2 years old...and better than ever !

The Albero cucuruku got restyled! Coming soon the 2010 version:

More "ecological" more "inspired" A new fresh look for our best selling clock Albero cucuruku by Paolino & Fushi manufactured by progetti and available through us at http://www.momentoitalia.com/ .

Gorgeous new colors which perfectly welcome the upcoming spring season.

Albero cucuruku has been a winning clock for over two years, a perfect gift for every occasion, and can really save you if you are looking for something original on this Valentine's day. Featured also on the New York Times as well as many design magazines, websites and blogs, this clock has surprised , amuses, entertain and represent a beautiful complement for your home or office.

Available soon in this sparkling new version with light oak wood , white tree design and orange arm. A green inspiration for sure.....

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Savoir Faire

Jane Douglas grew up in Virginia, I in Atlanta. We both went to college in Virginia. At some point when you live in Virginia, the "Virginia sensibility” becomes a part of you. Virginians have a natural elegance, a certain savoir faire. In Virginia the landscape itself is breathtaking. I remember driving out to the Blue Ridge Parkway just to watch the sun set.

Jane Douglas and I both lived in Richmond ages ago when we were in our twenties. The city of Richmond itself is full of beautiful architecture and lovely neighborhoods. In fact, we are all drawn to beautiful things – whether it's a house, a piece of furniture, the leaves in the fall, fabric, a sunset, a poem or a painting.

We went on the Cathedral Tour of Homes last week and both of us were struck by one house in particular, which has a stunning living room. It is fun and beautiful and graceful all at the same time. I would say that is the style that we both are drawn too – a tamer version of Miles Redd and Kelly Wearstler. Traditional interiors with a twist, that aren't too serious. After all, we want to be able to live easily in our houses, even with children and dogs!





First two images courtesy of Elle Decor, third image courtesy of Southern Accents. First room is Miles Redd, second image is Elizabeth Martin, third is Barry Dixon.

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Hey Canadians! Check out Babybot!

(photo courtesy of olliandlimeblog.com)

I know I've mentioned this before but didn't really give it the proper post I wanted to at the time. So here goes...

If you live in Canada, love modern stuff for kids, and want an Owyn, Bertie, and/or Noah Owl toy box, you're in luck - BIG TIME!!! Baby Bot currently has 13 of my toy boxes in stock and ready to ship out when you place your order. No wait-time of 12 weeks AND no customs charges that can make buying one of my toy boxes so astronomically expensive if you're not living in the U.S.

The back story is that one of the founders, Renee Bender, bought an Owyn Toy Box for her daughter about a year and a half ago. Then she and her team decided to launch Baby Bot. She called me and said she wanted 15 toy boxes total so I built them over a 5 month period in between regular orders and she had a truck come get them and drive them up North.

I can't say enough about Renee and her fantastic new web store in Canada! They've worked tirelessly to find unique, hard-to-find, modern kids goods and it shows. And I'm proud to announce that Baby Bot is now the exclusive carrier of Mod Mom Furniture in Canada!

http://www.babybot.com

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What makes a house a home?

In thinking about starting our interior design firm, I have been pondering what makes a house a home and not a set from a magazine shoot. What is it that gives a house warmth and personality and soul? Think about the feeling that you have when you come home to a house you love - the house evokes an emotional reaction in us, it touches us somewhere inside and we feel safe and can be refreshed.

This is the house that I, my mother and grandmother grew up in:



Just looking at the photo gives me a feeling of "home." This house is why I built a white clapboard house - it just feels like home to me. Each one of us has different things that evoke that feeling of home. The job of an interior designer is to help the client figure out what those things are and how they translate into design of the house (inside and out).

A house tells the story of a person's life, and describes the journey that one has traveled. At the beginning the house is fresh and often fairly empty, as time goes by the house develops a patina, and becomes full of the artifacts and treasures collected along the way. If you look closely, you can learn a lot about a person from his or her house - you can see what is meaningful to the homeowners and what their passions are.

In the next few posts, we will explore the things that Jane Douglas and I love about houses and interior design and we will show you some of things that we love about our own houses.

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And the Winner Is......

.....RACHEL DONIGER from Chicago, IL!!!

Congratulations, Rachel! Check out the raffle drawing video below. My assistants, Noah and Grace, helped make it happen.



Just wanted to say thank you again for playing my little raffle game! I'll be sending the $907.90 donation to the Red Cross today via their website on behalf of all of us.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

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Mod Mom Raffle for Haiti Relief -- Total Amount Raised!!

OK. I know you've been up all night stressing about the raffle and whether or not you've won (Russel) so I'll just get to the point. You won't know if you've won til after my son gets home from school and picks the winner out of the jar. I need to cut all the paper and do a the organizing of it so look for an announcement around 4pm PST. Also, I'll take photos and video tape it so you know I'm not just randomly pulling Oonagh Delaney (who has been so vocal about wanting the box on Facebook) out of the jar. Although, I think I should build her one just for her incredible enthusiasm. That, and the fact that she's family. :)

So in a nutshell, check back later today. Also, I'll contact the winner directly via email or phone or with the Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes people so you'll DEFINITELY know you've won.



Now for the drum roll..........the total amount raised for the Red Cross......is....................................

$907.90!

It's really amazing what you've done!! When I put it up on the blog last week, I was seriously hoping for $200. But to sell $10 tickets and raise close to $1000 is really so unbelievable to me. Thank you so much for participating in the raffle!! I'll be making the donation later tonight via www.redcross.org. Here's a link to a recent article on the Red Cross website called Snapshots from Haiti .

(Photos courtesy of Red Cross.org)

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Here we go....

First post on our new blog....still figuring it all out.

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Mod Mom Keepsake Box Raffle -- All Proceeds go to Red Cross for Haiti

Raffle Update as of 8:30am PST, January 26th:

HOLY COW we're up to $774.09 with a total of 81 tickets sold! The raffle ends tonight at midnight PST so if you haven't bought a ticket yet, look below for the Paypal link! And do it QUICK. :)

Just a reminder that the keepsake box is not just intended for kids. I designed it with adults and kids in mind and came up with a few ideas for what you big kids can store in it: leftover antibiotics that you forgot to take, old mixed tapes, photos/letters from past loves, all one thousand TV remote controls, your rock collection, your Twilight Edward Cullen action figure, and the list goes on!






I, like everyone else, is just crushed by the news coming out of Haiti. It's heart breaking. And like everyone else, we gave what we could to charity to help. Even though we can't squeeze more out of our budget to donate personally, I figured I could do something with what I know best. I've got wood and I know how to use it.

Inspired by Bamboletta dolls who raffled two dolls and raised close to $10,000 (insanely big number, huh?!?) that will go Doctors Without Borders and their relief efforts in Haiti, I figured I'd give it a try. So, last night, I designed a bird keepsake box for the raffle winner.

The keepsake box is made from eco-friendly Russian Baltic Birch. The bird and veneer cut-outs are were hand-drawn. I use Miller dowels to ensure strong joints. The paint/stain (your choice- see below) are non-toxic. The finish is low-VOC, water-based polyurethane from Deft. Dimensions: 15" x 12 1/2" x 5 1/4".

RAFFLE DETAILS:

THE WINNER GETS TO CHOOSE THE COLOR! The lucky raffle winner will get to choose the paint or stain color for the bird. I wanted it to make it work in almost any home and let you have some say in what your handmade keepsake box looks like!

HOW TO BUY A TICKET - Each ticket is only $10!: Donations will be accepted via Paypal by clicking the ADD TO CART button below. If you want to buy more than one ticket, you can choose adjust the number of tickets you'd like. Now since I'm not a non-profit organization, I'm sorry to say I cannot give receipts for tax write-offs. I'll be donating all proceeds to the American Red Cross

WHEN IS THE WINNER ANNOUNCED? The raffle will run until next Tuesday, January 26, at midnight. The winner will be chosen on Wednesday, January 27th . I'll be sure to keep you updated throughout the raffle. I'll take care of the shipping/packing costs of getting the keepsake box to the winner.

Thanks in advance to everyone who participates!



(Thank you Robert for making my photos at the top look amazing! And for sharing the news on http://www.mahardrygoods.com/blog.php and http://www.juniorsociety.com/)

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Gratitude

I was reading the Apartment Therapy post again because I noticed there were four comments below. Which meant there was one I hadn't read. As I scrolled down, my heart raced a bit....and then completely jumped out of my body when I read the first line of what appeared to be a very long comment...

"I very rarely leave commentary here, though I frequent the site often, but I HAD to chime in..."

Gulp. Then big gulp. Then OH CRAP WHAT'S NEXT?!!? After a couple deep breaths, I made myself read-on through the corner of my squinty eyes and was so glad I did. Victoria was a customer of mine in 2008. She did what I sadly don't come to expect much which was say really nice things about my furniture. I've had a few bad run-ins with commenters over the course of the past three years and I guess it affected me more than I thought. I know I do good work...I put my heart and soul into every piece. But still, just a few voices who never even bought my furniture (or saw it up close) make me doubt myself and the goodness of others. It's wrong, I know.

So to Victoria, I can't thank you enough. You did what few people ever take the time to do.

"...I ordered the Owyn Toy Box from modmomfurniture over a year ago and I couldn't be more pleased. Certainly it was a splurge for me, but I ordered the piece for my daughters' first birthday, hoping it will last her. The construction is stunning, it looks absolutely lovely in her room, it's easy to use, spacious and does more than add to the decor. Am I the only one who thinks most wooden toy boxes on the market look like tiny coffins? I know I may be stretching it a bit, but I can't help the association. If they're not gloomy and dark, then they're overly gaudy. I'm already thinking of how I will be re purposing this toybox as storage for linen at the foot of my daughter's bed when she will no longer need it for toys, as it will easily transition into a teenage years... and then hopefully it's intended use will come in handy again for my daughter's children (yeah, she's only 2 now, but I dream that far).I now have another little girl and I'm seriously considering another toy box from modmomfurniture for her 1st birthday as well. I love the idea that my girls will each have an intricate hand-made item that can last and gain some history. Thank you again Kiersten, you are one talented gal!http://public.fotki.com/Vikulya/sisters/baby/first-tea-party/dsc2165.html

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Pacific Ocean: 10 times more plastic than plankton

I just watched this unbelievable video on the levels on plastic versus plankton in the Pacific Ocean. My biggest question is how come I can't see it when I take a bucket of water from the ocean to dump on my sandcastle? Granted there's always debris on the coast and washing up in huge chunks but it seems like I would be able to see more of it in my cup of sea water. Perhaps I've just never worn my glasses to the beach. Perhaps they're too small to see without a microscope. Regardless, I think I need to start making more plastic jewelry from my bottle caps and bottles!

Watch the video here

This is my first plastic bottle necklace:

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Ohdeedoh and Riley Paige

Many thanks to Carrie at Ohdeedoh for writing about Riley. I LOVE this article!!

Riley Paige Toy Box by Mod Mom Furniture

Meet Riley Paige. She's that rare combination of homecoming queen and valedictorian. Beneath her pretty looks lies a smart, functional, quality piece of furniture. She is lovingly handcrafted (with your choice of patterns) by one of our DIY inspirations, Kiersten of Mod Mom Furniture.

The Riley Paige (named in honor of her niece) has a bit less "mod" in it than her previous designs. She described it to us as vintage-inspired with an Anthropologie sensibility. We just happen to love the sample she's made (above), but you can also send her the papers you want decoupaged (with low VOC materials) on the flowers to match your decor at home.<

Since Kiersten makes these to order they will take 10-12 weeks before they're ready to leave her workshop and be on their way to you. The Riley Paige is constructed from Russian Baltic Birch wood and sits atop caster wheels. Each costs $450 and can be passed on for generations.

Find the Riley Paige and the rest of the Mod Mom Furniture collection right here.

(photos: Mod Mom Furniture)

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Salt Lake City Air Quality is Now Worst in The Nation

I can't believe I'm raising a child here. Athsma and other breathing problems are ridiculously higher here and more than twice a week there are air quality alerts where driving is strongly discouraged. I have never had to see cardiologists before I moved here and now I'm going to live the rest of my life with muscular valve prolapse. A condition where your heart valve doesn't close properly and causes  terrible pain. I saw this post in the local paper and couldn't believe that we are now worse than Los Angeles and New York with a population less than 1/4 of the size.

Here is the news article.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=9300491

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Recipes for Eco Cleaning Products

Momease.com says making your own natural cleaning products is not only healthy and safer but you can save money too. Here are some recipes for easy to make cleaning products. Remember, you can reuse old glass jars and reuse spray bottles (make sure you rinse them out very well) to help cut down on the amount of trash you produce!




All Purpose Scrub

Equal parts distilled white vinegar and salt

Store in tupperware or glass jar.



Natural Glass Cleaner

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

1 TB Cornstarch

1 QT Warm Water

Pour into spray bottle.



Gentle Cleanser

(okay for wood)

1-2TB Dr. Bronner's Pour into warm bottle with warm water.

Shake and spray.



Anti-Mold Spray

2 drops of Tea Tree Oil

1 cup of water

**Pregnant women should consult a physician before using tea tree oil**



Strong Glass Cleaner

1 cup of isopropyl alcohol

1 cup water

1 TB clear & non-sudsing ammonia

Shake and spray.



Strong All-Purpose Cleaner

1 T clear & non-sudsing ammonia

1T clear laundry detergent

2 cups water

Shake and spray.



Furniture Polish

1 cup of olive oil

1/2 cup lemon juice

Shake well and apply a small amount to a flannel cleaning rag or cleaning cloth. Spread evenly over furniture surface. Turn cloth to a dry side and polish dry.



Microwave Cleaner

1 cup water

1 QT warn water

1/2 cup backing soda

To loosen dried-on food, put 1 cup water in a microwavable cup and heat in the microwave until it boils; turn off the microwave and let the water sit for 1 minute. Dissolve baking soda in 1 quart warm water and, using a sponge or cloth, wash the interior of the microwave with this solution to clean and deodorize it.



Appliance Cleaner

2 TB non-sudsy ammonia

1 t liquid dish soap

1 pint rubbing alcohol

1 gallon water

Store in a spray bottle.



Refrigerator Cleaner

2 T baking soda

1 quart warm water

Scrub stubborn spots with baking soda on a sponge.





Baking soda

Natural deodorizing & abrasive properties that make is a great replacement for scouring powders. Just sprinkle a little baking soda on the bath tub or in the kitchen sink, let stand for 10 minutes and scrub away any dirt, deposits or soap scum. Baking soda can also be used to help alleviate slowing running drains. Just pout 1/2 to 3/4 cup of baking soda into a drain and leave hot water dribbling to wash the solution down. 2 hours to overnight later just flush with hot water and your drain is not only working but it smells nicer too!



Rubbing Alcohol

You can use a bit of rubbing alcohol to help shine up chrome fixtures, windows, mirrors, ceramic tile or other shiny surface. Be sure to spot check first though!

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Brighton Furniture

I like to concentrate on making furniture around Brighton, for this job I travelled a long way from Brighton... The Isle of Man!! We left Brighton at 4am to get up there in time to get the ferry from Liverpool. It was tiring but a real adventure and the staircase we fitted was quite special. Whilst up there the client was so impressed with our work he logged on to the Brighton Furniture blog and ordered some oak furniture to go in the room that we were working in! Successful weekend all in all!

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Sidney sofa: when class speaks by itself

The meaning of design. Sometimes we see it clearly sometimes we cannot understand it. Looking at "Sidney", the peak piece from our 2010 new sofas collection, you are immediately overcome by a sense of class, style , lightness and neatless. And you can sense its superior design. Yet so simple, the Sidney sofa has unsurpassable meticolous details which turns into a piece of beautiful home furnishing . You can immediately picture this modern sofa in a wide open urban style Soho loft, an upscale Upper East side brownstone or a redesigned Central park west townhouse. No matter which kind of decor you have to stick to, becuase this couch will look perfectly at ease in any space.

Sidney has a free spirit. The whole structure is lightened up by elegant thin feet which run troughout the sides giving more emphasis to the wide comfortable seat cushions made of polyurethane foam layered up at different densities to secure maximum comfort. The back has a magical function; the back cushions extend outward the back of the sofa and with an easy movement can lifted up and use for upright seating comfort. Each of the mechanisme is light and easy and indipendent from each other. The proportions are balanced and the pieces are manufactured in different sizes to create infinite possibilities. The armrests are smooth and run along the sides up to the back forming beautiful soft curves which are visible and of a great effect when you are standing on the sides of the couch.

Everything is at his place, right where it should be. This sofa looks gorgeous from front to back, from side to side. Available in a two seater(180/200/220 centimeters) or three seater (248 centimeters) it is also customizable in sectional sofas with corner units and chase lounges, or end element with built-in wide ottoman, or with separate open seat-armchairs. Available in a wide selection of gorgeous modern fabrics and absolutely astonishing in its leather version.

To get further images and information about Sidney visit our modern Italian furniture website or watch this video on our youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMHHTpKot_U&feature=channel

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