Valentine's Cards

It is that time of the year again! Thought I would also post some lovely Valentine's Day Cards I found recently. Hope they get you inspired to start making something special this Valentines!

(above) Beautiful 'I love you' cards by Debi Van Zyl. (Available at her etsy store)

(above) Printed by hand using antique wood press on eco-friendly sustainably harvested wood veneer by Papermonkeypress.

(above) Downloadable gorgeous V Day cards from Samantha of Maquette. You can download any of the images at full resolution and email them to your sweetheart, print the white-background versions on your home printer, or go to Zazzle and make 5×7 cards out of the color versions (in flickr click on all sizes and download at original size). If you’re feeling green this Valentine’s day, Sam has even suggested printing these on recycled paper or the backs of old cards! Here’s the link to the flickr Valentine’s Day cards set. Thanks Sam!

And again for those earth-friendly folks out there, thought you may be excited to take part in an exciting new contest on craftzine for Valentine's Day called "Recycle Your Heart". This Valentine's Day Card Contest is an opportunity for you to express your true love by creating a card made from recycled materials. You can use and mix any type of material you find and don't need to limit yourself to paper crafts. Just let your imagination run wild. Click here for more details.

Last but not least, click here if you wish to download a giftbag template to hold your pretty presents! Also, don't miss more lovely gift and craft ideas from marthastewart.com.

Alphabet of Design by Blueantstudio

Check out these cool posters from Blueantstudio! They have lots of other cool designs on their website and are currently offering a buy-1-get-1-free deal to kick-start the new year. This is just too good to miss!

The posters are printed on a real 1200dpi digital paper in matte finish and then hand glued to very heavy stock black mat cardboard. Each lovingly hand signed and numbered.

Size print: 11"x17"

Price is $35 shipped in the US or Canada, $50 shipped anywhere else, including Europe and Australia.

Another cool wall decal!

This world map wall sticker from Ferm Living is such a cool idea! Will be great to paste coloured dots on them to indicate which countries you have visited or would like to visit one day!

STUDIO LO CD storage wall art

Created by STUDIO LO from France, these CD paper cases will make a beautiful piece of wall art. You can even download these gorgeous cases for free here! Just click on the image to download the pdf file. (via The Style Files)

Wallpaper* Design Awards

The winners of the Wallpaper* Design Awards was unveiled in London last night. This event is held annually to honour the year’s highest design talents, whether it’s in the field of architecture, product design, media or fashion.

Rather than simply opening an envelope to reveal the winners, Wallpaper actually teamed-up with digital animators, Mainframe, to produce some really cool animations for each winner of the Judges’ Awards. Click here to check out the winners of each design category.

Here are some of my favourites in the field of architecture!

(above) Best new public building: New Museum, New York by Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa/SANAA,

(above) Best new private house: The Ring House, by Takei-Nabeshima-Architects (TNA) architects. The height of each ring was decided by the function concealed behind it. The glass between the rings allow you to look straight into the forest, so the whole house appears to dissolve into the forest.

Samantha Hahn

The very talented Samantha Hahn emailed me to let me know about her newly launched illustration site. I had blogged about her beautiful fabric collages in a previous post.

Based in NYC, Samantha Hahn teaches art and is also a freelance illustrator. Besides doing illustration, figurative oil painting and crafts, she also writes about art, design, and inspiration on her wonderful blog, Maquette.

Samantha was also recently interviewed at over at Trust Your Style Blog and I am so flattered that she actually listed Laissezfaire as one of her favourite blogs together with Oh Joy! Sam has been working with Mary Jo Matsumoto of Trust Your Style blog for months on some incredibly beautiful illustrations (see above) for her lookbook and promotional packages.

Congrats Samantha and thanks for letting me know about your new website. Do keep up the gorgeous work!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!!!! I'mmmm BACK! It feels great to have taken a short break from blogging and to return all inspired and excited! Thank you for those who continued to visit while I was away! As you can see, I have given this little blog a small facelift with a brand new banner!

I will kick start the new year with some cool wallpaper I found via sub-studio.

Believe it or not, these wallpaper actually reacts with heat from the radiator and blooms! How clever!
Equally fun and dynamic are these interactive wallpaper from 5.5 Designers.

(image via sub-studio)

Merry Christmas!

I will be taking a break from blogging to celebrate the Christmas holidays with family and friends at home. Will be returning on Monday, Jan 7th to resume my regular posts and introduce a few facelifts on laissezfaire! So do check back!

Meanwhile, here are a few cool blogs for everyone to check out:

1. About Some Things
2. Scout Holiday
3. Random Inspiration
4. Love Made Visible
5. Indie-guest

6. House of Bliss

Here's wishing everyone a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year!

Stay inspired!

Blesssings,

Su Ling

ps: The pretty gift wraps you see in the image above can be downloaded for print here.

pps:I will still be contactable at my email (ztansl@gmail.com) so do drop me a mail to say 'Hi' if you like! =)

Andrew Maynard's Tattoo House

The home you see here is designed by Andrew Maynard Architects in Australia. The form is a simple box and the architect has ingenious employed low cost UV stable wall decals to fulfil the council's requirement for 75% opacity to second storey spaces (in order to minimise "overlooking"). The screening also reflects heat and glare away from the expansive glass windows and eliminates the need for curtains and expensive screening.

above: It is interesting how the (narrow, corridor-looking) space ends at the window here.
(above) I really like the way the kitchen bench becomes part of the stair to maximise the use of space underneath.


via Moco Loco.

Earring Addict

I would like to welcome on board, Earring Addict, a new sponsor taking up a brand spanking new spot on Laissezfaire! You can find the link to their blog on the left column of Laissezfaire, under sponsors. Earring Addict features many intricate jewellery designs handmade using top quality beads and swarovski crystals. Some of my favourites include this, this and this.

Do email Dawne at EARRINGADDICT@GMAIL.COM if you like any of the designs you find on her site. Paypal is accepted for international orders. Her creations run out fast so hurry!

Thomas Paul

I really think these side plates with graphic silhouette prints are extremely gorgeous. Made from high quality, durable melamine, the pattern is an exclusive Thomas Paul design that adds a modern gothic spin to traditional motifs used in fine china and . Available here.

The "Folk Tray" designs (above), the latest in Thomas Paul line of products featuring Russian nesting dolls (matryoshka), are also very nice.

Taverne Agency

I can't stop gasping at the images I found on this website! I really wish I could post every single image here!! Founded in 1996, Taverne Agency agents for photographers and sell features in the fields of interiors, food, entertainment and travel. A wonderful place to go to if you are looking for eye candy design inspiration for your home. (via House of Bliss)

Kylie Stillman

I found out about the work of Melbourne-based artist, Kylie Stillman, through a new lovely blog called mein-inspiration today.

Kylie Stillman’s sculptural art pieces form an interplay between presence and absence. She carefully carves through the pages of books with a scalpel to create hollowed spaces that give form to intriging renderings of birds and plant species. Simply breathtaking and enchanting!

above: Paper carving, 200 sheets of cartridge paper each 76 x 52 cm

Paristic Wall Decals in Singapore

After an earlier post on wall decals by Paristic, I received a few email enquiries about whether these gorgeous stickers are available in Singapore. I did a check and unfortunately, no. I was really tempted to get a few designs directly from their online website but was not very excited about having to pay VAT and shipping charges (about 18 Euros or SGD $38 for orders less than 1kg).

If there is sufficient demand, I am thinking of distributing Paristic wall decals through laissezfaire to help save on overseas shipping charges and taxes. If you are residing in Singapore and are interested in getting any of their designs, do drop me an email at ztansl@gmail.com.

Please help spread the word if you know of anyone who may be interested. Thanks!

City Farm Rings

I really think these City Farm Rings by Soop are so adorable! You can mix and match to create your own little farm of chickens, goats and pigs on your fingers.

Soop is a British design studio based in London. They design products for the home and commercial environment. Do check out the cool products on their website. You can purchase the rings from their Etsy Shop.

Tokujin Yoshioka's straw installation at Design Miami

This is what I would call absolute beauty, simplicity and madness! It is Tokujin Yoshioka’s recent installation for Design Miami and is made from two million plastic drinking straws!

Yoshioka is Design Miami’s 2007 Designer of the Year. Born and based in Japan, Tokujin is well known for distinguishing himself in the design field by transforming everyday materials — glass, plastics, fabrics, paper, even tissues (such as his Honey "Pop" chair) — into magical objects and spaces.

For more images from this breathtaking installation, click here.

Throne decals

These cool decals are designed specially to be applied on your porcelain thrones and are sure to add a touch of humour to your loos. Stickers start at $10 from Vital's Etsy Store.

Secret Shop

I came across an interesting website today that has the coolest stuff you can image in their Salakauppa /secret shop'. It took me quite a while to naviage through their site which is organised like a Windows folder but it was well worth it! Here are some interesting products I found...
above: Hoodbag. This is probably my favourite.
above: Winter Sleep. This blasket hosts 12 animal shape cushions.

above: Sleeping Furniture

above: rocking bear made from solid birch.

Thank you all for your comments!

Thank you all sooo much for your encouraging comments in my last post. Muaks! I really appreciate the time you all gave to give such constructive comments! It is really helpful and I hope to feed some of your thoughts and ideas into the next series of patterns I am working on.

Meanwhile, just thought I would have a little bit of fun photoshopping some of the patterns into possible applications. While I initially felt that these patterns will be suitable for stationary and home accessories, I actually think they might make a cute apron or tote.

above: It's a cushion cover! I am imagining that the circles to be in velvet with some extrusion from the white flower motifs to give the surface a little more dimension here. (original image from here *runner up of the domino decorative contest*)

above: It's a wallpaper! (original image from here)

afternote: the flower motifs for the wallpaper could be a little bit smaller and textured.
above: It's an apron! Cotton canvas, maybe? (image from here) above: It's a tote! I am imagining the pattern to be on silk or cotton sateen. (original image from here)

Surface Design Crit

ok, here goes...{ I have to admit that it took a bit of courage to decide to put this up at laissezfaire. =) }

I have recently been dabbling in surface design during whatever free time I have. Since this is something completely new to me, I am hoping to involve more people in this process and get feedback on my designs. The first set of patterns I am working on are inspired by oriental flowers...Which colour combination do you like? Do you see the designs going on a pencil case, pillow case, gift wrap, skirt or wall?

If your have any other thoughts, new ideas, suggestions, inspirations etc, do leave a comment! Whether you are an expert in this field or layman, I would love to hear what you think! I do hope to post more work regularly to invite feedback. Thanks!!

#1: Oriental Bud (blue)
#2 : Oriental bud (lime green)

#3 : Oriental bud (pink)

New Blog Watch - Jackie Blue Home

Do check out the "New Blog Watch" this week!------------------>

Jackie Von Tobel calls herself an accidental author, seasoned interior designer and practical educator. She is dedicated to providing inspiration, information and education to design professionals and home decor enthusiasts through her books, seminars, and personal mentoring. She created her blog to journal her progress in writing a series of books The Design Directory and to share some of her super top secret trade tips and sources.

I really like Jackie's elegant and classic style of decorating. She has a successful business, Plush Home, which she built from the ground up. With over 20 years of experience behind her, she has developed a keen sense of what it takes to succeed in the design trade.

I am hoping to get hold of her new book, "From Design to Delivery" as soon as it becomes available on her website. Thank you for sharing your experience and for being such an inspiration, Jackie!