We never really got around to sharing the Icelandic pottery we found during our trip to Iceland. We got this little vase from an antique shop called Fríða Frænka in Reykjavik. It’s a simple shape with an interesting texture.

There were some pretty neat lava vases which were really textured, but the colours were a bit to intense for us.

The bottom is stamped “Glit” a ceramics studio founded by Ragnar Kjartansson in 1958. I don’t think it exists anymore, but there was another studio producing similar “lava” vases that we poked our heads into during the trip.

Monday we visited the Niagara region and stopped in at my parent’s home. I came across our old coffee maker in the basement pantry while hunting for homemade preservatives.

It’s a timeless design. Something that isn’t designed to look dated after a year, or come in a trendy colour that you get sick of and decide to toss out in replace of a new shiny one. This coffe maker has been working for at least 15+ years, sometimes a little investment goes a long way. Braun took a chance on the idea that people would pay a little more money for something that is well designed, an idea that isn’t as apparent in their recent designs.

Why did they discontinue it?!

We still haven’t decided whether to take it to the cottage or keep it here. We are pretty confident that when my parents opt for a modern prefab up North to retire in we will give them back their coffee maker.

An exciting eBay find was a set of old Vola wallmounted bathroom accessories by Arne Jacobsen. We actually sell all of the vola accessories but they aren’t available in this beautiful red finish!

From left:

1) Vola soap magent (you twist a bottle cap into a bar of soap and it sticks to the magnet)
2) Toothbrush holder
3) Towel hook
4) toothpaste tube holder

These are coming with us to the cottage.

Another exciting find is an original set of barbecue tools Harri Koskinen designed for Hackman WAY BACK in 2000. They are dead stock and unused.

Harri Koskinen is one of our favorite contemporary designers. We have many of his designs in our store and even have a set of chairs he designed for Artek around our dining table.

the only issue I have with them are they’re too beautiful to use! It’s kind of funny really, this is the first year we are going without a barbecue and I went and bought a set of barbecue tools… I guess they’re going up to the cottage.

Our day off yesterday was a bit of a mess but near its end, we took a walk in the neighborhood and happened to pop into World Headquarters where we picked up this Cathrineholm black enamel plate. I think it’s the first time we haven’t had to compromise on colour.

Then the boys started talking about guitars (boring!) so I took some iphone pics of the shop for you (sorry for the quality):

There isn’t a sign so look for pelle-melle interior and the random signage up top.

Hmm, upon actual consideration, that wooden boat is pretty rad.

Retro pop machine anyone?

Resident kitka.

We kind of dig this weird Norway painting but we’re not sure if we love or hate the viking sword and shield. Love the text and moody backdrop for sure.

So if you’re in the hood, check out World Headquarters and say hello to Mark. He has a high turnover of goods, often holds auctions and has reasonably thrifty prices.

2885 Dundas Street West
416-333-8078

He has no designated hours but tends to be open any time I walk by. Often he is just hanging out jamming away on the guitar…

So we have not thrifted in what seems like eons (literally since our Scandinavia trip, it seems). Monday is supposed to be our day off but it NEVER is. We are always working. So a couple of Mondays ago, we made a point of planning a day to ourselves. Starting with brunch at Mitzi‘s on Sorauren (we love the Mitzi’s on College but stumbled across this location one day when we were out for a neighborhood drive), where we ran into Kate from INabstracto on Queen. This was perfect because we’d been meaning to catch up with her.

Then we went to see our friends down on Queen St East. First it was Martin at Rogue – where we couldn’t help but pick up some Hans Bolling Optimist and Pessimist figures.

Then it was off to see Jake at Machine Age Modern. He let John into his personal stash of Timo Sarpaneva glass and John left with his first piece.

We don’t normally exchange gifts on Valentine’s Day, but since we totally bypassed Christmas this year and have been on the thrifting downlow, it was about time we picked up a few new goodies.

Juli got John:

A Hadeland glass whale, hand signed and made in Norway to join our Hadeland viking.

We have always coveted Nils Thorsson and Martin from Rogue Gallery always has a great selection. Except that now that we have decided to actively collect it, he no longer has any pieces! BAH! I picked this one up at Twice Found.

The other side.

John got Juli:

My first piece of modernist jewelry! John found this piece at Modernity. Designed by Hans Hansen for Georg Jensen, in the 1950s. I am not a jewelry gal, but I love this ring. I see more modern jewelry in my future, yes indeed.

The silver is a little scratched up, but I find it adds to the appeal. Besides, I am notoriously clumsy so I feel much better knowing it’s already broken in.

So to all of you lovers out there, happy belated valentine’s day, and to all those who have yet to find their love, all journeys lead to it, if you keep along the path (just remember to look in the most unlikeliest of places).

Well it’s been a long time since we’ve attained a design object from Michael Lax’s Iroquois Primaries line. The line was inspired by the tension between light and dark and now I finally have a black creamer to pair with my white sugar bowl!

You might have seen this listing on eBay, it was for a pair of creamers. Surprisingly there wasn’t much competition and I got the two creamers for 25 bucks! These are incredibly rare and as much as I liked getting the deal, I was kind of disappointed with the lack of enthusiasm for these design objects. Michael Lax is one of my favorite designers and even though he has quite a following in the design community, it seems he is still fairly unknown.