What this?! Two blog posts in one day? Baby is on fiiiiire. Aren’t these embroidered maps by Heather L. Johnson just a feast? Spotted at the NEXT Art Fair downtown. Can’t stop drooling over the typography.

All handmade home goods curated by Sparrow & Co. Textiles, hand-tooled leather, and rustic furniture and accessories with a vibe that’s Moroccan-meets-British countryside. It’s also incredibly well-priced, even once converted to USD.

I didn’t draw, design, write, exercise, or work on anything for 10 whole days. Aside from trying some new recipes, it was probably the longest creative hiatus I’ve had, maybe ever. It was divine. Work is a cruel mistress though, always beckoning, and eventually I find my way back to her tumultuous embrace.

But with a healthy dose of perspective and many, many calories under my belt, I’m ready. 2011? Let’s do this.

Here’s to the chips in the veneer, the hiccups, false starts, frayed edges, the chaos (and yes Kanye, the douchebags). Embrace them. Own them. Make them work for you. Adrienne’s adorable flour-sack towel is the perfect carte blanche for mess-making and cleanup when things unfailingly go haywire. Everyone needs the occasional safety net to ply us along, right, and for me this year it’s a towel. Who knew? But there you go.

What’s your towel?

Want I want I want! Made-to-order hand-crafted knits by Annie Larson for purchase online here.

Stephanie of Antwept-based Stip/Ontwerpt got in touch with some of her new work! I just love it when folks send me updates on what they’re up to. Looks good as always, thanks Stephanie!

Pretty pretty dresses from Finnish designers Leifsdottir. I could take one of everything!