GRAY LABEL ADVENT

MAKE A WISH 

The new year is coming and we are looking forward to it. However, the last month of this year is also a good moment to look backwards, to reflect, to celebrate and to share all the good that came to us.

The Advent Calendar is a traditional way to count down the last days leading to a new beginning. Many take the form of a large rectangular card with "windows" of which there are usually 24: one for each day of December leading up to Christmas Day.

Gray label’s ADVENT is about making a wish. We have a whole closet full of gifts of which we will open a window every day on instagram, from the 1st of December till the 31st. And every week, on all 4 Advent Sundays at 5 PM, we will pick on wish and give that items away. 

Do you wish for one of our Advent gifts? Then follow us on instagram, see how we open our windows, like and share the image, and maybe your wish will be fulfilled.

So today we start with the third week. DREAM OF CREAM!

CLUTTER SOLUTION

The perfect answer to your mess is Lino, a modular storage furniture, recently launched by sustainable furniture brand Formabilio. Created by Industrial Designer Stefano Visconti, the clean and contemporary-looking wood fiber containers stack together to form a sculptural piece that you’ll want to proudly display around your home, rather than hide away in a storage closet. Simply our taste. 

 

HELLOWL!

This summer we met true creative Ibo Bakker, a Dutch guy in Amsterdam who sings, paints and writes. As a musician he sings his own written stories, but with his visual art he tells them too. 

 He exposes part of a story in his paintings and drawings, te rest of the story can be imagined or suggested by its title.

He makes drawings from live happening events, decor paintings, and illustrations for media. Ibo creates free work as well as work on demand. He even created a huge number of birth announcements and paintings for newly born babies. We fell in love with his Owl collection. He calls this character his alter ego.

An example of the birth announcements:

 If you want to get in touch with Ibo, click here.

BUILD YOUR OWN ROOM

From now on you can compose you own furniture with this system of ROOM, designed by Erik Olovsson & Kyuhyung Cho. ROOM is a piece of furniture that consists of 25 blocks, variables, geometric shapes, stacking, a table and a mirror. Together they allow multiple different compositions as a shelf, table or even a sculpture.

FOOTPRINT AND LOVE MESSAGES

Your child's footprints can be made into fine silver jewelry. This one is a tension bracelet, the thing I really like about these kind of bracelets is that the focal piece stays on top of the wrist (like a watch) and doesn't constantly spin around; also that I can see it while I'm wearing it (can't see my earrings)

I also like this design because the focal piece serves as the clasp and it is much easier than a regular clasp! 

Pls visit their Etsy webshop for more information.

ANIMADEROS

As a boy he already loved to built, assemble and disassemble his own toys. As time passed by, he delevoped some ability and a deep love for handwork. He was a graphic designer and met again this passion, maybe thanks to his little daughter. Big chance ANIMADEROS was born at this point. We love how simple wood can have the expression that we all recognize in our pets, or ourselves. 

"This is a project motivated 

by my feelings for animals

–particularly for my dog– and for nature, environmental care and the desire 

for a better world.."

(Flavio Siganda) 

IVETTA CHAIR

Can you think of anything more snugly, poetic, cozy and comfy then a rocking chair?

 This one is from Italian designer Giancarlo Cutello. Designed for Formabilio, a platform where small Italian manufacturers and designers are brought together to work on assignments. The resulting products tell the story of a land, passion, commitment, responsibility, quality, beauty. Just everything that Made In Italy means. 

We love this chair. Simple beech wood, wrapped with natural wool felt. 

Her name is Ivetta. 

LAMB CAKE

Need an idea for your lit­tle one’s next birth­day party? Make a sweet, fluffy lamb cake with this sim­ple cake dec­o­rat­ing tutorial at DIY blog Handmade Charlotte. Visit the full post for the full tutorial. We love it!

BAILEY'S PLEASE

They were chosen as the 'best homewares retailer' in the Telegraph Magazine 2012. 

Well we reckon! 

Sally and Mark Bailey share their love for beautiful, useful and simple things and sell them in a store, set in a series of farm buildings in the Herefordshire countryside UK, but also online.  

Just wow. 

They have items for kids, eco-friendly house holds, recycled stuff, office materials, etc. Here 's a selection:

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STATIONARYHOLIC

If you are a real stationeryholic, you NEED to visit Present & Correct. A UK based on -and offline shop full of boxes, calendars, clips, drawers, shelf replenishments and other little things like post-its to get excited about. They sell their own designs and those from all over the world, both new and vintage. Also their Facebook page is full of inspiring ideas, jokes and announcements. 

Polyhedra Rubber Stamps

Print polyhedra until you can print no more with these wooden handled rubber stamps. 

 Letter Wall Cards

Hang your initial on the wall with one of these old classroom cards.

New Postal Style

New Postal Style is a book full of ideas. Envelope ideas. Many different experiments into what an envelope is, with pictures, diagrams and measures for making each design.