You’ve heard us talk about writer and illustrator Joanna Walsh, aka Badaude, before. We just love her smart and original approach to blogging and can’t get enough of her adorable illustrations. We feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to collaborate with this genius from across the Pond on more than one occasion.

Remember these?

Illustrated touches throughout our Fall 09 lookbook

Our very own exclusive illustrated story. How great is that?!

Well now you, too, can have your very own piece from Badaude because she’s WRITTEN A BOOK! I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am to get my copy!

London Walks is sort of a walking tour through London, highlighting all of Joanna’s favorite places. She’s a smart, stylish and sophisticated cookie, so I’m sure this is an absolute must-have guide to the city. Not to mention, it’ll be a treat to look at even if you’re nowhere near London. And if you order your copy from Joanna, she’ll even sign it and add a little illustration just for you. The book comes out on June 1st, but you can pre-order your copy today. What are you waiting for? Go get it!

And have a great weekend, all!

visit Baduade to order your copy of London Walks today

For our latest cover story, we took our inspiration from some gorgeous photographs Erika Dufour took while in Japan recently (bamboo scaffolding, geishas on cell phones… have you ever seen such things?!)

Erika shot film (with her Hasselblad, the same camera she used to take the awesome images she captured in Japan) and Arlene and I channeled our inner geishas. Here’s what we came up with:

Ours was sort of a reluctant and petulant geisha-in-training, if “geisha” at all. But we definitely had fun and LOVED the challenge! So so so fun to just go out and get creative. Although a lot of time and energy went into it, it really did feel like good old-fashioned play time. And I am totally okay with that.

{image credits: photography by Erika Dufour (with assistance by the mahvelous Melinda Jane Meyers), styling by Arlene Matthews and Brandon Frein, hair and make-up by Kristina Marie, and model Erica Miramontes of Ford.}

Please check out the entire story here. (Yes, there’s more!)

We did another pop-up shop over the weekend at Revision Home and, as with last time, we met some really awesome and interesting people. One of the many awesome people we met this time around was Tim Long, curator of the costume department for the Chicago History Museum. {In case you don’t know, the History Museum has some of the best fashion exhibits in the city. Now we know why!}

Gesturing at the many Sonia by Sonia Rykiel trompe l’oeil pieces we had sprinkled throughout the pop-up space, Tim informed us that Elsa Schiaparelli was the one who first brought trompe l’oeil to the fashion scene. I say “informed” because Arlene and I certainly didn’t know that.

A collaboration with artist and filmmaker Jean Cocteau

Having now done a little research on Elsa Schiaparelli, I’m, shocked that I didn’t know more about her before now. Not only did she introduce trompe l’oeil to fashion, but also the colored zipper, the shoulder pad, the wedge heel, the wrapped turban and culottes. And she was light years ahead of her time, too, creating skeleton dresses and shoe hats and all sorts of avant-garde craziness (we’re talking the 1930s here — scandalous!) No surprise really that she collaborated with the likes of Salvador Dali (who hand-painted a giant lobster onto one of her gowns) and Jean Cocteau, and traveled in circles that included artists Man Ray and Marcel Duchamp.

The skeleton dress, a collaboration with Salvador Dali

The shoe hat, another Dali collaboration

I’m completely obsessed with her now and am eager to pick up her autobiography, Shocking Life. Apparently, she was a diva; but with a history and a creative mind like hers, I suppose she earned it.

{image sources: images 1,2 and 4 via Shrimpton Couture; image 3 via The Style Notebook; image 5 via Fashion Beyond Fashion; image 6 via The Budget Fashionista}

Two 80 degree days in a row calls for a little celebrating!   Or in the very least a whole lotta daydreaming….vacations, shorts, outdoor get together’s, strappy sandals & cute dresses, berry herb fizz coolers  Oh yeah, it’s beginning to smell like summer!!

popsicles!

berry herb fizz cooler...must try! link to the recipe below :)

image 1 - Anthropologie summer catalog

image 2 - A Detacher macrame sandal via lambearshoes.com

image 3 - via bliss

image 4 - via stylesoup.tumblr ….shop it here!

image 5 - via brownpaprpackages.tumblr

image 6 - via miluccia.canalblog.com

image 7 - via Vanessa Jackman

image 8 - found thanks to pinterest, the scent of green bananas

image 9 - via something’s hiding in here…check out the recipe here via design*sponge

Very exciting Art + Fashion day today!  And one of our favorite’s of the year.  Today is The Walk, the Annual Fashion Benefit Gala in support of the student scholarships at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago AND {one must mention} one of the premier cultural events in the city   For the first time in the school’s 77 years, the benefit gala will take place outside of the Art Institute at Chase Promenade in the beautiful Millennium Park.  Gala festivities begin with a cocktail reception at 6pm, followed by a runway show honoring Ikram Goldman at 7pm and concludes with an elegant post-show dinner at 8pm.  Meet fantastic people, mingle in Millennium Park, enjoy an amazing runway presentation from the students of SAIC and most important, come support!  Please call 312.629.6897 for availability or questions regarding ticket purchases.

Books & living with books.  There’s just something bout hanging in bookstores, or a great big art book or receiving one as a gift :).  I literally dig the “feel” of them and they’re full of inspiration so I love having them around & lots of them.   I can’t forsee myself ever crossing over to the “darkside”, even though within my family/home you’ll find a Kindle (b’day gift), a Nook (Xmas present) and an IPad2 (SWAG!  I know, I completely flipped out…best swag EVER).  With all these great gadgets, I think I’ll always still prefer my books piled high, stashed here & there (always a couple in my tote!) and just part of my everyday space

oh my...this couple found space in their bathroom!!

I love the idea of these pipe shelves

A simple version :)

look closely....boxes turned on their sides to create on amazing wall of bookshelves

image 1 - so sorry don’t know!  I’m pretty sure it’s from a Kate Spade video??

image 2 & 3 - Found thanks to blissful

image 4 - Dominque Vorillon.  Found thanks to Decoratualma.

image 5 & 6 - room 269. Found thanks to French by Design

image 7 - Sharyn Carins.  Found thanks to Emma’s designblog

image 8 - Laure Joliet.  Found thanks to sfgirlbybay

image 9 - My bad!  Don’t have a source

image 10 - brickbox.  Found thanks to Bloesem

image 11 - Found via pinterest

I’m showing my age, but I freaking LOVE the Beastie Boys. Fight For Your Right came out when I was in High School and I’ve been hooked ever since. Well in case you don’t know, these B Boys have a new album about to drop and the video for the 1st single is out. Featuring an all-star cast (just watch it, there are too many to name), this just proves that the Beasties are still fighting for their right to party and are in for a little Sabotage. So Check Your Head and check out their awesome new video!!

At Easter we think of Jesus, beautifully-decorated eggs, pastels, giant hats, and Peter Cottontail. But let us not forget the most prevalent thing of all: creepy Easter bunnies and terrified, screaming children.

I love all the Muwahahahahaaa faces on many of these bunnies. Sick bastards.

See even more creepy bunnies here. All images from various contributors via Huffington Post Comedy.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

I went on a {virtual} easter egg hunt…undeniably, still one of my favorite parts of the day and just had to share these beyond adorable finds.  Happy Easter everyone hope you all had/having a wonderful day!

image 1 - found thanks to Bloesem, tricotaria

image 2 & 3 - found thanks again to Bloesem, Paloma’s Nest

image 4 - found thanks to {yes, you guessed it!} Bloesem, Donna Wilson

Some of the best times as an adult are those times {ironically} when you can be a kid again!   Pure fun coming across these images of interiors decorated with that same admission….clearly, adults need some playtime too   Man!  I could really use a swing {or a slide!} myself!

Oh WOW! Have quickly can I install one of these??!!

The beauty of nice open loft space..."dollhouse", adult size!

makes for a good hiding place ;)

image 1 - sorry, had this image for ions…ripped out of Domino??

image 2 - via pinterest

image 3 - via loveology

image 4 - found thanks to YOU ARE THE RIVER via Kate Pruitt

image 5 - via Emma’s Design Blog