Coucou

it snowed!

2010-12-26T09:34:00.001-08:00

We are supposed to get 16" by tomorrow and I know what I want to make! I gathered some inspiration.

Inga Sempe

2010-12-12T17:33:00.000-08:00

storage containers
pleated hanging lamps- for Cappellini
"Ruche" sofa for Linge Roset
"Vapor Lamps" inspired by hot air balloons
"ruche" sofa

I have always wanted one of Inga Sempe's air balloon lamps, but now I have to add a "ruche" sofa to my wish list. Everything that she designs is the perfect balance of practical and quirky.

bower birds

2010-11-30T06:19:00.000-08:00

a collection of glass
how did he find so many blue straws?
ready to paint!
almost looks like a Tony Cragg

My sister told me about Bower Birds last night and I can't stop looking at these amazing nests they build. The males build a structure and decorate it with brightly colored objects to attract females. The females "visit" the bowers and choose the most attractive mates. Some even paint their bower walls with mashed berries! A scientist noted that the more elaborate nests belonged to the males with the least remarkable plumage. The human and avian world intersect!

Signe Vilstrup

2010-11-04T12:46:00.000-07:00

Danish photographer Signe Vilstrup- all I can say is Wow...

Pom Poms

2010-11-02T07:20:00.000-07:00

My friend Laure (pom poms de violette) has turned me onto pom poms as a material and I have just found some amazing images of Peruvian pom poms. I wish I could go and collect them all and sleep on a bed of pom poms tonight!

Paper hats

2010-10-21T17:07:00.001-07:00

Paper Hat from Hong King that looks Amish! http://kioskkiosk.com/c/95/p/743/Paper_Hat
Natoto Fukusawa siwa hat
Naoto Fukusawa Siwa hat
Fukusawa Siwa hat

Cuckoo clocks

2010-10-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

I have been managing my time very poorly lately and wondered what would motivate me to keep on task...and i found these from Black Forrest Gifts www.blackforestgifts.com

Spice Markets

2010-10-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

Anish Kapoor
Anish Kapoor

I have been putting together a palate for a project I am working on and one source of inspiration has been the Moroccan and Indian spice markets. I love the gravity defying scale and simple beauty of how these spices are displayed. But, of course, it is the color that is what attracts me so completely. Anish Kapoor's powder pigment sculptures come to mind and further defy gravity and form!

Movie feasts

2010-10-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wes Anderson 2009
Marie Antoinette, Sofia Coppola 2006
Babette's Feast, Gabriel Axel 1987
Babette's Feast, Gabriel Axel 1987
Amadeus, Milos Forman 1984

Some of my all time favorite movies have the most amazing food scenes. I couldn't find the Amadeus scene where Sollieri is hiding behind the most gorgeous desert table ever- so I settled for the costume party. I never tire of seeing any of them!

Peter Fischli and David Weiss

2010-10-05T17:31:00.000-07:00

Swiss artists Fischli and Weiss have been collaborating since 1979 on photographs, sculpture, film and performance. They combine and manipulate their daily experience into something altogether different. It is always such a pleasure to see banal objects handled in a completely unexpected way.

"first blush of morning" 1984
"three sisters"

Silent Nests

2010-10-03T17:09:00.000-07:00

While searching for unusual nests, I found the book "Silent Nests" by photographer Viki Topaz via thestylesaloniste.com. The book documents the deserted dovecotes or "columbiers" of Normandy and Britany. Dovecotes were used by landowners to house pigeons for meat, eggs, and their droppings were used for fertilizer. Thousands were built between the 13th century and the French Revolution.

"Lesser structures have been built to worship gods, let alone to commune with birds."-Scott Matin Kosofsky

Ploust Art and Design

2010-09-27T16:48:00.001-07:00

My dear friends Pamela and Paul are behind Ploust Art and Design. They forage, document, and create with the boundless nature around them in Sea Ranch,California. Here is just a taste of the magic they create. You must visit their site at: http://www.ploust.com/

A sea urchin necklace from the collection that is

hand cast resin mixed with atonized metal
urchin on acrylic ring from the jewelry collection

from the book "Seashrooms" with over 172 photos of mushrooms found in and around Sea Ranch, CA.

Tombees du camion

2010-09-26T06:55:00.000-07:00

images for their three stores, the third is Clingancourt
collage on their web site
some of the prizes that I bought

While visiting Paris for the first time last year I came across Tombees du Camion at the Clingancourt flea market. It translates as "Fallen from the Truck" and it seemed as if the truck was full of my deepest fantasies! The chaos of the market was so distracting, then I heard faint circus music-- a repeated clicking of a roller coaster and a small band was playing as if inside of a tunnel of time. I followed the sound, and was met with rows and rows of wooden boxes filled with vintage circus prizes. All made from wood and hand painted or the earliest experiments with plastic in the most wonderful faded colors. I still think it was a fantasy but I found their web site where I discovered they have two other stores in the Paris! here is their sight: http://www.tombeesducamion.com/

Made a Mano

2010-09-19T13:33:00.000-07:00

Made a Mano makes the most exquisit tile, coutertops, sinks, and ceramics. My favorite lines are the small Japanese decoaration inspired Koman and the alphabet Alfa

http://www.madeamano.com/template/t04.php?menuId=102

Handmade Balloons

2010-09-17T08:39:00.000-07:00

I found this post on PingMag, a favorite Japanese blog:http://pingmag.jp/2008/07/03/water-balloon/ that no longer exists unfortunately. They visited Ito Rubber Balloon Factory in Chiba, Japan to watch this family run business hand make balloons. I have forever been in search of handmade balloons and have only found a business in Italy that still makes them. The colors and shapes are always better when handmade, and they often are biodegradable!

here is the post:

http://www.choshikanko.com/tokusyu/balloon/index.html

Petit Pan

2010-09-17T08:18:00.000-07:00

strawberry paper balloon

"treasures" paper mobile
space paper mobile
bamboo saw horses/table legs

childrens' plate set

I have always wanted to order the whole lot from Petit Pan http://shop.petitpan.com/accueil.ips
Everything is so fun, well designed, and instantly appealing to kids. Here are some of my favorites.

lamps

2010-09-12T19:00:00.001-07:00

Now that it is getting dark earlier, and we must choose how to illuminate our spaces, I have been looking at lamps of all kinds. Here are some of my favorites. Most of them found at my favorite stores!

http://www.labourandwait.co.uk/
www.thisnext.com
http://kioskkiosk.com/
http://www.labourandwait.co.uk/
http://brookfarmgeneralstore.bigcartel.com/

http://www.tse-tse.com/boutique/#

http://www.tobyhouse.org.uk/InflateablesLamps.html

Edward Curtis, Hidden faces

2010-08-15T17:42:00.000-07:00

the grizzly bear, 1914
the cowichan mask, 1912
Dog costume, 1914

mythical birds, 1914
Edward Curtis documented the hidden spiritual life of Native North Americans. The book Hidden Faces, 1996 collects some of the magical and strange ritual costumes used in dance, ceremonies,and rites.

Daniel Sporerri

2010-08-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

I am inspired by the Swiss artist Daniel Sporerri today. He "snares" objects found in chance positions and disorder by affixing them to the table top and hanging it on the wall like a painting. He calls these assemblages "Snare Pictures". He even snared a dinner he had with Marcel Duchamp. While he left most of his process to chance, his art is personal and clearly guided by a strong sense of color and shape.

Heavenly Visions

2010-07-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

Heavenly Visions: Shaker Gift Drawings and Gift Songs, The Drawing Center and UCLA Hammer Museum. This is a sampling of gift (gifts from god) drawings made by Shaker women in the 1850s. They were sent visions and recorded their spiritual contact in these drawings. Most of them are from the 1850's and Pennsylvania. These are terrible scans, you must check out the book for yourself!

My favorite videos

2010-07-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

Hedgehog in the fog

The Tale of the Fox

Farmer's markets

2010-07-18T07:41:00.001-07:00

Jean Ingres 1780-1867, a French neo-classical artist

2010-07-16T09:36:00.000-07:00

Self Portrait, 1804 at age 24!
Napoleon Bonaparte, 1804
Mademoiselle Caroline Rivere, 1866
Princesse Albert de Broglie, 1853
Louise de Brogile, 1845

more models...

2010-07-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

Model Homes

2010-07-14T09:09:00.001-07:00

I want to live in all of these...

Puppets!

2010-07-13T07:25:00.001-07:00

Guignol, Punch and Judy, and Paul Klee puppuets.

Updated Traditional Toys

2010-07-05T16:56:00.001-07:00

My eco cash register: http://www.littlefashiongallery.com/en/shop/prods/1/37-toys.html?category_parent_id=0&limit=40&limitstart=0

Momoll Rayray doll house http://www.kidsmodern.com/product/1000034/

momoll cooker: http://www.momoll.com/index-E.php

Tolix Kids!

2010-06-29T07:32:00.001-07:00

The classic French chairs now come in kid's sizes!

http://www.tolix.fr/en/products/4-kids

Weaver Birds

2010-06-27T14:50:00.001-07:00

what could be better than a bird that weaves elaborate nests?!

Porky Hefer of Animal farm www.animal-farm.co.za/

More Ballet Russes!

2010-06-21T08:20:00.000-07:00

There is a show coming in the Fall at the Victoria and Albert in London of Ballet Russes costumes and props that I cannot wait for! Here are some of my favorites:

Pipe Cleaner Art

2010-06-20T17:09:00.001-07:00

Pipe cleaners as a material have the potential to be very bad, but these cross the line into the wonderful...
Fanni from Alexander Calder's Circus
www.thesmallobject.com
a vintage Japanese band in a friend's collection
"Happy Sloshed Pipe Cleaner Men" on ebay
The Lion from Alexander Calder's Circus

Donna Wilson

2010-06-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

house blanket
make your own monster kit
mountain peaks
cupcake

English artist, Donna Wilson, makes the most amazing lambswool pillows, throws, creatures, and even dyi kits- you must check out her site and blog: http://www.donnawilson.com/category.php?id_category=5

Pen Pencil Stencil

2010-06-13T19:25:00.001-07:00

Pen Pencil and Stencil from Oakland, CA makes these toys from scrap wood- eco and excellent!

http://www.penpencilstencil.com/

Kokeshi
forest of woods
mini forest of woods

pinata

2010-06-09T17:40:00.001-07:00

Superman and E.T.

Ballet Russes

2010-06-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

A set from the Ballet Russes and the most beautiful use of blue and pink I have ever seen!

Bang Bang Denmrk

2010-06-06T18:16:00.000-07:00

bang bang is influenced by japanese origami and street wear: http://www.bangbangcph.dk/

Brownies

2010-06-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

These paper dolls are based on illustrations from a series of books by Palmer Wilcox. They are inspiring me to make a children's line of clothing...?

Carandache pens

2010-06-04T08:28:00.000-07:00

www.carandach.ch/m/index.lbl

More garlands

2010-06-04T08:14:00.000-07:00

Walnut Wallpapers:

http://walnutwallpaper.com/wallpapers.php?filter=style&type=children&name=Children&paperID=769

The Fabulous Garlands

2010-06-04T08:05:00.001-07:00

There are a lot of people making garlands out there, but these are the best:

ttp://www.sophiecuvelier.com/