amazing cakes, how sweet...

Happy day-after Monday ;) I had a nice and relaxing looong weekend-- spent mostly eating. Nothing wrong with that, right? In honor of yumminess, here are some great cakes I think you'd enjoy:

Happy happy rainbow cake! (via)

Ahoy! Long Journey Cake (via)

Work of art! Mini cakes. (via)

Angry Birds game cake. Have you played yet? (via)

Hope you have a sweet day! xo

elena kalis - underwater photography

These beautiful images are by photographer Elena Kalis who imagined an underwater Wonderland for the classic tale of Alice. Her rendition is as whimsical and vibrant as the recent Tim Burton movie.

She is a Russian-born visual artist living in the Bahamas who specializes in underwater photography.
In this particular tale of Alice in Wonderland, she uses her daughter as model re-creating gorgeous, amazing underwater scenes.

You can see more of Elena Kalis work on her website.

Happy Friday! xo

rob ryan - papercutting illustrator

These amazing illustrations are by Rob Ryan, a highly acclaimed artist specializing in paper cuts and limited edition screen prints. His elaborate paper work has appeared in collaborations with high profile designers in the fashion world including: Tatty Devine, Liberty’s of London, Ernest Sewn, Paul Smith, Vogue, etc...

 

I discovered his illustration style recently through the new book, The Gift, by Carol Ann Duffy.

"It's the story of a girl’s journey through life and the desires that shape it. With a kind of magic that is timeless, The Gift speaks to everyone who wonders about the mysteries that lie at the heart of the human experience."

The book follows the protagonist from life to death. Poetically written, it's probably best for older kids. Rob Ryan's illustrations are hand cut from single sheets of paper and spray painted, one color per spread, and then photographed.

You can read more about Mr. Ryan on his site and you can buy The Gift here.

bookshelf love

It's cold and snowing and I really should be cuddling up with a book... I'm reading Freedom (by Franzen) right now and want to finish it already. So little time, so many books :)

(via)

Today I'm sharing some of the latest shelve images I've collected. Aren't these grand? Any of these would be fabulous...

This one is a little too OCD for me, but admirable. (via)

Darkly dreamy. Very appealing. (via)

perfect for that space (via)

wall of books (via)

Happy reading...

delish desserts

I must be PMSing because I can't stop thinking of yummy food! Here are some great recipes I've come across today-- so far.

SoNo Cheesecake with Pistachio Crust!

S'mores Bars

Brown Sugar-Hazelnut Cupcakes w/
Blackberry Buttercream Frosting

Pudding Cups

And ideally, before dessert, I'd like some dinner. Found this delectable soup that I must. try. soon.

Roasted Potato Leek Soup w/ Crispy Shallots

Hungry yet? So what ya' cooking, good lookin'?