BRICK HOUSE » gifts http://www.the-brick-house.com MODERN DESIGN FOR FRUGAL FOLKS Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:26:07 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Knock It Off http://www.the-brick-house.com/2010/02/knock-it-off/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=knock-it-off http://www.the-brick-house.com/2010/02/knock-it-off/#comments Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:57:48 +0000 THE BRICK HOUSE http://www.the-brick-house.com/?p=1694 I desperately need some new chucks. My four pairs are a few years old, worn frequently and falling apart. Out of desperation I checked the local Marshalls to see if I could find a cheap pair.

And no. I did not find any new shoes, but I did run into some interesting Jonathan Adler knock offs. Apologies for the iPhone photos – but come on! How rad is the iPhone? RAD.

This vase seems to be a very obvious knock off of the Jonathan Adler muse collection. For $7.00 and the sales pitch of, “IT’S ART – really GROOVY ART! Give to yourself and your friends (yes all of them) so they will love you forever – ROCK ON!” how could you not be intrigued. A gift that promises ART and eternal love and wants you to ROCK for the low price of $7? I need to go to Marshalls more often.

The original boasts a $550 price tag (and much drier sales pitch – YAWN) and is actually mold made in Peru. No eternal love or promise of groovy art and it costs $543 more? I don’t know, but that other overseas mold made $7 knock off is starting to look pretty thrifty.

Knock off verdict: THUMBS UP.

These lamps are less obviously knocked off, but I think the sentiment is the same. You know what, I really thought this pair were sort of awesome and was debating how they’d look in the master bedroom. They had a great scale and I could picture them in a nice little Palm Springs pad…

Large, white, and geometric? For hundreds of dollars less, these could be a good thrifty substitute for someone pining for those bold Adler ceramic lamps.

Knock off verdict: THUMBS UP.

Next door was a Pier 1 and through the window I spied these obvious Franco Albini ottoman knock offs. For $100! Yikes.

I was actually a little tempted till I saw the price tag. I mean you can still find originals for about that much, and I think the originals are a little more elegant.

Knock off verdict: THUMBS DOWN.

What does this bag have to do with anything? I don’t know. It’s awesome mainly. I think it may have something to do with original design versus knock off culture…

This is a weary conversation but I’m always on the fence in this debate of knock off versus original.

Whats your verdict? When is it necessary to save up for the high end original (even though the quality may be poor – DWR I’m looking at you) and when do you slum it with a knock off?

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I’ve always been a big fan of the fourth of July – its just a kitschy good time. I love a good BBQ and fireworks show, or a nice dip in the pool on a lazy holiday.

Well nope, none of that for me this year (or last year or any foreseeable summer in the near future). I totally have to work. Maybe if I accessorize a little more patriotically my overlords might let me celebrate…

Vintage patriotic accessories are no good without the fourth – or a national election. I imagine it would be difficult to work these into an everyday outfit.

Have a rad fourth!

]]> http://www.the-brick-house.com/2009/07/the-fourth/feed/ 1 Arabia Planter http://www.the-brick-house.com/2009/05/arabia-planter/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=arabia-planter http://www.the-brick-house.com/2009/05/arabia-planter/#comments Sun, 17 May 2009 17:45:00 +0000 THE BRICK HOUSE http://www.the-brick-house.com/2009/05/arabia-planter/

I would also enjoy having an Arabia Finland planter. (In white)

Well, lets not limit it to just one…I would like many. In different sizes.

]]> http://www.the-brick-house.com/2009/05/arabia-planter/feed/ 1 Molecules http://www.the-brick-house.com/2009/05/molecules/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=molecules http://www.the-brick-house.com/2009/05/molecules/#comments Sat, 16 May 2009 15:13:00 +0000 THE BRICK HOUSE http://www.the-brick-house.com/2009/05/molecules/ I am officially obsessed. I NEED a vintage molecular model kit. With the wooded balls and pegs (no springs please).

I am officially entering my late 20′s with this upcoming birthday in June. I was happy during my mid 20′s (full of life, eager for adventure, the world had so much promise) but now 30 is creeping up.

So to remedy this situation I need obtain a vintage molecular model kit to somehow bone up on my chemistry and find the cure for aging at a MOLECULAR level. Or maybe I would just use it for decor…

Every year the peeps closest to me ask what I want and I can honestly never tell them. They say, oh Morgan your impossible to buy for…you hate everything we get you. And its true! So conveniently I’m going to start listing some of the things that I desperately want to fight years of driving my loved ones nuts with being such a obsessively weird pretentious prick. With pictures. You can’t go wrong.

Oh and J – this is mainly for you. Seven years and we’ve never really exchanged gifts….its a travesty. I bought that belt that didn’t fit you one year and maybe you bought me some mushrooms. That just seems so sad.

Gifts are HARD.

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