a girl named fred

my admiration for this poster knows no bounds. i think i must order it for my office.

i mean, it’s only $15? you can order it here.

the working proof is an initiative of sub-studio founders anna corpron and sean auyeung. their goal is to build a collection of great, limited-edition, affordable artwork from some of the best artists out there. but there’s a catch (and it’s a good one!). 15% of the proceeds from the sale of each print goes to the artist’s charity of choice.

for example, 15% of the $45 purchase price of this print by amy ruppel (love her! well, not literally. i mean, i’ve never met her. but i do love her work.) will benefit american forests.

similarly, 15% of the $30 purchase price of this print by karolin schnoor will benefit transportation alternatives.

and this fancy dress print by yasmine surovec? 15% of its $35 purchase price benefits kids in need foundation.

i have always wanted to be the kind of person who keeps a journal. i’ve tried (many times). and i’ve stopped (many times). and i finally decided that i’m too self-conscious to keep a journal and have it not be filled with a bunch of self-conscious writing.

that is why i was delighted to discover keel’s simple diary (at my favourite store in practically the whole world… paper-ya on granville island).

(i’m lime green.)

phillip keel makes diary-keeping… simple. he really does. each day you are asked a series of simple questions that give you an opportunity to reflect on your day… but also on some bigger issues. some make you think. some make you laugh. and after two week of filling in my pages, i’m so glad i’ve started!

this is a new habit i think i’ll be able to keep.

oh, and why “be the panda”? read keel’s philosophy here.

individual drop cap prints from jessica hische… just $30 a pop for all this handlettered typographic numminess? yes. please!

i used to live in toronto, and during my years there, was fortunate enough to make the 2-hour (sometimes 4 depending on traffic) drive up hwy 400 every weekend to my family’s cottage. i live in vancouver, now, and i love it, but oh, how i miss the cottage! two weeks in the summer just isn’t enough.

that’s why today i’m loving this line of dinnerware designed by jules goss and graham hufton for motherbrand. beavers, marshmallows on sticks and little campfires combine for a wonderfully evocative place setting.

so i asked for a subscription to uppercase journal for christmas and lo and behold, look what showed up in my mailbox today. sorry, mum, i think the surprise is ruined! but thx so much. this publication is delicious. i can’t wait to dig in.

my friend B has several wonderful penguin classics mugs from which we drink our tea. (i’m not really a tea drinker, but somehow these mugs make tea rather yummy.)  and they are oh-so-covetable.

imagine my delight to find a whole range of penguin classics items… such as espresso cups and saucers

pencils and pencil holders

deck chairs

there’s even a board game!

i found all these items at art meets matter. now i’m off to find a canadian stockist.

i am a firm believer that melted cheese can make just about any dish just that much tastier. i’m thinking this obsession stems from my many early childhood experiences with raclette. raclette is a traditional swiss dish in which melted cheese is poured over boiled potatoes, pickled onions and mini gherkins. it’s often enjoyed with a side of dried meat. oh, and a glass (or two) of fendant for the grown ups… swiss white wine (you know, to stop the cheese from balling up in your tummy). in my family, we always enjoy raclette as our christmas eve feast.

back in the day, you could go to a restaurant where the server would scrape the cheese onto a plate from a wheel melting by the fire. that paints a picture, doesn’t it? today, people use little electric raclette ovens that can go right on your dining room table. so imagine my delight to see this raclette kit that combines the old (fire… albeit candles) with the new (table top convenience) plus delightful design. love it!

first seen on swiss miss.

aren’t these clock-inspired necklaces just gorgeous? i love them!

they’re designed by anna of sub-studio design blog fame, and they’re available at brevity.

i totally covet these glasses from cb2. all that lovely type! and the encouragement of appreciation of other cultures and languages. really, they’re the gift that keeps on giving.