the design alphabet

space full

2010-07-11T19:05:00.004+12:00

Hi everyone,

JANUARY 2011 UPDATE: Keep an eye out - there are a few changes taking place!

I'm feeling bad, I feel like I have let this alphabet down. I'm so sorry that I haven't been around this way for a while.. The image below pretty much sums up my time at the moment... it's full! Just as one project finished, another needed some attention... which is all good in the grand scheme of things, but not so good for this alphabet of ours!!

So, will you be patient (some more!) with me?? I'm not sure when I'll be back, but I'll let you know as soon as I am.

In the meantime, take care my friends. I'll see you again soon...

xxoo

(image from Craig A Rodway)

see you soon!

+ Justin Rothshank

2010-06-20T13:35:00.002+12:00

Let's jump right in...

Justin Rothshank

Some more ceramic love to share with you...

On a recent trip around etsy I stumbled across the work of Justin Rothshank. I immediately fell in love with Justin's pieces and in particular his quirky application of decals and motifs.

"My junior high art teacher sparked my interest in ceramics, and my high school clay teacher cultivated it. She introduced me to wood firing, and it completely changed my perspective on clay."

Thank goodness for art teachers! Check out some of Justin's work below, then skip over to his website and store for more...

(images from Justin Rothshank, quote from The Studio Chronicle)

NOTES:
visit Justin's website
visit Justin's store

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S is on it's way! See you soon! xxoo

+ Quiet

2010-06-20T13:20:00.004+12:00

Quiet

We will continue on this new series titled 'Quiet', as mentioned in alphabet*ten "Quiet will generally be a collection of images to ponder, reflect and refresh...there will be minimal words... I hope you enjoy it : )

My brother's recent wedding meant that we were on a road trip... a six (or so) hour drive north, through beautiful landscape and snowy terrain. Those of you with children will know the 'joys' of travelling long distance in weather that doesn't allow alot of leg stretching and time out of the car. The journey can be a bit trying sometimes, but that moment, when they let the rhythm of the car take over, and they finally fall asleep, the quiet is so welcomed.

So today, to encourage some quiet at your place, I have chosen some images that reflect that moment during a road trip, where the quiet lets you take snapshots in your mind of the beauty that is outside your window... enjoy!

(images from Helene Smith)

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ssshhhh : )

+ Nadia Pignatone

2010-06-20T11:53:00.005+12:00

Hi there!

Sorry it's been so quiet around these parts. The last two weeks have been nothing short of hectic! The projects I have been working on are coming to a head, meaning the workload has grown and everything is at a really crucial stage... I have also started a new job which I am really excited about : )

My brother and his new wife celebrated their nuptials too so we've had a whole heap of celebration thrown in the mix as well. There's nothing like having a full life, filled with people that you love and the things that make you happy!

I hope all has been well with you... are you ready to delve back into this alphabet*eleven?

Let's go!

Nadia Pignatone

Nadia Pignatone's gorgeous porcelain work is new to me. Like me, you may have seen Nadia's work amongst the pages of the April/May Issue of Belle, or in various other publications that have readers oohing and ahhing over the latest finds at Maison and Objet in Paris... - oh my!

I have been particularly loving Nadia's Blossoms collection of hand thrown porcelain adorned with laser cut Kimono (pictured below)... Oh, and the Drip's Collection by Nadia's work and life partner Fausto Pellegrini (pictured first below) is divine too!

"My love for the art of pottery began many years ago in an atelier on the East Side of Manhattan, where I learned to shape my passion for clay into forms that I longed for.
The soul of my wares comes to life through a visual aesthetic, inherited from my background in graphic design, combined with the endless enjoyment of forming porcelain."

(images and quote from Nadia Pignatone)

NOTES:
visit Nadia's website

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See you soon for Q!

xxoo

+ Sara Olmos

2010-06-04T12:55:00.002+12:00

It's Friday!

Let's Go!

Sara Olmos

I am just about to skip out the door, but before I go I want to share with you some gorgeous illustrative work from Sara Olmos... take a peek:

(images from Sara Olmos)

NOTES:
visit Sara's website
visit Sara's store

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Well my friends, I do so hope you have a lovely weekend. Where ever you are, stay well and warm. See you Monday!

xxoo

+ Danny Mansmith

2010-06-03T19:49:00.005+12:00

Hi!

We're going to jump right in today...

Danny Mansmith

I always enjoy reading through an artist's bio and Danny Mansmith's was no exception - I could copy and paste it all here, but I'm not going to - I want you to go and check it out for yourself... here's a snippet;

"I was the sensitive redhead growing up: the one that was picked on. So, from the very beginning, I was sort of pushed upon a path of feeling different and apart from others..."

I can definitely identify with Danny, not that I was picked on, but that feeling of being different - thinking differently, liking different things, having different interests...blogging has opened me up to a whole heap of like-minded people, it makes me realise I am not actually that different, there are plenty of people out there who are just like me!

Unfortunately for me, the outcome of my 'differences' are nothing like Danny's - this 'sensitive red-head' is super talented and produces an awe inspiring collection of work - you need to have a look through his portfolio...

"It took almost all of the ‘90’s to develop a way of sewing that looks naive and disheveled, but still well made.There’s this really hard work ethic I have. But working and making art is my joy and freedom. It’s my survival."

(images and quotes from Danny Mansmith)

NOTES:
visit Danny's website
visit Danny's store

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The sun is shining! As much as I try to think positively about the rain - the sun brings a (very big) smile to my face!

Have a great day!
xxoo

+ Cade Martin

2010-06-02T08:32:00.007+12:00

Hi there,

Mid-week already! I hope your week has been going well.

All is good here, it is still raining but I try to think of all the positive things that rain brings -

One of the best things is that it encourages us to stop rushing. We become extra conscious of running here and there, most of the time unnecessarily. Rain like we have been having gives us an opportunity to stop and ponder, wrap up warm and spend time together indoors - and then there's the open fire, the warm hot chocolates, the board games and the extra snuggles from the kids - hmmmm rain... not that bad at all!

Cade Martin

The photography of Cade Martin is the perfect place to ponder on days like today. Have you seen his work? Maybe you spotted him when he was a guest photographer on cycle 14 of America's Next Top Model?? You really should check out his portfolio, his work is beautiful!

I've chosen some images to share with you here from a commemorative book produced by The Washington Ballet titled 'Wonderland'.

"Wonderland gives readers an intimate look at the TWB dancers, providing rare glimpses of life backstage, and hopefully, a better understanding of what it means to be a performing artist."

Cade's collaboration with creative and art directors Design Army brings together a series of images that are undeniably-breath-takingly-beautiful. - My fave? The second one pictured below from Peter Pan, featuring dancer Jonathan Jordon... take a peek:

(images from Cade Martin, quote from The Washington Ballet)

NOTES:
visit Cade's website
visit The Washington Ballet's website
buy Wonderland

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Have a wonderful day!

See you tomorrow! xxoo

+ Kerry Cassill

2010-06-01T10:28:00.002+12:00

Hello!

I hope the beginning of this week is treating you well so far... we are going to jump right in today - keen?

let's go!

Kerry Cassill

It has been bitterly cold here for the last wee while, and this morning, when the clouds all lifted, I could see snow (!!) on the hills in the distance - a good explanation for why it's been so cold! So today I am sitting at my desk, my to do list in hand, and a trusty heater pulled up close by, I'm wearing a scarf and layers of wool and I'm dreaming - dreaming about summer warmth, summer colours, and well, Kerry Cassill.

I am so, so fond of Indian fabrics and have recently fallen in love with Kerry's collection of "luxury weight Indian fabrics.." Oh my! all those glorious colours and patterns that seem to so effortlessly blend together - heaven! Bring on the ice tea and long warm days I say! It is only 92 days until the first day of spring after all! enjoy!

(images and quote from Kerry Cassill)

NOTES:
visit Kerry's website

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Have a wonderful day!

See you tomorrow! xxoo

+ Katydid Paper Goods

2010-05-31T12:09:00.004+12:00

Happy Monday to you!

How was your weekend? Ours was good, lots of food and friends, and even a couple of neighbourhood discos! - there's nothing like a rainy cold day, a lounge full of neighbourhood kids, the stereo turned up loud, and lots of dancing, giggling and acrobatics!

My computer however has not wanted to join the party and towards the end of last week, was crashing every couple of minutes (arrgghh!). A bit of fiddling here and there and it seems to have calmed down a bit, but it does mean we are going to jump right over I and J and start the week where we should be, on K...

Are you ready? I am!

Katydid Paper Goods

Katie Sims is one of those people that not only has exceptional taste, she is super clever to boot - you can imagine my excitement when I got a note from her telling me that her long awaited online Emporium is now up and running. (YAY!)

Katie produces a range of hand made cards using her trusty Gocco machine, and her Emporium not only boasts her own work but it is also chock full with a whole heap of other fab goodies - like vintage copies of collectible books by M Sasek, Japanese Washi Tape and all the good stuff from Darling Clementine... you really should check it out!

"My inspiration comes mostly from my fascination with, and hoarding of, lots of old stuff - like vintage stationery, children's books, nature books, figurines, kitchenalia, annuals, romance comics... etc!"

(images and quote from Katydid Paper Goods)

NOTES:
visit Katie's emporium
read Katie's blog

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My husband and I have been working on a project ourselves... are you keen to check it out? take a peek: www.skbinsamoa.blogspot.com

See you soon!

xxoo

+ I Heart Natural History

2010-05-26T11:01:00.005+12:00

Hello!

I hope it's OK if we get started right away...

Natural History

You may recall in past alphabets my obsession with vintage classroom tools and accessories.. recently this obsession has been growing and changing, and well, evolving - which I'm sure is important when it comes to obsessions, don't you think?? : )

Don't get me wrong, old school maps and anatomical posters still send my heart a flutter, but the new love that I have for natural history and botanical prints really does make me swoon...

Check out the absolutely gorgeous collection of published Natural History prints that can be found over at etsy store Love Elizabeth... oh my!

(images from Love Elizabeth)

NOTES:
visit Love Elizabeth

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Have a wonderful day!
See you soon for I! xxoo

+ One Million Giraffes

2010-05-26T10:19:00.004+12:00

Hi there,

We've got a couple of letters to catch up with today, so let's jump right in...

One Million Giraffes

Have you heard of the One Million Giraffes Project?

In 2009 Ola Helland from Norway, was having a discussion with his friend Jørgen about the limitlessness of the internet; how everything and anything was possible now, and how Ola was pretty sure he could "easily get one million of anything if I wanted to"... And that was where Jørgen laid his challenge - for Ola to collect 1 million hand drawn Giraffes by 2011, solely using the internet.

So, what started as a quick Facebook update, has turned into just over 830,000 giraffes and counting... Contributions come from all over the world and include detailed watercolours, beautiful pencil sketches and crayoned children's drawings.

This is such a fun project I think I might get my family around the kitchen table with paper, pencils and paints and make our own little contribution - are you keen?

(images from One Million Giraffes, quotes from One Million Giraffes and Telegraph)

NOTES:
visit Ola's website
visit Ola's Facebook

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Pop back soon for H : )
xxoo

+ Floating Your Boat & Pia Jane Bijkerk

2010-05-24T19:47:00.005+12:00

Welcome Monday!

How was your weekend? I hope if was full of fun and laughter : ) Our weekend was good, we had a double dose of football (soccer) on both Saturday and Sunday mornings, and my lovely husband and I got to spend Saturday afternoon child free - which is a rarity for us...it was bliss.

I got to meet (for the first time) the lovely Amanda this morning which was great and a fantastic way to start the week...All is good.

Are you ready to venture into F? - Let's go!

Floating your Boat

Do you know what floats my husband's boat? Boats!

I'm not so nautical, but Steve, well he could sail off into the sunset at the drop off a hat! We have a plan that we will do a stint of living aboard sometime in the future which we are all pretty excited about.

Pia Jane Bijkerk is living the live aboard dream on a canal boat in Amsterdam, this super talented woman not only manages to inspire the world but rents a dreamy house boat to boot...

If you jump over to Pia's blog here, you can read all about what it is like for her to live on the canal... here's a snippet;

"...When the sun shines it hits the surface of the canal and then bounces the water reflections onto the ceiling of the boat. The reflections dance and play, and move across the ceiling as the sun moves across the sky. "

Go take a peek:

(images and quote from Pia Jane Bijkerk)

NOTES:
visit Pia's blog

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Have a great day!

See you tomorrow for H!
xxoo

+ Endemic World

2010-05-21T09:07:00.004+12:00

Happy Friday!

Well, this week sure flew by! It's been pretty good here - how 'bout with you? My oldest son is home sick from school today, all though feeling much better than he was last night which is good. We're going to hang out a bit today, watch some movies and eat lots of good nutritious food! I'm looking forward to it!

Today I thought I'd delve into some NZ goodness... ready?

Endemic World

I've mentioned Endemic World on the Alphabet before - remember? "endemicworld.com is New Zealand's online design store. It's a selective mix of fresh & creative design products from New Zealanders around the world." It has an impressive collection of NZ goodies on display and I thought I'd pick a few of my faves for you today... take a peek:

Print. Fantail by Flox. I LOVE all of Flox's work, and who can by pass Fantails? - they've got to be the cutest Native bird ever!

Above: Patch Me Up Tights. From SpiltMILK. These cute little legs are perfect for adventures : )

Above: You're Lovely Pillowcase Set. From Nice Work. Nice work, Nice Work!

Above: Tui Tuckshop Bird Feeder. From Nuzilla. Definite fave!

Above: Butchers Block. From F3 Design. Perfectly Industrial (and practical too!).

Above: Kid's Wooden Stilts. From The Black Stilt Company. One of my favourite childhood memories - so may hours spent on the stilts my Grandfather made us - round, and round, and round the house we went!!

(images and quote from Endemic World)

NOTES:

visit the Endemic World store

read the Endemic World blog

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Have a fabulous weekend!

See you Monday! xxoo

+ Otto & Elisabeth Dunker

2010-05-20T09:57:00.007+12:00

Hideehi!

I hope the end of the week is shaping up nicely for you. I'm looking forward to sliding into the weekend not too stressed and hopefully with an outfit for my brothers wedding! I am also on a mission to make 21 tissue pompoms for wedding decorations : )

Something fun and inspiring to share with you today - ready?

Otto and Elisabeth Dunker

Are you familiar Elisabeth Dunker's (from Studio Violet fame) blog Fine Little Day? At the beginning of this week on Elisabeth's blog she announced a new side-kick - finelittleday.com...

"Fine Little Day is a multidisciplinary art and design platform and brand.Sprawling, impulsive and inconsistent. It is not faithful to any single line and does not have the ambition to be cohesive or even well thought through.

Fine Little Day specializes in playful creating based on pleasure and joy.The main goal is to work with interesting and stimulating tasks. To produce happy and environment-friendly products, work shops and lectures for both adults and children. Our desire is to be kind, friendly and of course to have fun on the journey. The aim is also to have collaborations with creators of various kinds."

What is super duper cool about Elisabeth's first collaboration is that it is with her 8 year old son Otto. Otto (just like his mama) is super talented and has created two wallpapers for Elisabeth's .com store. How cool is that!?

Take a peek:

(images and quote from Fine Little Day)

NOTES:
visit Elisabeth's .com
read Elisabeth's blog
visit Elisabeth's store
Think you might like to try your hand at wallpaper design? visit photowall.eu

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Happy Thursday!

See you tomorrow! xxoo

+ Cecilia Carlstedt

2010-05-19T09:10:00.003+12:00

Happy Wednesday to you!

What do you have planned for today? I have lots of work to do on a project I have on at the moment, I'm at one of those 'stuck' points - do you know the ones? I really do need to take it to the next step, so I've lit the fire, I'm about to go for a walk, and then I plan to go head-long into it.

I've chosen some beautiful work to share today. Let's take a peek:

Cecilia Carlstedt

Since the end of alphabet*ten I've been a bit out of the blog loop. I haven't been delving into my daily dose of blog reading and inspiration-finding, so there has been major catchup happening this last week or so. One of my favourite places to linger is at Elsa-May.

I've told you about Elsa-May before - do you remember? My recent visit was the first in a what seems like a long while, and as always, Annie has collated a gorgeous collection of art, fashion, photography and poetry...and, introduced me to Cecilia Carlstedt, an amazing fashion illustrator.

There isn't much online about Cecilia, but there is this interview with ACAD design student Vishu Mahajan, which you should pop over and read...

In the meantime, ponder over these pieces from Cecilia's portfolio - beautiful!

(images from Cecilia Carlstedt, with thanks to Agent Bauer and Elsa-May)

NOTES:
visit Cecilia's website

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Have a wonderful day!

See you tomorrow! xxoo

+ I Heart Birds

2010-05-18T06:00:00.003+12:00

Hello!

I hope your day is going well : )

All is good here in Alphabet-land... are you ready for the next installment?

I Heart Birds

A little while ago, when both my husband and I were home working, an extraordinary thing happened; a flock of seven Kereru (Native Wood Pigeons) had their lunch in our front yard. They feasted for a good twenty minutes on the berries that grow on the trees outside.

What makes this so extraordinary is when I was growing up, I would of been lucky to have seen 1 Kereru, 2 was unheard of, and well, SEVEN!! I spoke to my mother about it and she said she wouldn't of seen seven in her whole life!!

My children, who are privileged to have this sort of carry-on happening in their front yard were rather blasé and said "huh? they're only wood pigeons mum". Little do they know that the regeneration of this bird has taken probably longer than my lifetime, and, that they are so, so lucky to have had it happen.

This picture above (courtesy of my lovely husband) only shows three birds (they are about as big as a chicken). When I did a wee bit of research, they can apparantly grow up to 51cm from beak to tail tip. They are truly beautiful : )

"So, where is all this bird talk leading to" I hear you say... Well, it leads us here, to the work of Ryan O'Rourke and his absolutely gorgeous Bird Houses - not that a Kereru would fit in them mind you!

Ryan O'Rourke is a super talented illustrator who's portfolio and 'I Heart Birds' store are definitely worth a browse - and his bird houses? - oh me, oh my!!

(images from Ryan O'Rourke)

NOTES:
visit Ryan's website
visit Ryan's I Heart Birds store

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Have a wonderful day!
See you tomorrow!

xxoo

+ Athina Moisa

2010-05-17T06:00:00.000+12:00

Hello!

A warm welcome to alphabet*eleven!

How have things been with you? I do hope all has been well.

We are all settled in to our new home. The view is outstanding and it is a joy to wake up to every morning : ) Our little house is great, is always full of children (and if not, it is quiet because our children are filling up a neighbours house!). In our old house, we pretty much just stuck to ourselves, and it has been great to move in to a neighbourhood full of kids and family's.

Speaking of neighbourhoods, I'm exited to be begin the alphabet with the following artist - are you ready?

Let's go!

Athina Moisa

When I had my little retail store I had the pleasure of meeting Wellington (NZ) artist Athina Moisa. We had discussed the possibility of selling Athina's knitted baby hats and during our chats she had told me she was an artist, that she loved wool and had been creating artwork for the last few years. At that time, I didn't take the opportunity to delve into Athina's work, but I am so glad I have now!

Recently when I was introduced to the Pablos website, and I came across Athina's bio, it was one of those "come and look at this!" moments. These works below were inspired by a trip to Greece, and are hand stitched using wool...

"Moisa was struck by how close together all the houses were. So close, in fact, that you could lean over and talk to your neighbour, encouraging a greater sense of connectedness and community."

I love it!

(images from Pablos and Objectspace, quote from Pablos)

NOTE:
see Athina's work on the Pablos website

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A wonderful way to not only start this alphabet, but also start the week!
See you tomorrow my friends - happy day!

xxoo

save the date!

2010-05-10T08:42:00.004+12:00

Hello Alphabet friends : )

Alphabet*eleven is on it's way! Pop back next Monday (the17th) for our next 26 letter ride... are you ready?

In the meantime, check out these beautiful Carnival Ride photographs from Ginette Brosseau, the colours are magic!

See you Monday!

xxoo

+ Zara Carpenter

2010-04-02T12:19:00.000+13:00

Hello!

Here we are at the end - again!! What an alphabet it has been! All this talent still blows me away, each and every time. I do hope you have found something that inspires you, something that brings a smile to your face, and something that warms your heart.

Shall we begin this Z?

Zara Carpenter

I am no where near brave enough to wear one of Zara Carpenter's creations, but oh how I love them!

Zara's bespoke hats are inspired by some of her favourite artists and writers Mark Ryden, Edward Gorey, Oscar Wilde, Lewis Carroll and Angela Carter. They are full of whimsy and perfection.

This first one pictured below is called "The Hula Girl Hat" and Zara describes it...

"Well I don't know about where you are but here its been a long hard winter and the spring has still not quite arrived...... how I ache for the sunshine on my face once more and the birds flitting through the blossom filled trees.Well at least you can wear a little sunshine on your head...... "

It's got to make you smile right??

(images and quote from Zara Carpenter)

NOTES:
visit Zara's store

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So what's next?

Well, we are heading into Easter break here, which means two weeks of school holidays for my lads - yay! I'm also working on a couple of exciting projects which keep me inspired (and working!). Oh, and we are moving house! A change is as good as a holiday they say, so we are making a move to a sweet little house on the top of the hill. The outcome of all those things will determine when alphabet*eleven will be launched, but I'll keep you posted!

Until next time, take care my friends.

Happy Easter!

Jo xxoo

+ Yu-I Chan

2010-04-01T17:27:00.001+13:00

Are you ready??

Let's go!

Yu-I Chan

I stumbled into Yu-I Chan's store Yoo_ii when I was in the depths of someones (not sure who) Etsy Favourites list. I was instantly drawn to the delicate lines, subtle tones - and obvious talent!

I'm not going to say too much more because it really is worth a visit to Yu-I's website, blog and store - oh and the pictures of her studio - so inspiring!! The print-maker in me is now itching to get back into the studio!!

Take a peek:

(images from Yu-I Chan)

NOTES
visit Yu-I's website
visit Yu-I's store
read Yu-I's blog old and new

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Z should be passing by soon.. keep an eye out : )

xxoo

+ Wonder Thunder

2010-04-01T17:26:00.000+13:00

Here's W!

Wonder Thunder

I am so envious of couples who work together. I have fantasies that one day my hubby and I will find a common 'thing' and work together to create something amazing. Even though we compliment each other wonderfully ;) he is such a boy, and I am such a girl! If only I had the patience and expertise to build houses - and if only he had a desire to write about tea towels - albeit beautiful tea towels!! I live in hope!

Meagan Claire Hall and Sasha Barr are one of those couples who have found their 'thing'. Together in their Seattle basement they create the Wonder Thunder collection - Sasha screen printing and Meagan sewing. Their collection is great too - reusable produce bags, fab prints... and tea towels - yes beautiful tea towels! Oh, and they are dedicated to using organic and environmentally friendly materials, as well as business practices - yay! - look!

(images from Wonder Thunder)

NOTES:
visit the Wonder Thunder website
visit the Wonder Thunder store

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have a great day!

see you soon! xxoo

+ Valeria Heine

2010-04-01T05:25:00.005+13:00

Hello!

How are you doing? I hope all is well in your world : )

I have attempted compiling a U post about 10 times now and am completely unsatisfied with every attempt! - so, U will be a no-go in this alphabet... Anyway, V was looking so good that I couldn't wait any longer!... so here it is...V...

Valeria Heine

This alphabet has had some amazing photography in it - there are some seriously clever people out there!

Valeria Heine is definitely up there in the 'clever people' ranks. Her work is breath taking. I am head over heels with the undewater images pictured 2nd and last below - oh my!

According to Valeria's bio she has only been photographing for four (4!) years - can you imagine what her work will be like when she has some serious years under her belt?

"Frequently using minimal lighting, I tend to concentrate on the small details, such as the texture and shadows on fabric. I photograph mostly indoor environments and always use natural light. As a result, my photos, which are mostly digital, are often warm and intimate. They are usually unplanned and inspired by interesting light I may come across or by a mood I want to express."

enjoy!

(images and quote from Valerie Heine)

NOTES:
visit Valeria's website
visit Valeria's store

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Have a wonderful day!

See you soon for W! xxoo

+ Tas-ka

2010-03-30T10:06:00.004+13:00

Hi!

I can't believe I haven't included the following goodies in the alphabet before - let's take a peek!

Tas-Ka

"Design studio Tas-ka is a young company by Jantien Baas en Hester Worst. After graduation from the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, they started their own company in 2004 called Tas-ka."

Jantien and Hester produce their whole Tas-ka collection from two patterns that they screen print onto cotton and create into a number of fantastic products for the home.

Jantien and Hesters store 'Collected By Tas-Ka' has their own impressive collection sitting alongside some of their globally found favourites. The whole site oozes style and is definitely worth a peek! - enjoy!

(images and quote from Tas-ka)

NOTES:
visit Jantien and Hester's website
visit Jantien and Hester's store
read Jantien and Hester's blog

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I am nipping out the door on a school trip now... but hold tight, U will be along later : )

See you soon!
xxoo

+ Sara Harvey

2010-03-29T11:57:00.006+13:00

Hi!

I forgot S!!

Here it is.....

Sara Harvey

"Hello, my name is Sara Harvey and I am a Designer and Illustrator with a BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute.

I'm a designer by day and a super hero, zombie hunter, illustrator, painter, screen printer, plush maker, and anything else I can make maker by night.I'm very busy.

I have to create in order to stay sane. Although sometimes I'm not so sure it helps.

Everything inspires me including the hundreds of vinyl and plastic toys I collect. I'm always trying new things because if I sit still for too long I'll go crazy."

All though the young gals below seem a bit melancholy, they do make you smile - right? : ) Check out Sara's work below...

(images and quote from Sara Harvey)

NOTES:
visit Sara's store

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U is up next!

see you soon! xxoo

+ Robin Collins

2010-03-29T11:10:00.004+13:00

Hello : ) Are you enjoying this alphabetical journey so far? It's been a bit slow over the last week or so, but we're in full swing now! Let's jump in to R...

Robin Collins

When you take a look at the collection of images below you could be mistaken and think they come from three different people... but no, they come from uber talented Robin Collins.

I first came across Robin's work because I quite fancied her Mid-Century Bird series, but a little further investigation led me to not only one, not only two, but, three(!) stores currently chock full of photography, illustration and prints - oh my!

"I have years of loving everything about art. I wanted to be an artist when I was young, and copied everything I could find. I went to college for photography, and then put everything on a hobby only level for about 10 years.

For the last 8 or so years I have been exploring every aspect I could try, playing with every medium. Not surprisingly I came right back to my two first loves. Drawing and photography."

(images and quote from Robin Collins)

NOTES:
visit Robin's website (and links to her stores)
read Robin's blog

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S is on the way!

see you soon! xxoo

+ Quiet

2010-03-29T10:23:00.003+13:00

Hi there,

As you may know, Q has proven itself to be a rather tricky letter, so today I am starting a new series that will take place every time we come round to Q....

This new series titled 'Quiet', will generally be a collection of images to ponder, reflect and refresh...there will be minimal words... I hope you enjoy it : )

Quiet

“The best cure for the body is a quiet mind.”

Napoleon Bonaparte

(images are from the super talented Bella Kotak)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ssshhhh : )

+ Pat Mellor

2010-03-28T21:07:00.005+13:00

Hello : ) Happy Monday!

We've got a lot to get through today... ready??

Pat Mellor

It seems that when it hit March 1st (the first day of Autumn here) the days were instantly shorter and the mornings much much cooler. I don't think any of us were expecting it to happen so quickly! I was beginning to get excited about the new spring collections being released in the northern hemisphere, and had some sort of fantasy that I would be able to wear them too! Alas, this is not the case!

So, we, in this little house are somewhat unprepared for chillier nights and crispy mornings and I've been on the lookout for some goodies that may just help us 'ease' into it all a bit easier.

Take a peek at these divine cosy numbers from Pat Mellor, as soon as I found them, I knew I was on to a good thing!

(images from Pat Mellor)

NOTES:
visit Pat's store

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Q is next up.... see you soon! xxoo

+ 26 Olive Street

2010-03-28T19:05:00.007+13:00

Jumping right in to O!

26 Olive Street

I have always, loved lettering and fonts and all things alphabetical : ) When lettering books came on the market when I was a small girl, I was in heaven! My hubby and I joke about my typography obsession and the thousands of fonts I have saved on my computer (!).

My oldest boy has the same bug - today he created his own font, drawing letters on top of surf boards, and my youngest insisted on having his name written in 'twisty' (a.k.a cursive) font on his birthday cake!

This first image below has been floating around blogs for a little while now. I came across it again the other day over at Design Is Mine (via Living Etc). It is such a great way to display a fab collection of typography...

... and then I found etsy store 26 Olive Street; their letter collection mixed with their old school educational posters and vintage classroom goodness - well that's a whole other kind of heaven!! check it out...

(images from Design is Mine via Living etc, and 26 Olive Street)

NOTES:
visit the 26 Olive Street store
visit the 26 Olive Street website
read the 26 Olive Street blog

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P is following close behind!

see you soon!
xxoo

+ Nature Mandalas

2010-03-28T19:04:00.000+13:00

Hello!

Thank you so much for your patience while we were getting some things sorted here. The small crisis has been diverted.. yay!

The great thing about a wee crisis is how it makes me analyse a few things; take accountability for my life and my life's journey, as well as that of my family. Crisis' are also fantastic at bringing people together, and my lovely husband and I have been spurred on to make some changes and set a course for some new adventures.... every cloud really does have a silver lining : )

So all is good.

Are you ready for an alphabetical onslaught?? These letters are lining up ready and waiting to be shared... shall we get going? yes!

Nature Mandalas

Nature Mandalas is the home to the amazingly beautiful work that Allison Trentelman has for sale. I find Allison's work so serene and peaceful - it is the perfect spot to ponder when a crisis is in full swing! Even when not in peril, Allison's work provides a calming and soothing window to contemplate the beauty of the world...

"Allison Trentelman is a fine art photographer who's work focuses on the animals and natural landscape on the coast of Maine. Originally from Corning NY, Allison came to Maine to attend the Maine Photographic Workshops residency program, but she fell in love with the landscape & lifetsyle of Midcoast Maine and decided to call the area home. Running her studio from a rocky mountaintop not far from the coast, she doesn't have to wander far to find a magical landscape."

(images and quote from Allison Trentelman)

NOTES:
visit Allison's website
visit Allison's store

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O is on the way!

See you soon xxoo

2010-03-23T11:19:00.002+13:00

Hi there,
just dropping in to say that I'll be back on Friday with a complete round up for the last few days - we have had a small family crisis that has required all my attention. It is all getting sorted now, so we should be back in the swing of things at the end of the week. Thanks so much for your patience.

See you soon!
Jo
xxoo

+ Madeleine Stamer

2010-03-17T11:00:00.005+13:00

Hello!

It is proving to be hectic day here in alphabet-land... how is your day going? I hope all is calm at your place : )

I've been waiting and waiting to share our next guest with you, so no chit chat today, let's just emerge ourselves in some illustrative goodness...

Madeleine Stamer

Way back in February whilst visiting The Design Files I was reminded of the work of Australian lovely Madeleine Stamer. Lucy had posted a great set of photographs from Madeleine's home. Madeleine's home is a whole other story so when you've finished here jump over to The Design Files to see Lucy's post. In the meantime, let me fill you in...

"Madeleine and her brood live close by but at a safe distance from the sunny sands of St Kilda beach, Melbourne. Madeleine is a land lover who has a respectful admiration and slight fear of the ocean.

She is a proud mother of Wilhelmina and baby Ada and loyal wife to Karl. She is a daydreamer and an avid bird watcher or ‘twitcher’ as some like to say and she is inspired by life’s simple daily pleasures. You will often find her staring at birds from her window or attempting to draw them..."

I absolutely adore Madeline's work. With influences like kaleidoscope patterns and folk traditions like Mexico's Day of the Dead, Madeleine's work is intricate and beautiful. And my fave? Oh it is hard to choose! For now, I'm going with the first one below, but I'm sure I'll change my mind as I browse even further into Madeleine's portfolio - enjoy!

(quote from Madeleine Stamer, images from Madeleine Stamer and The Design Files)

NOTES:
visit Madeleine's website
visit Madeleine's store
read Madeleine's blog

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Have a wonderful Wednesday!

See you tomorrow! xxoo

+ Lightly

2010-03-16T11:43:00.007+13:00

Hello Tuesday!

So, my lovelies, how is your week shaping up? It is only Tuesday, but my week is looking pretty good so far - lots of dreaming and scheming which always keeps me motivated!

I was tossing up between two different creative wonders today, but I've settled on some Australian goodness - ready?

Lightly

This is probably nothing new to many of you because when I looked at the press list on Cindy-Lee Davies' Lightly website it showed no less than 69 magazine features - all the big guns too - Vogue Living, Belle Decoration, Inside Out, Elle Decor (and more!). And, as you can imagine, Lightly has been a hit in the blog rounds too.

The great thing about this Alphabet is that I try not to be phased by how popular something is, I post about things because I like them - plain and simple really. And you never know, maybe you haven't seen Cindy-Lee's work before... and even if you have, there's no harm in being reminded, right?

Cindy-Lee launched Lightly in 2005. Inspired by her grandmother Rosemary Estelle Lightly, Cindy-Lee pays homage to her through designs that "carry the delicacy of lace and the dignity of nobility at their core".

This collection I'm sharing here today is called 'Chrysalis' and is "inspired by the beautiful life cycle of a butterfly and the process of metamorphosis. Inspired to reflect a natural cycle of life with a recycled saucer."

Beautiful, don't you think? enjoy!

(images and quote from Lightly)

NOTES:
visit Cindy-Lee's website
visit Cindy-Lee's store

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Have a wonderful day!

see you tomorrow! xxoo

+ Clothkits

2010-03-15T10:08:00.005+13:00

Hi!

Wow, it has been a busy few days! On Friday I ended up staying at school all day(!) They really do know how to entice a mama who is interested in art!

I went on a school trip with my youngest to the local City Gallery to learn about the art of Milan Mrkusich; "one of New Zealand’s leading artists investigating languages of abstraction" -(Source: City Art Gallery). The children (all aged 5 and 6) got to explore colours and shapes, and how to find freedom in the arrangements of both.

During the afternoon I helped in the classroom while the children created a visual 'mihimihi' which is a visual representation of themselves, their ancestry and the things they hold dear.

- it was fun!

Have you had a chance to catch up on I and J? If not, you'll find them below. Are you ready for K?

Clothkits

I thought Clothkits would be a fun way to 'officially' start the week. You have probably seen these Kiss and Hug Tapestry Kits that have been starring in blogland recently - they are a part of the are Clothkits collection. Have you had a chance to view the rest of the collection yet? - you must!

"The heritage of Clothkits spans 40 years, having been originally founded in 1968 by Anne Kennedy around the kitchen table. And on it grew to enormous proportions, and by the late 1980s Clothkits employed over 400 staff from the Lewes headquarters. Eventually bought out by catalogue giant Freemans, the identity of the Clothkits company was swallowed up by this new owner and made dormant.

After a period of 17 years in hibernation our Sussex based firm relaunched in 2008 with a fresh new collection of gorgeous outfits for you to cut and sew at home. Very much a family concern, Kay Mawer breathed new life into the company after graduating from Art School, with much help from daughters Grace and Tilly (where would we be without family members as willing models!?). "

I spent ages over at the Clothkits site, browsing around and oohing and ahhing...If you are a fan of Rob Ryan aka Mister Rob, like I am, you will no doubt find plenty to love! You really should take a peek!

(images and quote from Clothkits)

NOTES:
visit the Clothkits website

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Have a wonderful Monday!

See you tomorrow for L! xxoo

+ Jennifer Mercede

2010-03-15T09:42:00.004+13:00

Hello!

This year, one of my goals is to find a 'permanent creative outlet'...to me that means sticking at something, really delving in to it, really exploring it's (and mine) possibilities. I spend so much time and energy dabbling here and there, that I really am ready to 'settle' into something - do you know what I mean?

Of course I am hindered by a whole heap of insecurities; like "what if someone sees it?"(!), and "what if no-one likes it?", and I really must get my head around the fact that it isn't about 'everyone else', it really is just about me.

Jennifer Mercede

I recently read an interview over at the Portal Zine Blog from the super creative and super talented Jennifer Mercede. I has very much inspired me to continue on my quest for my own creative outlet. The words that really stuck to me are:

Q. What do you dream?
A. Of being so confident I love everyone and am free from any one's opinion of me!

Yes! Me too!

I've selected a few fun pieces out of Jennifer's store to share with you here, jump on over to her website for more... enjoy!

(images from Jennifer Mercede, quote from Portal Zine)

NOTES:
visit Jennifer's website
visit Jennifer's store

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Do you have any dreams for this year?? I hope you are nudging them along and you are on your way to making them come true : )

Have a great day!

xxoo

+ ISO50

2010-03-14T19:46:00.008+13:00

Hello!

We're jumping straight in.... ready?

Let's go!

ISO50

ISO50 originally started as Scott Hansen's answer to an online portfolio. It has since grown to encompass a shop, a clothing line and a blog.

I came across Scott's ISO50 site through a regular visit to Grain Edit, and really, Scott's work is the pinnacle of everything that Grain Edit aspires to; "classic design work from the 1950s-1970s and contemporary designers that draw inspiration from that time period."

Don't you think that the colours and style of Scott's work evoke a perfect sense of sunshine and freedom? -I love it!!

"Design, to me, is the search for efficiency. Efficiency in conveying a message, efficiency of form. In this way I see some of my own work falling into the category of design, while some of my other work falls under the umbrella of illustration.

With the more illustrative pieces my primary goal is to create something beautiful or striking in a visceral sense. These goals remain intact when I create a purely design-driven piece, but there is the added goal of minimalism and efficiency which constrains the process and limits the content. It is these constraints that force us as designers to reveal the core of the idea we are trying to express and to seek the most direct route to it.

In this way, all of the periphery and excess of illustration and fine art can be shed to expose the roots of visual communication and express them in a concise and instantly understandable form. When I see something that embodies these ideals it is always very moving, these are the things that drive me to create."

(images from Scott Hansen, quotes from Scott Hansen and Grain Edit)

NOTES:
visit Scott's website
visit Scott's store

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Enjoy!!

See you soon for J! xxoo

+ Sarah Hankinson

2010-03-11T11:24:00.004+13:00

Hi dee hi!

Hows your day going? It is another beautiful day here. Yay!

I have a wee lad who wasn't up for school today - this full time school business is proving to be a bit tiring and because he's still recovering we don't want to over do it... so it is a day at home for the both of us, it looks like puzzles and Lego might be the order of the day : )

I'm excited about today's post - shall we take a peek?

Sarah Hankinson

I have a new obsession - Fashion Illustration, and oh my, the work of Sarah Hankinson is no exception. Sarah is based in Melbourne and "creates feminine yet striking works which play off broken lines and occasional splashes of colour."

As a 2004 graduate from a diploma in Illustration, Sarah's resume boasts an impressive client list - Kookai, Bonds and Impulse Body Spray, as well as recognition from print media - Cleo, Urbis, Curve etc, etc. You just have to look through her portfolio to know that her clients are definitely on to a good thing!

"Sarah’s illustration style is elegant, youthful, and strongly fashion orientated, many of her pieces focusing on the female form and made up from a variety of mediums including inks, charcoal, pencils, cut paper and fabrics. "

I was trying to choose a fave, and it's a toss-up for me between the one pictured 2nd below or the one pictured last - what about you? Check out Sarah's portfolio for more!

(images and quotes from Sarah Hankinson)

NOTES:
visit Sarah's website
visit Sarah's store

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So, it looks like today I'm destined to make the Millennium Falcon out of Lego! What about you? Do you have something challenging planned?

Have fun whatever it is that you are up to!

See you tomorrow! xxoo

+ Annabel Grey

2010-03-10T08:51:00.005+13:00

Hello!

Happy mid-week to you! I am taking our cat to the vet this morning for his yearly check-up, and because I can't guarantee that I'll actually be able to find him when it is time to go, I'm going to get this 'G' underway so I have plenty of searching time up my sleeve!

Ready?

Annabel Grey

I managed to spend a bit of time in my garden yesterday. It's a vege garden, and it really was due for a bit of an overhaul. We have quite a large and very underdeveloped yard, in fact it is really rather bare. The veges were our first priority, as neither my hubby or I have the time to tend to flowers or shrubs at the moment - and we all enjoy reaping the rewards of our wee vege patch. Let's just say that our yard is a work in progress!

That's not to say that I don't adore flowers - I love them! I manage to find wee posies around our yard (and the neighbours!) that make their way into our home - they add such a fresh burst of life don't you think?

"Fresh Burst" would also be the perfect way to describe Annabel Grey's gorgeous printed fabrics. She really does have a knack of capturing the colour and vibrancy in her blooms...

Take a look!

(images from Annabel Grey)

NOTES:
visit Annabel's website here and here
visit Annabel's store

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I hope the first half of your week has gone well : )

Have a great day! xxoo

+ Franz Tormers

2010-03-09T07:53:00.017+13:00

F - number two!

Ok, I'm feeling bad! ... I said I was going to do something (well I said I was going to do TWO things) and I haven't!! And now I feel terrible.

Before I started Alphabet*ten I got an email from Jo-Nanda Teuber about a fab bricks 'n' mortar and online store based in Christchurch (NZ) - Franz Tormers.

After clicking through the link I immediately knew that Franz Tormers was something that I wanted to share with you here. I proceeded to let Jo know how much I loved it, and that I would share it in our 'F' post - and, how I would tell you all about a great poster design competition they have running at the moment.

"What's that?" I hear you say. "You haven't told us about that." Yep, I haven't, and that's why I'm feeling really bad. You see, F was yesterday, and I missed writing about it, so, here we are at F number two!

But enough of being a misery guts! - Franz Tormers is a super cool store and here's the lowdown...

Franz Tormers

After working together in their design studio Out Of The Blue, three from this creative collective decided it was time to branch out and do what they really love - produce a collection of handmade limited edition designer goodness.

The name Franz Tormers is a play on the word Transformers, but also gives the collective a German sounding label, and since two of them are German, it seemed to all fit rather nicely.

"Most t-shirts, bags, prints and monsters are products of certain moments, moods and smells. To make things with your hands can be so rewarding, the day to day life as a graphic designer happens to be too computer based so your creativity gets blocked sometimes - it helps to just walk away and start sewing, drawing, printing….to express the moment you’re in."

And the collection? Well, I'll let the gallery of images below speak for themselves... This artspace and store is just one more reason why I must head south to Christchurch again, so much good stuff!

You really should take a peek:

(images and quote from Franz Tormers with thanks to Big Cartel)

NOTES:
visit the Franz Tormers website
visit the Franz Tormers online store
visit the Franz Tormers artspace and store - 16 Bedford Row, Christchurch. Open Mon - Friday 12pm - 3.30pm

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Keen on a Poster Competition?

The Franz Tormers crew have one going...

"We encouraging everyone to take part. The 'prize' is being in the exhibition where the artists can make the price for their poster and hopefully sell it. Winners will be featured on the toobig website and posters will be for sale online if they haven't sold in the exhibition."

Sounds great!

Entries close on March 16th so don't dilly-dally! All the info can be found HERE.

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Please do check it out. Not because I'm feeling bad, but because I know you'll love it!

and G? well that will be here tomorrow. We might do a letter double-up closer to the end of the week, we'll see how we go...

In the meantime, have a great day! enjoy!

See you tomorrow! xxoo

+ Justine Fahd

2010-03-07T12:20:00.010+13:00

Happy Monday!

I hope you have had a lovely weekend!

Our weekend was great. The big soccer game we went to yesterday was a huge success. Our team won which was very exciting! I am not a huge sports fan at all, but I tell you, I did a heck of a lot of yelling!! Because the stadium was full, the crowd noise was amazing, my youngest son seems to turn off when he is somewhere really noisy so he managed to sleep through the majority of the game and the 30,000 or so fans screaming and chanting. Luckily the game went into overtime and he was awake for the most exciting part, and got to enjoy the rapturous celebrations at the end - a great way to start the week!

I have been really looking forward to sharing today's loveliness with you. Are you ready?

Justine Fahd

Justine Fahd has been a starlet in the blog rounds lately, and it is no wonder, have you been to her Upon A Fold store yet?? Oh my! talk about heaven!!

Justine's store is where all your paper related fantasies can come true - it is full of all the best paper creations and artistry, everything from paper architecture to absolutely divine letter sets... you really must check it out!

Based in Sydney Australia, Justine has a passion for paper like no other, and her blog? -well that's a whole nother melting pot of paper goodness!

"Here, you will find a unique collection of paper artistry from around the world – some items you’ll not have seen anywhere else. From beautiful jewelry and pretty stationery to fun paper planes and perfectly engineered pop-ups, this is a magical journey into the world of paper."

Enjoy!

(images and quote from Justine Fahd)

NOTES:

visit Justine's store
read Justine's blog

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Have a wonderful start to your week!

See you tomorrow! xxoo

+ Luci Everett

2010-03-05T12:04:00.000+13:00

Hello!

It's Friday! It's Friday! I hope your Friday is going well. It's another stunner of day here, we really must remember to make the most of it as we creep in to Autumn.

Are you ready to take a peek at this E?

Let's jump right in...

Luci Everett

Luci Everett is a super clever graphic designer based in Melbourne. Luci's portfolio contains some amazing posters for different Melbourne bands plus some beautiful promotional material and packaging for various clients.

I love her collage and illustration work; her posters are so textural and definitely appeal to my "oohh I want to touch it" nature! I have chosen a few of my faves to share with you here, but I do suggest you jump on over to Luci's website and check out the rest of her collection...

(images from Luci Everett)

NOTES:
visit Luci's website

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What do you have planned for the weekend? My boys are super excited about a certain football (Soccer) game that is happening in Wellington this weekend. The stadium is a sellout (35,000 people) so its going to be a fantastic atmosphere.

We also have dinner with friends, and hopefully some more warm weather.

Thanks so much for joining me this week, have a fabulous weekend!

See you Monday! xxoo

+ Debra M Smith

2010-03-04T06:00:00.001+13:00

Hi!

Here we are at Thursday, sliding towards the end of the week already! How has your week shaped up so far? I do hope it is coming together nicely for you.

Shall we get going?

Debra M Smith

Debra M Smith's name has been written in my catalogue for a while now - and looking through her portfolio I have to question why I haven't shared her work with you earlier... I really have no answer, except that I am really glad to be sharing it with you now.

Debra's work consists of a variety of vintage fabrics that are cut and sewn back together in a somewhat haphazard, yet beautiful way. Each piece comes together to form a striking collection of works. Debra's pieces fondly remind me of what the land looks like when I fly into my hometown - patchworks of paddocks, roads, rivers and ponds, the square roofs of the farm houses and the odd blue rectangular pool. It is a sight that takes my breath away every time I see it.

"I am not a poet or someone who draws, but I feel that my use of vintage textiles as a medium brings a history, a weight, a poetry to the work before I even begin to cut, sew, and piece the work back together. Allowing the work to intuitively flow through me I do feel the end result is similar to a drawing or poetry."

(images and quote from Debra M Smith)

NOTES:
visit Debra's website

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Thanks so much for joining me today, it's a pleasure having you drop by : )

Have a wonderful Thursday!

See you tomorrow xxoo

+ Caroline Slotte

2010-03-03T11:21:00.004+13:00

Happy Wednesday!

Hows your day going? Good I hope : )

I'm going to jump right in today - ready?

Caroline Slotte

I've been on an online journey this morning - you know how it can be, right? You start off somewhere, maybe a regular stop, and you end up, through a series of clicks and links, somewhere you would never had found on your own. That is exactly how I came upon the work of Caroline Slotte. Luckily we happen to be up to C today, which means there's no waiting to share the work of this clever gal with you...

The work of Helsinki born Caroline is breathtaking. It ticks all my boxes - vintage ceramics? check. Intricate cutting? check. Completely in awe? check.

Working mainly with found vintage ceramics, Caroline carefully cuts into the patterns, removing and re-gluing pieces to create gorgeous layered scenes or images.

"I’m interested in how the interventions direct or obstruct the associations of the viewer. The manipulated objects are characterised by a tension between the recognisable and the mysterious, the familiar and the unfamiliar. I rework the ceramics by cutting directly into it, by sculpting and sanding, and by combining elements from different objects. In this way, the work process becomes a way of questioning the material and highlighting stories contained in the objects."

take a peek:

(images and quote from Caroline Slotte with thanks to )

NOTES:

visit Caroline's website

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It has turned out to be the most glorious day - a tad windy but sunny all the same : )

Have a wonderful day where ever you are!

xxoo

+ Bird and Banner

2010-03-02T06:00:00.000+13:00

Hello!

Nine years ago this April my lovely husband and I tied the knot. We only decided about 6 weeks before hand to do it so there wasn't much time for any in depth planning. It was a really simple affair; we got married outside on Wellington's south coast (in the tail end of a cyclone - no less!) and afterwards we joined guests indoors for cocktails and nibbles.

Nine years ago we didn't have the online inspiration we have today. Local art supply stores barely held a range of special papers, and nice envelopes? well they were pretty much non-existent! - Oh how things have changed!

The creation of new beautiful invitations alone would be enough to see me renewing my vows. My recent visit to Bird and Banner had me oohing and ahhing at Erin Mulcahy and Nicole Michels' gorgeous collection of printed loveliness - have you been? If you are in the market for invitations (for any occasion) or just something sweet to send to the one you love, I suggest you drop by and take a peek...

(images from Bird and Banner)

NOTES:
visit Erin and Nicole's website
visit Erin and Nicole's store
read Erin and Nicole's blog

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Have a wonderful day!

See you tomorrow for C!
xxoo

+ Anna Church

2010-03-01T06:00:00.003+13:00

Welcome!

Ahh! Alphabet*ten! What an incredible journey we've been on together! This alphabet in particular is such a big milestone - our first to hit the double digits! I've lost count of how many creative super-stars I've written about, but if I estimate correctly this alphabet*ten should see us come pretty close to reaching 1000(!), and we should easily hit the '300 posts' mark too!

As it seems with every alphabet, this one is shaping up rather nicely. I do still have some spaces to fill though, so if you know of anything or anyone you think should be included (and feel free to ruthlessly self promote : ) just drop me a line.

I am so happy to have you join me as we start on this new adventure - Are you ready for another alphabetical journey?

Let's go!

(Here's one that will get the hearts of all you ex-pats yearning for home...it's a perfect start to this new series, and I know you'll love it!)

Anna Church

If you have ever read a NZ interior or home magazine you will no doubt be familiar (if only subliminally) with the work of Anna Church. Anna is a super talented stylist who freelances for a number of leading New Zealand magazines, homeware brands and advertising campaigns.

Anna is the wearer of many hats; not only has she carved a niche for herself as a sought after stylist, she is also the co-creative director of wholesale and online linen and homewares company Gorgi. She juggles all her work with being a new mum, and still manages to pull together her own impressive series of artworks portraying NZ iconography through an assembly of NZ vintage design pieces.

"My work explores New Zealand culture and history through sculptural assemblage. My sculptures are then photographed and sold as limited edition prints. I use iconic objects such as vintage Crown Lynn ceramics, a Jackie Howe singlet and vintage wallpaper to form iconic images which, once assembled, emerge and create unique artworks with a Kiwiana twist. "

Take a peek:

(images from Anna Church, Clever Bastards, The Poi Room and Gorgi. quote from NZ Herald)

NOTES:
visit Anna's website

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It is so lovely to be back. Thank you so much for joining me. I am so pleased to have started this 'milestone' alphabet with someone like Anna - will you join me again tomorrow for B?

See you soon!
xxoo

2010-02-28T16:31:00.006+13:00

Hello! Welcome back!

I hope you are well : )

It has been a chaotic two weeks here, my youngest boy hasn't managed to start school yet, as he has had pneumonia - pneumonia!! We are hoping that he may be able to start his schooling adventures towards the end of this week - fingers crossed!

(image from yarnattack)

It hasn't been all bad though; when he is under the weather he is pretty quiet, needs lots of cuddles and a few naps - "have a nap with me mama", how can I resist?!

It does mean that the work around here has been rather slow though, but there are a few changes underway...

Do you feel like a guided tour?

Well, on the left, up top there, you will notice a couple of buttons for Facebook and Twitter - yep, we are broadcasting from those spots from the start of letter A (tomorrow!), so click on through to become a 'fan' (my one fan needs a bit of company!) and to receive my 'tweets'. Oh and if you haven't already, the 'subscribe' buttons are opposite on the right.

Also on the right, you'll find some coloured strips under 'Featured Artists'. This is a work in progress as I slowly start compiling a catalogue of everyone who has been featured on this ol' alphabet of ours. At this stage you can go through to alphabet*one and alphabet*five. But keep an eye out for the others, they should be following along soon.

In both sidebars there are some new spots under 'Inspired By', and 'Take a Peek', all are worth a click, and are either reads I really enjoy, people who are super supportive, people who I find inspiring, and in some cases - all three! There will be more additions in these spots over the next few days too..

Alphabet*Ten

Alphabet*ten is about to start too - yay! I have streamlined the programme so it becomes a quick and inspiring daily read and an easy-to-browse resource. Those hard to write letters will have new faces too which I'll tell you all about later in the alphabet, and as always, I'll continue to bring you all my faves from here and around the globe - exciting stuff!!

So will you head back this way tomorrow and see who's going to start off this alphabet*ten?
I hope so...

See you soon!
xxoo

2010-02-23T10:24:00.003+13:00

Hello!

I hope all is good with you : )
You may have noticed some additions happening around here.. I just wanted to let you know that the links wont be working straight away, so pop back in a day or two and everything should be up and running.

Only a few days left until we start alphabet*ten! - see you soon xxoo

Yellow Owl Workshop + Les Zigouis

2010-02-12T09:44:00.008+13:00

Hello!

how's your day going? good I hope : )

As you have probably gathered - X has joined Q and U in the land of tricky letters. Also like Q and U, X will be reincarnated in a whole new light in alphabet*ten.

I'll give you the run down on alphabet*ten soon, in the meantime, will you join me for Y and Z?

yippee!

Yellow Owl Workshop

I love it when I visit a site and find a collection of goodies that make me oohh and aahh - especially when it involves stationery and printed goodness. Yellow Owl Workshop does just that, the site is full of limited edition paper goods, wedding correspondence and goodies for your home -

"Ready for the gallery wall, but formatted for everyday enjoyment, each article is made by hand with expert craft. Yellow Owl Workshop endeavors to create the most eco-lovin' products by using use non-toxic water-based inks, 100% PCW recycled paper and our own mitts for screen printing.

The Workshop is perched atop blustery Bernal Hill in San Francisco, California. Studio visits by appointment only. Christine Schmidt received her BFA from the Corcoran School of Art and has exhibited across the US. She handles the designs. Evan Gross, her lovely husband, handles just about everything else."

Have a look!

(images and quote from Yellow Owl Workshop)

NOTES:
visit Christine and Evan's website
read Christine and Evan's blog

Les Zigouis

Like Yellow Owl Workshop, Les Zigouis is also an oohh and aahh store. Not only are the products beautiful but the photography is gorgeous too.

Barbara Berrada is the super clever French fashion designer, designer and photographer behind the Les Zigouis store - and her blog? - oh my! the photography is to die for! You really should check it out!

I am so pleased to not only be ending the week, but also this alphabet, with Barbara's work -

Oh, and this is just a drop in the ocean of Les Zigouis goodness...so make sure you skip over to Barbara's store and blog for a look-see...enjoy!

(images from Les Zigouis)

NOTES:
visit Barbara's store
read Barbara's blog (in French with an option to translate to English in the sidebar)

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And that my friends, is the end of alphabet*nine.

Here's what's coming up...

In the next week or so I'm going to take some time settling my wee guy into school. I'll be back with alphabet*ten on March 1st.

Even though that will be a two week break from regular alphabetical stuff, there will be bits and bobs happening around here, so do keep popping in from time to time to check out the changes. I have plans! Plans that I am excited about, things I need to master (well at least practice!) and a few new additions to the site.... so, exciting things are afoot!

I do so appreciate your company, your loyalty, emails and comments really do make my day : )

Thanks so much.

See you soon! xxoo

Black Swan Designs

2010-02-10T10:45:00.005+13:00

Hi there,

My wee guy is still under the weather and is in need of lots of cuddles and company... so I'm going to jump right in... will you join me?

Black Swan Designs

Mel Blowes graduated from Christchurch (NZ) Polytech with a Bachelor of Design, she also carries a couple of certificates that acknowledge her talent as a photographer. Mel obviously has an eye for composition and this, along with her impeccable attention to detail is showcased beautifully in her own label - Black Swan Designs.

I have chosen to share some of Mel's pendants here today, but make sure you jump over to her website to check out her whole collection...

(images from Black Swan Designs)

NOTES:
visit Mel's website
visit Mel's store here and here
read Mel's blog

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Have a great day!

See you tomorrow! xxoo

Cynthia Vardhan

2010-02-09T08:18:00.003+13:00

Hello,

I hope your day is going well : )

Just like Q, U didn't show it's face yesterday... for the same reasons really... it's getting harder and harder to find things that I want to share with you that begin with U. What I am looking forward to though is alphabet*ten when a whole new approach to these tricky letters will be revealed - yay!

Alphabet*ten isn't that far away, we are cruising into the end of alphabet*nine this week.. but lets wait 'til Friday to talk about all that.

Are you ready for V? Let's go!

Cynthia Vardhan

Those of you who have been on these alphabet journeys for a while now will well and truly know about my penchant for colourful ceramics. One would wonder what I would do if I actually owned the amount of pretty porcelain that I write about - I do write about alot of it! One thing I do know is that I would be one happy gal!!

Imagining opening your cupboards to these beauties by Cynthia Vardhan...I would be in heaven!

"Since age 13, through college and arty grad school, my skills in ceramics have evolved and grown to what you see today: gorgeous little pieces adorned with textured patterns you can stare at and touch for hours.

The inspiration for these patterns can come from anywhere- from European lace doilies and henna patterns from India to the traditional fabrics of West Africa & Bali."

l.o.v.e!

(images and quote from Cynthia Vardhan)

NOTES:
visit Cynthia's website
visit Cynthia's store

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I've got a very sick little guy at home today, all though he is much perkier than he has been in a while, so things are looking up. We have a stack of books lined up, and some snuggling to do...plus loads of getting better...oh, and he has just announced we have monopoly to play too : )

Have a wonderful day!

See you tomorrow! xxoo

Tea and Ceremony

2010-02-05T10:21:00.004+13:00

Happy Friday! - again! : )

I can't believe the weekend is nearly here again, is time flitting by faster than ever, or what?!

I've got some loveliness to end the week on, shall we take a peek?

Tea and Ceremony

After yesterdays post on Studio Ditte, I was all inspired about the talent and inspiration that comes out of Europe, and in particular, Scandinavia. When I found the work of Sandra Igbodo from Tea and Ceremony I thought it would be the perfect follow on from yesterday, and a wonderful way to end the week. Who can go past work inspired by Scandinavian Folk Art and not drool?!

"Graduating from Manchester Metropolitan University with a degree in Design and Art Direction in 2001, Sandra has brought together all of her experience in art, design and craft to deliver a fusion of paper goods, illustration and sculpture.

Inspired by everything from Scandinavian folk prints to Lucienne Day and having practised various techniques from bookbinding to screen printing, Sandra's broad range of interest and experience gives Tea & Ceremony its unique identity"

Enjoy!

(images and quote from Tea and Ceremony)

NOTES:
visit Sandra's website
visit Sandra's store
read Sandra's blog

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We have a very full schedule this weekend with birthday parties, bbq's and fishing - I can't wait!

What are you up to this weekend? Whatever you do, I hope it is wonderful!

Take Care,

See you Monday, xxoo

Studio Ditte

2010-02-04T11:38:00.003+13:00

Hi!

I hope your day is going well : )

Today is the last day before school goes back, and I'm feeling rather sad about it all. Luckily I still have my wee boy at home until he turns five in mid-Feb, so I do have chance to ween myself a bit, but I still feel a bit sad....I'm going to miss them, as much as having a break from each other can be nice, I'm going to miss having them around. I have really enjoyed these holidays, we have well and truly relaxed into them, no rushing here and there, no stressing when someone cant find suitable clothes to wear, no need to pack lunches, and schoolbags - it's been great!

So, I'm going to make the most of this last day, and get this S post underway....ready? Let's go!

Studio Ditte

Oh me, oh my! It is either a blessing or a curse that I don't live anywhere near the Netherlands! When I had a store we used to import all sorts of goodness from the Netherlands and other parts of Europe, and I tell you, it was pretty hard to not add a few bits and bobs into shipments for myself! Even my children used to raid stock boxes and I'd find softies tucked into their beds, and t-shirts on over top of the clothes they were already wearing....yep, they know goodness when they see it!!

So when I came across Studio Ditte, the feelings were the same... and what feelings are those? The "I want it!" feelings!!! Luckily for our bank balance delivery is only available within the EU...but boy oh boy, talk about love!

I refrained from copying images from the whole collection, so pop on over and check it out for yourself....

(images from Studio Ditte)

NOTES:

visit the Studio Ditte website

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See you tomorrow! xxoo

Roddy and Ginger

2010-02-03T08:07:00.007+13:00

Hi there,

Thanks so much for joining me today. Q didn't show it's head yesterday. It is becoming more and more difficult to find suitable Q's to share with you, so I decided that skipping it would be better than showing you something that I wasn't really happy with. In saying that, I did spend yesterday thinking about the next Q and how we can tackle it - I'll keep you posted. If you know of anything that you think may be suitable for Q, I'd love to hear from you!

OK, shall we get this R underway?

Roddy and Ginger

My lovely husband (he's a builder) is working on a renovation of a beautiful 70's home. It has all the good stuff - it's open plan, has high ceilings, loads of windows and doors that open to an inner courtyard - with in ground pool (swoon!), it even has some fantastic (in a 70's kind of way) stained glass.

I often wonder when renovating and then decorating a home in a era like this how one would maintain some of it's 70's influences whilst still being modern. I think I've found the answer - Roddy and Ginger.

Virginia Armstrong is the graphic and textile designer behind UK based Roddy and Ginger. Virginia produces a fab collection of vintage inspired textiles and prints - "where you’ll find cheerful products designed to bring a ray of retro inspiration to you and your home."

Virginia's work is modern, bright and breezy with vintage inspired influences shining through - I think they'd be perfect for the house Steve is working on - take a peek:

(images and quote from Roddy and Ginger with thanks to Deborah for the intro)

NOTES:
visit Virginia's website
read Virginia's blog

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With school starting in a couple of days, we are on a mission today to get all the school books covered. My wee boy isn't feeling to well today so it's a good reason to ignore the call of the beach, and sit round the kitchen table with scissors and cover-seal : )

I hope you have a great day!

See you tomorrow! xxoo

Penny Stotter

2010-02-01T07:48:00.006+13:00

Hello!

There was a bit of excitement in the house this morning. My eldest boy is celebrating his 7th birthday today- SEVEN! I can hardly believe it. The celebrating started early, with my youngest arriving in bed before dawn asking if it was too early to wake his brother... luckily his brother ended up coming in not too far behind, eager for us to get out of bed.

So, we've started the day with gifts, and singing, and photos - no breakfast yet though - I think there is too much excitement in the air!

I am eager to get this 'P' underway, so I can spend the day with my brand new seven year old : ) Let's go!

Penny Stotter

On my latest visit to Endemic World (where I was reminded about Nice Work), I was also reminded about the work of Penny Stotter.

Penny lives in New Zealand, on Waiheke - an idyllic island in Auckland's Waitemata Harbour. Graduating in 1995 from the Ilam School of Fine Arts, Penny worked as a designer up until her move to Waiheke in 2006 where she became a full time artist and print maker.

Penny's bold yet delicate black and white prints are full of New Zealand's flora, fauna and motifs. I am loving her 'Kiwi Dolls' print (third below) and her Heritage prints (pictured 1st, 5th and 7th below) are just divine - take a peek:

(images from Penny Stotter)

NOTES:
visit Penny's website

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I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Thanks so much for dropping by, it really is lovely having you here : )

See you tomorrow! xxoo