I’ve been hopping around Boston’s Chinatown scouring markets for tea tins to use in my new kitchen. I’m installing open shelving and decided that with all things exposed I should consider storing the pretty products there (and the ugly stuff in the lower cabinets). I found a few tins in Boston but I felt a little uninspired since the designs were pretty generic looking. Nothing came even close to the lovely visions of colorful tea tins dancing in my head. Then…
This lovely photo appeared today in my flickr stream. The very dear Anahata Katkin posted this after finding hers at Pearl River in NYC! Anahata was looking for tea tins too. I just mentioned Pearl River in January when a reader wrote in looking for Chinese lanterns so I’m not sure why I didn’t think of them as a resource. This is why we all need our web friends. The best part about the tins Anahata found is that they are exactly what I wanted, are priced under $3 each, and they’ll ship ‘em to me so I don’t have to drive down to Chinatown in New York. Not that I mind but it’s super convenient to shop them online. Anahata thank you!
Outside of storing your tea in them, you can also store office supplies or use them for q-tips and cotton balls in the bathroom. I like to use them as vases but tea tins tend to leak so I always place fresh flowers in a juice glass and then conceal the glass inside of the tin allowing for the flowers to peek out.
OR If you are feeling crafty, try Lilac Moon’s recycling project. She took tea tins that would have otherwise landed in the trash and taking pretty papers and handmade stickers with stamped images, she designed her own tea tins. How clever, inexpensive, and easy!
You can view more photos of this project here. Oh, and here’s a link to her blog and etsy shop. Thank goodness for our web friends and all of the constant sharing that takes place.
(image top: ana bottom: pearl river)
Jane just opened her new store All The Luck In The World today and sent over the news. First of all, congratulations Jane! The moment I clicked on her site I fell in love because it is so Jane, it perfectly fits who she is and how she decorates. I’ve talked about this talented creator many times before on decor8, I’ve admired her work for quite some time, so watching Jane grow into a web shop owner makes me happy.
Her site is currently in Dutch but she’s soon to have it translated into English. ATLITW is all about recycling and collecting vintage finds for the home, plus Jane sells things she makes by hand, including jewelry. I’m sure you’ll find her shop very special.
Jane shares such a bounty of pretty things with us and makes it easy to picture them in our space because she takes the time to show them ‘living’ in her own home. You can view many inspiring photos in her inspiration pages or try visiting her Flickr collection of photos. They are loaded with design ideas.
I’m inspired by how she styles objects to look so casual and welcoming, very Jeu de Paume (the Japanese decorating books I wrote about last summer). This vintage chic meets gypsy caravan style appeals to many of us because it looks like someone actually lives in these spaces, imagine that! I also get a strong sense of who this woman is when I look at what she owns, she takes time to find special things, she’s creative, and a little unconventional — she’s not afraid to have fun. Did you notice the top image of her outdoor patio, is it not divine? Who doesn’t long for a spot like this to relax in the summer?
Thank you Jane for sharing so many lovely things with us today!
(images from all the luck in the world)
Emma, Danielle, Sia and I have been discussing a plan to host a little informal meet + greet in Amsterdam for bloggers on Friday, September 5th. More details will follow in August but I wanted to give you a heads up in advance. I’m not sure how many Am’dam-based readers decor8 has, but it would be so nice to meet some of you in person, so whether you blog or not, consider yourself invited. It’s not often that I’m there, so if you live nearby and want to hang out, please join us.
It would really help if you could drop me an email with the subject “Amsterdam” so I can save your contact information. (decor8blog AT yahoo.com) Then when the time comes, I’ll send out a quick email with the location details. Of course, I’ll post details here a few weeks in advance, mid August, but it would help for the sake of finding a location to know in advance how many we can expect. I’m thinking a group of 20 would be nice. Again, we still have to iron out the details, but for now you can pencil us in for the evening of September 5th after dinner. A few of the girls will bring male friends/partners so singles and couples are invited, men are always welcome. :)
(photography by Mor bcnbits)
This one is for the Boston locals… You may have read about it in your morning Daily Candy but in case you missed it, Bob’s Your Uncle opened a home and gift store over in Fort Point over the weekend called Front – how exciting! Martin sent over a few photos, of course some things are better in person so if you are able please try to get over there and show your support. I have to take my own advice, I was just in Boston yesterday and wished I had known about Front!
I really like the gray felt bird…
…and these little chalk tables.
It’s encouraging to watch Fort Point grow, as I have a history in this city (we moved up from South Carolina in ’87 because my father was involved in the initial planning for the Big Dig) and always felt like it was a gem in the making — especially the waterfront. And I worked over the bridge near the post office on Summer Street for years, so I remember what it was and to see it being transformed into a thriving community for galleries, offices, and retail space is very exciting. Link here for news on the Fort Point redevelopment project.
Congratulations to Front and Bob’s Your Uncle!
Location: 25 Channel Center Street, Fort Point, Boston.
(images from martin yeeles)
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