“All roads that you travel in life lead you to where you are now” is the mantra of All Roads, an Etsy shop featuring custom and handmade objects by Janelle Pietrzak and Robert Dougherty. Believing that you shouldn’t have regrets in life, that both good and bad experiences make you the person you are today, All Roads strives to explore whatever path their artwork chooses for them. A collective of two, Janelle designs the elaborate and incredible weavings that you see here, while Robert hand-forges the steel arrows. They also offer an assortment of small goods, such as bronze arrow keychains and necklaces made from vintage fishing lures.
If you’re interested in any of these weavings, One Kings Lane will be selling these pieces as part of their new Artisanal Division. (The sale kicks off at 6 p.m. PT today!) Be sure to check out more weavings here.
Various small goods made by All Roads, including necklaces made from vintage fishing lures, all atop a table made by Robert.
Janelle and Robert also live an incredibly inspiring lifestyle in Los Angeles where they frequent the desert and set up a new studio space. I highly recommend following them on Instagram!
{Images via All Roads}
Finnish textile and clothing design house Marimekko is known for its bold use of color, fun, cheerful prints, and, above all, their lackadaisical, joyful attitude. The Summer 2013 lookbook is no exception. This collection is chock full of colorful and graphic references to nature and the sunny days of summer. Each piece invites summer wholeheartedly and begs to be shared with friends and family.
Beyond the designs of the products and prints, this lookbook truly captures Marimekko’s happy and casual attitude. Some images are more fantastical than others, but they all cohesively tell the story of summer afternoons spent exploring the forest floor, settling down for a picnic, and jumping on the bed! Heck, why not spend an evening outdoors counting the stars and telling stories?
{images via Marimekko}
With their Scandinavian-inspired geometric motifs in coastal navy blue, rich cobalt, and sunshine yellow, these porcelain cheese platters from MB Art Studios are perfect for any summertime shindig you’re planning.
Each platter is hand-built in Mary Burrow’s Reno, Nevada, studio. The artwork is then screen-printed and sealed with a shiny clear glaze, making these platters something you’ll want to leave out even when the party is over. I especially love the idea of grouping together platters of different shapes and sizes!
{Images via MB Art Studios}
The second day of design school, I used an X-acto knife for the first time—and promptly had to call the campus paramedics. Ever since that moment, I have had incredible amounts of respect for artists who specialize in hand-cut paper. Karen O’Leary is no exception! Combining two of my favorite passions—travel and maps—each of her creations is cut by hand onto crisp white watercolor paper.
This mapcut of San Francisco is a prime example of the level of detail Karen can achieve. While she captures the dense grid of the city perfectly, what really blows my mind is the level of openness in the upper right corner. A truly delicate work, this piece reminds the viewer of just how much of an art form the geography of a city can be!
My personal favorite is, of course, the mapcut of Seattle. I can practically see my block …
{Images via Karen O’Leary}
Simplicity defined, these textiles from Caroline Z. Hurley are about as pattern-heavy as I like to get in my own home. With a restricted color palette, each piece is subtle, yet has a bit of quirk thanks to the organic geometric artwork. Caroline hand-makes each piece in her studio in Brooklyn, New York, and believes in letting the playful, unexpected side of life come to the surface.
I love the slight wink that each piece has—whether it’s an odd ivory triangle or a close pairing of hexagons, no pattern is ever the same.
If you are in the mood for a bit more pizazz, I am loving this pink and red color combination. It just feels so fresh and airy for a linen throw, while still being modern and bold.
{images via Caroline Z. Hurley}
