Blog Praise: Dottie Angel

I'm starting a blog praise at the beginning of each week, or a blog of the week rather.  This week I want to praise Dottie Angel, by Tif, who  I found through the Artful Blogging magazine (Winter 2010 issue). I absolutely love her eclectic style, and the imagination behind "Dottie Angel" herself. Tif also has an etsy shop with more of her work and beautiful images. Enjoy :)

[Click images for details]

All images taken by Tif.

Gathering Spriggs by Heather Thompson

Hi everyone,  I hope your weekends were relaxing and productive at the same time!  Let's start out our week with some beauty shall we?

Heather Thompson, an artist and designer based out Nashville, TN (one of my favorite places in TN) is the writer of the blog Gathering Spriggs, and has worked as a decorative painter/ faux finisher in homes and businesses in TN.

If you haven't stumbled across her blog already, I am so happy I could introduce you to it. I have found myself reading and going to her blog numerous amounts of times for inspiration in the past few weeks, and I can not get over how gorgeous and beautiful everything is.  Inspirational articles about decor, color trends, design, shops, and more are found that inspire Heather day to day, and I am so happy that she is sharing all of it with us.

 I also urge you take the time to visit her Etsy shops, Gathering Spriggs, and Gathering Vintage to see her personal work!

Etsy Shops

Krista Keltanen

Krista Keltanen is an advertising and commercial photographer and digital artist. She also does very beautiful, dreamy fine art photography that you can find in her Etsy shop.  Also, please check out her gorgeous blog for more eye candy.  I'm so excited to add Krista to my inspiration list, and you should too! Aren't these photographs absolutely breathtaking?

 

Current Inspiration

Hi all! I hope your new year is going well. I can't believe it's already February! I have been going crazy this quarter, but it's going well. I love love love screen printing, and I am also falling in love with my black and white film photography class. It's all consuming my life, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Here are some things that have been inspiring me lately.

LILO RAYMOND
My photo professor introduced me to her. I love the subtlety of her photography. The white on white feel is so refreshing and captures a very dreamy essence I think. I've been viewing her work for aesthetic inspiration.

KATRIN SCHWULST
Her illustrations are adorable! I love the whimsical feel of her work. I i really miss sketching, because I don't get to do it as much as I used to. I was browsing around online and came across her, and I couldn't help but fall in love with her work. I was doing a little research today on illustration for screen printing, given I love the hand drawn look ,and I'm hoping I can put some illustrative elements in my prints for future projects. I just got project one back today, which was a placement print that I did on an apron. Can't wait to take a pic and show you!

Have a lovely lovely day :)

Repetition

Here are some images I thought were very nice and inspirational to me, being I'm working on repeat patterns at the moment. A very important element in design, repetition is everywhere if you pay close attention. We use it to create unity and rhythm, which is very pleasing to the eye. Next time your out and about, look around; trees, bricks, light posts, plants, etc.. all naturally create pattern that we don't even take notice to every single day.

{click image for source}

Jane Cumberbatch

Today I was out and about getting some last minute things before I leave for Savannah, and made a run in to T.J. Maxx (you never know what you'll find!) I was looking at different books they had setting out and came across a book called Decorating Easy, by Jane Cumberbatch. The images of the interiors inside the book were so beautiful and contained many lovely little DIY projects and ideas. I thought, "Wow, I really need to look her up!" Many of you might have already heard of her, but those who haven't like myself, I am happy to enlighten you!

Jane is an interior decorator, and has been a decorating editor, journalist, and style director of various leading publications, one being Elle Decoration. Jane's style consists of her own little "ingredients" and reflects a very simple and natural feel. You can check out the range of simple products she is currently developing at her Pure Style website. You can also visit her blog, PureBlog, which is so refreshing with gorgeous images. Recently, Elle Decoration has voted her blog one of the best style blogs on the web. Very impressive.

Be Domestic:

Be Lazy:

Be Clean:

Be Chill:

Be Green:

Be Inspired :

A Creative Mint

I found yet another lovely lovely blog today called A Creative Mint via Creature Comforts, at which she is guest blogging as well as decor8. The author of A Creative Mint is Leslie, who is using this blog to pour out her creativity and passion for design. Her little projects are wonderful for color inspiration, and her photography and collages are absolutely beautiful. I couldn't stop looking at it! I just can't get enough of the gorgeous color schemes, and the soft, calm sensation of the photos. Sooo divine! You can also find her photos on flickr. Please go feast your eyes!

Vegetable Gardens and a Tree Swings

the vegetable garden:
I don't think I could eat for another month! Today I went to my grandparents house. We ate fresh vegetables picked straight from their garden (the decision to go down there was on the spur of the moment, so I didn't get a chance to grab my camera. If I had thought fast enough, I would have grabbed it and taken pictures of the garden to share with you guys..dang it.) We had black-eyed peas, corn, green beans, okra, tomatoes, and squash; the perfect southern meal. It was savory, delicious, heavenly. I enjoyed myself, because I knew it would be a while before getting to eat something so deliciously home-cooked once I got back to Savannah.

Oh yes. I can't forget., for desert, we had old-fashioned blackberry cobbler. The blackberries were picked as well right outside from the vine! I remembered to save room for it. My mouth waters thinking about how wonderful it was. Are your mouths watering yet? After we ate, my granddad wanted me to take some fresh veggies home (no hesitation there), so we went out back to the garden and picked corn, tomatoes, and peas. I can't wait to cook them! He also gave me some home-made blackberry jam he and my grandmother just made. I had a little taste-it was perfect. (Thank you both so much! I love you!)

With this, I've always wanted to have my own little garden. My goal is to eventually have one after I am settled in my own home in the future. I think gardens are wonderful and a perfectly sustainable way to live. No preservatives or pesticides, and its like your own little market in your backyard! I can't wait. Oh yes, and I found a website about organic vegetable gardening that is very informative if you want to start creating your own!

My Grandparents garden looks a little something like this one, plus corn.

Home-grown tomatoes are so sweet and juicy!

the tree swing:

Another thing that I've always wanted growning up is a tree swing. On the way back from my grandparent's house, I saw the perfect tree for a swing. I thought to myself, "If only we had had that tree in our back yard." Living in town, we don't really have wide open spaces like in the country where my grandparents live.

I got to swing on one at a family reunion we had down by a creek when I was around 7 or 8 years old. The location is vivid, but I definitely remember the swing. It was plain and simple. Some rope and part of a 2x4. You could walk the swing up a huge hill, settle yourself, and then drop. Oh, it was so fun, and I could swing so high. I loved how free I felt on the swing. The perfect technique is leaning back with your head tilted back as well. Then you close your eyes and imagine yourself flying as the breeze hits your face from the momentum. That was the best swing I'd ever been on. Oh, to find another.

{Click images for image source}