Special Pug Alert!

Thanks to my friend Catherine for alerting me about Tattly's 1st birthday sale for 50% off a slew of design-pretty temporary tattoos!

Conceived by Tina Roth Eisenberg (the wildly popular blogger and designer behind Swiss Miss) with the help of an all-star lineup of professional designers and illustrators, the collection features funny quotes, design geek jokes, and charming doodles from artists like Julia Rothman and Gemma Correll.

Tattly by Julia Rothman

Tattly by Julia Rothman

Tattly Zoo Crew Set

Speaking of Gemma Correll (the genius behind the Pugs not Drugs campaign), no designer series would be complete without a pug or two!

Tattly by Gemma Correll

Tattly's birthday sale only lasts until this Sunday so be sure to scoop up your favourite designs before the party's over :)

PS - One more special note to bundle in with my "Special Pug Alert": Pug Island 2012 will take place next Sunday, July 22 from 11:30 am - 3:00 pm! So grab your pug and catch a ferry to Ward's Island for some fun in the sun and a very adorable sounding "Pug Beach Stroll".

Happy Saturday! 

♥

Photo credits: Tattly

Sounds of the Future

If you can, you should! 

More info here  :)

Art & Social Responsibility

Have I ever told you about The Working Proof?  It's a wonderful art organization (conceived by Anna Corpron & Sean AuYeung in Brooklyn, NY) where independent illustrators design limited edition prints that are released for sale weekly on The Working Proof website and e-newsletter.

A considerable 15% from each print sale goes to a charity of the illustrator's choosing making it a win-win situation for anyone looking to support charitable causes and emerging artists.

Here are three of my favourite prints that have been featured on the site so far:

"Proof: Burden"
by Samantha Hahn for the Kids in Need Foundation

"Wildlife of Vietnam"
by Brendan Wenzel for the Jane Goodall Institute

"Wanderlust"
by Linda Kim for the Kids in Need Foundation

Luckily, great minds think alike as Judy Tan operates a similar venture in Portland, OR called tanQ where consumers can purchase limited edition t-shirts to support a different non-profit organization each month. With the motto of "1 tee, 1 month, 1 good deed", tanQ will donate 100% of the net profits from each sale for the first 12 months tanQ is in existence (est. Sept. 2010). 

My favourite tanQ so far is this super cute pencil tee from by Yas Imamura of Quill & Fox Design! 

"Pencil Personalities"
by Yas Imamura for Pencils of Promise

Featuring 12 classic yellow school pencils with various quirks and quarks (I'm the perfectionist!), each tee comes with a collector's greeting card and a mini button all in support of tanQ's December charity pick, Pencils of Promise.

What do you think of these start-ups connecting artists and national or global not-for-profits? Have you ever purchased anything from The Working Proof or tanQ?

♥

Image Credits: 

1: Samantha Hahn via The Working Proof

2: Brendan Wenzel via The Working Proof

3: Linda Kim via The Working Proof

4, 5, 6: Yas Imamura via tanQ 

Art Exhibit: Thank You for Playing

Remember that exhibition I mentioned a couple of weeks ago when I shared 10 things I learned from my first art show?

Well this week will be the very last chance to see it at the Living Arts Centre before it closes on January 22! Please stop by to check out all the amazing video game inspired artwork and you can also catch an interview with me and our curator Cole on The Electric Playground airing tonight on CityTV :)

In the meantime, here are some images to whet your appetite (but don't forget that you can only play with my Pixel Painter piece in person..!)

Can you spot the Green Lantern reference in the above photo? ;)

PS - Double milestone! This entry officially marks my 100th blog post...hooray! 

(Photos by Cole Swanson)

The Cat's Meow

Even though I'm generally a pug / puppy girl, my insides couldn't resist smiling when I saw this adorable print from Gemma Correll...

...And this regal feline owned by Japanese designer Yasumichi Morita:

There are only 7 prints left in Gemma's limited edition run for The Working Proof, so please pounce before they bounce if you're interested!

So tell me readers...are you a dog or a cat person? :)

xo.

(Photo 1: Gemma Correll via The Working Proof, 2: Todd Selby via The Selby)

Listen to Feist!

It is 150% as dreamy and wonderful as you think.

Thanks to my lovely cousin for sharing a link where you can stream the album for free before its October 4 release date.  

Maybe we can all return the favour by voting for her Niagara Wine Country post on the LCBO goLOCAL blog challenge?  :)

Feeling feisty & loving metals,

- a

Kinfolk Magazine

Stealing a moment away from writing my crowdfunding article to share this breathtakingly beautiful video I came across on the {frolic!} blog.

Promoting a new website centred on the intimate allure of small gatherings, Kinfolk weaves together a communal love for sharing delicious food and unhurried conversation in simple surroundings.

It's worth mentioning that the geniuses behind this imaginative glimpse into Kinfolk is a Washington based new media production company called VsTheBrain. More lovely and elegant visual offerings from them can be found here.

And before you fall over from swooning, I want to make sure you mark your calendars for July 15 when Kinfolk Magazine officially launches online!

Until then, wait with me with bated breath over at the Kinfolk journal, where this growing community of artists will be sharing some inspirations that honor the rituals of everyday life.

Credits: Kinfolk video by VsTheBrain via {frolic!}

Scandinavian Studio

Stunning images of Anna-Malin Lindgren's newly redecorated workspace. The absence of colour is clean and fresh, while her approach to tone and focus on simple materials and finishes in this grayscale scheme is simply genius. (Not to mention how the understated black and wood chair looks surprisingly rich in contrast.)

I'm also swooning over her mini paper storage area, which consists of a wire on the wall and a zinc basket on the floor. It looks like the carefully clipped scrolls fall just outside of the desk space adding an interchangeable pop of colour without interrupting the calmness of the overall look.

Anna-Malin is a Swedish blogger and teacher who also writes a monthly column called 'handmade home' for one of my favourite interior design blogs, decor8. Pop on over to see a couple more detailed shots of her spring office makeover :)

After falling in love with this workspace, I highly recommend adding Anna-Mailin's blog, Helt Enkelt, to your daily reads! But make sure you hit the 'translator' button on the right hand column as it'll make things a lot easier if you're like me and don't read Swedish ;)

xo.

Images: Anna-Malin Lindgren

British Elegance

After a frustrating morning spent on the phone with my credit card company, I stumbled across this beautiful image by photographer Holly Booth in the latest edition of Viva LaModa magazine.

Don't you just love the soft, muted colours set against the overcast English countryside?

It positively makes me want to grab a cozy coat and a warm spot of tea before skipping across the pond for some adventures of my own.

Photo: Holly Booth via VivaLaModa