Thomas Paul Pillow Giveaway: Name This Horsey!

That's right, my thoroughbred friends -- we've got an equestrian themed GIVEAWAY in honor of Karly's sold out edition of Horsey prints! This one comes courtesy of the fine folks at CSN Stores, who sell everything from bathroom vanities to Knoll and Kartell housewares through their mammoth collection of 200+ stores. I'm sure you can imagine that sifting through 489,654 items before selecting La Horsey was quite the sweaty herculean task, but it's ok. Don't worry about me. Everything I do, I do it for you. Now that I've drummed up an appropriate amount of sympathy and lodged a ridiculous Bryan Adams tune in your collective head, let's move on to the good stuff!

Just look at those sweet baleful eyes... who wouldn't want to give this little guy (or gal) a good home?

Measuring a substantial 22 x 22 inches square, our equine friend is hand screened with java colored ink onto jute, finished with leather piping, and stuffed silly -- because no one wants a skinny pony. Our lucky winner can display him (or her) whether they be old money or poorgeoisie -- this pillow has legs. Somewhere.

The Brass Tacks: Enter to win this FREE Thomas Paul pillow, valued at $80, by naming the horsey in the comment box below. That's right -- all you have to do is NAME THIS HORSEY to win a FREE Thomas Paul pillow. You have until Sunday, May 30, at 12 noon CST, to leave your comment below. A random number generator will choose the winner, who will be announced on Memorial Day, Monday the 31st. Sorry, due to shipping constraints, this contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. Please enter only once, but feel free to tell your friends and neighbors, announce this contest on facebook, and tweetaleet all about this bizness. We're looking forward to some excellent names, the best of which will be announced along with the winner, because bragging rights are almost as good as a free pillow right? Right?

Now saddle up and get cracking. Yee haw!

Things To Do In Austin When It's This Weekend

We have reached the unfortunate time in the Austin weather cycle where local residents have 2 choices: retreat indoors or crowd into Barton Springs. Our 2 weeks of spring have ended and it's officially hot here. Bleck. But hope springs high in the form of this weekends first ever Renegade Craft Fair hosted, ahem, indoors

After years of shows across the country, renegade craft has finally made it's way south to austin and is bringing 200 + indie crafters with it. I know that indie crafter often means a booth full of crochet rock koozies, but Renegade is a juried show which helps to leave the hand felted ipod replica makers at home where they belong. Or so I've heard. Don't believe me? Come see for yourself

Even yours truly will be there selling screen prints. I'll be splitting a booth with my fellow craft mafia members, which is basically an excuse for me to get the hell out of my backyard demo and catch up on some much needed gossip.

The craft fair is this saturday and sunday from 11 am - 7pm at the palmer events center. Hope to see you there.

Oh, PS, speaking of prints, I only have THREE HORSEYS LEFT in the whole world. Buy the last ones never to be printed again here.

Austin Craigslist: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Also the Just Plain Stupid)

I like Craigslist. A lot. Ok, this much:

See there? That's my bookmarking system, and its wee arteries are clogged with cheap lamps and tables that I cannot possibly squeeze into my home. So I'm just going to go ahead and toss a few gems your way. If you live near Austin, wheeeee! Enjoy some bargains. But first I have some gifts for those of you who live elsewhere -- I'm going to call this selection of junque the Craigslist Razzies. Because this kind of crap annoys the hell out of me.

Gosh, who am I kidding? I am just dying to own this golden console overrun by chubby cherubs, complete with a matching cherub studded silver mirror. Apparently the artist also designed Pope John Paul II's throne. Wow! Bonus! And it's only $4000.

I am something of a spelling nazi, so when I see "rod iron" I want to smash an anvil through my computer screen, because it's wrought iron, people. WROUGHT, as in forged. Also, wtf is a "mirrow?" Only through context have I gleaned that it somehow means mirror to a scarily high percentage of people out there. But "provintial" is a whole new trainwreck.

Sigh. This has been posted for months and months and months. Maybe it's because that fabric + that chair = utterly and completely wrong. I feel bad about dissing it because I know that someone actually put effort into this project, but then I feel angry that such a lovely chair was maimed beyond recognition. It kind of makes me want to claw my eyes out.

Ok, this person has highly questionable taste in sofas, which is FINE. Sometimes I like to listen to Moby. We all have our flaws. But when you advertise your fugly crap like it is the shiznit for months on end, and never ever lower the price, well then you, sir, suck. No one is ever ever going to buy that pea green poo for $800, so don't act like you're doing someone a favor by being "willing to part with it, to a good home." I'm sorry, I meant to say: let me just hustle on down to your house so I can submit my application!

Speaking of people who are batshit insane, let me just give you a little background on this sofa -- Crate and Barrel's Petrie. It's a lovely couch, and Karly was thinking about purchasing it new from C&B, so hey, why not try to score it for less on CL? But of course the seller wants $1500, and WILL NOT BUDGE on the price. So, lemme see, that's $100 off of C&B's price for a new sofa that can be ordered in your choice of fabric, will not be covered in someone else's cat hair and popcorn farts, and could be paid for on a credit card.

SCORE!!!

Awww, I have a special place in my heart for this beauty. And I quote, "Carmen electra has the exact same bed, you can see it on cribs. hand forged by famous craftsman, with blue velevet & candle holders go into posts, sweet for setting the mood:)"

So. many. wrong. things. But hey, guess what? It's only $700. The post states it does need cleaning, though.

Yes. I'm quite sure that it does.

Ok, enough with the scary stuff. I'm no SusieQ over at Eye Spy, but from time to time I do find a few goodies. I usually harass Karly with 800 emails enticing her to buy them, but she is highly resistant. It kind of hurts my feelings. I mean bargain goods are like my baby children (no offense to Ike... there's enough love to go around for everyone). Anyway, I hope that someone out there can love these little guys as much as I do.

Teak loveseat and TWO matching chairs for $399. Snatch it up before Room Service does, because as much as I adore them, their entire inventory seems to be coming from Craigslist these days.

Lamps for $10 each. $10 for that gold mid mod eyeball lamp! TEN.

I know it's not for everyone, but I think this sofa is so awesome. Love the tribal print and the wrapped legs. $200, but it's been listed for a while, so offer less.

Pair of Pace tables for $250. Offer less. If I didn't already have that behemoth of a coffee table, or if there were a pair of end tables, these would be MINE.

Sweet little chrome and glass dining table for $50. Offer less.

Lane walnut two tier coffee table for $90. Offer less.

This isn't really my style, but it's pretty insane. Awesome 50's king sized lacquered mahogany bed. It also separates into two twin beds. $550, but yes -- you should offer less.

Ok, that's it for my marathon run through Austin Craigslist. If anyone out there buys any of my finds, let us know and send in a picture of it in its new home, and I'll post it. Nothing would make me happier than to disperse my addiction elsewhere. Because I just can't keep storing stuff in the garage.