Sunday Best

It's common knowledge that we here at Pretty Things love arts and crafts. DIY should be our middle name. So it comes as no surprise that P.S. - I Made This would make an appearance here sooner or later. Part fashion, part lifestyle, and all DIY, I Made This is the place to go when you need a project and a pick me up. Each entry features a mood board of inspiration and from there creator Erica Domesek makes something out of (next to) nothing. The shorts above have inspired a similar tank top project I'm considering and this ear warmer/awesome headband is the answer to all my single socks.

L.

Textile Style



Divine.ca collaboration   Gaucho-Dark Brown

Folk 3 - Graphite

Finding an interesting rug for your home is a fairly simple task. Finding an interesting and unique rug that one can afford is a different story. In walks Korhani, a Canadian decor company, who prides itself in quality and value. Bonus feel-good: their manufacturing facility based in Quebec adheres to strict environmental practices. Their retail textiles are cute, but what really gets me is the online collection. Boasting of collaborations with several big magazines, such as Style at Home and Elle Canada, Korhani is making quite a name for itself. I love the bunnies in the image shown so much! My personal favourite though is the one my lovely boyfriend just purchased for my birthday, which can be seen here. I wish I could have one for each room in my apartment! I have already chosen the Lottie-Cream for my dining room, and at $130 for the 79" x 104" size it may become a reality sooner rather than later. 

J.

Ruby Tuesday

Photographer Christopher Patrick Ernst is a genuis at making the mundane and oftentimes boring seem anything but. His current untitled project captures the odd juxtaposition between the place you are and the place you want to be. Eating breakfast at a greasy spoon while overlooking a beautiful waterfall? Hanging out at the laundromat by the lake? Probably not, right? All of these places do exist, only part of them is composed of scenic wallpaper, a fad from the past that remains in many locations across America today. My favourite image above really captures the oddness of it all and how lovely it can be with a splash of red.

L.

Sunday Best

Today feels like a comfy-cozy type of day. I find these days are often the hardest to dress for. I stare dumbly into my closet, restraining myself from grabbing those worn out track pants. Thankfully, Blame It On Fashion knows how to address these moods. I am extremely jealous of Marie Hindkær Anderson, who no matter what always looks super pulled together. Slouchy separates and a statement necklace from Dannijo seem to be a go to look for Marie, for obvious reasons. I'm pretty sure with this gorgeous necklace hanging around my neck, I could make any t-shirt look good! For another sweet look, check out Refinery 29, who recently included Marie in a post wearing the sweetest, candy pink pants. 

J.

Cut It Out

collage done for Popmani

collage done for Acne Studios

I have always been a lover of "cut and paste" illustration, or collage as some might call it. Either way, I like it. And I really like artist Michelle Claesson Eismann. Her cheeky and fun pieces have been pinned to my cork board for some time now. I especially love these mixed media images she did for Contributor Magazine which are literally alive with colour.

L.

Ruby Tuesday

About a year ago, I became totally enthralled with Ruby's Fall 2010 collection, which I still find fresh and inspiring. This week I stumbled upon the line again and my heart just about skipped a beat with admiration for the AW12 lookbook. I am really digging the retro/space age feel. I've been crushing hard on celestial looks lately, so this definitely hits the spot. The dork in me also sees a Princess Leia appeal. And although I would love to own the entire collection, I think for now I'll stick with their more financially accessible nail polish. Orange Peel looks good enough to eat!

J.

Sunday Best

Picking up where our post on Hel Looks left off, we bring you Facehunter. A little more mainstream, but just as cool, photographer Yvan Rodic captures the street styles of London, Paris, and a few other locales. I picked up Yvan's book of the same name a year ago and it is probably one of my favourite picture reads. Every time I flip through, I notice a new face I didn't catch before. And every time I visit the blog, I get yet another face to add to that collection.

L.

Treasure Trove

With my birthday quickly sneaking up on me, I have been of course thinking of what to wear to my party! I came across the perfect dress - scratch that - the perfect collection of dresses by Samantha Pleet. Her line, Treasure, exclusive to Anthropologie, is chock-full of geological references. My personal favourite is the Alchemy mini dress, modeled after oxidized copper. If you don't have a birthday coming up, think about donning one of these beauties on April 22nd, Earth Day. What better way to celebrate the earth than by displaying nature's own pretty things?

J.

Ruby Tuesday

Just in time for the approach of summer, Pretty Things brings you a sweet treat to enjoy. This blood orange sorbet from Roost is absolutely delicious. I've always wanted to make my own ice cream, but thought it a lofty goal so making sorbet seemed like the next best thing. I also don't own an ice cream churn, but found that using a hand-held mixer a few times every 30 minutes produced a sorbet like consistency. However, I won't post pictures of my own sorbet for you all, because it doesn't look as lovely as Roost's, but I'm sure it tasted the same.

L.

Sunday Best

I have become a huge fan of knee-length pleated skirts over the last year. They bring you to work and take you out to dinner and then on to late night drinks. What more could you ask for in an item of clothing? The girls featured on Stockholm Streetstyle, definitely know how to style these skirts. I have become quite endeared with their unapologetic mixing and matching. Or more appropriately, their brilliant un-matching! Click here for a wonderful neon and neutral ensemble.

J.

Delicious Photography

Pretty Things is loving Courtney Donat's tumblr, pony up. A mishmash collection of images and words, pony up has a calming minimalist appeal. A lot of the images are Courtney's own from her various musical adventures, including a few from Big Day Out, a 20 year old festival that takes place down under. However, it's her love of sweet treats, like these cookies, that Pretty Things can relate to. Yum.

L.

Ruby Tuesday

Lovin You    

I figured there was just enough pops of red in this piece to include it today! I am a huge fan of The Jealous Curator, checking daily to get my fix of inspiring art discovered by Danielle Krsya. How excited was I to find out that Danielle herself was currently exhibiting some work of her own at Buy Some Damn Art. In an interview for BSDA, she comments on her new series, Blush, saying, "It's meant to represent the confusing, beautiful kaleidoscope that was my innocence and curiosity, all mixed into one." All I have to say is (quoting The Jealous Curator), damn, I wish I thought of that.

J. 

Sunday Best

Since 2005, Liisa Jokinen and Sampo Karjalainen have been curating fabulous fashions found only on the streets of Helsinki, Finland. Their blog Hel Looks is considered one of the best street style blogs on the interweb and I for one agree. One part neon, two parts hair dye, and a thousand parts unique, Hel Looks showcases what's great about fashion outside of America - there are no limits and there are no trends. There is only you and the limits of your imagination.

L.