Tim Walker

what a lovely idea!

[image by the amazing Vogue photographer Tim Walker]

pip studio

I could keep staring at this "Memories Blue" wall paper designed by pip studio for Eijffinger.

[images extracted from pip studio]

Makoto Yabuki

It is getting obvious I am crazy about colours this week. This is simply inspiring :p

Makoto Yabuki is an outstanding art director from Japan.

For more information visit Makoto Yabuki.

kapitza

Kapitza, an independent Design company based in East London, has published a gorgeous book Geometric, that is a 336 page bible of pattern illustrations, 264 to be exact. The book comes with a CD, which includes 100 pattern fonts.

Get a copy here.

[Images and text extracted from kapitza]

Takashi Iwasaki

Japanese artist, Takashi Iwasaki, has such a way with embroidery that evokes gasping and disbelieve.

Find more of his embroidered works here.

[text and images extracted from Takashi Iwasaki.]

Ellen Ito

Ellen is an artist based in Seattle. Her current installation, drawing and soft sculpture work are an exploration of the intellectual and emotional connection between personal aesthetic choices and feelings of comfort and happiness. It certainly gives me a sense of fuzzy warmth.



[images and text extracted from Ellen Ito.]
For more information, visit her website.

happy paper cuts turn digital

I was very intrigued with cutting coloured paper many years ago. Recently, I found them and they certainly brought back happy memories. I cut these ones using small pieces of origami colour paper found in Muji and armed myself with a sharp pair of eyebrow trimmers!

It gives me a great sense of satisfaction to convert these paper cutting into digital drawings, because there is such unlimited possibilities in the colour variations!

mieke willems

On top of loving every single thing on mieke willems' websiteand blog, I cannot get these potholders-on-the-wall out of my mind. When I started picking up crochet a few months back, this image was on my mood board to inspire and motivate me.

When the going got tough, I started to crochet spirals to practice. Now I hang the practice pieces on our studio notice board at home. I will post them when I get round to taking pictures.

[images and text from mieke willems]

Find the store of mieke willems at aalmoezenierstraat 28, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium; opened Monday till Saturday between 10am and 6pm. This will be our first stop if we ever visit Antwerp.

Curios from a walk

Today, I strolled to the beach for some much needed fresh air. I am amazed by the incredible bounty of inspiring curios that I picked up along the beach. Many of these seeds and pods are indigenous to the tropical rainforests here, some of which I have never noticed all my life.

I am inspired by their robust colours, geometric forms and aromatic nutty scent.

House Atelier

I love the quiet style of this atelier. The website is in Japanese, gathering from the images, there is an emphasis on crafts created from leather and ironmongery.





For more works and information on House, find the website and works.

chez sucre chez

While searching for pretty clouds to quench a cloud fixation, we found chez sucre chez by Kimberly Scola, a multi-talented artist, crafter and blogger.

Love her cross stitch clouds with silver lining, mounted on sewing hoops.


Find Kimberly's blog, flickr, online shop, etsy and website.

[via the lovely CHEZ SUCRE CHEZ]

noussnouss - clouds

Another amazing variation of of clouds. These ones are sewn by Alice Bernado of noussnouss.

For more information, visit noussnouss and her flickr.

[via noussnouss.]

Paper Boat Press

Paper Boat Press is Kylie Johnson, the multi-talented ceramics artist and poet. Her ceramics cloud brooches transports me to another world.

Ceramic tags, which are stamped with Kylie's writing, are a fusion of text and crafts.

For more information, visit Kylie Johnson & Paper Boat Press.

via the every inspiring Paisley st claire.

noussnouss

This image has been sitting in my folders for a long while. noussnouss has included a free pattern with instructions in the link here.


For more information, visit noussnouss.

[via noussnouss]

Martha Stewart - Lunch Bags

I cannot get these oilcloth lunch bags out of my mind. As seen in Martha Stewart, link here for a step by step guide to making these at home.

via the lovely ohdeedoh & Kim Vallée.

Martha Stewart Weddings - Lace Clutch

Another great idea, pretty clutch bags! Elegant beige and blue lace patterns (beige template here & blue template here) are printed onto heat-transfer paper, ironed onto fabric and sewn into clutch purses.

Find Martha Stewart Wedding's step by step guide here, complete with links to clip arts for you to print out for your home projects.

Other inspiring lace decorations & projects from Martha Stewart Weddings can be found here.

via the lovely Martha Stewart Weddings. All templates and images copyrights of Martha Stewart Weddings.

Martha Stewart Weddings - Lace Projects

I am addicted to the beautiful crafts in Martha Stewart Weddings and even though we have just celebrated our wedding recently, I still find myself running out for the latest copy. The latest issue Spring 2009 has the most beautiful lace ideas.

Intricate lacy patterns (template here) can easily be imprinted on white favour bags on your trusty home printer and folded on the sides to form a puffed up favour or gift bag. Secured with a nice piece of ribbon, they are good for holding cotton candy or even confetti. The hand-punched round gift tags printed with blue lace patterns (template here) are cut using a 2 1/2-inch punch makes perfect gift tags, book markers, coasters even place setting.

Find Martha Stewart Wedding's step by step guide here, complete with links to clip arts for you to print out for your home projects.

Other inspiring lace decorations & projects from Martha Stewart Weddings can be found here.

via the lovely Martha Stewart Weddings. All templates and images copyrights of Martha Stewart Weddings.

Incredible morphing

I am amazed by the technology!

Colette Fu Sansan

An awe-inspiring series of 21 photographic photo pop-up books, bound in iris cloth, finished in 2004-shot at the provinceton art museum, by photographer and book artist, Colette Fu.

Stay as you are

A gorgeous animation from the Youtube posting of Kartoshka | Jen7, Tipografiya Murkevet team, from Israel.

A quick seach shows that Jen 7 is also Jenny M. (flickr) and Be Happy Now (etsy).

Sting book

This is so simple yet very effective. One of those why-didn't-I-think-of-it things!

This clip is taken off the Youtube posting of Children's Publications Co. (CPL), a publisher from Taiwan that focuses on children's books, videos and merchandises. I do not think this is one of their books, but it is really good of them to share.

Creature Comforts Birthday Giveaway

The beautiful Creature Comforts is celebrating its first birthday with a huge giveaway!



Check out the amazing works and links of contributors such as Beau Ideal; Caitlin Shearer; Clementine; Cursive Design; Freshly Blended Press; Heather Smith Jones; Holly Becker; Ink + Wit; Lab Partners; Lush Bella; Matte Stephens; My Folk Lover; Nest Pretty Things; Oh My Cavalier; Palindrome; Remake; Rifferaff; Shim + Sons; Skinny laMinx - here!

To enter, all you need is to leave a comment here with your favourite quote and your first name and last initial (don't forget to leave your email address in the appropriate field so you can be contacted if you win.) The winner will be selected at random on June 28th and will be notified by email and on Creature Comforts, Monday, June 30th!

Tons of Luck!


[images and text from Creature Comforts ]

mein™ goes to fair!

*click to see poster.

Join us at Booth C2, Motherhood Exhibition 2008, from 5 - 8 June 2008, at Singapore Expo Hall 5A!

Pupsik Studio has kindly invited mein and Mon Petit Jardin to join in the fun at the Motherhood Exhibition 2008.

This is mein's very first fair!

Track our preparations and updates here:
mein flikr
Pupsik Blog

Publique Living

Popmats from Publique Living are pretty paper placemats by designer Lian Ng. These disposable placemats can popup to double up as place cards. There are 3 designs that are available in packs of 10 and made from 100% recycled paper, with 2 color options of White Sand or Natural Kraft.



via the brilliant oh joy!.

mein™ website

find the works of mein™ here
mein™
flickr

Paper Studio - Glueing

Please watch this even before starting. We always believe in good practise for all creative processes. This video is really fundamental glueing "etiquette" to develop before even starting! Once again, Cindy from Paper Studio delivers her presentation with absolute clarity.

Paper Studio - Book Binding

We are very inspired by our paper blogging in mein™ inspiration, so there is alot of excitement in researching paper processes and crafts for our own projects.

Cindy from Paper Studio has the best bookbinding videos! She is clear, concise, knows her stuff, and we are posting her clips here because we will be referring to her instructions constantly.

String Book

This is so simple yet very effective. One of those why-didn't-I-think-of-it things!

Moontreepress

Letterpress Greeting Cards - Style 2004, 2007
Printed on a Heidelberg Windmill press; limited edition - SOLD OUT.

The best part about starting a business has to be designing and making collaterals!
We found a very inspiring perfect binding session with Rebecca from Moontresspress that was featured on the Etsy Storque on Youtube.

Top Favourites This Christmas!

Find the complete step-by-step guide to Martha Steward's pretty snowflakes here.






Step 1: Fold paper in half diagonally to make a triangle.
Step 2: Fold triangle in half so pointy corners meet.
Step 3: Fold triangle in thirds. Adjust till sides match.
Step 4: Cut across the bottom of paper as shown.

Cutting Snowflakes: Cut the folded paper so it looks like the triangle. Unfold gently. Vary and explore!

[images and text extracted from Martha Steward.]

Discovered from Geninne's Art Blog.

Top Favourites This Christmas!

Discovered from papergirlpdx.

Top Favourites This Christmas

Animation for Japanese clothes designer Adem et Rope's christmas illumination display.

Top Favourites This Christmas!

We did not grow up watching this edition of Suzy Snowflake, but we sure wish we did!

Pamela Dale

French Pheasant, 2003
177 x 144cm, Oil on Canvas


White Tiger in the Magic Garden, 2003
200 x 180cm, Oil on Canvas

We are so inspired by the gorgeous paintings of Pamela Dale.

Rachael Whiteread

Rachel Whiteread was born in London in 1963. At the Turbine Hall in London's Tate Modern, she created a gigantic labyrinth-like structure, entitled Embankment, made from 14,000 casts of the inside of different boxes, stacked to occupy this monumental space. The form of a cardboard box has been chosen because of its associations with the storage of intimate personal items and to invoke the sense of mystery surrounding ideas of what a sealed box might contain. Walk through the Embankment in the video below.



The Unilever Series: Rachel Whiteread
EMBANKMENT
Tate Modern, Turbine Hall
11 October 2005 – 1 May 2006

As one of Britain's leading contemporary sculptors, Rachael has undertaken several public commissions, probably best known for Ghost, a large plaster cast of the inside of a room in a Victorian house. She was awarded the Turner Prize in 1993 for House. A progression from Ghost, House was a concrete cast of the inside of an entire Victorian terraced house completed in autumn 1993.

[text extracted from Tate Modern]

For more information, visit Tate Modern.

Eugenia Pardue

Zsa Zsa, 2006
36" x 36", Acrylic on panel

Eugenia Pardue's paintings are an exploration of how paint responds to new demands. She uses paint as a sculptural medium. By limiting her palette to white, the artist focuses on breaking the plane. She imbues the surface with a Baroque orchestration of forms and projects three-dimensional elements out of the flat plane of painting.


Secret of the Castle, 2007
36" x 36", Acrylic on panel


Kashmir,2007
48" x 48", Acrylic on panel

[images and text extracted from Eugenia Pardue.]

For more information, visit Eugenia Pardue.

Toast

more sightings of soothing colours from toast's Autumn 2007 Catalogue.

COLOUR FIX: GREY&BROWN

Sunday is the day for neutrals, so for Sundays' COLOUR FIX lets look for GREY&BROWN! Roll in the jutes and the linens!

Harlequin

Extracted from Harlequin, these images show how uber cool blues and browns can be.


The Verve collection , featues retro geometrics and graphic embroideries. Love the Curtains, Quad 2471 and Wallcovering, Contour 60645.


The Virtue an über-cool wallpaper collection, which has been created to compliment the Verve weaves .

Toast

love the blues and browns of toast's autumn catalogue.

COLOUR FIX: BLUE&BROWN

Saturdays, we look for BLUE&BROWN that is often associated with autumn. The warmth of the colours is a welcoming sight especially since we are experiencing monsoon weather now.

Your Home and Garden

While searching for doilies, I came across this great lacy stenciled lamp shade from Your Home and Garden.

Lacy Stencil Shade
Materials:
Plastic doily fabric – enough to go around the lampshade
12mm double-sided tape
Scissors
Enamel spray paint
An old lampstand



1 Cut the doily fabric to fit the shade by rolling it around and allowing a small vertical overlap. Cut away any parts of the doily that you wish to remove. It works better if the pattern is not too intricate.
2 Cut a length of tape the height of the lampshade in half vertically and stick one piece down the seam of the lampshade. Press one end of the fabric vertically along the tape. Place the second piece of doublesided tape directly over the first and roll the fabric evenly and firmly around the shade till the overlap, then stick down and cut away any excess fabric.
3 Place the shade on the old lampstand so you can swivel the shade as you go. Spray evenly onto the shade, in horizontal movements to ensure even coverage until you have completely covered the shade. Leave to dry, then carefully remove the fabric and tape.
4. Voila!

[images and text extracted from Your Home and Garden.]

For more information, visit Your Home and Garden.

How Stuff Works

I am still researching for pretty ideas to enhance our reception on Boxing day. I found this brilliant technique from How Stuff Works. Sifting cocoa and sugar onto doily patterns is such a brilliant idea!

Sifted Cocoa and Sugar Patterns
materials:
waxed paper
doily with large pattern
large spoon
fine-mesh sieve
skewer or toothpick
unsweetened cocoa powder or powdered sugar



1. Cut waxed paper into strips, each 2 to 3 inches wide. Tuck strips under cake to keep plate clean.
2. Position doily on top of cake. Carefully position the doily in the center of the cake.
3. Spoon cocoa powder or powdered sugar into sieve. Hold the sieve over a sheet of waxed paper for easier cleanup.
4. Holding sieve over cake, gently tap sieve with hand to sift cocoa powder or sugar in an even layer over entire surface. Move sieve over cake slowly and smoothly for an even effect.
5. Carefully remove waxed paper strips. Remove doily with skewer or toothpick. Work carefully so you don't disturb the pattern.Work carefully so you donnot disturb the pattern.

TIP: Cocoa powder works well for light-colored desserts; powdered sugar is best for dark-colored desserts.

[images and text from How Stuff Works.]

For more great ideas, visit How Stuff Works.

Harlequin

Extracted from Harlequin, the Romanie collection is a free-spirited, decorative collection of eclectic prints, bohemian embroideries, exotic weaves and versatile wallpapers, which has been inspired by the patterns and rich colours of gypsy folklore. I love the blue&red Wallcovering, Sirena 75861.

Singapore Design Festival - Icon Wall

Singapore runs its second Design Festival. In conjunction, there is a very fun Icon Wall to post designs on! anyone can join - you just need to sign in, download the template, design away and post with a short description!

I have posted 2 icons till date.


Forest
Forest is the icon for carefree zones. You can find the forest icon in the quiet pockets found hidden in the concrete urbanscape. Forest consists of 3 tress with a bird perched in the middle. The forest icon urges you to slow down and listen to the sounds of silence and smell the rain, as you bustle about in the city.


Merriment
Merriment is the icon for merrymaking nodes in the city. you can find the merriment icon at enchanted hangouts in the concrete urbanscape. Merriment consists of a stag with a bird, birdcage and chandelier perched on its antlers. The merriment icon urges you to relax and listen to the sounds of joy and taste of happiness, as you bustle about in the city.

There is a contest which ended on 8 Dec 2007, 2359 hours, but we can still upload for the kicks : )

Little Otsu, Lart Cognac Berliner, and Jill Bliss

Lart Cognac Directory
Published by Little Otsu, Lart Cognac Berliner, and Jill Bliss. Illustrations by Lart and designed by Jill. Printed with soy-based ink on tree-free kenaf and recycled papers at printshop in Portland, OR. Five color-coded lettered sections (A-E, F-J, K-O, P-T, and U-Z) with entries for name, address, phone, mobile, e-mail, and birthday.

Dimension: 4" x 5"(lying flat), 36 pages
[illustrated by Lart Cognac, available from Cut + Paste]

COLOUR FIX: BLUE&RED

The research for colours starts on Thursdays with the very modern mix of RED&BLUE . The very rich reds and aqua blues, go especially well together in so many circumstances!

Donna Hay Wine Spritzers

I am organising a reception on Boxing Day! The colour theme is white and green with black accents.

As we are experencing monsoon season here in Singapore, the weather is erratic - sunny one moment, torrential rains the next. I am looking for a drink that is cooling for the tropics, yet lightly alcoholic to remind us to have fun! I thought a lemonade with green lime slices would be great colour for our outdoor party. I found a perfect recipe on Donna Hay that is even better! A wine spritzer! why did I not think of it earlier.

Wine Spritzers from Donna Hay
Photo by Chris Court

citrus spritzer
Place ¹⁄³ cup lime cordial, 2 cups white wine, 2 cups mineral water in a jug and stir to combine. Divide crushed ice and thin slices of lemon and lime between 4 glasses and pour over lime mixture. Serves 4.

I look forward to serving this and will follow up with images! Here are other great recommendations from Donna Hay:

cranberry white wine spritzer
Place 2 cups white wine, 1 cup cranberry juice and 1 cup soda water in a jug and stir to combine. Divide crushed ice between 4 glasses and pour over the cranberry mixture. Put a few cranberries on a toothpick and serve with the spritzer. Serves 4.
blood orange spritzer
Place 2 cups white wine, 1 cup mineral water, 1 cup blood orange juice and ¹⁄³ cup orange liqueur in a jug and stir to combine. Divide crushed ice and thin slices of orange between 4 glasses and pour over blood orange mixture. Serves 4.
rosé and strawberry spritzer
Place 2 cups rosé, 2 cups lemonade and ¹⁄³ cup of campari in a jug and stir to combine. Divide crushed ice and strawberry quarters between 4 glasses and pour over rose mixture. Serves 4.
mango and lychee spritzer
Place 2 cups white wine, 1 cup soda water, 1 cup mango nectar and 1 cup lychee juice in a jug and stir to combine. Divide crushed ice between 4 glasses and pour over mango mixture. Serves 4.

[image and text from Donna Hay]

Harlequin

Extracted from Harlequin, the Romanie collection is a free-spirited, decorative collection of eclectic prints, bohemian embroideries, exotic weaves and versatile wallpapers, which has been inspired by the patterns and rich colours of gypsy folklore. The Cushions
Romanie Plains 1760, 1779 is just what the magpies would pick up.

Chris Kenny

Observatory, 2007
Constructed with map pieces.

Dimension: 16" x 16" x 3"
[artwork by Chris Kenny, available from England & Co]


Map Circle (16 Typhoons), 2007
Collage construction with maps.Currently on display in the (C)artography: Map-making as Artform exhibition at the Crawford Gallery, Cork

Dimension: 24" x 24" x 3"
[artwork by Chris Kenny, available from England & Co]

Yellena

Garden Print
Art print from Yellena. A digital print of an original drawing done with pens, inks and markers. The print measures 8.5" x 11" with white border for framing. The image size is 6"x7.5". It is printed on Museo II Archival High Quality Inkjet art paper made by Crane & Co.




Dimension: 8.5" x 11"(image size 6" x 7.5")
[illustrated by Yellena, available from Cut + Paste]

COLOUR FIX: MAGPIE PARTY

There is nothing quite like working little bits of colours put together to look like they have been knicked by magpies... Thursday's COLOUR FIX theme MAGPIE PARTY is about colours that love each other and create happy atmospheres just by being there!

Rubber stamping step-by-step!

There is a beautifully illustrated and photographed step-by-step rubber stamp carving tutorial by fellow blogger and talented freelance illustrator and designer, Geninne Zlatkis.

Please find Geninne's gorgeous prints on etsy here!

Stamping fun!

Inspired by Keiko Kuma's book, I carved 2 stamps on soft eraser, using wood carving knives. The tree and a bird motifs were straight forward and very easy to draw as well as to chip off! You should try it!
Here is the fun process of stamping to create original prints!















The finished print on Fabriano paper with Dye ink in Brown.

Keiko Koma

I just found the Taiwanese editon of the book Enjoy My Handmade Life, by Keiko Koma (ISBN 986-7039-02-5), which includes very useful information on the techniques to making rubber stamps! The book is filled with lots of great ideas and tips.

Keiko Koma works on rubber stamp crafts under the name komagomaya.

click on the image to see a bigger view
click on the image to see a bigger view

HAPPY CRAFTING!

Tuesdays will be searching for techniques and sharing crafting tips!

The Red Balloon, Part 1/4

Movie: The Red Balloon, 1956
Director: Albert Lamorisse
Location: París, France

Considered posting all 4 parts on this blog, but it just does not make sense. Please do watch all 4 parts. This is such an enchanted movie!

HAPPY VIDEOS!

Mondays are for laying back to just watch and relax! enjoy these videos!