New Year, New Look + new inspirations

Trudy Crane January 11, 2015

Well one of my resolutions for this year was to redo my website..... so here it is! What do you think? I started working on the new site last November and although there are still a few bugs, I must say I am pretty happy with the way it looks.

My goals for the blog this year are more videos, more how to's, and more collaborations with other bloggers. As a ceramic artist I resolved to try new designs in my work and collaborate with other artists on some interesting products. For my home it is to redo my upstairs bathroom and clean out every last closet in my house! I think these are all good and attainable goals don't you?

The biggest one for me though is to learn to step back from life and breath...to enjoy every day, without judging it ......it is after all a journey as they say.

Some talented women that are inspiring me for 2015...

Sunday Suppers is a communal cooking centre in Williamsburg Brooklyn. The website and Instagram of the very talented Karen Mordechai are not only visually inspiring but the beautiful suppers in the Sunday Suppers studios look like wonderful gatherings of food and community.

Line Kays blog that I featured a couple of weeks ago Vintagepiken is a huge source of inspiration. Her sense of style and her photos really speak to me. White, moody mixed with rustic styling…so lovely.

This year I discovered the work of Dietland Wolf, stylist, photographer and ceramic artist and am endlessly inspired by all of her work.. So creative in all that she does, her ceramics have the wonderful organic quality that I love but with a refined yet complex glazing technique that brings them to a whole other level.

Enjoy!

Trudy

Linking with Savvy Southern Style, French Country Cottage, My Romantic Home, A Delightsome Life, The Dedicated House

Inspiration in White: Astier de Villatte

Trudy Crane September 16, 2014

I love all white ceramics as you know....it's what I design and what I use everyday in my home. One of my first inspirations for my ceramic line was Astier de Villatte, and as I have mentioned before here, I began collecting pieces on my travels to Paris for work. I came across this wonderful video on Domaine Home today and was so excited to see a bit of the behind the scenes of what goes into making the line and the inspirations behind their work. They are an incredibly talented group of designers and artists and I would love to have every piece of their line in my home and my office (mixed with lookslikewhite ceramics of course!).

Enjoy!

Trudy

via Domaine Home

New Ceramics and Kitchens to Love

Trudy Crane March 10, 2014

I have recently added some new ceramics to my Etsy site here...I am currently working with a new artist by the name of Marie-France Labrosse and she has created some wonderful pieces that I am now selling in my Etsy store. She has amazing talent and it is a pleasure to be able to get her work out there for people to see! When my pieces are in the process of creation and when they are being photographed (by Chloe Crane-Leroux) I always picture them in a certain setting...what kind of kitchen I see them in, what kind of table could I make with them and so on..which helps me imagine how the people will use them and gives me inspiration and new ideas. Here are some of the new ceramics in my store and a few wonderful kitchens that they would look great in...

Linking with Savvy Southern Style, French Country Cottage, My Romantic Home, Common Ground Do

Enjoy!

Trudy

via: homeadore.com, homeadore.com, 79ideas.org,

Inspiration in White: Tiles

Trudy Crane February 10, 2014

Tiles are back in style and I really like the look. I have seen so many great ones on blogs and they have been used in really fun ways. I was at my favourite tile store today looking for tiles for a clients home and they had the most amazing black and white tiles with 9 different patterns that could be mixed and matched. I would love to do a wall of those tiles or a small room somewhere...mmm who will be the lucky client? Take a look at some of these ideas for adding impact to any room of the house with tile!

Linking with Savvy Southern Style, French Country Cottage, My Romantic Home, Common Ground Do

Enjoy!

Trudy

via: http://www.pinterest.com/AlwinaPopp/ , The Style Files, studiokarin.blogspot.no, flor.com, http://www.artyfilles.com/

Light and Bright

Trudy Crane September 29, 2013

This is the home of the owner of Sukha in Amsterdam. She has a gorgeous shop that features much of what she shows in her home. Chunky knits, cotton and pale beautiful wood are shown in every room. So dreamy and casual, I just love it. This is a style of home I could live in....super easy, clean lines and natural fabrics. Typically Nordic and modern in the taste level but with a warmth and comfort that is so appealing.

I can see my own ceramics in a home like this with the organic materials and feeling of the line fitting in so well with this look. Hope you had a lovely weekend!

Enjoy!

Trudy

Linking with: Savvy Southern Style, No Minimalist Here, Timewashed, The 36th Avenue, A Delightsome Life, From My Front Porch to Yours, Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage, Rooted in Thyme, Common Ground-Do, My Romantic Home, The Dedicated House, Mod Vintage Life, The Charm of Home, Redoux

via: The Style Files

Inspiration in White: New York

Trudy Crane April 29, 2013

I took a little weekend with three of my girlfriends to New York and we had such a great time! (I shared many of these photos on Instagram. You can follow me under lookslikewhite) As usual I got a great dose of inspiration from some amazing and wonderful stores and restaurants. My all time favourite is of course ABC Carpet and Home...I could live in that store. The furniture, ceramics and lighting are all sooooo gorgeous. After being fully inspired by the store we moved over to ABC Kitchen....the delicious and beautifully decorated restaurant, all in white of course. Across the street is the fun and cool Fishs Eddy store which you could wander in for a long time and the next day we had a café and croissant at Eataly. Just beautiful. Thought I would share a few photos...

ABC Carpet- Shabby couch and table with modern ceramics..

These white ceramics with pale pink centers are gorgeous at ABC.

Love these floral print ceramics at ABC.

A whole shop of Astier de Villate in ABC. This is a dream room for me!!

Beside our table at ABC Kitchen was the gorgeous table of vegetables. What a display!

Cool displays for the all white dishes at Fishs Eddy.

A well deserved café at Eataly!

Enjoy!

Trudy

Inspiration in White: Astier de Villate

Trudy Crane April 15, 2013

I love ceramics because as you may know I am, amongst other things, a potter. Many years ago I was in New York at ABC Carpet and Home (also known as the most beautiful store ever!) and discovered this line of handmade, all white ceramics from France. Incredible quality and beauty, I knew I wanted to collect this pottery, despite the elevated price tag.

Last year I had to travel to Paris many times for work. I had a day off and decided to explore the St-Germain-des-Prés area and came across this wonderful little shop but it was closed. I peeked through the window to better see what they had and I realized it was a boutique filled with Astier de Villate. I came back later when it was open and bought a candle in a ceramic jar and each time I traveled back to Paris I bought another piece as my special treat. I now have several pieces and treasure them so much! They also have an amazing line of paper goods as well.

Here are a few photos from a feature that Lonny Magazine did in the March issue on Astier de Villate.

Enjoy!

Trudy

Cable Knit Ideas

Trudy Crane December 12, 2012

I was looking for some cushions for one of my clients and I was seeing cable knit cushions everywhere! High end and low end alike, heavy cable knit was in every store and it looks so cozy for this time of year I am tempted to buy some for myself! I started looking around on different websites as well and do you know how many things are made with cable knit in mind? Take a look at just a few ideas...

Love this little drink cozy from Natalias Studio.

Very pretty cable knit scarf from Happiknits.

Cable knit throws from Pottery Barn.

Cable Knit carpet from Alan Ward.

Arteriors Cable knit ceramic vases from Homescapes.

Cozy hot water bottle cover from Etsy.

Beautiful cushions from Restoration Hardware.

Cute knit floor cushion/chair from Zillalia .

Cable knit lamp from Buubok.

Enjoy!

Trudy

Link brought to you by Alan Ward. Opinions 100% mine.

Giveaway and Ceramics Shop Open!

Trudy Crane November 9, 2012

This giveaway is now finished. Thanks to all!

I have so much to celebrate today so I am going to do my first Giveaway!

First of all The SHOP is up and running and my ceramics are for sale on the site. (This weekend until Monday Nov. 12 (12 midnight EST) shipping is included for North American customers!) VERY soon I will have furniture and home accessories up for sale on the site as well.

Second I hit 2000 likes on Facebook! I think that is another good reason to celebrate.

And last but most important I get to share all of this with YOU! I can not tell you how much I appreciate your comments and support. I feel I have a community of like minded friends out there and I truly love it!

So....

All you have to do is:

1. Subscribe to lookslikewhite through my Network Blogs, Bloglovin or by email.

2. Leave a comment on my website below.

3. Like my Facebook page

4. Post this giveaway on your Facebook page.

The Prize is of course a piece of lookslikewhite ceramics! This is a white platter that is about 16" long and 6.5" wide. It has a white glazed front and a natural, unglazed back. (spoon not included) I will ship anywhere so go ahead and enter. The giveaway will close on Friday, Nov. 16th, 2012, at midnight EST.

Thank you all again!

Trudy xx

Pottery Love

Trudy Crane August 21, 2012

I have been doing pottery on and off since I was in school but a few years ago I decided to take some classes and get a bit more serious about it. Where I live in Montreal there is a pottery studio 5 minutes walk from my home that has wonderful, experienced teachers and students. Well I went for my classes and I fell in love. I fell in love with the art and the process of doing pottery, on the wheel and building them by hand. It is such a time consuming endevour to make one small pot.... make the pot, trim the pot, dry the pot, bisque the pot, glaze the pot, into the kiln it goes again and then the full on anticipation of what can happen to your beloved pot (it never turns out how you thought it would!!)

I have been off this summer and have been in the pottery studio everyday. I love to work at this craft and I love to be around other artists that do it too. I admire great potters here in my studio and out in the world so today I am offering you a few photos of pottery that I love and a photo of mine as well.