Spanish Friday : { Wall to Wall }

My husband and I are currently living in Zaragoza, Spain and one of the things I love most about the city is that it's so walkable. I love wondering off and discovering new street art - here are a just few of my favourites.

P.S. I’m going on vacation…woohoo! So I won’t be posting for a while…boohoo!

Photos by Design Loving

{ Ceramic Charm }

From Folklore fun to revived vintage, the dream world of Ninainvorm ceramics has got me captivated. Dutch designer and artist Nina van de Goor, creates spellbinding juxtapositions by screen-printing vintage as well as handmade ceramics with colourful, contemporary designs. 

Nina’s intuitive ability to play between old and new, allows her to create pieces that are fun and imaginative. I simply cannot get enough of it – I’ll have one of each please! Which piece is your favourite?

To see more Ninainvorm ceramics, visit Nina’s blog here and Flickr page here.

{ Marvelling over Moore }

Heather Moore is the Cape Town based designer and illustrator behind the brand Skinny laMinx. Drawing inspiration from her everyday life and surroundings, Moore’s ability to see things in a new light, allows her to design textiles that are nostalgic yet fresh and contemporary. Known for her paper cutout work, Moore often uses these intricate designs as a base for her textiles and the result is absolutely stunning.

Skinny laMinx textiles are woven and screen-printed in Cape Town, South Africa and are available at the Cape Town based showroom or Etsy shop. For more information or to find a stockist near you, visit the website here.

{ Spring Fever }

Spring is in the air and I’m absolutely smitten over it. Here are a few lovelies on my spring wish list.

1. Turquoise Le Versha Chair from Anthropologie.eu
2. Garden Thank You Card from Rifle Paper Co. and Custom Heart Portrait print also from Rifle Paper Co.
3. Firebird Cloche from Anthropologie.eu
4. Seafire Ring from Anthropologie.eu
5. ‘Sunshine is Delicious’ tote bag from Alphabet Bags
6. Tyhee Deckchair from Gallant & Jones, image credit: Janis Nicolay
7. Dearie Me Wedges by Anthropologie.eu
8. Royal Apothic Rollerball by Anthropologie.eu

{ Nautical Knots }

Check out these great, knotted necklaces from Tamé. I’ve loved everything nautical lately and these blue and white necklaces are just perfect. Tamé’s knotted necklaces are available in a variety of colours and can be found on her Etsy shop or website.

Spanish Friday : { Mercat de La Boqueria }

La Boqueria is one of Barcelona’s most famous food markets. Located on La Rambla, this market is not only a very popular tourist attraction, but also a culinary emporium for locals, chefs and food lovers alike.

The Market has gone through several phases over the years and is said to date back to the early 1200’s when it was located near the old city gate. To this day, the market has continued to create a community of bustling vendors and shoppers who mingle, eat, gossip and enjoy the finest selection of fresh produce.

As a tourist, this is a great place to put together your own affordable lunch in an otherwise expensive city. From fresh fruit smoothies, to fruit salads, veggies and the finest selection of jamón and cheeses, La Boqueria is definitely the go-to place for not only a great lunch but also a great experience.

Photos by Design Loving

{ Pedersen + Lennard }

Luke Pedersen and James Lennard are the design masterminds behind the Cape Town based brand, Pedersen + Lennard. Marked by their fascination with South African craft and the clean aesthetic of their Scandinavian forefathers, they not only produce quality products, but design objects of desire that are innovative, simple and quirky.

It was love at first sight when I saw Pedersen + Lennard’s signature piece, the ‘bucket stool’ at the 2010 Design Indaba in South Africa. They now produce the version 2 ‘bucket stool’ that has a table surface under the seat, which can be flipped to use as a side table. The bucket is ideal for some extra storage space too.

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to attend this year’s Design Indaba, but apparently Pedersen + Lennard’s new ‘Ingvar Range’ created quite a stir and I can see why. Inspired by Ikea’s founder Ingvar Kamprad, this flat-pack range made from Scandinavian birch saves on shipping costs and has an 80% saving on packaging materials. It comes with all the necessary bolts and an Allen key and is super easy to assemble – I hear.

To check out more of their awesome lighting, furniture and storage products, visit their website here, and their showroom here.

{ Beautiful Babushkas }

Aren’t babushka dolls just so charming! Over the years their intricate designs have been translated into so many other products, from kids’ toys to homeware, accessories and even stationery. Here are just a few of my favourites!

From top to bottom: Vintage babushka dolls in the home of Nina van de Goor. Cute plush toys from Caroline Dulko. A trio of nesting glasses from Fred & Friends, photo credit: Fred & Friends. “It's What's Inside That Counts” babushka screen print from Keep Calm Gallery. Babushka brooch and page markers from Pixels Plus Paper.

{ Wishbone }

When I first stumbled across Wishbone Design Studio it absolutely made my day. Not only did I find their story and brand vision remarkable, their ingenious, design rich products blew me away. Wishbone aims to create sustainable kids’ products with a strong focus on design, style and imagination. Currently in their product line is the Wishbone Bike and due to launch around June is the Wishbone Flip.

The Wishbone Bike grows with your kids. Starting at age 1 with three wheels, the bike can later be converted to a two-wheel balance bike and by age 4 to 5 the ‘wishbone’ frame is flipped to become a running bike. If that’s not super cool I don’t know what is!

The Wishbone Bike is also available in the Wollemi and Koru limited edition series, which features original artwork inspired by various environmental topics.

The Wishbone Flip is also aimed at the age group 1-5 and is a convertible rocking and rolling toy.

For more information or to locate a store near you visit the Wishbone site here.

{ Crochet Play }

I’m all over these brightly coloured poufs & rugs from lacasadecotó. Won’t they just look fun and fabulous in a nursery or playroom! All the products from lacasadecotó are handmade and shipped stuffed or unstuffed for your convenience. They also come in a variety of colours for you to choose from.

Spanish Friday : { Las Fallas }

Spain is known for their crazy fiestas, but Las Fallas in Valencia surely has to be one of the craziest. This fiesta is a celebration of the onset of spring, and what used to be a fiesta for St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters, has become a feast of fireworks, gunpowder, bonfires and satire.

This week long fiesta is filled with street party madness, spontaneous fireworks displays, earth-shaking firecrackers, paella and ninots.

Ninots are huge, larger than life sculptures made from polystyrene and wood, traditionally depicting something satirical. Over 350 ninots are displayed all over the city and it is a combined effort from each “falla” or neighbourhood to create their own ninot. This in itself is a project that the neighbourhoods work on for a whole year and is paid for through donations.

At midnight on the last day of the fiesta, all the ninots are set alight and Valencia literally becomes a city on fire. This is one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen, but I must admit, I was slightly terrified. To stand a few meters away from a 4-storey burning sculpture, is quite unnerving, but well worth it!

All in all it was a pretty spectacular event, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone planning to visit Spain in spring next year.

Photos by Design Loving