Objects of my Desire

Firstly I must apologise for the non-existent post last week. I do have very good reason however, in the form of a very tight deadline! I do hope that this post will more than make up for it.

I have been kept very busy these last few weeks with some really outstanding projects, that I feel very lucky to be working on. Projects like these inspire me in every aspect of my life, as well as my work. Needless to say, these projects have certainly inspired this weeks post, which shares a mass of unique and wonderful objects by some really fantastic creatives.

A potent mixture of fantastical, magical, quirky, festive and downright cute, each and every one of these things sparks my imagination in some special way. With Autumn knocking on the door, this all just feels so fitting, and I can't help but get excited about what is to come, for Autumn is my most favourite of the seasons; the colour, the wildlife, the chill, the magic and of course, Christmas right on the doorstep.

You can find all of the links to the amazing shops that sell these beautiful products below! They are either links to the shops of the makers themselves, or the fantastic people who bring them to the masses, and I would like to personally thank each and every one of them for supplying me with such a delicious feast this Tuesday morning.


From top to bottom (left to right)

Little Marvels Shadow Casters - from Cottontails Baby, by Moulin Roty www.cottontailsbaby.co.uk
Vampire Boy Brooch Pin - from Little Nore by Heidi McDonald, www.etsy.com/LittleNore
Spooky Parade Cupcake Wrappers - from Belle & Boo, www.belleandboo.com

Embroidered Magnets - from Jenny Arnott Embroidered Textiles www.jennyarnott.co.uk
Wagtail Weekend Bag - from Little Moose, by Disaster Designs www.littlemoose.co.uk
Bunny Egg Cosy - from Caroline Watts Embroidery www.carolinewattsembroidery.co.uk
Lavender Bags - from Charlotte Macey Textiles www.charlottemacey.co.uk
Snow Circus Print - from Bumpkin Bears by Catherine Young www.etsy.com/Bumpkin
Hot Water Bottle Covers - from Catherine Tough www.catherinetough.co.uk
Wooden Weather Vane - from Cottontails Baby, by Moulin Roty www.cottontailsbaby.co.uk
Seasonal Cushion - from Belle & Boo, www.belleandboo.com

Leaf Cut Art

It has been such a busy week this week, and so much has gone on that I could've written about so many things - and I really wanted to - but with time abandoning me, and too much to say, I have settled on this worthy little post, about the majestic art of leaf cutting.

Following one of my previous posts on paper cut art, you will know how inspired I get about these things and how much I adore this form of art. So, imagine my fascination when I came across these treats...

Extra special they are too, because actual leaves have been used, and so nature's art becomes our own. How beautiful the different colours are, hinting at the change in seasons, and the pictures seem to go with them too - a summer green, and the deer are out grazing; a winter brown, and the tree stands cold and sombre; an autumn orange, and the owl sits watchful among the ever baring branches.

The artist is Lorenzo Durán - a Spanish creative, who feels that nature itself is the biggest inspiration, and I couldn't agree more, 'The colours of a butterfly, mineral glass, a majestic tree, etc., are a form of art that delights the senses, and for me nature is a wonderful way to experience creativity."

Lorenzo is self taught, and with the painstakingly fragile nature of his art, it must have taken a great deal of patience and commitment to become the artist that he is today - something that is not possible without a great deal of passion for what you do, and I love that.

See more of Lorenzo's work here - and don't be put off by the fact that it is mostly in Spanish; there are English translations if you have a rummage, and they are totally worth reading.

Nature's Treasure

As I studied these pictures a few days ago, I thought that they could be precious stones, and that is exactly what they look like. So what would you think if I told you that they are actually grains of sand? Amazed? I was....

Professor Gary Greenberg is a biomedical researcher, who photographs nature through extreme magnification. These grains of sand were magnified over 250 times real life, exposing what appears to be quite a bland exterior (to the human eye), to actually be incredibly colourful and intricately patterned. They are fragments of crystals, spiral fragments of shells and crumbs of volcanic rock, combined into these beautiful structures.

Gary summed my thoughts up well when he exclaimed 'It is incredible to think when you are walking on the beach, you are standing on these tiny treasures.' This thought will surely stay with me next time I am lucky enough to visit a beach.

To sum this post up - nothing amazes me more than nature.

All of these photographs belong to Professor Gary Greenberg. You can view more of his pictures and also read more about Gary's work on his website, www.sandgrains.com.