Lonny Anniversary!

Happy Monday y'all! 

The newest edition of online mag Lonny hit my inbox yesterday:

As always, Lonny featured some beautifully styled photos and design inspiration.  I love the Gift Guide, which includes some really unique Etsy finds (like hand painted silk skull scarves and a gorgeous purple leather lace iPhone case).

Another favorite was the peek into the LA home of designer Lulu deKwiatkowski (of the textile company Lulu DK).  Check out these shots from her at-home studio:

Check out the full issue of Lonny here.

PS: You can check out another shot of Lulu's workspace, along with a great post on her process, on her blog.

The Handkermap

Graphic design often involves long hours sitting at a computer, and while that can produce some awesome stuff, my favorite designs almost always include handmade elements (thankfully, a trend that has been growing in recent years). 

My new favorite: "The Handkermap"! 

The "Handkermap" (I love that name) invite was designed for wedding of Youngna and by Jacob, along with the uber-talented designer Kelli Anderson.  I was most fascinated by the intricate design process - making and photographing stitched roads! layouts of landmarks from Google maps! fabric printed at Spoonflower! - which you can read all about here. You can also see some beautifully styled pics on Kelli's website.

(via Design*Sponge)

Kristen Doran

I have never been much of a sewer (although it's next on my list of things to learn!), but I've always been a sucker for a gorgeous fabric.  With my obsession with prints and patterns, how could I not?  I just discovered Australian textile designer Kristen Doran, and already I am a huge fan of her brightly, clean prints.  Not only does Kristen screenprint fabric, she also turns them into crafy goodness by making dolls (like robots and "kokeshi dolls"), and embroidery projects.  Check out a sampling of her work:

Be sure to check out Kristen's blog and shop! 

Rae Dunn

Rae Dunn is a California native who now resides in San Francisco (a local)!  After getting her degree in Industrial Design, working in graphics and fashion design, she finally turned to clay as a potter and artist.

One glance through her thriving Etsy business makes me crave more pottery in my life.

Rae's work has an unfinished, earthy aesthetic, but her designs are simple enough to look sophisticated in even the most elegant home.  In her website bio, Rae says, "I don't strive for perfection in line and form in my work, because for me the balance I'm trying to achieve can't be represented that way. The incompleteness and imperfection of my work is part of the story."

For more info on Rae Dunn, you can visit her website here.

An Oldie but Goodie...Ruben Toledo

So my post from yesterday on Fifi Lapin made me crave some Ruben Toledo.  If you have never seen Ruben Toledo's whimsical, bold, graphic illustrations, you must take a peek.
Here are some samples from his 2008 collaboration with Nordstrom:

(Source: NotCot)

Yeeeaaah.... don't you just lose yourself in these images?

The above pictures are probably Toledo's best known work for Nordstrom, but they are celebrating a ten year collaboration this fall!  Nordstrom has a wonderful video with insights into their collaboration here.  I HIGHLY recommend it.

Notable quotes: I especially love when Ruben Toledo says that one artist influences the other and it's an "endless dialogue".  Also, loving the mystery man that says "Fashion really walks a tighrope between commerce and art, and when it's done really well, you can't tell the difference." AND... I love love love that ruffled Valentino coat!  I want.  (Just watch the video, ok?)

Here is some more eye candy from the Fall 2010 Nordstrom Designer Catalog:

 

 



  

 

Hello, coat.

AND... some pics of Ruben Toledo's studio:

Images from The Selby

Last but not least, Ruben is married to fashion designer Isabel Toledo (lead designer at Anne Klein, Michelle Obama's favorite designer, a shoe collection at Payless... this could be a whole other post)!  And their house. is. amazing. Check it out at this Harper's Bazaar story.  I want to have them over for dinner.  There would be "endless dialogue".

Side note: Isabel uses Ruben discarded sketches as her personal stationary!  Isn't that sweet?

The Animal Print Shop

If you've been anywhere near the blogs I link to, then you've already seen that animal photographer Sharon Montrose finally has prints availble in her aptly named The Animal Print Shop. 

Still, I can't help but share if only for this one picture:

Baby. Giraffe.

Fit Your Buns Like a Bra

What if your butt size was measured and fit like a bra size?  Well, apparently, now it can.

Check out this article about Levi's new "Curve ID" system, which matches women to jeans based on shape, not just on size. All jeans sizes for women now come in three shapes - slight curve (straighter figure/flatter fanny), demi curve (evenly proportioned hip and seat) and bold curve (smaller waist, larger seat). The shapes are based on a complex formula developed my Levi by analyzing scans of 60,000.  Very scientific, eh?

I don't know about you, but as a women with a guaranteed "bold curve", I'm pretty excited at the thought of just pulling on a pair of jeans specifically tailored to my body type.  This could open up a whole new world of styles for me. 

What do you think?  Will you be having your "trunk size" measured (hehe)? 

Check out more about the Curve ID system here.

Wanting

This Zaldig and Voltaire Miltary Style Jacket

A Morrocan wedding blanket

 

This French Toast Stamp

And this cupcake magnet, too

This Kstudio pillow

This dress

Only in my dreams… this sparkly jcrew top! (via OhJoy)

I guess I can make do with this sparkly henley (on sale!)

And of course...

The one that got away, my Mulberry for Target tote. Sigh.

Target gets all classy.

I'm sure many of you have seen the latest Target/designer collaboration blowing up the Interwebs - John Dreiman housewares

I myself will be getting this beauty here: 

Dahlias + cupcakes? Holla!

Even more interesting than more beautiful housewares?  The fact that you can get first dibs some of the collection through a Target partnership with the Gilt Groupe.  (I know, it's all fancy with the "e" n'stuff).

Gilt is best know for "discounted" designers duds - and when I say discount, I mean like that Chloe purse is just $1299 instead of $2000 - so it's an interesting choice for a Target partnership.  I'm curious if this will lend even more weight to the growing "discount designer" trend and lead to more hi-end+lo-end partnerships.

The Gilt preview will not only feature the John Dreiman collection, but upcoming collaborations with British it-bag maker Mulberry (oh please let there be leather-like bags), and Tucker (print dresses and blouses).

You can see other quick peeks at some of the merch here.

The catch?  You have to be a "member" of Gilt's email list to access the sale.  You can go to Gilt and sign up for the waiting list, OR... you can go to Target's style blog to get on the list right. now. And get $10 to start you off.  See? I love you.

The Gilt preview starts this Friday, August 20th, at noon, so mark your calendars and take the cards out of the freezer!  As for me, my checkbook might need a 12-step program by the time I'm done. :)

Update: I'm on the Gilt site now and the Target sale is SHUTTING it down.  I finally got my tiered stand - it kept logging me out when I tried to checkout - but the black patent Mulberry tote I wanted was sold out within ONE MINUTE. Literally.  Can only hope Target carries it in-store. Cross your fingers! 

Looking Into the Past

Someone commented on Design Mom with a link to Jason Powell's crazy set of photos called Looking Into the Past:

 Get it?

My husband inherited a TON of old tintypes and b&w photos of the Bay Area that are over 100 years old. I totally want to drive around and follow suit.  What an awesome idea.

Modest Wedding Dresses

I think it's refreshing that with the growing love of all things vintage (and all things "Mad Men") has come a return of the modest dress.  I'm a big fan of dresses with sleeves. 
I recently posted about my own wedding, and while I loved my dress, that might be the one thing I would have changed -  it was so difficult to find a fashionable wedding gown with sleeves that I bought a strapless dress and extra fabric and had the seamstress make sleeves.  I would have much preferred to just find a ready-to-wear dress, with set in sleeves.

Thankfully, I've seen a whole wealth of lovely, sleeved wedding dresses as of late, so I thought I'd share a few...

Snippet and Ink

JCrew Bridal

Abigail Wright Designs via Eliza Magazine

Grace Kelly dress, Maggie Sottero

"Queen Anne's Lace" by Claire Pettibone

Style Me Pretty

Poketo + Target Update

So I posted yesterday about how excited I was to run to Target for the new Poketo line.  And I did run, on my lunch break, but I have to admit I was a little disappointed. 

You know that monster bag I was so excited about?  Well, I was a little less excited when I got there.  I looked all over for tote bags, and what I found was this:

Turns out it's not a change purse.  The tote is stuffed inside the bag.  At which point, yes, the exterior can be used for a change purse.  It's a "Tote-in-Tote".  Not a bad thing on it's own, but I had issue with the fabric. Both were made of a cheap-feeling nylon, which was kind of a deal breaker for me.  I am a mom who lives out of her car many days, so I need a tote that can HOLD stuff, you know what I mean?

Lucky for me, they had some lovely canvas totes nearby.  It took me half hour to decide, but I finally got the one pictured below:

It's a but more artsy than my usual day-to-day style, but I think it will help bring some color into my fast-approaching-all-black wardrobe.  And it was a steal for under $15.

What do you think? You like?

Art of the Day 8.10.10

In honor of the Poketo launch at Target, I wanted to share another print available from the original Poketo:

"Snowy Owls" by Susie Gharemani

Isn't it lovely? Part of Poketo's genius is that they make art accessible by carrying it at afforable prices? You can buy the Snowy Owls print for only $40 here!

And this is why I Heart Target

Thanks to Creature Comforts, I am running - RUNNING - to Target on my lunch break today to check out the new Poketo goodies.

First on my list?  This Monster tote bag.

And look! It comes with a change purse!

See you at Target!

Update: Read about my actual trip to Poketo+Target shopping trip here.

Jesi Haack Weddings

This post was hours - hours - in the making so I hope you all enjoy it. :) 

Have you ever found the most wonderful picture... and then lost it?  That's what happened when I tried to find this picture, which started it all:

It's it gorgeous?  After a kajillon hours searching today, I finally found it again on Green Wedding Shoes.  (In the interest of full disclosure, I found it via another blog's inspiration board, but can't for the life of me remember which blog it was!  So is the curse of the interwebs... if it was your blog, please let me know!)

Lauren, the bride pictured above, simply raved about her wedding coordinator, Jesi Haack, which led me to her site, Jesi Haack Weddings.  I lost a couple hours of my life last night on her blog.

Simply put, Jesi is an uh-mazing wedding planner. She has the most creative, vintage touches and always the best color palettes.  See some of her work below:

The bottom left picture was how Jesi told her family - and her readers! - that she was expecting a boy. 

Awesome, no?  Make sure to visit her blog and give her some love!

PS: Jesi gives a sweet tutorial on making the paper flowers here.  And check out this tutorial to make your own pinwheels (apparently I'm not the only one sensing a pinwheel trend)?

For the Love of Paper - Part 3

I know I'm bombarding you with paper artists right now; it's an obsession. But, really, with such beautiful works of art... who's complaining?

Eloise Corr Danch's Paper Flowers were recently featured in W Magazine (first pic) and at Macy's Flower Show.  I especially love the window display in the second pic - so gorgeous and creative!

Images courtesy of Elise Corr Danch

Scissors and Paper Rock has a great post on artist Ivano Vitali, who CROCHETS paper. Totally different from anything I have ever seen:

Images Courtesy of Scissors and Paper Rock

And Upon a Fold has a beautiful post on an exhibition from French Artist Daniel Mar.

Daniel's work incorporates elements both elements of whimsy, but also some works a bit on the macabre side (see the final pic above). I especially love how he uses the pieces of paper he has cut out back into the work, making it especially three-dimensional and layered.

Image courtesy of Upon a Fold

Images courtesy of Daniel Mar

Find even more great posts on Paper Artists at Upon a Fold and Scissors and Paper Rock.