Crochet Loveliness

I have recently rediscovered the amazingness of crochet.

I was taught crocheting as a little girl in school and did it back then because I had to. But on my last trip back home, I asked my mum to refresh my mind on the basics and boy, am I hooked on this thing!!

Far from being dated, crochet can be used to create some really cool and trendy pieces for the home, jewelry and fashion.

So...browsing through Flickr's Explore, I came upon this gorgeous photo....

....and my mouth instantly started watering!

The image and crochet-loveliness creations belong to Edinburgh-based designer Emma Lamb.

Go have a look at her creations; and if you fall in love with something...she's got an etsy shop!

Gig Posters

I didn't know who Ray Lamontagne was until I saw this poster at Poster Cabaret. But I LOVED it so much, that I had to go and look him up on youtube...and would you look at that, the singer is just as cool as the artwork advertising him!!

Poster Cabaret is a really cool site that sells prints, mainly from music gigs.

Here is some more cool art they've got for sale at their site:

These would look great on any wall...whether you like the music or not! Better if you do, but still....

Amazing Rare Things

Keeping on with the botanical prints subject...when I was in Edinburgh last week, I was very happy to find the book Amazing Rare Things at the Queen's Gallery souvenir shop.

The book is a collection of botanical prints which are a part of the Royal Collection and which were exhibited last year in Buckingham Palace, dating from the late XV century to the early XIX century.

The collection was curated by Sir David Attenborough, of whom I am a big fan, and included prints such as these:

I wonder whether the queen actually does use these prints to decorate her palace home?

Kind of like this:

(image via Katy Elliot)

Or this:

(image via Centsational Girl)

I doubt it...

Anyway, you can see more of the Royal Collection here .

Botanical Prints

I'm not a very big fan of flower/botanical photography.

I do however, love love love botanical prints...

Like this one from Australian artist Margaret Saul:

Or these bautiful antique ones:

(Images via Openheimer Editions)

One of the most famous English botanists and botanical illustrators of the 18th centura was William Curtis, who left some beautiful prints such as this one:

(image viaArt.co.uk)

I wouldn't mind at all to collect these, and fill up a whole wall with them..oh what lovelies!

Scandinavian firm SKANDIUM have applied this idea to their latest line of textiles:

APARTAMENTO

I am VERY interested in this magazine:

I read about Apartamento, a biannual home & lifestyle magazine from Barcelona and Milan on January's issue of Wallpaper and it really tickled my interest.

After looking at their website, I am dying to get a hold of their third issue, which will be out next month.

In Wallpaper's interview to associate editor Marco Velardi, he says: "We wanted to produce a magazine that was able to show people's homes in a total natural way, avoiding styled interiors".

This sounds like The Selby of magazines!

More Google logo love!

Oh, how cute is the Google logo today!

AND...I had no idea who Eric Carle was, nor did I know about "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". It totally avoided me growing up, both generationally (I grew up in the 80s) and culturally (I grew up in the Dominican Republic).

But now that thanks to Google I've learned about it...I LOVE the illustrations:

Oh, and I also learned today that there is an Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in America!

How cool must that be!

Pret's Edible Photos

I buy my coffee at the local Pret a Manger every morning; so today, I decided to give it a go and get one of their cards. Check out how cute my card's design is:

These are other designs:

Pret's image is a goofy, relaxed one, that has worked really well in establishing the brand as a natural, healthy fast food restaurant. The funniness of their ads and posters, as well as the cheeky comments they include in their packaging has definitely worked in making me feel connected to their brand...and I don't even like most of their concoctions!

Well, the photographer responsible for these amazing food photography, is the Swede Jorgen Ahlstrom; and other creations for Pret's collection include these beauties:

The photos, by the way, are taken from Pret's website...where they're giving their recipes away for free!

Oh...and go have a look at the photographer's website and be amazed!

Eye Candy

I'm not one to catch up with fashion trends straight away; so I hadn't even noticed that the trend this summer was a hippie, colourful one, until my friend Gina mentioned it a couple of days ago while browsing clothes.

Well, after an afternoon of window-shopping in London, I can say that Accessorize has definitely got THE MOST mouth-watering, full-of-colours accessories this season!

Cathy Miles

Hey Lulu, remember this?!

I came to know about the work of Cathy Miles when I visited her stand at an Origin Crafts Fair with my sister Lulu, here in London, and we both went crazy with her three-dimensional drawings made with wire and recycled materials.

They are cute, witty and full of humor, and boy would I love it if I could one day have one of these on my wall!

Woo Woo

Insect Nirvana

Starlings and plate

Fat Frank

Things I'd like to do this month...

I would like to visit The Barbican's exhibition on Le Corbusier!

(image via Home Accents Today)

He is said to be partly responsible for what we today know as Modern Architecture, and if you liked the ultra-modern house in Jaques Tati's film "Mon Oncle", Le Corbusier will definitely be of your liking:

(image via interiordesign.net)

I am currently planning a summer trip to Provence, in the South of France (fingers crossed); and when in Marseille, I would love to visit his Radiant City; thought up as an ideal of communal living:

(Please read more about it at Galisnky)

And looking at these photos above, I can't help but think....isn't The Barbican just about the PERFECT venue to hold an exhibition on Le Corbusier?!?!

Masahiro Makino

I’ve been on Flickr for about five years, and Masahiro Makino was one of my first contacts, and this photo was one of my first ones to favourite. Well today, he is still one of my favourite photographers on Flickr, and I no longer favourite his photos, because I would have to do it for all of them, because I really do love all of his photos!

I really like the faded colours…

And the suptle romance…

And the nostalgia…

In all of his images!