I'm a huge fan of CB2's dinnerware and am excited to learn that much of it is on sale right now for crazy-cheap! Appetizer plates for 95 cents, dinner plates for 3 bucks... it's nuts! I've been coveting the Lamina dinnerware ever since it showed up in their catalog a while ago. I've also been meaning to grab a few more settings of the Bubbles dinnerware to keep on hand in case any of the pieces I already have happen to break (which I doubt, because they're über sturdy, but you never know). So if you've been wanting to replace your old dishes, get a few backup pieces, or just like to have options, now's the time to grab some really high quality dinnerware for really affordable prices!

CB2 Dinnerware Sale: $0.95 - $10.95

  

I love it when I see modern kids stuff, especially the hard to find stuff like doll houses. This labor of love comes from My Modern Mini. Designed and built by an architect who has a love for building models this is the first of hopefully a long series of modern doll houses. The house is 1:12 scale built from MDF and painted with a primer coat ready for customization. Current introductory pricing is $299. If that is too steep for you, hopefully these pictures will inspire you to make your own.

Available for $299 from My Modern Mini

Lots more pictures after the jump.

All Photo's via the Mini House Flikr page.

Heather Palmer has mad skills when it comes to working with glass. Her Nest bowls, each with their own unique forms, are absolutely stunning in their organic and almost otherworldly appearance. Though their intricate lattice work appears delicate, they are quite sturdy, not unlike actual nests. Heather offers her wares through a variety of galleries and shops, but recently opened an Etsy store with the desire to interact directly with those purchasing her work. I can honestly say that out of all the incredible glass and ceramics I've seen on Etsy, nothing has struck me quite like Heather's work. I am in awe.

Links:
Blog
Portfolio
Etsy Shop

Nest Bowls by Heather Palmer: $60 - $210

As my lovely wife and I have recently welcomed a beautiful second child into our family we have been amazed at how much more modern kids stuff is available now compared to two years ago. Point in case - rocking chairs. When we got our storytime chair from nursery works it was far from affordable, but there wasn't really a whole lot of choices at the time. Enter 2009 and now Ikea has released a rocking version of their wonderful (and dare I say iconic) POÄNG chair. We saw it Saturday at our local Ikea, and it looks pretty sharp. It's just as comfortable as the original iteration and starting at $129 just as affordable. Best of all you can use all the regular POÄNG covers to tailor it to your individual tastes.

Available from Ikea starting at $129.

picture via

The Clock Clock is the brainchild of Swedish design group Humans Since 1982. It features a set of 24 analog clocks whose hands rotate to create the illusion of a digital timepiece. As the time passes, each set of hands spins and whirls, performing its own unique choreography. Seen as a whole, this process is simply mesmerizing. Not sure yet if this clock will ever be available commercially, but it is a fascinating concept nonetheless. In the meantime, you can download a free typographic version of the Clock Clock for all your clock-font needs.

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Hello! Can you say "This mushroom bird house is exquisite!"? I can - and I did. Handmade by Michael McDowell of MudPuppy.

Each gorgeous bird house is hand crafted and covered inside and out with non toxic glossy white glaze and topped with an exquisite white lichen glaze. It is fired twice, once as a bisque firing to drive out moisture from the clay and a second high fire glaze firing which ensures the birdhouse can withstand the elements. Just in time for your feathered friends this spring and summer, they make a great housewarming gift or a treat for yourself. A ceramic bead and hemp hanger are included for quick hanging.

About Michael:

I live and work in beautiful Denver, Colorado with my two studio assistants Ennis and Konrad. Primarily I hand craft vases, sculpture and whatnots out of clay. I am completely obsessed with all things crafty and feel blessed to be a part of the handmade revolution.

I tried to follow a somewhat regular path to financial freedom but I have finally given in to my heart and the pull of destiny and am now a full-time starving artist. I come from a long line of craftsman and artists. My great-grandfather made everything from jewelry to furniture out of stone, my grandmother did collage, my grandfather designed and built homes, an uncle was a ceramicist and another an artist and art instructor...so either it's in my genes or we are a bunch of non-conformists.

At the very least, I am happier making art than I have ever been and I think that is reflected in my work.

Check out more at www.michaelmcdowell.com.

Mushroom Bird House from MudPuppy: $45

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I was browsing around Ol' Etsyland when I spotted this lovely handmade, MCM-Style table from seller Bald Man Mod. It struck me as something wonderful, so I thought I'd share. Here's what Baldy himself has to say about the table:

The bald man releases the beast! This is a freshly built mid century modern style table- it ain't 50 years old, but has the same swank feel.

Here are the details:
27.5 inches long, with the table top tapering from 14 inches to 11.5 in width. Table itself is 11 inches tall plus the leg height. The inner cabinet is 9.5 inches deep, and the door is 11.5 inches long by 9.5 inches tall. The inner space is also 9.5 inches tall.

Made of 3/4 inch birch ply, with a nice dose of semigloss water based polycrylic. The door and inner wall are veneered with walnut and a hot racing stripe of maple. Used biscuit joinery to keep it together, and veneered with a vacuum press.

Customize the table by choosing leg style and height - hairpin or square tapered steel from 12" to 18". Legs are vintage, fresh from their original boxes. All tables are made to order.

Custom, handmade MCM-style table from Bald Man Mod - $350

Umbra has a few new products out for spring, one of which is this hookaboo multi-hook rack. Available in either espresso or natural bamboo the rack measures about 13" wide and 3" high. While I really like the design of the hooks, I'm not sure I'm too big of a fan of the bamboo. It's too bad the don't have any other options. The price seems about right at $26, or you can buy a single hook for $8.

Available at Umbra for $26.

A few new designs from the folks at These Creatures! While their dog/cat feeders still fetch a high price tag, these new bird feeders and leash hooks fall somewhat into the realm of affordability. Regardless, I'm still in love with their bright colors and clever designs!

Bird Feeders $89 | Leash Hooks $38
Bonus: Use code TCMAY09 at checkout to receive 10% off all orders over $100 in May!

I love toys, especially mechanical ones that are full of engineering genius like these ones from Chico and Francisco Bicalho. These three toys, the Skidum, Awika and Le Pinch are all part of the MoMA stores "Destination Brazil" series. Each toy winds up and moves in it's own special way. Some shoot sparks, some glow in the dark, and all of them look just as brilliant sitting there as they do in action.

Available from the MoMA store for $15.

It was recently announced that the classic Frank Lloyd Wright home falling water will now be available as a lego kit. It was designed in conjunction with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Brickstructures, Inc. and the LEGO Architecture brand. It's expected to go on sale this July, pricing is still unknown but should be around $55. What is known is that it looks brilliant and that I want one. A big thanks to Amanda for pointing it out to me.

Available from Brickstructures in July

More from Prairie Mod

These animal illustrations by Mignon Khargie are fantastic in their simplicity and playfulness! A little reminiscent of Charlie Harper, too. Pick up a few prints for the kid's room or for yourself. I just love the dancing foxes - which one is your favorite?

See more work at zand2ohs.com.

Mignon Khargie 'Animal' Prints: $30 - $35

P.S. Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

I appreciate it when people put a little bit of thought and design into simple items. These doors stops from Josh Owen fit that bill perfectly. The "U" shape makes it convenient to hang them on the door knob when not in use, and the silicone makes sure that when you put them on the ground they won't be sliding around. Available in packs of three with a black, gray and green doorstop in each,the $20 price is a more than what you would pay for a wooden wedge. I'd still be tempted to buy a set though, that is if I ever actually needed a door stop.

Available from Design Public for $20

Waste Bin - Grace Youngeun Lee
By stepping on the pedal, the bin opens towards you- yet the cover remains stationary. This natural motion is emphasized through a graphic division of color and material.

This minimalist waste bin was designed by Grace Youngeun Lee for one of her MFA projects at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. Not sure if it will ever go into production, but it's a beautiful design nonetheless!

See more of Grace's work here.

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With a two year old in the house the need for some melamine dinnerware has become a simple fact of life. I'm normally a big fan of melamine, it's cheap and can be very attractive. At least I thought it was cheap. Looking around at some of the "modern" examples from Jonathan Adler, French Bull and even Pop Ink show prices upwards of $9 for one plate. I admit they are all really good looking plates, but is it too much to ask for a simple plate for a messy two year old that doesn't cost over $5? Luckily while I was at Target on Monday we were able to score some decent looking plates. They may not be as hip as some, but the price was right.

Melamine plates from Target, set of 4 for $15.

Anyone know any other cheap but hip melamineware?

Every now and again IKEA hosts a "Seize the Days" event, where for one or two or three days only, some popular item is on sale for a ridiculously low price. This weekend, the ever popular POÄNG chair is on sale for a mere $40, over 50% off the original (and already scant) price tag. Not bad at all. Other highlights includeEXPEDIT bookcases for $50, RITVA curtains for $10, and free breakfast all weekend long. Sale starts Saturday, May 23rd and goes through Monday, May 25th. [The POÄNG chair deal is only good on Saturday, the 23rd]

Click here for more info!

Hopefully everyone here has already heard of McMaster-Carr. They are a sort of do it yourself industrial superstore. With over 480,000 products, there is a good chance that they have what you need, if only you could find it. I know that there are some great treasures amongst those 480,000 items. I almost bought some track for a sliding door from them once, and seriously looked at some of their faucets too. If you have been brave enough to wade through all the 480,000 products and found some good ones, we want to know.

What are your favorite items from McMaster-Carr?

Do you have any other similar websites with great finds?

As if there weren't already enough scrumptiously addicting online sales I recently received an invite to Guilt Groupe. Guilt Group is "a private online community, providing members with access to coveted fashion and luxury lifestyle brands at sample sale prices." While they do have a strong emphasis on mens and womens fashion, what I am really excited about is the small but quality home section which has goodies with prices marked down as much as 70%. For example today at noon they have a bunch of stuff from Areaware that goes on sale. Everything is first come first serve but they are kind enough to let you know when certain things are going on sale so you can mark your calendar. If you want to check it out for yourself you can create an account through my invite page http://www.gilt.com/invite/creede It is invite only, but all members have unlimited invites. Plus if you invite a friend and they buy something you get at $25 credit. Not too shabby.

Get an account at Gilt Groupe to check out all the deals.

Let us know in the comments what you think.

I'm a sucker for a nicely designed mortar and pestle. I don't really know why, either. I've just always found them to be so incredibly beautiful, even the sound of the spices and herbs being ground between the pestle and mortar is strangely soothing. I have a few already in a small collection, but I would love to have this white marble version designed by Laurence Brabant for the Eno collection. The Pile grinder is simply exquisite and is available from twentytwentyone for about £42 (roughly $63).

Pile grinder available from twentytwentyone - £42/$63

The Eames Case Study House No. 8 is perhaps one of the great iconic mid-century modern homes. Built in 1959 by Charles and Ray Eames the home became their permanent residence for their entire lives. According to John Entenza founder of Case Study House, the Eames house "represented an attempt to state an idea rather than a fixed architectural pattern." All thumbnails above are from the Eames Foundation and full size prints from 5 x 7 to 16 x 20 can be purchased from their website.

Prints available from Eames Foundation from $17 - $81.