Atsuyo et Akiko!

There are days when I want to jump out of my little seat because I come across something so great it makes me giddy. This is one of those days. Atsuyo et Akiko. J'Taime!

Super Fine.

So I was on Pinterest (happy place) the other day and came across a photo with that insane rainbow burst pillow in it. My eyes and heart bugged out and I went on a little search. Dude, I love the internet. I feel like a regular Sherlock Holmes thanks to back-links, blog comments and Google image search. Come to find it's made by Swedish (of course) creative genius Elisabeth Dunker. Her blog is like a juicy mouthful of Swedish Fish and her shop is even more delicious. Enjoy.

Andrew Holder Holds it Down.

The artwork of Andrew Holder... Looks like vector, tastes like vector, smells like vector but it's hand painted! And such good use of color. Love it.

Little Bedfellows.

I was down at our local little paperie card shop with my Mom & Z this afternoon and came across these rad little Thomas Paul Antique Toy collection pillows. They're super soft and adorable, and the backs have the best vintage inspired fabrics / patterns. I am not a cat fan but I particularly dig little miss disgruntled kitty. So cute.

Dude, That's Swede.

Along with my heart throb crush on the Japanese, I also have a serious love for the Swedes. Camilla Engman, Swedish artist and dog lover, makes really nice things. Her illustrations and paintings have been used by the likes of Converse and The New York Times, but she also continues to do amazing little limited edition things like her book about her dog Morran and hand printed & embroidered tea towels. Her style is sweet and innocent. But at a closer look, her characters tend to have a depth, a drop of melancholy that adds to the emotive draw of her work. Honestly, I just like her. She's good.

...And I Like to do Draaawrings.

J.otto Seibold

Brian Biggs

Marc Boutavant

Sara Fanelli

There's a new world of children's book illustration in which animals and creatures and things look awesome, and the colors are fresh and unexpected. I like this world. Martin Salisbury explores this in his lovely book Playpen. While it ranges in handwriting, there's a richness and a throwback quality about each of the featured artist's work that brings a new vibrance and life to the written word in a very avant garde, very cool way. In Playpen are such BYGM faves as Marc Boutavant, Sara Fanelli, Brian Biggs and J.otto Seibold.

B. Rad.

"We want to be a voice to children that says it’s okay to be curious, to be pensive, to be loud, to be happy and sad all at the same time, to be generous, to be afraid, to be quiet, to be wild, to be fun, to be open, to be scientific, to be poetic, to be giddy, to be serious, to be smart, to be free, to be you." 
Need I say more? I love this brand. If plastic toys have to be a necessity in our lives as parents (which they are - I've come to grips with this), these are the playthings to have around the house. Inspired and quirky color combos (read: saturated olive and navy popped with neon pink and orange), safe materials, well made and just truly fun to play with and look at. And - they give back to children in need (10¢ of every purchase goes to Free the Children). Superlike.