guestblogger: Ellen

It's a new week and we have a new guestblog! It's is my sincere pleasure to introduce a new guestblog at particular aesthetic by graphic designer, Ellen. She works at a major firm in New York and has an incredible portfolio of freelance work as well. I'm really looking forward to having her occasional input on the site, as I'm sure you will too. See her first post below.

Babytree

I was in Tokyo a couple of weeks ago for work and discovered these amazingly small plant keychains in a department store. I immediately assumed they were Japanese since they're so darn cute, but they're actually made by a French company called Babytree.

canvas coat

This is a men's coat from South Willard, but I wish I could have it anyway.

franc grom

Slovenian artist Franc Grom creates this incredible eggs, drilling up to 17,000 holes in one egg with an electric boring tool. via momeld

FLOWmarket

One of the cooler ideas I've seen in a while: FLOWmarket, the creation of Danish designer Mads Hagstroem, addresses "imbalances" in "individual, collective and environmental flow," transforming them into "aesthetically designed (empty) packings with humorous and thought awakening" text. via carpe+item

white/wood

I've been admiring this Czech side chair for a while since I saw it in Domino magazine some months ago, a not-so-distant relative of these attractive "3 chefs" utensils by Normann Copenhagen.

john robshaw

On Saturday I had the fortune to meet John Robshaw, purely by chance, at an art show. He was so polite and gracious, and I rather accosted him and gushed about how much I like his work. Here are a few prints from his collection of blockprinted cotton-linen. Clockwise, from top left: hibiscus, cinde, atasi, gent's stripe.

eye spy

Eye spy glasses cases from Anthropologie.

particular aesthetic: smart art

Lace fence, part of 'Sideways: A Smart Art Project,' a campaign to promote the Smart Car through an "aesthetic approach to environmental issues." via inhabitat.

quote unquote

Quote unquote bookends from fitzsu.

erosion sink

I'm kind of obsessed with this sink from Gore Co., an environmentally responsible design company in Arizona. One day, when I stop renting and start owning...

oh, monocle

...how I love thee. And how I cannot afford thy subscription. Photo from article on Slowear, Milan.

two cuban designers

Cuba's only design school, El Instituto Superior de Deseno Industrial, has its first two master's graduates in Management and Innovation Design, Miriam Abreu Oramas and Sergio Luis Pena Martinez. via Core77 Design Blog. photo by Ellen Sitkin.

security envelope beads

Security envelope beads from junkmailgems

packaging totally matters

If you are reading this and you are in the business of making packaging, I'd like to have a word: PACKAGING TOTALLY MATTERS. Of course, you knew that, but maybe you should think again. It helps if the packaging is clean, informative, and tells a story above and beyond the product (humor? social/environmental responsibility? anyone?). Case in point: the people over at Help say,

"Many companies enjoy packaging their goods inside nasty materials covered in gaudy graphics. That’s because many companies are controlled by crazy people. Most of our packaging is made of molded paper pulp. We enjoy molded paper pulp because it is soft and it makes interesting shapes. Also because it is made from 100% recycled materials and it is compostable- which means one day, it will probably become a part of a large tree. Maybe you can cut down that tree and make it into a speedboat." 

Amen.

[via notcot]

woodgrain/faux bois at etsy

...
Silver woodgrain cuff by honeybee, faux bois magnets by jessicajane, faux bois dress by oh my cavalier, jane tote in woodgrain by anatomyofaskirt, new growth print by groundwork, cast faux bois log by somethingshidinghere, plank ring by dillondesigns, against the grain necklace by blockpartypress, woodgrain satchel by keykalou.

things I'd like from japan

Clockwise, from top left: sinivalko from Fukuya, bins from Studio Clip, ring from Hoya Crystal, black playing cards from Visions Coax, wooden briefcase by Takumi Shimamura, chocolate pencils from Le Chocolate de H, 

i want...

...a bubblecar!

Pierre Hardy for the Gap

There are only three styles available, but new shoes by Pierre Hardy are now for sale at the Gap.

cube tasting dish

I saw this cube tasting dish last week at Crate & Barrel and came this close to buying it; it was so cute, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out what I'd use it for. The little cubes are about 1 x 1". Maybe for tiny condiments?

wood grain tile

Wood grain tile by Brian Kerrigan. via anothershadeofgrey.blogspot

stylish blight

An old service station turned architecture studio. Brilliant. via notcot

tap project

The Tap Project, a campaign that helps UNICEF provide safe drinking water for children around the world by asking a minimum of $1 for the tap water diners normally enjoy for free, is coming to a city near you during World Water Week (March 16-22). I'm going to stop by my local restaurant that week to contribute my $1 and see if I can get one of these nifty bottles. I think they're just for advertising purposes though.