Simply Beautiful

Vivienne Tam Speical Edition HP Digital Clutch

2009-01-17T00:17:00.000-08:00

Like all designers and art majors, I am a loyal Apple user. But the new special edition HP digital clutch designed by the famous Vivienne Tam makes me, for the first time ever, actually want to own a PC. The very beautiful and stylish notebook was unveiled at Vivienne Tam's fashion show during New York's Fashion Week in September. This very fashionable notebook is positioned to become "a tech accessory for fashionistas around the globe." I love Vivienne's signature design that combines oriental mystique with modern femininity.

Falling Letters

2009-01-10T01:41:00.000-08:00

This group of images was created by a young artist Marina Camargo from Brasil. They are not usually the type of images that I instantly fall in love with, but I'm very much attracted to the tender feeling of emptiness and sadness that they had brought up in me.

Levi's Packaging Design

2009-01-06T14:21:00.000-08:00

I love these Levi's carrier bags and gift wrapping. The design is sleek, simple and clean, yet still very eye-catching. The use of raw materials creates a handcrafted feel. The black-and-white imageries and lettering, on the other hand, are very contemporary.
This packaging is designed by Checkland Kindleysides.

Jewelry Tree designed by Louise Christ

2009-01-02T14:40:00.000-08:00

This sculptural jewelry tree could have been a perfect holiday gift if I had found it before Christmas or New Year. The elegant organic shape with the reflective finish - in polished aluminum or black chrome, make this functional piece a beautiful contemporary artwork. It is designed by Louise Christ for Denmark design maker Menu, and has won the 2008 Red Dot Design Award.

Pottery Barn Painted Glasses for $19

2008-12-17T00:59:00.000-08:00

Seems like this Christmas, everybody's looking for nice, affordable gifts that won't hurt the-already- shrunken wallet. I thought this set of four hand-painted glasses from potterybarn.com makes a perfect holiday gift for sisters or girlfriends. The art nouveau patterns and festive colors are simply gorgeous. And the best part is, it is now at a special price for only $19!

Glass Birds Collection by Oiva Toikka

2008-12-13T01:38:00.000-08:00

I'm not into birds (actually, I pretty much know nothing about birds), but I am a sucker for beautiful glass art. Professor Oiva Toikka, an internationally renowned artist, is among the greatest names in Finnish glass art. He is best known for the amazingly vivid and bold Glass Birds collection. The Birds are highly sought after as gifts and collector's pieces. Each bird is signed "O. Toikka Nuutajärvi" as a proof of authenticity.

To see more pieces from his birds collection

Kids Bedroom Design from Zalf

2008-12-11T00:43:00.000-08:00

Love these modern kids bedrooms from Zalf: retro colors, clean lines, functional designs; stylish and practical at the same time.

Jonathan Saunders for Atelier Swarovski

2008-12-07T00:49:00.000-08:00

I first learned British designer Jonathan Saunders's name from Target's Go International series, as I did with many other emerging fashion designers. I loved his very architectural and graphic style, and ended up buying a couple of pieces from his Target collection. Recently I found out that in October, along with his collaboration with Target, Jonathan Saunders also released at KABIRI a crystal jewellery collection that he had created for Atelier Swarovski. The graphic collection includes cylindrical and circular pendants, rings, and leather bracelets.

Gold plated ring with crystal detailing.

'Tuscan' white crystal, silver and gold plated bolt pendant on white leather.

'Tion' black crystal and gold plated double ball necklace. On leather cord.

'Beru' black leather wrap around bracelet with a gold plated buckle and black crystal sections.

To view the entire collection: KABIRI

H&M Home Decor Collection

2008-12-04T15:10:00.000-08:00

Fashion label H&M launched a home decor collection in Germany last month. The new collection consists of 4 sub-collections: Design, Nature, Youth and Classic. For now, these home decor items are only available on H&M's internet/web shop.

DESIGN collection

NATURE collection

YOUTH collection

CLASSIC Collection

image via: Husmusen

Barack Obama Custom Sneakers

2008-12-03T14:22:00.001-08:00

The images of President Elect Barack Obama are everywhere, even on the sneakers. Sneakerobsession.com showcased several custom-designed Obama sneakers: Obama Nike Blazers & Dunks by TTK; Obama Air Force One Sneakers by Van; Obama Force One by Jimm Lasser. What an interesting way to combine their artist talents and passion for politics together into a pair of custom sneakers. I thought these Obama shoes all look very unique. Personally I like the Van's rendition best. The portraits of Barack Obama on each shoe illustrate two different facial expressions of the President Elect. And his two famous sayings "Change" and "Yes we can" are seen on outer side of the shoes.

Louis Vuitton & Stephen Sprouse 2008

2008-12-01T14:38:00.000-08:00

Once again, Louis Vuitton is teaming up with artist Stephen Sprouse to launch their newest collection of clothing, bags, shoes and other accessories. The same graffiti print is utilized in the designs for the second time.

To see more pictures from the collection: Highsnobiety.com

Fair Trade Products from Original Good

2008-12-01T13:59:00.000-08:00

Originalgood.com is a site that carries Fair Trade products from around the world, all handcrafted by local artisans in developing countries. The mission of Original Good is to help provide education, employment and skill training for these artisans around the world.

Who wouldn't love these whimsical animal paper clips? They are handcrafted from iron wire by artisans of Asha Handicrafts in India.

This "Spread the News" fruit basket is handmade form recycled magazines, crafted by the artisans of Mai Vietnamese Handicrafts.

This stylish messenger bag is made of colorful plastic trash bags found on the streets of New Delhi. By using an unique non-toxic process, the local artisans turned garbage bags into a durable material.

Apple On Apple

2008-11-30T01:39:00.000-08:00

If you're an Apple fan like I am, you will enjoy this delicious apple with an Apple logo on it. :-)

image via: Blog!NOBON

G&B Wine Packaging Designed by Narrow House

2008-11-26T00:10:00.000-08:00

Narrow House designed these wine bottles for the G&B restaurant and lounge, the best restaurant on the east coast of United Kingdom.

Love the illustrations!

W.O.W. (Why Only White) Shower System

2008-11-25T23:50:00.000-08:00

WOW! What an amazing shower!

This customizable shower system by Teda is appropriately called Why Only White (W.O.W). It offers a collection of designs that changes periodically to reflect the newest trends and moods.

Beautiful Headbands at WINK

2008-11-24T23:36:00.000-08:00

APPLIQUE HEADBAND $52
Designer: Rachel Weissman

AS SEEN ON GOSSIP GIRL BOW HEADBAND $56
(Spotted, Blair wearing a silk bow headband on Gossip Girl.)
Designer: Susan Daniels

BRIGHT BLUE CRYSTAL HEADBAND $60
Designer: Juko

PEACOCK FEATHER HEADBAND $44
Designer: Lavender Girl

When it comes to hair styles, I tend to keep mine very simple-black & straight. Yet it doesn't mean I'm not tempted by those fancy, girlie hair accessories. These beautiful headbands at WinkNYC really got me thinking that maybe, someday, I should try those on just to see how they look on me....

Ribbon Banner Holiday Cards

2008-11-22T00:26:00.000-08:00

I'm not big on holiday cards, usually. But these handmade cards I saw on Craftershock are so exquisite, that I actually wanted to give them to my friends. Unfortunately, they are out of stock.

Gamma Transparent Concept Car

2008-11-19T15:05:00.000-08:00

Like many people, I was very intrigued to the idea of transparent design revealing the insides of a product. Transportation and industrial designer Niel Grubak Iversen has created this GAMMA concept car that features large transparent areas to show the underlying structure and engine parts. The shape of the car is obviously very sleek and edgy, but what I like the most about this transparent design is that it reminds us how the car actually works.

Egg Shaped Throw Pillow

2008-11-19T01:02:00.000-08:00

I couldn't help smiling when I saw this egg shaped throw pillow. How cute, fun, and, yummy...

image via: thisnext

Optical Illusions in Interior Design

2008-11-14T00:47:00.000-08:00

Only by standing at the exact proper angle, one can see the complete image. Those who are not looking from the right angle won't understand why the colored lines and curves are painted on the walls.

images via: crookedbrains

Claus Porto Fantasia Soap Bars

2008-11-12T14:40:00.000-08:00

I love the vintage look of these Claus Porto Fantasia soap bars, so exquisite.

Typography Scarf from Little Factory

2008-11-12T13:46:00.000-08:00

one of my designs with type treatment

Little Factory type scarf

If you had seen my designs, you'd know how much I'm into typography. I'm always searching for the most creative and expressive way to incorporate types into design. So when I saw these type scarves from Little Factory with uppercase and lowercase letters, I was very impressed. What a fun and stylish way to express your love of typography! I would love to have one of these for as my Christmas gift.

These laser-cut scarves are made of microfiber suede, and each measures 160cm x 10cm. You have 3 different versions to choose from: uppercase, lowercase, and numbers. I thought it might be more fun to have the letters personalized with names, words, and sentences.

French Umbrellas from Alexandra Sojfer

2008-11-10T14:47:00.000-08:00

It rarely rains in LA, but the city I grew up in China has a lot of rain all year long. So it's no surprise that I always love umbrellas, especially the hand-made ones. (My hometown is famous for its hand-made umbrellas.)

The other day I saw these beautiful French umbrellas and parasols from Alexandra Sojfer. All their products are hand-crafted in Paris, using one-of-a-kind secret techniques developed since 1834. The men's umbrellas are very classic, yet handsome and practical. Women's parasols are simply gorgeous, some embellished with laces, Swarovski crystals, mink, or silk flowers. My absolute favorite one is the pagoda-shaped umbrella adorned with 150 Swarovski crystals, hand-sewn one by one all over the fabric like sparkling raindrops.

尽管LA很少下雨，但是在我从小长大的中国的故乡全年都下很多雨，所以我总是很喜欢雨伞，尤其对手工制作的雨伞情有独钟。（我的家乡有一个著名的特产就是工艺伞）
有一天我看到了这些美丽的法国Alexandra Sojfer.的雨伞和遮阳伞。他们所有的产品都是在巴黎手工制作，采用一种从1834年就有流传至今的独门技术。男用伞非常经典，好看而实用。女用的遮阳伞非常华丽，有些装饰了蕾丝，Swarovski水晶，貂皮，或者绢花。我最最喜欢的就是那把宝塔形的镶有150颗Swarovski水晶的伞，每一颗水晶都是用手工缝上去的排列成闪亮的雨滴形状。

White House Interior Decor History

2008-11-10T01:09:00.000-08:00

Which ones do you think are the better design solutions?

Before the recent presidential election, I never thought I'd be interested in learning about the White House. Now, since the newest first family is about to move in, strangely enough, I find myself quite curious about the how the inside of the white house looks like. This post at design crisis gives a room-by-room overview of the white house decor history. It is a very informative and interesting post with pictures of some most famous rooms in the white house. I was quite amazed by the contrasts of beautiful designs vs. disastrous decor solutions. I'm no expert on interior design, but as a graphic designer I know often times, less is more.
Click here to read the post about the white house decor history and see the pictures of overly-done draperies.
你认为哪一个是最好的设计?
在这次总统大选之前,我从没想过我会对白宫有兴趣.然而,自从新的第一家庭产生后,很奇怪,我居然很好奇白宫里面是什么样的.这张在design crisis上的照片从一个个房间展示了白宫的装修史.这真是一组非常有意思的照片,展现了白宫最著名的房间.而我更感兴趣的是漂亮装修和恐怖装修之间的对比,我不是一个室内装潢的行家,但是作为一个平面设计师,我知道很多时间,越简洁越美.
点击此处可以看到更多的白宫装修史和很多窗帘的照片.

Watermelon Car

2008-11-08T01:35:00.001-08:00

My husband and I have been shopping for a new car lately. He got online to search for family friendly cars; I got online, and guess what I found? This incredibly fun watermelon car! :-) Whoever created this must be a huge watermelon fan. The green paint-work looks quite realistic. The red interior shows it is actually a seedless type melon.:-)
One of the most interesting cars I've seen. I don't know about my husband, but I'm pretty sure that my 3-year-old daughter will love to take a ride in this watermelon car. I say this is the kind of things that make life fun and beautiful.
我老公和我最近要买一辆新车.他在网上找适合家庭用的车,我也上网,猜我找到了什么?这个不可思议的西瓜车!创造这辆车的人绝对就是一个超级西瓜迷.绿色的油漆非常逼真,而红色的内饰显示出这绝对就是一只无籽西瓜!
这真是我见过的最有意思的汽车.我不确定我老公会怎么想,但是我肯定我三岁的女儿肯定会喜欢坐这辆西瓜车.正因为有了这些事物,我们的生活才会显得有趣生动.

Ingwa;melero Double strand necklace by Iosselliani

2008-11-07T01:20:00.000-08:00

I came across this double strand necklace at shoplanguage.com, and was totally in love with it. It was by Iosselliani, a company founded by Rome-based designer Paulo Giacomelli and Roberta Paolucci. I love that this baroque-inspired piece has both the antique quality and modern edgy look the same time.

Mr. 44th president - BARACK OBAMA

2008-11-06T14:13:00.000-08:00

There are many, many nicely taken photographs of our next President, but I thought this illustration is worth seeing too.

image via the lucky nest.

"Dorogaya" Magnetic Calendar by Designer Serhiy Chebotaryov

2008-11-06T13:51:00.001-08:00

I thought this magnetic calendar is really fun, and nicely designed. Using the chips provided, you can easily customize your own monthly calendar. The chips include 32 days of month (why?), 12 months with their names abbreviated to 3 letters, and some special chips like "Deadline", "Arrival", "Departure", five "Drink Day" and one "Don't Drink Day".

This "Dorogaya" calendar is designed by graphic designer Serhiy Chebotaryov in Ukraine. ( The word "Dorogaya", which I don't know the meaning of, probably comes from the Ukrainian language.) It has won the Bronze prize of Kiev International Advertising Festival '08.

我认为这个神奇日历真的挺有趣的,而且设计得很好.利用他给你的筹码,你可以轻松的制定你一个月的日历。筹码包括了一个月的32天(为什么32天?) 12个月份的三字母简写,还有一些特别的符号比如: “截止日”,“到达”,“离开”,五个“饮酒日”和一个“不饮酒日”。
这个名为"Dorogaya" calendar 的日历是由乌克兰的平面设计师Serhiy Chebotaryov设计的。（"Dorogaya"这个单词我不知道是什么意思，可能就是来自于乌克兰语吧）这个设计获得了08年度Kiev国际广告节的铜奖。

Cashmere Cardigan from Rag & Bone

2008-11-05T00:34:00.000-08:00

Love the laid-back look of this slouchy boyfriend cardigan.

Zipper bangle by DISAYA

2008-11-04T14:18:00.000-08:00

Just as I said, designers are having fun with zippers. This zipper bangle by Disaya is funky, and cool. It comes in silver, gold, rose gold, and priced at $226.

Candyking New Identity by BVD

2008-11-04T14:08:00.000-08:00

I love this new corporate identity for Candyking designed by BVD, Stockholm. (BVD is a design and branding bureau that works with the physical formation of branding, independently of format or media.) The new identity, including logo, packaging, in-store communication and display, appeal to both adults and children. The design is very simple but strong, the vibrant colors indicate joy and variety. I especially like the image of King himself that looks very cute and friendly and contemporary.
The new identity has been well received everywhere, and was awarded Design of the Month by Resumé magazine, December 2006.

Packaging for Tom Dixon x Lacoste Polo Shirt

2008-11-04T13:28:00.000-08:00

This packaging for the Tom Dixon x Lacoste polo shirt collaboration looks so unique and masculine that I don't think any man can resist it.

Felt jewelry from Gail Crosman Moore

2008-11-03T14:27:00.000-08:00

I've never worn felt jewelry, yet these gorgeous pieces from Gail Crosman Moore make me want to wear one so bad.

Home.Haus by German architects J. Mayer H. and Sebastian Finckh

2008-11-03T14:03:00.000-08:00

This newly completed residential building is the Home.Haus - a foster home for children and adolescents in Hamburg, Germany. I love the building's unique shape, as well as its two-tone color relief facade. It is designed by German architects J. Mayer H. and Sebastian Finckh.
这座新落成的建筑名叫Haus 之家-是位于德国汉堡的一个儿童青少年寄养中心。我喜欢这个建筑的独特造型，还有它表面的双色调浮雕图案。这幢房子是由德国建筑师J. Mayer H. 和Sebastian Finckh.所设计。

Zippers: the latest fasion trend

2008-11-03T01:34:00.000-08:00

"This Is Backwards" Posters

2008-11-03T01:13:00.000-08:00

I found this series of posters entitled This is Backwards. They are quite interesting. Each poster has a single statement or sentence that spells backwards. After spending a few minutes figuring them out, I notice that they are actually messages commenting on current political and social issues. (The first one, for instance, reads "Most People Spend Ninety Percent of Their Time Indoors".) By making the sentences backwards, the designer tries to draw our attention to the issues that he thought are broken and wrong. At the bottom of each poster, there are suggestions to change and fix the backwards problem above.
我找到了这组名为“这得倒着念”的海报，觉得还挺有意思的。每一张海报都有一句反着写的话。在花了一点时间把它们念顺了之后，我发现每一句话都是有关当今的社会和政治的话题。（例如第一句就该念成“大部分人有90%的时间呆在室内”）设计师希望用把句子反写的方法来引起我们对这些他认为是错误的观点的注意。在每张海报的底部都写着解决以上问题的方法和建议

Fashion Photography by Phillip Toledano

2008-11-02T01:04:00.000-07:00

I'm totally blown away by these amazing pictures by Phillip Toledano. They are very conceptual, and truly mind-blowing. Once again, we learned that visual art is to create moments of beauty while provoking feelings and thoughts.

Love the balloons... I also like the one with the little puppy. (The fact that the scared puppy had a little accident was a surprising touch, I thought. )

To see more photographs by Phillip Toledano
我完全被Phillip Toledano的这些照片所震撼了。它们绝对前卫，另人兴奋。又一次，我们领略到了视觉艺术就是创造美的一瞬间，而这种美激发了我们的思想和感情。
爱那些气球。。我还喜欢那只小狗（那被吓坏的小狗发生的小状况绝对是点睛之笔，我是这么认为的）

Happy Halloween

2008-11-01T01:45:00.000-07:00

Vote for your favorite pumpkin.
My favorite ones are the "Louis Vuitton" and the "Wilson" (last one shown above, from that Tom Hanks movie which I don't remember the title of).

To see more pumpkins.

Soft Bathtub by Dutch designer Maren Hartveld

2008-11-01T01:22:00.000-07:00

After a hard day at work, who wouldn't want to sink into the tub and indulge in a warm bubble bath? But instead of a cold, hard bathtub that we use everyday, it could be a soft one like a sofa. Dutch designer Maren Hartveld presented a very unique bathtub at the Design Academy Eindhoven graduate show in the Netherlands earlier this month. It is A free-standing bathtub made from polyurethene coated foam rubber, so it's very soft and warm, comfortable like a sofa.

累死累活工作了一天后，谁不愿意沉入浴缸好好享受一个温暖的泡泡浴？除去我们每天用的又冷又硬的浴缸，我们还能有一个象沙发那么软的浴缸。这个月初在荷兰举行的Design Academy Eindhoven的毕业展览上面荷兰设计师Maren Hartveld展示了这个非常独特的浴缸。这个自由站立的浴缸由polyurethene作成，外面包着一层泡沫橡胶，所以它又软又温暖又舒服，就象一个沙发。

Acrylic Hangers by Yasuaki Chiba

2008-10-31T00:26:00.000-07:00

I'm not usually a big fan of plastic hangers. I thought they make the clothes look cheaper than they really are. But these acrylic hangers by the Japanese designer Yasuaki Chiba are so pretty and easy to use. (as shown here in the illustration.)

Marimekko Autumn 2008

2008-10-30T01:23:00.000-07:00

I love Marimekko's fabric designs. The 2008 autumn collections are simply fun and beautiful: expressive patterns plus vibrant colors. The designs look equally beautiful on both clothes and bags (and accessories).

And, all kinds of stripes! Who can ever get tired of stripes? I'm obsessed with stripes. They are classic and never go out of style.

About Marimekko:
Marimekko Corporation is a leading Finnish textile and clothing design company that was established in 1951. The company designs, manufactures and markets high-quality clothing, interior decoration textiles, bags and other accessories under the Marimekko brand, both in Finland and abroad.

Milk Packaging

2008-10-29T01:25:00.000-07:00

Milk packaging designed by Julien De Repentigny, in collaboration with Designer Gabriel Lefebvre.

Nutrition Pyramid Lunch Box

2008-10-28T01:26:00.000-07:00

This Nutrition Pyramid Lunch Box is made by the Chinese designer Li Jianye. It allows you to align your diet with the food pyramid. How cool!

Zip Dress from LOOKSUP

2008-10-27T01:20:00.000-07:00

I like this zip dress from LOOKSUP (a South Korean brand): simple, stylish, and practical.

price: US $68.00

Beautiful artwork by Nessim Higson for Pêche Noire album.

2008-10-26T01:50:00.000-07:00

Nessim Higson, whose studio IAAH is based in New Orleans, created this beautiful design for Pêche Noire after hearing the album in London.

Lacy lamp shades by Kicki Möller

2008-10-23T01:26:00.000-07:00

China's First Zero-Carbon Building

2008-10-22T01:11:00.000-07:00

Nottingham university recently opened the CSET building on their campus in ningbo, china. It is china’s first zero-carbon university building. The building achieves its zero-carbon status through its large roof opening that shines natural light inside and creates a natural ventilation system.
This building was designed by the italian firm Mario Cucinella Architects. The façade features a dramitic folded pattern inspired by paper lanterns. The exterior is made from a double skin of glass which has been printed with a subtle historical pattern.

Nottingham 大学最近开放了位于中国宁波校区的CSET大楼，这是中国首座零碳的大学建筑。整幢大楼通过一个巨大的开放的房顶来采集自然光线，还有一个自然的通风系统，这样才做到零碳状态。
这幢大楼是由意大利公司Mario Cucinella Architects 所设计，正面是一个类似纸灯笼形状的折叠造型，建筑表面是印有历史图案的双层玻璃。

In Loving Memory Of The Boom Economy

2008-10-22T00:41:00.000-07:00

Stumbled across this photograph at a site that showcases street art around the world. This particular piece was created by an artist named K.GUY, on a New York street, I guess.

Tubular Satchel Tote by Olivia Harris

2008-10-21T01:31:00.000-07:00

This leather satchel tote by Olivia Harris is all about style and practicality. A little pricey though. (Reg. $445.00)

"Voyager" Pants by Mandarinbillie.

2008-10-21T01:10:00.000-07:00

We all know that this season slouchy pants are in. (No more dieting, thank God.)
But these limited edition "Voyager" pants, from a French Artisan based in Nîmes, are truly impressively big and cool-looking. They're not for a petite girl like me, but I'm sure there are plenty tall and beautiful women who are going to look amazing in these "voyager" pants.

Little Hands Children's Wallpapers

2008-10-21T00:49:00.000-07:00

After we put down the deposit for the big new house, this has been the question on my mind: "How am I going to decorate Nola's new room?" Besides furniture, lighting, rug, curtain... wall decoration is quite big these days. Then, thanks to Google, I found this Portuguese wall decor company called Little Hands, creating the most amazing children's wallpaper murals I've seen. The murals feature the interesting daily lives of different animal characters - like piggies, bunnies, pandas, penguins, duckies, mice, flamingos, and mermaids.
"...the unique and unconventional approach...subtly rebel a little against traditional nursery decoration. It is bound to be adored by babies and children from all over."

About the company:
Little hands are established by Leonor Feijó and Marta Belo.
Leonor Feijó, finished her BA in photography in London College of Communication in 2004, she also dedicates her time to illustration.
Marta Belo, graduated in arquitecture in Escola Superior Artistica do Porto in 2003. She teaches drawing lessons in a college, the rest the time she dedicates her time also to illustration, mainly to children books.

Rubber Dashboard Garden

2008-10-18T01:08:00.000-07:00

I thought this is quite a fun and practical design, with an interesting name - "Dashboard Garden". It helps keep small items from flying while you take those wild turns. It was designed by Bigio+Zanon, a design company set up by Robin Lapo Bigio and Olivero Zanon who currently work between London, Munich and Milan.
我觉得这真是一个既有趣又实用的设计，而且还有一个有意思的名字-“仪表盘花园”。它能够在你飞快开车掉头的时候防止小物件也跟着飞起来。设计这个东西的是一个名叫Bigio+Zanon的设计公司，它是由Robin Lapo Bigio 和Olivero Zanon所创立，目前在伦敦，慕尼黑，和米兰工作。

Lady with a Prada Bag - Street Shot, Milano

2008-10-17T14:20:00.000-07:00

If only I could look this graceful, sophisticated, and confident when I reached her age.

Love the black dress.
Love the bag, and how the scarf was casually tied around the handle.
Especially love the pointy shoes. They are so beautiful and add just the right amount of sex appeal to the whole look.

如果我到她这个年纪还能如此优雅，时尚和自信该多好！
喜欢她的黑色裙子
喜欢她的包包，怎样才能把围巾这么随意的系在包包的手柄上啊。
最喜欢的还是点睛之笔的鞋子，它们真是漂亮，给整个造型加上了恰如其分的性感。

A little Touch of Purple - Street shots, Milano

2008-10-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

A little touch of purple changes everything! Ladies in Europe sure know a lot about fashion and style...
I especially love the textured fabric of the purple skirt, and the bag!

只要一点点紫色就能改变一切！这位欧洲的美女显然是时尚和个人风格的高手。我尤其喜爱她的紫色裙子的织物质感，还有那个包包！

Cute, Cute, Cute Baby Shoes

2008-10-17T01:06:00.000-07:00

"Aren't these the cutest shoes you've ever seen?" I said.
"No more new shoes for Nola (our almost 3-year-old daughter)." My husband said.
"I'm not buying. I'm just looking..." I said.

Women, and shoes...

Mandalas - abstract art photos by Bill Armstrong

2008-10-16T00:51:00.000-07:00

I'm loving these extremely abstract art photos by photographer Bill Armstrong. They are "the mandalas" from the photographer's on-going Infinity series, which includes a wide range of photo collages that are made out of focus by setting the camera's focusing ring at infinity. The result is an experience of visual confusion that seems both real and illusory at the same time.

"The Mandalas" are photographs based on Buddhist paintings known as mandalas. (Mandalas are concentric circles of images that depict central themes in Buddhism, such as the Wheel of Life or the Map of the Cosmos.)

An exhibition of 35 of Armstrong's mandalas is currently on at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, through February 1, 2009.

我爱上了这些极度抽象的艺术照片，它们是由摄影师Bill Armstrong拍摄的。这组名叫“the mandalas"照片来自摄影师的正在进行无极限系列，这个系列都是把照相机的焦距设在无限远的环上而得的一组照片拼贴。最终的效果就是我们所见这种既真实又虚幻的视觉体验。
照片The Mandalas的灵感来自于Buddhist的画The Mandalas。
Armstrong's mandalas目前正在Philadelphia Museum of Art展出，直到2009年2月1日。

Music Symbol Jewellery

2008-10-15T14:10:00.000-07:00

Nathan Thomas, a Sydney based artist, created this unusual collection of handmade sterling silver jewellery. His passion for urban music and hip hop culture inspired him to work music symbols like headphone, mike, and turntable into playful, one-of-a-kind pieces that are unlike everyone else is wearing.

Nathan Thomas,一个悉尼艺术家，创造了这系列不一般的手工银饰。他对城市音乐和HIP HOP文化的热爱激发了他做这些带有音乐标志的东西，耳机，麦克风，唱机转盘，每一样都不象一般人所戴的。

Gift Bags from Caroline Gardner

2008-10-15T01:03:00.001-07:00

I'm a sucker for beautiful gift bags. These contemporary bags from Caroline Gardner are so pretty, and fun, and sophisticated that I think I'll be thrilled to have them even without the gifts inside.

About the bags:
These fabulous gift bags are printed on very thick paper with a matt coating. Each has a comfortable plastic handle and handy attached gift tag.

About the designer:
Caroline Gardner is one of the most respected independent greeting card and stationery designers in the United Kingdom. Caroline, who trained and initially worked as a painter, started designing cards fifteen years ago after receiving a commission from a Tokyo based art gallery. The cards were an instant success and The Company was formed shortly afterwards.

我是一个精美礼品袋的爱好者。这些来自于Caroline Gardner 的袋子是那么漂亮，有趣，时髦，就算只能得到一个空袋子我都会激动不已的。关于这些袋子：这些美妙的礼品袋是印在很厚的带有一层亚光表面的纸上，每个袋子都有一个舒适的塑料把手和附属的礼品标签。关于设计师：Caroline Gardner是英国最受尊敬的独立贺卡和文具设计师之一。Caroline 最初是学画画的，十五年前在接受了一个东京艺术画廊的委任后开始设计贺卡。这些卡非常成功，她随后就成立了公司。

Index Chopping Board

2008-10-02T00:05:00.000-07:00

This chopping board is just perfect for someone like me -- a neat freak who's obsessed with keeping everything clean and organized. It color codes 4 different boards according to the kind of food they should be used with: red for raw meat, white for cooked foods, blue for fish, green for vegetables. A great way to avoid cross-contamination. What I love most about this design is that each board can be easily stored away in an horizontal non-slip filing folder. How clever!

About this product:
Dimensions:
13"W x 3.25"L x 9.5"H
Materials:
Polypropylene boards (dishwasher safe)
ABS case
Designer: Damian Evans
Price: $79

这个砧板最适合象我这样热衷于保持东西整洁有序的洁癖患者。它根据所切食物的不同分为四种不同的颜色：红色是切生肉的，白色是切熟食的，兰色是切鱼的，绿色是切蔬菜的。多么好的一个避免交叉污染的方法啊，我最欣赏的设计之处是它的每一块板都能轻易地收藏在一个水平的防滑夹内。多么的巧妙啊！

Vogue's Crazy Patterns By Steven Meisel

2008-10-01T01:06:00.000-07:00

Last year, hotshot fashion photographer Steve Meisel created these amazing images for Vogue Italy. What a visual feast! The craziness of colors and patterns totally blew me away.

去年，新锐时尚摄影师Steve Meisel为意大利版Vogue拍了这些惊人的照片。这真是一场视觉的盛宴，作者运用色彩和图案的方式真的让我惊艳。

Fubulous Jewellery by Archibald Knox

2008-09-28T01:01:00.000-07:00

These are perhaps the most fabulous antique jewellery I've seen. They were designed by Archibald Knox, (British, 1864-1933), one of the most fluid and creative of the Arts & Crafts designers.

Simply Gold

2008-09-25T00:57:00.000-07:00

I love this pleated gold skirt by Catherine Holstein. Thanks in part to famous friends such as Mary Kate Olsen and Proenza Schouler, she has definitely made her mark in the fashion scene. How amazing is this eye-poping golden color! The fact that the fabric has a distressed finish makes it so much cooler!

Still Life Bowl

2008-09-23T00:57:00.001-07:00

How clever! A bowl of apples instantly becomes a still life, framed liked a photogragh or painting. Another proof that everything in life can be art. It's all how you look at it.

Designer: Barnaby Barford & Andre Klauser
Materials: ceramic, wood
Price: $79.00

Bubble Chandeliers

2008-09-22T01:17:00.000-07:00

I'm not in the market for chandeliers, but these glass bubble chandeliers are so luscious and unique that I have to include them among the list of things that I crave but will probably never be able to afford. :-)

About the Bubble Chandeliers:
They are made to order by artisans in Europe. The glass balls are hand blown to produce subtle glow and cast fabulous shadows.

Price:
Berry Bubble Chandelier $1,990
Opal Bubble Chandelier $1,990
Sand Bubble Chandelier $6,625

我并没有在吊灯市场，但是这些玻璃泡泡吊灯是那么的诱人和特别，我不得不在我的梦想得到的物品清单上又加上它们，尽管我很有可能永远都买不起。
这些灯是由欧洲的手工艺人定制的，那些玻璃泡泡都是手工吹制的，能产生出美丽的光影。

The $6 Coat

2008-09-21T01:12:00.000-07:00

He's not a model. This is not a designer coat he's wearing. But he looks like a model that "just stepped off the Prada runway". Maybe it's his look, maybe it's his attitude, or maybe it's the greenish color that seems to be very on trend. The shocking fact is that he is a just a regular guy on the Stockholm street, wearing a used-to-be labcoat that he paid $6 for.
What can I say... I guess fashion is not always about designer labels and pricey items.

他不是模特，他穿的也不是设计师的外套。但是他就象一个刚从PRADA秀场走下来的模特。
也许是他的相貌，也许是他的神态，也许是那绿绿的颜色非常合潮流。最惊人的是他只是斯德哥尔摩街头的一个路人甲，他身上的这件衣服只要6块钱。
我还能说什么呢？我想时尚有时候并不总是意味着设计师的标签和昂贵的价格牌。

Charles Wilkin's Collage Bag

2008-09-21T00:59:00.000-07:00

I remember as art majors in college, we were asked to do quite a lot of collages in different media. For many of us, collage is the best kind of project to have, because it really allows total freedom for creativity and imagination.
It's probably why I was so attracted to this Blue Q Shopping Bag the minute I laid eyes on it. It is designed by Charles Wilkin, the founder and Design Director of Automatic Art and Design in Brooklyn, NY. He is known for his dynamic signature collage work. Here are some of his latest creations.

About the Blue Q Shopping Bag:
Made of woven polypropylene. 15.75"w x 15.35"h x 5.9"d. It also has an inner pocket for extra storage.

Price: $10.00

当我还是大学里的艺术系学生是，我们经常做很多拼贴作业，用不同的媒体。对我们中的大部分来说，拼贴作业是最有意思的，它真的可以让我们自由发挥想象力和创造力。
这也是为什么我一看见Blue Q的购物袋就立刻被吸引了。它的设计者是Charles Wilkin，纽约布鲁克林的Automatic Art and Design的创始者及设计总监。他因拼贴作品而闻名，这里有一些他最新的设计。

Cool Chairs

2008-09-19T01:13:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how comfortable you will be in these chairs, but they sure look cool!

Mushroom Soaps in Nest

2008-09-18T00:50:00.001-07:00

I know, I know, I'm a little obsessed with mushrooms lately (see my other post about mushroom from early this month). But these mushroom hand soaps are just too adorable to pass by. The cutest thing is that they come in their own little nest. Place them in your guest bathroom, and picture how much your friends will enjoy their mushroom hand-wash...:-)

Price: $14.00 (nest included)

我就是对蘑菇有点特殊情结（看看我这个月早些时候贴的关于蘑菇的文字）。
但是这些蘑菇的肥皂实在是太吸引眼球了，最CUTE的是它们还用小篮子装着。把它们放在你的客房里，想象一下你的朋友们用蘑菇肥皂洗手该是多么的愉快啊！

"Hug" Salt & Pepper Shaker

2008-09-18T00:50:00.000-07:00

I just love this salt & pepper shaker designed by Scott Henderson. The name couldn't be more appropriate - "Hug". It speaks of the inseparable nature of salt and pepper. Here, they're hugging like brothers - salt in white, pepper in black. How smart!

Product Specs:
Dimensions: 2 3/4" x 2" x 3"
Materials: Porcelain

Price: $29.00

What's With the Jeans?

2008-09-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Just spotted this look from the famous The Sartorialist. I usually love the looks he posted on the site, but this one stunned me a little. Is this how rich people(in this case, men) are dressing themselves nowadays? Am I currently out of the trend?
I love the jacket, love the pink shirt, love the velvet skull slipper (velvet is in, this I know), even like the hair-do, and the bag he's carrying (a little feminine though). It was supposed to be a very refined look. But the jeans??? They are totally out of place here. There is a difference between mix & match and mismatch. The jeans are just too "...outrageously worn", "...too Abercrombie and Fitch..."

I believe, often times the key to fashion is not to try too hard (like the lady in black & white I posted last week). This gentleman here is simply trying too hard.

看看这张放在著名的“裁缝师”上的造型吧，我一直都很喜欢它上面的造型，但这一张真的有点雷到我了。难道现在的有钱人流行这种穿法？我落伍了吗？
我喜欢他的外套，喜欢他的粉红色衬衫，喜欢他的天鹅绒便鞋（天鹅绒是流行的，这我知道），我还喜欢他的发型和他的包包（尽管有点女性化）。这原本应该是一个优雅的造型。但是没搞错吧，牛仔裤？？？它完全不应该属于这里。混搭和乱搭是不一样的。牛仔裤简直太旧了，太Abercrombie and Fitch了。
我相信很多时候时尚的关键在于不要太刻意（就象我上星期放的身穿黑白配的女士一样）。而这位男士显然就栽在了太过刻意上面。

Little People on Big Streets II

2008-09-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

More "Little People " scenes (from the top):

"Life As We Know It"
"They're not pets, Susan."
"Starbucks scene" for the Nuart Show

Little People on Big Streets I

2008-09-15T17:39:00.000-07:00

When the size of an object is manipulated to an extreme, we respond to it much more quickly. I guess It's human nature to be interested in things that are out of ordinary. So you can imagine how amazed I was when I came across this site called "Little People--A tiny street art project". It's created by the 27-year-old British street artist, a former design student, Slinkachu. For the last 12 month, he has been placing tiny figurines across London streets, photograghing them, and leaving them for passersby to find. With these "little peole", Slinkachu created a miniature world filled with numerous urban scenes/stories -- some seem to come straight out of our everyday life ("cash machine", "Bad Road", "Quiet Sunday"); some are a bit more dramatic ("20 Inches Under The Sea"); some are like science fiction ("Life As We Know It"); some are a little sarcastic ("Maybe This Time", "Mismatch"); some are simply fun and witty ("They're not pets, Susan", "Rush Hour").

No matter what the story is, it sure reminds us how trivial we often feel in the chaotic streets of a big city...

"Little People" Scenes (from the top):

Cash Machine
Bad Road
20 Inches Under The Sea
Rush Hour
Maybe This Time

当一个物体的大小变的非同一般时，我们总是会首先发现。我想人的天性就是对超乎寻常的东西感兴趣。所以你能想象当我看到这个名叫“小人国——一个微型街头艺术作品”的网页时那惊喜的心情。这是一个名叫Slinkachu 27岁的英国街头艺术家的作品，他是学设计出身。在过去的一年时间内，他把这些小人放在伦敦街头，拍了很多照片，还把他们故意留在那儿等着路过的人去发现。利用这些小人，Slinkachu 创造了一个充满城市场景和故事的迷你世界，其中的一些场景就象直接来源我们的现实世界（比如“提款机”“糟糕的马路”“宁静的星期天”），有一些则带点梦幻色彩（如海底20英寸），有的就象科幻小说（我们了解的生活），有的具有讽刺意味（“可能就是这次”“不相配”），还有的仅仅为了好玩和搞笑（“他们不是宠物，SUSAN”“高峰时间”）。
无论怎样的故事，他总能让我们想起当身处在一个大都市的繁华街道上感觉自己是多么的渺小。

"Napbook" for Your Notebook

2008-09-12T23:45:00.000-07:00

I've seen many nicely-designed laptop bags/cases, but this one is by far the most creative, I have to say. It is properly named "Napbook" because it also happens to be a comfortable cushion that you can take nap on. Hafsteinn Juliusson, a product designer in Iceland, came up with this idea to make the standard notebook bag extra thick and fluffy, so that it can be used as a pillow too. What an unique idea that makes perfect sense too! Who doesn't what a comfy nap on a fluffy pillow while working late at the office? I know what you want to say: "why haven't I thought about it?"
The extra thickness of the bag also helps protect your laptop.

我看过很多个设计精美的笔记本电脑包，但是不得不承认这是我见过的最有创意的电脑包。这个包的名字就叫“午睡笔记本”，顾名思义它的样子就象一个靠垫，你正好可以趴在上面睡个午觉。这个名叫Hafsteinn Juliusson的冰岛设计师，把标准的笔记本电脑包设计得又厚又胖，这样它还能用来做枕头。这真是一个绝妙的点子，在办公室努力工作白领们谁不想抱个厚枕头忙里偷闲的睡一会呢？我知道你们肯定会说“我怎么就没想到呢？”最后说一句，加厚的包包可以更好的保护你的笔记本哦！

A Chair Has ? Legs

2008-09-10T23:34:00.000-07:00

Wow!
How many legs are we seeing here? 1,2,3,...... Maybe my daughter will help me count...

Automoblox Cars

2008-09-09T23:18:00.000-07:00

When it comes to toys, we tend to think that girls want dolls and boys want cars. (I wonder, is it by nature that boys and girls want different things, or are we simply raising our kids to choose gender specific toys? Well, it's a question that obviously needs further discussion.) But I can assure you that both your girl and boy will be hooked when they see these adoooooorable toy cars, because I am hooked. They are just too cute to resist. I'll definitely get one for my almost 3-year old daughter who seems to be more and more into motor vehicles lately; another one for my husband who almost thought these are some kind of concept cars for the future.

These toy cars are called "Automoblox Cars", designed by Patrick Calello in 2006. There are 6 models, along with 6 cool colors to choose from:

Red C9 sports car
Blue S9 sedan
Green T9 pick-up
Orange A9 compact
Aqua M9 sportsvan
Purple X9 sport utility

Each vehicle has a wooden body made of solid maple, rubber tires, and small plastic figures. The fun part is these cars are made with interlocking components that can be taken apart and rebuilt into various configurations. Parts from one can be switched with another. So, if you get 2 or more models, you will begin to see how much fun it is mixing things up. What a great way to spur a child's imagination!

Price: $39.00

谈到玩具，我们总是理所当然地认为女孩喜欢洋娃娃，男孩喜欢玩具汽车。（私底下，我总是在琢磨是他们天生就喜欢不同的东西还是家长们按照性别给自己的孩子挑选玩具的结果。不管它，这个问题显然需要更深层的探讨。）但是，我敢肯定不管是男孩还是女孩看到这些超可爱的玩具汽车都会难以自拔地爱上它们的，因为我已经难以自拔了。它们实在是太cute了！
我一定要给我三岁的小胖囡买一个，她现在好象越来越喜欢汽车了。我还要给我老公买一个，他觉得它们就象未来的概念车。
这些玩具车名叫"Automoblox Cars"，是Patrick Calello在2006年设计的，有六种不同颜色及款式：红色的C9运动车，兰色的S9轿车，绿色的T9匹卡，橙色的A9COMPACT，水色的M9运动面包车，紫色的X9运动UTILITY。
每一辆车都有一个木制的车身，橡皮轮胎，以及塑料的车顶。最好玩的地方在于这些车是可以分解组装的，而且可以互相拼装。所以，如果你有两辆以上的模型，你就可以凭兴趣互相组合，又是一个开发儿童想象力的好办法！

Black and White from Runway

2008-09-09T00:30:00.000-07:00

Since we're talking about Black & White, here are some runway photos from Fall 2008 ready-to-wear collections. It's always inspiring to see how designers deal with colors and patterns.
既然说到了黑与白，我又找到一些2008秋冬T台上的黑白配造型，让我们在大师的作品中找一些灵感吧。

Black and White Elegance

2008-09-07T23:46:00.000-07:00

They say that you can never go wrong with black and white. I say the question is "how much black, and how much white?" This lady on the street of Florence sure knows how to balance the two colors. The eyeglass frames, the watch, the shoes, and the ring pulled everything together. I especially love the camellia ring! (Just another lesson how important the accessories are.) A truly classic yet individual look. However, the effortless elegance is always the hardest, I have to say.

有句话说的好，穿黑和白永远不会出错。我个人觉得关键在于“有多少黑，有多少白？”这位在Florence街头的女士显然非常善于平衡这两种颜色。她的眼镜，手表，鞋子，还有戒指，把全身上下都统一协调起来了。我尤其喜欢她的山茶花形状的戒指，再次证明了配饰的重要性。她简直就是一个黑白配的典范。然而，我不得不说，不着痕迹的优雅总是最难的。

Hurricane Katrina Frames

2008-09-06T01:18:00.000-07:00

At first glance, these wood frames seemed so rugged, even a little disturbing. But the more I looked at them, the more beautiful they are. Each frame is a piece of art in itself. You won't believe where the wood came from. They are salvaged wood from buildings and homes that were destroyed in Hurricane katrina. SecondLineFrames store made these stunning frames to donate a portion of each sale to the effort of rebuilding the damaged neighborhoods.

第一眼看到这些相框，觉的它们是如此斑驳，甚至有点让人感觉不舒服。但是多看几眼之后，发现他们竟然越看越漂亮，每一件相框都象一件艺术品。你不会想到这木头居然是从被katrina飓风毁坏的房子上取下来的。SecondLine 相框店做了这些很有意义的相框用来义卖以帮助那些受灾的人们重建家园。

Bags from SWIGG

2008-09-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

When the street is overly crowded with coach, LV, and fendi bags, I'm desperately searching for something different, something that speaks of my taste and personality but won't hurt my wallet.I found these bags from SWIGG. They are called "ridge pack". I guess it's because the surface of the bag is embossed to resemble thick corduroy. They are not at all luxurious, but clean and simple, practical yet still good-looking -- all the qualities I look for in an everyday bag.They come in three color combinations: brown with blue straps, charcoal with yellow straps, and gray with red straps -- all very cute and modern-looking. There is no unnecessary embelishment (which I often see on some pricy bags and find very annoying). But the color straps add the perfect amount of femininity. They are big enough (16" x 11" with 5 interior pockets as well as a zipper top) to hold my daily goodies, and casual enough to take it anywhere--stores, gym, beach... without worrying about getting them dirty or scratched.
And, these Swigg bags are made with an eco-friendly recycled fiber which is held together by recycled resin. What can be more trendy than carrying a "green" bag these days?

About SWIGG:
SWIGG is founded by stephanie wenzel, a graphic artist living and working in brooklyn, NY. SWIGG™ Products creates ‘tactile goods for human enjoyment’ . SWIGG™ studio is a multi-disciplined design firm.
The aim of SWIGG™ products is to incorporate as many eco-friendly elements into its hand-made products as possible.

当满大街的人都背着COACH，LV，FENDI这些名牌包包，我却喜欢找一些与众不同的东西，既能显出我的个性与品位，又不会让我的钱包大大缩水。这些包包是我从SWIGG找到的，有个奇怪的名字叫作“山脉包包”，我猜这大概是因为包包的表面有条状的隆起就象厚灯心绒的感觉。它们不是那么的奢华，但是却简洁、实用、漂亮，满足了我日常使用的所有要求。它们一共有三种颜色：棕色包体配兰色背带，巧克力色包体配黄色背带，灰色包体配红色背带。每种颜色都很好看而且时髦。还有，不象那些豪华包包表面有很多花哨的装饰，这款包包简洁的没有任何一样多余的配饰，光是背带的颜色就具备了足够的装饰性和美感。同时，包包还足够大（6寸X 11寸大小，里面有5个小口袋，顶上有拉练），放的下我的所有日常用品，它的样子也够休闲够百搭，购物，健身，海滩，都可以背去，一点都不用担心被弄脏或者刮坏。最后一点，这款包包都是用可循环材料做的哦，够符合环保这个大潮流了吧！

Mushroom, Mushroom, Mushroom...

2008-09-03T00:22:00.000-07:00

Just how cute are these mushrooms! They will be perfect for my daughter's room...when she is ready to move out of ours.

The ring is for myself, of course. :-)

The Mushroom 7-Top Coffee Table
Designer: Thomas Wold
The Mushroom Forest Table Series is a new table design concept from Bay Area Designer Thomas Wold. The mushroom caps function as flat table tops, each with different height and cap circumference. The "burl" base provides an extremely stable platform for the "growing" stems and caps. The Mushroom Forest Series of tables provide a dramatic setting for objects such as glasses, books, vases, or alarm clocks or simply serves as a reminder to be happy.
Price: $985

Mushroom toys (also considered as: fungi sculptures)
Designed by: SWIGG
These toys are weighted sculptures that can be used as a balancing tool for kids. They are about 1 1/2 lbs. each and measure approximately 7" tall x 7" wide. Available in 3 colors: blue, orange, white.
Price: $52.00 each
(Sorry, these cuties are currently out of stock.)

Mushroom Pillow
Designed by: Paper Cloud
Materials/Care: The fabric for pillows is pure linen. Spot treat all fabrics. Machine washing damages the print on the fabric.
Pillow has a flap back for easy removal of the stuffer. Stuffer included.
Dimensions: 16" x 16"
Price: $75

Mushroom Ring
Designed by: Soop
Price: $12

Indulge Like "Kings & Queens"

2008-08-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

Being a graphic designer myself, I'm always on the lookout for products with beautiful packagings. My philosophy is "good things come in good packages". If a company cares enough to make its product look good, it won't let the quality suffer either. So when I saw these beautifully designed shower-gel bottles at Nordstrom, I was instantly attracted.
This newly launched "Kings & Queens" body-care line is a Nordstrom exclusive. It includes shower-gel, body milk, and body butter. All the products are enriched with a mixed fragrance of Pomegranate, Blue Egyptian Lotus and Malachite. I was totally blown away by the the incredible scent. The show gel actually comes in 9 different flavors: myrrh, vanilla pear, jasmine, lime, honey, lemon flower, myrrh, mango, cedar and cinnamon orange, each properly named after a king or queen in the history. For instance, cedar is for King Solomon, honey is for Queen Nefertiti, lime is for King GeorgeIII, etc. (I thought this idea was kind of fun, as most of us do sometimes fantasize ourselves being a king or queen.) The formulas for this line are so rich, and skin-silkening, not to mention they are paraben-free and mineral oil-free. As the nice packaging is a treat for the eyes, I think taking a shower with a yummy scent and velvety feel would be even more pleasant.
Oh, did I mention the prices are incredibly pleasant too? The shower gel is $9 each; the body milk is $11; and body butter is $15. For a little bit of money, we can indulge ourselves like "Kings & Queens".

身为一个平面设计师，我总是会被有漂亮包装的东西所吸引。我的理论是“精致的包装里面通常是好东西”。如果一个公司花了大把的精力在包装上，没道理会把里面的东西做的不好。所以当我在Nordstrom看见这些用精心设计的瓶子装的沐浴露时，我马上爱上他们了。
这新推出的“国王与王后”身体护理系列是Nordstrom专属的，它包括沐浴露，身体乳液和身体乳霜。所有的产品都散发着石榴，兰色埃及莲花和孔雀石的混合香味，我完全被这味道所迷住了。沐浴露居然有九种类型可以供你挑选，有趣的是每一种用的是历史上的一位国王或者王后来命名，比如雪松用的是Solomon国王，蜂蜜用的是Nefertit王后，等等。我猜这个创意是为了让我们每个人把自己当成国王或王后来善待。除了包装吸引眼球，它的美妙的味道和舒服的感觉把沐浴变得更加美好。
对了，我还忘了说它的价格，沐浴露9块钱一瓶，身体乳11块钱，身体乳霜15块钱，你看，只要花一点点钱，我们每个人都是国王和王后。

Bejeweled

2008-08-21T23:04:00.000-07:00

Too early to shop for Christmas (or lunar New Year for us Chinese)? Never. When I stumbled across the limited-edition jewelry collection by Dean Harris at Target.com the other day, I was so impressed that I think I might actually get them as holiday presents for my mom (maybe my mother-in-law too).
Target always has such a nice shopping environment and many greatly designed products (" a chic store" according to my husband), but I never thought of buying jewelry there. Now I learned that Target has been partnering with a series of limited-time-only accessory designers to create beautiful, yet affordable jewelry collections. Dean Harris is the third designer to collaborate with Target. Thanks to the magic of internet, I learned the background of this New York-based designer, viewed his portfolio, and was totally impressed.

Dean Harris has been sculpting beautiful organic shaped pieces since 1999. He believes that "anything can be jewelry", and works with diverse material ranging from gold, diamonds, woods, and opals, For some pieces, he even experiments with organic elements such as fossils, mammoth ivory, beetle wings, and coconut beads. "His graceful approach produces organic shapes, fluid lines and geometric compositions that are at times Spartan in a field defined by extravagance." In 2000, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) bestowed on him the Perry Ellis Award for best new accessory designer. In 2003, his branch tiara was displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In 2004, Dean Harris was the only jeweler among the ten finalists for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. In 2005, his work was included in SAMPLE, a book published by Phaidon Press that showcased 100 designers to watch in the new millennium. The fashion world embraces him. His jewelry collection has been used in the runway shows of Marc Jacobs, Bill Blass, Derek Lam, and Doo.Ri., and is currently sold at Barneys New York and other fine retailers nationwide.

The Dean Harris Target collection includes chain necklaces, earrings, and peace sign cuff, ring and charm bracelet. Materials range from sterling silver to semi-precious stones, shells and real pearls. The entire collection is "reminiscent of nature, fusing organic shapes and designs to create feminine and delicate adornments". It is available at Target stores and Target.com August 17 through December 26.

Descriptions & (very much affordable)prices:
Three-Pebble Charm Necklace $44.99, Quartz Marquis Vine Earrings in Green $49.99
Flower Pendant Necklace with Yellow Stone $39.99, Flower Cuff with Purple Stone $79.99
Cascading Leaf Earrings $29.99, Multi-Leaf Necklace $29.99
Necklace with Green Pebbles $39.99
Peace Sign Earrings $19.99, Peace Sign Ring $19.99, 7 Signs of Peace Bracelet $59.99
Domed Three-Leaf Earrings $34.99, Necklace with Faux Pearl Pendant $29.99
Wide Wood Bangle with Dot Details $39.99, Narrow Wood Bangle with Dot Details $24.99
Double-Oval Vine Necklace $249.99, Double-Circle Vine Bracelet $99.99
中文由阿萍翻译
想过现在就买圣诞礼物吗？当我偶然在Target.com发现了这个Dean Harris 限量版首饰设计之后，不禁想在这个夏天就给我妈甚至我婆婆买好节日礼物了。
Target在我老公眼里就是家女人店，我却总能在那里找到又便宜又极富设计感的东西。但我还是没想到我居然能在Target发现专业设计师的限量版珠宝！他们现在正在搞一个饰品设计师的作品专卖，别以为设计师的东西都是天价，Target就能做到设计师的东西卖
Target的价格！Dean Harris就是这其中的第三个设计师，幸亏有了网络，我很容易就查到了他的资料，原来他在圈内已经是小有名气了呢！
Dean Harris从1999年就开始做一些天然造型的小东西，他的宗旨就是“任何材料都能用来装饰”，所以黄金，钻石，木头，蛋白石，甚至化石，大块的象牙，甲虫的翅膀，椰子珠都是他作品的材料。2000年，CFDA颁发给他Perry Ellis奖，2003年，他的皇冠头饰在大都会艺术博物馆展出，2005年，他的作品被SAMPLE收录（这是一本由Phaidon Press出版的收集100位新世纪设计师作品的书）时尚圈也都看好他，他的作品频繁的出现在Marc Jacobs, Bill Blass, Derek Lam, Doo.Ri的时装秀上，Barneys New York和其他的一些全国连锁零售商都开始卖他的作品了。
他的Target collection包括项链，耳环，和平标志的手链、耳环，还有手镯，材质有银质，
宝石，贝壳，和珍珠，所有的设计自然，女性，不失装饰性。因为是限量的，所以只在8月17日到12月26日期间的Target店和网上销售。

Navy Blue

2008-08-12T23:37:00.001-07:00

For some reason, I always like tops that are navy blue (can't remember how many navy-blue T-shirt I've own). The combination of navy-blue and white is even more appealing, almost irresistable to me. So I when saw this printed cami top for baby girls at Old Navy, I just had to get it for my 2-year old daughter. I don't usually think navy-blue is pretty enough for toddlers, but this one is an exception. The flower motifs at the bottom gradually change color from solid to outlines (almost sketch-like, arty and delicate). Two horizontal navy bands create a nice contrast to the white color below. Details like stripes and pleating make this summer top so pretty for little girls. I just can't wait to see how it looks on my daughter.

Another navy-and-white look I'm loving so much is this chemise from Vera Wang's Simply Vera collection. (Like every fashion conscious woman on this planet, I just love, love, love Vera Wang's design.) Only she could make a nightgown so artistic looking yet still feminine and sexy. The abstract brushstroke pattern reminds me of the kind of expressive paintings I did in college, edgy and expressive. Yet the color choice as well as the pretty details like pleating and bow make this simple cotton chemise very bit of sexy and sophisticated as a silk nightgown.

（中文翻译－阿萍）不知道为什么，我总是喜欢海军蓝（我的海军蓝T多的数不清），尤其是海军蓝配白色，所以当我看见这件印花的海军蓝小背心，立马就买下给我们家两岁的小胖囡。以前我总觉的海军蓝不适合小孩，但是这件衣服是例外。底部的兰色印花就象素描一样，艺术感很强，两条兰色边以及一些条纹的细节，还有蓝白色的搭配，使这件衣服显的这么好看，真想马上套到小胖囡身上看看效果。
无独有偶，VERA WANG的这件裙子同样也是海军蓝和白色完美搭配（就象所有的时尚迷一样，我鈡爱VERA WANG）只有她才能把这件裙子设计的如此艺术感又不失性感，裙子上的抽象图案让我想起在大学时创意絵画課里的作品，颜色的选择还有那些底部和边的细节使这条棉质裙子就象真丝的晚装。

Go Green

2008-08-12T23:34:00.000-07:00

Just when everybody is going "green" these days, I find myself falling in love with green too. Not that I didn't like the color green before. (Apple green is always refreshing to look at; metallic green is incredibly edgy.) It's just I didn't think a green top or dress would look good on me, until that day I tried on this emerald green T-shirt. It had large areas of graphics in steel gray on top of the green. I couldn't help wondering if it was the luscious emerald green, or the cool steel gray, or the combination of two colors (plus modern graphics) that made a simple T-shirt look so eye-catching. Until later on I hit the internet and found out that jewel tones are actually a big fashion trend for this fall. Emerald green is certainly there on the runways. Designers like Alberta Ferretti, Oscar De La Renta, Amanda Wakeley, Badgley Mischka, Bill Blass have all created stunning pieces in luscious greens. My favorite one has to be this skirt from Bill Blass (as shown in the last picture). Paired with a fancy blue top like that, the whole look is so trendy and dramatic yet still beautiful and feminine.

Roll Away the Puffiness

2008-08-12T23:25:00.002-07:00

My latest favorite in skin care is the Anti-puff eye roller from GARNIER Nutritioniste. When I first saw the commercial on TV, I was instantly attracted to the product design. It is shaped like a pen with a metallic rolling ball on top as applicator. Since I'm the kind of person who's always willing to try out new things, I went to Target and bought it the very next day, and have been loving it since. The fact is, this eye roller not only looks "cool", but actually rolls on refreshingly cool thanks to the metallic ball applicator. I keep mine in the refrigerator and use it to massage the under eye area every morning. The light serum contains Pro-Vitamin B5 to hydrate, and caffeine to decongest puffiness and diminish dark circle. The gentle massaging ball rolls on so icy cool that l feel instantly awaked and refreshed. It's also perfect for on the go. I can just throw it in my purse, and give my eyes a mini massage whenever they feel tired or puffy, or just need a little stimulation. It's truly a "little green magic wand"!