i fell hard for amy rice’s work the first time i saw it, and the love hasn’t diminished in the least.  i love the nostalgic feel of her pieces…they remind me of something you’d find in your grandmother’s attic, but infinitely more hip.  this piece is called olivia and olivia’s mom again, and you can find it at the always-amazing art star philly (which also happens to be the home of that jen corace print i’m still dying to own).

20×200 is a constant source of strife for me…it’s like gilt groupe for art.  i always feel that art should be a considered purchase (after all, fashion comes and goes, but art is forever), but the possibility of pieces selling out throws me into a panic.  i’m still sad i missed out on their first matthew tischler series…i really should just take the plunge and get the latest editions while i still can.

doesn’t etui’s float just make you feel instantly relaxed?  it’s like everything good you remember about summer, before you cared about air conditioning, spf or what that ice cream cone was going to do to your thighs.

these two portraits, by anna bergin and tushtush, have had me captivated for the longest time.  i love imagining what these women were thinking while these were being painted, and where they might have been headed later that day.

i think i’m ready for a sno cone now!

i’m a longtime fan of andrew holder, so i’m thrilled to see (thank you, cafe cartolina!) he has two brand new prints available at UO.  they’re both huge (one is nearly three feet tall), and such great examples of his work.  in fact, i coveted his original edition of the jellyfish print (which i promise you will be on my wall soon) for ages, and nearly cried when i realized it was sold out (not that i could have afforded it).  so, as you’d imagine, this new edition is making me extremely happy.

and, from fish to birds:  i’m apparently strangely attracted to both this week.  after owning my iphone for more than six months, i’ve still been unable to find a cover i didn’t hate.  these are actually skins, not true covers, but they’re lovely, aren’t they?  and isn’t that penguin just the cutest thing?  as soon as i spied it, i knew it was by joanna mendicino – she can just do no wrong in my eyes.

and then there are the shoes.  i’m still bitter that the rachel comey diffusion line wasn’t available in my size.  but now they’re carrying some very stunning marais suede gladiator sandals – also not in my size, and equally fabulous.  sigh.

the one low point:  i was going to point out these blue stacked heel sandals, but the color in the catalog (left – sorry it’s horribly blurry) was this fabulous, bold shade, and on the website (right), it’s, well, more blah than bold, don’t you think?  the whole thing has left me feeling sort of iffy about these.

but the rest is good, don’t you think?

as a countermeasure, i thought i’d put together a few of the ultra girly things i’ve been craving this week – nothing makes me sit up straight and cross my ankles faster than a few ruffles and frills.  and hey, if you can’t live it, at least you can love it from a distance.

shopjake.com is one of my favorite fashion browsing destinations – i’m practically a groupie for their buyer.  don’t all of these frills and ruffles just make you feel warm and fuzzy?  i love the idea of wearing any of these with some distressed denim and a flat metallic sandal – just the thing for flawless summer chic, don’t you agree?

speaking of girly goodness, artist jen corace has just released a few new prints at art star.  i tweeted my favorite yesterday, but here it is again, just because i’m so, so, so in love with it.  sigh!

and last but not least, if you haven’t yet caught the anna wintour interview from 60 minutes, it’s well worth your 12 minutes.  i don’t care what the haters say, i heart vogue, and i heart anna wintour.  if you do too, i suspect you’re also going to love in vogue.  it’s a pretty fascinating look at the magazine’s history, and includes reprints of all of their best photo shoots and covers.  really stunning, and worth it for the annie leibowitz alice in wonderland shoot alone.

sigh…mission accomplished.  all of this girly-ness has me wanting to go paint my nails.  happy weekend, everyone!  i hope there is a barbecue, a beach and/or a picnic in your immediate future.

(photo by blissful images – the perfect earth day purchase, don’t you think?)

i think most people that know me would agree i’m not the most green person you’ll ever meet.  i refuse to cancel my catalog subscriptions, i can’t be bothered to sort my glass from my plastics, and it’s maybe one time out of ten that i remember to bring those reuseable bags into the market.

but i’m never one to ignore a holiday, especially when there are deals to be had!  so, here are a few of my favorite ways for you to go green with minimal effort this earth day:

terra collection:  our much-loved sponsor’s decadent organic cotton tees are 50% off for the rest of the week, in celebration of earth day.  use code “earthlove” at checkout, and stock up!  every one is beautifully embroidered, pro-planet, and each purchase means a 15% discount to an earth-loving charity.  

suki hair:  i was browsing the aisles of my neighborhood whole foods the other day and saw that my favorite green beauty line, suki, has released a shampoo and conditioner!  naturally, i had to try them immediately.  if you’re not afraid of low-lather shampoo (it’s never bothered me…), this stuff is fantastic!  it smells as wonderful as their lemongrass cleanser that i can’t get enough of, it left my hair so much more moisturized than it normally is, and just generally is making me happy.  plus, it’s vegan – so my northwest cred is intact.

rume bags:  i get a reuseable tote maybe once a week these days…it seems almost impossible to avoid.  but the ones that actually make it into the store are my rume bags, every time.  and when they do, customers and baggers alike compliment them.  they’re huge, have a flat bottom, hold an unbelievable amount of stuff, and are actually pretty cute for grocery bags.  plus, i do love the velcro fold-up thing…very handy.  get 20% off sitewide today with code EARTH.

so, happy earth day, readers – how will you be celebrating?  i hope you’ll recycle a glass bottle for me!

(all images lovingly borrowed from antler magazine)

well, apparently i just can’t get enough of alternative reading material this week.  but yesterday, the lovely and talented decor8 alerted me that the latest (2nd) issue of antler magazine was available online.  the latest in the e-mag world, antler is only published online…which is a shame, as i’d love nothing more than to spend hours poring over every page.  this mag made the blog rounds when it’s first issue released – and, i’ll admit, i wasn’t all that interested.  but seeing a few other e-zines in the last few weeks made me give antler a closer look.  and it is quite possibly my new favorite magazine…with the added benefit of being free.

antler’s site says they focus “on composing a collection of beautiful, inspiring ideas and designs from all aspects of life”.  the real life translation is that i saw one of the most beautifully curated groups of artists, fashion designers, jewelry collections and more that i’ve ever seen – many i’d never even heard of.  best of all, every feature included an interview with the creative person they’re featuring, so you get a little background on your new favorite designer as well.

i knew i was in the right place when i spied a full-page ad for stone & honey designs, who i featured for daily candy way back when.  then i turned to a gorgeous four-page spread of the darling abigail percy’s designs – another designer i’ve loved for years.

but i discovered plenty of newbies as well.  joanna mendicino’s sweet ceramic designs – i recalled seeing them once upon a time, but this in-depth look made me fall pretty hard.  and a fashion line called h. fredriksson that is full of beautifully cut silhouettes and modern classics – it’s truly not to be missed.  and then i discovered the incredibly talented anna bergin, whose very real, yet almost ethereal portraiture has me officially obsessed.

i could go on and on, but you could also just take a look for yourself…really, it’s the best new publication i’ve seen release in a long time, and well worth a browse.  if you’re feeling the handmade, indie-design trend at all these days, but want to take it a step past etsy, there’s literally no better source i’ve found.  i can hardly wait until they go print, so i can subscribe.  in the meantime, i’ll be going back to read issue #1 now.  i’d love to hear what you think of antler!

i know…i had no idea they existed either.  but do you ever get the feeling the universe is conspiring to send you in one direction?  when “the watchman” (i am not linking to it – the website is loud!) was first in previews, i remember telling the hubs i had never heard of a graphic novel, and had no idea what it was.  he explained it as a sort of comic book of novel length.  at which point, being the superior, literature-degree-holding, chick-lit-reading, highly sophisticated (ha!) writer that i am, i scoffed.  must be a boy thing, i said.

but later, i recalled a couple of wonderful books i’d recently received that i could only describe as ‘graphic novels’, though there’s nothing comic book about them.  i’d originally requested michi’s like i give a frock (utterly, thoroughly fantastic!) and jane rocca’s the cocktail (i love this one mostly for the art, but it would be the perfect addition to any single girl’s bar) because i was dying to check out kat macleod’s gorgeous artwork (a very, very worthy endeavor – her illustrations are amazing).  but these books…it’s hard to explain, but they’re more than just illustrated novels.  the illustrations really add to the content, and the book definitely wouldn’t be a book without them.  like i give a frock is a fabulously cheeky take on fashion “dictates” – and when you add in macleod’s fab illustrations and the old-school typography, well, i just want to pull pages out to frame.

(from french milk)

from there, i saw a blog post about a couple of other “graphic novels” about travel.  i simply can’t resist a good travel book, and the graphic trend was becoming pretty evident.  so, before i knew it, a year in japan and french milk appeared in my mailbox.  readers, these books are simply beautiful!  rather than the ‘comic book’ vision i had, these read like a journal – literally as if someone’s moleskine notebook was published as-is, in their own handwriting and with all of their original thoughts and observations.  french milk, by lucy knisley, chronicles a mother and daughter’s six-week trip to paris and, while it does have a slight comic book feel, the content is sweet and endearing.  and the drawings (and occasional photo of mom and daughter) are such a fun addition that the end result is just thoroughly charming.  

(from a year in japan)

and if you’re anywhere near as fascinated by asian culture as i am, a year in japan is a must-read.  it chronicles author kate t. williamson’s year spent in japan to study design.  i knew it was love at page one, when williamson sketched four elaborate squares of cloth, then went on to explain they were washcloths she spotted in a department store window display her first day in kyoto.  in japan, she explains, women carry these in their handbags to dry their hands in public restrooms, rather than using paper towels.  and so, choosing a washcloth to carry is about design and aesthetic appeal, not just function.  she goes on to describe countless unique cultural details, her experience with them, and all of the beauty she finds in a city i’ve always longed to visit. 

so, i am here to confess before you all that i am now a convert to the graphic novel.  you know, provided it’s as well-written and beautifully illustrated as these four are…”the watchmen” is definitely not on my reading list.

what do you think?  will you be giving these a shot??

i have been a fan of kate wilson’s sweet drawings and watercolors for so long, she’s literally one of the first bookmarks in my (now extremely overcrowded) art folder.  but for the longest time, her etsy cupboard has been bare, or nearly so.  so i was thrilled to click over and see that she’s just released a whole new series of prints, just in time for valentine’s day.  what a perfect (and affordable!) gift for the one you love – whether you choose the birds dining via cupcake candlelight or the simpler bird holding a heart-shaped leaf, you can’t miss.

as for me, the beauty queen is just begging for a spot in my bathroom…and those choccie birds, fighting over the box of candies, has been on my must-have list for a while.  looks like it’s time to take the plunge!

i love it when the fates converge and i find a new favorite designer or artist at an old favorite store.  like my recent discovery of artist hadley hutton, courtesy of her show going on now at olio united.  hadley’s work is incredibly unique – she uses something called an encaustic method, which means she uses layers of wax to enhance (and seal) her works.  so each piece is made up of multiple layers – sometimes beginning with a photo or print, sometimes with an original drawing.  she then adds layers of wax and hand coloring to make each piece unique.

i’m aching to add those lovely poppies to my wall, but there are a slew of gorgeous originals and prints available at olio this month.  if you see an original you like but can’t find the print (or vice versa), it’s worth a call to the store – in addition to the 8.5×11 prints they have available, you can also track down a first:  hutton produced limited 24×36 prints for the show, and they are truly a sight to behold.

found via the brilliant design*sponge, as usual!

these beautiful prints from artist lisa jones will set you back about $100 each (thank god the british pound finally weakened!), but i absolutely love these as gift ideas.  for your friend who just set up her new apartment or bought her first house, the “town” print is a sure reminder that she’s in the big city now!  and if you have a new mom on your list (or her new baby), the “night owl” print would be positively precious in a nursery.

whichever you choose, order quick – they’re still shipping for christmas, but not for long! fortunately, if it doesn’t arrive in time, it’s easy to print a copy at home and let them know the real thing is on its way!

saw these new gocco prints on orangebeautiful’s stunning blog, and then over at their etsy shop.  remember those horrid “motivational” posters that were so popular in the 90s, and have since been knocked off in every possible incarnation, but always in the worst possible taste?  

yeah.  these are nothing like that.  gorgeous design, completely hip, and dead-on sentiment for any office.  oh, and only $12 each (or $40 for all 4).  god but i love etsy.

they’d also make an ideal gift for at least 3 people i know and love…let alone all the people i know and violently dislike.  be honest:  you know you can think of at least one person at your office whose cubicle you’re dying to hang one of these in…anonymously, of course.