oh so kawaii

baby butterflies

if you adore all things kawaii, you will fall in love with berrysprite's etsy shop which is overflowing with handmade cuteness. one look at the little crocheted menagerie, mystery fruits, and wee pouches and you would think that holly, berrysprite's crafty owner, had been creating all this goodness for years.

not so. she is, surprisingly, a crochet newbie and an inspiring example of what is possible if you have a passion for your craft. two of the whimsical items that originally caught my eye (the fish bag, below, which would be perfect for boy's/girl's day & the little japanese girl which reminds me of four words that gave me the heebie-jeebies during small kid time: pitter patter pitter patter) were snapped up in the wee hours, however holly is always happy to recreate pieces that have already found a home and also accepts custom orders.

fish bag

little japanese girl

you best get your orders in while holly still has time to get crafty since grad school is calling her name at summer's end. and don't forget to take a peek at holly's blog to discover what's percolating in berrysprite's honolulu craft lab.

bamboo or bust

nothing exemplifies what's old is new again more than the west embracing bamboo as a building material made for the 21st century. the same sustainable qualities that have made bamboo an interior design darling from kitchenware to flooring has prompted a maui company to host an international design competition to promote bamboo's versatility beyond the traditional hut.

the winners will be announced soon and a few designs have the potential to make the leap from daydreaming doodles to livable dwelling. my favorite family home finalist is this bamboo house submitted by a design group in china. another residential favorite may have been too fanciful to make the cut but i love how it integrated a green roof into its cylindrical design.

bamboo house

cylinder house

designs are not just limited to residential but also include ideas for affordable housing, emergency shelter and even treehouses. bamboo technologies, which is hosting the competition, specializes in prefab bamboo buildings for folks seeking a more affordable and eco-friendly housing alternative in the islands. many of the designs are in the balinese style but do take a peek at the flex house if the post about the breezehouse piqued your interest in modern prefab housing.

see you later decorator

well, only if your willpower is strong enough to resist the temptation of pacific home's annual custom order sale. the clock is ticking if freshening your home's upholstery, casegoods, lighting, floor coverings &/or accessories (to your exact specifications, natch) is on your 2007 agenda.

details:

• deal: 20% off all special orders
• expires: sun, may 13th (aka mother's day)
• map it!

design finds

mr. p * sigg * eco-weekender

in my search for an alternative to water bottles (which have an annoying way of littering the planet not to mention the potential health risks of plastic), i came across these fabulous aluminum contenders in a range of tropical and surf inspired designs. sigg bottles are designed in switzerland and are a stylish solution to stay hydrated on the go with many bottles sporting eye catching graphics created by artists from around the world.

put a cork in it and save your wine with one man stuck, propaganda's saucy surfer bottle stopper.

and, with the amount of rice that hawaii consumes, wouldn't it be nice if all those rice bags that get tossed in the trash featured more colorful designs? at least then they would have a chance at a new life like these fun eco-weekender bags which are repurposed by a woman's co-op in cambodia out of old feed and rice bags.

{update | jan 2010: if you are concerned about bpa and own an older sigg bottle, be sure to double check the liner color to determine if you should upgrade your bottle to a newer edition}

quarter for your thoughts

monday morning blues got your down? here's something to help you look busy until your brain cells perk up and you really have to get down to the day's business. become a trusted advisor to the governor by voting on your top pick for the hawaii state quarter scheduled to be released next year.

there is, of course, some debate over which design best represents the islands so hele over and get your vote tallied before the wed, apr 18th deadline.

{mahalo airspace workshop!}