Clever Ikea Commercial

Creative.  Simple.  Innovative.  Design focused.  I could easily be referring to Apple here but I"m not. I'm talking about Ikea; a brand whose commercials never cease to inspire.

Colourful Denim

I love that brightly coloured denim, generally reserved for Spring, is becoming the new "must-have" item for Fall! On a recent trip to the States, while browsing through Barney's, I was overjoyed by all the brightly coloured hues adorning the denim racks.  Fall is generally a time for deep purples, burgundy's, browns and colours that remind us of back to school. Why be boring when you can be vibrant? There's no point in letting the cold weather makes us grumpy. Instead, we should embrace the new season with brightly coloured legs!

My picks from top to bottom include:

* Ksubi - Super Spray On Jean $170

* J Brand - Bright Orange Jean $176

* Rag & Bone - Cobalt $169 (this was the pair I bought at Barney's and absolutely love!)

* The Gap - Island Palm $79.95 

Repurposed Furniture

While reading a recent issue of Conde Nast's Traveler Magazine and last Saturday's National Post Newspaper, I was impressed and inspired by creative ways that common household objects have been given new life as original pieces of furniture.

Instead of tripping over children's blocks, why not use them to create a colourful chair?

A chandelier comprised of coffee mugs? That sounds like a buzzworthy idea to me.  

But if it's not your cup of tea, try wine glasses with their stems removed for a classier effect.  And if you do actually try this, please send me a picture!

The top two photos feature the works of designers Nic Roex, Pepe Heykoop and Geke Lensink. The cup chandelier is by Sander Lucas.

The Courvoisier Collective

Have you noticed the silhouette of Napoleon incorporated into a scannable QR code around billboards in Downtown Toronto? For those of you oblivious to advertisements, please see the photo above (courtesy of Media in Canada).

While QR Codes are exciting at first, their novelty wears off pretty quickly. Wouldn't it be a lot more interesting to stare at a piece of art done by a local Torontonian, while stuck in traffic on Adelaide Street West?

I think it would and so do the masterminds behind The Courvoisier Collective, a contest for local artists to submit pieces that explore the theme of "renewal" in relation to the revolutionary role of art.

Artists can either explore the capacity of art to revolutionize its own content and form, or, they can express art's potential to challenge the status quo, something which Napoleon succeeded in.

Courvoisier, a cognac devoted to craftsmanship and innovation, has always prided itself on revolutionizing the art of making cognac without compromising its nature. You can bet that the judging panel expects to see the same passion and revolutionary spirit in the winning artwork.

Art can be submitted through http://www.courvoisiercollective.com/ and voted on to gain billboard or gallery status!

The public can vote online for their favourite pieces, begining on July 15th and ending on August 5th.

Here are some more important dates:

July 8th: Deadline for submissions in order to be considered for "Billboard showcase" and prizing.

July 15th: Deadline for "Gallery Award" submissions. Submissions chosen by the public and judging panel will be included in an exhibit at Gallery 1313

July 15th - August 5th: Online public voting for the "Gallery Award" submissions. Voting can be done by visiting http://www.courvoisiercollective.com/

August 1st - 26th: Three winning "Billboard showcase" submissions displayed on high traffic Toronto billboards

August 5th - 8th: "Gallery Award" winners selected for display at Gallery 1313 in Parkdale

August 11th - September 4th: "Gallery Award" Exhibition at Gallery 1313

Submitted artwork can use such media as photography, painting, mixed media and printmaking. Submissions can easily be made by uploading an image in digital JPG, GIF, TIF, or PNG format.

Below are a few of my favourite pieces so far.

Make sure to visit http://www.courvoisiercollective.com/ and vote for your favourites too!

Artwork by Rob Mclelland

Artwork by Justin Broadbent
Artwork by Lynn Soehner

Bicycle Wine Rack

The perfect gift for the eco-conscience oenophile is finally here and just in time for Summer! This handmade leather bicycle rack makes it easy to buy wine on your way home from work without worrying about it breaking in your basket or bag.

Perfect for a romantic ride to the park, followed by a picnic in the grass, watching the sunset with your unscathed bottle of wine. Just make sure that you're not wobbly when you get back on your bike for the journey home!

The Bicycle Wine Rack is made in Montreal from recycled oil-treated vegetable tanned leather that gets better with age; hopefully the same can be said about the wine its holding. Available to puchase on Etsy.com for $30.