A small step: one print at a time

Lately I've been focusing a lot of my creative energy on my living space. Do you ever have the urge to just drastically alter your place? Well - I am very prone to urges, so last weekend I painted my kitchen and bathroom and have been doing a lot of organizational tasks to make our little place more comfortable.

While I was imagining how I wanted to design the space, I kept thinking of the at-home print gallery that I have always wanted. All of the art in our home right now is our own, which is fun, but I really feel the need to bring other artists into the mix! Especially prints! I love hand pulled prints because they are so accessible to people with all types of budgets. (Read: my budget! ha!)

With my future wall of prints in the back of my mind, I saw this darling image on Melinda Josie's blog...

I loved it instantly - something about it just charmed me. Of course, part of it was the subject: a kitty, in a dress, drinking tea. But, I also love the color palette, and the sweet, but somewhat grumpy expression on her face.

I posted a comment to see where Melinda got the image, and she said it was one of her own prints! Awesome! I was familiar with her drawings and paintings, but hadn't realized that she also did hand pulled prints and even fabric! So, I bought it! Now it is somewhere between Toronto and Atlanta on it's way to me! Yay!

Recycled style from Etsy sellers

In a recent post, where I discussed reclaimed materials, I promised to share some of my favorite Etsy sellers that make things using found or recycled supplies. Well, here is a little round up of just a few shops that feature creations that use found materials in an interesting way.

YAVA G l a s s specializes in taking recycled beverage bottles with screen-printed labels and converting them into decorative glassware. These particular glasses are made from IBC cream soda bottles. The style of the IBC logo and simplicity of clear glass add a bit of classiness to these that is really fun. Whoever thought trash could look so good?

Bodhicitta also has some really beautiful work made from recycled glass. My favorite of theirs are these tumblers that they make out of old wine bottles. Each one is a slightly different earth tone, which makes a great-looking set!

Isn't this little wooden whale made by William Dohman sweet? William gathers wood scraps from construction sites and uses what he finds to create hand carved signage, toy whales like this one, and even toy robots!

The pillow pictured above comes from Velvet Bean. She makes cushions and ottomans using reclaimed coffee sacks. I love how they are graphic and still so rustic! Velvet Bean was recently featured in Real Living Magazine Australia. Check out how great this room featuring one of her ottomans and pillows looks!

The lovely cushion above is from Ply Textiles. It is made using wool from recycled sweaters. The 100% wool sweater material is fulled in a hot washing machine to create a dense, strong, but soft fabric. The combo of beautiful colors, the texture of the fulled wool, and the graphic herringbone design can't be beat!

The adorable fabric baskets above were made by Tuuni. She creates home decor using recycled vintage fabrics and lace. They are beautifully simple, but the lace adds a bit of charm and character!

Last is this yarn from Auracauna Designs. It comes from an old sweater that the seller unraveled, washed, and line dried. It has such a unique look - and provides a chance for an old garment to be something greater!

Checking out beautiful work by other crafty folks always gets me inspired to go make something... now, I'm off to get to work!

Open studio w/ Ink and Spindle

Ink & Spindle, a fabric printing studio in Australia recently posted this lovely video showing their studio and bits of their print and design process on their blog. I love that they are so open in sharing their experience as makers with their customers. It's a side to fabric design that most people never get to see! Part of the beauty of hand printed fabrics is in the process in which they are created and the human element involved. This video illustrates that wonderfully...

Emily Dryden Photography

My friend Emily came over on Friday and took some wonderful photos of me and my bags. She is truly a talent. You should take a peek at her portfolio and blog and see for yourself!