protect our earth tumblers

i love the idea of repurposing discarded glass bottles into vases and other functional things. fortunately, the green glass company of wisconsin does too. they’ve cleverly crafted drinkware out of old bordeaux bottles that have narrowly escaped the landfill. this set of four is $40 and is etched with a wavy branch pattern, which includes the words “protect our earth” in four different languages.

available at uncommon goods.

via rare bird finds

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ann alderson cabezas glass

gah! look at these outstanding blown glass art pieces from wisconsin artist ann alderson cabezas! beauty, in her opinion, is a combination of simple themes found in nature and her favorite medium, glass - with its joyous, miraculous balance of fragility and strength. ann first creates her stunning pieces by blowing a hollow sphere of glass. subsequent sandblasting allows her to remove unwanted areas to create a dynamic interplay between the texture and structure. vibrant colors are then hand painted and fired onto the vessels as the finishing touch.

i am blown away by the meticulous precision of this work, and also love the organic themes and playful sense of humor.

find these magical pieces and more at the artful home.

via k style

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furniture and lighting by chris poehlmann

i really like this fun split log sconce that i saw on designspotter, and now i know why — it’s made by chris poehlmann, a very talented wisconsin artist whose work we used to carry in the shop! this handmade piece is acrylic embedded with a digital image (there are several to choose from), and it comes in a pendant version as well:

chris, a self-taught artist, recognizes good design instinctively, and his minimal, organic shapes pay homage to popular periods of art and design history. he also attempts to honor the earth by featuring pieces that are largely crafted from recycled materials. this concept, combined with frequently grand, unexpected scale and unique combinations of materials, is carried through to both his lighting design and limited edition furniture.

the playful acrylic lamps are offered in twelve luscious colors. the subtlety and saturation of the tone in the shades is simply gorgeous, whether the light is switched on or off. all pieces in his striking, substantial collections and custom work are of course hand painted, welded, shaped and detailed, which to me is the most fantastic part of all.

truth be told, i find it very challenging to walk by any of the pieces in chris’ collection and not admiringly caress them. and i dare anyone else not to do the same — i know i’m not the only one.

chris is pleased to do custom work, and his installations for private collections are a pleasure to behold.

contact chris, see custom samples and a broad variety of his collections here or there.

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evensong spa’s indoor labyrinth

hbo’s highly esteemed drama series, oz, had already jumped the shark when the staff of the prison had the labyrinth installed, but it still was cool. i don’t care what anyone says, i liked the musical episode! oh, how i miss the brutally sociopathic characters, the razor-edged writing and the urgently delicious, need-to-take-a-bath feeling after watching each hair-raising episode. good times.

i’m pretty sure that the fictional prisoners on the program could never quiet their minds as deeply as the guests at the evensong spa, in green lake, wisconsin, can.

evensong is set on 38 heavily wooded acres, and is housed in a building that pays homage to favorite midwestern son, frank lloyd wright: roof overhangs, horizontal lines, clerestory windows, et. al.

while playing within the 15,000 square foot building, you’re bound to discover their indoor labyrinth.

walking the labyrinth represents making a spiritual journey, and is a powerful tool for transformation.

this contemplative meandering, combined with a few choice body treatments, makes it nearly impossible not to become enveloped in an cloud of relaxation. here, i don’t think you’ll find honking horns, rude people flipping the bird, traffic-halting construction projects, missed trains, long lines, stinking exhaust fumes, or any of the other fundamental urban elements that make city dwelling a occasional burden. even if you did, for sake of argument, would you even care, if you were taking a botanical body journey to an herbal steam room, followed by a cranberry herbal salt body glow, aromatic hot towel treatment, smoothing clay mask, heated blanket wrap, and an application of natural cranberry shea butter body balm?

i think not.

the spa emphasizes balance and healing for body and mind. peep on their menu and make your rezzies here.

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