In this great shop.
(via here)

Not surprisingly, this awesome macramé playground doesn’t exist anymore.  What a shame.

Native Funk and Flash – An Emerging Folk Art
by Alexandra Jacopetti/Photographs by Jerry Wainwright
Published by Scrimshaw, 1974

(via here)

Perhaps you’ve already heard about Pacific Standard Time, especially if you’re a Southern California resident.  If not, check out their site and start planning what events and exhibitions you want to go to!

“Pacific Standard Time is an unprecedented collaboration of cultural institutions across Southern California coming together to celebrate the birth of the L.A. art scene. Beginning October 2011, over 60 cultural institutions will make their contributions to this region-wide initiative encompassing every major L.A. art movement from 1945 to 1980.”

I’m super excited about these upcoming shows and events in and around LA. I suppose I should also mention that my jewelry line is going to be featured in the Orange County Museum of Art’s shop in conjunction with their Two Schools of Cool exhibit and State of Mind: New California Art Circa 1970, which is their contribution to Pacific Standard Time. I’m currently working on a batch of one-of-a-kind pieces for them, mainly with vintage materials.

I just came across this post which took me to this post, which then totally took me down memory lane.  I grew up in Northern California and my dad was a pilot, so I grew up flying with my dad in small airplanes.  We’d fly to almost anywhere that had an airstrip, especially if there was cool, kid-friendly stuff within walking distance from the airport.  The Nut Tree in Vacaville was one- there was a little airstrip literally steps away.

It’s one destination I remember going on more than one occasion and loving- from these photos you can see why! Granted these photos were taken about twenty years before I went there, but honestly it hadn’t changed too much by the 80’s. These photos reflect my memories of the place. There was a restaurant, toy shop, sweets shop, a train, and the feeling like you were at playground for kids and grown-ups.  Sad that the original is not around anymore… people didn’t know what they were missing.

Thanks to Cathy for the reminder of this childhood favorite. Seriously, check out these photos to see exactly how awesome this place was.  I appreciate the modernism so much more now than I did then.

(via Stork Bites Man)

These beautiful educational blocks for children were designed for “Art in America” magazine by Milton Glaser.  According to him “they sold poorly”.

(via here)

I really want this book.  The title roughly translates to “Colouring Book Stories”.  It is about learning how to draw and has the most magnificent illustrations.

See this flickr set for more images.

Ilse Firbas / Malbuchgeschichten
Illustrated by Heinz Kiessling

I love that the two souvenirs I bought were less than 17 Euros combined.  At this shop called Van Mij in Arnhem I found a lovely Moroccan towel and this sweet tangram, and couldn’t resist.  They were just so cheery and fun.  I really love the back side of the tangram package… I think it may end up on our wall.  The only thing I regret is not buying a second towel!

1. Renilde De Peuter  2. Junque in the Trunque 3. Fine Little Shop  4. Wooly Baby  5. Portuguese Vintage

With so many of my friends having babies recently (or in the near future), I’m always on the lookout for baby presents.  The Wooly Baby shop makes the cutest baby and children’s slippers of all.  They use sweaters and re-purpose them into the most adorable little footwear.  A little out of my price range, but I do always love to see what they’ve made from time to time!