TREND | Animal Cuteness

One of the trends that never seem to grow old is the animal theme on kids clothes. I love it, the kids love it and it is something that most likely will appeal to all ages. NY label Oeuf NYC has tapped into some serious cuteness with their animal prints and knits this season.

Find them for both kids and babies over at Orange Mayonnaise.

Let's Make | Halloween DIY

Not too long to go until Oct 31st and Halloween. This is one holiday I like to celebrate with the kids and since our neighbourhood has quite a few American expats homes there is always a huge crowd of trick or treaters on Halloween evening. We try and do a few fun Halloween activities on the days leading up to Halloween so I have collected a few that we like from the excellent DIY website Mr. Printables. They all have different difficult levels so there are something for every age. Most activities have downloadable templates where you can choose to either colour in or print an already coloured version. Have fun & scary time out there!!

Haunted Houses for Halloween Treats /  Halloween Colouring Pages / Ghost Boxes for Treats / BOO! Glasses / Bag O'Bones Halloween invitations / Halloween Masks.

Art | Munsterkids Collab

If there is a brand that some how personifies the little urban legends out there then it has to be Australian Munsterkids. When we moved Down Under it was one of the brands that quickly caught my attention and I loved their graphic styles, and more importantly so did the boys. Since then munsterkids have added both missie (the girl line) and mini & lilmissie (for the little ones). We have numerous of munster threads in both my boys and my girls wardrobe and when I got a chance to illustrate for the label last year it was a bit of a dream come true. Fast forward a few months and the result is almost out in stores. Here are a few of the illustrations that will soon be available at several retailers and in munsterkids own webshop. Needless to say it was a pure joy to be apart of their cool collection, and gladly something I would do again.

munsterkids SS14 + FW14 'Backyard Warriors' will be out in August. Check out some of the behind the scenes shots I took while visiting the shoot, back in February on their facebook page, or visit www.munsterkids.com for all info on retailers and about the label. Keep your eyes open for a bigger preview on their latest collection here soon.

:: MUNSTERKIDS ::

CREATIVE | MR.PRINTABLES

I had to share one of my favourite creative hangouts on the net. Meet MR.PRINTABLE! Mr.P is a friendly site offering creative and educational free printables for children and families. Here you can find great wall posters like MAP OF THE MOON and ALPHABET POSTERS, or how about some great INVITATION CARDS to an upcoming birthday party? Or if its a rainy day, how about making some BIRD FINGER PUPPETS?

There is no limit to the creativity here, and I LOVE how its all in the name of fun and eduction! Definitely one of our favorite places that I like to share with my kids. Check it out here:

:: MR.PRINTABLES ::

INTERIOR | ferm LIVING

Ferm LIVING is a Danish company that designs and manufactures interior products with a graphic touch. Their new AW collection entitled "More" launched on August 14th and above is a few of their products from their Kids range. 

I love the soft, muted tones and storage ideas for both boys and girls (how good is that teepee!?) To take a look at their current catalog simply go here, and to find out more about their new collection visit:

:: ferm LIVING ::

Things I Love | Geo Paper Totem

There seem to be plenty of days when rain seem to rule the day's agenda. If this happens to be one of those days, why not try doing these geometric paper characters? You can either build a tower/totem of them or why not a mobile or a garland? Simply print, cut out and paste. Find the instructions here.

:: Geo-paper Totem by Mini Eco ::

Artists + Kids = BIG Kids magazine

I have said it before and I am going to say it again. Go out and buy a copy of BIG Kids magazine. Proudly made here in Australia, BIG Kids magazine is a magazine that support art and curiosity in a big way. I love that there is such a magazine here, where artists both adults and kids can enjoy. This issue, Into The Dark is a beautiful exploration of our fascination for the dark and what happens in it. It is packed with collaborations between kids and adults and a few really interesting projects and interviews.

My own girl contributed to this issue and above you can see some of her creatures of the dark. She is featured along side talented artist Andy J Miller, in a piece called GROW & GROWING. Here is her little interview about creating.

WHY DO YOU DRAW?
I draw because it makes me happy.

DESCRIBE WHAT YOU FEEL WHEN YOU MAKE NEW WORK
I feel excited and curious how it will look like in the end.

WHAT CAN YOU SEE IN THE DARK?
I see shadows, stars and sometimes a big moon. 

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?
Monsters and spiders, especially together. Well I am not really scared of monsters and I have held a spider but they can still be scary.

WHERE DOES YOUR IDEAS COME FROM?
From all over the place. Sometimes from movies and from good times with friends. 

WHAT DOES YOUR BRAIN LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU ARE DRAWING OR INVENTING NEW CHARACTERS?
It is very busy thinking. Sometimes I don't know what to draw but it always ends up looking like something. I guess my brain knows what it is doing.

WHAT WILL YOU GROW UP TO BE?
A girl who likes to draw.

She also had to answer what she thought Bravery, Imagination, Generosity (BIG) was.

Bravery is when you are scared but do something anyway.
Imagination is in my brain and in my dreams.
Generosity is giving somebody the last of what you have.

:: visit BIG KIDS MAGAZINE ::

ART WATCH | JEFF SOTO

A big part of fueling my own inspiration is street art, living in Melbourne I get to see a fair bit and it always gets me going. I thought I would share a few artists that I love and get inspired from. Today I thought I would show some work of American artist Jeff Soto. Born in 1975, his distinct colour palette, subject matter and technique have been said to bridge the gap between Pop Surrealism and Street Art.

Inspired by youthful nostalgia, nature, graffiti, hip-hop and popular culture. His bold, representational work is simultaneously accessible and stimulating.

For more info and to see more work of Jeff Soto visit his << website. >>

Just My Cup of Tea

How gorgeous is this porcelain range by House of RYM?? Endless of mix n match possibilities and absolutly lovely graphic work.

House of RYM was built on a love affair. Between ancient handcraft and contemporary design. Between Tunisia and Sweden. Between sustainable materials and intriguing aesthetics. Founders Rym Tounsi and Zied Youssef share a passion for their cultural heritage. But also beief that designlovers from other continents desere to enjoy a modern take on traditional products. Because when you love something there is nothing better than sharing it with others. To get that perfect mix and make their vision reality, Rym and Zied work with talented Swedish designers Anna Backlund and Elisabeth Dunker.

The result of this thrilling cooperation is House of Rym. The place where ancient Tunisian handcrafts and contemporary Scandinavian design fall head over heels... in love!

:: House of RYM ::

ART | Ashley Percival

Oh my, my heart is pounding for these illustrations! I have mentioned Ashley Percival before, but he certainly deserves another mention! He is one of those illustrators you sort of want to keep to yourself, but somehow I feel it would be to selfish of me. So here are a few of his fantastic illustrations, all available to buy as prints. I think we have to click home one of those skater trios...they are MAGNIFICENT!

:: Ashley Percival ::

High Tides & Low Rides

Loving these illustrations from the High Tides & Low Rides exhibition (UK). This set of 3 illustrations were created for the first ‘Brothers of the Stripe‘ exhibition – High Rides & Low Tides.

The story of Giant Bird & Little Bunny – ‘Tori Atama to Usagi Chan’ – a short adventure at sea. The water barely covers Giant Bird’s ankles, as he wades through the sea with his head in the clouds. Little bunny plays and sleeps – carefree in the protect on her giant friend…


Brothers of The stripe are Stephen Chan, Joel Millerchip, Kristian Jones, FiST, The Cloud Commission, Iain Sellar, Will Scobie, and Mr The Beef. Check out their website for more inspiration!

Soft Graphics

Yep... I LOVE these plush pillows by Tad Carpenter!! Graphic eye candy that you can put your head on, what is there not to like? Orange fella on one side and the blue on the other. Get them here.

Black & White

Nothing better than some nice graphic illustrations... these by Giovanni Robertini from his book by the name of Il Barbecue Del Panda is pure awesome!

INSPIRATION | Vesa Sammalisto

There are a lot of alphabet illustrations out there, but neither of them are as cool as these from Finish illustrator/graphic designer Vesa Sammalisto. via varpunen

go to SHOP

INSPIRATION | Cate Parr

UK-born fashion illustrator Cate Parr has a way with water colour that is for sure. Anybody who have tried various art forms know that painting with water colour is perhaps one of the most challenging ones. Cate Parr seem to have mastered that to the teeth. Her beautiful fashion images are full of grace and has a rare sense of ethereal quality. I can really loose myself in these images - it doesn't take long until you start daydreaming while looking for those familiar details of a neck, an eye or the curve of a lip...

visit: cateparr.com

Maria Corte | ILLUSTRATION

Spanish illustrator Maria Corte has a love affair with bright colours, round shapes and engaging compositions. She has a diverse collection of work, ranging from animation to editorial and children's illustrations to moving paintings and numerous prints as well.

Make sure you check out her website, and have a look at her amazing blog as well (her latest work is updated regularly).

Mountains to Climb

How cool are these beanbags from Little Red Stuga? I loved their kebnekaise version they started with and these new ones are right up there! Here is how they described the process for coming up with the look and design of them.

"The challenge was to create something new and interesting around the beanbag concept, one of the world's most appreciated and functional pieces of furniture ever designed. For this project we explored our own relationship and associations with mountains; namely Fuji, Kilimanjaro and Mount Everest. Each pattern and color is a result of our journey discovering them. At a close-up you find more details in the patterns, like climbers and base camps on Mount Everest. Kawaii figures on Fuji and tribal masks on Kilimanjaro. The height of each mountain is printed to add a pedagogical layer. Perfect for play and soft storytelling moments."

2D Puzzle

These 2d characters by Ingela P Arrhenius makes me smile!
There is also an animal version available which are totally adorable as well...