February 2010

Sweet Obsessions Friday

February 26, 2010

It’s that time again – time to share seven sweet things from my wanderings around the web this week :) There is a gorgeous inspiration board, an artist’s creative home, a brand-new blog, some delightful weekend reading, along with a few other treats. So let’s go get ourselves something yummy to drink and take a little inspiration break, shall we?

1. First up, we have a dreamy inspiration board created by Bonnie of Going Home to Roost, a new-to-me blog that I am really getting into. Aren’t the colors and textures in Bonnie’s inspiration board just luscious? Spotted on Design Delights.

2. I have been a fan of Pigeon Toe Ceramics for some time now, but I am feeling especially drawn to their smooth, organic forms lately – the slick little pots and dishes seem just right for the delicate blooms and baby plants of early spring, which is right around the corner, thank goodness!

3. Did you catch this post on decor8? Oh. My. As soon as I laid eyes on the work and homes of creative duo Sidsel Gaustadnes and Line Juhl Hansen, I think I died and went to decor heaven. That’s Line’s home in Denmark pictured above, but you must go read the rest of the post to see more!

4. This cheeky trompe l’oeil tote from Anthropologie would be the perfect accessory for a rainy-day walk, accompanied by a chic trench, snazzy umbrella and possibly a little dog, n’est-ce pas?

5. Have you seen Carrying On? It is a brand-new blog from Ez of Creature Comforts, where she will be sharing things in a more personal, journal-like way. So if you are interested in a bit of behind-the-scenes Ez, I recommend you check it out – I know I will be following her there!

6. And for your weekend reading: the new issue of Lonny is out, and it is as smart and stylish as I have come to expect from this talented team. I only wish I could have a print copy, as it would be hands-down my first choice of reading materials to tuck into my bag and carry on the plane this evening! Which brings me to…

7. This cheerful San Francisco letterpress print from Lab Partners, which I had to include as the last item today because I am heading to the SF Bay Area tonight and I couldn’t be happier! I can not wait to visit my friends and family, favorite shops, taquerias, museums, restaurants, all of those places that I have been missing so dearly since my last visit over a year ago! And then on Monday it is off to Hawaii with my sweetie to enjoy our babymoon :)

So I am signing off, but I do have lots of posts stored up for you to enjoy over the next two weeks while I am away, and I will still be checking in and moderating comments – so I don’t think you will miss me too much! I hope you have an excellent weekend, my friends!!

{images: linked to individual sources above}

{ 4 comments }

Let’s Connect!

February 25, 2010

in The Sweet Life

Good morning! How are you feeling today? I am very excited because I am beginning to pack for a trip that I have been planning for quite some time – Benny and I are taking off tomorrow evening for California to visit family and friends, and then continuing on to Maui for a babymoon! Woohoo! For the first time ever on this blog, I have worked ahead of time to prepare posts, so you can still expect to “see” me here every day over the next two weeks. And of course I will be popping in to monitor comments and say hi! I have been thinking a lot lately about connection and collaboration, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to share a few other ways you can connect with me outside of this blog, if you would like…

I admit, I have been a bit slow to hop on the whole social media bandwagon, but I think it is finally winning me over! It is so nice to be able to communicate and connect with friends, family, readers, and other bloggers all around the world – I mean, don’t you think that’s actually pretty amazing? So here is my info, in case you would like to connect with me, beyond the blog…

:: Facebook

:: Twitter

:: Flickr

:: Formspring (ask me anything!)

In other news, just to plant a little seed in your head, I am considering planning a blogger/maker meetup sometime this spring or summer in the Providence area, or potentially in Boston – this would be a chance to connect local bloggers, readers, and crafters/designers/artists in a fun, casual way. So if you live in the area and this sounds like something you might be interested in, let me know in the comments or email me…or tweet it, send me flickr mail, or post it on my facebook page! lol. Seriously though, I would love to know if any of you are into this idea, and I would love to connect with you.

Have a lovely Thursday, and I will see you back here tomorrow morning with Sweet Obsessions Friday!

{image: Awesome print from MadeByGirl!}

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Ish & Chi Creative Fabric Artwork

February 24, 2010

in Art, Blogs

You may know Viv of Ish & Chi from her gorgeous blog, and perhaps you have seen some of her circus or chandelier prints before? Well maybe I am a bit late to the parade, but I just recently came across Viv’s work, and easily lost over an hour yesterday reading through her blog archives and drooling over items in her Etsy shop. One thing that really stood out to me was her recent work using luscious fabrics (from the likes of Amy Butler and Heather Bailey) to create original, one-of-a-kind fabric artwork. I was able to connect with Viv to ask her about what inspired her to create these pieces, so let’s take a peek at her work, and then we will hear what Viv has to say…

Isn’t that butterfly enchanting? And it just happens to be two of my favorite things – scrumptious Amy Butler fabric and a sweet butterfly silhouette, put together in such a brilliant way. Don’t you want to give that butterfly a good home on your wall? I know I do! Alright, now let’s give the floor to Viv and hear a bit more about the inspiration behind the art.

Viv says,

I like the idea of framing your favourite fabrics to hang as art in your home but I wanted to use the fabric to create something with a bit more visual interest. That’s when I started experimenting with cutting shapes out of the fabric to frame and display.

Each piece is hand cut and, in the case of the butterflies, reassembled again like a puzzle piece. The pattern alignment is slightly different on each butterfly that I make and because each piece of the ‘puzzle’ is hand cut, each butterfly is slightly different and unique.

Thank you so much for taking the time to share a few words with us, Viv! And to speak for myself, I am going to have to tie my hands to prevent myself from ordering up a whole flock of butterflies! Go visit Viv on her blog, Ish & Chi, and see more fabric artwork along with a collection of lovely prints in her Etsy shop.

{images: Ish & Chi}

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Nursery Inspiration Board

February 23, 2010

in Design & Decor

Good afternoon! I just got back from getting my hair cut for the first time in a whole year (ick, right? I just had such a bad experience at the last place I went I think I was traumatized!) and it was absolutely lovely. I feel like a new woman! lol. Ahem, moving on, I thought I would share some of the ideas I have been gathering as inspiration for the nursery I am planning. I promise you, I will not be swamping this blog with baby stuff, but I really thought you might enjoy this – and I would love to get your input as well! And I might as well spill the beans…we are having a boy! That said, I am so not into having a nursery that screams BOY!!! in all-caps, if you know what I mean. What I do want is a soothing, calming space filled with small handmade touches…

Sources (clockwise from top left): Fabric wall stickers by Mae; Leran pendant lamp from Ikea; Handmade cloud mobile by Madeleine Sargent; Expedit bookcase and baskets from Ikea here and here; White Moroccan leather pouf from Serena & Lily; Organic rabbit rattle from Dress Me Up; Plover Organic crib quilt from Fawn & Forest; Robin crib from Giggle; Baby announcements from Avie Designs; Love Pattern print from MadeByGirl.

I don’t want to over-stuff the space or give in to pressure to collect tons and tons of toys. And from my experience as a preschool teacher, I know how easily this can happen! I want to leave room for imagining and creativity, and surround my baby with beautiful handmade objects that I can feel good about. I don’t know how many of the items in my inspiration board will make it into the room, but they are all definitely on my dream-wish list!

So, what do you think so far? I would love to hear your input, or if you would like to share a story or a link to something you love, that would be wonderful too!

{images: linked to individual sources above}

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Photographer Lucas Allen

February 22, 2010

in The Sweet Life

I thought I would kick off the week here with some gorgeous photography from the very talented Lucas Allen – perhaps you have seen his work before? These shots from Allen’s online portfolio were getting my creative juices flowing this morning, and I hope you enjoy them too!

Orange marmalade and fresh toast on a little vintage china dish, sunlight streaming in, ah… Now if that doesn’t make you want to sit down to a proper breakfast in the morning, I don’t know what will!

This is making me want to grab my own camera and begin snapping away, collecting little details in my home and beyond, what about you? Hm, maybe I will try and take a little photography walk in my neighborhood this afternoon! I think we should all try to fit in a fun, creative break on Mondays – who’s with me? What could you do today that would make your Monday a bit more fun?

Oh, and do go see more of Lucas Allen’s work on his website – there is so much more to see!

{images: Lucas Allen}