Phew! I've been playing post-Alt Summit catch up all week (while attending Sundance screenings every day... and preparing to go out of town again next week for the Las Vegas Market) and I still managed to be pretty productive.  I mean, LOOK!  It's Posttown, USA down there.  Enjoy!

I would nom the heck outta these heart-shaped macarons. Wouldn't you?

...right after I make some fancy DIY paperclips, that is. That's some seriously cute gift topper material right there.

Or maybe I'll just lay my head down on this DIY typographic stencil pillow instead.

With a "waterless" hot water bottle, perhaps?  It's red and pink and Valentine-y all over.

And then I'd wake up from my precious nap and check for surprise treats in one of these DIY Valentine's Day Mailboxes!

Right after I oggle this gorgeous farmhouse kitchen makeover, of course.

And when I got bored with that, I'd slather all-natural DIY citrus scrub all over my body, because why not?

Or I could just turn my pants into textural, recycled wall art.

And then take another nap, aided by the comfy coziness of a DIY doodle duvet.

Yep, that all sounds pretty great.

xoxo

I've been excited to share MAIYA sponsor (and all around great people -- check out their feature in this month's Sunset Mag) Wallter's newest design since I first caught a peek of their Dwell on Design booth: the Hang Pot planter!  Like their other modern planters, this design is made from powder-coated spun aluminum, meaning it'll hold up indoors AND out (especially out).  Available in Wallter's signature turquoise, mustard, orange, and white.

Hang Pot planter by Wallter: $125

Psst: Don't forget! Enter code MAIYA20 for 20% off all Wallter.com orders!

I've been gushing about UK-based stationery design shop 1973 Ltd. for the last few years and I'm still blown away every time they release new product!  As a follow-up to their successful (and totally awesome) Grafika wrapping paper line, they recently announced a series of coordinating greeting cards, postcards, and notebooks.  AREN'T THEY AMAZING??  I'll take one of each, please!

Grafika greeting cards (pictured) by 1973 Ltd.: $4

Raindrops, chevrons, and triangles--oh my!  Australian textile brand Harvest Textiles is slayin' it in the screen printed housewares department.  From totes to pillows, bedding to fabric-by-the-yard, their bright and cheerful patterns can be purchased directly through their Big Cartel shop.  My personal fave?  Their mix-n-match pillow covers!

LINK: www.harvesttextiles.com.au

Emma Coulter's vibrant oil and acrylic pieces are keeping me inspired and my color cravings satisfied today!  My favorite series of hers is "Shedding Skin", but check out more below!

LINK: emmacoulter.com.au

More pics after the jump!

I first spotted these wall dot vases at Hip & Humble, a super cute local boutique here in Salt Lake.  And after some hunting, finally found out who made them!  Turns out, they're made by Chive, the same people who made those Tube Vases I wrote about forever ago.  Small world.  If you don't live in ye olde Salt Lake City, you can snag a few (or a dozen--wouldn't a wall covered in these be awesome??) directly from Chive!  They're available in 13 colors, including metallic silver (fancy)!

Wall Dot Vases by Chive: $17

I've been dreaming about those hand-painted t-shirts from David David for the last five months (which usually involve unicycles and a talking dog or two... the dreams, not the t-shirts).  Now, imagine the kind of sweet REM cycles you'd have if you threw one of these incredible, hand-printed, limited edition umbrellas into the mix.  Oooooh yeah!

Umbrellas by David David available in two prints Carousel and Blocker: £85

Wow.  Wow, wow, wow.  Where to begin??  Alt Summit 2012 was sink-licking good... as in, I actually licked a sink because I made a promise (to Amy and Linda) and I follow through on promises, y'all.  Plus, I probably would have done it anyway.  Let's be honest.

Speaking of being honest, this year Alt Summit was a little different for me.  Last year, I was all about panels and note-taking and squeezing every bit of info I possibly could into my sponge-like brain.  This year, I found that same priceless value in the connections that were made: lengthy bathroom chats with personal heroes, intimate dinners with people I love, and late night conversations in hotel lounges with cherished friends old and new.  It was about building on relationships from last year, further establishing friendships with some of my favorite people on Twitter, and really embracing this incredible community.  I loved every minute and everyone in it.

It wasn't all giggles and girl talk, though.  I did learn a few things!  Like silk painting, for example (see my very first silk painting ever above).  Turns out, I really, really like it.  Working with your hands, getting messy, and half-hazardly throwing colors all over the place is totally my gig.  I also picked up a few little nuggets of blogging/life wisdom (which many and more people have written about already, and probably in greater detail).  A couple recurring themes that stand out to me are: a) know your value and b) engage, engage, engage.  This big, mad blogging world is all about (or should be) building and facilitating authentic conversations.  If you're not in it for that, "get out the game"... as they say.

Another highlight for me was finally meeting the folks behind MAIYA sponsor (and Alt Summit Sponsor) Cargoh!  Paul and Cariann are incredible, beautiful, passionate, and deeply caring human beings--I LOVE THEM!!  They really brought Alt Summit to a whole new level.  I was fortunate enough to attend their hosted dinner as well, where I was introduced to the incredible work of artist (and Cargoh seller) Zoe Pawlak (definitely posting more about her soon).  Us lucky dinner attendees even received original paintings (pictured above)!  HOW AWESOME IS THAT?  Many, many thanks go to Zoe and Cargoh for making Alt Summit downright amazing.

And of course, I couldn't resist picking up a new robot from the toy store inside Grand America.  His name is Walt (like Alt... get it?  I'm so clever!).  I love him.

So Adventurers, that's my big grand Alt Summit recap!  Did you attend?  Share your favorite moments or aspects below!  And if you're thinking about attending next year--DO IT.

I'm heading off to have a grand adventure at Alt Summit this week, where I'll sharpen my bloggin' skills, fill my inspiration-o-meter, and wear obscene amounts of glitter.  Hopefully I will see some of your smiling faces (please say hi)!  If you won't be making it this year, don't fret.  I'll be sharing little nuggets and photos throughout the week on Twitter and Facebook, so be sure to follow!

I'll be back and ready for action on Monday, but if you've got the itch, don't miss my posts for Curbly this week.

See you soon!

xoxo

Playful and well-designed, just the way I like it!  From bedding to stationery, tea cups to tote bags, this collection from UK-based designer Lisa Stickley has just the right amount of quirk.  My favorite item might be the "Substationally Generous Jug".  Check out the full collection right here and lemme know what catches your eye!

LINK: www.lisastickleylondon.com