ecklectic: wedding album

ecru linen wedding album with burgundy satin ribbon

lovely and simple and unfussy -- even with the foofy satin bow, and i'm not usually a foofy-bow sort of girl. perhaps they custom-make? hardbound embossed album with 50 archival pages, each with a glassine overlay (fancy!). the font is... (come on font nerds...) futura??
i say futura. sweet! more options at ecklectic.etsy.com

camilla engman at junc gallery

camilla's show at the junc gallery in l.a. opened this weekend. love this one.

kalon studios

One can't go wrong with design for a sustainable culture, and Kalon Studios is not only sustainable, their product is also beautiful and functional. Researching further, Kalon is an ancient greek concept, meaning "the highest form of beauty". An appropriate name then.

Their Isometric chair represents a union of two distinct elements. Using the structural integrity of bamboo, made with 100% all natural, non toxic and sustainable materials and the precision of CNC manufacturing locally. Available with or without their delicately carved motifs.

The Ioline changing trunk, a personal favorite, is an answer to functionality without leaving the aesthetics behind. A unique changing table designed to fit anywhere in a home. Storage space below large enough to hold diapers, wipes and creams, p.j.'s and onesies. And can be used as a reading bench and toy chest for toddlers.

kalonstudios.com

helle jorgensen

i came across australia's helle jorgensen's blog, gooseflesh today, and was immediately taken by her lovely pictures of her stunning crochet work. when presented this way, you totally get the whole picture of what she is trying to portray and this i love. i love the thought of these wooly gems being inspired by the sea. makes me want it more. beautiful styling and her work is so unique and inspiring. and a bonus she has an etsy shop too!

gooseflesh blog
gooseflesh etsy shop

also if you get a chance take a look at her embroidery, crochet sea creatures, illustrations and beach detritus. lots of talent to explore!

more gocco

gocco treasury on etsy (while it lasts) by ohdear




zine covers by obsessive consumption (update: these zines were made for coudal.com's swap meet).


poppies by nebopeklo


goldfinch print by sarahparrott825

little paper planes - affordable art

tree print with buttons by marci washington, $8


i'll go print by rachel salomon, $65


circling and tendering by sarah sohn, $30



sparrow by cindy jaswal, $40

canadian crafts online

canadian crafts online is a site dedicated to showcasing canadian craft artists. it was started by irina and raz rapaport, craft artists themselves as a labour of love and out of passion for the handmade. the site is intended to be a directory of craft artists and provide online exposure. it is free to join, just send them an email.

canadian crafts online

wonderland retreat

remember the wonderland retreat crew? they started a little etsy shop in early april 2007 to help alleviate the medical bills of a fellow crafter, alison gordon. well, great news! she's back in action, working full time and feels pretty good about getting back to normalcy.

now there is another creative who needs help. elijah wyman is an artist, crafts person and musician who recently underwent a kidney transplant. post operation, elijah will be on intensive medicines for quite some time, some even for the rest of his life.

so the wonderland crew are at it again, with all of the proceeds from their shop benefiting elijah and his recovery expenses, expenses that can reach upwards of $210,000.

they say they have lots of great items, donated from lots of incredible crafters!

wonderlandetsy.com

new feature - cool blog of the week

i've decided to add a new feature here, "cool blog of the week". it seems like i just can't keep up with all the blogs coming at me and to keep track and to do a post or to update my template is just about becoming nearly impossible or so it seems. so as a way to plug all those great blogs out there and to recognize and support them, i've dedicated a page to these weekly picks which will be chosen every thursday and posted on my sidebar as well. the blog chosen will be welcome to post this little banner (below) to let their readers know they've been picked.





so the first one i'd like to introduce the jotter blog, and as their tag explains what they are all about, "write here, write now" (always loved that jesus jones song), there is no other explanation needed.

so check back here every thursday for a new cool blog of the week!

rosa pomar ribbons

i have been a fan of rosa pomar's dolls ever since i first started this blog. her blog was one of the first one's i visited on a regular basis. she recently has started to make these beautiful ribbons made from her original illustrations. they are produced in portugal by a confidence in textiles certified company.

new alyssa ettinger

its fun to see high profile artists with their work on etsy as you get to see things you haven't seen before quicker than one usually would and i'm loving this knitware bowl by alyssa ettinger. the bowl is an unglazed matte on the outside (feels like pearls according to her etsy site) and is glazed on the inside.

alyssa ettinger etsy shop

pillows for the people

pillows for the people is a fun site for searching out a unique pillow. lots of choices and themes to choose from, hence the name i suspect. pillows for all occasions.

new queenthings

always a favorite and though i normally don't post about jewelry, i can never help myself when it comes to jenny vorwaller's pieces. and she has a new one out she just sent out a notice about. called the coronation necklace, it's make of sterling silver antlers and wire wrapped aqua chalcedony hung on draped gunmetal chains.

queenthings mintd shop
jennyvorwaller.com

mining mintd

some highlights from mintd today. starting off with this follow your bliss print by irene suchocki




vector set digital designs by julian2



notepaper pouch by caylie


treasure box - japanese foliage by sixthandelm


two bikes gocco card set by supastarr




fortune cookie soaps by twin dreams



photo matchbox botanical collection by sparksfly


felt owl notebooks by moxie madness

somethings hiding in here etsy shop!

cool to see somethings hiding in here has opened up an etsy shop! now we don't have to be at one of those craft fairs back east to get one of those amazing wood rings or fun typographical shopping bags. yahooey!

pretty darn swell + susan schwake

only a few more days left in june and your chance to purchase this wired print at pretty darn swell, by susan schwake-larochelle. pretty darn swell's site allows for $5 of the $20 of each print sold goes to a worthy charity. susan's wired print profits goes to a new hampshire boys program. each print is printed on german etching paper which is 300 gm.

pretty darn swell

cindy jaswal

Cindy Jaswal is a Vancouver-based mixed media artist who concentrates on environmental issues both in theme and practice. She works with pen and ink drawings, paintings, printmaking, handmade books and photography. She takes inspiration from the natural world around her and pays particular attention to the place where the land and sea meet, spending much of her time observing the areas in and around Vancouver and Vancouver Island. The colours and textures of the coast help to inform her work literally and abstractly.

Born in Victoria, B.C., Cindy studied at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design receiving a BFA in 2000. After the birth of her first child in 2004, she has focused on a series of drawings that evoke the theme of the vessel.

Her newly released works, a three-print set, The Trickster Triptych is a limited edition of pen and ink prints set in a handmade linen case. Also a beautiful and amazingly affordable raven linen pouch is another favorite with her original drawing of a baby raven on the front.

Jaswal's new personal website, cedarseven.com and her Cedar Seven Etsy Shop showcase her beautiful work which is made on tree free paper or 100% post consumer recycled paper. Her textile goods and baby textiles are most often 100% organic cotton, organic flannel, linen, wool felt and vintage fabrics.

solar powered beach bag

with a high tech solar panel, the juice bag tote keeps the ipod, phone and camera totally charged. (via sweetspot and available at reware).

trish grantham

i thought i was through with deer, however i just couldn't resist this piece i just saw from trish grantham. i think it's the pinks and the yellows that just did it for me. so sweet.

summer pillows

new pretty summer pillows from canadian sabrina linn.

atelierkanawa: kimono hairpin

vintage kimono plum-blossom long hairpin

back to serious posts. something blue! and funky and long and dangly. visit atelier kanawa's store to read more on the dying art of tsumami, or fabric "pinching", practiced in japan since the early 1600s. tsumami kanzashi, flower combs and hairpins, can be worn in weddings and sound like a lovely tradition.

the two tiny bells ring as you walk -- or if you prefer stealth to the altar, you can detach the long strands and wear the flower alone. also available in cherry blossom or chrysanthemum to match the season; a very educational lesson on the stages of geisha and more at atelierkanawa.etsy.com

weekly DBA: intimate moments

this week's david's bridal award: the intimate moments sheet cover

yes, it is what you think it is. "for love's messy moments."

a part of me thinks it not entirely a bad idea...
just... so... well... ...hmmph.
stumped what to say. another DBA for you.
(what's a DBA?)

summer cottage for the scrapbook

i truly enjoyed this article in canadian house and home this month. i mean, i don't know if i could live with so much white and wicker, but as a summer cottage, i love the tropical atmosphere and unique approach to decorating, using things that you wouldn't think would go together, such as baroque frames and 70's style fireplaces. but surprisingly it really works. and the idea of putting beach mats on the wall in the bath is making me want to go down to the dollar store right now and pick up 20. click on the images for close-ups.




(home owned by toronto designer michelle lloyd bermann of lloyd ralphs design and decorating contractor, david bermann).

fresh affordable art

planetary mixed media collage by swallowfield, $40


brown flowers wall art by jennacary, $15


alone print by germaine, $15



bird stack by talkingpaintings, $15


letterpressed seahorse print by megancreates, $11.00



letterpressed print by megancreates, $11



original one-of-a-kind acrylic painting by jmjstudio, $69