new blog find!! fabric pattern source.

i become more and more interested in patterns these days. i enjoy making my own for my clients, but i am not yet accomplished at the task. so i love to see great fabric patterns to draw inspiration from.

how happy am i then to find by the bolt -- a great resource for fabric patterning. well known companies like marimekko are featured alongside cultural patterning from india and africa.

hope you guys like this site as much as i do. =)

lovely and delicate -- a new paper craft book worthy of coveting

home, paper, scissors is a new book available by master craftswoman (is that the right term? who knows...) patricia zapata. you might know my friend patricia by her fun website and blog, a little hut, or by her appearance on HGTV's that's clever. patricia takes paper and cuts and manipulates it into lovely little pieces of art -- a card, a decorative flower, a mobile, even a bowl!!

i'll be honest, this is the type of art -- the crafts end of "arts & crafts" -- that is simply not part of my genetic makeup. i wind up cutting myself more than the paper, and it comes out as a big mess. so i have always had great admiration for patricia and love for the work that she does. it's just amazing to see a magazine or a paper bag turned into something to treasure.

maybe home, paper, scissors can help me out. who knows? but if you are into crafting, or just the beauty of it, i would suggest adding this book to your library.

new gallery, tiny new opportunities for artists

you may remember my adoration of charmingwall -- the nyc gallery showcases illustrators' works at reasonable prices, such as prints for $20. their website is equally fun and fabulous, beautifully interactive.

well, now the people who brought us charmingwall are bringing us something new. 6x6 gallery was born from "the tiny art show" featured at charmingwall once a year. except now it's a daily event! the best part? anyone can participate, AND you get to keep 80% of the commission from your artwork.


artists who would like to participate can get a submission package from the 6x6 website. submission packages include your 6x6 canvas and submission guidelines. there is a kit for $40, dressed in a gable box with all that you need, or if you are a local new yorker, you may pick up a scaled down version for $20. the gallery will open with its first exhibit in october 2009.



i think this is such a wonderfully playful opportunity for artists. can't wait to see what others churn out. and maybe i'll do something myself... stay tuned!

a unique wedding remembrance -- and you may even get one for free

because i am an artist, i think of artwork as a wonderful gift option for a wedding. one of my most treasured wedding presents is an art piece done by a close friend. it will always hold a special place in our hearts and our homes.

another good friend, well-known painter jennie traill shaeffer, offers a different type of wonderful artwork for a wedding gift -- wedding cake portraits. i have mentioned these unique pieces before on my blog -- lovely oil paintings of your wedding cake, to remember for all time. there's something so wonderful about this idea. we as brides spend so much time worrying about the cake, picking out the decoration on it, and making it a centerpiece of our event. but then we eat it! how better to capture that tangible, delicious beauty than in a painting? you can almost touch the frosting!


jennie has a fan page on facebook for her wedding cake portraits. and now she's offering more incentive to become a fan. says jennie, "when facebook users become a fan of wedding cake portraits they (or someone of their choosing, should they not be married) will be entered to win a free painting of the top tier of their wedding cake."


this is such a wonderful opportunity. as someone who has known the artist for over 13 years now, i can tell you that jennie's artwork is truly special. honestly, i wish she were doing this when i got married. don't miss out! the contest ends on august 31st.

all images © jennie traill shaeffer, 2009.

and the winner is...

tara!

i had an independent judge decide the winner. she especially found tara's comment to be true and deserving of something special. in her words, "everyone deserves a chance to start over, and maybe this bedding will make her feel less alone in her new world."

so, tara, congratulations! i hope you enjoy your new bedding set.



thanks so much to csn mattresses for the wonderful prize.

last day! don't miss your chance to win.

the bedding giveaway from csn mattresses ends today. and the set is beautiful. i really can't wait to give it away to one of my readers. so enter now, tell your friends, and get it all in before 5pm today.

the winner will be announced on monday morning.

only 2 days left to win!!

the csn mattresses bedding contest ends on friday at 5pm est!! so hurry up and get your entries in!!

don't miss the bedding giveaway from csn!

we're giving away this great bedding set from csn mattresses. just a reminder to get in your entries here by friday the 14th at 5pm. don't miss it!

"true"ly an opportunity: what i would do with their invitations!

if you are a fan of the HBO fun and fabulous hit, true blood, you probably already know that anna paquin and stephen moyer are engaged. yes, sookie and bill are in love in real life -- which explains the tangible heat between the two of them on-screen.

of course, all i can think is that i would have so much fun designing their wedidng invitations! well, ok, if not anna and stephen's, then definitely sookie and bill's! wow, the things a designer could do.

i couldn't help but look to fonts that might work for their event. (all fonts below can be found on veer.)

so... my first thought was to do it in a blackletter font. tells the story of how long bill would have been on this earth, and of course it evokes some sort of classic vampire feel.




then i thought that a script or calligraphic font, most popular in wedding invitations, might be appropriate. but that script would have to have a hand-drawn, aged, and inked feel to it.



and finally, continuing with the distressed idea, i thought that our modern couple (how much more modern can you get than a vamp with a human?) might like a worn-but-cool looking font. either a mismatched serif/italic font, or a sans-serif in all caps.



which do you think would suit this couple best?

giveaway from csn -- who wants some bedding?!!

ok, so you know i'm obsessed with interior design and home decorating. i love working on my place and seeing what others do with theirs. i continue to look at real estate, decor, and furnishings as a form of entertainment, even if i'm not in the market to purchase anything. i've got issues. =)

so, when i was looking through the csn mattresses website, perusing the bedding, my little anna jae wasn't the only one drooling. can we say yummy? and a few options would look fabulous in our home... i came to the csn mattresses site too late i suppose.

lovely and serene, while still making a statement. american mills' delano bedding set from csn mattresses.

i'm not a pink person, but i still find this girl bedding so whimsical and fun. i would definitely get it for anna jae. PEM america's flowers for hanna bedding collection on csn mattresses.

this makes me want to go to a garden party. blissful living home's kew green bedding collection on csn mattresses.

and man, i wish they had this last year when i was looking for bedding for our master bedroom. black and white AND gold? perfect! blissful living home's anis yellow duvet set from csn mattresses.

since i can't use any of this bedding for myself anymore, i would love for my readers to have something. and csn felt the same way. so the giveaway contest begins...

you can win the delano quilted bedding set (shown below)!!!


RULES:

1. leave a comment below and tell me why your home is the perfect setting for the delano bedding set.

2. make sure you include your name and email address when leaving your comment with blogger.

3. only one entry per person.

the giveaway contest ends next friday, august 14, at 5pm. so get your entries in now!


thanks to csn mattresses for the giveaway!

branding at its best: pentagram's oak bar design

i love a good integrated brand. and this is a perfect example of how you do it.

michael beruit of pentagram headed up the project to create graphics for the landmark oak room and bar at the plaza hotel. the original logos provided the base for the new lettering, and the design team also instituted a secondary logo -- an "O" flanked by acorns. this O is used on the windows, rug, menus, and even staff clothing! it's an elegant and subtle way to tie everything together. the branding initiative won a spot in the CA 2009 design annual.


check out the full redesign at the pentagram blog.

fabulous invitations by betsy dunlap

betsy dunlap, one of my favorite calligraphers, showed off her skills in a hand-lettered invitation design on her blog. it's just so gorgeous! nice work, betsy!

wow! dexter's return, and my love affair with the ads

if you are a reader of this blog, you know that i'm a HUGE dexter fan. huge. don't know what it is about serial killer stories, but i love them. add to that a good looking, loveable, funny serial killer that makes you question your own moral compass, and you've got must see tv. for me, anyway. =)

dexter's coming back for season 4. i just watched the trailer, and i highly recommend that you do too. oh my!! dexter as a daddy. dexter as a hubby. dexter hunting down a fellow serial killer played by... wait for it... JOHN LITHGOW!! whooppeee!!! what a season we're in for! i no longer have showtime, but i may just have to get it back for this.


over the past few years, the advertisements, wares, and posters for dexter keep me very happy. the graphics are a lot of fun, and i think that this one is especially fun, with the great baby shots and onesies (by the way, the onesies are actually available for purchase here). does anyone know who does the design for the dexter print/web ads? if you do, let me know asap!