Knitalatte + Kate Slater + Kris's Color Stripes

Hello! Welcome to a new alphabetical week!

Did you have a lovely weekend? I hope so. x

We had a great weekend, pretty much filled with football. Our youngest son's club prize-giving was on Friday night - he won a trophy! - most improved player - the look on his gorgeous 4 year old face was priceless!! Definitely a proud parent moment : )

Then we had both the boys at football again on Sunday, with our oldest son winning player of the day, and.... getting selected for the 6th grade All Stars team, he was so chuffed and has been excitedly talking about it ever since - Steve and I have been glowing with pride. Celebrations all round at our house!

Are you ready for K? Let's get started...

Knitalatte

So what does a medical doctor with a degree in Biochemistry and a doctorate in Synthetic Organic Chemistry of Natural Products do in her spare time? - Craft of course!!

Not just any craft - wonderful, hand stitched, beautiful craft!

Have you seen the work of Margie Oomen from Knitalatte? If not, you should! Margie is a self taught crafter who's passion for nature speaks loudly through her work, her gorgeous crochet stones are simply beautiful and her ability to capture life through her photography is superb.

I suggest you make yourself a regular over at the Margie's Knitalatte store so you know when you can purchase a stone of your own - they sell out so quickly it pays to be in the know...

Margie's favourite quote from Frank Lloyd Wright sums her work up perfectly -

"Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you."

(images from Margie Oomen)

NOTES:
visit Margie's store
read Margie's blog
read a great interview with Margie at Lou Lou and Oscar

Kate Slater

As a recent graduate of Kingston University, Kate Slater's mixed media work is sought after by a variety of commercial and personal clients. As you know I have a 'thing' for mixed media work and I am eagerly awaiting the completion of Kate's first children's book that will be published by Anderson Press.

Kate's website is definitely worth a visit as it contains a huge catalogue of work that spans advertising, posters, book illustration and more... then a trip over to her store will enable you to purchase your very own piece of Kate Slater goodness - enjoy!

P.S isn't this first print "Bears love cakes" the cutest thing???

(images from Kate Slater)

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

I love Kris's Color Stripes!

What I love most is the extension I get visually from Kris's combination of images and their coordinating colour palette. Pictures that I would usually just look at are now studied to see the colours Kris has highlighted, I see the images in a completely different light, and as I said before - I love it!

I am concerned that my addiction to this blog and this new way of seeing things will turn into me seeing everything in colour palette strips - and memorizing pantone colour codes!

If I start describing things in pantone colour codes - you will tell me to stop wont you??!!

Have fun!!

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Are you enjoying this new Blog Wonderland slot? It would be good to know if you think I am on the right (or wrong) track with it - how are you finding it? do you enjoy the extra bit of reading? Am I sharing anything new or is it all 'old news'? Any feedback would be wonderful : )

Have a fabulous day!

See you tomorrow for L! xxoo

Fox and Clover + Fifi Lapin + Fresh 365

Hello! Welcome to a new week! How was your weekend? We had a lovely weekend, sharing time with family and enjoying the warm weather. Are you ready for this alphabet week to begin? Let's get started...

Fox and Clover

I had considered saving Fox and Clover to write about for 'x' as it is traditionally a tricky letter to fill, but I really couldn't wait...

Sabrina Baissas of Fox and Clover began her journey into traditional stained glass during a year long apprentice-style education in Paris, France in 2005. From here, Sabrina experimented with different enameling surfaces and found that this traditional method fitted perfectly into modern decor.

Using mainly reclaimed materials on which to paint, Sabrina's range includes dishware, jewellery and stained glass - have a look!

(images from Fox and Clover)

NOTES:

visit Sabrina's website

visit Sabrina's store

Fifi Lapin

Nothing like a bit of bunny-love first thing on a Monday : ) Fifi Lapin's profile in her store is fab! it reads:

Hi,

I'm Fifi.

Fifi Lapin.

I was born one of 257 brothers and sisters but sadly there was an outbreak of myxamatosis when I was one year old and I was the only one that survived. My parents are therefore incredibly protective of me and spoil me rotten. I'm an 'haress' to my fathers fortune which he made playing fast and loose with carrot and lettuce shares on the international stock market. There are a lot of rabbits out there so I guess he just struck gold (or orange you might say). Some people think I’m just a socialite but I think there is more to me than just an extremely stylish clotheshorse!

I love to wear the latest fashions and I never wear the same outfit twice which means each and every one of my original drawings is totally unique hope you enjoy my obsession!

bunny kisses

Fifixxx

Do you really need to know any more??

enjoy!

(images and quote from Fifi Lapin)

NOTES:

read Fifi's blog

visit Fifi's etsy store and big cartell store

One of my other loves (besides design and handmade goodness) is food! I love cooking and reading recipe books and browsing through websites looking for new dishes - and eating of course!! ... this is one of my favourite places to look for food inspiration - Fresh 365

Erin from Fresh 365 fills her fab blog with beautiful photography and easy to follow recipes...focusing on delicious vegetarian dishes (like avocado and black bean salad - yum!!).

"I am a designer who is endlessly inspired by life. I am passionate about food, photography, travel and style.

I will hope you will find inspiration here to taste new foods, explore unique places and share simple recipes and laughs with family and friends.

Make the most out of every day and take life for what it has to offer. "

(image and quote from Fresh 365)

I hope you take heed of Erin's great advice and really do make the most out of every day.

See you tomorrow for G! xxoo

Alicia Bock + Annette Mangseth + A Cup of Jo

We aren't going to dilly-dally....let's jump right in!

Alicia Bock

I am so excited to begin Alphabet*Six with Alicia Bock. You have no doubt seen her work many times before, but just in case you need a refresher....

Alicia Bock is a self taught photographer that has an amazing ability to capture light.

Her 'As Seen On' list includes global favourites Sex in The City (The Movie Set) and Grey's Anatomy. When I first read that Alicia's work was on Grey's, I couldn't picture where they would even show artwork, but if you take a journey over to Alicia's blog you will see her work stealing scenes in the corridor of Seattle Grace. **Note to self: pay more attention to the walls!!**

I have chosen a series of Alicia's photographs that include birds. Each image gives me such a sense of freedom, of new beginnings and of purpose, - the perfect way to start this alphabet don't you think?

enjoy!

(images from Alicia Bock)

NOTES:
visit Alicia's website

visit Alicia's store

visit Alicia's etsy store

visit Alicia's blog

Annette Mangseth

Those of you who have been visiting The Alphabet for a while would have probably picked up on my recent infatuation for mixed media work. Based in Norway, Annette Mangseth is a mixed media artist who definitely fits into my 'I like it!' category.

Annette's store is chock full of Original Illustrations plus Prints and Postcards from her original works. A lovely collection that is a fab example of collage and mixed media.

Take a peek:

(images from Annette Mangseth)

NOTES:

visit Annette's store

ooohhh! our first voyage into Blog Wonderland! Keeping in our alphabetical theme, we are starting this series with ....

A Cup of Jo

A Cup of Jo is written by New York Magazine writer Joanna Goddard. Starting it's blog life in May 2006, A Cup of Jo is a wonderful mixture of the things Joanna loves and finds inspiring.

There are plenty of links and click throughs, in fact, you could be there for hours as you journey through Joanna's home life and inspirational finds.

Joanna also has a regular Wednesday Give-Away where she gives lucky readers the chance to win gorgeous treats - you'll love what is on offer!!

So make yourself a cuppa and skip on over : )

(image from A Cup of Jo)

NOTES:
visit A Cup of Jo

Thanks so much for joining me today, I hope you enjoyed the beginnings of this new journey....

see you tomorrow for B! xxoo

Here we go.....

Yay! here we are at the beginning of Alphabet*Six! It is shaping up to be an amazing Alphabet and I hope this new layout does justice to all the fab finds we have in store for this new series -

When I started The Design Alphabet, I decided that I wouldn't get caught up in a whole heap of online reading - I wanted the Alphabet to be about the things I loved and found inspiring and I didn't want to feel intimidated by what everyone else was doing, and or writing about. I'm feeling a bit more secure now (!) so have been delving into blog-land a bit deeper than usual. I am in awe of what is out there... so, ...we are introducing a new segment...

'Blog Wonderland', is where we will highlight some much-loved online reads that I know you will find irresistible, some old favourites and others that are new to me.

There are so many people out there with so many good things to share, I am hoping that you will find snippets of inspiration that put a skip in your day and add an extra beat to your heart.

Shall we get this Alphabet started? I think so!