Sorry!

(Via)

A week without posts here at SparkleShock is something that will hopefully never happen again! Usually when things here are neglected, that means that my life is crazy, hectic…and it totally has been. My that doesn’t mean I can manage my time better and make sure that there’s always something fresh here everyday.

So I hope you’ll accept my apology! Come back tomorrow for some awesome new stuff…The Shock is on hiatus no more!

 

[A Typography Reincarnation]…Letter Revamps by Character

So here’s a neat idea…how about giving signage that’s dismantled another life by giving it new lights and a new home? That’s exactly what Finnish company, Character does. The goal of Character is to save dismantled logos and give them a new life by replacing the fluorescent bulbs with LEDs and then selling them as neat design objects…

This is such a neat idea. I have always wondered what happens to signs on buildings when stores go out of business or something, and now I know that many of that signage gets destroyed. That’s unfortunate because clearly there are tons of people who would love to have those letters as decor. I know I would!

Loving…Polli

Got another awesome accessory label to share with you guys, this time by way of Australia! Polli has these amazing laser cut necklaces, earrings, brooches, and more that depict everything from a street in Amsterdam to a bright bouquet of flowers. Check these out…

I’m loving these pieces of jewelry! Polli also has a collection of housewares that has some really neat jewelry stands that mimic the style of the jewelry lines. On top of that, Polli’s manufacturing process is environmentally conscious. Each piece is made using recycled material and a portion of the proceeds of certain collections are donated to the World Wildlife Fund. Again, a label that offers great design AND an environmentally healthy product is always a star in my book!

[Help Japan]…

I have always felt a kinship with Asia, Japan most specifically. Everything about the people and culture fascinates me and I deeply respect the rich history and traditions of Japan. I’m currently studying Japanese and I’m making plans to travel there in the next few years. So when I heard about the tragic earthquake & tsunami that rocked the nation last Friday, I was immediately heartbroken, sad, and devastated. Seeing the despair that was (and still is) being felt by the people there haunts my heart, yet I cannot seem to turn away from the terrible images that are being transmitted around the world.

Amongst all the anguish however, I do have heart knowing that people and organizations the world over are bending over backwards to do whatever they can to assist in the relief efforts. Of course, being an artist, I am always thrilled when the art community steps up and contributes something, so if you appreciate art and want to do something to help, consider purchasing the print above by design studio W+K. All the proceeds go to relief efforts. I’m going to try & buy this when I get paid…and I’ll be on the look out for other prints, posters, and other forms of art that are being made to aid Japan…after all, it’s the least I can do.

[Homemade Is Best]…An Ikea Cookbook

I do enjoy a good recipe book. I think one of the main reasons is because the food photography is always mouthwatering or interesting. So, it was a delight to come across this recipe book for Ikea called Homemade Is Best. It contains 30 recipes for Swedish cakes and cookies and in true Ikea fashion, the images are orderly, unique, and well, different. Here’s what I mean…

Gosh I love this! The cookbook was styled by Evelina Brattell and photographed by Carl Kleiner. They wanted the cookbook to reflect the minimalism of Ikea’s kitchen appliances…and I think they do that really well! In most cookbooks, the images are usually of just the finished product and not the ingredients. Homemade Is Best is unique because it shows both the ingredients (in a really neat way) and the finished product. Great idea! You can learn more about it here.

Artist of the Day…Mara Caffarone

Today’s artist, Mara Caffarone, certainly has an eye for color and whimsy. I really enjoyed looking through her work, so I decided to share her as an artist of the day because her paintings combine the color & collage style that I love so much. Caffarone hails from Buenos Aires and uses acrylic on paper to create many of her awesome works.

I could tell you more about Caffarone, but I’ll leave you to take a look at her paintings…and then head over to Little Paper Planes to read an interview where she was recently interviewed & featured!

Very pretty, aren’t they? Caffarone has said that colors are fundamental to her because of the relationships they can have to each other & the viewer. I think her work certainly lets color take the stage and do their magic, don’t you agree??

[Retro]…Prints by Inalux

I’m swooning over the retro vibe & colors of these prints by Inalux…

They’re just so nostalgic to me…I need to have some of these on my walls!

[Fashion Frenzy – Part I]…Fall RTW 2011 Wrap Up

I may or may not have stated that it has proven to be next to impossible to keep up with the plethora of shows that come out of NY, Paris, London, & Milan. I tried to, but it seemed as if every time I found a new collection that I was in awe of, 3 more would pop up at the same time! The amazing creations that can come out of fashion week are really quite something, though, so I’ve been bookmarking the collections that a truly did love. They all had something that spoke to me whether it be outstanding color use, fantastic fabrics, or innovative silhouettes.

Hermes (There was a lot of leather in this collection & I loved the silhouette play)

Erdem (oh my gosh, the patterns & prints….)

Giles (Over the top, classy – an aesthetic that I adore)

David Koma (dots, dots, pops of color and I love it!)

Stay tuned for more of my favorites from NY, Paris, London, & Milan!

[Britescapes]…Illustrations by Fmio Watanabe

Aren’t these landscapes the stuff dreams in 8 bit vintage video game color are made of???

These awesome paintings are by Fmio Watanabe. The colors floor me…like I said above, they remind me of vintage video games & what’s better than that??