Friday, 9 September 2011

Keep Your Head in The Clouds...




... and your feet firmly on the ground thanks to Warsaw-based Architecture & Design firm Lorens' Cloud desk. Modular, functional and smart, Cloud would look stylish in any home/office and is also available for children.

Daydreamers at work have never had it so good, on cloud nine I'd say!


Via Design East.

Julie Adore Handmade Doll Giveaway



Peek-a-boo Lou! How are you?
What did you say? You want to play?
Well, maybe we can find you a new friend today....

Lou's a country girl, she comes from the mountains, loves fruit and flowers and is a sweet, good-natured soul. She isn't plain though, she likes to dress up with her blue popcorn necklace and has a twinkle in her eye. Yes, there's a little sparkle, perhaps a dream of travelling to distant lands?



Paris-based Julie Adore is one of my favourite artists/crafters/makers (probably because she's Russian).  She sews, knits, crochets and draws, all with the same enthusiasm and talent. I have featured her quirky drawings before and today I am delighted to offer you the chance to win 'Lou', one of the original, endearing dolls that she hand-makes to order. 

So, if you would like a chance to win Lou (open to international readers):
1) Leave me a comment below (make sure to leave me an email address)  
2) Spread the news via twitter, facebook or any other means and I'll pop two names in the hat (make sure you let me know).

This giveaway runs until Wednesday 14th September at 6 pm, CET
I will announce the winner the same evening.

Si vous voulez une chance de gagner Lou, une magnifique petite poupée créée sur-mesure par Julie Adore, laissez-moi une commentaire. Vous avez deux chances si vous relayez l'info par twitter, facebook, ou tout autre réseau.  N'oubliez pas de me laisser un email.   
Le jeu s'arrête Le Mercredi 14 Septembre à 18 heures CET.

J'annoncerai le gagnant/la gagnante le soir même.

Merci, et bonne chance !


Thursday, 8 September 2011

Just Because


Just because
 Kari Anne Marstein's artwork always makes me smile...

Parce que
Les peintures de Kari Anne Marstein me font sourire, toujours...



  Because I loved Julia Staite's circus illustrations in Small Magazine (remember), and they're now for sale on etsy...

Parce que j'ai adoré le travail sur le thème du cirque que Julia Staite avait fait pour Small Magazine, et maintenant ses illustrations sont en vente dans son magasin etsy...

 Because I love Cheburashka & Gena...


Because I like Masha Brick's dolls' packaging...
Parce que j'aime le packaging pour les poupées de Masha Brick...


And because I love this sneak peek...
Et parce que j'adore ce petit aperçu...



These are my mid-week picks!



Watch out for a new giveaway tonight!

Should've Been A Shaker







A late start this morning.
I've been sorting out, so much stuff, trying to clear my mind a bit.

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful
William Morris


Désolée, je commence un peu plus tard que d'habitude.
J'avais besoin de ranger, dans la maison et dans ma tête
Trop de choses à faire, j'ai besoin de faire le ménage...

N'ayez rien dans votre maison que vous ne sachiez utile ou croyiez être beau
William Morris 




Wednesday, 7 September 2011

Folk Art & Fairy Tales



 "Garments that make every girl the heroine of her own story"

Damselfly's Autumn Collection is now online

La nouvelle collection automne de la marque de vêtements britannique Damselfly est en ligne.



Follower Spotlight: Go Go Accordion Girls!








How lucky I am to have so many creative and inspiring people following me!
I thought it was high time I started sharing some of your links.

Tokyo-based freelance illustrator Kinkong has been reading Kickcan & Conkers for a while. I know she enjoys my photos of life in France and used to love playing the accordion at Bal-Musettes.
I hope you'll enjoy browsing her blog and discovering the rest of her artwork!


Quel talent! Les lecteurs de Kickcan & Conkers sont doués, tellement doués en fait que j'avais envie de commencer une nouvelle rubrique pour partager vos créations.

Aujourd'hui, on va à Tokyo pour rencontrer Kinkong, une illustratrice free-lance qui aime la France, l'accordéon et les bals-musettes.

C'est gai, c'est coloré et ça donne envie de danser 


Régalez-vous !

Love Lace

 
 


Gowns and bonnets : cotton and silk embroidery and smocking on Japanese gampi tissue



 Sculpture: thin steel and copper wire crochet


 


Assemblage: natural found materials (twigs, seedpods, bones) and found plastic 

 

 Boots by Waltraud Janzen 

 

Crochet using brass wire


 


 Abandoned truck, hand cut with a plasma cutter using a personally adapted tool with a fine cutting head


Acrylic, Bamboo, Cardboard, Digital, Enamel, Fabric, Gemstones, Hair, Kid Leather, Linen, Metals, Nylon, Optical Fibres, Paper, Raffia, Silk, Tapa, Viscose, Wire &Wood

 

130 lace works by 134 artists from 34 countries 

 

A spectacular exhibition of the winning entries and finalists in the Powerhouse Museum International Lace Award.


30 July 2011-April 2012

Lace is Ace- Make Lace Not War!



Photos: Patrick Yound & Sotha Bourn © Powerhouse Museum, Sydney