Smooth out each word with a brayer.


16. Spray the tops and sides with black spray paint. (Two or three coats is optimal). Make sure you let each coat dry thoroughly before applying the next one.


17. Once the board is completely dry, carefully peel off each contact paper letter, and touch-up any letters with white paint that might need it.

18. Finally, attach the screw eyes about 1/3 of the way down the back of the frame, secure some wire, and your artwork is ready to hang!

Willy Wonka comes to life for a night in New York's Renaissance Hotel's candy suite.

There are candy lovers. And then there are candy lovers. The latter, of the Willy Wonka-obsessed variety, are sure gonna be excited about this latest venture. Renaissance Hotels, together with New York sweets emporium Dylan's Candy Bar, has created a first -- the edible hotel room.


And it's not just plain old candy -- we're talking over 300 pounds worth! Dylan's, the veritable FAO Schwarz of the candy world, has decked out some suites at the Renaissance Hotel's New York 57 location with gigantic gummy bears, a chocolate fountain and a wall of candy buttons among other cult-candy favorites. There's even your own personal cotton candy machine. All you need now is something to wear for your big night: how about this dress made out of cake?

The Source
L'aviva Home

The Goods
Imagine the enchanting apartment of the most well-traveled person you know. Then imagine it all for sale on a highly curated website.

That's exactly what former travel editor Laura Aviva had in mind when she created L'aviva Home -- an online bazaar where she sells the best finds from her world travels -- Turkish hammam towels, South American cowhide rugs, Moroccan poufs....you know, the works.

The Secret
In the Wild West of online shopping, L'aviva lends a boutique experience where pieces are one-of-a-kind and are categorized into sections. Object, textile, and dowry are currently on display, the latter featuring traditional wedding presents from around the world (hint, hint to my friends and family).




Things to Know
But if you fear the mad rush to get that special piece, think again. L'aviva constantly restocks collections and will even work with customers to customize pieces. And another nice thing about this company? Everything arrives in thoughtfully wrapped eco-conscious or recycled paper -- and it's great-smelling to boot (was that a lavender sprig tucked in?). As if you needed another reason to shop here.

Read more secret sources:
Secret Source: The Evolution Store
Priscilla Woolworth: Our Fave Eco-Friendly Store

Every once in a rare moon, a designer comes along that alters the future of decorating. Enter the trailblazing Kelly Wearstler. Her latest decorating tome, Hue, published by Ammo Books, proves that she's ushering in a new era of design.

One of the best parts of the new book: Wearstler gives a tour of her own glittering Beverly Hills estate and Malibu home, as well as other residential projects, the BG cafe at Bergdorf Goodman department store in New York, and her most recent hotel design, the Tides Hotel in Miami Beach, among others.

Each chapter is divided not by project but color. Vermillion, alabaster, onyx, cerulean, citrine and carnelian are some of the evocative colors that also reference the semi-precious stones and rich, layered materials that Wearstler employs throughout the spaces. Likewise the interiors, like canvases, are exuberant, surprising and densely layered with materials.

One could say it's a departure from the Hollywood Regency craze that Wearstler is credited for starting in the earlier part of the decade.

Indeed the spaces are loaded with a crazy mix of sculptures, stone-enveloped rooms, Memphis-era and Fornasetti furniture, and strangely seductive '60s Italian pieces bought at auction, as well as Wearstler's own fabrics for Lee Jofa that all make for a truly inspired mix. Dare we call an '80s revival? Our eyes our peeled!



Read More:
-Trend Watch: Stone and Mineral Decor
-Kelly Wearstler for Pickard China

Sadly, lots of shelter magazines have gone by the wayside this past year including my former place of employment Domino (sniff, sniff!). And there are plenty of other casualties -- Southern Accents, Cottage Living, and most recently Metropolitan Home.

But if it's any consolation, there's always something new popping up. My new recent crush is the blog Remodelista, which is so much more than just a blog. The site -- founded by four bicoastal editors -- was relaunched in the fall with loads of new editorial content, and it's bigger and better than ever.

A mailbox is one of those things you don't normally pay much attention to. Me too, until I saw this understated gray number. Everything about it is just right -- the classic sans serif font, the just-right shade of dove gray and the timeless shape. Score!

Move over, antlers! The new animal motif stars the many-legged variety.

Yup, insects. And it's not just pristine butterflies either.

These are true entomologic specimens. But don't get scared. These bugs are sophisticated cousins of their real-life counterparts -- elongated, brightly colored and definitely glamourized.

One of my favorite new insect products are these porcelain plates by new Stoke-on-Trent-based company The New English. The "Entomo1" pattern combines insect parts like butterfly wings and stag beetles and presents them in an abstract mesmerizing pattern.

Newly launched at this fall's tabletop market, these should be in stores this coming spring. I can't wait!











Another insect maven is Laura Zindel, a Vermont-based ceramist and Rhode Island School of Design graduate.

I first took notice of her serving pieces at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, the culinary mecca in Westchester, New York. For a white-tablecloth restaurant, the beetle and scarab ceramics were pretty edgy.

After researching her line, I noticed it everywhere -- Barneys, ABC Carpet & Home...you get the picture. These black-and-white vases are such an interesting shape -- I love the fresh take on Victoriana.















Also new are Zindel's black-and-white prints.

They look like they came out of a Cabinet of Curiosities book.

I could imagine framing a couple of these in black frames and hanging them together for added impact.

Decoupage king John Derian also has a thing for critters.



















And the vibrant colors of these beetles (shown below) lend them a delicate look.

They prove that insects can be girly and fashion-forward.









Curling up on the sofa with a bee? PIllow designer Thomas Paul proves it's appealing with his chic brown-on-white linen cushions.
























Read more about trends:
-Trend Watch: Stone and Mineral Decor
-Trend Watch: Darts and Arrows

Another Trend That Won't Stop?
Fashion designers design for the home: more here!

Traditional toile? It's a thing of the past. The fabric, which typically depicts sketched scenes of pastoral life, is getting a new life. Take a look at some of these cool new city-specific toiles in which many bustling 21st-century metropolises are represented.

And one of the coolest things about them? The look like their old-fashioned cousins, until you get up close.

Check out Sheila Bridges's Harlem toile wallpaper, for example. The interior designer (Bill Clinton is a client) recolored and revamped the traditional pattern and gave it an urban setting. Love the boombox in the background!

Another take on toile is Jessica Smith's South Beach wallpaper from Studio Printworks. The pink-and-green color is iconic Miami, and what better way to celebrate the beachfront city's Deco hotels and palm trees?