Maison Objet

 

From shoes to washing up pots from Normann Copenhagen, neon and purple were particularly big colours at the French accessories trade fair. Some fetching patch work horses and stags were busy grazing among stands too.

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French shoe brand Bensimon also showcased neon coloured trainers alongside leather ones for the first time.

Pouffe the magic dragon..

British designer Donna Wilson works magic with textiles and her furniture for British furniture manufacturer SCP is no exception. Miyo Wada wants either "Frank" or "Ernest" pouffes in green or pink.

Grass Roots

A grass dress grown from seed over 3 months by up and coming artist Kirstie Macleod whose innovative approach to textiles is turning heads in both the fashion and the art world. See more work on her website DreamingDresses

Camper Van in your Aria

An operatic take on the traditional camper van with an antipodean touch by Axel Enthoven. Complete with wine cellar, teak veranda and an espresso bar, via Mocoloco

Ticking off

Inner city buses in the Swedish capital have been graced with bright splashes of colour thanks to watchmaker Triwa. The firm have changed commuter handgrips, replacing them with pictures of watches really making people tick.  

 

Dubai: the rise and fall - in photos

The rise and fall of Dubai in the NY times blog photographic essay. click here

Before..............

After....: many expats who have left have just abandoned their cars in parking lots

Do a 007

At first glance this satin brushed 18 carat pink gold Jaeger LeCoultre watch looks...like a watch. Its tech spech however, means you can play at being James Bond while checking the time as it also opens an Aston Martin sports car. With one push on the Rapide Transponder AMVOX2 watch crystal the car is unlocked. How 007 is that!

Spruce up your Christmas tree

Looking for Christmas decorations with a twist. Lovingly hand-sewn by photographer Charlotte Brown a felt whale or polar bear show you're going against the traditional angel/pine cone/tinsel grain. Available to purchase on Etsy that also sells other adorable hand-made goods.

 

Having a whale of a time

 

Care bears

Clock it.

Love this Time Projection Clock from Oregon Scientific for £29.99. Click 
here

For £89.99 you also get the temperature projected into the air. Also by Oregon Scientific. Click here

Pantone Crisps

Pantone crisps by Thoughtful illustrates how confusing it is when different companies use different colours for different crisp flavours. Consumers scratch their heads when it comes to a navy blue crisp packet - salt and vinegar or cheese and onion? Hmmmm?

In the Cut

Leather off-cuts are transformed into a cute mini-menagerie called Skinni by Swiss designer Adrien Rovero

Please Mr. Postman

If this came through my letter-box it would guarantee a smile. From Rob Lowe and Cathy Olmedillas' independent publishing house Present Joys

Bowl me over

These hand-blown glasses are a dinner party talking point. Love the contrasting handles that French/Greek designer Alexis Georgacopoulos has made from colourful rope.

Miyo Wada also likes the Ecal ( Lausanne's leading design school) graduate's playful take on eating breakfast, Titled the "Milking stool" and first presented at Salone in 2003, it will make your frosties taste grrrreat!

For more information click here

For Gods Saké

Lovely sake jars by J-Period and a great excuse for a sneaky eastern tipple.

 Megawa sake jar made from cedarwood and urethane resin from Akita prefecture.

Porcelain Sabikomasuji sake jar from Arita prefecture

Megawa sake jar in cedar from Akita prefecture. 

Back to School

Cute little "Mobilier d'ecolier school chairs from La Chaise Longue. On show at Maison & Objet earlier this year.

Fog-bar

The latest hair-product to hit the Japanese male grooming market is Shiseido Uno's Fog Bar hair spray. It has been causing a storm with their retro website with detailed instructions on how to use the product so you get your hair just right. Fogbar even has a dedicated FOG TV channel on Fogbar.tv. Shiseido Uno is one of the most innovative in products targeted for the trichologically aware. Via Japantrends.com

Andreas Gursky - The Kuwait Stock Exchange

Amidst a sea of dish-dasha's Bloomberg terminals are scattered over the trading floor of the Kuwait Stock Exchange in a digitally mastered photograph by photographer Andreas Gursky whose work focuses on the effects commercialism and capitalism blowing up his photographs to a huge scale. On display at The White Cube Gallery stand at last week's Frieze

Pianofart

A playful wooden take on the upright piano titled "Pianofart" by Richard Artschwager from Berlin's Spruth Magers gallery. On display at last week's Frieze

He's got the love

Lovely stamp to receive on a letter from a loved on sale at Miyo Wada's favourite Paris shop Merci founded by the owners of kid's clothing label Bonpoint.

on the sauce

Get drunk in serious style with DQ Vodka