- February 14, 2012
Happy Valentines Day to you, and you and you! I’m ashamed to say that our household doesn’t really celebrate Valentine’s Day…we aren’t ‘anti’– we just don’t put a lot of stock in any particular holiday (which is in contrast to my general love of details, decorating and gifts…but does fit nicely in with my too busy to do anything life. sigh). Thankfully, I have a husband and doggie that I love everyday and a stepmum who sends me lovely vintage valentine’s goodies so I can rest easy and just enjoy. Oh I feel loved!
This vintage garland which is now hanging from a very happy Rhino in our house is from RawBoneStudio and sports a lovely assortment of vintage Valentine’s Day cards reproduced on wool felt. My favourite bits of love are of course the owl, who says ‘Owl do anythig for you–why not wise up and say you’ll be my valentine?’ Not too shabby… but if sweets are more your speed you might enjoy the donut and cup of tea who pleads, ‘ Please Do-nut say No, be my valentine!’. Oh too cute! But, whatever you do this Valentine’s Day…follow the word of the little space cadet (top picture, on the left) and think, “Why should I keep this a secret?” Of course she says this while wearing her odd bell-jar-esque space helmet, little red skirt and looking through a ‘secret codes’ book. Be still my heart.
- February 7, 2012
Oh Madewell…we’re going to come to blows soon. I’m batting ‘oh-for-five’ at the moment with you. Despite dedicating a significant portion of my income to you lately I keep guessing wrong as to what I should be paying full amount for (as I love it enough to not want to risk it being sold out) or waiting to pick it up in the sale. I think everything I’ve bought full price has entered into a very well priced sale state…whilst the pieces I loved but thought wouldn’t, have sold out! Number one on this list is the elusive storyteller scarf collection. I work across the street from Madewell…dangerous I know…and have literally been eyeing up the red/teal/green/orange map scarf for months. When I finally thought, ‘sod it…I obviously like it enough to splurge’ it’s gone! As are all the other scarves from the collection that use maps, typography and other fabulous bits and bobs in great colours to add glamour and cheeriness to any outfit. You can read a bit more about how they created the collection here on their blog, which will make you fall in love all the more. They literally cut up maps, and made collages, using real glue…in this day and age? Very impressed! So please bring back the storyteller scarves Madewell…or be prepared to tell me another story. Perhaps the one about a new scarf, yet to be released, that I’m going to like even more than the previous ones. I like that one…and I promise I’ll buy it full price this time, so stop punishing me.
- February 6, 2012
I’m a giant walking, talking hypocrite. I’m always saying I was born at the wrong time…that I was meant for another decade, preferably one where main streets thrived, were full of cute cars, people lived simpler lives and technology wasn’t so messy. And then I spend most of my life with some form of technology. I know, ick. So in a completely superficial move, I like my technology to be softened a bit, at least visually, so that it doesn’t seem so new-agey (unless it’s new-agey in Jetsons style…that’s okay with me). In the past I’ve had cork and wooden cases for my old iPhones so with the new Iphone 4s, something a bit different was necessary. Still staying with the natural vs. tech vibe, but this time it needed a bit of personalization…enter ‘Hello ‘Ello’! I found a company that would accept custom designs to be laser cut into wood. I messed around in illustrator trying out a few phrases—the one I originally wanted was ” ‘ello sunshine’ a good cheery message I’ve been known to utter…but I just couldn’t get the type to look right, so it morphed into Hello ‘Ello. I hand drew it, then redrew it on the computer, uploaded and within a few days I had an image of my new design and had it in my hands a week later. Mmm watch out iPad and iMac there might be a branch out there with your name on it.
- January 13, 2012
I love a brand with personality (especially if it doesn’t take itself too seriously-hello have you seen the hedgehog wearing a bowler hat and a monocle on this site!?)…It could be in the tone of voice, or illustrations or a whole number of other ways. So when I spotted this Crunchy Grocer concept last year, I thought ‘that’s how it’s done’. It’s professional, but still full of life, whether it’s in the type (which was drawn onto construction paper and cutout…or in the nibbles taken out of edible and non-edible objects…the name or just the whimsy in the typography. I. Love. It.
It’s all been done for a new concept natural food store, which hasn’t appeared to have opened YET, but will hopefully open soon in Colorado in an old school building. It’s a fabulous concept, which you can read more about here and grab yourself a crunchy grocer sticker by signing up for their newsletter here. Good luck to Crunchy Grocer and a big kudos to them and their collaboration with Tenfold Creative on such a well executed brand!
- March 28, 2011
Paper sculpting is back…Love these photographs from French artist Jérôme Corgier of l’Atelier Pariri. The ones with shallow depth of field are my favorites and would look great as an a2 sized poster!
Thanks to Fubiz for the dose of inspiration
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For more paper being used to fabulous proportions check out:
- a website using paper to great heights- also french in orgin- for orange
- and this oversized paper origami, photographed by another frenchman…hmmm I’m noticing a trend here, non?
- December 16, 2010
I’m getting worried about my growing dependancy on Marks & Spencer for good design, packaging and collaborations with illustrators. First there were the piles of Christmas tins that I just had to make space for in our flat. Now I’ve spotted their new ‘naturally caffeine free’ teas and well, who can pass up those colours…or that peacocks decoration? They are the work of Stuart Kolakovic who also lent his hand to the Marks & Spencer Christmas tree decorations which appear on just about every surface imaginable – window displays, signage, shopping bags… At least this habit is slightly more healthy then the endless supply of cookies!
Thanks to the dieline for the heads up
Want more of Marks & Spencer? Check out their Christmas tins…part one & part two