markets, parties + stoneware

liefday. (with a little inspiration)

{markets, parties + stoneware}

first, a big thank you to all who came out to the Beneath the Tree show last weekend! It turned out to be a great show!

second, I am very excited about the shows coming up in December! UICA Holiday Artist Market + Handmade Collective's Handmade Holiday Party. I am so looking forward to both! (and busily working away in my studio preparing!)

third, I was thinking over my week and what has inspired me in a design sense, and I was, sadly, having a hard time coming up with something! oye. (this is directly related to the fact that I have been working, and working and doing some more working this week (be it lief, anthropologie or nannying), allowing my inspiration to be minimal -- SAD!) but a beautiful thing about working at Anthropologie is that I get inspired while I am at work. here is one of the products that has inspired me this week. it is just so beautiful!

slate stoneware with a mint glaze covered with delicate half moon imprints. gorgeous!

have a fabulous weekend!

emilie

robot rock + beneath the tree

liefday.

{robot rock + beneath the tree}

gearing up for the holidays! still can't believe that we are at this time of the year already...

the first holiday show I am a part of this year is Beneath the Tree this Friday and Saturday. This show is unique in that it is held in different homes around town, with a handful of artists in each. I like this spin because it brings a very cozy + intimate feel (gezellig!) to the show and it has given me the chance to meet some wonderful people, specifically mary, in whose house I am stationed. if you are around this weekend, you should definitely check this show out, there are a lot of talented artists involved. (rebecca green + beth forrest are also in the sylvan street house -- check out the basement with their gorgeous christmas stockings!)

for the show:

the grey striped tie is back with two new ones: robot rock + eyeglasses in dark brown.

and, of course, some mitten lovin' cards.

a big thanks to grand rapids area young life for inviting me to be part of your YL Auction this past week, it was a treat!

have a lovely weekend!

anthropologie + the handmade collective gals

liefday.

{anthropologie + the handmade collective gals}

anthropologie.

the unimagined experience.

the beautiful juxtaposition of modern + vintage.

I started working there last week and its environment has inspired me. from the velvety ribbon to the slate sketched walls; from the detailed laced dresses to the flea market found pieces. oh, and they carry pia jane bijkerk's book. (and it's on sale.)

{image via}

{image via}

but way more important (and exciting) is

the handmade collective.

we've become official.

we've had some delightful additions.

we're excited about our handmade holiday party.

here are the ladies of the handmade collective...

Rebecca Green.

Aneka Ingold.

Elizabeth Forrest.

Erin Lenau.

Lindsay Jones.

and me. :)

really excited to be working with such talented women!

Happy Wednesday.

holler for holland + max

inspire.

{holler for holland + max}

i'm switching things up. putting a little spice to my blog world. instead of the liefday monday + inspiration wednesday, I'm opening things up a bit, creating space for some movement.

why? because, well, sometimes I'm just inspired on a friday and want to share.

so, hello friday, i'm inspired. (and excited to share!)

first bit of inspiration comes from the designsponge article titled: around the world with bash, please: Holler for Holland.

it made me so happy for many reasons:

1) the lovely photographs

2) the shared inspiration of simple designs stated as "Dutch design is known for being simple yet powerful..."

3)the stroopwafels!

4)the bicycles (with baskets)

5)the patat met pindasaus (french fries with peanut sauce)

to name a few....

{image via}

{image via}

and max.

max wanger to be exact. I stumbled upon his site this week and fell in love with his beautiful photography.

{image via}

{image via}

{image via}

have a lovely weekend!

handmade collective + holiday

liefday.

{handmade collective + holiday}

the past two weeks have been filled with coffee shops (mapcap and sparrows to be exact) brainstorming and excitement as beth forrest and I have been brewing a new creative community in Grand Rapids. we decided to start a group called the handmade collective where we can inspire and collaborate together, and of course, throw some kickin' parties. (speaking of parties, put December 9 on your calendars as we will be throwing the first ever handmade collective art sale + holiday party. more details to come.)

check out some of beth's work here, she is really talented! (it's so nice to meet a twentysomething that shares a love for fabric + sewing. old souls unite, in a very hip and young way, of course)

an image of some of beth's work.

also, I found out this week that I will be in the UICA artist market again this year and I am so very excited about it! It will be December 2 +3 in the new UICA building on Fulton + Division. come and check it out, it's a great show.

the holidays are coming fast, eeep!

thankful + thoughtful (a giveaway)

so excited about being featured on the thankful & thoughtful blog today! bekah and ryan are a sweet grand rapids couple with a beautiful and inspiring blog about what it is to be thankful and thoughtful in our everyday lives. how often is it that we rush around from here to there and forget to stop and consider what it is that we are thankful for? I love that their blog opens the space to rest in that thought. Thanks Bekah and Ryan for taking the time to reflect on that beauty.

check out their post today about loving where you live (you can enter a giveaway to win a pack of Lief Design Michigan Cards! by responding to her question of 'what is it that you love about where you live?) I love this question because it slows us down to notice the good we are surrounded by. it can be so easy to reside with cynicism, sarcasm and negativity, but there is so much beauty to be found, and we have a lot to be thankful for.

happy friday!

(here is their blog and you can like them on facebook as well)

GRAM + xactos

inspiration.

{GRAM + xactos}

okay, time for some inspiration.

artprize came and went again, in its usual rapid, bustling, amazing pace.

here were some of my favorites:

(all located in the GRAM.)

color explosion, with magnifying glass.

sewn mesh dresses, teacup included.

beautiful vine.

hand movement.

(loved how much emotion this piece created while watching the movie)

long, mini sketched city.

beautiful texture.

feminine artist self portrait.

charcoal + paint.

thread. fabric. stitch.

all cut from an xacto. crazy. amazing.

cars + robots

liefday monday.

{cars + robots}

the highly talented Katie Day took these photographs at John + Suzy's wedding.

she's amazing.

ties, ties, ties, oh my!

generosity + beauty

inspiration wednesday.

{generosity + beauty}

generosity.

this week I have been inspired by the "i like ____." campaign. essentially it's a campaign to get ourselves out of our narcissistic little worlds and live generously. it's beautiful. here is a sweet little story of two girls who wanted to raise money for clean water.

{image via}

beauty.

i am continually inspired by john keats' poem endymion. I know that I have talked about him, and specifically this poem, before, but each time that I read endymion I find something else of beauty.

A Thing of Beauty (Endymion)

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever: Its lovliness increases; it will never Pass into nothingness; but still will keep A bower quiet for us, and a sleep Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing. Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing A flowery band to bind us to the earth, Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth Of noble natures, of the gloomy days, Of all the unhealthy and o'er-darkn'd ways Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all, Some shape of beauty moves away the pall From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon, Trees old and young, sprouting a shady boon For simple sheep; and such are daffodils With the green world they live in; and clear rills That for themselves a cooling covert make 'Gainst the hot season; the mid-forest brake, Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms: And such too is the grandeur of the dooms We have imagined for the mighty dead; An endless fountain of immortal drink, Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink.

infinity scarves + digitized embroidery

liefday monday.

{infinity scarves + digitized embroidery}

I'm making an infinity scarf. I love infinity scarves. (although, to be honest, I didn't know these awesome loop scarves were titled 'infinity scarves' until my friend asked me if I would make one for her, causing an immediate google search on my end.) with my recently informed answer I gladly accepted the request. here is the progress thus far.

(for any knitters out there...have you made one of these before? and if so, did you use a circular needle? I'm pretty attached to my wooden needles, so I decided to use them and sew up the seam at the end.)

and, artprize.

I love the buzz of conversation flowing and circling around the streets of grand rapids.

Artprize creates a beautiful space to dialogue about creativity.

I have not seen too much of artprize yet, but one of my favorites thus far has been jess larson's piece called Look and Learn, Little Girl Series. (located in the new UICA).

here is an image from this piece. it's digitized embroidery on ink jet printed silk. just beautiful. she has tagged different words with the images. this one states the word imperious, meaning assuming authority without justification. personified high heel. awesome.

wheat + laughter

inspiration 'wednesday'.

{wheat + laughter}

this week's inspiration came from being in the new 6.25 paper studio shop that just opened on monroe center.

the environment.

the products.

the layout.

it just looks great.

and I absolutely LOVE to laugh out loud in card shops, and equally love it when others do to. put yourself there: it's quiet. people are slowly meandering though the isles, picking up cards here and there. and then the stillness is broken by unexpected laughter. it's like small pops of color that splash on the white. and it's seriously contagious.

I tell you this because I had this experience this week in the new shop. there are plenty of cards in 6.25 that will do this to you. I bought two of them. now in efforts to keep this blog clean and kid friendly, I will leave it to you to go to the shop and check out the cards. :) but here is one (friendly) example from Syd Design.

{image via}

have a fabulous weekend!

eclectic thank yous

liefday monday.

{eclectic thank yous}

a sincere thank you to all those that came out to the Eastown Street Fair on Saturday. I really appreciated it.

It was my first time doing the Eastown street fair and I really loved it. It was absolutely great to meet new people and enjoy the eclectic goodness of eastown.

so thank you, thank you!

enjoy your monday!

ps -- Artprize starts Wednesday! can't wait.

food + watercolor + friends

inspiration wednesday.

{food + watercolor + friends}

i have been so inspired by food lately. I fully attribute this to my dear new friend and fellow blogger (who just so happens to be amazing at writing + cooking, among other things). I am not going to try and fool anyone that I cook and bake, because I don't. cooking for one is just no fun. however, when it's not just me, as stacy and I have been cooking together, I love it!

this has inspired a new food related idea. a watercolor art/cookbook. I want to watercolor and calligraph recipes. this may take years to finish, but I'm really excited to have a fun new project to have as winter is rapidly approaching.

here are some recent food loves.

beet juice.

(I love to juice. this one included beets, kale, apples, carrots, ginger and a lemon.)

peaches.

are delicious this time of year.

concord grapes!

cucumber + peanut salad.

(made lovingly in the little orange kitchen)

happy wednesday!