You know the moment when you suddenly fall in love? I had such a flash lust when I saw the work of Irish illustrator and fashion designer Kitty Moss. Firstly - her nom de plume is pretty perfect. Secondly, her illustrations are stylishly accomplished, and finally - the clothes. SWOON. The clothes. I love the characters she has created, Maud and Minet, with as much affection for their look along with their own names. Above are the illustrations, below is some of the collection and in between, beneath here, are Kitty Moss’ own words. Read and see more at Maud & Minet, and buy prints online >here<
“I am a designer and illustrator based in Dublin and I go by the name Kitty Moss. I studied Fine Art and then Fashion. I have just started a label and hopefully it will grow and evolve…
It is based around two characters Maud and Minet, Maud, is a stylish ghost and Minet is her loyal floating cat. The idea is that I document this lady as she glides ghoulishly through the veil of our world floating through parties and the media merry-go-round. It is both a homage and a playful satire on the fashion industry.
Maud is my muse and I am channeling her through illustration but also through Fashion Design and I have made a collection inspired by her.
All the garments on my site are available made to order and are all hand made from the finest of silks, leathers and hand dyed wools. Each piece is unique to the wearer and embedded with the spirit of my muse, a spirit that is spookily sweet, darkly romantic and playfully poised.”
xBlanaid
Back in 2009 I did a post about ‘the most beautiful wedding invitation of all time?’ - so here is it’s distant cousin. This image comes from the recent nuptials of David Lauren (son of Ralph) and Lauren Bush (niece of George W and who will now be know as Lauren Bush Lauren.) It made me say ‘ooooh!’ - it’s original, though yes - nostalgically so… and it is beautiful. Of course, that is aided and abetted by the incredible gown and lovely faces.
xBlanaid
1. I actually have most of these things on the beach - time to get out the white paint…
2. the hair - the hair. Can anyone name the blogger? Amazing.
3. the font.
xBlanaid
Andrew Clancy just spent a year in New York, filming the smallest of details of his day to day life; exchanged glances, secret jokes, the thrill of winning, the morning stretch of a city that was slightly resting, never fully asleep.
He captures the lifestyle, the movies in the park, the culture, the talent, the days filled with beauty and the night time beats. So elegantly shot, so perfectly edited, so suitably put to the incredible sound of James Vincent McMorrow. It makes me want to be there, now.
Watch it >here< and please do share it. Not for any commercial reason, just because I really think it should be…
xBlanaid
I love this concept. Popshot Magazine - “a bi-annual British based arts publication that champions contemporary poetry and illustration” recently launched ‘The Print Shop’, which they descirbe as ” an opportunity to bring beautiful and affordable illustration prints to the walls of visual art/illustration lovers around the world.”
Basically, after working with 100 illustrators for their magazine, they decided to take six of the finest illustrations from the past two years and turn them into collectable art prints. Each illustration is Giclee printed, produced in limited edition runs of 150 and measures at a very large 550mm x 675mm.
You can find out more by visiting >here<. I particularly like the work of Esra Roise, who’s work many of you may recognise. The opportunity to own a giclee print of hers for £45.00 plus p&p is quite appealing!
xBlanaid
1. The sign on a lifeguard’s station, Venice Beach.
2. Loungers in the pool, Las Vegas.
3. I became slightly obsessed with motels while in L.A.
4. This is the UV decoration on the roof and walls of a toilet in Venice Beach. No light but these squiggles.
5. Signage in Vegas.
6. Elegant graffiti in Downtown L.A.
xBlanaid
More images, and more on the way!
1. The fascia of a restaurant in Manhattan beach.
2. The tiled floor of a hotel in L.A. (I’ll be back with the name…)
3. Street art in Downtown L.A.
4. The Mar Vista Dry Cleaners - nice typography.
5. Technically Las Vegas - the whole ground floor was covered in these tiles.
6. Sunset - Manhattan Beach.
7. The wonderful marquee signage leading to the amazingness that is Venice Beach.
xBlanaid
I am at odds with my need for removing myself from the current swirl of blurred days of deadlines and proposals and quotes and words. But then. Every time I think I’m about to book a holiday, I find a new project and I know in my heart that my best away time is actually my here time. I’ve accepted my seeming aversion to time off, and so for now, I’m happy to create away on a daily basis. Now I will take a stroll on a weekday, or go for a long lunch, or even just watch an episode of ‘Boardwalk Empire’ before getting out of bed. For now, holidays have to wait just a tiny bit longer, but I am already feeling away, here.
xBlanaid
Images 1 & 2 from whores at my door. Image 3 from StuRap. Image 4 by Koto Bolofo.
1. Image by Lars Pohlman 2. Origami koi fish available to buy from Mabona on etsy 3. Image by E. Callender 4. Print available to buy from Little Brown Pen on etsy. 5. Cutlery available to buy from The Old Red Hen on etsy.
xBlanaid
Inspiration. Via ‘Abundance of’on Tumblr.
xBlanaid
Beautiful prints to buy on suffragette design on etsy >here<
xBlanaid
I am absolutely determined to travel more this year. I am one of those people who chose not to do the South America/Australia jaunts when young as I wanted to work work work. I figured I’d be so amazingly rich by the age of 30 (ancient!) if I worked hard from 18, that I’d be visiting South America in a gold-plated plane. Well-thought out plan, right?
Unfortunately, I’ve done really very little but work since making that decision, and, added to a sudden (aged 24) inexplicable phobia of flying, I have been limited to occasional escapades to France and London. Things have changed somewhat now though. I have, with the help of a kinesiologist, managed to overcame 94% of my fear of flying, and I have a partner-in-crime type who loves adventures as much as I do…so I feel ready to embrace the airport and get on planes to explore and be inspired and meet new people and do things that don’t involve a laptop.
To keep me motivated to do just that, I’m going to start a little collection of vintage tourism posters featuring the countries I really want to visit. Oh and any recommendations for places I really should visit eventually, I’d love to hear them!
xBlanaid
Fancy Friday will return this Friday, I’m afraid that I felt that I had said all I had to say in the 50th Fancy Friday - but of course, it is never simple to just stop writing. I took a long look at my posts since that post, and I feel they have been somewhat… tentative.
I had written another post and published it tonight, but it just wasn’t me at all. Deleted. Started again, and enjoyed it this time.
xBlanaid
1. via Fashion Gone Rogue. 2. via Emmas Blogg. 3. via unknown. 4 via Whores At My Door. 5. via etsy 6. via A Thing For.
This collection of ‘the end’ images from Fliegender on flickr pleases the typography hound in me…I wish contemporary movies ended with an interesting em..end after the reams of names. I would possibly sit and wait in the dark old cinema, just to see that. And also finish my bucket of popcorn. You know I always order the large one, and yes, I will bring whatever’s left home with me. Day old popcorn equals win.
xBlanaid
I love this print, and not jut because the hut on the far left reminds me of Baywatch for some strange reason. I loved that show, I can’t lie.
Buy this print for $30.00 from the genii over at Brainstorm >here<
xBlanaid
I don’t know what it is excatly, but this image took my breath away.
back with credits stat.
xBlanaid
I first posted about Anne-Sofie Madsen in August 2009, and she recently got in touch to say her Fall 2010 illustrations were now online. I couldn’t click through fast enough, as I am, without question, a fan. The Danish design school graduate does not disappoint. With a collection entitled ‘Blue Ink’, she has somehow found even more genius within the creative part of her mind to produce these incredible fashion illustrations for her Fall 2010/2011 show.
Visit her site >here< and prepare to feel inspired.
xBlanaid
My love for Ireland grows with each discovery of new and amazing talent. Thank you to Olga Tiernan from Grafik Fabrik for making me go ‘oh wow!’ when I saw these images of her work. Instead of rabbiting on about how much I love it - here’s Olga’s answers to some questions! :
“I studied printed textiles in Galway and went on to do a masters in fashion and print at the Glasgow School of Art. I have lectured as a design tutor in GMIT, and now currently freelance as a designer in Dublin.
I am very much interested in geometry, connecting lines, repeated shapes that form patterns. I enjoy printing on fabric because there is a resistant of opposites, straight formal shapes on soft and mallable fabrics, often the prints look so much more interesting on fabric than on paper.
My work tends to lend itself more towards interiors due to its aesthetic, but I would love to create more prints for fashion, I would also love to start working in 3D too but we’ll see how that goes!”
The wallpaper is hand screen printed, available from the Irish Design Shop on Bow Lane East, Dublin 2. The cushions are also available at the Irish Design Shop, and Bow Boutique in Powerscourt Centre. See Olga’s work on Grafik Fabrik >here<
xBlanaid
Sorry if one of these images is from your blog/site without credit - I hate to do that but I was like a right-clicking sponge over Christmas, frantically trying to expand my depleted ‘inspired by..!’ folders. These certainly helped, as did the trip to Berlin. More on that very soon!
xBlanaid
I hope you all had a lovely holiday, sorry for the extended break from the blog but I toddled off to Berlin for New Year’s Eve. It was my first week off in quite some time and it was fantastic. Such an inspirational city in the real honest-to-goodness-everyone-there-is-some-kind-of-creative-genius way. Above is an image from photographer jeanne Fredac who we met on her stand at the main flea market. Incredible. Buy her work online >here<
More on Berlin, outfit posts, Irish graphic designers and next week’s 50th Fancy Friday in the coming days! Thanks for the 50th Fancy Friday (see post below!) mails so far, I really appreciate it.
xBlanaid
designer’s own words:
‘horsey’ is an attachable bicycle ornament/accessory which makes one’s bicycle look horsey!
the ‘horsey’ package includes wooden ornaments (horsey shape body), metal parts, and screws.
the manual is very simple so that anyone can easily arrange it according to one’s needs.
through this ‘horsey’ project. I wanted to give a special look to bicycles so that people would care
about cycling not only as transportation but also as a lovely pet.
blanaid’s own words:
I’ll be needing one of these bad boys.
xBlanaid
Via Designboom
2nd November 2010 :
If this day was a person I would kiss it square in the face then take it home to meet my parents, feed it Chinese food, let it watch Star Trek if it wanted to, rub it’s feet, get it some beer and then marry it and have lots of today babies
8th November 2010:
Hello there today! I proposed to a cousin of yours last week. Would you mind telling him that it’s all off with him and YOU’RE the day I really love? Oh yes, I’m DEFINITELY going to love you forever…. or until a different day comes along and courts me in all it’s awesomeness. But ’til that day, let’s love each other today, today.
xBlanaid
Love this poster by Tihana Petrovic for October’s Flea Market AND I finally get to go this Sunday! Hurrah!
xBlanaid
I bought these Frantic Meerkat prints almost two years ago. I have a few more and aim to buy them all, but these two are my absolute favourites. They make me laugh every.single.time I see them. Genius!
Buy them >here<
xBlanaid
A few images from my stuffed inspiration folders. Please do help me credit them if you can!
I actually have the bedstead in the first photo - I do love it. These are all from my folder for turning Shutterbug in to a shop as well as a studio- which is really gathering steam! Exciting times ahead.
xBlanaid
This is brilliant for those of you with a few minutes to spare, who are into design/graphics/art or just y’know, mucking about for a little bit. You have to arrange little squares of colour accroding to where they come on the spectrum
I did this test back in April - hence the age bracket - I wasn’t cheating! My friend sent it to me - he got zero, which is THE best possible score. I got four…which isn’t too bad considering my slight issue with green/blue!
Just found it again now so thought I’d share! Check it out >here<
xBlanaid
Oh this is like a dream. I love it. Created by Attack for W&K in New York :
“Lunch is critically important to W+K NY. Our office sits between Soho, Tribeca and the W. Village, so we’re spoiled with our pick of great restaurants in the neighborhood. Attack designed and hand-painted a wall in our space with the names of some of our favorite spots that keep the W+K NY team happy throughout the day.”
I would LOVE one of these in the studio…
xBlanaid
See more >here<
Lotte Agaton is such an incredible interiors stylist…her use of dark colours, wood, and coincidentally, ALL of the floors in her images make me happy!
see more >here<
xBlanaid
…remind me of there.
Some b&w based art & graffiti I spotted out and about with himself in L.A. - it is such an amazingly creative place beyond the glamour of the celebrities, models and such like. There is art, incredible art, literally dripping off the walls.
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