tumblewild on etsy

I don't usually go for hearts, but maybe I'm in the mood now that Valentine's Day looms? Tumblewild's small-scale pieces are incredibly well priced for original paintings. And they're totally sweet. The neon-meets-neutral color scheme adds a bit of edge. (The flower paintings are great, too.) I can see this little (10 by 10 inch) canvases propped on a bookshelf, tucked amidst books and objects.

around the house

much needed, long debated living room rug

The latest round of bad weather has me compulsively cleaning and wanting to spruce up (buy new accent pillows?) and do projects (make photo books and Valentine's Day cards?).

now we can actually look at our vacation photos

a little green against the dirty white outside

new coffee table
(the old one moved to the playroom and is a home for Lego Friends)

st. frank

Blue Tenango

I just discovered St. Frank, which sells gorgeous textile art from around the world. Each has its own provenance and style (Mexican otomi, Malian indigo, Laotian tapestry) and comes in several sizes, including the large-scale "sublime"—and I love them all. Also, check out the sweet idea behind the name St. Frank, and this group of stylish curators and their own picks from the collection.

Organic Indigo

Rose Pomegranate Suzani

Nam Lai

Anatol Kilim

charlotte hardy

Charlotte Hardy's work—ink drawings, mixed media—has a homey, girly but unfussy vibe. I love her straightforward treatment of otherwise frilly subjects like furniture, chandeliers, and flowers. And is it just me, or do her lines recall Ludwig Bemelmans' illustrations for Madeline?

karla pruitt

Just plain prettiness: I guess I'm craving spring color during polar vortex number two. Athens, GA–based artist Karla Pruitt makes the sweetest prints—and I almost want to tell her she should charge more for them. 

inaluxe

Love these pretty, pretty prints from Australian design shop Inaluxe. (So much Australian goodness lately!) If one print could sum up my style, "Garden Party" (above) would do it: cool colors, simple organic shapes, but not blocky or heavy—a kind of delicacy to the whole thing. Inaluxe's work reminds me a lot of Rachel Castle: clean and sweet...and Australian.

christopher olson

A college friend emailed me about this robot the other day; she'd become smitten on an art walk in Seattle, where she lives. I'm liking all of Christopher Olson's work: bright and kid-friendly yet really really creepy. (Thanks, my West Coast art scout!)

colour & skulls

Colour & Skulls is the online shop of Australian printmaker Megan Connoley. Her work has a clean, pretty vibe with just enough edge to make it interesting.

jimmie james

RP found Jimmie James on tumblr (he's a New York artist and actor) and recommended him. His colorful abstract paintings are beautiful—just right for Blue Locket.

He's recently done a series of some really appealing mixed-media pieces as well:

monday thoughts: mondrian flowers

Piet Mondrian was known for his precision, in his severe, disciplined grid paintings that echoed the New York City street layout. But apparently he also loved to dance (hence this title). And his flower paintings, many of which weren't seen publicly until after his death, are striking for their sketchy delicacy. Their pastels and brights also deviate from his usual primary/black/white palette.