Daily Chai

The Treasure Box Picture Frame

Looks like an ordinary frame when it's empty, but the depth of this Treasure Box Picture Frame from Dennis Daniels makes room for a lot more than photos -- like, say, those beautiful seashells that you picked up from the beach years ago and would really prefer to display than leave them collecting dust somewhere.

I framed some of my old seashells in one of these frames and hung them in my bathroom. Lots of people have liked the idea and asked where I got the frame. They are pretty easy to find online at places like Amazon.com and Shop.com.

I love my Viola Fox necklace

Viola Fox charms are sold locally in San Francisco at assorted little boutiques and at Cafe Gratitude. The bad news is that you can't find them anywhere and each one is unique so you can't request a specific design. The good news is that you can't find them everywhere and the one you buy is a one of a kind. In this age of Starbucks in Paris and Gap pretty much everywhere, it's nice to find a product that really is unique.

The charms are made with glass and some kind of industrial metal and typically contain an image on one side and a brief message on the other. The metal is then fused together and the charm is placed on a sturdy chain, though you can dress up the charm simply by changing the chain.

I've had mine for years, but even before I bought it, I'd seen the charms around town for a long time and was always looking for one that had a message that meant something to me. Finally I found it: on one side an image of a teeny little figure making a mad jump from one cliff to another; on the back, the simple words, "Good Luck." One of the things I've learned in life is that often you just have to take a leap, and this little charm has served as my good luck charm.

It also consistently gets compliments from all types, just like my Orla Kiely bag. Sometimes good taste is just universal I guess.

Dishwasher safe, child safe ... and pretty

Andy Warhol's colorful flower designs manage to make these plastic dishes just a little bit fancy yet still fun. A great way to bring a touch of the finer things in life to your every day dining.

The matching plates, which come in two sizes are just as fun and just as elegant. A bonus: these irregularly shaped plates come in an irregularly shaped container. When you line them up properly they slide right in: an exercise in frustration for an adult just trying to get the dishes done, but a fun little, maybe even slightly educational puzzle, for young kids.

Available in various museum shops and online at PlumParty.

 

Have garage sale, change your life

Feng Shui is such a tired topic that I hate to recommend anything having to do with it. I haven't Feng shui'd my house (could never imagine that) and I have a hard time believing that a certain object placed in a certain corner of my house will make all the difference in my love life. Besides, almost every Feng Shui book I've ever paged through seemed to scream that it was written by some unintuitive, unimaginative person who was so eager to get a contract for a book that would have an evergreen shelf life in a groovy new-age store that he or she lifted all the basic tips out of another, already published book on Feng Shui.

I did say almost every book. When I think of all the influential things I've read in recent years, two Feng Shui books by Karen Kingston rank up there, much as my intellectual self hates to admit it. Whenever I take the time to clean under my couch or clean the receipts out of my wallet, I am reminded of Kingston's book, "Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui," which focuses not so much on the different corners of your home as on all the stuff you hold onto, often unnecessarily, and what it says about you. Old love letters from someone who broke your heart? Throw them out. Old clothing you paid a lot for but haven't worn in years? Give it all away. Now.

Kingston says it's all about creating a positive relationship with the space you inhabit and making room for good, new things to flow in. We can't really explain how it works, but we seem to intuitively know that it does, whether we are hoarders, emotionally clutching onto something from our past, or minimalists, which in its most extreme form can signal an unwillingness to have the good things that arrive in our lives stick around.

Not a budget purchase...

... but if you're not a particularly budget minded person, or if you believe in dressing up Target specials with more expensive touches, you might like some of this enamelware from home furnishings maker MacKenzie-Childs.

Twenty-eight dollars for a mug? Actually, that's one of their more reasonable items, although some of their serving dishes are pretty reasoably priced. But, I find their designs pretty unusual and I love the lightweight and clean feel of the enamelware in particular, which unlike pottery, is pretty hard to break.

And, if you ever find yourself in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, check out their sprawling, out of the way headquarters, grounds, and stunning lake views.

Accessories for your living room

I tend to dismiss those home decor articles that say you can revamp your entire living room by introducing a single new object the same way I dismiss those fashion articles that say you can transform you daytime work outfit into appropriate evening ware with a few key accessories.

Too many reasons that the fashion advice does not work: working-from-home attire of yoga pants and unwashed pony tails being chief among them.

As for the living room, these groovy candles might just do the trick, especially if your living room is lacking in bright color or fun patterns. Not the annoyingly over-scented or over-smoky candles, either.