kanzashi masks

I know the time of year for carnival celebrations has passed, but a few weeks ago I spotted these beautiful masks on Etsy, and I keep thinking about them.

These intricately designed masks are made out of paper kanzashi modules by Barcelonean Etsy user Ccaspia. Kanazashi is a Japanese art form of folding paper or fabric into small flowers which were traditionally worn in a woman's hair.

Ccaspia has used them to make masks for masquerade parties, carnivale, or whatever you desire. She has many other mask designs in her Etsy shop, be sure to jump over and check them out.

{all photos from Ccaspia's Etsy shop}

obey this

Going on sale tomorrow (Feb. 13th) are these Japanese Fabric Pattern Obey prints. They come in a set of 4, each 18 x 18 and are a limited edition of 100. Get 'em while they're still around.

just. add. paper.

In need of another easy or last-minute valentine? I love these printable Valentines from Little Brown Pen. For just $5 you get folded notecards, flat notecards, gift tags, an envelope and 8.5 x 11 stationery. All you do is download and then print!

Nichole and her family are currently living in a beautiful apartment in Paris. I have been enjoying reading her updates on her blog and catching her daily tweets on twitter for the last few months. Her and her hubby started this ingenious idea of "just. add. paper" and I must say, ever since I first saw their idea, I have seen it popping up all over the place; Trendsetters they are indeed! You must watch their beautifully crafted video (it was made during the holidays to exhibit the concept of "just. add. paper"... but you get the idea, it translates to any of their products).

Check out the Little Brown Pen etsy shop, there are other valentines, stationery, calendars and such too.

made with love

Check out this fantastic little freebie made by Twig & Thistle... the idea is you make the heart-shaped brownies, download Twig & Thistle's free graphic, print the graphic on a paper bag or sticker, and tada(!), instant valentine's gift, appropriate for anyone. A genius idea if you ask me.

If you're feeling a little more adventurous in the kitchen, click here to see Twig & Thistle's recipe for individual apple pies and another free graphic to go along with them. Twig & Thistle is on a roll, make sure to give the blog some love.

{photos from Twig & Thistle}

gravity's rainbow

I'm really digging this print by Dan Funderburgh called 'Gravity's Rainbow'. The print is available on the I Am Still Alive website.

This pattern is especially neat because when you look up close at the details, you notice the knives, scissors, etc.

Dan has another print for sale on the same site, called 'Census' in which all proceeds will go to the Obama campaign.

{via local Jacksonville blogger, Paper and Stitch}

pink unicorn

I think this temporary tattoo from Julia Pott is hilarious. She is quite a talented illustrator, check out the work in her portfolio on her website.

{via krisatomic}

small magazine

Have you ever heard of Small Magazine? Although it seems like they are on their 6th issue, I just discovered Small Magazine today. It appears to be an exclusively online publication.

For anyone with little kiddies in their life (or anyone who can appreciate good design for wee ones) take a look at the magazine. They show off some really cool artists.

And feature some pretty amazing photography.

I love the For Frida spread {pictured above}.

{via Black*Eiffel}

in the kitchen

{from top to bottom} Soy Sauce Dispenser, Go Kumagai, 2004 ($14), Eva Solo's Table Grill ($300), Plum Party Basket Weave Coral paper plates ($4.50-$6.00), oven mitt, blue and green platter from Svenskt Tenn , Chat Plates, Ikuko Nakazawa, 2007 ($45), Anthropologie Parrot Bottle Stoppers ($12), Bambu low bowls ($34), Anthropologie Rondavel Serving Bowl ($49.95), Anthropologie Crocheted Food Cover, Yellow ($18), glass bottles (oops! i started putting this post together a couple of weeks ago and i cannot seem to find where i found those glass bottles! if anyone has the link please comment below. my apologies!)

christiaan postma

Wow, take a look at this calendar wallpaper from Christiaan Postma.

{via black*eiffel}

israeli environment stamps {grain edit}

Today I am really loving the designs on these Israeli environment stamps that I found on a really cool website / blog called grain edit. It's a blog about "classic design work from the 1950s-1970s and contemporary designers that draw inspiration from that time period." You should really check it out, as a graphic designer it's pretty inspiring to me.

heart breakers

i just got our house a lovely little valentine's day present. keep calm inc. released a beautiful new print today called ‘heart breakers’ by jacob arden mcclure. i usually don't buy things on such impulse, but this run is limited to 100, and i didn't want to pass it up. so, yay, now i am anxiously awaiting it's arrival. he has another new print called 'grenade' available too.

wake up & smell the coffee

wake up! and smell the coffee.

new print from the folks at keep calm ltd.

super tuesday

in lieu of super tuesday...

{1} obama for america card from stand4change etsy shop

{2} Barack your world card from Alcove Press (i saw this etsy valentine on the indiefixx blog today, but it doesn't appear to be available anymore. it's great, so i am still going to post it anyway.)

{art school girl} valentines

have you gotten your valentine cards yet? these cards from art school girl are perfect for friendly love notes.

{via poppytalk}

{D.I.Y.} design*sponge & creature comforts

i had to post these two clever DIY projects. the first one {above} is a project from Grace at design*sponge. she decided she would try one of the suggestions from Blueprint magazine's article about stylish jewelry storage. you can read more about Grace's shadowbox jewelry cases at her blog. they seem pretty simple to make and are excellent way to incorporate your new favorite patterns in small way.







secondly, i had to post about Ez's crafty project for chocolate valentine wrappers! these {above, and Ez's instructions the right} also look incredibly easy to assemble and Ez has been nice enough to make a PDF guide to download. read more about this project at her creature comforts blog.




thanks grace / blueprint and ez for these easy ideas!

{photos from design*sponge and creature comforts, respectively}

love yourself.

felt heart rings by the funkyfelter etsy shop.



love orgami {more beautiful photography from the cox & cox store.}



"like carrying around a little piece of art when you go to the store," reusable tote bags from melissa vest designs etsy shop.

{r.s.v.p. berlin} stickpostkarten

i love the idea of these maps with thread. the website they are from is in german, but i am assuming you are to use the thread to chart a path of places you went or are going to on a trip. how lovely it would be to have a whole collection of these showing your landmarks for each trip you've taken.

design police: comic sans is illegal

haha, i have seen this before, but my boyfriend just sent me the link again and i had to post about it (guess i forgot to the first time i saw it). behold the ever-clever visual enforcement kit by the design police. follow the link and it will take you to a page where you can download a PDF of 5 pages of the most awesome, rip-your-work-to-shreds editing labels to be found. this is genius.

calendars

it's about that time to replace our calendars and datebooks. tonight i have gathered a few that i find aesthetically pleasing:

the human calendar



sampson may designs



the very infamous stendig calendar



blissen datebook
(i believe i also saw this in a local jacksonville store, violet in 5 points.)



enzo mari: timor desk calendar



colour calendar

get your indie shopping fixx

right now is the perfect time to start scoping out gifts for your friends and family. these days you really can find almost anything to want whether it be in a local shop, the mall or online. there is still plenty of time to put in your online gift orders and get them in the mail on time. and if you are already taking the easy-online- route, why not support small indie businesses and artist while you are at it? the online indie fixx shop is the perfect place to start for this. they also have a few holiday items that can spruce up your house or card-giving. and when you are done in the shop, check out the indie fixx blog for more great ideas on where to shop for more indie artist in the 12 days of indie holiday shopping guide [above, ornaments by megan auman]

holiday cards by 12 fifteen



the hilbert owl pillow by fock space / up, up & away necklace by electric eccentricity