Creative Candy: Camilo Rojas & David Garcia

While doing my usual searching and pinning through the interwebs, I came across this simple and powerful window installation for Macy's, created by designer and graphic artist Juan Camilo Rojas and David Garcia. Having done a few window displays where time was of the essence, I am always blown away by work that is so simple yet creates a huge impact. The pair decided this project was a terrific time to work with typography. As Juan writes about the project, "This year I have worked on a lot of typography projects, trying to take them out of a display or a sketch book into a 3D level using different materials."

The pair used 3,000 yards of yarn and pins. For more fantastic projects by Juan Camilo Rojas, visit his design site, Create. His work with cola-rusted nails was also one of my favorites.

For a Major Reflection

This weekend I've been helping my husband start his photo blog. The wonders of technology! It took us a few hours. He named it For a Major Reflection. I'm so proud!

Don't Sew Angry on Etsy

I'm so excited to finally open shop at Etsy! I've been slowly adding items, including a few Rorscach tote bags, for those who don't want to try it themselves. I hope to be partnering with my husband to make some fabulous fabrics from his kaleidoscopic images, and soon I'll be whipping up another batch of my block-printed tree cards. Have a fabulous weekend, Creatives!

Faux-shopping for Fall

Ez at Creature Comforts recently asked us what our faux-shopping lists look like for fall. Here is my list. First and foremost, Autumn is pretty much non-existent in Florida, where I live. So my first wish is for leaves! I love the colors they make and I miss the Northeastern U.S. for this reason. I'm dreaming of a poncho, like this one by A.P.C, which I can layer with a nice turtleneck, and pair of short, flat booties. I'd love a chunky snood (if it were cold enough down here!). For texture, this ethnic, velvet bag from Monsoon is awesome, and I love these Current/Elliott skinny jeans, which are also corduroys! For the smell of the woods, I have (and want more of) this intoxicating Voluspa candle the scent of Golden Cypress. And finally, Gretchen Jones' terrific leather jewelry. Who doesn't want a part of her stunning new collection?

A P C wool poncho, $340; Pringle of Scotland long sweater, $495; Current/Elliott skinny jeans, $190; Monsoon crossbody handbag, £80; Gretchen Jones leather jewelry, $368; Gretchen Jones leather jewelry, $354; Voluspa Maison Candle Tin, $16; Mix No. 6 Aaron Bootie - Black, $50; Buy John Lewis Women Chunky Cable Knit Snood, £30

Chunky Knit Tee Scarf

You can buy a recycled tee scarf at my Etsy shop.

This project started because I've been wanting to satisfy my chunky knit fix. There's all sorts of projects out there on repurposing t-shirts into fabulous scarves, so I thought I'd give it a try. A free t-shirt is like yesterday's business card, so they are not hard to come by. Besides, is it really necessary to keep an ill-fitting article of clothing that commemorates the junior banquet of your high school Latin Club? yes, I was a geek. Probably not. Seeing as I love to make things for free, I set out to deconstruct and reconstruct a few t-shirts by knitting them into an item I can actually use now. Here's how to do it:

Start with a few t-shirts you really shouldn't own anymore:

I used two large t-shirts. Cut them into 1 1/2 in. strips. I chose to cut only the shirt below the arm-holes, and not to use pieces with the applique on them.

do you see me?

Then sew all those strips together. It doesn't matter which sides you sew together, just that you end up with one long strip of cut t-shirt. This is your "yarn".

Now cast on 6 stitches. I used cable cast on. I love using my large wooden needles.

Then knit one side, purl the other as you would an ordinary scarf until you have no more "yarn". If you do not know how to knit, there are plenty of sites and videos on the web to learn. Here's a video I found that covers the basics.

You'll want to block the scarf, too. Lay it flat on an ironing board and iron it flat. Let it sit until it cools down.

To close this scarf, I chose a pin I'd recently gotten at a fun clothing store named GaGa in Iceland.

so cute!!

Next I might try a tie-dyed number, or shirts with patterns, which will give the scarf a nice depth.

Creative Candy: Hringa

My birthday is coming up and I got a wonderful early present from my husband at a shop named Hringa in  Reykjavik.

I found this store while my husband was next door shifting through CD's to feed his music obsession. First of all: I usually don't walk into jewelry stores. I usually don't wear much jewelry, and I don't buy it unless something stands out. I rarely find anything that really suits my aesthetic. I think that was the first thing that shocked me about Hringa: there wasn't anything I didn't like in that store. The designs are quite smart.

Inga, the designer and owner, was there to talk to me about the pieces. It was so nice to speak directly to the artist. I really wish there were more local stores in my area where the owners were also the artists. It makes what you buy so much more special.

My favorites included a set of deer head earrings (complete with microscopic antlers), an owl pendant, and these hoops with tiny people standing in them. They are made with sterling silver and the little people used in architecture models. Little things are just automatically more fun, I think.

I love them!

Creative Candy: Ibride

I cannot stop obsessing over the french brand, Ibride. I never get sick of their intoxicating whimsy. I spotted their trays at a store named Aurum in Reykjavik, and I had to stop by their site again!

Le Boudoir Collection, Oval Trays, HPL, Designed by Rachel Convers, 2010

Rosita, Oval Trays, HPL, Designed by Rachel Convers, 2010

Apart from their trays, which took the limelight several years ago, I am loving their furniture. First is the Les Dandys collection: shelving taken up a notch.

Rastignac, Printed MDF, Designed by Rachel and Benoit Convers, 2011

Bel-Ami, Printed MDF, Designed by Rachel and Benoit Convers

Second is the collection named Mobilier de compagnie, a set of consoles, bookselves, and benches.

Elisee, Pure Breed Console, HPL, Designed by Benoit Convers, 2011

Diva, Ostrich Wall Console, HPL, Designed by Benoit Convers, 2004

Sultan and Zelda, Dog Stool and Basset Small Bench, HPL, Designed by Benoit Convers, 2003 & 2006

Seriously, how could you not swoon??

Yarn Shop, Reykjavik

One of the reasons I love my husband still (we are on year #4!) is how creative he is, even though his work is mostly engineering and math-related. I'm quite sure that most of his co-workers have no clue that he collects art, has a huge music collection, and that he is one of the most fascinating photographers I know.

When we first met we took a tiny trip to London and he showed me how he used a crazy Lomo camera to take photos on a roll of film, reloaded the roll, and shot another set of crazy pictures on top of those with no idea how they would turn out. The result was like ceramics: you're never quite sure what you'll get when you take it from the kiln, but now and then you are surprised by something bloody brilliant.

The musician Lay Low, photographed by Jason Gordon, 2011

Lately he's been using a specially-made teleidoscope and a cheap digital camera to create some stunning images of our trip and some of the artists playing at the festival. He took these images when we were casually exploring a yarn shop in Reykjavik.

It is amazing how something so simple...

can become something so amazing...

I am urging him to create a blog of his own, and I will probably be digging up his old prints to do it. It will be fun to go digging!

Iceland: A Wealth of Texture

I am a geek for textures. I rarely take full photos of anything because I tend to be drawn to the minute, specific, and special. Nevertheless, Iceland has such a sweeping, natural beauty, even I was drawn to landscape shots. My husband and I spent 5 days in Reykjavik for the music festival and one day we rented a car and took a road trip. Here are some photos of Iceland from my eyes: