Category Archives: Art
CrazySexyCool Wall Decals & GIVE AWAY!!
This is crazy… I set out to write about how to give your walls ‘the treatment’ using trendy graphic wallpaper and vinyl wall decals, thinking that I would make one post of it. But as I went along researching all the different styles and suppliers of said wall treatment, my only reaction was to say, in the words of Randy from American Idols, “Yo Dude!!” There is too much to fit into one article.
Okay so that has me looking at the trend that seems to have gained considerable momentum in recent times – Vinyl Wall Stickers, also know as Vinyl Wall Decals.
We had occasion in the past to have a decal custom made for one of our clients – it was a funky office space. Other than being a relatively inexpensive means of applying art to a wall, it is an extremely easy application as well. Plus the other bonus factor is that you have any image or typography made to order… As the larney folk will say… Bespoke! Particularly fab for application in babies and kiddies rooms.
A few months ago, a very proactive young lady named Chantelle from CrazySexyCool a Gauteng based Wall Decal business approached us to feature her work. Since wall treatments was on the ‘to do list’ her timing was great.
After Chantelle graduated and got a few letters behind her name, she went on to work in the field of marketing. That led her to dabbling in web design, but also had her longing for more tactile design. In January 2011 she launched her Wall Decal business and in her words “she has not looked back since”.
On the homepage of her website, Chantelle has so adequately opened up the concept of Wall decals. I decided I could not better that…
Decals what?
Wall Decals (or wall vinyl stickers) are a fun way to transform any room from blank and boring to stylish and unique.The vinyl used for the stickers are made from high quality vinyl and are available in many different colours, even fluorescents and metallic.
Stickers where?
Stickers are applied relatively quickly and are very easy to change. Stickers can be stuck on any smooth surface, such as; smooth walls, windows, doors, glass, floors, etc. Wall Decals can be used in offices, shops, on shop windows, homes and even rental homes as it does not damage painted walls.
Vinyl why?
Vinyl stickers for walls are expressions of individual personality and style. When installing there is no mess, as with painting, but the decals can create an illusion of a painted-on design when especially using matt decals. You do not have to have artistic skills or be a state-of-the-art home decorator to turn your plain living space into wonderful one using wall decals.
Just like how easy it is to apply, vinyl wall decals are just as easy to remove without ruining the surface of the wall.
But whoa good news – because these decals / stickers are so reasonably priced, they could make excellent gifts, for that special person or special occasion. Even a wedding gift if you know the person’s taste and style well enough.
More good news! We have an AWESOME R300 GIFT VOUCHER from CRAZYSEXYCOOL TO GIVE AWAY to one lucky participant!
You heard right, Chantelle is giving away a gift voucher to the value of R300 to be redeemed against a Wall Decal purchase of your choice from her online shop.
Here is how it works >>>>>
To enter and stand a chance WIN you must:
1) Comment on this post below by telling us who you are, what your wall decal of choice would be, and where you will put it (check out the CrazySexyCool websitr to view all the awesome designs)!
2) “Like” our Facebook page: here AND the CrazySexyCool Facebook page: here
… additionally if you have Twitter you can also do the following…
Tweet this post and include @streaksahead @CrazySexyCoolSA (by the way…are you following us and CrazySexyCool yet?)
Unfortunately only people residing in South Africa are eligible for this competition. We will announce the lucky winner on Monday, 11 June 2012 - so be sure to enter before then.
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Leila Fanner’s issiMya – Whimsy African
Marica and I have a fascination with ‘discovering’ new South African talent. They may not be new on the design scene, but new to us. After all, the philosophy of our blog is to uphold and honour our local talented creatives. The reason for that philosophy by the way, came out of the time that I spent working on the Irish hotel interior design projects. We had to export most of the interior furnishings and finishes from SA.
As a decorator, when I spend a great deal of time sourcing products and fabrics, I come to appreciate just how well our South African creatives compare with those abroad. We bring a unique flavour to the world of design. This is what Marica and I desire to showcase. The burning desire is to continue ‘exporting’ the talents and wares of South African designers to the world at large – the blog being one of the mediums we use.
I cannot recall just exactly how it was that I recently ‘discovered’ the work of Lelia Fanner – somewhere and somehow on the internet. But I was so thrilled with my discovery, that I hurriedly contacted her to chat to her and today we are proud to introduce you to the ‘Talented Lelia Fanner.’ Her surface designs are striking, inspired by local fauna and flora, trendy, colourful and so much more. But I will leave Lelia to tell you more about herself in the interview below… ENJOY!
As always… yours in service of design… Rose.
Q: Tell us a bit about yourself – where are you from, what makes you tick, how did you get started?
I illustrate, design, paint, print, photograph, create surface patterns, and write as much as is humanly possible.
I dance a lot in my lounge, eat mostly raw food and masses of chocolate and believe love is stronger than hate. I’ve was born an artist and crafter – driving my mother batty as a youngster cutting up my clothes to re-make them in my own way. I sold my first artworks at the age of 10 from my mum’s art studio/gallery. Nowadays, I create designs for business, make my own gorgeous products, paint photograph nature and write about finding your own creative currency.
Q: Do you have formal training or are you self-taught?
I could say self -taught – but that isn’t ever strictly true. My mother, my unknown father, my grandparents and many more wonderful human beings who have influenced my life and were all creative entrepreneurs, have directly and indirectly taught me what I know now.
Q: Tell me more about issiMya (interesting name by the way) and your range of services/products?
Thank you. I’m not sure what it means – it popped into my head while rumbling along a farm road. It’s the name of my Cape Fynbos inspired range of textile designs. As an illustrator and graphic artist – I also design logos and illustrative themes for businesses. Last year I signed up with UK agents Advocate Art, to make a selection of my designs and art available for licensing worldwide.
Q: I notice you use quite a wide variety of mediums in your art pieces – what’s your favourite?
Drawing. Everything starts with a pencil line.
Q: What inspires you and where do you draw your inspiration from?
Nature and my belief in worlds we cannot see with our physical eyes.
Q: Do you have a particular style and if so could you describe it?
Ridiculous amounts of detail right up against simplicity and extremes in colour, line and form.
Q: I see you have a fabric range in the pipe line – tell us more about it…
Well, there is the protea and fynbos inspired issiMya range – I spent a year on our farm on the west coast creating the initial ink and aquarelle illustrations that I then digitized and turned into patterns. I am totally in love with this range.
Then there’s the newer Natural History photographic collection; west coast and Karoo veld treasures with a sprinkling of man-made finds, naturally weathered into fascinating sculptural objects. They started out as box framed collections available at Cecile & Boyd’s Trade Showroom and The Haas Collective in the Bo-Kaap. The photos I took of each treasure collection inspired a range of fabric designs as well.
I am presently looking for the right fabric house or savvy business person to collaborate with in producing the range. If I don’t find that person/business I am going to launch it myself.
Q: When is it launching?
This year. TBC
Q: Are you considering developing any specific product from the fabric? (Ex. scatter cushions)
I’ve already started with some samples: Gorgeous cushions, gift wrap, gift cards, wallpaper, vinyl wall art and fabric by the meter.
Q: You’ve got some product on Etsy – a relatively unfamiliar avenue for most South Africans. How’s Etsy working for you?
I started my Etsy shop as an experiment in getting myself used to the whole online selling world. I made some sales, then started my website and got thoroughly side-tracked into making that into a gallery /shop / blog. I think in order to make Etsy shops work as a business one has to be dedicated to spending enormous amounts of time online and marketing it everywhere. I’ve only just started with that, so we’ll see.
Q: Tell us five things on your Bucket List…
Buy a farm with mountains and a river running through it, skydive, be in a flashmob dance, find lasting inner peace, and travel into outer space.
Q: Future plans?
All of the above ; )
…and an up-coming photographic exhibition called ‘A Fragile Nature’ – photo’s taken on a road trip to the Karoo.
Check out Leila’s website: here, or drop by her Etsy shop if you want to purchase any of her beautiful stationary and prints!
Be sure to catch our next post as Leila designed something special just for our The Design Tabloid readers!
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Sunshine Lemons
By Marica
I was browsing through Etsy searching for some Easter inspiration when I stumbled upon these adorable digital designs by Sunshine Lemons (adorable name too)! The brainchild of Louise Sanders, Sunshine Lemons specializes in digital scrapbooking paper sets and party printables that range anything from labels, gift tags and greeting cards, to cake toppers, coaster designs and paper bunting (you just need a little imagination).
Super pretty Shabby Chic bunting printables! This set can be purchased through the Sunshine Lemons' Etsy shop.
This is an excellent resource if you are one of those crafty DIY humans. Furthermore, the extreme cuteness-factor in Louise’s designs makes for perfect kids party decorations and invites.
Another exciting little fact about Sunshine Lemons – she’s from Durban. And you know how I LOVE to find new South African creatives – especially on Etsy!
You can also download this awesome digital Easter freebie (below) from Sunshine Lemons’ website: here… Boy, I love freebies!
You can download this adorable Easter printable from Sunshine Lemons' website...
As inspiration and to wish you all a happy Easter, here is some of Sunshine Lemons’ beautiful digital designs – all available for purchase on her Etsy shop: here
Rose and I love this Babushka digital scrapbook paper set. So beautiful... wonder if Louise added the "ya ya" part as a Kate Bush tribute? This set can be purchased through the Sunshine Lemons Etsy shop.
Easter printable set. This set can be purchased through the Sunshine Lemons Etsy shop.
Easter bunnies! This set can be purchased through the Sunshine Lemons Etsy shop.
A little bit of Vintage Paris! This set can be purchased through the Sunshine Lemons Etsy shop.
Gorgeous rainbow themed party printables for a baby shower. So clever! This set can be purchased through the Sunshine Lemons Etsy shop.
Cute Easter printable set - I almost feel inspired to make my own Easter greeting cards! This set can be purchased through the Sunshine Lemons Etsy shop.
Do check out Sunshine Lemons’ website and Etsy shop for more adorable digital printables. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.
Happy Easter everyone! Have an awesome long weekend!
Love Rose & Marica xxx
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Design Indaba 2012: High Thorn
By Marica
After a VERY busy 2 weeks, the dust has finally settled and we can focus on the long overdue Design Indaba 2012 feedback we have been promising. Since the Conference part of our feedback is a little bit meaty and requires more thought, we thought it best to start with the Expo. Rose and I will be posting our general take on the Design Indaba 2012 Expo this week, including highlights and our favourite products and designers.
One stand close to the entrance caught my attention immediately – the beautiful African-inspired designs of Pietermaritzburg company, High Thorn.
Their handcrafted products include a wide range of lighting designs, coffee tables, ottomans, massive twig mirrors, leather pots, solid wood lampbases and turned vases, and even crochet leather scatter cushions & pouffes.
Now, I am not one that usually fawns over traditional African design, and I’m sure you are picturing tacky African masks, bowls and other general Greenmarket Square touristy junk in your mind as I speak. Not High Thorn – they have taken “African” to a whole new aesthetic level – it’s chic, contemporary, whimsical and trendy. If High Thorn is the proverbial traditional Zulu mama…she is carrying around a Louis Vuitton handbag (if you catch my drift).
It was the High Thorn lighting designs that totally stole my heart. Big, intricate chandeliers made from driftwood-like stripped jacaranda twigs hung with crystals, beautiful crochet leather pendants suspended like a collection of weaver’s nests, beaded bell pendants made from Imfibinga seeds, and a massive dramatic leather tassel chandelier interwoven with strings of glass beads.
The stand also featured stunning wildlife shots by Greg Anderson Photography including a drop-dead-gorgeous triptych of beautifully coloured birds in flight. To compliment this, a handful of High Horn’s trendy solid wood vases were painted in shades of aqua, lime and gorgeous coral to match the colouration of the birds. This combination of rustic nature and spring colours gave the stand a contemporary freshness not often associated with African products – gorgeous! I really have to commend them for this brilliant use of colour.
Because most of their designs are adapted to suit a contemporary style their products would not look out of place in a shabby chic, nostalgic or even minimalist residential interior. Although, Rose and I are secretly hoping there is a game farm / African hotel interior design project in our near future in order for us to use some of High Thorn’s beautiful designs.
Do check out High Thorn’s website for further in and product: here
Images: 1, 2, 3, 5 – High Thorn 4 & 6 – Copyright of The Design Tabloid 7 – SA Décor & DesignRelated articles
- Design Indaba 2012: The Conference (coolhunting.com)
- Most Beautiful Object In SA 2012 Finalists (thedesigntabloid.com)
- Design Indaba 2012 Is Here! (thedesigntabloid.com)
- Design Indaba Expo 2012: A Snapshot of South African Design (core77.com)
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Most Beautiful Object In SA 2012 Finalists
By Marica
So, while Rose is off attending the first day of the Design Indaba conference (she just phoned saying that the conference is, in one word, “AWESOME” ), I thought to share the finalists of the 2012 MBOISA award with you.
Nominated for the Design Indaba Expo’s 2012 Most Beautiful Object in South Africa (MBOISA for short) award, Design Indaba unveiled the 10 most beautiful and beguiling designs made over the past year earlier this month. Find the finalists below as listed on the Design Indaba website…
“Every year, the country engages with the question of what constitutes beauty through the MBOISA award. While some may consider beauty an aspect of taste and others know it on sight, beauty becomes far more profound than a visual sensation when design attributes such as social significance, economic impact, usability, sustainability and even humour are thrown into the mix.” - designindaba.com
The Most Beautiful Objects in South Africa for 2012 are:
“The //hapo Museum (or just “//hapo“), which takes its name from the San word for “dream”, forms the primary entrance to Freedom Park in Pretoria. The concept evolved into the creation of large boulder-like volumes that contain the interior storytelling spaces. The boulders are planted at the base of the Salvokop hill like a rock outcrop. The copper-clad walls and roof will eventually rust to green and merge with the natural landscape. The interior spaces of the museum are designed with a cave-like quality, with natural light dramatising the large volumes and ‘outcrop’ forms of the buildings. Designed by Office of Collaborative Architects – GAPP Architects + Urban Designers, Mashabane Rose Associates and MMA Architects.”
2. Bird Neckpiece by Eric Loubser
“Johannesburg-based jeweller Eric Loubser’s design conveys the idea of a flock of birds around the neck, as if they are actually carrying the necklace and hovering around the wearer. It is inspired by a Victorian aesthetic, and made out of 9ct gold, silver, rose quartz, haematite and rubies. It is as light as air but also substantial; pretty and feminine but with a dark edge; precisely engineered with a messy, thrown-together look.”
3. Consol Solar Jar by Ockert van Heerden and John Bexley
“Housed in a one-litre Consol Classic preserve jar, which provides a practical and attractive casing, this alternative light source is literally bottled sunshine. Solar-powered LED lights are powered by sunlight, which is harnessed through a solar panel fitted on the lid. The Consol Solar Jar received the Special Recognition Award at the 2011 Institute of Packaging SA Gold Pack Awards. Although not strictly packaging, the judges decided that this clever use of a packaging material deserved an accolade.”
4. Frail Flower Paper Sculpture by Rebecca Jones
“Artist Rebecca Jones’s work reflects the precariousness of the world. She uses paper because it is an everyday medium that, though fragile, lasts indefinitely. The plants she depicts are not true botanical specimens but her work is so intricately constructed that each sculpture seems alive. The shadows thrown by the plants extend and emphasise their linear quality.”
5. Fish-Scale Dress by Suzaan Heyns
“This dress is an extension of Suzaan Heyns’ Autumn/Winter 2012 show, “True Colours”, which reflects on the dichotomy of human nature and who we really are when no one is looking. Our double-sided nature is symbolised by the different materials in the dress. The fragile nude netting reflects our natural vulnerability. It is juxtaposed with the repetitive pattern of hand-cut metallic leather scales representing the self-important parts of ourselves – our more cold-blooded, reptilian nature.”
6. Curious Couch by Margaret Woermann (Heartworks) and Peta Becker (Projekt)
“Margaret Woermann and Peta Becker have transformed an old ball-and-claw couch into a functional work of art literally bursting at the seams with life and creativity. The couch is the product of a new collaborative project between Woermann and Becker called The Curious Room, an experimental design lab where the pair focus on one-off pieces. The Curious Couch has been worked on by more than 25 people who designed, recaned, embroidered, crocheted and upholstered it. A reaction to standardised mass-produced design, the couch was inspired by the idea of metamorphosis.”
7. Ridge Forrester Hanging Planters by Joe Paine
“This amusingly named planter was born from the designer’s observation that television directors use plants as a key device in soap operas. “Through the bougainvillea and amaryllis we are privy to the most sordid capitalist lives,” says Joe Paine. The planter, manufactured from bent tube and handmade mild steel spinnings, reflects the bold jaw line of Ridge Forrester from the American soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful.”
8. “A Travel Journal, Volume 1 and 2″ by Mornè Visagie
“This hand-stitched lithograph on paper was part of a body of work for Mornè Visagie’s exhibition at the 2011 UCT Michaelis Graduate Art Show, which took Robben Island as a site of personal, social and aesthetic exploration. Visagie spent the first five years of his life – from 1990, when his father was posted to the island by the Department of Correctional Services, to 1995 – living among its small community of mostly prison employees. This piece distills the hues of the scrub-filled landscape and its surrounding sea into a slowly changing spectrum of pure colour.”
9. Lily Pad Ring by Kirsten Goss
“The Lily Pad Ring exemplifies Kirsten Goss’s contemporary design style, combining intriguing organic lines with a playful edge. Goss returned to South Africa after launching her eponymous design label in London in 2002. A qualified jewellery designer and Stellenbosch University alumni, she has a passion for experimenting with metal-smithing techniques, stone cutting and inspirational combinations of the two. All her pieces are handmade.”
10. PASTE mural by Linsey Levendall
“This mural appeared as part of PASTE, a street art exhibition curated by Shani Judes that took art out of the gallery space and into the streets of both city and township. Linsey Levendall was one of 15 local artists selected to design, illustrate or photograph work around the theme of Khayelitsha culture. The work was turned into a large-scale print that was pasted in Khayelitsha and the inner city of Cape Town.”
All of the MBOISA finalists will be on display at the Design Indaba Expo, open to the public from Friday 2 March to Sunday 4 March at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The award will be determined by public vote via SMS or online vote, and the result will be announced on Sunday afternoon in the DStv Events Arena.
SMS the word “MBOISA” and the number of your entry, followed by your name and contact number to 43431 (SMSs cost R2)
or
Vote on the DESIGN INDABA website: HERE
All MBOISA images and info sourced via the Design Indaba website: here
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