Who: Omhu – New York, NY

What: Omhu Canes

Where: Amazon.com – $135-$155

Why We Love It: The Omhu Cane has serious style so those who need one (and those who don’t) can walk with pride. Taking design notes from Scandinavian furniture, bicycles, hockey sticks, and skateboards, this colorful, and cool walking stick has levity and functionality at its core. It is both light-weight and light-hearted breathing fun, joy and color into an oft neglected tool.

The handles are made from layers of birch laminate and hand-finished with Livos oil, an all-natural, non-toxic, plant-based finish. The light-weight, high-strength shaft is made from recyclable aluminum and finished with bike paint. Both the handle and the tip are designed for maximum cushioning, grip, traction and support, usability being of utmost importance.

Available in three sizes 31, 34, 37 and six colors: purple, green, orange, black, cream, and light blue.

Who: Onyx

What: Onyx Popsicle Mold

Where: Amazon – $39.95

Why We Love It: Finally feels like summer has arrived here and the Northeast, and what better way to stay cool on a warm summer afternoon than with a delicious homemade popsicle? Ohh, takes us back to days in Mexico where this street vendor made the best mango popsicles loaded with fresh fruit, soo good…

Replace your old plastic popsicle molds with a durable, BPA-free, stainless steel mold from Onyx. These guys really know their popsicles and have designed their molds so that you can easily remove, and refill, one popsicle at a time. The silcone rings ensure proper stick placement, so no more worries about tilted, sunken or popped out sticks. All you need is to get creative and find some yummy recipes to test out. (Here’s 50 to get you started from TipNut).

Each set comes with one stand, 6 molds, 6 lids and 12 removable silicone rings.

Also thinking of upgrading to stainless steel ice cube tray to keep the BPA out of my drinks!

Who: brühl – Bad Steben, Germany

What: mosspink collection

Where: brühl

Why We Love It: A cool, modular, innovative, comfortable and eco-inspired design in a variety of colors and combinations to bring a little excitement and personality to your living room. Designed by Kati Meyer-Brühl, the mosspink collection was the  winner of the  Focus Green Silver 2008 design prize and the Good Design Award 2008 by the Chicago Athenaeum. Her design draws upon natural elements, like stacking pebbles, to create furniture that is fun without being silly and functional without being boring.

The collection is available in a variety of environmentally friendly fabrics, including fast growing bamboo, in bright greens, blues and pinks or natural linen. It is also available in leather, but we prefer the eco-friendly fabrics available. The frame is built from FSC Certified wood sourced locally when possible, and covered in a low-VOC foam. You can choose from wooden legs, also FSC Certified, or aluminum legs. The cushions have removable covers for easy cleaning or replacement. Click to continue »

Who: the fabled needle – Los Angeles, CA

What: Louise, A Narwhal, 5×7 Print

Where: the fabled needle – $10

Why We Love It: The tragedy in the Gulf is heart breaking – we can hardly talk about the devastation afflicting the delicate ecosystem without breaking down. Such a sense of helplessness as we ask, what can we do to help? Jen at the fabled needle has asked the same question and her answer is Louise, A Narwhal.

In an effort to help with the BP oil spill clean up in the Gulf of Mexico, artist  Jennifer Kee will be donating 100% of all sales of her sweet and innocent Narwhal print to the National Audobon Society. “Meet Louise, a wee narwhal. She really is sweet and she wants to do something important.” The 5X7 reproduction of her water and ink painting is printed on archival matte photo paper with archival HP Vivera inks that are guaranteed to last for over 80 years. Click to continue »

Who: L.L.Bean Signature – Portland, ME

What: Mariner Leather Purse

Where: L.L.Bean – $155 on sale for $124 on sale even more for $77.50! In tan or blue (see also leather tote)

Why We Love It: So yes, perhaps we are biased because of our Maine roots (we grew up going to L.L.Bean at midnight, for a long time they had no locks on their doors because they never closed!), but we are seiously swooning over L.L.Bean’s new Signature Collection, a nod to L.L.Bean’s heritage and classic Americana. Click to continue »

Who: Shimna – New York, NY

What: Liffey Bed

Where: Shimna – $3000 & up

Why: We first discovered Shimna at last year’s ICFF show and were instantly taken in by Liffey Bed. They somehow manage to create rustic pieces that are refined, elegant and modern. The Liffey Bed is a cross between a captains bed and a platform bed – maximizing otherwise lost space beneath the bed by inserted four angled drawers concealed underneath so as not to compromise the sleek spartan profile of the platform bed.

The headboard is made from one gorgeous slab of walnut that exposes all the natural beauty of the wood grain – which is really the focal point of their designs. Click to continue »

Who: FilzFelt; Boston, MA

What: Rectangle Placemats (also available in circles)

Where: FilzFelt – $16/ea (sign-up to The Find for 15% off  December 16-17)

Why We Love It: We got a chance to visit FilzFelt founders, Kelly Smith and Traci Roloff, in their studio last fall and were completely wowed by the vibrant bolts of felt that filled their shelves.

Now, this is not the felt you might recall from grade school, this is a thick, luxe felt made of 100% all natural wool dyed to match the colors of the Pantone color rainbow. Felt is a renewable, recyclable, biodegradable, durable, long lasting, moisture resistant, tactility irresistible fabric and that absorbs dyes to produce insanely rich colors.

Click to continue »

Who: David Trubridge, Cicada, NZ

What: Floral Pendant

Where: YLighting; $500 with free shipping on orders over $50

Why We Love ‘Em:

we love the innovative blend of art, nature & function…

we love the mesmerizing way the light filters through the organic pattern…

we love the way we can’t quite figure the design out – is it a web of hands, roots, petals, flowers or is that the point? to signify interdependence…. Click to continue »

Who: iSi, (HQ) Vienna Austria

What: iSi Soda Siphon

Where: Target.com, $69.99, plus $9.99 for 10 chargers

Why: The iSi Soda Siphon has finally moved out of the “What I Want Now” category and onto the list of my new most favorite things…….I am exceedingly excited about it. I found this lovely model in sky blue for a steal! It is now the most admired appliance in my kitchen-well second to the Liebherr Fridge—but a very close second. What can be more fabulous than spritzing your vodka with a dash of freshly brewed tonic? I feel like the the ultimate hostess when I mix up a delightfully fizzy beverage-wows the crowd, and the nieces as well who love the “spicy” bubble water. Note, the colder the water the better the bubble.

The soda siphon is a great eco-friendly alternative to buying (and then lugging home) 2 litre plastic bottles of seltzer. The iSi can be used for years and requires only the use of tiny recyclable steel CO2 cartridges. Using less plastic bottles means a smaller carbon footprint. I contemplated the Penguin, but seems more cumbersome and a bit pricey at $199.99. These posts from chowhound did raise some concerns about the quality of home brewed seltzer, so I will report back.

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(Updated January 12, 2009) Just found a great new website for all things Seltzer, Prairie Moon. List price for the iSi, $44.95. And P.S. I still love my iSi, definitely a conversation piece when entertaining.  Since I drink less icy beverages in the winter, I ended up leaving a 3/4 full bottle in the fridge for over a month and it was still fizzy!