Obsessed: Recycled Skateboard Goodies

Made with recycled skateboard lids, these containers come in 2 varieties, $49.50

When we saw these MapleXO "Coney Containers" at Portland store Betsy & Iya, we had to have them. Once we brought them home, we became officially obsessed: they're functional, stylish, green and affordable, all at once! These little ceramic containers with recycled skateboard lids are the perfect size for storing salt, spices, tea, jewelry—anything. They also come with a wipeable china marker for labeling. Genius!

Check out some of our other favorites from the MapleXO website...

Screw drivers with recycled skateboard handles, $60 for a set

Gorgeous recycled skateboard table lamp, $595

Multi-puprose glasses with coaster/lids, $35 for a set

Best of Outdoor Eco Dining

These bamboo tumblers from Terrain are reusable, biodegradable, and available in an awesome color palette. See the whole collection here 

The season of outdoor dining is upon us again! What do you serve outdoor meals on? Melamine? Paper plates? Your everyday dishware? Plastic (recycled, of course!)? We have yet to find the perfect outdoor dining solution, but this year things are looking up. From biodegradable bamboo cups and plates that don't look throw-away, to stainless steel options that won't break, here are our favorites for outdoor entertaining this summer.

Finally, recycled plastic dishware (melamine and BPA free) that's as chic as it is functional. In 3 colorways, from Terrain

Some of our favorite local restaurants, including Bollywood Theater (above), serve  their food on stainless steel. Easy clean-up and no breakage makes his another top choice for outdoor entertaining. Visit Life Without Plastic for a wide variety of stainless steel options

Perfect for parties: Susty Party makes a colorful array of compostable dishes made from renewable resources. Doesn't get any cuter!

Spring at Schoolhouse Electric

This Tallboy Cooler, $140, is a perfect Father's Day gift, no?

One of our favorite Portland shopping destinations, Schoolhouse Electric, just released its Spring lookbook, and it's chock-full of goodies that we want NOW. See for yourself: below are our picks for summertime entertaining and gifts.

Love these! Tabletop lighting in their colorful Ion-C Series, just $109 each

Sure, these cafeteria trays (available in 3 colors and sizes) could be used for desk organization, but we see them as summer BBQ staples. What could be better for outdoor entertaining??

These Motor Lodge Keychains are only $4 each. Collect them all!

This stationary set from Egg Press includes a notepad, note cards, envelopes, gift tags and the fiberglass tray for $45. (Vintage pencil sharpener not included, sadly.)

Handmade & Organic: Plover Laundry Bags

Laundry bag in "Pink Roses," $58

A brand-new Plover Organic + Anthropologie exclusive: Plover laundry bags! Available in 5 prints, these bags were handmade  in Portland, Ore., and are available in VERY limited quantities. At 28" high and 21" wide, these bags are roomy enough for multiple loads of laundry, or just for toting your stuff around stylishly. Happy laundering!!

Limited-editon "Thorns" laundry bag only on Anthropologie.com

Pillow Power

A big thank-you to House Beautiful magazine for featuring our "Circles" pillowcases in Teal in their "Make (Over) Your Bed" story in the February 2014 issue! We couldn't agree more...just changing your pillowcases provides a pop of color and can completely change the feel of any room. Pillowcases are our favorite way to mix-and-match bedding with little commitment. (Because let's be honest...it's HARD to pick a duvet or quilt to commit to, right??)

See the full slideshow of great ideas here, and shop all Plover Organic pillowcases here.

Happy almost Spring!

Make Your Bed!

Who needs Spring cleaning? We love doing a massive cleaning in the dead of winter, when you're stuck indoors—and stuck picking up after all the holiday parties and presents and paper—anyway. On our to-do list: saying goodbye to magazine stashes we've had for almost a decade. (How does that happen?!?) Now that our beloved Lucky magazine is back in print, it was time to let the old ones go. But not without one more read-through (a totally worthwhile way to spend a couple of nights, by the way), during which we rediscovered some forgotten gems, such as this one from April 2006: "The World's Comfiest Bed."

It's a step-by-step guide on how to make your bed à la a Four Seasons Hotel. The tip that's changed our lives: don't tuck your top sheet! Fold it into a 6" "Z" instead. Try it, you'll see.

Avant Gardener

Piet Oudolf's work at Hummelo (Netherlands), Photo by Piet Oudolf

Happy Monday! We've been listening to the new Courtney Barnett song "Avant Gardener" and getting excited for Spring—verrry prematurely, we know. But why not share some inspiration? Now is the perfect time to start planning, after all. One of our favorite Christmas gifts this year was Planting: A New Perspective, by legendary landscape architect Piet Oudolf. Take a look, take a listen, and get inspired yourself!

County Cork garden in Ireland. Photo by Piet Oudolf

Another shot at Hummelo. Photo by Piet Oudolf