If ya wanna know what's on my mind... check my Pinterest boards

I'm working on a bunch of illustration assignments this week so won't have much time to blog.
In the meantime if you wanna know what juicy things I'm thinking about you can always check out my Pinterest boards!
Here are a few faves this week.

Pinned onto "Books to Order":

The new tome on Alexander Girard by Todd Oldman.
Girard is best known for the bold colourful textiles that he created for Herman Miller - and he has long been a Total Mentor. Todd Oldman is a Mentor too. :-)


Pinned onto "Inspiration":


These adorable Stag + Hedgehog lampshades by UK based Lush Designs.
(Discovered thru Living Etc magazine)
Lush design = Marie Rodgers + Maria Livings. They seem like my kind o'women! Hilarious.

Pinned onto "Funny Writing":

Yep two.
I find this to be quite true...

See you in Pinland!

Discovery: Edholm Ullenius

They sure look Swedish - yah?

Some IKEA fabrics they have designed.

wow. Just discovered Edholm Ullenius: a graphic design & illustration studio based in Stockholm. Founded by Sissi Edholm + Lisa Ullenius in 2002. They have designed a lot of my favorite Ikea textiles. Clients also include Paul Smith.

Gorgeous Textiles

British Diamond pattern by Galbraith + Paul.


Mist by Allegra Hicks

Juicy pinks

I've got pink on my mind this week.
First this gorgeous ad from Madeline Weinrib resurfaced in my inspiration pile.

I just love the mix of ikat, zig zags and dots - all in varying shades of pink. So juicy.

Then I saw this freshly painted column in a friend's house. It added such dimension to the room + provided such a nice background for the artwork.

Then I found this great hallway in an issue of House Beautiful entirely dedicated to pink!
The paint colour is Ben Moore Razzle Dazzle.

I think pink might be the perfect colour for my kitchen wall. It'll join my other zingy shades of lime green + red which pop off the Chelsea grey in the hallway so nicely.

Operation Tea towel!

Food quotations Linen Tea towel

Some process shots:

Inking the screen


and Ta - da!

I also printed the image on large 24 X 36 paper.
I like the combo of very dense writing contrasted with lots of white space on all 4 sides.

Please note: The tea towel is just a protype - not yet available!
The prints are artist's proofs. I will have a full edition + pricing by next week.
Please email me at alanna(dot)cavanagh(at)gmail(dot)com if interested in either item.

ps. Must be mentioned... The linen tea towel samples were sewn by Alexis DaSilva - Powell and she did an amazing job.

NYC Day 3

Ahh Sunday...

Started the day at Cafe Pick Me up
145 Avenue A - right across from Tompkins Square park
The perfect spot to read the NY Times on Sunday morning


Me visiting The High line - the amazing new Park built on top of a former railroad line.
It runs from Gansevoort St. in the Meatpacking District to West 34th St. bet 10 & 11 Aves.
The design was a collaboration between landscape architecture + urban design firm James Corner Field Operations + architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro.
I was blown away by it's beauty. (A must on your next NYC trip!)


The incredible Standard Hotel which straddles the Highline.
I found it creepy looking - in kinda a good way)
(Has become famous for it's exhibitionist hotel guests!)

One example of the incredible new architecture you can view from Highline.
(A lot of gutsy stuff has been built in last 5 years - exciting)


Dinner Later at the charming Tipsy Parson in Chelsea

Tipsy Parson contained THE best bathroom I've ever seen
Amazing black + white wallpaper
Great lighting + sinks!
(The photo does not do it justice!)
I know Margot Austin would approve of this photo. She also takes pictures of bathrooms. :-)

Late night visit to the Maritime Hotel
so that I could view the Josef Frank fabric in the lobby!

Closeup of a chair
This is Frank's Manhattan pattern which he designed after emigrating here.


On way home through the West Village I read Jonathan Adler's manifesto in his window.
This quote has always been a favourite.

A Feast for The Eyes: Y + CO

The showroom. wow.

Luscious fabrics by Hable Construction
Soooo fresh looking.

On Left: Raoul Textiles: vibrant interpretations of historical patterns

On Right: John Robshaw: Hand blocked textiles.
(check out that pink and orange combo!)

Great Alphabet soup rug by Oliver Yaphe - a rug company run by Ali's sister Katherine Yaphe.
Love the sophisticated colour combo of limey green +periwinkle blue.


Two amazing fabrics by Christopher Farr
Just loved this balustrade pattern which is titled 36 24 36

Vanderhurd Hand embroidered textiles
Stunning.

Neither Ali or her assistant Kelly wanted to pose for a photo so I had to settle for the furry showroom mascot!

Today I headed to the heart of the Design District on Davenport Rd. and visited Y + Co. Carpet and Textile. I met up with the owner Ali Yaphe and when I entered her showroom I almost fell over at the sight of so many luscious patterns + saturated colours together in one space. For those not familiar...Y + Co. carries a huge assortment of carpets by some of the biggest names in the rug biz including David Hicks + Madeline Weinrib.

Recently the company has also expanded into textiles (!!) and carries fabric + wallpaper by a juicy collection of designers including Lulu DK, Raoul Textiles, and two of my absolute faves: Hable Construction and Galbraith + Paul.

I spent an hour and a half roaming through Y+ Co's extensive collection and left feeling inspired and full up with colour + pattern!

Y + Co.
247 Davenport Rd. Toronto.
Highly recommended.

Cyril the Fox and Donna Wilson

How adorable is this knitted Cyril the Fox?
And how adorable is it to name a fox Cyril?

Created by the quirky Donna Wilson below who I just found out was chosen as British designer of the Year by Elle Decoration. wow. Her work is characterized by a playful nature, tactile aesthetic and multicoloured palette. It's imaginative, quirky, and cool.

What great style. Look at those teal tights and two-tone oxfords!

This is her booth at the Maison et Objet show in Paris.

Donna started out knitting curious creatures but has since expanded into ceramics, pillow and fabrics. (which is what I'd love to do in 2011!)
Very inspirational.

Delicious fabrics

mmm.... what a great colour combination

I love this bold graphic print - and the colours are so juicy.

Some gorgeously vibrant fabrics found at Designer Fabric Outlet on Saturday with lovely friend Kim.
Both these fabrics would make great pillows or perhaps a screen or room divider thingy.

Knit Cafe Triangle

I love this crocheted triangle up in the Knit Cafe Window right now. Great combination of colours.
ps. If you look closely you can see my bike (Beatrice) in the reflection.

New needlepoint project

A pillow for my friend's sweet daughter Harriet.
ps. the wool is my favorite colour: a yellow/limey greeny combo which i call Louis XIV green.

Needlepoint Gift

One of life's treat's Receiving a package Express Post!

Fabulous gift wrap in the spirit of Shane's 1930s Busby Berkeleyish illos

The Front (based on a Jonathon Adler design)

Back

Received this beautiful handmade bday gift from my fellow illustrator + needlepointer friend Shane Harrison.
So lovely. Lucky me. Thanks so much Shane.

Inspiration: Bayeux Tapestry

Love the lettering, colours and inventive stitches

Love the comical figures and the fun rendering of Haley's Comet in the right hand corner.

I absolutely love the Bayeux tapestry.
fyi It's not actually a tapestry at all but rather an embroidery stitched in wool on linen. It measures 230 foot long and was created in approx. 1070 AD. The work depicts the story of the Norman conquest of England. I love the two dimensionality and comic nature of the figures. They were very inspirational to me when developing my illustrations style. I also love how the lettering has been incorporated into the composition and the wonderful combination of inventive stitches. Despite the fact that it was produced over 1000 years ago I find it very fresh and modern looking -- and endlessly inspiring.

Embroidery with Claire Milne

Claire's great basket of embroidery floss

My shoe drawing

Claire demonstrating how to transfer a drawing onto fabric

Ta Da!

In the hoop and ready to embroider

Progress so far

Last Wednesday I spent the afternoon with my friend Claire Milne.
Claire is an illustrator and crafty gal extraordinaire with expertise in sewing, knitting, crochet and embroidery. You can check out some lovely handmade items in her etsy shop here.
I have wanted to learn more about embroidery since falling in love with the Bayeux tapestry years ago. Claire taught me how to do many stitches including running stitch, chain stitch and french knots- ooh ahh - plus she demonstrated how to transfer a design onto fabric using Sarel transfer paper. I absolute love the process of embroidery --so be warned! you'll be seeing more stitchy creations in the future.