going green

After reading many blogs about new year's resolutions I started to do a little looking around.... I don't believe in 'resolutions' just for the sake of making them because it's "that time of year"... but I have noticed that quite a few people I know have resolved to becoming more eco-friendly this year. YAY!

I have a friend who's the best recycler I know and it's begun to rub off a little on me too!

Check out this designer who has taken recycling to the next level! ....by Studio Verissimo

"This is a lamp made from plastic spoons used in the coffee which are going to
the garbage daily by the thousands because they are only used once.The objective
was with this waste to create a luxurious lamp. "

How cool is this?!?! ...being 'green' doesn't have to mean simple, sparse furnishings... or having no sense of glamour...

A to Z favorites...... X

so... I thought the letter X would be difficult, but I was so wrong....

let's start with XO Handworks soldered Map Pendants that can be found here.

Tam, handmakes each one of these in Osseo, Minnesota.

You can have custom map pendants made too!

What a great gift! Perhaps to remind someone far away of their hometown... or commemorate a fabulous trip... or a dream locale that you've always wanted to go to... mine would be Italy. Custom made pendants are only $24! What a deal!

Amber Coppings - from Pittsburg - makes these fabulous Xmittens!!!
They're fingerless gloves - get it? EX-MITTENS??

Xmittens! are practical, yet fashionable fleece fingerless gloves. Each has it's own unique stitched design and machine embroidery around the thumbhole for increased durability.

Apparently, Amber actually started making these because it was so darn COLD in her studio and she needed to be able to use her fingers, but also to stay warm while she makes stuff!

These totally fixed that problem - and stylishly too, I might add.

find them here

XO Designs......

oh I so want to get one of these with my little grandbug's picture!!!!

These make great gifts!! Everyone loves their image in POP Art!

Lisa, from Columbus, Ohio creates these one-of-a-kind POP Art pieces.... just send her a digital image of the person you would like to POP Art and within a week she will send you a printed image with POP!!

I especially love the doggie one!! perfect gift for the hard-to-buy-for person!

find them at XODesigns here.

City Expressions 2008

Cleveland Public Art and Cleveland area Scion Dealerships held the 7th annual City Xpressions Street Art Festival this past weekend in Market Square Park - Lorain Avenue at West 25th.
It was also the last weekend for Open Air in Market Square - Cleveland's only urban outdoor market. If you've never gone to it - you should make it point to go next year! It's every Saturday in the summer and there's always a wonderful variety of live music, performers, artists, and such a diverse group of people. I've met some wonderful people (and wonderful dogs!) here this summer.

Here's a glimpe at the aerosol artists at work this weekend! This is Denis DeVerteuil - working on "Bob" - the purple guy. Love this one!
It's a family affair! Artist John Forgus has help from his (really sweet) kids, Kyle, Paige and Bryson.
Ryan & Sam - probably the youngest of the artists had a fabulously colorful display!

It turned out to be a great day with perfect weather.. unlike last year when it stormed halfway through. Make it a point to stop down next year! It's always big fun!

oh.. and here's a shot of two of the friends I've made this summer.... Deby (Deby's Designs)

and John - who's a blast and just wonderfully helpful.

A to Z favorites..... "L"

The Leila Texts.... http://theleilatexts.blogspot.com/ leila gets lots of text messages from strangers on her mobile phone. she got a new cell from the American network - Verizon and just started getting messages.

She thought the phone had been programmed wrong — that it was accidentally linked to someone else’s number — but apparently not.

The texts kept arriving from all over the states. Leila realised that they were not directed to one other random person, but that she was getting every text meant for a "leila" on the verizon network — so long as the sender used the keypad to type in her name, instead of calling it up from the address book she gets at least one unintended text a day and records them here. the leila texts. cool!

Jennifer Lommers

Jennifer Lommers is a fine artist from the Pacific Northwest. I love her vibrant colors and playful style!

these are the ones I have in my apartment......

find Jennifer Lommers here and here and her blog is here.

Looolo uses all organic materials and has a watchful eye over the environmental footprint their products leave. LoooLo sources the best organic fibers, dyes with the least environmental footprint and manufacturers who respect the philosophy behind the products. All looolo textiles products can be safely composted at the end of their useful life.
Made from a beautifully soft organic Melton wool, the Madame's texture was inspired by a refined Parisian dress. No zippers or other non-biodegradable closures are used on the cushions so they will biodegrade within one year when placed in a composter—don't worry. they will last for years to come! ... photos courtesy of DesignPublic.com
Live Funky ...

and on the other side of the country (Northern Connecticut) we have Live Funky by Jessica Torrant

who doesn't want to "live funky"??

In her own words...

Standing up art is intuitive (livefunky), unpredictable, energetic and intense, with an exploration for new ways of manipulating paint/form/color - never to be reproduced in that exact way again. This is when I paint ever so physically - I truly attempt to make paint dance.

I am a believer in loving art just because it moves you. (LiveFunky)

Well these move me....

You can read her blog here. ...and find her artwork here

pssst... she's having a sale!!!!

A to Z favorites...... K

K is for......

KIPI...

in her own words.....

I like color.

I like biology.

I like graffiti.

I like kitsch.

I like pattern.

I like depth and layers....

I like blending these concepts in my work.

And, most of all, I like the idea of others living with my art!
simply beautiful.... find them here.

Kreativlink......just imagine what you could write in this book... perhaps little life stories to be discovered years and years from now, beautifully preserved in this handmade, leather-bound treasure. Hand-torn, tea-stained pages make this a beautiful legacy to be cherished forever.
just seeing one of these skillfully bound books makes me want to be a writer.... find them here.

Kitchen stickers! (don't you just LOVE that fridge????)
according to their website,

"Yneko's stickers aim to combine usefulness and playfulness, to give the opportunity to anyone "to play the interior designer" by applying an original customised touch to our living space. The idea is to customise our everyday space by using something that we all have played with, at least once ..and maybe once upon a time ago ..the stickers!

The stickers are available in several designs, for the decoration needs of the entire house. ..And it is not all about decoration! By trying to meet the needs of today's hectic life-style, the stickers provide both a creative and an edgy solution for forgetful people
too. Too many drawers? Have you forgot your fork? We've got the practical sticker solution... for fun & find! So... spruce up your kitchen! The room that's the star of the house is no longer willing to settle for being just a functional space! They'll bring to your room an original touch, helping you find all stuffs! "

find them here.

Kast van een Huis.... The collection is designed as multipurpose furniture.The closets are designed as a storage for clothes, toys, books, crockery or even for office-equipment. If you place several models next to each other you create a street of closets or a room-divider.
What wonderfully lucky child wouldn't just adore these???

find them here.

Knife Hooks ... by tcstudio

found on DesignSpotter a bit odd... but so me... :)

KONZUK jewelry, with its innovative use of materials, is faithful to the clean, minimalist aesthetic of contemporary industrial design and architecture.

find it here.

A to Z favorites.... J

today is J day.....

Jean Hutter..... Some of you may be familiar with Jean's abstract or fine art which has been exhibited at art shows, galleries, online and in professional settings but it was even featured on the HBO series The Sopranos! This method of work is called experimental painting - acrylic, watercolor, inks, colored pencil, collage and just about anything else can be used in a painting. It’s a very exciting way to work, but also very challenging and that’s what makes these works so unique.

find more of her work here.... or here!!!

Joost Wever (ok... this should be listed under "W" but what the heck...)

fabulous watering can, no?

...perfect minimalistic lighting... you can adjust the height by pulling the cable through a tube... great task lighting!

makes hanging laundry a bit more fun... and stylish~

find these products and more at http://www.joostwever.com/

A to Z .... things I love "D" version

D is for.....

DROOG -

I came upon these amazingly innovative designers on 2Modern.com...

they're fabulous!

I love how they describe themselves...

"Our products and projects connect with the individual, the user. They deal with slowness, memories, nostalgia, re-use, craftsmanship, nature. They generate experience, interaction, participation, products that are easily to comprehend, have meaning, tell stories; products that are meant to be cherished and not discarded without thought."

David Horvitz I can't even remember how I happened to stumble upon David Horvitz... but I get such a kick out of reading his blog...

here it is... http://davidhorvitz.com/blog/ (make sure to check out the archives, too!)

He also has a section where he will do things (for a price)... I love this!!!

For example... for $1,626 he will go to the small Okinawan island called Taketomi and send you an envelope filled with star-sand! (Isn't it so beautiful!?!)

or... for $250 he will read the Little Prince in front of the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street in the middle of a work day. He will send you photograph documentation of this. (or: if you give him $1000 he will buy as many copies of the Little Prince as he can and give them away to people leaving the New York Stock Exchange after a days work)

DWELL ... love the magazine... love the website...

LOVE THE DWELL homes!

hard to believe that these are "pre-fab" homes, no?

Do Frame Tape ... designed by Marti Guixe ...

how fun is this???

The brilliant Do Frame Tape can be used to 'frame' anything.

Turn pictures, posters into exhibition standard artworks instantly. There's enough tape per roll to create an admirable collection of fine art! Buy it here at the Design Museum Shop!

The Dinner Party Invite... I see that this print is no longer for sale in her shop but DazeyChic has lots more cool stuff!!

According to the artist, she...

"believes that art prints should be special. That is why we have NO runs over 200!

My Limited Editions are printed 25 times or less and I stand by that!

There are no surprise prints popping up after the limited number has sold out.

You can feel great about your purchase knowing it is not a mass produced piece.

Each print here is meaningful and truly special...and we love that!"

Yep.. I love that too! I just wish I would have gotten this one before they sold out!!