Posts from SCOOP submissions (11)

Chunky Green Turquoise Necklace, $95.00 from Old Soul Jewelry

I'm such a huge scarf person that I very rarely wear necklaces, but I'm starting to think that I could really get into changing up my neck accessories especially if it's one of these bold, extra chunky gemstone pieces from Chicago-local, Old Soul Jewelry. Jessica (the artist) actually used to work in the same building where the OB studio is located, and she was kind enough to send along links to her new site & Etsy shop!

left: Triple Gemstone Charm Necklace, $49.00, and right: Blood Red Coral Necklace, $75.00; both from Old Soul Jewelry

I especially love the heavier raw stone pieces - like the Green Turquoise Necklace (top image) and the Aquamarine & Amazonite Necklace (below, right) - these would look great with just a solid t-shirt and jeans... or a little black dress & colored heels.

left: Huge Thai Bead & Turquoise Necklace, $75.00 and right: Aquamarine & Amazonite Necklace, $165.00; both from Old Soul Jewelry

Check out the entire shop here!

Yesterday, I received an email from San Francisco artist, Brendon Kiel about some lovely items over at his Etsy shop, Gajillionaire... the majority of the pieces are hand painted & silkscreened with bold graphics and ornamental calligraphy (from 15th century Germany) onto wood "canvases". The finishing touch is a thick coat of epoxy resin which gives the design underneath a lustrous, shiny seal.

There's not really much going on here that I'm not drawn to... I love the colors used, the loopy scrolls paired with geometric shapes, the yummy "hardcandy" coating... I especially love the three shown above :: B&W alongside a yellow and blue that almost vibrate next to each other...

This one (above) is very "Jw".

And this one on the left, paired with the one on the right are very "Laura"...
I think ;)

And if it's not enough, Gajillionaire also has a selection of beautiful photography... the images above are just some of what you'll find in the shop.

(If you haven't figured it out already, any of these pieces would make an awesome Valentine's Day gift!... hop to it!)

images c/o Gajillionaire

I was sent a copy of House Beautiful magazine's new publication, The Home Book: Creating a Beautiful Home of Your Own, and I highly recommend it for those seeking a textbook-like educational tool to aid in the design of personal spaces.

Organized into three main sections - Understand Your Home, Elements of Design (including fabric, color, lighting), and Design, Room by Room - each segment is filled with tips from well-known design professionals. Recurring features like "Designer's Top Ten" and "Expert Insight" allow designers to voice their best suggestions and tackle specific issues, such as arrranging a conversation group. In one of my favorite segments, David Jimenez walks through his approach to displaying personal collections in a tablescape.

Some of the magazine's most popular elements are present throughout the book, such as "Instant Room", in which designers create fabric palettes, and "Colorful Options", which cite professionals' favored wall color choices for specific applications (pages I have referenced in the past when trying to choose paint colors).

This huge volume functions as a "best-of" collection of House Beautiful images, and asks the same questions a professional designer would ask of a client - thereby guiding the reader through a thoughtful, comprehensive design process.

I actually don't wear heels... ever. Okay, that's not entirely true - I have several high-heeled boots, and then there's these... but I'm not a stiletto girl, that's for sure.

But if I were, I'd definitely have a pair of these City Slippers from Norwegian shoe + accessories company, SWIMS.

I received a press release about these last week, and, at first, I wasn't really quite sure what I was looking at... but then, at closer inspection, these Slippers are durable, rubber "forms" made to slip around the outer edge of your heel - stiletto or otherwise. They even thought about the fact that many women's shoes have embellishments on and around the toe, so the cut is extra low in the front...

SWIMS is originally the creator of their Ladies (and Mens) lines of slip-on galoshes. Shown above are the Ms.Swims in Lemon. I'd love a pair of these for the spring - to slip on over my Keds!

The galoshes are available now - and the City Slippers will be available online soon at swimsstore.com - and in a few weeks at Saks and Bloomingdales!

images c/o SWIMS.

Atelier Leela Re contacted me about its line of handmade luxury goods for the home, and I was impressed by the attention to detail and thoughtful creative process.

The company employs a group of fine artisans to collaboratively produce the pillows, throws and silk accessories; each item may take several days to create. It is this painstaking craft that is Atelier Leela Re's signature - the company seeks to "produce beautiful textile products with a process that empowers the individual artisan and preserves centuries-old traditions of hand weaving and hand embroidery."

I think this silk scarf is simply gorgeous - so delicate and airy, it looks like a painting.

Image from Atelier Leela Re.

Erin, from design for mankind (one of my favorite daily reads), was kind enough to send over an email letting me & L know about her latest endeavor: a monthly e-zine!

The premier issue covers the top of Inspiration... what it means, where (& within whom) you find it, and, ultimately, how important it is to the success & longevity of artists & non-artists alike.

I end this post with a quote from the e-zine where Erin thanks the design community for their support:

May we never stop in the quest to support each other's dreams.

Now that's inspiring ;)

(Download the entire e-zine right here.)

One of the best things about writing for a design blog is when you receive emails from artists & designers from around the world. Yesterday, I got a message from designers, Anna Kotowicz & Artur Puszkarewicz, of AZE Design in Poland, regarding some of their new products that are currently in production...

The MESSY tablecloth is genius... so simple & elegant, while still having character & handmade charm. The idea behind the cloth is a bit of a social commentary on how our fast-paced world doesn't really allow us to sit down, eat a meal and, well... make a mess. My favorite element is certainly the "wine" running off the side of the table...

Another piece that Anna & Artur sent me information about was their REM bedclothes. I love the simplicity of this design as well, esp. how the stitching creates depth in the image.

Be sure to check out AZE Design's full portfolio of work here.

Goodnight Glider (in Lime) by nurseryworks, $1100.00.

Given all the baby talk that's been happening here at the SCOOP lately, I was really excited to get an email from Summer, letting Laura and I know about her online shop, Fawn & Forest. The company, which specializes in design- forward goods for baby, was "founded on the belief that good design should be enjoyed by the entire family"...

Fuji Toybox (cherry finish) by Argington, $420.00.

Half the furniture that Fawn & Forest carries, I would buy for my apartment and we certainly don't have any babies there (unless you count the cats)... I love the Fuji Toybox (above) - it would work great in our bedroom as at the end of the bed. But I could also see it in L's new nursery, especially the white version.

Studio Crib by nurseryworks, $1068.00.

Now, of course, this wouldn't really be much of a crossover piece - but if I did have a baby, I'd definitely have a crib with super-powers like this one. Not only does it have a hideaway cabinet with an integrated changing table that can later be used a desk (!), it also has an optional "Toddler Bed Conversion Kit" (bottom image), so that you can really extend the life of the crib... oh, and it looks awesome.

images c/o Fawn & Forest.

Last week in response to our silhouette posts (here and here), reader Megan Nutley let us know about her stationery company, Silhouette Blue, which includes a greeting card line featuring 30 different silhouette designs. Silhouette Blue began as Megan’s senior art project at Loyola Chicago just last year. Congratulations to Megan on turning your ideas into a business!

Many great illustrations and occasions are available; check them all out here. The variety and prices are great—you can make your own boxed set of 8 cards of your choosing for only $11 (each card is $3.00 on its own).

Thanks again Megan for sharing your venture with us. Images from Silhouette Blue.

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.