arsenal handicraft

The Renegade Craft Show in Chicago's Bucktown / Wicker Park area was just filled with fantastic art and artisans. One such group was Arsenal Handicraft, formally known as Perfect Laughter, which had such amazing print work, we stood at the tent for a good 10 minutes. Arsenal Handicraft's home base is straight from the Midwest; Detroit, MI. Their collection of print work was mainly rugged, forestry, or boat themed at the show, though on further investigation he showed that they also have prints that explore bands, humor and pop art. Arsenal Handicraft also dabbles in tote bags and note cards, they definitely have something that will add a degree of originality to any space. Check them out on their old page and their new website, Arsenal Handicraft. 

circa ceramics

The Renegade Art Festival happened in Chicago's Wicker Park / Bucktown neighborhood, it is a traveling show, so be sure to check the link for a city near you.  The festival focuses on small independent start ups that all have a very indie, crafty, handmade feel to their wares. One such start up is Circa Ceramics, a duo from Chicago, who specialize in painted ceramic, utilitarian goods; bowls, mugs and plates. The items are painted in bright eye catching colors that are bold and modern while printed in a design savvy mind; mugs with Eames chairs, bowls with tandem bicycles, and mixing sets in nautical patterns. I bought a white coffee mug with a blue painted whale on it during the event. The wide variety of styles and patterns will keep you flipping through their Etsy catalogue looking for the perfect one. 

anthroplogie

The new season at Anthropologie is beyond words. Their furniture and home line is beyond modernism, it is strong, deconstructivist, brutalist, and sculptural. Chairs are left to their bare essentials, metal and wood. While lamps are geometric and balanced on pulleys and levers. The accents are softer and lighter colored materials; lamps wool, linens, and cottons, to compliment the harder goods. Everything appears to be stripped down to their skeletons and left in natural materials. 

the perfect fall

Wow, how can you even begin to answer a question that spans all my ideals! Just recently The Rustic Camp was asked by Katie Garton from Dream Till Green; "what my dream Fall would be?" In an instant, the picture of what began to appear was rather concise. Knowing it wouldn't be an easy answer as it would have to be more of a feeling than an experience, and it developed just like that. One place that stays picturesque all year round, but becomes even more so during the fall is Washington State. One place that would beckon the most pristine landscape would be Olympic National Park, Washington. Olympic National is located on the western shores nestled next to the ocean, with vistas over mountains, rivers, and a bay over looking Seattle. There, set up camp for the season in a luxury yurt from Pacific Yurts just outside of the park boundaries set with camp provisions such as Pendleton Camp blankets and half the catalogue from Best Made Co to stay warm during the early chill. During the day there would be little to do other than hike the scenic wonderland, canoe, and fish while leisurely reading The Count Of Monte Cristo, which was listed on The Art of Manliness's: 100 must-read books.   In the evenings there would be nothing better than to sit curled up around a campfire lounging in Slim Fit denim from Gap and a Quilted vest from Barbour to be slightly bundled up while roasting marshmallows and enjoying a bourbon. There couldn't be a better fall. 

happy labor day

In 1882 a machinist, Matthew Maguire, proposed a holiday for the Central Labor Union of New York. The same year another Maguire; Peter, proposed the same holiday in May for the American Federation of Labor, after observing the annual labour festival held in Toronto, Canada. Regardless of whom first proposed the idea, Oregon was the first state to make it a holiday on Feb. 21, 1887. By 1894 it was a federal holiday with thirty states observing. It was rushed into being a national holiday by congress, due to the Pullman strike of 1894. The Pullman strike was a bloodied massacre that occurred on the south side of Chicago, involving the American Railway Union, led by Eugene Debs, that was originally a peaceful protest where the workers refused to pull Pullman railcars, in exchange for lower rent worker housing, which George Pullman refused. The standoff became unruly and Debs ultimately lost control of the 125,000 workers who began to set fire to buildings, overturning a locomotive and spurring demonstrators across the US to block the flow of goods through the Midwest by blocking railways and job walk offs. President Grover Cleveland with US Attorney General Richard Olney originally obtained an injunction against the striking work force and its leaders from protesting, causing more boycotting, resulting in a total of 30 deaths and 57 wounded when a military attempt to control the situation failed, the total collateral damage amounted to over 80 million dollars. After Pullman's company's practices were considered "un-American," by the Illinois Supreme Court, Pullman was forced to give up the rights to his land and it ultimately became public housing ran by the US government. While labor forces were still a hot button topic, Cleveland and the US congress pushed through Labor Day as national holiday to quell the tensions between unions. Resulting in having every first Monday of September as a paid day of rest from the work force in America. Labor Day also unfortunately marks the official last day of Summer before the Fall season rolls around. So soak up what sun and fun you can get today; jump in a lake, bar-b-q outdoors, go for a hike, play a game of bocce, but just enjoy the last throughs of the season while you can! 

Happy Labor Day!

son of a sailor

Ahoy there, from Son of a Sailor, a cool hipster upstart from Austin, Texas. The aesthetic is relaxed boho meets urban woodsman, a familiar sight here in Chicago's, Wicker Park. The duo William Knopp and Jessica Tata mix playful colors on leathers, beads and straps. They focus on delicate and light jewelry that has a brilliant pops of color that give character to each piece. Along side their bobbles they create fantastically curated leather and wood goods, in the form of woodsman pocket knives and mens shaving kits. This week they are at (capsule) in Las Vegas showing their wares but can be found normally on their website, and if your lucky a shop near you. Follow them on their really well curated blog. 

scout regalia

Holy design work, Batman! A design duo from Los Angeles, that focuses on the mix of industrial and modern outdoors. Most work is reminiscent of a modernized ranger station located in the city. They mesh beautiful muted earthy colors with oaks and pine that harmonize into a cool blend of industrial sustainability. Scout Regalia also specializes in interior design and brand identity, which are clean rustic, mountainous, and sleek, truly a sight to see. Even though they focus on modern design and furniture, though they also off shoot in bicycles and home items. They also have a wonderful blog that details their work and life, right here on blogspot. 

cactus

Finicky, fickle, pointy, sharp, is how most people view a cactus. Most do not see the soft, flowery, feathery, and warm. Cacti mixed with other succulents bring a variation on texture and look to a terrarium or other planting, like that of Michler's florists designs. Cacti comes in multiple variations and species. They are most thought to grow only in desert regions, which is only partly true, the cactus grows in rather arid landscapes that are known to have drought. Many varieties can survive in high variations of temperature ranges from 35-110 degrees. Cacti form differently from deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs, being that they carry most of their root above ground and store their water resources in the above ground portion. It becomes a natural reservoir due to its ability to absorb water quickly and store it in their bodies, that are wrapped in a natural cuticle, much like that of our own. They are also covered in spines to protect themselves from natural predators much like our hair except incredibly stiff. They also bloom in an array of flowers and colors to cross pollenate. When cultivating and growing the plants, be sure to keep them in a loose, silty and sandy soil which allows for maximum drainage. Keep the plant near natural light, as a warning cacti do not make good office plants do to lack of natural light and buildings have UV blocking on the windows. More inspiration and how to's can be found on HGTV's site.   

unearthedgallery

An Etsy Shop from Madison, Wisconsin named unearthed gallery has some interesting an unusual finds. Heidi Anderson the shop owner offers a mix of retro and industrial designs. Some standout pieces are; the metal steelcase desk that spans 8 feet in length and is set in burnished steel, the grey suede butterfly chair that softens what can be a very masculine piece, and the scottish lawn balls that were manufactured in Glascow which would make wonderful bookends. The variety that offer is pretty extensive, so check them out at their Etsy page: unearthedgallery. 

yearbook

The vintage store, Yearbook, in Forest Park, IL. several miles outside of Chicago city limits has the wonderful charm of an old 1950's Harvard boys sports club. This store is a motley mix of old and new. Older salvaged items that have been restored to their original glory and their newly glistening patina. Newer items, have been created to have a throw back sensibility. Plaids, strong reds, mahoganies, and leathers deck rule the roost. The entire shop feels like it walked straight out of American Graffiti. If you are in Chicago make a trip to the south burbs and pay them a visit. 

industrial rustic

There is always a delicate balance in design between hard and soft, clean versus rough, warm versus cold, and more recently rustic versus industrial. The combination of beautiful cold, clean lines juxtaposed with warmer, rough edges has become an ideal mix to marry polar opposites. Martha Stewart and Sweet Paul frequently brings the cozier nantucket beach sensibility with metals and stone. In the place where most people find the most time Kitchen Building has a few great examples. And Check out Workstead for design inspiration and great lighting finds.

urban wood goods

Based out of the Midwest, Urban Wood Goods, brings a distinctive industrial and rustic mix that meshes into a modern yet aged feel. All the wood is reclaimed (for more reclaimed wood ideas check out a previous post). and comes from homes in the Chicagoland area that have been demoed. Most pieces come with some variety in the thickness of the wood tops, finished or unfinished and in some cases size. If you are looking for something that has some aged character and has a low eco footprint check them out on their website: urbanwoodgoods. 

dawn gardner

The artist Dawn Gardner is known for her fantastic usage of photo collage, overlay, and distinctively washed out colors. When you look long enough you can feel that bit of aged history that her work holds. She collects vintage magazines and memorabilia and repurposes them into modern context. She mixes modern and rustic, vintage and new to create a different meaning and context which the images were originally pulled from. If you are interested in her work you can buy some through her online shop, or just to get more info check out her webpage. 

dan matutina

The graphic design work of Dan Matutina is strikingly rich, poignant, and textural. His work has a beautiful roughness that comes out in the form of a work that has had the luxury of aging while the colors and the sharpness bleeds contemporary. Each image has its own story to tell and becomes richer/grittier the more you stare at its simplicity. In some instances the work looks as if it has been etched away from the black matting of a drafting board to reveal the image below. He has done work for the National Resources Defense Council (his work here), Havaianas (his work here), and ESPN. If you are interested in his work he also sells them through a few online shops.

boat house

The boat house, the quintessential thing most campers remember when they arrive at summer camp. The breeze through the trees and out into the lake. The canoes or row boats rocking gently in port at the dock, while the rustic boat house sits stately perched over the water. In the U.S. the boat house is more widely seen in the north east and on major lakes or rivers like the one in Central Park. Originally the boat house was a Scandinavian tradition of housing fishing boats, where it was a more simple construction of wood and stone while the bottom was a continuation of the beach. Eventually the structure became a symbol of the water and would have light houses or other structures attached. Now, in more populous areas the facility is known to house club houses, restaurants, or other leisure facilities. 

welcome back

We are back from the spring/summer hiatus! And it feels so good to be back at camp. I know I have missed it. The regular rustic camp updates and activities will be returning to their normal schedule. Time to throw on the flip flips, grab a towel and head down to the lake for some rustic updates. 

west vintage trading co

The Etsy Shop is known to have incredibly fascinating upcycled products that literally light up the night. West Vintage Trading Company is known for its illuminaries. The items range from custom letters, signs, and light fixtures. The fixtures are a from vintage or repurposed materials that make the wonderfully crafted designs. You can add some stimulating imagery with another industrial design; the Edison bulb. 

apotheke

Apotheke Co. is a candle and soap distillery created from 100% pure soy wax, essential oils and fragrance. The essential oils are derived from coconut, olive and palm oil. Based in Brooklyn the company has been creating organic based incendiaries and soap that smell wonderfully and clean fresh. The candles are made with bees wax and do not create black smoke or soot. They can be found on a few distributors websites; Apotheke, Brooklyn Dry Goods, West Elm, and Room Service. 

cypress

The cypress tree is one of the widest known species of conifer that expands the globe. There are several genus and species that have delineated over each other since prehistoric time period. The leaves of the tree either grow in a spiral shape or in pairs. The sprigs retain their natural greenery and tend to keep their leaves, though some spray foliage at various times of the year. Most of the species are drought resistant and are known to live in extreme climates and thrive. Its most famous species is the Italian cypress was made famous by Van Gogh's paintings of the Italian landscape. While the bald cypress is a tourist attraction and often photographed in the south. 

86 home

86 Home is a beautifully curated shop of wonderful pieces that are carefully curated to give the home a vintage 1950's feel. The items rotate quite frequently as these are vintage finds, though some of their more interesting pieces they currently have are; a children's boat, ship lamps, and animal hide loungers. Check them out on the Etsy page.