Making
It's holiday time and we know that finding the right presentation for gifts is just as important as the gift itself. Two makers stood out to us when we wanted to share where to find wrap materials that deliver that wow reaction from any recipient. Studio Carta's custom Italian ribbons paired with Norman's Printery artisan gift wrap are the perfect recipe for a memorable presentation.
We are huge believers in the power of presentation and it is one of the passions that drive us to create. We always admire other makers who create beautiful and decorative items, and with the season of gatherings and dinner parties upon us, we are featuring two makers whose beautiful products are sure to make your holiday spread stand out.
Coral & Tusk is an embroidered home goods and accessories company whose beautiful characters and patterns you can't help but love. We are mad for designer and founder Stephanie Housley unique and hand drawn designs. Her linens are perfect for spicing up your table settings or other parts of your home.
We also are in love with the dishes and tableware created by Heath Ceramics that are always classic and beautiful pieces for a holiday gathering. They make a great pair to Coral and Tusk's linens and also make wonderful hostess gifts!
“The ocean has a way of humbling and empowering us
Reminding us of how small we are in its vastness
But of all the endless possbilites in life through its powerful and adaptive flow”
August is one of my favorite months in LA! It finally really feels like summer and as a tropical child I love the heat and of course the beach! The beaches in LA are at full buzz in August, so we are highlighting an artist who we feel really captures that buzz and relaxing nature of the beach in summertime. Paul Ferney is an oil painter, photographer and graphic designer whose paintings of landscapes are absolutely beautiful. Most importantly, his reason for choosing to capture natural landscapes really inspires us. He states that "[he] loves how natural scenes aren't tied to any time or human era. No person arranged the rocks that fell from the cliff into the surf or decided on the layout of the shrub-oak in the foothills." He also focuses on "weight, growth, light, and movement" and we can see that from all his beautiful paintings, especially from our favorite of a day at the beach below.
This month we are featuring Owl Kill Studio a design studio we've fallen in love with for their beautiful jewelry. Ji and I both are June babies and serious jewelry lovers. I knew one of their necklaces would be the perfect gift for Ji because of its simple, neutral colors but still fun and eye popping design. Owl Kill Studio is based out of Brooklyn, New York and is a one woman shop led by Adelia Sugarman. All of her items are handmade and as much as possible she uses "locally sourced, vintage or discarded materials to use in creating our wares." Owl Kill Studio promotes sustainability in all of its designs and Ji and I are sure you'll love not only their beautiful jewelry but beautifully designed houseware!
Adelia's Beautiful Studio!
Asymmetrical Vintage Beaded Necklace (this is the one I got for Ji!)
If you haven't tried one of our delicious flower and cookie baskets you are missing out on the delicious creations of our partner and lovely friend Sara Tso, the owner of Matchbox Kitchen! Matchbox Kitchen is an all natural baking company focused on sustainable, organic, and zero waste practices. Sara creates amazing cakes and other baked goods with unique flavors highlighting organic California produce in her classic, pared down style. We've been a fan of Sara's work for a while and were thrilled at the chance to partner up in 2014 for the launch of our first Mother's Day Cookie Gram Basket. Since then we've done three other holiday baskets with Sara's yummy cookies that have been such a blast!
Sara is also the creator of the LA Cake Club a bi-monthly a meeting for dessert enthusiasts to share and enjoy homemade sweets. The LA Cake Club has grown to over 75 members and 1300+ followers on instagram in one year! If you are interested in learning more about baking and connecting with other bakers we totally recommend attending a meeting. Sara also teaches class all over LA at different venues so check out Matchbox Kitchen for announcements on classes!
Photo: Ami Martin
In honor of Mother's Day this weekend we wanted to share with you the work of an amazing Mother/ Daughter duo. Debra Weiss (mother) & Hillery Sproatt (daughter) together are Specks & Keepings , a handmade goods shop inspired by the belief in special goods that comfort and age with us. Specks & Keepings has a strong, unique style that seems traditional but has a modern sensibility that we love. We also admire how they keep the love for design and making in the family! This Mother's Day we hope you appreciate the interests and values that your mom may have passed down to you and that you continue to bond over them no matter how old you are!
“It is from our soul’s tears that some of the most beautiful works of arts bloom”
This month we pay homage to Mary Delany, a paper artist who paved the way for so many others. Mary's breathtaking paper flower collages have been shown in museums all over the world and continue to inspire us. Mary began creating her mesmerizing paper mosaics at age 72 in 1771, after the death of her second husband. Her paper flower mosaics helped her grieve and have given us elegant works of art, proving that out of the sadness life may bring us can come something new and beautiful for the world. Each of her decoupaged pieces are made from tissue paper and hand colored papers. They all seem to be fully alive plants perfectly poised, full and blooming. Molly Peacock, an amazingly talented poet has published a wonderful book telling the story of Mary's life which we feature below. We are so grateful for Mary's lovely floral designs and for showing us that art is a true healer of the soul.
This month we are celebrating a maker who loves flowers just as much as we do! Yasmine Mei is an extremely talented LA floral artist whose romantic and diverse arrangements are impossible not to fall in love with. She describes her floral design as "ethereal" and "classic" and we couldn't agree more. Each of her bouquets brings a peaceful "ahh" to my mind and can effortlessly light up a room with sophistication. We truly admire Yasmine's eye for color and her ability to create such simple but stunning arrangements. With Spring on the way we are excited to see what new blooms Yasmine puts together! For more floral ooo's and ah's check out Yasmine's instagram at @yasminemei!
Our maker this month is Porridge Papers, a paper mill & letterpress studio that makes amazing paper-- and of course our favorite--seed paper! Porridge Paper is a studio located in Nebraska and for over 20 years has created beautiful and high quality custom papers for all occasions. We love how they think so outside the box with their paper creations and designs. Some cool examples include paper from beer spent grains and hops, bacon scented paper for notebook covers and even shredded US currency. All of their papers are made from 100% recycled fibers and are free from chemicals or additives. Their seed paper is made from locally sourced 100% post industrial waste. Porridge Paper's commitment to creating such unique paper in such an environment friendly way is why they are one of our favorite paper makers!
LA has an a wonderful community of creatives. It was the first place I've ever felt comfortable pursuing my creative desires and we are so grateful to be a part of the making community here.
When I joined forces with Ji on Blooms in the Air we knew we wanted to create something meaningful, creative and most importantly unique. In order to solidify a new direction we decided to go forward with our venture using Bloom In the Air's abbreviation BITA. To us it was much more fun, inspirational and honestly easier to say! Little did we know that BITA had a whole meaning on its own, a coincidence we couldn't have dreamed of!
Being unique is our deepest value personally and professionally. Ji and I both know what it is like to be different, to have dreams that most people don't understand and to feel discouraged and silly for pursuing them. We know what it's like to have different interests, all wonderful l in their own way, but being forced into a box, encouraged to choose OR instead AND.
What we have discovered is that the most successful and happiest people choose AND. They choose to pursue all of their different interests and dreams, despite what others think, and shine the brightest. To be a creative is to dare to dream, to dare to be unique and to allow your soul to to thrive in your passions.
With BITA, we hope to inspire others to stand in their uniqueness and recognize it as their most valuable asset. We aim to be a brand that brings people from all backgrounds and interests together to celebrate their lives in unique, meaningful ways.
This month we are featuring a maker from one of my favorite cities—San Francisco. Melanie Abrante is a talented designer who has mastered the art of creating objects that are both beautiful and functional. Melanie handcrafts high quality wooden and cork vases, bowls and even ornaments! We’ve had the pleasure of partnering with Melanie for various shows where we’ve been able to have our flowers sold with her unique vases. What Ji and I admire the most about Melanie is her dedication to creating items that last generations. Her creative process is complex to ensure her items are beautiful and durable. She isn’t afraid to remind us that “quality products take time to make” and she truly represents the spirit of handmade.
This month we wanted to celebrate an artist from the creative city of Portland. Rachel Denny is is a truly innovative artist whose use of various media for her pieces is breathtaking. What Ji and I love most about Denny is her honoring of nature in her work and her challenging of humans to be aware of the impact they have on nature in such a artistic and non-abrasive way. Each of her unique pieces are handmade in her studio and her talent is clear in not only the beautiful lifelike shapes of animals and flora she creates, but her extremely creative and distinct way of bringing them to life with various material. Ji and I believe that choosing the right media makes all the difference in a creative piece and admire artists like Rachel Denny who have the mastered so many different types and techniques.
Dear bloomers,
Through BITA, Ji and I hope to inspire a community of constant bloomers. People who are open to new experiences and growth, that live their lives like a blank canvas, ready to be brought to life in infinite ways. We believe that being open to new paths and discoveries in your craft is a critical and beautiful part of being a creative. Our maker feature this month has an inspiring tale of transition as an artist, switching from different mediums but keeping the same esthetics of her unique work. This artist founded her first art-collective in the creative city of Seattle and she is one Ji and I’s favorites.
We first fell in love with Justine Ashbee’s paint pen illustrations that have so much life wrapped in them. Her lines and patterns feel like textiles blowing in the wind that hypnotically twist, turn and pulsate through you. Her work has stunningly evolved as she brings us this same textured, flowing technique in her breathtaking Native American inspired weavings, which you can see here at Native Line. Justine has said it best herself “I felt like I’d finally come home,” she says. “The drawings I was doing, I realized, were illustrations of my weavings” (One Kings Lane). Justine proves that new directions and elements, although challenging at first, maybe just like finding a new home for your creative calling. We are so happy Justine found her creative place and can’t wait to see more of her new work!
With ever-blooming love,
Leyandra
