Design Miller Associates

Selection of my favourite pieces by Design Miller Associates. Too bad the property value hasn't dropped as much as I was hoping it to. I would already live in a new appartment looking forward to fill it with these.

Annika Engelbrecht's Lamp

It starts innocent - it's a lamp. Perhaps not the most ordinary one you have seen, but it's a lamp. But hen... Wait, does it have pony tails? Can I style it like Pipi Langstrumpf...? You can. Oh, and her name is Frisa.
By Annika Engelbrecht.

I Want Design - AND Colour

On a gloomy day like today I'm in a search for colour... Found a good dose at I Want Design. Feel free to join my colour therapy!

HangOver by Luis Luna

You have to be all about recycling when you see something like this. I could make one of these lamps after every BBQ and outdoor party, having collected the plastic cups that used to be filled with drinks based on my dad's famous lemon vodka...
Design by Luis Luna (previously featured here).

Abby Try Again

Abby says she adores color and shapes. I adore Abby's photos.

Jacek Utko on TED: Designs To Save Newspapers

Have you... met Ted? This line comes from one of the shows I'm watching - How I met Your Mother . But Ted isn't just a guy looking for a girlfriend, using his best friend Barney as a wing-man. TED is also something that changed the way I spend the free time in front of the computer these days. My boyfriend sends me links worth seeing the most and instead of looking thoughtlessly at the TV screen, we both explore the world if ideas. Ideas worth spreading.

This particular clip features newspaper designer Jacek Utko, giving a really interesting talk on how the design can save the newspapers.

Silija Goetz

After spotting Silija Goetz on Behance, I wanted to find out a bit more about her and her amazing illustrations. Unfortunately all I found on her website was this: Silja Goetz is a freelance illustrator with home in Madrid/ Spain. She was born in 1974 in Regensburg/Germany, studied comunication design in Nürnberg (by the way, Nürnberg was the first foreign city I ever saw, I was 10 and in awe). If you think this isn't enough, you can read a short interview with her on Make Do and Mend.

Annabelle Breakey's Photography

Annabele Breakey says she likes the pretty stuff and who doesn't. Certainly I do, thus I'm drawn to her photos like a moth to a flame. Annabelle has been shooting photos since 1990, her portfolio includes photos of food and still life. Check it out if you feel your day needs some colour.

Heineken Crate by Luis Luna

I'm not sure what the temperature is like in your part of the world, but in mine it's steaming hot. The weekend is approaching and I'm drwaming of lying on grass, with a cold beer in my hand and chilly breeze cooling my face... As you see my dreams are all about cold at the moment, but don't reming me of that when the winter arrives. Anyways, this fantastic idea fit perfectly in my dreams. Designed by Luis Luna. Pics from Behance.

Yvonne Niewerth

This - believe it or not - is a design for a children's library. By Yvonne Niewerth.

Justin LaFontaine

These beautiful curves stole my heart. The poster was designed by Justin LaFontaine, designer at Veer. After sharing my appreciation for the design at his blog, Justin replied: I have Alejandro Paul to thank for those amazing curves. It's actually Affair, one of his insanely beautiful scripts. You can check it out on veer. There's more treats both at Justin's site and Veer.

The Scoop and The Hoodie Camera Cases

Every time I go travelling I need to take my camera to take thousand of photos documenting the trip. It's an addiction, unfortunately. Some of them see the light of the day, some go forgotten, so I sometimes ask myself a question if I really need to do that... Anyways, my camera bag is big, to fit a big camera, and boring. I wish I had something as cool to look at everytime I take out my photo equipement. From Photojojo.

Free Fonts From Smeltry

These fonts are not only beautiful and smart - they're also free! You can download them at smeltery.net - there's quite a collection to chose from.

Sea Life

There's always something interesting, pretty and colourful to admire on Etsy. This particular is a screen print by beethings. Can't say I recognize all of the animals featured, but they look so good together.

Kyle Bean - Undergraduate Degree Shows Poster

Aww, these realy made me laugh! They come from Kyle Bean's portfolio: Art Direction for Degree Show Posters: Collaboration with Josh White and Rory Taylor.

Jason Graham

It's so (sooo) hot today, I'm atracted to anything that says COLD. This beautiful Eskimo definitely does. It's a painting by Jason Graham, found on Behance.

Yvonne Nierwerth's Web Portfolio

I really love the Yvonne Niewerth's web design, presenting scraps of her portfolio archives. It's like looking into someone's dream, enticing you to explore the magic land...

What To Do With Your Shoes...

Remember the episode of Sex And The City where Carrie admits to having an expensive hobby - shoes? I felt so relieved when I heard it. I'm not the only one then!, I thought.
I had to move out from my old apartment few weeks ago and spent one night solely on packing my shoes. They took two two full bags to move them and another day just to unpack them.
This shoe organiser found on thisnext could solve a lot of shoe-space problems in my house. Plus I could shoes to wear on random, wheeling the Shoe Wheel of Fortune!

Home Is Where Your Purse Is

When you go through a woman's purse you might get an impression she's always prepared for a landing on a deserted island. I don't know why, but I'm always convinced I will need everything, when I pack my purse before leaving the house. This purse will house all of my stuff. Literally.

From Fredflare.

Knit Your Food

If you can't eat your food, you can always take it with you and carry it in your purse. IF... well, if it's knitted.

Poopy Task Clips

Take your organization to the next level with the stylish interpretation of the standard binder clip. Fun, colorful, and undeniably useful, Poopy Task Clips will help you avoid work by sorting your papers into neat little piles and clipping them with dirty designations—Crap, Shit, Caca, and Merde. From Knock Knock.

Keyboard Shortcut Skins for Macs

You know that photoshop whiz kid friend of yours? The one that plays his keyboard like a Steinway as he dodges and burns his way to photographic perfection?
That could be you.
Be the pinball wizard. But for Photoshop (or Aperture, Final Cut Pro, Pro Tools, After Effects, or Logic Pro)!
You wouldn't learn how to type on a keyboard with no letters on it, why try to learn keyboard shortcuts without the shortcuts right on your keys?
From Photojojo.

Leaf Silhouette Portrait

Forget photosynthesis. Leaves are for photo-projects-thesis!
Grab a photo and a leaf, and in few simple steps you can turn everyday foliage into a unique silhouette portrait of someone you love. Simple and elegant, leaf silhouettes look great in a frame or on a book or a card.

Follow the instructions on how to make your Leaf Silhouette Portrait on Photojojo.

Hello Haptic

I love that aspect of design that implements bits of art into real life, being beautiful but most of all useful. I believe design has a role to play in our lives, goeing beyond the viual pleasure and esthetics. This kind for blind and visually impaired children lets them "see" and experience the beauty of things we so often take for granted. Great idea.

By Rhea Jeong.

‘Hello Haptic’ is a flash card kit for the blind children to learn various haptical experiences about nature.Visually impaired children are able to self-educate themselves about different parts of nature with this learning aid. They will be properly stimulated about diverse characters of nature as well as fulfilling their curiosity through their first-hand tactile knowledge.

Hapy Birthday Pop Up Cards

Today I am packing for the return trip from New York to Krakow later on this afternoon, so it's suitcases and mess all around me. But today also happens to be my birthday. I can't say I'm very excited to be spending it on a plane... The best that can happen is having a couple of free drink with the flight attendants.
I loved spending time in New York. I definitely collected tons of inspirations for the blog, so make sure you keep checking what comes next. These pop-up cards were designed by Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart and ar sold by MoMA. Following the popularity and success of their line of holiday cards, best-selling children's book creators Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart return with a cheerful series of bold and bright everyday pop-up cards that are prefect for any occasion.

Marimekko Desktop Wallpapers

In order to work with my computer all day I need a clever desktop wallpaper to welcome me every time I get back to work. This time I decided to go with something from the Merimekko range. And these two are currently my favourites. "I love all my children but these two are my favourites" (of course we all agree these two are indeed worthy of affection) and "Oh thank goodness! I thought I'd lost my key to having it all."

Check out next week, there's few more to come. I don't want you to get bored.

Peggy Wolf

It seems like we're having another beautiful summer day in New York. These two collages by Peggy Wolf fit perfectly in the summer mood.

Monkey Business

These pretty crazy home accesories come from the internet store by an Israeli company called Monkey Business.
They have been "designing fun & functional products since 1994". These three are my current favourites, but since Monkey Business constantly launch exciting new products and add new designers to the ever growing pool of talent - you never know what if it won't change tomorrow. Check out the product descriptions below.



1) Our Hotman is the ideal dinner companion - holds your hot pots and doesn't eat much!

2) Colourful and cute, these measuring snails are guaranteed to raise a smile. They might not be fast, but they are accurate in both centimeters & inches.

3) Morris stores your blank notes until you need them. He can also display your memo's so they don't get missed or forgotten.

Chuun Chair by Christian Vivanco

Well designed AND useful.

Chuun means branch in mayan. Constructed of laminated bamboo. A chair and a rackcoat, a tree becoming a furniture or a furniture becoming a tree.

By Christian Vivanco.

Marimekko Handbags

Couple of days ago i dragged my boyfriend all across New York to visit the Marimekko store. I was sure I would walk out with bags full of beautiful things, but it turned out to be slightly (hmm...) out of my price range. It's not going to keep me from ♥'ing their pattern design though!

Furniture by Refre and StiloGraphics

The colourful furniture set of a chair and a coffee table was designed by Refre in cooperation with StiloGraphics studio (both from Poland). Refre is a Warsaw based studio renovating old furniture. Half of my furniture comes from a similar shop in Kraków, called Miejsce, specializing in furniture from 50-ties and 60-ties. I think it's an amazing alternative to the furniture from chain stores and a possibility to own something unique yet with history and soul.

Chocolate Bin Bags

None of us really wants to litter the Earth, but let's face it, we all do. If the process is inevitable though, why not do it in style.With Happy Sacks, rubbish need never be so rubbish again! Hard not to agree, I'm sure everyone would love to dispose of these bags in front of their house. They come in variety of styles, so you could have something different for every month of the year.

From SUCK UK.

MAD - Jason Miller's Ceramics

After visiting MoMA last week, I decided it was time to see another museum presenting modern art and design - MAD (Museum of Art and Design). Apart from their amazing new and permanent collections, MAD also lets you eyewitness the art-making process. Their open studio features guest artists working right in front of your eyes. You can see the implemented techniques, ask them tons of questions, touch and feel every detail of their work. Every day the studio features another artist. Before you cast a visit at 2 Colombus Circle (NY), you can follow the redesign process of the museum's building. It's pretty interesting.
Here's a few of beautiful and clever ceramics from Jason Miller's collection called "Seconds".

"Products that are "seconds" are products that are not quite right. They are imperfect and therefore of lesser value. But who made the rules? Who says the decoration has to be in the center? Who says a flower can't grow down? Who says a whole bird is better than a half a bird?" If you have one hundred dollars to spare, you may become a proud owner of the plates.

Maija Louekari

Here's a couple of textile and product designs by a Finnish designer Maija Louekari. I really (really) like the use of bold colours in her work. I'd love have some of her designs in my appartment, I think they could brighten up any cloudy day. If you share my enthusiasm about Maija's work you can buy some of her products at Marimekko stores.

I Live To Fall Asleep

These photos reminds me of my favourite Manic Street Preachers song: I live to fall asleep... It could easily become my lifetime motto. So many beautiful things happen in my dreams! Please don't wake me, no don't shake me, leave me where I am, I'm only sleeeping...
Photographs by Julian Wolkenstein.

Adapt-Studio

Artists from around the world were invited to contribute to the book. Each artist received a creative task picked at random via the Grab Bag. The book features 101 artists, is around 250 pages long, and is published by HOW Books. Each artist has two images in the book (one of the creative task and one from there current field of work), a biography, and a short paragraph detailing their experience with the creative task. Adapt-Studio contributed to the book receiving the grab bag category of “character design.”
By Adapt-Studio, via design-milk.