The first day of May is tomorrow, aka – May Day.  When I was young, I used to make up baskets full of candy and flowers and leave them on friends doorsteps.  I always thought it was such a loving and pleasant holiday, a day to be kind.  May Day marks the official end of winter and is a celebration to welcome the sun.  Say hello to Spring, say hello to flowers, say hello to picnics, to playing outside and wearing dresses.  Say hello to the sun.  Happy May Day!!     

(Nina Ricci, Oscar De La Renta, Holly Stadler)

Wikipedia describes a cable tie as the following:

A cable tie (also colloquially known as zip tie, zap strap, zip strip, wire tie, tie wrap, quick draw, rat belt, or mouse belt) is a type of fastener, especially for binding several electronic cables or wires together and to organize cables and wires.

Today’s post has everything to do with cable ties, but absolutely nothing to do with fastening cables, binding wires, or organizing anything.

Art exhibit using cable ties, exercise balls, cotton batting, and halogen lights.

hmmmmm.  Believe it or not, the strangest part about this to me is the mask…

These plastic necklaces by Marc Jacobs and Maripol are not made from cable ties, however they inspired me to make my own DIY look using cable ties:

To make this necklace, I used 2 feet of black coated chain from Home Depot ($.54 a foot), and about 25 green, plastic, mini cable ties from the Dollar Tree ($1.00 for 100).  This necklace was quick, simple, and cheap to make, and I love the spiky fringe effect.

(necklace by Clases De Joyeria, sculpture by R Justin Stewart, cocoon exhibit via Apartment Therapy , black ‘melted’ chair by Tom Price, dress via Gizmodo, basket via 1 Design per Day, necklace by Meylenstein)

Tattoos are either something you love or something you hate, I don’t think there is an in between.  If you are going to get something permanently on your body, it better be something you will always love.  More and more these days, runway models are not worrying about being a clean canvas for the designers clothes, and some designers are even incorporating it into their shows.  I love delicate and feminine tattoos, especially words - like those of Freja Beha. 

Dainty and beautiful

(Freja Beha)

And for those of us who aren’t willing to get that much ink, temporary tattoos hit the Spring 2010 runway in the Chanel line.  I love that the skin art used on the runway can actually be purchased and worn by anyone.   

LOVE the bracelets!

(Chanel)

(julia)

It’s that time of year to get dirty and prepare the ground for delicious fruits, veggies and flowers.  Hopefully you already have a head start on it, but if not we hope this post will inspire you.  This weeks’ Etsy.com picks are all about getting outside and into the garden.  Happy planting!

May’s Etsy Picks:

This handmade floppy hat is worth tearing up over.

Slouchy bib pants.

I am so in love with this tractor seat stool.

Breezy net top.

(Vintage garden tool set from jherrman, floppy sun hat by yokoo, hose sprinkler from Opendoor Studio, hand blown bell jar by The Wallflower Company, bib pants by Fashion2idea, yellow pear tomato seeds from The Bear Foot Shaman, tractor seat stool by Modish Vintage, vanilla net top from Oh Leo Luca Vintage, vintage watering can from piratesb00ty, hand tool set from AMradio)

Dae’s Etsy picks:

Tweet tweet

Radishes are good for me

Yes, do.  It’s delicious.

(Planter box from Treasure Again, Bird planter by Pretty Random Objects, Gardening shoes from Boppty Bop Shoppe, Burlap bag from Vintage Junky, Mini gardening tools from The Lovely, Bib apron by Aprocot, Radish seeds from The Bear Foot Shaman, Vintage tool box from Vintage Cottage Garden, Garden marker by Lilfooley, Grow Your Own Food shirt by Happy Family)

Living in a state that has over 300 sunny days a year, the past few days of rain have been refreshing and wonderful.  Any excuse to use my red floral umbrella that I toted all around Taipei is welcome.

I Heart Rain.

Rainy days don’t get me down.

(Umbrella sky, Cuba Gallery umbrella, Rainy day, Street portrait from Yanidel, Draped umbrella by Vivienne Westwood, Dark rain, Vintage pagoda from Animal Head Vintage, Portrait of Power by Richard Avedon, Color changing umbrella from Suck UK, Bicycle from Istock, Birds)

Sonic Youth.  This band has been together for longer than I’ve been alive.  I was a late comer to their music – introduced to them in 2001 by my all-knowing, music loving husband.  When I first listened to them, I didn’t quite understand what I was hearing, and to me that was a good thing.  I crave uniqueness in music, fashion, decor, films…I don’t want to figure out what’s coming before it does.  Keep me on the edge of clarity, but don’t let me fully get there.  For me, Sonic Youth does that through their music.  Something is always a little off…in a delicious way.

The front woman of the band is Kim Gordon – bass, vocals, guitar.  The first time I saw Sonic Youth live in 2002, I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.  Such a presence, dancing, swaying, and whipping her blond layered hair around as she sang in an unbelievably low voice.

Kim Gordon is definitely known for her unique fashion sense.  A muse to Marc Jacobs himself, Kim rocks the stage in top designers and almost always, bare legs and heels.  She has her own clothing company – X-girl, and designed a fashion line called Mirror/Dash which was sold at Urban Outfitters.

Kim is an established visual artist, has had many shows, and her work has been released in 2 volumes.  This image is from Kim Gordon Chronicles Vol. 2 .

Last year, Sonic Youth appeared on the popular teen show, Gossip Girl.  Yes, I watched every minute, and yes, I cringed with every awkward line of dialogue and forced product placement.  We will just have to forgive them of that one.

I prefer to remember them on the stage, in all of their chaotic, rich, dissonant, glory.

People have taken to using their computers for recipes instead of good old-fashioned recipe books.  I need the physical cookcook or recipe card.  There is something about the history the food-splattered recipe cards and books represent.  It seems ridiculous to me that everytime I use my laptop I am so concerned with not getting it dirty.  I think while cooking – just be free and get ingredients all over the place – it is more fun that way.  This past Christmas I was given a couple vintage metal recipe card holders and for my birthday, my good friend Wrex made me a cookbook stand which I LOVE!  There are so many different types of stands and boxes to choose from. 

Under the counter pull out holder

My awesome stand Wrex made

I love these little drawers

This is pretty much awesome.

Vintage metal recipe boxes.  Yes.

Cookbook holders and boxes are a must for me and I will use them forever.

(Cast iron stand from Dillards, Cook-nook holder from A Place for Everything, Fork and Spoon stand from Wrex, Recipe box from Velvet Brown, Acrylic recipe box from Simply Smart Living, Fork stand by Dinner Time Chimes, Blue box from Martha Stewart, Recipe box from The Regional Assembly of Text, Spoon head by Forked Up Art, Vintage tin from The Aviary)       

While we are on the subject of great hair….what’s that?  We weren’t on the subject of great hair?  Well, now we are.

I go back and forth between loving the messy, just rolled out of bed look, and the ultra pomped sleek look.  I just can’t decide which one I like better.

(Andres Espinosa, Jak&Jil, Joona Worlin, Jak&Jil, John Mayer in Rolling Stone, Jak&Jil, Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Esquire)

A change of weather is coming, so the team of MayDae will start making our to-do lists and getting into project mode.  Every Monday night the two of us – May and Dae, get together to work on our latest concoctions, swap new ideas, and generally talk and laugh and have a merry time.  We have taken to calling it Project Monday, although tonight we are unable to have it due to a meeting and a family member being in town for only one more night.  Alas, Project Monday will turn into Project Tuesday this week, but I think it will be fruitful and satisfying anyway.  That being said, today, on this non-Project Monday, let’s stop, take a deep breath, push those deadlines one step into the future, and enjoy the small things in life.  This weeks’ Etsy.com picks are all about robin’s egg blue.

May’s Etsy Picks:

Gorgeous clip on earrings.

Blue Mason jars are perfect in every way.

Needle felted bird play set.

Handmade ruffle bag.

(Crochet dress from Tavin Shop, Melmac cups from Oh Boy Vintage, earrings from The Pearl Poodle, Ball Mason jar from Finding Fabulous, owl family necklace by Made With Clay and Love, apron from Vera Vague, fan from Emily Lynch, bird play set by Owl and Ellie, Pyrex bowls from The Fancy Lamb, ruffle bag by Stacy Leigh)

Dae’s Etsy picks:

Rice would be 10 times more delicious in this(if that’s possible)

This reminds me of Taiwan

Robins egg in the literal sense

Coffee, tea or even water want to be held in this cup

(Vase from Red Hot Pottery, Chair photo from Of Nature, Rice bowls by Deb Babcock, Journal from The Fancy Lamb, Serving platter from Page Pottery, Knit hair bow by Textile Ruth, Eggshell by The Garden Barn, Toddler shirt by La Marquise des Anges, Teacup from Ecolemancruz, Polka dot mini from VonlenskaVintage)