I was going through my pictures from last weekend at Turner's parents place and I realized how many of them represented things I love about spring and summer. So I thought I would share with you what I am excited about for the coming season.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Christian Audigier's Ed Hardy Wine
Mel Melcon/ Los Angeles Times
My boyfriend sent me a really interesting article from the LA Times this week about Christian Audigier's Ed Hardy Label expanding into the wine business. Not only that, but selling their wine at Whole Foods.
His favorite line from the article, as well as mine:
"The truth is I admire Audigier's audacity in challenging the wisdom that a brand image must convey some kind of verity about the product, however slight. I mean, Cabernet Sauvignon at Whole Foods? How skate punk is that?"
It will be interesting to see the demographic that buys this wine at Whole Foods as it certainly won't be the preteens purchasing their overpriced t-shirts at the mall. I understand the idea of wanting to create an edgy wine that will appeal to those who are not wine drinkers. But is that demographic really shopping at Whole Foods?
I don't doubt that this could really take off, I mean they've successfully expanded their brand into so many other irrelevant markets. If you can expand your skate punk party all night brand into toothpaste, then I'm pretty sure you have a good thing going. I'm just curious to see exactly who will help it take off by purchasing their wine. Who knows maybe I'll even be tempted to pick up a bottle for the kick ass label next time I'm at Whole Foods. Then again as a twenty something professional who is just trying to get by, I don't tend to shop at Whole Foods very often.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Wear Palettes
Wear Palettes is a great website to get color inspiration for your outfits and design work. They take street fashion and transfer them into basic color palettes. The names for the palettes are also pretty creative with titles such as "So Indie It Hurts" and "I Like It Rough" Hmmm I may need to borrow a few of these for my ipod playlists.
{via Inspiration Resource}
J.Crew: Behind the Design
My good friend sent me this posting from J.Crew Aficionado about where the designers get their inspiration from. She thought it was perfect for my blog, being J.Crew AND Inspiration. What could be better than that?!
The article above is from the latest catalog and quotes each designer on where they get their ideas from. It is so interesting to learn what everyday objects and things lend inspiration to the clothes I wear so often. It also reminds me to keep observing around me for daily inspiration. You never know what beautiful thing will spark an idea.
Behind the Design-We work with some of the best of the best. Our designers labor over quality, agonize over detail (and happen ot have degrees from some of the top design schools in the world). See what inspires a few of our own-and find more at JCrew.com
-I spend weekends in flea markets and furniture stores, looking at beautiful vintage castings, interesting glass, shapes and new ways of construction. -L.F.
-Creativity comes from the everyday in New York. I studied design at FIT, but I have to say, you learn more from life than school. I'm inspired daily by the city's culture, people, architecture and history. -M.W.
-Books are a constant source of inspiration, something I picked up early at Parsons School for Design. I read everything I can get my hands on. -T.M.
-My two boys inspire me daily. We see so many great things together that I use at work - bright flowers and special details that I know kids are crazy for (and parents adore). -J.G.
-I went to the Royal Academy of Art in Holland, but I find my muse in American workwear from the '40's and '50's, roadside American and the earth tones of Joshua Tree National Park. -F.M.
{Thanks Katie!}
Monday, April 27, 2009
Surprise Dance Party
This is so great. Jessie from Sharing is Caring choreographed a dance for her sister's 21st birthday. She then made an instructional DVD of the moves and sent it to all her family and friends. The day of the party they all did the dance together. Go to her blog to read the stories about it and see a snippet of her instructional video. Such a sweet and thoughtful thing to do! I love that everybody tried and participated no matter their age!
{via A Cup of Jo}
My Weekend in Pictures
Happy Monday! Hope you had a good weekend! I feel like I am still recovering from enjoying all the gorgeous weather. If it could just stay like this the rest of the summer and not get any hotter that would be great!
Had dinner down at the Georgetown Waterfront. It was insane how many people were out and about enjoying the nice weather. The Waterfront is one of my favorite people watching spots with a mixture of tourists, georgetown socialites, and people way past their prime going out to hit the clubs.
Headed to Turner's parents place on the Maryland shore. It was amazing to get out of the city and lounge around on their back porch.
Walked around town where they had tons of quaint shops and restaurants.
Had dinner at the Crab Clam restaurant right on the water. It was amazing to finally have some really fresh seafood and Maryland crabs!
Made strawberry pancakes and read my book on the front porch. Summer is finally here!
Went to the Red Onion with Katie and Turner. I love buying my books and CDs used, it saves so much money! Also I love the Red Onion because they don't just sell any used book or CD that comes through the door. They have amazing quality control in their literature and music so you don't have to dig through any crap.
Got frozen yogurt at TangySweet (I recommend the Green Tea Smoothie) and hung out in the shade. It seriously went from winter to summer in one day it was so hot!
Had dinner at my usual favorite restaurant, Sticky Rice. Seriously if you have not been there you need to go and order a G.I. Jane roll, a Godzirra roll, Sticky Balls, and a bucket of tater tots.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Pin-Hole Camera Day
Tomorrow is World Pinhole Camera Day. So download your free paper camera with instructions and have some fun!
{via HOW}
Landscape Illumination
I had no idea there were landscape architect firms dedicated solely to lighting until I stumbled across Greg Yale's illumination site. Not only are all the images stunning, but the way he displays them on his website as a rotating constellation is so creative yet not over stated. It still helps the work speak for itself.
And I have to say I now dream of having a pool just like the one below with lanterns strung in the trees. Darn living in the city with nothing but my fire escape to serve as a "yard."
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The story of Paul and Maddie
I absolutely love photo essays. When you can tell a moving story with just pictures, it can be even more powerful than words. When you can capture somebody's life, personality, and thoughts into one photo. I would really like to try and make an effort to try to start telling meaningful stories with my pictures.
Romain has several touching photo essays on his website. From a bride marrying her true love before dying from cancer to a family struggling to survive in Mexico. One of the most touching ones though is the story of Paul and Maddie.
"In October 2005 Maddie, 6, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, Ewing's Sarcoma. She went through seven rounds of chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant and had three ribs removed because the cancer was in her bones. Maddie was cancer free after a year of struggle, standing a fifty fifty chance of getting cancer again in the next two years. Two months later the cancer was back with a vengeance. Doctors found out cancer had spread through her right lung, her kidney and her liver, giving her a few weeks to live. Her Father Paul wanted to give her a normal life and help her do everything she wanted in the short time she had left to live. Maddie had lost her mother a few years earlier."
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Graphic Design Hero T-Shirts
If you have a graphic design hero, now you can sport it with these super sweet t-shirts. Or even if you don't have a design hero and don't know who these people are, you can still look cool wearing one of these shirts. Don't worry I won't tell.
Ice Cream in Bed Concert
How amazing is this? A live concert....in bed....while eating as much Haagen-Dazs ice cream as you want. One hundred couples in Tokyo won tickets to the "Dolce Heavenly Concert" where they enjoyed the sounds of three top classical musicians in ultimate comfort. Now if only we can get Haazgen-Dazs to offer this promotional concert in DC. I'd be all over that in a heartbeat.
{via Imprint}
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Soap Leaves
If I had a pretty guest bathroom these soap leaves would be perfect! They are so beautiful and I can't believe they dissolve into soap!
{via Design Verb}
Free Scoop at Ben and Jerry's!
I'm sure you've already heard by now that it is free scoop day at Ben and Jerry's. But just in case you didn't get the message, head on down to your nearest scoop shop and get your first taste of summer. There are four participating stores in DC, so it is the perfect excuse to break away from work.
Converse Commercial
I've always loved this Converse commercial and this past week I was lucky enough to hear the design firm Psyop who created this spot speak at my conference. It was really interesting to hear their creative process behind their work.
They started out having to play off the original print campaign of using the theme of connectivity. The goal was to give it a very clean simple look, almost like it would be something you could create yourself. Even though its much much harder than it really deceivingly looks. And of course they wanted to maintain the rock-star icon look Converse has made for themselves. I think they did an amazing job with the constraints they had and it makes me want to rock my converses all day long.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Conversation Piece
I always struggle with what to fill my various bowls with. I love these folded books and think they are such great conversation pieces. It is also a good project if you have way too many books crowding your bookshelf.
{via Oh Joy!}
Good Morning: Back in DC
Good Morning! I'm a little behind schedule this morning as I got back in town last night from New York. So bear with me as I catch up and get my bearings! New York was great and it was nice to get out of DC for a long weekend. But as always I'm happy to be back home where I belong.
The conference was good, though not exactly what I expected. It was mainly all motion design/animation, which I know next to nothing about. But it was really interesting to see where the future of design and technology is headed. I also saw a lot of really amazing videos/animation so I hope to hunt those down on the internet and share throughout this week.
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