November 16, 2009
something neat...
how cool is this new image on our website? what's even cooler is that it moves...click through to see.
by one of our awesome graphic designers :)
September 23, 2009
wtf designer search - nyc!!!
hey there, we've got another opportunity for designers interested in adding to our we the free collection!
come out to the wtf store in brooklyn - 113 smith st - this thursday, sept 24th! we'll be there from 12 to 3pm.
bring along your women's apparel/accessories!
in the meantime, take a look at the event we held in hollywood last month.
September 15, 2009
williamsburg fashion week
if you can't get into any of the fashion week festivities in ny (or even if you can), take the L train to williamsburg and check out brooklyn's answer to the big event - williamsburg fashion weekend.
wfw opens its sixth season on september 18th and 19th, at secret project robot. :)
August 26, 2009
your project for today
everyone should do this to the building they're working/living in today,
but don't tell anyone we told you to... :)
from samuel francois...
August 18, 2009
design for we the free!
if you're a clothing/accessories designer with a love of all things raw and genuine and rad...and if you're in l.a. this thursday, you should come out to our we the free store!! we're looking for folks who would be interested in sharing their wares, and possibly adding them into our existing product assortment.
what a cool opportunity...hope to see you!
1520 cahuenga blvd. c/o space 1520
August 17, 2009
joined at the hip(pie)
our knits designers chau and ryanne getting down with some inspirational pieces...
August 6, 2009
siberian wooden houses
I'm feeling very inspired by the look of these awesome wooden houses in Siberia. The patterns and cut-outs are so detailed, and the houses feel really earthy. Click here to be whisked off to Vlad Studio, where you can see tons more great photos of the houses, and even download them in wallpaper size!
Via Now Voyager.
August 4, 2009
hair
Jill Lin has created these fun illustrations in collaboration with Bando! There is something about them I really like - they are so pretty! I like to imagine what sort of faces would go underneath the hair! Jill has many other beautiful illustrations which you can see on her site.
Via Oh Joy!
July 30, 2009
seeing red
Our Art Director, Doub, has been collecting things that are red for inspiration right now. Above are her collages so far... I really like the visual appeal of looking at all the red things next to each other! Do you guys ever collect things for inspiration?
July 29, 2009
perforations
This is a really unusual residential home in Bangalore, India, designed by Cadence. The walls are concrete, and as you can see, perforated with shapes that look kind of like leaves, bringing the outside in. I can't help but wonder if it has any other windows (I would hope!) but I do really like the way the sunlight pokes through the "leaves" and onto the walls inside!
Via CoolBoom.
July 27, 2009
drifting away
Ieva Laurina's hammock is too dreamy! I would love to be that girl relaxing on it... These pictures are from a preview of her work to go in the Lódz Design Festival in Poland this coming October- this hammock is titled Nest Hammock.
Via Moco Loco.
July 26, 2009
PET project
These pretty jellyfish are all made from PET plastic bottles! I love that this art recycles, on top of which, the jellyfish are so delicate and pretty! Here's a little note from the creator, Miwa Koizumi:
I love the idea of using liquid containers to make water animals. Contained/containing, trash/not-trash, like the jelly-fish or anemone: Living/non-living
And I wanted some pets...
Cute!
Via NotCot.
July 24, 2009
once you start watching this video, you won't be able to stop
This projection on the side of a building by UrbanScreen is completely awesome! It's called How it would be, if a house was dreaming. Mesmerizing!
555 KUBIK | facade projection | from urbanscreen on Vimeo.
Via Dangerous Minds.
July 23, 2009
knit & color
Valerie Molnar's work with knitting and color is really interesting! I like that it throws my eye off for a moment, and makes me think! Check out more here.
July 21, 2009
lids transform your can
I love this set of lids! Jack Bresnahan showed these lids at the New Designers graduate show in London recently. There are nine lids in total, and they are made of bio-degradable plastic! I really love that the lids can help you take something that is thrown out all the time and make it into something very useful!
Via Dezeen.
July 20, 2009
some very intricate ceramics
I am amazed at the detail of Amanda Michelle Smith's ceramic work. The way she draws is also really appealing! Check out this post on If The Birds Knew and click the pictures to see much bigger photos, and more of Amanda's work! Seriously, do it! The bigger pictures do more justice to the work - the little intricacies are really great!
July 17, 2009
ink calendar
This calendar concept by Oscar Diaz is really neat! Utilizing the way the ink will slowly spread through a paper, this calendar is set up so that as the days pass, they are filled in by the ink!
Via Noquedanblogs.
weedrobe wardrobe
I would love to wear that dress made of flowers in the first picture! All of these clothes are part of an amazing collection by artist Nicole Dextras, called Weedrobes. The pieces are each made entirely of plants, with the hope that it makes one consider our relationship with nature, and the symbiotic relationship between one's body and the earth. See more of these pretty creations here.
July 16, 2009
bamboo taxi
These bamboo taxis are so cool! They were commissioned by the mayor of Tabontabon, a town of about 10,000 people in Leyte Province, Philippines. The main method of transportation there is motorcycles, with sometimes up to 6 people crowding onto one bike. Though this method of travel is cheap, it is very dangerous, and not very environmentally friendly either! The new bamboo taxis are made 90% of bamboo, are as cheap as motorcycles, and run completely on bio-diesel. One gallon can make the cars run for 8 hours! Such a cool idea!
Via Inhabitat and The Best Part.
July 15, 2009
birthday flower rings
These paper birthday flower rings by Tithi Kutchamuch and Nutre Arayavanish are so clever! Each ring resembles the birthday flower for one of the 12 months of the year, and you can get them all, or individually as a birthday card for your friend! I love it!
Via noquedanblogs.
July 11, 2009
wind-powered knitting
I love this cool idea from Merel Karhof! They have built a machine that uses the power of the wind to knit a long scarf along the side of their building. Periodically they take down the long knitting and separate it into scarves, each with a label that tells how long it took to knit and when! Very awesome.
Via Now Voyager.
July 9, 2009
transitionwallpaper
I really like the soft and blended feel of these transition wallpapers by Danish designer Lene Toni Kjeld. The set of prints are designed to go blend together seamlessly, so that if you have maybe an open layout in your house, or a huge room, you can have two or three patterns of wallpaper that fade into one another. It looks so gorgeous, and I love the decayed look of the prints!
Via D*S.
capri sun jacket!
Isn't this a clever idea?! Sue of Sue's Sewing and Happenings used a Vogue jacket pattern and quite a few empty Capri Sun juice packets to create this fun jacket! She looks really cute modeling it too! See a collage of her process here.
Via Craftzine.
sleek fishbowl
This fishbowl is so pretty and cool! The only thing if I had one though is I would be afraid for my fishy if those little legs gave out! They look a bit rickety and suspect to me... Still, what a great concept - it was designed by Amaury Poudray.
Via Share Some Candy.
July 8, 2009
petal umbrella
Above is a prototype of the cool Calyx Umbrella, which is inspired by flower petals! It's ribs expand sideways as well as radially, and it looks really cute too! Check out the little video they've made for it!
Such a clever idea! Make a bit of a larger one, and I'll take it!
Via NotCot.
July 6, 2009
julia
This beautiful necklace was designed by Marc Newson for Boucheron. It's called the Julia Necklace, and that's what I like the most about it - it's design was inspired by the Julia sets of fractals discovered by Gaston Julia in the early 1900's. Below, a picture of a Julia fractal. (Via.)
Exquisite!
Via The Moment.
July 3, 2009
net forest
This thing looks so fun! This "net forest" was designed by Tezuka Architects for the Hakone Open-Air Museum in Japan. Supporting the creation is 500 wooden logs, and they were put together with traditional interlocking architecture instead of using metal. If I ever get to Japan, I am checking it out!
Via Spoon&Tamago.
heike weber
These cool installations are by Heike Weber! I'd take one in my living room any day!
Via The Best Part.
July 2, 2009
castle on the ocean
It took Wataru Itou, an art-student in Tokyo, four years to create this intricate paper castle! It's called Umi no Ue no Oshiro, or Castle on the Ocean, and aside from the pretty lights, it features a ferris wheel and a moving train! Absolutely amazing.
Via Tokyo Bling.
July 1, 2009
hello kitty house!
Okay, so I don't want to live here, but I definitely really want to visit! The site where these pictures originated is written in Japanese, so neither me nor Design-Crisis could make any sense of it, but the pictures speak for themselves anyway.
a-block-a-brick-toe
What do you guys think of these crazy colorful designs by Timothy James Andrews? They're from his Autumn/Winter collection for 2009-2010, called, as you might have guessed, A-Block-A-Brick-Toe. I really like them, even though I know I could never pull them off myself! The colors and shapes reminded Susie Bubble of Tetris blocks - I'm leaning toward Legos, but it's the same basic idea!
Check out Dazed Digital for more pictures of the line!
June 30, 2009
mangekyo
I need one of these! Mangekyo means "kaleidoscope" in Japanese, and this one projects colored moving shapes and lines on your walls and ceiling! I love it! Get one here.
Via CubeMe.
printed pretty
These gorgeous prints are screen-printed on fabric by Mark Hearld. Too dreamy and soft! Check out this site for more.
Via Love Forever.
June 29, 2009
too cute bathplugs
I came across two really sweet stoppers for your drain today - I am not sure which one is cuter! I love them both!
Paperboat Plug. (Made of canvas.)
Via Share Some Candy & SwissMiss.
June 26, 2009
SK art
Brooklyn-based artist Steve Keene not only creates numerous paintings, but he also makes fabulous plywood sets and props! Recently he has collaborated with the Silver Jews, Pavement, The Apples in Stereo, Soul Coughing, Dave Matthews Band and Merzbow to create album art, video sets, stage sets and posters - so you can imagine our delight when he agreed to make the props for our latest site video! The video will be appearing on our main website on Monday, so make sure to tune in and watch for Steve's props! Don't miss it!
June 25, 2009
chair socks
Aren't these little chair socks by Chris&Ruby funny? I can see how they'd be useful though, if you didn't want to scuff up a nice floor or something. They look pretty cute!
crystallographica
These amazing pieces are from the graduation collection of Irina Shaposhnikova, who apparently just finished attending the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. The collection was called Crystallographica, and all the geometrical shapes and lines drive me wild! I'm dying to know what the clothes are made of - and how hard is it to take a seat in those pants?! So cool!
Via Today & Tomorrow and NotCot.
June 24, 2009
the grammar of ornament
EricGjerge has an amazing set on Flickr where he has uploaded images from Owen Jones' book The Grammar of Ornament. I could look at all the prints and patterns forever - there is so much inspiration on each page! Check out the whole set for many more awesome pictures like the ones above, in bigger sizes too!
Via FFFFound.
i need this
This nail-polish bottle design is so darn smart! I have needed a bottle like this for years! Plus, the word is that Karpati polish is free from toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate - some of the more nasty chemicals usually found in nail-polishes. Sign me up!
Via Design*Crush.
June 23, 2009
smokey's nature posters
These vintage Smokey the Bear nature posters are great! Wouldn't you love to have one for your walls? Amy at Apartment Therapy was able to find one on Ebay after a little bit of searching, but for now, get bigger computer versions here.
Via Apartment Therapy.
June 19, 2009
coffee filter prom dress!
Aimee Kick, an aspiring designer from Missouri, created the prom dress above for herself out of coffee filters! I think it looks awesome - I love it! I once made myself a dress out of duct tape for a party - not a very original idea, but it was really fun! If I ever find any pictures of it I'll post them here, though my duct-tape dress wasn't half as good as Aimee's coffee-filter dress! Have you guys ever made clothes out of unusual materials? How did it turn out?
Via Neatorama.
coloring shoes
Look closely at these shoes by Lauren Milroy. They're made of colored pencils! How cool!
June 18, 2009
jane south's paper works
Pretty much all of Jane South's work totally amazes me because it's made primarily of paper. Yes, paper! They're visually interesting enough on their own, that just makes them even more impressive! Check out Jane's site for more incredible art!
June 17, 2009
floating gardens
I don't quite understand how, but apparently this cool garden on top of an aquarium serves as the filter for the water! I already thought it was a great design just from the photo, but when I read that I was extra-impressed! It's so pretty! This idea was by Benjamin Grandorge, with some help from Duende Studio.
painted apartments
How would you like to live in one of these painted apartment buildings in Russia? I love all the eye popping colors! Check out this blog for many more great photos! I think my car needs a paint job like this...
June 13, 2009
the yellow tree house
This awesome tree house was built on a redwood tree a bit north of Auckland, New Zealand. It houses a restaurant, and was designed by Pacific Environment Architects as a marketing promotion for New Zealand Yellow Pages.
I've never seen a tree house that shape before - it reminds me a bit of a nautilus shell! It looks so pleasant! I'm ready to go there and live now! Many more pictures here and here.
Via CubeMe.
June 11, 2009
fairy houses!
Earlier today, Debbie Schramer, the creator (along with her husband) of these delicate fairy houses, was kind enough to comment on one of my posts and leave her website! I am so glad she did, or else I may have never seen these lovely little creations! Aren't they so cool?! I wish I was tiny enough to live in one! They are amazingly detailed as well. I highly recommend going to her blog and clicking on the pictures she has posted there. They are huge, and do more justice to all the carefully created interiors! (She also has a lot of great photo inspiration on her blog!) I can only imagine the time and effort required to make these pretty homes! I love it!
Thanks for the heads-up Debbie!
June 10, 2009
a room - a loom
Luren of our visual display team is part of a really cool and special exhibition going on at Copy Gallery right now! It's called A Room - A Loom, and you are all invited to come take part!
Some words from Luren:
The gallery has been converted into a giant loom. It stretches from one wall to the other and spans corner-to-corner. There is no space for you to move without becoming part of this huge apparatus!
The loom itself is really simple, and anyone can be taught to to use it in about 5 minutes.
You are invited to gather together the material of your choice and to contribute to the weaving of this collaborative textile.
A Room-A Loom began as a site-specific weaving experiment by Julia Sherman at workspace, a small project space in East L.A. Materials used thus far in the L.A. loom have included weeds, old clothing, Halloween costumes, computer cables, bubble wrap, plastic bags, John Baldessari's toilet paper, Sheep Dog fur, raw wool, yarn, pants, jeans, blankets, burlap sacks, palm fronds, pom-poms and more. In mid-June workspace will host an reception to exhibit their final piece.
Copy is the first of several project spaces spanning the country and beyond to undertake A Room - A Loom. Eventually, there will be a group exhibition with all of the weavings from the various participating spaces.
Check out this link for a Google calendar with times that you can come and weave!
Luren and other members of Copy Gallery will also be available at other times - contact info@copygallery.org to make an appointment!
Copy Gallery
319 N. 11th St.
3rd Floor
Philadelphia PA
June 5th - 29, 2009
June 9, 2009
water bike
How cool is this amphibious bicycle created by Li Jin? She attached old water jugs to serve as pontoons and added what are essentially paddles to the back wheel! You can see her riding it on the water in Hubei Province in China above. Reportedly the bike is still usable on land too, without further modification. I want to try it!
Via CubeMe.
June 6, 2009
mallard's new packaging
I love this pretty new packaging designed by Sarah Walsh for Mallard Tea Shops in the UK! Why can't all packaging be this cute?
Via The Dieline.
June 4, 2009
ribbon staircase
This staircase is amazing and I've never seen anything like it! It was designed by HŠH architects, and is made of 10mm thick sheet metal. I'd love to see it in real life!
Via Neu Black.
June 3, 2009
lumigram clothing
Using fiber-optic technology, French company LumiGram has created a cloth that glows! It's not glow-in-the-dark, rather it actually casts a soft light - each clothing item comes with a battery pack that will keep your clothes glowing for around 12 hours after each charge. Interesting, no? Check out all their styles here.
Via Jezebel.
May 31, 2009
maps are beautiful
Black*Eiffel spotted these sweet old cartography maps, so carefully made by Harold Fisk in 1944! They portray the alluvial valley of the lower Mississippi River, and the ribbons of color are the banks of the river at various times in history. Very interesting, and very very pretty. See the whole set at Radical Cartography!
May 28, 2009
cross-stitch cars
When I first saw these pictures I immediately liked the beautiful cross-stitched design on the cars - but I didn't realize until I looked a bit harder that the designs are literally cross-stitched into holes in the hood of the car! How amazing! They were created by Lithuanian artist Severija Incirauskaite-Kriauneviciene for Berlin art show Strich Und Faden. Cool, right?
Via Craftzine.
May 27, 2009
calling cards
The designs on these (very) old calling cards are gorgeous! I love the thought of a time when people would come see you, and leave cards to say they came by if you weren't there, or to invite you to parties, or better yet, make romantic advances! Maybe sometime, somehow, calling cards will come back...
Anyhow, these beauties came from Dull Tool Dim Bulb - check it out for a few more.
recycle that newspaper box!
Why don't people do more things like this? I love it! Artist Posterchild turned this abandoned newspaper box into a planter, with the help of a couple pieces of wood! There are so many empty newspaper boxes around Philly - I think we need some flowers for them! Click here for better pictures.
Via Craftzine.
May 26, 2009
leather craft
Frieda Gossett dyes, treats, and hand-stamps designs onto leather before turning it into various creatures. I can't imagine how long it must take to hand-stamp each little detail into the leather! It's got to be quite a process! Totally worth it though, these animals are just amazing! I'm especially impressed with the scales on the hammerhead - wow!
Via Beautiful/Decay.
May 24, 2009
magic concrete
This crazy concrete, called Solid Poetry and designed by Frederik Molenschot and Susanne Happle, shows a pretty design whenever it gets wet, only to have it disappear again once the concrete is dry! I love it! I wish all sidewalks were made with this concrete!
Via Apartment Therapy.
May 22, 2009
philly's fun new trucks
If you've visited Philly, or live here, you may already be familiar with the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, which is responsible for helping Philly be the city with the most murals in the USA - we have more than 2,700!
The festive trucks shown above are part of one of the Mural Arts Program's latest projects. Partnering with Philadelphia University's Design Center, together they wrapped 10 of the city's garbage & recycling trucks in these funky all-over prints! They've been doing the rounds with the rest of the trucks since Earth Day, and the other day I saw one on my street! It sounds silly but I was excited! I think next they should wrap all the rest of the trucks...
For a little more...
May 21, 2009
sarah illenberger
I've been really enjoying the clever images of Sarah Illenberger. She does lots of different work for companies like Vanity Fair, NY Times and Nike, all of which is original and fun like the stuff shown above! Check out her website for more fun stuff.
Via Love Forever.
May 20, 2009
lights for a faerie house
These lovely lights are by Bodo Sperlein. I love the soft shapes! No doubt they are far and away out of my price range, but a girl can dream!
Via Oh Joy!
happy owl glassworks
I love all these animal charms by Happy Owl Glassworks! There are so many different animals I could never pick one; they're all too good!
I can't believe you can get them as night lights, too - that is so awesome! Check out their site here.
Via My Love For You.
May 19, 2009
by the light of the gourd
I love these pretty and original light shades made by StudioTempera! They are gourds! StudioTempera, which is based in Turkey, hollows them out, decorates them, and then pokes little holes in them to be filled with beads for colored light, or nothing for normal light! They are so beautiful!
Apartment Therapy found these!
more giant knits
These pictures are of a piece Christien Meindertsma created for the exhibit Design for a Living World, which just opened at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum in New York. The exhibit aims to tell a unique story about the life-cycle of materials and the power of conservation and design.
For Christien's piece, she used wool from a sustainable sheep ranch in Idaho and created a "flock" of different knit parts, each one made from 3.5 pounds of wool, the yield of a single sheep. Then she sewed them all together to make one huge and heavy knit rug!
It reminds me a bit of those phat knits from before. I love them both! There is something about the thick texture of these giant knits that is irresistible!
chalk pendant
From the same guy who created the awesome crayon rings, Timothy Liles now brings us these sweet necklaces with chalk pendants! Yet another piece of pretty and colorful jewelry that I would distract myself with constantly if given the chance! Hee hee!
Check out Timothy's site here!
Via Design*Sponge.
May 17, 2009
the lightscraper
This is the LightScraper, by Electronic Miracles. I can't really describe how it works exactly, but it's awesome! Check out the video below!
Via Flylyf.
May 14, 2009
fluid sculpture
Using a small loom like one might use for knitting hats, Charlie Bucket knit some plastic piping into a tube and then set it up so that he could push colorful fluids through the tubing. It looks awesome.
Fluid Sculpture from Charlie Bucket on Vimeo.
May 13, 2009
moxy crochet
These blankets from Moxy Crochet are just so amazing and intricate! I think part of the appeal for me is the color combinations - too pretty!
May 12, 2009
antique kimono inspiration
These photographs of beautiful antique kimonos are from a Flickr set by Neville Trickett of Saint Verde Blog. I love them so much! They put me a little bit in mind of those pieces by Sunny Belliston that I posted the other day. Just wonderful!
Via Dear Ada.
all the luck in the world
I really like these cute little stools from All the Luck in the World, don't you? I especially like the cream colored ones! The crafty hand-embroidery really makes them!
Betty Joy found these!
May 11, 2009
textured leather
I've been really into wall coverings that are more textured lately, so of course I love these sweet leather panels by Genevieve Bennett. Aren't they pretty? I would feel tempted to rub my hands over it all the time if I got one. More on Genevieve's site.
Via Oh Joy!
May 8, 2009
dandelion bed
I just had to post this amazing bed by Margaret Elman. It is antique from the 1930's, but she reupholstered it with this pretty dandelion fabric! It's a really interesting look - I like it!
Via Apartment Therapy.
May 7, 2009
shiny bic
I have to have one of these pens! Aren't they awesome?! These Athas! pens are made in the same shape and style of regular Bic pens, except they are made in your choice of steel, gold, silver, or brass. Since they're in the style of the regular Bic pen, you can change the ink really easily! I love them!
Via Design Crush.
bicycle contrails
This gadget lets cyclists leave a little trail of color everywhere they go! They're calling it a contrail, and it was designed by Studio Gelardi. The original idea, from their site, as phrased by Doobybrain: By using this device, bicyclists will have a clearer path on which to ride safely and out of the way of vehicular traffic. At the same time, as more bicyclists using the Contrail go over a line created by a cyclist before them, the line gets brighter allowing drivers to clearly see a marked bike path where there might be none. It's sort of similar to what happens when a dirt path appears in a grassy field after lots of people have taken the same shortcut over a period of time.
It's a really cool idea- I am hoping people take it up, if only for the pretty colors...
Via Neatorama.
May 6, 2009
some clever slings
These slings are such a good idea! They're not just funny, but useful for when you get to the point that you are tired of telling the story of your broken bone over and over and over...
Via Inspire Me Now.
May 5, 2009
pigeon feathers
I'm loving this amazing work by London-based artist Kate MccGwire! To create these pieces she used thousands of discarded pigeon feathers, and they seem to create so much movement! I especially love how they look flowing out of pipes! See more of Kate's work here.
Via Cube Me.
silkworms
Craftzine found a really interesting article about how silk is made over on True Up. It's definitely worth checking out!
crayon colors
Aaron at Color Schemer has created an awesome list of all the Crayola Crayon colors, with hex codes. For me the fun is reading all the different names! ColourLovers has the whole list right here, as well as a bunch of pictures like those shown above, and some random crayon facts. Fun!
in the woods
This interesting building is, rather fittingly, the offices of Spanish Selgas Cano Architecture. Naturally, they designed it themselves. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I kind of like it, I like that you can see the scenery around it anyway, but it seems maybe small and narrow... What do you think?
Either way, an interesting concept!
May 4, 2009
ribbon messages
These spools of ribbon from Felt at Home are so awesome! It's such a beautiful way to send someone a message! You can get ribbons with poetry printed on them, or get your own things printed on them, like invitations or birth announcements! Imagine the love notes one could get! The wooden spools are vintage, and so are the buttons. No wonder they look so pretty! You can get yours at Felt at Home's shop.
Via Craftzine.
house of stone
Wouldn't you love to stay at this house in Guimarães, Portugal? It's just so gorgeous! Amazing!
May 2, 2009
some wee critters
How cute are these little critters?! I love them! They are needle felted by Kit Lane of Minnesota. Be sure to check out her Flickr too!
Via the fabulous Penguin & Fish.
May 1, 2009
phat knits
My friend Scott in Production came across these crazy interior products called Phat Knits. They're really interesting to look at! I only wish I could see one of these pieces in real life! The bottom one especially looks like it might be a good place to sleep...
green pockets
Here's another way to have plants right on the walls in your house - these "green pockets" by Maruja Fuentes!
I really like how they look with the matching wallpaper!
texture and pattern
I love the texture and organic look of these wallpapers by Hanna Nyman. See more here.
April 30, 2009
helen musselwhite
These cut paper constructions by Helen Musselwhite are awesome! I love the whimsical scenes she creates. The colors and style are great too!
See an older post with different work by her here! Also more on her site and Beautiful/Decay.
April 29, 2009
magdalena klašnja
This intricate and pretty work is by Magdalena Klašnja, a costume design student at Academy Of Applied Arts, Belgrade. I love how textured it all is - I would wear any of these costumes!
Via Happy Cavalier.
April 27, 2009
jum nakao
These beautiful paper dresses are from Jum Nakao's S/S 05 collection. According to Style Bubble, at the end of the show the models ripped and tore the dresses off, to the shock of the spectators! This after 700 hours of work on the collection. Too much!
Anyhow, I could look at these pictures forever. These dresses are just so intricate and amazing! Be sure to check out Style Bubble's post where I saw these pictures if you like them - she has more images and a video!
April 24, 2009
kyoko okubo
I know we've already looked at some animal sculptures today, but these are just so dear! Kyoko Okubo crafts these little figures from washi, a traditional Japanese paper. I can't believe they are made out of paper! You've gotta love the twig antlers too! See many more of Kyoko's cute creations here.
Via Booooooom!
driftwood animals
These gorgeous animals were sculpted using driftwood found on beaches. They are so incredible! I am amazed at how well they flow together- I don't know how the artist, Heather Jansch, manages to put the wood together so perfectly! Heather has been sculpting for nearly 40 years, and she has tons of other work on her site - it's worth taking a look at, if only to see all the other animals she has made!
Via Craftzine.
giant dollhouse
Artist Heather Benning created this life-size dollhouse from an abandoned farmhouse in Saskatchewan! One outside wall has been completely replaced with plexiglass to create the dollhouse view. Heather also decorated the house with 60's furnishings, on account of that is when the house was apparently abandoned. I would love to go and visit this in real life! I would be overcome with the desire to go in though - that is always my problem with regular sized dollhouses - I want to get in somehow!
Via Art Moco.
green capsule
Can you believe this tiny little garden?! The Green Capsule only grows one seed at a time - the kit comes with tomato, sweet basil, cabbage and green pepper. I like that it has a little strap! It's designed to be attached to your cellphone but I think I might rather wear mine around my neck! They're sold here if you feel so inclined...
Via Apartment Therapy.
April 22, 2009
salvaged wood installations
I am totally slayed by these salvaged wood installations by Henrique Oliveira. I can't think what to say about them except wow.
Via For Me, For You.
April 21, 2009
headhoods
I want one of these hoodies by Headhoods so much! Which one would I get though? Michael Jackson, Audrey Hepburn, the Marilyn Monroe one I saw one the site? I can't decide. I think they look so awesome though!
Via BettyJoy.
casey jex smith
Aren't these drawings and paintings awesome?! I saw them over on Booooooom, and when I went and checked out more of Casey's work on his/her site I was not disappointed! I could hardly pick just a few to share with you on here! Definitely check out the site if you liked anything shown above. Totally worth it!
April 20, 2009
the art of fashion illustration
Untitled Cocktail Party - Illustration by Eric. (1944)
The Bumble Bee Girl - Illustration by Karen Santry, oil on rosewood, mounted on rice paper. (2007)
J'Adore Coco. Illustration by Steven Broadway, gouache and pencil. (2009)
I saw these on an interesting little slideshow by NY Magazine's blog The Cut, and I had to be sure and share because I found all of the illustrations so inspirational! See the whole slideshow here.
ashley lloyd
I saw these pieces by Ashley Lloyd on The Moldy Doily, and I was sure lucky I did! These are so cool! I love Ashley's whole aesthetic, her work makes me think of like, dying flowers, or something else pretty and disintegrated...
See more equally pleasing work here.
April 18, 2009
how-to make a body form
I'm not sure how many of you are into designing and making your own clothes, but I figured I'd bring your attention to this body form how-to video just in case. It's really cheap to make one, around 10 or 15 bucks it would seem, and amusingly, one of the supplies you'll need is a Christmas tree stand. Still, it looks like a pretty viable body form! Watch the video over here.
April 17, 2009
birds and birds and a fish
Isn't this combination pet-home cool? It's really neat that the birds and fish can look at one another. I wonder what they think?
I would love to have one of these! I saw it here at the site of Constance Guisset, who I am assuming is the creator of this sweet cage...
While we're on the topic of bird cages, I also wanted to show you this crazy dress:
Created by artist Kasey McMahon, this is a wearable, functional bird cage!
Both via Neatorama.
liz tran
I think what I enjoy most about Liz Tran's work is her color palette. Those vibrant colors paired with the dreamy feel are enough to get me hooked! See her portfolio on her site.
bird dogs
I can't decide if these are kind of cute or rather creepy. I'm torn - maybe somewhere in between... Either way, they're really interesting, and original! They're made by Emily Valentine, and you can see them all on her site. It's worth looking at, there are quite a few and they're all different - I had trouble picking some to show you!
I will say that it would be fun to have a dog with pretty wings! He he!
I saw these on NotCot!
April 15, 2009
thomas doyle
Thomas Doyle, the creator of these incredible dioramas, says in his artist statement that he feels work done in such small scale allows for the intimacy one might feel peering into a museum display case or dollhouse. I completely agree - and I think that is one thing that is so appealing about these pieces! It is quite like looking into a dollhouse for me, except rather than wanting to jump in and join the scene, I am worried for the little people in these dioramas - they seem like they are in peril! Still, amazing work, and you can check out Thomas' site to see more.
usb tie
I couldn't resist sharing this USB port tie with you guys - what will they think of next!?
Via Dialog5.
April 14, 2009
crochet time!
working light
chair
table
These neat designs are all from Marcel Wanders Studio, with the light being their most recent crochet creation. I love how they look! I only wish there were a few more photos so I could see more how they are made, or maybe see the fixture in the light for example. Still, I'm intrigued, and I would love that light!
tone matrix
The screenshot below looks pretty unassuming, but I can assure you that those little squares are actually something awesome! The Tone Matrix is a sine wave synthesizer, the key word for us here being sythesizer, as in you make music with it! I can't explain very well how it works or what it does exactly, but if you go play with it you will not be able to stop! Try it! I really think you guys will love this - enjoy!
record purse
Another clever use of obsolete music apparatus - record purses, by Chilean design student Natalia Pezoa! They look pretty cool! They would go very well with one of those cassette tape wallets, right?
April 13, 2009
tara donovan
These pieces by Tara Donovan are both minuscule and immense! As always, I love to see small objects put together to create something huge, but even cooler that the small objects are so normal - buttons, pencils, styrofoam cups... That stuff never ceases to amaze me. See many more of her pieces here.
Via beautiful/decay.
chickie bookmarks!
I downloaded these awesome chick bookmarks from JinJurup, and I love them so much! I glued the printer paper to card-stock before I cut mine out, just to make them more sturdy. They are so cute! Get yours here, for free of course!
Via Folding Trees.
April 9, 2009
indoor slide
Isn't this like every kid's fantasy? I think if I had a slide next to the stairs in my house I would only slide down to the lower level. This picture is part of a slideshow on Cookie Magazine's website, featuring a green home built by a British architect. When making the plans for his house, he let his children have a say in what they would like as well, which is how he ended up with a slide by the stairs! I love it!
Via ohdeedoh.
April 8, 2009
chalkboard eggs
These ostrich eggs made into mini-blackboards from The Red Thread are the perfect little Easter treat! They come with chalk so you can write or draw your own sweet messages on them! Plus, ostrich eggs are much stronger than chicken eggs, so they'll last! Awesome! I want one!
Via Apartment Therapy.
April 7, 2009
sealpelt
These Sealpelts by Vík Prjónsdóttir are so much cooler than snuggies, in my opinion! They look so cozy and fun!
memory key
I love these USB ports made to look like old antique keys by byAMT Studio! They are so cool!
April 4, 2009
clear canoe
I'm not sure if any of you are fans of canoeing, but I think you'll agree that this clear canoe is awesome! One of the best things about canoeing is looking at everything around you and in the water. How awesome would it be to look right down under your feet as you're going along?! There's also a clear kayak, which is pretty sweet. Both can be found right here.
Via Neatorama.
April 3, 2009
fruit juice
Can you believe this juice box packaging by Naoto Fukasawa? I love it! I'm not sure they'd be easy to mass produce, but I would love to hold one just to see what it feels like! Especially the strawberry one...
Via.
April 2, 2009
lion/tiger bandanna
Have you guys seen this awesome bandanna from Handoverfist? I want one! There's also a bear/bunny bandanna if that's more your style. Sweet!
Via Penguin & Fish.
apple cozy
While I personally am not ready to drop 20$ for one of these little apple cozies, I do think they are a really cute and cool idea! No more bruises, I suppose. I love the leaf embellishment also!
Via The Trendy Girl.
March 31, 2009
nautilus house
This amazing house was designed by Senosiain Arquitectos for a couple in Mexico City after they decided they wanted a house that looked like a snail shell! They now live there with their children. I can't even imagine what it must be like to live in a house like that! I especially love the rainbow glass front window. For more detailed information about the house, and some more incredible pictures, see this page on DVICE.
i miss you
Don't you love this stamp ring by Colleen Baran? It's so sweet! Why don't I ever think of this stuff?
Via Noquedanblogs.com.
March 30, 2009
pillow blanket
This pillow blanket by Joon & Jung looks so so comfortable. It makes me want to sleep just looking at it! It's a neat idea too, sewing together many pillows. What do you think?
gourmet amigurumi
I recently saw these cuddly crochet pals by GourmetAmigurumi and I can't get over the little details! I love their expressions and clothing and even their little eyes! Definitely check out GourmetAmigurumi's blog, as she posts lots of her work in progress which is cool to see, as well as patterns and tips!
March 28, 2009
faucet + vase
Believe it or not, this vase is also a working faucet! It was designed by David Vercelli for the Italian bathroom company Hego Waterdesign. I love the look and the thought behind this faucet, but I have to agree with Apartment Therapy when they say that they aren't sure they'd be too keen to drink from it. Still, what a neat design!
March 26, 2009
doub's glove project
One of our former design team employees, Michelle, recently dug up our Art Director Doub's glove project from many years ago, and posted it on her blog! You can see it above, it's pretty fabulous - I couldn't resist sharing it with you guys as well!
Here's a little note from Doub about where the inspiration for this project came from:
Well what became fascinating for me when I started the glove project was how elaborately detailed each pair of gloves were. And with each glove it's delicate little details really dictated each design. I had become obsessed with gloves and was scouring the city for them mainly for the strange need to cut one of the pair up into a silhouette. I still have such an appreciation for the amazing craftsmanship and design of gloves.
It really is a very inspiring project! And speaking of inspiration, our friend Michelle's blog is called Inspiration Resource, and aptly so! You should definitely check it out if you feel so inclined...
March 24, 2009
very delicate delicates
I am in love with these exquisite dainty little underthings by Stumpet & Pink. They're too delicate for me though, I would definitely inadvertently rip seams and tear them up if I wore any! They are so so pretty to look at though. What do you guys think?
Via Miss Jane.
salt art
Motoi Yamamoto creates these amazing designs with loose salt, or salt baked into bricks for large structures. He started using salt as his only medium when his sister passed away from brain cancer twelve years ago, and he looks at his labyrinth-esque art as at once futile yet necessary to his healing. It's also interesting to note that in Japanese culture salt is often considered a symbol of purity.
L.E.D. Sheep!
There are no words for this video other than totally awesome! Samsung paid these guys to go to Wales and put some LED lights on sheep and herd them into patterns to make different displays! The sheep were probably kind of confused, but boy did they help make some cool visuals! Check it out, it is just amazing!
P.S. Props to the sheepdogs too!
March 19, 2009
blow up hoodie
How about this hoodie made partially from a blow-up doll by Mama Anders? I first noticed it because I thought it was funny to have a face on the back of your head, I didn't realize it was a blow up doll until looking closer.
Mama Anders: I customize existing tracksuit tops with parts of the blow-up dolls...These dolls are so ugly and vulgar that turning them into something beautiful has become a challenge for me. The doll is a means to convey something else. Interesting!
Via LikeCool.
March 18, 2009
fashion lollies
Massimo Gammacurta created these still life shots, which feature the logos of some famous fashion labels (I bet you know which ones!) as lollipops! Interesting, but mainly makes me want to go grab a dum-dum...
Via Yatzer.
March 17, 2009
comfy feet
Can you believe this odd rug by Laurens Van Wieringen? It's made out of little bits of polyurethane foam, in different colors and heights that make a mini-landscape! I would love to walk on it in bare feet - I bet it feels awesome!
Via Design Crisis.
knitwear by sandra backlund
I'm finding these knit creations by Sandra Backlund really impressive. They are so visually interesting, complex and unique! I especially love the back of the fourth one, but they are all really gorgeous! Do you guys like them too? Have you ever seen anything like them?
Via Ma Frangine.
P.S. Also check out these cool knits from Rödel Latin America, again via Ma Frangine...
March 16, 2009
kitschy cool wallpaper
I love Aimee Wilder's wallpaper designs! I wish I could have a different one in each room! Check out her site to see all of them!
March 14, 2009
meadow roof
This awesome house, called House C, was designed by Japanese architect Hiroshi Nakamura. I've seen a lot of houses built into hills with a sort of hill roof, but I haven't seen any houses quite like this, with a normal flat roof with a garden/meadow on top. Isn't it so awesome?! I would love to be that little girl...
Via Spoon&Tamago.
March 12, 2009
milk in stitches
These fun milk cartons were designed by hattomonkey, and I think they are really interesting! Why aren't more labels colorful and cross-stitched looking?
Via Black*Eiffel.
March 11, 2009
light tree
These awesome light trees, created by designer Alexander Lervik, are made with a steel frame and tons of plastic fibre. The light source is a projector that lets you make the tree any color you want, and the tree can of course be outside or inside. I want one! I want three! I would put them inside, if i had room, how awesome would that be?!
cindy riccardelli
I am obsessed by Cindy Riccardelli's jewelry right now! I love the huge masses of beads and how textured and chunky her work is. As much chunky jewelry is out there these days, I haven't seen any quite like these - they really make a statement! I love the colors too, especially the first one! Cindy also paints and makes dolls- you can see all of her work, including a lot more jewelry, here on her site!
March 10, 2009
a horsey dress
Can you believe this amazing dress that the girls at Anthro created?! I love it! It appeared in 543 today!
Now we see why it has horses next to it!
So much detail!
The back...
Close up of the front...
March 9, 2009
awesome sliding house!
This is just amazing! A man in Suffolk UK built this incredible glass house, with a slide-over cover, for he and his wife to retire in... I would love to live here!
Via Archidose.
monique goossens
I completely love these designs by Monique Goossens! Especially the cup with a table and chairs - wow! See more here.
Also, why doesn't my coffee maker look like this? Too cute!
March 6, 2009
this tea's not for drinking
Isn't this tea bag crazy? Korean designer Wonsik Chae came up with this idea for a light in the shape of a tea bag! Each time you dip the bag in and out of the water, like regular tea, it gets darker - or rather, brighter! The bag has florescent chemicals in it that react with the water and glow. Reminds me of those old party glow-sticks!
March 2, 2009
tiny book for your finger
Ah! I want a book ring by Ana Cardim! So cute, and I'd never forget anything again!
March 1, 2009
notgeld
I am obsessed by the graphics on these antique German notgeld, or emergency money. Notgeld was printed by small municipalities and town banks in Germany from WWI through the 1920's and 30's. Though it was not legal currency, it was generally accepted, and actually proved useful due to the outrageous inflation in Germany at the time. These scans are all from Flickr user Iliazd, who has an awesome notgeld set with something like 900 different marks in it! If you love sweet graphics or history, or both, be sure to give it a browse.
Via Dark Roasted Blend.
February 24, 2009
mona lisa chair
How do you guys like this Mona Lisa folding chair? You could put it on your wall, or sit on it! I really like it, weird as it is, it catches my eye. The frame is so cool! Created by Korean designer Kwang Hoo Lee, you can read more about it here on CubeMe.
February 23, 2009
portable toaster knife thing!?!
This little gadget, which looks rather like a butter knife, is actually a portable toaster! Apparently you just "glide" the toaster over your slice of bread, and the bread gets toasted! And if you couldn't tell just by looking at your bread, the cute little graphic on the toaster changes as you toast your bread to let you know how far along your toast is. Sheesh! It looks cute, but it also looks like it has the potential to be more trouble than it's worth. What do you guys think?
See more about the toaster here. Via Oobject.
February 19, 2009
das parkhotel
I'll bet you never thought to spend the night in a renovated sewage pipe! However, at Das Parkhotel in Austria you can cozy up and spend the night (or a few) along the banks of the Danube in one of these well-decorated (and clean) pipe rooms. There are some more pictures on the hotel's site. I'd totally try it! Would you?
February 16, 2009
a table and chairs that rule
These interesting chairs and table are by VivaTerra, and are made entirely from rulers and yardsticks. I like how they are made in a sort of vintage looking style too. Cool!
Via Apartment Therapy.
awesome phone charger!
I love this phone charger! Wires can get so tiresome and ugly - I love that MicroWorks turned the wire into a vine! However, they are not selling these chargers, but who cares? I'm going to make it a point to hit up my nearest craft store in the next few days, buy some fake flowers and leaves, and turn my phone charger into a beautiful flower vine! Easy! And pretty!
February 13, 2009
a fine seat
How about these photo chairs by Distant Origin? I want the top one the most. I love the cow! The deer in a suit on the last chair is pretty great too though. Which one do you like most? Also, Distant Origin has many more photo chairs on their site for your browsing pleasure.
Via Design Crisis.
protect your lunch!
These Anti-Theft Lunch Bags make me laugh! The mold is totally believable too! When I first saw these pictures I wondered for a moment- what is this picture of a moldy sandwich? Even if your lunch isn't under attack, these would still be fun to have around for a gag!
Via Design Dig.
February 12, 2009
trove wallpaper
I love these wallpapers! They're by Trove Design out of New York City, which is a two man team that favors a more natural and unaltered look in wallpaper. I feel like these wallpapers would look good in any room of the home - but my favorite is the moths, extra-perfect for a bedroom!
Read and see more on Yatzer.
February 11, 2009
just a little tote
I love the print on this tote! It reminds me a little bit of Elsita's papercuts, and it would be pretty cute for keeping valentine's too! Agree?
February 10, 2009
watermarks
These cool projections have been popping up on the sides of buildings in Bristol, UK, thanks to the Watermarks Project.
From their website:
Sea levels are rising due to climate change… but how much could they rise and how quickly? And how could this affect the city of Bristol?
Watermarks is a public art project that will use a series of large-scale projections at sites across the centre of the city to explore these questions.
Interesting!
For a gallery of the projections, see the Watermarks Project's website.
Via It's Nice That.
February 9, 2009
elsita's beautiful pins
I frequent Elsa Mora's blog - I usually check it every day - so I already know that whenever she makes something, it's going to be gorgeous. Her papercuts are carefully indexed in her papercut blog, which is a good hour of browsing fun at least, and her drawings and sculptures are so talented and inspiring! She has a lot of heart. Still, I was just blown away when I checked in today and saw her latest set of pins. They are so tiny, and so textured and intricate, and just so darn cute- I love them!
See more of Elsita's fantastic artworks here and here, and you can visit her Etsy shop here!
February 5, 2009
the moss bath mat
Nguyen La Chanh created this completely awesome bath mat with the hopes of finding "a new way of having your plants inside." It is definitely that, although I think the mat is a brilliant idea for a slightly different reason - I hate picking up a nasty wet bath mat up off the floor and setting it on the tub to dry. Yuck. But with a mat like this, I could just leave it on the floor and let the moss enjoy any water that falls. After all, the moss reportedly does not smell when damp, and feels pleasant on your feet. Not to mention that moss is super pretty. I want one!
Via the Telegraph.
lok ming fung
These beautiful ceramic boxes are part of a collection called Oohhh, by recent Central Saint Martins graduate Lok Ming Fung. The set itself is inspired by Russian dolls and Japanese Inro boxes, while the decorations are more barnacle/lichen inspired. They're all gorgeous. See the rest of the set here.
Via Yatzer.
February 4, 2009
hobbit house!
I want to live in this house! Built in Wales and extremely environmentally friendly, it was cheap too! Less than $10,000 to build - really! Check out the website for many interesting details about the house, as well as better pictures!
Via CubeMe!
February 3, 2009
a clever idea
This lamp that doubles as an earring stand is so smart! You can buy one here, (they call it the Sofia Lamp) but I think you could easily make an earring lamp with a little drill or some other hole-poking device, and a lamp shade! I bet it would look so awesome with a ton of earrings on it...
Via CubeMe.
January 29, 2009
talented carpentry by carlos alberto
The talented Portuguese carpenter Carlos Alberto created the awesome wood Mota and wood Vespa shown above. Aren't they beautiful? I want one! His 'normal' carpenter work is also very impressive. See more pictures of all at his site.
January 23, 2009
shoe jeans
Does getting dressed in the morning just take toooo long? Think about how much more you could get done if you didn't have to put shoes on? This must have been what Sebastian Errazuriz was thinking when he designed these Converse jeans.
Sebastian has done some other clever playful fashion interpretations. I think the belt of buckles is pretty cool, and the LEGO helmut is definitley genius!
found via refinery 29
January 22, 2009
light lane
Isn't this such a smart idea? I love it! I think the Free People girl needs one of these Light Lanes to keep safe on her bike! This would help so so much when there is no bike lane! What do you guys think?
Via A Cup Of Joe.