a thing of beauty...

Camera Camera Case - Degicame No.12 by hiné @ Etsy.

Like most really great craft objects it seems so obvious that once you see it you wonder how it could even be otherwise. It is both amazingly simple and perfect. Meet the “Camera Camera Case” by Hine [hee-neh] Mizushima a Japanese illustrator/puppet stop-motion video artist/crafter living in Vancouver, Canada.

She has 4 different designs (all originals) but my favorite one is this 3D one. Her choice of color is fantastic and each Camera Case is handmade, unique and OOAK. Just love this one in this color though !

You can see more of Hine Mizushima’s work on her Flickr.

The Camera by roadside projects @ Etsy.

This is actually Part 001 of Project #001 (a series of psychological portraits) by artist Jaime McGowan.

This is “a one-of-a-kind, three-dimensional box construction intricately crafted with cut paper, watercolor, and ink in a handmade frame with glass front.”

You can also find Parts 002, The Letter + 003, The Headphones & 004, The Costume in the shop.

Faded Forest by the seven fields of aphelion @ Etsy.

Maureen Boyle uses 35 mm film and multiple exposures, and although I like the idea underlying her work I am not so fond of most of her other photos, but I love this one a lot. It seems to have just the right feel about it, and certainly goes beyond the “process” involved in the creation…

Blythe quarter sleeve dress by Lalatroop @ Etsy.

I have been quite busy this last week and really did not have the time to post, so here’s just a great and colorful dress for Blythe dolls as I love color so much…

Doddi Bear #4 by One Red Robin.

Jhoanna Monte Aranez is one of those women with so many talents that you could spend hours browsing through her blog, her flickr in awe and admiration at her skills and seemingly endless inspiration. But then, of course, this is what inspiration should always be about, an endless round of springing ideas and creations.

I had wanted to blog about that Doddi Bear for quite some time now - every time I came across it in my favorites it really stood out, it has everything I love - and when I settled to write about it yesterday I realized it was no longer available, and couldn’t find it in the sold items either. It turns out that Jhoanna “recently sent her off to someone as a thank-you for a wonderful thing they did for her”!

She has made 5 Doddi Bears and only one is still available in her shop :

Doddi Bear #3.

But - among other things - she also makes the most amazing doll-girls such as this one (sold too) :

Woodland Girl Ayumi.

I could go on and on and post many of her creations and really had to stop myself from posting more photos for I tell you she is such a creative woman, so I beg you, check her blog, check her flickr and of course her Etsy shop for there are wonders ahead…

Orange and Textured Iron Bowl by Lynn Cardwell Pottery @ Etsy.

I do not fall for all of Lynn Cardwell’s pottery works, but I really really love her bowls. The contrast between the bright and glossy colors on the insides and the rough aspect of the outsides is very interesting, plus the shapes of her bowls are extremely beautiful. That orange one is a favorite of mine, I always come back to it, but then I love orange so much…

Her Ikebana vases are amazing too, they have the same kind of strength and simplicity.

She is a member of the Etsy Mud Team.

Original Paper Collage, Abstract Works on Paper by Cherie Lester.

Cherie Lester is also a photographer, but I am not so fond of her photos as I am of those paper collages of hers. The first one is an original, whereas the second one below is an archival print.

You can also see some paintings on her website.

Archival Pigment Print of an Original Collage.

Ghost Back by Tyson Bodnarchuck @ etsy.

One of his watercolors was on the front page of Etsy today, and even though I love color so much, I felt more attracted towards these other two. They are original watercolors and part of a series called “Monster-rama”.

Tyson Bodnarchuck lives in Montreal where he co-owns and curates a gallery called Headquarters Galerie & Boutique.

He has a personal blog too.

Dorian.

Cowboy hat for blythe @ blissfullyshop.

Found this funny thing today, very sweet.

Available in 4 different colors (black, light brown, brown & white). Not “handmade” though, it is sold in the “supplies” category.

I can’t resist posting this other picture :

Pink and brown pompon slippers by art.i.choke @ Etsy.

art.i.choke was founded in 2006 by Turkish designer Öykü Thurston in Istanbul. She had studied the art of felt-making in Zushi, Japan in Haruka Ichihara’s studio and then went on to graduate from the “Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising” in Los Angeles.

She uses the traditional techniques of felt-making to produce modern wearable items. Every piece is hand shaped and therefore unique. And you can find the collection @ Etsy.

I am not exactly into hats - except when it comes to Blythe dolls - and even less into shawls, but I really love those slippers. They come in different colors and even if I like the pink & green ones a lot, my favorites are really the pink & brown above. They are available in all sizes from 6 to 10.

Reddening Beauty by spacedanish @ Etsy.

I’m still on that article about mushrooms in art I talked about earlier, but I like the simplicity of this one, so I’m just posting it.

It’s an original drawing.

Vanilla Shake : 2 piece pants and top set for Blythe by angela gordon @ Etsy.

Angela Gordon just listed these wonderful white “vanilla” linen pants for Blythe @ her Etsy shop. As you can see, they are very wide at the bottom and I love that shape. The listing is actually for the pants + the top - there is a second listing Cherry Blossom with a different top - but I think I could very well do without the tops.

Whereas I just love the style and look of those pants and I must say I am all the more impressed for after having browsed through pants lately for an article I came to the conclusion that they definitely did not seem easy to make even with the best sewing skills.

Now, if like me you are not totally satisfied with the top, you could order one of the 3 tops left in ardentcurse’s shop from her “Truly Coordinate” series (only one pair of pants still available) :

Smock top for Blythe doll green geo dots.

or one of feltland’s beautiful sweaters and I would personally pick that pale yellow one :

Yellow sweater for Blythe.

This is just a small part of the Easter reading guide @ desire to inspire.

midcenturyjo @ desire to inspire issued an “easter reading guide” in 4 parts last week and I was absolutely thrilled and truly honored to find a thing of beauty… included.

I did not find the time to extensively browse through all the great and inspiring blogs listed there but I sure will, especially since I have not worked on my blogroll yet and was planning to this week-end… Love it when people do the job for you ! (hint hint)

midcenturyjo has been at it before and you can find all her reading guides here.

Desire to Inspire is indeed an inspiring blog - mainly focused on interior decoration - and the work of midcenturyjo & kim - “an Australian and a Canadian trying to inspire the world, one room at a time”.

midcenturyjo also has an Etsy shop.

Boy’s Play in Forest by The Time is Now @ Etsy.

Found this one on her Flickr the other day. Just love it.
This is a print of an original acrylics on wood painting.

Across The Universe by Jessica Torrant @ Etsy.

Original acrylic painting, 2007.

Jessica Torrant’s website Livefunky + her blog.
You can also read more about her on her Etsy profile.