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THE SPICE OF LIFE { retailer POV }

 

One of my absolute favorite things about doing a trade show is meeting people. Most people who have visited me at NSS will testify to the fact that I'm extreeeeeeeemely chatty. Sometimes, I think I should rent an adjacent booth, keep it free of product, catalogs, graphics or any sales-y ness and just make a salon out of it. A lovely couch and seats, nibbles...just a fun place for friends to meet and share ideas.

Come to think of it, that's probably a really good idea.

I could have spent all day chatting with These Inspiring Ladies, who own the Rhinebeck, NY store that sells the items I've posted. I just love it when retailers have a strong point of view, that comes so vividly and excitingly to life through their item choices.

Anyway, I thought you would enjoy taking a refreshing trip to Paper Trail and picking out your own favorites.
Above - my standouts... Glitter letters, Horse-head bottle opener, A raincoat from their current exhibition of paper artwork, Christian Lacroix Notecards and Postcards (delicious to send, or to frame!)

DAILY CRAVE { a giant, decorative, abacus }

I saw these online last night and thought they were such a cool idea. I've seen lots of (ok, I have no idea how to pluralize this) Abacusses? in my life... But I'm liking the way this one uses these friendly beads in hip colors.

This is a decorative abacus - so a more traditional abacus might have two levels of beads. This one can mainly be used to calculate the number of throw pillows it takes to get your significant other to recommend you seek therapy.

I can see this being very fun in a child's playspace or bedroom - or even in a study.

As they say "View This In A Room" Here

MATH CLASS { geometric scarves }

There's something great about the way such simple shapes play together in these geometric scarves by Echo. And, I thought this would be a nice follow-up post to this morning's crazy couch.

It seems I never get tired of what just one or two colors can do, when combined with the right shapes. Over the weekend, some friends and I were talking about how babies see things -- newborns supposedly only see high contrast -- and it fascinates them to no end.

Perhaps I never grew out of that bug-eyed-geometrically-transfixed phase. And I hope I never do!

Go go google-eyes! here.

DAILY CRAVE { £ }

Wakey Wakey!

I'm posting this... ahem... bespoke... sofa because I really like it. But... I'd also love to see one in just black and white, one in navy and white, one in navy and red, and one in green and navy.  And while we're on the topic, one in red and orange. I'm thinking rugby shirt colors, Mr. Conran, sir, if you please.

Accepting donations.

Or, you can just go here and get one for me. Thanks in advance!

----- addition -----

Thanks Tricia for setting me straight in comments... Normally, I do more sourcing! After visiting the Squint site, I had to also add these pics to my records.

Daaaaaaaaaaaaamn.

Floored { favorite rugs }

Psssst! Down here!

I keep walking by the Tufenkian store on 3rd Ave and coveting a floral rug I see in the window. So, I wanted to make sure and post about some of my favorite designer styles so I didn't forget them. In my fantasies, I'm asked to design a rug series. One day, it will happen. Fingers crossed.

Aren't these gorgeous? The colors of the first one are just wonderful...so earthy and rich. And the detail in the Vivienne Westwood Magnolia design are just so perfectly defined. The Marni rug (third design down) has that special, Marni lumpy bumpy pretty frumpy look, and the last one...well, just an explosion of carefully chosen color. Easier to look at than it is to do, I'm sure.

Found here
and here

ps. I'm posting this at the risk of getting innundated by spammy internet carpet people looking to link for free. That's the high stakes game of design blogging. See what I do for love??

DAILY CRAVE { making friends }

Do you remember making friendship bracelets? I was thinking about it this morning. I always thought it was so very cool that with just a few threads, a safety pin, and a blue-jeaned knee, a beautiful bracelet could be born. It seemed like a miracle. Simple things often do, to me.

My friends and I used to carry our safety pins, knotted with our bracelets-in-progress to school. During recess, we'd get to work knotting and braiding the colorful bands together. It was really great to have a craft that was my own... not related to art class or instruction, or school but something I could work on during *my* time. I remember looking forward to it... just wanting to get out of class and work on MY project. I suppose my making/creating life is not that different from that today.

Anyway, I like thinking about it.

Image found here.

LIGHTS, CAMERA { lighting as a style element }

This weekend, I was re-acquainting myself with one of my favorite stores, Toast. Normally, I would post about the items that I really like from their well-curated collections... but I found myself wanting to center a post around the art direction in their summer catalogs, instead.

What I found really interesting in their latest catalogs is the photographer's choice to let lighting become so much a part of the photography that at times, it actually *almost* obscures the subject of the shot.

Personally, I think this is a great choice for a summer catalog. It really helps the reader to connect to the motivation behind the design of the items that are featured, and puts one 'into the scene'. While many typical catalogs have adopted really juicy, blurred background, Real Simple-esque macro shots, I think this is an interesting departure, yet related. It's slightly risky, but definitely informed, and the result is a catalog that's approachable, beautiful, and refreshing to look through...showing products in a new way (like the bedsheet set, up here).

Browse through more lookbooks for the full effect here.

DAILY CRAVE { this necklace }

Good morning, all!

I am back at my blog after a long absence (too long, I know), and a great National Stationery Show! Hopefully, I can post some more details about it later on. Let's just say it was exactly what I hoped for, and I had a wonderful time. It was great to meet so many new faces, but also to reconnect with people who have been so encouraging and supportive over the past three years.

Anyway, I thought I'd start off with today's crave, hard to resist with a gorgeous, detailed image like this. I love the simplicity and ruggedness of this necklace, (it can also be worn as a belt) but also the combination of textures and unique shapes. While I have always admired Eninaj's signature, lasercut leather pieces, I would probably never wear them - just not my thing.

But I'm really liking the new, minimal direction she's been trying out. For example... this... and this... and this...
Great everyday pieces that would go with almost anything.

I've been meaning to tell you...

Hello Kiddos!

Just popping in for a second. I spent a very long day over at the Javits Center yesterday getting the Susy Jack booth gussied up for the Stationery Show. I have posted a photo of the progress here.

In other (prettier) news... up here is a photo of some of the pages of the eco-friendly wall calendar for 2011, which will make it's debut at NSS, too. These are three of my favorite designs. This year, I thought I'd go further with the idea of macro nature. While last year's calendar was nature-based, It had a flatter look. I wanted to make this feel like a super-saturated, bees-eye view of dynamic natural shapes. I can't wait to show you the whole thing.

Anyway, I'll post some pics of the booth when it's all done. Fingers crossed I can put up my shelving without incident. I am being completely serious when I tell you I spend the majority of my sleepless nights freaking out over the following:

1. Shelving
2. Shelving

More soon! xx Sus

Air Space { new explorations by Nervous System }

When I am not busily preparing for Trade Shows like an insane, obsessed, unwashed lunatic, I can often be found watching online episodes of NOVA. No, actually, my life is very little about shopping and buying, much less about glamour and trends, and more about reading, thinking, learning, and trying to get comfortable.

Which brings me to an interesting fact I learned watching an episode called "First Flower" which chronicles the search for the most ancient flowering plant. Anyway, I learned that the older a plant, the more complex the circulation paths in the leaves are. Younger species have comparatively simple leaf veins- more linear, direct circulation, if you will.

Since I am not a scientist, or an expert, I'll stop there. But I will say, when I saw this new series by Nervous System, I was excited. These lovely, lacy patterns are actually the ventilation roadmaps of leaves. I couldn't help but wonder how old these plants are.

The last two images are from their Full Moon series - not leaves, obviously, but too interesting to leave out. Pardon the pun.

View their explorations here
Learn about their processes here
Also - Don't miss this slideshow of ancient, interesting blooms and facts.