My childhood home was covered in wall-to-wall wallpaper. My bedroom in particular had a border depicting frolicking unicorns and castles far past the age of appropriateness. In recent years my mother has torn down nearly all the wall paper in the house and replaced it with paint, and vowed to never go back to paper. But I think I’ve found a company that makes such beautiful designs, it’s worth the hassle.

Flavor Paper’s designs range from riffs on classic damask patterns,  to modern geometric patterns, to crazy digital murals and photographic patterns.They have a variety of substrates that the designs can be printed on, so you can get your favorite pattern printed silver foil if you want. You also have the option to customize the wallpaper even further by choosing the colors. Or, if you have an entirely original idea of your own, Flavor Paper will print it for you.

Below are some sample patterns, but be sure to check out the “Installations” page to see some of the products actually used in the real world.

I may be the last person on earth to notice this, but Mod Cloth has a home accessories section! Mod Cloth Apartment is full of fun, quirky items that are just as cute and retro as their dresses. Just in case you’ve missed it as well, below are some of the items I’d like to see in my home:

Bubby’s Matryoshki Food Containers

Extra Soar-age Shower Caddy

Fairest Friend Picture Frame Set

Sweet Simpli-city Doormat

Soft Spoken Style Laptop Bag

Uncovered Cover Art is a blog by children’s book editor Heidi Kellenberger, and is dedicated to the art of the children’s book illustration. It features beautiful submissions of reimagined book covers.

Another section of the site displays the actual published variations of books.

The site currently has about two pages of submissions, but hopefully that number will grow with more beautiful art work.

A facebook friend recently brought Modern Handmade Child to my attention, and I’m so thankful! MHC is an online publication, but their blog is delightful, full of adorable handmade child and baby items, how-to crafts, recipes, gift ideas, and the personal stories of their staff.

I especially love the “Friday Finds,” where the author picks a theme and shows items that fit into that theme and where to find them. Below are the themes of “Sunshine” and “Blooms.” So beautiful and inspiring!

To read the latest issue of of “Modern Handmade Child,” click here.

Please indulge me in a quick bit of shameless self-promotion:
I have a business, and said business has a new website, and you should visit it. Then you should hire me so I can continue to buy diapers. (For my baby.) That is all. Thank you.

Good news for those amongst us fascinated by William and Kate’s upcoming nuptials: the Royal Wedding Website has launched! Get all the details on the ceremony, procession, and reception site, or find out how to take part in the celebration if you happen to be in London that day. And if you need even more updates on the wedding of the century, they also have a Twitter feed!

Assorted Valentine Set

Custom Heart Print

Custom floral print

With these custom prints, you pick the colors and consult with the artist about the portraits of you and your honey. Order soon to get them before Valentine’s Day!

Lately I’ve read several articles on the importance of play to the development of children, and one suggested that simple toys like blocks, dolls, boxes, and bubbles are best. So, I went on a hunt for blocks and fell in love with the wares of Uncle Goose.They have all sorts of block sets to stimulate little brains:

Classic Alphabet and Number blocks

Something a little more modern

Counting blocks

Textured blocks

And Nursery Rhyme blocks (my personal favorite!)

The sets are all made with non-toxic, child-safe inks. I think these are toys that you’ll want to pass down from generation to generation.

One of my favorite designers and bloggers, Joy Deangdeelert Cho, just announced the launch of Anthology Magazine, a new home decor print publication. Cho designed the magazine’s logo, and will serve as the Market Editor.

The magazine’s site describes it as:

“A new quarterly shelter and lifestyle print magazine that takes a narrative approach to its coverage of home décor, travel, design, entertaining, and culture. We envision the magazine as a collection of stories shared with readers.”

Browse the first issue here. I’m hoping that Anthology Magazine will fill the hole in my heart that Blueprint left behind.

Also, in honor of the magazine’s launch, Cho is giving away 5 free subscriptions at her blog. Leave her a comment, and you might win one!

To our Louisville-area readers (and our readers who plan on visiting Louisville someday): you should head over to quaint little New Albany sometime. It just keeps getting better with downtown restaurants like Toast, River City Winery, La Rosita, Wick’s, and the Bank Street Brewhouse. Another new addition to the burgeoning downtown is The Dandy Lion, a cute little shop brought to you by the same ladies from The Female Art Collective.

Visit their blog to get a sneak peek at all the cute merchandise for men, women, and children available, and stop by to check it out for reals:  310 Bank St., New Albany, IN.

Hours of Operation MON. Closed, TUES. – THURS. 11-7p, FRI. – SAT. 11-8p, SUN. 11 – 5p