Save 20% on many a modern-design coffee table now through June 16 at BoConcept. Click here to score.

We often feel pangs of regret that we can’t pop over to Scandinavia to scoop up some the amazing everyday design their national talents produce with such ease. Luckily the internet can bring Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland to your door, thanks to a site called huset-shop.com. And, you dear Shelterrific readers can get a 15% discount when you enter the code SHELTER08 at checkout. Stop using the bad exchange rate as an excuse and go shopping already! Things we love at huset-shop.com right now: Gustav the tumbling pig, soft sculptural furniture for kids, and Birds on a Wire hanging rack.

If you have a love of the original, unvarnished (and pretty dark!) Grimm’s Fairytales, you will love these Three Sisters dolls as much as I do. The dolls came about through a challenge from the Etsy Plush Team. In this particular challenge, plush artists were matched, and each created characters from the other’s favorite children’s story. Zeldaloo suggested the story of Little One Eye, Little Two Eyes, and Little Three Eyes — one of my favorite fairytales, too. As abbydid explains, “One Eye and Three Eyes were the gorgeous and privileged sisters, while Two Eyes was the oddball outcast, only worthy of their leftover scraps. Now, I don’t want to give away the ending, but it involves a magic goat, a fairy godmother, and a golden apple.” You can get all three of these fanstastic sisters for just $42.

But don’t stop there — check out the Plush Team site for more amazing dolls that are the result of collaborations between fantastic Etsy artists, like the combo Red Riding Hood/Big Bad Wolf by AreaThriftyOne, Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee by redmag, and Zeldaloo’s Princess and the Pea, complete with a stuffed pea with eyes. –Mary T.

If you read my blog, you may remember the awesome Zoom Chandelier in Jim and Kari’s Evanston home. It normally retails for $1,599 (yep, you read that right). But I did a quick search on trusty old eBay and found it for several hundred less. It’s still quite pricey, mind you. But it is pretty dang cool — and I’m sure you could find lots of other fun ways to spend the $600 you’d save. The German-made, stainless-steel-and-halogen fixture was designed by Floyd Paxton for Serien Lighting, and expands from less than 8 inches to more than 4 feet in diameter. The seller will rewire it to meet U.S. code. Buy It Now for $999, plus $50 shipping from Germany. –Leah H.

See more of Leah’s great finds at her blog, More Ways to Waste Time.

I’ve been a fan of Portland, Oregon Etsy seller appetite’s sweet, screenprinted bags and wallets for a long time. So I was happy to discover that Erin Albin, the woman behind appetite, has recently opened another Etsy storefront just for her lovely (and very reasonably priced) handmade home goods. Above: Hollyhock Pillow, $18. Parsley Dishtowels, $14 for two. Caraway Shower Curtain, $45. See more textiles in the appetitehome Etsy shop — and check out the bags and other goods in Albin’s sister shop right here. –Leah H.

P.S. If you’re an Etsy seller — or, for that matter, any sort of artist, craftsperson, or indie retailer — don’t be shy about dropping me a line to introduce yourself or to update me on new additions to your shop. I’m a pretty tireless hunter, but it’s always nice to be alerted to something I might have missed!

See more of Leah’s great finds on her blog, More Ways to Waste Time.

It’s springtime in Seattle! I think. It may be the middle of May, but the temperatures are hovering around 50 and we’ve had many an overcast day. I learned during my first summer here last year that the warm weather arrives far after the first blooms of spring. I’d love to be able to expand the “warm season” with a patio heater so I can be outside without three layers and a scarf. It looks like a propane patio heater is more environmentally benign than a firepit, even if dealing with big cans of flammable gas makes me nervous. The heater shown is about $250 from PatioHeaterStore.com. There are also umpteen choices online from Target. Any suggestions on which one I should get? -Mary T.

Rock Scissor Paper is celebrating 15 years in business with 25% off everything on their site (personalized stationery, tote bags, note books, cards, and even already-marked-down items) — but only until May 18! Enter code YEAH15 at checkout.

FISHS EDDY is having a Whiteware Sale — 20% off Diner Whites now through May 19. A great way to save on sturdy stock that mixes with anything. (Too white for you? There’s a whole lot of colorful pieces on sale, too.)

Basic Green Box has some beautiful pillows and more on sale. They’re also offering this limited-time treat: spend $60 or more, receive a hand-blown tulip flip vase with an orchid stem free, while supplies last (enter code WELOVEMOM at checkout).

So Softies, an Etsy favorite, is also having a sale on some choice paper goods and at least one of her crocheted softie dolls. Visit her Etsy sale to score.

The spring breeze is wafting through my windows and the open terrace door. But sometimes city scents aren’t so fresh — I’m inhaling paint fumes as I type. That’s why I keep a stash of fabulous candles and diffusers on hand. I love the charming, colorful packaging of Seda France candles (perfect hostess gifts) and they’ve just launched new Bon Chic candles in 100% soy wax.

The company’s French Tulip diffuser sits on a window shelf next to my bed, filling the room with the fresh scent of a flower shop in springtime. Six new limited-edition diffusers were recently added to Seda France’s aromatic offerings. Click for many more spring scent finds from Ingrid S. (more…)

Those mid-century designers were so darn clever. Not only did their wares look super-cool, many of them were multifunctional as well. Take this 1950s Italian tripod lamp. It can be used as a task light, a spotlight, and even a wall sconce. Simply swivel the green metal diffuser around as needed, or stick the whole thing up on the wall with the integrated hanging loop. (And did I mention that it’s pretty stylin’, too?) Current bid: $46. –Leah H.

See more of Leah’s great finds on her blog, More Ways to Waste Time.

Hello dear readers. I’m hoping you can help Chad and I settle a debate. He thinks we should get a rice cooker — you know, a contraption you plug in, pour in some water and rice and let it cook to perfection. I think this seems like another small appliance we will have to store and don’t really need. Do they really do a better/easier job than cooking rice the old-fashion way, on the stove? One of Chad’s favorite dishes (left over from his bachelor days) is beans and rice; and no doubt we’ll be making a lot of rice once Isadora starts eating food. But really, do we need this? As appliances go, is it useful like a Foreman Grill, or more like a rarely-used fondue pot? Tell me your rice cooker thoughts! If you like them, which one do you recommend? The above one is from Williams-Sonoma. — Angela M.