Modern Quilts For Manly Men & More By LUKE.

I blogged about edgy rock n' roll quilts by Boo Davis last August, now I'm happy to introduce you to another fabulous modern quilter and much to my pleasant surprise, the talented stitcher is a male.


above: one of Luke Haynes' self-portrait quilts

Luke Haynes explores ways of using fabric as a medium for both functional quilts as well as wall hangings. His collections include Man Stuff, American Nostalgia, Self-portraits, Flightless Birds, Objects & Accessories as well as commissions and gifts.


above: America In Context #1 - American Gothic. Below: detail


Luke combines various techniques and looks to create his modern quilts and wall-hangings. Traditional quilting combined with the posterized imagery makes for beautiful textile art.




Here's a few of his Man Stuff quilts:

Hammer:


Screwdriver:


Red Truck:

Elk Head:


And a few from his American Nostalgia Collection:

Hamburger:

Abraham Lincoln:

American Pie:

Fries and A Hopper:

President Obama:


Some of his Self-Portrait Quilts:







Penguin, from his series of Flightless Birds:



Some examples of his commissioned quilts and gifts for friends:





all images courtesy of Luke Haynes

See more of his work here or visit his etsy store here to buy one of have him create one for you.

Karen Beauchamp's New Wallpaper Collection For Swarovski Elements

I've written a few posts on the many items made with Swarovski crystals, including two previous wallpaper designs embellished with the Austrian crystals; Maya Romanoff and Joanna Basford's designs (which you can see here).



above: Feather Palace, Swarovski Crystal Elements Wallpaper


Now, Swarovski Elements has released a collection conceived by British wallpaper designer Karen Beauchamp, who has designed for Cole & Sons as well as Miller & Harris wallpapers, to name a few. These sparkly new wallpapers take interior design to the next level using state-of-the-art technology. Eleven creations were designed using rich colors like royal blue, eggplant and burgundy intertwined with classic designs like damask, paisley and stripes, all topped off with a dash of Swarovski Elements.


above: Diamond Trellis, Swarovski Crystal Elements Wallpaper


Feather Palace:


Plume:


Cashmere:


Diamond Trellis:


Kohinoor Damask:


Venetian Stripe:


Jeweled Stripe:


Versailles:


Silk Ruffe Jaspe:



In addition to the nine styles shown above, orinetal Crackle Texture and Silk Velvet round out the collection. Each is available in multiple colorways, please visit their facebook page to see other examples of color combinations.



Wondering what the heck else is studded with Swarovski Crystals?

• How about a bicycle?

• Animal Skulls?

• Or Bone China Dinnerware?

• Guitars?

• Or Bathroom Sinks?

• and tons more.

Auto Erotica: Classic American Cars & Sexy Poses In The 2011 Miss Tuning Calendar.

I'm know I'm behind on sharing some of the best 2011 wall calendars with my readers, so I hope you'll forgive me for the delay. One of the most coveted art photography calendars, which most of you have probably not yet seen despite the fact that we are 1/4 through the year, features a hot chick and hot wheels.... Tuning World's 2011 Miss Tuning Calendar.