I just finished up these really great ORANGE wedding invitations for a client of mine from Massachussetts.
I'm shipping them out tonight, so the bride won't receive them until later this week... but I couldn't resist posting at least one shot of these lovely invitations!
Once she's mailed them out & all her guests have seen them, I'll post pics of the remaining pieces for you to see!
photo by emily.
Thoroughly enjoyed the new issue of domino (May 07) that arrived this weekend. In particular, the feature on designer Josef Hoffman (1870-1956) was a treat; Hoffman-inspired rooms and fashion vignettes were created that incorporated some of his original work, including the prints of the glass goblet (left) and glass goblet with lid (right) that he designed.
For the story, postcards of the above images were purchased for $1 each from Pomegranate, then enlarged and framed in black. I adore the graphic look of the posters and silhouette portrait-ish lines of the goblets.
Photos from Pomegranate.
I first found Nixon watches last fall when I was searching for the perfect watch for Josh. Some of the styles are a bit pricey, but they're completely worth it... The pics posted here are just some of my favorite designs...
The Rayna (Women's), $130.00 each in White (top) and (left to right) Emerald/Mint, Currant/Tan & Black, by Nixon.
I love the sleek look of The Rayna line... and I especially like the two multi-color options: Emerald/Mint & Currant/Tan.
The Banks (Men's) in Sky Plaid, $265.00, by Nixon.
The design on the face of the Sky Plaid colorway for The Banks watch is so unique. Men really don't have the accessory options that us women do - and watches like this are a really good way to express yourself without feeling like you're wearing jewelry.
The Vega (Women's) in Pink, $60.00, by Nixon.
I've seen The Vega in a few stores around town... and although I'm drawn immediately to the orange version (of course), I'm also strangely in love with the Pink one! The best part is that this colorway was created by Nixon specifically to support Boarding for Breast Cancer, a non-profit organization focused on education, awareness & prevention.
photos c/o Nixon.
Recently I've read about Toms (short for "shoes for tomorrow") all over the place. I was instantly impressed by the company's philanthropic mission: for each pair of shoes sold, the company gives away a pair to a child in need. You can read more about what the company is doing on founder Blake Mycoskie's blog--including donating shoes to children in Argentina, and getting design inspiration for their Spring 08 collection from a class of fourth grade students.
I had to give these shoes a try. I found them at Nordstrom, tried them, loved the look and cozy feel (I recommend trying a half-size larger than what you usually wear) but wasn't thrilled with the in-store color selection. So I went to the Toms website and found a bunch of stylish options, including the version below-- shoes individually handpainted by artist Tyler Ramsey. Seeing these actually made me think about getting the plain white shoes, some color-fast fabric paints and stenciling or freehanding my own designs... At $38 for most women's styles ($68 for the Ramsey shoes), it's worth picking up a couple pairs knowing that you're making kids somewhere in the world more comfortable too.
Photos from Toms
Given that - in the next two months - I'm making trips to both New York City (to cover the National Stationery Show) and Barcelona, Spain (to enjoy the first proper vacation I've taken in years), I'm attempting to hold off on buying any new clothes until I'm in one of those two places...
kay tie-back top, $88.00 by Marimekko - exclusively at Anthropologie.
...and Finnish clothing & textiles company, Marimekko isn't helping at all.
More than anything, I'm drawn to the bold colors and patterns... their style is definitely Scandinavian, but mostly, it's just bright & happy and wearing these clothes would make me feel like I'm wearing a painting rather than a dress:
lily pad dress, $188.00 by Marimekko - exclusively at Anthropologie.
I'm sure I'll find some equally bold pieces in NYC & Barcelona... if anyone has any must-see shops in either/both of those cities, I'd love to know about them!!!
pics c/o Anthropologie.
Photo--left, from House & Garden, January 2005, via Style Court. Photo--right, from Crate & Barrel.
Style Court shared some great photos of Ivanka Trump's apartment from several different publications yesterday. I love the vignette from her place above (left), with its unique pagoda-style bookshelf layered on top of a Parsons-style bookcase. To me, it has a sculptural quality and the storage itself becomes part of the display.
The persimmon étagère, right, is from Crate & Barrel ($349) and is a little over 5 feet tall. The great thing about this piece is that its levels can be stacked or taken apart. It's a flexible piece that can be used in many different ways.
Photo from Crate & Barrel.
For example, to achieve the look of Ivanka's storage, I would set the top 2 or 3 levels on top of a Parsons-style bookshelf (like this one from West Elm) and use the bottom shelf on its own as a side table. I love pretty furniture that can adapt to different storage needs as they change.
...is a good way to described Chicago artist, Dolan Geiman.
I was first introduced to his work in 2005, when we both exhibited as Emerging Artists at the One of a Kind Show & Sale, which is held at the Merchandise Mart (here in Chicago) every December... that's where I bought the panel painting shown above.
This past year, we had both moved up in the world with our respective businesses - enough so that we each had full booths in the 2006 show... just 2 aisles away from one another. I wanted another Dolan Geiman piece to to continue my collection, and (for reasons I won't go into) this 'whale song' panel painting was just perfect!...
I'm looking forward to seeing more from Dolan in the coming years, and, more specifically, at the 2007 One of a Kind Show!
For more of Dolan's work, check out his site, the Daily Dolan Geiman blog and his lists of retailers and shows.
...and if you just can't wait to purchase some of Dolan's work, check out Fly Bird or the Dolan Geiman Etsy shop.
photos by Joshua Wentz.
As I was scrolling through the fred flare blog, I saw the cutest little banner ad for Rock Scissor Paper and just had to click on it. (That's the sign of a good ad!)
The sister duo of Susie & Heidi Bauer is behind the modern and uber-cute designs at Rock Scissor Paper, a California-based stationery company that specializes in greeting cards, invitations, imprintables, enclosure cards, journals and much, much more!
Monarch Note Cards (from left to right): Franz, Spider Mum and Wilbur; all come in sets of 8 cards & envelopes, for $13.50.
Moving Announcements: Furniture Silhouette & Bird's Nest; sold in sets of 10 cards & envelopes, for $12.00
Greeting Cards: Mom's Tree Mother's Day card & Shirt Pattern Father's Day card; sold invidually for $2.75 each.
tip: If you're looking for a good Mother's Day gift (it's only 3 weeks away!), check out RSP's Personalized Stationery!
images c/o Rock Scissor Paper.
More from Marjorie Skouras...these gemstone knobs are so tempting! They would definitely dress up a plain dresser or cabinet door...
Photo from Marjorie Skouras Design.
Hello, my name is Emily... and I'm addicted to letterpress. I'm not quite sure when it started, but I know that it will, very likely, never end.
"hello (I just thought I'd say hi)" card, by Hammerpress.
These are just a few cards from some of my favorite letterpress designers...
kukui nut, reef & paisley designs from Louella Press's line of letterpress notecards.
A couple of months ago, via design*sponge's Letterpress Guide, I came across Louella Press for the first time. I just love the clean yet funky designs and the potent ink colors used in both their letterpress and engraving work... such great eye candy!
Classic Woodgrain Collection, $32.00 from Egg Press.
I first fell in love with Egg Press a few years back when I saw their book of excruciatingly cute baby announcements. (The "peanut" design is the best!) - And to this day, they do not disappoint... I especially love the Egg Press Favorites Card Collections that feature one each of a variety of cards... so that you don't have to decide between different designs: you can just buy them all!!!
"thank you (that was a lovely thing to do)" and "with love (you really are my favorite person)" cards, by Hammerpress.
I was introduced to Hammerpress about two and a half years ago when I was working at Rohner Letterpress... when I think of Hammerpress, I usually think of more "old school" block type layered with retro graphics, like these postcards, so the contrast of these delicate floral designs drew me to them immediately. For more, make sure you check out both the design & wedding sections of their site.
pics (from top to bottom) c/o: Hammerpress; Egg Press; Louella Press... and Hammerpress again.
Photograph from Marjorie Skouras Design.
The bedroom that appears on the cover of this month's Metropolitan Home (May 2007) stopped me dead in my tracks—it was so oddly appealing. The room, with its custom faux topiaries that form the four poster bed, truly blurs the line between fantasy and reality. Much like high fashion, which is conceptual yet wearable, this bedroom feels surreal yet is totally functional. In the accompanying article, designer Marjorie Skouras says, “I like things that are traditional but twisted.” In this room, she has created a totally off-the-wall space that is simultaneously elegant, calming and restful.
Another view of the room. Photograph by John Ellis for Metropolitan Home.
Immediately, I thought of these images from two Vogue features (both shot by Annie Leibovitz) that convey their own surreal messages. The photo below, shot on the grounds of Versailles in conjunction with the release of Sofia Coppola’s gorgeous movie Marie Antoinette, shows Kirsten Dunst in a dress from Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière.
Photograph by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue, September 2006.
Via A Cup of Jo, this Alice in Wonderland-inspired photograph (view the accompanying images in this slideshow) perfectly captures the reverie of Alice’s encounter with “Tweedledee” and “Tweedledum”, played by Viktor & Rolf, the designers of the wild creation worn by Natalia Vodianova.
Photograph by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue, December 2003.
This past weekend GreenFest was at McCormick Place in Chicago...
Josh and I went to check out the eco-friendly products & services being showcased there... and, more specifically, to meet up with friends, Lisa & Ron of 2 Point Perspective, who had a booth at the show.
2point specializes in architecture, interior design & furniture - all from an environmentally-conscious perspective. Check out some of their work here.
As we were walking down the aisles of goods, I was stopped dead in my tracks at the sight of (what I call) 'hand-warmers,' hanging in one of the booths.
Yes, that's me on the left... like my earrings?
Washington State-based clothing company, texture designs and hand-stitches every piece of their hemp-based, eco-friendly line... Along with their trademark Knit Mitts, texture produces a full line of clothing pieces, including skirts, shirts & scarves.
Both the scarves & the Knit Mitts are made from the scrap fabric left over from larger pieces... I love the idea that not only are their materials green - but even their 'garbage' is made into something beautiful!
Above are my Knit Mitts, which I bought at the festival for $32.00... you can buy your own pair directly from texture or check out their retail locations.
all images, even the 2point logo, by Joshua Wentz... oh, but the GreenFest logo is c/o Global Exchange & Co-Op America.
Following up to the Vivacious V post from awhile back about chevron, zigzag, and flame stitch, may I present this "Missoni-esque" tank from Old Navy. I could see this layered underneath a tailored, light-colored cropped jacket; the trapeze shape and longer length make a nice proportion.
Photo from/available at Old Navy, $12.50.
I don't know how many of you sent in submissions of your work for the NEXT BIG THING on fredflare.com - but I did... here's just one of my submissions:
pics by, uh... me.
I've had my eye on Simple Sewing by Lotta Jansdotter (photographs by Meiko Arquillos) - a book published by the excellent Chronicle Books - for some time now...
Laura was with me at Art Effect back in March when I first resisted temptation and left it in the store... but I've lost the battle and finally bought up my very own copy at Borders about a week ago.
Not only is it full of stunningly simple projects & beautiful tutorial sketches by the Scandinavian-born/now-Brooklynite designer, Lotta Jansdotter - but the gorgeous photographs and concise directions make you want to immediately start working on every single project inside!... and for neophyte sewers like myself, the pocket of full-sized patterns in the front are invaluable.
I'm planning to take on the bed pocket first... it'll be great for housing books, magazines & the stereo's remote, rather than just throwing everything on the floor!
I'll be sure to post pics of the projects I complete... sooner rather than later!!!
And pick up your very own signed copy of Simple Sewing direct from Lotta's website... right here!.
all pics are from the book, except the cover pic, which is by Joshua Wentz.
The Kentucky Derby is coming up May 5 and in that spirit, I showcase this letterpress card from Little Tree Press. I am not a horse person myself, but I do like the "good luck" symbolism of the horseshoe and its simple shape, especially when repeated into a cool little pattern. I am sending this card to my dad and his wife for their anniversary--they were married at the Derby, on Cinco de Mayo!
Photo from/available at Luxe Paperie, $4.
Ever wished you could get advice from a fabulous interior designer, but it seemed out of reach? Well your chance is here my friends! Vanessa De Vargas of Turquoise has created a new interactive feature on her blog, called Design 911. She will respond to reader inquiries about rehabilitating vintage furniture, something she knows a lot about (see photos below: LEFT, before, and RIGHT, after—the gorgeous finished product).
Vanessa noticed that sometimes the hardest part of a project like this is deciding exactly what needs to be done with the old furniture. And that’s where she comes in. Send her a picture of the piece and also a picture of the room it will go in, and provide some direction as to favorite (and least favorite) colors, whether kids or pets live in the space, etc.—the more information, the better.
Then Vanessa will post a mini inspiration board, including fabric, lacquering options, and magazine tearsheets, along with the original images sent by the reader—one project each Friday. She is open to all kinds of items and styles, and location does not matter. Visit Vanessa’s Design 911 post to read more information and send in your projects!
Photos from Turquoise.
Photo from AMH Design
My husband got me this photo album needlepoint kit from AMH Design for Christmas. Admittedly, I gave him a hint that I wanted it—I love this particular Moroccan-looking pattern (called Marrakech), and I thought it would be fun to try some needlepoint. Anyway, I have just recently gotten around to starting the kit, and I'm so happy I did.
Left: Kit contents; right: my progress so far
What I found out is that this is a very relaxing pastime. I've had a stressful week--and stitching is repetitive (in a good way) and somewhat mindless--at least when working on a simple design like the one I chose. In short, it's exactly what I needed. And lo and behold, Amy--the designer of the AMH line of photo albums, journals, and needlepoint patterns and kits--got into it for exactly the same reason--as she puts it, needlepoint gets you into a "meditative-like state". Maybe we all need a little stitching to manage the stresses of life! It's much cheaper than therapy--only $38 for the photo album kit.
Thanks for the scoop on Mona & Holly, Laura!... what a fresh & sweet line of clothes.
I think these two outfits are very you (right) and me (left)... next time you're in town, we'll have to head down to Active Endeavors to pick them up!
pic c/o Mona & Holly.
People love Vegas... especially Americans. Who doesn't love a good stage show with all the bells & whistles? And then there's the gambling: that element of chance... the possibility that one more pull of the slots handle or that one perfect hand could be that jackpot you've been hoping for!...
So, it's really no surprise how much design exists that borrows from the most popular graphic representation of the city of Las Vegas:
Heart & Spade Cufflinks, $65.00 by IMOOI, available through their online shop.
We all know that I love the jewelry at IMOOI... I mean, it's crazy good. Not only are their designs unique, vibrant & beautiful, their product is also extremely well-crafted... and these cufflinks are no exception. You can also get two spades or two hearts, instead of the combo... but why?
Poker Hand T-Shirt, $15=$17 at Threadless, design by Tan Nuyen.
Threadless is a Chicago-based company (actually walkable from my studio on Irving Park Rd.) that accepts t-shirt design submissions and then, based on site visitors' votes, picks the best designs to produce and sell in their shop. The concept is really ingenious: because of the diverse group & sheer amount of people submitting designs, the designs themselves are always fresh - and there really is something for every taste.
Utopia Playing Card Box, $110 by/available at Jonathan Adler.
Last fall, Laura got me this as a house-warming gift and I've been in love with this pottery from Jonathan Adler ever since... This glazed stoneware card box (which includes 2 decks of JA playing cards) is perfect for that devoted poker or bridge player. Most card decks can be a bit tacky and commercial, but this one is truly a piece of art.
(Check out these needlepoint pillows while you're at it: Queen of Hearts and Ace of Spades!)
* * *
I love the idea of running off to Vegas and getting married... the lack of decorum & formality the city brings is really refreshing. My parents renewed their wedding vows in Vegas at a drive-thru chapel on their 25th anniversary... friends of mine got hitched there last summer and invited a select group of people to come and party with them on the strip.
And this past fall, I was contacted by some new clients, Kristine & Mike of Philadelphia, PA, about putting together some invitations for their Vegas nuptials that are scheduled for this coming June.
This is what we put together... and, I must say, it's probably the most fun I've had making a set of wedding stationery in a long, long time. I'm really pleased with how they came out:
The entire set was screen-printed by hand with a Print GOCCO machine... the perfect tool for printing small, unique designs without a ton of overhead and little-to-no fuss.
photo credits from top: cufflinks pic c/o IMOOI; utopia cards pic from Jonathan Adler; poker t-shirt pic from Threadless; and Kris & Mike's invite pics by Joshua Wentz.
I love the spring 2007 collection of clothing by Mona & Holly…the focus is on textile design and I think the bold floral pattern on this dress is so fresh, but the styling of the dress very feminine. Exactly what I like. I heard of this line via Oh Joy!...see her picks from the collection here.
Photo from Mona & Holly.
Laura is oh so right. Regina Spektor is a force to be reckoned with... Not only is her music brilliant, but she's obviously got great personal style and a crew of people working around her to create amazing music videos and idyllic photographs...
pics from reginaspektor.com
Have you heard the music of Regina Spektor yet? She is a phenomenal artist and her latest album, Begin to Hope, is one of my favorites of the year. On her fabulous site, you can listen to her songs and watch her videos, which is where I got these screenshots from my favorite video, Fidelity.
How delightful is this set design? It incorporates some of my favorite design trends at the moment: black and white, vintage accessories, graphic patterns, even silhouette portraits. I adore the styling of the video (including Regina’s wardrobe) as much as the song.
Another beautiful, creative video of Regina’s is Samson. It uses animated paper cutouts to tell the story within the gorgeous song. To watch the videos, go here and click “videos” on the navigation bar. Then choose the video you want to watch from the “library” (video titles are printed on vintage books) to the right.
Screenshots from Regina Spektor, Fidelity, from www.reginaspektor.com.
This weekend I'll be heading to Bin 36, a wine bar & restaurant in the North Loop, to celebrate April's birthday!!!
This will be my first visit to Bin 36, but I've only heard really great things - not only about the wine, but the food, the service and the decor... It's a pretty large space that includes several wine bars, a cheese bar, a dining area & a shop... all tucked away on the west side of Marina City.
The outside of the restaurant is very unassuming, but from the pics I've seen of the decor, the inside is a whole different story... I'm looking forward to seeing it in person!
Bin 36 is located at 339 North Dearborn, Chicago, Illinois.
Now any good party for a great person must have excellent invitations... and here they are:
Knowing my "client" so well certainly made designing & producing these a very easy task.. I think they're SO "April" and I was honored to be asked by her husband to take on the project.
restaurant pics c/o Bin 36; invite pics c/o Joshua Wentz.
Just yesterday, I was asking for a bit of inspiration - and then who should post a comment on L's Chihuly Library post, but Jo from desire to inspire!
Kim (Jo's co-blogger) had recently posted about some rooms with a common design element: Stripes...
I loved looking through these pics... I've often had thoughts of painting bold stripes somewhere in my house, but just can't make the leap.
Thanks very much to Jo & Kim for giving me some inspiration and a new blog to visit!!!
Emily and I both previously blogged about glass artist Dale Chihuly (click here and here to read both posts). I came across this phenomenal library, located at Chihuly’s live-work complex in Seattle, in Metropolitan Home this month and wow! Chihuly likes “to see the cloth of a book”, which explains his inspiration to display them flush with the wall, letting the beauty of each shine on its own. The effect of all the books as a unit is unmistakably grand. And the white spiral staircase and mezzanine (who hasn’t dreamed about a library with “levels”?) look so elegant against the soft gray wallcolor behind the books.
Photograph by John Granen for Metropolitan Home, May 2007.
The wait is finally over!... MIRRA has arrived!!!
I can't tell you how excited (& surprised) I was yesterday morning, when my Herman Miller Mirra Chair arrived... over a week before I was expecting it. It's literally the BEST. THING. EVER... and worth every penny I spent on it. Talk about a good company investment: after sitting in it for only a few hours yesterday, I can tell a difference in the way that I sit at my desk, in the way that my back and legs feel... and how much better my posture is.
I don't think you really realize how badly you've been working until something comes along that helps you to work better.
And it doesn't hurt that the chair is GORGEOUS on top of everything else.
If you've got the means - and you work at a computer for multiple hours a day - I highly suggest getting your hands on one. I bought mine at Sit4Less.com.
Laura knows me too well & she's right to challenge me to this Carry On!...
Of course there's an "art wall" in my house. Actually, there are multiple art walls - and many more yet to be put up (there's actually a pile accumulating of a 2nd round of things to be framed!)... Jw and I not only have multiple friends & acquaintances who make beautiful artwork, we've also accumulating years and years worth of our own work - all of which needs to be displayed for all the world (but mostly just us) to see!
this "art wall" includes - among other things - screen-printed band posters (purchased at last year's Intonation Festival; pen&ink drawings and digital prints by Jw; a beautiful Polaroid transfer piece by my lovely friend, B; a watercolor of a crane that I did when I was 15; woodblock prints by Lys(Beth) of hundredsofsparrows fame; and a colored pencil drawing I did in high school, based off of the stained glass window in the front door of Mr. Belvidere's house... that's right: the TV show.
For more "art walls," browse through some of Holly's recent posts at decor8.
Hooray! Gap introduced modern, limited-edition interpretations of the classic white shirt by designers Doo.Ri, Rodarte and Thakoon. Hopefully this is a turning point for Gap in a more fashion-forward direction, while staying true to its "basic" roots. Browse the collection here.
Left, bow blouse by Rodarte. Right, tie shirt by Thakoon. Photos from Gap.
I've been working my butt off lately - which is always better than sitting around waiting for someone to call the OB studio -
but I'm feeling a bit creatively drained, and the next few days leading up to the weekend are going to be all about gathering inspiration...
clockwise from top left: Stem Print Wallpaper by Orla Kiely, 52cm x 10m roll is £60,00; Rugby Strip Tile from FLOR, $10.99/per; Tight Rope Bungee Bag by Puckish, $68 at elsewares; and Moderne Print Paper in Rose & Kiwi by Wooster & Prince, $2.50/sheet (20 x 30"), available at Paper Mojo.
The new issue of InStyle Home features the home of one of my favorite designers, Ruthie Sommers. The image of her living room above is fun to compare and contrast with the image below, from Cottage Living, of her living room in a former state of décor. I love seeing rooms get “made over” and though I’m drawn to both, I prefer the latest look with its bold mix of pattern in the faux-zebra rug, Greek key trim on the throw pillows, nailhead trim on the darker sofa, and striped throw in the foreground. I adore the vintage onyx pedestal and the blossoming branches arranged on it. I love the loose sense of symmetry achieved in both rooms, reinforced by the floaty, minimalist paintings on either side of the armoire in the recent image and the coral sconces in the former. In both rooms, it is interesting to see how the anchor pieces are two different sofas placed facing each other. The colors, patterns and accessories in both rooms take these opposing elements and pull it all together so well.
Top room photographed by Ngoc Minh Ngo, for InStyle Home, Spring 2007. Bottom image photographed by Grey Crawford for Cottage Living, December 2006.
On Monday decor8 asked for submissions of photos that show groupings of artwork in her post "Show me your art wall!". It is interesting to see what's personal to people and how they like to arrange those items. Here is my favorite art wall, that contains (among other things) a screenprint bought in Tokyo, sihouettes of my husband and me, a pic from a photo booth taken in France (reminds me of Amelie!) and an original painting my sister-in-law gave us. All the frames are from Ikea or Target.
OK Emily, I know you have a favorite art wall you want to show me!
---POSTSCRIPT--- The small square painting is by artist RC Wonderly III.
I thought it only appropriate to post about a fellow blogger who's putting out some really good design that's not only uplifting and fun to look through, but that's also retrospective, self-depricating & life-affirming...
that's right... I'm talking about pie charts :
Englishman-in-Berlin, Craig Robinson has a personal website called Flip Flop Flyin' which is full of great design tidbits, posts & updates on his own work and, of course, those ever-popular Minipops...
The Personal Pies project came out of the idea that many different elements of Robinson's life could be visually described & viewed by others in the form of pie charts...
If you're feeling iffy about the world as of late... give yourself a break, browse through Flip Flop Flyin', and maybe make some pie charts of your own.
It makes me feel better just thinking about it.
(via Veer's The Skinny)
images c/o Flip Flop Flyin'...
This morning I'd like to take a moment to recognize the tragedy at Virginia Tech. My thoughts are with the community there, the victims and their families.
Don't forget that submissions to Fred Flare's NEXT BIG THING are due this Friday... April 20th!
For more info, check out this past post or go directly to fred flare.
This morning as I was checking up on JJ over at How About Orange... I came across her post about Liz Shuman's (aka Eshu - aka abstract the day) endeavor to make 1000 paper cranes and send them out to 1000 people...
The best part is that you, yes, YOU, could be one of those 1000 people... all you have to do is email Liz at
and let her know that you'd like to participate. She's hit the halfway point, but she still needs you to reach 1000... All she asks in return is that you take a picture of your newly-acquired paper crane, print it out (whatever size print your little heart desires) and send it back to her... The end result of the project will be an installation piece utilizing all 1000 prints that she receives... and go here for more information.
(if at all possible, send along an 'artist's donation,' too. Any little bit can help to cover shipping, production & any other misc. costs...)
What's the story behind the 1000 Paper Cranes again?... Wikipedia knows.
*1st pic c/o Liz at Abstract the Day; 2nd pic c/o flickr
Red Head Amy is a gorgeous line of handmade leather flowers that can be worn and displayed in a variety of ways. I came across the company in an article of Martha Stewart Living several years ago showcasing the colorful designs and explaining designer Amy Rogers’ creative process.
Years ago Amy’s friend gave her a beautiful, but falling apart, leather flower and she decided to try her hand at creating one herself. A boutique owner in New York saw her design and asked for a batch of the flowers to sell in the shop—and that’s how her business started.
Real flowers are used as prototypes for the designs, which are then translated into paper patterns, assigned color palettes and then sewn together by machine and by hand. Little details like hole punches and colored thread give the flowers depth of color and dimension.
The finished flowers can be worn several ways—in the hair, on a lapel, or tied around a belt or wrist. My favorite is the orchid; the unusual shape lends itself well to a variety of applications and has an elegant, “grown up” look.
See more of Red Head Amy’s designs here or visit auto to purchase.
Photographs by Jurgen Frank for Martha Stewart Living, January 2004.
It was only a few months ago that I was introduced to the band Loney, Dear - the beautifully inspired brainchild of Sweden-born, Emil Svanängen. Just days after I had heard the band's name for the first time, I was lucky enough to see them live at Schubas... and (despite the idiots who chose to stand around and talk throughout the show) it was one of the best live shows I've ever seen.
This was several weeks ago, and I have yet to take the album (Loney, Noir) out of the rotation on my iTunes. There is something mesmerizing and uplifting about so many of the tracks... basically, it's just really, really excellent music.
In particular, check out the tracks I am John, Hard Days 1,2,3,4 and Saturday Waits... right here.
One of the perks of keeping a design blog is the increasing number of artists & designers, products & companies that you're introduced to on a daily basis...
Cross Coffee Table, $1100.00 by MadeByGirl.
Through the 'blogosphere,' Laura and I have come across MadeByGirl a Nevada-based company, owned & operated by artist and designer, Jennifer Ramos. MBG specializes in adorning Chippendale-style coffee tables with more contemporary features such as bold leather tops, brassy buckshot tacks & animal print details.
MBG is a little bit Classic Antique and a little bit Rock'n'Roll, which I love... not only is there a richness to the materials being used, there's also an interesting dichotomy between the history of the existing table and the modern styling that Jennifer adds.
Red Hot Coffee Table, $1400.00 by MadeByGirl.
One of the most important elements of Jennifer's M.O. is her willingness to give back: 2% of each table sale will be given to either the Breast Cancer Research Foundation or the Animal Foundation (Lied Animal Shelter of Las Vegas).
*photos courtesy of MadeByGirl.
Artist Dallas Shaw sent me her portfolio and I was particularly drawn to her Vintage Collection. These are acrylic paintings done on vintage wallpaper remnants--and I love the idea of re-using something beautiful as a canvas. (As wallpaper seems to be on my mind this was very timely!) I could see putting together a series of the "lady" paintings in a bedroom or living room.
Photo from Dallas Shaw.
Miis that I made of Laura (left) and myself (right)... on the Mii Creator
Even if you're not up on the newest video game systems, you've probably seen the commercials or read on the internet about the new Nintendo Wii.
The system's most notable feature is, of course, it's motion-sensing, wireless controller... but what I'm most interested in is the "Mii" - an on-screen version of yourself that you can build out of hair, eye, nose & face shape components (among other things), and use to play many of the Wii's simulation games with.
If you don't yet have a Wii, don't fret: you can make your very own Mii right here.
*my hair isn't quite that 'mullet-y' in real life, but you get the picture!
Yesterday decor8 posted this photograph by Chris Everard and I immediately fell in love with the wallpaper in the background--"Cow Parsley" by Cole and Son, available at Walnet Wallpaper, probably my favorite resource for beautiful wallcoverings. (To see more of Chris's beautiful photographs, click here.)
I covet all kinds of beautiful, expensive wallpapers but I hate the idea of leaving them behind someday, to someone who might not appreciate them, if we were to move somewhere else. Therefore, I am into the idea shown in the photos above and below, of papering a hanging panel framed out with molding, that can be hung on the wall like artwork and transported elsewhere if need be.
Photo below: Laura Vinroot Poole's dining room, photographed by Laura Resen for domino February 2007. "Jardineres and Citrus Trees " handpainted wallpaper by de Gournay.
Images from Sarah Kaye Representation and domino.
We live in a world where seemingly all products are blaring with bright colors and in-your-face logos... nearly everything is the BEST or the MOST EXTREME or the AWESOME-EST thing you'll ever buy in your entire life... ever.
Because of this, you could easily walk down the aisle of a Dominick's and be numb to those horrible new Doritos bags or that awful Sprite logo... and don't forget about those insane-looking cartoon characters on pretty much every cereal box.
So, it's not too shocking when you're, literally, stopped dead in your tracks, by this soda packaging from SAFEWAY.
Apparently, "generic" is the new "not crap".
Amongst all the over-designed product, this less costly branding stands out because it is simple, to-the-point and well-designed.
Kudos, SAFEWAY. Because of your designs, I bought your product and not SUPER-EXTREME-AWESOME Sprite... and that's the mark of truly good packaging.
Oh, and top of everything else, the soda inside the packaging is really good.
*photos by Joshua Wentz.
Sasha Sykes, the designer behind farm21, creates "contemporary rural furniture and art"; shown here: her Rosebuds cube (left) and Moss square lamp (right). I am intrigued by the idea of taking large quantities of something organic, and "packaging" it into a very sleek, polished shape that, as a benefit, also provides functionality. (I have always been drawn to dome-shaped flower bouquets and arrangements of the same type of flower for the same reason--I think the interplay between a controlled shape and the natural, wild element that it is made of is an interesting contrast.)
Would you believe the Rosebuds cube contains about 100,000 individual Persian buds! The Moss lamp contains green reindeer moss and has a soothing, luxurious quality to it. I think they're both incredibly elegant.
I have this idea that I would like to fill an acrylic cube with white feathers, to be used as an occasional table between two upholstered armchairs in my bedroom. I found this display case from Specialty Plastics Fabrications (please ignore the scary doll inside!) and thought with the white option for the bottom of the case, it would look pretty slick.
I have to think about that for awhile. If ultimately I decide it would be too weird, the acrylic Lace Table from Brocade Home (shown above) is a good backup option. I like the subtlety of the white pattern here; it makes something antique-y like lace feel quite modern.
Photos from farm21 and Brocade Home.
Untitled, by Sol LeWitt, lithograph, 60 x 90cm, edition of 250, 1992. Image from artnet.com.
World-renowned American artist, Sol LeWitt, passed away this past Sunday from complications with cancer. He was 78 years old.
I've always loved the simplicity and graphic nature of LeWitt's work... seemingly without knowing it, he has influenced (and will continue to influence) the worlds of design, fashion, pattern, advertising, interiors and pretty much all forms of visual communication. I would say that's a pretty worthwhile 78 years.
Wavy Lines with Black Border, by Sol LeWitt, aquatint, 53 x 63cm, edition of 60, 1997. Image from PicassoMio.
For more, check out this great article about Sol LeWitt's life & work from The New York Times.
For anyone who has been watching Top Design, Bravo’s interior design version of Project Runway, tonight is the finale where the winner will be revealed. I have so-so feelings about the show; most of the challenges were done in teams (thus diffusing each individual designer’s point of view), and most rooms were created in weird 3-walled boxes on a set inside the Pacific Design Center. However, the show was still fun, I liked some of the designers very much, and I have enjoyed hearing the comments of the three judges, Jonathan Adler, Kelly Wearstler and Margaret Russell of Elle Decor, most of all. Each judge has a blog on the Top Design website that gives great insight into their professional experiences and knowledge; all three are worth reading. It is also fun to see what the judges wear on the show, particularly Jonathan in his joyful, dandy-fied looks and Kelly, who consistently expresses her dramatic fashion sense.
Here is one of my favorite Kelly looks—the pretty yellow dress and funky, oversized earrings—and I also think the dress Margaret is wearing in this photo is extremely gorgeous.
Another Kelly look below, and this top gives me some DIY inspiration. Take an old T-shirt for the shoulders, find some lovely fabric for the bodice and go to town!
Images from www.bravotv.com.
this is the sloppy scene outside my studio window:
it's been snowing all morning... and not the pretty kind that's light and fluffy and makes the world more beautiful.
no, this is the half-rain, half-sleet snow that just makes everything gross.
...at least I know I'll get a lot of work done today!
The pagoda chandelier in Turquoise's showroom inspired this find. Would you believe these lovely, shiny white lanterns are from Pier 1 and that they are only $15 (large) and $11.25 (small)? They are out of stock online, so get to Pier 1 quick! How cute would they look hanging in a cluster over a Saarinen table, as shown in the Turquoise photo, or Ikea's DOCKSTA table for the budget-minded?
Photo from Pier 1.
Since Laura and I tend to have somewhat differing styles when it comes to interior design, I wanted to post a room by Vanessa De Vargas of Turquoise that was a bit more "Emily" -
I was immediately drawn to this space for two distinct reasons:
1) the Arc Floor Lamp, available at Plummers Home & Office for $219.00. I love the mod-styling of these types of lamps, and they're just a great way to have overhead lighting without rigging up a ceiling fixture or having unsightly cords hanging about.
2) those walls!... Vanessa told me that her clients for this space didn't quite have the budget for art to fill the walls, so she had large green & orange panels painted on the white walls. Not only do I love the colors chosen (especially against all the white elements in the room), but I think the fact that she didn't paint the walls up to their edges really looks sophisticated, and helps break up the space.
And what a great way to paint your own space... rather than painting up a whole wall, just paint blocks of space. All you need is a quart of paint (depending on the size of your block) and some painters tape!
*more notes about the room: the buffet & dining table are also from Plummers Home & Office; the chairs are Gilbert Chairs, $49.99/each from IKEA; and those great green vases as the centerpiece? ...those are vintage Italian hand-blown glass.
thanks for the info, Vanessa!
If you haven’t already heard of Vanessa De Vargas or her interior design services, shop, or blog (all named Turquoise after her favorite color), believe me, you are going to be hearing much more from her. Why? Because the girl is amazingly talented, with a luxurious, yet accessible style. She counts Kelly Wearstler, Jonathan Adler, and Betsy Burnham among the designers that inspire her, and their influence is evident in her love of high contrast, vintage pieces made new (especially if they are Asian-inspired), bold shots of color, and an overall sophisticated, happy vibe, but her approach is her own.
At the top of this post: a vignette from her Venice, CA showroom on Abbot Kinney (can’t wait to visit there someday), including four dining room chairs ($2400 for the set), Saarinen-style table, metallic wallpaper, and eclectic equestrian accessories, presided over by a bold turquoise pagoda-style chandelier. Above, the entryway in Vanessa’s own home (which has been featured on HGTV’s Small Space, Big Style) sets an elegant but youthful tone, featuring an oversized elaborate mirror, ottomans covered in funky fabric, and commanding coral lamps, all contrasted against her signature warm gray wall color.
From the showroom, this vintage bamboo and cane armchair ($500), has been completely redone with fresh coats of black lacquer and new blue-velvet tufted upholstery. Many (if not all) of the pieces in the Turquoise showroom are vintage items that have been “saved” and re-worked to unveil their inherent lovely qualities. For one-of-a-kind pieces in good to excellent shape, the prices are truly accessible and include vintage and mid-century furniture, art and accessories. Turquoise also regularly hosts events in the space for designers to showcase their wares (and thus launch their careers).
Another way Vanessa differentiates from the pack is by bringing her design process out in the open. It is so interesting to see how talented minds work and Vanessa enjoys sharing the evolution of her projects on her blog. Pictured above (left) is a poster that inspired the entire look (presented on the inspiration board to the right) for a client’s office project currently underway. The photo below is a sneak peak of the progress so far. I love seeing how the ideas translate from object to concept to implementation. I can’t wait to see the finished room—and what further greatness will come from Turquoise!
All photos from Turquoise blog or website.
So, you're a fan of stuff, huh?... Making it? Receiving it? Then check this out.
*two logos at right c/o Coudal Partners.
Yay Emily! I am also a big fan of Jason Munn and The Small Stakes, and love, love his way with color, typography, and clever design interpretations.
My favorites from his portfolio and shop:
TOP: Posters for Mates of State with Rainer Maria (left) and Jeremy Enigk (right).
BOTTOM: Posters for The Shins (left) and National Novel Writing Month (right)--how clever are those little fingerprints all over the typewriter keys?
All images ©2005-2007 Jason Munn.
left: Mates of State (San Francisco), 2-color silkscreen, 19 x 25"; right: Camera Obscura, 2-color silkscreen, 18 x 24", both by The Small Stakes.
Every time I receive a new issue of ReadyMade Magazine, I do my initial 'glance-through' and then land firmly on the back pages that are filled with the advertisements of independent designers & craftspeople. I browse through them in the hopes that something fabulous and new will catch my eye... and 9 times out of 10, I am not disappointed.
left: Rainer Maria, 2-color silkscreen, 19 x 25"; right: Dear Nora, 2-color silkscreen, 19 x 25", both by The Small Stakes.
In the most recent issue of RM, I was excited to see a stunningly beautiful ad for a company called The Small Stakes, run out of Oakland, CA by artist & designer, Jason Munn. I immediately went to the website and found an entire portfolio of work and more posters!
left: Joanna Newsom, 2-color silkscreen, 19 x 25"; right: My Brightest Diamond, 2-color silkscreen, 19 x 25", both by The Small Stakes.
I've been a letterpress junkie for so long, but in the last year or so, my fondness for screen-printing has grown immensely. These silkscreen posters (at only $25.00/each) are SO beautiful I could see a wide variety of people displaying them in their home for their artistic value alone - but they'd also be a great gift for a music fan (and if there's not at least one band amongst them that you like, well, then you just have bad taste in music). But be forewarned... due to the limited edition production of these, many in the portfolio are sold out, and I'm certain the ones still left will be gone shortly!
*all images ©2005-2007 Jason Munn.
Laura's mention of the stunning BINTH baby book was just the perfect segue into this:
One of OrangeBeautiful's letterpress greeting cards was featured in the April 2007 issue of Chicago Magazine, alongside BINTH's baby book!
left: Thanks A Lot Bubble Flowers card, by OrangeBeautiful, available at Broadway Paper; right: April 2007 issue of Chicago Magazine
All six designers included are from the Chicago area. Besides the BINTH baby book & OB's card, there is also a silkscreen poster by Mat Daly, wrapping paper & a boxed set of cards from Snow & Graham, an envelope made from vintage book pages, by Art School Girl and a saucy little card by Paper Stories that simply states "Sometimes I just hate you".
To take a closer look, click here.
For more info on all the products featured, go here.
Photo from Design Public.
In the last couple years so many of my friends and family have had little ones that I'm beginning to learn the language of strollers, swaddling, and sippy cups. Of course everyone needs something from their registry, and usually my favorite baby gifts to give are personalized and/or handmade. Still, I could not pass up sharing these adorable images of fun baby stuff that I would like to give as gifts.
The Mid-Century Piggy Bank ($25), designed by Pamela Barsky and available at Wishing Fish, has been blogged about many times but I really think this would look so great in a nursery. Not to mention teach little ones about the "importance of saving" (my financial advisor husband would be so proud to give this gift). And it even comes with money--anything from a few coins to a $100 bill, if you're lucky! (Photo from / available at Wishing Fish.)
OK. These furry little booties (on the baby dressed head-to-toe in orange) have fantastic presence--and an equally fantastic name: Yo My Booties. At $50 they are not cheap, and they're probably very impractical if babies are old enough to chew on them, but I'm sorry, I've never seen anything so cute or hilarious on a baby in my life. (Photo from / available at Cocoa Crayon.)
Dwell makes gorgeous linens and has probably the best line of baby linens I've seen to date (I'll discuss in detail another day!), but I especially love their Plush Blocks ($35), because they would look so fantastic in a nursery and also because I think babies would really love to play with them. (Photo from / available at Design Public.)
Finally, this baby book from the fabulous stationery designer Binth ($110) is the loveliest I've ever seen. The book has gorgeous, screen-printed illustrations and sections to record thoughts, memories, and history from baby's first few hours, months, and years. It comes in its own slipcase for safekeeping, too. I don't know if many parents "do" baby books these days, but I love that my mom did one for me and someday, I will definitely want my little ones to have something so special. (Photos from / available at Binth.
THIS JUST IN: Tim Gunn has officially signed on to be a part of the next season of Project Runway... via Yahoo! News.
How is this at all relevant to the SCOOP?... check here.
*card & image c/o La Familia Green.
I met interior stylist, Amy Lenahan about 2 years ago when we worked together on a promotional piece for her business, Design I Interiors. Not only did I immediately like her as a person, I also was instantly a big fan of her decorating sensibility.
The image above is just one shot from the Lakeview Condo redesign shown in her online portfolio. I love the combination of deep red and warm yellow in the room... and, of course, that splash of orange in the pillows is the icing on the cake!
*photograph c/o Design I and Rosalind Images
***POSTSCRIPT***
Design I's promotional piece:
*photo by OrangeBeautiful.
This is a favorite image from domino galleries. The original article in which it appeared was about creating a color palette and I think these three colors just work incredibly well together. With the Easter weekend just past us the pastel lilac and vivid lemon yellow, on their own, would be way too reminiscent of Paas egg dye colors, but the dark brown breaks up the two wonderfully and brings such sophistication to the unusual combination. Also, the graphic brown and white striped rug in the hallway and—yay!—zigzag rug in the dining room bring excitement to the lighter colors and temper the sweetness factor.
The write-up on the image lists “Turkish Coffee” by Sherwin Williams as the brown paint; incidentally, the office where I work has industrial, exposed ceilings painted (pipes and all) in that exact color, and I can’t tell you what a hit this paint color is. Most people who visit for the first time comment on how much they love the ceiling color. It’s a great brown because it has a lot of gray, rather than red, undertones—and that’s exactly why it also works so well with the lilac and yellow in the photo above.
Image from domino galleries.
A few weeks back, when Laura was in town (and we went shopping), one of our stops was 1154 LILL Studio. I had been coveting their new TARA saddle bag... and who better to help me choose my fabrics than Laura?!
1154 LILL Studio is a store where you can make your own customized handbag. It's pure genius, if you ask me... There are a variety of bag styles in varying sizes, all with names personal to the company, like Katie, Lucy, Pamela & Samantha...
*My customized TARA bag, $160.00 with fabrics: Lantern Parade, Paradise Palms & Chocolate Utility fabric.
When you enter the store, there are hangers of fabric swatches, all color-coded to tell you which parts of the bags they can be used for... it can definitely be a bit overwhelming if you've never been there before - simply because there are so many options - but the people who work there are super-helpful and always eager to help put together a bag (or two) with you...
You can spot a LILL bag on the street pretty easily... that sharp little black, square tag gives it away every time. Besides that, they're just great bags. It would be difficult (to impossible) to walk into one of their shops and not find both a style of bag and a combination of fabrics that you loved.
*My customized SAMANTHA bag, $32.00 with Amber Blossoms fabric.
If you can't get to a LILL location (there are currently stores in Chicago, Boston & Kansas City), you can still customize a bag through their (really excellent) online shop... Also, be sure to look into their handbag parties (both in-store & out), as well as LILL's bridal showers and bridesmaid bags.
photographs from 1154 LILL (top photo) and Joshua Wentz (last three).
Two months ago today, my nephew, Toby, was born... to let everyone know of his arrival, his parents decided to model the announcements after probably the best baby announcements ever made: the ones my mother made for me & my brother.
This is my baby announcement. When my brother was born, our mom made an announcement that showed our parents' dog, Archie, running away from home because he wasn't too psyched about the arrival of a little baby...
Then, about two years later, she made the announcement shown above: a 2nd rendition that depicts both my brother & Archie heading off to Grandma's house because "they didn't say it would be a GIRL!"
So, to carry on the tradition, OrangeBeautiful (with the help of the super-artistic Joshua Wentz) put together an announcement with a new story line... this time it's my brother & sister-in-law's kittens, Sparc and Tarball running away to Grandpa's house!
The ironic thing is that Sparc - in real life - loves Toby. So maybe it would just be Tarball takin' the T to the airport...
production note: Toby's announcements were printed entirely on a Print GOCCO machine... if you're not sure what that is, don't worry: I'll be posting more GOCCO info later.
Palm House Silver Blue Horns, 2001-02, by Dale Chihuly, from Chihuly in the Park : A Garden of Glass at the Garfield Park Observatory in Chicago, IL
It's like a crazy tennis match at the SCOOP today...
Now, I know that Laura's post wasn't really a 'Dale Chihuly' post, but well... I had to 'carry on!' and put up some pics of the installation he did about 5 years ago at the Garfield Park Observatory here in Chicago.
I was fortunate enough to see it, not once, but twice before it moved on - and it was really one of the most beautiful exhibitions I've ever seen.
Palm House Tiger Lilies, 2001-02, by Dale Chihuly... also from Chihuly in the Park : A Garden of Glass.
The combination of his sleek, brightly-colored glass place within the gardens of the observatory was really quite interesting... The pieces really looked like they belonged there; as if they were just another plant or flower mixed in with the foliage.
So I had to add on with my fantasy chandeliers...
Chandelier by Dale Chihuly. Photo from www.chihuly.com.
Right after high school, I attended an exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C. of Dale Chihuly's chandelier installations. It was completely amazing to see these oversized blown-glass creations that were assembled into a "chandelier" structure, piece by piece. So it's no surprise that the chandeliers I dream about incorporate some of the playful, vibrant colored glass and sculptural qualities from Chihuly's work.
Prismatic chandelier ($2,998), and Effervescent chandelier ($1,998), from Anthropologie. (Photos from Anthropologie.)
I would love to attempt a DIY-version of the aqua chandelier above, using glass Christmas ornaments in various sizes, hanging from fishing wire from a metal ring (surely I could find something like it at the hardware store?). Using the photo as a guide, it wouldn't matter if they ornaments didn't fall perfectly, as long as the chandelier balanced out; I am drawn to the randomness of the way the bubbles are arranged. I'll keep you posted if I ever decide to go for it!
While poking around on Superuse, I came across this post about Stuart Haygarth and a piece of his entitled Tide Chandelier... It's actually a functioning light fixture made up of clear & transluscent found objects. Here's a close-up:
Only 10 of these spherical chandeliers were made - and pricing is by request, so you'd better hop to it (and start saving) if you're in the market for one.
Even if you're not pinching pennies, you can probably afford one (or two) of those nifty plastic-petalled chandeliers from IKEA... You can take home either the Knappa (left), or the Knappa Klöver (right) for just $24.99 each.
enPieza!, a sound & design studio out of Madrid, Spain, is the company behind the Bic Ballpoint Pen Chandelier (@ Superuse). They're available in a variety of colors (white, green, red, black or blue) for a mere 875 Euro (which is about $1,174.00)... and don't forget that pesky international shipping!
The Ova Chandelier from the UK-based company, Item is made from bone china and hangs more like a bunch of grapes than a standard chandelier. The organic shapes make me think of this as more of a sculpture than a lighting fixture... which I think is why I like it so much...
Urban Outfitters gives us another 'budget' option with this 3D Chandelier, which is made up of 2 inter-locking pieces of MDF that you self-assemble. There are also black and white versions, for $36.00, but the yellow one is on sale for $24.99... and it would be so much more striking hanging over your dining room table, right?
Okay... so, despite the fact that it was 70ºF here in Chicago, just TWO days ago & it is currently, a ridiculous 36ºF (and we had snow flurries yesterday morning!) - I still went and bought myself some summer shoes:
Greta Suede Skimmer in Brown Camo, by Keds... $49.99 at keds.com
SERIOUSLY When did Keds get so... beautiful???
Emily said the magic “M” word so I had to post my favorites and add a little bit of news. I heard via Bluelines that MUJI is opening a full-scale store in New York, and may follow with 20-30 additional US stores. Hooray! In addition to the MoMA store, you can browse their online UK store (which has an expanded product line), and start up a wishlist...
I think the Colouring Book would make a great “interactive” coffee table book, especially with a container of MUJI colored pencils nearby. The mini travel toothpastes remind me of my trip to Japan and the little individually wrapped travel toothbrush/paste kits the hotels provided. The porcelain teacups (in both high-and low-versions) are the prettiest pale blue and I love that they don’t have handles—part of the point of drinking tea, for me, is to warm up by holding the cup in your hand!
The city-in-a-bag is the most fabulous idea ever. My picks are the Tokyo and Suburbia (looks just like my neighborhood!) varieties.
All images from/products available at Muji Online.
I love keeping “mini” bags inside of my larger handbags—they hold all the small necessities (lip balm, hair bands, etc.) together so I can find them quickly when I need them. Emily knows this, and for my birthday she sent me this very cool bag designed by Josh Jakus—a designer committed to “using materials in their simplest form so intrinsic qualities show through”. It is made of pliant, but very sturdy, excess industrial wool felt in a beautiful charcoal color, and when it unzips it lays completely flat. When zipped, it forms this three-dimensional oval shape that fits very well in the hand. It functions as both an understated clutch and a mini bag-within-a-bag. I love it--thank you Emily!
Um Hold Handbag, available at Elsewares.
Cardboard Speakers, $42.00; Notebook Set, $6.00; and Accordion Card/Pen Holder, $19.95 - all by MUJI, and available at the MoMA Store.
MUJI is a Japanese company that's been around for more than 20 years... but I've only just become familiar with them in the last few months. It's a bit difficult to categorize this company, since they design & produce everything from file folders & office furniture to travel accessories & wooden toys... The common thread throughout is MUJI's focus on economical & environmentally friendly products; use of clean, uncluttered design, packaging & production; and an atypical awareness for the good of their product, their consumer & the world we live in.
The store at MoMA (The Museum of Modern Art in NYC) currently carries a wide range of MUJI's products, a category that they cleverly list as "MUJI at MoMA".
I think I would bundle up as much MUJI at MoMA stuff as my little arms could carry if given the opportunity, but these little wooden toys "in a Bag" are among my favorite MUJI products:
Countryside in a Bag, by MUJI $18.00
New York City in a Bag, by MUJI $14.00
The Countryside in a Bag would be great for those city dwellers who have that incessant itch to breathe cleaner air and hang out with farm animals... and conversely, maybe those trapped in the suburbs, wishing for a life in the big city, would love the New York City in a Bag, which includes such landmark structures as the Statue of Liberty, the Chrysler building & the Guggenheim.
I think the best part about these little toys (besides their immense cute-ness & their great carry-all bag) would have to be the fact that the wood they're made out of comes from sustainable forests!
MUJI also makes beautifully minimalist housewares & desk accessories... including these page markers that are appealing to me 1) because they're post-its & you know how I love post-its, and 2) because of their "off" color scheme... LOVE IT.
Page Markers by MUJI, $4.00 (100 markers each of 5 different colors)
And for more MUJI at MoMA goodness, just go here.
*all photos c/o the MoMA Store.
Aren’t these faux-leather baskets from Pier 1 lovely? (They’re also on sale through April 8 for $11.25 each.) The colors are so fun and provide a great base for a mod-looking Easter basket.
I’ve mentioned my love of Vosges chocolate, and of course they offer an adorable basket addition in these solid chocolate bunnies. The little guys come in Vosges’ unique menu of chocolate flavors including Red Fire, Naga, Black Pearl (my favorite, with ginger and wasabi), Gianduja, and Barcelona ($9.50 each). Right now, they’re having a buy four, get one special, so there you go—hop to it.
Finally, without the eggs the basket just would not be complete, and who better to turn to for beautiful egg-dyeing ideas than Ms. Martha Stewart. The stencil idea is my favorite technique (among several, including marbleized and jeweled eggs) shown, complete with how-to instructions, on www.marthastewart.com. I love the idea of creating monogram stencils and personalizing eggs for those you love!
From top, images from Pier 1, Vosges and Martha Stewart.
During one of my routine visits to ELSEWARES to browse through any new products, I also took a peek at their blog & found this:
CLOCKY® (in almond white), by Nanda, available at ELSEWARES or at Nanda, $49.99.
This incredibly excellent alarm clock, named "Clocky" is the brainchild of designer & entrepreneur, Gauri Nanda... a former MIT student-turned-Product Designer whose company, Nanda operates with the M.O. to "find things that are missing from our lives and create them".
I would definitely say that an alarm clock that effectively gets me out of bed in the morning is something that is missing from my life. The SNOOZE button is just way too tempting... but if I had this little guy, maybe he'd roll under my bed and hide until I was forced to shut him up.
An added bonus to the functionality of CLOCKY® is the great design... it's a beautiful & quirky piece, that I could see on a variety of people's nightstands. It's available in Aqua, Mint or Almond White and has an easy-to-read LCD screen...
Among Nanda's other products are some really great laptop computer bags & slipcases...
Virginia Lapsac™, available at Nanda, $58.00
...and a look inside the Stella Lapsac™
The Lapsac™ tote is a great way to carry around your laptop without looking like a stuffy, boring mess. (Admit it people, most laptop bags are pretty heinous.) The best part is that the pouch to hold your computer is easily accessible through that zipper running down the outside front of the bag. That way, you can get to it without rifling through all your stuff - and, conversely, you can get to all your stuff without that laptop getting in the way!
And if you're really into things complimenting each other (which you are), you'd probably be remiss not to get a Nanda Laptop Cozy™, too.
photos ©2006 Nanda LLC... and thanks again to ELSEWARES Blog for letting me know about CLOCKY®... For their interview with Gauri, click here.
***POSTSCRIPT***
After reading the comment from Joshua, I figured I should put up this pick of Gauri's originally prototype... there's more info & a lot of press about what led to the final incarnation of CLOCKY® at NandaHome.com.
Oh, and be sure to check out the CLOCKY® commerical on You Tube, right here.
More commonly known simply as the 'SmartCar,' Smart USA's little 2-seater is coming to America!
Due to be available (with a waiting list, of course) in the United States some time in early 2008, the smart fourtwo line of cars is, well... completely genius. Not only are these things crazy-cute, they're extraordinarily efficient in everything from their gas consumption down to the energy-conscious factories in Hambach, France that produce them.
There's the basic "we recycle" and "we try not to use up so much in the first place" - but there are also things like the fact that Smart powder-coats all the body work, which, compared to traditional painting methods, is a process that uses 40% less energy, emits nothing into the air & consumes zero water.
For more information on the amazing insights behind the ecology of Smart USA's manufacturing processes, read on.
Now, these little buggers are a bit on the pricey side - given their modest size... the most basic model will start at $12,000 and ranges upward to $17,000 (the starting price for that sweet convertible, shown above) -
As a person who owns a teeny-tiny car (I have a 2003 Mini Cooper), I will certainly vouch for the value of such a little car, especially if you live in a city. Whatever amount of money you pay more for "less" car, you'll make up twenty-fold by having an extremely fuel efficient car, supporting an environmentally-conscious car brand & being able to park anywhere - not to mention the fact that you'll be contributing to a greater amount of cuteness in the world.
all photos ©2007 smart usa
The design team of Ron Woodson and Jaime Rummerfield, the duo behind Woodson and Rummerfield’s House of Design, are the creators of these rooms in a Santa Monica home. The colors, the finishes, the playful mix of patterns and shapes all add up to some of my favorite inspiration rooms ever.
In the living room below, the wall color interaction is so intriguing—extending the green ceiling color down a few inches along the top of the walls creates the illusion of molding. In this room, I love how the "touch of black" highlights shapes within the fireplace surround, and white objects atop the mantle contrast with the aqua wall behind them. The piping on the sofa brings a tailored look to the eclectic mix of furnishings, making the room seem at once pulled together and comfortable.
In the breakfast area, the gorgeous lacquer chairs and table take center stage, and the accessories are in keeping with the personality of the home, including the funky chandelier, vintage-looking green glass and pitcher set in the niche under the stairwell, and even the white pitcher on the table. Note the fabulous interlocking circles ironwork on the stair.
The entryway vignette (at the top of this post) showcases one of the best mirrors I have ever seen. I have loved this image and this scalloped mirror for years. (You can purchase it through W&R’s house label, Woods & Fields, for a mere $1,990. Yikes!)
And the bedroom…what a gorgeous feminine mix of soft blues and modern florals, with some truly luxe touches like the tufted headboard and opaque glass chandelier. I wish this bedroom was in a hotel I could visit…
All images from Woodson and Rummerfield’s House of Design.
I encountered a treasure trove of finds at my local vintage shop last week, including a pair of $4 pearly clip-on earrings that I immediately thought to attach to a pair of ballet flats.
Shoes, $241.00 available at Zappos Couture. Photo from Zappos Couture.
Here was my inspiration: the Marc by Marc Jacobs flats shown above. I already had this pair of Steve Madden patent shoes, and at first I thought I might simply clip the earrings onto the top of the shoes. Can I just say ouch? That lasted about two seconds...so instead I twisted the clip-on backing off each earring, wove a string of white dental floss among the beads so it wouldn’t be seen, and threaded both ends through two of the rectangular cutouts on the top side of the shoe. I found that to secure the bauble, pulling the floss ends toward the heel of the shoe and then tying a close knot on the underside worked best. All this took 5 minutes, tops.
So voila! A super-cheap and easy way to get two pairs of shoes in one.
There was a time when I wasn't really all that into jewelry. During college, I wore the same earrings for the entire four years - never taking them off once... Nowadays, I think I've realized how many amazing jewelry designers there are out there and well, I just can't pass them up any longer...
Signature Bracelet, $274 by Alexis Drake Jewelry
I'm not entirely sure when I first heard of Alexis Garrett & her jewelry design company, Alexis Drake, but I am sure that I love her Signature Bracelet, especially with the Terracotta leather...
Snake Necklace, $55.00 by IMOOI
I first laid eyes on the beautiful jewelry from designer Anna Chan IMOOI when we both had booths at the 2005 One of a Kind Show here in Chicago... I bought one of their Orbit rings, and then returned the following year to buy up the matching bracelet. I'm now coveting one of these Snake Necklaces, but I can't decide which color I like best...
1/2" Ruler Bracelet, $40 by Individual Icons, available at Elsewares.
LeeAnn Herreid is the artist behind the Rhode Island-based jewelry company, Individual Icons. Her pieces are made up of 'working' components, such as thermometers, compasses and chainmail. Her Ruler Bracelets are among my favorites in the collection... but I've also got my eye on several of these.
left: Julia Dalton; right: Phoenix Necklace, both $23 by Little Ghost Designs
And last, but certainly not least are these awesome necklaces from Little Ghost Designs, which is made up of Amy Shutt (from Day-Lab) and Ryan Baudoin.
I think I'm drawn to these because 1) their rich black color would be a great accent to pretty much any outfit, and 2) I love silhouettes!
The Peak of Chic posted awhile back about the old decorating rule that every room needs a touch of red, and the comments on the post expanded on that theory to include a touch of black. My mom indoctrinated me in the latter, and my house today is proof of that—all the rooms, even those “in progress”, have a touch of black.
But I have never been a red person. It’s not that I dislike the color, I am just never drawn to it. And you can't find red anywhere in my home. But suddenly I am finding little examples of red that are quite intriguing and would allow me to gingerly enter into the “touch of red” realm.
For a long time the room above, by Molly Luetkemeyer of M Design has been an inspiration to me. Notice the palette of blues, whites, browns, and touches of black and red. What I especially love is the sheen of the red lacquer on the frames of the dining chairs.
I think this Crater hurricane from Z Gallerie would fit in my pale blue-colored family room nicely; I’m thinking a pair displayed on the mantle. It’s a nice complex red and the sheen is there, plus I like the organic looking cutouts. (Notice the white version—what I would traditionally go for—cowering in the background which, I think, is symbolic of my red “conversion”!).
Any other ideas are welcome…
Photos from M Design and Z Gallerie.
I do love those orange tulips... and I certainly needed a little something pretty with the rough morning I've had. Ahh, Mondays...
The other thing that's pushing me in a much cheerier direction this morning is the fact that I came into the studio and realized...
it's time to flip the calendar!!!
I bought this wall calendar from JHill Design back at the very beginning of the year, and I LOVE IT.
I've tried really hard not to flip through and look at all the designs on upcoming months, mostly because I'd like each month to be a little bit of a surprise... I will admit that I have taken a quick peak at June and September (and they do not disappoint), but we'll all just have to wait to see the rest of the months.
That is, unless you buy your very own - I know it's April, but both calendars (desk and wall versions) are ON SALE... for $12 and $25, respectively.
I think Emily will enjoy some orange goodness this Monday morning...these vibrant tulips (from the grocery store, arranged in an old vase from the florist that I saved) make me happy just looking at them. We had friends over yesterday for brunch and these were the centerpiece.
Good morning to all and can't wait to read your comments (which you have said you are dying to post!). Thanks for reading!
After two weeks and an astonishing 39 posts (this is #40), the SCOOP has undergone a few updates:
You can now make comments on all previous and future posts (even though Laura and I can choose to NOT allow comments on select posts, I anticipate comments being available on the vast majority)...
and the RSS feed is up and running...
Feel free to email us at thescoop@orangebeautiful.com with any technical problems - we want to make the SCOOP as user-friendly as possible, so your help is always appreciated.
Thanks again for reading!
