from the lapel to the fridge

i'm rather liking this idea. magnet buttons. a little addictive collecting these could become and our fridge might be overcome.

from collective.ca (edmonton, alberta, canada).

nadia sparham

found these beautiful recycled and hand built ceramics, pillows, wall prints and upholstery services by uk designer, nadia sparham (via emmas blog). her designs are digitally or screen-printed and hand applied by decal. many of her designs can be made to order on a choice of different items and in alternative colors. full dinner services or tea/coffee sets can also be made to order.

contributing

a while back i was asked to be a contributing writer to a new site diesel was launching, called diesel cult from their headquarters in italy.

i was honoured to be asked and today they went live. it's a site featuring music, new art, and style (culture). i like that they are opening their site to new artists and opening new doors for them to showcase their work.

my first post is about how graffiti affects the way we design featuring the work of equipoplastico.

you can read it here.

rockett st. george blogs

there's a new blogger in town. another design junkie gets the bug. so if you haven't been there yet, she's jane, from uk's rockett st george.

her new blog is rockett st george uk design junkies.

its already filled with great finds, so lets all welcome a new perspective out of the uk and link her up!

welcome jane!

new bookhou

arounna from canadian designer duo, bookhou, too, emailed me with their new products they showcased at the ids this past weekend in toronto. she mentioned, john is doing some new steam bent ash tables with metal legs, the pattern on the 'standard' table is a repeat pattern allowing john to make them faster, thus allowing them to be more affordable. his tables are custom orders and the price ranges depending on the scale. he also makes them with wood legs. they also did some collaborative pieces - sprig tray and red field stool. the work will be available online and by request.

lucky irene from bloesem saw these items at the show in person. you can read her post here.

dirty laundry

saw this suburban scene toile sheet set over at apartment therapy this past weekend and totally flipped!

dubbed "dirty linen", they feature strip malls, shopping carts and street signs. 200 thread count cotton.

from urban outfitters. (rumour is they're coming to granville street, drove down there yesterday, didn't see. anyone?)

showhome

read about showhome, a real house and personal shopping experience for the scandinavian and european mid-century buff today over at shelterrific (via bloesem) and i just had to include it here! how could i not resist.

mixing contemporary and mid-century "the way you would in your own home", they buy from dealers, designers and auction houses all over the world. (wish they were on this side of the atlantic).

telephone 020 8761 3405
email info@ourshowhome.com

loaded hips press

i love these handmade cards and prints from loaded hips press out of portland, oregon.

as their site states (and i couldn't agree more), "loaded hips press believes that each postcard is a work of art, and that art should be accessible to anyone. with that in mind, they keep the prices modest. these prints belong in the gallery that is your home, or sent to a loved one far away".

(link via whipup)

(speaking of presses, design sponge has out a new letterpress guide which rocks the letterpress casbah if you're on the hunt for good one in your area).

porcelain and paper

katie parker out of columbus, ohio is a ceramic artist who uses porcelain and cut paper to create three dimensional wallpaper and wall tiles. her porcelain tiles are a process of silkscreened china paint, enamel, and underglaze. using brighter colors and covering each ceramic piece with paper, her wallpaper pieces make the overall effect lighter, and the glaze that shows through creates a nice line.

i also like the idea she has shown on her blog of painting the porcelain top of a toilet which is fired multiple times (see images below wallpaper closeup).

more of her work can be seen and purchased at her etsy shop, porcelain and paper.




.

photo screen

is it just me, or am i the only one who is never going to grow tired of photo images applied to home products? i'm sure the time will come, (well it has with the deer image) but i'm still digging the rest and here's another i just found.

a photo print screen (3-paneled) with a photo of the brooklyn bridge at the front and an all over wood paneling print at the back. (just too bad it can't be shipped to canada.)

from urban outfitters

good on paper

lisa from good on paper has sent along this cute new squirrel thank you card that's printed on recycled paper using vegetable inks. so adorable, thanks lisa!

i'm off for a long weekend, lots happening. if you're in vancouver there's the bc home and garden show and in t.o. the interior design show.

love is blind

a new graphic collection of roller blinds was emailed in from bodieandfou. a rather fun surprise when you open the shutters.

four different designs by love is blind.

etsy submissions

thanks to everyone for all your etsy submissions. my apologies for not replying, there have been so many, i'm afraid it has been rather difficult to manage. so i thank you here and hope you enjoy the picks of the day.

new nebo peklo

i am really liking the new works by glasgow's natalie of nebo peklo. the ochres and teals along with the black outline give these watercolors on canvas a mid-century feel to them.

the combination of delicate lines, and subtle splatters layered over the dreamy gradations that watercolors naturally bring, work so well with the flower forms she has become known for.

her complete new works can be viewed at her flickr set here.

new sugarloop gocco print

i saw this beautiful blue gocco print by sugarloop in the gocco pool today. they are printed in a limited edition of 70 and are available at her etsy shop along with all her other adorable pieces.

softbowls

softbowls are a line of decorative bowls made from 100% wool felt. each one is handmade and manufactured in the u.s.

practical as storage containers, planter cozies or decoration. available in three different designs (beehive, wobowl and swoop).

from mioculture.com

quiet hour toys

i remember back in the day, a play salad was grass we had picked mixed up with a little hand-lotion for pretend salad dressing and the odd rock thrown in for croutons. to have had this play salad from quiet hours toys would have made the scene so much more colorful.

set includes: 4 lettuce leaves, 2 mushrooms, 2 broccoli florets, 2 carrots, 2 cherry tomatoes, 2 onion rings, 2 cucumber slices and 2 bowls. hand-dyed yarn. by jess nicole.

two lisa's - sneak peeks

i'm feeling the urge to get up and do some renovating/decorating after visiting design*sponge today and seeing lisa s's and lisa c's sneak peeks into their homes. what i like about the spaces grace is showcasing is the fact that they are rooms you wouldn't get the chance to see in the magazines otherwise. magazines seem to always show the staged, scary-perfect spaces and the fact that these are more real, they are more obtainable and more desireable really.

i most definitely have to get something even remotely close to that kofod larsen credenza including all the vignettes lisa c has and i am really liking the lived-in art-filled look over at lisa s's. dream deam dream.

(image courtesy lisa solomon)

vintage etsy

some lovely vintage owls to start off on a monday. these cute little fellows are from blue bell bazaar at etsy.

etsy allows sellers to sell vintage and there's a lot to see. here's the link.

thanks to gosia for the email and link.

coe & waito

ceramic pine cones by canadian designers, coe & waito.

these look unbelievably real. hand-built, apparantly coe & waito work with real pine cones in front of them to get the truest scale correct. another beautiful addition to the acorns i wrote about at design sponge's guest blog in january.

(via the canadian design resource).

some polaroids caught my attention this week from flickr member eshu.

lots of nice shots and a link to her blog, abstract the day.

garth roberts

an interesting interview with canadian designer, garth roberts by kristina of three layer cake.

she previewed garth during her design*sponge guest blog and has now posted the full interview.

click here to read.

weekend reading

the georgia straights downloadable living pdf magazine is out this week for some light decor reading.

click on the image of the magazine on this page to download a copy.

heart log stools

still perusing the march wish magazine issue, and they had some good coverage on canadian products in their march '07 issue, and one of my favorites are these heart log stools from roots.

a bit on the pricey side at $1600, but amazing to have.

roots in rosedale, toronto.

sneak peek at d's

grace at design*sponge is doing a series on sneak peaks into designer's/artists/people's homes.

a great idea, and a link to the first couple (if you missed them), alyson fox and amy ruppel.

and i dig lisa de john's squirrel mural! so brave, but it works.

decals 101

cityline, a canadian tv show that covers a lot of decor and home design issues and also has a great website with tips and information to share. i hadn't been to their site in a bit but really liked a piece they did today on high/low office, and then came across this how-to on applying decals.

(which has nothing to do with the high/low show - but worth a look if you're looking into applying these somewhere in your home).

spend on trend

this should be a good fair. a vancouver event showcasing canadian indie clothing, accessories and home decor labels. a great opportunity to purchase directly from the designers themselves. line up early each day to be one of the first 25 people through the door and you will enjoy a fabulous goodie bag worth over $50.

heritage hall, (3102 main street) a landmark building at the corner of 15th avenue and main street in vancouver.

friday, february 16th, 5 - 9 pm
saturday, february 17th, 10 - 9pm
sunday, february 18th 11 - 6pm

tickets are $5 and can be purchased in advance or at the door.

spendontrend.com

new to the scene

toronto designer, sabrina linn has just launched flock, her first of four seasonal collections of pillows.

each collection can be mixed and matched, to make a well-coordinated set of accessories.. her site sabrinnalinn.com is coming soon.

(image from wish magazine).

fantastic in plastic

i never think to look in etsy for furniture. it never occured, so i was pleasantly surprised to see this fantastic plastic series voltaire 1 chair by modernfront. a little pricey mind you, but still fun.

this is a wood frame chair that has been upholstered and covered in a soft rubber, suitable for indoor/outdoor use. series is produced in holland. shipped from the u.s.

buy olympia

while browsing buying olympia last week, a few highlights i wish for:

seascape card by jill bliss;
camera buttons by emily lerner;
mulitfont belt buckle by steel toe studios; and because it's from olympia (where great music comes from), a guitar basics by sarah utter.

pencil boxes + note sets

saw these handmade wooden pencil boxes by vancouver's own, the regional assembly of text in the march 2007 issue of wish.

cedar boxes with silk-screened birds on fabric. each box is different and the fabric and pattern will vary.

i also like their mini card sets and thank you notes.

also available at magic pony online.

mrs. eliot books

francesca runs "mrs eliot books" out of london and makes these adorable little wooden books in birch ply and paper and larger collaged pieces on wood that are all available from her etsy shop or available direct from her through her blog. she also takes commissions. i really like these alot.

the banksy effect

an interesting article i read today over at psfk.com on something called the banksy effect.

according to wooster collective, "... banksy has created a market for an entire category of art that until now has not been recognized at the level that it is now being recognized at". they say, "... it's a good thing for artists who are talented and want to make money from their art because those people who can't afford "a banksy" are now learning more and searching out and buying work from other talented artists who are part of the movement".

a clip from cnn on the same issue here.

paper cloud

paper cloud out of cincinnati makes these lovely designs that are handmade and one-of-a-kind.

from journals, to art, to pillows, these pieces will perk up one's home and zap the dull out of winter.

i want sugar

if you haven't seen this yet, a must see for the sweet tooth out there, the cutest little installation in the west! lisa solomon and tara goe have a drawings and installation up called "i want sugar" at the mama buzz cafe, 2318 telegraph ave @23rd, in oakland, california. it's all about cupcakes and their somewhat deceiving effects.

fairy wall tattoos + rockett st. george

some fun new designs from rockett st. george were emailed to me the other day, like these fairy wall tattoos; as well, check out this lace tape; and
crumpled paper style paper bins .

all new stuff, can't name them all here, but lots of fun products as usual.

rockett st. george.

cute as a button

never thought of a button as a ring, but these adorable ones from inspire co are it.

so fun to open a box with one of these in it.

inspire co.

folding couch

i guess i've been sleeping, as i hadn't seen this yet. but grace posted about this folding couch today (via swissmiss). apparantly it's been around the web. so if you're like me, and missed it too; it's worth a look. and i think i want one.

bklyn designs

may seems so far away, but i got this email from laura who is representing bklyn designs, to mark your calendars may 11 - 13/07 during the ny design week where they feature brooklyn-based designers and manufacturers of contemporary furnishings, including indoor and outdoor furniture, rugs, lighting and accessories.

call for exhibitors: new to this design show is BKLYN DESIGNS +, a juried cash-and-carry market to give attendees the chance to shop for gifts and home accents. the market includes products made in brooklyn from tabletop, to pillows, to jewelry. interested manufacturers and designers should visit the web site at bklyndesigns.com for applications and deadline information.

(image shown: lampshades by andrea claire)

birds of a feather

birds of a feather mobile made with laser cut from walnut veneer wood with a natural oil finish. the mobile pieces pop-out of a square sheet which can then be used for stenciling or other art projects. from elsewares

the girly show

6 Women artists from Northern California, LA and South Carolina have come together through the internet to put on a art show for one night only in Los Angeles.

Penelope Dullaghan
Christine Mason Miller
Mati Rose
Marisa Haedike
Outi Harma
Kelly Rae Roberts

click on this link for more info.

they love crafts

congratulations to anabel and friends on their new online magazine craft magazine with contributors such as babelfish of crustation, monica of mikimono and many more.

such a fun site design, you can tell a lot of work went into it and it was fun to click on each page to see what came next. heaps of tutorials and great illustrations. looking forward to reading more of it! a definite fave!

(update: although the current issue is in spanish, they will be translating to english!)

puckish bungees

how can you not want a bag that has bungee cords for straps? that was my first reaction when i saw these puckish handbags by seattle-based designers puckish.

i'm just imagining this bag bouncing along it's merry way. they're available at buy olympia along with their other screenprinted bag and t-shirt designs.

a love a fair

sunday, february 11, 12 – 6 PM blim and keiko lee hem present: a love a fair - pre-valentines day art and craft market. featuring:
Sonja Ahler — art, books
AuMarché — reusable shopping bags
Basco5 — cards, paintings
demo derby — buttons, patches etc.
Design by Refine — jewellery
Heather Emery — temporary love tattoos
Gucio Bandits Photography — photography
Shannon Munro — bunnies, islands
Gemma O'Leary — jewellery
Pretty Please — buttons, bags etc.
RabbitRabbit — cards
See:Be by C. Baran — jewellery
Nicole Tirona — jewellery

imm-cologne 2007 + three layer cake

i enjoyed reading kristina of three layer cake's coverage of the imm-cologne 2007. she describes the motifs and materials so well that she saw. the theme seemed to be large flowers.

migrating

today i took the plunge and migrated over to the new version of blogger, hence the delay in posting. just getting used to the new platform and organizing. i should be up and running later today or tomorrow. hopefully soon, i'll have this space organized with categories and other new features.

new jasna

you may have seen jasna's ceramic wall art that i posted about when i guest blogged at designsponge at the beginning of january, and now she has some new pieces fresh out of her studio and i think they are my favorite so far. she told me these ones took a long time to make, but so worth it. i love the combination of her image transfer of the birds against what looks like to me, remnants of stripped vintage wallpaper. contact: jasnart.com

string polaroids

an interesting combo of polaroids and string art with this string polaroid set by lipstickprints.

all about handmade

i want to get the latest computer arts projects issue 94! all about handmade, featuring pre-digital techniques in graphic design and illustration.

profiling illustrator marguerite sauvage and tutorials in hand-drawn fonts and real world collages.