Happy Thursday everyone! It’s almost the weekend, and finally time for a new week of Etsy Love showcasing some beautiful shops of jewelry, art, fabrics and even cake!
Ayofemi jewelry is the shop of designer and student Ayo, in Phoenix. Ayo makes jewelry in her spare time, mainly consisting of pretty, charming necklaces, bracelets and earrings from a mix of gold and gorgeous soft colors like coral, lavender, and turquoise. Oh I plan to pay this shop another visit very soon!
Esther Ramirez is a talented crafter, designer and illustrator from Chicago, and sells her beautiful creations at Essimar. The abundance of color and pattern in her shop emphasizes the whimsical element in her screen prints and paper crafts, which are gently made one at a time in small collections.
For fun and quirky fabric design, handmade bags, and quilts, just head on over to Aunt June. Lauren Hunt designs and prints many colorful fabrics that could become totes, pillows, anything really as far as your imagination takes you! I love all her fabrics from the feathers, to boats, and bird prints too.
You can find absolutely anything on Etsy! Even the most precious cake bunting shop, Kiki La Ru for all things pretty, striped and flowered is available here! Homemaker and artist in Austria uses primarily vintage and upcycled fabrics and supplies thats she purchases on Etsy to create her sweet homemade cakes!
(images: sources listed above)
I am ready to delve in and get inspired by the work, dedication, passion, and talent of a crochet artists today. After a few weeks off, I am craving some creative energy! And you?
The work of Vera João Espinha is original, distinct, and fun to say the least. With a background in graphic design and painting, she currently works as a graphic designer in a publishing house, and dedicates her spare time to her love for crochet. Her beautiful pieces can be found at several retailers in Portugal.
Vera João Espinha learned to crochet with her grandmother at a very young age as a way to entertain herself after school, and as her skill evolved, she began making clothes for dolls. A painter and an artist as well until her daughter was born, she began to commit to crochet instead, and created accessories. This won her an honorable mention in 2005, in a Portuguese contest for contemporary jewelry, and encouraged her to further this talent.
Vera João Espinha’s stunning colorful, textured work is based on the manual production of contemporary accessories. Her unique jewelry is all handmade, mostly in crochet, but some collections may also include other materials. I am so in love with the little crochet balls, also their composition in the bowls and their photography. It feels like it’s all a part of Vera’s work.
Vera finds inspiration in nature, colors from photography, previous work, or her grandmother’s doilies. The color combinations in her work are divine, and the scarf looks so warm and cozy, and could be worn flexibly – I can see it with jeans and a T-shirt, highlighting the artistry of the scarf itself. What I love most about this talented artist’s work is that she first creates a piece and is true to herself and art, and then thinks about their commercial viability, because after all an artist also has bills to pay.
(images: vera joão espinha)
Happy Weekend friends! A lovely message hit my inbox a while ago from Serena of Sang and Serena Company, and I am so excited to share with you their beautiful inlay furniture that is like no other.
After a chance meeting in India, Sang and Serena Company was born with the intention of supporting traditional craft-making skills of an artist-entrepreneur’s art school. Sang and Serena then made these beautiful products accessible to North America through one-of-a-kind pieces that are completely handmade and derived from natural materials. These stunning pieces, intricate and decorative, are potential heirlooms to be passed on and cherished for generations.
Unlike many furniture, these bone inlay pieces have great value and are so much character to a space, creating a middle ground where East meets West. Every item designed and imported is environmentally friendly, with so much detail and soft smooth surface, a fusion of cultures as well as a meeting between history and modernity. My favorite piece is the gray and white chest of drawers; such intense pattern and detail that is yet so elegant is often hard to achieve, and I find it is done perfectly! And you, what do you think of these beauties?
(images: sang and serena company)
Since I missed Etsy Love last week, I’m determined to make it up to you today with a lovely set of shops featuring talented artists selling everything from fashion to mosaics.
I just recently discovered this beauiful little shop in Portugal. Kjoo is filled with gorgeous experimental textile jewelry that is designed by Maria João Ribeiro. If you love color, texture and shapes, these pieces are bound to lure you in like they did me, without hesitation!
Sigmosaics is the shop of native New Zealander and lovely designer Kerrin. Here you will find functional decorative items, and art mosaics that are made from a mix of acrylic and resin tiles, ceramic tiles, recycled tiles, stones, mirror, glass and much more! I find all these gorgeous gems so reminiscent of the Mediterranean, and Europe in general, which is actually where Kerrin sources all her acrylic and resin mosaic tiles.
New York City fashion ceases to amaze me, inspire me and captivate me, and this Brooklyn shop is no exception. Alexandra Grecco carries the sweetest pieces from hair accessories to shorts, tops, and dresses. With a style so feminine, delicate, and playful, I can’t turn my eyes away from anything in that shop.
Kim is a photographer, designer and vintage seller from Massachusetts, who does all these things at a little shop called trampoline. With a series of items salvaged from a home at 303 pleasant street between the 1930 and 1960s, vintage is ever so charming! I adore those ruffled floral sheets, doily and crochet, and silver trays. Beauty and detail is everywhere here.
(images: sources listed above)
I find the most inspiring work comes from artists who take their craft to another level, creating new ideas and different dimensions like creating illustrations with a sewing machine using only thread. Doesn’t that sound interesting?
Super talented crafter and artist Miyuki Sakai has been creating award-winning illustrations with a sewing machine for over twenty years. Oh yes, I am serious. Have you seen her work before? Imagine the skill and patience one must possess to create such art! Miyuki grew up in Osaka, Japan, and adopted her unique style inspired by watching her mother make clothes for her family. After attending art school in Kyoto, Miyuki moved to Tokyo to work as a freelance illustrator, and now lives and works in San Fransisco.
I am so intrigued by her unique style and have probably examined every detail of these lovely illustrations that are featured in the Vive la Tarte article in the June issue of Martha Stewart Living. Like many others, I initially thought that the backgrounds were hand drawn with delicious looking tarts placed on top, but I was so wrong! I love love love all the detail in the patterns, color and texture Miyuki creates in these illustrations. Gorgeous! Do you create unique art, or do you have a favorite artist who does? It’s so inspiring and interesting to see what others do, where their minds wander and creativity and skill takes them.
(images: miyuki sakai)
Confetti System is the result of a collaboration between artists, stylists, designers and friends Nicholas Andersen and Julie Ho, who have a shared love of communal celebration and craft-making.
Confetti System art directs and creates stunning installations and sets for the fashion and music industry. Bright, fun and colorful – confetti system transforms simple and mundane materials like tissue paper, cardboard and silk into interactive objects, creating a focal point “where memories are made and a spontaneous collaboration with the viewer is sparked. Confetti System’s creations occupy the space between the ephemeral and the permanent, evoking a sense of nostalgia and lighthearted fun.” Doesn’t that sound divine? I am sold!
You can even buy your own products from Confetti System from their shop, and better yet, order a custom design! Their line of jewelry and festive objects are sold through Opening Ceremony, Maryam Nassir Zadeh and Bergdorf Goodman, and have been exhibited in art galleries and museums in New York, LA, Miami and Holland.
Who says you have to wait for an occasion to order some festive decorations? Confetti System’s multicolored tassel garlands would look adorable for a backyard party, barbecue, or in the home for the summer, be it in the living room, kitchen or hallway, they’d liven up any room or space! Would you put these up in your home? What other ways could you think of using these lovely products?
(images: confetti system)
Artist, sculptor and teacher Christine Buckton Tillman hails from the great Northern Chicago suburb of Livertyville, and currently lives in Baltimore with her husband and two cats. Christine’s work captured my heart as soon as I laid my eyes on it, and I think you will love it too!
Primarily a very flat sculptor who draws more often than she makes sculptures, Christine’s main interests as an artist lie in the ideas surrounding the handmade, celebrations, and man-made interpretations of natural forms. Exhibiting work frequently in the Mid Atlantic and beyond, Christine has been working as an artist in Baltimore since finishing her MFA in Painting and Drawing from the University of Iowa.
Her drawings, mostly formal, and a way for her to keep engaged in her studio practice when her teaching becomes very busy, are so colorful, intriguing, and always positive. Christine creates such gorgeous results from a limited palette, with an eclectic mix of bright colors, shapes, sizes, forms and lines. She creates a great balance with beautiful harmony in her works, that is so lively and festive yet serene and calm.
I love that Christine celebrates the beauty of life through her art, and indulges in festivities through her sculpture. I had the opportunity to talk to Christine about her intent for her artwork. She explains:
“For the sculpture I’m very interested in the visual language of parties and celebrations. I like to take traditional party materials and transform them, as well as make traditional flimsy disposable party objects (bows, banners, paper chains) and make them out of traditional art materials. The drawings are formal abstractions that borrow their shape and color palette from fashion, celebrations, and nature. I try to make them exuberant.”
Doesn’t Christine’s work make your day a little brighter? It’s all love over here, and if you’d like to own some of her prints like I would, you can even order them from her shop here. I could see her art in a simple ikea frame adorning a white wall in my to be redecorated home. Isn’t her studio wonderful? I’d love to just sit down with Christine for an afternoon in her Baltimore home and watch her create. I imagine her process to be so intriguing, building layer upon layer, thought by thought. The environment she created is so colorful, festive, and so inspiring!
Do you also like to watch an artist at work? Why do you think that is?
(images: christine buckton tillman)
It’s time to get together and look at some lovely shops over at Etsy this week! I put together a nice little selection of pretty handmade things, art inspiration and some beautiful jewelry that I’m so dedicated to get my hands on!
Canadian woodcarver, designer, and artist Amie Cunningham is the name behind the gorgeous jewelry shop Thief & Bandit. Currently based in Virginia, Thief & Bandit jewelry is all handmade, and the fabrics are handprinted in Amie’s studio. She likes to draw from book of patterns, nature and magazines with ink pens and manipulate them, burn screens and print fabric. The result is gorgeous, if you’d like to see for yourself, visit Amie’s shop.
Yangyang Pan is an abstract artist living in Toronto, inspired by plants, textures and the natural world’s plethora of color. Yangyan believes that “Through the relationship of colors, forms, and marks, through rhythm and balance, and the physical and psychological work of painting, each picture develops into a unique metaphor.”
Iviemade is a lovely shop where you will find hand sewn pillows of different colors, patterns and textures. From stripes, to printed patterns, bold colors to neutrals, bows and ruffles, crafter Elizabeth starts every project with love and kindness. Then the process turns into a love-hate one between the artist and the piece, and that’s how you know you are getting something that is made with care and effort.
Are you looking for some darling papercutting artwork and ornaments to decorate your nook? Tamara designs must b a perfectionist to be able to create these intricate and delicate handmade papercuts. I can appreciate the amount of concentration, precision this craft requires to create such great results, and a simple slip can ruin hours of work. These are gorgeous, I would love to have one of these framed letters for a child’s bedroom – what a cute addition that would be!
(images: sources listed above)
I am eagerly, yet patiently anticipating the release of the new book Paper + Craft, authored by Minhee and Truman Cho, and scheduled for mid-September. And I promise you the moment I get my hands on it, you will be getting a review!
The cover looks fantastic, and makes the book even more intriguing to me – I can imagine what the inside pages will look like – with clean and beautiful design, styled by Randi Brookman Harris, and photographed by Johnny Miller, who both live in New York.
Minhee and Truman Cho are the founders of Paper + Cup, a stationery company in Brooklyn, and offer 25 unique paper projects in their new book that you can pre-order here. In Paper + Craft you will find fresh and fun crafty ideas with vintage-inspired frames, hanging bird mobiles, pretty flower hair clips, and personalized place cards.
In Paper + Craft, you can expect to find great, simple instructions and easy illustrated steps for projects that don’t require a large amount of supplies or demand much, you just need to use your creativity! Photographer Johnny Miller is the man behind the gorgeous photos for this book, and since we won’t be able to own a copy before the end of the summer, you can browse his portfolio for some sneak peaks from the book and for a whole lot of visual inspiration.
(images: johnny miller)
Crafty girl Ez from Creature Comforts just reopened her print shop, Wren & Chickadee, on Etsy yesterday! Wren & Chickadee has some gorgeous photographic prints, pretty styling, beautifully designed packaging with lovely crafty details like bakers twine – love!
I love all her prints. Ez always finds beauty in simplicity and creates pretty sets, capturing light so well with soft tones resulting in the most tranquil shots. So, if you find inspiration from Creature Comforts, I am sure you will find something at Wren & Chickadee as well. Stop on over before this Sunday June 13th for the promo to get 2 free postcards if you order any 5×7 or larger print.
