Berkley Illustration

TK and I have been looking for something special for the wall over our bed. It has been blank since we moved in as I waited for that unique piece to grab my attention- and I found it! Take a look at Berkley Illustration for something whimsical and and simple. For a great price, these drawings are available in a variety of sizes- we are buying a collection and found some fun vintage frames on ebay to pair with them. If you are an animal lover I am sure you will be able to find a place in your home for these great pieces!

Alicia Bock

Photography is most definitely one of my favorite forms of artistic expression. A good photographer is a good storyteller and can make magic from an object that may appear to others as being mundane or typical. It is for these reasons that I am entranced by the work of Alicia Bock. Her photographs have a wonderful vintage feel to it and looking at it takes you on a trip to another time- where things are a little less face paced and life was simple... I am loving all her summer inspired pieces right now- and the best part is that her pieces are priced affordably, some even under $20! "End" featured above.

"Hush" is part of Alicia's "Through the Viewfinder" series in which she combined an Argus 75 viewfinder camera as well as a digital camera to create a soft looking, imperfect photograph. I love this !

"This is a Memory" was taken with an antique sx-70 poloroid. Layered with typewritten text.

Crow Biz

I have been a fan of Crow Biz for awhile- I love the simple line drawings of vintage items as well as the layered art that is being created. You will find a fantastic array of items, ranging from glass magnets and hair barrettes to pendents and unique prints. Click here for the collection of magnets featured above. 

I adore this Ostrich on Opera Text print. Part if a series of images on salvaged book pages. Printed on a synopsis of the opera "Thais." 

Beautiful Medieval Scribe Paperweight. Felt backed, the image comes from a 1933 bookseller's catalog of medieval books and manuscripts. 

Brightly colored vintage British Postage Stamp magnets. Perfect to hold all the important notes on the fridge! 

Jacqleen Bleu

I discovered the amazing work of Jacqleen Bleu through the lovely Sara LeeAnn @  The Bunny Cage and haven't been able to stop looking at it. Her beautiful photographs are haunting and thick with dreams and feeling. I love the colors in her work- the cool blues, the perfectly used black and whites. I have always loved photography, its great to look at it and goes perfectly in any home. There is nothing like a beautiful, perfectly placed photo to add depth and introspection to a space. Click here for the fantastic "No Cars Go" featured above. 

Love this one entitled "Your Intentions, Up Yours." My favorite part of photographs are deciphering the artists underlying meaning and this one is pretty clear! 

I love the layers of this one, "Flesh Canoe". The colors are gorgeous and clean. 

Purves & Purves

Purves & Purves is a UK based online design store that is focused on quality, contemporary home pieces. With a keen eye for design and utility Purves & Purves is guided by four basic criteria in selecting pieces to join their ever evolving collection of home pieces: Is it well designed? Does it mesh with their idea of good design? Is it well made? and Is it a good value? Check them out and see how they did. Click here for the bright Pantone mugs featured above. 

Very cool chemistry inspired table lamp. Featuring mouth blown glass- you can also impress you friends with a way you turn the light on and off as well as dim it... Slowly pass your hand horizontally over the top to turn the light on or off and wave your hand up and down in front of it to dim it. Designed by Airswitch by Mathmos. 

I love these cheerful, round bellied buddhas! Perfect desk accessory to keep envelopes and papers organized! 

Traditionally designed British deck chairs. These chairs remind me of campaign furniture, or chairs scattered about on an old time steam ship. These cotton sling chairs are also decorated with fun, famous quotes.  

Happy Holidays! See you next year!

Hi everybody! Hope everyone has a festive holiday! I will see you in the new year (already 2009???) I leave with this beautiful and simple printable artwork by Blue Tricycle. Perfect design for the blustery cold we are dealing with... you can check out the rest of the great products in her shop here. 

Happy Holidays! I am off to drink some hot apple cider...

xoxo

The Lacquered Peacock 

Grounded

Grounded is a great brick and mortar store located in Encinitas, CA. With a mission to feature items that blend modern, clean design with an influence in nature, Grounded carries numerous quality brands that reflect their similar design aesthetic. Along with their retail store, Grounded is also a licensed landscape architectural design service, so while you are decorating your indoors they can help you take care of your outdoors as well! Click here for the fabulous Verner Patton bowls featured above designed with his premier 60's textile design. 

Fantastic gift idea! I love this Eva Solo Self Watering Pot. Perfect for your friend or family member that is always traveling and their poor plants suffer the fate of dehydration. Features a set of self watering wicks that draw the water from the glass base into the soil. 

We have featured these ventless fireplaces before, but I really like the shape of this Blomus Fireplace. Perfect for compact living! 

On this freezing, windy day (its 8 degrees with the windchill!) I am about to make a big pot of tea for the rest of the afternoon. This pot would be perfect- nice to look at and does its job! 

 

Brenda Rose

Good Friday morning! Check out this visual eye candy from the very talented artist Brenda Rose. Based in Portland, Brenda combines found objects, vintage illustrations and other trinkets to create original and thought provoking pieces of art. I love her multi dimensional approach with the different layers that she uses to create depth. It really makes you sit and stare at the pieces, seeing new things each time you look- personally this is my favorite thing about art, and Brenda does it well. Click here for the matador, my favorite piece, featured above. 

I love this man with pipe. Created with a vinyl decal pasted to a piece of plexi glass fixed 1/4" off the wood background. I really like the color combo here with the black, white, red and vitage graph paper.

Check out this one, mom and boy. This piece would make for a great gift for a mom... The old map gives it the feel of a traveler. 

Willow

One of my favorite online resources for fun and fabulous goods is Willow. They have an amazing selection of home accessories, cute stationary and other goods that I can never seem to get enough of! Another great feature of their site is a section devoted to "boys" to help out with gift shopping for the men in your life- I know sometimes I have a hard time with that! Check out their great stuff, you won't be disappointed! Click here for the assorted selection of awesome Rehabilitated Dishware designs  featured above. 

I love this adorable porcelain Chimnea Candle Holder. Designed by David Weeks, this cute piece makes you warm just looking at it! Comes with an LED powered tealight and warm yellow glow to light up a room! 

Amazingly beautiful! I love this Pascal chair, made from recycled aluminum and styled after a classic 1940's style Parisian chair. Would be great on a secluded deck or as an unexpected design element  in a hallway piled with books... Love it! 

Fantastic Cul De Sac dishes. I love the vintage styling and fun images! Designed by Laura Mckibbon. Check them out here. 

Marimekko Part II: Home

Since there are so many great products available at Marimekko, I thought that it deserved two blog entries... Being someone that loves pattern in the home, I am always inspired by the fabrics, colors and designs by this company. Anytime I use a fabric or piece by Marimekko in a room I immediately feel like it breathes a new life, humor and lightness into the space and even better, it is without fail that it is a focal point or conversation starter! 

Dinnerware is like the jewelry on a table setting, and this Aarre plate designed by Maija Louekari takes this premise to a literal sense! I love this intertwining pattern of necklaces and jewels, available in either red or black. 

Grab a pillow cover made in this rich green jewel tone and you will have a perfect accessory for a sofa or side chair!  

This well known  Kivet patterned terry towel has been in production since 1956 and continues to be one of Marimekko's most popular designs. Available in red, blue or white- all perfect for the bath! 

Product Spotlight: Modern Twist Placemats

Check out these great placemats by Modern Twist. These are a fantastic find because while having a very modern and minimal aesthetic, these placemats are also incredibly functional. Being made from hand silk screened silicone, these table top mats are easy to wipe clean and also very durable. The silicon is also almost transparent, so the mats don't take away from the beauty of your furniture- they just enhance it with subtle, organic graphics that will create a beautiful presentation with dishes! Check them out here, along with all the pretty graphic options- I still can't decide what is my favorite, maybe birds in trees or floral.... 

Bunny Maxwell

Check out Bunny Maxwell, a cool online shop that is all things pattern! If you love patterns you will love Bunny Maxwell. From lighting, wallpaper, throw pillows and rugs there is all sorts of great options for adding a little extra fun and spunk to your home. Also available is an eclectic mix of vintage and original works of art. Right here for the Koi wallpaper featured above. 

I love this adorable Rainbow Tights photo by photographer Matt Schwartz. Created through polaroid transfers, there is a certain quiet haunting to what would normally be seen as fun and high spirited. 

Great retro inspired coffee, cream and sugar set. Featuring a black and white ribbon design, this great set is perfect for getting you moving in the morning. 

Check out the Your Best Shot bedding by Luxury Lab Linens. I love the bright colors and also how the pattern on the bedspread is off kilter. Don't miss the archers on the shams...

Fawn & Forest

Fawn & Forest is a great resource for parents who want to pass on their modern design sense to their little ones. Fawn & Forest is an online destination that specializes in modern, well designed children's products with an emphasis on sustainable materials, organic fabrics and companies that partake in environmentally friendly manufacturing process'. Their store has a great, clean and easy to maneuver layout with all sorts of fantastic finds. Click here for the Super Natural baby crib set featured above.

I love this Empire Rocker designed by one of my favorite companies, lawson-fenning. This rocking chair looks so comfortable and while it maintains a traditional styling sense, the clean lines and dark wood base give it an updated edge. Available in a ton of color options and three fabric options. 

How adorable is this collection of pillows by estella lugo?  Handmade with wool felt, these pillows look like a very talented family member made them with love. So cute and perfect for adults and children, I want one! 

Amazing seesaw by German company TAU. The toys made by TAU are intended to combine clever design with quality products that are meant to last a lifetime. Great looking and perfect for the playroom! 

Product Spotlight: Make Your Own Path

Check out this cool print, Make Your Own Path by Douglas Wilson. I am always up for an adventure and I love having this positive message around to remind me what is important to me. This message is perfect for me in more ways than one, in both my career life as well as my personal life... its always important to make your own path! Besides having an important mantra, this poster is also unique because they are all one of a kind. Each print is hand letterpressed onto antique maps, so each each piece will be absolutely unique.  Check out this great print as well as all the other great pieces available, right here. 

Amenity New Products and Sale

Amenity Baby Alpaca Mocha Throw Blanket 

Amenity is a favorite home accessories company of mine and I was really happy to see that they have recently expanded their offerings. They have always created amazing and beautiful bedding, pillows and wall prints with their signature organic, nature inspired silhouettes, but recently they have added a nursery collection, alpaca throws, a tabletop collection and a line of really cool totes. Amenity is known for using organic and sustainable materials in the production of their goods and this thoughtful approach is consistent in their newest collections. 

More good Amenity news.... Be sure to check out the sale section of Amenity's website. There are some amazing deals to be had on quality, beautiful products. Can you beat $30 for a handmade linen pillow with an eco-friendly insert made from recycled plastic bottles? Grab the goods before they are gone! 

Deadly Squire

Deadly Squire is a design company that creates items for both the home and self. Created by a humorous and artistic husband and wife team, Deadly Squire has produced a line of products based on six distinct patterns that take their inspirations from nature and daily surroundings. In their line you will find all types of great items, from simple fabric napkins and totes to trays and ties all adorned with their signature pattern selection. Make sure and read their funny product descriptions and check out their cute line drawings, all add to the cool factor of Deadly Squire! Click here for the rectangular pillow featured above. 

My favorite pattern of the current Deadly Squire collection is definately Black Birds After the Harvest. I love the dark quality of the black birds and black leaves against the green back ground. That being said, I love the round tray in Black Birds pattern. Perfect for party serving or just to have hanging around... Made of Swedish birch veneer. 

Feasting at the Berry Bush is an adorable and bright pattern. It looks great on the dog bed and is machine washable made out of cotton canvas. 

Check out this cute baby bib in Groundskeepers Cameo print. Perfect for a stylish gift and made out a quilted pima cotton and fine terrycloth. 

Reprodepot

I am not much of a crafty person, although I wish I was! One of my favorite sites to frequent and dream about all the things I would make, if I could make them, is Reprodepot. A great source when it comes to reproduction vintage fabrics, Reprodepot has a huge selection of designer and upholstery weight fabrics perfect for reupholstering that tired chair that you found! Make sure and check out their sale section- there are always great finds there! Leopard Spot fabric above, here. 

Some of my current Reprodepot favorites: 

Cool scooter print fabric, available in black or pink color ways. Great looking either way! 

Can't miss with this mod style martini fabric. Love it! Would make great tea towels. 

Beautiful and simple authentic Marimekko fabric. Available in multiple color ways.