Asparagus Interiors Inc.

This year’s Renegade Craft Fair – Chicago, proved to be an excellent mix of craft and art as in years past but with a lot more people.  It seems the word is getting out.  An awesome show that offers something for every artist alike.

Some of my show favorites:

OneCanoeTwo – Custom letterpress, cards, coasters, calendars.  Artistic – funky – stylized creatures.  Crane paper with high quality printing, graphic design and detail. Check out the coasters, recipe cards and fabric calendars.  I typically get a Lotta Jansdotter calendar but this year going with the nautical theme from OneCanoeTwo.

Neogranny – flipp’n love-it!  Neo’s take on retro designs, brings back the June Cleaver in all of us but with a modern twist.  I picked up a cat-eye glasses necklace, but love the swimmer and the Jack and Jill cut-outs.  The combination of brightly painted wood mixed with metal, totally fun.

Tugboat Printshop – Really cool woodblock prints.  Very detailed and cool compositions. We picked up Star Ship, looking to put it in a funky frame.  Looking for vintage frames check out Foundre.

Jordain Elise – Picked up on the taxidermy buzz this year? Check out the “wonderful wonders” of Jordain Elise.  Felt “horrible adorables” give them a second look, you’ll fall for them.

Other Artists Worth Checking Out:

• The Harbinger Co. – Funky silver glasses rings, sustainable wood craft jewelry in geometric designs.
• The Candy Thief – Detailed felt work – check out their headbands.
• Up in the air somewhere – Picked up an industrial inspired ceramic piece, check out the painted bowls.
• Souldier – Vintage guitar and camera straps.

School’s out. Why not take a field trip to the city? We recently went on a design field trip to shops in Chicago’s Andersonville and Lincoln Park neighborhoods.

We checked out stores that offer vintage products as resources for design projects.

• Check out Brimfield in Andersonville, they offer vintage and antique pieces with and outdoorsy tartan twist.
• The White Attic, also in Andersonville, offers refinished vintage furniture and custom “Lamp Bar.” Clean stylized and modern.
• At Millionaire’s Rejects, in Lincoln Park, you might just uncover that high end chair or accessory at a digestible price.

Craft night in Naperville.  This week I hosted craft night for my book club.  Fiber Artist, Kate Cavanagh – PokeyTree.com, taught our group how to make vessels using sheep and Alpaca fiber.  We learned how to make the bowls using water, soap, wool and a little elbow grease.  Looking to host a craft night for your friends, contact PokeyTree.

Quite the collaboration, rustic and chic.

Zinq Design and Kaleidoscape in St. Charles, meets in the middle.  Architectural finds, garden and stone share a retail space with interior design solutions and unique finds.

I like the paring of refined antiques, repurposed wood and recycled Vertrazzo coffee table top.  Worth a visit.

Spring offering by Heath Ceramics, “Ocean Pacific, a three-color pattern created by two glazes,” its a sunnyside accent to the spring season.  The new collection is available April 1st.  Ahh it’s lovely.

This weekend we stopped off for a quick peak at Haeger Potteries, in Dundee, IL.

Haeger Pottery has been around since 1871, with an emphasis on clean lines and timeless designs.  Royal Haeger ceramic artware is their line of well crafted timless pieces.  They also offer ceramics in the Frank Lloyd Wright collection.

It’s worth a trip to get a glimpse of family history, innovation and local industry still at work.

If you are learning about pottery or interested in a specific style or era check out: Art Pottery Blog

Check out this month’s feature article in Chicago Home Improvement, “The Fab Floor.”

I was asked by author Kathy Kidwell, to contribute my take on what makes flooring interesting and insight into flooring trends.

I was quoted by Kidwell stating, “A well-designed floor should work cohesively with the room, incorporating the floor finish as another plane to work with,” says Elizabeth Marusin, designer with the Naperville-based Asparagus Interiors Inc. “Color, texture and pattern all play into how the floor grounds a space. A well-designed room strikes a balance between the vertical plane and the floor, making the room work as a whole.”

The article posted below can also be found in hard copy at local design stores throughout Chicago in February.

• Chicago Home Improvement Feb-2010 / The Fab Floor / Cover Page
• Chicago Home Improvement Feb-2010 / The Fab Floor / Page 9
• Chicago Home Improvement Feb-2010 / The Fab Floor / Page 11
• Chicago Home Improvement Feb-2010 / The Fab Floor / Page 12
• Chicago Home Improvement Feb-2010 / The Fab Floor / Page 13

New Year, New Projects, New Fabric.

I just recently ordered samples from Carnegie’s new line, Bright Side.

Bright Side is fun, bright and made of recycled material.  Noted on their site as, “Bright Side is woven from 100% post consumer polyester and finished with the MBDC Cradle to Cradle Certified “Nanotex Resist Stains” and antimony free 100% polyester barrier “Durablock”.

Consider reupholstering your pieces to something more durable and bright.

After the time spent at interior design school, I made my girls a quick graham cracker A-Frame gingerbread house. I’m also stumbling across little holiday houses like those at My House Party.

Some online sources for handcrafted holiday ideas:

• http://www.etsy.com
• http://www.modishblog.com
• http://www.designspongeonline.com/
• http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago

Keep your eyes open this holiday for creative ideas that inspire.

Over the weekend I attended my second Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago.  It’s a must on my list for all things creative and accessible.  It’s so refreshing to see craft be cool and interesting and modern and alive.

I’ll always attend this show and recommend it to anyone.  This year I saw lots of vendors from last year but also new artists and some that I took a double look at.

Here were my picks for fun finds at Renegade:

• Circa Ceramics – always a must.  Quirky and fun ceramic goods with a modern feel.
• Moira K Lime – Jewelery Designer. Delicate Forms. Organic Designs. Mixed Media.  I purchased a ring and absolutely love wearing it.  Great find.
• Jacqui Cheng Studio – Clothing designer.  Great lines, custom fit.  Wish I had picked up the scooter skirt, I do love the Joan dress.
• Tartella – Letterpress – Beautiful craftsmanship, bright colors, attention to detail.  Kitchen-ey Fun.  I picked up a cork print that was letterpress design with bright fuchsia screen printed.  I’m excited to frame it w/ double thick white mat.
• Loosetooth – Quirky and fun.  I picked up a cool ornament that screams 1950′s quirk.
• Shimmer Studio – Fun, clean lined graphics. Letterpress paper.
• Feltwerker – Recycled wool felt and eco-frieldy accessories.