I

Hi! welcome to this 'I' post.. there's a great selection today.. The people and products that get featured here blow me away on a daily basis - people are so clever!! - enjoy!...

In My Backyard

Katie Wilson is the New Zealand based designer behind the flawless In My Backyard collection.
Katie's handmade range includes all sorts of hand painted, printed and stitched goodness.

I have just noticed some new goodies in her store - stuffed bird decorations and notebooks! - have a look!

(images from In My Backyard)

NOTES:
visit Katie's website
visit Katie's etsy store
see Katie's website for stockists

Isak

Blossom and Bill (from the Isak Collection) are just about household names. This free-spirited, nature loving (and nude) couple can be found in homes around the globe - there's even a look-a-like competition on their Facebook page!

Who is Blossom and Bill? They are characters created by Sandra Isaksson - the designer behind the Isak Collection. Along with Blossom and Bill, Sandra creates a fresh, bright and modern range of gifts and home accessories. Since its launch in 2006 the Isak Collection has grown to include, serving ware, prints and posters, wallpapers, blankets and more - take a peek...

(images from Isak)

NOTES:
visit the Isak website
see Isak for stockists
read the Isak blog
see more of Sandra's work

Icebear

I love Sofia Arnold's Animal Parade in her Icebear store.. The Animal Parade is a set of five silk screened softies all joined together by a fancy ribbon. Sofia obviously has a love for printing and pattern and you can see it in her work.

"I've recently started silk screen printing. It's the best. I want to be printing when I am ninety years old. I want to be printing when I fall over dead, for that matter. Let's just hope there are many prints between now and when that happens."

Check it out...

(images from Icebear)

NOTES:
visit the Icebear store
read Sofia's blog
see Sofia's pattern work

And there we have it for I. I hope you enjoyed it : )

tomorrow... you guessed it....J! see you then!! xx

The letter of the day is.....H

Hi.. lets get straight to it..

Hanna Nyman

Oh My! have you seen the work of Hanna Nyman?

Hanna creates an incredibly beautiful range of lighting and interactive wallpaper - yes, that does say "interactive wallpaper"!

Hanna's Wallpaper is not only stunning it its mere printed form, but extraordinary in it's 3D form.

From what I've been able to find out (her website is in Swedish), the Wallpaper has a peel-able print which. when peeled, makes the pattern literally jump off the wall.. this in turn creates amazing shadows and reveals a hidden pattern beneath. It is up to the 'peeler' to decide when and where to stop peeling.

There is also another range of wallpaper that seems to have movable origami like sculptures that are magnetically attached to the paper creating a unique 3D pattern.

Hanna's lighting is just as intriguing - beautiful crafted, and in a similar origami style. - The lights look beautiful illuminated... - you have to have a look!!

(thanks to baekdal.com)

(images from Hanna Nyman and Baekdal)

NOTES:
check out Hanna's website
go to baekdal.com to read more

Haru

No doubt you would of seen these gorgeous paper wreaths in the press... I couldn't resist posting them here because I think they are just stunning...

Haru is the work of designer Elizabeth Jackson. Elizabeth's beautiful wreaths are "a celebration of beautiful paper and forgotten books....books that were loved by the previous owner, books that have been in someones library for many years, books with personalised bookplates and / or handwritten names and dates..."

take a peek:

(images from Haru)

NOTES:
visit Elizabeths store
check out more images on Elizabeth's Flickr page

Huset

Have you been to Huset??

I oogle over their website quite often!! Huset is the one stop shop for the best in Scandinavian design... everything in the store has that impeccable Scandinavian style that is elegant and contemporary...

"Huset is 'the house' for the savvy design enthusiast; bringing together the rare and unusual of today's visionaries plus the time-tested Scandinavian icons of design, directly to your front door."

this is just the tiniest snippet because I want you to go skip over there for a look!!

(images from Huset)

NOTES:
visit Huset's online store

And that's H... wow we are whizzing through this alphabet!

tomorrow is I - see you then! x

Ginny McMullen

Hi.. today, for G, I'm really excited to showcase..

Ginny McMullen

Ginny is the co-owner of a fabulous wee store 'Swonderful' in Brooklyn, Wellington (NZ)...and the designer for the super cute online store Papercup. Ginny has been kind enough to let us have a sneak peek into her life... here's the lowdown...

Your name:

Ginny McMullen

Your Location:

The Swonderful Store is at 54 Cleveland Street, Brooklyn. Wellington

Your Website / Store:

www.papercup.etsy.com & soon to be www.diamondsea.etsy.com also!

Your Blog:

www.swonderful.co.nz

What is the name of your business?

Our shop is called Swonderful & our in house label is Papercup

What are the origins of your company name?

Swonderful is named after our most favourite Audrey Hepburn movie "Funny Face" If you haven't seen it, go get it today, it's a visual delight & then there's the singing & the dancing...

Papercup was a suggestion from my boyfriend, he said he would start a brother record label "Paper plate" but that hasn't really happened. But the name papercup just stuck with me, it's a lovely & cute name even if the connotations aren't all that pc anymore.

What do you create?

We make everything we can think of! Primarily clothing- mainly women's, but also men's tees & hoods. I also make jewellery & hand printed cards & my Mum whips up toys & baby sets.

What do you find inspiring about the location in which you live?

We have a really big open window in the studio (I work from home) the sun streams in & warms my back, plus the cat loves it & a happy cat is definitely inspiring for me. Also we are a short drive from the coast, in Summer it was so great to head down there after work with some hot chips & beer & have a poke around in the rock pools. :)

What else inspires you? / Where do you get inspiration for your projects?
We read a lot of magazines & heaps of blogs. I definitely believe in drawing inspiration from a range of sources. French movies, other talented designers & puppies.

If you have a 'day' job, what is it that you do?
Swonderful & Papercup are full time for us!

What keeps you creatively motivated?

Talking to other creative people, making yourself stay immersed in creative projects. I find the more I create/design the more creative I am. For me quantity becomes quality.

How would you describe the NZ craft / design scene at the moment?

It's totally taking off & it's so amazing to witness! We have customers telling us all the time how much they'd rather buy clothing/ design that is local/ handmade. The popularity of indie craft fairs like craft2.0 and craftwerk is a testament to this new kind of consumer (or anti consumer.) It's great to see new events popping up like Kraftbomb which will be a regular event in Auckland & all the press these indie craft projects have been getting too proves that it's here to stay.

What advice would you give to someone starting a creative business?
Branding is really important- it helps your customer to identify exactly who you are & what you do. Most importantly do something that you love & believe in & persevere!

Who are some of your favorite indie designers/artists?

Beci Orpin, Kozy n Dan, Keep, Lyell, Mooka Kiney, Skylark

Where do you love to shop? (brick and mortar and online)
First & foremost- Etsy.com. I used to love Bunny in Auckland, it was my fave shop! Skylark boutique in Auckland is also lovely. Our fave Wellington stores are Juniper, Wanda Harland, Madame Fancy Pants & Frutti.

What is on your wish list?

Every single style of Melissa shoes. I got a pair of gold brogues recently & they are the most fantastic shoes I ever owned. Ethical, environmentally friendly & cruelty free, plus they look damn good!

If you had the time, what new craft/medium would you like to learn or use?
I would like to learn more about jewellery making & I would also love to do some pottery.

What's your definition of a perfect day? Tofu scramble at Maranui in the sun with some friends, then heading into town for a spot of shopping. Then going to the opening of Kozy n Dan's Wellington exhibition (sadly they have only showed in Auckland) meeting my favourite illustrators & drinking free wine. X


Thanks so much Ginny!

I hope you all feel inspired - here is another fabulous creative making a living out of what she does best!

Have a great day everyone - see you tomorrow for H!

Yipppeeeee! It's FREEEEEEEEE!

Hello!

I have dedicated F to a collection of fabulous FREE online finds... check it out...

First up is...

Free Design

Free Design is a sideline project for blogger Summer Allen-Gibson from Design is Mine.

Free Design "was created because I suddenly realized that somebody had to weed through all the bad freebies on the internet and find the ones that are inspiring, creative and generally well designed, and that person should be me."

Summer highlights some really great finds - everything from Martha Stewart's Printables to some great patterns for Pinhole Cameras... here's a snippet..

above: Greeting Cards from How About Orange

above: Printable candy boxes wrappers from design. wash. rinse. repeat

above: Desktop Wallpaper from Small Moon Valley

above: Desktop Wallpaper from Kareena Zerefos

(images from Free Design)

NOTES:
visit Free Design for all this and more
read Summer's blog: Design is Mine

next is...

Amy Butler

Amy really doesn't need any introduction at all! Her website features a whole range of FREE patterns - from a Business Card Keeper to her Gorgeous collection of Quilts.. have a look:

(images from Amy Butler)

NOTES:
visit Amy Butler's website
see Amy's Free Pattern collection

Ponoko

Ponoko is a New Zealand based website that showcases some amazing design talent. As well as a vast array of goods to purchase they also offer some great free product plans... have a look:

above: Type Coasters

above: MDF Wine rack


above: Box Lamp

(images from Ponoko)

NOTES:
visit the Ponoko website
see the Ponoko collection of Freebies

and to end today's FREE post...

Marimekko

Marimekko have some great desktop wallpapers available for FREE on their website. I have had one on my desktop for a while now.. but I'm feeling like a change so I think I might swap it for some sunshine yellow... it's the first day of spring here today - yay!!

above: Frekvenssi: Harri Koskinen 2006


above: Matkalla maalle: Teresa Moorhouse 2007

above: Hohoi!: Maija Louekari 2004

above: Nonparelli: Maija Louekari 2007

(images from Marimekko)

NOTES:
visit the Marimekko website
see Marimekko's collection of Free Desktop Wallpaper
also see Marrimekko's range of E-Cards (also FREE)


And there you have it... this is just a glimpse of what is available for Free online... go and have a look!

tomorrow is G... see you then x