roadside scholar

stuff i found on the highway of life

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valentine shopping fun (round up)

late to the party, my head is swimming with all the vday goodies i’ve seen floating around here. some of these items might not make it to your mailbox before the big day but you can still enjoy looking at some of my favorite categories…

romance in photography from jennifer squires, art of whimsy, kayleen michelle and alyson jones

 inspired jewelry from laurie chapman, margaux lange, victoria buckley and stephanie simek

ceramic and glass bliss from lily pottery and jeri goodman

soft-sided accessory love from las lopezlas, fringe, stewart and brown, and linda lye

poetic paper from l2 design collective, porterness, amy blackwell (via) and able and game (via)

love spray from reed seifer

 

chocolate creations from jean philippe maury, christopher elbow and knipschildt

sweet and funny illustrations from laura george, seaspray blue and le papier

pillows: pooh, humble and veronique

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the mark mothersbaugh home collection

frankly i think it is weird to say that devo frontman mark mothersbaugh has a home collection, but it is pretty clear that his avant musical talents are tantamount to his artistic skills. check out this sampling of graphic ceramic accessories, bold wallpaper and stylish rugs he’s made for his company walteria living.

from here it looks pretty edgy, urban and sometimes disturbing, but still very livable.

see the complete collection at walteria. learn more about mark’s music at his website.

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donna wilson textiles

i love these quirky lambswool pillow designs that uk designer donna wilson is offering. there is something so homey and inviting about them all.

purchase select pieces from thorsten van elten online, and see more from donna on her website. she’s got great linen towels too!

 

(told ya)

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one of a kind chicago: 2008 highlights, pt. 2

more intrigue, mystery and fun from the one of a kind show happening here in chicago and continuing through the weekend, and one more post coming after this one…

steve shay’s citizenshay graphic collage prints on canvas and wood

 

recycled wool accessories by sue burns for baabaazuzu

oil paintings from mike welton

porcelain pottery and sculpture by ernest miller

seen-around-the-city photography by alison bixby

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one of a kind chicago: 2008 highlights, pt. 1

polymer clay and wool creations from debra de wolff

i made my way through the seriously substantial one of a kind show yesterday, which was not easy, because the thing is HUGE. there was quite a lot of inspiration to be found, and there were quite a lot of high end craft and assorted seasonal things that were tasteful but didn’t necessarily fit into my aesthetic or budget. this helped to quicken my pace. the other thing that pushed me along in a more speedy fashion was the fact that we were jammed in like sardines in the aisles here, which i was happy to see but which also made it a challenge to take photos. i had to ditch my camera after a while.

i also have to add this: many more people at the renegade and bucktown shows knew what a blog was and what you can do with it. i was met with a few suspicious gazes in telling people i was blogging the show at ooak. not unkind, but a tad weird, because i am usually yeehawing and high fiving the air when i hear that someone wants to write about me. like my camera, i actually quit mentioning it after a while. i prefer to be more stealthy when it comes to blogging shows anyway.

back to the point though: there were some wonderful finds there, both in the one of a kind/handmade area (which encompassed an entire enormous floor in the merchandise mart) and the artist’s project, featuring compelling artworks one floor down. it’s going on all weekend, so if you like what you see here and are local you should definitely have a look in person!

serene maritime and still life photography by dale m. reid

susan hinckley’s whimsical works in wool

beautifully presented feminine jewelry by julie and koeun for poesi

gorgeous blown glass from thomas and rebecca maras

skillful aquatint etchings by george raab

i’ve got another post coming later today with more highlights, so stay tuned!

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boogie man rug by jellio

When I was a kid I was totally terrified of boogeyman monsters in my closet and under the bed, and now as an adult if I watch Dexter or True Blood too late in the day I have a hard time getting to sleep that night. Too bad I didn’t have this wildly colorful Boogie Man rug from our friends at Jellio back when I was young. Maybe I would have been emboldened with more pluck to face any ogres that came my way, instead of hiding under the covers. Or maybe it would have scared the monsters away on its own, also a positive thing.

Purchase the 8′ x 10′ hand tufted wool rug and see more nostalgic designs at the Jellio website.

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josh jakus eggflat containers

These egg crate shaped felt accessories from San Francisco designer Josh Jakus are fun, aren’t they? Called Eggflats, the sculptural containers come in small and large sizes, can interconnect, fold flat for storage and can be used to hold all sorts of things.

Purchase these pieces at Elsewares and see more from Josh right here.

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amy arnold soft sculpture

i am borrowing a quote from one of my favorite commenters when i say that these precisely crafted works from wisconsin textile artist amy arnold for her company peepwool are sweetie creepy. or should i say grotesque and exuberant? either way i love them. they are crafted of recycled felted wool and assorted cloth accoutrements, and are so masterfully sewn that their emotions really show through.

what a brilliant success!

see more fantastic work from amy on her website.

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