Bloesem

Blog Sabbatical..........

{(in)visíveis . (in)visible I digital prints from Ana Ventura}
it was very difficult for me to decide with what post I would sign off for my blog-sabbatical ... but I think doing this with Ana Ventura is very appropriate for me ... when I started blogging I never expected that Bloesem would become such a very important part of my (and my husbands) life ... it was Bloesem who introduced us to so many talented people around the globe which I'm sure we would otherwise never been able to find ... Bloesem has enriched our lives in multiple ways, new online friends, new ideas, a new way of thinking about many things and most certainly Bloesem has filled our house with many beautiful items that I bought myself along the way or were given to me by beautiful people often as a thank you for giving them a humble platform online ...

My husband and I are off to a new start in a 'real' house, no more apartments for this couple, instead a garden and an upstairs! During the coming weeks I will of course once in a while show you some images of our decoration adventures and progress ... one thing is for sure the amazing art pieces which we bought from Ana Ventura the other day are getting a prominent spot in our home ... (you can see all the prints right here)

 

Leaves me with saying how grateful I am to all of you my dear readers, thank you for your comments, support and emails. A big thank you to my sponsors who made Bloesem possible for me ... and all my blogriends, who linked to Bloesem and helped my readership to grow ... I'm going to miss you, but I will soon be back in the beginning of August!! ...and once in a while a small post because I just can't resist it...

Thank You ELLE Interior Norway

Can you believe how happy I was when Line Damen invited me for an interview in the gorgeous Norwegian ELLE interior (a must have magazine for bloggers like us) ... I could never have hoped for a more beautiful interview than this one ... thank you Line and ELLE Interior Norway and welcome to all the Norwegian visitors, it's a huge honor to be featured in a country where design, style and taste are like second nature......{ps. and it was so nice to see Siw and Emma here as well}

Skinny Laminx

Do you like my new tea towels from Skinny Laminx just as much as I do? The gorgeous new fabrics which you can buy per meter are also great looking on these chairs ... the chair on the left would not really be my style but covered with this fabric I could see it in our home, the right chair is welcome in our home anytime! Thanks Heather!

My parents arrived yesterday (YEAH) and they are going to help me with the garden, I'm very excited to learn more from these very experienced gardeners. Will try to show you some images next week, but now I would like to wish you a very lovely weekend! Irene xx

i love grey skies

I couldn't agree more with Brittni from Papernstitch about loving the designs from 'I Love Grey Skies'...so I'm sincerely considering the button wall art pieces for our new house...

win a bag soft toys from Bookhou

...if you would like to win this gorgeous bag of soft toys handmade by Arounna from Bookhou then click here for more info ... good luck!

Special guest :: Astrid from Hei Astrid

I’ve had my eyes on Scandinavian Surface for a while and I’ve written about them on hei Astrid a couple of times, here and here. This is how they describe themselves: Scandinavian Surface specializes in developing "patterns for any surface". With professional background, skills and experience we are able to offer outstanding surface design and original solutions for products such as: fabrics, wallpaper, building facades, interior decoration details etc.

The WallPiece is a beautiful wall decoration that comes in a variety of patterns. Scandinavian Surface also makes a collection of placemats, trays, cards, cushions and bags. It’s all available in the webshop.

{THANK YOU Astrid, irene xx}

***post by Astrid from HeiAstrid 

decorating ...

 

{a 'before' image of our new home ... soon I will show you some 'after' images of the living room}
It has been an exhausting, but fun week last week for me and my family ... moving house with 2,5 month old baby and a three year old in temperatures of 30 degrees and higher does make it more difficlt then just simply move house with the two of us. But we are also happy, relieved and content with the decorating results so far and of course having our doors open to a garden with a swimming pool in it makes all the difference and gives us a tremendous luxurious feel ... wow life can be good!

Because we are renting I have to accept some aspects of the house which I never and I say NEVER would choose for my own house ... here we go::
*2 horrible huge mirrors from top to bottom in the living room ... anybody any suggestions what to do with these
*teinted glass in the windows everywhere ... must be honest to say that it keeps the house cooler
*shiny tiles on te floor, oh I wish I could paint the floor off-white, my furniture would look so much better...

{Image form ByGraziela read more about it right here...}
I will keep you updated in the next few months of my decorating results and today I posted a great Open House Tour on B:Kids showing you how good decorating really works!

The Brick House

we are moving to a new house today, hope it will look a little bit like this one ...this is a house I really really love!

I will be back next week ... but will not be answering email until late next week .... hope you undertsand! WIsh you a very nice weekend, irene x

Special guest :: Astrid from Hei Astrid

{Bird from Circus Design}
Steinar Hindenes and Dave Vikøren are Circus Design. They are kind of the grand old men of the Bergen furniture design scene, and they have a lot a really great work to show for. If you read the press release mentioned in this post (link to post 1), you might recognize Dave’s name. I’ve been told that he’s a wonderful resource for the design students at KHiB. Bird is a new collection of chairs, sofas, tables. It’s a module seating system based on 3 different chair modules. Manufactured by Helland Møbler, design by Steinar Hindenes, Lars Tornøe and Atle Tveit.

***post by Astrid from HeiAstrid

Special guest :: Astrid from Hei Astrid

Atle Tveit and Lars Tornøe are the design duo Tveit & Tornøe. You might recognise their names from the description of the Bird chair in my second post. These guys were students at KHiB and have had great success in very sort time. I did an interview with them in early April, and believe me; they have the coolest studio in town. The little sneak peek here doesn’t really do it justice.

 

Above two of Tveit & Tornøe gorgeous designs :: The Dots are giant hooks made of solid oak. The hooks come in sets of five, and make a pleasant addition to any wall. Manufacturer: Muuto. And the Copenhagen Chair is a low resting chair made of 3D-veneer and upholstery, with a steel base. It comes in a variety of veneers and fabrics. Manufacturer: Fora Form.

***post by Astrid from HeiAstrid

The Incredible Print Show

Yes more then 50 artists from around the world are showing their work over at the Incredible Print Show organized by the lovely Susan from Artstream ...the show opened last May 1st for online sales all work will be sold off the wall ... above are just some of my favorite pieces :: Katie Vernon - Whale, Flowers :: Amy Ng - Petals + Points #2 :: Heather Smith Jones - happy ending :: Lisa Solomon - dream of home :: ... and here you can find a complete overview from all the artists...

Important message: as of tomorrow I will only have sporadic access to the internet ... therefore responding to your emails will start on Wednesday June 3 again ...thanks for your patience ...of course the posting will keep continuing, so hope to see you back this week.

Special guest :: Astrid from Hei Astrid

 

{KHiB students at Stockholm Furniture Fair}
Thanks to the lovely Irene I (=Astrid) am doing my debut as a guest blogger here at Bloesem. I live in Bergen on the west coast of Norway and in my posts I’m going to introduce you to some very talented furniture and home accessory designers based in Bergen.
KHiB – Bergen National Academy of the Arts – is one of the best acclaimed academies in Norway for furniture and spatial design studies. Every year the students exhibit at Stockholm Furniture Fair (http://webfair2.stofair.se/furniturefair_eng/index.asp?menulink=2&language=EN). The photos above are some of the prototypes that were exhibited this year. Take a look here to see all the 2009 contributions. Here is the press release in English. 

Erlend Bleken: "Half pipe" A spacious “one and a half” chair for comfortable lounging. Wool upholstery. Foam fill. Upholstered with steel base. Anders Berg: "Say-O" Lounge chair made of 3D veneer, solid aluminium and stainless steel. Ingunn Eikeland: "Pytt" is a low lounge table. The idea was to visualize a raindrop as it breaches the surface of a puddle. Halvor Eide: "Spin" Lounge chair in laminated maple and wool upholstery aiming to simplify the occasional mingling in an open social landscape. {All photos are taken by Bjarte Bjørkum}

***post by Astrid from HeiAstrid

Special guest :: Astrid from Hei Astrid

It's going to be a very hectic week for me ... we're moving house! The movers are coming on Wednesday and hopefully Thursday we can sleep in our new home ... I'm very lucky to have some really nice help this week with my posts, Astrid from HeiAstrid prepared some great furniture posts or us ... I always love visiting Astrids beautiful blog, so many images like the one above really appeal to me ... I will keep you updated during the next two weeks about the move, they (TMnet) promised I could stay online and a smooth transition is being promised to me ...We'lll see?? {ps. more of Astrid's great photography right here}

weekend with a cold

I'm in bed with a terrible cold ,yes these things also happen in warm countries ... and it's terrible timing because some of you know that we are moving house next week ... so today leaves me with finding some inspiration for the new house online and this is what I found yesterday :: a personalized ikea cabinet ... thanks Danielle for showing! Wish you all a very nice and 'slow' weekend! Irene x

we make sense...

...this is for  Rik xxx

Ginko

It's always fun browsing through Ginko paper's website ... super nice stationery with a Japanese feel and this very nice owl greeting card is absolutely worth framing ... very affordable art you could say!

new giveaway feature on B:Kids

... a new feature on B:Kids which all of you who like 'winning' probably appreciate ... B:Kids will host a GiveAway party every Wednesday starting today ... you have to click here to find out what you can win this week? Good Luck!

Special guest :: Jaime Beattie from PaisleyStClaire

Dear Jaime, thank you very much for being my geust on Bloesem and writing all the wonderful posts!

Its not everyday you find yourself mentally renovating the bathroom just because you've found some gorgeous tiles. But these tiles from Xenia Taler are just so beautiful I want them in my home... somewhere... anywhere. Luckily though, Xenia's tiles are also available as display tiles that have a groove for hanging and cork on the back. That means they're also suitable for use as coasters and trivets. I do think those cute birds would make great feature tiles in a bathroom though. View the full collection of Xenia Taler tiles on their website.

***post by Jaime Beattie from PaisleyStClaire

Special guest :: Jaime Beattie from PaisleyStClaire

Australian illustrator and designer, Naomi Murrell has produced the loveliest collection of art prints and jewellery featuring sweet folk-style birds, flowers and hearts. I wish I could show you the entire collection... probably best to pop over to Naomi's website and have a look for yourself.

***post by Jaime Beattie from PaisleyStClaire

Open House on B:Kids

I just posted this very inspiring Open House Tour on B:Kids with Wiebke from Line+Liv...

Special guest :: Jaime Beattie from PaisleyStClaire

Hope you had a lovely weekend, thanks for coming back to Bloesem ... this week many many posts including some very nice guest-posts like this one ...
\ 

{images from  Darling Clementine cards available at Manos}
I'm a huge fan of colour and retro styling so its impossible not to love everything about Darling Clementine's work. In addition to providing designs for interiors and t-shirts, this Norwegian design team serves up the most charming greeting cards and tote bags. Their Haberdashery Series is inspired by vintage Scandinavian ceramics and the Marionette series features animals which were inspired by 1950´s finger puppets. Darling Clementine products are available in their online shop or at Karin Ericksons wonderful shop Manos, right here ...

***post by Jaime Beattie from PaisleyStClaire

inkypots

The little family of gorgeous yellow vases are currently standing next to me on my desk, why? because I bought them a little while ago and the talented woman who made them brought them to my house here in Kuala Lumpur, yes brought them, she also lives in Kuala Lumpur and I can't wait to have a coffee with her soon and perhaps go and visit her studio!

{some images I found on Jiawen's blog} I was doing a location search on Etsy and discovered the work by this amazing Malaysian artist. Her name is Jiawen, her shop's name is inkypots ... I want to thank her for beautiful work and will soon come back to her shop, because I have my eyes set on some bowls too...{Thanks Jiawen for number 5!}

Sale at Horne

 

Just thought you might like to be informed about a sale over at the Horne ... 15% of on all Michele de Lucchi lights, this sale will end on Monday May 25.  Michele de Lucchi is a wonderful Italian architect (mostly commercial) who also works in furniture, lighting and home accessories. Horne not only carries these lights in their awesome online shop they also have a great collection home accessories like the ones below that I truly love.

{MUD pebble bowl and teatowel from the Japanese company, Fog Linen Work}  Ryan Walker and Alissa Parker (a newly wed couple!) launched their online shop with the idea to combine their personal styles of their perspective upbringings, country rustic and eclectic European. Ryan says he is the classic minimalist while Alissa is a free spirit ... would you like to see more of their own home, then click here for a nice sneak peak over Design*Sponge.

Nienke Sybrandy :: help

I truly enjoy writing posts like these ... about a true artist that gives me so much inspiration, new ideas and a new way of looking at things that you so easily take for granted ... since the last time I wrote about Dutch designer Nienke Sybrandy she has created some amazing new work for several projects ...

'Bladerportretten = Leave Portraits' is the name of this stunning project which I believe Nienke does for herself in her own home ... every time a leaves falls from her plant she engraves a small face in it, gives it a date tag and places it in a keepsake box ... this way a family tree from the plant is being created ... unbelievable how real the faces look ...
For InsideDesign 2008 Nienke Sybrandy gave a whole new meaning to the word flower-arrangements ... she was asked by the people from InsideDesign to turn one of the rooms of the Lloyd Hotel in Amsterdam into a PlantCabinet ... and so she did in her own special way ... on the wall you could find this still-live of flowers ... print of a flower arrangement in vase and then cut ou from the paper.

 Some gorgeous 2-dimensional porcelain Herbariumvases ... find more images right here to see how special these vases are ...

and I love these fresh and fun looking flower cushions that don't need any watering ... soon Nienke is going to add them to her online shop, if you are already interested in buying themthen just send Nienke an email ...

HELP :: Nienke asked me whether I could help her find somebody in New York who might be interested in showing her designs in a Gallery or if somebody can give her a name of who to contact in New York for a possible review/exhibition of her gorgeous work?? Nienke will be so happy if you could help her find the right person .... please send Nienke an email or leave a cmment if you do ...

Thank You Ite

For all the mom-readers, I hope you had a lovely Mothers Day, mine was perfect ... I was really spoiled, not so much with presents from my children, a nice song and a big Kiss was more than enough for me, but i did receive a present on Saturday from a Bloesem reader ... I can tell you it was a HUGE surprise and it touched me tremendously! This gorgeous vintage plate from Stone Manor, called 'Kissing Cousins', a beautiful wooden spoon, lovely fabric and two art cards were in the gift box ... the message said something like: 'thank you for the daily inspiration and the wonderful vintage ceramic weekend read' ... well i have to say Thank You Ite for sending me this and for being a Bloesem reader ... it makes me so happy that you enjoy what I'm trying to accomplish here on Bloesem ... your message, presents and lovely words make me feel so positive about the world we live in, that people are still very good for each other and that my sons can grow up in a positive world and this idea made my Mothers Day very special!

Please Ite from Belgium send me your email address so I can get in touch with you....
And for anyone who knows where to buy more of these gorgeous vintage plates from Mikasa please let me know too, I think this plate deserves some company on the wall where I'm planning to hang it.

Happy Mother's Day...

Yes, it's Mother's Day today, so don't forget to make that phone-call to your mom or visit her ... because I know every mom would say it's not necessary, but we (moms) all like it very much i you do remember ... to celebrate Mother's Day here on Bloesem I would like to share with you a wonderful recipe that is written by the very friendly and artistic Surya Pinto from wee gallery  for BloesemKids ... it's about taking good care of new moms during the first weeks after delivering a baby ... how appropriated indeed:) ... you can find the whole story, recipe and more images right here ... and please enjoy this special day!

..Thank you Surya Pinto from wee gallery for giving us this recipe..

Special guest :: Jaime Beattie from PaisleyStClaire

Something really appeals to me about this "Swatch" coffee table by Dutch designer, Hella Jongerius. The table combines colour and geometric pattern, which I love, but the use of resin really gives it a tactile appeal. I want to touch it. Alas, I'm certain that I never will. The table has a limited production of 8 and was commissioned by Galerie Kreo in Paris.

***post by Jaime Beattie from PaisleyStClaire

I, Irene,  just had to add this image from Hella's latest exposition for Galerie Kreo, Collection natura design magistra, because I love the vases and gorgeousness everything Hella Jongerius makes ...

Special guest :: Jaime Beattie from PaisleyStClaire

These alphabet block salt and pepper shakers would make a super fun addition to the table for a casual lunch or BBQ. Its funny how when we're kids we just want to grow up, and yet when we're adults we latch on to things that remind us of our childhood. Stay a kid with these S&P shakers by Liz Dubois and Jason Amendolara, available here.

***post by Jaime Beattie from PaisleyStClaire

Mankind Mag's Pretty Issue

... it's a 'Pretty' day today ... the lovely Erin just brought us Mankind Mag's Pretty Issue, available online for only $1.99 ... this issue is packed with fashion and of course 'pretty' things in life ... enjoy reading and also congrats to you Erin, for creating these fabulous magazines for us constantly!
 

Paris, made by hand

Congratulations Pia Jane Bijkerk with the launch of your first book! I'm so impressed by what you have done and I can't wait to find my copy in our mailbox ... I'm sure this book will bring me much joy and inspiration ... would you like to read more about Pia's new book 'Paris, made by hand' then click here and here if you want to order your own copy ...

I heard about the new book, 'Paris, made by hand' via Decor8 and borrowed some images from Holly.

Special guest :: Jaime Beattie from PaisleyStClaire

Looking for some conversation-starter accents for your lounge room? Well, these cushions from Laissez Lucie Faire ought to do the trick! French textile designer, Lucie Dancette combines bold colours, geometric patterns and images not usually found in interiors products to create a vast range of quirky cushions. Her prints are also applied to lampshades, chairs and makeup bags. View the full range on Laissez Lucie Faire website.

***post by Jaime Beattie from PaisleyStClaire

Special guest :: Jaime Beattie from PaisleyStClaire

What an adorable group of characters Pepe and his friends are! Designers Camila Prada and Gavin Pryke joined up with German ceramic manufacturer Rosenthal to produce a collection of colourful ceramic cuties including Guru the espresso cup, Sir Randolf the eggcup, Momo butterdish and Bonnie and Clyde the oil and vinegar decanters. Meet the entire family here

***post by Jaime Beattie from PaisleyStClaire

Special guest :: Jaime Beattie from PaisleyStClaire

Hello dear readers, did you have a nice weekend? ours was fun, but way to short...though the good thing is that another inspiration week can begin and this week my dear blog friend Jaime Beattie from PaisleyStClaire is going to help us with that by sharing her ideas and finds ... Jaime not only writes a blog herself but also runs a very nice shop with handmade accessories from her hometown in Australia. For example these fun recessionista totes, availble in her shop right here ...

**Jaime Beatiie

**PaisleyStClaire

Pattern paradise from SuTurno

Aren't these tiles not just gorgeous!!! If I ever were to buy a new home I would definitely consider putting these tiles somewhere, perhaps in the kitchen, or a floor or bathroom ... wow they really are special and they are designed by the people from Su Turno, a creative studio in Madrid with their own brand.


A wide range of design services are available at SuTurno. They have been comissioned to design prints, patterns and products by a large number of top brands. The patterns you will find on their site are awesome and I wish I could buyne of their cushions, but you have to contact them to check product availability and or points of sale. {via BettyJoy}

CapeBags

Yes this week more fashion accessories then ever before on Bloesem ... but i don't think you mind when seeing this bright colored Union Jack shoulder bag made by Kimberly from CapeBags and the funky bib, love the fabric used, not so childish, but beautiful and warm... If you visit CapeBags on etsy you will find many more beautiful handmade clothes for children and here you can read a bit more about Kimberly...

Jurianne Matter

Jurianne Matter is my favorite 'paper-designer' from the Netherlands, she makes fantasitc and unique paper products to make every party more fesitve and nice ... I already told you about her garlands, wish boats and angels ... but recently she added these supernice lanterns to her collection ... Jurianne sells them per 7 in a package and you can order them online by sending Jurianne an email or have a look at the online stockists ...

Donna Wilson

Can I please lay down here ... a new baby is just fantastic but also very tiresome ... he still wakes up every 2,5 to 3 hours so you can probably imagine that I would do anything for a long night sleep and it would of course even be better when surrounded by these beautiful accessories from Donna Wilson and how about some 'breakfast in bed' ... read a little more here ...

Jimena

Hello, hope you enjoyed your weekend ... like is said in a previous post i'm in the mood for fashion shopping and reading lot's of magazines and blogs to get inspiration for our move to the new house, so exciting ... from all jewelry I love necklaces the most, people who know me know that I don't wear a lot but when going out I always love try a necklace and these ones from Jimena are typical ones that you could see me wearing... I love the combination of materials and the colors ... and you can find them right here ... and would you like to know a little more about the talented women behind the jewelry then click here...

a new look .... hope you like it ... wish you a great weekend! irene xx

... and a big Thank You to Lisa Cameron for all your help!

smosch

Not only do I love all Sandra Juto's prints and illustration work, but I also LOVE this amazing chrochet blanket by her ... I'm soooo jealous, wish I could make this too! Yesterday evening I started with my first chrochet project ... a cotton pillow cover, I find it not so easy to do as knitting, but very relaxing, hope one day i can show you the result!