fawn&forest

Happy Groundhog's Day!

All these blizzards & otherwise chilly weather & Groundhog-ish bits make you want to ... cozy up. At least for a few more weeks.

Top selling cozy items you wonder? Elks & Angels.

The Snuggle Pod.

The Snuggle Bear.

And... more! Shop now.

Blocks & PlayShapes designed by Zoe Miller & David Goodman = Millergoodman = open creative play for children and adults! Did you play with blocks as a kid?

If you are wanting to give an extra special, thoughtfully artish gift, think PlayShapes!  Playshapes are a modular set of 74 geometric wooden pieces can be endlessly arranged or stacked to produce hundreds of 3D creations, and can  also be used as drawing templates.

Millergoodman is a part of the Holiday Forest Finds & would make a swell gift for the whole family.

Shop Millergoodman!

Who doesn't love a cute print?

I do & am loving the sweet sentiment of the prints & posters by English Muffin. Enlgish Muffin is a part of the Holiday Forest Finds & I couldn't be happier!

My favorite gift pick? The maps -- your pick: Canada, United States or Europe. Simple, whimsical... and enough color to brighten you day!

Shop English Muffin!

Stunning! November & December's frosty crop of Forest Finds are luxurious, ingenious & whimsical.

Here's the scoop on the Holiday Forest Finds:

Elks & Angels :: luxurious, pure Australian sheepskin wares for baby
Brinca Dada :: amaaaaazing modern dollhouse & furniture
English Muffin :: whimsical prints & posters
Graphic Spaces :: foresty & friendly bookends & cases
Miller Goodman :: supercool wood toys
Little Lion Studios :: stunning wall graphics

Shop NOW!!

Colette Kids, a part of this months Forest Finds, has created a fantastic line of tees & one pieces that any kid would be thrilled to wear.. featuring simple shaped animals in the most vibrant colors. 

Designed in San Fransisco, Colette Kids uses eco-friendly dyes and organic & baby rib cotton, using a local printer that works with at-risk youth by providing paid employment, job training and supportive service.

Bonus? The entire collection was designed to be not gender specific that could be shared by siblings... making hand-me-downs a whole lot sweeter.

Shop Colette Kids!

As a part of this month's forest finds, we've brought in a fresh new crop of Plover Organic! Plover's newest collection is packed full of organic beauty -- twin bedding and crib sets.

My favorite of Plover's newest prints? Thorns Gold Circle. I'm crazy about the yellow & greys... and love the quilt.

To shop Plover's amazing new collection of quilts, bedding, duvets and crib sets, click here.

To shop Plover's complete collection including queen & king sizes, visit out sister site, Goodnight Green.

Look! We recently updated KLT Works line of clothing & home accessories and have added some fantastic new products.

What's new? Marvelous screen printed mobiles featuring KLT Work's iconic imagery. I find the Woodland Creatures Mobile hard to resist, how about you?!

KLT Works has not forgotten our favorite domestic animals with their cute kitty and dog tees & one pieces as well as Mini-Plush Dogs, shown above, right.

All screen-printed images are from Kristin Loffer Theiss' original drawings in thread which she creates using free-motion sewing. So creative!

Click here to shop the entire KLT Works collection.

As summertime draws to a close... wouldn't a relaxing, festive party with your dearest friends.... just be perfect?

The Acme Party Box Company, a part of the July & August Forest Finds, has everything you'll need for a sophisticated & fun soiree at home. 

In addition to complete Party Box Sets (which come a in variety of themes & colors, shown on page 1 & 2). Acme also has a lovely handful of other party-making goods.


A few of my favorite:
1. Set of 4 felt party crowns
2. Woodlands Bunting
3. Forest Floral party guest pack
4. Circus Deluxe centerpiece set
5. Chocolate Tangerine table runner

I love how Acme Party Box Company has created a thoughtful assemblage of party supplies that are high quality, simple to use... and re-use. Perfect.

We have been having so much fun with Kinderville products in our house this past month! As a part of the July & August Forest Finds, I was eager to give everything a test run.

And then I found this recipe for Banana Ice cream that involved 1 ingredient: bananas. Banana Ice cream (healthy!) + Kinderville Ice Pop Molds = perfect summertime treat!

Following this simple recipe, the kids & I made the ice cream (though i also added a tad of milk & a big scoop of almond butter), scooped it in the Ice Pop Molds and then popped them in the freezer for a few hours.

The result? A totally healthy treat -- creamy & quite fun to eat.

Summertime is in full swing. Parties out on the lawn. Kids running recklessly with popsicle. Time spent together.  July & August's Forest Finds hit the spot, handpicked to take you through the lovelyness of  Summer.

Party? With the Acme Party Box Company throwing a party has never been so... thoughtful, simple & chic! Not only do they have a fantastic selection of colorways & themes, Acme's party goods selection is amazing as well -- from full on party kits to buntings, table runners & crowns.

Fresh Scoop! KLT Works has been a part of fawn&forest for over 2 years. This month I'm excited to bring you all the latest & greatest from Kristin Loffer Theiss including her new mobiles, softies & tees. A real Forest Find...

Kinderville... ah-ha! Perfect for summertime, treats & little hands. Kinderville's silicone Ice Pop molds allow you & the littles to make homemade push-up pops. What could be more fun?

To shop the July & August Forest Finds, click here.

The Modern Baby Company recently debuted their new collection, which has been a fantastic part the June Forest Finds. Sign me up, I am a fan!

Not only is the new collection of mobiles, clothing & prints incredibly affordable but charming & thoughtfully composed as well. While all 3 of the laser cut birch mobiles are lovely (and only $40!) my favorite is the Whale Mobile. Love!

The one pieces by The Modern Baby Co. are made of super soft & stretchy cotton & printed with eco-friendly inks in the most adorable designs -- the lion!

To shop the entire collection of The Modern Baby Company, click here.

When it comes to motherly "nesting"... there seems to be a desire to have your new baby's name on a beautiful piece of wallart for the nursery. The finishing touch. The perfect name. The room is done!

Name Your Design, a part of the June Forest Finds, is your new best friend with a lovely collection of customizable wallart, perfect for any nursery style... and name!

Available in 2 formats, canvas prints or matte paper in a variety of sizes & pricepoints. While it's hard to pick 1 favorite, I love the playfulness of the Pink Gumball Machine.

To shop Name Your Design, click here.

With 2 sons & a 3rd due in August, I am always on the lookout for casual, simple boys clothes. The brand new clothing company ever/after totally hits the look & feel.... perfectly... for boy & girls.... and is a part of the June Forest Finds.

And yet, ever/after takes it all a step further than just clothing & style. ever/after will donate 25% of the profit of each garment you purchase to the charity of your choice. ever/after has partnered with several charities that share the same vision of creating powerful & sustaining change in the lives of children in need. Every garment comes with a change the story card that holds the value of the donation. Simply follow the directions on the card to.... change the story.

To shop ever/after's line of casual basics for infants to 4 years, click here.

June Forest Finds!

We're celebrating the 2nd anniversary of the Forest Finds this month with 3 amazing companies: ever/after, The Modern Baby Company and Name Your Design.

I'm celebrating!

ever/after's brand new line of clothing is a collection of basic everyday pieces... thoughtfully designed & total style. C'mon. A black v-neck one piece for the babe? Totally cool.

The Modern Baby Company has recently released some amazing new products including the affordably priced laser cut birch mobiles. I'm in love with the Whale Mobile.

Nothing quite like a little... custom. Name Your Design's poster & canvas wall art prints are customized to include you child's name in the design. The ABC print really catches my eye.


To shop June's Forest Finds, click here.

Happy April! Happy Spring!

April's Forest Finds are refreshing. Honeyami's simple, organic cotton bedding. The "get outside" ideas & inspiration from Jennifer Ward's book and the reassuring process of family creativity in Amanda Blake Soule's books. 

To shop this month's Forest Finds, click here.

You might be thinking it's a bit odd to bathe a baby in a "bucket" ...in a Tummy Tub? Take that up with the Dutch mid-wives who have made it common practice, also known as "bucket therapy"!  They found that newborns were much more comfortable & relaxed being bathed in a "bucket" versus an infant bath, as the babies remained warm & contained, much like their time in the womb!

The Tummy Tub is available in 4 colors and has an optional stand, the 2 Step Stool. Unlike traditional baby baths, the Tummy Tub has an extended life after baby is done with it -- as a toy bin, waste basket, or storage container and can even be recycled!

To view the full Tummy Tub collection, click here.

Classic meets modern. Oilo's crib bedding, furniture and room decor mixes classic motifs in a bold, modern way. So simple, so  sophisticated.  I was thrilled to see Oilo's cobalt // navy blue  crib bedding set. Playful without the fluff! Wouldn't that just look fantastic with some red accent pieces?! And an anchor perhaps?

Oilo also has 3 beautiful gliders as well. I totally love the shape of the Penelope Gilder with the Pouf Footstool.

Another bonus? All Oilo products are made in the USA.

Affordable toys don't have to make your family room look like a daycare! Meet Kid O toys. Affordable  (ranging in price of $10 to $14 with the blocks starting at $44), interesting (fractions! color matching!) and gooooood lookin'.

All Kid O toys are made of sustainable wood (even the books!) with non-toxic finishes and meet all USA and European safety standards.

Fun!

I can't believe that February is almost over! Such a lovely month it has been. We featured a burst of sunshine in the Forest Finds this month with Sundrop's charming felt hair clips.

Sundrop hair clips are made in the USA by a mother of 3 kids. Each clip is handmade using high quality wool felt with embroidered detailing.

While i love the birds & the flower designs, my favorite is the Mini Cherries, shown above, right.

Last September fawn&forest buddied up with fellow Portland company, Plywerk and a bunch of fantastic artists to bring you exclusive Plywerk panel art work.

Exclusive artwork by Justin Richel, Lisa GoLightly, Tara Hogan, Ryan Berkely, Pattern People, Jayme McGowan and Brent Wick.

You know what else is cool? We also have our very own fawn&forest coloring panels so the kiddos can do some artwork of their own.

2009 was a great year for forest finds, filled with amazing forest findees.  We've put together a top 10 of some of the our favorites (in no particular order). 

1. Cardboard Safari
2. Barley & Birch
3. Ryan Berkley
4. Clementine Art
5. Eco Modern Baby
6. Kiki & Polly
7. Made by Mosey
8. Mae
9. Natursutten
10. Owly Shadow Puppets

Enjoy! ....and be sure to keep a lookout for great new forest finds in 2010!

Oh, delight! I truly love curating each month of the Forest Finds. For November I was inspired by materials.

The wool felt of the Little Red Caboose crowns and organic cotton & buckwheat in Honeydumpling's mats, pillows & blankets. All natural & non-toxic art supplies by Clementine Art! Thoughtfully deigned & non-toxic wood baby rattles by Timbur and colorful, fun paper placemats by Hello Hanna.

Have a wonderful weekend & enjoy your loved ones.

fawn&forest is excited to be included in Instyle Magazine's "Best of the Web" --as one of their favorite websites for shopping. Excellent!

Here's what they said about fawn&forest:

Check out the November 2009 issue of Instyle to read all about it & get an exclusive 10% discount code.

Squirrel love! Perfect cozy time of year for a good dose of squirrels.

1. squirrel on nuts
2. squirrels live in trees in orange
3. mini squirrel on your bed
4. organic squirrel
5. squirrels in the pj pocket pillow
6. squirrels via gio aqua
7. fancy squirrel
8. squirrel, reversible
9. squirrels in adhesive fabric
10. squirrel felt crown

Time for dress-up and imaginative play! This month's Forest Finds is all about a child's imagination. Impromptu Halloween costumes and toys to play with in the dark!

Capes, Masks & Powercuffs by Little Hero will have the kids off and flying! Oeuf's Animal mask & tails will of course make the kids roar and growl.

Felt Animal masks, mustaches and beards by Lupin Handmade are quite comical and nobody will be afraid of the dark playing with Owly Shadow Puppets. So fun!

We will also soon be adding Felt crowns & Matroyshka dolls by Little Red Caboose  -- stay tuned.

Happy October!

Perhaps not the cuddle bunny you were looking for, for the nursery!  Brent Wick's work is far better fit with a twin bed than a crib. Best not to scare the small children?  

I am totally digging on the wit of Brent Wick's work and those animal's eyes! Amazingly drawn.  Brent Wick was a part of September's Forest Finds -- a f&f exclusive in collaboration with Plywerk to create beautiful bamboo wall art panels.

Really, quite amazing -- Jayme McGowan of Roadside Projects creates intricate, dimensional paper cut art peices. As a part of September's Forest Find's collaboration with Plywerk, Roadside Project went flat ....onto a bamboo panel. Optical illusion? Can you reach in and touch? Wow.

From her Etsy bio, Jayme is 1 person who can successfully use the word assemblages!:

"Roadside Projects is Jayme McGowan, a California-based artist and illustrator who has been cited for her whimsical and intricate papercut assemblages."

Lisa Golightly of Kiki & Polly is the master of the line. Her drawings are such a delight and I am thrilled to have some of her work on Plywerk panels as a part of September's Forest Finds. 

My favorite is 'All the Little Ponies' (above left).  View the rest of Lisa's work here.

You have got to love a stack of birds in the shape of a tree and excessive uses of cupcakes and other treats. Love! Justin Richel's work is relateable and intriguing. And affordable. Here's a quick bio, squeezed from his Etsy site:

"I am a firm believer in accessible art, thats why I try to have a range of affordable prints and original paintings."

 

See, he loves you too.  This month Justin Richel is a part of our exclusive Plywerk panel Forest Finds.

Ohh, Tara Hogan! First making her debut as a Forest Finds for July/Augus '08, she's back this month with her amazing artwork on Plywerk panels Forest Find. 

Tara thoughtfully incorporates words with images in her signiture style. What does Tara say?

"I love all things simple and delicate. I am inspired by Asian architecture, Abstract Expressionism, animals, Eastern thought, Bauhaus Design, travel, yoga and feng shui." (taken from Etsy bio)

Check out Tara's work here and here. 

To quote Ryan Berkley's Etsy bio:

"I'm a comics inspired gentleman surrounded by toys and Chewbacca masks. I like drawing sharks and animals and creatures and mustaches and superheroes. Sometimes I combine all of them - sometimes they are on their own - it really depends on my mood."

 

Really, his work just makes you grin and is a part of this month's Forest Finds as a Plywerk exclusive. Check it!

I am intrigued by the concept of the Pattern People and am thrilled to have them a part of this month's Forest Finds showcased as a Plywerk artist.

Co-founded by Jessie Whipple Vickery and Claudia Brown, the Pattern People develop surface designs with both a close eye on trends and a commitment to their own vision. 

The Pattern People have brought to us 1 gorgeous pattern, available in 3 different sizes and 2 colorways.  

September brings a brand new month of Forest Finds,  a collection packed full of artful goodness, all of which is exclusive to fawn&forest! 

We're excited to be working with local Portland company, Plywerk who creates fine crafted bamboo art panels, along with the 7 wonderful artists who have brought these panels to life with their intriguing artwork.

7 wonderful artists? Pattern People, Ryan Berkley, Justin Richel, Tara Hogan, Lisa GoLightly, Jayme McGowan and Brent Wick! 

This months group of fawn&forest exclusives also includes 2 vibrant mobiles from Heather Frazier of Frazier+Wing, a very fitting wall graphic "Fawn" by Elaine and Nell of Elly Nelly and a cute clique of fabric dolls by Jennifer Vallez of Sophie + Lili.

Icing on the cake? We also have exclusive fawn&forest coloring-page style Plywerk panels illustrated by our fawn&forest designer, Chris Meyers. 

Wow, this month's new  Forest Finds are gorgeous! My inspiration in selecting this month was fabric & stitching....

The fabric applique's on Opus' onesies, giving new life to vintage 70' fabric appliqued on super soft cotton onesies with a bit of sass.

Adhesive fabric wall graphics? Mae has an amazing set designs of love + wildlife in a lovely palette of colors.

Got Me In Stitches, modern quilts for baby and home. Instant heirloom for sure!

Kokopax frame carriers in fantastic contemporary patterns in cotton canvas fabric. Brilliant!

 
Click here to view August's Forest Finds... and be sure to click around on the image as it does some cool stuff....

I love it when people are inspired by things of old. The Mother Stork's Baby Book by Elizabeth Brantley is not only pays respect to the original, but is thoughtfully updated (no yellowing pages!). Your children will literally feel as though you have written a book about them -- so satisfying, so beautiful! Thanks Elizabeth! 

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was a kid I wanted to be a mom. Nothing else. Once I was in high school I decided I wanted to have a career (before being a mom) where I could go into work when needed, share my expertise, work very hard, make great money and then leave - oh and I had to be able to wear ripped jeans and cowboy books (it was the late 1980s after all). My career in the film industry fit that description pretty well: freelance, respect, hard work, good money and jeans (though not ripped and no cowboys boots).

What inspired you to create the Mother Stork's baby book?
Seeing my Grandmother’s baby book, the original 1904 edition of Mother Stork’s Baby Book, is solely what inspired me to recreate the 100th Anniversary Edition on the book.  I had never seen anything like it and after doing research found that there was nothing else like it available.  I had no experience in book creation and layout, publishing, retail, wholesale, packaging or marketing.  I did have the drive to make it happen and people cheering me on along the way, especially my husband Steve and my mom.

What's happening? What does the rest of 2009 look like for you?
2008 was such a busy year.  We recreated our website (my husband is the webmaster), created and launched three new product lines (Mother Stork’s Baby Art, Cashmere Chime Balls and Cashmere Baby Blankets) and all while being a full-time stay-at-home mom of a toddler.  So far In 2009 I have added one new product line (Cashmere Eye Pillows).  I have more new products in mind for the future.  I think for now my focus will continue to be nurturing Kistner Supply and making sure my customers are happy by continuing to provide high quality, beautiful products and excellent, personal customer service.

I think it takes dedication to be a rug designer. Katherine of Oliver & Yaphe has an amazing vision for her work and that steadfast, solid mother bear quality to her. Her artwork, which is part of this month's Forest Finds is just a sweet tiny taste of her kids rug collection. Arn't you just crazy fond of her Alphabet prints?! Rugs, by the way, are coming soon..... thanks Katherine!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? 
Tall!  I was the shortest kid in my class for a long time.  Then all of the sudden, I grew.  After that, I really wanted to be a photographer.  

How has your background inspired your current work? 
My designs are entirely inspired by my personal experiences.  While visiting Barcelona, I was inspired by the liveliness of the culture and freshness of design that I witnessed.  It was there that I started sketching my kids rug collection.  Once my daughter was born, I had her rug all figured out and then realized that her walls were bare.  It wasn’t long before my artwork collection took shape.  My collection has evolved very organically. 

What’s in store for the rest of 2009? 
Rugs rugs rugs.  I am working to round out my kids rug collection.    

We got a call from a lady one day asking if we carried Barley & Birch. Shoot! We did not. So not cool of us. And, perhaps while there are many organic tees and onesie options in the marketplace, I am uniquely refreshed by the bold graphics of Barley & Birch. A gigantic wave tee? C'mon! That's cool. Barley & Birch is Kyle (pictured left) and Jodie (right). Thanks ladies!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Kyle- I wanted to work at Sea World. After I saw Free Willy I wrote Sea World letters monthly asking if I could come pick up trash. I am still not sure if my parents ever mailed them.
Jodie- A cartoon. Apparently I wasn't concerned with... reality.

Whats the inspiration for the imagery in your clothing?
Kyle- The cool beauty of nature and the goofiness of all animals.
Jodie- I like looking at things and find something unique and interesting about them. In my designs, I'm trying to give children something unique and interesting that they can look at, and maybe even see things I didn't.

What's happening? What does the rest of 2009 look for you?
Kyle & Jodie- It looks great! We are releasing our awesome second collection at Bubble in August, we are growing, and so we are changing the world more and more. What more can you ask for? We are also working on our line of bedding for release at the end of 2010!

Sometimes I instantly fall in love and the Clouds Mobile did it, I was instantly taken. It's cute and cozy and looks as if it has always been. Madeleine Sargent is the Australian mother behind Made by Mosey. Thanks Madeleine!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
All sorts of things, photographer, ballerina, shopkeeper, lawyer, cake decorator, my mum....in no particular order!

Your work is  so cozy! What inspired your current collection?
Yay! Cozy is absolutely the best way to describe it! I wanted the range to create a sense of nostalgia. Of childhood and simple times. I was inspired by my lovely granny and sewing with her as a child and now with my own children, I wanted them to have sweet and simple things around the house that didn’t overwhelm them like many baby things do. Nature is of course a big inspiration and will always be, I mean look outside, how can it not?!

What does the rest of 2009 hold for you?
Definitely new mobiles, including a small hanging forest that’s not just for baby’s room. Time spent on one off creations, collaborations with my very artistic husband (if he’ll have me!) and of course school concerts, homework, playgroup, first steps.......

Shirin had me at the ruffles. As soon as I saw that detailing on her predominantly organic clothing collection, I was sold. I love Shirin's imagery (kissing birds!) and use of color. Super cool. Arty. Urban. Sweet. Thanks Shirin!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Wow, I actually have to think about. I think I wanted to dance or be a choreographer. It was only when my art teacher declared to me emphatically that I was an artist did it all became very clear to me what I wanted to do.

I love how you've taken the basic & added your own unique detailing; What is your background? What inspires you?
Thank you! I have studied different mediums throughout my schooling and professional career, such as fine art, illustration, printmaking, decorative painting and textile design. What I have learned is to be patient with the creative process, to always experiment and most importantly to be open to the mistakes because they always lead to the breakthroughs. The inspiration behind the collection is to take the idea of the everyday tshirt and make it something unique and different, a wearable piece or art.

What's happening? What does the rest of 2009 hold?
It has been a very exciting year so far. I have gotten great responses to my work which is always so fulfilling. I really love my new fall collection that is coming out and I am  working on designs for next spring to launch at the Bubble kids show.

June marks the 1 year anniversary of the very intriguing category, Forest Finds. We started Forest Finds as a way to showcase the many talented designers, crafters and small scale manufacturers.  

This month's selection makes me giddy:
Artwork (and soon, rugs... stay tuned!) by Oliver Yaphe
Softies by Penguin & Fish
Mobiles + buntings by Made by Mosey
Organic tanks, tees + onesies by Barely + Birch
Custom name prints by Penny People
Baby Book by Kistner Supply

WOW! Forest Finds are so much fun. 

Beehive baby spoons are simple, sweet and make the perfect heirloom gift. They're also heavy duty (hello pewter!), sorta sassy (the back of the spoon shows each animals rear!) and totally charming. Thanks Sandra!

When you were a kid, what did you want to do when you grew up?
According to a “book” I wrote in the third grade I wanted to be a “bird – artist”, whatever that is. But, in a way, I guess that came true, as we use lots of bird motifs in our work.

What part of the creative process do you enjoy most?
Brainstorming about ideas and then executing the piece out of metal. The sort of middle stage -designing what the piece will actually look like – is the most difficult.

What's happening? What does the rest of 2009 hold?
Lots more baby/kids things and hopefully some floral inspired serving pieces. We are in doing lots of product development right now. Also I am going to school to learn the craft of chasing and repousse for two weeks this June.

Cuckooboo is a blast to what could otherwise be a borning, overlooked product. Pacifiers clips, perhaps have the tendency to look sort of stupid... or maybe make you look like a crazed anti-germ momma? Dah! Cuckooboo just makes ya'll look cool. Super hip mom with the urban chic paci clip. Dang.  Thanks Jacquie! 

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a secretary, not sure why, but I remember that is what I wanted to be along with adopting some kids.

You are obviously an innovative mom -- what inspired you to start Cuckooboo?
I have always been creative, into art , photography and design, I have always had this feeling that I wanted to have my own business, like owning a thrift store, lol. But I never thought I would be selling my own creations and having people love them.

What's happening? What does the rest of 2009 hold?
I am currently working on an adult line of hair accessories, feathery and couture. I just introduced some new wool felt head bands and hair clips, really fun. I have a few shows lined up this summer and fall and I am always on the lookout for inspiring fabrics!

You know how when you were a kid things seemed really big -- like the hallway to your bedroom, the backyard or your great-grandpa? But if you were to re-visit as an adult, what you remembered as being big is really quite small, and perhaps not as you imagined or remembered. That's the feeling I get from the amazing work of Lisa Golightly. The imagination of childhood. Sweet, sorta foggy ..... with a very particular detail sticking out -- like party hats. Perspective.

when you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
That's easy, an artist!  Actually it was only later that I have realized that not's not what every kids wants to be.  To me it was the ultimate thing to aspire to.
 
your artistic talent thoughtfully extends beyond paper and canvas. your portraits obviously have faces, but your other pieces of children do not. whats the story behind this?
My personal paintings/drawings relate to memory and my own childhood, my children's childhood and as an extension of that, the viewers childhood.  I think without the inclusion of a face a more interesting store can be told because it can be anyone's story.

what's happening? plans for the rest of 2009?
I am getting ready for a couple of shows and making new work.  I have a few new ideas up the ol' sleeve for some new portrait options....This year has already been very exciting for me and I hope to continue with more of the same! 

Thanks Lisa! Also be sure to check out Lisa's awesome blog.

I am THRILLED to bits to have Charley Harper's children's books + goodies as part of this months Forest Finds. I have long admired his connection to nature + animals which is apparent in his illustrations. 

Harper has a chunky and skinny version of his abc books as well as a 123 book, the much loved memory game, wood peg puzzle, flash cards and coloring book. And don't get too cranky on the kids if you're buying Charley Harper to look good on the coffee table! The kids love Charley Harper too.

View the full collection of Charley Harper for Ammo Books!

Kristen Angelo knows whats up. She thoughtfully designs practical pieces.... that have some urban edginess for your tot.  Hello kerchief! Thanks Kristen!

What did you want to be when you grew up?
A designer.  At age 12 my friends were getting grounded for kissing boys or not calling home on time – I got grounded for spray painting antique dishware black and habitually rearranging the house while my parents were out.

Boopalina + Bebe products are incredibly well conceived, thoughtful in purpose + design. What motivates this? What sparks you?
Some products are designed from my personal experiences as a mom.  Some products are developed by literally draping fabric over my tot and drafting a pattern.  Others, often my personal favs and our most successful products, evolve from fluke and are nudged by a little random creativity.  I pull a lot of inspiration from pattern, color, texture, contemporary appeal, the flamboyant spirit of youth.  I love thumbing through a classic design book or interiors magazine and translating themes and elements to children’s design.

What does 2009 hold for you?
We’re expecting an appearance from baby no. 3 in October, and I'm hoping to gain momentum on the renovation of our 1920's craftsman home.  I look forward to expanding our range of products and print selections, transitioning to organic textiles grown and milled in the US, and introducing a new vintage modern collection of stretched canvas wall art.  In March we were approached by a major nationwide retailer interested in launching some of our products…I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what unfolds.

What do all the May Forest Finds have in common? Birds and awesomeness.

Clothing designer Shirin Roubeni of Shirin Kids has taken tees + onesies to a new level: ruffles. Enough said. Ruffles.

Lisa Golightly of Kiki & Polly not only does the most amazing custom portraits, but also has a whole collection of prints that are so Portland-ish (cloudy, witty, relaxed) as well as a set of 123 counting cards.

If you did not get a chance to get your Charley Harper fill at Old Navy this past Christmas, now's your chance. Ammo Books brings you the complete Charley Harper kids collection. yeah.

Beehive designers Sandra and Jim have created the cutest pewter baby spoons that have instant heirloom written all over them.

And Cuckooboo. Saving one pacifier at a time from hitting the ground. Designer Jacquie Barker has created the hipest paci clip you've ever seen.

Richard Hutten is one cool cookie. He's designed quite a handful of spaces, furniture pieces and objects... including the Dumbo Cup for kids.

Hutten's work is part of the permanent collections of, among others, Central Museum Utrecht, Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art Amsterdam, Vitra Museum Weil am Rhein, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Ever heard of Droog? He's part of that too.

The Dumbo Cup is big and clunky.... and a lot of fun to use and eat snacks out of too!

Happy May 1st, my friends! Before we reveal the May Forest Finds I have 1 more tasty morsel for you: 9spotmonk, which was an April Forest Finds. 

Make a letterpress lover out of your tot at an early age with 9spotmonk: a lovely assortment of letterpress notebooks, bookplates and color-in placemats!

The placemats (shown above, right) would also make great sheets of wrapping paper once your kid has colored them in, given that she did not eat lunch on it first!

I'm in love. periwinklebloom makes me want to be a little girl.... or have a little girl! While there are a couple pieces that a boy could wear, it's all about the cute dresses (bubble!) and organic girly-ness! Tyler Stallings (designer of Periwinklebloom), I am impressed.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
An architect. I also wanted to drive an 'el camino' because it was half car/half truck. I was terribly indecisive. I still find decisions painstaking and tend to research to death. I believe with better taste in cars however.

Your collection of clothing is cohesive + incrediably thoughtful. What sparked you into making children's clothes?
Thanks for the kind words. Yes, I've tried to be thoughtful both with regards to design and production. I've worked as a graphic designer and educator for many years. I also have a passion for art history. When I became a mom, I wanted to blend these roles which naturally led me to designing for children. I have always been inspired by tactile design whether textiles or paper, the use of whitespace found in Japanese forms, and the aesthetics of vintage American ephemera. I suppose these things all found their way into my work.

I also, like many new parents, became hyper aware of the things we put in and on our bodies, of our family footprint, and of the excessive 'stuff' we accumulate with kids. I wanted to contribute to the way things were made for our children, thoughtfully and worthy of handing down, emphasizing a 'less is more' approach.

What does the rest of 2009 hold for you?
Hmmm, I've given in to the idea of feeling in control or actually planning some time ago. We are expecting our second little one this autumn which will only confirm my afore mentioned thoughts. periwinklebloom will offer a small collection for autumn/winter with a little more color than this first year. I've also got some fun pieces being created out of the loads of scraps I've accumulated coming soon. And I definitely plan to finish my letterpress designs for summer which have sadly been put on the back-burner for too long. That and squeeze in a vacation or two!

Thank you Tyler!

The Oh-Plah! Teething Bracelet was an "AH-HAH!" moment of brilliance. It's no secret that a baby is more interested in your watch-keys-bracelet than his own toys. So basically, Caryn Paradis, the designer, is a genius. My baby Owen thinks he's chewing on Mom's bracelet when actually..... Thank you Caryn!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
That would have depended on the day you asked me; it was something I was constantly changing my mind about. Looking back design and business were always a consistent theme. I grew up in a pretty rural area: you had a travel a bit to find a playmate, so I came up with the idea to create a local “play club” so at least all the kids in the area could meet at a specific time to hang out. We even named it: The Sunshine Club (ok, ok, it was the seventies!). I had everyone design a t shirt and we had a fundraiser so we could buy the t shirts and supplies. I created these little dolls from clothespins that someone could use as an ornament, toy, whatever. We made a bunch of them and sold them door to door (we must have walked 8 miles-houses weren’t close together) selling them for .25 each. I think we made about ten dollars, which we gave to my mom and she bought the tees. Come to think of it, she probably subsidized our little venture. I also wanted to be a firefighter.

You are so innovative! What is your favorite part of the process? What inspires you?
Thanks! I love design development, or as I like to call it: the mulling over phase. It’s after I have a path to go down (a hint of a solution for an idea) but I haven’t really done anything with it, but the doors are wide open and the skies the limit. It’s very exciting. I’m one of those people that has trouble sitting still, so when I’m designing something I’ll take a walk or pace, or walk circles inside my house. Seems like when my legs are moving I can focus, and an idea that has been sitting for a bit takes off too. Inspiration for me is so spontaneous and comes from the silliest and most mundane stuff. I once had an “ah-ha” moment from a stick of butter. Don’t ask. I have a hard time segmenting my life, so I tend to be designing in the back of my head while I’m doing other things, but I think that’s the best part: you never know what’s going to create the spark.

What does the rest of 2009 hold for you?
This year is design development: the possibilities are endless. At Roundhouse we’re ramping up, developing more Oh Plah! and other new and exciting products. At home I’m getting my 5 year old ready to start Kindergarten and my 6 month old is getting ready to crawl. We also have this 100 year old house that we’re renovating ourselves (helps to have a carpenter-turned-architect husband!) so I’d love to have a closet this year.

Rachel Weber of Fog Rachel Weber of Fog and Thistle is a fantastic example of craft with function. Rachel makes the most beautiful, intricate papercut nightlights. If you have children, you know how crucial these little nighttime buggers are. Who ever thought they could be a work of art? Thanks Rachel!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
If memory serves, I wanted to be an artist, an acrobat (I used to practice stunts on a rope swing), a veterinarian, and a fashion designer (I frequently submitted fashion designs to Katy Keene comic and they'd occasionally use my designs.) I guess one for four is pretty good!

I can see the influence of nature, paper and children in your work. What inspires you the most?
It all meshes together, but I think nature holds the biggest influence. It is all around us and it translates well for children.

What does 2009 hold for you?
I'm very excited about working on full sized lamp shades. I have a few prototypes under way and I'm raring to go!

The Goodies by Oeuf were part of last month's Forest Finds.... but they're just so fun I have to mention them again! 

The Oeuf Goodies include an alpaca knit soft ball, tiger and zebra tail and a precious tooth fairy pillow! 

Oeuf has partnered with the indigenous women of Bolivia to create their knits, under fair trade. 

Every month I get so excited when putting together the new selection of Forest Finds. I also look forward to seeing what our designer Chris will make the category page look like! It's different each month!

April's selection is about making your daily life a little more special. boopalina+bebe brings the average bib out of it's shell (hello kerchief!), Periwinklebloom has the most amazing dresses + clothing that transitions with every season. Oh Plah's bracelets are one part style, one part teether, and 100 parts totally perfect.

You may have recently seen Rachel of Fog and Thistle on the Martha Stewart Show with her amazing nightlights (view episode here).  And 9spotmonk's notebooks and bookplates will make your child a lover of letterpress at a very young age.

 
Note: My vision for starting Forest Finds was in part to support the "locals"... the independent crafters, designers and manufacturers.  In supporting Forest Finds, you are directly supporting these wonderful people while they perhaps gain greater exposure by being on fawn&forest. Fun!

I've been a big fan of Filzfelt, so I was crazy excited when Chris picked it as a February Forest Finds. Wool felt is simply, fantastic. Equally fantastic? Kelly + Traci of Filzfelt. Thank you ladies!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Traci:  I honestly don’t know, it was so long ago!
Kelly:  It was constantly changing. At one point a lawyer, later an art teacher, professional gymnast/soccer player, traveler...I did go through a bout of making clothing for my cabbage patch kids in elementary school and then later in high school making dresses and bags for myself out of old clothing, so that designer/maker part of me has always been there.

You ladies are the felt queens! Why felt? How does this 1 material inspire you?
Kelly: I've been working with since 2005 with my other company (Etcetera Media) and can't get enough of it! It's a monolithic material that is quite structural on it's own, it's edges can be left raw without finishing, it's 100% wool (recycled from sheep!) which means its eco-friendly, recyclable and renewable. It's also conveniently water resistant, and just gorgeous on it's own.
Traci: For me, the inherent beauty of materials has always been appealing. Too much embellishment or froofrooness (is that a word?!) is not for me. And wool felt is beautiful and surprisingly textural and saturated in color. Its also a material that's been around forever and there’s something wonderful about taking an ancient art and putting a modern spin on it.

What does 2009 hold for you?
Hopefully profit and fame. No really, besides just selling felt on a regular basis, we hope to spread the love of felt in this country. We are currently working on a permanent felt installation in a retail space in Boston and collaborating with other designers and architects on their own products and projects. We’re also totally excited to be an exhibitor at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in NYC this spring.

....and it's a downpour of goodness. Amazing stationary bits from simplesong, knit goodies from Oeuf, quilted bibs by rikrak and natural rubber and teethers by Natursutten. It's made + designed by mom month for March!

The deer + moose cardboard trophy heads are one of those products that make you say, Whoah, that is really cool. Because they are. Cardboard Safari is the brainchild of 2 guys, Chris and Luis who are inspired by nature and enjoy making products out of sustainable materials. Not only do the trophies make a great conversation piece, but are a lot of fun to assemble too. 

 
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Chris: I wanted to make neat stuff.
Luis: A rocket pilot like Han Solo.  As a teenager, a rock star and now I am still thinking about what to be when I grow up.

Danridge Geiger of the Make Believe Company is the imaginative type, a multi-media artist + woodworker. The mission of the Make Believe Company is to create beautiful handcrafted objects made from sustainable woods that last and inspire the imagination. The voice-powered guitar (above left) is amazing. My son Eliot loves his. 

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I didn't know the word designer, so I wanted to be an architect. I liked to draw and make things up.

What's the most inspiring aspect of working with wood?
It can be anything. From a toy to a chair. The only limit to the material is your imagination. 

What does 2009 hold for you?
To get a Make Believe Guitar into the hands of every kid on the planet.

Thank you Danridge! Be sure to check out his blog.

Have you ever held a linocut? Lisa Price's linocut prints are absolutely amazing. The prints have an wonderful depth, each print is slightly different. The colors, so thoughtful. Thank you Lisa for kicking off this month's Forest Finds Q+A! 

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wasn't one of those kids who had a particular career in mind. My parents encouraged us to keep our options open instead of guiding us directly into one career path. Naturally I have created things all my life. Drawing has been a huge part of my life ever since I could pick up a crayon. I also spent a lot of time playing with fabric and hand sewing doll clothes which led my grandmother to believe that I would become a fashion designer. My interest in nature and animals led me to write a paper on becoming a veterinarian in eighth grade. That was a momentary lapse created by force and was quickly trumped by more art classes. I believe the creation of artgoodies has been building my whole life. It's wonderful to be doing something for a living that makes total sense and seems to have had such a natural progression.


You are a very talented printmaker. What is your favorite part of the process? What inspires your imagery?
Thank you so much. It's hard to nail down one particular aspect of printmaking as it really is an amazing process as a whole. Carving the block and making intuitive decisions that can't be taken back is pretty exciting. Once you cut the block there is no going back, and I like the permanence and boldness of making those marks. Pulling the very first print is a really great point too. It's really exciting to see your print come alive. Mixing color ranks near the top for me. I mix all my own colors from scratch using only the primaries and white. I usually have an idea of the color direction but never hold up fabrics or color swatches to match. It fascinates me because later on when I am making aprons or stuffies the vintage fabrics have a way of matching almost perfectly. I tend to use fabrics almost exclusively from the 40's-60's and I guess I just have some kind of inner color retrometer.  The process as a whole is very intuitive and therapeutic to me.

As stated in my bio, I am heavily influenced by nature and vintage items. I have spent a lot of time studying both. I find them both to hold elements of wonder and whimsy. Sometimes the simplest things can make us the happiest and be the most beautiful.

What does 2009 hold for you?
2009 holds more travel for artgoodies. I hope to venture into new territory as far as indie craft shows go. I love to be out with my work meeting new and existing customers face to face. There's a great sense of community at these shows and so many awesome vendors. There's a major account in the works, and also some of my pieces are supposed to make their big screen debut. I am particularly excited about both of these but have to keep them under raps until they are officially out. I am researching some new product options and hope to see some other exciting opportunities come to fruition this year. There will be some new designs of course, and I am hopeful for more exciting press, new accounts, and unexpected surprises!

Felt is one of those materials that we all relate to. It takes us back to the 3rd grade. Filzfelt products are felt, updated. Available in delicious colors and in 100% wool. 

Coaster + placemat excellence!

Carboard Safari is the cardboard version of taxidermy. Trophy heads of moose + deer, they're quite woodsy and with it. We have small bucks and moose as well in case you need your cardboard taxidermy micro. And I know some of you do.

Perhaps one of the best parts of Lisa Price's collection of Art Goodies is that they are printed with a linocut. This adds a lovely depth to the prints on the stuffies and tea towels. The sailboat will make you say "Wow! I love handmade!".

The sailboat stuffie is my favorite but i can't get over how amazing the whale tea towel is too!

Anything on wheels is a hit with the kids. You know it. The Corkels by Ben Blanc blend wheels with eco chic.  A lion on wheels? Sure!

Ben Blanc is a talented and witty American designer. The Corkels are a fun toy at a great pricepoint ($10) but also are really witty and I think I will snag a boat... for my own desk. 

I'm not sure if you know that Richard Hutten, is a mega desiger or not. But he is. AND he made a cup for kids called the Dumbo Cup.  It's super sweet and it's part of this month's Forest Finds.

Taking the training cup to a whole new level. Available in white and orange.

Check it out! The February Forest Finds has just been revealed, take a look! Our very talented Creative Director, Chris curated this month's selection. And what an amazing assortment of goodies it is! Cardboard taxidermy (Cardboard Safari), block printed stuffies + towels (Art Goodies), cork animals on wheels (Ben Blanc), wool felt goodness (Filzfelt) + a dumbo cup (Richard Hutten).

And seriously, check out the amazing navigational design Chris did! Thanks Chris! 

Thanks to Jacquie Van Keuren, I can't wait for my son to be of age + loose his baby teeth. This Tooth Fairy Kit totally rocks + is perfect for the obsessive record keeping mother that I have turned out to be. Genius. And the design? Fantastic + beautiful! 

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I literally wanted to be my big sister.

What does 2009 hold for you?
We plan to introduce a couple more products this fall. And will be adding extra certificate packs for the Tooth Fairy Kits shortly -- for multi-kid households and those connoisseurs of collecting.

Thanks Jacquie!

Psalms Heiple is one of those people that keeps a sketch book that you'd secretly want to steal. The kind of person that does not talk to talk but, in the right time, reveals her ideas + projects she has been working on. I have been to her quaint studio + next time I will be sure to take a picture when she leaves the room so I can show you what I mean. Amazing.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted very badly to be two things, an antarctic explorer and a float plane pilot. Which brings me to confess that i also had a thing for Jacques Cousteau.

Tell me about your inventive childhood in the remote woods of Alaska! What about it inspires you today?
I remember my mom having these two angora rabbits that she kept. She would brush them with a sort of paddle brush, collect the fur, spin it into yarn on a spindle and knit us mittens, hats, sweaters, all kinds of things. I did not think much of it when I was a kid, but now when I look back I think "wow!". My mom did a lot of things like this that I took for granted when I was younger, but the older i get the more I am inspired by her and the coziness of the homemade.

What does 2009 hold for you?
Let's see... 2009. Let's just say that this will be a year of new projects. I love doing things that I have never done before.

 
Thank you Psalms!

Amy + Joe Sharp of Little Alouette are the go-get 'em type.Confident, positive +imaginative.  A hoot to work with and their wood toys are a treasure and a delight (and incredibly popular). Thank you Amy + Joe!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When Joe was a little boy he wanted glam rocker and Amy wanted to be a professional roller skater. 
Joe was also interested in woodworking as Joe's dad built model airplanes from scratch in the North of England and was an inventor. Amy was an artistic wee one and always wanted to create. Her favorite place was the library and it still is today.

What inspires you the most? Your kids, your life, trees... do tell!
Our children are our main inspiration forest. We are so blessed to have kiddos that have great imaginations and massive amounts of love. It is creative city here everyday. We like modern design and find a lot of inspiration walking in the country of Southeastern Ohio where Amy is from. We own land in Athens, Ohio and like to escape the city as much as we can. Being in the country is like the best therapy for stress. It helps open yr mind.

What does 2009 hold for you?
2009 - We hope to be making gorgeous toys and art for you!
We have some groovy things in the workshop a brewing!
We are planning some travel and some fun. It's gonna be a fabulous year!

Be sure to visit Amy's blog.  Yes!

Yes! I really am tying up loose ends from '08! And look what I found? An interview with Hester and Jantien of the amazing Dutch company, Tas-ka. Tas-ka was an October Forest Find. Delightful. Don't you want to jump right into their amazing studio + get working? I do! Thank you Hester and Janitien! 

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
J: I wanted to be a veterinary surgeon.
H: When I was little always wanted to be a pilot, why?? I don't know but I was always making stuff on my sewing machine, little doll clothes and skirts for my self. I come from a very creative family so I think I grew up with the idea that you could make everthing. I still believe that that is the best thing my parents taught me because your opportunities are unlimited. (I hope you understand what I mean...)

How does working together inspire your creativity and the products that you make?
H: Working with somebody gives you another prospective on things. I also think we make each other better. And it is nice to be able to share all your work related things with somebody that totally understands you. I really can recommend it to everybody!
J: It's inspiring you creativity a lot. Because if I don't have ideas, Hester does and automatically I'm enthusiastic. My creativity begins to work and fill up her ideas. Or I have another idea because of her idea. Most of the time we design our products and fabrics together.

What does 2009 hold for you?
H: We would like to expand our collection with new products and make more fabric designs.
J: That's a good question .... We want to build out our collection with new products and want to sell our collection more abroad. And I think we want to do some nice projects, maybe with other designers but that isn't all familiar yet. We want to be refreshing for ourselves and others!

2008 was a fantastic year. Our unique category, Forest Finds, was started in June + has been crazy fun. And incrediably popular. We've brought in 33 designers since June and have had 2 guest curators (Irene of Bloesem Blogs in October and Jan of Poppytalk blog in August).

For the month of January, we are bringing you a small snippet of the best-of-2008. Really, I wanted to include everything + everyone (to view every single Forest Find click here).... but an edited selection is intriguing as well.

Forest Finds is brimming with inventive + quality handcrafted items to add function + beauty to your everyday. Items that make great gifts that leaves your recipient thinking you are so in the know.

Happy Forest Finds. 

As I finish up odds + ends for 2008, I have a handful of goodies for you all, including a bunch of Q+A's from Nov-Dec Forest Finds! To kick the goodness off, today's Q+A is with Anna Joyce, the talented artist who creates hand cut and sewn canvases using new and vintage fabrics. Thank you Anna!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a zoo keeper, the owner of a cinnamon roll cart, an actress and an Air Force flight school instructor ( I watched Top Gun a few too many times...)

What inspires or influences you more: your art education or your daily life/environment ?
I was very inspired by art school- I loved it! But I am mostly inspired by my daily life and environment. A shirt cuff, an old pillow, or a book at a thrift store can inspire a whole new line. But mostly I am inspired by my baby girls.

What does 2009 hold for you?
Parenting! And art, and health...I hope to continue and grow my studio practice more and more in 2009. More products are around the corner. I would like to expand my line to include table linens, and possibly bed linens as well!

I am always thrilled to unveil each month's Forest Finds. November's selection is.... heirloom. Quality, timeless, intriuging.

Children's Clothing by an emerging designer, Psalms. Moop's organic cotton Market bag. Hand sewn fabric artwork by Anna Joyce and dreamy photographic prints by Matthew Carden. Wooden baby teethers + shakers by Little Alouette and a true heirloom growth chart by Miss Natalie. 

Delightful!

October's International Forest Finds has been a real treat. I have been blessed with the chance to work and communicate with such an interesting bunch of designers + creatives. I think if I were to not have fawn&forest and actually know how to knit (well, at least!) I would want to be Angelique and run Benk. I am crazy crazy about all of her knits. Modern, yet nostalgic.  Love.

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a kid i always was busy with making clothes for my Barbies. I thought of nice dresses and crocheted and knitted. When i was older i for example took a picture from vogue/elle and counted the pattern and made another sweater with that pattern on it. My grandmother (named RIEK) tought me how to knit and I was addicted! Unfortunately i did not follow any designer-school.  It is ok so far. Also i wanted to work for KLM (Dutch airlines) as my father did and i wanted to become airline hostess.

What inspired you to start BENK?
When my second child was born, one evening i started to make her a little hat. And thought 'wow' this maybe is something to do. When i gave one as a present to a friend, she was at a babyshop with her little baby and the owner kept on saying she loved the babyhat. That was my first shop and from there it started growing !!

What does 2009 hold for you? 
For now i have all the hats and items handknitted by Dutch woman but as it grows and grows (Japan asked for a few hundred) I want to make something good from this and have them knitted by a Group of women in other poor countries and let them make some extra income for themselves being at home with their babies. Or being together with other women in their village and knit for BENK. This is difficult to start as how to get the merino yarn there, and check the knits etc etc. Hopefully 2009 i can work on that plan !!

Thank you Angelique! That cute image above is not the present day Angelique, but of when she was a cute little girl!

Oh my, big love to Famille Summerbelle! In addition to being a beautiful piece of artwork, the Family Trees are an amazing way to represent a diverse family. Perhaps a family that would not normally fit into the standard family tree format.. step-families, adopted children and otherwise. Brilliant!

Michelle of Kids Hause is the master of delicate illustration with a retro vibe, not overdone and quite witty. Michelle is also the only October Forest Find curated by Irene of Bloesem Kids that is from the US! I am delighted to have her. Roar Growl is tops. 

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was 6, I clearly recall the day that I knew I wanted to be an artist...or at least knew that I had the ability to draw (I had drawn my own interpretation of a cartoon rat that my father had in the basement). From that moment forward, I became obsessed with drawing animals and thought that I would work as an animator for Walt Disney someday.

What about your life inspires you most?
We get a lot of gray days in Seattle, so when the sun comes out, my brain becomes super-charged with enthusiasm and ideas; however, my biggest inspiration is my 6 year old daughter who is a crazy-talented artist already. We sit down and draw together frequently and she influences my illustrations and I influence hers. When drawing together, I often ask her what I should draw or add to an illustration and I always love the unbridled imagination of a six year old.

What does the rest of '08 and 2009 hold for you?
I'm hoping to dive deeper into my "style" as an illustrator; adding more depth, layers and textures. I'd also like to create 6 or 7 more illustrations within the next several months and add a line of greeting cards and invitations. My brother has got a major screen printing operation in his basement, so we're going to partner in printing on tees and fabric in the coming weeks. There are so many things I want to do, but being a mother is my first priority, so I continue to master the art of balance and prioritization.

Thanks Michelle!! And be sure to check out Michelle's blog, called Kids Haus. 

Ohh, Olivelse! I have had my eye on these Ukulele's for quite some time now so, yeah, I was totally thrilled when Irene presented her Forest Finds curation to me! Love! Else seems to be the type of gal you'd want for a best friend. A fresh young French Mom who creates crazy cool + crafty stuff. She has an amazing blog + takes such beautiful photos!

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
Quite soon in my life I felt I wanted to make a living having a creative job. I have always been very curious, and already as a little girl I was very fond of books and had a real passion for drawing. Ever since high school I took up an artisitic course of study that I followed all the way until post graduation, when I specialize as a graphic designer. I still have very fond memories of my life as a student.

What inspired you to start making fabric ukuleles and other fabric goods?
I have always been very interested in textile, sewing and so on, but what always really excited me was creating things, being able to hold in my hands the product of my work. The main idea with Olivelse was to create a range of bad linen and accessories for babies and children. A guitar shaped blankie  we created for our daughter Mila, is what got everything started…to our big surprise ! every since there have a been a lot of ideas, dreams, projects.

What does the rest of ‘08 + 2009 hold for you?
2008 has been a great, very encouraging year for Olivelse : our blog is an amazing place for people to exchange and share ideas! This past year we have had a lot of inquiries and several orders at first from shops in France, and then from retailers in the USA, Spain and recently even Canada …I really look forward to develop Olivelse activity in 2009 : I want to take time to create new products and in particular design original textile patterns with Olivier, so as to have our creations produced with our own fabrics. Thanks to my brother’s amazing skills as a craftsman, another idea is to develop a limited series of wooden toys…we will see !!!

Thank you so much Else! Be sure to check out her blog!

The simplicity of imaginative play is the crown jewel of the Kidsonroof Collection. The 'House' is more intriguing than a refridgerator box, the 'Totem' is better than a deck of cards. But still, just that simple. But better. I am delighted that Irene of Bloesem chose Kidsonroof as a part of her October Forest Finds curation. Thank you, Romy for giving our children a Home!

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
I was like most girls: I just wanted to become a teacher as teachers seemed to be 'knowing it all'. Else a librarian as I have always loved books to creep into my own imaginative world...

You have very imaginative products -- what inspired you?
Inspiration to us is nature and our children - we have a countryhouse in the south of France without electricity or running water - spending our weekends there with our 3 children just makes us boiling with ideas on how to make the world more beautiful and fun with as basic as designs as possible!

What does the rest of '08 and 2009 hold for you?
A lot of inspiration - a launch of a furniture collection and lots and lots of love to share with our family and friends!

Thanks Romy! As an additional thumbs up, Kidsonroof donates 5% of profit to specific Unicef projects. 

Wa-hoo kids! The big reveal of October's Forest Finds! Check it out. This month's selection is hot + has been guest curated by the amazing Irene of Bloesem Kids blog.

October's Forest Finds is very international: Kidsonroof from Amsterdam, Olivelse from France, Tas-Ka from the Netherlands, Kidshaus from the US, Famille Summerbelle from the UK and Benk from the Netherlands (soon to be added). And did you know Irene herself is also from the Netherlands?!

I'm crazy thrilled about this month's selection! Thanks Irene!

Thank you so much to Jan of Poppytalk blog for curating September's Forest Finds! She put together an amazing selection of very talented artists + designers: Petit Flaneur, Mincing Mockingbird, Atsuyo et Akiko and  Suddenly, It's Real! 

October's Forest Finds starts October 1st, with another Guest Curator. Check back tomorrow to see who it is + October's very international Forest Finds!

To round out this month's Forest Finds Q+A, Matt of Mincing Mockingbirds. I am intrigued with the personality Matt captures in his bird painting (+prints) and was delighted to have his work as part of September's Forest Finds.

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
I always knew I wanted to be an artist. When everyone else was giving up art as silly, childhood nonsense, I just kept plowing ahead. When I was five years old, my grandmother thought there was something terribly wrong with me, and pestered my parents into taking me to a psychologist. He met with me, and watched as I drew a bunch of dinosaurs. Not only was he impressed with the drawing skill I exhibited, but also with the fact that I could spell both their common names as well as their Latin scientific names. My mother asked what it was that had, and the psychologist said, "creativity." He thought my grandmother was nuts.

What is it about birds that captures you?
They are incredibly dynamic creatures, and naturally lend themselves to painting and art. I'm very much interested in science and natural history, and for whatever reason, capturing a bird's "expression," or the certain tilt of the head, just does it for me. There's some mind-blowing bird illustrators out there able to expertly render every feather, but I enjoy a much more painterly approach, or putting them in situations that maybe are not traditionally found in bird art.

What does the rest of '08 hold for you?
I just finished a whirlwind three months that included going to Australia, buying a house and building a new studio. I'm very excited at the prospect of just being able to sit down and throw some paint around!

Thank you Matt! Check out Matt's blog here.

I had my eye on Atsuyo et Akiko for quite some time and was thrilled when Jan of Poppytalk, the September Forest Find curator included them in her selection! Their work is thoughtful + witty and is totally it's own deal. Unique + intriguing. And those cushion dolls! Dang, those are cool.

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
Atsuyo: designer
Akiko: Artist
 
What is the inspiration behind the imagery you use in your collections?
We like to combine imagery from our favorite art and drawings with simple strong basic french phrases like Je t'aime or Mon Amore.  For colors we look to the art world and what we can find from antiquing upstate or flea markets.

What does the rest of '08 hold for you?
We would like to make more jewelry.  And we're preparing for new trade shows.  We also want to try adding some of our artwork to our collection.  Should be interesting!

Thank you Atsuyo and Akiko!! 

Jan of Poppytalk, our September curator for the Forest Finds really went to the forest with this one: wood yoyo's by Suddenly, it's real! The slices of wood still have their bark and are killer.  YoYo creators Ben + Natalie live the dream: in a tiny tree house in a tiny forest in the mid-west. I have not yoyo'd in quite awhile (1988?) until my recent yoyo-ing with Suddenly, it's real! Strangely fun. 

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Ben wanted to be a truck, but then he found out he couldn't be a "truck" so he thought it would be cool to be a truck driver. Natalie wanted to be an archaeologist or a back up dancer for Madonna. Both of them have always wanted to be "artists" for as long as they can remember. 

We are always up for a bit of product testing in my house. It's turning into a fawn&forest showroom around here. Or maybe a thriftstore? Scratches, dings and stickers on high priced cars aside. Eliot and I were both pleasantly surprised at the weightyness of these Petit Flaneur blocks; nice + heavy. Very stackabe + totally crashable. Sandra's vintage-y whimsical designs are so lovely even a princess would want to play with them! Thanks Sandra!

What is your favorite aspect of the creative process in making a product, such as your blocks?
Because of my interest in both 2 and 3 dimensional design (graphic and product), I love that I can combine the two in a product. It's a hard question though because I really love all the different aspects of the process. The conceptual stage is so fun and creative, I really could spend months doodling different ideas. But then the actual making of the product is so great as well, watching the idea emerge- it really is like a birthing process. Speaking of which- my daughter (who is less than 2) is a great source of inspiration and motivation for all of this!

What does the rest of '08 hold for you?
I am working on some new products now and hope to continue with these, as well as working on production for several craft shows, a couple in the fall and a couple holiday shows. My website will have updated product and show information soon (www.petitflaneur.com).

Exciting! I am thrilled to announce that September's Forest Finds has been curated by Jan of Poppytalk blog.  Every now + again we will be having a guest curate a month of Forest Finds. This is not only a lot of fun but also offers us a glimpse into what the guest may have their eye on for their own family + home.

Jan put together an amazing selection from Atsuyo et Akiko, Mincing Mockingbirds, Suddenly, It's Real! and Petit Flaneur. Jan is a huge inspiration to us -- both her blog Poppytalk as well as her online marketplace Poppytalk Handmade. Because of this, she was an easy pick to be our first Forest Finds curator.

The vision of the Forest Finds is to bring you a fresh selection of independent artists and designers who create relevant, modern wares and crafted items for your children and home. Fun. Thanks Jan!!

The inside scoop: I bought a walnut wood rattle by Earnest Efforts when visiting Montana a couple years back. This simple wood rattle was the seed of inspiration to launch fawn&forest. Who knew? Heather and Rick are a joy to work with and hands down send the happiest emails of the day. They'll use words like "lettuce" instead of "let us" and assure me the latest shipment is being sent "on the fastest pony heading north". Each rattle is obviously made with much love + laughter and of reclaimed woods like chinkapin and madrone. A bit of nature to blast the plastic fantastic. Thank you Rick + Heather!! 

What did you want to be when you grew up?
Ricky always wanted to explore, travel west and play.  He has certainly done all of these things and continues to as well... He came out west by way of the thumb with stories that would have sent a shiver down H.S.Thompson's spine.  Heather led a more suburban childhood, but found great joy in exploring outside by herself and following in the matriarchal footsteps with sewing and art.  When her parents were building their house in the 1970's she picked up scrap wood and nails and tried to make a book.  She went to the Univ of Oregon to be a journalist and ended up an artist.

How do your life experiences influence what you create in your workshop?
Having grown up building conventional cabinetry and wood working, Rick can't help but reject a straight line for the appeal of nature's own designs.  Heather jokes that she always wanted to marry a woodworker to acquire a woodshop.  All of our life experiences led us to each other and we find ourselves so fortunate that we can share our days together playing and bringing our imaginations to reality.  We believe that all things are possible with enough effort and laughter.

What does the rest of '08 hold for you? 
First on our agenda is to finish the remodel of our 100+ year old turkey coop we lovingly call home.  We are looking forward to the fall art festivals and acquiring enough stores carrying our rattles and shakers that we can continue on with our dream of living simply and enjoying the smallest of miracles that make our life together such a joy.  We are here for amusement only.  We realized our goals are not traditional, but we are so grateful for the opportunity to sustain our lifestyle through the people we meet in our business.  Our customers are not just business transactions, but our friends.  Our visit to earth is so grand that our song is simply "take care, be good and kind, and don't forget to laugh".  Imagine love and peace for everyone.

We're rounding out this month's selection of Forest Finds as August draws to an end. I have 2 more Q+A's to bring you, today with Kim Screen, the Good Stock genius. Although Kim primarily works in the preservation of family history, creating heirloom quality books, I just had to have a slice of her amazing work. Check out Kim's fill-in family trees, at once!

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
A teacher, like my kindergarten-teaching mom.

You are essentially in the business of preserving family history. What is the most challenging part of this process?
Getting started on a book design is always the hardest. When I'm really stuck, you'll find me cleaning + organizing around the house or office instead (my preferred procrastination!) But once I've got a good grasp on the story and a solid start on the design, I'm unstoppable. I get totally engrossed in the book and the story I'm telling. 

What does the rest of '08 hold for you?
I'm exhibiting at my first trade show - a genealogy one in Philadelphia - and am slightly nervous. Ok, very nervous. I'm launching into weddings with a "wedding week" where I'll feature a wedding book a day on my blog to give brides ideas and inspiration. And if i can get enough examples I'll also do a "Christmas week" too. On a personal note, my husband and I hope to buy a house! Oh, and i just found out today that a baby announcement I did for my friend Joel McHale (The Soup) will be in People Magazine in September - fun!

i'm not kidding, Kim really is a creative genius. Check out her site, you'll want a book of your very own, guaranteed. Thanks Kim!

Total textile joy: Plover Organic's line of crib quilts! Organic + whimsical + totally unique. Today's Q+A is with the very intriuging Marisa Kula Mercer, one of the very talented ladies of Plover Organic. Plover has taken a very refreshing stance on textiles, transcending trends + time... creating heirloom quality quilts + bedding with a fantastic feel-good + do-good option: organic cotton. 

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be everything at one point or another! Singer, writer, dancer, bank-teller. They all had their allure.

The A-Z Animal poster,  designed + illustrated by Tara Hogan of Ink+Wit is one of those products that makes me want to have a brick + mortor shop too. Yes, viewing the print on your screen, it is quite evident the illustrations are spectacular and the colors are so with it. But after beholding the A-Z in person, the details and thoughtfulness of the actual print far exceeds what you see on your screen.  The details are delicate, the grey has a silver shimmer and the composition is playful yet sophisticated. 

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
An actress.

Nature plays a major role in your work. What is the most compelling aspect of working with nature and organic forms in your work?
Spontaneity and the interaction of animals and botanicals.

What does the rest of '08 hold for you?
I am working on a numbers poster similar to the animal alphabet poster and also a new elephant print where part of the proceeds will benefit an elephant sanctuary. In addition, I will be creating the very first roll of children's wallpaper for INK+WIT. And, hopefully, a trip to Tuscany in October.

So looking forward to Numbers poster + wallpaper! Oh yeah. Thank you Tara!

It was the Tiny Warbler Whale that sent me on a quick search for Kate Keeler's email address. I fell in love with the whale! It made her little family of creatures instant Forest Finds. Not only are her small stuffed animals incredibly genuine, but Kate also perfectly captures the sweetness + character of each animal. I will admit one thing: I ordered a whale for myself and under the guidelines that these small animals are not meant for small children, I have no plans of sharing! 

 
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Truthfully, when I was  about 6 years old, my answer was always 'an artist'. I always loved to paint and draw and make collages. I guess not  too much has changed but now fabric has been thrown in the mix.

Does your "day job" (as a photographer's assistant) interact/overlap/inspire your "evening job" as creator of little friends?
Absolutely! I find being surrounded by talented and creative people really inspiring. On a shoot, I usually find out what someone's favorite animal is and then I start to see it as a pattern. It also pushes me to hone my technical skills and always try to do my best.

What does the rest of '08 hold for you?
There will be a lot of fabric, cutting, stitching and sewing ahead. I'm working out some new patterns now and hopefully will have some new products to offer in time for the holidays. There may be my first craft fair down the road as well. And hopefully a little travel and rest with my husband. 

Thanks Kate! I look forward to who else you create! 

Samantha of Nix Socks is a can-do kind of gal. And she makes it seem so simple!  She wanted her son to wear stylin' socks that stayed on his little feet. So she designed some old-school style socks + had them manufactured. Nix Socks was born! Samantha is a spunky lady -- it shows not only in the awesome color combinations of her socks, but also in her loving attitude toward her family. And where did the name Nix come from? From the source of her inspiration, her older son, Phoenix.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
An actress, of course.

What is the most challenging part of being an inventive designer-business women + full time Mom?
Eating a meal in a char... well, first, eating a meal. The chair is just a luxury at this point. This is true. But also, making a point to not short shift my husband on the love he deserves. There is not a lot left at the end of the day to go around but I think it is so important not to let that slide.

What does the rest of '08 hold for you?
Hopefully a 2nd line of socks (new colors/styles) and lots of fun with my 2 boys and my husband. I'd love to make it to the snow this Winter. 

Thank you Samantha! Perhaps I am thinking what every other Mom is thinking right now: I wish the Nix came in my size too! 

We are now in a new month of Forest Finds with a whole new selection.... but did not want to neglect the final June Forest Find Q+A with Paige Russell. I gave birth last Monday before I got the chance to post Paige's interview. I enjoy the wit Paige has with the work she creates. Objects that are both useful, thoughtful and fun. Plus, she was voted most sportsmanlike for 7th grade volleyball. Umm, come on! I tried to play volleyball in the 7th grade and was surely not as cool as Paige.....!

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
The first thing I can remember wanting to be is a marine biologist, but I'm ultra afraid of seaweed & sharks, so...  Then I moved on to cake decorator.  My family ate a LOT of cakes for a couple of months one summer.   But for most of my teens and up, I always knew I wanted to make things.

What is the most compelling aspect of working dimensionally?
I'm a pretty sensorial person (is that a word? hmmm...) so working in 3D really compliments that part of me.  I also love function and the challenge of pairing that with beauty.  Creating useful household objects that people enjoy looking at & using is the big dream.  

Christy Nyboer is the artist behind Little Lark clothing, and mother of 2 small children. I love the simplicity of her designs + her obvious interest in what she does. See those dahlias? Those beauties grow in her garden every year! And while the majority of her designs reflect nature, she's not afraid to throw in a robot or 2! Another plus? Most of the Little Lark cloting is organic.   

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
I'm sure there were tons of things that I wanted to be when I was younger, but one definitely sticks out in my mind first.  When I was about 4 years old, I was obsessed with becoming an "Orange Crayon Maker".... from watching how crayons (specifically the orange ones) were made on the show Mr. Rogers.  (remember Picture, Picture?)  Well, I eventually realized that being an orange crayon maker would get kind of old after awhile (and after being teased enough from it), I switched to wanting to become a doctor like my dad and grandfather.  I loved how passionate they were about their chosen career, and I too had a strong passion for biology at a very young age.  It became more clear to me as I got older, that my passion for visual arts was far stronger than anything else.  I choose to study art at Alfred University in New York where I attained my BFA.  I wasn't sure where studying art was going to take me.... but look at me now!

What is the most challenging part of being a mom and a creative business owner?
That is a loaded question.  For me, one of the most difficult parts is balancing my time with business + family, plus also making the time for myself (non-work time).   When I find myself worn out, frustrated and unmotivated with the demands of work and home-life.... it becomes very clear to me that I have been working too hard and taking care of everyone except myself.  I need to remind myself more often that it is  okay to stop working for an hour to share coffee with a friend.... the updating of the website can wait.

What does the rest of '08 hold for you?
I'm on a mission to make Little Lark more organic.  This fall I will be adding some organic, long sleeve onesies in a beautiful range of colors.... I'm so excited!  I hope to have some new fall designs ready by July.

Thanks so much Christy! My favorite? The horse onesie. 

As we approach the end of June with a full + exciting month of Forest Finds action, I am pleased to announce Tressa's Teething BonBons to be amongst the top 3 best selling Forest Finds products. No surprise as the Teething BonBons are an ingenious solution to every parents dilemma: a teething baby.  Plus they are organic + super cute. I am refreshed by Tressa's enthusiasm and expanding creativity.

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
A problem-solver, a group leader and self employed.  When I was in grade four I organized a club for my friends called 'The Golden Girls'.  I designed a logo, hand drew our membership pamphlet (this was the early 80s) and fashioned a clubhouse out of cement cinder blocks and old pipes that I found on a pile of fill from my elementary school's renovations.  I think that it was around the same time that I invented a dandelion picker and set up a one-day-only birch-bark crafts stand at the end of my driveway.  Back then my ideas didn't have a lot of staying power or technical support, but laid the foundation for a life of leadership, art, and engaging every creative possibility.

What is the most challenging part of being a Mom and having a business?
Not banking on nap time.  My daughter is just over 1 1/2 years and for the most part, a beautiful sleeper.  I have come to count on the couple of hours each day nap time affords - designing, prepping materials and sometimes even getting to the machine to put together a few Bonbons (the real production work happens in the evening when my husband scoops up the babe for her nightime routine).  As Little R. gets older and product demand increases, the nap time hours seem to be getting shorter and I find myself both counting and maxing the minutes.  Having a business and a family is about setting s.m.a.r.t. goals for long term vision and immediate focus, being well organized, and welcoming support from folks experienced, wise and enthusiastic.  And, of course, knowing when to ditch nap time expectations and head to the park.

(s.m.a.r.t. = Specific Measureable Attainable Realistic/Relevant Timely) 

What does the rest of '08 hold for you?
Each weekend I join a community of crafters, organic farmers and not-for-profit organizations at the Moss Street Market in Victoria BC Canada, selling my wares and educating folks on the benefits of organic cotton production from seed to my finished - handmade! - material goods.  This month, I am soooo excited to be on the brink of having my own line of fabric hand screen printed and ready to go - three prints, four colours.  They will be snipped and sewed into a super stylin' new branch of my classic organic soft toys.  August will find my little family climbing in our Volks for a road trip from our home on Vancouver Island to my childhood stomping grounds in BC's interior.  We'll do a bit of camping, some wine tasting (hello Naramata Bench!) and lots catching up with family and friends.  Come autumn, I'll be gearing up for a major event, the Vancouver Island Baby Fair and - golly - now I'm thinking about Little R's 2nd birthday and the Holiday markets that will soon follow ... 2008, where are you going?

Thanks Tressa! Sign me up for your 'Golden Girls' club! I was totally one of those kids.....

Alyson Beaton is a thoughtful + talented designer who creates multi-functional work. The Baby's First Words letterpress card set is a true example of functional, heirloom quality art. And a great place to record your growing baby, even if you don't have the umph or time to write a novel. I look forward to Alyson's soon to be released children's book "grow", exciting!  

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a veterinarian , but so did everyone else!

What is the most challenging part of being an artistic creative working mom?
The toughest challenge is finding the time to do the work. Since the work is not necessarily paying the bills you have to carve out a bit of your life for yourself and your outlet.

What does the rest of '08 hold for you?
This year is going to be an exciting one for me because I just partnered with a colleague from grad school to have a design collaborative called Good Design Chicago. We are going to hit the ground running with the release of the web site and something we have been working on that encourages kids to write and illustrate their own stories. We are incorporating this idea into birthday parties too! I also have the release of the book "Grow: An Environmentally Friendly Book" set to hit stores in December, with a limited edition letterpressed version coming out now. I am super excited about both of these projects, and with the growing relationships with wonderful people like Fawn and Forest who support people like me. I just have to remember to keep the balance. 

Thank you Alyson!! 

I love the simplicity of Jai and Lauren, the sweet couple behind Sleeping Forest Studios....who "make high quality handcrafted wooden objects in their small but mighty shop in rural Nova Scotia, Canada. Both love to visit the city, but are most happy in their big old house in their small quiet town, surrounded by cats and bunnies and good books....". I would love to spend a day with them in their small but mighty shop... watching them make their beautiful wood tops (among other goodies).... wouldn't you?!

 
When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
Jai: When I was really young, my grandfather trained me to answer this question with, "I wanna be in show business!" He was a projectionist, so he was already living the dream. I think he would have been proud that I went the toymaker route, though.

Lauren: Growing up, my Mom always told me I could be whatever I wanted to be... until I decided I wanted to be a harem dancer.  My Grandma wanted me to be a scientist.  She would clip articles out of the newspaper about women in science.  It was pretty cute.  

 
What is the most compelling part of working with wood?
Jai: For me, being a woodturner, I like the idea of taking things with corners and making them round. Everything I make is by hand so it's all a bit different. It's also amazing how little measuring I have to do.

Lauren: It's almost unlimited, what you can do with wood.

What does the rest of '08 hold for you? 
Jai: Christmas!

Lauren: Lots more fun and experimenting in the shop.  Spinning, cutting, shaping, sanding, and, oh yeah,  Christmas.

 
These tops are small but mighty and have the most amazingly perfect spin. Totally addictive! Thanks Lauren + Jai!

Today's Forest Finds Q+A is with Maiko Kuzunishi the mastermind behind Decoylab Design Studio. I am always intrigued by those who are multi-talented and work in a variety of mediums - including being a new mom! - such as Maiko. Check out her website  for a full meal of her creativity and talent.   

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was a first grade we had this assignment where we drew what we wanted to be when we grew up. After given it a thought, I ended up asking my parents what I should be. My dad said "how about a newscaster?" so that's what I drew... a very square looking anchor woman. (and I must tell you that it was pretty good drawing.) I really did not care what I wanted to be when I grew up and maybe it's because I didn't want to grow up? Or maybe I just wanted to be myself and not anybody or anything else. I still don't have any idea what I want to be or that if I have grown up... I know I'm older. I also know that I am more true to myself than I was before. And maybe that's really all i wanted and cared. I just like being myself. 

You are certainly multidisciplinary - of what you do, what aspect is the most challenging?
Becoming multidisciplinary was not my goal but as a result of going after what interested me -- it was not my intention. Having said that, I do realize that I've encompassed different vocations. Each vocation has its own world, it's microcosm and the challenge was to learn each world like going into a foreign country and trying to speak new language. Each world challenged me to prove to them that I am competent.

What does the rest of '08 hold for you?
'08 has been a chaotic year since the birth of my daughter in March. I am still figuring out my work schedule which is nearly impossible since my daughter is growing up so quickly and we don't have a well established pattern yet.  I have tons of ideas for products and I'm fired up to do lots of design work as I do miss working!!

BUT I don't want to miss my daughter growing up either. It's her first year and I waited 9 months for this!! So the rest of the year will be me going back and forth chaotically between work and my daughter trying to balance it out. Can't you just see? I am thankful that I work from home that it's just going back and forth between living room to a bedroom converted into my studio. I rush to my studio as soon as my daughter falls asleep and I rush to my daughter as soon as I hear her crying!

Thank you Maiko!

Today's Forest Finds Q+A is with the very intuitive photographer Elizabeth Soule who has created her own 'Little Zoo'. I am astonished at her ability to put so much personality + life into such small plastic objects. Thank you Elizabeth! 

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
Like most kids I went through a dozen phases, but I was determined at age 6 to be a Harvard law graduate and eventually President of the United States.  When I found out how much I loathed politics, I moved on to more practical aspirations; ballerina, actress, teacher, and computer programmer.  

The 1st Forest Finds Q+A is with the very creative Sian Keegan. She brings her handmade fabric patchwork strawberries, radishes and scallions to June's Forest Finds.  

Sian Keegan is a recent graduate of the textile + surface design program at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Sian grew up in a rural town in southern Connecticut where she worked on a strawberry farm. She currently lives in park slope, Brooklyn with a dachshund named Ollie.

 
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was a kid I wanted to be a veterinarian, or any profession relating to dogs.  I still want to be a dog trainer one day...

What was the most challenging part of studying at Fashion Institute of Technology?
The heavy workload was very challenging.  Also commuting from Brooklyn on the F train every morning with all of my supplies was tricky sometimes!

What does the rest of '08 hold for you?
I will be at the Renegade Craft Fair at McCarren Park Pool June 14-15.  Next I'll be working on some new animals and fabric vegetable designs to sell from my shop at sian.etsy.com. 

Thanks Sian! 

I am thrilled to announce the launch of a new, very special category on fawnandforest.com called Forest Finds!

Each month we will bring you a fresh selection of independent artists and designers who create relevant, modern wares and crafted items for your children and home. This month we have found a lovely section of folks in the forest : Sian Keegan (shown above left + right), E. Soule, Little Lark, Alyson Beaton Design, Paige Russel, Dress Me Up, Decoylab and Sleeping Forest.

My idea for the Forest Finds unfolded quite randomly. I found a link one day to Sian Keegan's site and fell in love with her work -- stuffed fruit + veggies. Love!  I've never had a desire for fawn&forest to be stale and impersonal, limited to selling all the major brands and well known designers. Interestingly enough, however, these major brands, such as Oeuf, vision is quite similar to that of Paige Russel or E. Soule. Each has an intention of form + function, thoughtfulness of materials used and a desire to bring enjoyment + simplicity to your home and family.

I'm personally a big Etsy fan, avid blog reader + generally interested in all the creative + innovative ideas and wares made by all the you's + me's of today. I get excited about stuffed radishes and organic cotton teething bon bons. And wouldn't you just love to have this deer and cupcake hanging on your wall? Exactly.   

Forest Finds it is. 

Puppies, bunnies, mice and bears. Boys + girls dressed in the cutest little clothes. Each animal by Kata Golda is handmade of plant-dyed wool felt, sewn with love + embroidered with the sweetest expressions.

Measuring 12" short, each animal can be personalized with your child's (or your!) name, as shown above. The animal set as well as a few other Kata Golda goodies will be soon be available in the toy category. Sweet!

Made of reclaimed wood + salvaged bits, the EF wood rattles are a treat from nature. It's fun to discover something so simple yet so meaningful. Although it is a rattle and perhaps will receive more attention from a slobbering 6 month old, I still have our walnut rattle on the end table. Eliot still picks it up almost everyday, perhaps in attempts to throw or chase the dog with. We live in a time where 2 year olds say "I type on my email" that an injection of real wood + and the natural sound of lentils shaken inside a small piece of wood is refreshing. It's one step closer to rescuing your child from nature-deficit disorder. 

Handmade of solid wood, hollowed + filled with lentils or beans to make a beautiful sound. Available in walnut, myrtle or maple and measure roughly 5x2 inches.