Monday, July 26, 2010

Blogs we adore

youaremyfave.com is a super cute blog with lots of photos of DIY ideas, beautiful and girly interiors, fashion tidbits and tasty treats. The blog's author, Melanie puts together a great collection of images that just makes you feel all cute and girly. Swoon city!

Photo via Readymade, You are my fave

Photo via Apartment Therapy, You are my fave

Sunday, July 25, 2010

She & Him

Check out this gosh darn cute cover of this classic song. Golly, Zooey Deschanel, so adorables.

via designismine

Green options for the bathroom


Pretty much everyone is making an effort to be more green these days, in all areas of our homes and lives. Today, lets look at some options for eco-friendly items in the bathroom.

Bamboo is a popular, attractive and eco-friendly material option- its the fastest growin
g plant on the planet making it a highly renewable source, it can grow without pesticides or chemicals and is naturally water resistant, making it a smart choice in bathroom and kitchen products.

Umbra makes some awesome products for the bathroom from bamboo. Shown above: the Shamboo Shower Caddy and Aquala Bath Bridge (comes with spots for soap, razor, book and wine glass, sigh!).
The spa-like Banu Bath Mat is really sturdy and solid for stepping out of the shower or bath with wet feet onto (22.5" x 16").
And for organizing those little bits & bobs, jewelry, watches, etc. we have the Tuck Folding Box. Another option for all kinds of organizing and storage (I even made some small bathroom shelves out of these which I absolutely LOVE) are the bamboo stacking boxes. They are available in a wide array of sizes (depths, lengths and widths from 2.5" to 16"), can be stacked on top of each other to create multi-tier organizers, are great in drawers and on counters for tidying stuff up. I use these to contain all my makeup, organize nail polishes, aspirin/vitamins, and hair stuff; they really do the trick!

Vinyl and PVC shower curtains have been getting a lot of press lately in regards to concerns about the health issues related to the chlorine in PVC and release of dioxins in its manufacture and disposal. As a safer, healthy, and more eco-friendly option we carry a wide range of PVC/chlorine-free plastic (EVA or PEVA) and waterproof fabric shower curtains and liners. These come in a variety of colours, patterns and textures and are generally in the $10-$30 price range.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Colour Theory Friday!

This week we are taking a gander at LIME GREEN! Whoa, this is some vibrant stuff and its getting me jazzed!


Oh Chair in Green- $79.95 These are so comfortable and look so darn good too. They can go outdoors, be easily wiped down to clean and are stackable. Designed by Karim Rashid
Hummingbird citrus zester- $9.95

Hug & Kiss Designs cards- $4.50 (Do not be fooled by their cute exterior, these cards are sassy and crass- not for the faint of heart but totally awesome!), Green floral mug w/silicone base-$6.95 (silicone acts as its own coaster and prevents scratching to surfaces), Apple green taper candles- $5.95/pair Made in the Netherlands

Nappa Lola leather cross-body bag (9.5" x 9") in Cactus- $109.95

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Mikro Man!



Mikro is a series of super flat stainless steel cutout figures which you need to fold out and bend into shape to create an amazingly intricate miniature scene. Created by Sam Buxton and made in the UK, each thin sheet of stainless steel is precision etched with extremely fine details that become a freestanding scene of Mikroman's habitat or adventures when carefully unfolded.
These are some amazingly detailed figures and are not for kids under 12; think of these as more of a cool, creative adult's toy and part of a collectible series.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Colour Theory Friday!

Turquoise, the colour of a cool swimming pool, which is exactly where I'd like to be this very minute. Turquoise was Pantone's "colour of 2010" and here are a few items we have in stock at the moment that are very a la mode!

Handisleeve- $5.95, Beach parasol w/clamp- $21.95, Penguin soap pump- $14.95


Controversial passport case (Cuba)- $11.95, Will return clock- $13.45



"The Claudettes" cards- $4.95, Kelly Hyatt card- $4.95

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Cool homes in the NY Times


The New York Times style section features some great homes from time to time, with (I think) the most interesting ones in far-flung parts of the world, like Israel and Paraguay and Poland and the Swiss Alps. It's fun to fantasize about what your dream house would look like if it were on the other side of the world.

This adorable Italian-Korean family transformed their traditional Korean house into a crazy, ultra-modern, mostly lime-green marvel. It is lovely, and their creative use of space should be an inspiration to anyone faced with small square-footage. Take a look!









Image by Marcel Lam for The New York Times

Cocktail Hour!



We have been enjoying some really amazing weather here in Vancouver lately, and my favourite way to cool down after work is with a refreshing, delicious evening cocktail or two. One of my all time favourites is the classic Pimm's Cup. Pimm's No.1 Cup is a gin-based liquor, dates all the way back to 1823 and started as a tonic to aid in digestion. Very popular in England, you can find classy ladies and gents drinking Pimm's at polo matches and Wimbledon. This is such a great drink; its really refreshing, not too boozy, the ingredients are simple and it can be varied to your tastes or to what you have on hand.




You will need:

Pimm's No. 1 Cup (you can usually find this in the Gin section of the liquor store)
Carbonated Lemonade (a clear, French or English-style lemonade is nice), Ginger Ale or Tonic
Mint
Cucumbers
Lemon, lime, strawberries, etc. (whatever else you feel like adding in)
Ice


Simply pour 2oz of Pimm's into a cocktail glass with ice, add your mint, cucumber and whatever else, and top up with the lemonade or ginger ale.
A couple things- I like to mash the mint just a little bit in a mortar & pestle right before adding, it releases a little more mint flavour. I also poured the lemonade into a pitcher and added cucumber which infused more of a cucumber flavour to the cocktail (and was delicious on its own as well).


If you find it fascinating to read into the history of cocktails, as I do, check out more about Pimm's here and here.

Glassware & Accessories used in photos available at Paboom:
Glass pitcher-$18.95
Glass vase (used as ice bucket)- $13.95
Faceted pedestal bistro tumbler (cocktail glasses)- $2.95
Faceted mini glass (shot glass)- $0.65
Mortar & pestle glass- $10.95
Placemat- $2.95
Assorted glassware- $1.95-$3.95

Monday, July 5, 2010

HIRING!

Its so sad- the amazing Annika is heading off to Iceland for the summer for science adventures and such, and we need to fill some pretty amazing shoes immediately! If you or someone that would be perfect is interested in a super fun part-time position this summer (perhaps longer?) at PABOOM in Vancouver, drop off a resume at the store.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

New hours this week!

Just wanted to let everyone know, this week we open a few more days a few more hours:
Vancouver:
Monday 10-7
Tuesday 10-7
Wednesday 10-8 (new)
Thursday 10-8 (new)
Friday 10-9
Saturday 10-7
Sunday 10-7 (new)
Victoria:
as usual with extended Sunday hours 11-6

It seemed like, with the sunny evenings of summer, there were a lot of you that were doing their shopping later on, so hopefully the extra hours are more accommodating. If its successful, we'll keep it up for the rest of the summer!

Friday, July 2, 2010

Colour Theory Friday!



This week for our colour theory post we are featuring the colour RED! Red is always a popular choice for kitchenware, decorative things, toys, accessories- you name it, you can usually find it in red. The thing I've noticed lately is a shift from darker, burgundy red to brighter more vibrant orange toned and cherry reds, which are a little more exciting and fitting for summer.
Above: Erhard lined notebook- $14.95, Red multi-slat umbrella- $31.95 (these are gorgeous and have a total geisha-esque look), Little devil shower cap- $6.45

Colour-changing egg timer- $2.95 (I have one of these and they work like a charm! No more half runny hard boiled eggs!), Randy reusable tote bags- $3.65, Penguin soap pump red- $14.95 (great design- the entire cover part unscrews and you fill the inner cylinder. Makes it super easy to fill and pump)

Silicone pot holder- $6.65, Swing-a-way large can opener- $6.45 (the BEST can openers), Silicone pot handle holder- $5.45 (So you don't burn your hands on hot pot handles)

Reading glasses w/pouch- $4.95, Transparent red apple- $12.95, Red lips magnet- $2.95
Below: Red silicone whisk- $2.65, Red teapot 2cup- $5.95, Happy Birthday music box- $9.45


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