playing with type

On very rare occasion the mailman delivers something that I can get excited about. Today this book arrived... and I'M IN IT! The wonderful and sweet Lara McCormick approached me about contributing and  I'm over the moon about how it turned out. There are tons of really great examples of type from an array of talented folks, and I'm honored that I was able to be a part of it. To purchase Playing With Type head over to Quayside Publishing's site.

A few of my Reminders photos made the cut. Click for more to see the spread.

timewhine #2

Ah, the American dream. And one that some of us (*cough*) dive into without ever coming up for air. Note: taking a moment to breath is a good thing.

Crispin Finn

I of course love Crispin Finn's minimal and slightly retro approach, but also admire and dig their dedication to a color scheme. The UK based duo really has a clean, yet fun, style. I especially love this bag, this poster (of course), this tea towel, and this planner.


Check out more here: website | twitter | tumblr

deep bullshit

I actually made this a while back as part of my Deep Bullshit series. I don't think I ever posted it and today seemed like a good day for some sap.

drink beer & make stuff

All I have to say about this illustration from designer Dan Gneiding is... WORD. This is his contribution to  To Resolve Project. You can see more of Dan's work here (I want to curl up on that background btw), as well as the rest of TRP here (there's a whole lot of talent on display over there).  

geometry daily

I feel like all I really need to say is "duh, of course I like this", but that doesn't give the artist much credit I suppose. These images are part of an ongoing project by a German gent that goes by Tillman. Each day he posts a new composition on his Tumblr -- Geometry Daily. This is basically shape porn, which I can't get enough. I know where my eyes will be in the coming days/months/weeks.

27 club

DKNG Studios recently did a series for Dead Rockstars: A Tribute to the Mortal Gods of Sound. Their contribution is "27 Club", a collection of 4 of the most iconic musicians that died when they were 27 years old. I really love (of course) their minimal treatment, and especially like the subtle addition of the DKNG letters in each print. Above is Jim Morrison; check out their blog to see Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain. As a commenter on their site pointed out, Cobain's birthday may be wrong, so slight deduction on the total score. Still an awesome set of posters.

need to want less

The urge to buy is strong in this one. I have the full virtual shopping carts and dog-eared catalog pages to prove it. Usually these rituals are enough to squelch my desire to spend, and I stop there. I've tried to be wise with what money I have, although after rebounding from a long stretch of unemployment I did buy myself a few small treats.

So while I'm proud of my initial resolve to refrain from shopping, it's when I give in that things tend to go off track quickly. I (for better or worse) have no credit cards so when it comes to spending I am thankfully bound to a limited budget. But damnit if I'm not completely transfixed and drawn in to the latest and greatest, therefore am terrible at waiting for a deal and also lack the patience to hunt for a bargain. What's so wrong with last year's model of this, or the clothes that my eyes have seen on the rack for months, or the generic brand of that? What is it about New that gives me tunnel vision? And why does being lazy come with such a high price tag? Seems like I should completely stay away until I can figure out how to pay the right way.

need to want less

Cheese and I go way back, and have had a long, though not always kind, love affair with each other. It is sometimes cruel to me (hello, stomach upset), and I sometimes treat it poorly (hello, processed cheese product). Lately I have been trying to upgrade my tastes and delve deeper into the world of artisan cheese. I thought to myself... if I enjoy something so much why not learn the most I can about it. So I've gone to an Antonelli's (aka paradise) cheese class and some beer/cheese pairings, and even picked up one of these Scout journals.

My aim is not to elevate my knowledge so that I can pass judgement on your Kraft cravings, because lord knows learning about the finer things doesn't mean I will shun the grosser things. And because my addiction runs so deep I find myself not eating better (i.e. good shit in moderation), but more. My passion has taken a visible form which is my pooch. Please, if you happen to see me shoving another cheesy delight down my gullet, I give free reign to knock it out of my hand or give me a scornful stare.

1 minute photoshop: deterioration

Getting older feels like it's happening too fast. But maybe I should take my feet off the pedals and just enjoy the ride. Will be more fun than fretting I'm pretty sure.

1 minute photoshop: temptation

I truly do imagine a world where I feast upon nothing but fresh veggies and clean unprocessed food. Then my hair and skin gets extra shiny, and I can jog 50 miles every day... oh and I become a female Benjamin Button and am suddenly a healthy 20 year old again. Well fantasy aside I always get that gnawing thought that my diet needs to get better asap. Then I remember the bacon. Sizzling, salty, sinful bacon. And the dream dies.

1 minute photoshop: deathtrap

I don't really know how to say what I'm trying to say, so I'll jump to my default which is using crude shapes to poorly explain the map of my brain. I wish there was an endpoint, a final destination, for how I process death... that when I landed on the shaky ground that barely qualifies as acceptance, I was able to stay there. It's not a nice place to be but it's better than the alternative. Instead the cycle starts all over again and I obsessively dwell on what will never be, what could be, what won't be known. The light at the end always leads back to dark. If anyone has an instructional manual on how to vanquish needless worry and premature regret I'm all ears.

lazy sunday

welcome summer

Technically it may not be Summer yet, but Memorial Day has just passed so I say it's close enough. The air smells like BBQ, the heat is edging toward the oppressive triple digits, and I have two swimsuits I'm mulling over in a virtual shopping bag. It's hot and this means I have popsicles on the brain. I have an internal clock that seems to strike at various times of the year, creating romanticized images of activities that I have an overwhelming desire to incorporate into my day. Right on time, I'm gearing up for my multiple viewings of Jaws and am ready to eat sweet treats while wearing my cut offs. Welcome Summer! It will probably be a short-lived joyous affair but I bet we'll squeeze in some fun before saying adieu.

TASTE THE RAINBOW:
Most expensive popsicle
Scratch and sniff sticker - Garfield & popsicle
Tangerine Lemon Basil popsicle recipe
Jan & Dean "Popsicle"
Favorite popsicle photo

Tim Fishlock - Shapeset

More shapes. More possibilities. Cool type by Tim Fishlock. Even cooler name.

1 minute photoshop: creativity

I'm trying, I'm trying.

Viva Lost Vegas

A few weeks ago my boyfriend and I went to Las Vegas. He was assigned to a work conference and I got to tag along. This was my first time to go. Vegas had never been one of my top destination places, but I always considered it somewhere I should visit before I die. The allure was not so much in the potential to dive into debauchery and then leave it all behind, but to hopefully get a peek at the glitz and sparkle that I came to know in films of the 60's and 70's. Apparently there's not much of that left. Yes, there's glitz and sparkle but its shine is more Dion than Dino. 

We stayed on the strip but fortunately found some time to head downtown. While it did not quite hold up to my retro notions and hopes, we were able to see that many relics were still there hearkening back to more Rat Packy times. Many of the old neon signs were there simply as landmarks, but there were also tons welcoming visitors to casinos and restaurants that were still very much open. Seeing these signs made me hungry for more history, and I quickly realized that most of what I wanted existed only on paper and photographs. 

Vegas seems to shed its skin like its constantly preparing for another layer of self-tanner. It's kinda gross and never content with how it looks. I'm sad for this, and like with many of my other hopeless wishes for times passed I'll have to settle for "progress" and find solace in Google searches, memories and movies. As my kind of love letter to the old days I made a series called "Viva Lost Vegas" which are simplified signs from a few of the Casinos and Hotels that once were or still are and reach back to those times. You can see them all after the jump...

1 minute photoshop: paradox

This kind of post has unfortunately become all too familiar... I do my disappearing act and then return a month or so later with an apology and a list of reasons for my absence. And like the times before, I'm pretty sure no-one missed me. Nonetheless I come armed with my bag of excuses.

Since February I've started a new second job... which I guess is more like my first job now, and the first job is the second. Whatever, I have two jobs and work more than I did before. My computer succumbed to yet another illness and needed to go away for a while. My car was permanently disabled in a semi-bizarre albeit non-exciting hit and run. There have been birthdays. There's been some traveling. So a whole lot of something and I don't feel much to show for it. I don't know how that happens.

My body and mind have been simultaneously busy and unproductive. Giant apologies to anyone that has ordered something from my shop and not gotten it yet. I'm getting my butt in gear and your items, plus more, will arrive soon.  I will also try to keep this blog updated more, if something interesting or ridiculous strikes me. And I really hope to make some things. My brain feels like a jar of old dried up paint. Hopefully it's salvageable. Stay tuned.

new in the shop!

Well I finally put these up in my shop... yay with barely enough time for V-day. I have discovered that I loathe taking product shots. So I kept trying and trying and I was unsatisfied with how they turned out... maybe those pockets of time to take the pictures was too small and I felt rushed. Anywho out of frustration I opted for no pictures on Etsy. Hopefully this is ok. If someone is absolutely dying to see a real live photo of the cards I will happily send some.

This set of cards is like the bigger sibling to the little Symbolisms cards I have done in the past. One design is actually from that project. The cards are professionally printed on 5x7 100# paper. They are blank inside and come with a brown bag colored envelope. AND if you purchase by February 11th shipping is FREE. Each card is $4. Follow the link(s) to purchase.

Honey You're The Sweetest
Your Love is My Fuel
Ready to Go All the Way

these shapes will (kill) you

Here we go again. In a part 2 to this, I am bringing you the dastardly shapes that will kill you. The options were sort of limitless... yet I settled upon these. I almost wish I had kept going and made it extra long, but I wanted to stick with 20 as with the other poster. But come on.... French FRY would have been a great follow to the "french foe". I'm not going to strain my brain about it though; I just knock these weird things out try not to look back. I sometimes feel like I have an inner voice after making this stuff that says, "ok do you feel better now" and then I answer "meh, sure I guess". And that's that. P.S. My brain is sort of like a generic brand of tapioca today... lots of work, no sleep, many power outages, and dull flat-lining thoughts. Apologies if it turns out I accidentally posted a grocery list or cute photos of dachshunds doing cute things that only I would care about. Oh and while I'm dolling out apologies... sorry Australia. You're great, and I'm not scared.