Jenn Playford

Raise the Red Lantern

jennywren — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 03:55:47 +0000

I have settled into my new art studio and I have to say I love how I am surrounded everyday by the gorgeous red lanterns of Chinatown. Here are a few pictures of my new creative neighborhood. The Victoria Chinatown is the oldest in North America and although small, is brimming with history and interesting detail. Fan Tan Alley and Dragon’s Alley are mysterious and intriguing.

Year of the Dragon

jennywren — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:33:34 +0000

I LOVE the Victoria Chinatown – it has always been my favourite of all Chinatowns and apparently it is the oldest one in North America. The vintage signs, beautifully adorned gate, sculpured trees and illuminated red lanterns make you feel as if you are in a storybook. Happy Year of the Dragon!

Furochic Etsy Store Open

jennywren — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:54:10 +0000

For those Etsy lovers, and I am one of them, Furochic is now open for business on the supply side of Etsy. Click here to browse. There are some beautiful, traditional Japanese furoshiki for sale too.

Furochic It!

jennywren — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:36:33 +0000

When it comes to origami I always have great intentions but even when I try to fold the most simple of animals, it ends in frustration. Furoshiki is similar to origami as the wrap always starts out as a square piece of fabric but it is so much easier to use. For the book wrap in this photo, place the wrap on a diagonal with the book in the center and then take the opposite corners and tie them into a double knot. The fabric will pull tightly around the gift and the knots will become a bow on top of the gift. The wine bottle wrap is a little more complicated but always looks impressive. One of the most common comments I receive about Furochic is that people don’t like to give them away! If you let them go, they will surely come back to you one day – that is the beauty of reusable gift wrap!

T-shirts and Tattoos

jennywren — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:05:40 +0000

One of my favourite themes to illustrate is undersea creatures, coral and mermaids. Here are the t-shirts and tattoos I designed for the Shaw Ocean Discovery Center in Victoria.

Beautiful Bubbly

jennywren — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:54:07 +0000

I was shopping today for an upcoming celebration and wanted to share the beauty of these champagne bottles. The label as an artform is an interesting one in it’s ability to create a mood for the festivity.

Happy 2012!

jennywren — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:29:27 +0000

Here is a new illustration I did called Garden Delight. It is satisfying using bright Spring/Summer colours during the dreary, grey, rainy days of Winter. My favourite holiday is New Years – I love the idea of renewal and a fresh start. Each year I choose a word or phrase that will represent the coming year and what I want to focus on. This year I have chosen Fruition and Glow. Here’s to a year full of happiness, good health, success, love and a sprinkle of magic!

Furochic Christmas

jennywren — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:18:39 +0000

The nice thing about about having the whole family using Furochic to wrap their gifts at Christmas is that everyone gets to take some home and keep re-wrapping! My three year old niece has become an expert at untying knots! The other thing I like is that I spend very little time wrapping my gifts. I must have wrapped twenty gifts in less than half an hour.

Staying Cozy

jennywren — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 05:16:01 +0000

I discovered this beautiful illustration today by Sandra Eterovic and it seemed perfect on a cold Winters day.

Country Living

jennywren — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:30:54 +0000

12 gift wrapping ideas you will want to steal! Country Living has featured my shirt wrap as one of them. Thank you CL!