It was many months ago that I randomly discovered ibride. They were featured on several design blogs and I instantly fell in love with their line of ornate wall art trays. Since they were seemingly everywhere at the time, I didn’t bookmark any online stores. Of course the name ibride quickly slipped from my memory and I have spent the last few months keeping en eye peeled for those gorgeous baroque flourishes and collages of anthropomorphic animals. Quite a hybrid of style, eh? In fact, the name ibride is actually a play on words that is meant to represent “hybrid”. The company consists of 4 French relatives, Rachel, Benoit, and Carine, who I wish I could find more info about online. Their official website is in French and is Flash based so it doesn’t lend well to translating. Anybody know more about them?

Their stunning art trays come in 3 different themes; vintage ladies, animals in nature, and hybrid human/animals attired in exquisite vintage clothing. The imagery is simply amazing, but it’s the colors that really grab me: brooding, muted shades with splashes of vivid color. Everything they make is truly a hybrid of modern and classic. Better still, the laminated trays are made from a recycled wood core!

And lest I forget to mention their newer offerings: furniture shaped like the lower half of an animal. The Basset Stool and Dog Stool (both shown above) are available in black or red. Joe the Polar Bear book shelf measures nearly 4′ tall and is super limited edition.

All but 4 of the trays offered at Burke Decor include Free Shipping in the USA.

Check out my new vintage bathing suit! That beautiful blue and black polka dotted one-piece is indeed my 2008 choice for swimwear. Due to our taking the Wardrobe Refashion Pledge, a homemade bikini was actually in the works instead of my usual trip to Target’s swimwear section. But like most great wardrobe choices, that blue suit was love at first sight. I haven’t worn a one-piece in years and frankly I didn’t think that a genuine vintage bathing suit would be very comfortable since a lot of them were wool. But I put those concerns aside and decided to be adventurous. I’m so glad I did because not only is this skirted one-piece cuter than any of the bikinis I have been watching, but it’s made of cotton and oh-so comfy. Even better, it was “new old stock” (commonly noted as “NOS” on eBay) so although my Lee Swimplay suit is probably from the 1950’s, I’m still the first one to wear it!

If you’re still searching for the perfect swimsuit (or one of many) and want something really unique for summer then you must see the selection of vintage bathing suits on eBay and Etsy. Unlike new suits, each vintage bathing suit is one of a kind or extremely limited edition, and the range of styles is much more creative than modern swimwear. Buying vintage online also gives us the opportunity to support all the great indie business owners out there.

Left to Right: some girls vintage, Love Spy Vintage, and Mel’s Shoppe Vintage

Here are a few of the hottest vintage swimsuits being bid on right now. It surprised me that they were all one-pieces, but those are indeed the best sellers, almost without exception. Despite the popularity of the modern bikini – and I swear it’s not hyperbole to say that nearly everyone in southern California wears one – it seems that a new retro-loving generation is discovering the one-piece. Some truly fantastic maillot swimsuits did come from seasons past; highly styled designer suits of the 40’s and 50’s, the profusely psychedelic prints of the 60s, deep V necklines and bias cuts of the 70s, and uber high cut legs and fluorescent colors of the 80s. Whether you’re a vintage fashionista or a lover of all things retro and ironic, there’s a style for you.

Below are some of the most popular vintage bathing suit auctions going on right now, but there is always more to be found on eBay.

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We planned on doing another gift guide this year: something similar to last year’s Green gift Guide. However, the new site design just ended up taking forever to finish and now we don’t have the energy to start another big project. What we’re going to do instead is blog like crazy about our personal favorite gift ideas.

Have you pledged to Buy Handmade this year? Buying Handmade makes for better gift-giving, it’s better for people, and better for the environment. (The BH crew elaborate on these points nicely.) As the purveyor of all things handmade, here come our top picks from a few choice Etsy categories.

Clockwise from top left: Custom Laptop Bag: any size, and print from BlueTwirls, Artist Tote from SuperbKitsch, Echino Wolf Full Size Messenger Bag
You have a LAPTOP; Yay! Now you need something to keep it safe, portable, and stylish. It’s hard to pick a favorite from this bunch, but I sure appreciate all the pockets inside the Artist Tote. And with a name like that, I’m already feeling tempted to carry around some colored pencils. Be sure to look at close-up product shots because these are all made with amazing attention to detail.


Clockwise from left: Four Eyes No. 1 from Lisa Brodar, Fergie plush toy, Chandrea Collection no.46 art doll by Chad Frick. Now these STUFFED CREATURES have some personality. I especially like the geeky cute glasses on plush Four Eyes.


Clockwise from top left: Vintage Shadowbox Art from theArtCreations, Cupcake System print by Kelly Newcomer, 3 painted robot floppy disks by gammaraybots
There is ART for everyone on Etsy. Like lots of other items, the shadowbox and disks are made from recycled materials, making them an even better choice.

Legwear, especially textured tights, is really hot this season. It’s a trend that resurfaced in Fall of 2005 and is only getting more popular. Unlike most fads, it’s functional and affordable as well as a being a stylish fashion accessory. However, if you only shop at retail stores you’re going to miss out on the true versitility that 45 colors of legwear provides. Forget the standard black and nude; this winter you can adorn your legs with any of the 58 colors and prints available from We Love Colors. For someone like me who has searched in vain for that perfect pair of pink tights to match a vintage mod dress, or yearned for opaque thigh-highs in several hues, WLC is a dream come true.

If you’re a hosiery aficionado you’re probably already familiar with We Love Colors, since they manufacture their own products and many of them are exclusively sold on their website. Along with standard tights, you can also find fishnets, thigh highs, knee highs, and the insanely popular footless tights/capris. Their selection is pretty huge, and also includes styles for men and children, as well as accessories. As a little testiment to their deserved popularity and customer satisfaction, WLC has an entire blog dedicated to their legwear being featured in fashion shoots and on the catwalk, and a blog featuring photos from their customers. In fact, if you send in a photo of yourself in any of their products you may be featured, but they’ll also send you a free gift (contact them for details).