this week in inspiration: 5.12.08 to 5.16.08

10. Placement of self, a series from Davin Youngs. If I didn't know better, I'd call him vain, but vanity sure makes for a fantastic project.
9. A modern day 'Everything I Know I Learned in Kindergarten.' Only with pictures. And way cooler.
8. Only one more issue of North Drive Press left to wish for. Sad, but what a bittersweet ending it will be.
7. The Thing: Revolutionizing the subscriptions industry--- one package at a time.
6. You know I love a good street installation. I'm thinking Plant Yourself is right up my alley.
5. The most fascinating family portrait ever.
4. Carbonrally. It's like The Amazing Race, only better. And for a good cause. And without backpacks.
3. Style with a purpose. Instant love.
2. Cause we are living in a virtual world, and I am a virtual girl. Thanks, Wallpaper!
1. Another brilliant podcast from Ms. Paola Antonelli. Thanks, Karline and Mette!

photo of the day: untitled.

"ready for my close-up."

from the portfolio of brooke duthie.

kathryn kenworth.

"Referring to urban scavengers or those who collect cast-offs, Feeder celebrates the underbelly. Trucks and carts piled with cardboard, bags and boxes of recycling dot city streets yet - generally go unnoticed. These drawings and sculpture focus on those clusters and debris that are purposefully scraped up and salvaged... ultimately creating an inconspicuous yet definitive mark on the urban landscape."

Love.

ton zwerver.

Ton makes a sculpture every day. Which makes me swoon every day. Which makes my blood sugar all crazy.

I'm totally sending the bill to him.

paper heart.

Jessica makes self-portraits that are fragmented. I can only imagine the hidden meaning in these, and I love the subliminal inspiration.

print of the day: object of interest.

"because six heads are better than one."

$20 from Iris Schwarz.

wondering.

applique and embroidery on vintage bedspread.

from the series 'i want to tell you everything' by andrea vander kooij.

blogger cribs.

Rachel has quite a fun post today over at Black Eiffel. A look into blogger refrigerators, and yes, my sad, sad fridge is included in the mix.



So glad to know Jo and I are kindred spirits both in food and spirit. ;)

who's who: studio lo.

who: eva guillet and aruna ratnayake.
what: an installation made entirely of felt scraps. not kidding.
where: tokyo.
when: christmas, 2006.
why: inspired by the 'cabinets of curiosity.'

photo of the day: lea.

"celebrate the times, come on."

from the portfolio of christian metzler.

style pick of the day: cafe jacket.

"meet me at the cafe--- i'll be the one with the hot jacket."

£44.99 from VILA.

manos project.

Esti drew my hands today and it was only the second time that a print has moved me to tears. [The first was this one]. The thought and time that goes into Esti's Manos Project (which you can learn more about right here) is just so inspiring to me.

It's amazing to me that although I've never met Esti, she so accurately portrayed the very nature of my passions and dreams through just one photograph of my hands. It's truly one of the most remarkable art forms I've come across.

A big thank you to Esti for blessing me with her talent today.

print of the day: madame.

"madam, i'm adam. eve."

$25 from Munieca.

size matters.

A glance into the sizes and weights of trophies throughout the world.

photo of the day: untitled.

"your work sweeps me off my feet." from k.

style pick of the day: belafonte shoe.

"olive you, belafonte shoe."

$585 from Be&D.

product of the day: wanted wall decal.

"you bet your pants you're wanted."

£61 from Domestic.

thank you, bloesem!

I just have to thank Irene this morning for her beautiful posts here and here. It makes me pee a little to think about being featured on Bloesem, considering the incredible talent that she manages to unearth each day. I am definitely in good company!



I'm just so grateful for Irene and her massive contribution to this community. Bloesem is a daily read of mine, and her passion for her own family and work is just as uplifting as the beautiful artists she features daily.

Thank you for inspiring us, Irene, and thank you for your lovely words about Design for Mankind!

book of the day: printwork.

"for the real piece of work in your life."

$42 from Victionary.

print of the day: mechanic.

" domo arigato, mr. mechanic..."

from the portfolio of coco.

readers speak: tuning out.

I've been doing quite a bit of outside reading on my balcony for the past week, and it's been such a pleasure to take in the sunshine and relax [sans for the wretched beach motorcycles that drive by my house at least eleven and a half times a day].

I often find that when I'm uninspired it has nothing to do with seeking out new resources in an attempt to freshen my eye and unearth new finds. I think this community is fortunate enough that there will always be new leaves to turn over and ALWAYS new avenues to trot on. It's the beauty of art, design and creative purposes.

For me, a lack of inspiration stems from becoming so immersed into this lovely, lovely community that I sometimes lose my own voice among the noise. I marvel at the wonders of our individual gifts, but then sometimes fail to focus the attention onto my own. Luckily, I can feel myself grow uninspired when I sift through pages and pages of beauty and can't relate to the artist. That? That is my red flag.

So today, I will sit outside on my balcony and do my best to ignore the hoodlums of Los Angeles outside my window. Instead, I will regroup and redirect my thoughts for a fresh outlook tomorrow.

Love to each and every one of you.

“All noise is waste. So cultivate quietness in your speech, in your thoughts, in your emotions. Speak habitually low. Wait for attention and then you low words will be charged with dynamite.”

--Elbert Hubbard

product of the day: red vest decoupage plate.

"would love a red velvet on the red vest."

$95 from Lille.

photo of the day: joanna.

"joanna, I love you, you're the one, the one for me."

from the portfolio of thomas prior.

sari liimatta.

"i don't know much, but i know i love you."

from the jewelry collection of sari liimatta.

style pick of the day: thursday bag.

"if only every day could be a thursday..."

$250 from The Paperdoll.

print of the day: behind closed doors.

"if life closes one door, simply sit down and smoke."

from the portfolio of scott balmer.

photo of the day: love.

"our love is written in the shoes." from kate.

print of the day [part deux]: yuko yamamoto.

"the story of stuff."

from the portfolio of yuko yamamoto [thanks, dear ada!]

print of the day: concrete winter.

"i have no words."

from the portfolio of roos van soest.

who's who: shari pierce.

who: shari pierce is a jeweller, a textile designer, an all-around fabulous dear.
what: creates groundbreaking fashion with secondhand clothing, cardboard and household paint.
when: shari's work is currently showing in munich, germany until may 31st.
where: at Der Wahnsinns fette Beute, Moderne Pinakothek.
why: shari creates her pieces with cardboard b/c of it is used in various forms of protest all over the world. her work is entitled 'the cardboard democracy.'