Bookhou + Geninne

I completely missed a chance at grabbing one of these gorgeous wall art pieces, a collaboration between Arounna of Bookhou and Geninne of Geninne's Art Blog. The Cactus Wren is printed in a white ink on a beautiful deep blue linen. Isn't it gorgeous? Too beautiful not to write about even if they are sold out. I do hope they will do another!

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Eco-Friendly Memories from France

From sunny Montpellier, southern France, Sonia of Cozy Memories uses undangered & abundantly growing local plants (never from extract) for dyeing her beautiful scarves, zipped pouches & craft supplies. Along with using vintage and repurposed fabrics, she also uses natural materials (cotton & organic cotton, linen, wool, hemp & silk) for making her one-of-a-kind accessories & homewares.  We're honoured to have her join us this month for our Mother's Day and Eco market at Poppytalk Handmade. Check out her eco-friendly products here which would make a lovely gift for Mother's Day (and to Mother Earth).

 Above: Reversible fabric buckets, Solo wall organizer, Naturally tie-dyed scarf

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Dispatches from Australia | Take a Hike with Pony Rider

The folks at Pony Rider have gone a little rugged this season for their newest collection. They have also launched a couple new categories in the mix; industrial throws –use them as a picnic rug, bed spread or even a beautiful wall hanging and Australian-made merino wool blankets –launching in king sizes only with king singles to follow throughout the year all finished with a classic blanket stitch and looking super cozy.  The new collection should be for sale online soon. Visit Pony Rider at ponyrider.com.au. (Via Inside Out Magazine)

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World Traveler

Maybe it's because spring is nearly here, but I'm finding myself very drawn to the bright and sometimes clashing colors and prints that are associated with world market style. A basic room can be given a whole new identity when a handful of screenprinted or tie-dyed throw pillows are introduced and a beautiful textile is hung on a wall. The look can be achieved on any budget so that it works both in college dorms and in grander surroundings. The focus is on cheerful colors, an overabundance of pattern and an appreciation for handmade goods. The result is casual elegance and if a glass of wine or tea ends up on the linens, who's going to notice?

Images: Lonny magazine, Oct/Nov 2010 issue, Jan/Feb 2011 issue, April/May 2010, Dec 2009/Jan 2010 issue. British Homes & Gardens magazine, November 2010 issue. Living etc magazine, October 2010 issue. Casual Living: No-Fuss Style for a Comfortable Home by Judith Wilson, photography by Polly Wreford; published by Ryland, Peters & Small, 2010.

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Shop: Les Indiennes

At Les Indiennes, traditional Indian textiles are re-interpreted through Western eyes to beautiful effect. Vibrant motifs are minimized to one color palette and given space on white backgrounds so that their intricacies can really be appreciated. The website provides a Flip Book of inspiration showing a range of products--upholstery fabric, cushions, wallpaper, and bedding--in a variety of settings. One of my favorites, paisley, makes frequent appearances without being overkill. The images are so inviting that they even make me rethink polka dots--a pattern I never thought I would embrace.

All images are the property of Les Indiennes by Mary Mulcahy.

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Design: Sculptural textiles

Design: Sculptural textiles


Helen Amy Murray is a London-based textile designer who sculpts floral designs into wools, suedes, and leathers. Her work was originally inspired by the wood and marble carvings she discovered on a research trip to India. Upon returning to London, she experimented with translating these similar sculptural effects into a new medium - textiles. The intricate patterns found in her work are a fusion of her upbringing in the English countryside with her urban city life: drawing inspiration from nature, the city and its architecture.

Photo © Helen Amy Murray. The Chrysanthemum pattern sculpted in white leather.



Photo © Helen Amy Murray. The Feathers pattern sculpted in beige leather.



Photo © Helen Amy Murray. The Tropical pattern sculpted in ochre leather.



Photo © Helen Amy Murray. The Oriental Flower pattern sculpted in sienna leather.



Photo © Helen Amy Murray. The Succulent pattern sculpted in brown in leather.



Photo © Helen Amy Murray. For those unfamiliar with Helen's work, this is an example of her gorgeous Peony pattern sculpted into the suede upholstery of a Phillimore chair.

Modern Laser Cut Textiles by Camilla Diedrich

Finding inspiration in everything from a movie to architecture, Swedish textile designer Camilla Diedrich is challenging conventional ideas of what textiles should be. She is one of the first designers to structure textiles in terms of negative space by cutting holes into them using a laser. This exploration of negative space has led to the incredible transformation of a fabric's flat surfaces into richly-textured, three-dimensional forms. Her most iconic product to date is the BPL Lamp for Rotaliana which is wrapped in the Bubbly textile.

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Photo © Camilla Diedrich. Curtain Brodery, Hole In Textile and Surface Textile panels.



Photo © Camilla Diedrich. Laser Cut, A Hole in Textile and Grey/White Bubbly Textile panels.

source: Camilla Diedrich 

Saturday

May012010

Organic Felt Textile Art Installation by Janice Arnold

Palace Yurt was created as a site specific installation at the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum by Janice Arnold to demonstrate the link between the historical origins of Felt and contemporary Felt Art though the symbolism of the yurt. Home to Turkic-Mongolian tribes for thousands of years, the yurt is a tent-like, collapsible dwelling, covered with felt. Arnold, renowned for her felt textile work, keeps with traditional Mongolian culture by creating a lavishly decorated yurt that is elaborate in its ornamentation and design.

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Photo © Janice Arnold. The Palace Yurt Installation at the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.



Photo © Janice Arnold. The Palace Yurt Installation at the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.

source: Janice Arnold

Friday

Jan012010

Woven Fiber Optic Textiles by Astrid Krogh

Astrid Krogh is a Danish designer who is making her mark in the world of textiles by combining the ancient art of weaving with the most unconventional materials: fiber optics. With properties similar to those of traditional textile fibers, optical fibers can be intricately woven on a loom. When the ends of the fibers are connected to color radiating light monitors, tapestries are created with an incessant flow of ever-changing color. Astrid's woven light installations have created a new product vernacular where textiles and light merge.

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Photo © Astrid Krogh. The 'Tapestries' exhibition at the Danish Museum of Decorative Art.



Photo © Astrid Krogh. The 'Lightmail' exhibition at the Trapholt Museum.

source: Astrid Krogh 

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