Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: dog models, lakeland terrier, leash seller, olly
Olly, the Lakeland terrier sitting under the couch as I write (he likes to get underneath furniture), is now going to be under some pressure. I’d given up on proper training and dog-whispering to him because I’d just never seen a professional Lakeland (or many terriers, for that matter). He’s gotten off fairly scot-free. Well, game’s up, because I found this distant relative (above) pictured on new Flexi leash packaging (so handsome!). Turns out these dogs can stay still enough for pictures. Ha! And make money from said pictures. Double Ha!
Be on the lookout for Olly’s upcoming portfolio - America’s Next Top Lakeland. A little grooming here, some training there, and here’s hoping Ol can start bringing in the big bucks. What do you think??
I can eat chocolate to feel better. It’s good. Why must this chocolate insist on making that indulgence feel extra-super-guilty?! It’s not new, but it’s new to me. Not that I’m buying it. I like the design, I like the handy perforation, but for the sake of a snack, I’ll stick with my ultra-favorite Barcelona bar from Vosges for now. It doesn’t bug me about how many calories are in each wonderful chunk. And, as far as I’m concerned, salt + chocolate = bliss.
Filed under: Uncategorized
These moss pencils at the Designboom mart at ICFF caught my eye. From Sirampuch Eamumpai at I’m Curio in Thailand, they make me wonder what else we should be covering in chartreuse fuzziness.
This is a post about nothing much. I’d been wanting to eat at this restaurant for a while. The quest had nothing to do with the food and everything to do with that phenomenal pickle, which must be about 4′ long. Located in the heart of downtown Detroit, Eph’s serves sandwiches. Big sandwiches. The sandwiches don’t come with pickles. How weird is that?
And here is a totally unrelated picture. It’s not a great picture. But the little oak leaves were so fascinating - they resembled thick fabric more than anything else, almost felt - and their soft little round fingers were precious. I’m so over all the pointy-fingered oak leaves. And the color, I thought, was gorgeous. The caterpillar must have thought so, too.
I’m often coming across designs and ideas that set off the same response: I wish I’d thought of that. I wish I’d done that. These felt daisies - used to embellish cushions, decorate walls, purses, slippers and… anything else, for that matter - are of that variety. So simple, honest and cheery. Wish I’d come up with these. I didn’t, which makes me so glad someone did, and that I found them. In this case, I’m glad to have come across Michelle Butler’s work; her design company Isolyn was at the ICFF.
Filed under: greeting cards | Tags: doodles, greeting cards, national stationery show
Hand-drawn patterns. Happy people. Eco-conscious. I love Loop. Loop is another new discovery (among so many!) from the National Stationery Show; this was their second year at the show. Exhibiting three small and well-focused collections of notecards around those themes - hand-drawn, eco/FSC-certified papers, pattern-oriented designs - Loop was toward the top of my list of faves. Above, “Poliwog” is part of the drawings series. (If you could examine it closely, you would be able to tell it’s hand-drawn, not computer-generated. I’m digging that; it’s special.)
Part of a separate collection called “doodlespark,” the notecards above (”Wander”) and below (”Spring”) were generated as a back-and-forth project. I thought the back story made the cards even more interesting - each drawing began as a doodle and developed incrementally as mother and daughter sent them back and forth. I’m so fond of the idea - to doodle back and forth with someone - because sometimes words just fail!
In this case, you can actually buy a “finished” doodlespark set of cards, but I’m excited about possibility of starting up some doodle relationships myself. (I have a friend who is so wonderfully artistic; she’s fantastic at sending postcards fairly regularly - often embellished with doodles - and I would love to see what would come of a doodle-thon!) Here’s the doodlespark back story from Elissa at Loop; you can also buy the drawings and notecards and read up a bit more at the website:
Because I fear using the word “delightful” too much, I won’t say much about these chandeliers from Fiona Gall / Emerald Faerie. Indeed, they rather speak for themselves, right? I saw her work at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair as I cruised around and took a break from the stationery. The black backdrop set off these handmade wire chandeliers beautifully, making for a stunning and glittery little booth.
Many more of Fiona’s wire sculptures are viewable on her website (a lovely site, but wear your patient pants). They remind me somewhat of Marie Christophe’s work (her work has been on my “favorite” list for some time) - perfectly light and airy and delicate, and each piece utterly unique.
Filed under: greeting cards, letterpress | Tags: greeting cards, national stationery show
Pie Bird Press was one of my many new delightful finds at the National Stationery Show. The bright colors immediately caught my attention! I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen these happy cards before.
Fresh spring sprouts - perfect timing! Designed and created by Hannah Berman, a RISD printmaking grad, and her two presses, Barry and Ted, these letterpress notecards are (I think) unique and bold. Almost retro in a very cool way, and refreshing in that they are completely original. Hannah creates the drawings and images herself by hand-carving linoleum blocks (hurrah for the hands-on, non-computer technique!); most cards appear to have three or four colors.
A lovely capture of the ginkgo fan shape (above) and a fantastic artichoke (below) - wouldn’t that make for a terrific dinner invitation? Pie Bird Press notecards are available online, or check the website to find a retailer near you, if you’re lucky!
Filed under: color
As with almost everything color chart-slash-rainbow, I adore these (newish?) candles from Skeem in Philadelphia. At first, I thought they were amazingly-packaged containers of a new line of paint - the colors are good enough to paint on the walls for sure. Although I’m not much of a candle burner (I’d rather keep them looking pristine than use them up), the fig-kumquat sounds delicious!
Filed under: color
Today I took a cruise through the International Contemporary Furniture Fair taking place adjacent to the Stationery Show; other than a general expectation of seeing contemporary furniture and these fantastic pots, I didn’t have any preconceived notions. I have pictures I can’t wait to share and still have so much more to post about this-and-that from the Stationery Show… but in the meantime, hope I can get away with just dazzling and distracting you with something shiny and colorful (which usually works on me!):
{Picture taken at M&J Trim}
{P.S. As I cruised through the Union Square subway station today, I sneezed and someone passing by said “bless you”. I thought that was awfully nice.}
