Mmmm, Noodles.

There's a delicious little corner in the Exchange which is home to a restaurant called The Line Up.  They serve a number of different yummy things, but my favourite is Noodles by the Box.  Scrumptious stir fry with a variety of tempting selections to choose from, it is all prepped fresh when ordered and served up in a sweet little takeout box.  I can't say for sure if it will make the noodles taste any better, but if you 'eat with your eyes' chances are good that the Canadian designed and manufactured Ramen Noodle Bowl will enhance the experience!

If you're going to be in the neighbourhood I'd recommend coming with an appetite and giving The Line Up a try.  I'm not playing favourites, as there are many great places to nosh in the area, I'm just sharing them as I discover them!

 

Atomic Tom

I love finding great new music.  I especially love finding innovative musicians with a great sound.  Count yourselves in early on a video about go viral (30,000 views this morning, well over 200,000 as of posting) and a band well worth spending a few bucks on at iTunes.

 

ChiChi Kids

In my experience with tykes and toddlers I've learned that they have far more interest in the wrapping, bags and boxes their gifts come in than they do the gift itself.  Which is precisely why I thought the Tooko Cardboard House by Jansen + Co was genius!  It is...

1.  Easily assembled (you don't need a degree in engineering to open the box or put it together!).  

2.  Perfectly sized for a pint sized homeowner.  

3.  Encourages the artist/designer in a child as they can decorate it themselves.  

I was just saying the other day how so many toys have taken the imagination out of play.  It is refreshing to see something so brilliantly simple which stimulates a kid's imagination and creativity!

 

We also love...

Food Face

Who says you shouldn't play with your food?

and...

Souper

If he helps your fussy friend to finish his/her meal, then he'll become your own personal hero.

It's a Colourful Life!

Since recently redecorating the moppet's room I've been craving a change in my bedroom.  I'm yearning for something with rich warmth and a bit of drama (as if I don't have enough drama with a little girl who's hormones seem to be kicking in early).  Whilst perusing the interwebs - or consulting the big brain, as my brother would say - I happened across Behr's Colour Trend guide for 2011.  From palettes called "Boudoir Goth" to "Tokyo Pop" they present a wide range of gorgeous selections.

My eyes keep roaming to "Strike a Pose".  With a creamy white trim and window coverings, and accents in black or a near black, I think it would be fabulous!  There is nothing like a fresh coat of paint and a few decor changes in a room to elevate one's spirits (and their motivation to keep things tidy!).

Once done, I think it will make my bed seem all that more inviting since I've determined that the only colour bedding that really works in my home is pristine white.  You cannot, after all, bleach a Kool-aid stain out of a steel blue duvet cover.  Some day, movie nights in mom's bed will come to an end.  Until then, there's Javex.   

Behr, for those unfamiliar, has a terrific website for playing with colour.  You can create your own palettes and save your projects with a log in.

To visit, simply click HERE.

The Last Dust Bunny

Once upon a time ago there was a mysterious man named Fred.  Fred didn't like ho hum things.  He wanted things which made him smile and so he set off in pursuit of fun and useful things for people and their homes.  When Dust Bunny was first born he was embraced and adopted into many homes.  He, as bunnies are wont to do, multiplied and spread his joy throughout the land(s).  When assisting him with becoming animated one couldn't help but chortle at the look of surprise on his face.  He and his siblings were happiest with their schmushy little faces planted in a layer of dust or rubbing a tchotchke back to a shine.  

Alas, as things will sometimes happen when we take them for granted, his numbers began to dwindle.  The bunnies were no longer multiplying.  Were they stricken by a dust mite virus rendering them barren?  No.  Sadly, they had simply "had their run".  

If you have a Dust Bunny embrace him and care well for him as there will be no others to replace him.

If you do not have a Dust Bunny, well, we have a singular one in our possession.  We want to be sure he goes to a good home.  And he wants his existence to have meaning beyond being an efficient eater of dust.  What to do?  

To fulfill Dust Bunny's wish, and to ensure he goes to a really great home, he has agreed to submitting himself to auction.  The proceeds from the auction will be donated, in the winning bidder's name, to a charity of their choosing.  For full details please see our Dust Bunny Auction page or click HERE

Goodbye, Dust Bunny.  You will be missed.

Special Effects...

Meet Bobo.  He's a collectible Zuny animal produced in limited edition.

But this post isn't about Bobo.  He's simply modelling for us today so we can show you what we think will be the hot stocking stuffer this year ~ Jelly Lens.  A tiny little sticky camera lens/charm to elevate your cellphoneto a special effects camera.

 

Here, we get a close up shot of Bobo that would otherwise be impossible to take with a cell phone camera.

Here's Bobo using the Kaleidoscope lens.

Bobo with the Sparkle effect lens.

And, every woman my age will love this one, Soft Focus.

A terrific little something for under $10!

 

Thanks, Bobo, for not being a diva during the shoot.

Autumn....

...is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.

~ Albert Camus

 

There is something about the gentle days of fall, when the weather is warm and the breeze is mild.  Watching a leaf caught in an air current, sway and whirl as it makes its descent, makes me want to wrap myself in something cozy and lay in a hammock.  Feel the sun on my face. Take in the sweet incense of the demise of summer.  There is something nostalgic in it.  And... as much as I loathe winter, I wouldn't swap these dog days of fall for anything.

I don't have a hammock, but I do have something cozy.  A Pleece Throw from Design House Stockholm.

New Spaces

Not only are we extremely close to opening our new space in the Exchange District.... we have moved our blog.

All the content from this blog has been moved to our new address on the web. We will leave this blog up as a byway to...

http://chichihome.posterous.com/

See you there!

And Now for a Public Service Announcement...

Its time for a new look, a fresh outlook and more.

First - as a destination location on South Osborne we find traffic a little ho hum in the early part of the week. There is much for us to do, but some of it is better done with the doors closed (like painting) or away from the store (as in out pounding pavement seeking treasure).

With that in mind we are announcing new store hours. Effective May, 2010 we will be open for your enjoyment during the following days/hours...

Monday ~ Thursday: Closed or By appointment

Friday ~ Saturday: 11:00 am ~ 6:00 pm

Sunday: Noon ~ 4:00 pm

We will continue with these hours in effect until further notice. Exceptions will be Statutory Holidays, where hours will be announced on the blog and at the store. We will be closed on the Saturday and Sunday during long weekends... Summers in Manitoba are all too short and I want to ensure we all enjoy time with our families.

I just want to take a moment to remind you that you can take a virtual browse of the store during the hours we're not here. Our online store has very nearly all that we offer in house and we there are excellent descriptions (and even a few customer reviews!) of products with thanks to our web wizard.

I am presently working on a new blog and will be making an announcement soon with links to our new pages. We will keep this blog up for reference. You can look forward to; daily content, more product reviews, monthly incentives, guest bloggers, and more!

Stay tuned....

Very Soon...

www.chichihome.com

Very Zen.

Very cool.

Very chic.

Very illuminating.

www.chichihome.com

Live! From...

www.chichihome.com

...errm, Winnipeg!

Okay, so that's not some grand opera house in Manhatten. But it is on Broadway. Just not the Broadway.

So - it seems I never got around to posting from New York. My intentions were good. Honestly. But the show was huge and time was short.

The very first thing I wanted to share was a snap of our accommodations. Having just mentioned the new trend of using wallpaper in unusual applications, say... like on ceilings, wasn't I surprised to find the ceiling of our room wallpapered! It was actually quite nice, though I wouldn't consider using it in that fashion unless I had at least 10 foot high ceilings. It seemed to compress the space somewhat.

We managed to complete a five day show in three days thanks to my drill sergeant better half cracking the whip urging me on starting a half an hour before I went to bed early in the morning and non-stop throughout the day.

As an aside, it is truly amazing the punishment one's feet can endure. Granted, there were moments when I had to promise them a proper pampering with a luxurious pedi to get them to keep going. Note to self: Never wear new shoes to a show again. Or to New York. Or, ever (Okay, not likely. I think most of us know how much I love the art of the shoe.).

Our House is going to be a hub of activity starting the end of this month and the UPS man is going to feel ever so special as he's greeted with squeals of delight each time he walks in the door.

We found a host of terrific new lines, incredible luxe goods by accomplished designers and some truly clever new items we think you're going to love.

I'm going to put up a 'sneak peek' of some of our finds every day this week... the rest you'll have to see for yourself. You may want to begin frequently checking the "New" page at our online shop as new products are listed there as soon as they arrive. Take me there!

Today's teaser...

www.chichihome.com

It Isn't A Sale!

Make room.

Its a Make Room Event!

We leave this Friday for New York to attend the latest International Gift Show. What that means is I'm going to be shopping! Not likely for me, as time is crunchy this visit, but certainly for the store.

There are going to be oodles of new and the usual attendees showing off fabulous new wares and we intend to bring in some great new lines.

And that means that some of the lines we've been carrying are reduced in price to make room for the newest kids on the block. Many of our great products are available now to our customers at drastically reduced prices, in many cases at our cost! You'll find...

George Nelson Clocks

Bright Times

Chalkboard Candles

Sun Jar and Moon Jar

And much, much more. We won't be restocking these clear out items so once they're gone, they're gone!

We'll be reporting back from New York later this week. In the meanwhile, stop in and see Kendal, have a latte and see the full range of clearance items.

Make room.

Design Trends - 2010

Fusion is the new buzzword. Its something we've been promoting since opening our doors and it is being widely embraced by designers helping clients create a completely personal look in their homes. . Industrial girly, as an example, mixes chandeliers with concrete. Its all about modernizing older styles and selectively blending old with new.

At left... Farmhouse Industrial

Bolder color is being injected into homes, primarily used on feature walls and in accents. Grey is supposed to be the new beige and black is back with a fever ~ although we missed that it had gone anywhere because its a fave of ours for accent pieces. Citrus is on its way out but green is still hot in a variety of rich shades. Wallpaper (Wallpaper? Yep, wallpaper.) is being used in unexpected fashion - like on the ceiling and fabrics are being used on walls.

Behr's Color Trends Pallette

Green is still, well... Green. And big. From energy saving appliances to repurposed pieces (and thats something we love and know well), choices that are kind to mother earth are playing a large part in the things we select to outfit our homes.

Vintage items are hot for accents and furnishing. We are seeing plenty of new replicas of vintage items in the marketplace now. We prefer the originals and continue to up-cycle vintage baroque style mirrors to complement Debby's oh-so-chic up-cycled vintage furnishings.

Lux.

Inconspicuous luxury. Velvety toss cushions, super chic small pieces of furniture or a majestic vintage chair. A modern mobile (watch for Flensted mobiles coming to our house soon!) or a unique piece by a designer or artist you love.

The key is not to go crazy by mixing too many elements. You know your style and tastes. If you are looking to be a little adventurous start small and branch out from there.