"Things That Are Awesome" Thursday: Cornflower Blue Studio

If I could describe my feelings for Rachel Hunnicutt's Cornflower Blue Studio in one sentence, it would be this: I wish I'd thought of it first. Rachel creates some very clever hand-stitched notes, publishes her own "Creative Energy Zine," and designs her own knit-wear. However, while those are all very sweet and would make wonderful gifts for loved ones, the pieces I am most jealous of are Rachel's crochet fiber sculptures. In her exploration of fiber arts, Rachel has found a truly unique voice and vision--one that seamlessly blends the world of art and the world of craft to create beautiful, one-of-a-kind concept pieces that would warm any home. 

When I first stumbled upon the Cornflower Blue Studio blog, I instantly fell in love with pieces like the ones below. They remind me of coral, barnacles, and other growing ocean life, which have always been a fascination of mine. As a native New England-er, I am drawn to anything that brings me closer to the sea. I'm really loving the beachy colors in this "Lagoon" piece, and the ombre effect in her "Papillae" piece (both of which are available in the Cornflower Blue Etsy shop and at cornflowerbluestudio.com): 

Image courtesy of Rachel Hunnicutt at Cornflower Blue Studio.

Image courtesy of Rachel Hunnicutt at Cornflower Blue Studio.

As a theater-nerd and lover of old things, I also have a great appreciation for the frames and found items that anchor Rachel's coral creatures. Each piece is affixed to a vintage frame, bowl, or photograph, which have a history and life of their own. I would love to see more projects like the one below, though I'm sure that the photographs are more difficult to come by. 

Image courtesy of Rachel Hunnicutt at Cornflower Blue Studio.

The work Rachel produces at Cornflower Blue Studio is really something special. It's soft and touchable, it's contemporary and conceptual, and it would look great in just about any room in your house. Rachel's work is helping to bridge the gap between classic hand-crafts and fine art, and it is accessible to everyone. Her blogs is one of the few I follow consistently, too, so if you're interested in seeing more you can always check out her latest projects at http://cornflowerbluestudio.blogspot.com/.