Kate Keara Pelen

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all images via here. Discovered via Johanna Williams Pinterest. 

Do you have an extra 3 hours to spend on a visual overload of textures and patterns? No? Then you do not want to check out what else is on her Pinterest. 

Izziyana Suhaimi

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images from here. 

"I am interested in collapsing the boundaries between traditional and popular cultures and exploring the links that exist between these two. My work examines how this particular mishmash manifests itself in modern times, especially concerning modern youths. Preferring to work with craft-based techniques, I am attracted to the evidence of the hand and its time-consuming aspect, which runs counter to the instant gratification and mass-production centred age of today."

-Izziyana Suhaimi

Discovered via Textile Arts Center's blog, Izziyana's embroidered drawings are absolutely stunning. Her vision blurs together fashion, art, and craft in such a unique manner. I especially love the backs of her work, being able to see how such chaos can support such beauty.

Already 2,000 Miles Away...

Almost done unpacking from Sunday's swap meet and getting ready to pack up for a weekend on the shore, though my mind has already traveled there. I currently live about 10 miles from the ocean, but L.A. beaches cannot begin to compare to the chalky soft white sands, clear blue waters, and gentle rolling tide of the beaches in Florida. Say what you want about it, that state will always have a piece of my heart. Humidity? Bring it on! Slow drivers? Let's join them! Rednecks? Umm... ok that's where it can get a little strange, but honestly I've never heard a Southern accent I didn't like.

I somehow always think I'm going to get a bunch of crafty projects done during these trips, but my relaxed mind goes into overdrive (or maybe underdrive?) and it's just swim, drink, eat, chat with the family, nap, help a child put together a puzzle, repeat. Nevertheless, I like to have projects to think about doing, and since me and Ben have been doing a bit of re-decoration, naturally all the projects are for the home. 

Boucherouite rug (above) from here. Moroccan rugs made from fabric scraps - an ideal solution for all those fabric scraps I save (the realist inside knows I'll only have the patience for a pillow, the dreamer inside is OK with that.)

Lets throw the realist out the window and make an embroidered tent, shall we? from here. 

I've got two window frames in my backyard that I was apparently saving for a project like this. Maybe I'll paint them then hang them from trees so the sunlight will shine through them all over the garden. from here. 

Dreaming of dreaming under a dreamy quilt... via here.

applique pillows - another great use for scrap fabrics (this one's an embroidered suzani, but I'd interpret it as applique because I'm quite lacking in patience) from here. 

 more pillow love from here. 

those mosaic hanging lanterns are gorgeous, especially going back to the colors in the suzani (the epic indoor/outdoor space never hurt!) from here. 

multi-color dream catchers and Moroccan wedding blanket via here.

macrame'd hemp has such a special place in my heart... 18 year old me, on the beach digging through shells, putting them on macrame hemp necklaces, and hanging out with the dogs, some friends, and an albino burmese python while we took turns swimming. Naturally, I'd like to keep this memory alive with these macrame plant holders (sandy wet dogs not included)

Ceci est la couleur de mes rêves

Joan Miro - This is the color of my dreams. 

Horace-Bénédict de Saussure’s cyanometer

 vintage playing card

 sunburnt indigo

 shibori textile

All images from one of my favorite inspiration sources, Growing Indigo. I love an art form that you can practice literally from its beginnings, its entirely possible to grow indigo, make a dye from it, and create beautiful fabrics from it. All with techniques that have been practiced for centuries. It makes me feel lazy, really.

 This last photo is from an Indigo Dying workshop in Los Angeles in November that i would have dyed to go to (oh my god i crack myself up...). So who wants to have an Indigo Dying workshop at my place??

Not a lot more to say, I've been recovering/continually celebrating my birthday along with actually having a lot of work to do, topped off with the cherry of lots of sales last week (that means lots of shipping this week!).

I leave you with one of my all time favorite jokes, in the spirit of dying. 

While passing a cemetery, my father would point and go "see that place?" 

"yeah, dad?" 

"people are dying to get in there! a hyuk. a hyuk. a hyuk."