CABIN IN THE WOODS - at26

Are you ready for the weekend?  I could certainly do with a little escape to some peace and quiet and snow-filled lands and landscapes.

This little super modern cabin in the woods is being designed by at26 in Slovakia.  The renders are beautiful and rather lifelike - but I'm not sure about the choice of human's - but each to their own is what I say.   Here's what they have to say...

"Cabin in the woods is the project of very simple occasional living unit. 

Cabin will be located in the beautiful countryside with fabulous view of the nearby lake. 
Client could enjoy mighty portion of privacy, peace & calmness. 
At this time we finished the design of the object and we are working hard on the project. 
Estimated time of realization is March 2015. 
To be Continued ..."

Hope you're all geared up for the cold snap this weekend - and if you're reading from sunnier shores, please send some sunshine this way!  

Images via Archello

FUN AD CAMPAIGN FOR AURORA WINES

Fun ad campaign for Brazilian Winery Vinicola Aurora or Aurora Wines as referred to on Ads of the World - 'clink' think I need to try some of this wine pronto!  
Probably the sparkling... off course darling!


Advertising Agency: Dez Comunicação, Porto Alegre Brazil
Creative Directors: Carlos Saul Duque, Thiago Bizarro
Art Director: Juliano Weide
Copywriter: Carlos Saul Duque
Illustrator: Miagui Imagevertising
Photographer: Pedro Milanez
Published: June 2012


Via ads of the world

HERE AND NOW

Design:  Lindé Davies for An Urban Village

I read this beautiful blog post about being present on one of my favourite blogs, Frank-l-in by franklinspeaking - check it out here - so many truths she touches on in her writings, and in her general musings and posts, I often reread and revisit, always feeling inspired and in-tuned!

We so often get caught up in the moment, but struggle to fully live in the present.  She ended her post with this little gem of a quote 'enjoy the perfection of right now' and that's the inspiration for my quote above - frank-l-in my inspiring blogger friend, thank you for the quote and thank you for the inspiration!  I have been pondering on it all week - and trying to appreciate the little moments in life.

On Friday I had a little bit of time between work and going to a talk at one of my freelance jobs - so I took some time out and went for a lovely stroll along the Thames and called my sister in South Africa for an impromptu chat while the seagulls were fluttering above, and the ducks and swans were floating by - the skies were changing colour as the sun was readying to set and it was a beautiful sight and a beautiful moment to share and chat with my sis.

The little things, the little moments, the perfection in those little moments that sometimes may go unnoticed if you're not aware of them, try and be just a little bit more aware next time you're out and about, or somewhere - give a stranger a smile, look up at the skies and the clouds and the sun or the moon, and realise anew what a wonder it is to be here, now and to be alive in this moment .... enjoy the perfection of right now

Inspiration for this post from frank-l-in (thanks again for the lush quote my friend!)

I have something on my mind to share next about the importance of getting into the habit of a good routine - so please do check back soon

Hope you've all had a wonderful, relaxing, inspiring, nourishing weekend xx

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE - THE CUTEST SINGALONG EVER!

I love it!

This will certainly put a spring in your step and a smile on your face and I hope this makes your day like it has mine!

Its such a fun and love-filled singalong clip - and I'm happy to have watched it and delighted to share it as we all go into our weekends.

... I think I have realized that I'd like to be a momma like this one day!  Someday!  Slight rephrase... I think I'd like to be a momma someday...

Happy Friday and smiles all round xxx

via viral novelty

SOME NEW DESIGNS

Design:  Lindé Davies for An Urban Village

Design:  Lindé Davies for An Urban Village

I've been working on these 2 little designs lately - I promised my mom some note-lets which she can use to write to friends or family ... or even me!  I am not sure if they are a bit too bland?  But I quite like them.  I'd like to come up with one more design - so she'll have 3 sets to choose from for each and every occasion.  I will get them printed via Snapfish - the quality is quite good and as well as being good value for money I find their service all round good too.   Its a shame there isn't a Snapfish or similar in South Africa... or is there now?

Now ...  Any ideas for the 3rd design?  Maybe something bright and bold and crazy!

Designs are both by me

LET'S BE FRANK...

....life is short and there is still so much life to be lived, so much work to be done, so much journeying to explore.

As of tomorrow I will be joining the 5am club!  I read about it first on our most wonderful and inspiring Rolene Strauss, Miss World's facebook page - and then I also read about it on Robin Sharma's facebook page - and I'm thinking they must be onto something!

I have been meaning to get up at 5 am and my alarm goes off every morning at 5 - but getting up and getting out of bed is easier said than done.  But - alas - the time is now and I will log off and sign off and wish you all a good and restful sleep.

No crazy dreams to ignite the imagination, just blissful sleepy dreams, the kind you know you've had but don't remember when you awake.

Join me - for an early start - join me along with the rest of the 5 am club and lets go make some dreams come true!  Till the morning xx

Image:  Robin Sharma

THE STONE HOUSE BY WESPI DE MEURON ROMEO ARCHITECTS

Beautiful refurbishment of a stone village house in Scaiano, Switzerland.  Some of the traditional features were incorporated into the new design of the house.  Lots of concrete, wood and glass giving it a modern yet rustic feel in keeping with the original essence of the space.

I am in the midst of my own little 'tiny house' 'weekend get-away' 'darling retreat' project.  And my design have really gone full circle and I'm pretty much back to where I started.  Which I guess is a good thing;  there will be lots of glass, lots of concrete and lots of wood, and the interiors will all be subtle whites and soft greys and very neutral all round.  And because I feel so strongly about safety - the house will be enclosed by various courtyard with pots and plants (which my mum have started planting already) - a morning courtyard, and afternoon courtyard and an evening courtyard to enjoy the sun setting over the nature reserve.  This has been a lifelong project and now is the time for some progress to be made!

Projects like the above give me endless inspiration and I'm grateful to all the wonderful architects and designers out there in the big wide world creating amazing architecture and design for us mere mortals to enjoy and to aspire to.

This project is by wespi de meuron romeo architects and they have plenty more beautiful projects on their website

images via nesttogether

BE AMBITIOUS WITH YOUR LIFE

Quote and design:  Lindé Davies for An Urban Village

Quote and design:  Lindé Davies for An Urban Village

I am at a turning point in my life...  I can feel it, and because I can feel it, I know it and I know it is happening to me right here right now.  But I am not sure how, or which way things are turning.  Ever felt that way?  I have so many ideas and ideals, and I feel at the moment I have this boundless potential, however, my current environment is not allowing me the growth and development to reach that point of fulfilment.  I feel like I'm a tiny little bird in a tiny little cage, with the most beautiful wild garden just beyond my reach, I can see it and I can smell it and I can feel the sunshine and rain and the wind - but I am in this cage and I feel like I cannot spread my wings, I cannot experience fully what is outside.

At the same time - I realise I am the cage;  its me and no-one else that's holding me back.  I am responsible for myself and for where I am finding myself.  But what is it that's holding me back, fear perhaps?  Fear of failure or fear of the unknown or fear of becoming a more true me?  Have I become complacent with where I am;  have I lost my fight for the life I know I am supposed to lead?  No, I may have lost my fight up to now - but it feels like something inside of me is stirring and its ready to break free into the unknown - wherever or whatever that may be.

All these questions, all these thoughts, and my mind seems to be milling over and over and not a moment of quiet - but I don't know where to turn.

So - on Friday I found a site online - they offer career couching, and I thought to myself that's it -  I need to speak to someone who can objectively help me refocus my vision, and help me re-adjust my abilities - in order to get to where I'm supposed to be.  I filled in an online form, and within a couple of hours I had an email from the office and they were setting up a call for the same afternoon.  A half an hour free consultation.  Great, progress in less than a day!

A couple of hours later I had a call from Evelyn, from Seven Career Couching - and we had a most inspiring chat - I felt at ease to chat with her freely and openly and she was engaging and I think this is a path that will definitely assist me just to get a bit; no a lot! of clarity on my life, where I'd like to be - and how to ultimately get there.  The last question she asked me was this:  what would you like to accomplish at the end of our couching course?  I though for a moment and I said - I want to live an ambitious life.   And that's where my first quote originated from: be ambitious with your life.  Its quite empowering to say these words, to believe in them, and to keep repeating them.  Print it out, stick it on your wall - surround yourself with positivity... and you'll become more positive and more inspired.

Saturday morning I woke up with the following on my mind:  be your own kind of wonderful ...
be unique, be you, believe in yourself, believe in your own kind of wonderful, and be just that.  The world doesn't need copies of copies of copies of people, the world needs you, just the way you are - perfectly imperfect - share the beauty that is within you, share the sadness you may feel - share the uncertainties, share the honesty of your life. Sometimes we feel broken, sometimes we feel inspired, sometimes we feel like we need some quiet time to absorb and to figure things out.   And sometimes we need to reach out and ask for some direction, reach out and ask for some help.  And that for me is one of the most difficult parts of this journey - but one I must venture on in order to venture forth.  To grow, and to break free from the cage that is holding me back.

And it suddenly kind of dawned on me - that if within half an hour she could help me realise this one thing - what would we not be able to accomplish if I booked some time in with her.  Today I received an email from Evelyn on the next steps, the packages they offer and how to proceed.  I think its a good enough time as any to get going.  Take the first steps, make the commitment - and hopefully see some change.

But first... that dreaded admin of filing my tax return... that awaits alas.  But after that life can continue again and I will take this

Images by me

Quote and design:  Lindé Davies for An Urban Village

Quote and design:  Lindé Davies for An Urban Village

THIS IS ART: JEFFREY VANHOUTTE AND NORVELL JEFFERSON Friesland Kievit Creamer Campaign

Something a little bit more creative to get your weekend juices going!  Sure did for me, and excited that by looking at these images and the making of video - one thing is certain - art will never die!  Respect to all the creatives out there who inspire by sharing their work and talents with the world.  

Stunning images capturing moments and motion so beautifully!  Original and sparse.  Belgian Photographer, Jeffrey Vanhoutte working with creative agency Norvell Jefferson... more below

Words by Journal Du Design - translated via Google:

Artist Belgian photographer, Jeffrey Vanhoutte worked with creative agency Norvell Jefferson to create this photo series on behalf of Friesland Campina Kievit, where he captures dancers playing with powdered milk.

Clouds created by the launch of powdered milk to combine beautifully graceful dancers' bodies that bind the incredible setting poses a real relationship between them and the white clouds and giving them an appearance of angels ... Video of the making of below.

To learn more about Jeffrey Vanhoutte, click here and Norvell Jefferson, click here .
Photos: © Jeffrey Vanhoutte

Have an inspiring weekend everybody! xx

Images via:  JournalDuDesign

RIEDIKON HOUSE BY GRAMAZIO KOHLER ARCHITECTS

Architecture perfection!  Gramazio Kohler Architects have this to say about the project:

"This dwelling, which reinterprets the typology of the surrounding gable-roof houses, gains its marked design by adapting form to context parametrically.

The stipulations of two geometric operations were used to determine the groundplan shape of the house. One condition was to keep the neighbouring house’s view of the lake free; the other was to permit access and parking behind the house. Like a tent, an overhanging pitched roof covers the high rooms in the upper storey. The window strip, which runs along the edge of the roof, emphasises the horizontal structure. 315 vertical wooden slats, affixed to the surface of the wall, completely envelope the facades. By milling the edges, the cross sections of the slats were modulated in correspondence with the window strip so that requirements of sight and sun protection were fulfilled, and various, flowing levels of transparency could be set."  

I can see a lot of admirable features in this house, and a personal favorite would be the use of the wooden slats on the exterior - it creates something aesthetically beautiful, but not only that, its also very functional.  And I'm obviously one of the biggest fans of concrete, and in this house there is a lot of the grey stuff!  I do like a lot!  
Lastly I would say that I particularly like the placement of the bathrooms and the openness of these spaces when not in use.   I think there are a couple of new features here that I will incorporate for my little project in South Africa as well.  And a couple that I have already incorporated

Photos:  (c) Roman Keller

http://gramaziokohler.com/web/e/projekte/25.html

BRUGES - A DELIGHT FOR ALL SENSES

Just a few favorite moments in Bruges from yesterday....
Every street and corner has a something beautiful to admire.
Excited to be out and about again today and now I have a better feel for what else to see and do.
waffles and cream
chocolates and lace
bike rides and plenty more photos!

Images by me

DANISH ROSEWOOD DINING CHAIRS BY IB KOFOD LARSEN

After a moody blue day yesterday - this morning my boss came in with a pair of these wonderful mid century chairs for me!  Bless him, and a big thank you!

They are in mint condition, and I am firstly super grateful and just totally over the moon and excited to get them home.   I've often seen them in second hand stores, and always went back for a second look.

They were designed by IB Kofod Larsen for G-Plan's Danish range and they date from the 1960's.  I'll have the seats recovered in the same black vinyl (not necessary, but will be nice at some stage to have it done) and then I'm all good to go.  They are just quite beautiful and very comfortable and now I finally own a pair of my own