So Carola

Crochet Loveliness

2009-07-12T13:28:00.002+01:00

I have recently rediscovered the amazingness of crochet.

I was taught crocheting as a little girl in school and did it back then because I had to. But on my last trip back home, I asked my mum to refresh my mind on the basics and boy, am I hooked on this thing!!

Far from being dated, crochet can be used to create some really cool and trendy pieces for the home, jewelry and fashion.

So...browsing through Flickr's Explore, I came upon this gorgeous photo....

....and my mouth instantly started watering!

The image and crochet-loveliness creations belong to Edinburgh-based designer Emma Lamb.

Go have a look at her creations; and if you fall in love with something...she's got an etsy shop!

Gig Posters

2009-07-11T17:31:00.002+01:00

I didn't know who Ray Lamontagne was until I saw this poster at Poster Cabaret. But I LOVED it so much, that I had to go and look him up on youtube...and would you look at that, the singer is just as cool as the artwork advertising him!!

Poster Cabaret is a really cool site that sells prints, mainly from music gigs.

Here is some more cool art they've got for sale at their site:

These would look great on any wall...whether you like the music or not! Better if you do, but still....

Amazing Rare Things

2009-06-07T17:56:00.002+01:00

Keeping on with the botanical prints subject...when I was in Edinburgh last week, I was very happy to find the book Amazing Rare Things at the Queen's Gallery souvenir shop.

The book is a collection of botanical prints which are a part of the Royal Collection and which were exhibited last year in Buckingham Palace, dating from the late XV century to the early XIX century.

The collection was curated by Sir David Attenborough, of whom I am a big fan, and included prints such as these:

I wonder whether the queen actually does use these prints to decorate her ~~palace~~ home?

Kind of like this:

(image via Katy Elliot)

Or this:

(image via Centsational Girl)

I doubt it...

Anyway, you can see more of the Royal Collection here .

Botanical Prints

2009-05-17T15:30:00.005+01:00

I'm not a very big fan of flower/botanical photography.

I do however, love love love botanical prints...

Like this one from Australian artist Margaret Saul:

Or these bautiful antique ones:

(Images via Openheimer Editions)

One of the most famous English botanists and botanical illustrators of the 18th centura was William Curtis, who left some beautiful prints such as this one:

(image viaArt.co.uk)

I wouldn't mind at all to collect these, and fill up a whole wall with them..oh what lovelies!

Scandinavian firm SKANDIUM have applied this idea to their latest line of textiles:

APARTAMENTO

2009-03-24T12:12:00.006Z

I am VERY interested in this magazine:

I read about Apartamento, a biannual home & lifestyle magazine from Barcelona and Milan on January's issue of Wallpaper and it really tickled my interest.

After looking at their website, I am dying to get a hold of their third issue, which will be out next month.

In Wallpaper's interview to associate editor Marco Velardi, he says: "We wanted to produce a magazine that was able to show people's homes in a total natural way, avoiding styled interiors".

This sounds like The Selby of magazines!

More Google logo love!

2009-03-20T12:12:00.005Z

Oh, how cute is the Google logo today!

AND...I had no idea who Eric Carle was, nor did I know about "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". It totally avoided me growing up, both generationally (I grew up in the 80s) and culturally (I grew up in the Dominican Republic).

But now that thanks to Google I've learned about it...I LOVE the illustrations:

Oh, and I also learned today that there is an Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in America!

How cool must that be!

Pret's Edible Photos

2009-03-19T12:11:00.004Z

I buy my coffee at the local Pret a Manger every morning; so today, I decided to give it a go and get one of their cards. Check out how cute my card's design is:

These are other designs:

Pret's image is a goofy, relaxed one, that has worked really well in establishing the brand as a natural, healthy fast food restaurant. The funniness of their ads and posters, as well as the cheeky comments they include in their packaging has definitely worked in making me feel connected to their brand...and I don't even like most of their concoctions!

Well, the photographer responsible for these amazing food photography, is the Swede Jorgen Ahlstrom; and other creations for Pret's collection include these beauties:

The photos, by the way, are taken from Pret's website...where they're giving their recipes away for free!

Oh...and go have a look at the photographer's website and be amazed!

Eye Candy

2009-03-18T12:35:00.007Z

I'm not one to catch up with fashion trends straight away; so I hadn't even noticed that the trend this summer was a hippie, colourful one, until my friend Gina mentioned it a couple of days ago while browsing clothes.

Well, after an afternoon of window-shopping in London, I can say that Accessorize has definitely got THE MOST mouth-watering, full-of-colours accessories this season!

Cathy Miles

2009-03-10T18:19:00.004Z

Hey Lulu, remember this?!

I came to know about the work of Cathy Miles when I visited her stand at an Origin Crafts Fair with my sister Lulu, here in London, and we both went crazy with her three-dimensional drawings made with wire and recycled materials.

They are cute, witty and full of humor, and boy would I love it if I could one day have one of these on my wall!

Things I'd like to do this month...

2009-03-10T12:40:00.005Z

I would like to visit The Barbican's exhibition on Le Corbusier!

(image via Home Accents Today)

He is said to be partly responsible for what we today know as Modern Architecture, and if you liked the ultra-modern house in Jaques Tati's film "Mon Oncle", Le Corbusier will definitely be of your liking:

(image via interiordesign.net)

I am currently planning a summer trip to Provence, in the South of France (fingers crossed); and when in Marseille, I would love to visit his Radiant City; thought up as an ideal of communal living:

(Please read more about it at Galisnky)

And looking at these photos above, I can't help but think....isn't The Barbican just about the PERFECT venue to hold an exhibition on Le Corbusier?!?!

Masahiro Makino

2009-03-10T12:11:00.006Z

I’ve been on Flickr for about five years, and Masahiro Makino was one of my first contacts, and this photo was one of my first ones to favourite. Well today, he is still one of my favourite photographers on Flickr, and I no longer favourite his photos, because I would have to do it for all of them, because I really do love all of his photos!

I really like the faded colours…

And the suptle romance…

And the nostalgia…

In all of his images!

Cherry Blossom Season

2009-03-09T21:26:00.003Z

The Spring is finally on its way, and we're getting some very welcomed nice sunny days in London!

In Japan, Spring starts with the wonderful cherry blossoms, and while I can only enjoy this year's through the magic of flickr; I thought I'd share with you one of my photos from last year's Kyoto cherry blossoms:

Etsy Love

2009-03-09T21:00:00.005Z

I just bought this beautiful brooch from Miriam's etsy shop:

I am absolutely fascinated by her brooches, I really do hope this one will be joined by some more in the future!!

Mouth-watering illustrations

2009-03-09T12:30:00.005Z

If you don't already know about Yulia Brodskaya's illustrations, you probably don't read many Design blogs.

(un)Fortunately, I do, and I couldn't resist posting about her too; look at these delicious designs!

(image via Ksawa)

(image via Guixarades)

grhgrhgrhgrhgrh.....

Yes, that's the sound of my mouth watering :)

Yulia's a Russian illustrator/graphic designer in London.

Ma Grandmère, the collector!

2009-03-09T12:14:00.007Z

I brought this liquor bottle from my last trip home, to the Dominican Republic. My grandma had been keeping it for God knows how long (possibly since the 70s).

The carachters are Chinese.

My grandma used to save a lot of things that she thought might be useful/could be reused in the future. I'm really glad she found this bottle interesting enough to keep it for so long!

(Yes, our windows are filthy....we are in the middle of refurbishing our new (to us) 1930 flat!)

Penguin cutie collection

2009-03-08T19:50:00.001Z

My sister Lulu loves Editorial Design; and she specially likes Penguin vintage covers.

Well Lulu, my dear, check out this small sample of a very large collection (£3 a piece) of Penguin books I found this weekend at a small second-hand bookshop in Oxted, Surrey:

Who doesn't love...

2009-03-08T19:18:00.004Z

...the quirky interiors of "Pushing Daisies"?!?!

(Image via Irish Journal of Gothic...)

(Image via Buzz Sugar)

(Image via Apartment Therapy )

(Image via Apartment Therapy)

Juhl's in the Artic Circle

2009-03-05T08:16:00.004Z

So, if you ever find yourself in the Norwegian Artic Circle, gazing at the amazing Northern Lights in the winter or riding through the lovely, isolated hamlets of pretty Scandinavian-design houses in the summer; do please stop by Kautokeino, secret capital of the Sami tribe people, to visit the wonder that is Juhl's Silvergallery.

I work in travel and was sent to the Northern region of Finmark in Norway last summer, to do some research on possible itineraries and places to visit there; and believe you me, I absolutely loved this place.

Frank and Regine Juhls are a Danish couple who moved to this REMOTE place in the 60s and, surrounded by such amazing natural beauty, let their creativity run, and started building a their house, which today blends perfectly with its surroundings and is of an incredibly pleasing aesthetics.

The house has been built in clearly defined, separate sections through the decades, and it can be said that every “section” is of a particular decade and style.

(image via Juhl's )

I loved the Afghan room, with their collections from visits to Afghanistan during the 70s:

From early on they started to socialize with the Sami people, and Frank was given the task of fixing some of their broken traditional jewelry, which is how he later on started designing jewelry himself. ….beautiful jewelry!!! A task which it seems, has now been taken on by their daughter, who has a very stylish collection inspired by the Tundra.

The house is open to the public free of charge and their jewelry is for sale both at their shop and online. If you want to be pleasantly surprised, do have a look at their website!

The Earthship at Grand Designs

2009-03-03T18:25:00.001Z

So if you are a fan of TV shows about property (the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition type), boy, is the UK the place for you!! British TV has probably got more shows about buying/selling/restoring/decorating/building property than anywhere else in the world.

My favourite one, without a doubt, is Grand Designs; and I REALLY liked last weeks built of an earthship. This house was completely eco-friendly, with its walls and foundations built only with recycled rubber tires (yes!) and timber logs. No concrete went into this building at all, and the owners reused as much material as they could (their bathroom sink is a carved rock!!)

I specially liked the bathroom wall decorated with recycled bottles:

What a beauty!!

And their round bedroom with niches on the walls come a close second favourite:

And the best thing…the price! This house came up to an amazing £140K!!

More photos at the Channel Four website.

Anthropologie in London

2009-03-03T08:34:00.000Z

So my friend’s got a friend who happens to work for Anthropologie (yeah I know, that must suck big time); and she told me Anthropologie will be opening a shop in London this year (probably in the autumn). Oh……My……God……

I’m really not sure whether I should be happy or terrified, because this will surely be my demise!!

Well, I for one will start putting coins in my piggy bank, because I would LOVE to get my hands on this chair:

(Image via Apartment Therapy)

Dr. Seuss on Google

2009-03-02T21:23:00.000Z

I really like the Dr. Seuss illustrations, so I am really excited about today's Google logo!

What a cutie pie!

Make stuff

2009-03-02T20:55:00.001Z

I have recently discovered the addictive joy that is crochet and I just can't stop! I have now finished my first scarf and pretty much have got the hang of straight line crocheting; therefore, I would love to now pass on to.....flowers!!

I've just bought myself a book about it, but since following book patterns can sometimes be so tricky, I would rather wait for a crochet workshop to come up once more at the Make Lounge.

If you do not already know about the Make Lounge, its this amazing space in North London, right behind Angel tube station, offering workshops on just about anything crafty.

I attended a Valentine's Day card last year with my sister Lulu, and we had A LOT of fun! We also left the place with a new found passion for Japanese paper, that lasts until today!

So if you are into crafts, or just need to learn to sew your trousers' bottoms, check out their website, their get-togethers are a great way to spend the afternoon and meet people.

Lulita...they currently have a cross-stitch workshop!

(photo via The Make Lounge)

welcome

2009-03-02T13:40:00.001Z

Oh hello there,

I'm Carolina, Siouxsie if we're speaking creative, cute things...I’m a Spanish-Dominican girl, married to a Brit, enjoying life in busy London. I enjoy crafts and design and anything pretty, even though I am not very talented myself; I guess you could say I am a frustrated artist...or even better, a collector!

I think London and the UK is a great place to live if you get a kick out of quirky things. The Brits are great collectors, antique lovers, and many times proudly eccentric and I love finding unique things in their many markets, and discovering arts in unexpected corners. This is a great city to keep yourself busy with eye-candy.

If you are my friend you've probably been spamed by me with emails on pretty, interesting things; something I've learned from my sister Lulu (my partner in crime). Well, if you enjoyed that, then maybe you'll enjoy this little corner of the blogosphere too. This is So Carola!

(Photo by Siouxsie)