With warmer weather comes thoughts of puttering around outside, considering the task of raking last fall’s leaves (perfectly preserved by the now melted snow), hauling patio furniture up from the basement and bringing the garden gnome out of hibernation. And I can’t help but think that the designer of Pomme’s nightlights had lawn ornaments on the brain when he or she sat down to draft the following luminous beauties. While you’re deciding between the rabbit and the goose, take some time to browse the other offerings of this lovely little shop.
Ok, so you’re looking for a high end line of bedding and decor that’s not over the top, cute but not cartoonish and classic without being intimidating - and in walks Serena & Lily. I really think these two women have done an admirable job of designing products that strike a much needed balance in kid-dom. Below are a couple of combinations I particularly like, including chips of their coordinating paint colors. Visit their site for a much broader selection.
Raising your own little muscle man? What better prop to prop open his bedroom door than a 16 ton doorstop! This cartoon-like trapezoid actually only weighs a deceptive 2 pounds and could make a fun addition to Junior’s room or a clever gift for his oh-so-hard-to-buy-for teenage brother. This is one of a mere 9 novelties found on the Shopsin’s General Store one page website. Lovely and quirky design.
Visit most any home with both kids and a Christmas tree during the holidays and you’re likely to see a hierarchy of ornaments, literally. All of the lovely German blown glass Santas and snowmen congregate around the star and away from curious little hands, while any ornaments knit, crocheted, sewn or ‘made at school with a paper plate, glitter and macaroni’ cover the lower three feet.
Always on the lookout for Junior-friendly, non-breakable holiday decor I’m loving the stockings and ornaments at Lucuma Designs. A member of the Fair Trade Federation since ‘99 this design team works with over 250 talented, self-taught artists in 15 different groups, co-operatives and family workshops in Peru. Many of the items are crafted using a beautiful style of 3-D fabric applique known as arpillera including the amazing fruit and veggie wreaths I think would look great in the kitchen window. Free shipping on orders of $50. or more.
How beautiful are these images? I love the saturated colors and vague resemblance to vintage paint-by-numbers. Each picture is a card by Pie Bird Press, hand-printed on an antique letterpress. And while I know the intent is that these lovely greetings be mailed to friends and family I can’t help but think they would look fantastic individually framed and grouped on the playroom wall. A trip to Ikea for affordable, simple frames and you’re in business. Visit the Pie Bird Press site to see the complete line. The following is their charming ‘about us’ blurb:
“Pie Bird Press is a little company with a lot of heart. The letterpress printing process and its rich history are intrinsic to our approach; the stories and lessons we have learned from printers with a lifetime of experience are some of our greatest assets. We do all our linoleum carving and letterpress printing by hand and take pride in bold, saturated designs that are draw from years of flea market hunting and collecting. Our inspiration comes from a love of all things vintage and colorful, and of the good things in life that put a smile on anybody’s face: fireworks, glazed donuts, holiday cookies, puppies and pumpkins on the vine. Our mission is to spread a feeling of nostalgia and cheer to everyone who receives our cards.”
I really like the idea of introducing original works of art into the everyday lives of kids. Trips to museums and galleries are fantastic and important, but there’s also something to be said for living with art in the home. Granted the majority of us don’t have deep enough pockets to mount exhibitions of ‘blue-chip’ artists in our kid’s bedrooms (nor would you be advised to do so!), but thanks to the wonders of the web we have access to some really fantastic and affordable work. Etsy is a great place to begin your search and is where I came across the work of an unnamed (don’t know why?) Vancouver based artist and mother of two who has set up shop under the name Cici Factory.
She says of herself and her work, “I’m inspired by repetition and colour - and the slight variation that occurs with each. I’m interested in the way colours warm or cool when they sits next to an opposite colour and how they function from a distance as opposed to close-up. From far away, my pieces look like colour field paintings, but on closer observation, you’ll discover that they’re actually everyday objects that are depicted in a quirky, intricate way.” Love it. See her second Etsy shop Lotsa filled with more of her ‘non-kiddie’ work (her words).
Crafty and modern. Frazier & Wing’s simple and elegant mobiles are composed of hand cut, reinforced magazine images in circular, oval, hexagonal and flower shaped elements stung with monofilament and suspended from clear plexi discs. They remind me of fantastic vertical clouds of color. Priced from $85. to $200.
Before you even see Aaron Stewart, Scooter, his trusty companion, will undoubtedly run up and greet you with a bark and a sniff. The latest addition to Aaron’s family, Scooter has become the inspiration for many projects ranging from animations to his charming line of pet shaped pillows.
Aaron also draws inspiration from cartoons and his collection of toys. He is especially fond of really old Japanese toys, but just about any toy will do. He’s collected so many of them in fact that his wife has banned him from buying any more.
Hailing from Wichita, Kansas, Aaron came to New York to attend Parsons School of Design where he graduated with honors in illustration and animation. You can find Aaron, his wife, Kaori, and Scooter at any number of dog runs in downtown Manhattan or in his Brooklyn studio where all of his pillows are handmade. Some of my favorite online stores carry Aaron’s work and can be found here.
And as long as we’re on the subject of cute pets I thinks it’s a good time for a funny puppies video. If your browser doesn’t support YouTube videos you can also view it here.
There is a great little Scottish shop that I love called Papa Stour. They specifically feature the handcrafted work of Scottish artisans and while not specifically a children’s store there are a number of things that would look fantastic in a nursery or would make really lovely shower gifts. It’s a very manageable site and as such I haven’t listed individual links for all of the many products featured below. However, a few of the highlights are the gorgeous blankets by Kate Samphier knit from Geelong Lambswool, the terrifically simple and elegant hangings created from beach nuts and limpet shells strung on hemp - an option to the traditional mobile, and the adorable handmade cards of Claire Nicolson.
Always on the lookout for kid friendly art, I was delighted to come across the work of French artist Wanda Kujacz. Drawing upon the stories told by her Polish grandmother, fairy tales and children’s books she layers photographs, drawings, digital imagery and collaged ephemera to create fantasy landscapes that are ethereal, whimsical and filled with hidden narrative. Prints of her work can be purchased through her Etsy shop and her entire portfolio can be viewed on Flickr.
