“Creative Life, Documented & Archived.” I’ve just been alerted to a great new website called The Creative Lives which provides video insights into the lives of today’s contemporary artists.

The Creative Lives is a documentary project aimed at inspiring people to create their own work by giving them a view into the world of today’s contemporary artists. Each documentary not only shows how these artists create their work, but also attempts to find out why they do what they do and who has helped or inspired them to get to where they are.

Visit The Creative Lives.

A cool blast from the past. Way back in 2007, I mentioned Tiago Da Fonseca’s ‘Bedtime Stories’ project. Now, with Valentine’s Day approaching, the first commercial edition has just been launched, printed with the Brothers Grimm story ‘The Sleeping Beauty’: the timeless once-upon-a-time fairy tale romance.

London-based designer Tiago da Fonseca proposes a different take on reading in bed which will please book and cuddle-lovers alike. ‘Bedtime Stories’ is a duvet cover that literally reads like a book: each page adds or removes a layer of comfort to each side of the bed. More pages make you warmer and comfier, guiding you and your partner into a pleasant night…

Tiago da Fonseca explains: “What’s more appropriate for Valentine’s Day than to cuddle with your partner in a warm bed while lulling him or her with a romantic story?”

‘Bedtime Stories’ includes 2 lightweight synthetic duvets + polycotton kingsize duvet cover (to fit 230cm x 220cm). Currently available in red cover only. Price £105 + delivery.

To more info & orders, visit tiagodafonseca.com

Burritos, Lamps & Design. Founded by Mark Irlam and Tom Tobia, Something From Us is one of those creative teams that seem to effortlessly apply their creative skills to any number of activities.

They’ve recently completed the delightfully colourful interior for the gourmet burrito restaurant in London, Poncho No.8.

They’ve also designed the super-cool looking Wired Lamp (available to buy from their website.)

They’re definitely a design practice to keep an eye on, so check out Something From Us.

Chocolate + Design; what more could you want from life? If you’ve ever visited the wonderful London Tea Shop, Teasmith, you’ll have experienced the amazing interiors work of Jonathan Clark Architects. And, if like me, you’re left wanting to see more, then check out their latest work for renowned British chocolatier, William Curley.

One of the main ideas behind the design of the interior was to think about chocolate in terms of it’s origins and how it is procured – designing a predictable dark brown interior to ‘represent chocolate’ was something we actively avoided. This resulted in features such as the gold leaf artwork for the corner banquette depicting cocoa trees and the three-dimensionally arranged hessian clad padded panels behind the counters to reference the hessian sacks that cocoa beans are packed in at various plantations around the world.

Find out more info, and see more images at Jonathan Clark Architects.

Art that money can’t buy! The problem with being an art-lover that isn’t a millionaire, is that you end up being eternally frustrated that you can’t afford the work of the artists you love. However, a new event might be able to change that.

The Art Barter event revolves around the idea that artwork will be acquired by individuals through alternative means to money. In the past, artists such as Picasso exchanged sketches for his meals, and now, in the present, you have the opportunity to exchange your special talent, skill or offering for the work of one of 50 established and emerging London based artists, including Tracey Emin, Gavin Turk, Tim Noble & Sue Webster. Perhaps you can offer to clean up Tracy Emin’s unmade bed (see what I did there?) in exchange for an artwork?

So if you fancy bartering for some art, head down to The Rag Factory (16—18 Heneage Street, London E1 5LJ) this weekend with your items to exchange.

Visit Art Barter London for more information.

Music, line & colour. I love this video for the single “General Motors, Detroit, America” by Record Makers’ latest signing, Acid Washed. The video created by Anthony Burrill features his signature style of beautiful simplicity, producing an almost hypnotic display of colour & simple lines. It’s a refreshing approach considering the overblown production values of most modern music videos.

Check it out at Vimeo.

Update: The debut 12” by Acid Washed is available in transparent vinyl with Artwork by Anthony Burrill via Records Makers.

Want to catch the debut show of a young, up-and-coming artist? Online gallery Hang Up Pictures, in collaboration with advertising agency Wieden + Kennedy London, is launching the debut solo show of Alex Daw, a multi-talented contemporary artist, at the agency’s new space ‘The Cole’ situated in The Old Truman Brewery in London’s Brick Lane area. The exhibition, sponsored by Havana Club, will run until Sunday 29th November.

The artist, Alex Daw, brings his warped view of the world of fashion, status and advertising via his ongoing series of compelling contemporary mementos of modern life. He utilises anything at his disposal – he cuts and paints on a number of surfaces. Culling fragments of pop culture, fashion and art history, Daws’ obsessive nature to critique and de-construct objects, results in cut up magazines, and paintings on canvas and glass pieces.

If the art doesn’t grab you then there’ll also be lot’s to drink and eat. Havana Club are sponsoring the show – there will be enough rum on-site to create 400 cocktails and caterer extraordinaire Matt Phelps aka Fun Thyme will be catering live on site.

To find out more about the exhibition, or to reserve a place at the private view, click here.

Is it weird that I want to go for a ride in a bin? Designers Jan Körbes and Mantas Lesauska have collaborated on a special project in South Africa to create mobile prototypes for hybrids between bikes and garbage bins.

It’s a clever idea for re-using, and re-purposing existing objects into something that could have any multitude of new purposes.

They say he plays the banjo & drinks whisky. The illustrator Stevie Gee has a solo show entitled ‘Vengence is Coming’ over at Jaguarshoes 32-34 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, London E2 8DA. It’s up for six weeks, so if you’re in the neighborhood, you can pop in and see the custom bike paint jobs by Death Spray Custom, prints, tomahawks, screen prints, T’s, etc.

See more images from the show here.

Why do architects always have shit websites? Is it an in-joke or something? I don’t know much about this, as the websites involved are so frustrating to use that they make you want to climb into the internet and stab them. But nobody cares about the details anyway, do they? Surely, you just want to see the pretty pictures. In which case, just go here and check out the lovely architectural shenanigans.

For those of you that need the details; From what I gather, these dudes created some lovely architecture stuff for this place to show off their collection of fancy rocks. Not very detailed, I know, but it’s all I’ve got.