It should come as no surprise to anyone that I am in love with these felt coasters. First off, they are felt, and everyone knows I'm a huge sucker for felt. Secondly, they are orange, a color that I am unable to resist. Put the two together and it's a slam dunk. The fact that it's made from an old sweater and only costs $8 for a set of four is just icing on the cake.
Simple Felt Coasters $8 from Mary Zoom's Etsy shop.
This past weekend Salt Lake City had it's second annual Craft Lake City event. Sponsored by SLUG, Craft Lake City is a celebration of alternative craft, and all things handmade. I was lucky to volunteer and I got to help cary in some of the great items. There was an amazing turn out from artists, and there was even music from great bands like Hello Amsterdam playing all day. After the jump you will see examples of work from my top 15 artists (in no particular order)
If you missed Craft Lake City, make sure you catch Craft Sabbath on the first monday of every month, and the upcoming Salty Streets flea market at Kilby Court.
(1) I really love quilts, and Jess from Urban Patchwork has some amazing handmade modern quilts and pencil holders.
(2) These beautiful belt buckles and jewelry from Bykali were amazing. The use of leaves and other random objects blew my mind.
(3) The Rookery had amazing art work on wood panels, as well as some equally beautiful bound books.
(4) Card Sharks had a wonderful assortment of printed cards and posters from various artists.
(5) There were some of the coolest little stuffed Ninja's to keep you kids safe. Rad Seams had all sorts of great sewn goodies.
(6) Speaking of stuffed toys. The polaroid friend and hipster friends from Lets Be Friends were great too.
(7) There was so much great screen printing there that it's hard to pick favorites, but there from Calamity Industries absolutely blew my mind. I think I need one of these in my house.
(8) It's hard to speak of printmaking in SLC without Leia Bell coming up. I first featured her on GRM a long time ago, and she continues to blow my mind with her fantastic concert posters and art work. Several artists are represented online and at her brick and mortar Signed and Numbered.
(9) Smart and Wiley was putting the letters in letterpress with these fantastic typography inspired prints.
(10) The world of Isabells Umbrella is an adorable place full of the cutest owls and Matryoshka Dolls you have ever seen.
(11) More amazing posters and prints from Potter Press.
(12) Ben Kafton also had some drool worthy hand printed posters, many of which had a strong architectural influence. I'm dying to get a couple of these on my walls too.
(13) There is something about Candace Jean's Giclee prints that I love. I can't quit put my finger on it, but her I just love her style. Prints are available online or in SLC at Blonde Grizzly.
(14) Sycamore Street Press had some great clever and cute letterpress goodies as well.
(15) I wished I could have bought one of everything I saw, but my one purchase I did make was this fantastic longboard by Earth Live Long Skates (ELLS). Not only is the art work great, but I'm inspired by anyone that knows how to make bent wood creations. In fact, in the spirit of bent plywood, I added my own little crafty embellishment in the grip tape. Everything is better with a little LCW.
Whew! There were so many more great things I wish I could have featured. Huge thanks to everyone who showed up and made it a great event!
Misewell is another emerging furniture manufacture that is following in the wonderful trend of US based modern design with a strong focus on craftsmanship. The team of brothers based out of Milwaukee have strong portfolio of tables, chairs and accessories that have a nice balance of wood and metal. Design Public recently started carrying some of their stuff like the Lockwood chair shown above. Pricing isn't Ikea low, but for a boutique sized company it's definitely fair.
Lockwood chair $365 on Design Public.
More photo's after the jump!
Graphic Nothing is the pseudonym for Manchester based designer Gary Clarke. Having worked for over 20 years producing visual content for the music industry, Gary now stakes his claim as a freelance graphic artist and illustrator. I love his crazy geometrics and bold use of color! You can score a print or two from the online shop he runs, along with fellow designer Stanley Chow, called Some Prints.
Signed prints by Gary Clarke: 7 - 35 GBP (about $10 - $50)
Remember last year, when I started the kitchen remodel? I got about 80% of the way there, and then in my typical ADD fashion I moved on to another project. A couple weeks ago I finally got around to finishing most of it up. There are still a couple small things I need to do, but for the most part its finished. Also in typical GRM fashion, just as I am finishing up a big project it looks like I will be selling the home. More details coming on that soon.
More white and black kitchen goodness after the jump.
Based out of San Francisco, interior designer Charles de Lisle puts his 25 years of creative experience (in the fields of ceramics, metalwork, furniture, product design, decoration and interiors..!) to work creating uniquely beautiful spaces. My favorite is the William Wurster Ranch he worked on in Portola Valley, California. The warm, mid-century styling mixes well with newer, contemporary pieces as well as a few arts and crafts touches. I'm absolutely mad about the kitchen, though, as well as that AMAZING light fixture in the dining room. Be sure to check out the rest of his portfolio if you get a chance! Meanwhile, more images of this lovely ranch can be found after the jump!
See More: Charles de Lisle Workshop
Photo's by Art Gray
I love the simplicity and natural beauty of this Totem Votive set! Modular by design, you can stack and arrange to your heart's content. Imagine the impact of multiple sets clustered together! Beautiful.
Made from natural beech wood. Designed by Eric Janssen.
Totem Votive Set available from the MoMA Store: $26
If I had a beach house, it would be full of these great prints. They are from a series of magazine advertisements from the 40's and 50's for Jantzen Swimsuits. Each one is completely vintage, straight from the magazine and ready to mount. Prices range from $5 - $10.
Available from Vintage Paper and Collectibles ebay store.
via Mid Century Modernist Gallery.
Based in South Carolina, Proud Mary is a textile company that firmly believes in the idea that good design can and should solve problems. From this motto, the socially conscious company works in conjunction with artisans in developing nations to provide a source of income as well as high quality goods. The product line consists of napkins, pillows, totes, and purses, all in bold, colorful patterns. My favorite print is "Quill", a beautiful blue fabric that is hand-printed using potatoes in a small cooperative outside of Cape Town, South Africa.
Textiles by Proud Mary: $15 - $110
Here is a wonderful documentary about the fantastic designer Harry Bertoia. Parts 2-4 after the jump.
Yowza. I spotted this a-maz-ing light from Normann Copenhagen and just about peed my pants at the sight of it! Designed by Vibeke Fonnesberg Schmidt for the Danish company, the Bau Pendant is made up of interlocking, birch wood circles. Painted in bright, primary colors, this pendant would definitely make a statement - in a big way. It comes in two sizes - small with 59 pieces and large with 80. No pricing yet, but look for it to become available in October.
See more: www.normann-copenhagen.com
via
I love the idea of a spice rack, but the truth of the matter is that I have a jumbled mix of spices in all kinds of mismatched jars and containers. I'd love to consolidate into something more manageable and, well, pleasing to the eye. The Aperture Spice Rack by Desu Design looks like it would fit the bill quite nicely. Made from a single piece of 18-gauge, folded stainless steel, this beauty has a narrow slot on the front that provides an abstracted view of your favorite spices. I think it would be cool in multiples, especially in an open kitchen!
Includes eight glass jars with cork tops and mounts to the wall with two screws.
The House 2 project is completely framed up now and they are starting to put the roof membrane on almost in time for all the wet weather we have been having. It's great to be able to get a sense of what the spaces are going to feel like. My favorite is the kitchen/living room area. The extra high ceilings really give the room a nice feel. They have also finished framing the small studio in the back yard since I was there last.
More photo's after the jump.
This is the kitchen/living room looking toward the front of the house where there will be a large window seat.
Kitchen/living room looking out into the courtyard with the studio in the back yard.
This photo gives you a bit of an idea of the scale. The opening for the glass slider is way taller than your typical 6' 8" door.
If you know me, you know that I'm a lover of all things bright and colorful! It's no wonder then that I fell for these appetizer plates from Crate & Barrel. Aside from the incredible colors, I love that they are sold individually rather than in a set. You can mix and match to your heart's content! What's more, they're made from high quality glazed porcelain, making them microwave and dishwasher safe. Ringing in at only $2.95, there's no reason not to get (at least) one in every color!
Appetizer Plates from Crate & Barrel: $2.95
P.S. Speaking of Crate & Barrel, I've heard (more) recent rumors of a Salt Lake City store. Two possible locations have been floating around: City Creek Center and Fashion Place. Can anyone confirm or deny?
Cyan Design Lighting on Gilt today. If you are a member, you know what to do. Not a member? Join Gilt here.
Cyan Design Lighting starting at $100
The Flex Pendant Lamp by Droog is made of flexible silicone, making it the perfect lighting accessory for disaster-prone spaces, i.e. any home with at least one kid. Let the toys fly!
Flex Pendant Lamp available from 2Modern: $120
House and Home online has a great DIY of how to make a Moooi Random Light style pendant. I actually had a failed attempt at this DIY last year that involved twine and fiberglass resin. The cotton and fabric stiffener looks like it is much easier to work with. Ikea is your best bet for the light cord, and I found that a yoga ball made a great size for wrapping. I may have to give this another attempt now that I know the secret.
Watch the video on H&H online.
Woody Becker is a San Diego woodworking shop churning out awesome home accessories like these modular tea light holders! Available in six mix-and-match shapes, each chunky candle holder is handmade from scrap wood and painted in a number of bright, modern colors. A fun way to accessorize and warm up your space!
Candle Holders by Woody Becker: $13 - $19
Ruka-Ruka is a London-based, family-run print studio specializing in custom prints. I love their bold, retro style, especially in their London, Paris, and New York prints! Personalized birth date prints are also available in a wide range of colors. (A great gift idea for a new, hip parent!) Be sure to check out the full range of available prints here. You can also purchase prints through SuperMarket.
Prints by Ruka-Ruka: $25 - $42 (personalized)
I'm not even going to try and defend this one as affordable, but I will say that it has to be one of the best looking cribs I have ever seen. In fact pretty much everything from Australian based Ubabub makes me swoon.
Pod Cot crib $1700 Bed conversion $180
The Nifty Timber crib shown above is equally attractive and slightly more affordable at $1075. Of course there is still the problem that there are no US distributers so shipping stateside is going to be a huge pain down under.