Two Talents

The incredibly talented Chris Roberts-Antieau and her 2005 collection.

The artwork and Tin Can Angels of Elizabeth Frank.

Handbags And Hats

Flower creations from EJStern, artist Ellen Stern



Unusally shaped knitted copper wire purses by Sharmen Liao

Painted canvas bags by Hilary Law

Handwoven bucket bags and clutch from Claudia Mills Weaver

Adorable felted hats by Hansard Welsh Design

Shefali Finds Help

Update to a sad story shows people care. We ran this picture in our 'The Week in Pictures' today and there she was. "Shefali kisses her daughter Mim in Dhaka, Bangledesh on April 23. Shefali was desperate for money after being abandoned by her husband and offered to sell one of her eyes. Shefali has a new house after different organizations and people came forward to help her". MSBNC.com received 60 emails from people wanting to help her (I just found out that today, after talking to media about the story). I had contacted the writer and editor, they wrote back with information of a professional association that help women. I will contact them but I am relieved to know she is okay now.

HOW Chris Sickels Does His Magic

Chris Sickels is in HOW magazine describing his technique. Guess I will have to go purchase that issue.

Burnt Out

Does this give you a little insight of how I am feeling these days.

Living In Tokyo And Photographing It

Juergen Specht, a German photographer living in Tokyo documenting these interesting things (and lots more):
The Tokyo Criminal Museum
A Century of Japanese Tobacco Posters
Tokyo Christmas Illumination Circus

Suicide Bomber Barbie

With accessories! From The Culture.

Job With A Forest View

Tord Boontje has a new studio with forest view and is looking for a new full-time Studio Manager. Wish I spoke French!
More of Tord Boontje Shadow Light genius.

Food Note

At tasting menu I ran across these photos of what looks like a competition, photos are very tasty. And on the same food note, Heidi Swanson's 101 cookbooks has a Drinkable Chocolate List. Her photography yummy as well.

First Bloom

First blooming peonies are the Red Charm Bomb. The color can not be captured on digital camera but it is close. The other one is dark red with yellow center. Only two of those waiting to bloom.

Sprouting!

I Love Chocolate

I love it, crave it and want to eat it all the time.
Ghirardelli recipes and baking tips.

Chocolate and zucchini wallpaper

Baking chocolate, Scharffen-Berger being my favorite chocolate to bake with (but on the pricey side).

The Ultimate Flourless Chocolate Torte from Godiva and more recipes here. (You could use any baking chocolate).

Hatice at Portakalagaci photographs the food she creates, and has some yummy looking chocolate things there. She has some recipes translated, but I think the pictures tell the story.

You're Buggin' Me

Jennifer Angus creates some weird and wonderful installations of repeating patterns which reference both textiles and wallpaper, that are, well, a little bugged out. I have been intrigued by her work for years. So make sure and take a very close look.

Drawing On Humor Everyday

Hal Mayforth sketchbook is a riot.

notamax.com is a funny little site, full of illustration and the most intriguing animations, organic, fast and fun - you have to figure out which one to click. The website presence is a discovery. This is what is says in the info: Everything is original and may be used complimentary (LINKWARE). Massimo Nota is the artist.

And I could not mention humor without thinking of Bill Mayer, the master of humor and great illustrations. Delightful sketchbooks, naugthy art to make us laugh, beautiful scratchboard work, well, it is all impressive, have a look for yourself.

Puppeteer Extraordinaire

Chris Sickels of Red Nose Studio is a magical puppeteer/illustrator. He created these for a self-promo book of illustrations and limericks that follow the trail of a red thread and won 2004 AltPick Awards Entries. I love the detail he includes in each one, typography and I wondering how long it must take to construct it all and get the shot. Read more about this fascinating artist here and here.

More weird and wonderful puppet characters at Whale Fish Studios and remembering the Alice in Wonderful softies series, 'Lewis Carrott' by Connie Smith.

Silly Drooling

From DesignSponge I found this site selling linens. Not only a beautifully crafted site, but nice merchandise to boot.

I love this paper weight from Lille Shop, but hey guys, those are not geraniums.

Something physical happens to me when I see china for the table. Some demon takes over my common sense. I was drooling over any of these for my table - Puddle; Words:Ceramic with words imprinted on plate rim; Lacquer Bowls; Red Berry Dinnerware; Hungry Dinnerware all sold on Clio (a collection of objects for the table).

Play At Protozone

ProtoZone (via Junie Moon via FishBucket some fun, fun toys for Quilt makers, constructing Samplers, Mobile making and Hex Plex. I really love the quilt maker, you can change up the pattern by cutting away pieces.

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Getting Some Perspective

You would have to give an arm to have this Charlotte Media - orange textured leather with side pockets and silver hardware, sells for $1,150.00 from Neiman Marcus. Canvas totes are going for $350.00. I clicked on the NM ad at work and started cruising through the site while waiting for a photo for me to finish my project. I was feeling pretty disgusted after looking at all of those handbags and the price tags anyway but then ...

Next I clicked on this story about a desperate Bangladeshi mother trying to sell her eye, yes her EYE, so she could FEED HER DAUGHTER.

I am probably one of the worst people to ridicule others about their spending habits. I do have some common sense about my spending. I try not to purchase too many things I do not need. I do lust after china, paper, printers, digital cameras but usually only lust via internet. I love to see new cool designs, paper goods, and all kinds of stuff. I would never spend $700 dollars on anything that would carry my car keys and wallet. And if I won the Big lottery tomorrow, I would still keep that mentality. My husband chastises me about me seeing the dark side of the world, taking it all in and disgesting it in my soul. But this has got to strike a sour note with anyone of the ridiculousness of our culture, its' spending habits and put your own 'bad day' in perspective. I just had to get that off my chest. Thanks for listening. (This will not stop me from me from searching out and looking at dinnerware).
Update: I contacted Reuters today, who gave me the name and email address of the writer. I emailed him and his editor, asking questions about helping the mother, if it is possible and what I could do. Sending email around work alerting them to the fact that I want money from them. Keep you posted.

Young And Talented

Was reading PRINT magazine today. These two were among several designers mentioned. So young, so talented: Nora Krug and LuLu of PlasticPirate.

National Collage Society

I think some of you should enter this! National Collage Society application for entrance into the Annual Juried Exhibit. And the deadline for this is almost here: the 8th Annual - "Wish You Were Here" Collage Post Cards 2005, Post Card Show Application.

Looks like Susan Hensel is calling for artist as well. The war chest series is wonderful. I have many books on bookmaking, and some day, I plan to fold, sew and conquer. Outside the small books I have managed.

Masterful Mosiacs

Still digging through my treasure trove of unforgettable websites, I found Irina Charny Mosiacs. They are magical indeed. I don't know if I could pick one favorite but Solitude might be it.
Later: I also found this mermaid with buttons. Just amazing.

Where Did All The Old Linens Go?

Primerose Design sells one-of-a-kind items made from vintage linens. Find some great linens at Sharon's Rick Rack.

Have Poster, Will Travel

David Levine at Travel Brochure Graphics is generous to share his collection of 1920s and 1930s travel-related ephemera from around the globe. Thank you, David.

Paint Chip Wallets From Narangkar

Kathleen sent me this today. Just in the knick of time to, because I have nothing to blog about! Someone else's obsession with paint chips. But she has been making something useful - wonderful wallets from woven paint chips. And from her site this link on how to make the wallet. Not into bright color? Go with this duct tape wallet from needles-pens.com in San Francisco.

Someone Please!

Would someone please put Anna Nicole-Smith out of MY misery. What is up with her? And why do we care what she does in her pathetic life? A waste of ink, web-space and air-time.

My Tiny Plot

An ongoing gardening project being documented in the UK. Interesting.

Birdie's Resting Place

This is the garden spot where my canary rest in peace. I love those bricks, and one hot day last summer I made a bunch of them.

Images For Humus Submissions

I wasted some time this morning creating submissions for Humus. They have the right to refuse submissions, so we will see. Images from my garden, slideshow at Flickr.

The Kiss

Here are two photos I would grab if our house were burning down. It is funny how you can look at a photograph and remember the exact moment, the exact feeling that you had at that second in the millions of seconds in the course of your life. I remember the intense love and awe I had right then. It is an extraordinary feeling, like you are stuck in a time warp when the shutter opened.



My good friend, Robin Layton, captured a precious moment of us.

Bunny

It has been an emotional week cleaning out my son's room. I found 'Bunny' tonight.

Out of the all the stuffed animals Matt received as gifts when he was born, he chose 'Bunny' to be his faithful companion for many, many years. Bunny was never out of his sight, if forgotten at day care, late night calls were made to the manager's home to retrieve him. Bunny's little tail is worn thin from my son stroking it when he was going to sleep. I hug Bunny, smell Bunny and let go a little Bunny tear for the past.

Bunny very much loved.



Bunny, today. Forgotten but still loved.

A Lesson In Letting Go

It is just a twin bed. Not only that, it was a free twin bed I picked up at a garage sale some 9 years ago. I painted it every night after work for weeks. When I messed up part of it, I stripped it and started again. Every stroke of the brush was a celebration of my son, my son’s room, the love I have for my son. I was ignited by my love for him to paint him a bed and a matching dresser. Something unique, only for him.
Months ago he told me he had grown out of his furniture. He was sensitive to my feelings, telling me he still really liked it, but he felt he was too old for it now. I agreed, saying we would decorate his room however he wanted.
But tonight, after delivering his bed and chest to someone I don’t know, someone that does not know the history of my long nights of painting a bed for my son, my only beloved son. I feel so sad, almost betrayed. Will she take care of them? Will the kids enjoy it? Will it brightened up their rooms or will they ever even noticed the patterns, the colors? But if they don’t, it doesn’t matter. I had it, I painted it, it was his for 9 years. It is my lesson in letting go.

Humus

Humus has a collection of books full of images. You are encouraged to submit something.

Protein Profile Kit

Protein Profiler™ is a DNA profiling pack that allows you to extract, display and analyse your own genetic code, with the added benefit of your own artwork commission.

Design To Help

The Designed To Help project was launched by UK designers iLovedust, earlier this year. The idea was to produce a book of graphic design, illustration and photography, to raise money to help charities deal with the tsunami crisis in Asia.

Exploding Green

All of a sudden the yard is lush, leaves are plumped up, green has exploded. Clematis is blooming, Snowballs are growing.

Links Like No Other

Scolling belt buckle via Fishbucket. And while you are there, and if you have a couple of days (I am serious), check out the linksville page. Note: Learning Daily is listed.This might be the links page to end all links pages!

Morning Craft

Herky Jerky ornaments and this Longhorn Pillow at MorningCraft.com.

Clean!

I managed to clean the studio. This is about as clean as it has been in a year.

Erin Cone

Beautiful portraits by Erin Cone. Here for a closer look.

Square, Dots Of Colors

I enjoy making these cards. It is relaxing, sans computer, spontaneous. I like the shapes, colors, quilt-like. I am thinking of recreating these in Illustrator, see what a printed version looks like.

Do you ever think about how pixels are really digital quilting? What grabbed my attention in art history class - optical blending that Impressionists like the George Pierre Seurat implemented in his paintings to create illusions. That fascinated me, as does 4-color printing process. I could spend hours with a loop looking at a magazine photo and realizing how those little dots of 4 colors from a distance makes my eye see an image. I overwhelmed my sons' tech class when I volunteered to talk about color, rgb vs. cmyk, creating art for the internet. I was so excited during my lecture when I realized they were totally uninvolved. I giggled to myself. I felt like the kid with the crayons, they were bored.

Looking Down

Who knew looking down could be so much fun. I have been cleaning out emails I send to myself of sites that tickle my tummy. Beneath My Feet is a unusual photo journal by Marc Schiller.

Do Not Adjust Your Set

Don't switch your blog page, you are now entering the twilight zone. Funky stuff ahead. loop.pH research explores electronically responsive and light emitting surfaces as a form of visual communication in built spaces. Here are a couple of their projects:
Digital Dawn functions as a traditional window blind with a reactive surface that is in constant flux, growing in luminosity in response to its surroundings.
Walls with ears. 'A traditional textile heritage is celebrated with flocked wallpaper that comes to life as it reacts to ambient noise levels'.

This robotic flower garden project from MIT called Cyber Flora.

Organic designer by Kasper J. Jeppesen looks interesting. I downloaded it to see if the average computer user can figure it out.

All Sleep And Eat

Scooter's big decision is should he sleep on his right side, or his left. Most of his day napping, the other half hoping to be fed.



Spring break is all about sleeping for teenagers (and chihuahas). This how my son spends part of his day. The rest is dedicated to eating. Does this sound famaliar - dog or human?

Dandelions

Touching poem from maganda.org. I got a little addicted reading Christine's site the other day.

Week Off Almost Gone

I don't know what happens to me when I have a 'get-out-of work-free-week.' I become paralyzed with 'I wanta's'. Explore fabric in my sewing room I want to sew, pull out canvas I want to paint, bring out little boxes I collected from the thrift store to make three-dimensional art...and so far I completed some cards for a friend of mine. Mind you, that is fun, craft-yoga. I made, I cleaned my studio mess. Worked on free-lance. Had the furnace repaired, got the dryer repaired (after 3 weeks without), mopped, found a good home for my son's bedroom furniture, took some photos, cooked more meals than I have in a year, visited the grocery store more than I like to, looked after the dogs, gathered all the stuff that needs to be mailed (some Christmas!), collected odds and ends for the Goodwill. And did I mention the phone rings about 100 times during the day? Do you get the feeling that our house comes unglued when my mom is gone for long periods of time. You are right.

Thank You Giao

Since mom has been in Texas, I have been forgetting to check the mailbox. If I had known I had a wonderful gift package from Giao, I would not have had that lapse in daily duties! Thank you so much for such lovely and unexpected gifts. The anemone is planted, the carry-all in use, and some of the cards all ready posted. You are too generous.

Stealing Letters

This is a fun and I will do anything to avoid what I really need to be doing. "Someone keeps stealing my letters..." (found via k-srasra blog).

Illustration Friday - Alone

Illustration Friday this week is Alone. Alone had a different meaning when I was single. Now, married and a house full of family, alone means time for myself to do anything I want - without guilt. Time for silence, have a little quiet party with myself!

Spent Flower Brown Bottle

Beware of woman with digital camera, flowers, tiny bottles, white sheet of paper for a seamless and a little bit of sun.

Pink Blossoms

I almost missed them. Walking down the street, deep in thought, I looked up to see these. I felt like crying and laughing at the same time at the beauty and absurdly fluffy pink cotton candy tuffs.

Paper Chairs From MeggieCat

Kathy at MeggieCat sent me some kind words when I was feeling blue, and this chair template. Most mornings on my drive to work, I dream about the little things I want to do. Today, not going to work, I decided to do just that. Take a couple of hours and make little things. This little chair being one. These are my first, my jumping off point to improvise for my next test. I plan on making more this week, I am on vacation!

Where Did My Cowboy Go?

My step-dad was a cowboy, he grew up bull-riding, breaking horses and drifted into training horses for a living. He came into my life when I was 12. It took some time for this city kid to adjust to having a 'John Wayne'-talkin', cigar-chewing, hat-wearing 'dad' but he turned out to be a good one for me. We flip-flopped between living a privileged life abroad in the oil field, and living a life of poverty training horses. I have wonderful memories of both. One memory - when a mare gave birth, (that was usually in the wee-wee hours of the morning) I assisted my dad to assure mother and foal were well. My dad would insist I stay home from school to watch this new life discover their new world. My teenage chores included cleaning horse stalls, cleaning water troughs, exercising horses, unloading hay and feed. (I laugh when my son whines over taking out trash). One of my favorite smells - dirt in an arena mixed with horse manure. And sometimes I forget it, but when I smell it again, I smile and think of my youth.
A long explanation of why I love this Cowboy Online Exhibition by Adam Jahiel at Do Not Bend.

Also The Gravures of Karl Blossfeldt is very nice.

My mom and step-dad on their wedding day. And that is how I remember them, before the bleak days of alcoholism, fights, divorce and finally suicide. I do miss my dad.

Growing On Egg Shells

I found this somewhere and I am going to try it: "Try starting seeds in eggshell halves. It’s economical and earth-friendly. Store planted shells in egg carts so they can easily be moved to sunny spots. Plant as is. Roots break through and the decomposed shell acts as fertilizer". Get back to you on how it works.

Eric Feng Extraordinaire

Eric Feng extraordinary art and animations. Go to the INSIDE OUT button, second one, walking dog.

Re-Think Re-Cycle - Watering Can

I love this watering can designed by Nicolas Le Moigne from Switzerland. This is the winner of RE-think + RE-cycle competition at designboom. Not sure if they are even selling them yet. Take a look at the other entries.

Graffiti letters

Some things are just worth blogging twice. I am sure I have mentioned Wonderful Graffiti before, but need to do it again. It looks like they have added food labels to their many wonderful things. I could do this in my family room, okay, maybe not.

The Oblique Strategies

Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt - Oblique Strategies Cards. This is a 1979 edition sampling. A friend suggested them to me. I would like to make my own set someday.

Folding K

Custom Letter -- Folding K by Peter Cho with source code. Very cool.

Stupid Videos - A Great Waste Of Time

I am cleaning out my mail, again! and looking at all the links people at work send me. I remember getting this one, but did not take the time to truly investigate the most excellent Stupid videos site. It is a good way to waste an hour or so of laughter until you cry - if you watch -- Most Watched -- Farting Preacher or Farting in Bed, Happy Doughboy not bad either. (Am I spending too much time in the house with my son.)

Steve Harvey's Big Time Challenge Trombone Playin' Dancin' Fool for a laugh.

Warning: These are video files, might be big download.

Bayeux Stitch Sampler

A pdf from Embroiderers' Guild, it was very kind of them to give us a pattern and very nice instructions to go with. "Bayeux stitch, which takes its name from the famous tapestry on which it is used, is an Anglo-Saxon variation of an ancient technique known as laidwork." "On the surface" - Fibretex, this looks very cool. There are more here.
This is look like an interesting book on constructing, joining and stitching a wide range of textile surfaces. And this book on endless possibilities for creating new and exciting works with fabrics, beads.

Illustration Friday - Travel

I did not make the deadline for Illustration Friday. But I am going to post it anyway. This is what I feel like of late, a little squirrel that only travels to a couple of backyards, and not much further. But instead of the backyards, my path is back and forth to work. Sad, but true.

Little Travel Photos

Feeling a little left out not doing a travel illustration. Too busy, too tired, too much. But I have these little photos I shot for our travel section with toys purchased for props.

Any Thoughts?

The Thought Project is very interesting.

Design Without Reach

Design without Reach from Thwart Design. Modern touches that you can add to your home without much expense.

Little Daisy

Travel Link In Lieu Of Illustration Friday

In place of any illustration for Illustration Friday, I am offering a luscious link to photographs from Robin David Photography of Tuscany. Much better to see the real thing, far away place, that one wishes to see, in dreams and in life.

The Mess I Create

And then there is the mess I have to clean up!





My little inspirations, I need to change out from Easter 'thoughts'

Printed Results

I carved out a little after midnight time for myself this week to print those cards I made for Ruth last week (or week before, time passes so quickly.) They printed up very nicely. I am working on a two more images to flush out a set of them and have professionally printed (although my little Epson did an outstanding job.) So I will be selling these soon to my friend with the card shop. How exciting. I finally did something I am happy with!









And of course I had to make Ruth some of those little paint chip cards. Made them larger and provided a vellum envelope so the colors would shine through. Making those cards is like an hour of meditation for me, and I needed it this week, with Schiavo, The Pope, The Final Four.