Poketo

Poketo is a network of artists. First launched in 2003 with their limited edition artist wallets, Poketo is now a growing network of over 100 international artists designing an exclusive line of artist tees and bags, stationery, and homeware. Intended as catalyst for conversation and ideas, the 100% unique pieces of art are also used as platforms to promote the artists themselves (the bio and contact info of the artist are packaged together with all poketo products).

This is a great website to go to if you want to learn more about the work of emerging artists round the world. I have selected a few of my favourite artist wallets to feature below. The wallet contains the art work on one side and a transparent vinyl sheet (with button badge) to keep your money and cards on the other side. Folds in half.

Saelee Oh Wallet 1. Saelee lives in Pasadena, CA where she paints and draws for various gallery shows and illustration work and creates handmade, unique gift items for her online boutique, Lemonade Maid.

Jill Bliss Wallet 1. Jill's inspirational work was featured here at laissezfaire in an earlier post. Jill is a graduate of Parsons School of Design in New York and CCA in San Francisco. Her work reveals a fondness for combining fabric, paper, and other found materials. Click here for her website.

Suzanne Husky Wallet 2. Suzanne is an illustrator and installation artist. Her artwork is often humorous and critical of the human environment. She has exhibited in the U.S., China, Europe, and at renowned galleries including Southern Exposure and Marin Headlands Center For the Arts. Click here to learn more about her work at her website.

Tokyo based artist PCP was also invited by Poketo to design a double plate set. I just love the yarn inspired artwork of these plates. The two plate set comes in a beautiful handscreen box.

Wedding Photography Series: Eye-Deas Photography

I first got to know about Ron's work through an entertaining blog I read regularly by blinkymummy. I fell in love with Ron's strikingly simple and story telling pictures almost immediately. This guy has an amazing eye for detail. Do check out more of his work at his website.

{Images from Eye-Deas Photography}

Flickr Craft Pool

Via Decor8, I found out about this great flickr craft pool that posts inspiring images mostly from Japanese craft books. I went gaga browsing the 4000+ pics worth of inspiration. A must see if you are into craft, japanese goods (kawaii!), or simply in need of a jot of inspiration for home deco!

Love the natural simplicity and textures of the pics above and the rich colours of these pics below.

Domino's Greatest Hits

Compilation of my favourites from Domino's greatest hits over the last 2 years.
Love the mix-matched curtains, pink velvet chair and lilac pouf.

A dreamy Marie Anoinette-inspired salon

Sweet and decadent canopy bed from Anthropologie. Love the wallpaper and matching bed linen.

Gorgeous Butterfly Wallpaper. Think this would work better if the kitchen cabinets were a more striking colour, like turquoise or orange, for instance.

Love the idea of having a black chandelier in a pastel blue kitchen.

Love the unique red and furry look of this Thomas & Vines "Natasha" chandelier. Like raspberries on a vine.

Carolina Herrara Jr.'s bathroom/ dressing room. Enough said.

Britain's Got Talent -Paul Potts (Finals)

Paul wins.

Britain's Got Talent - Paul Potts (Auditions)

While this is not one of the usual design posts on my blog, I decided I had to share this here for inspirational purposes. For those of you who have not heard, this is Paul, a mobile phone salesman from South Wales, England. Paul fights his own lack of confidence to take part in Britain's Got Talent and fulfill his lifelong dream of doing what he feels he was born to do - sing opera. Enjoy!

Catherine Hammerton

Breathtaking work by British designer Catherine Hammerton. Catherine's work is defined by its handmade and vintage aesthetic, using traditional silk screen printing, hand stitching and collaging of fabrics, papers, colours and textures to produce unique works of art.

(via Designsponge and Mocoloco)

millimeter/milligram

I have a soft spot for Japanese/Korean stationary and can never grow tired of buying them. Check out the awesome line of cute paper products from Korean store Millimeter/Milligram. Yummy colours and patterns with modern old-school charm. They ship internationally and you can order from their online catalogue.

Wedding Photography Series - Hurricadia

I will begin my favourite wedding photographers series with Hurricadia. Pronounced "Hurry-Kay-Dee-Ah", the company has been in existence since 2000. It prides itself on being a freelance studio specialising in simplistic, minimalist design. I had engaged the principal photographer Terence Heng to do our candid photography during my own wedding in 2005 and really loved the pictures he took for us.

Passion for the visual has long been part of Terence's philosophy. Deciding that a single career was never going to be interesting enough, he hung up his desires for the not-so glamourous world of finance to join the even less glamourous world of academia, art and advertising. He holds a BSc in Economics from the University of Nottingham and an MSc in Management Research from the Said Business School, University of Oxford.

Terence believes that not all wedding photography is about making people stand in a straight line and smile with their chins down. He loves the spontaniety of shooting the day's events, and feels that getting fed at the wedding dinner is the best perk of the job. Terence shuttles in between Singapore and the UK and limits the wedding clients he takes each year to ensure that he maintains a fresh perspective on his work.

{text partly extracted from Terance's website}

Nantaka Joy

Absolutely gorgeous work by Nantaka Joy! Her wonderful website just came up and I couldn't stop downloading pictures of her work to show you on this blog. I was like a kid in a candy store gone absoluely maad!! With a passion for mixing of refined designs, handmade influences, texture, pattern, and color, Joy takes on a variety of clients in the design fields of home accessories, textiles, branding, packaging, custom invitations, and stationery. I will let her work speak for themselves!

By Hand

"By Hand" presents an interesting and diverse group of thirty-two artists,who are discarding their paintbrushes for methods and materials traditionally associated with craft. In these laborious works of art, the process becomes important. From screen printed t-shirts to embroidered toys and knitted landmines, the artists profess their love of methodology while revealing their sometimes obsessive work habits.This book should appeal to anyone who is interested in contemporary culture and D.I.Y. trends.

Wedding photography

Like many other countries I believe, wedding photography is a big thing in Singapore and it is not uncommon to hear couples paying thousands of dollars just to have their wedding pictures taken.

Anyone can take a picture with a camera, but I believe it is only a sensitive photographer with a keen eye for detail that is able to capture the true essence of the day.

I will be sharing the work of some of my favourite local wedding photographers over the next week or so. Hope this will be useful resource and inspiration to lovely folks out there getting married. Please feel free to email me if you would like to share the work of your favourite wedding photographers with others. Enjoy!

Kalon Studios

Via Designsponge, I learnt about Kalon Studios and their gorgeous line of bamboo furniture with botanical cravings. Based in both Berlin and Los Angeles, their entire collection is proudly made from green and sustainable materials that are apparently so non-toxic that it is food grade!