27.2.09

Hello, and happy Friday!  Big Chuck is lost in the land of tree rings so I though I'd take a link he sent me a while back and use it as inspiration for today's post.  If you're curious which one is from him, it's the wire frame dog bed from Go!PetDesign.  It's a good thing our little dog Tyke can't use my laptop or else he'd be really jealous right now ;)Urban Driftwood dog bowl

25.2.09

Play is a furniture line designed for kids.  Danish designer Jesper K. Thomsen's philosophy behind the line is that "children's furniture must be for children, rather than small copies of adult furniture."  The inspiration for the furniture came from the homemade and humourous qualities of the soapbox cart, and the idea that play and creation are paramount to the design process when making objects for kids. 

23.2.09

My dad and I were talking about designing and making some wooden toys for children.  I was doing a bit of research on the subject and came across some beautiful designs and successful companies.  I focused my search on Etsy since I knew I would be able to find some great handmade stuff there.  One of my favourite toy makers so far is Little Sapling Toys (what a cute name!).  Here's some of their work...

19.2.09

Big Chuck and I are swapping today.  He has a really fun Canadian design post for our Canadiana Tuesdays, so tune in next week to see what he's got cooking. 

Speaking of cooking, I wanted to share with you some of my favourite food blogs.  Mostly I look at them to drool over the pictures of stuff that in all likelyhood I won't make (not because I don't want to, but because Big Chuck wears the chef pants in our family).  I hope you enjoy the pix and check out the links, maybe you'll even find something delicious to make this weekend! 

18.2.09

I've been studying the websites of some of my favourite print designers lately to find inspiration and perhaps absorb through my computer screen some of their wisdom. 

One of the queens of print and pattern design is Julia Rothman.  I've loved her stuff since I first saw it - quirky and hand-drawn, her designs are always so unique.  I've pulled just a few samples off her website - but there are so many more so I recommend you check them out! 

Jamie MagazineOne of the best things about flying through London Heathrow Airport, other than listening to British accents, is the magazine rack.  There are always more than a few gossip mags to make the trip across oceans and timezones more enjoyable.  Last time I was there I came across Jamie Oliver's new magazine, the inaugural edition actually.  It's a great magazine, and if it wasn't so expensive to those living outside the U.K. I would probably have it delivered to my door.  A bonus (and the subject of this post) is the Jme catalogue, a new shop full of beautifully designed dishes, food, seeds, and home things.