come on in

kevin appel uses vintage naturalist images to create a scenic backdrop for his overlapping constructions. the underlaying photos in these pieces make the geometric forms in appel's collages feel almost habitable.

printemps été 2010

vanessa bruno has fashion coursing through her veins. her mother was a danish super model and her father was the founder of french line emmanuelle khan. her spring collection aspires to fill every girls wardrobe with asymetical tops, trapeze dresses, and lots and lots of lace. off the runway, bruno’s athé line offers a more well-priced take on her mainline collection and is full of savvy spring essentials.

the good china

when my dad bought our summer cabin in the 60s he found dishes—some in tact, others in pieces—scattered underwater along the lakeshore. after a hard winter or a summer storm, you never know what will resurface. the dishes are blue ridge china from the 1930s-50s, with a silly hand painted fruit medley pattern. clearly the previous owners didn’t appreciate them like we do. i imagine the people that used to live in the cabin having one last dinner party with friends before selling it to my dad, and after everyone had left, and each plate was dirty, they threw them into the lake one-by-one so that they wouldn’t have to clean and pack them. gesine hackenberg uses precious and indispensable objects, like antique ceramics, and turns them into jewelry. something that can be worn close to the body and that captures a memory or a mood.

(top photo by: bambookarma)

semi-postal

i recently came across andrew barrows mixed-media work. this collection, a postage stamp alphabet, combines 26 collaged pieces that each evoke their own unique feeling with a complex assortment of images. There is something sinister in the way snakes coil around the letter "s" and comical in the pair of zebras eating away at the letter "z".

(poonch-key)

yesterday, our friends carrie and mick had us over for pączki day. i officially feel one step closer to being a michigander. pączkis are doughy, deep fried, sweet filled, powered balls of deliciousness. this traditional polish pastry may look like a jelly donut but is much more rich. this morning, i swear i had a fat/sugar hangover. it was hard to get out of bed.

(photos by: erin)

changing seasons

instead of focusing on winter and summer looks, french designer emma francois creates pieces that could be worn continually. the spring/summer 2010 collection of her label sessùn, with its mix of textures and attention to detail, could easily transition from a hot summer day to the changing fall leaves with a pallet of white and light blues to burnt oranges and yellows.

self-contained world

John dilnot’s preoccupation with nature and the environment is evident in everything he creates, from his instillation work to his books, cards, screen and digital prints, and his most recent box work. the top piece “moth collection” resembles a naturalist’s specimen tray, but instead of seeing pinned and preserved insects, dilnot’s boxes are filled with his own colorful screen-printed and cut-out species.

snow daze

all of the new snow is making me want to cozy up in big sweaters and menswear pieces with a warm mug of hot cocoa. (1) faux-fur down jacket, (2) hand-knit owl sweater, (3) cream flower shirt, (4) madleigh jeans, (5) suede desert bootie, (6) winter face mask, (7) snow ball maker, (8) chapon hot cocoa, (9) tree trunk mug

fax me

i was at target yesterday and happened to walk through their card section. their valentines were pretty picked over, which i don't really understand - wednesday is hardly last minute. i was tempted to get one of those big, cheesy cards with "to my husband" scrawled across the front in sparkling red cursive next to a bouquet of roses, but opted out. i'm going to shop around today to try and find something as fun, but maybe a little less flashy. the new letterpress valentines by portland based printing studio egg press are absolutely adorable. who wouldn't love getting that underwear bear. unfortunately, it doesn't look like there is a retailer in my area. is it too late to order online?

nice package

when it comes to giving, for me, it’s what’s on the outside that counts. this may not be the case in all circumstances, but i am generally obsessed with packaging. i could be giving the greatest gift in the world, but if the wrapping is dull i can’t help feeling like it was a failure. the same can be said for the opposite. if i have a last-minute gift that i’m not sure of, a pretty presentation can make it look, and me feel, a million times better. the etsy store, nice package, is a one-stop-shop for anyone who stockpiles labels, ribbon, and paper. offering simple solutions with their endless supplies.

spring fever

i can't stop thinking about spring. i'm tired of the cold and ready for warm days. unfortunately, we have 8-10 inches of snow coming our way today. i even heard something on the radio about lightning storms. the power went out in our house for 6 hours last time this happened. i really hope we don't have a repeat. clothing lines have launched their spring/summer collections and the beautiful look books are making me even more anxious. i wish i could lay in the grass in the new aubin & willis catalogue, but i guess i'll just have to be patient with the weather. it is only february after all.

weekend pieces 02/08/10

i’ve been in ann arbor for almost 6 months and i’m starting to feel like a homebody. this could be because we just bought a home, but i’m pretty sure that the winter has made me lethargic. it's my own fault. i need to embrace the cold. this weekend, our friend ellen took ben and me on a saturday tour of detroit. it’s depressing, looking back, that it took me so long to go there. most cities are dense with people, but detroit is dense with emptiness – this was a phrase that ellen had heard from a professor at the u of m and it seemed like the perfect explanation for how you feel when you are there. it was sad to see that so many people had abandoned the city, but exciting to see it’s potential. but maybe all the new girls in town feel that way. we saw a piece of that potential when we stopped by the heidelberg project, a living outdoor gallery that continues to evolve, and a mainstay of color and creativity in an otherwise deteriorating neighborhood.

(photos by: erin)

the nautical mile

after posting about kiel mead's forget-me-knot rings, i'm continually drawn to jewlery that is tied together in a knot or a bow. i think any of these pieces would be perfect for a valentine. (1) braided leather bracelet, (2) gold bowtie necklace, (3) forget-me-knot ring, (4) triple knot necklace, (5) , (6) sailor knot necklace

running sutures

I am completely fascinated by the recent embroidery work of french artist cécile jarsaillon. using images from a safety manual as inspiration and a backdrop, she satin stitches over the photos leaving just enough space for the range of color in the image to show through. Jarsaillon’s work is currently showing in the “sur les fils” exhibit at the musée international d'art modeste in Sete, France, until may 2010.

trust the ice

i haven't been ice skating in years. i loved making a rink on the frozen lake at our cabin when i was younger. my sister and i would shovel off a perfect rectangular patch, my dad would use his auger to drill a hole in the ice, and together we would spread the water until the surface of the rink was smooth. sally scott’s winter collection, by japanese designer akira minagawa, makes me want to strap on some skates and dart out on the ice. for each collection, the label creates day-in-the-life narrative videos for the fictional character sally. this year they showed her at home drinking coffee and tea, reading, and at the rink skating in circles, showing off the beautiful clothes in the collection.

splish splash

i have memories of sneaking out of my room at night, hiding behind a chair near my bedroom door, straining to see the t.v. screen as my parents watched magnum p.i. that moustache, those hawaiian shirts, the ferrari. what is it about the the new photoshopped celebrity tumblr "selleck waterfall sandwich," that makes me so hungry... the soggy egg salad?