This installation from Celeste Boursier-Mougenout is simply fantastic. I have to admit, I find most modern/conceptual art to be indulgent and completely lacking in charm, but this falls into the category of “magical”.
I used to have some zebra finches who would absolutely rock out every time I played the Killers. Strange, but true.
You can visit the website for the exhibit in London here.
I cannot even communicate how beautiful I find these well-composed and lit still lifes from Kari Herer.
Something about them is so magical and transcendent. Simply gorgeous. You can purchase a print for yourself at her etsy shop.
I’ve always wanted to travel to the northern part of the hemisphere to see the northern lights. It’s probably beyond cold, but I think it would be worth it.
photo by Joshua Strang
photo by Philippe Moussette at Observatoire Mont Cosmos, Quebec, Canada
photo by Jason Stevens
photo by Colin Nowra
image from eurotrash
image from Studiolit
Have you had an opportunity to see the northern lights? Are they as beautiful in person as they are in these pictures?
My friend Robyn pointed this out the other day after seeing my post about the beautiful ball installation, and I’m a little lost for words on this one. I’m not sure if it’s the music, or the slow-motion, or the fact that they actually did this, but it gets me a little worked up. It’s always the things you least expect.
Sony Bravia from Laurent MAKOWSKI on Vimeo.
I have a soft spot in my heart for prop styling. I think that it comes from all of the years working in visuals and merchandising. I like the timeless quality of it – unlike in retail stores, the photographs that come with beautiful styling last forever. I really like the work of Alessandra Mortola. Her still lifes are quirky and a bit cheeky.
And who doesn’t love gorgeous pictures of food?
Although I think my favorite projects of hers are the personal ones.
A little bit creepy, but I think it works.
You’ll be seriously missing out if you don’t check out her entire portfolio.
Hello everyone – are you excited for the weekend? Do you have any fun plans? I’m going to go look at houses today, but other than that, I’ve got nothing going. I really wish I was going here:
This lovely little French hotel offers cooking classes and wine tastings – sign me up! I can think of nothing better than eating and drinking in an environment like this. Stimulating for all of your senses!
Via desire to inspire.
I’ll admit it. Often times I’m lured into buying something (or at least considering buying something) by gorgeous packaging. Sometimes, I buy it just for the packaging and not because I really want what’s inside. How about these gorgeous designs?
You can find more of them here. I just think it’s such a refreshing alternative to obnoxious, neon and poorly-designed packaging. There’s so much talent out there, why not take advantage of it?
OK, I’m addicted.
I don’t even want to put it on my walls. I want to wrap it around furniture, or cover all my crappy plastic binders in it, or line the walls of the closet. I want to turn it into a fabric and wrap the entire inside of my car in it.
But if you like wallpaper, here’s some more good finds for you, courtesy of Hygge & West.
If you’re planning an event or wedding, and are looking for an interesting and different centerpiece, why not try something new? It’s a great way to cut down on costs associated with flowers, and you’ll be able to re-use the pieces over and over. The best part is that it can be done very cheaply and easily!
To make this centerpiece, I scoured thrift and secondhand stores to find lots of similarly-sized glass containers. You could use tumblers, or mason jars, shot glasses, or just about anything. I think that having lots of different sizes, shapes and patterns makes it more visually interesting. All of these containers were found for $.25 apiece. Inside all of these jars are just cheap tealights that you can find at any neighborhood store.
You could do an arrangement like this on a round table or a rectangular one. I used a long piece of leftover granite (these make great serving platters, by the way, and you can often get scraps at your local stonecutter for next to nothing) to elevate the candles in the center. Throw in a couple of cheap pillars in the middle and cascade the heights down as you move outside of the center. Try to keep all of the candles the same color, as it will unite all of the disparate elements. Light, and enjoy all of the compliments!
1. I’m not typically an advocate of spending a lot of money on a wedding dress, because you only wear it for one day, and then you put it away, blah blah blah. I think I would make an exception for this dress. I would frame it, or buy it a mannequin and display it all over my house. It isn’t painted, it’s quilted, and with lovely organic fabrics on top of that. You can find this masterpiece courtesy of Threadhead.
2. My favorite thing about Etsy is finding out about other shops when they heart you. This particular seller, Studio Megu, was discovered just this way. I love smokey quartz no matter what the context, but these earrings make the stone look especially fabulous.
3. Really good patterns take my breath away. Add that to an alarmingly massive stash of fabric, and I’ve got a problem. I think that’s only going to get worse now that I’ve discovered Cicada Studio. These bold designs and great colors really get my juices flowing – and even better, they’re printed in the good ol’ US of A.
4. If you read this blog a lot, you know I’m also enamored with ceramics. I really respect the process, as I don’t have the patience for dealing with it. If something blew up in the kiln for no particular reason, I’m pretty sure I’d break down and have a hissy fit. I love the mixture of two great art forms here – ceramic and lacework. Pop on over to Prince Design UK to see more of this creativity.
5. Found Paper Co has just launched their new Etsy shop and I have to say I’m in love. I hunger for all things paper. Everything in this shop is in really good shape, there are some really good finds. The mind just wanders thinking about all of the delicious possibilities.
Here’s what I’ve been crushing on lately.
1. Satsuma Press‘s letterpress lovelies. They make invites, stationary, calling cards, wedding invites, and just a whole lot of pretty letterpressed things. I’m a sucker for it, I know, but they have nice modern design with a bit of a natural edge that’s really appealing.
2. I know that jewelry is all over the place, but that makes the occasional item that stands out all the more interesting. I’m loving the line by Gemella Jewelry – the pieces are intricately crafted, with beautiful high-quality gemstones and a lovely approach to a traditional medium. Great for mother’s day!
3. I’m not afraid to admit it. I go to garage sales A LOT. At least I did before I moved to Arizona and discovered the wonders of one-stop flea market shopping. However, it’s been a lifetime hobby for me and I can’t imagine going much longer without returning to the futile chase. This amazing app solves the problem of “how do I hit as many garage sales as possible in one quick, efficent route?”. It uses vulcan mind-meld to work google maps into craigslist listings and creating the perfect internet use. All hail the almighty lifehacker.
4. A photographer from Boulder, Colorado is attempting to photography one million faces in just one year. She’s turned it into a great way to raise money for charity, as well as meet lots of interesting people and support lots of interesting causes. It’s fun to keep up with her progress and to see all of the amazing faces out there. Check out more about the project here.
5. Speaking of photography – wow. That’s all I can say to describe this photograph. Taken by someone called Funambula (?) you can check out here tumblr here. I love the sense of whimsy, and that color combination is just to die for.
6. Speaking of whimsical, who doesn’t want some rainbow cupcakes? I’ve been seeing them everywhere lately and I’m dying to try to make some. It looks like someone turned a leprechaun into a delicious, sweet sugary mess. That’s right, I said it. You can find a tutorial here to make your very own – if you do, I’d like to see what they look like!
7. I was always taught in art school to NEVER use typography unless it killed you, especially in painting. This lovely print makes me smile and say, screw that! Love the message, love the execution. Part of the 20×200 project (offering limited editions of awesome art prints for just $20!) I think that I need one on my wall. Unless this year happens to kill me first.
8. (not pictured) Has anyone ever heard of this blog, Decorno? I stumbled across it last weekend and did the thing where I clicked back so far, I felt a little ashamed of myself and had to stop. At some point, it just gets creepy. Anyway, the information is interesting, and the writing is FANTASTIC. I’m not sure if it’s nobel-prize worthy, but it makes me laugh, and damnit, that’s enough for me.
That’s all for now, folks. Thanks for allowing me to slowly dig through my bookmark list. I hope you find something to pique your interest.
And I don’t mean the kind that deals with fishes and the like, although I love that too. The underwater world is so astounding that it is amazing it can be captured on “film” and shared with those who aren’t lucky enough to venture into its depths. However, I’m talking about a different kind of underwater photography. I got my Anthropologie catalog today, and the first few pages were all shots of their items captured floating in the water. They were so beautiful and ephemeral, they could easily stand alone as art instead of just product photography. I have a few crappy underwater cameras that I’ve been longing to play around with and this might just provide the inspiration that I need. Now all I need is some water (rather difficult to come across in the desert) and we’ll be good to go! Here’s some beautiful pictures that I find inspiring.
