I mentioned recently that I had taken a bookbinding class. It was held at Mildred’s Complexity, which, in loose terms, is the studio portion of Mildred’s Lane. I can’t fully define the place, because it is so many things. A breeding ground for art, design, thinking, and anything else you wish to add. All of that aside, when I walked into the 2nd floor space I couldn’t believe my good luck. It is a visual feast. From the white padded floor (was it covered in felt or linen or some other material?) to the hanging clothing patterns, to the piles of stacked packages and papers and fabrics. And that just touches the surface. Anyway, I took a few quick photos of the orderly piles. Here they are. To learn more about this very unusual place, click here.

Pure visual delight! RBG6 is a film and graphic design studio based in Stockholm. No surprise there.
Via A plus B via The Science of Creativity.

I saw these prints on Swissmiss this morning and fell for them in an instant. I am a true sucker for the mundane and the obsolete appearing in numbers. And I love the texture and flatness of these images. Good job Tweed Tom (real name, Tom Rowe). And thanks Swissmiss for having such a keen eye. If you want to live with one of these, go here.

I received a similar pair of these as a gift a couple of years ago. I laughed so hard when I opened the box. It was the last thing I expected to be inside. Looking for something special for dad? Well, your search may be over. These bread slippers are being shipped from Lithuania, courtesy of Mother Eleganza, so they might not make it here on time, in which case a voucher will have to do. The small ones are obviously for junior.

I spent a little time this week over at the ICFF, and hands down, these were some of the best designs I saw. Designed by Cordula Kehrer for NYC-based Areaware, the rattan and reclaimed plastic bins are manufactured by the talented Aeta people of the Phillippines. If I have this right, the whole project is sponsored by the NGO Preda, who engage in fair trade practices. The designs embody the ultimate challenge of re-purposing existing but discarded products. The plastic bins are paired with some hand process, in this case the weaving of sustainably harvested rattan, then re-imagined into something far more wonderful than either thing on its own.