The Design Files Daily

Monthly Archives: November 2010

November 30, 2010 – 11:14 am

All The Buildings In New York – Queens

If you’re not already besotted with the romantic-coolness of James Gulliver Hancock‘s name alone, let him woo you some more with today’s delightful insight into his illustrated world. -Jenny x

I’ve stood in line so many times outside this building, and put together all it’s front facades to know the whole block round in my head.

I find it particularly romantic that it’s called PS1. It feels very Socialist to number your schools, and ironically Americans seem to fear socialism like the plague. I like the dichotomy.

On top of that, this isn’t a school any more it’s an awesome gallery, that is way more random than the big official MOMA in Manhattan. A must visit if you’re ever here. Last thing I saw inside was a room full of different coloured masking tape hanging from floor to ceiling forming an incredibly fragile and colourful prison… somehow reflected the history of the room.

- James
All The Buildings in New York

Posted by Jenny at 11:14 am
Categories - Guest Blog Comments Off
November 30, 2010 – 6:00 am

Christmas Gifts – for Mums

Christmas gift ideas for Mums!

I don’t know about you guys but my Mum is so cool and fashion-forward I really can’t compete.  She owns about 45 pairs of limited edition Melissa shoes and buys all her furniture from Industria on Gertrude st.  By comparison I am downright dorky.

The good thing about Mums though – is that no matter how cool they are, they will pretty much like anything you buy them for Christmas.  As long as you’re thoughtful and generous and make an effort, they’ll open your present with enthusiasm and say they love it and display it proudly.  Mums are awesome aren’t they!?

Here are just a few fabulous Christmas gift ideas for the most important woman in your life!   You should totally spoil her this year…  you know she deserves it :)

Gift ideas – clockwise from top left :

Wire fruit tealight lantern – $14.95 from Mozi

Chanel no. 5 original vintage poster – $500 from Galerie Montmartre

Anna Black ‘Ruth M’ medium Pitcher – $98 from Safari Living

Nikki Gabriel ebony knitting needles from Cottage Industry

Lime Crystal Cluster Necklace by Dani M – $199.00 at Monkhouse

Basil Bangs Pixelated Sun Umbrella, $220 from Top 3 by Design

Crocheted doily sterling silver brooch, $180 by Madeleine Brown

Handblown Glass karafe and glasses – glasses $62, karafe $154 by Sia Mai from Elevate Design / Hard to Find

Missoni Home Lipki tote bag –  $277 from Safari Living and Spence & Lyda

Lavendar Bags – $19.95 from Mozi

Triangle timber and fabric brooch - US$77.00 by Madz has Runaway

Beautifully packaged candles, $40.00 by Ginger & Smart

Pretty much anything from Aesop

Maxx bath sheets $79.95 from AURA by Tracie Ellis

Embroidered house shoes reduced to $40.00 from Chimney

Almost all these products are available online!  Order soon to avoid that last minute freak out that creeps up every year around December 20th.  Nobody likes that.

Posted by Lucy at 6:00 am
Categories - Gift Guide, Uncategorized Comments (6)
November 29, 2010 – 1:37 pm

The Ball – a film by Jess Leski

The Ball!  A very special film made by local film director Jess Leski – screening tonight on the ABC!

The Ball features four beautiful Melbourne kids – From top left, Renato, Natasha, Anthony and Lauren.

OK this post has nothing to do with design.   But, at the risk of sounding like OPRAH, I must take this final opportunity to plug a truly wonderful film directed by my bestest friend in the whole world, Jessica Leski.

Ms Leski is a a graduate of the VCA School of Film and Television, and a very talented Melbourne film maker.  This is the first of her projects to be screened on TV!  The Ball follows a group of beautiful kids who attend The Ashwood School -  a school for students with special needs in suburban Melbourne.  Leski followed these teenagers and their families in the lead up to their school debutante ball – giving a unique, heart-warming (and at times hilarious!) insight into the challenges and triumphs of these kids and their families.

The Ball is a truly beautiful local film – I guarantee it’ll make you both laugh and cry!   Please support this very special creative project by tuning in to the ABC tonight at 9.30pm!
The Ball
Directed by Jess Leski
Director of Photography – Adam Arkapaw
Produced by Princess Pictures and Screen Australia

Screening Tonight, 9.30pm on ABC

(You can also watch the trailer on YouTube!)

Below are some pics of me helping Leski out with a photoshoot for the DVD and other promo material… I actually only helped out for one day but hey, credit where credit’s due.  :)

Lucy (that’s me!) helping Leski with The Ball promotional photo shoot.

Gorgeous lauren on the left and the very lovely Jess Leski on the right!
Posted by Lucy at 1:37 pm
Categories - Uncategorized Comments (24)
November 29, 2010 – 6:00 am

Craft Victoria – Christmas Shopping by Colour!

Gorgeous shots from Craft Victoria’s Christmas e-catalogue!  Photos by Richard Brockett, Styling Anita Cummins.

Craft Victoria’s Christmas e-catalogue – Photos by Richard Brockett, Styling Anita Cummins.

These gorgeous pics from Craft Victoria‘s shop ‘Counter’ popped into my inbox a week or two ago… of course I flagged them immediately, but then every second email in my inbox seems to have a red flag on it at the moment (true!) – so after a very hectic week in day-job land this quietly slipped off my radar and I very nearly forgot all about it! LUCKILY the ever-efficient Jenny Butler reminded me… sheesh WHAT would I do without her! Everyone needs a Jenny Butler in their lives. ( But you can’t have mine. :)

ANYWAY. It is no secret that Jenny B and I are major Craft Victoria groupies.. they are such a super clever bunch and deliver much blog-able gorgeousness to my inbox each week!  These lovely pics are from their recently released colour-themed Christmas catalogue – fabulous styling!  If you pop over to see this e-catalogue on the Craft Vic website… amazingly you can CLICK each individual item in the photo to buy / learn more about each item!  How hi-tech is THAT!?  Jeepers creepers.  We need that click technology over here at The Design Files!

You can buy all the lovely items photographed through the Craft Vic Counter Online Shop, or visit them in real life at 31 Flinders Lane [downstairs], in Melbourne, Monday to Saturday 10.00am – 5.00pm.  Starting from next Friday December 3rd, Craft Vic also will start extended trading hours on Thursday and Friday evenings until 6pm, giving you an extra hour after work to pop in and visit!  So many reasons to buy handmade this Christmas!

Thanks Craft Vic for the endless inspiration and thankyou Jenny B for keeping my brain in check :)

Craft Victoria’s Christmas e-catalogue – Photos by Richard Brockett, Styling Anita Cummins.

Craft Victoria’s Christmas e-catalogue – Photos by Richard Brockett, Styling Anita Cummins.
Posted by Lucy at 6:00 am
Categories - Craft, Melbourne, Uncategorized Comments (3)
November 29, 2010 – 6:00 am

All The Buildings In New York – Brooklyn

Welcome illustrator James Gulliver Hancock to the Guest Blog! You loved him as December in the The Design Files Neighbourhood Calendar & this week we get a special insight into his latest ongoing project, All The Buildings In New York. – Jenny x

‘Brooklyn’ Illustration by James Gulliver Hancock

We live above a little corner deli in Brooklyn, just like this. It’s been a sharp shock into the density of living in New York. The roller door opening and closing at the same time everyday, the cliche accents floating up through the window, ‘hey joey, gimme a bagel…’ etc etc. Tres Romantic… sometimes.

Well, here’s a hipster mountain man with with scratchy pants, op-shop jacket, lovely mountain beard and appropriate ironic-grandma knitwear. A common sight all through Brooklyn.

- James
All The Buildings in New York

Posted by Jenny at 6:00 am
Categories - Guest Blog, Illustration Comments (1)
November 29, 2010 – 5:55 am

James Gulliver Hancock guest blog – All The Buildings in New York!

If you have been paying attention to my ramblings about The Design Files Neighbourhood Calendar(!!), then you will most likely know the work of James Gulliver Hancock!  James is an Australian-born, New York based illustrator whose  contribution to the calendar is this fabulous illustration of his current neighbourhood – Brooklyn. NYC.  Funnily enough the brief tied in nicely with James’ current project – an illustrative documentation of ‘All the buildings in New York‘!

James Gulliver Hancock’s illustration for The Design Files Neighbourhood Calendar!

James is on a mission to draw on the buildings in New York.  Or at least the good-looking ones.  All the wonderful illustrations for this fantastic little project are documented over here.

This week we are so freaking lucky to have James sharing his amazing work on the guest blog!  Every day he will post an illustration of one of New Yorks 5 boroughs, with a few sentences to accompany each image.  I just cannot get enough of his beautiful detailed sketchy work… reminds me of the books that were read to me as a kid, with wonderful illustrations by the likes of Richard Scarry and Quentin Blake!  Ooh la la that was an awful long time ago :)

Don’t forget to pop over to the Guest Blog all week to see James’ New York buildings!  You should also visit his fantastic folio site and Jacky Winter page. OH OH and I nearly forgot to mention you can also request to BUY any print from the All the buildings in New York site!  Fantabulous.

Original drawings on timber by James Gulliver Hancock

Interesting buildings vs. boring buildings!

“When you run out of paper”…
Related Posts with Thumbnails
Posted by Lucy at 5:55 am
Categories - Uncategorized Comments (3)