Wire Art

I came across this most interesting site, De Beaux Souvenirs. This woman makes the most amazing things with wire! Gorgeous lamps with wire and linen, wire baskets and crowns. They are some of the most unique decorative items I have ever seen and each is a piece of art.
Isn't this wire Bingo basket cool?
The little lamp with the airplane is one she made for her baby son. Be still my heart.
The Sphere Lamp is for sale here. $375
Wire Bingo Basket for sale here. $116

Illustrator Nicoletta Ceccoli

Love, love, love the work of Nicoletta Ceccoli. She is an award-winning Italian artist and illustrator. I especially love her children's book illustrations.

If you visit her website you can look through the pages of some of the fabulous books she has illustrated.

I would so much like to have a copy of any one of her books to show my grandchildren.
I grew up on fairy tales, Brothers Grimm, Aesop's Fables and Mother Goose. I read them to my kids. Are they really better than the children's books today, or is just because I loved them so much as a child?
What did you read growing up?
Illustrations: Nicoletta Ceccoli
via Daisy in lala Land

How To: Baby Sac

Sweet baby sac found on Sylvie Dusoulier's blog, Coupe Couture. The blog is French with some of it is translated into English by her husband. Sylvie also gives some excellent sewing tips and techniques, the kinds of things nobody tells you about but make perfect sense once you see it done.
Complete tutorial and pattern here.

"Thuy the Lion" Pillow by Mika Yamamura

I can't believe I haven't discovered Mika Yamamura's blog, Cuore, before now. Wow!
Mika designed and made this lion pillow and don't you just love the brown polka dot fabric!
Mika is a professional designer of accessories and worked for Paul Frank Industries for over six years! So you you know you're in for some extreme kawaii when you visit her blog. Have fun!

Handmade Dress with Thrifted Sheets

I just had to write about this darling little dress - with cape - made by Mike for his daughter, Emmeline. Isn't she sweet!?
Mike is a stay-at-home-dad living in San Francisco. He let Emmeline select the fabric for the cape from his thrifted sheets supply. Read all about it on his blog, Cry it Out, but be prepared to stay a while because Mike is also a professional writer and his essays will capture you.

Play Stove

Play kitchens are always a winner with kids. My daughter had one she loved and when she outgrew it my son played with it. I got several years' worth of play from that kitchen.
I did a previous post about one that was handmade and a vintage one from an old Sears catalog.
This particular play stove was made from a small cabinet with drawers, MDF and paint, spotted at Dabbled. They have included complete instructions for how they made the play stove.
I love seeing people take what they already have and make something completely different from it. I also love play kitchens and I'm storing these ideas because I want to make one at some point for the munchkins (on my list).
Have you made any play kitchens or stoves? I would love to see them. Send me a link and I'll post it!
via CROQ Zine

Elizabeth Haidle

If I had one of these Santa Fe Reporter Gift Guides I would frame the cover!
Truly a work of art by designer and illustrator Elizabeth Haidle.
First of all, I have to give props to The Santa Fe Reporter for a great idea they had for the 2008 holidays. This gift guide features items that are all under $100 - plus - they are all from local shops. Love it.
So, I thought I do my little Google search for the paper's website to see if it was still there - and there it is! How exciting, I'm thinking! Oooo!, they even have .pdf files of the catalog! But do they have the cover? No.
So, if anyone out there is from the Santa Fe area and you have one of these I would love to see it.
Elizabeth designs for books and magazines and has been commissioned by the likes of Sony and Johns Hopkins University. Not bad references, huh?
Elizabeth also has a blog and this is where I found this really neat handwriting thing.
She calls it "Mystery-Ink-Faux-Ancient-Manuscript-Style-Handwriting" and explains how to get this effect. I just thought this was cool. You could do a whole manuscript this way provided you don't need to see what you're writing (thus the mystery). This would also look great on collages, greeting cards, just about anything really.
And here is my feeble attempt at recreating this process. My paper is way too white and obviously I need practice but for a first attempt, it was fun! By the way, my middle name is Elizabeth and looks much prettier when written that "Dawn".
What would you do with this idea?

Found via Creature Comforts

Montreal Designer: Janick

Montreal designer, Janick, is a graphic designer, a jewelry designer and blogger. Everything she makes is beautiful but I especially like what she calls "Nea Wall Wear." I love that name, "Wall Wear". Sounds like jewelry for your walls.

In her neaware shop on Etsy you can find handmade pieces like the ones shown here. I've seen the embroidery hoop groupings showing up here and there and I love the idea. But why not take it idea to another level with a handmade piece of art!

Janick's blog: Creativadoration
Red Poppies Wall Wear on Etsy $60