Truffel Tree

I was really excited when Xin of Truffel Tree contacted me a few weeks ago to tell me about her lovely handmade plushies. I fell in love instantly with the simple aesthetic and whimsical nature of her soft toys. Xin is a Singaporean mom living in the UK and she had bought a beansprout pillow from Pupsik Studio previously.

Ever since I got Alexi last year, I have been searching for suitable friends to join him and the rest if the gang on the shelf. I hence asked Xin if she could make me a toy to be named after my one year old, Nadya. I happily sent her a picture of Nadya as a "design brief" for the soft toy.

Immediately after sending the pic, I wondered if I was asking too much of Xin in sending her the photograph of a human baby and asking her to "make a soft toy out of it". Anyway, to cut a long story short, an envelope arrived from the UK 2 weeks later with a cotton sleeve and I literally squealed in delight when I saw what was inside!

Xin had transformed the picture I sent her of Nadya into a thumb sucking elf in a bear suit. She had also sewn a magnet in the paw of the elf and the mouth so you can actually detach the paw from the mouth. How clever!

The elf, named Plum, came with this note: " Look who's fallen under the truffle tree!...Plum has been a very busy elf, playing hide-and-seek with the big scary bears. Good thing she has her magic flying cape with her - having an imagination can be exhausting".

Plum even has a back pocket that is designed to hold little memories. I am printing a small picture of Nadya in the bear suit and sticking it in the pocket together with Plum's little friend.

And Xin was so sweet to send me another of her beautiful creations called "The Anonymous Rabbit". This gorgeous rabbit is made from soft, plain white calico cotton and firmly stuffed with new polyester filler. It has a simple fine embroidery thread running along the entire edge of the rabbit. I love how simple this rabbit looks with all its thoughtful intricate details and how soft (yet firm) it feels and stands on its own. Xin also embroidered the butt of the rabbit with my daughter's name!

So here is is, the new gang on the shelf! Looks like there is space for at least 2 more friends up there! Thanks Xin for these wonderful creations! xoxo

"Plum" and "The Anonymous Rabbit" are now available on Xin's etsy store, Truffel Tree. Do visit and support her beautiful creations!

ps: Xin and I are working together on a new toy that I hope will be available under The Fair section of Pupsik Studio soon. Stay tuned!

Lucky Russian Trolly Ticket Cookies

I love these russian train ticket cookies! Apparently, superstition in Russia has it that when the first three digits of your train ticket added up equal the last three digits, you should eat the ticket for good luck! Art Lebedev Studio has made this more palatable with these lucky cookie tickets. I have a feeling my husband (who grew up in communist Russia) will love to have this.
Designed by Art Lebedev Studio for the Russian Ministry of Transport. (via Yanko Design)

Grass page markers

Some ingenius page markers by Yuruliku Design.

Rita Saardi for Peter Copping / Nina Ricci Fall 2011 show

Some gorgeous flower pcs made by Rita Saardi as a premise of beautiful dancers wearing silk dresses for Peter Copping / Nina Ricci. I had blogged about Rita's beautiful work in a previous post here. This talented budding fashion designer (who is definitely going places) was recently invited by the house of Nina Ricci to collaborate with head designer Peter Copping for the Fall 2011 show. You can follow this exciting adventure with her on her blog here. You go girl! x

Electric piano table

Designed by Georg Bohle, this cool oak dining table neatly conceals an electric piano. Just lift up on the wooden tablet cut into one edge and you are ready to dazzle your dinner guests (via cribcandy).

Perfect House

I am so fantasizing about being living in a house like this. I love everything about it, everthing down to the pirate flag. (photography by Anitta Behrendt)

Dya-think-e-saurus

I simply love these dino wallpaper by Paperboy, the wallpaper specialists for boys. Would be lovely if they also had the decal versions of this of these dinosaurs! Available here!

Vintage lamp shades

I love these vintage lamps by Kathleen Hills. The vintage glass shades have been sourced by Kathleen and given a contemporary twist. I think thse beautiful hanging lights will add just the right touch of soft vintage style to any bedroom.

Prairie Chair

I love the simple and modern look of these chairs by American designer Von Tundra. Built with domestic white oak, these chairs (named the prairie chair) are inspired by reductive modernism and the farmer-made furniture of the American Midwest.

Magazine Wall

Designed by Elding Oscarson, the interior walls of this graphic design office in Stockholm are made up of literally thousands of magazines. I like how this original idea for a wallpaper reflects on the business of the graphic design company. Simple yet stunning!

Football carpet

This grass green carpet is a perfect present for any football fan (young or old) and is designed by Karin Mannerstål. Karin is a multi-talented designer who is working with many different materials and media. She has, among other things, designed things for IKEA of Sweden. Available here

New Collection in Feronia

If you love the creations by etsy store Feronia which I had blogged about in an earlier post, you would be delighted to know that they have just launched a new collection in the most gorgeous light pastel hues including soft pink and warm green, golden yellow and crimson red.

In celebration of Valentines and the Lunar New Year this February, Feronia will be offering all Laissezfaire readers a free citrine (a stone representing good fortune) nugget with any purchase from the new collection at Feronia shop. Simply mention that you came from this blog at checkout! Thanks Clarie!

Creative Tablets

This interesting concept was designed as an invitation to The Creative Method Xmas party and was based on the idea of the existence of an imaginary pharmaceutical tablet that would solve all creative issues. Initially, guests were emailed a doctors prescription, followed by the package in a discrete paper bag which contained the invitation and tablets. The party included staff dressed as doctors.

Hangerpak

The hangerpak is a box and also acts as a hanger! Designer Steve Haslip, came up with this concept as a result of always runnin gof of hangers to hang the wrinkled t-shirts he buys online. The packaging could be made from recycled material whether it is card or plastic and the only waste is the green tear-away tab.

Gift Bow Tutorial

The talented Jessica Jones of How about Orange has a wonderful tutorial teaching you how to turn magazine scraps inro beautiful giftwrap bows. Check it out here!

Below is an image from the flicker page of one of her readers that got inspired to make a mountain of bows. Be warned, making bows can be addictive!

Lovely clusters

If you are a fan of beautiful handmade and vintage items like I am, you would have to check out Lovely Clusters. This website is THE PLACE to browse from very creative artists and designers from around the world.

Each item is organised and group by clusters or according to their shop, colour and category. Click on the image you like and it brings you directly to the sellers shop site where you can purchase and find more information. Here are some beautiful objects I picked out to share:

Cream bloom found from the colour beige.
Photography in gorgeous hues by Simply Hue.

Peachy Pearl Earrings by Glitterysah.

(Top-most image above clustered by Blossom)

Textured Walls

I absolutely love the texture of the walls in this derelict house and its contrast with the ornate furnishing. (via plus d'ide que d'argent)

Smoking House

This little incense pot is designed as a house and comes complete with a smoking chimney. Each house is made individually handmade and to achieve a realistic looking surface. Available in the Japanese website here. (via)

One Line A Day

With a blink of an eye, the first 10 years of this new millenia have come and gone. As I look back to take stock of my own life so far, I am amazed by where I am today and thankful to God for seeing me through the ups and downs of the last decade.

Just as we do not feel the earth moving and the seasons changing, so it is with changes in our own lives sometimes. As a New Year's gift to myself this year, I got myself a book called "A Line a Day". This is a journal of sorts with each page specially designed to allow you to record the events of each day for 5 years so that you may revisit these thoughts and memories some day. This book is current sold out in most places but can be pre-ordered here.

Happy 2010!

Dear readers of Laissezfaire,

Here is wishing all of you beautiful people out there a very Happy New Year in advance! Thanks for sticking around this blog and for leaving such encouraging comments each time. I am truely blessed by the friends and the amazing pool of talented people round the world that I have gotten to know through this blog.

I will be taking a break from my usual blogging schedule this week and will be back on Wed, Jan 6th. Looking forward to more inspirational posts in 2010!

xoxo
Su Ling

(image from Martha Stewart.com)

Wall hanging cuckoo clock

Love this wall hanging cuckoo clock in lime printed on paper by decoylab.

Martin Cooper

I chanced upon the work of clothing designer, fine artist and costumer Martin Cooper and was absolutely blown away by his work. A large part of Martin's work revolves round the female pelvis, which Martin find is the most fascinating and controversial bone in the human body.

I was particularly drawn to a series of conceptual sketches he did for ballet costumes. The costumes are designed around 3 chief elements: the corset, ruched tulle, and the mutation of the leotard. Inspired by the classical corseted tutu and fashion from the 15th Century (based on the paintings of Lucas Cranach the Elder), the corsets are boned and laced but is done with a modern sensibility.