A favourite artist

It's actually not that long ago, that I discovered the amazing artist Jennifer Davis and her breathtaking work.

I knew from the minute I saw her paintings and prints, that I wanted to buy a print from her.

So I did - these 2 are the ones which I decided on. 

Photo from Jennifer Davis Art

Photo from Jennifer Davis Art

Good old Bjørn!

When I were a child we had some of Bjørn Wiinblad's plaques (like many of other children at my age had at home). Right there on the wall next to our dining table in the kitchen.

I remember how much I loved the women on the plaques. Their big dreamy eyes and their little pointy  noses, made me admire them whenever we sat at the table. I made up stories about them if I were bored, which happened once in a while, when I sat at the same table doing my homework.

What I didn't think of at that time, was the way the plaques could appear 32-33 years later.

This one below is from Anne-Sophie's kitchen. She has collected 5 or 6 plagues from thrift shops, and has added her own touch to Bjørn Wiinblad's people.

Source: Uploaded by user via Anne-Sophie on Pinterest

I like what she did. A lot. Somehow the black lines on the porcelain, invite you to fill out the spaces. To prepare them for a life in 2012.

How funny and wonderful that we both - with a time interval of 30+ years - got to look at the same kind of plaques in our kitchens...

From Eszter Schall's hands

I'm dreaming of this beautiful print called Woman 2011. The artist is Eszter Schall who is a graphic designer and an illustrator. She lives in Hungary, and she has a shop on etsy, where she sells her unique work.

Photo from Eszter Scall's etsy shop

I like the way she uses colours and the fact that she has a naive style. I'm a huge fan of naive artists.

If I have to be completely honest then I had better show you this other print from Eszter Schall as well, called Lovemaking with nature. 

I want that too...badly.

Photo from Eszter Scall's etsy shop

For marks and x x x x

Once more Maileg has come up with new and wonderful things for those of us, who like the whimsy stuff.

I might have to get myself one of their new calenders. It seems as if each month and day have plenty of room in which we can write down the plans and appointments of our family. That is indeed a necessity, because I have become so forgetful over the recent years. 

I haven't seen the whole calender yet, but from the photos I'm pleased with the fact that Dorthe Mailil's  characteristic figurines have made their entry in there as well.

So now we wait for 2012 . . .

She's back!!

It was with much joy that I read this post on Ida's blog Midtimellem . ( An inspirering and wonderful blog by the way).

Because Ida had fabulous news to tell about the illustrator Karina Bækkelund, whom I admire tremendously for her brilliant work.
A while ago Karina closed her Amio shop and I thought that it was a huge shame, but I'm sure that she had a good reason to do so.

Photo from Karina Bækkenlund's Amioshop

BUT now she has reopened her shop! I'm really delighted that Ida told about it on her blog, because I have been keeping an eye on Karina's shop for months, but at a point I stopped checking it out.

Today it was time to act immediately before all of the beautiful things were sold out. So hopefully these 2 fine angles will hang in my home in a little while.

Photo from Karina Bækkenlund's Amioshop

If you like Karina's gentle angles and gorgeous squirrels, you have the exclusive opportunity to win some of her work in the giveaway, which Ida is having at her blog at the moment. You can enter the competition right here...

I still LOVE...

Photo from Kate Wilson

..the way Kate Wilson's little birds keep on exploring life - always looking so chic.

To remember Piccadilly Circus by

Yesterday I saw an amazing program about the super talented artist Stephen Wiltshire. His story is so heartwarming and full of hope, and I couldn't stop thinking about him for the rest of the day.

His art work is extremely fantastic and he has a partiality to drawing buildings in metropolises around the world - and old American cars.

I decided to buy a print made of him and chose a beautiful drawing of Picadilly Circus in London. It shows the exact spot which my friend Kirstine and I went to every Sunday, when we were off work while living in England.

A fine way to remember a part of life during my youth - and hopefully my modest buy can be a tiny help for Stephen, so he can visit new cities and create new and fantastic drawings.

Pockets with Petting Zoo Party Girls

 

I'm making a dress for Sarah. I cut out the parts for the dress some days ago, but the pockets were cut yesterday.

It took me some time to figure out which fabrics I wanted to use. Finally I decided on some Gingham  and a couple of other ones.

It was important to me that any prints on the fabrics were small. Otherwise it could easily be too notable and overwhealming.

The pockets in the photos are not the total amount, there are 3 more. 5 are going to be sewn in front of the dress and the rest on the back.

I had an idea about embroidering Cathy's sweet Petting Zoo Party embroidery on 3 of the pockets. I'm really exited to see how it turns out in the end, but so far I'm satisfied with it.

I can't remember whether I told you before, but the 3 girls in the embroidery pattern are actually drawings of Cathy's own daughters. It's such a sweet and fine idea.

Now I only have 1 problem - I don't have an embroidery hoop which is small enough to hold any of the pockets.

Etsy art love

Photo from Parada Creations

Etsy art love is a subject which will never end for me. With so many fabulous artists in etsy, we can all afford the work of talented people from foreign places.

It seems to be an inexhaustible source of clever and beautiful art.

Photo from Parada Creations

And today I found yet another fine shop with brilliant art prints.

The 2 pictures you see here are made by Susana Parada and are sold along with many more in her shop Parada Creations.

Oh, and by the way! Try to click on the mushroom print to enlarge it - then you will see the many different tiny patterns. I love that sort of details...

Dear Sylvia is on her way!

I have always loved the work of artist and illustrator Kate Wilson. Ever since I started going on flickr, her work has been a joy to follow. She makes me smile ever so much with her art, and at the same time her talent is an object of my huge admiration.
The way she portraits everyday things is so good, and her use of colours keep amazing me time after time.

But most of all I love Kate Wilson's birdies. Birdies with a huge love to fashion, shoes, delicious food and candy. How can that ever be a good combination you might ask yourself? This should convince you...and do remember to click next to see all the rest of the 22 chic birdies.

And now I thought that it was time for little fancy Sylvia to come to my house.

I have looked at her and her little tea bag bag so many times - I know that the look of her hanging on my wall, will make me happy every single time I pass by her...that sweet Sylvia.

I have decided that I would like to have many more of Sylvia's friends framed and hanging on my wall in the future. And finding new and precious ones, will not be a problem at all.

I spy with my little eye...

My view from our computer, originally uploaded by lille-ursus.

...all of these little things, when I sit at the computer.

We have recently finished the noticeboard on the wall around our computer / desk.

Picking out the fabric wasn't easy - because we wanted something simple, but still it couldn't be boring.

We tried a paleblue linen, a lightgrey linen and something with lots of color. No good none of it. So white with dots it was.

Now I need to change the look of the table itself. At the moment it has a surface covered with this and that has actually been a fine solution for a while. But the oilcloth wasn't that durable. So we have decided to paint the table top in a lovely color, or cover it with beautiful paper similar to wall paper, and lacquer it afterwards.

To make it all a bit more personal and cozy I have hung some of our favourtie knick-knacks on the noticeboard. I especially love the tiny man playing a guitar. Emil made it as a selfportrait when he was little...

If any of you have a fabulous idea how to make a table top beautiful, then please let me know!

Old kitchen wallpaper

Old kitchen wallpaper, originally uploaded by lille-ursus.

When we renovated our kitchen, in our house from 1912, we found this old wallpaper under several layers of other wallpapers.
I gently tore this piece of the wall.

The print immediately appealed to me - though I wouldn't decorate a whole room with. Not with our low ceilings...

At the time I painted a lot of pictures and I knew from the moment I saw this oldfashioned wallpaper, that I wanted to use this little scrap in a painting. To bring together something new and something aged by time could be fun.

I recently found the brown and yellow colored piece again when I was moving my sewingroom.
Every time I see it, I get an urge to get started on the painting.

But I have to have the perfect idea ready in my head before I begin. I wouldn't want to waste this wallpaper due to haste - haste makes waste, you know....

R...S...G...

Ready....

Steady....

Go!!

As usual....

Dots & stripes, originally uploaded by lille-ursus.

....I got tempted by haberdashery. Stripes and dots - I will never be cured for my love of those patterns.

So once again I'm over the moon about some ribbons - these woven ones are from Maileg. And I could have brought home lots more, but...

Besides that I'm busing painting the last pictures for my friend. She came with 11 canvases, which she is going to give her colleagues for Christmas, and I promised to fill them out.

It has taken loads of time, but now I'm finally getting there. I still have 3 left, but hope to finish them this week....if my ideas keep coming. I'm not sure! It feels like they have been used up for a while...

Glimpses of a Friday

Sitting at our kitchen table, I can see loads of things. Lovely Hyacinths in glasses next to a little candle.

Lots of my paint and crayons haven recently been taken out from their hideaway. I used to paint and draw so much, but the last 3 years those things haven't been a major part of my life.

When I look into our livingroom I see the little red suitcase in which I have my knittingneedles - and for the time being - it contains a new striped hat for Red Barnet.

Sadly the blue hat went to the bin the other day. I sewed it together in the wrong way (which I always do with Djævlehuer) and while unravelling I accidently cut over a stitch!!

But never mind...I will make another.

I hope you all enjoy the weekend with your loved ones - I certainly will.

Marvellous Minimega

While talking about artists who create gorgeous things for children, I can't leave out mentioning the fine shop Minimega. (I'm sure that most of you Danish blog readers have heard about the shop before...)

Picture from Minimega

Minimega is the place to buy beautiful cards, lovely wrapping paper and inspirering posters. All made from 100 % recycled paper.

The shop is owned by the Danish graphic designer Sara Andersen, and she makes her figures and patterns look in an amazing way. She manages to create with her head and her heart - and I think that it definitely shows.

A while ago I bought some of her wrapping paper - I really like the clean and elegant prints on the different sheets. And I see so many possibilities in that paper....if I had the heart to use it! (Luckily I can always buy more....)

Sara Andersen has a bunch of ideas on how to use her paper too. You should definitely have a look at her Minimega - do it yourself site.

And while you are at it, go check out the shop and her blog....I don't think that you will regret meeting her new lions, giraffes and whales. If you are lucky, you might even win some!!!

He was a shark!

A shark- eating a man - was what Emil finally decided to be for Fastelavn....so he and I worked for many hours all Sunday - cutting, sewing, glueing and painting. Actually I didn't go to bed before 5.30 in the morning, becuse I needed to sew the last stitches on the costume by hand. But all the time was worth the effort. Emil was very satisfied with the way the shark turned out, and I really enjoyed that we made it together.

I haven't taken some proper photos of Emil in the costume yet - the ones you see in this post are of him, when he left for school in the morning. I will try to take some which show the detalis a bit better. (But I hope you get the idea of a pair of legs in the mouth of the shark - the rest of the body has been "eaten" by it!)

I did however laugh a lot when Christian took off with a shark in the frontseat.....oh my, that looked hilarious!

For Fastelavn children go around in the neighbourhood wearing their customes, knock on doors and sing a certain song. They are supposed to get money, candy or other goodies for singing to you.

We had losts of vistors singing at our doorstep - Luke Skywalker, witches, scouts, flamengo dancers, ghosts, gifts and many more. I always think that it's funny to see how the children have dressed up.

Emil had a wonderful day, but it was a bit hot being a shark...

Tea time

Tea time, originally uploaded by shoobydoo.

I love, love, love the works made by Kate from London. I have probably already shown her lovely birds, but Kate makes new and funny ones all the time....

You should have a look at her blog and her etsy shop.

Bird love

hartekip, originally uploaded by SuanaLea.

I could look at this wonderful bird forever....The lines, the colours, the shape, the expression, the text - all of it!

Some people simply have the abbility to create creatures, which have a spellbinding apperance - no matter which materials they use for their work.

This definitely goes for the Canadian artist Suana Verelst. She is an illustrator, graphic designer and toymaker.

The soft dolls she also makes, are just as amazing as her drawings. The dolls have a special touch of childhood, which really makes me smile and feel happy....

You can find her work in different places - here, here and here... I have allready seen her websites, but I feel the need to have another look!

I can only recommend you to have a good look a her lovely world!

This morning I heard the blackbirds sing for the first time this year. I love it when the birds' song wake me early, early in the morning...

( Elsker du også solsorten, kan du finde den fine illustration af Liselotte under overskudsdeling på http://www.slagtenhelligko.dk/ - helt gratis!!)

I'm sure the blackbirds chose today, because my dearest friend - my bigsister Lotte - turns 44 .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LOTTE!

Looking for new blogs?

From lovely Marmee Craft

Sometimes I come across the most marvellous blogs. Blogs that take me to a totally different universe, where I forget everything around me.

This is often due to the fantastic ideas, beautiful things and inspirering writing that are in the blogs.

One of the blogs which has this special kind of magic is Marmeecraft. (I know I have referred to her before, but she deserves all the attention she can get)

First of all the blog simply looks amazing - I'm so fond of Marjorie's art and the way the blog is designed.

Secondly, Marjorie always writes about a lot of interesting stuff. I.e she recently started to make a copy of a dress from the 1840's. And her language and personality!!

I just adore visiting her blog....

Another exciting blog, that I found the other day is Du Buh Du Designs. As well as Marmeecraft this blog also has the most wonderful handmade dolls. The artist Christine is so talented.....The expressions on the tiny ladies' faces are simply breathtaking - at least I think so...

Dolls at Du Buh Du Designs

Actually the rest of us are so lucky, that both blog owners have an etsy shop.

You can find Marmeecraft's shop here and Du Buh Du Designs' here.

I hope you will enjoy their blogs if you take the time to see them. They sure get my best recommandations...