Yukka
2nd February 2012
I’ve been having a bit of thing for succulents and cactus recently, and although a Yukka is neither (!) it reminded of this photo I took a couple of years ago. Pretty.
CommentLion Dance 舞狮
27th January 2012
Here’s some New Year Lion Luck on a Friday afternoon courtesy of my awesome Dad.
(Thanks Dad)
Co.Design
27th January 2012
I’ve just been checking out the redesign over on Fast Company’s Co.Design site. I love their big, shiny images and awesome typography and it’s interesting that they redesigned with their sidebar more in mind.
This is definitely something I want to explore with BTN next month with a full redesign as well. I think I need to make more use of the side panels and get some extra information in there. Stay tuned.
Land Down Under
26th January 2012
Happy Australia Day to all my friends and family in Oz!
I took this photo at Tamarama during Sculptures by the Sea. If anyone is ever in Sydney while it’s on (usually November time) be sure to check it out.
Kung Hei Fat Choi
26th January 2012
So here we are in the Year of the Dragon. Symbolising Yang and the male half of the universe, the Dragon is the only legendary animal of the Chinese Zodiac and considered to be the luckiest of all the zodiacs.
Happiness, wealth, longevity and Sun Leen Fai Lok to all my family and friends in Hong Kong!
The List
19th January 2012
I’m procrastinating from my wedding to do list, by making animated wedding to do list gifs.
Crazy.
The Right Year for Children
17th January 2012
Last month I was lucky to be able to work with my friends over at PhotoVoice (and Action For Children) to help them design and build an online site and resource booklet to launch Rights! Cameras! Action! - a project that uses photography and video to explore young people’s views on children’s rights.
2012 is The Right Year for Children (RY4C) and aims to develop and strengthen children’s rights and awareness in the UK. Launched on December 16th to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the signing of the UK’s United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the project is being introduced into UK schools this year to help kids learn about the right’s they’re entitled to.
Any project that uses photography as a way to express yourself is awesome in my opinion and Rights! Cameras! Action! is super interesting and well worth checking out.
Baker’s Twine
13th January 2012
Our wedding is getting closer (39days 02hours 23minutes 06seconds according to Si’s Dashboard Countdown Widget - yikes!) so I’ve been busy designing cards, making signs and getting things finished.
My Baker’s Twine finally arrived in the post a couple of days ago and I love it. Si vetoed bunting from the beginning, but a little Baker’s Twine won’t go amiss! I might have to make it my new favourite thing for 2012 and order some more colours so I can wrap this year’s birthday presents in it.
Havaianas
12th January 2012
I am addicted to Havaianas. I wear them everyday and I finally found some plain white skinny ones in Australia to wear for the wedding. Think they’re going to look awesome with the little red Pininho hearts I have.
Another thing ticked off the list. Yay!
Bean There
5th January 2012
Bean There is our newest coffee shop discovery in Cape Town. Organic, fair trade coffee and wooden tables to die for.
blackbox
4th January 2012
A few years ago we spent a month in Oaxaca over New Year and it was one of my favourite places in Mexico by a mile. With a beautiful zocalo, gorgeous old buildings, quirky shops, fun bars and great restaurants, there was also a really cool art and graffiti scene with awesome stencils and images pasted all over the city walls.
This morning an article in Dwell caught my eye and I found myself reading a great story about a studio-cum-shop in Oaxaca called blackbox.
blackbox finds and collaborates with local artisans who use ancient techniques to churn out the same woven rugs, wooden carvings and pottery pieces again and again for uninspired tourists. By helping them bring their designs up to date and to use design as “a tool for social improvement”, new products (that wouldn’t look out of place in the MOMA store) are created using craftsmanship that’s been around for centuries.
I love the idea of developing these crafts – it helps ensure these techniques are not lost forever while producing some awesome new designs along the way.
Industrial designer Gustavo Fricke who opened blackbox says the shop’s overarching goal is: “To build trust and working relationships with these communities and give them a new channel for their work. I want the younger generation to feel proud of their skills, to realize: “Shit, man, this is cool and I made it. I learned this from my grandpa, and now this is giving me my bread.” “
Very cool.
(via Dwell)
