The New Owl.

#Sigh #

Did I mention that foxes are the new owl? 

Although I have also heard mention that peacocks are muscling in.
I am just loving this Etsy shop by Stacie Bloomfield - too, too cute :-)

Gingiber

Also loving these ceramics by Alyson Fox. 
Ha! How could I not put these two in the same post :-))

Alyson Fox at Ink Dish

Stephanie.x

The Advent of Holidays.

How about this amazing wreath of succulent plants to grace your home for the holidays?

How fitting for a natural/eco theme this year.

Flower Girl via Loeffler Randall

Tell us about your project:

"It's a living succulent wreath. With there being more of a heightened awareness of being green and our carbon-footprints, as well as everyone being drawn to succulents in general, I turned it into a living wreath that works for the holiday season and beyond - too pretty!" 

Denise Porcaro - Flower Girl

Visit here to see the incredible "how to" and create your own living wreath for the holidays

The next two projects come with generous free printables from Jordan at Oh Happy Day.

Jordan is a letter press printer and has created stylish templates for these DIY advent calendars, the first using muslin bags (available online), the second using craft boxes...

 

free printables 

So get crafting before first of December and give your little ones/hubby/workmates a smile as they count down to Christmas!

Stephanie.x

The Coffee Table.

Have you ever wondered what a group of zebras would be called? Or hippopotamuses? The folk at Woop Studios have answered these questions and many more with the publication of their first book, A Zeal of Zebras. 

Woop Studios has illustrated these quirky phrases, creating a series of truly stunning art that has been collected here for the first time. The colourful introduction to animals and the alphabet is accessible for young children, while the whimsical art and clever word play make it perfect for design-savvy parents and hip gift givers. Each of the illustrations is available as a limited edition print also - see here for details.

 

I think this would be a great after-dinner conversation starter!

The Nursery Wall Again.

 Another quick round-up of all that we are loving in nursery decor at the moment, beginning with decals - how adorable are this pair of chalkboard toddlers?!

Wall Sticker Outlet

And even though trees are becoming just a tad 'yesterday' (Noooo, we LOVE trees!) I couldn't resist picking out these from

Wallnutz

From trees to wood, I think these simple, stylish 'veneer' images are my favourites of all, from Walltat

I have mentioned Pop and Lolli briefly previously and would love you to check out their site here.

Their latest collection of environmentally friendly, re-positionable fabric decals will bring out your inner child. I have trouble getting mine back in :-)

What I find hugely appealing about Pop and Lolli is their thoughtful and ongoing commitment to charity - it has inspired us to do the same! We currently support Action Aid and will soon be setting up a page about our favourite local charity.

Ferm Living

(Pssst...foxes are the new owl!!!)

Tamsyn recently passed on a link to Katie Bourne Interiors, who make this delightful nursery wallpaper - just perfect for boys or girls, in several colourways.

Noticing the increasing trend for wallpapers, we are also loving everything by Catherine Martin , especially these prints for children. Circus Silhouette comes in dark blue or red, while Alphabet City is available in red or this zesty green....

Back to the more stylised graphic artists again, and this time we are enjoying...

Kiki and Polly

Caroline Rose Art

I love these colourful multimedia works so much I couldn't decide what to link - I almost posted all of them!

And finally (for now), how COOL are these handmade birdies from

Radiance Lighting?

No two strings of lights are the same as they are made to order. Love, love, love!

That's all for now - Happy Homemaking!

The Nursery Wall.

Here is a round-up of some of the most inspiring art work for children's rooms that I have seen lately. I am particularly drawn to the bold and the vintage - hope you enjoy this little selection. 

Kathy Panton

Kathy obtained a Bachelor of Visual Arts from the University of Queensland and now lives and works in Brisbane. Her vivid and fun-filled nursery illustrations are created using Gouache on paper.

Laughing Elephant
Laughing Elephant is a publisher of books, gifts, and stationery, emphasizing graphic design, great illustration and childhood, friendship and idealism. Laughing Elephant draws upon one of the largest private collections of picture books and pictorial ephemera, to create reproductions of, and products inspired by, vintage images from the Victorian age through the retro sixties.

 Lets All Make Believe

Amanda Tanner is a busy parent living and working in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. She makes time for her vintage story-book inspired creations while the household sleeps....Amanda's chosen medium is water colour but she also loves pen & ink, acrylics, collage and digital art.

Belle & Boo
 Mandy Sutcliffe's inspiration for drawing children came from the hours she spent drawing french children in Parisian parks during an exchange year from Leeds Metropolitan University, where she was studying illustration art. The character of Belle, with her bobbed hair, bright eyes, vintage clothing and insistent curiosity also contains elements of Mandy herself as a child. In addition to the cute, quirky and glorious world of Belle & Boo the rabbit, and their woodland friends, Mandy has also illustrated three children's books, including the whimsical and delightful Evie's Seaside Lullaby , which she also authored.

Matte Stephens
Matte lives in Portland Oregon and his distinctive work is inspired by Mid 20th century industrial and graphic design. His original paintings, featuring stylized city-scapes and quirky animals, are gouache on panel  and the art prints created from these are printed on archival matte paper.

Petit Collage

Originally from Buenos Aires, Lorena Siminovich is a San Francisco based artist, designer, and illustrator. Lorena has illustrated 16 books for children published by Chronicle Books, Templar UK, and Candlewick Press. Petit Collage is a line of modern baby and child wall décor and accessories with a vintage twist. Founder Lorena Siminovich’s distinct hand-made collages on wood were the first to capture the hearts of parents everywhere. The collection has expanded to include mobiles, posters, mirrors, prints on wood, and more, handcrafted in a sustainable manner from the best-quality, most eco-friendly materials available.

Well, there it is for now folks. If I have missed out your personal favourite, please leave a comment and let me know. Those of you well into children's decor will, of course, have noticed that I have not included any decals in this round-up - shock, horror, what an omission! Rest assured, my next Nursery post will be all about the stick-on and peel-off - and there is even a post just for grown-up decals in the offing!

Happy Home-making!