bltd

Happy Holidays! Our thanks goes out to you, dear reader, for visiting us often, and to each of our sponsors that have helped us keep the site up and running. We're signing off until the New Year, so here's hoping you have a very happy holiday season. Stay safe and warm, and do try and enjoy yourself. Shown above: 18" Unlit Charlie Brown Christmas Tree, $10.48

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Katie Paterson: A map of all the dead stars in the Universe. via @openculture A 3-foot-wide house/art installation squeezed into an alleyway. Tutorials to Make Toys from Trash (via swissmiss) WHEN CLIENTS’ DUMBEST REQUESTS BECOME ART Also Fast Co.: This Nifty Machine Makes Furniture Using Thread Instead Of Screws Letters of Note: Our differences unite us A look inside Lindsey Adelman's studio over at Design Milk. Gabriel Dawe's Thread Art Have a nice weekend!

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Brave those long lines and cast your vote today; if you don't, you forfeit the right to complain about the government. Not sure where your polling place is? Google has a polling place lookup that's quick and easy. Shown above, Vote Cards, $16, from the Cooper-Hewitt Shop.

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Our thoughts go out to those dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy; if you'd like to make a donation to help relief efforts, go to American Red Cross. Any amount helps. Also, if you're in NYC, there's a dog shelter that really needs volunteers to walk dogs while the trains are down: Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition.

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You know that Blu Dot is having their big sale, right? You can get 20% off all designs until November 8, so it's worth checking out if you're in need of a few furniture pieces that don't cost an arm and a leg (and looks good too). A few quick links to some favorites below. Copper Real Good Chair, $299.00 $239.20 Stash Desk, $399.00 $319.20 Nook Queen Bed, $1,499.00 $1,199.20 Scamp Large Table, $349.00 $279.20 Hot Mesh Chair, $99.00 $79.20 Strut S-Large Table, $1,399.00 $1,119.20 Sale lasts until November 8, 2012.

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Buy (or sell) stuff from (or to) your neighbors: Krrb Help Fund OSTRICH, The Portable Nap Maker Was Picasso’s dad keen on DIY? Custom Video Game Covers Technological Mandalas (via today and tomorrow) More than you want to know about Copywriting. Crazy (good) Water Tower residence (via IGNANT) Mysterious Underwater ‘Crop Circles’ Have a lovely weekend and enjoy the nice weather (if you have it).

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If you haven't received your box from Lost Crates yet, stop reading now. Don't pay any attention to the pictures either. However, if you haven't signed up or find yourself still wondering if you should, check out this month's picks. First off, the SC1 & KW1 Keybrids! A key-plus-keyring all in one. Your key should fit either the SC1 or the KW1 blank. Next, The Heart Merit Badge from Disorderly Goods. As they say, "for giving a sh*t." Also, Cocoon's GRID-IT!. Order from chaos. Organize your cords and gadgets with a haphazard grid of elastic bands. And, last but not ...

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The first BLTD crate is live! For those of you that missed our previous note, we have partnered up with Lost Crates to select a few special things to be delivered to your door each month or each quarter, whichever you prefer. Whether you keep the crate for yourself or give as a gift to your favorite design aficionado, rest assured that we're pleased enough with the selection to buy the crates ourselves. If you've already signed up, there's only a matter of days before it shows up at your front door. If you've not, there are only a handful ...

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It's time for the Herman Miller sale again. 15% off now through June 11. What? You're overwhelmed by all the choices? No worries, here are a few picks to consider should your wallet need emptying. Also, if you're scoffing at the prices and think you'll just get a knock off, please do read Dwell's The Real cost of Rip-offs; it might make you reconsider. Think of it as consumer education, and do be sure to pat yourself on the back when you've thoroughly contemplated the pros and cons. Product links below. 1. Capelli Stool, sale price: $450.00 reg. price: $529.00 2. Eames® Molded Plastic 4-Leg Armchair (...

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A big thanks to our newest sponsor, www.ambiencehardwoodflooring.co.uk. It doesn't take a designer to know that hardwood floors often look ten times better than laminate or carpet, not to mention that they may also add to the value of your home. Ambience Hardwood Flooring provides wood floors in a variety of styles. Selected from the most durable hardwoods available, you can be sure that your new floor will be enjoyed for generations. With a dizzying array of options to choose from, you'll have all the selection you need to find the right floor to suit your home. ...

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We at BLTD are united in opposition against SOPA and PIPA. The proposed Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act would, if passed, set a dangerous precedent that would greatly impact our collective freedom of speech on the internet. Call your Senator and tell them you oppose SOPA and PIPA. Go here to find out more: [vimeo http://vimeo.com/31100268 w=513&h=317]

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We are pleased to announce that Pulse has chosen BLTD as one of their publishers under the design/art category. If you haven't tried it yet, Pulse is a news reading app which is the native RSS app on the Kindle Fire and also available on iOS and Android. Check it out! You can read more about it here: BLTD on pulse.

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For those of us familiar with the husband-and-wife team of Charles and Ray Eames, their names bring images of bent ply furniture and films, the packed 901 studio, and the impressive Case Study house in Pacific Palisades. However, most of us certainly don't know a great deal about their personal lives or working habits. In Eames: The Architect and the Painter, the new documentary by Jason Cohn and Bill Jersey, we have a closer glimpse. The Eameses both had extraordinary skills and weaknesses. Charles, an architect that rarely practiced, and Ray, a painter than that rarely painted, had their own personal ...

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Yep, this isn't the first you've seen of the Plumen Lightbulb, as we've posted it before, but it's now on sale over at Fab.com*: $30 for one or a set of four for $98 (regular retail of $120). *If you've not heard of it, Fab.com is an invite-based site, fyi.

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