Porcelain Tiles

I absolutely love these porcelain tiles by artist Katie Parker of Columbus, Ohio. With silkscreened enamels and china paint, Katie delicately crafts each of these little beauties by-hand, creating visually stunning works of art. Check out Katie's website to see what else she's working on, including a fantastic collection of handcut paper and porcelain wallpaper.

So Long...for a bit

Goodbye computer, hello Mai-Tai! Friends, I'm signing off for about 10 days because tomorrow morning I fly to heavenly Maui. I'll miss you all. So until then, stay warm and happy blogging!

Etsy Labs

Big announcement... Etsy leased its first ever commercial space in Brooklyn, NY! The "Etsy Labs," as they're calling it, will serve as their headquarters, as well as a communal creative space where they'll offer resources, support, and classes to serve users and the DIY community at large. The space will be home to parties, trunk shows, seminars, workshops, and a lending library. Also located there will be a silkscreen press, a letterpress, film, music, and video production facilities, jewelry making stations, sewing machines, sergers, etc. The gang at Etsy need your help in their new endeavor - Got extra fabric sitting around? Just upgraded your sewing machine? Have too many cans of paint cluttering up your workspace? Why not send them to Etsy Labs and let others put them to good use?! Go to their website for information on where to mail or drop off your goods.

Alice in Wonderland

Riian at Stuff-ing had a great find today- a new line of really charming Alice in Wonderland plates, mugs, trays, platters and glasses from Fishs Eddy. I can't wait to stop by the store and see these lovely gems in person.

Emery & Cie

I could spend hours on Emery & Cie's website fantasizing about how I would decorate my future Paris flat (wishful thinking!) with their exotic and exquisite furniture, fabrics, wallpaper and carpets. Founded by Brussels-born artist, Agnes Emery, here is just a sampling of this brilliant designer's collection. (via Crust Station)

Lace Coasters

I love these rubber lace coasters from Rockett St. George in the UK. They're stylish, fun and will definitely dress up your table. Won't grandma be surprised when she realizes that these little numbers aren't the lace doilies she remembers from her youth!

Rooms I *heart*

[1-30-07 Update: For those of you trying to access the Rooms I *heart* Flickr group, sadly, Holly of decor8 had to remove the photo group due to individuals not following Flickr group guidelines. But have no fear, you can still see rooms that inspire every Saturday, when Holly posts "Inspiration Saturdays"on decor8.]


God bless Holly Becker of decor8 who started the Rooms I *heart* Flickr group, an amazing photo gallery with more than 1,000 photos of the most brilliant and awe-inspiring spaces in the world. Over 650 members have contributed images that will inspire and delight. If you haven't visited the photo gallery yet, be prepared to spend a few hours perusing some of the most beautifully decorated rooms you've ever seen. It's addicting! A few of my favorites from the gallery are:

Georgia Boyd Russell

I was absolutely mesmerized by Georgia Boyd Russell's visually stunning tree sculpture that I came across while reading DesignDNA this morning. With her scalpel, Georgia gives new life to books, music scores and old maps, resurrecting them into masterpieces with new meaning. I was inspired to learn that Georgia chooses books and maps as her medium because they speak of their own history - they represent the many hands which have held them and the minds they have passed through. At this time, Georgia does not have her own website, but you can read more about her here.

Porcelain magic

"Look but don't touch!" That's the sign you'd see in my home if I owned any of the Lladro pieces below. Unfortunately, I've accepted the fact that these porcelain beauties are simply too extravagant in price for my modest lifestyle, and for now, I will admire them longingly from afar. A special thanks to my friend Joey for telling me about Lladro's guest designer, Bodo Sperlein, who created the stunning Re-Cyclos collection. Nature and animals are the main characters in this magical collection of recycled Lladro pieces. Take for instance the chandeliers of floating porcelain butterflies and the unicorn wine bottle stoppers. One can dream...

In Stitches

This weekend, I dusted off the old sewing machine (actually it's quite new, but in recent months I've neglected the poor gal) and started to sew again. I was quite rusty at first, but the sewing fever quickly took hold, and I'm now hooked. In honor of my re-discovered hobby, I'd like to share a wonderful fabric designer from Ohio, Amy Butler, who continues to amaze me. Amy is an incredibly successful fabric and sewing pattern designer whose fabrics are inspired by flowers, animals, and a love of all things vintage. Her use of color is amazing - just take a look at some of the patterns below. To purchase Amy's fabrics, check out Reprodepot.

Ceramics for the Soul

Friends, please allow me to use this post as an opportunity to vent a bit, as well as share how I came across my latest ceramics find- all of which I promise are related. This September I'm getting married, and I'm currently in the throes of wedding planning. For those of you who have planned a wedding, I salute you. I went into this thing whole deal saying, I'm an "indie" bride and none of that cookie-cutter wedding industry nonsense for me thank you. And then, like a flood, the questions started. What kind of china patterns do you like? You're going to get a good silver flatware set aren't you? Register for china? Silver? Me? I don't even cook! So after months of these types of questions, I found myself starting to break. My indie spirit weakened and registering for china seemed more acceptable. That's the power of the wedding industry.

So after an internal struggle, my solution is this - I decided that I can still register for special dinnerware, but I don't have to buy china at a major department store. Instead, I will support an artist who has put their heart and soul into their work. Someone like Cynthia Vardhan, who uses creamy porcelain on her potters wheel to create exquisitely crafted cups and saucers, bowls, and dishes that are then hand decorated with pigmented clay. Her attention to detail is just incredible, and I love that her decoration blends influences from various cultures and time periods. Cynthia's collection is available for purchase on her website and on Etsy.

I feel much better. Thank you for listening.

Kim Family Benefit Starts Today

The Kim Family Benefit, an auction of fine art + craft to benefit the family of James Kim is live today through January 7th on eBay. Organized by sisters Lisa Congdon and Stephanie Barnes and their mother Gerrie Congdon, 100% of the auction proceeds will go to the The James Kim Memorial Fund. Items from over 40 amazing artists including Lena Corwin, Camilla Engman, and Ann Wood are available right now on eBay. My thoughts and prayers are with the Kim Family...