Random Objects

What every girl needs - a vintage LP rack to store her important documents. I am now on the look out for this very thing in my local junk stores . . . 

Feterie

You may already be familiar with Feterie but have you seen them recently? Their newly opened online store is filled to the brim with pretty patterns and fresh new product. The new book plates caught my eye - what a great idea!

And don't forget to visit the Feterie blog.

Shameless Self Promotion - Cartolina new releases.

If you have been following me on Twitter for the last couple of months you will have been privy to my own personal design angst - lucky you! From the realization that I needed to design a new Cartolina collection for the fall, to the moment that the truck showed up at the studio on Thursday and unloaded the almost 50,000 cards - it's been the usual rollercoaster of emotions that comes with being a professional artist. When I sit down to design a new collection(which happens about 3 times a year) I surround myself with beautiful vintage imagery and start the creative shuffle which hopefully, after about 3 weeks, will result in almost 50 new designs. Those 50 designs then get whittled down to a dozen and eventually, after hours of tweaking, end up at the printers in Vancouver. The printing process takes about 3 weeks during which time I manage to dig up a new detail to worry about everyday - did I pick the best images, are the colours bright enough, should I have made one more birthday card and one less thank you card? It all boils down to the moment that I open up the first box of finished cards . . . .

These are just a few of the new cards - there are 15 new in total. This print run went very smoothly and I am pleased with the new cards but it's not always a happy ending. . . there was the time when we opened up the boxes of new cards and found that they had all been scored with too much pressure and they fell apart, into 2 pieces, as we lifted them out of the box. There was the time we ordered 10,000 new notebooks and every single one of them had torn corners - and of course the time that 2 skids of new cards were delivered in an uncovered truck in a torrential downpour - that was a very soggy ending to thousands of cards. If you are a retailer and you would like samples of the new cards just email me and I'll pop some in the mail! And if you're a reader who'd like some new releases - stay tuned we'll have a giveaway very soon - maybe on Friday!

Gypsy Caravan

I featured a very modest gypsy caravan here a couple of weeks but these ones takes the cake - by designer Jeanne Bayol. I saw these images while I was browsing through the super pretty blog(Thought Patterns) of talented paper artist Tina Tarnoff. I think you will enjoy Tina's blog - so much colour and pattern - lovely.

Oh the possibilities

I saw this on Paper Tastebuds the other day. I am really drawn to this because of the display possibilities. Everything you displayed in these frames would become a show piece or a work of art - how fun. I have so many things in cupboards and drawers that I would love to display but I am really not sure how to do it without my home looking like a junk store. I think that the middle frame and the last one with the hook would be most useful to me. I have a very big blank wall that I have been considering options for and I think this is a great idea - it could be an ever changing gallery of curiosities. What do you think?

Found

Oh these are fun - I want them both! The first is a chunky memo pad where each piece of paper is the reverse side of a piece of recycled Bollywood poster(picture underneath)!! Love love love this idea! The next item is a box full of single letter rubber stamps to write important things like anonymous love letters and secret ransom messages with - just what you need - right?

Both from Cox and Cox

Designers

In the last couple of weeks I have had the pleasure of getting to know talented designer Shawn Byles who has been producing these wonderful patterns and motifs - and many more. Shawn is currently working on a collection of textiles and home decor items featuring her Persian and Indian influenced designs, including organic cotton sateens, jaipuri quilts, cushions, lampshades etc. I think you will enjoy browsing through her designs at Pattern Love . These are my personal favourites but to be honest there just isn't enough room here to show you all the fabulous designs that I just love. Great job Shawn, can't wait to see your line - Jamaica Byles - in the stores soon!

Firstly I just want to say thanks to all of you who commented yesterday. It was really helpful and it was great to hear from all of you. {Did you know that when you comment there is a tiny box that you can check if you wish to be emailed any follow up comments?} For my part, I am going to make an effort to respond to your comments as often as I can and also I will remember to write comments on all of your wonderful blogs when I visit!

Ephemera

So I was scanning these yesterday for a collage I was making and I thought you might like them as much as I do. These are matchbox covers. They are very crudely printed which is one of the reasons I like them. Each one of them is like a strange little work of art. I have a lot of these - the ones printed in India are my favourites. You can still buy these very reasonably on Ebay - I picked these up on Portobello Rd in London.

Curiosities

I am rather intrigued by these vintage cut outs from Porkchopshow(why do Etsy names have to be all one word it's very confusing.) I'm not sure what you would do with these but they are quite whimsical and fun! I wish i had the originals - the type is superb.

Vintage lighting from Etsy. I am a bit of a lighting snob. I don't like most modern light fixtures that look too flimsy and light weight(ahem!). So these caught my eye on Etsy. These are really good quality vintage pieces. Really beautiful - especially the black shade and the details on first one from And Found Furnishings.

This pretty blue piece has had a spray paint makeover(I think) from My Finch

Random Objects

Aren't these pretty? From Missmosh. Do you think this first floral fabric is vintage?

Hmmmmmmmm,

We have to chat - no seriously. Ever since I added the LinkWithin feature after each post there has been a distinct lack of comments. Yes it's true I think you have all become very click-happy and are forgetting to come back here, after your cyber trip down memory lane, to leave me a comment. Now I love reading the comments - it's my favourite part of my morning - and it seems very dull when I don't hear from all the usual suspects by about 10am. If you don't like the LinkWithin thingy then I shall remove it - if that's what I have to do to get you all back here with your random thoughts and caffeine fueled wisdom. Thanks you, Fiona, cafe manager  ;-)

image from here

Random Objects

I presume these are John Derian's, though it doesn't actually say they are at Jayson Home and Garden. I adore these - any coloured engraving under glass has my full attention!

I saw this on Better Homes and Gardens blog yesterday and I thought it was such a sweet idea for a simple table centre piece. The old cake stand is beautifully battered and the birdcage cloche looks almost like one of those mosquito net things(what do you call those things you put over a cake to keep the bugs off?)

My glasses

I spotted these on design*sponge yesterday - they are so "me". I would like a full set of these - yes I would.

Spotted

I was so smitten with the chalk ware ski bunny from yesterday morning - and so apparently was my pal Linda who promptly sent me a link to this little darling - she's almost as nice - maybe a little bit younger than the first - and a bit more colourful! Thanks Linda!