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?

• • What a bright idea! April Pride Allison wants to introduce us to kaarsKoker (Dutch for candle sleeve). “I am a product designer in Seattle, US who launched a collection of decorative replacement candle sleeves – kaarsKoker – in September 2008. kaarsKoker offers individuals the opportunity to easily and personally a transform a light fixture. The collection of paper sleeves offers a variety of colors and prints to inexpensively ($12-23USD per pair/retail) customize a chandelier or sconce for everyday or holidays.” Great colours, fab patterns.

• • Can’t get enough of mid-century modern and online shops get me all a quiver. So when Elle Greene, owner of Austin Modern emailed I was all over the website with a fine tooth comb. Dangerous though because Elle says they ship all over the world. Help!! I want so much.

• • Julian emailed about a new site. “houzz aims to help homeowners find inspiration in home design and architecture and enables them to find, save and share photos and ideas. Please take a look. We have recently launched, and are trying to spread the word.” Click on over for inspiration and a new community.

• • Sage Moon McKee finds inspiration in landscapes – cracks, shapes, shadows and imperfections. Using photomontage and acrylic paint she creates bold compositions. Find these original works of art in her etsy store

• • Jenny Francis, Toronto architect and interior designer has a new blog chronicling her work, her inspiration, her sketchbooks. Look inside the design process.

• • Coco has a blog. Have you been yet? Cococozy – interior design. products, interviews. Hi Coco!

• • Totally in love with Paul Hamilton’s photos. So graphic, so colourful, so striking. Available from cards to canvases and matted prints. Take a further look here.

• • The decal trend continues and while some are just repeats of what we’ve all seen before sometimes a company comes along that is producing unique and funky pieces. Gecko Stickers guest artist series is fun and original. Check out the catalogue here

• Kerstin blogs from her 17th century townhouse in France. (Don’t you envy her already?) “Wallflower Dispatches is a mix between interviews, little ideas, book suggestions and a separate column about our life in France here (The Charming Mountain Goat).”

WINKS returns next week but I couldn’t wait to share one email from my inbox. Rachel Castle is the creative force behind Castle, beautiful bedlinen and embroidered artwork. Rachel and her extensive factory (her very patient mum) handcraft these beautiful pieces for the home. Castle loves crisp white cotton bedlinen, with a little bit of handprinted colour for sheets and pillowcases. It’s crisp white coverlets with printed buttons tossed with yellow and charcoal, polka dots and flowers and a collection of lovingly handstitched one-off pieces on vintage French linen. It’s fresh. It’s fun. It’s modern meets vintage with lashings of indie. It’s so cute!

… this photo by Trevor Dixon. I love ephemera, all kinds of typography, vintage anything and that blue! The science geek in me is loving the eye chart and hey in the day of the computer, the typewriter tugs at the nostalgia heartstrings. A great look to copy for an office vignette. Photographer take a bow for a great photo. Unknown stylist all I can say is “Yes!”. See more of Trevor’s fab portfolio on his rep’s site here.

I’ve gone through my files and found my favourite “outdoor rooms” for 2008. I love living outside as much as possible and if I had spaces as stylish as these I doubt I’d want to come back inside. Whether a chair pulled up casually in a favourite garden corner, a private place on a veranda or an architect’s dream melding outside with in there is inspiration a plenty.

realestate.com.au	Alison Miksch
Claesson Koivisto Rune	Lucyina Moodie

William Hefner

Eric Staudenmaier	Eric Staudenmaier
Reed Davis	Shootspaces

Sandy Koepke

Quentin Bacon	Magni Design

Sandy Koepke

Just out in this month’s Real Living magazine (my favourite and I’m not just saying that because they love us) is a fab four page spread on 14 websites that will change the way you live. And we’re in it! YAY! We are so honoured as we share the list with blogs such as Apartment Therapy, design*sponge, Poppytalk and Bloesem. OK I’ve blown our trumpet. Now back to having a few days off while Kim posts 😉

P.S. This month’s issue is smoking hot! Don’t miss it.