Friday, March 26, 2010

Happy Weekend!
I'm calling it quits early - I have officially bitten off more than I can chew this week. The new Cartolina collection is complete and I am beat! I'd like to crawl under all these quilts and sleep for the next 3 days! Hope you enjoy your weekend. Thanks for visiting this week - I'll be back here bright and early on Monday morning with all the usual loveliness from around the web to share with you - see you then!

Thursday, March 25, 2010


I'm sorry if the posts have seemed a bit sporadic in the last week - I have been very busy in the studio during the day designing our next Cartolina collection - there's not a lot of energy left, at the end of a 10 hour day, for blogging at the moment - I try to post only that which has inspired me. I took some pictures yesterday when I was taking a little break from designing. Just grabbed a few things. It was a little dark in the afternoon for lovely saturated colours but here's a sample . . . . the first is of my favourite little tins - these are very small and I love the type on them. The largest tin is very old and is hand painted on the top. Second grouping is a selection of french letters that I have - the handwriting inspires me everyday. they sit in a glass jar next to my computer. . . .


The last 2 groupings are an odd selection really. Here's a brief description of each piece - 2 miniature drawings from Switzerland that Doug picked up at a local farm sale. Two handcarved wooden boats that we found in the walls of a Victorian house that we renovated a few years ago(along with a pile of love letters.) Very long paper scissors, razer sharp, watch out! A wooden arrow shaped thingy for fixing fishing nets, why don't you? A pair of real tortoiseshell glasses from a long time ago. A cloisonee plate and 2 wee blue enamel dishes. Red prayer beads we bought in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul years ago. Two speckled eggs from a bird(?). A lovely vintage metal horse that I stole from Doug's studio :-)

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Inspiration
These beautiful images are from one of my new favourite sites - Trouvais. These shoes are stunning - do you think they are original? There are so many gorgeous photographs at Trouvais - vintage, french and all our other favourite things!


Inspiration
Great vintage accessories from My Sparrow - love these vintage French ticking pillows - any black accessories are good in my book!


Found
Very pretty little crocheted and embroidered felt cuffs from Designed By Jane. These are so sweet and don't they look like fun to make? I love all the pretty things Jane makes!



Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Inspiration
Simply gorgeous photography to inspire you on a Tuesday morning from Emma Mitchell. I'm just finishing up a design session for Cartolina - lots of new cards, new notebooks and more. I'm hoping to hire a professional photographer this time to shoot some gorgeous pictures of our products - hopefully as lovely as these . . . .


Found
Check these out - from Woodland Belle. Tiny little bell jars with tiny little creatures in them to wear on your finger. They feel very Alice to me. How fun!





Inspiration
Vintage patterns from the NYPL archives - an endless source of inspiration.




Monday, March 22, 2010

Found
I went to visit my parents for the weekend. While I was there I was poking around in all the old stuff that mum hauls around with her wherever she goes. Since I was a kid I have always loved this china. This was my great great grandparents wedding service from 1890. It's made in England by Foley. Mum has the entire set, 6 dinner plates, side plates, bowls etc.(except for a couple of missing cups.) The flowers are snowdrops. It's very thin bone china and very small in size compared to what we would use these days. Isn't it pretty?



Inspiration
I've never collected vintage jewelry but I find these vintage pieces by Coro really interesting. I like the subtle coloured enamel. And I like how three dimensional they are. They would be fun to draw. These pieces are from Secondhand Bijoux.


Window Shopping
There are some seriously pretty textiles at Jayson Home - these gorgeous pillows are top of my list - very grown up! Also they have a wonderful selection of glass plates with beautiful vintage imagery my faves are below.