Friday, September 28, 2007

on the countdown!



so here's the plan. poppytalk handmade is planning to go live on monday, october 01/07! the first online virtual street market curated by poppytalk will be a month long market selling handmade and vintage goods from 75 emerging designers/artists from around the world (literally!) from paris to israel, south africa, united states, canada, england and many more! so because of this i am a busy busy person as you read this, hence no posts (ok, one) unfortunately today. if you click on the image it will enlarge and you will see a sneak peek at some of the amazing artists included in october's market. i will be also posting a list of all the october artists participating in poppytalk handmade on the poppytalk handmade blog as soon as i can. so meet me back here monday for the launch!

this week's affordable art

three fates, print by lily moon, $15


regret, acrylic paint and paper on old wooden cheese tray, by lisa congdon, $80


honeysuckle print by abigail percy, $13

Thursday, September 27, 2007

unlesssomeonelikeyou redux: more poster invites

Wedding Poster  (Fall)
wedding poster -- fall

i love how different these are without being ostentatious -- simple, informal, well-designed (don't agree with all the font combinations, but diff'rent strokes will move the world) and (for the portrait ones) intensely personal. yes, most are hipster-y, but if you're contemplating a poster invite you're likely not the blush-and-bash traditional type anyway. here's another:

Wedding Poster
wedding poster

this one's more on the precious side, yet froufilly retro-modern. the beauty of it is you get to work with a real human being to custom-design something friendly and fun -- unlesssomeonelikeyou's low-key samples have charm to spare. i like the idea of them as 5x7s as well (11x17 posters are a bit grand, though they'd make a big splash) -- *and* check out the new line of baby announcements. a brilliant bit of savvy. more from chicago at unlesssomeonelikeyou.etsy.com

showpony





these are so great these screenprinted shopping bags and clutches from showpony out of glasgow. all items are screenprinted onto organic fairtrade cotton and handmade.

showpony etsy shop
showpony website

enamel desk set



you know when you're flipping through magazines while waiting in line at the grocers? and sometimes you flip to a page and it sells itself by that one image. well this is what did it for me today. this scene. i think it was the porcelain-coated metal tray for a bulletin board idea. from good things for the home magazine.

wood fabric


the woodnuts at it's knot wood should be knutty about this new fabric coming out of tokyo and available through tortoise in venice, california. cotton printed with a wood-grain pattern.

tortoise life
(via nytimes) above image from nytimes.

cool blog of the week



a day at a glance - documenting daily progress of the overhauling of a new apartment.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Interview - Camilla Engman & 2008 Calendar



I can remember the first time I ever visited Camilla Engman's blog, (a swedish artist rather well known with the online community and art world). I was taken with her folk style illustrations, collages and paintings, as is everyone I'm sure who has visited her site or seen her work in various galleries and stores around the world. It was back in 2005 when I first started reading blogs and not long after started up my own that I noticed her illustrations which rang a chord with me. Perhaps it was their familiarity of an old fairy tale long forgotten, her use of muted colors that had the feeling of an old comfortable sweater, or the stories that seemed to appear and how she leaves the interpretation open for us viewers. Whatever it was, it kept me coming back for more and a forever fan. I was so pleased when she agreed to an interview for Poppytalk this past summer and I am also pleased to introduce her new 2008 Calendar that is available at her online shop effective today! Here's the interview:



(Poppytalk): I love how you continue to experiment with your work and so easily share the process online. Can you explain the process that takes place for you once you feel the spark to create?

(Camilla Engman): To create is what I do, it's my life. It's hard to force oneself to create a specific thing on a specific day. Some days just cute things appear, another day it's all about shapes. And a third day paper and layers is the only thing on my mind. I try to work with, not against, those feelings. To make it easier for myself. Somedays there is nothing. That is a good day for finding inspiration in new places or to bake some bread.



(PT): You sometimes speak about the process or making your art as theraputic (for instance with your collection series - above image), and I was wondering if you're aware if you're making good art at the time or are you just doing it because you enjoy the process and the beauty is a result or by product?

(Camilla): I never think about doing good art. Who knows what that is? The result is the most important part, but the process is far more interesting! I'm creating things because I want to see what happens, on the way and in the end.



(PT): I love the idea of you using the bubble wrap as a background of your recent pieces (image below). I'm sure alot of us look up to your work for inspiration, could you explain where you draw your inspiration?

(Camilla): The bubble wrap was just laying on my desk and beside it there was a roller, it could only end up in one way :)
Where I look for inspiration depends on what I'm going to do. Maybe I'm the only one that sees it, but for me it is a big difference between making an illustration or a painting. And then there are things in between. Much of being inspired depends on courage to believe you can do it, to believe you can make something good. So that is what I start with. To find the spirit.



(PT): I'd like to hear who your favorite artists are (in whatever medium, be it art, music, photography)?

(Camilla): So I look at art/listen to music that makes me brave. I don't have any specific artist that I come cack to. They change as my mind and purpose changes, changes over the year and over my life. I'm looking for what I need right now. It can be a colour combination or a story, a shape or whatever. With the internet I can get my dose of pictures and inspiration so easily, it's just to surf around until you find what you need. Music is a good inspiration source and I actually have a favorite band - Radiohead. I think they are really good and inspiring, always striving to find something, to be better and more true.

(PT): I spoke at the beginning about your colour palette and the use of muted colors. I'm thinking I'm drawn to those colors a lot due to living in in the north and the familliarity it brings. How much is your choice of colors due to your nordic surroundings do you think?

(Camilla): I think the light here is very white. Something with it makes very bright, strong colours look ugly.

(PT): With your new 2008 Calendar, could you explain this collection and what it brings.

(Camilla): There's so many of my pictures that I like but that just disappear. I wanted to make something that felt like a closure and a "collection" of the past year.



(PT): What is in the future for you professionally? Can you give us an inside scoop where we'll be able find your work coming up this winter, any galleries, etc?

(Camilla): Third Drawer Down will have a new product, and in spring 2008 I will have a solo show at their Gallery. I think there will be one or more wallets at Poketo. Art Star will have some new prints. Reform School will have a print/poster for sale. I will have about 3 paintings at Appelgate Gallery, Santa Monica in February 2008. I will send some paperwork to Shelf in London. And I will try to get some time to make a new screenprint or two.

(below) Pillowcases from Third Drawer Down named, "Here I am Still Waiting" (screenprint and embroidery).



(PT): All that read your blog are aware of your sweet dog and I can't think this interview would be complete without asking a question about Morran. How much do you think Morran affects your creativity process?



(Camilla): Morran loves me no matter how ugly or bad things I make. She also keeps me away from working all day and all night. You can always say that you don't have time to your friends and family, but a dog is craving attention and long walks. She makes me a better, nicer and happier person.

(Poppytalk): Thanks so much Camilla for this interview! Your art, Morran and happy living inspires us all.

(Camilla): Thank YOU!

Camilla Engman's website
Camilla Engman's online shop
Camilla Engman's blog

noctua ottoman



could i be in love with yet another piece of furniture? nah! this one bears a nice stitched image of three wide-eyed owls atop a broken-bough. from anthropologie.

sugarcube design



these are cool. solid black numbered (one through nine) envelopes from a cute little papergoods shop i found on etsy called sugarcube design. printed on heavy brown cardstock envelopes.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

calendar time of year



(above) kate spade 2008 calendar

it's that time of year (that always creeps up so fast on me) where the new 2008 calendars start popping up. here's a couple that showed up on the radar screen today and i have a special one to show tomorrow along with an interview from a certain special swedish illustrator (stay tuned!)

hidden habitats 2008 calendar by jill bliss and saelee oh.



2008 calendar mini book kit from elles




good on paper 2008 calendar

ray fenwick letterpress print at tiny showcase



canadian, ray fenwick will have a limited edition, letterpress printed piece released this evening EST at tiny showcase. this should look nice letterpressed and apparantly it's going to be cheap.

Monday, September 24, 2007

new coe & waito


a new collection is out from canadian porcelain designers, coe and waito showing up at design*sponge today. i'm loving the small bottles inspired by memories of antique bottles they dug up as children. with embellished platinum decals of insects, weeds, roots and dirt. read more from grace's post here.

rainsend: ring pillow


custom bird's nest wedding ring pillow

bear with me, friends, i'm on a ring pillow jag and it's unstoppable. whoo! just thought this one was clever and different, especially for those getting hitched in the spring. new life and whatnot!

figures that rainsend is in new england -- the eight years i lived there, spring was a desperate *need* by the time it arrived. not too proud to mention one year i *finally* saw little robin red-breast and scared the bejeezus out of it --
i see you, you bastard! i see you!

er, ahem. back to weddings. you can customize the egg/ribbon color to whatever your heart desires. more at rainsend.etsy.com

gocco-ing around

gocco'd cards by swallowfield




2 color gocco printed business cards by s. jane


bunny stew by sarahogren (sarahogren etsy shop)



fruity fun set by jek in the box

eye chart phrase prints + more at keep calm



keep calm have added four new designs to their site. a new eye chart phrase, a print inpired by the famous ww2 loose lips might sink ships posters, and two silhouettes of a deer's head. i'm liking those charts!

tutti fruiti



adorable pillows from tutti fruitti handmade by sydney based crafter belinda andresson. drawing from her love all things patchwork, belinda injects a contemporary feel to the time honoured craft of patchwork with her pairing of bold graphic prints and luxurious wool fabrics.

tutti fruitti



Saturday, September 22, 2007

mezzo: feather hairpins



feather hair pins in white (set of 3)

i would *swear* i saw this on offbeatbride.com (which cannot be beat for alt-wedding 'porn'!) and didn't realize the bride was also a montreal-based etsy maven -- ooh la la! here's something for those who prefer an allover look rather than the feather fascinator... fancy, fancy. in other colors as well at mezzo.etsy.com

a lesson in typography



a nice short lesson in typography from the vancouver film school.

Friday, September 21, 2007

i want a range life

(accompanying track: here) - play the video

brave space design coat range (rack) inspired by the excess material from their cut sheets, they've exposed the maple interior signifying the snow-capped mountain peaks of the grand tetons. available at design public. (dreamin, dream, dream, dream, dream).

color and the front hall





thinking alot about colour lately. maybe because we are thinking of painting (um, eventually). i came across this article in canada's wish magazine about colour and ideas for each room. if you click on the paint chip page to enlarge you can read each idea. i'm really drawn towards this front hall and the first three colours. (they didn't scan through exactly, the style picture is closest, but i like the idea of the wall painted in benjamin moore's leisure green and trim in benjamin moore's clarksville grey (which looks more beige in the style shot). then painting an accent furniture piece in cil's golden green (which actually looks quite yellow in the style shot and the color i prefer). and while looking around online last night i found these pendant lamps that were in that same color and closer represented the real colors i believe. hard to get the real idea on screen, but if you can subdue the chips a bit hopefully you can imagine. (also, not that i have a back hall - it's just the words they used).





picnic dining



like the idea of a picnic table inside the house. pirkka from ilmari tapiovaara out of finland has this version that comes in dark brown, black, and patinated pine stain along with natural. ( i think the yellow legs really make the difference).

hot or not?



(i'm stealing apartment therapy's hot or not post idea for this): from opak.se. dog and horse wallpaper, and check out the smörgås version. (via sköna hem). hot or not?