Monday, May 11, 2015

Woodland Animals Measuring Cups







I LOVE these adorable woodland animals measuring cups! The stackable ceramic bowls in owl, fox, bear and squirrel design are dishwasher and microwave safe.  They are so sweet that you won't be able to help yourself but use them as bowls even. They will make a great gift for the cook who wants to bring  a lot of fun and a little whimsy to the kitchen. Available here.

Mirko Hanak


















I discovered this stunning work by Mirko Hanak (on this blog) who was an illustrator and a painter from the Czech Republic, born in 1921 in Prague. His work shows influences of Chinese traditional watercolors, the Japanese minimalist painting-style and the Czech rich culture. His specialty was amazing watercolor animals balanced with delicate lines on rice paper depicted in colors full of life and fun.

Some of his popular children books are Bambi: A Life in the Woods and Animals We Love (can be found here) filled with delightful illustrations. He passed away at the height of his career in 1971 from leukemia.

Friday, May 8, 2015

Willard Wigan's Microscopic Sculptures



















Willard Wigan is a talented artist who creates the most amazing micro sculptures in the eye of a needle, which can only be viewed through microscope. He  uses a surgical blade to carve his microscopic figures out of rice, grains of sand and sugar, homemade tools such as a shard of diamond attached to a pin for cutting or the wing of a dead housefly as a paint brush.

“It began when I was five years old,” says Willard. “I started making houses for ants because I thought they needed somewhere to live. Then I made them shoes and hats. It was a fantasy world I escaped to. That’s how my career as a micro-sculptor began.”

His handmade miniatures are so minute that they are virtually could not be seen by naked eye. His artwork is referred to as the “Eighth Wonder of the World” for which he was honored by HM. Queen Elizabeth II with an MBE. His work is owned by HRH. Prince Charles, Sir Elton John, Sir Philip Green, Lord Bath, Mike Tyson and Simon Cowell to name a few. 

Willard creates this incredible pieces in a meditative state which slows down his heartbeat, reducing hand tremors allowing him to sculpt between pulse beats. He mostly works through the night as the reverberation caused by outside traffic can affect and even destroy Willard’s work. "There are times when I've inhaled my work," he told The Huffington Post. "There are artworks still inside of me."

DIY: Paper Owl Lanterns





How cute is this idea! You can make these adorable owl lanterns for any room in the house as well as to use them as decorations for an outdoor party. The things that you'll need to make your own family of owl lanterns are assorted lanterns, scrapbook paper, circle punch, black buttons, scissors, stampin up crystal effects and glue dots. 

They are simple to make and look so cute! Perfect for a birthday party, baby shower or even to decorate a nursery. Those tiny feet are killing me! 

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Beautiful Hand-Embroidery: Follow the White Bunny
















"Follow the White Bunny" is a brain child of Nicole Vos van Avezathe an illustrator and an embroider from Rotterdam, Netherlands. She specializes in designing original hand-embroidery patterns and craft designs. Her work is cheerful, and full of intricate stitches and shading that you probably haven't seen anywhere else. Her work often depicts birds and animals dressed up as human beings wearing scarf and jacket as if they are playing a role in a story. Her embroidery has a very delicate feel, done on a carefully selected fabric either plain or printed which compliments the entire nature of the piece. Her work has been featured in Mollie Makes and Homespun magazine.  

She also conducts online workshops and embroidery classes suitable for beginners as well as advance students, you can find out more details about her upcoming class here. She has shared some free patterns and tutorials on her blog