ADDICTED TO STATIONERY

I LOVE STOPPING IN STATIONERY SHOPS. I ALWAYS FIND SOMETHING I NEED, WANT, OR SIMPLY MUST HAVE. WELL, TO BE HONEST..I HAVE THAT PROBLEM IN A LOT OF SHOPS..BUT, STATIONERY IN PARTICULAR. I LOVE THESE DESIGNS, AND TRUST ME THERE'S MORE TO COME FROM LRP DESIGNS. SHE'S JUST OPENED HER ETSY SHOP AND I LOVE HER HAND DRAWN WATERCOLOR CARDS. MUST HAVE. 

JUST IN TIME

I KNOW OF ONLY ONE OTHER PERSON WHO IS AS EXCITED AS ME WHEN CADBURY RELEASES THEIR CREME EGGS FOR EASTER. I CAN'T HELP IT..I'M ADDICTED.

PUT A RING ON IT

I LOVE JEWELRY, I JUST DON'T WEAR MUCH. I'M THE KIND OF PERSON WHO WEARS THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER. I LIKE SIMPLE AND YET INTRICATE DESIGNS, SOMETHING REALLY SWEET FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD.  ELMA BLINT DESIGNED BOTH THE BRACELET(COMPLETELY IN LOVE WITH THE BRACELET) AND EMERALD RING ABOVE. SHE'S DESCRIBED AS A "PERSON WHO'S WELL-TRAVELED, CULTURALLY AWARE AND IN POSSESSION OF THE SELF-ASSURANCE AND WARMTH OF A WISE NOMAD WHO UNDERSTANDS THE INTRINSIC NATURE OF PEOPLE." 

THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME.

TEXTILE HEAVEN

ONCE IN AWHILE YOU COME ACROSS A BLANKET, A BEADSPREAD, A THROW, A CARPET AND IT BECOMES THE BACKDROP OR THE FOUNDATION OR THE PIECE THAT TIES IT ALL TOGETHER. I STUMBLED ACROSS CAROLINA IRVING AWHILE AGO AND THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE HER WITH YOU.

SWEET TOOTH

HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOWS FROM WHIMSY AND SPICE IN BROOKLYN. A HUSBAND AND WIFE CONFECTIONARY TEAM PRODUCE HOMEMADE BISCOTTI, COOKIES, BROWNIES, AND MORE. AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE HERE.

LET IT SHINE

SILK TIE VOTIVES AND TIE DYE VOTIVE SET AVAILABLE HERE

POP UPS

THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL ABOUT THIS POSTER. IT MAKES YOU FEEL AS IF YOU'VE STUMBLED ONTO SOMETHING RARE.

INSTALLATIONS

VINTAGE STEEL PADLOCKS AVAILABLE HERE
TOOK THIS PIC IN MOROCCO AFTER STUMBLING ON AN ANTIQUE SHOP IN THE MIDDLE OF SEVERAL WINDING STREETS. WE SPENT A LONG MINUTE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CARRY THE ENTIRE BOARD OF OLD KEYS HOME. 
TOOK THIS PIC AT THE SAME ANTIQUE STORE IN MOROCCO. MY FRIEND WHO HAS INSPIRED ME THE LAST FEW DAYS WOULD CALL THIS AN INSTALLATION. I TRIED TO MAKE IT BACK WITH ALL 8 AND ENDED UP WITH 3.

SECRET LIVES OF BEES

BLACK CAT RAW HONEY FROM NEW ENGLAND WILDFLOWERS. TRY AND SAY THAT 3 TIMES FAST. KEEPING IN THE TRADITION OF BEING INSPIRED BY MY NOMADIC FRIEND THIS WEEK(HER FAMILY USED TO RAISE BEES IN IDAHO,) I FOUND THIS TREASURE. AMAZINGLY INEXPENSIVE, THESE JARS(VERY COOL JARS, MIGHT I ADD) WITH RAW HONEY WOULD BE THE MOST UNIQUE GIFT AT THE PARTY. AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE HERE

YOU'LL GO DOWN IN HISTORY

A POUCH MADE OF 200 YEAR OLD SOFT  REINDEER LEATHER AND IT'S AN 18TH CENTURY DESIGN. IT REMINDS ME OF MY FRIEND WHOSE BROTHER CAME BACK FROM RUSSIA WITH BOOTS MADE OF REINDEER.  I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT THE POUCH WILL LOOK LIKE ONCE THE LEATHER IS WORN.

HEAVY METAL

TILES MADE OUT OF RECYCLED METAL AVAILABLE IN POLISHED, MATTE AND SANDBLASTED ALUMINUM OR BRASS. SIZES RANGE FROM 2" x 2" to 12" x 12'. I'M THINKING THE OPTIONS ARE ENDLESS...BATHROOMS, KITCHENS, LIVING, DINING, BALCONY, ON AND ON AND ON...

EVERYBODY'S WORKING FOR THE WEEKEND

BEST INVENTION EVER. DOWNLOAD AND PRINT OUT THIS CALENDAR FOR 2009. USE A1 SIZE PAPER, BLACK AND WHITE PRINTER AND PRESTO. A CALENDAR DESIGNED BY THOMAS WILLIAMS TO REMIND YOU LIFE IS TOO SHORT AND ENJOY EVERY WEEKEND!!

DEEP THOUGHTS

REMEDIES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE HERE.

TENTS FROM THE INSIDE OUT

I LOVED THIS POST ON REMODELISTA. ITS OF THE ACE HOTEL IN PALM SPRINGS. WHAT I LOVE THE MOST HOWEVER, IS THE IDEA OF TENTED WALLS. THINKING OF ROOMS TO TENT NOW.

TO SIT OR NOT TO SIT

THE CRAFT OF DESIGN IS A NEVER ENDING GAME OF "WILL IT?"-ARIK BEN SIMHON
ARIK DESIGNS FURNITURE THAT COULD SOMETIMES BE WRINKLED, UNTIDY, STITCHED LIKE THE PAIR OF JEANS WE LOVED THE MOST...THE ONE WITH THE TEARS...

FATHER TIME

GRANDFATHER CLOCK BY GILES MILLER COMPLETELY IN CORRUGATED CARDBOARD. AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE HERE

PAINT THE CHAIR RED

BORN IN BAMAKO, MALI CHEICK DIALLO WAS TRAINED AS AN ARCHITECT AND DESIGNER IN PARIS. HE CREATES EACH UNIQUE PIECE FROM SALVAGE MATERIALS.

INDIGO

ELLY NELLY IS A DESIGNER OUT OF NEW YORK THAT FOCUSES ON PATTERNS AND PRINTS. I'VE BEEN FASCINATED WITH INDIGO WHICH IS WHY THIS ORIGINALLY CAUGHT MY EYE, BUT ON FURTHER EXAMINATION I REALIZED THIS PATTERN WAS DRAWN BY HAND, PAINTED AND PRINTED. FIND LACE STUDY TWO HERE.

WHO SAYS?

"IT SEEMS LIKE ONCE PEOPLE GROW UP, THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S COOL." CALVIN AND HOBBES. TEPEE FOR ADULTS FOUND HERE.

EGG DESIGNS

EGG DESIGNS, SOUTH AFRICA

"WE HAVE A DESIRE TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE PIECES, PERHAPS NOT IN A STRICTLY ECOLOGICAL SENSE, BUT IN THE SENSE THAT THEY ARE NOT EMOTIONALLY DISPOSABLE, AND THEREFORE HAVE LONGEVITY". GREG AND ROCHE DRY

"GREG AND ROCHE DRY REPRESENT A NEW BREED OF LOCAL DESIGNERS, WHO INSPIRED BY AFRICAN HERITAGE, ARE CREATING A NEW DESIGN LANGUAGE THAT IS NEITHER ETHNIC NOR CLICHED."

IT'S A WRAP

I HAD TROUBLE CONVINCING MOST PEOPLE THAT EVEN THOUGH I WAS DOODLING I WAS REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT THEY WERE SAYING. LOOP ACCOMPLISHES A SERIOUS LEVEL OF PEN DOODLES INTO WRAPPING PAPER FOUND AT SUPERMARKETHQ.COM

I HAVE A DREAM

OAK CHAIR WITH WOVEN STRAW BY LISSONI FOUND HERE

CHANGE FROM THE INSIDE OUT

ARTIST KIRSTEN HASSENFELD MOVED TO BROOKLYN IN A LOFT ACROSS FROM A STRIP OF PAWNSHOPS AND CHECK-CASHING STORES. IT MADE HER THINK ABOUT THE DESPERATION THAT THE STOREFRONTS WERE REPRESENTING. IN RESPONSE TO THE VIEW OUT HER WINDOW SHE DECIDED TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEM BY DECORATING HER VIEW. FIND HER WORK AT BELLWETHER GALLERY.

20/20 VISION

I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS SUPER COOL WHEN MY FRIENDS BROTHER WAS MAKING DUCK TAPE WALLETS BACK IN THE DAY, THIS MAY BE EVEN BETTER. RACHEL GRIFFIN IS AN ARTIST IN THE NETHERLANDS THAT DID A SERIES ON WEAR AND REPAIR. SHE USED OBJECTS THAT CAN BE FIXED WITH THE SAME MATERIAL THEY'RE MADE OF IF THEY WEAR OUT. IF YOU'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN THE MANY USES OF DUCK TAPE, AS I'M SURE YOU ARE--YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE SITE DUCKTAPECLUB.COM

SNOW DAYS

IN THE MIDST OF SNOW AND PRACTICALLY GIVING YOUR PRODUCTS AWAY JUST TO GET THROUGH, IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU'RE STILL OPEN--HANG IN THERE!

PAPER AND STEEL

BLOCKHEAD STOOL OR TABLE. HAND CUT WOOD TRUNK (LITERALLY CUT WITH A CHAINSAW) AND STEEL BASE..SIZES, LIKE TREES, VARY.  TABLE FOUND HERE AT JOHN BECK PAPER AND STEEL, APPARENTLY JOHN IS "JUST A REGULAR GUY FROM ST LOUIS DOING SOMETHING HE LOVES FOR A LIVING." LUCKY GUY.

BIG TRUNK STEEL SHEET CONSTRUCTION STRONG ENOUGH FOR SEATING OR A GOOD COFFEE TABLE BOOK. FOUND HERE BY JOHN BECK

PORCELAIN

"WITH MY WORK, I TRY TO FIND THE TRACES OF OUR PAST IN THIS CULTURAL MELTING POT. I TRY TO FIND THE SENSE OF THESE REFERENCES, LOST THROUGH MIGRATIONS AND THE PASSING OF TIME." ARTIST RUTH GURVICH 

BEAN BAG TOSS

STEEL BEAN BAG CHAIR BY RICK IVEY FOUND HERE

I HEART

I WANTED TO SOUND COMPLETELY GENIUS WHEN WRITING ABOUT SONJA, BECAUSE I LOVE HER WORK...BUT WHEN I READ HER BIOGRAPHY, I REALIZED 2 THINGS. 1. I'M NOT GENIUS AND 2. SHE IS. I THOUGHT I WOULD PUT HER BIO ON MY BLOG...BECAUSE IT'S THAT GOOD. FIND HER WORK AT MAKEITAWESOME.COM 
SONJA AHLERS WAS BORN THE SAME YEAR AS JONI MITCHELL'S BLUE. HER MOTHER ALMOST NAMED HER AFTER THAT ALBUM. SHE WON ALL THE COLORING CONTESTS 'TIL HER FATHER CALLED THE SCHOOL TO SAY THEY WERE TEACHING 'CONFORMITY'. BECAME A DURANIE IN 82/83. GOT CAUGHT SHOPLIFTING. HAD TO GO TO CHURCH. STOPPED MAKING ART IN HIGH SCHOOL AND B/C OF BOYS AND CLOTHES BUT WAS MORE OBSESSED WITH DRAMA CLUB. WAS IN PROGRAM FOR 'GIFTED CHILDREN'. DROPPED IN AND OUT OF SCHOOL THROUGH EARLY TWENTIES ATTENDING ROCK CONCERTS ALL THE WAY. BY MID-TWENTIES AFTER A TRAUMATIC EVENT STARTED MAKING ART AGAIN. SHE MADE TINY BOOKS AND OBJECTS AND INVENTED THE FIERCE BUNNY AS WELL AS AMASSING A LARGE GROUP OF PENPALS. SHE DEVELOPED A STYLE OF DRAWING, WRITING AND COLLAGE SIMILAR TO THAT OF A DJ-SAMPLING AND MASHING FRAGMENTS.
HER WORK CONTINUED TO SNOWBALL FROM PHOTOCOPIED BOOKS TO A PUBLISHED GRAPHIC NOVEL ENTITLED TEMPER, TEMPER(INSOMNIAC PRESS, 1998). THIS MADE THE TOP TEN LIST OF ONE OF HER IDOLS AND HAS BECOME A 'CULT CLASSIC'(NOT HER WORDS). AHLERS HAD HER FIRST SOLO SHOW IN 2000 CALLED EVERYTHING I OWN IS IN THIS ROOM FOR WHICH SHE WAS AWARDED A GRANT FROM THE BC ARTS COUNCIL. SHE CONTINUES TO SHOW HER WORK RUNNIN THE GAMUT OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACES FROM HAIR LOUNGES TO ARTIST-RUN-CENTERS. THE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART IN LA IS NOW CARRYING HER STUFF. SHE WAS ALMOST IN VOGUE. SHE SUPPORTS THE STOP COOL MOVEMENT AND MAKEITAWESOME.COM. SHE KEEPS ALL HER REJECTION LETTERS AND IS UP FOR A SLOW BURN.

MAMA'S GOT A BRAND NEW BAG

WOW. IF THIS DOESN'T MAKE YOU WANT TO TRAVEL, I'M NOT SURE WHAT WILL. HANDCRAFTED IN ITALY BY DELL'GA, A LUXURY LEATHER HOUSE IN MILAN. THANK YOU TO LAURA PETERSON FOR THE FABULOUS FIND. BUY THE LUGANO LEATHER SUITCASE HERE.