It's another CARTOLINA GIVEAWAY!

We're having another giveaway!

We got a call from Domino Magazine and they are going to be featuring 6 of our holiday card designs in their December/January issue. We are so excited that we thought it would be a good time to have a Cartolina Holiday Giveaway. I know it's not Xmas yet but let's just pretend anyway! We have a wonderful box of holiday stationery sitting here waiting for a winner. All I want you to do is to tell me what your favourite magazine is these days, and why. Hopefully we will end up with a great big list of magazines to explore. And this time next week a winner will be selected using the same complicated, scientific method as we used the last time. How fun!

Window Shopping | Angel at My table

A couple of very pretty things from a store I hadn't heard of before called Angel at My Table. I love the black dresser(love vintage furniture painted black) And the trompe l"oeil bird cages are very clever. I think that adding some random pretty pieces to our fairly rustic interior would be a good thing - will do!

Random Object | Snow Globe

Here's a fun idea for all you folks who like to send family photos with your Xmas cards. How about you put your photo in the snow globe! Take a picture of you all outside in your warm winter woolies and turn yourselves into a snow globe. 

I love this idea - you do it first  :-)

Illustration | Vintage wallpaper

Great vintage wall paper from Second Hand Rose. 

What do you think - early 1970s, or 1960s ?

Random Objects | Yo Yo

Colouful, detailed, carved wooden yo yos from Mexico. Seen here.

Illustration | Old and new

Just felt like looking at some illustration this morning. A bit of old and new. The top piece is a very old postcard that I bought from a dealer in Argentina. He sold me a lot of Parisian pieces including the stamp, which I love.

Gorgeous poster by Sarah Young and fun piece from Grady McFerrin. Bit of a mash-up but it all works for me!

Design | Simplicity

Just to prove to you that I can be attracted to simple, quiet design   :-)

Inspiration | Ferry Staverman

These paper and thread sculptures are designed and produced by Ferry Staverman. I think they are beautiful - and it's so inspiring to see an original idea like this.

Inspiration | Company C

Love these simple designs and clever colour combinations from Company C - really great - high impact accessories.

Random Object | Paper dress

When we were in New York a few weeks ago I saw this dress at Anthropologie, it was very impressive, entirely made of paper. I saw it again yesterday on the Free People Blog. Very cool!

Window Shopping | Three things to do at Darr

First off, you must click here to listen to the strange, but cool, music that they have playing on the home page of Darr's website . . . go now and listen!

Next thing you must do is scroll through the pictures of all the extremely strange, but cool, things in this little Brooklyn store. Finally you must write to the fellow that owns the store and you must ask him to please retake all the photos so that they are not so blurry(but don't change the music!). Thanks for doing that!

Inspiration | Random Objects

I really love both of these delicate, detailed things, I find them both very inspiring. Flower hooks from Rocket St George, detail of mirror from here.

Random Objects | Postcard

This is a postcard from John Derian's shop. Do you need one of these? 

Window Shopping | Odd things, on a Monday morning, from Posh.

Three odd things from Posh - a cast iron owl paper weight, old rouge tins with great type and a very odd, but I'd say very useful, jar for your desk top.

Random Objects | Stripes

I love these striped carpets etc from Passion For Rugs - great fall colours and I especially love the orange and green stair runner.

Great old suitcase from Paris Hotel and a wonderful wool and ribbon blanket from Toast via Poppytalk.

An exercise in design appreciation

Well it's Friday all ready. This is such a busy time for us at Cartolina - lots of big Xmas orders going out to retailers right now and for the next few weeks. But, at the end of a busy afternoon, producing this blog is my favourite way to wind up the day. For me it's like being the head buyer at my own wonderful department store. Every item here is chosen not because I necessarily want to own it or wear it but because it in some way represents the visual candy that feeds the part of me that really loves beautiful, bold style that's based on solid design fundamentals. Fabulous tights and gorgeous ring from Free People. Simply lovely blouse from a stunning collection at Odd Molly. {None of which I would probably wear but all of which I am drawn to for pure esthetic appreciation!}

Random Objects | Hardware

Had a nice revisit to Cleveland Art yesterday - just wanted to share these wonderful vintage steel side tables with you. The tops look remarkably like manhole covers which shouldn't really surprise you if you have checked out their brilliant website and inventory. The candle stick is from the House Doctor catalogue that I featured yesterday - strange how its Gothic styling goes so well with the mid century industrial design of the tables don't you think? The decorator in me would like to put that candle stick on that table in front of that brick wall right now!

Window Shopping | House Doctor

A lot of my UK friends swear by the mail order products from House Doctor so I thought you might like to see some fun stuff from their catalogue. All of this stuff is right up my alley - better start making a Xmas list right now! How about the horse?

Inspiration | granny chic

Great floral designs combined with some crochet and some woolly dingle balls makes for one superbly chic granny bag. 

Similar styling in these curtains - faux crewel embroidery -  all symptoms of the crafty revolution - love it!

Random Object | Blue Pot

I found this pot on World Of Good which is Ebay's new site which promotes fair global trade and positive impact on the world by turning good local ideas into worldwide social change. Take a look - I found fantastic stuff there made by crafts people from around the world. Via decor8