You know traditional letter banners that often appear at birthday parties and other standard occasions? The static wording means the sad banner must be tucked away until an event it fits comes along. But wait, Make Your Own Banner from The Pippa & Ike Show comes with 83 letters so you can put up a banner for any reason under the sun and even personalize it with a name. I love how this flexible banner can make any regular day a reason to celebrate. Why shouldn’t you festoon the small victories of life? Love the colour palette of black, fuchsia, light blue, lemon yellow, green and light pink too. Yep, this banner is an instant party in a box. Just add cake and sparkling beverages…

Happy New Year to all my colour-loving friends! My apologies for the unexpected spotty posting over December. Time to get back in the colourful swing of things. While I am a bit sad the holidays are wrapped up, I am thrilled to be in 2012 – a fresh year sure to be full of evolution, inspiration gathering and lot’s of colour. January is the inevitable month of calendar selling and while there are lots of stylish and covetable versions out there, I love the 2012 Accordion Calendar by the very talented Erin Jang of Indigo Bunting. Always a sucker for an accordion fold, I also love the cozy colour palette and simple mix of hand-lettering and clean typography. Throw in some lovely packaging and I am smitten. There are lot’s of ornate and highly-patterned calendars filling shop shelves but this one reminds me of what I want 2012 to be – full of good design and limitless possibilities that can’t be contained by a standard datebook box. (you can buy Erin’s calendar here)

I love these Crayon Rocks, available in 16 colours and made from non-toxic soy/beeswax tinted with natural mineral powders. In addition to being handsome nuggets of design, they actually develop children’s motor skills and allow for a better grip. They have a magic bean feeling, don’t you think?

It’s that time of year when new calendars and agendas fill shops and blogs. Sure, they are helpful tools of organization but I like calendars mostly for their design possibilities. The Cut Out Number Calendars at Present & Correct are so simple but oh so elegant with their thick paper board, cut-out design and contrasting primary or netural hues. While I would gladly hang these handsome devils above my desk, I almost like them more in a stack. There is just something about that jumble of overlapping numbers that makes me happy…

I recently came across these Pantone Pots by Serax and now can’t stop thinking of all the places I could use one (or twelve). I wouldn’t mind a patio full of colour swatch pots with plants of contrasting hue (maybe some bright blue flowers growing out of that honeysuckle-hued pot?). How about using the pot as a hint of what colour will eventually grow from some planted seeds? For example, some lavender planted in that light purple vessel. Love the thought of one as a kitchen utensil or design supply container. From the Pantone Postcards I posted about before to these Pantone Pots, my Christmas wish list has two official pieces of delightful colour nerdiness.

Pie charts, colour wheels, bright stickers – I love them all. These Rainbow Dot Stickers by Poketo are not only vibrant but translucent so you can bring a little happiness to envelopes, packages, maps and whatever else tickles your fancy. I’m thinking they could really spruce up a boring bill or text book…

I am completely and utterly smitten by the packaging for these Holiday Barrettes by Kate Spade. The vibrant orange card, the mix of typography, the integration of the barrettes into the whimsical sentence – I love it all. Simple and pitch perfect design. I’m pretty sure every holiday outfit would be enhanced by a hairdo featuring words like “pop fizz clink”!

(images via kate spade where the barrettes can be purchased)

Oribbon, a mixture of origami and ribbon, is a sticky strip of paper scored in a multitude of directions so it can folded into different shapes including the origami bows above. Talk about turning a regular present into a work of art. What a ridiculously clever design by Azumi Mitsuboshi.

(images via upon a fold where oribbon can be purchased)

If you have trouble keeping a good dinner party pace, you need these Dinner Candles by Adam + Harborth, a Berlin-based design studio. Lit as the party begins, the candles slowly burn off the icons of each course so you know when to move on to the next portion of your meal. I love the bed illustration at the end as it would certainly inform lingering guests that it is time to go! I think the first symbol is a bouquet of roses? I now want to throw a dinner party just to test these clever candles (oh and receive floral hostess gifts…)

(spotted on sleek identity where you can buy them)

Is it facet day? Not officially. Maybe if there is a third post on the topic? I love these Crystal Crayons by Kikkerland. They are perfect for a creative kid or art supply lover. Personally, I think a white bowl of these crayons would look fantastic on a design studio desk as they feel like little faceted sculptures. I would love to see a set created in jewel tone colours…

My First Autobahn Tape by Donkey Creative Lab is a brilliant kid’s product. Rather than stick to static and expensive toy car sets, the tape allows you to create custom and temporary streets anywhere you please. Fancy one long road through your playroom? How about a complex web of Paris streets weaving around your bedroom? Any road design is possible with this fantastic tape. If I were a kid, I would run some roads up the walls and across the ceiling. Perfect for travel too…

I spotted this Barbiturik shoelace packaging on Lovely Package this afternoon and was instantly smitten. Test tubes featuring a mix of typefaces and stuffed with colourful fabric? I’m sold. Shoelace packaging is rarely an example of great design but these might set a new standard. From the tubes to the bright contrasting colours of laces and aglets, I wouldn’t mind having the whole set simply as a desk accessory! Barbiturik was created by Rémy Hernandez after he suffered a skateboarding crash that left him a quadriplegic. His passion for skateboarding sparked the creation of the brand. An inspiring story you can read more about here.

(images via lovely package)

I just discovered, via a home construction project, that lumber crayons exist. Until last week, I used pencil when working with wood for a project. Little did I know a world of colourful lumber crayons was living in the local hardware store. Available in a wide range of colours, lumber crayons last 10 times longer than ordinary crayons and are water, fade and smear proof on wet or dry wood, metal, concrete and most other surfaces. Colourful and technically amazing? What a schmuck I was with that silly pencil. I am quite partial to the hexagon shaped and florescent lumber crayons. Maybe it is time to go to the hardware store on a colour-finding mission?

(images via prang, tanjant and lainey bugger)

Minimega is a design studio and online shop that creates fabulously patterned and colourful stationery, paper products, gift wrap, cards and more. Their dots, triangle or nautical pattern gift wrap would make even the strangest present look fantastic. I wouldn’t mind framing a sheet or two. On top of great products, Minimega is focused on the environment with 100% recycled paper, vegetable-based inks and no unnecessary chemicals. I really love Minimega’s product photography and styling. Full of colourful details, the shots are just plain inspiring. I’m fairly certain any design studio would benefit from an frilled ice cream paper decoration… (Oh and Minimega even has an awesome blog bursting with hue!)

I don’t know why I have always had a fascination for step ladders. Maybe it is all the potential for fabulous design in the ladder and chair mix. With that in mind, I’m going to go ahead and crown Step by Iacoli & McAllister the most gorgeous step ladder I have ever seen. Fashioned after a 1920′s style step ladder, the mix of matte black, brass and pink washed oak is a sublime fusion of Art Deco and modern design. Hmmm… Maybe I need a step ladder focused blog?

Do I need Pineapple Ring Sticky Notes? No, I definitely do not. But I may be able to convince myself I do based on my love for Hawaii and unique desk supplies. The sticky note packaging is also an example of simple but perfect packaging. I don’t think these pineapple rings would be as fantastic without the tin can to keep them in. It’s amazing how you can re-imagine boring, corporate yellow post-its with a little imagination in shape and packaging…

(spotted on mochi things)