it seems like eons ago, but last summer i spent some time in amsterdam, but i couldn’t chat about it because i was on a special assignment for anthology magazine to cover the city, so it was a bit on the hush-hush. but the new issue of anthology is out, and my story lives on its pretty pages, so now i can tell you what a wonderful trip it was! the story includes a shopping & dining reference guide, in case you happen to be headed to amsterdam anytime soon, including the amazing 9 straatjes (or 9 streets) — blocks and blocks of some of the best cafes, boutiques and vintage shops i’ve ever come across.

these photos above and in anthology magazine were photographed by marjon hoogervorst, but i took a whole bunch of my own as well, so i’ve been hankering to share just how beautiful amsterdam really is with you for a while now! for the full article, check out the latest issue of anthology, and you can subscribe here. you can also see all my photographs from the trip here on flickr.

renegade is on this weekend!

this weekend i have portland envy. i so wish i could head up north for the first ever Portland Bazaar, organized by those very crafty kids matt pierce of wood & faulk, greg hennes of antler & co. and grace bonney of design*sponge.

the Portland Bazaar will feature some fantastic artists and designers (as well as live music, food/drink tastings and DIY classes!), so wake up early, hop in your car and drive north to PDX, because West Elm will be providing free coffee and breakfast for the first 100 shoppers each day!

the Portland Bazaar
December 10th + 11th, 2011
9am–6pm both days
Located inside Sandbox Studio (420 NE 9th Avenue, Portland, Oregon)
More info (full vendor list, maps, etc.) at the Portland Bazaar website.

i just love this new online shop called ship&shape from independent designers Annika Kaplan, Erin Smith and Maddy Nye. the three designers conceived SHIP&SHAPE after a discussion lamenting the trials and tribulations of managing their own web shops.

As independent designers, they desired a unique platform for their designs, and wanted a wider audience than their personal web shops, but something that was more intimate than other giant hand made retailers, where quality, handmade goods can get lost. thus ship&shape was born. In addition to creating limited edition pieces for the site themselves, the founders invite their favorite artists to contribute exclusive items to the ship&shape seasonal collections as well. have a look — i think you’ll like!

i heard a little bird tweet the other night that sparrow & co. is at long last open. and there couldn’t be a better time. check out samuel sparrow’s beautiful new online shop. samuel trained at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland, before working for Habitat and Ikea, and his taste is most equisite. The sparrow & co. collection has an emphasis on unique, handmade products inspired by traditional crafting skills from countries including Morocco, Uzbekistan, Asia, Central America, and of course Scotland. cheers!

have you seen supafrank? they’re a a duo of playful thinkers combining product and graphic design based in ye olde London town. but everything about supafrank screams modern. designers Katie Steel and Vicki Turner have 20 years’ combined industry experience, gained with major brands like Disney and Jaguar. the two met while studying at University, and then later reunited to form Supafrank in 2010.

this is supafrank’s collection of interior products and illustrations inspired by curiosities from nature — it’s called creature collective. Follow their design journey from initial character sketches to pared-down components that distill the spirit of the original creatures.

The few simple pieces from the collective are sustainably handmade and can be constructed using just one tool – a mallet – to make up a stool, a hook, a light and a light pull. you can shop for their products here, and they do super cute illustration and packaging, too.

i was recently checking out the rue archives, when i came across my vintage white ceramics collection (i was happily featured back in their first issue!). i love all my white ceramics — some old, some new and it gave me the idea to round some up for this week’s vintage finds for a modern world. when i write under this topic, items i scout out don’t necessarily have to be vintage, per se, just have that vintage vibe, you know? which makes them kinda perfect for a modern decor. here’s some from a few of my favorite ceramicists.

more from my collection, via rue; so very much in love with the blue floral bowl of maria kristophersson; and i’ve long been a fan of rae dunn’s whimsical pieces; diana fayt’s pretty Sepia Flower Porcelain Bowl With Clover Flower; and such delicate lace bowls by ching-ting hsu.

beautifully modern white vases from sara paloma; whitney smith’s adorable cake stand; sweet teabag mug from bailey doesn’t bark; i like these white ceramic vases from west elm; such a pretty white platter from cox & cox; creamy white urchin finials from anthropologie; and a sweet faux bois bird plate from rae dunn.

Noelle Sharp, owner and designer of APORTA, has just launched the most delicious fall winter lookbook. this season noelle, a skilled knitter and weaver, has introduced handwoven goods and reclaimed vintage fur accessories to her already super stylish unisex APORTA line.

i quite love aporta’s mission statement:

“We are the wanderer’s, the old one’s, close with nature, vikings, gypsies, inuit’s, hunters, gatherers, mystics and makers. We walk aone, the road shows us where to go. Through time we carry on us our cloth. Its protection ensures a long life. We come from our ancestors; they produced the first thread that would protect us through the voyage. It is our heirloom.

Aporta is the door. You are encouraged to walk through. No matter where the door takes you, carry your cloth with you. Choose wisely. It will be with you till the end.”

meet morris etc. — i think you’re gonna like them. Morris Etc. grew out of the 4,562 days its founders, Amy & Brett Morris, have spent together. The couple met at a wedding in 1998, and ever since their lives have taken them through a myriad of experiences and destinations, as all the while they searched for an enterprise worthy of their collected passion. morris etc. is it — vintage, one-off rugs and runners. Each is an heirloom piece, a foundation to be moved from room to room, house to house, floor to floor. generation to generation — what a beautiful thing to hand down.

Weeks of meticulous hand looming goes into creating each and every rug — The evidence of which, you’ll see, is located directly under your feet. and Morris Etc. is very kindly offering you a sfgirlbybay reader discount – enter sfgirlbybay when you purchase a rug, and you’ll receive a $25 discount (offer ends August 31st)!

Morris Etc. also offers a new service — send them a color swatch via email or snail mail and they’ll suggest three rugs that best match your color scheme. Let them help you narrow your decision, it’s fun for them because they know each rug intimately! what a brilliant idea! thanks, guys!

• photos by joyce lee.

“at present my career seems to be undergoing a rather swift expansion so as well as STORY, i am delighted to have officially launched a creative direction & consulting business as well as my other work. it’s a total joy to help others with their creative projects & it’s made me realise the importance of creatives accessing their very own muse.

my ‘it list’ is a mixture of inspired moments, must do & haves. like any good woman going anywhere in life, good shoes are paramount. vivienne westwood is a woman unto herself and her label ‘sounds its barbaric yawp’ like no other. her pirate murray shoe capri speak for themselves – self-contained and charming but there’s an intellect in the design that i really appreciate.

makr make the best carry wares around. their farm ruck sack is that perfect combo of school girl sensibility & planting potatoes. sort of coal is my kind of company with their chikutan sticks and marketing like the beauty of the vanilla bean meets the smell of a good man wearing your favourite scent. delicious.”

“ok confession; i am indeed planning a trip to the usa very soon. i did an interview recently and was asked what was my dream holiday. the answer just blurted out: ‘straight to new york city to work on a woody allen feature and see him play clarinet at the carlyle – then a road trip across the country starting with a long stint in transcendentalist territory – especially walden pond & the nearing’s old place. then, after all the amish aesthetic I can ingest and an artist’s residency at mildred’s lane, its through kansas (via wichita thanks to a favourite classic) and over to monroeville, alabama – where harper lee invites me over and we discuss to kill a mockingbird on her porch till the cows come home and/or my heart explodes with joy. Now remember i said dream holiday- we all know how private ms lee is.”"arts & science is one of best stores on the planet & everything they stock is plain old beautiful, like these astier de villatte tea & chocolate cups from their basic collection. i would also love a subscription to treadlie, the australian bike magazine – this is definitely one of the best mag covers i’ve seen in a while.”

“a big must have is ‘take it from dorothy’ – cross stitch piece from the darling of craft design ms tamara maynes plus this gorgeous old indigo dyed linen from beyond france & ribbon from my favourite store and very own real life magic faraway tree – peppergreen antiques.”

“another love on the list is pierre le hors’ beautiful book firework studies, anything to do with the magic faraway tree i always want & my favorite, favorite favorite piece from tasmanian artist barbie kjar - hoop girl which i would love to have hanging on my wall by the end of this year.”

thanks for having me over. all the way from country australia – monique germon xx