Divine Detail: Leah’s hand-drawn signs

When visiting The Paper Place,  a Toronto-based mecca for paper and craft lovers, brace yourself to be wooed by the quality and selection of goods at your fingertips.   Having had the good fortune of working there many years ago, in it’s former incarnation as the Japanese Paper Place, I can attest to the thrill of seeing a “first-timer” walk in and pause, pupils visibly dilating with joy .    Nowadays, as a seasoned customer, I would love to draw your attention to one of my favourite details about the store:  Leah’s hand drawn signs.

Her sense of humour shines and her style will forever be recognizable to me, even on such a tiny scale.  Leah remains one of my favourite co-workers of all time, and I fondly remember my lame attempts to crack her up, each and every shift we shared.  In truth, she’s the really funny one.  I wish I’d kept better track of the silly notes we used to exchange or better yet, all the signs she’s ever made in the past two decades. Now that would be a show I would love to curate!  Here are the gems in my “personal collection”.

FYI post-it, left on  a pile of fruit-print origami I wanted to buy: “Michelle. This is NOT real food… ” Cerise

The two-inch “Kalmic Book” , our take on Spy Vs Spy: 

Does anyone else get this location-centric joke?

Leah is no one trick pony, check out this project she did for the Paper Place using handmade Kozo cards.

I miss you, Poopy.  Love, Snarky.

Daily Euphoria: Inadvertently dressing like inanimate objects

It’s not everyday that you wake up, brush your teeth and look up to realize that you are dressed like a bottle of mouthwash.  My black cap is showing a little grey, truth be told.

Illustration Amazingness: Tim Hunt

Look out Below by Tim Hunt via Ape on the Moon.

Tim Hunt’s work tickles my fancy with its innocent-yet-outrageous style.  It reminds me of a less dark version of David Shrigley’s work.  According to his bio, “ If none of this madness is to your tastes then we recommend a career in science, where literally no one poops rainbows.”

I like you even more now, Tim.

You can see more of Tim’s work on his website and his blog.

And for animation enthusiasts, some gems:

Ruth Moody covering Springsteen

Just listened to Ruth Moody live on the CBC, doing a cover of Dancing in the Dark .  Kind of perfect for me, on this rainy day.   I think the Boss would approve, too!

Want more Ruth?  Want more banjo? You can listen to some songs from her new album here and visit her website.

p.s.  There is a lot of throat clearing and tuning for the first few seconds in the video, so you might want to skip to 0:58.

Daily Euphoria: Separated at birth?

Life attempting to imitate art by Yoshitomo Nara.

Having some fun here at Casa Hobo.

The first time I saw Yoshitomo Nara‘s work was in print,  almost two decades ago, when I was a devoted Juxtapoz reader (back when magazines were my internet).   At the time, my exposure to Japanese art was sadly limited to traditional woodcuts, emblems and tattoos.   I fell hard for his work , and it proved to be a great gateway into discovering contemporary art coming out of Japan.

Can’t afford an original?  How about a Nara-designed doggy radio? Chronicle books also published a postcard book of  his work awhile back – which is where this gem comes from.  (Thanks for the snail mail inspiration,  Avery. You have great taste!)

Covet Garden

The latest issue of the online design magazine, Covet Garden,  launched this week and I’m so chuffed that we got to be a part of the magic – even if it feels like I’ve just hung my knickers out on the washline for all to see.  (Thanks for the perfect analogy, Tracy!).  Have a peek inside our happy hobo home.

The Covet Garden crew are some of the most creative, funny, and hard-working people I know.  With a mandate to showcase interesting homes that aren’t styled by decorators, they truly deliver on their mission to be “inspirational, not aspirational”.  They deserve all the praise they have been receiving from stylish fans like bloggers sfgirlbybay and my scandinavian home.

As if it weren’t thrilling enough to be featured, the cover art is the work of amazing illustrator Alanna Cavanagh.  Pinch me, please.

For more design goodness, check out the Covet Garden blog  and co-founder Rhonda Riche’s Gracious Good’s blog.

Daily Euphoria: David Foster Wallace Quote

“’Mario, what do you get when you cross an insomniac, an unwilling agnostic and a dyslexic?’

‘I give.’

‘You get someone who stays up all night torturing himself mentally over the question of whether or not there’s a dog.’”

- David Foster Wallace, excerpted from  Infinite Jest (1996)

Find more DFW gems at Paste Magazine.

Well, is there?

Low brow eats trumps high brow treats

Pierre Herme Milk Chocolate Easter Bunny

There are times when only an elegant Pierre Hermé  Chocolate Easter Bunny will suffice.   Then, there are the times when you are not in Paris and post-dinner sugar cravings hit.   You will be compelled to mix together the most insulting combination of nutritionally-void ingredients in a salute to Easter kitsch. And you will love every minute of it.

Recipe can be found here at Folk Magazine.

Daily Euphoria: Joy the Baker, on butter

I have a black thumb.  I can look at a plant and basically watch it wilt before my eyes.  I’m not good with greenery.

Conversely, I can look at a stick of butter and basically watch it turn into biscuits.  I’m good with butter.  Butter is my spirit animal.

-Joy Wilson (is my hero) , of Joy the Baker fame

Daily Euphoria: In the Make

Image from interview with Hadley Nunes, originally published on In the Make.

In the Make is one of my favourite reads.  An online journal that features studio visits with west coast artists, it not only fuels my undying love for northern California but satisfies a fervent curiosity over how and where creative people work.  This is the down-to-earth, self-assured sister to The Selby, for art lovers.

Nikki Grattan with artist Bob Branaman, originally published on In the Make

Since 2011, friends Nikki Grattan and Klea McKenna have been posting weekly interviews and photographs from studio visits with artists working primarily in the San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles areas.

” We document these visits with the hope of revealing both the richness and the daily realities of creative work. Our aim is to raise interest in art practice, while simultaneously debunking the romantic myth of the artist. We recognize that creative work is real work, done by real, passionate people in all sorts of different spaces. We are not art critics, but rather deeply curious observers; looking for the ways that each artist’s aesthetic pervades their environment and reveals their perspective.”

Art by Jason Jagel, images originally published on In the Make

Art by Wendy MacNaughton, photos originally published on In the Make

I truly admire and appreciate the efforts of Nikki and Klea.  When I’m finished reading, I am always left energized and bolstered in my resolve to maintain some sort of creative practice in daily life.  I can’t wait to see what comes of their new project, Western Edge, which will see them road tripping from Tijuana, Mexico to Vancouver, Canada for more artists visits.  In the meantime,  here are some of my favourite interviews:

Wendy MacNaughton ‘s candor and humour are infectious.   I want to be her friend.

Alexandra Grant‘s over the top layers and line work mesmerize.  Great thoughts on the informative nature of  ”day-jobs” and the best advice she ever got.

Leigh Wells ’s divine and mysterious collage work.  It seems we both like to use the term “sweet spot”, so I love her even more.

I really dug this one with co-founder,  Nikki Grattan, on what it’s like to interview artists.  Not easy.

Image of Linda Geary originally published on In the Make