ONLINE MAGS?

Open publication - Free publishing

Are you into online magazines? I have to say I was a bit dubious. One of my favorite parts of the day is going to check the mail (without locking myself out - don't ask) and seeing one my magazines stuffed in the little box. Even though I'm a poor graduate student I have figured out a way through Coke Rewards to get some of the magazines that I love (I steal other peoples' points and use them - thanks, Mom, for collecting some of them for me!). I currently get Martha Stewart Living, House Beautiful, and Elle Decor for...well, for free!

Anyway, lately I have seen a lot of online mags popping up and have checked out a few of them. I just found one that I am absolutely in love with! It's called Matchbook and you can find it at www.matchbookmag.com.  So many awesome items, stories, interviews and pictures!

The best part about online magazines? You see something you like and just click on it to get to the actual website where it is being sold. Can we say DANGER?!? Okay, couple of friends who bother to look at my blog...do you have any other favorite mags I can look up? I also like Rue and have a couple others on my list to look up, but this one is my fave so far.

IKEA FREAK

So, since my back is having issues and I have been spending the week on my bed, I've had some extra time on my hands. I'm at the point where I'm caught up on my email, Google reader, facebook, and if I post one more thing on Pinterest, my friends might kill me. So...I decided to check out the Ikea website and see if they had any new and interesting items. Look at these great things I would buy if I had money (and was mobile)! Come to think of it, it might be a good thing that I'm not mobile right now.

The famous (and cheap) Lack table now in glossy grey - loving it! And only $12!

This cozy looking throw blanket. 

This Benzy Land pillow. Loving the new fabric as well. I'm on an old-style nautical kick right now (read: NOT beachy with shells, definitely not my style).

This Storsele chair. Seriously! I've been obsessed with chairs lately since we, well, don't have any in our apartment. And since they aren't the cheapest things in the world, it's pretty much going to stay that way.

Anyway, my love for all things Ikea is once again affirmed.

THE ECONOMIST

So I was talking to one of my new roomies and we got on the subject of magazine subscriptions. She asked what magazines I get so we could compare and see if any of our subscriptions overlap...

Me: "Oh, well I get Martha, House Beautiful, and I just got enough Coke rewards points to get Elle Decor. Sometimes I buy Dwell since I just really want to look at it."

Roomie: "What's Dwell?"

Me: "You know, like another design magazine."

Roomie: "What does that mean? What's a design magazine?"

Me: "You know, like how to decorate your house, interior design...stuff like that... (I trail off starting to realize how crafty and scrapbooky I sound - not that that's a bad thing, but I feel there's a difference between old crafts and new DIY scene - subtle differences, so I try to save the conversation)...What magazines do you get?"

Roomie: "Right now just the Economist."

Me: "Oh. (pause) You can't get that with Coke rewards."

Is it weird that sometimes I just want my magazines to be relaxing and visually satisfying? That after a day of talking about how-we-need-to-save-the-world-but-really-can't-save-the-world-but-everyone-has-ideas-of-how-to-save-the-world-and-they-all-mess-it-up-more-and-what-does-"the world"-mean-anyways... that I just want to read an article about how to find a great rug for my future house?

Don't judge.

And yes, if I could get People magazine with my Coke rewards I would be subscribing to that as well. My dirty secret is out. I like to think of it as a natural curiosity about the world around me.

DwellStudio

Here are just a few of the new items from DwellStudio for Target that I really like. You should definitely check it out as they are also very affordable.

Hanging Wonder

So, I like to hang things. I mean, hanging as in putting them on a wall so that they are accessible and visible. Usually I have some tote bags, jackets, and purses hanging on a rack on the wall. The thing is, hooks and racks tend to be really ugly, particularly when you take the hanging item off and the hook is exposed to general view. Well, I think that I have found my ideal solution. Ceramic bird hooks from JBA Design. Aren't they great? I think I would leave things off them just so you could see the hooks themselves.

They are available here from Launch Design.

{Via Bloesem}

This Little Piggy...

I am totally in love with this leather piggy bank designed by Looksur.

Apparently, it's made from scraps of waste leather. It's available for purchase at the MoMA store. Did I say that I really, really want one?

{Via Design Mom}

Manhole Madness

Imagine spotting one of these little babies in the street on your next jaunt through the neighborhood:

Aren't they amazing? Who knew manhole covers could be so entertaining? The possibilities seem endless...

{via Spray Glue}