I'm FELTing Creative Today

I have noticed a new trend in design lately.  That is the use of Felt.  When I think about felt, I think about when I was in Arts & Crafts in grade school.  But now I see this sustainable material making a huge comeback and statement!  I love the reinvention of this fabric and the unique application designers have come up with.

I came across this Toronto-based designer Kathryn Walter and her work with felt is absolutely breath-taking.  Her business Felt Studio is booming and works only with felt.  Felt is a sustainable textile that is extremely durable and made from wool/natural resources. Take a look at some of her amazing installations...

 

Wosk Theater at the Museum of Tolerance, Los Angeles

The Gladstone Hotel, Toronto

Kathryn Walter doing her magic...keep rockin out girl!

Hotel Germain, Calgary

Oxygen Media Studios, Los Angeles

Hotel One, Seattle

Felt Furniture

Felt bag, wood carrier, and vessels.

Kathryn is a Felt maven!  I am obsessed with her installations.  Check out more photos and information on her website http://feltstudio.com/.  

(All images via http://feltstudio.com/)

LIVE WELL.  LIVE PURE.

sami

Rarrr...Animal Prints!

I am lucky to have a best friend that is South African and I'm even MORE lucky that she took me to her homeland South Africa a few years back.  Her departure has totally inspired my blog post.

Me and the Levy's...all born and raised in South Africa.  I love them :)

Me on Safari in Kruger National Park, 2007

Here kitty kitty...

Now her bags are packed and she's in the air (as I blog) and on her way to a place where animal prints that are naturally everywhere.  Today animal prints are totally trending and in every showroom/retail store- from the Merchandise Mart to West Elm.  Here are a few of my favorite animal prints for the home...

Sabi Collection

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Panther Wallpaper

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Boa Wallpaper

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Komodo Wallpaper

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Leopard tile 

More tile...

Here are som pictures of the two Safari lodges we stayed at.  I am extremely lucky and thankful that I was able to experience South Africa.  Safara is hands down one of the coolest experiences I've ever had.  The lodges Lion Sands and Selati were beyond exquisite.    

I would do anything to do it all over again.  Thank you Candi and the Levy's for giving me the most perfect South African experience.  Have the best trip and give all the family big hugs for me.  Safe travels. xoxo

LIVE WELL.  LIVE PURE.

sami

The Right Coat Tree

I will admit, I am a total closet shopaholic.  One of my guilty pleasures when shopping is buying the perfect jacket.  Over the years I have accumulated dozens of jackets and I wear all of them!  Now, a huge problem with having all these jackets is where to store them but have them easily accessible as I sometimes will wear three different jackets a day.  I am also a very lazy person when it comes to putting things away so I started looking for the perfect coat rack.  One thats modern but can hold as many coats as possible...

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Which do you like?  Stay warm!

LIVE WELL.  LIVE PURE.

sami

GREEN TIP OF THE WEEK (GTW)

GREEN TIP OF THE WEEK:  Use used/recycled/old magazines as wrapping paper!

One of my biggest pet peeves is buying and using wrapping paper.  Yes it looks beautiful but wrapping paper is used for about ten seconds and then is tossed in the garage.  To me, it is just a waste of paper and a way of producing more waste during the holiday season.  

A more unique and green way to wrap this years gifts is by using sheets from old magazines/newspapers to wrap your gifts.  You can stay with the theme of the holidays by selecting pages/articles that are about the holidays or have holiday colors.  While you are repurposing magazines/newspapers/shopping bags, you are saving money!!! It's a win-win situation for everyone!!!

Looks just as beautiful if not better than wrapping paper!

Happy Wrapping!

LIVE WELL.  LIVE PURE.

sami

GREEN TIP OF THE WEEK (GTW)

Green Tip of the Week:  Use LED Lights for your Christmas decorations!

Turkey day has come and gone and now its time for everyone's favorite holiday, Christmas.  Although I do not celebrate this holiday, I absolutely love the Christmas decor and spirit.  One of my favorite Christmas activities is driving around the suburbs of Chicago and looking at all the Christmas lights and decorations.

To all you Christmas maniacs that whoo us with your amazing Christmas displays, GREEN YOUR CHRISTMAS by using LED Christmas lights instead of the regular Christmas lights.

LED lights far outweigh incandescent lighting for power saving by using up to 33% less power and saving you some money at the same time!  LEDs also won the durability test as well as sustaining over 4,000 hours of light! via

LED Lighting is a lot brighter as well as enhances the colors of the bulbs

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You can purchase LED lights here, at your local Home Depot, or just about anywhere!

Merry Christmas and happy lighting!

LIVE WELL.  LIVE PURE.

sami

My Dream House...the Fantasy Continues...

When fantasizing about my dream home, I envision concrete floors.  This may sound strange but I am obsessed with concrete anything!!  Not only do I love the various looks of concrete flooring choices but concrete is a sustainable choice when it comes to flooring materials.  My "dream house" will have lots and lots of concrete but will also have other flooring materials as well.  This idea just really get my heart rate going....

"Because of their thermal mass and ability to retain heat, concrete floors are ideal for passive solar home designs.  When homes are built to take advantage of solar radiation entering through windows in the winter months, concrete floors will absorb the heat from the direct sunlight and release the stored heat as needed at night to keep rooms warmer.  Conversely in the summer and in hot climates, concrete floors shielded from the sun will stay cool longer and can actually help lower air-conditioning costs." via

When properly installed and sealed, a decorative concrete floor should last a lifetime and will never need replacement.  This outliving other flooring materials such as carpet, hardwood and tiles.  Wow-even better!

Here is a concrete floor with wood detail inlay.  Luang Prabang, Laos

My siblings and I came across this store in Asia and I instantly fell in love.  I love the distressed/industrial look of concrete.

I love how concrete floors create a seamless look.

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A polished concrete floor in a few areas will create a beautiful brightness and a sense of variety when only using one material

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So sleek, so in love

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In my dream house that would be located in Chicago (obviously) I will make sure that the concrete floor will be HEATED.  Nothing beats a heated floor in the cold winter.  I also love this light colored concrete.

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THIS IS MY HEAVEN.  I am beyond in love with the concrete floors and walls complimented by the beautiful wood kitchen and ceiling beams.  This is an ideal look for my dream house-100%

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