home sweet home – episode 2 preview!

for the second episode of home sweet home we paid a visit to one of our most inspirational fp girls – our creative director.  now, before we went to her place i was told what it looked like, but if i hadn’t known i’m sure i would have thought we were lost when we pulled up out front.  she lives in a large, renovated garage that it is by far one of the coolest spaces i have ever seen.   like a geode, it appears a little rough on the outside but crack it open and the beauty inside will take your breath away…i could have spent an entire day exploring the treasures that abound throughout her home – it is full of trinkets that she has picked up throughout her travels and i can only imagine the stories that lie behind each tiny detail.

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in her words…

“i always love places that are not so pretty on the outside. i like to surprise people with the interiors. don’t judge a book by its cover.

when i was little my father lived in key west, florida. i went to visit him and was surprised to see his house was hardly painted and looked kind of haunted. i said, “daddy! you live here!?” and then when he brought me inside it was quite nice. he told me back in the day it was a way to deter the tax collectors from knocking on your door. so now i just surprise my friends and they say the same thing – “you live here!?”

what sold her on this place?

“it was the big cast iron beams! i saw great potential in the ceiling.”

it took quite a bit of work to transform the space into what it is now – and lucky for us, she has pictures of the progress. read on for many more photos, and stay tuned for the video coming later today!

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fantastic wonder

how cute are these shirts? they’re for sale over at print liberation, but more importantly they were designed by our very own lizzy janssen! she’s not only a talented artist but a total sweetheart and very funny…read on for an interview with lizzy and to see more of her amazing work!

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where do you draw inspiration for your work?
i get inspiration from nature and science. i like to draw things a little mysterious which seem to have been overtaken by nature and color. in my mind i’m always drawing miss havisham’s house from great expectations.

who are some of your personal favorite artists?
i like artwork that is really colorful and has a sense of humor. lucienne day, maxwell loren holyoke-hirsch, kime buzzelli, betsey walton, margaret killigan, martha rich,  esther pearl watson.

do you listen to music while you work? what do you listen to?
yes lots of music, a lot of times lyrics end up in drawings…
i like folk and blues, the carter family, woody guthrie, hank williams, leadbelly, howlin’ wolf, joan baez, bob dylan, neil young.

what are some of your hobbies?
i like to collect antiques and go to flea markets and auctions with my dad! and mostly reading, hanging out with my cats june and arlo, watching movies, and walking all over philly.

if you were stranded on an island, what three things would you want with you?
high heels,  my cats standing on top of a record player with bob dylan’s “nashville skyline” …and eyeliner :)

how would you describe your personal style? which free people girl are you?
i’m a little bit country, and i’m a little bit rock and roll! i think i could be a mix of candy and lou – dresses and heels but not too girly.

what is something that most people don’t know about you?
i had a magical childhood living in penang, malaysia, where i was a puzzle box model.

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lots more great stuff at lizzyjanssen.com.

wood & wool stools

i first heard about these adorable custom-made stools on decor8, and i fell in love! the contrast of the recycled distressed wood and brightly colored crochet definitely reminds me of something i’d see in my grandparent’s house.  the best part is, you get to pick your colors and creator ingrid jansen will custom make your stool – so it is unique, personal and special.  in going through her flickr stream i found myself saving photo after photo as the inspiration was endless…

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some inspiration from the wild unknown…

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beautiful stuff.  based in brooklyn, the wild unknown is a line of handmade goods and artwork inspired by nature, in particular summers spent in the catskill mountains and on the shores of lake superior, as well as their favorite songs and musicians.

i’m such a sucker for feathers. and bob dylan. see more here.

woodstock handmade houses

before woodstock became known worldwide for the most famous music festival of all time, it was a quiet town in rural new york that artisans, painters, musicians and freethinkers called home.  they lived off the land and made things by hand- even their homes.  they used local stone, wood and scavenged materials to create shelters that are as unique as they are impressive- ranging from the cave-like dens and teepees to cabins and stone structures.  these homes are documented in the book “woodstock handmade houses” and turning the pages is like stepping into one hidden world after another, imagining all the stories each sanctuary holds.  it is a constant source of inspiration that will never age.

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thursday poll – edition 85

last week’s poll was all about feather accessories and the winner, with 28% of the votes, were the lovely feather earrings – nice choice!

this week we have an awesome selection of patchwork items that i am loving…i think it’s really cool how a couple of these styles are one-of-a-kind – each with their own unique wash and patches of fabric collected by our designer in india. which do you like best?

the patched denim jacket:

the fp slouch patch boyfriend jean:
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the merrie patched vintage short:
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the fp military patch skinny slouch denim:
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or the patchwork rugged cutoffs:
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