1. not exorbitant or extravagent by city standards, however in a rural setting (like upstate new york) it is in fact, quite fancy.
2. a wonderful blog dedicated to art, design and other things that are indeed upstate fancy.
READIN' NOW
I just thought these mutant stuffed animals from Lucy Roberts were a riot, and I had to share them with you. These little critters might even go unnoticed in a pile of toys, ala E.T. Artistic statements or playthings for the imaginative child? Either way I can’t wait to see what creature she concocts next.
This year I’ve been doing some design work at the agency for a high end jewelry company. I don’t personally wear much jewelry, which is probably why I don’t often feature much on the blog. I often find things beautiful that have exorbitant price tags to go along with them, which just turns me off from the piece all together. Don’t get me wrong I know the detail and craftsmanship that goes into creating such pieces, I dabbled in jewelry design in high school, I know how much time is put into making the perfect bezel and setting the perfect stone. I however don’t think you have to have a $30,000 on a ring to think of it as beautiful and special. These rings from singleB: beautiful are simply stunning, without having to take out a second mortgage on your house. The stones are gorgeous and the craftsmanship is impeccable. I also love that so many of her pieces are made with either recycled silver or argentium white silver, which always looks amazing. Her wedding set for both the bride and the groom has a vintage feel with a modern twist, and you’ll still have plenty of money left in the budget for flowers. I really can’t say enough wonderful things about her collection. Check it out for yourself.
my boyfriend was joking that i need a new project to work on, (I currently have 4 rather large projects going on currently, one of them is of course my product line.) But that got me thinking about all the great things that are available on etsy, and all the wonderful kits you can buy on there to learn a new skill, make something tasty, or just make someone’s day. I used to love getting craft kits to keep me busy in the summer months. So I took a peek at the vast pages of the etsy universe and here are a few of my favorites.
a. DIY cheese kit from Urban Cheesecraft $21 b. Designer chair tablescape kit from L Brandt $30 c. Giraffe embroidery pattern from Penguin and Fish $6 d. Make your own cup cozy from byrd and belle $8 e. Spice kits from Purpose design $16 f. Cottontail needle felting kit from fancy tiger $12 g. Moss terrarium kit from Lady Farrah $35
I’ve never really been a big fan of decorations just for decorations. I think things you have in your home should have meaning and a story behind them. With that being said, I ran into these little stoneware creations from iktomi yesterday. Some of course do have deeper meaning, like this raccoon spirit guide, which pretty much sums me up. Are you a sharp, crafty individual who makes the best of every opportunity that comes your way? Then let the Raccoon be your guide. These little hedgehogs are just plain awesome! amazing glazing colors and I love the detail of the patterns on their backs. I could definitely see some of her work on my bookshelf in the very near future. I can’t wait to see more of her work very soon.
So I had to do a photo-shoot for my new felt trivets and I thought the best way to show the colors off was to contrast them with a bowl of strawberries. So now I have some great shots of a new product and got to eat some tasty berries once the photos were taken, along with some pretty decent biscuits. We also planted some strawberry plants in a big strawberry pot and put it out on the fire-escape yesterday afternoon. So following suit, I figured I should showcase some of my favorite strawberry inspired etsy finds.
a. Eco Friendly Grocery Tote Bags from Kid Pirate $15 b. Strawberry bird form Melissa Sue $26 c. Strawberry bag charm from apple cottage company $10 d. Strawberry cream cupcake oil painting from Nizas Art $100
How pretty are these! I’m sure by now you know how much I love good typography. Which is only in part why I’m drawn to the new spring collection from Take Me Homeware. Made in Brooklyn by May Luk Ceramics, these little beauties would look amazing as a set, but also look just as good on their own. Simple, clean, and handmade, what more could you ask for on your table this summer, and all year long. If you happen to be in the nyc area, be sure to stop by the brooklyn flea tomorrow and pick up your own piece in person.
In passing yesterday I made a comment that people shouldn’t be writing on single sheets of paper, everyone should have a notebook. After all a very wise person once said, its not about being a good drawer, it’s about being a good thinker. Then today i get an email from Moleskine Asia, informing me about a contest they are doing with lifehacker where you can win moleskine notebooks for life. So I was wondering, how many of you have a moleskine notebook? I currently have two in my bag right now, a small plain black lined notebook, and my limited edition helvetica moleskine which I use for design ideas. I would love to hear how you guys use your little black notebook.
I love avocados. I get one in my salad almost everyday for lunch. So finding an illustrator who goes by the name Miss. Avocado, proves as no disappointment. Her style is a little bit country, with maybe a hint of steampunk. I mean really, robots and professors in hot air balloons, this has to be on one of my walls stat. I also really love her ACEO’s at a very affordable $10 what’s stopping you from snatching up one of these original little wonders. I can’t wait to see more work from her, she is sure to be going up, up, up.
We all love photobooths. Its undeniable. I can’t think of the last time I passed by one and didn’t pop in and get a picture. It’s fun, its cheap, and it makes a memory. Now imagine if you stepped into a photobooth and what came out wasn’t at all what you expected. This photobooth from design team from K to J, also known as Ketra Dean Dixon and J K Keller, have put together a booth that analyzes the photos and make something even more beautiful with them. During the developing process, the photos are “analyzed” & customized with forecasts consisting of patterns, symbols & messages. Maybe the next time you step into your favorite photobooth you’ll get something more than you expected.
