Gypset

I am having fun leafing through the latest sumptuous addition of Assouline, Gypset Style. Looking at groups of free-spirited individuals who love to jet set in nomadic gypsy style and roam the world in search of adventure it makes for interesting and quite different reading.

It has classic iconic pictures like this one of Talitha Getty on a Marrakech rooftop, or Yves Saint Laurent in his Marrakech home.

Interior shots such as this one in Madrid

and looks at 'gypsetters' such as designer Alice Temperley (seen above), Jade Jagger in Ibiza, and Damien Hirst in London.

On a separate note I came across these award winning photographs of Gypsy interiors by Carlo Gianferro. They're like nothing I've ever seen before with some pretty strange designs. Click here to see more.

Office accessories

Yes my dirty secret is out and don't ask me why but I am always partial to office accessories. At the moment I'm coveting this address file from www.lovelydesign.com It comes in maple or dark walnut and uses recycled cards.
I also like this brass pencil holder from www.greenergrassdesign.com via the bloomsburylife blog.

I shall be re-ordering some of these. They are actually barrister files but I like the pink ribbon! You can buy them here

And finally I can't get enough of these Hermes notebooks - soft leather and a great colour. I first saw them on tv as they are the favourite of the Donald Sutherland character in Dirty Sexy Money and I think they're gorgeous.

Hummingbirds

On such a gorgeous day as this, I thought I'd do a post on hummingbirds. They get to sip nectar from tropical flowers all day and are the only bird to fly backwards - doesn't sound like a bad life to me!
I liked them so much I put one on a card - this is the Anzu Patchwork Hummingbird card.

I love this exuberant illustration from 19th century naturalist Ernst Haeckel

Images: first two photographs - Flavio Cruvinel's photostream on Flickr, Anzu Hummingbird, photo from www.faqs.org, Ernst Haeckel

Bring back the bowler hat

These bowler hat lights are very tempting for the office, from here. Would love to see the days back where the city was full of men in bowler hats carrying umbrellas...

Images via Ancient industires, others unknown

Erdem

The fashion house Erdem has fabrics that are just so stunning. I love the painterly effect and I love the way they have created what is essentially a traditional garden print without it looking twee.

All these are from the Spring/Summer 2010 collection but the fabrics from the Autumn/Winter 2010 are equally as stunning and very different

Inspiring and beautiful

images via www.Vogue.co.uk

Kate Spade book clutches

I think these clutch bags made to look like books from the Kate Spade Autumn 2010 collection are such fun. 'We wanted to pretend we had our own publishing house' said creative director Deborah Lloyd. Kate Spade will release the bags one volume at a time as a sort of Book-of-the-Month club from August. Which book would you like?

Found via Vanity Fair

Paris

My time in Paris at the weekend with friends was a treat as always (despite being freezing). We ate steak tartare at an art nouveau brasserie (bouillon racine),

popped into the incredible (if macabre) Deyrolle taxidermy shop to look at the crocodiles, tigers, lobsters

and amazingly iridescent butterflies,

bought some coconut and passion fruit macaroons from Gerard Mulot (reputed to have the best macaroons in Paris),

window-shopped until our feet hurt and looked at the Selby window in the always interesting concept store Colette. Fun was had by all!

Images via musicandmarket.blogspot.com, macaroon image via parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com. Other photos my own.

Needlework

Rather like these needlework deer heads from Frederique Morrel

He also creates footstools, and candlesticks and other goodies to see more click here

A different piece of needlework from Clare Crespo, who recently created A Madi Gras feast, an exhibition of crocheted Cajun dishes!!

Off to Paris for the day!

Image via the Selby

Dior 1953-1960

Love these vintage Dior photos from the 1950s. I am amazed with how modern they look and I really like the colours.

The anemones on the table and the small hanging picture really add interest to this photo I think.

Ah .. leopard - need I say more?

See more here

Nature taking over

Quite inspired by this theme at the moment. More to come!

Would love to do this with the anzu logo outside the office - anyone know how to do it?

Images: top two unknown, Anna Garforth, Tim Walker

Busy painting flamingos...

Busy painting a random combination of objects from flamingos and baby rattles to fairytale carriages for a book cover commissioned by Hodder publishers.

Sibella Court

As per usual I am rather wishing I lived in a loft with lots of space. I found this loft of Sibella Courts rather interesting when it was featured in Living etc.

Another advantage of lofts is that they seem to allow you to be a bit messy. These piles of shoes and books look cool here, which in my flat they definitely do not! Sibella Court is also a stylist - below is an example of her work

And has her own shop in Sydney, Society Inc. Below is a cabinet of curiosities from the shop

If you'd like to read more she also has her own book.