Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Paper City + Holiday Idea


Portland artist Joel Henriques made this paper city for his kids and posted it on his blog, Made By Joel, several months ago (template available there also). I love the squiggly lines in the buildings and the different styles and personalities of his characters.

It occurred to me that this would be a really easy way to create inexpensive one-of-a-kind holiday decorations, especially for those who live in small spaces or those on a budget (if you're like me, that's check, check). You could design your own little village, or just make Christmas trees, or gnomes; any holiday theme would work. Or, if you aren't particularly confident in your drawing skills, you could print Joel's template and color it in with holiday colors. It's a great activity for kids and a creative way to add festive decorations without spending any money.

I've made a lot of holiday decorations in the past using various materials; some turned out better than others, but all were lots of fun to create. If I can dig up some photos, I'll post them here.

Oh, and if you've never been to Joel's blog, you should definitely check it out. He makes wonderful handcrafted toys and shares tutorials too. You can see his artwork here.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Treasury Time

To see the full treasury and get links to all of these wonderful shops click here.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Sale!

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! I'm thankful for all my sweet followers, so I'm having a sale this weekend. Use coupon code BF2010 to save 10% on everything in my shop 11/26 - 11/29. I have lots of cute pins that would make great stocking stuffers (hint, hint).

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

New from Studio Cochae

I just noticed that several new origami books by Studio Cochae will arrive in stores on December 1st here in the US. For those of you unfamiliar with their work, Studio Cochae is an origami graphics group based out of Tokyo. Their products are creative, well-designed, and lots of fun.




Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Colorful Treats

The weather here is cold, rainy, and gloomy in general today, so I thought I'd share some bright colorful ribbon I received a couple of days ago.




I can't resist all that color; it always cheers me up.


Sunday, November 21, 2010

Treasury Time

To see the full treasury and get links to all of these beautiful shops click here.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Orla Kiely's London Home

While trolling the internet yesterday, I was excited to discover a recent sneak peek into Orla Kiely's London pad on House and Home. It's no surprise that her classic prints pop up here and there throughout the house, and her furniture and decor choices reflect the retro modern aesthetic Kiely is known for in her work.

I love the orange slice chair by Pierre Paulin, the striped tile flanking the fireplace, and the vintage Illums Bolighus candle holders on the mantel.

The bold reddish-orange stripe running down the staircase is fantastic. By painting everything else (including the bannister) the same shade of warm white, the bold stripe stands out, looking fresh and modern.

Visit House and Home to see more photos of Kiely's lovely abode.

(Sources: All photos by Jake Curtis on House and Home. Thanks to Minnie for the link!)

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Treasury Time

To see the full treasury and get links to all of these lovely shops click here.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Knitting Around

This time of year, as the days grow colder and the nights draw in, I always feel compelled to cuddle up on the couch with a good movie and some knitting or crocheting. I have been a somewhat sporadic knitter in the past (made a scarf here or there), but this year, I'd like to tackle a slightly larger or more complex project. I need to refresh my memory and probably learn some new skills. I have a couple of good pattern books that have been sadly neglected in recent years, so I'll probably start there. I'll try to remember to take photos and share my progress on this blog, even if it's a bit messy.

I've gathered a few inspirational images of knitted and crocheted amazingness below. Of course, I'm not quite capable of making anything this awesome yet, but maybe someday...









Do you have any favorite web sites that offer free knitting/crocheting patterns and tutorials? If so, please share in the comments.

(Sources: photos 1 & 2 are Giles from Vogue, September 2007; Rest of images from Sandra Backlund)

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Holiday Stocking

It may seem a bit early for most folks, but Christmas is already in full swing on Etsy. So, I've begun stocking my shop with holiday items. Here is the first brooch, a red and white peppermint inspired flower with layers of blanket-stitched petals. I'll be adding some ornaments (in less traditional holiday colors) and a few other winter accessories in the near future, so stay tuned!


Thursday, November 11, 2010

Treasury Time

To see the full treasury and get links to all of these unique shops click here.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Collage

I don't know how it happened, but I'm another year older today. Here's a couple of collages to celebrate.


Saturday, November 6, 2010

Gathering Flowers

I've made two more flower brooches for my shop; I seem to only want to make flowers lately.


Friday, November 5, 2010

Happy Friday

(Source: The poster is Miranda July, but I don't know where this particular image came from)

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Treasury Time

To see the full treasury and get links to all of these cheery shops click here.