Touch Base

Posted by Lisa & Rena

We are texture junkies. Rena is a terror to museum guards, as she is always stretching her fingers longingly toward the art.

There's a word for this: haptic. It means “of or relating to the sense of touch.” Recently, we’ve been enjoying three books, all mysterious white volumes that are each haptic experiences, both in form and content.

Sheila Hicks uses a very tactile medium -- weaving -- and explores it using nontraditional materials and rhythms, creating lovely design. Her book "Weaving as Metaphor" is a large, soft brick and wonderful to hold; Dutch designer Irma Boom won a "most beautiful book in the world" award for the design.

Kenya Hara, who is, among other things, the art director of MUJI, comes from the other direction, imbuing the clean cold world of design with texture and emotion. The book "Designing Design" has many examples of inventive and minimalist projects that explore haptics, and it also goes into detail about the MUJI no-design philosophy.

Finally, Giuliana Michelotti works with mostly sterling silver and rough, uncut precious stones to make jewelry that seems to be shaped by nature itself, as seen in her book "Inform."

A Nice Surprise

Posted by Lena

I just had a chance to catch up with Andrea Wyner, who photographed our wedding in August 2005. We bumped into each other on the subway, and realized that we're now neighbors, since Andrea splits her time between San Francisco and New York City.

Andrea so beautifully captured the feeling and atmosphere of our wedding. I feel fortunate to have had her there to document it all. Our wedding was also photographed by the fabulous Thayer Allison Gowdy for Martha Stewart Weddings magazine, so we’re really lucky to have an abundance of great images from the day.

I took a peek at Andrea’s lovely portfolio, during our ride on the subway together. Here are some of my favorites (the last group of four is from our wedding).

 

Artist in Residence

Posted by Lisa & Rena

Portland artist Betsy Walton is having a show at our store in San Francisco this month and we couldn’t be more excited. We sat down with her to ask her about art and life.

Pimp Ride

Posted by Elizabeth

I have a love-hate relationship with owning a bicycle in New York City.

On one hand, I love the idea of hopping on a bike and riding all over the city until I don’t feel like it anymore. I also love the thought of not having to rent one every time the feeling grabs me.

On the other hand, I hate that I have nowhere to store a bike -- except in my apartment. So if it’s something I’m going to look at every day (and, of course use), I have to love it through and through.

I‘ve found two that I adore and can’t decide on which one.

The first is Trek’s Soho 3.0

The second is Jorg&Olif’s Scout

What do you think?

Tune In

Posted by Kerstin

So, I'm ready to fulfill a dream I’ve had for a while: learn to play guitar.

My first step is to picking out an instrument.

A musician friend told me the shape of an electric model might be ideal to learn on since its neck is narrower and therefore, easier to practice the basics.

Enter the Bambusa, a electric guitar crafted from bamboo, which not only sports a clean, beautiful look, but is eco-friendly as bamboo is one of the most renewable natural resources around.

The guitar’s price tag, available from First Act, makes my wallet feel good as well. It retails for $399.

I will keep you updated on the search. And please, anyone with ideas, feel free to send them to me.

Brave New World

Posted by Lisa & Rena

Every few weeks, we set out through our fine city of San Francisco to discover what’s happening in the world of art, crafts, and design.

This past week we found a goldmine at the Luggage Store Gallery, where we encountered "Feral" – a collaboration between artists Swoon and Monica Canilao. Using wood, paper, paint, and found materials, the artists created (and literally built) a extraordinary environment populated by both realistic and imagined characters, including strange animals, skeletal mermaids, she-wolves, spinsters, dreamers, and savages.

What struck us as much as the cast was the other-worldliness of the environment they shaped as well as the remarkable attention to detail and craftsmanship.

While viewing the installation, which takes up the entire gallery, the spectator is able to wander through shacks and pathways that lead to hundreds of small corners filled with the artists’ colorful and often haunting groupings.

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The installation is up at the Luggage Store only through Saturday, April 26, so if you happen to live nearby, we recommend dropping in.

In the meantime, we also suggest "This is Home" published in Spain and chock-full of images of Monica’s work.

Sneak peak: Join us next week for an interview with the prolific Betsy Walton whose work will be hanging in Rare Device in San Francisco from May 1 through June 1.

Photos by Faythe Levine.

Happy Earth Day

Posted by Callie

OK, you may have heard the word eco-friendly ad nauseam this month. But we have something to share with you on Earth Day that we would glady support and use any day of the year.

The Danish company, FLOWmarket aims to inspire consumers everywhere to think, live, and consume things in a smarter, (dare we say greener?) way.

Their  "scarcity goods" collection of products are not only good for the environment but are fetching to look at  -- which is good since you will use them over and over again.

Here's some of the aesthetically designed (empty) packaging with humorous and thought-provoking phrases that can be found on their online shop.

While you're there, be sure to look at the "Did You Know" page to see some eye-opening statistics.

Change of Art

Posted by Bluelines

With blooms budding everywhere, we thought it was time to spruce up our space, so we swapped out our logo banners above with some gorgous new artwork.

Where did we find such charming,nature-inspired beauties? No further than our own blogger, Lisa Congdon.
In addition to blogging for us (see Home Plate post, below) and running her fabulous store and site, Rare Device, with Rena Tom, she is also a gifted artist.

The best part? You can own a little bit of her talented work by clicking here. While you are there, check out some of her faves.

Brooklyn's Finest

Posted by Lena

It was worth the wait to get a copy the new book Brooklyn Modern by Diana Lind.

I wrote about it last week on my blog, but had to mention it again after seeing it in person. It is such a fantastic book!

I am honored to have my abode featured alongside such lovely and eclectic homes. The book embodies a certain Brooklyn style so well -- creative, artistic, lived-in, and imperfect. The photographer, Yoko Inoue, really captured the Brooklyn lifestyle, with images of street scenes and parks nestled between the house photos.

Here are some of my favorite pages (it was hard to choose):

My Friend Flickr

Posted by Lena

I've noticed a theme in my flickr "favorites".

For those who don't use the photo sharing website flickr, "favorites" is a feature where you can mark and save other flickr members photos within your profile. So while looking through my "favorites", I noticed that I'm drawn to photos of fabric hanging on clotheslines. Here are a few of my favorites, among the "favorites":

by tom_tom

by turkeyfarmtreasures

courtesy of Wheezy Sanchez

courtesy of xiu xiu

from roseandpie

 
from musterfrau

Window Seat

Posted by Lisa & Rena

Spring has begun in San Francisco, but it's still brisk out and the trees are just sprouting their blossoms and foliage.

This week, we created a window display here at Rare Device that pays tribute to the first few chilly weeks of the season as we imagine it to be in Sweden. (Maybe someday when we visit, we will see for ourselves!)

Ceramic artist Karin Ericksson lives and works there. We think the pale blue chair and bare branches go perfectly with Karin's delicate ceramic transfers of flowers and butterflies on her handmade stoneware.

Great Dane

Posted by Kerstin

Guest Blogger: Tina Dico

As if Danish-born musician Tina Dico (who has collaborated with Zero 7) didn't have enough going on today. Her "Count to Ten" album has its U.S. release and she is prepping for a tour of Germany. The singer-songwriter -- whose lovely voice and wistful lyrics fills the gamut between Joni Mitchell and the Verve -- still found time to share a few of her favorite things with us from her home base in London.

Tina's latest release

Book Club

  Posted by Lena

I thought I'd share some more images of my vintage-book collection, this time focusing on how-to craft books. I've learned a lot of technical and practical information from these tomes, and also used them for visual inspiration for my designs. I find old craft books at thrift stores, used book stores, and yard sales -- always very cheaply priced. Here are some photos of the books I pull from the shelf most often:

Forecast: Dusty

Posted by Kerstin

I am grateful for two ladies that are reviving the songs and feel of the luminous and husky-voiced British ’60s songstress Dusty Springfield.

Cooking Up Some Inspiration

Posted by Lena

I collect a lot of vintage books that I leaf through for inspiration. I find them at flea markets, antique stores, used bookstores, etc. One of my favorite genres of books to collect is little cooking booklets. Mostly from the 1950s and '60s, they were put out by food and beverage companies as promotions for their products.
The illustrations in these little books are usually fantastic, and they've been a great source of inspiration for my illustration work.

Here are some images from my favorites:

Hand Shadows & String Figures

  Posted by Erin

Springtime always makes me want to pick up a new talent and try something new. Last year, I learned how to ride my bike in New York City without getting killed. Twelve months (and many chin-scrapes and knee-bumps) later, and I need a focus. Perhaps something I can do with my hands so my mom doesn't worry so much about bodily injury...
When I visited the Museum of Jurassic Technology in Los Angeles, I spotted a bunch of great how-to books that would satisfy my yearning for (slightly useless) know-how. I'm ordering the two books below to keep me busy while the weather is still chilly. If you need me, I'll be inside practicing my hand shadows and string figures.

The Art of Hand Shadows

String Figures and How to Make Them: A Study of Cat's Cradle in Many Lands (what a great subtitle!)

Jen Gotch

Posted by Kendra

I've been sans internet for over a week now, but when I was back on the world wide web the other night, I headed straight for prop stylist Jen Gotch's two blogs: Becoming a Foodie and My Polariod Blog. We used to have a saying around the office that truly beautiful and inspiring things were "stylist porn," and I can't think of better words than those to describe the images that Jen creates. She is a major inspiration to me -- and you just have to love someone who choses what to eat based on its beautiful packaging (guilty!).

Images by Jen Gotch

Evan B. Harris At Rare Device

  Posted by Lisa & Rena

Hi! We are Rena Tom and Lisa Congdon. We own a design and clothing shop and art gallery in San Francisco called Rare Device. We are thrilled to be part contributors to Bluelines!

We met in New York when Lisa had a show of her collage work at Rena’s very small shop in Park Slope, Brooklyn (also called Rare Device) in 2007. We instantly became friends and decided within a few weeks to open a larger Rare Device together in San Francisco, where Lisa has lived for 18 years (and where Rena lived before moving to New York). A few months later, Rena and her husband moved back to San Francisco and the adventure began. We opened our doors in October of 2007, just seven months after we met!

We love what we do everyday because each of us has a passion for art and design. Rena began her design career as a graphic designer and jewelry maker and Lisa is a mixed media artist and illustrator. Owning a retail shop and art gallery allows us to connect with other makers and designers on a regular basis. We feature functional experiments and original ideas in art, design, craft and fabrication, so we are constantly seeking objects and clothing that are beautiful, evocative, well constructed, and thoughtful. This quest leads us to many amazing discoveries -- and we hope to share them with you here! Each week we will be writing about what is inspiring us -- and what we are learning in our retail adventure together.

Lady Bee by Evan B. Harris

This week we are really excited because artist Evan B. Harris will be showing a new collection of work in our gallery. Lisa first met Evan last year through friends in Portland (where her parents and sister also live). They became friends and she fell instantly in love with his work. Evan’s installation at Rare Device entitled Garden at Eichstatt opened last week.

Garden at Eichstatt is Harris' interpretation of the illustrated plates of Basilius Besler, a 17th century horticulturist and illustrator. Harris uses Besler’s illustrations as inspiration for the backdrop for his characters to play out his narratives. If you live in San Francisco or are visiting, we hope you will come by to see this wonderful show that will be at Rare Device through April 2.

We’ll be back next week with something new!

Artist In Residence: Keith Shore

Posted by Erin

As promised I'm here to tell you more about the artist behind the new banner art on Bluelines: Keith Shore. Keith's an artist/illustrator who lives in Lambertville, New Jersey -- a cool little town that's packed with great antique and art shops, and happens to be right across the river from where I grew up in Pennsylvania. I love his use of color and the sense of humor that comes through in his work -- like his Bearded Portraits series. Apparently a lot of people feel the same way: He's had countless gallery shows; his work has been published in Dwell, McSweeney's and The New York Times, to name just a few; and you can even find his art on t-shirts, wallets, and other wearable stuff. Plus, he catalogs all of his work on his website, so I like to go there to see what's new, or just to take a visual break.

Dorado Beach

Forty-One Faces

Here? Yes.

Don't Mess With Texas (At Least Not This Weekend)

    Posted by Kerstin

By now, the annual South by Southwest Music Festival, or SXSW, is in full swing in Austin, Texas.

In the crowded bars on 6th Street, hipster showcases, and even backyards, bands from all over the country (and as far away as Lebanon) are doing their best to win over audiences, promoters, and A&R contacts.

6th Street

If you couldn't swing the trip or dreaded spending all your time standing on line to see the next Franz Ferdinand, I've picked some of this year's showcase artists that are worth checking out. Feel free to don some Justin boots and grab a Shiner while you listen.

First, let me point out some past Bluelines favorites making the rounds this weekend: Sia, Nada Surf, and Spoon.

And here are some other standouts:

   

Who: Meredith Bragg

Sounds Like: This delicate, chamber-pop singer and his band, the Terminals, is a cross between Death Cab for Cutie and Nick Drake gone ambient.

Perfect For: Your next dinner party or as an engagement gift for your laid-back, hipster friends.

Who: Goldspot

Sounds Like: A happier incarnation of the Smiths mixed with a healthy dose of Bollywood.

Perfect For: Your work commute or an antidote to hearing American Idols butcher pop standards.

Who: Salt & Samovar

Sounds Like: The Americana-rock lovechild of Nick Cave and Walt Whitman.

Perfect For: The next book-club gathering or playing over a muted Coen Brothers film.

Brand New Blue

Posted by Bluelines

As promised, Bluelines has undergone a facelift (the fun kind). It might seem subtle but we've made some big additions. Here's a rundown of what's new.

If they're not already drawn there immediately, direct your eyes upward and you'll see six cool new banners by the incredibly talented artist Keith Shore. (More about him later.) We'll be rotating the artist behind our banners every month so if you'd like to be considered or want to suggest someone, please email us.

We've got a new list of contributors who'll be blogging about what inspires them, makes them laugh, and generally makes them weak in the knees. There are a few familiar faces, and a couple of new ones sprinkled in. We hope you come to like them all.

On the top left, we've tweaked our navigation, so play around with it and discover the archived treasures that lie within. Here, you'll find all of the previous Bluelines posts archived.

Navigation button No. 10 deserves a paragraph of its own. We've created a source book full of our favorite websites, blogs, artists, and resources. Here you'll also find all of Blueprint's beloved 100 Reasons To...  -- which contain a bevy of links, facts, and inspiration. We'll be adding to that list constantly, so check back often.

You'll also notice that we've created home tours of our favorite Blueprint features. Take a virtual tour of Suzanna Bierwith's Chicago row house, and watch as Sarah Humphreys's tiny Manhattan apartment goes from claustrophobic to chic. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they are also rife with great decorating tips and ideas to steal. And, of course, we'll be adding more of them.

New ideas, a new look, and new contributors -- we hope that's what you've been hankering for.

Just some of what's to come

Feeling Blue...Or Yellow?

Posted by Erin

I don't know about the rest of the world, but here in NYC we're experiencing a nice little respite from the bitter cold. It's been a fairly flat, gray winter and the prospect of spring -- in all its colorful glory -- is very exciting.

I do know that it's not all crocuses and daffodils from here on out, so I'm going to settle for soaking up the spectrum at Color Chart: Reinventing Color from 1950 to Today, an exhibit at the MoMA dedicated to color. It's on view from now until the 12th of May, and while I'm sure the weather will be more temperate by then, the MoMA has created an online exhibit so one need not even leave the safety of his/her keyboard to view it. That might sound sad, but it's actually a very cool way to jam a color therapy session into your day. You can sort works by artist, medium, or timeline -- and it's always arranged chromatically. Here are some of my favorite works (but I suggest exploring on your own):

Dan Flavin, Untitled (to Donald Judd, colorist)

Bas Jan Ader, Primary Time

Ellsworth Kelly, Spectrum Colors Arranged by Chance III

Best Of Bluelines

Posted by Blueprint

While we're looking forward to our retooled blog, we've also been looking back at the posts over the past year. Here are just a few of our favorite posts:

120 Days Later

Too Much Of A Cute Thing

A Madman In The Heath

Creative Currents

The Writing's On The Wall

How Swede It Is

Go Ahead Jump

Making My Case

Ottoman Empire

Studio Tour: Binth

Family Trees

The Art Of Reduction

Do you have any favorite posts?

Blueprint's Legacy

Posted by Blueprint

We're so glad to see that you're excited about the new additions to the blog come March. And now we have another announcement: As of Friday February 29th, the Blueprint main page on MarthaStewart.com will cease to exist. It sounds intense, but here's what it means: If you come to Bluelines via blueprintmag.com, or through the Blueprint channel on MarthaStewart.com, please bookmark the blog's main page so you can come back. You can also still get to Bluelines via our Community and Blogs pages. (And all of those nice people's blogs who've linked to us.)

We know it's a little bit rough, so before anyone freaks out, please rest assured that all of your beloved Blueprint content will still be available online -- in fact, we've listed all the ways to find it below.

Home & Decorating

Take a peek at home ideas -- great and small with a Blueprint twist.

Also don't miss our Organizing Tip of the Day

Crafts

You'll find great DIY jewelry (a la Katie),  Page's flat-screen tv cozy, and our Craft of the Day (which includes many Blueprint ideas)

Entertaining

Find all of the Blueprint party menus, to-do lists, playlists and prep stuff here

Food

Blueprint recipes -- from soup to well nuts (...like Blueprint's roasted almonds)

roasted almonds

soup recipes

Health

Need ideas for a healthy & quick breakfast?  Want to take up jogging? Need a new makeup palette? Look no further.

and lastly...

Simply type "Blueprint" in our SEARCH box on MarthaStewart.com or any page to be directed to those great blue ideas in the sky.

*But most importantly, come here for your daily "blue" content.

Start Spreading The News

Posted by Blueprint

We'll be honest: It's been a bumpy ride since the announcement of Blueprint magazine's cessation back in December. We've both rejoiced at and despaired in your insightful comments, laments, and occasional taunts. But, most of all, we've learned an awful lot about what you want (the magazine), what you don't (just another blog), and what it was that you liked so much about Blueprint (too much to list). See, we're listening.

That said, the decision that was made is final. And although we really do love the idea of a grassroots "Bring Back Blueprint" campaign (the alliteration would make it perfect for bumper stickers and pins), you'll have to consider us the Arrested Development of publishing -- without any hope of a movie deal.

However, we've concocted a new plan and we're excited to finally share some news with you, our most patient and understanding readers. We are relaunching the blog with a new panel of contributors -- some of whom you already know and love from Blueprint, and others we think you'll get along with swimmingly. The blog will become what you've been demanding all along: an inspiring, creative place to come and get the amazing DIY projects, decorating ideas, recipes, fashion, etiquette, and culture coverage that you loved in the magazine. We're excited to be collaborating with a talented roster of artists, bloggers, editors, and stylists who loved Blueprint as much as you. But we can't do it without you! So, please hang on for a little bit longer (we're relaunching in early March) and in the meantime, tell all of your friends!

Rings A Bell

Posted by Blueprint

We keep reading about this great new band from Ireland that you’ve never heard of but should have -- Bell X1.

Not to brag (okay, we are a little), but Blueprint recommended adding these Irish lads to your iPod last spring (see Summer Soundtracks).

So although they’re not so new to us, you may be interested to know their official U.S. debut, Flock, hits shelves and iTunes today. The quirky, wistful tunes are more accessible than Radiohead and more fun-loving than Coldplay. Case in point: “Flame” -- a fun-loving, Talking Heads-meets-U2 anthem.

Bell X1 channels the Talking Heads

This song and its accompanying 10 tracks are proof that the foursome has weathered the long, difficult road to recognition outside the U.K., as well as the departure of founding member Damien Rice. We stand by our recommendation: Flock to it.

Music To Love By

Posted by Blueprint

Sure, Valentine's Day is over, but you don't need to lose that lovin' feeling so fast. Whether you're head over heels, heartbroken, or bitter to an Alanis-worthy degree on February 14, you can prolong the feelings thanks to our three non-cheesy (we promise!) playlists. They'll sweeten your weekend -- no matter the state of your affairs.

LOVE STRUCK: Feel like you're starring in a Lionel Ritchie video from the '80s? Great! Just don't play the same music you swayed to at your eighth-grade dance. You and your sweetie can gaze into each other's eyes and still play this music in front of your friends later.

AAWWW!

Suggested albums: John Lennon, "Double Fantasy"; Ray LaMontagne, "Till the Sun Turns Black"; Jeff Buckley, "Grace"; Nick Drake, "Bryter Layter"; Roxy Music, "Avalon"; John Coltrane with Johnny Hartman, "John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman"; Jose Gonzalez, "Veneer"; Amos Lee, "Amos Lee"; Astrud Gilberto, "Astrud Gilberto's Finest Hour"; Madeleine Peyroux, "Careless Love"

LOVE STRUCK PLAYLIST

4:00
Air
"You Make It Easy"

4:24
Astrud Gilberto
"It May As Well Be Spring"

4:36
Ray LaMontagne
"Shelter"

4:12
John Coltrane
"In a Sentimental Mood"

6:53
Jeff Buckley
"Hallelujah"

3:44
Nick Drake
"Northern Sky"

4:16
Roxy Music
"Avalon"

3:34
Nina Simone
"Here Comes the Sun"

3:57
Madeline Peyroux
"Dance Me to the End of Love"

2:40
Jose Gonzalez
"Heartbeats"

2:40
Amos Lee
"Colors"

5:40
The Style Council
"You're the Best Thing"

3:08
Jose Feliciano
"Light My Fire"

6:31
U2
"All I Want Is You"