Valentines Day is just around the corner. Here are our latest finds from around the web to help you spread the love.(For more V-Day inspiration, check out these gorgeousflowersandsweetsfrom our favorite Instagram accounts.)
Toasted Almond Cookies by Pastry Affair
Valentines Garland by Made by Joel
Watercolor Set Valentine by Warm Hot Chocolate
Stitched Half Heart by maya*made
Photo Valentines by The Crafts Dept.
Roost
Rose Water by Roost
Hearts Stitched Together Cardsby dandee
If youve never heard of Poppytalk, prepare to have your DIY world rocked. Based in Vancouver, this blog and onlinemarketplacefeatures a selection of curated and themed handmade and vintage goods from around the world. Its packed with inspiration and ideas supporting the beautiful, the artfully decayed, and the handmade. Jan Halvarson and her husband, Earl Einarson, started the blog in 2005, and its grown into one of the most beloved design blogs on the web featuring everything from delectable recipes to simple tutorials.
Can you tell why we love them as much as we do?
Today, were thrilled to announce that Jan will be joining us as a guest pinner on Pinterest for the next month. Follow her board here for Poppytalk-style holiday inspiration. (You can also follow Poppytalk on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest!)
And dont forget to follow the rest of the Martha Stewart Living boards for endless inspiration from around the Web.
Sabina Gibson, 34, is the creator behind Mount Royal Mint, a veritable zoo of an Etsy shop of fantastical animal sculptures. Based in Montreal, she works in video and television, but on the side creates narwhals, unicornaments, spirit bears, custom pet portraits, and folksy foxes from wool and felt.
What inspired your spirit bears?
The spirit bears are my favorite. Theyre a free form of expression for me. When I first completed the bear shape, I found the form itself very eye pleasing and sculptural. At that point I knew what I wanted to do. There are endless amounts of folk stories and myths to draw inspiration from, but I mostly enjoy making them up myself. I like to invent their backgrounds and origins and write little folktales about each one.
How did you get started with soft sculpture?
When I was young, I loved stuffed animals. I never owned a Barbie. So its kind of interesting that I now design my own brand of animal characters. It all started one day when my boyfriend (and current husband) discovered a lump of socks that looked like a creature. For fun we began adding limbs and more facial features, and from there it just evolved.
You live in a beautiful place. Does Montreal inform your work?
Montreal is a magical city. There is a real quality of life here that is perfect for fostering creativity and innovation, which is why we ended up moving here. But I would say a great deal of my inspiration that shaped my style as an artist came from living in Taipei. The design style there is so fun and fantastic. The city buses are pink and the garbage trucks play Beethoven. Cuteness rules popular culture. Mascots are huge celebrities, and not just for kids.
Whats the key to getting a pet portrait just right?
I would say the greatest point of expression comes from the eyes. It is the most important detail. Even though they are often not much more than two dots on a face, if they are not done right, it can throw off your whole piece.
Lovely. Now, please fill in the blanks
Having my own business is:extremely rewarding.
If I werent doing this, I would:make movies or work with animals.
Creating makes me feel:human.
I find inspiration in:films, music, fashion, art, and freaks of nature.
I do my best work:when I am not trying to do my best work.
The best advice I can give is:be true to your own vision and ideas.
My definition of success is:being happy doing what you love most every day.
Three things Id like to learn are:drums, animatronics, and kung fu.
While in art school in Kyoto, Japan, Miyuki Sakai was challenged to find a unique way to express herself. Inspiration struck when she saw her mothers sewing machine. I thought it could be a good idea to use it to draw pictures, Sakai says. That was more than 20 years ago and Sakai, 47, is still creating whimsical illustrations using embroidery techniques.
Sakai sketches her designs with pen, traces them onto carbon paper, then stitches over the design starting with the lighter colors and then the darker outlines using a sewing machine. Her work has appeared in many magazines, including an award-winning June 2010 feature inMartha Stewart Living (above), and she recently created unforgettable mementos for our 2012 American Made honorees.Read on for our fill-in-the-blank interview with the artist.
Having my own business is:like riding a roller-coaster. Screamingly fun.
If I werent doing this, I would:not survive.
Creating makes me feel: joy.
I find inspiration in: things around me farmers markets, restaurants, shopping,traveling. [These] things speak to me, like, Draw me.
I do my best work:when my machine is in a good mood.
The best advice I can give is:dont look for a shortcut.
Three people who inspire me are:Katsuhiko Hibino (Japanese artist),Kiyoshiro Imawano (Japanese rock star),Martha Stewart (Seriously! Ive been a Livingsubscriber since I moved to the U.S. 14 years ago!)
My definition of success is:being happy.
Three things Id like to learn are:crochet, cross-stitch, and Japanese tea ceremony.
