Ada Lovelace Day

Tuesday was Ada Lovelace Day, a day for bloggers everywhere to draw attention to women in technology... Well I am one day late, but I have been dying to post about this wonderful little lady for a while and it just seems fitting!

You may not have heard of Emily Cummins, but she's famous, seriously, check it out here here here here and here... She is an inventor, or as she likes to call herself a sustainable designer. She has been winning awards for her inventions and designs since before she was 16! Since then she has won awards such as Future 100 Award (2008), Female Innovator of the Year (2007), Technology Women Of The Future (2006) and she is only 22 years old!

Via InHabitat

The invention that caught my eye is her solar powered fridge, which actually uses no electricity. This isn't your everyday refrigerator with solar panels on it... This invention is completely different. My explanation won't be able to do it justice so read about it from the inventor herself here, or from writers here and here. Inspirational isn't it?

I wonder what Emily will invent next!

Origami Folds

I used to love folding those paper cranes, so you can imagine how excited I was when I started seeing neat little folds and paperesque angles pop up on the red carpet, the catwalk and in home design. The designs these days are so much more sophisticated than those little cranes I used to fold up in my school days!

Yuko Nishimura via Origami Blog

I love the way that origami folds can create detail without additional products such as gems, embroidery, patterns or beads. Linked together, the folds can either focus your eye up towards the face such as seen on Cameron Diaz, elongate your silhouette as seen with Angelina Jolie or make you look all wrapped up like Marisa Tomei!

Via The Glam Guide

Via Origami Blog

I just have to add more to my love of how Angelina's dress uses two colours to add a pop and an element of 3D to her dress. It literally looks like it has been folded around her, and if she were to take it off, the whole inside of the dress would be yellow. Speaking of yellow - I love this origami inspired folded dress by Proenza Schouler.

Via the Origami Blog

Christian Dior Via Instyle

Collage via Origami Blog

The folds and angles are also finding their way into home decor. From pillows to beds!

PJ Pocket Pillow by Modern Twist via Apartment Therapy

Thomas Feichtner via Design Milk

Oh and I can't forget about how BIG of a statement those folded edges can make. Thanks Hedi!

Via This is London

I'm off to find my old origami book and make some folds.... If you want any more inspiration I suggest checking out Origami Blog, they are a great resource (as you can see from my credits!) and are totally dedicated to bring you everything folded, pleated and bent!

Clever Living

Ferm means clever in Dutch, and is a very telling word for the company Ferm Living, who make very ferm products.  They also have a blog (Clever Spaces) showing clever creative uses for their clever and creative products... 

I love the gold and purple of the tree bomb wallpaper....clever name!

Wallpaper stuck on the inside of a lamp, you can only see the design when the light is on... clever, yet again!

I love this workplace!

Would go great in a black and white room!!

This wall decal was scribbled over, and then removed... the reverse effect!

Office Space

So I did a lot of de-cluttering at my desk this weekend, and i am feeling pretty confident about my work space... well that is, I was feeling good, until I saw this article from Martha Stewart. She recently opened up her many offices near the Hudson River in New York to show us where the creativity happens. [Note: Yes, the same Hudson River the Airbus crashed into on January 15th, she even has photos here!] The offices are so fun, and personal and are just asking to be used! I think these real images are even more inspiring than flipping through the pages of her magazine! Drop on by Behind the Scenes and read the comments behind these creative workplaces, they totally add to the images!

The office desks

Inspiration Boards

Prop Storage... aka...Heaven

Too good to be true? Well I talked to one of my friends who worked there on an internship and she said that is exactly how the offices look! Amazing! Although, I guess I shouldn't be that shocked, if any office would be clean and organized, it would be Martha's!

Finger Indulgences

I posted some work from Alexandra Schleicher, a Toronto based Jeweller in my coral post last week. Here are more from this talented Canadian, only this time its strictly a hand game.

I wonder where Alexandra gets her inspiration? Each piece seems so different. One for every mood maybe? If that was the case, I would have to wear them all at the same time! Tacky?

One question about big rings though:

Should you wear them with bright nail polish or natural nail polish? Can you wear them with no nail polish and short nails?

Do Ban.Do

Check out these lovely bandeaux from ban.do.

There are many more on their website, seriously, so many different designs, more than I even imagined existed! The two girls behind this (Jen and Jamie) are exceptionally creative - they sound pretty quirky and fun too!

Wrap It Up and Cut It Out

If you are frantically wrapping gifts such as I am - here is a quick and easy wrapping solution, especially if you have just run out of holiday wrapping paper like me!

via Bugs and Fishes by Lupin find the image here

For Every Guy on your list....

Yesterday I posted gifts for all the girls you know, well now I have a list from etsy for the guys in your life... Best of luck if you have to venture to the shops this last weekend before Christmas!

For your cousin who looks very unhappy at family gatherings unless he is listening to his Ipod, but comes from the forgetful side of the family...

Minty Boost Portable iPod/USB charger from Moses410

For your boyfriend who always gets more comments about his t-shirts are parties than you do your outfits!

T-Shirt by PasteTshirts

For your brother who always gets marks taken off from his assignments for doodling in the margins, and comes home late at night with spray paint on his index finger.

Moleskine Cahier by shoofly

For your crazy uncle who shows up everywhere with his front tire and helmet in hand, has been in several bike accidents yet still rides when the temperatures drop below zero and there is a foot of snow on the ground...Or for the grandad married to the grandmother who got the queen clock!

Recycled Bike Clock by 1byliz

For your tight guy friend who just moved back to town and into a new apartment after traveling the world for 2 years...

Custom Tree Triptych by EarthArt

For your dad, who exclusively makes meals on the BBQ, and wants all the guys to come out and watch him grill when your parents entertain...

Howling Wolf Original BBQ Sauce by HowlingWolfSauces

For your boyfriend who loves new gadgets, but also throws his backpack down like there isn't a new $2000 laptop in it every time he comes home from work...

Laptop Sleeve Customized by Dorydesigns

For your [other] boyfriend, who just recently admitted to making mixed tapes for the girls he liked in elementary school... and who still has a great taste in music!

Mixtape Wall Art in Moss green by teaforbini

For your geeky structural engineer friend who will calculate if this truss structure is actually viable.

Truss Bridge Shirt by Slowshirts

For your over the top gay friend who can contort his body into more elaborate yoga poses then you can!

(just joking!! - this was an April fools joke from LuLu Lemon!)

A Table Centers From Leftover Decorations

Lately I have written about table settings here and here. And when I was home my mom had me make a center piece for a dinner party. What I had to work with were decorations from years past and random household items....

I didn't have too much instruction, other than it should be simple, allow enough room for serving trays and it shouldn't be too tall. So late Monday night I tackled it and here is what I came up with.

Now if I could only take half decent pictures to better show the centerpiece!