Writing Table

A cup of Jo suggested checking out Minor Details, and boy was she right on the money. They have tons of cute ideas for kids. My favorite is this writing table. Schreibtisch is a mobile writing pad slash piece of furniture by Martin Sammer Design.

Li Xiaofeng

These objects, created by Li Xiaofeng, have been made from porcelain fragments from the Ming and Qing dynasties and are for sale through Virginia Miller Galleries.

Bunny Mandala

Too many bunnies? Pictoplasma feels there is no such thing as too many bunnies.

They have asked internationally established and upcoming character designers, illustrators and artists to send in their versions of bunnies. The results is 1500 individual rabbits forming the 'Bunny Mandala'. You can't quite make out the smaller images of bunnies from this image but if you click on the image or go to Pictoplasma, you'll be able to get a better view of all of those cute bunnies. There is a naughty bunny. See if you can find the naughty bunny.

Cable Ties

The light fixtures, the enormous French Chandelier and the Sea-Urchin chair are all part of a handmade collection of products made with cable ties. The French Chandelier was created for an exhibition in the library of TU Delft. The University organized an exhibition showing and giving workshops about modern plastics and its uses. See more products on oooms.

Casey Ruble

Casey Ruble's artwork reminds me a little bit of fabric design. It's almost like quilt work in a painted form. Casey creates unique patterns and then incorporates those patterns into her paintings. Casey is represented by Foley Gallery. The press release for Ruble's current exhibition: "Except in Struggle" describes Ruble's patterns as:

"... derive[d] from sources including Islamic architecture, Art Nouveau designs, Chinese lattices, and 1960s op-art geometries. Each painting is meticulously cut out from the paper on which it's painted, lending the pieces subtle dimension while also calling attention to their flatness."

View more of Casey Ruble's artwork.

Joe Sorren

I absolutely love the artwork done by Joe Sorren. I love the colors, I love the playfulness, and I love the imagination. The third image has always reminded me of a Midsummer Night's Dream. It will always amaze me how artists, such as Joe, come up with their ideas and creativity. Joe has an amazing sale right now, two for the price of one. See more of his work at Joe Sorren.

Safari Adventures

Hello Dahh-ling. I wonder if you've noticed that I haven't really had time to write lately. Although it would be much more fun to make up an elaborate story about the Safari Adventures I've been on, the truth is I've been on a blogging break. (That's not me in the photo) Fooled you! My time is so limited I'm wondering if maybe I should be creating art rather than writing about it. Or, maybe I can take the pressure off myself and just vow that I will only blog once or twice a week. Would anyone continue to read it? What do you think? any comments? .....hello?

The cute photo above is from Ginger.

Mark Your Calendars!

Mark your calendars, December 5th and 6th is the No Coast Craft-O-Rama in the Midtown Exchange Building in Minneapolis. If you are looking to avoid global manufacturing from the chain store culture, looking to support your local artist, looking to give a one of a kind gift made with care and detail, then the No Coast Craft Show is the place for you! Check out the No Coast website for more information.

Bloesem Kids

Bloesem Kids is a great blog for parents looking to find stylish toys, keepsakes, furniture and clothes for kids. Written by the same creator of Bloesem. It was featured as best of the blogs on the Martha Stewart show. I particularly like some of the art projects for parents to work on with their children. As shown in the photographs, the website has directions on how to make paper mache, puppets, a shadow box. Another great project is showing the children how to make their own mold and create an object out of plaster.

Window Shopping

If money were no object, I might have fun shopping at 1st Dibs. I certainly can spend hours just viewing the online store. The website has amazing furniture, some art, beautifully designed rooms and interesting articles.

Stefan G. Bucher's DIY Monster

This video shows the technique that Stefan Bucher uses to create his monsters. The Art and Ghosts posting reminded a bit of Bucher's ink technique. I posted the link on the Monsters posting, but I wanted to make sure no one misses it because it's fun to watch.

Jason Weinbeck

Jason Weinbeck is one amazingly talented man. I know this because I've seen his work first hand. Jason was recently written about in the Mpls St.Paul Magazine. Jason is indeed a very creative individual. He is creative in his use of materials, ways to save money and his overall design. Take for instance, the backsplash tile in the kitchen. Evidently, the tile that looks like narrow brick is expensive. So Jason took floor tile and cut it into smaller dimensions. A lot of his materials are found from shopping on Craig's List and some on E-bay. Those beautiful light fixtures were bought off of E-bay and shipped from the Netherlands for a mere $190. Jason did need to put a little work into them by updating the wiring. His talent doesn't stop there. He also designs and creates furniture. View his products here. For more information, check out Jason's website at jasonweinbeck.com.

Harrison Howard

Without a doubt I am a huge fan of Harrison Howard. Not only because he creates these absolutely gorgeous pieces of art, but because he has a kind and warm thing to say to everyone. What first caught my eye about Harrison's art is, naturally, the color. I love his color choices, they are bright and cheerful. But, what really captured my eye is his imagination. I am a huge fan of romance and fantasy, anything that gets you daydreaming and having creative thoughts, and that is what happens to me when I look at these paintings. For me, Harrison's paintings tell a story, a fairytale of sorts. I love it if a piece of art can take me away from reality even if it's just for a moment. Thank you Harrison for sharing your talent with us! If you are interested in capturing more of his artwork, visit his website. Also, if you'd like to find out more about Harrison himself, Annechovie had a one on one interview with him.

Julie Moon

Born in Toronto, Canada, Julie Moon has spent nearly a dozen years going to various art schools. I think Julie Moon has taken a very creative approach to making ceramics. I enjoy her style and use of color. See more at Julie Moon

Scott Garrette

I like the freshness and simplicity of Scott's artwork. I like his line of work with the trees. His idea to create these trees literally came from a dream that he saw a tree with circles floating at the top. Scott is from Kansas City, MO and has an etsy shop where you can purchase the above prints. What you might also find interesting is his handmade studio made out of straw bales with earthen plaster and clay floors and walls. You can view the photos on flickr.