making it lovely

i came across a new blog, making it lovely, via decor 8.
nicole balch is the owner of pink loves brown, a design studio offering everything from paper goods to pocket mirrors to brooches. she also is a creative wiz and mastermind of her own blog, which chronicles- amongst other things- her progressive (and very quick--how this woman has the time!) her extensive DIY redesign/reno of her oak park, IL home. i love the subway tiles she used in the kitchen




look at the wall of her studio! enviable organizational skills! and you've got to appreciate a woman who does a blurb solely on breadboxes





and best of all, she does brilliant mockups of her ideas on the computer and inspiration sheets for each project, as she whittles closer to the end goal

i've been checking out vintage candy boxes on ebay...
doesn't this box look like a block of nougat???

two great new (to me) blogs

follow studio is edited by jessie doherty, who owns a graphic design + paper goods studio in sydney, australia. above: some lovely ebay picks by jessie



happy cavalier is the creation of karen cavalier, an industrial designer living in seattle. above: a post about artist jim lambie

m. design interiors inc.

i came across this fantastic interior designer (based out of southern cali) in the decor 8 blog. beautiful, hollywoody minimalism and the most gorgeous of silhouettes and sophisticated colors. love love love it. biggest inspiration i've seen in a while. eclectic yet each piece and color makes the most of the one beside it. if anyone knows where to find the stellar deco chandelier in the dining room set-up, i'll be your friend forEVer

see more work here

pottery barn gets funky

flipping through the pottery barn and pottery barn kids catalogs yesterday, i noticed they lightened up a bit with some interesting patterns, graphics and shapes...particularly in their outdoor collection and kids stuff. love this olivia bed. very sweet and french

i'm thinking summer

...and a little ride with ruby to nab some groceries
(bike and accessories via jorg & olif

ruby mag

thru megan whitmarsh i came across ruby mag, an online art magazine with some really inspirational international work...
top to bottom: jochen klein, uk (issue 27); ivana brenner, argentina (19), roman vitali, argentina (19), ilona niemi, finaland (26), stine belden roed, norway (23), alli schmeltz, usa (26)

megan whitmarsh

just came across megan whitmarsh on fine little day. the yeti imagery is so familiar i'm sure i've come across it somewhere else before (a music video would be so great!). check out more of megan's work here

i like this guy's stuff

(at least i think it's a guy)
check more out on etsy

sick

keith shore

i came across keith shore's great artwork on bluelines. from top to bottom: autumn scrimmage, stephen and stephen (reminds me of david hockney), fort lauderdale (from mcsweeneys 20), the bearded portraits (limited edition print you can buy in his shop!)
check more out here

...and this?!

riki desk clock by riki watanabe. moma store

how brilliant is this?

index cutting boards designed by damian evans...perfect for those of us meat eaters that are a bit paranoid 'bout germs. they should make a vegetarian set though, too...or a sweet & savory set... nothing worse than cutting great fruit on a garlic scented board. ick!
available at the moma store

cool bathroom

from blueprint's feb 08 issue. suzanna blerwith's row house in chicago. i love the tiles. view more pics from her great placehere

felt so good

i'm a little behind on magazine subscriptions... i just looked at blueprint's february issue (which i think is there last hurrah?) where i found these great placemats... i have been looking for felt placemats and coasters that don't look: 1. crafty (like a kindergarten project) or 2. thick, heavy and mobid in a joseph beuys way (i love joe, just i'd like to see piles of felt slathered with lard in an art museum...not so appetizing on the table. i digress..)
so these are light and an interesting take on grandma's lace tablecloth from venucci in australia...i'm curious how thick the felt is.

nice mantra

...on a biscuit no less. get one here

nathalie dewez

from the hoping for happy accidents blog i found belgian lighting designer nathalie dewez. i love 'drop' for bedside lighting. for lucky europeans, word has it (via the style files) that stella will be available through habitat in spring 2008.
top to bottom: sol-air, stella, drop

it's ok

on one of my favorite blogs, i came across these woodblock pieces by multi polar project. the chicago artist, sighn, makes them by hand and is shooting to make a million in his life time. you can watch a great little movie about the project here...and buy your own little wooden pat-on-the-back (for a mere 20 buckaroos!)

new designs for spring 08

for wholesale and special order

how does my husband...

always seem to know just the right little things that will make my day?? i don't know, but this toast did (make my day. actually week.) jeff koons eat your heart out! (of toast). now i just have to find just the right classy frame to do this toast justice.