Lotta Prints

I finally bought a copy of Lotta Jansdotter's Lotta Prints. So many great ideas and inspiration. Her designs are simple and organic--probably deceptively simple. But I'm excited to try out the prints carved from potatoes or leaves from the garden. I'll let you know what turns out!

Freeling pretty beachy...

Here's a sweet beach house in the Hamptons, yet the style is very cozy and swanky at the same time, don't you think?

(From House Beautiful, Interior Design by Leslie Klotz, Interview by Frances Schultz, Photographs by Laura Resen, Produced by Elana Franke)

Giving a little hustle.

Sorry that I haven't posted in two days! I've been working on marketing and promotion of our new store and that takes a lot of effort! My efforts did earn a mention on Babble's blog, though. But no sales yet!

Evidently, the lack of sales on Etsy is, unfortunately, the norm, and this is causing quite a storm from craftspeople who see Etsy as their path to riches. Here's a very interesting article from CNN/Money about the Etsy backlash and the company as a whole. Bottom line: Being an artisan will not make you rich, that is for sure. The most successful sellers are out there all of the time and getting exposure through blogs, word-of-mouth, and even *gasp* advertising! It's just not enough to be on Etsy. You have to give a little hustle.

Summery patterns will make your bed.

Oh, I'm so excited about this! Roberta Roller Rabbit, the popular NYC store just opened a new online shop. I love love love the patterns and colors in her collection of homewares and their signature kurta, a soft cotton tunic perfect for the beach. Now, which one do I want...

The NEW annabelle store!

I'm so excited to tell you about our new store on Etsy! Perfect as a shower gift, these personalized name plates are handmade by moi and you can choose between four different paper styles. Super cute, no? And, they're only $15, so go buy one! We'll be adding more items soon: vintage clothes and fun stuff, so stay tuned.

Pretty pretty book papers

Check out Hollander's gorgeous Italian decorative book papers. The uses are endless: posters, art projects, wrapping paper... (These are mostly details from larger pieces, but still pretty, no?)

Wedding Wednesday: Wedding Posters

Flat wedding invitation too boring? How about a poster? I love the designs by Unless Someone Like You. Perfect for a save-the-date or an invitation that's sure to be saved rather than thrown in the recycling bin.

Print to your heart's desire!

Have you ever heard of Spoonflower? It's a website where you can upload your own fabric design and they'll print it for you. Genius idea for crafty folks, indeed! What's so great is the cost is comparable to buying fabric retail ($18-32) and you can order test swatches for $5. I love it! Being a textile designer has always been one of my secret career dreams (yoga teacher and psychiatrist being the others), and here's my chance to play with designs with very little commitment in terms of money or lifestyle changes...

(Top to bottom: Yellow birds clutch. Made with fabric from the artist Karin Grow printed by Spoonflower Fabric Designs. "Ornamenta100" by Jamaica Byles. "Baby heads" by Sara Lechner. "Rain Drop Repeat" by Katy Harris.)

Flashback Friday: Polaroids

Perhaps you've heard about the Impossible Project, a plan to recreate an instant film like the late, great Polaroid film. While so much of the past is destroyed, I'm hoping the Impossibles can make a film as good or better. There is something so melancholy about Polaroids, the way the light is muted and the edges are never crisp.

Anyway, here is an image gallery I put together from a huge collection of reader Polaroids sent in to the NY Times. There's a story here somewhere...

All Polaroid images from NY Times blog, Lens by David W. Dunlap:
Greenery: Jonathan Hankin
North Carolina state fair: Julia Parris
Poppies: Pascale Simon
Home: Kari Hartmann
Cupcake: Amanda Gilligan
Drive-in: Kari Hartmann
Red shoes: Paula Brandao
Curtains: Catherine Buca

Free is a very good price!

Bargain alert! For the next 10 days, Urban Outfitters is offering free shipping on selected furniture. If you are in the market, now's the time!

(Images: Urban Outfitters)