enter narnia/the idea room

i have had this image saved on my computer for what seems like forever now... and i am just now posting it...

it's from a sneak peak into the wonderfactory's office on design*sponge last year - this is the entrance into their "idea room".... it's almost like you're walking into narnia... what a great way to make room for coats. coat closets are always what i forget to plan for when i'm laying out a space at work... maybe i should just use this as a backup option instead?

ugly cables no more!

i love this that i found on the inspire me now! blog - what a great way to deal with those ugly cable cords....  turn them into something pretty.....

rifle paper co. shop

oh, man.... i wish i hadn't just spent a bunch on supplies to make my own christmas cards....

....because if i hadn't, i would probably be ordering these cards from rifle paper co. to send out.

or maybe these.

on a related note - good news - the rifle paper co. shop is up and running! - oh, so many things i want to buy.....

rural studio on design*sponge

so the girls from beauty everyday have been guest-posting on design*sponge, and they just posted about auburn's rural studio program!

every time i tell anyone (who knows something about architecture) up here that i went to auburn and studied interior design, they always ask if i did a semester out at rural studio. i'm always a little sad to tell them that no, the interior design and architecture programs are not even in the same colleges at auburn.... but it still makes me proud to have gone to a school with such a well-respected program. and sometimes if they don't ask directly, i may or may not just let them keep thinking that i was somehow involved with rural studio...  

christmas sewing club invite

copyright 2009 holly b. cook

beautiful window

everyone around me keeps talking about the dia:beacon in Beacon, NY. it's a contemporary art museum out in pretty much the middle of nowhere, north of nyc. from what i hear, it is worth the trip on the metronorth - i need to make it up there sometime soon.

i was looking at the website today, and i can't quit staring at this image. it's one of those, "why haven't i ever thought of that?" moments... i love the frosted glass mixed with the clear glass. to me it makes the view outside seem like a work of art in itself....

more cute baby animals

i think i'm starting to see a pattern here.... i try, but i just can't resist little baby animals. but really, who can? whatever, i'm just going to embrace it and go ahead and create a tag just for little cuties.

these come from the etsy shop of sharon montrose..... i'm going to have to try hard to resist buying every single print.

note: this is quite possibly the only time i'll ever think a squirrel is cute.

i found her here.

more from the scribbler....

well, well, well..... look what we have here!

look at whose work was featured on the designworklife blog.....

yay, holly!! - not too bad for the first year out of school....

women for women

well isn't this sweet?... kate spade is partnering with a group called women for women international to create handmade snuggly-goods this holiday season. you can get mittens, scarves, and even dog sweaters (holly, i think daisy might need one??) - and each piece is hand-knit by women in the war-torn communities of bosnia and herzegovina.

according to the women for women website....

Women for Women International will provide the training in knitting for the women, with creative direction from kate spade new york.

Knitting, a traditional skill in the region that has passed through generations of women, is now a source of income for these enterprising women. This partnership has helped Bosnian graduates transform their traditional handcrafts into high-fashion winter accessories. Rabija Mujalo, a participant of the training program and current employee of kate spade new york, says "I earned nearly as much money knitting at home in my spare time as my son who works full time in a factory." 

you can see the whole collection here, and learn more about the partnership here.

rustic modern

okay, first of all... it has been quite a while since we last posted.... one of us (the holly half) has been on a nice family vacation, while the other (the leeanne half - me!) has just been feeling a little uninspired.

but hopefully you will forgive us.

i will try to make it up to you by posting this, the cutest ipod dock i've ever seen. i made a stop in anthropologie tonight on my walk home from work (the christmas decorations pulled me in) and i saw this and completely fell in love... so cute, and unexpectedly rustic....

gloversville, usa

this article in the nytimes was really inspiring. it's about a man who moved from the city to gloversville, ny - home to factories which supplied 90% of america's gloves, up until the mid-20th century. Even though most of the glove shops have closed, daniel storto moved in and opened up his shop in order to continue the town's tradition of fine handmade gloves... it's really inspiring how he is so focused on perfecting his skills in one particular craft, and it makes me want to do the same - to really work with my hands and create something other than computer-generated drawings... to do one thing and do it really well.

fantastic mr. fox

yesterday i went to go see where the wild things are, and one of the previews got me really excited...

wes anderson has directed a stop-motion animation film based on a roald dahl book called fantastic mr. fox. the voice lineup is great - george clooney, meryl streep, jason schwartzman, etc. - and it looks like it will be a great movie visually as well. it comes out november 13, and i'm excited to see it!



p.s. - where the wild things are was great - such an imaginative movie! - i definitely recommend seeing it... and the little boy who plays max is the cutest!

monsieur boudin

this is monsieur boudin, he was created by lab partners, i love their illustration work

outdoor typography

by Ramon Lenherr & Florian Brunner

found via oh joy

ode to anthro...

i have had this on my desktop for a while...i think it is such a cute outfit, i had to include

ode to anthropologie

oh, anthro - you have my heart forever.

it's pretty much a given that at any point in time i will be in love with one or more object from anthropologie. i don't know if it's because now it's fall (my fave) or if they've perhaps recently started designing things specifically with me in mind.... but there are SO many things right now that i am loving....

like these accessories:

phlox flats

ring & peal cloche (i only wish i could pull off a hat like this....)

belsay bangle

spider chrysanthemum scarf

and these home goods:

cameo lace chair
(sidenote: i am in LOVE with this upholstery, and have had a sample of it - Maharam Intricate in Coffee - pinned up in my cube at work for at least a year now, so i was excited to see it here!)

ikat rug

estuary lampshade

castilla lampshade

and these dishes:

scenic dessert plates

paint by number dessert plate

bateau platter

ah..... i will always love anthro for its never-ending inspiration!