Joy Joy

high peformance...meets high fashion

2008-07-29T09:59:00.004-04:00

Working at a A/I design firm can be a lot of fun. I love it when they put out samples of new finish materials. This new line Xorel Embroider from Carnegie Fabrics really caught my eye. I love the detail and the delicacy of the fabric.

"Modern luxury is captured by the merging of the unexpected. The art of couture embroidery decoratively embellishes and transforms this high performance textile. The richness of detail and the sens of craft is apparent in the decorative stitches and laid threads."
-from Manufacturer's product packaging

it's in the stars

2008-07-23T21:42:00.006-04:00

Charming little letterpress prints from Lab Partners. Available online through their Etsy store.

lucite delight

2008-07-23T21:17:00.011-04:00

I love the crisp, bold and modern feel of this lucite lamp from Aaron R. Thomas. The open space in the base is just perfect for tucking away that bedtime read.

spring comes at vagabond

2008-02-29T15:11:00.004-05:00

I took one of my retail therapy decompress and relax jonts out and about Olde City today. I decided to stop in Vagabond Boutique, when I spotted this super cute pair of suede Rachel Comey perforated open-toe oxford pumps in the window. Gorgeous!

There are a number of fabulous new spring pieces, but I particularly fell in love with this little japanese-inspired cardigan/jacket/button-down from Aoyama Itchome.

There was also a film crew in the boutique filming a "Best of Shopping" segment for Philadelphia Weekly (at least I think it was Philly Weekly. I was nervous.) They interviewed me and filmed me trying on a few things in front of the mirror, so maybe you'll see me doing one of the things that I do best (um...shopping). It was fun, and it was a highlight of a day that otherwise wasn't going so well.

bring back the letter

2008-02-26T12:52:00.003-05:00

I adore the personalized stationery sets from Avie Designs. You can check out more sets and purchase them from the Etsy store.

[Top to Bottom: Tree Drops and Hexagon White patterns]

using your walls to declare your shoe love

2008-02-23T13:32:00.003-05:00

What every shoe lover needs is a way to express that love in their home decor, right? Swedish designer Lisa Bengtsson has created this stunning wallpaper that will allow you to stylishly do just that. You can purchase it via Bunny Maxwell.

[spotted via the style files]

elloh...amazing

2008-02-22T14:00:00.000-05:00

I am so taken with the artwork of Elloh (aka El Lohse). Simply special! It was love at first Buffy-sight. Check out her Etsy store to purchase her amazing little pieces.

[Top to Bottom: Ode to Bob Ross, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Breakfast at Tiffany's]

imaginary snow globe worlds

2008-02-22T13:00:00.001-05:00

Words can hardly express all the awe and magic contained in these amazing snowglobe creations by Walter Martin & Paloma Muñoz.

[via 2modern]

paper dolls

2008-02-22T12:00:00.001-05:00

Anna Ventura's paper dolls are so exquisite and delicate. They are perfection in paper form.

nature's own air filter

2007-12-19T16:46:00.000-05:00

Naturaire's “living wall” functions as a natural air purification system. For more details, check out their website.

via Metropolis

finally...some slick looking eagles gear

2007-12-19T14:39:00.000-05:00

I'm totally digging these tees created by UNDFTD for UBIQ. Excellent gift idea for those crazy Eagles fans in your life.

The tees become available at UNDFTD’s online shop, UBIQ Walnut St in Philadelphia, or UBIQlife.com on Thursday, December 20th.

via UBIQLIFE

b + l + o + c + k + s = love

2007-12-11T16:18:00.000-05:00

Really cool graphics on these fun and affordable pieces of jewelry from i love blocks.

reducing holiday waste with origami

2007-12-10T16:11:00.000-05:00

Leave it to the japanese to come up with a wonderfully minimal and artistic way to wrap gifts. Download PDF instructions here.

[via treehugger and lifehacker]

domino wishes

2007-12-07T22:02:00.001-05:00

I was really delighted to find a special little insert when I opened my new Domino magazine, featuring the holiday gift wishes of some of Domino's lovely editors. What a nice way to attach some personality to a gift guide. Check out the slideshow to see the full selection.

nature + christmas = adorable

2007-12-07T19:28:00.000-05:00

I love to incorporate elements of nature into my decor whenever I can, so when I came across these adorable bird decorations by Martha Stewart at my local Kmart I was simply inspired.

[left to right: Martha Stewart Everyday Christmas Twilight Bird, my own sweet little birdie]

Louis Stettner

2007-12-07T12:27:00.000-05:00

Beautiful, raw and engimatic photography by Louis Stettner.

volang

2007-11-22T21:00:00.000-05:00

Check out these cute hats from Volang. They allow you to keep your ears warm, and you can still wear a ponytail.

bedazzle your earlobes

2007-11-21T12:41:00.000-05:00

Gorgeous earrings from Maslodesign.

thankfulness for stone

2007-11-21T11:18:00.000-05:00

Since it is Thanksgiving tomorrow, it feels like time to reflect on family and our uncanny similarities. For a variety of reasons, the women in my family have a fondness and some might call it "obsession" with stone. I recently came across a lovely article in House & Garden magazine, titled "Skillful Salvage" featuring the amazing stonework of Lew French that made me a bit nostalgic.

I can remember as a little girl my grandmother used to point out these little stone houses we would pass on weekend drives through winding country roads. She always had this glimmer in her eye and a yearning to someday have a little stone cottage of her own, complete with a beautiful and overflowing garden of luscious roses, peonies and irises.

My mother's fondness leans far more towards obsession. I'm not really sure when or how it began, but one day she started "collecting" stones for her rock garden. One by one, she would bring them home and add to her pile. Soon, the rocks were more of an attraction than the flowers that surrounded them. The collection started to grow as she started making requests for people to bring her back a rock from their travels. I once brought her a stone I found in a creek bed driving through the Berkshires. Unfortunately, it never made it to the collection because believe it or not someone stole it off my front step. I guess it was a nicer rock than even I realized. She has since moved on to boulder size monoliths, and she likes to insist that I hop out of the car and grab these monsters when we drive past a freshly plowed potato field. I'd do it too, if I didn't think I would end up with a hernia.

Finally, my own interest is more archeological and architectural in nature. When I was a little girl my grandfather gave me two lumps that I at first thought were just rocks, but he explained to me that they were once pieces of wood that had petrified. These are still two of my most prized possessions, to this day; and there began my own connection with stone. Ever since, I have been moved by the longevity and historical relevance of stone itself. Where has it been, how old is it, who or what has touched it and was it something else before it became what it is today? One of the things I loved when I lived in New England was the plentitude of stone walls that are just everywhere. Some were built to mark the boundaries of property lines and some for modern day curb appeal, but all were and are built by hand with skillful thoughtfulness that isn't easily matched. To me stone is not cold. It is something warm and familiar, and it makes me think that nature's own architecture is quite frankly tops in my book.

I hope everyone has the opportunity to take the time this Thanksgiving to celebrate and be thankful for their own families.

harajuku me, please

2007-08-29T21:10:00.000-04:00

Wee fun! HP is now featuring the fabulous and fashionable Gwen Stefani. The website allows you to create a Harajuku paper doll of yourself and all your girlfriends. My doll, which is below, is just so cute.

[Harajuku Joy]

Doug Mockett & Company Shelving

2007-08-27T12:46:00.000-04:00

I am totally in love with these shelves from Doug Mockett & Company. I first spotted them in the back of a trade magazine and was immediately surprised to see something so colorful coming for Mockett. Up to this point, I had only been familiar with their traditional hardware and furniture components. The available colors are so cool. I'd love to be able to mix them up.

Rapture & Wright

2007-08-21T20:17:00.000-04:00

Sorry for being gone for so long. Life sometimes has a way of sneaking up on you when you least expect it.

To get into the swing again, I thought I'd mention this lovely wallpaper from UK company Rapture & Wright. The Portobello design looks like a cross between delicate lace doilies, snowflakes and cells under a microscope. The perfect combination of feminine and science lab all rolled into one.

Type City

2007-08-02T17:18:00.000-04:00

I'm totally excited. Veer has now started selling letterpress prints of the illustrations from their beautiful promo piece Type City.

[Type City: print detail and collection images]

i heart hayden-harnett

2007-07-24T12:31:00.000-04:00

So sometimes there are moments in this girl's life, when she clicks on a link or turns a page and her heart starts going pitter pat. This happened to me today when I spotted the Luciana Dress by Hayden-Harnett. Believe me I know that there are probably folks out there laughing at me for getting so excited over an article of clothing, but a girl can't help what she loves. It is just simply gorgeous, in flowy silk with the most amazing pattern that surrounds the lapel and sweeps down the sleeves. The pattern too reminds me of the Marimekko Pythagoras design, which is so cool.

I also can't forget to mention that there are matching handbags and totes with the same pattern.

[Hayden-Harnett: Malinka Hobo and Luciana Dress]

[Marimekko Pythagoras]

Hellovon

2007-07-23T22:28:00.001-04:00

Hellovon is run by London based illustrator Von. His work is heavily influenced by the world of music, fashion and design, which is executed with a seamless blend of traditional and digital mark making techniques. The result being striking and insightful illustrations with subtle narratives and a delicate and ethereal quality.

[SVSV 03 by Hellevon]