You may think I’m nuts to blog about baskets of all things, but I would love to get your thoughts on them. I was recently at the home of this couple we know and her husband made it very clear that he despises baskets in the house. I mean, his basket hatred was as strong as his views on religion and politics which made me realize that I should add baskets to the ‘conversation topics to avoid‘ category next time when visiting with friends. Who would have thought that baskets could bring about a heated discussion?

I started liking baskets at a very early age because when I was growing up in South Carolina you could find basket weavers roadside in lots of the more tourist-y parts of the state (esp. coastal where I lived) and I loved to watch them work (Link: From Africa to South Carolina). I found their weaving so artistic and admired their patience and dedication to their craft. I also liked to purchase them, sometimes from sea grass basket weavers and others at my favorite store called Waccamaw Pottery where I loved to shop with my mother back in the 80′s. It was then a store selling imports ranging from ceramics to rugs, cane, baskets, linens, and the place was huge and a delight to roam through. Now I wonder if Kelly Wearstler was shopping there with her mom too since she grew up in the same town and is only about 6 years older – back in the 80′s it was the place. So my love of baskets has southern roots which could be why most of my local friends up north just don’t get it.

Let me clearly state though that I don’t use baskets to serve bread, nail to the wall as art, or arrange my fruit in. I’m more of a baskets-as-storage girl and usually that means they go unseen by the average visitor in my home because I don’t like clutter. I use them in closets.

I’ve been dying to buy a woven tote and think I found a great place for them online called Medina Baskets. I’ve wanted a classic French market tote for awhile now so in case you don’t think I’m crazy for liking them, you can find some here for only $38 (I’ve seen them in local specialty shops in the $100 range so this is quite a bargain). And when you’re not using yours to tote things, you can hang it on a pretty hook near the front door to store your garden tools in, or place one by your favorite chair filled with magazines.

Don’t believe that I really use them? Here’s a photo of one in my studio/sewing space where I work when it’s warm (it’s a 3 season room) adorned with super cheesy silk flowers. I know, silk and flowers should never be uttered back to back. Do you want to know what is hiding in my tote shown? Hand weights and my resistance band! So much for magazine storage, huh? That floral tote is from Target filled with blankets and things that I make.

If baskets aren’t your thing, these totes from Calista Cove look quite stylish and can serve as both a functional and decorative element in the home too.

(images from medina baskets and calista cove)

Here’s a little something that I wrote today called Cutting Through Design Blog Smog that may help you get a grip on blog reading so that the time you’re spending online is productive and most of all, gives you refreshment and motivation to tackle projects of your own.

Sale time, peeps! Vanessa has marked down everything by 40% in both her showroom at 1409 Abbot Kinney Blvd in Venice and on her website, and she’ll ship in the United States, so whether you’re in L.A. or not it doesn’t matter.

I scooped up a gorgeous white lacquered vintage cane chair for my office that she’s having reupholstered for me in this great Lulu DK fabric for a great price, so don’t miss out! Click here to view some of her current inventory.

(image from vanessa)