brita sweden

{pretties from brita sweden}

au naturale

ever since the research i'd done on fabrics and the types of weave when i was selecting one for my wedding dress, i'd realized why synthetics have always felt scratchy against my skin. i've tried to steer clear of them ever since and in all earnesty, try to have silks, linens and cottons in my family wardrobe and our soft furnishings. these videos are so beautiful and do the natural fabric much justice, in my opinion.

BE LINEN MOVIE from Benoit MILLOT on Vimeo.

via here and here.

awash

my little babe in utero is giving me watercolor dreams. i think i might not be able to resist the idea of buying these fabrics from Nani Iro (available from fabric tales) and making her supersoft sheets.

postscript: there are some concerns about sewing double gauze. these instructions seem very helpful. here and here.

p.p.s. bought my nani iro fabrics (on sale!) from miss matatabi. can't wait!

making dreamland sweeter

i saw inspira's post and i had to laugh. i was thinking about crib sheets all day. amongst other baby/toddler things. i'm eyeing organic cotton fabrics from cloud 9 and whimsical designs from free spirit. and yes, who can forget instructions. see here and here.



{cloud9 fabrics; parisville by tula pink; kumari gardens by dena designs; circus by felicity miller}

postscript: found more instructions: here and here.

kimura

loving romo's kimura in turmeric
{images from m.design and apartment therapy}

The Butler Did It

I popped by John Lewis yesterday for a spot of tea.

Really, I was there to just grab these for Nadine, have tea. And then Nadine and I would be off. Or so I thought. Not until I laid my eyes on Heather Bailey. And Amy Butler. And -gasp - Anna Maria Horner.

My head spun. My knees went weak. My legs nearly buckled. I felt light headed yet I could hear my brains buzzing. With excitement.

I scoured the floor for Anna Maria Horner's Small Gathering.

No stock.

Blow. Bummer. Dangit.

Then, I laid my eyes on this:

Not sure at that point what I want to do with the fabric but 3 metres of it should be more than enough for something.

Arab Street

I finally managed to convince M to drive Nadine and I to . . . drum roll please . . . Arab Street.

My absolute favourite street. Arab Street.

You can call me the Arab Street stalker if you wish but yes, I am enthralled by the bales of fabric available on this sleepy yet thriving five-foot-way of a street.

I can spend hours on this street just admiring the prints and patterns of the fabrics; feeling the fabrics against my skin; choosing the appropriate shades of the fabrics. So you can only imagine just how much M whinge each time at the mere mention of the street(!).

But today, M came with us. And he even went shopping.

Albeit, we went into our favourite shop on Arab Street (the same shop where we got that almost elusive perfect shade of purple sewn into our traditional malay dress and suit for our pre-wedding shoot, that same shop where we stopped by for a pre-wedding shoot) and spent all of 10 minutes choosing a cross shade of khaki/gold silk dupioni.

And because M was sweet enough to come Arab Street shopping with us (technically just me since my sweet angel was fast asleep in her stroller), I didn't stroll further down the street looking for fabric in a somewhat matching shade.

Oh well, another day then. :-)

linens on my mind

...{lisa stickley laundry linens}



{various sources: left images from lotta jansdotter, middle images from anthropologie (sometime ago), top right: lotta jansdotter, bottom right: living etc. }

A Mini Surprise

I went on a Paper Source diet recently and shopped my way through the sale.

Mini was sweet enough to volunteer (ok, she had no choice cos' I practically had her arms twisted..heh) to receive the delivery and then mail the package on to me.

I got home the night before to a wonderful package waiting for me. Dry and beautiful despite the stormy weather all day that night.

And I had a sneaking surprise courtesy of Mini:-

(Orla Kiely kitchen towels and a twig & fig's cute letterpressed card)

Isn't she sweet?

Thank you Mini! You may just sway me to California with that letterpressed card. :-P

5eizen Inspiration

I was looking for inspiration.

These caught my eyes:-

(Images courtesy of 5eizen via Etsy)

Psychedelic Love

Confession:

I fell in love with the fabric in an instant I laid eyes on it. It's crazy wild colours remind me of Missoni.

I'm not one to usually buy brightly coloured dresses. My usual staple of black, nudes, grey/silver dresses are the norm. I thought this would be a nice change, albeit a bit of a crazy shock. :-P

I had my good friend sew a simple dress for me.

I love it. So does M, thankfully.

Now I need green (or pink perhaps?) shoes to go with the dress.

What do you think? ~ Inspira

tissue-box tutorial

talented Lara Cameron designs really imaginative limited-edition eco-fabric that is a 55-45 hemp-organic cotton blend. there's something about "real" fabric that synthetics could never measure up to. synthetics could never breathe - something i've grown to really dislike over the years. lara cameron writes a blog and look, there's a tissue-box tutorial to boot!

note to self: another project in my craft-inbox ( inspira, am i digging my own crafty grave??? when should we hit spotlight - huh huh huh???)

~exp~

{tissue-box tutorial pictures and fabulous fabric - all from lara cameron}

{speaking of fabric, these from lotta jansdotter easily work with any home decor too}

{top rows from the kirin notebook}

{bottom row fabric from Lotta Jansdotter}

Living in a Material World

Cat Wei's "Material World" is my new night-time reading . . . (somehow I have Madonna's Material Girl playing at the back of my head now). :-P ~ Inspira

friends 4ever

dear IKEA,

it's not you, it's me. i think you are great although sometimes you do have a little attitude when the line gets a little too long. but i digressed. i'm sorry that i sometimes try to change you instead of letting you be yourself. i'm proud and self-conscious (and sometimes pimply). and i sometimes don't like to admit how much i like you. as i mentioned - it's me, not you. like, these lovely offsprings from your looms, i just feel that i'd be part of a mindless fanbase if i don't mix you up a bit. i just sometimes, ermmm, don't like you verbatim. *feet shuffling* but you know, you are great, and i'm sure a lot of people love you for the way you are. i hope you'll love me for who i am too.

friends 4ever,
exp

{black and white chic l2r: GUNVOR, FIALENA}

{green, happy and lucky: FREDRIKA and HJODIIS}

{grown-up and still loving nature: PATRICIA and STOCKHOLM BLAD}

{and we all know that folksy charm goes a long way: FIALENA}

{so does geeky geometry: PERNILLA and PETRONELLA}