heyde

alt christmas tree

2008-12-10T15:34:00.000-08:00

from because we can:

so pretty.

rose and radish sale

2008-11-20T20:45:00.000-08:00

phew - i needed a break. but now am back and loving the Rose and Radish Holiday Clean Sweep Sale, especially the above Serigraph. beautiful.

leanimal redux

2008-09-05T13:52:00.000-07:00

she did it again! winning with a fabulous dress. i wish the photo was better and also showed the back... beautiful.

and you can actually buy it here (if you have an Amex and the not so small matter of $650 to spare...)

korto also continues to shine. and kenley to irritate (but to put together beautiful clothes...) also of note: diane von furstenberg was such a gracious guest judge - loved her!

leanimal

2008-08-29T14:38:00.000-07:00

my diminishing credibility as "non-tv watching" person aside, i wanted to spotlight leanne- one of the designers on the current project runway season. this is the best (well, only) re-interpretation of car seat belts (car parts etc - look at that fringe - it is a former seat belt) into clothing that i've ever seen.

leanne has her own line - leanimal - and so every time she pops up on the screen - she's very innocent looking in real life - i can't help but think - confusedly - of a tigress.

anyhow, check out ana's weekly rundown of each week's looks. ana has a great eye and its always interesting to see her take on the show. as for the designers in general, i am liking leanne, korto, kenley sometimes (she can be pretty annoying). in the extremely annoying camp: blayne and suede. hoping there are more challenges like the brooke shields one and fewer with car parts in the future...

mad men

2008-08-25T12:53:00.000-07:00

if you don't watch this show, you need to start right now.

i am not a big tv person (usually i surf the web while "watching" whatever i am "watching"), but this is one you have to really watch - all of it. there's so much cool mid century design and clothing (and not so cool but riveting behavior) to see:

it is also - evidenced by last night's episode - brilliantly put together (plot, character etc). you must see this!

wall decals aren't new but i think they are super cool...

2008-08-14T16:42:00.000-07:00

...especially if you want to do something fun and unexpected but are just a tad nervous about 'fun and unexpected' going horribly wrong in some spendy-to-fix other medium...

blik giraffe wall decal from velocity art & design.

fun stuff!

2008-08-13T10:39:00.001-07:00

these are cute and sort of edgy all at once:

coin purses by ivana helsinki via bloesem.

and speaking of bloesem, the adorable booties i got nancy earlier this year from bloesem's etsy shop are super booties (according to nancy). they apparently stay on very well (in addition to being incredibly soft). nancy told me the the bloesem etsy shop will be back up soon and, therefore, more bootie buying opportunities will abound...

oh baby

2008-07-25T19:23:00.000-07:00

i letterpressed these a while back for a friend's baby announcements:

making these was pretty hard for me - i still have lots to learn - but worth it.

i was going to put up a shot of just one single announcement but then i decided i liked this one best - the letterpress really pops next to the newspaper and other every day items.

lazy daisy

2008-07-18T15:58:00.001-07:00

so pretty in a woozy, hazy sort of way:

you can get it here.

food + flower + style

2008-07-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

i would like to take a flower arranging class from Anna Campbell of Food + Flower + Style...

it looks like she's only got july 12 posted but hopefully there will be more dates soon. she has a cool business with her husband that she describes (along with a description of her loft) here.

supersound

2008-07-14T16:52:00.000-07:00

at the renegade craft fair, i particularly liked the Sonnenzimmer booth. they print and sell striking posters like this one titled Smalltown Supersound Showcase 2008:

you can buy one here.

also, if you are in sf, i highly recommend going to the deyoung and watching the movie about dale chihuly's glass making/glass blowing. what an awesome combination of brute strength and fine detail work. also, what a great example of successful collaborative work - in art or otherwise. see the movie before going into the show!

alberto seveso

2008-07-11T10:31:00.000-07:00

i came across this by alberto seveso on .v:

dreamlike and stunning.

renegade craft fair

2008-07-10T20:58:00.001-07:00

the renegade craft fair is this weekend in sf.

i can't wait to see what ali of designalicious brings... she makes such beautiful jewelry:

i am also looking forward to seeing sara paloma's pottery in person:

and so much more. go check it out if you can!

funky light

2008-07-08T14:44:00.000-07:00

this pendant light fixture rocks! from hive modern.

another funky lighting idea calling out to me loud and clear right now (way cheaper too) is to get 2-3 of these from ikea and hang them at different heights...

the camaraderie of the peloton

2008-07-02T15:12:00.000-07:00

my friend sarah is competing in the Tour de France Knit Along. i love her attitude (and way with words): "My hope is that the camaraderie of the peloton will help me to speed quickly through another knitted object."

these are pretty awesome knitted objects. i have a cool brown knitted cap from sarah and have seen some pretty sweet other creations. to wit: antonio the fish.

me and you

2008-07-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

tomorrow is our anniversary and this card from linda and harriet says it all...

happy anniversary to my other half ;)

thanks to joanna at a cup of jo for the find!

really great ... door sets

2008-06-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

didn't know what a door set was until yesterday, but now i do. isn't the above rad? it's from Rocky Mountain Hardware.

cooling off

2008-06-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

it is hot here, really really hot! we're thinking of attaching shade sails to the side of our house and in the garden to cool everything off...

Image courtesy of Apartment Therapy

just pretty

2008-06-19T16:39:00.001-07:00

suzani boxes from jayson home & garden.

babies on the brain (part 2 of ?)

2008-06-18T16:35:00.000-07:00

more and more new babies on the way! above: a beautiful baby rattle from canoe in portland.

chairloom

2008-06-13T15:45:00.000-07:00

via the wonderful bloesem, i discovered chairloom - a PA company doing some very cool things with virginia johnson fabric (which i adore) and vintage chairs.

i always love a contrast between old and new and a bright virginia johnson fabric will make me happy anytime - so i am really a fan!

Image courtesy of Chairloom

floors floors floors

2008-06-11T16:55:00.000-07:00

floors are on my mind these days. secretly i want to ebonize my floors ala the marc jacobs store in nyc...

... and then paint all the walls Super White and fill the house with colorful modern art (this is what I read Michael Govan the director of LACMA and his wife Katherine Ross did in their LA house). while i luuuuv that look (the light goes literally skittering across the black floor and the art provides all the color and interest), i realize it's not so easy to live in a modern art museum. plus i actually have stuff (that needs hiding places) and oh - no budget for all the super edgy modern art.

so our house will take a somewhat different direction - someday (right now i just need to get the floors done and move into the thing and then i will be a happy camper...)

anyhow, thinking about floors reminded me of this painting the Floor Scrapers by Gustave Caillebotte:

you can see how beautiful the light is as it skims across the floors... just exactly what you want hardwood floors to do in/for a house...

miranda's apt

2008-06-06T12:17:00.000-07:00

i am dying to see sex & the city and these photos of miranda's apt from the set (via casa sugar) caught my attention. why do i think my new house is going to be as jumbled? i don't even have kids - just too much random stuff which i am getting newly and suddenly reacquainted with as i try to cajole and cram and stuff it into boxes...

at any rate, her jumbly-ness looks like well loved jumbly-ness (though based on the previews i worry that all is not well in the miranda-steve hhold)...

blurb - i like it!

2008-06-05T16:55:00.001-07:00

i just came across this fun website called blurb - where you can create a book (very nice looking a la the above) from your blog, blog photos, flickr photos, whatever, you name it - and then even sell it!

i have been a lame blogger recently! here's my excuse - i'm moving. moving... is a big (but worth it) pain. we're moving into a new house and there is an endless (endless!) stream of design possibilities to contemplate.

i've also finished a letterpress project that i want to show a bit of - but i need to ask permission first. hopefully soon!

capsule is coming!

2008-05-19T13:35:00.000-07:00

this weekend, capsule sf returns to hayes valley. i truly loved this design festival last spring. i met so many really talented and friendly designers and printers and i am bummed to miss it this year (but happy to heading to be heading to nyc!).

Graphic design and rendering above by Jenna Sunde

if you are reading and needing a design fix this weekend, head over to hayes valley on sunday... and have fun!

25 under 25

2008-05-14T17:11:00.000-07:00

kathryn parker almanas is featured in the new book, 25 Under 25: Up-and-Coming American Photographers, Volume 2. i wrote about her here and can't wait to see which image(s) made it into the book.

there is an exhibition related to the book too on May 29–June 28, 2008 at the Gulf and Western Gallery at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU 721 Broadway, New York, New York. and an opening reception on 5/29 from 6–8 p.m. wish i wasn't leaving nyc on 5/27!

a good eye

2008-05-07T17:31:00.000-07:00

no, make that a great one. ana, who writes the super fun blog stylings and so on and so forth, has started a photo monday post - in which she posts (her) latest photo shots such as this one:

i have the good fortune to work with ana and she told me she takes these with her new nikon ds. they are....

... almost heartbreaking in their beauty.

ana also writes AWESOME fashion posts featuring the fabulous, the fierce, and (sometimes for laughs) the fugly best clothes off the latest runway shows. definitely check her blog out!

here's a stunner

2008-05-07T15:34:00.003-07:00

i just saw this on apartment therapy. so gorgeous! (i also wouldn't mind being at that beach peeking out of the left corner of the frame right now...)

greek genius

2008-04-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

here's ashley again...

modeling the vintage red spanish shirt she uncovered at new bohemia in austin. during our trip, she, who is oh-so-in-the-know about all things greek, also got me hooked on korres.

do you know korres?

i think it is time you did.

korres make (truly, really) all natural skin and hair products. i've been doing a lot of reseach on product ingredients recently (here's a good resource) and you'd be shocked at what lurks in the ostensibly harmless (normal baby shampoo!) and even heavily promoted "natural/organic" products (don't get me started ...).

but korres ... now here's a company that knows how to put a pretty (in the most holistic sense) product in a very pretty package.

Image courtesy of Sephora

a wrong turn or two

2008-04-20T16:06:00.001-07:00

my husband and i set out for kauai last week but due to a couple metaphorical travel wrong turns ended up in palm springs. i've been before, but never when it was just this hot and just this perfect weather. and we are here at the parker palm springs which (designed by Jonathan Adler) is quirky and cheeky and just-the-right size (not a huge lumbering resort place) hotel. it is also stunning:

at night, these lanterns (which from a distance seem like regular chinese laterns seem, from up close, to be made of mother of pearl) light up all over the place:

also, you may have seen this before but check out the entrance:

a most excellent selective use of the color orange. it is pretty clear where you are supposed to go in ;)

the many good sides of ... wine

2008-04-14T20:29:00.000-07:00

i just love this table, so gorgeous and so... well, good! cliff spencer makes it from reclaimed wine stained oak staves (from wineries). all the better for the stains i think!

Via Inhabitat

aviary in austin

2008-03-31T10:43:00.000-07:00

our last day in Austin was last Sunday - Easter. we didn't have high hopes that shops would be open, but took a shot and called Aviary to see. one of the shop's owners, Marco, answered and said no the shop wasn't open but that he'd open it up for us whenever we wanted to swing by.

and so we did and had a blast checking out all of the gorgeous goods, including cards and prints by Umlauted, an Austin based print shop. these are some of my favorites:

i also loved the jewelry by Sampagita and the fun kids products by Offi and the moderngoods china (see below for a pic)...

even more than the goods, though, we loved the company! marco made us espresso and sat us down at the bar in his store for a good long chat about his career as a photographer and shop owner and what its like to run a small business. like kathryn at homegirls, marco seemed just so happy to be doing what he's doing. really inspiring.

thank you marco for everything! you rock.

home girls

2008-03-28T12:47:00.001-07:00

in austin, we made a special trip to visit home girls and boy was it worth it.

welcoming us with a great big smile: kathryn blanchard, one half of the mom-daughter team behind this fascinating store full of beautifully refurbished and recycled furniture.

i was really taken with this chair (only $65!) that kathryn is in the process of re-upholstering in what sounded like a fabulous fabric:

kathryn told us all about their reasons for starting the store; "wanting to do something fun and something happy" i believe she said. and happy and fun abounds at this jewelbox of a place.

kathryn and sarah, i am calling you when i get a house!

awesome austin

2008-03-27T16:31:00.001-07:00

last weekend, my friend ashley and i hit the town of austin texas hard. we had a great time and, we both feel, did the town proud - going to tons of live shows, tasting every mexican morsel we could get our hands (mouths?) on and, of course, visiting the super super shops. it was, in short, my kind of travel destination heaven. sigh.

one of the best things about this place is that cool stuff is around every corner. for instance, this:

upon turning a corner on the ut campus, we came across this sculpture called "Penetrable" by Jesus Rafael Soto. you could walk through it, were invited to do so by the signs... and it felt so funny - like you were moving through thicker air or kelp or seaweed. as ashley said (i think!), it kind of makes you think more about the space you inhabit.

it also looks so freaking cool.

stay tuned - tomorrow i will post about 2 of our favorite shops in austin and their fabulous and friendly shopkeepers...

rose and radish sale

2008-03-27T16:27:00.000-07:00

rose and radish is having a great big in store sale this weekend! discounts get better throughout the weekend (45% off on sunday)... if you are in sf, check it out!

Image courtesy of Rose and Radish

landscapes

2008-03-17T19:44:00.000-07:00

over the past weekend, i came across a couple of landscapes that made me pause.

one literal: the work of huettl landscape architecture

loved their olive grove at the sf garden show. so peaceful. here's a shot of some of their other work:

fascinated by contrasts as always, i like how they juxtapose tough concrete with the hazy greens of olive trees and grasses and water sounds (take my word on it on that last point)

Image courtesy of Huettl Landscape

should i ever have the opportunity for them to create a mediterranean garden for me in the hazy future, i'll take it.

a second landscape - that of a nama rococo print spied in rose and radish.

i left it in the shop but thought better and ordered it (the last one i was told!). but watch her wallpaper and other prints. this was a splurge but it was sort of a special celebratory weekend so it was (i am going to tell myself this) in order.

Image courtesy of Rose and Radish and Nama Rococo

modern economy

2008-03-14T13:15:00.000-07:00

i just was reminded that the next modern economy sale will be taking place on april 12 in sf.

looking at the participating designers list, i can see there will be lots for people buying gifts for babies!

genius and hilarity

2008-03-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

genius:

for anyone who loves open flames but worries just a teensy bit that someone exuberant will kick em over, these candles from vessel.

hilarity: photoshop diasters via a cup of jo

i realize these might be so super hilarious to me b/c i work in marketing and get paid to really try not to do stuff like this. really.

twice as nice

2008-03-05T15:18:00.000-08:00

paris and great graphics = 2 of my favorite things ever.

i just got a nice dose of both over at design*sponge where grace showcased some of the graphics from Saul Bass's children's book Henri's Walk to Paris. here are some of my fave images and you can see the rest here. enjoy!

white elephant

2008-02-28T12:07:00.000-08:00

via more ways to waste time, i see that this weekend is the oakland museum's ginormous white elephant sale. looks worth checking out for antiques, mirrors etc.

white elephant baby toy above available from oompa toys - to continue the baby theme ;)

oh baby

2008-02-27T16:53:00.001-08:00

a new little girl is among us and, in her honor, i wanted to show off her super stylish crib set:

dwell studio really knows its stuff. now you can get similar dwell goodness for babies at target too.

ventura

2008-02-26T10:20:00.001-08:00

i really dig this new (i think) display font, ventura, by Dino dos Santos:

i like how it is old looking and fancy but also legible and clear. you can buy it here. i think i will.

la familia green

2008-02-22T18:29:00.000-08:00

last weekend, i visited friends in minneapolis and, on a visit to letterbox, came across the stationary line la familia green. love its quirkiness and irreverence. and they sure do a nice, not icky, cat card. this is important b/c i have some serious cat people in my family.

Images courtesy of La Familia Green

tulipmania

2008-02-11T11:41:00.000-08:00

i have never met a tulip that i didn't like. that's just how it goes around here. however, i am not sure i've ever been as bowled over by tulips as i am by these:

they were from the lovely nancy via the french tulip. molto bello.

letterpress for valentine's day!

2008-02-09T07:38:00.000-08:00

i haven't been at all (am i really ever?) organized about valentine's day this year but with a few hours to spare yesterday found some great cards from some of my favorite press shops. not sure why monkeys figure so prominently is my faves but, anyhow....

from egg press, the hearts collection which is on sale through 2/14:

from hello lucky, a menagerie of sorts:

from lizard press:

from dutch door press:

and many others at pancake & franks!

super soft

2008-02-03T07:25:00.000-08:00

i've been chomping at the bit to show these ultra-soft hand-knitted baby shoes from bloesem:

does anything get any more darling than these? i am honestly not sure.

i found them on bloesem's etsy shop back in december, ordered them (they flew all the way from irene's hands in kuala lumpur!) and gave them to nancy yesterday... so now the cat's out of the bag and it is time to share.

so soft and wonderful, they are ideal gifts for new babies - especially for the small feet of the many winter babies we are having this year. i hope irene will make some more!

belgian beauties

2008-01-31T16:16:00.001-08:00

it's been too too long! i've got the usual string of excuses BUT i've been continuing to stuff my idea folders full of images and inspiration and have a few project ideas (many new baby related - yet another new baby arrived 2 days ago! yay baby Harry!) bubbling in the back of my head.

but for the moment, check out these belgian drinking glasses from Henry Dean (that i found on my new blog addiction Remodelista):

speaking of belgian drinking, we tried out The Trappist - a belgian beer bar the other weekend with our Belgian friend Charly and his wife Francis. now that was fun and the beer glasses festive (though not quite as ethereal as these), especially by the end of our 12 glass tasting. next up: the Monks' Kettle!

with belgian beer bars popping up all over the place, the SF bar gods truly must have got the message the Charly was back!

what i've been up to recently

2008-01-07T17:55:00.000-08:00

.... has been making my own letterpressed holiday cards. i am happy with how they turned out and extra happy with the sense of peace and fulfillment that the process of creating them gave me.

a ps: so i can't count, apparently, and didn't make enough. so i apologize if you are reading this and happen to be someone who'd expect a card from me and didn't get one - i am SORRY!

bloesem for kids

2008-01-02T10:12:00.001-08:00

i am kind of behind on this (it is not the newest of news, but still great news!)...bloesem has introduced a new blog featuring great design for kids. i am looking forward to reading this! super topical for my life right now (4 babies of friends coming in the next few months - woohoo!)

a t-shirt christmas

2008-01-02T05:19:00.000-08:00

inspired by the shower onesies (see below), we came up with a new project for our family at the holidays. we have a bunch of traditions already: trooping through the woods to pick out our tree (yup, we totally still do that), going to a church service where they have a candle light service (real candles) plus all the good carols, and making christmas cookies for santa of course.

but why not add another? everyone got up from in front of the tv and laptops and got together over the dining room table to decorate holiday 2007 t-shirts.

it must be my inner art teacher... i can't get enough of watching different people approach and execute a project in their own unique style.

above is the back of the shirt b made. love it!

sights for sore ears

2007-12-17T13:58:00.000-08:00

arrgh - work is being done on our house today (hello symphony of drills and saws + unannounced water shut off) and it is driving me nuts. (i am working at home today. of course.) so, i am not feeling very patient/able with uploading images or anything at all techincal today. i also really need to do my postings on the computer with photoshop but sigh that is just not going to happen right now. however, here's some very cool stuff to look at:

*Sara Burgess's (of Central Office of Design) Miniature Cut-Out Books
I saw one of these (the Book of Bugs) on display at the San Francisco Center for the Book this year - they are truly stunning works of art. Be sure to scroll down to the Apple Tree illustrated book. i was reminded of this b/c i went to the Holiday Fair at the SFCB yesterday and saw so much great printwork (Dutch Door Press, Lizard Press, Paperflirt, Aviary Press, Boxer Press and Green Chair Press - just to name a few).

*the relaunch of the magazine Culture & Travel featuring an article called "A Spice Odyssey" with gorgeous (gorgeous!) photos shot by my cousin Kathryn Parker Almanas. she is my cousin, it's true, but i am not just being nice. the lady is super talented. check out the Winter 2007 issue next time you are in a bookstore (her spread starts on page 100).

*and finally, a string of baby onesies we created at the baby shower i gave a few weeks ago. setting a bunch of semi-strangers loose on blank white baby outfits (for a very loved by all parties little baby) with stencils and fabric paint is such a great way for everyone to meet/interact. i loved seeing the different directions everyone took. here's a sampling:

type & tauba auerbach

2007-12-14T10:53:00.000-08:00

type and typography fascinate me. together with color, look how tauba auerbach uses it to illustrate a quicksilver flipflop of opinion:

i am really looking forward to exploring type and its power in my letterpress work... speaking of which: printing solo for the first time on the letterpress last night was a thrill. i am so grateful to my kind and helpful fellow printers - betsy and kathleen - and our indefatiguably patient supervisor sabrina.... i had a ton of questions and learned so many tricks to to making more perfect prints.

there's a slippery slope in the possibility for perfection in letterpress and, for my own sanity, i am working hard to concentrate on the potential beauty in (my many printed) imperfections. you can measure so much and expect such exact results that easily, quickly the art and fun of it (for me at least for now) can slide away.

Image courtesy of Tauba Auerbach

redux

2007-12-11T21:33:00.000-08:00

finally here's a picture of the baby shower invite i made a few weeks ago for a great friend:

this is by far a better image. phew! that took some work and some lollygagging around on my part. i feel like i've had my head in the sand blog-wise the last few weeks but i've covered some serious ground - sf to nyc and back again and then sf to la and back. all in two weeks. that's far for moi! looking forward to being around for a tiny (literally) bit... (excuse the clunky eraser marks; in the interest of speed, i went with the low budge eraser fix rather than photoshop.)

also, i was really into the flowers behind the card. typically, i've got grand plans for flowers....i can see it all in my head, you know, but then reality and my ineptitude/rushing lets me down. this time, however, i was psyched with the result. here's another pic:

and, in other exciting news, i am on (letter)press this week for another project this. i cut my paper and made plates yesterday and thurs is it. wish me luck.

i think it's ok to brag about my husband on my blog this one time

2007-12-11T21:11:00.000-08:00

i am not biased or anything, but i think my husband is a super gifted designer and craftsman. behold the result of his thanksgiving weekend woodshop heroics:

i have all these great ceramics etc from travels that i'd like to display and we have a whole heck of a lot of books to store. the square shelf bookshelf from ikea -that everyone has - was looking like a good option but b persuaded me otherwise and now we have these beauties. at the moment, they have primer + one coat of paint (progress from what's shown) and i am jazzed about putting them to use soon. i've got this feeling they are going to be the warhorses of our bookshelf collection.

ac to the rescue

2007-12-06T15:28:00.000-08:00

do you need to buy a gift for a guy? and more specifically, a guy who (however genuinely interested in good design) would not be psyched about a (however so well-intentioned) design-y type gift? perhaps someone who spends a wholesome chunk of his weekend in a certain ahem big blue store whose initials are bb?

if so, look no further than ac's (grace's other half) gift guide for guys on none other than design*sponge today. it is hilarious!

oh and one more thing

2007-11-28T07:35:00.001-08:00

how's this for inspiration? thirty thousand years of art - the cave paintings right up to art from right now. my intro art history class all in one gorgeous album with just pictures, no (ok, maybe few) words. it is going on my christmas list right now.

holiday indie shopping - let's get to it

2007-11-27T21:52:00.000-08:00

the holidays are upon up with a vengeance. luckily that means lots of indie art and craft fairs, including several super letterpress sales.

up first: the Calendar Show & Sale on November 30th from 6-9
at my haunt the SF Book Center (16th and DeHaro), where my letterpress teacher Megan Adie will have her brand new letterpress calendars for sale. i heard about the amazing number of printruns and colors she used to create these; i can't wait to check them out. speaking of letterpress, i am psyched - i finished my letterpress certification over the weekend and am looking forward to printing my own work now!

next: Carrot & Stick Studio Sale on December 8th from 10-4
at 6050 Lowell Street, Studio 102, in Oakland

the ladies at C&S create such clean, strong graphics and are super to work with. they did a save the date for me and it came out beautifully.

Image courtesy of Carrot & Stick

i am bummed b/c i will actually miss those first two sales b/c of upcoming trips. i am not bummed about the trips but b/c i can't be in 2 places at once - the trips and the fairs. you get it. onward...

Holiday Fair at SFCB on December 16 from 12-5 which I will be able to attend. More calendars and letterpress goods a la the Calendar Sale this Friday.

And last but not least certainly (I should say most) the Bizarre Bazarre on December 15. Nancy of Belle Epoque will be do a craft demonstration and Ali of designalicious will be selling her gorgeous gems and jewelry. if you are looking for a surprise gift for someone, i totally recomennd Ali's jewelry. she sells online here too.

Looks like a great letterpress line up too at the BB: Dutch Door Press, Lizard Press, Green Chair Press and so, so many more.

just fun stuff to look at

2007-11-19T20:36:00.000-08:00

yikes - i didn't mean to be away for so long. but between a minor car accident (i am fine), a neighbor's burglarly and the general business of life, i haven't had a chance to blog. but i've been collecting images and ideas as always...

first of all, i saw this fun gift idea in a magazine:

i believe those are stina persson's watercolors decorating a space.nk travel set. i luuuuv stina persson - what a great way to take her with you. and if you want her with you at home, you can buy her prints here.

last week, my co-worker, the artist and designer david rose, was invited to showcase a dress made of recycled paper at the AIGA SF 2007 Gala. his dress is the one on the left in the picture at right... he made it entirely out of the leftover pieces of paper from one of his design projects. you can also check out his glass work (great for gifts) at these upcoming shows. he designs super wrapping paper too so be sure to snap some of that up too.

finally, here's a picture of a garage door in my hood with which i am obsessed. i love the shiny black scrolliness of it all. so striking in a neighborhood of beautiful but largely white/pastel houses.

wishing this worked for me

2007-11-09T17:23:00.000-08:00

i just like this planner by Shinzi Katoh so much. the images are stems and branches, but i think they also look like alternative christmas trees. now if only i could actually get myself to use a beautiful planner with any regularity...

it is available at three potato four right here.

typography for kids and kids-at-heart

2007-11-07T15:48:00.000-08:00

robin rosenthal designs modern, simple & fun art for kids - which i came across on designsponge...

and this one is great too: but i suspect it is more soothing for the tired parent eyes than 3 year old attention spans:

i have no kids and i'd totally hang that last one up in my living room in a heartbeat.

check out some of her really colorful and graphic illustrations too. i know so many expectant moms that i just could not not share robin's bennett and the garden series:

Images courtesy of Robin Rosenthal

so fun!

visual organization

2007-11-06T17:00:00.001-08:00

i realize i need to fix up that image of my invite. i'll try to take a good quality pic tonight - it is hard to do this when i am never home in the daylight but i will persevere...

in the meantime, via black eiffel, i found the visual dictionary site.

some sample visuals:

italian price list text:

this makes me think of my husband:

images courtesy of Visual Dictionary

just the place to go for inspiration. go on, goggle all the different typefaces and then contribute. i'm already picturing what i want to upload - there is just so much visually interesting and entertaining type all around us everyday - why not share?

creative project unmasked

2007-11-05T18:50:00.000-08:00

i have a letterpress project in the works - exciting! - but for the moment, i wanted to show you the 'creative project' i've been working on:

it is for a friend's baby shower. we went through the creative process (which i usually do from the non-designer side) and it felt great to produce a result that incorporated everyone's feedback - and that everyone liked. no small task.

fine little day

2007-10-31T10:01:00.001-07:00

check out this delicate beauty of a poster:

Image courtesy of fine little day

for sale by fine little day. she'll have more up in her etsy shop shortly!

sunny sunday in sf

2007-10-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

i just love SF on days like this. without having to leave my neighborhood, i got to enjoy - in the sun - an indie design fair, toffee coffee ice cream from BiRite in the park, lunch with nancy at the liberties and a visit with Jessica of josephine and debudda!

we visited ali of designalicious at the mission indie mart - she has gorgeous necklaces and some cool vintage earrings for sale... great christmas presents:

Images courtesy of Designalicious

at the mart, i was also taken with the laser-cut jewelry at molly m designs. such pretty cuts and patterns and shapes - i especially liked the circular acrylic pendants - they were so light - and would pick up light rays super well and send them bouncing all over ;)

Image courtesy of Molly M Designs

i also popped into Josephine & Debudda and met both Josephine (shop mascot and friendly french bulldog) and Jessica, the shop's super nice owner. she finds such great vintage jewelry! and displays it so artfully - everything looks like a million bucks, but is in fact totally reasonable.

Image courtesy of Josephine & Debudda

you must go here to ogle the sparkling and gleamy jewelry or pick up a super soft Hayden Harnett pouch for pencils or makeup or a purse (what i use mine for.)

my creative project keeps on trucking - i have a meeting with the new mom to discuss the invite in an hour... and hope to get it all printed tomorrow. wow. can't wait.

meet up

2007-10-24T14:30:00.000-07:00

last night nancy and i attended the design*sponge biz lady event in sf and it was quite fun and inspiring to be surrounded by so many like minded ladies. we had a great time talking to ali of designalicious - who will be showing and selling more of her beautiful jewelry this sunday at the Mission Indie Mart.

check it out!

also, in belleepoque news, nancy will be featured as the designer of a super cute (i had a sneak peak) Halloween costume on live TV this weekend! watch the Saturday morning news show on CBS...

they are everywhere

2007-10-22T21:41:00.000-07:00

when we were in london everywhere we looked we saw elephants!

stencil/poster art in the east end:

a herd in hyde park:

plus, bonus! a monkey!

london is such a feast of visual design - everywhere a fantastic color or funny ad to stare at. or a line of shops - all agreeing to paint their fronts in co-ordinated but technicolor saturated color:

and this i just loved:

art explosion

2007-10-21T16:32:00.000-07:00

the city was definitely exploding with art this weekend! open studios galore - every where you look - almost as many as open house real estate signs.

my friend meghan took me to the Art Explosion Open Studios at 17th and Potrero. i loved checking out the art - but maybe even more that that loved seeing that there continues to be space for artists in the city.

and last night we had a super fun night at le zinc and then at the bishop allen concert at the independent - love those boys!

on my own creative front, i am working out a baby shower invite. i love my idea just need my illustrator skills to catch up with it ;) onward...

of course you do

2007-10-18T16:25:00.000-07:00

i really admire Marian Bantjes' work... and i think her recent project for Saks is mesmerizing. i guess this is just what happens retail-wise beginning this time of the year;)

how could you not want a puffy vest when displayed and arrayed just so?

Images courtesy of Marian Bantjes

peanut and the moon jar

2007-10-16T20:41:00.000-07:00

i just had to post this:

such a darling elephant toy! made by nancy of belle epoque based on a pattern from hillary lang. i saw 'peanut' in person yesterday and he? she? is the perfect, cuddley stuffed toy. hurray for elephants! and new babies of course ;)

on a totally different note: do you know about korean moon jars? i saw a tiny, jewelbox of an exhibit on them at the british museum in london and was really struck by their beauty:

these are very large and very rare white porcelain jars made in Korea in the 17th/18th centuries. to make them large enough, craftsmen created the tops and bottoms of the jars separately and then joined the parts together, which created bulges around the jars' girths. i love the simpleness and milky white color - the jar i saw just seemed to glow...

new designalicious!

2007-10-09T20:40:00.000-07:00

ali of designalicious emailed to tell me about her new jewelry and it is, not suprisingly, gorgeous:

earthy and gorgeous and mysterious!

ali also has a new blog with more photos of new work - and she'll be showing it at the capsule design festival this sunday in sf. i love, love, love the capsule fair - such great designers and artists all in one festive gathering. i don't think i'll make it but will definitely be at ali's next showings at the Mission Indie Mart on 10/28 and the Holiday Bazarre Bizarre on 12/15.

i've been compiling some london and sardinia finds... and will step up my posting again (now that i am 1. in the us and 2. not sick!)

chihuly glass chandelier

2007-10-02T20:35:00.000-07:00

here's a peek at the huge blown glass chandelier by dale chihuly that hangs in the front hall of the victoria & albert museum in london:

the modern and fantastical glass was so striking against the classical/victorian architecture...

back!

2007-10-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

i am glad to be home after a fantastic trip! i need to recover a bit from jetlag and a nasty cold, but i wanted to show this gorgeous chair at liberty:

sorry about the blur due to no flash etc... i have tons more pictures and finds from london that i will pick through soon and show the best of. but first, check out this beach - probably the best i've ever been to - on sardinia:

breathtaking....

london calling

2007-09-13T09:53:00.000-07:00

Image courtesy of Temperley

i am headed to london and sardinia in a few days...and am inspired to check out maje at fenwicks thanks to joanna... and will hopefully get to ogle the dresses at temperley. i cannot get enough of the drapey, flowy glorious temperley look.

then i will just aim to relax in the italian sun and do very little.

if anyone reading this has any shop/designers tips for me to check out while i am in london, let me know!

elephants!

2007-09-10T20:58:00.000-07:00

Image courtesy of J. Crew

elephants galore! i am totally taken with this charm necklace - and with elephants in general. a symbol of wisdom, elephants are pretty popular in my family. a bunch of us collect them; i like the idea of wearing them!

steamroller prints

2007-09-05T16:27:00.000-07:00

if you are around sf this saturday, check out the sfcb's 4th Annual Roadworks: Steamroller Prints and Street Fair.

this is your chance to see a-2 ton steamroller ink and press large linocut prints. there will also be booths with letterpress and bookarts vendors selling their work. i definitely am looking forward to it.

on bloesem

2007-09-04T15:49:00.000-07:00

i was totally thrilled to see that my blog was featured on bloesem as part of irene's latest round of "recently discovered blogs". look at the left hand side bar.

this is so exciting! if anyone reading this hasn't not checked out bloesem, you must do so immediately! irene features superb design finds; you will see something you love i promise.

sesame letterpress

2007-08-31T14:38:00.000-07:00

i just came across these letterpress table cards at sesame letterpress:

Image courtesy of Sesame Letterpress

these give you both the utility of table numbers and a splash of color. (so many of the table number sets out there are just so boring.)

then i poked around the sesame letterpress page. lovely baby announcements and custom note cards and yes wedding invites all handmade by a couple with a baby in brooklyn.

sophie leblanc

2007-08-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

via labour of heart, i learned about sophie leblanc, a french illustrator. i just love her work. it is so whimisical and colorful - with a bit of an edge...

Image courtesy of Sophie Leblanc

i am also obsessing about this for storing letterpress type and print...

the book stool

2007-08-30T09:53:00.001-07:00

now this is something that several people i know in need of both more seating and more organization (myself included) could use...

although this would minimize the fun/inspirational/general craziness vibe of the look of magazines strewn everywhere!

check it out here and here....

me and the machine

2007-08-29T19:37:00.000-07:00

now that my press has been pieced back together by my handy husband, i am pulling together a list of all the bells and whistles it needs to start humming. i spent a bit of today staring at this and at my press:

Image courtesy of Don Black Linecasting

i am learning a lot - for example, after some headscratching and deductive reasoning i figured out what a letterpress - not vehicular - truck is. can you tell i need my upcoming letterpress class to come quickly?

nyc

2007-08-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

so a couple of weeks ago, i went home to nyc and i wanted to share some of my favorite finds/stores/experiences.

*most friendly sales people
bird - sweet sales lady helped extract my embarrassed and stuck, somewhat sweaty self from a pretty but too spendy top, then she let me use the restroom.

*most helpful sales people
the awesome store manager at calypso home in soho who did a major web search just to find a paris store location for me. i wanted to know if the fantastic line maison de vacances had an actual store in france. i bought this mdv beauty for my living room:

*sweetest bargains
sleek white belle flats half off and also at bird, but this time the bird in boerum hill

*best belly laugh
'vintage' smurfs at ugly luggage! i love how my childhood toys are dating me ;) this store is hilarious. you've got to go! many thanks to grace at design*sponge for the suggestion.

*favorite finds: seeing the wallpaper animals in person at romp, the huge gursky photograph poster in the moma store, the mini muji shop in the bottom of the soho moma design store, the funky, conceptual pieces at A&G Merch and The Future Perfect (also favorites of design*sponge). i got this blue lacquer tray and pink plastic vase (that only stands up when you have a very specific amount of water in it) at those stores respectively:

*favorite experiences: checking out the work of julie chang, an artist who comments on consumerism and the commodification of our culture and then heading out to williamsburg to idolize many of those same objects and purchase a few - relishing the irony of this all the way, finding an hour to spare in hudson nyc and seeing the michelin man in the window of an antiques store:

and exploring many galleries in chelsea with my cousin katie...

and enjoying just picked vegetables in ct:

yum!

allegra hicks

2007-08-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

i am heading to London (and Sardinia) and, inspired by all things british as well as desire to inspire's post on allegra hicks, checked out the allegra hicks website. where i found these:

Image courtesy of Allegra Hicks

love the varied colors and patterns. i'd use 1 of each type and combine with otherwise white table furnishings for a summery/beachy look. or else with pewter for something a little richer.

the pic is also especially fun - doesn't it look like a fan made out of multi colored and multi paned cotton?

also, i am almost ready to post my NYC finds... but am still trying to find a time - when I am 1. home and 2. the sun is still shining - to take some good pictures of a couple of them! it has been a busy month!

hive

2007-08-24T14:38:00.000-07:00

lizzie of designwatcher recently posted about the growing numbers of saarinen tables popping up in traditional decor. i have also noticed that and also love the look. a white "tulip" table is so refreshing - especially as a counterpoint to darker furniture or heavier traditional pieces.

Image courtesy of hive

anyhow, i checked out hive - the store lizzie linked to - and fell in love. with its inventory, yes. but also with its site design and interface. it is just lovely -white and clean and simple with stunning images of good design popping up as you point and click.

joyful

2007-08-21T16:04:00.000-07:00

Back in NYC, I was browsing in the Moma bookshop and came across this new book on the work of Pop Artist Sister Corita:

Her work is so alive and just joyful - that is the word many people use to describe it. I love it visually, but I also think her commentary on the world around her is intruiging.

sale at rose and radish

2007-08-14T21:42:00.001-07:00

rose and radish is having an online switch sale - while they swap their old show for the new one. check it out.

while i was checking it out, i saw this lovely picture of some lovely bavarian glasses. not on sale, but pretty all the same:

Images courtesy of Rose and Radish

mission indie mart

2007-08-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

If you are around SF this weekend, definitely check out the Mission Indie Mart. Besides the sweet whale (I love whales) icon, they are bound to have some sweet designers. For instance, Ali of designalicious will be there with her beautiful jewelry! I have two of her charm necklaces (wearing one today actually!) and get endless compliments on them.

I wish I could go but I'll be away for the weekend. But Ali mentioned that she'll be at the next Capsule SF Design Festival on Oct 14 in Hayes Valley so there'll be another chance!

Also - while on the topic of local indie designer fairs - I know there will be some wonderful letterpress works for sale on Sept 8 at the SF Center for the Book's Fourth Annual Roadworks: Steamroller Prints and Street Fair. If you've been jonesing to have a real life steamroller print a carved linoleum block for you - here's your opportunity.

Among others, my letterpress teacher, Megan Aidie, will have a table. Check it out!

making letterpress progress

2007-08-13T12:53:00.001-07:00

I am definitely going to post more on my NYC finds, but first I wanted to post these:

I made my blog some stationary!

Letterpress class could not be more fun. My partner Geoff and I mixed up our colors and took the press by storm (not really, but we did feel super happy with our results). I had laid out just some boring text - the three bits you can see - but then in a burst of inspiration with our second color registration we adjusted things on the fly, played with overlapping text and went with our gut. We ended up with what I think is a really dynamic, integrated design as a final product.

I made flat stationary, folded a few of the flat pieces up into cards and also - thanks to Geoff's idea - perforated a few just above the wording which created some extemporaneous business cards.

I love it! Can't wait for future classes and... In other exciting news, my husband and our friend - both two handy people - fixed my broken tabletop letterpress! They fixed broken cast iron - no idea how they did it, but they did. I am impressed and super grateful. So I am a huge step closer to being able to do this chez moi. Again, can't wait!

use of color at home

2007-08-10T15:13:00.000-07:00

i like seeing how people work with color in their homes. elisabeth dunker's use of it in hers is so simple and beautiful.

i like the pops of color against the white and blue for the kids rooms - it is carefully designed and laid out but i get the feeling the kids can still play freely, be inspired, leave toys on the floor (look at the second picture) and make the space their own.

many thanks to joanna for the link to her article and interview in cookie magazine with elisabeth dunker.

now i really am dying to visit sweden and denmark to see more aesthetics like these!

Images courtesy of Cookie magazine

romp

2007-08-10T10:08:00.000-07:00

in honor of another new baby born yesterday, more baby toys!

this is an awesome elephant baby toy sold at romp in brooklyn:

romp was quite possibly my favorite store in my recent wanderings through various brooklyn shopping neighborhoods. i have no kids, but love the clean lines and bright colors of well designed baby toys!

i think the shop lady thought i was a little crazy because i entered without children in tow and just stood, by myself, in the store ogling the animal figures and the wallpaper elephants and giraffes and the wonderful bunny mobiles. i didn't buy anything but i am sure i will online one of these days!

Image courtesy of Romp

kathryn parker almanas

2007-08-06T17:42:00.000-07:00

after a much needed week+ with family in nyc/ct/ny, i am back in sf. while i was back east, i spent a lot of time with my cousin katie, a fine art photographer. her work is stunning:

Image courtesy of Kathryn Parker Almanas

it reminds me of dutch still lives and the slant of light in a vermeer.

to make a photograph, katie sets up the still life and waits for the light. check out more of her work on her website - it deals with issues surrounding the body and dissection.

she'll be coming to galleries in boston, chicago and other cities so watch out for her.

and i am back to my regular postings and have lots to share from my trip east... stay tuned.

a root glen

2007-07-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

today is a sad and contemplative day - and here is a picture of a place that seems to fit it:

i'll be taking a bit of break for a while, but look forward to being back online soon!

megan park

2007-07-16T20:33:00.001-07:00

Browsing at Erica Tanov (one day I promise to actually buy something here; I treat this store as though it is a museum with no admission fee), I was really taken with the beauty of the embroidered skirts and dresses by Megan Park.

They are hand-beaded with Japanese glass beads, hand-painted and decked out with sequins, affixed one by one, by hand. Truly works of art.

Here's a detail:

Images courtesy of Browns

Stunning!

there are no words....

2007-07-13T12:24:00.000-07:00

... to describe how adorable this kay bojesen toy monkey is.

i came across it on a cup of jo and it made me smile and smile. the designer is also danish - which always inspires some ancestral pride around our household!

have a great friday!

lamps ... in chartreuse!

2007-07-13T11:51:00.000-07:00

these lamps, from paris hotel boutique, could not be more fabulous:

Image courtesy of Paris Hotel Boutique

of course, they are sold. the shop has some similar pairs for sale, but nothing quite as luminous and glowy and - well - green as these!

wardrobe spice

2007-07-11T20:18:00.000-07:00

if you are like me, you have a lot of black and neutral work clothes. in the interest of not breaking the bank but pursuing my new fixation with color, i've been adding color - on my feet.

my secret weapon: bettye muller flats and heels in her trademark fabulous colors. the other, and most necessary, secret: getting them at 50% off in the sale section at anthropologie. i can't get enough! check out the gold flats as well.

(i've posted about them before, but have gotten so many compliments recently that i thought i'd post again!)

and, as if the above weren't enough, they are super comfortable! i am serious! also, i bought my red/white flats (above) a few months ago when they had a whole range of normal sizes; it looks like they are more limited now, but i totally suggest monitoring the sales at anthropologie!

house of hengst

2007-07-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

I just love local SF design shop, House of Hengst on Valencia. Each piece is unique and classic at the same time and each has such wonderful drape and colors. I am happy to see it getting a bunch more press lately!

This is the Hengst Bijou top sold through Anica Boutique in Russian Hill:

Image courtesy of Anica Boutique

So pretty. Looks like House of Hengst is available through stores nationwide - so check it out!

something pretty for monday morning

2007-07-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

Image courtesy of Vivre

I am not really a porcelain person, but this Lladro porcelain butterfly chandelier is just stunning.

fireworks!

2007-07-05T21:53:00.000-07:00

a blurry but fun pic of the view of fireworks from our house the other night:

fireworks popped up in every corner of the city and went on for a long time after the 'official' ones were over. some especially good ones lit up the sky over dolores park.

so much to celebrate!

2007-07-04T15:22:00.000-07:00

yesterday was a big day - it was our first anniversary and a new baby was born to great friends! in honor of everything, we went to dinner at foreign cinema.

we sat outside and it was warm (unusual for sf in the summer at night!). the light was just beautiful and it reminded us of being in france last year.

also, the flower arangements there, by natalie bowen, are just gorgeous. a great end to a fantastic day.

babies on the brain

2007-07-03T13:56:00.000-07:00

This is my state of mind today. And so here we go.

A bunny mobile:

Image courtesy of Romp

Dado Cubes:

Image courtesy of SF Moma

Little Twig Washcloths:

Image courtesy of Church Street Apothecary

Alexander Calder Elephant Puzzle:

Image courtesy of SF Moma

Onesies from Belle Epoque:

Image courtesy of Nancy at Belle Epoque

And a super fun decorating project for parents posted by design*sponge.

Happy Fourth of July!