waiting

Etsy is down when I need it dearly. Not to post new items, but to window shop and distract myself. I tell myself that browsing etsy inspires me and so isn't just window shopping...but essentially I just want to burn some time. I'm waiting by the phone to hear if I have a new job or not and I really really really want it.

I think I'll go back to reading my book. I'm reading the summer book by Tove Jansson. Tove is better known for the Moomin stories...which I'm sure that anyone who is vaguely interested in whimsical books, design, or graphic novels, is well aware of and in love with. The moomins would make everything seem okay right now! But the summer book is great too. It's aimed at adults (although the moomin books are definately suitable for adults too!!) She tells the story of a little girl and her grandma living on an island for the summer. It reminds me a little bit of the books I've been reading by Amelie Nothomb, mainly because the main character is a young girl and we're treated to a view of the world from their creative little eyes. The grandma character in the summer book is great too, her human faults are laid bare and the book feels very real.



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stamps

I'm a bit of a geek when it comes to stamps. I love collecting the stamps from internet-purchases and snail mail with friends. And I like other post related items too...the post office "post-pak" stationary with white and red print is suprisingly stylish. Maybe I'm a sucker for practical European-looking design.

Any way, on to stamps of the other variety. I remember getting a little amy rubber stamp at school and stamping all my homework with pink ink all over round the heading and down the margins. Teachers were amused to varying degrees. I was 16 so maybe a bit old for messing up my essays with my name in pink.

These stamps are far more attractive, and useful too





and the little wooden suitcase to carry them around in...stamping on the go!

link: karaku.etsy.com

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pandas

I seem to have deviated slightly from my panda obsession. I assure you that they're always on my mind.



lil cuteys

link: crywolfclothing.com

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tape

Imagine these amazing tapes wrapped all around a brown paper gift. No matter what was inside it'd be the best present since sliced bread. I'm excited just thinking about what else I'd use it for...maybe just tape up all the windows and doors and live in a magical little cave of tape-flavoured joy. How are all these characters by Japanese designers so very Japanese but yet so French. Oh to live in this perfect JapanoFrench world and never grow old...









all from cottonblue (who also stock loooovely fabric)

Julie Pollen

These brooches are so sweet. Makes me wish I was a bit more creative in thinking of new directions to go in with my work. from: juliepollen



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eric carle google

Follow up on the eric carle post...I just saw this...



cutey x

Spring sprang sprung

top row: stephieD , cabin + cub , orientalfabrics
middle: OhMyCookies , darlingclementine , CircaCeramics
bottom: thebuttercup , blancucha , sweetbeets

the sun is a shining, the birds are a singing, the flowers are a blooming, lets go outside


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easter chic

One of the perks of living in Manchester for the time-being is that I can go and drool over products in a big paperchase store. I love stationary. And when all lined up in colour-co-orinated height order...sighhh. And they've got a really impressive range of stationary with interesting prints.

Any way, some of their easter stuff is really sweet. a real tweet. (sorry). My absolute favourite is a little set of chenille chicks. I've realised that I'm a sucker for silly little chenille characters. I bought some little chenille santa's from barnados at christmas and I can't wait to stock up on more this year! The idea of things made out of pipe-cleaners is so so sweet! I'm a child. The paperchase website doesn't have the chicks online but I found these fellas on a site called easter parade...





can't believe I'm going awwwwww at a snip of yellow pipe-cleaner.


And this bunch of chicks on etsy have got me all mushy, they look like they really do just want a loving home



from: schmetterlingtag.etsy.com

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cute as a button

I'm a button enthusiast. For anyone who doesn't know me/hasn't seen my arms...I have three little buttons (although one a litle larger than I'd intended) tattooed on my left wrist. So this stool is perfect for me :) So cuuuute



Designed by Josef Frank in the 50s and now back available to buy from svenskt tenn in Sweden. If anyone wants to get me it. I like that it looks like real furniture and not just a "fun" item. If you get what I mean?

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eric carle

Today I saw an interview in the Guardian with Eric Carle and it reminded me of shelving and smiling at his books while working at Waterstones (*sob* those were the days). Of course pretty much everyone knows and loves the very hungry caterpillar, but what I didn't realise until working among the wonderful world of children's books, is that some of his other characters are even better. His illustrations of bears and other creatures have the style of collages; their limbs look hinged and thus they come alive. I can imagine exactly how they would move if animated.





He also seems to make lots of really quite magical "merchadise". At charistmas there was a pop-up advent calandar thing, and I remember seeing some loooovely animal flashcards for learning ABC. He seems to appreciate the art of papercraft as well as illustration. Look at the pop-up santa...he looks like an old tin robot :)



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T-rrrrrific

See what I did there...T-rrrific...a post about t-shirts...nevermind.

Everyone knows threadless is the best place for t's online, but I've come across two other shops which rival. If only because they fulfill my seemingly endless need for wacky animal related tat.

link : RECESSACALIOUS (found via design4mankind.com)



Check out the other t-shirts too...the dog-headed creature in the desert is my close second favourite.

I've just found out the t-shirts at the other shop I intended to blog about have sold out. So here is a picture of a sold item...it needs to be shared even if lusting after it is pointless...



from the now empty : http://www.meow4ever.etsy.com


Happy Wednesday

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petit affiche

What a quaint poster from le train fantome
link : http://www.letrainfantome.bigcartel.com


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kitty kats

I've had a little etsy sesh jumping from favourite shops to favourite shops following a trail of ever wierder and odder finds. Two shops in particular have caught my eye...



link : http://www.memonster.etsy.com



link : http://www.schmooks.etsy.com

The second shop (and to some extent the first) reminds me of the series 'I am not an animal', which was a series made by the BBC a few years ago. Steve Coogan did the horse's voice...if that jogs any memories. I'd reccommend it highly...very funny and very silly.



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moving in

So I've just moved house from Lovely Leeds to Mega Manchester. I was tempted to type manky manchester which'd be clever-er since people from Manchester are mancunian which sounds like manky...but it'd be a bit too negative and I'm all about seeing this as a positive move. Positive thinking. It's difficult because it was a move of necessity not choice, but I'm sure it'll be a fun change. Any way...moving...nice luggage...hardly the most tenuous of links...



from GetReadySetGo.etsy.com



from moxiethrift.etsy.com



from heirloommarket.etsy.com

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Oh and the etsyowls blog have published a little collection of googly eyed etsy finds I put together!! hehe. Go see! http://etsyoffthewall.blogspot.com