Lindsay Stead’s Collection Quilts are made in small batches, maintaining the quality and integrity that her work is known for. Lindsay works closely with a group of quilters in rural Ontario to produce these heirlooms. Each quilt is designed personally by her then made by a group of women who have handed down, through generations, their knowledge of quilting. The result is a collection of modern quilts with traditional roots that you’re sure to love and cherish. You can grab your own in her shop, at Steven Alan’s home store, or in Toronto’s Mjölk.
Baked the blog is a collaborative site run by seven Canadian food bloggers that celebrates all things sweet. Posting about one recipe a week, each blogger takes a turn sharing one of their delicious creations accompanied by photography that’s sure to make you drool even more.
Brooklyn Supper is the lauded blog of Elizabeth Stark and Brian Campbell, a couple who focus on eating seasonally. The two share simple, straightforward recipes (with a fancy one thrown in here and there) for home cooks at all levels. Some of the best salads you will ever see are right here.
Cookie + Kate is a longtime favorite of mine with a focus on whole foods and vegetarian recipes. Kate’s hallmark is that she believes in recipes being flexible, and practices what she preaches. Several of her recipes are in constant rotation in my kitchen year-round.
Another longtime favorite, How Sweet It Is (aka How Sweet Eats), is the food blog baby of witty Jessica. Healthy recipes, comfort food, and indulgent desserts all have their place here, where Jessica’s banter and realness make you want to hang around and have a cocktail.
Billy Green is one hilarious mofo, and his site Wit & Vinegar is as funny as it is delicious. His graphic design background shines through with beautifully styled photos that will have you Risky Business-sliding into your kitchen ASAP.
I’m been a far of Carson Ellis since first laying eyes upon a cover illustration she did for an album by her husband’s band, The Decemberists. But just over the past week or so a few friends have mentioned her and work to me, and in doing so made me realize that I’d somehow never written about her and her folksy style. Most recently Carson’s released a debut illustrated book focused on the concept of home, all homes. You can pick up your very own copy of the aptly titled Homehere.
Metalepsis is a bi-coastal design collaboration between Victoria Cho and Astrid Chastka. Cho and Chastka create conceptual jewelry by re-imagining the influences of art, architecture, and science as wearables with clean lines, elegance, boldness, and confidence. All of these elements come together in a mad storm of modern beauty.
Sharing the stories behind the most talented creatives in my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA.
Kim Fox, aka Worker Bird, is one amazing lady who has drive and talent oozing out of every pore. We met back in April and I loved her energy and vibe immediately. We got together one afternoon last month and chatted about the inspiration behind her “tin quilts” and the trajectory her business has taken the past few years. Margaritas were involved as was her adorable Boston Terrier, Harriet, who’s never far from Kim’s hammering.
Kim’s ever-growing collection of tins waiting to be cut up.
Tell us a little bit about how you got your start with Worker Bird.
A few years ago my husband and I took a day-long workshop at the Society for Contemporary Craft with Robert Villamagna, a tin artist from West Virginia. I fell in love with the process that day and it has grown to what it is now.
Tin organized by color and shape.
What’s your favorite part of the process? Your least favorite?
I can honestly say I love every part of the process for very different reasons. Going to estate sales to hunt for tins is a favorite pastime; preparing the wood in my little workshop is fun; digging through the tins while designing the piece is challenging; and tacking in the tiny nails is a mindless task that allows my brain to run wild. And then I’m done. So each stage is something I love.
Finished Crazy Quilted Hearts.
What other makers inspire you most?
The crew that set me on my path – Jeff Matz, Paul Mastriani, and Sarah Collins – at Lure Design in Orlando, Florida. The amazing creative community here in PGH – strawberryluna, Redraven, Commonwealth Press, Alternate Histories, Everyday Balloons, Sapling Press, Moop, etc (damn, Pittsburgh is amazing!). I am surrounded by people chasing their dreams and that is rad. And my husband, Steven Foxbury, is the most supportive, believer-in-me that I could ever hope for. And watching him chase his dreams right now – WOW. I’m pretty in love with life these days.
Kim working on a custom order Pennsylvania map.
Harriet’s bed on Kim’s work table.
Where do you see Worker Bird in 5 years?
Same house. More tins. Making art all the time. I’d be the most fulfilled.
A wall of inspiration in Kim’s office.
What makes having a small business in Pittsburgh so great?
See above re: the community. I can’t say enough how amazing it is to know these people. I have always loved Pittsburgh but the last 18 months have been super special for me. I left my job in Florida and dove headlong into Pittsburgh. And these are the people that caught me.
If you appreciate both handcrafted items and pinhole photography then I have just the thing for you. ONDU makes beautiful wooden pinhole cameras that can be enjoyed and passed on for generations to come. Choose from ten different camera formats – from pocket to 8 x 10 giant. They just wrapped up a super successful Kickstarter campaign and you can pre-order your preferred one now!
Intricate collage work is something I have extreme admiration for because I can’t even come close to having the level of patience it requires. Lucy Williams creates her works by emulating everything from Mies van der Rohe to less notable modernist spaces. First she creates a blueprint from a photo, and then working in layers from back to front brings alive in mixed media. Now there’s a book of her work, entitled Lucy Williams, that showcases her large-scale pieces in all their glory.
New York-based fashion label Candamill is the creative collaboration of talented brother and sister Cindy and Christian Candamill. The dynamic line has just released their fall 2015 collection, and it’s full of gorgeously designed architectural pieces with standout details. Great angles, brass touches, and beautiful Italian leather are definitely a formula for success.
Iran-born, Melbourne-living Elnaz Nourizadeh started working with clay and learning pottery when she was 17 years old. In 2008 she began her professional life as a potter in Tehran, then moved up and on to having her own studio upon arriving in Melbourne in 2013. Elnaz’s explorations in clay and candy colors are striking and functional, pulling the best from both the modern and ancient ceramics.
