I want to take a shower with those!

Jeanne from Milan, Italy has been making soap for three years now, mainly for her and her friends, who love them very much and encouraged her to sell them on Etsy. Her production is very limited and handmade. She studies carefully each recipe and handcrafts all her soaps from scratch in her own kitchen. She´s not a professional soapmaker, but she takes care of each soap with all her attention, using only the finest natural ingredients.

www.mellyrnshire.etsy.com
http://mellyrnshire.blogspot.com

hello spring!

Nihan - a Turkish girl who finds sanity creating and designing one-of-a-kind, unique knitwears. She has been crafting since she was old enough to pick a crayon. Then she decided to share her talent with all hand-made lovers.

She lives in Istanbul, her inspiration is the great mix of Anatolian culture and our modern world.

View her work: www.designbynihan.etsy.com

italia!

Damien is a French amateur photographer who enjoys capturing the images that appear to us all the time but that we barely stop to reflect on them.

www.damienlacroix.com
www.lightroom.etsy.com

Faye Power

I saw her ceramics at the Ambiente in Frankfurt - absolutely love them...
www.fayepower.blogspot.com

Interview with Tinee / Sieben Morgen

Tell me something about yourself and „Sieben Morgen“. How/ When/ Why did you start out?
+++ I graduated from the Fine Arts Academy in Nuertingen near Stuttgart in 2001 and work as free lance artist ever since. I never wanted to be anything else. Around 2003 I became obsessed with printmaking, especially linocutting. As I am not able to keep my hands still, my home and studio soon began to fill up with piles of papers, prints, canvasses, all kind of artworks and whatnot. So I thought it would be a good idea to launch SiebenMorgen, a small label to offer hand printed paper goods, linocut prints, original artwork and other souvenirs from my printmaking studio. This was in 2007 and keeps me going every day, seven days, seven mornings a week.

Your work is inspired by animals, especially birds have taken a shine to you – why?
+++Well, first of, believe it or not, there's one living in my head! And it never ever shuts up...peep peepz :) Second, after living in the city for years, the little house and garden I now live in has become my beloved paradise and first hobby in years! It's a good place to be. I love to watch them birds, how thought- and careless they move through the air and their tiny life. They don't think, they just fly. Or like David Bowie sings "'cause they are free of thoughts...and pure...and kind.."

Where do you get your inspiration from?
+++WHew, the world is full of inspiration, just look around! I have been very lucky and able to travel a lot in the past years. Especially my travels to China and Japan made a major influence. I have studied east Asian art intensely and I am still hoping to become a master in woodcut printmaking one day. One of my favorite European artists is old dutchman Frans Hals, his work always makes me smile. I just love to hear good stories and I am very thankful to have met so many interesting and different people in my life so far. All my friends and my family inspire me a lot.

Thank you Tinee!

Visit her shops! and blog!
www.siebenmorgen.etsy.com
http://de.dawanda.com/shop/SiebenMorgen
www.7morgen.blogspot.com

House of Mouse

Anna, 28 and originally from England lives in The House of Mouse. She has been living in The Netherlands, Europe since 2003. Every little Mouse in her store is individually hand made, unique and looking forward to being adopted into your home.

She is constantly making more mice, there are always new characters in her shop. Making these little mice is Annas full time job. She works in a little studio in the top room of her house where she sits surrounded by ribbon, felt and cotton!

Visit her! www.thehouseofmouse.etsy.com

popcorn tree

In this shop you can find all genuine, eco-friendly completely hand made, hand cut, hand painted wooden supplies and more!
Every single piece is made with LOVE! Sara from Parma, Italy is working to create more and more. Visit her beautiful shop! www.popcorntree.etsy.com

Atelier Kleinod

Claudia and Solveig own the beautiful shop Kleinod in Dresden. It opened in November last year and you find a great mix of local handmade goods - jewelry, ceramics, textile, papergoods, furniture, pictures, candels and soaps.

Visit the shop: Dammstraße 1 / Dresden

Pocket studio

Pocket Studio is a London based design studio run by Sarah and Jon, who enjoy making nice things out of white paper.
There is nothing more to say - visit their shop - so sweet!

www.pocketstudio.etsy.com

Woman dress up doll

Dafna Dagan from Tel Aviv designs jewelry, which is is hand fabricated in a limited edition.
Each item is designed according to the client own character and taste. These products were evoked from were inspiration meets matter and technique.
www.dafnadagan.etsy.com
www.dafna.biz

Snowberrylime....hmmm!

Veronika runs the label Snowberrylime - handspun and hand painted yarns.

She spend most of her time hiding behind her stash of fabric, fibre and trimmings - generally glued to her spinning wheel. Her inspiration stems from colour and texture as well as Art nouveau, the Victorian era/ the early 1900s art scene and a classic British style.

She uses almost exclusively natural materials in her work, because she absolutely love the feel of natural fabrics, soft wools and the shine of real mother of pearl.

What does Snowberry & Lime stand for? Well, Snow for her home, Switzerland, Berry for sweet creations and Lime stands for the added zest...

MORE
www.snowberrylime.blogspot.com
www.snowberrylime.etsy.com
http://de.dawanda.com/shop/Snowberrylime

Lovi Oy

Lovi Oy is a Finnish design company designing, producing and marketing Lovi products. Combined to the patented joint refined design of the products creates an unique visual experience.
The products are made in Finland mainly of birch plywood. The final three dimensional shapes of the products are made by end users without any special tools.
The smallest items are envelope sized and easy to send. In addition to beautiful shapes Lovi products give you joy of insight and creation.
Made in Finland, Patented.
Desing: Anne Paso

www.lovi.fi

Seasonal green

„SEASONAL GREEN“ by Margarete Häusler - Craft and design collectibles inspired by botanical matter.

The design and production is based on traditional handcraft and natural raw materials. Unique pieces and small series of artistic character.

The product range contains handcrafted textile and leather items from various fields: bags, cushions, scarves and throws, flower brooches.

For more information: www.margarete-haeusler.de

rafinesse & tristesse

Some people may view an empty olive tin as trash, but for rafinesse & tristesse it was the inspiration to start the label in 2006.
The products are based on the concept of using as many recycled items as possible. They rework them into high quality furniture pieces and miniature kitchens complete with accessories. Each piece is hand made (Germany and Switzerland) and unique. With loving attention to detail they transform everyday waste objects into artistic, playful, and practical products that also benefit our environment.

Visit the website: www.rafinesse-tristesse.com

Win a Wurst-Teppich!

Design competition - Ready Made Lamp!
March 17 - April 20 / 2009

Come on in! Design and build a ready-made-lamp. A Lamp, which is made up of prefabricated parts. Pendant lamp, standard lamp, chandelier - it´s up to you! The only condition for the lamp is: The single parts have to be cheaper than 40 Euros and it should be possible for others to rebuild the lamp on their own.

For more information: www.das-rote-paket.de

They never prickle.

Kaktusgarten is a shop at Dawanda. Every cactus is unique and individually hand-knitted. Marlen, the girl behind the knitting needles, lives and works in Munich. Go and visit her shop! http://de.dawanda.com/shop/kaktusgarten

Let there be light!

Atelier Areti consists of a multidisciplinary design team, made of product designers and architects working in close association with highly skilled craftsmen. Atelier Areti designs architecture and building related products, with a focus on furniture and lighting. Often products are initially developed within a specific architectural project and later expanded upon. When possible, Atelier Areti manages the production process to keep full control over the finished product, although they also appreciate working as a consultant for an experienced producer.

They are committed to the notion of sustainability through quality. The aim is to create products that last, both through the quality of the design and the material.

The company is based in the UK and Sweden. Visit their website: www.atelierareti.com

sooo great!

Designer Dorit Schubert presents a collection of unusual jewelry. She discovered lace-making for designing her jewelry....so delicate, so airy...
I will definitively visit her shop in Dresden, soon! In the meantime, go and see her website:
www.dorit-schubert.de

s t r i k k

Tanya runs the label s t r i k k.
She knits, and when she´s not knitting, she´s setting up her business - strikk, and when she´s not doing that, she works for an investment bank, and when she´s not doing that, she´s looking at things that inspires her - some of which are just too good not to share. Originally from Cape Town, with Norwegian heritage, now living in London.

Visit her online
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5496830
http://www.strikkstrikk.blogspot.com/

hei Astrid

jodii loves: this blog!

"is a happy girl who likes design, magazines, travel, food, fashion and photography. This is where she collects her inspiration and stories of everyday life as a freelance journalist and copywriter." (Astrid from Bergen, Norway)
Come along: http://hei-astrid.blogspot.com/

Buchkinder

Buchkinder Leipzig e.V. is a small publishing company, which publishes storys, written from kids at the age between 4 and 18 years. The girls and boys develop their own narrative. They think about and discuss their ideas, write them down, illustrate, typeset and print the books, untill the product of their phantasy is hardbacked. A remarkable project, where the kids are learning by playing!

Visit the website: www.buchkinder.de

Enter a world of pure imagination

Visit Isabella´s website and enter a world of mermaids, fairies, whitches, ghosts and animals. These black/white drawings and shadow puppets are so wonderful and unique - you want to lose yourself in a world full of fantasy.

www.isabellasart.com
http://en.dawanda.com/shop/IsabellasArt

Little doodles

Today it´s all about birds...
I found these little doodles in the equal named Dawanda shop. I´m looking forward to see more illustrations like that! Good luck!

Shop here: http://en.dawanda.com/shop/LittleDoodles

hello from jodii!

These mugs are brand new in my online shop! ...for your coffee, tea, aspirin...
www.dawanda.de

Interview with Hanna / hannafaktur

How/ When/ Why did you start out?
Since I was able to hold a screwdriver or scissors I was crafting, and after years of encouraging compliments from my friends I started my label 'Hannafaktur' in 2007 as a side-project beside my freelancing as a graphics-designer and other jobs like restocker in a supermarket.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
The most inspiring thing for me is daily life. It's crammed with small miracles... a cafe latte with milk froath looking like a unicorn, an old smiling lady with a light green dotted headscarf, a lost grocery list or just the contrast between the red marmelade on my bread and the green table.

Artists / designers
I like clean and cute designs, elementary expressions like minmal art or children drawings, and some vintage stuff which reminds me of my childhood.
Mostly, I adore the work of people I know personally, because I can see how their personality are corresponding with or through their art.

Music
I like all music that makes your hips swing, your head nodd or singing uninhibited while having a shower..
Websites
Craftmagazine, Designsponge, Printandpattern, and many more.
Books
All kind of books with pictures or poetic nonfiction, like descriptions of landscapes. And I'm obsessed with blankbooks.
Magazines
I regularly read brand eins (an economy magazine) and effilee (a magazine about food and gastronomy). They both have a good layout, and the photos and illustrations are very neat.
What are your plans for the future?
These days I move into my first studio, and I'm excited how it will be to have an own place to work (up to now I worked in a corner of our home or in my father's workshop). I always want to try a thousand new things, but to be really good at something you have to invest lots of time. So I decided to do nearly the same things as last year -- in a new, fresh and better way: some bags, stamps, calendars, teatowels, some more hand-printing... stuff like that.

Thank you!

Visit her website and online shop!
www.hannafaktur.de
http://de.dawanda.com/shop/hannafaktur

alibli - jewelry from italy

I found this great shop at Etsy.com - I love nearly every piece! Earrings in silver and gold, modern and at the same time so romantic...
Alice works in Milan, Italy - visit her shop: www.alibli.etsy.com

Since 1998 Cloed Priscilla Baumgartner works under the label MILCH in the range of art and fashion. In many cases she "upcycles" rejected goods and makes them suitable again.

Cloed Priscilla Baumgartner lives and works in Vienna. You find her studio at the Yppenplatz/ Brunnenmarkt, 16. District.

Her work is online: http://cloed.mur.at

Octopuzzle

Octopuzzle-woodprints: A project by Bernd Meinen / Berlin.

He works with a printing set, which contains different sized bricks of wood. Through combination he can make various patterns on his "korrex" printpress. Here you can see some examples...
Visit his website: www.octopuzzle.com - it´s fun!

Glore living

www.glore-living.de - a online shop for sustainable, organic and fair traded home accessories with style. Great design, high quality and respectful dealing with humans and nature makes their hearts beat faster.

Glore living offers a international combination of labels and projekt works, which are characterized by unusual and individual design. All products and manufacturer unite the convention of ethics and ecology.

Since March 2008 you find a small retail store (in addition to the webshop) in Hamburg - Altona. Every Saturday from 12 am to 5 pm you can visit the shop in Schumacherstraße 97.

Visit the webshop: www.glore-living.de

Carefully screen printed

I saw the work of Birgit Morgenstern at the Ambiente and was fond of it from the very first. The patterns were carefully screen printed by hand on exclusive paper and fabric. Since 1998 Birgit works in her own studio and can customize her products. Visit her website and see more of her great work: www.birgitmorgenstern.de

old stitches

This vintage French book about hand-embroidery patterns is absolutely fabulous. You find traditional ornaments and a wide selection of letters. To find special vintage books online, visit the website of the "Zentrales Verzeichnis antiquarischer Bücher" www.zvab.com / in english www.choosebooks.com
Enjoy browsing!