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.

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{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!