Yes. That’s correct. We’ve started a new business. A year after we opened Haigh & Martino in our bedroom and a few years after we became internet friends with Brainstorm (remember the rad giveaway we did with them!!??) we combined forces and have opened Industry Standard, a screen printing shop with the greatest intentions. We’ll be working with talented artists whether they’re a big name already or waiting to be discovered by readers or kids with crisp bills at craft shows.

Things have been moving fast, to say the least. The pic above is from a recent open house for important people at 3S Artspace, where our studio (both HAM, Brainstorm and IN/ST combined workspace) is located. We’ve been lucky to become friends with the founder of 3S, all around amazing dude, Chris Greiner (he sings and surfs!!) and we’re ecstatic to be housed in the next hub of all things creative in Portsmouth, NH. 3S will be turning into a music venue, an art gallery and a farm to table restaurant. Not a bad place for us to be. I can just imagine working all day in the studio and walking downstairs to check out the band and grab a beer at the bar. WHAAAT?!!? Dreams, people. Dreams. They sometimes surprise you and come true.

3S was kind enough to offer us a ginormous (albeit real raw) space and with a little elbow grease, some pallets and a lot of love for what we do, we’ve got it into working condition with enough room for every-thang. And then some.

The greatest thing about Industry Standard so far? If it’s not the lunchtime frisbee/skateboarding breaks, the bobby bottleservice jokes, serious shop talk about paper stock or the sheer thrill of walking into a space that looks and feels like who we all are and want to be – then it’s definitely being in business with great people who love to work hard and play even harder.

If you’re an artists who needs screen printing, give us a holler.

If you’re a bright young thing looking to make your life truly yours, I hope this post inspires you to jump into it. Fully. We have and it’s the best thing we’ve ever done. So far.

According to their website, “Darkroom is a new concept on Lamb’s Conduit Street, London WC1. We curate an eclectic mix of high-end fashion, interior and lifestyle accessories alongside bi-monthly art and sculpture exhibitions.”

Ummmm, love that. I really am enjoying the curated shopping experiences that seem to be a rising trend. The world just keeps on inventing new dream jobs, eh? Sure it’s in London, but we yankees can thank baby jesus for FedEx and e-commerce.

See my top picks after the jump. All items are on my Xmas list this year. It’s never too late to buy a random blogger stranger a gift when she drops a super subtle hint. Just saying.

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Tired of the hunter green damask pillows you find at Days Inn? Try an Art Hotel. Pay (surprisingly less) to feel really cool, take awesome pictures of yourself in bed and/or have nightmares in the daytime, passing out in the bath tub from all that walking and haggling for trinkets.

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Grycja Erde is an amazing artist/furniture designer from the Ukraine. I love the quirkiness and the mood she establishes in each of her pieces. I’m always really blown away by designers that can work well in both 2-D and 3-D, and I think it’s really interesting to see Grycja’s style carried out in different forms.

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I’ve had an ongoing, long running fantasy that I want to tell you about. Before I die, (or before I’m 30?) I want to have tea at the Bergdorf Goodman restaurant. It happens to have been designed by that oh-so- enigmatic alien, Kelly Wearstler. I adore her. Not that I think we would get along in real life. I’m pretty confident we would both have some cutting remarks about each other. But still, love her. She’s insane. She is the definition of maximalism and she’s really into patterns and white china horse heads. AMAZING. So, the goal is on. So it is written, so let it be done. Who’s joining me? Make sure you wear this season’s strawberry YSL.

That little spat you guys have going on is real cute. Now, for some real life inspiration – I give you MEXICAN ALTARS.

What’s up now? I dare you to get more real than this.

Maybe it’s just me feeling nostalgic for guilt, confession and wafer treats, but I found these altars in a book called Mexican Home Altars about Mexican culture. All photographs are by Dana Salvo. I’ve had them for a long time and I always go back to them when I’m itching to do a collage with a new rustic color palette or…my wedding invitations? Muhahahahhaha. See more altars after the jump.

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Tristan Thiel is a talented furniture designer + photographer from sunny Minnesota.  His furniture conjures futuristic, kind of biomechanical images for me.  Harsh industrialism meets invertebrates meets mid-century design.  Those are Eames cushions on top of man made spider legs, right?

I’m not sure that I’d casually longe on Tristan’s chairs (which might spring to life and murder me at any moment) but his portfolio is definitely fun to flip through.

A few custom lampshades reinvented using vintage wallpapers.  Oversized=yes.  Color schmorgazbord=yes.

Via When in Doubt Draw Flowers‘ Flickr.

Raleigh artist Casey Marie has made it all the way to the semi-finals of Apartment Therapy’s Small Cool 2009 contest. Show some support and help vote her through to the finals.

I think I could make do with 565 square feet too, if I could spend my afternoons sitting on that couch.

Oh yeah, my good friend Rebecca Necessary is responsible for all of the beautiful photos.

Holy crap I wish I had a studio like this. Julie from Scandinavia clearly knows what’s what. I found her studio in the most recent MOO prints newsletter. Those hanging cards are in the above shot are MOO mini cards. We got a set too, which you can see here.