Interview-Oh So Fine, Denmark

Oh So Fine is a graphic design studio based in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Designer and founder is Mette Bonavent.

I was first drawn to Oh So Fine's Mother Earth female figures
and her folk art inspired birds.

Or, this is how I conceived them.
Is this what she had in mind creating them?

I believe that one of the most beautiful aspects of Art is that it is open to interpretation.
A work of art can trigger different emotions and make emerge different kinds of past images in different people's minds.
Isn't that wonderful ?

With these thoughts in mind, I set about asking my questions.
Here are her oh so fine answers.

~~~

1.How did you get started on Art?

I am actually a talented painter and earlier I loved to draw by hand. But a couple of years ago I fell in love with making graphic art using my computer. And now I hardly ever use a pencil anymore.

2.Apart from inspiration Art needs courage, I believe.
Do you think so, and where do you find yours?

I don't think creating art needs courage, but showing your art to other people can be quite intimidating, I guess.

3. How did you come about finding your artistic language?

I found my artistic language sitting in front of my computer. The moment I learned how to create vectorized graphics, I could express exactly what I wanted.

4.Your work looks to me very earthy and influenced by folk art.

How would you describe your sources of inspiration?

Basically I work with block shapes, silhouettes and graphic patterns. I am very much inspired by my childhood memories, folklore artifacts and the 50's and 60's style illustration and design. Also I tend to drag a lot of nature into my work; birds, trees, flowers and so on. It is very natural for me, to give my work a simple and scandinavian touch, no matter if I am doing papercuts, prints og wooden products.

5.What do you love most about being a creative person who exposes their vision to the public?

I am so fortunate to work with the thing I love most. And I do love everything about it! I love the whole creative process, from finding inspiration, to working with shapes, colors and materials, and to showcase the final design.

6.Any dreams that want to come forward?

I have many dreams! I would love to create a range of printed fabrics and illustrate book covers.
My next dream to chase is actually not far away - but still a secret.


Thank you, Mette. We look forward to be in the know of your future artistic ventures.

~~~

*You may purchase Oh so fine prints and wooden objets,

made of recycled paper, vegetable inks and solid fumed oak, here.*

Spring @ Ikea

Hello dear friends,

I want to say Hello with some bright and light images from Ikea.

I wish your week is light and bright, too.

This lamp is called the Lyrik , it is washable and it is all cotton.

I love it. It's so modern and so romantic!

The Raskog trolley is practical, and perfectly retro. I love this colour!

How I love gardening! I love Spring for all the new life that comes forth!

I spent a good part of Sunday weeding, and I also made a nice salad from our garden.

I also picked some wild eddible plants that are great boiled with an olive oil and lemon sauce.

Spring calls for some lovely new linen. This is all so fresh!

All images Livet Hemma.

Have a beautiful week!

Fashion Friday-Glam and Curvy

Adele is one beautiful woman.

Fully beautiful, divine voice, a presence that fills the stage.

And, you know, she is curvy. And stylish. And confident. And vulnerable. And strong.

And I love her.

Are you OK with curvy?
Did you know there is a Vogue Curvy?

Well, yes there is, and it is hosted by Vogue Italia. 

How cool of the Italians!  

I used to associate wellbeing with an ideal body frame which,

being a Southern, most of the time eluded me.

In time I made peace with my body and decided to work with it, instead of against it.

This outfit is so me. I'd love to wear high heels. I think that now that I'm over 40 and my kids are grown so I don't need to run behind them, well, I do, but not so much physically,

I may give them a well deserved go!

An old favorite of mine, Marina Rinaldi, has an interesting blog 

with lovely style tips and also design and lifestyle ideas).

Rinaldi outfit some twodecades ago, a nautical top that I can still wear with a cross over linen button skirt.
I love my brown leather belted coat, wonderful trousers with perfect fit, and some great knits. all Marina Rinaldi, and perfect for every occasion.

Really beautiful women
such as

India Hicks,

Carre Otis,

Tatjana Patitz

and Kate Dillon
have graced the company's ads with the oh so true statement

"Style is not a size... it's an attitude".

Hayez, Venus, altered by Anna Utopia Giordano

Some of the most beautiful women of all times were anything but skinny.

Think about it.

Have you made your peace with your body?

Gladly linking to

my sweetest Friday habit,

  

Spring in our garden

My garden looks like this.

This is actually the cutest part.

There is a tree that turned brown.

And plenty of wild greenery that some I recognize as eddible, some I dunno. For example, does any of you, o wise friends, know what plant is this and whether it is edible? It is velvety soft and I have two bushes growing wild in my garden, so they'd better be ;)

So, last week, I put my gardening equipment to use and raided my garden.

Some keepers, there.

Some lettuce and onion growing slowly during the winter months.

And some strawberries that begin blooming.

And this is my small apple tree that I adore. She's a beauty! Now I need to plant some seeds, and if I can find some non-greenhouse tomatoes to plant straight in the ground. 

And did I mention the tulips?

I bought them bulbs in Amsterdam in Spring 2011 and they are now blooming. 

I love beautiful, living memories.

How is your garden growing?

Easter 2012

There is a sense of anticipation at Easter time.

After the Holy Week, when we collect our thoughts and delve in the quieteness,
starting Saturday morning with the "first resurrection" gospel, joy makes its way back.

With the lighting of the Holy Light from Jesus' tomb in Jerusalem

   

 and the happy message "He is Risen!"



Life begins to take a more joyful turn again
Renewed
with a new blessing and new hope for the gift of life, 
and a new opportunity to make something meaningful of our lives.

After the midnight service we came home
 to a hot soup, the mageiritsa,

Easter eggs and tsoureki

and of course my Easter cookies

(all time favorite with my Greek coffee or a glass of cold milk!)

There was oven roasted lamb (a little goat, actually) for lunch

(by the way, the mustard in the background was a treat. Very hot, but I love it!)

And a chocolate treat.

A Cadbury's milk chocolate egg, courtesy of our eldest!

There were eggs to be, well, smashed

A chocolate bunny from a dear God-mother to be enjoyed.

He Is Risen!

I hope your Easter was beautiful!

 

Holy Week 2012

We baked cookies

We boiled eggs

and we put some colourful sleeves on

That was fun

Then on Good Friday we went to church

and we were eager and thankful for Christ's promised resurrection...