let’s make art!

holy bejeezus i am needing this.

when i was little, i would have TREASURED this little guided art book. these days, nothing has changed. i’m seriously considering grabbing one of these. how wonderful would this be to bust out during a 10 minute break during the middle of a crazy hectic work day? 

brillant concept and execution, marian deuchars! Let’s Make Great Art can be bought via laurence king publishing.

what’s your favorite? i can’t decide.

though i do LOVE putting birds on things. i could see myself drawing that lil fellow all over my notebook and planner.

take a break this weekend.

it’s been an intense work week for girl, so much so that i wasn’t even expecting to take a break from work. but lo and behold, i’ll be carving out a few hours for some time t0 myself to decompress, destress, de-everything.

i will take this advice!

what are you lovelies up to this weekend?

saturday i’m going to evanston with the boy to meet up with friends at his college reunion! [ah! we are getting old!] and sunday i’m going hunting for my halloween costume. i can’t wait to share!

here’s some fun finds floating around my mind, and the web:

i HATE soggy cereal. looks like i need some obol bowls!

a custom soundtrack to accompany your favorite book? WHAT?

dying to pull the trigger on this kate spade sweater. on sale! LUSTING

a rocking chair for two? don’t mind if i do. i can see many a conversation to be had in this.

the united states of scary things. tis the season.

it’s wellington time!

toy stories.

london-based artist Aled Lewis is the clever schemer behind these toy one-liners.

the below images are from Lewis’ “Toy Stories” series.

this last one is my favorite. the boy always calls me his ‘clever girl’.

…i’m wondering if the raptor has something to do with it

espresso education.

this espresso guide is educational, digestible (no pun intended), and beautiful at the same time.

time to try some of these bad boys out!

i believe i’ll start by concocting the cafe con leche.

fall forward, with style.

fall forward? i think i shall.

this colorful interpretation of the New York Times’ icon by their own T Magazine, is wonderfully seasonal. each issue’s cover is thoughtfully curated by artists and designers; this month’s cover is owed to landscape designer judy kameon and photographer erik otsea.

a wonderful showcase of seasonal texture, nature, and autumnal hues.

judge a book by the cover?

i most certainly do when it comes to design and typography.

these minimalist covers of classic children’s books by chicago graphic designer Christian Jackson are to die for. i love the dark hues and grim approach to the depiction of childhood whimsical stories. so many classic fairytales have a dark side, jackson’s attention to this in the tone of the cover is unique and compelling.

art in your space?

these quirky installations command attention by using a-typical materials and techniques while leveraging public spaces.

ahhhh conceptual art, i’ve come to adore you.

{a landscape composed of 65,000 discarded cds in paris, france}

“It is well known that CDs are condemned to gradually disappear from our daily life, and to later participate in the construction of immense open-air, floating or buried toxic waste reception centers…The project joins a global, innovative and committed approach, from its means of production until the end of its “life”.

{a mona lisa portrait made using 3, 604 cups of coffee in sydney, australia}

various levels of milk & coffee were using to create the shading.

{thousands of rubber ducks were distributed across midtown, atlanta to bring attention to the new art exhibit, Water Dream, at the Museum of Design Atlanta}

wouldn’t it be awesome to run into these lil’ guys on your morning commute? i’m already sold on the exhibit and the addition of a rubber duck for the bathroom. (why did i ever stop playing with water toys in the bath tub?)

{the red ball project visits the state street bridge}

i’m reminded of Kurt Perschke’s red ball project which visited chicago back in september 2008, my first summer here. this was actually the first time i took interest in conceptual art. i love how the red ball manipulates our view of the space in a new way, allowing us to appreciate the beauty and completeness of the architecture–both what is and isn’t there.

what do you guys think, would you welcome art in your space?

how do you feel about stumbling across conceptual art en route to work?

i find it splendid.

home sweet hotel.

my friends, have you ever stayed in a hotel for an extended period of time?

i never have until now. i’m staying at the Hoxton Hotel in london for 3 weeks! it’s a long period of time to be living in a hotel, but it has become home very very fast. i’ve got my little routine down and i’m really enjoying the coziness of a smaller space (temporarily at least).

just today i realized how much more homey a hotel feels when you unpack & stay long enough to bring personal touches. take for instance, the little pile of daily favorites that i keep on the desk near my bed. for those who know me even mildly well this pile has my name written all over it.

all my necessities & little luxuries in one place. it makes me feel at home to see these items.

{congo, marc jacobs compact mirror, bobby pins, rosebud lip balm, kate spade gold bell earrings, le pens, moleskin notebook, compressed powder, map of london}

similarly, perhaps it is so easy to be at home here because it’s a space & design i enjoy. the Hoxton manages to blend comfort, design, luxury, and simplicity into the hotel and visiting experience. i feel so taken care of while i’m here, the hospitality has been incredible. yet, the hotel is uber hip and trendy. i’d of previously thought that modern would translate into cold and unwelcoming. i’ve been pleasantly proven wrong.

entry way

doesn’t this place make you want to curl up?

SO SO COZY. i curl up down here with a glass of red wine.

nifty little hall space on the way out the side entrance.

free pret et manger breakfast delivered to your door every morning!

paper, scissors, stone throw pillows. AWESOME.

this hallway feels like a bank vault meets 1984 meets 80’s sci-fi.

this is my home for the next two weeks (one week down). thus far, i’d recommend it to anyone looking to try out a quirky and fun hotel in a hip neighborhood (think wicker park for the chicago readers).

{i should mention that it is by far the cleanest hotel i have ever stayed in. props.}