Sleepy

What a day - Meager/Sann Industries is grinding to a halt tonight as we're both super tired! I'll leave you with this post of a lovely bed to sink into ... although ours is looking pretty damn good even if it's not styled quite as beautifully.



Sleep well!

PS. Emilie Harrison (of the Wedding Style Guide Blog) has created a superb Polyvore of purple pieces "that may give you some hints on how to add this delightful colour to your wedding palette". It's gorgeous, I always love Emilie's posts! Check it out here.

Half Blood

Okay, nerd alert! I'm starting to get pretty excited about the new Harry Potter film: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. These films have got better and better (although Alfonso Cuarón's take on The Prisoner of Azkaban will always be a special favourite).

The stills from the movie that I have seen look impressive - oh, and Harry's wearing Converse. Brilliant! I may have to go back and read the book again, I think I was so excited about it coming out at the time that I skim-read most of it and now have no recollection about what happened in it.... I must be getting old, as I suspect!




Stills © "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." Photos by Jaap Buitendijk

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is out in Australia on the 16th of July 2009.

Dorm Decor

I kind of feel like I'd like this book - just from the cover - is that a bad thing?



""Dorm Decor" combines interior design and craft with more than 35 projects that help students add personality, organization, and comfort to their otherwise unadorned dorm rooms. Straightforward instructions and ready-to-use patterns make it fun and easy to create bold rugs and lampshades, oversize floor pillows, custom bedding, curtains, laptop cozy, and much more. Inspiring photos of fully decorated dream rooms, how-to illustrations, step-by-step directions, and small-space floor plans make it simple to pull off, all before the semester starts."

I don't think I ever grew out of wanting the coolest bedroom around - even as a kid, I was constantly rearranging and reassembling my little living space with the eye of a future designer (or so I thought!). This project in particular grabbed my attention as a way of making your space your own, without spending a whole heap of cash. And to be honest, well, this book excerpt had me at "deer templates".

Link via How About Orange.

Little Birds

I've been training for my new (part-time) position this evening - it's with a home wares company so, no doubt, soon I'll be posting lots of images I see during the day... everyone likes looking at pictures of KitchenAids, right?!

However I did really want to post these absolutely stunning "Words of Love Paper Birds" I found on Etsy - I adore birds, and I really adore these:




Image © Cotton Bird Designs.

The very talented artist behind Cotton Bird Designs makes fabric and paper sculptures, using vintage and recycled materials and hand stitching. This Etsy store is a fabulous resource for some cute little wedding extras, such as these little birds, as well as "wedding cake toppers and other textile sculptures such as cottages, bird book homes, fabric flower sculptures, and brooches".

Such beautiful work and truly inspiring - I'm very happy to have stumbled on their site!

Cameos and Lace

For the past two and a half days, I've had Design Block, where nothing seemed to go together and I spent more time deleting and closing Illustrator windows with a huff than I did saving anything. However, today I've got whatever 'it' is back. I'm now inspired to try my hand at a motif I've admired for quite some time: Cameos!

Some beautiful, beautiful cameo inspiration:


Image © Tongue In Cheek. On a side note, this blog is amazing. I'm a few pages in and already feel like I'm in another world! In another life I was French, I'm sure of it.


Image © Lou and Lee, found via Perfect Bound.

I can't wait til I can start posting my creations on the website: we're attempting to create a few 'surprises' for the upcoming bridal expo, hence the lots of talking about work, without actually showing any of it. Soon, my friends, very soon!


Image © Twin Cat Vintage.

In other news, I'd like to show my support for my favourite style icon, Sam, and her friend Sabrina who have launched a brand new business: Twin Cat Vintage - their uber-cute site stocks ladies (and occasionally mens) pre-loved vintage clothing. There is some really amazing pieces available for purchase here. Best of luck ladies!

All I'm Sayin, Pretty Baby

Next on my wall-art shopping list:



"La La Love You Print 8.5 x 11 Light Aqua" by SparklePower. As a major Pixies fan, it's only a matter of when, not if, this will be gracing our walls.

Births, Deaths and the Blood Bank

Check out how freaking beautiful this "AND" is on this sign - it's in View Street in Bendigo. Jury's out on the stencil though, I like the typography of the original sign and it seems a little disrespectful to have sprayed over the top? But nowdays, it's "Birth, Deaths and Marriages", so I guess it makes sense.



I took this photo earlier this afternoon after finishing up with my Dad at the Blood Bank - we both donated blood, me for the first time! The fires got me thinking about how I'd always wanted to do it, but had never followed through. It was a little painful whilst they were trying to find a vein (apparently mine are well hidden!) but overall, not too bad an experience and I got biscuits and cheese after, horray!

I had Bon Iver's "Blood Bank" in my head the entire time. Yep, on purpose.

... But I'm Totally Into That Awesome Jacket!

James and I saw the much hyped "He's Just Not That Into You" today and apart from being a fairly decent flick (I'm a fan of "Love Actually" and this film kind of followed the tried-and-true Working Title rom-com formula), it was just really nice to look at. I particularly appreciated the set design (even the dullest of films is bearable if I have some pretty, un-realistically well-decorated apartment interiors to envy) and the fashion, specifically that of the adorable Ginnifer Goodwin, was a total breath of fresh air. We both agreed Gigi stole the show, along with the suave Justin Long. He keeps on getting more and more charismatic roles, perhaps we have a young George Clooney on our hands?



Apart from slapping my forehead in embarrassment (perhaps at some rather familiar behavior I've exhibited over the years?) at her character's attempts at snagging a second date, I enjoyed every scene Ginnifer was in, and she provided me with lots of inspiration regarding fashion and colour.



A few things I will endeavor to find come change of season to winter, thanks to Gigi's fine example:
- Mauve nail polish. Mauve everything, really. It was such a good look.
- Lots of navy blouses and shirts, paired with kelly green - a great combination and one I had not really thought of before.
- A plaid jacket like the (2007) Throne Hunter Plaid coat by Diane von Furstenberg Gigi sports (thanks to Google and Celebrity Fashion Tips, I now know who designed it!). If Gossip Girl hadn't sent me over the edge into Plaid Obsession, the jacket Gigi wears for about half her scenes surely did. Every time she came on screen in that thing, I said "I want that" in my head. Every time.



Seeing awesome jackets and layers makes me yearn for winter and the chance to dress for fun, rather than to simply stay cool in the heat!

Another Day, Another Colour to Fall In Love With

Not much to report - we've had a very busy day which has left little time for blogging - I'm currently browsing "favor box decor" on Martha Stewart and trying to keep my eyes open!

I'm working on four different invitation/decoration sets concurrently, which is fun, but very challenging as each has its own palette, font family and pattern suite, and sometimes I find myself wondering if the powder blue favors I'm holding actually go with anything at all (and why on earth aren't I using powder blue? It's so fresh!)


Images © Martha Stewart.

Things that are inspiring me today:
- Pairing colours together that I haven't tried before and the interesting results this sometimes yields.
- Old type favorites, rediscovered one that fits perfectly with my design and it's like falling in love all over again.
- Finally getting the hang of seamless patterns, and a few nifty tricks in Illustrator that make them look, well, nifty.
- James intuitively knowing when to top up my Coke, and how freaking cool our dog is: Oscar received a clean bill of health from the vets AND took his booster shot with a lot more grace than either of his housemates!

Looking forward to posting the results on the website in a few weeks time.

Loungeroom Makeover Inspiration: Bar

Like most of the design world, I've been taking advantage of Domino's "My Deco File" being up for just a little longer, in order to download my favourite pictures.

James and I have been discussing our plans for one day making over our oddly long-length lounge room and separating it into two main areas, an entertainment area and a social area. One of the ideas I had for the middle ground in between these two areas was a modern bar - nothing too elaborate, just something neat to put our liquor and trendy glasses for ease of use when entertaining (or just entertaining ourselves!)

I was very happy to find this image of almost exactly what I had in mind:



A perfect place for cocktail recipe books and assorted trinkets and our all-important bottle of gin! I think something similar to this could be fashioned out of an EXPEDIT Bookcase for $149, turned on its side with some soft floor castors (as we have carpeting).

Forecast 2009: Colors for Your Home from Benjamin Moore

Last year, I found the post on Apartment Therapy about colour predictions very useful to guide me for stationery ideas in 2008. I've just read the 2009 predictions and think this will be equally useful this year! From AT:

"Benjamin Moore has released their 2009 color forecast called "Colors for Your Home". It's a line of 18 trend colors and according to their experts these hues represent "a craving for simplicity in our lives as we search for refuge from the rough and stormy economy". They add "There’s clearly a trend for homes to be simpler, pared down and offering relief from the pressures and anxieties of the outside world"."

Here are my favourites (and my money, as always, is on the blushing red):



1) Dining Room: Black Satin. Image © Benjamin Moore.



2) Bathroom: Blue Nose, Blushing Red & Bronze Tone. Image © Benjamin Moore.



3) Living Room: Gossamer Blue, Black Satin & Brookside Moss. Image © Benjamin Moore.



4) Sitting room: Chantilly Lace, Hazy Skies & White Sand. Image © Benjamin Moore.

More information from the Benjamin Moore site.

Green Is Good

I've noticed this on quite a few of my daily blog reads, and, well, green plus a cute bird is a winner with me!

Bird on Log Pillow by Matte Stephens from Urban Outfitters.



Image © Urban Outfitters.

See also: Baby Bird Pillow.

Bloom Cosmetics Turns 16

Bloom cosmetics, specifically the Pure Mineral range, are the only cosmetics I use - I bought a starter pack before my wedding last year and have never looked back. It's brilliant, if you have the means, I'd recommend checking it out.

In the lead-up to my wedding, I had really bad skin. It was rather frustrating at the time, but understandable in hind-sight - normally I have relatively clear skin and rare break-outs but the stress of all the things going on, plus a poor diet and not enough sleep, resulted in waking up the day before the wedding with a pretty noticeable array of pimples on my chin - I was devastated, as I had adhered to a very strict, wash/cleanse routine for weeks before, but these things happen! It's thanks to Bloom's range that it was a whole lot less noticeable on the day.



To celebrate Bloom turning 16, there's a new product available called the "Sweet 16 Beauty Essentials Pack" which is uber-cute: "To celebrate 16 sweet years of beauty, we've launched a Limited Edition Sweet 16 Beauty Essentials Pack, featuring 16 products, hand picked by Natalie Bloom that she can't live without. RRP $199 (Value $342.80) " It all comes packaged in a really cute Bloom box:


Images © Bloom.

Design-wise, I'm mostly enamored with the make-up bags and shower-cap set which I read are designed by illustrator Beci Orpin. I was lucky to work with a few of Beci's images whilst designing a website about two years ago: she's extremely talented and has a very distinctive style.

A full product list of the items as pictured is available here.

Target - Stationery Range

Had a lovely, albeit quick, wander through the stationery section of our local Target today - there's lots of really cute stationery products on offer - probably a few more in your Target than mine, as ours is quite small. Here is some eye candy from the Target website of the Paper Chic range:









Images © Target.

One thing I cannot track down online is that Target seemed to have a really cool disposable party products range in stock - plates, cups, etc., that had really trendy, tasteful designs on them. I didn't have time to look at who made these, so if anyone has any ideas, please let me know so I can post them here!

And, just because it pleases me so! some rainbow love via ffffound.com:


Image quoted from here, photo © The Mid-century Modernist.


Image quoted from here, photo © Santos.

We are shooting a wedding tomorrow, in much better conditions than this time last week, thankfully, which should be lots of fun. Happy weekend!

The Pencil Calendar

"12 pencils, 365 days, infinite creative possibilities... The new calendar is available to buy from today. Consisting of 12 colour-coded pencils to indicate the seasonal temperature and the days of the year printed along the whole length of the pencil, allowing each day to be sharpened off. The minimal packaging is a traditional pencil box with a slide-out lid, so no further packaging is required for posting. This year our starting point was a 'back to basics' idea where we wanted to create something using the designer's most important tool, the pencil. Available to buy now for £12.00 including postage and packaging."

By Mytton Williams Design Consultancy.

Another Reminder...

Another quick post to give you an update on the Victorian Bushfire Appeal 2009. If you've not heard, you can read about the bushfires here.

Some pictures from my hometown of Bendigo, from the Bendigo Advertiser site:







From the Australian Red Cross site:

"Red Cross response (9am, 10 February)

* Over 160 lives lost with the number expected to increase as authorities access more homes and discover vehicles in which people attempted to escape the fires.
* Two centres in the Beechworth area were re-opened during the night with fires and ember strikes threatening the area.
* The Red Cross enquiry centre is continuing to receive a large volume of calls from people concerned about family and friends and we are seeing an increase in calls from overseas as international news services relay the news.
* There are still significant numbers of people registering with us so that family and friends can check on their wellbeing. One whole community that was surrounded by fire but spared, has late yesterday come forward to register with us so their loved ones know they are ok.
* Over 400 volunteers and staff continue to work in shifts, Red Cross call centres in WA, ACT and NSW have opened to help deal with the volume of calls from people checking on the welfare of evacuees."

Donations can be made using the Red Cross secure online donations form or by phoning 1800 811 700.

The most heartwarming bit is that there is a lot of international support coming in as well. I teared up hearing about Barack Obama's message, what a guy.

Also, Coles are going to donate this Friday’s profits to Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund - so if you can, do your grocery shopping then!

Playful

The 90´s
Originally uploaded by Be Playful

This is amazing. Image by Pablo Alfieri.

Polar Bears

I'm kind of on a Polar Bear kick at the moment. I'm blaming my recent consumption of the entire series (so far) of Lost.

From ffffound.com:



From Etsy:



"You Made Me A Mix Tape A3 Print" by Juliapott.



"Roomscape polar bear collage" by One Creative Girl.



"Polar Bear" by mlwmerk.

And Happy Birthday to the coolest character I know, my husband, James.

Pattern Inspiration, Home Design & Paper Flowers

Some of my favorite Apartment Therapy images from this week (images are linked to their articles):

Shawna's wallpapered stairs
Such a simple idea but beautifully executed.



Chanel 2009 Haute Couture
Paper flowers = love. This is on such a massive scale it makes my hands ache in sympathy!









Images © Apartment Therapy.

Bushfires - Bendigo

A quick break from design related posts: my hometown of Bendigo, along with a lot of Victoria, was hit yesterday by massive bush fires that have killed and left many more homeless and injured - particularly in Long Gully and the Sparrowhawk Estate. We have been advised that there a few ways to help (if you feel strongly, and being in Bendigo for my entire life, I surely do):

1. Donate money - it will go to helping families, devastated by the fires, whether it be to purchase necessities when they may have little more than the clothes on their backs or to generally assist those who have suffered severe hardship due to the fires. Red Cross is just one of many who have set up emergency funds, theirs is the 2009 Victorian Bushfire Fund. More info here.

2. Donate blood - in times like this, there is a shortage of blood. It's scary to think about donating if you're not a fan of needles, etc., but it's such a wonderful gift to give. More info here.

3. Plan to donate clothing, blankets, home goods. Right now, there is limited places to take your donated goods whilst there is still firefighting, rescue, salvage, etc going on. As it says on the Red Cross site, "Red Cross are focused on helping people affected by the fires and the emergency workers in their ongoing efforts. It is unclear at this stage whether any other organization is accepting goods." This doesn't mean, however, that you can't start thinking about whether there is anything in your home that you could donate to assist those who find themselves now without homes or belongings. Your local charity shop may have more information on how to then get these goods to people who need them.

A particularly heartwarming site has been the "Can I Help" message board, which is overrun with people who want to help. Now is one of those times where one feels the need to pitch in. If you can, I'm sure it would be greatly appreciated.

(Browser) Window Shopping: Hart & Heim

Okay, so in these tough economic times, the good ol' spending spree might be a little out of reach. Doesn't stop me planning what I'd do if I won Tatslotto though - I dedicate far too much time to coming up with lists of things I Must Have (One Day).

I decided to start a semi-regular feature, (Browser) Window Shopping, which will be a list of my favorites from a web-shop - no purchasing, just looking. If you happen to buy any of these things based on my recommendation, please don't tell me as it may make me a) insanely jealous or b) cry a little.

The first web-shop on my list is Hart & Heim. This is an Australian web-store that has a lot of the quirky little design accents I'm partial to, and such a huge selection of items - you can find something for pretty much any budget. Here are some things I'd love to buy for our soon-to-be-redecorated lounge room (and for absolutely no reason at all other than they are super cool):

1. Deer Head and 2. Pear Tree (Small)


Images © Hart & Heim.

Imaginary Rationale: (1) The Deer Head is minimalist and funky and would become quite a talking point - and no deers would have been harmed! $AU59.95. (2)I have a little bit of an obsession with trees - and I would be thinking, as this one is so neutral, I could decorate it for events... See, that's almost like a business expense! $AU99.95.

3. Willow Tea Plates - Set of Four 4. Horse Light - Table Lamp


Images © Hart & Heim.

Imaginary Rationale: (3) A girl can never have enough tea plates, especially pretty ones. And one day, when I'm grown up enough to own a buffet, these will be displayed proudly and prominently. There's also a milk jug and a sugar bowl to match. $AU69.95. (4) I love these lights so much I have been known to dream about them. Honestly. I grew up with horses, I love the simplicity of the black & white and see them as the perfect addition our lounge room. $AU199.95 each.

5. Gin & Titonic Ice Tray and 6. Big Tray - White


Image © Hart & Heim.

Imaginary Rationale: (5) The name says it all. And I do enjoy my G&Ts. $AU16.95. (6) The tray would be for when we have an ottoman and need to rest aforementioned G&Ts on something. I like the simplicity of the white but this also comes in a very cool orange. $AU24.95.

7. Concierge Tray - Black and 8. 'Oh Deer' Wall Decal


Image © Hart & Heim.

Imaginary Rationale: (7) A girl can never have enough ... trays? A perfect catch-all for near the front door. $AU69.95. (8) The woodland theme may be over but it doesn't stop me still loving all things deer, and wall decals. This would make an otherwise boring wall very magestic. $AU180.00.

9. Felt Sweet Pea Table Runner - Black and 10. Framed CD Notorious Shelf - Gold


Image © Hart & Heim.

Imaginary Rationale: (9) A table runner for our coffee table - looks really neat, wouldn't show up spills very easily and would add texture and interest to a neutral table. $AU24.95. (10) And, me and baroque gold frames go together like we were made for each other. Add music in the mix and I'm completely sold. $AU330.00.

Well, that's the end of the spree for today! Hope you enjoyed it and check out Hart & Heim for further details about these products if one takes your fancy.

For Like Ever

For Like Ever
Originally uploaded by ameeliah

I have loved this poster for quite some time (not to mention the Eames Armchair, but that is for another post). It was on a cover of Domino and was quite in demand - nearly every blog I visited for a while had it somewhere on their wishlists. I read somewhere it was $US10 and sold out ridiculously quickly.

The retailer of this product is Village and it retails now for $US60, or $100 if you're one of those international suckers like me.

New Issue of Real Living

Today is a happy day, a new issue of "Real Living" to devour.


I am absolutely in love with the plum shades of the cover, specifically the gorgeous headboard. I recently stumbled upon Deb's Blog: Deborah Bibby is the editor of Real Living and regularly updates with sneak-peaks and behind-the-scenes of issues, and a recent entry has some shots from the setup of the cover with all that luscious light beaming through the windows.

Here are some of my favourite spreads (from the lovely Belinda of Renovate + Decorate and Deb's Blog):









Pictures above © Real Living Magazine.

"Real Living" is literally the only magazine I purchase - nothing else continues to inspire me the way that this magazine does, and it seems to be excellent value for money (unlike so many other magazines on the market). I usually read it from cover to cover when I first get it, and then again in a month, or two months, and then every time I need some colour ideas I sit down with my stack of back issues and even if I've read an issue before, something new always manages to pop out and get me feeling extra creative.

I'd love to work for Real Living but I'm not sure what I'd bring to the table, other than utter fan-girl-dom: I think they are over-run with stationery designers as it is. Perhaps if they start a "Real Weddings" column I could submit my CV?!

Real Living March 2009 issue is in stores now.