WINKS – weekend links. Here we list what has come in during the week, things we’ve found and things we think you’ll want to see. If you’d like to see your blog or website featured email us and if we think it fits with our readers we’ll link you. So what’s in this week?

• An email from Alice at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers landed in our inbox. “We are an auction house located in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood that holds around 6 Furniture and Decorative Arts auctions throughout the year – we also have departments ranging from Fine Books and Manuscripts and Fine Art to Vintage Couture and Fine Jewelry. Additionally, we have Marketplace sales once a month. These sales include cheap but chic furniture, decorative items, prints and paintings. They are always a fun and eclectic mix of things that all of our employees here (and people all over the globe) use as a resource for finding unique items for the apartments (or homes). Price points can sometimes be so palatable that people take a DIY approach and buy items in these auctions to fix up themselves – repaint, reupholster or just totally rework. Though we are located in Chicago, we do a large majority of our business globally and all across the country through absentee bids, phone bidding and over the internet, so it is really accessible no matter where you are located.” I’ve been perusing the current catalogue… and crying over the pieces that got away. (Archives are like that! I shouldn’t have looked at the 2007 vintage couture catalogue.) Great resource Alice.



• New work by Visualingual. They’ve just completed a series of limited-edition screenprints, Accidental Aphorisms. The background is a white halftone of clouds, while each message is an assemblage of bits of commercial signage found in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. Read more here and definitely buy them here.



• “Outdoor rugs offer an easy way to set the foundation for your outdoor space by adding a decorative splash of color and creating a visually more inviting area,” says Mike Voyles, president of Home Infatuation. “State-of-the-art materials — weatherproof woven polypropylene, woven plastic, hand painted with acrylic paints on heavyweight canvas, 100% fiber enhanced polypropylene in a flat-weave-construction – provide incredible workmanship and low maintenance. They are even reversible, for added versatility. The lightweight rugs are easily cleaned with water from a hose and roll up compactly for storage.” “WOW!” says Kim of Desire to Inspire. “Love one of these for my back deck. Wonder what the shipping would be?”
• Also in the inbox a link to a new art publishing website. Artaissance features a vast selection of artists and their work and is easy to navigate with multiple browsing options to help users find the exact style that they want. Printed on both paper and canvas, users can customize what medium they want and what size they want for their space.



• One for our Toronto readers. Erica wrote to introduce Roseland Gallery. “We carry exclusive design/art objects, furniture and lighting from all over the world, and truly offer something different to Toronto.” Lots of amazing pieces on their website. Creations to nourish the soul of the home.



• If you haven’t already seen Kareem Rizk’s work then drop by his etsy shop. Too cool collage from this Melbourne based artist!



• Not quite the type of design we highlight but a brilliant idea and worthy of a wink! Dilus, an electronic teddy bear designed to help long term hospitalised children with socialization, entertainment, communication, and education. Dilus uses holographic technology allowing children to participate in classes, interact with other bear owning kids, watch TV. You get the idea. Each child can customise the polymer skin of their new best friend. Designed by Bruno Oro de Abreu and only a concept at this stage.



• And finally this in from Finnish designer Lincoln Kayiwa to introduce his TUKAANI eating device. “TUKAANI is Finnish for the toucan bird species. The sterling silver TUKAANI is a hand made eating device for Asian food consumers in the West. It may be held as traditional chopsticks. But unlike the disposable wooden chopsticks, TUKAANI is both machine and hand washable and much easier to set on – and use at table. The matt surface and taut movement allow steady grip in the hand. The curl at the end of the TUKAANI provides eased food picking and delivery to the mouth. The loop also allows easier hanging, storage and display. The Toucan’s bill provided inspiration for this cutlery project.” Check it out here.