christinalikesbirds

New Home!

2009-05-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

With the advent of my first Etsy shop, I've decided to start fresh with my blog and make the switch to WordPress. You can find me now at www.christinalikes.com. Hope to see you there!

Cause to Celebrate!

2009-05-06T17:49:00.000-07:00

Our college minister (who also married us last June) and his wife have been in the adoption process for a little over a year and just found out that they get to bring home a little boy who is being born on May 15! They're going to be amazing parents, I'm so excited for them and can't wait to design their birth announcement. His name is going to be Lincoln, but I'm sure he'll be cuter than this one:

Babycakes Vegan Bakery

2009-05-06T17:42:00.000-07:00

I caught a few minutes of the Martha Stewart show when we were at home for lunch today (Justin promptly put on his headphones to avoid craft overload) and my mouth started watering when I saw Erin McKenna of Babycakes NYC making the most delicious looking chocolate chip cookie sandwich in the world.

Giant piles of cookies and icing are healthy if they're vegan, right? She just released a cookbook which I think I might actually get. I love love love my sweets!

Feelin' Rustic

2009-05-04T21:22:00.000-07:00

This box and many other beautifully crafted wooden boxes, sculptures and frames {made by SixthandElm} are in her etsy shop.

I love the woodburned type on this photo box. I would be much more likely to feature this on my coffee table than a typical photo album.

Mother's Day Gift

2009-04-29T11:26:00.000-07:00

I just found the perfect personalized Mother's Day gift for my mother-in-law (who is the best mother-in-law ever). She collects spoons, so the second I saw this necklace by SpoonerZ I knew I'd have to get it. It's really affordable, too, which is great now that I have two moms to buy for! I'm thinking of maybe getting the numbers to her favorite verse engraved on it.

Texan Etsian: Leah Duncan

2009-04-28T18:53:00.000-07:00

Some wonderful delicate line work and soft color palettes from this Austin-based designer/illustrator Leah Duncan.

Lisa Hannigan

2009-04-21T21:08:00.000-07:00

Adorable personality, lovely voice, great lyrics and crafty videos. Sounds like a recipe for stuff I like, how bout you?

This image from the set designer, Maeve Clancy, is much more compelling to me than the shots actually in the video. I wish the lighting had been a little more interesting, but I love that they used cut paper, so I won't complain too much.

Spirit Photographs

2009-04-20T19:05:00.000-07:00

William Hope was a photographer/medium (who was eventually exposed as a fraud) in the early 20th century.
Check out the flickr set for more haunting images.

Maximo

2009-04-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

The final site for Maximo Cocina Mexicana & Margarita Lounge launched this morning. Go take a look! And then go eat dinner there, because its really really good!

The Student Show

2009-04-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

Well, friends, it looks like I'm going to be co-chair for the 2010 DSVC National Student Show & Conference. How did this happen? I don't really know, but you can count on a fantastic show for the 6th year in a row!

I spotted some of my contributions to the show on flickr, today. I designed the banners for the conference (based off of the poster designed by Barfoot) and came up with, dare I say, a pretty clever little tote bag that all of the conference attendees got to take home. I'm thinking of making my own run of them (minus the student show logo) to sell on etsy.

I don't know who these people are, but they stood in front of my banners to take pictures! Don't they look like they just love their bags?

Happy Vegetables

2009-04-13T20:24:00.000-07:00

This reusable vegetable bag really caught my eye today. Wonderthunder's entire shop is full of screenprinted goodies.

White is for Witching

2009-04-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I signed up to get a free early proof of the book White is for Witching, by Helen Oyeyemi. Read about what I'll be doing with it here. I had honestly kind of forgotten about it until I got the book in the mail today! Its quite lovely.

Letterpess for Mom

2009-04-13T15:23:00.001-07:00

Lots of great choices for beautiful Mother's Day cards on Etsy. Mother's Day is May 10, so send your sweet mama a sweet note!

1. smockpaper
2. smockpaper
3. afavorite
4. sycamore street press
5. dutch door press
6. two hand design

Headin out west!

2009-04-10T18:01:00.000-07:00

We just booked our flight+hostel+hotel for our first anniversary trip to Portland in June! We're spending two nights in a cute little hostel in Nob Hill and our last night at the uber-cool Ace Hotel. I first heard about the Ace when our friend Mark designed the website a few years ago and have been wanting to stay there ever since. (Another friend, Jeff Rogers, recently painted a couple of fantastic murals in the new location in NYC)

If you've ever spent time in Portland and have any recommendations I'd love to hear them! We're for sure planning on enjoying an afternoon in Powell's Books and are looking forward to hiking and checking out some museums. Would love to know if you've been to any good restaurants/coffee shops/etc.

So excited! I can't believe we're just a few months away from our first anniversary. The year has floooown by!

Go Barefoot.

2009-04-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

Flower DIY

2009-03-28T09:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a great link from Melissa I found this fun and incredibly easy DIY project from Martha Stewart.

I Want This.

2009-03-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

So pretty. Made by florabond.

SXSW in Brief

2009-03-23T22:47:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to make a quick post of a couple of my favorite photos from the weekend in Austin. You can view the rest here. I'll do a more thorough recap of flatstock and the sweet posters we brought home with links to the amazing artists and designers who were there.

For now, here are some fireworks from the explosions in the sky show at auditorium shores, as well as a few other favorites from the weekend.

As Justin Put It...

2009-03-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

...profoundly appropriate.

Made by buttonempire.

A Childress Special!

2009-03-17T18:02:00.001-07:00

Here's a sneak peek at the first website finished at Switch that I designed and Justin developed!

We've also updated the Switch website with a few images from the menus I designed for Maximo.

Pinch!

2009-03-17T08:57:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Here are a few green goodies from Etsy to spread the Irish cheer.

my Irishman loves this bicycle clock

a sweet Irish babushka with Russian roots

for the stylish Irish

if you forgot this year, make sure you have a little touch of green for next!

Handwriting Matters

2009-03-17T08:56:00.001-07:00

Read this article and ask yourself, what kind of impression does your handwriting leave?

Summer Rings

2009-03-13T17:33:00.001-07:00

If you know my husband and me, you know that we have beautiful custom wooden wedding rings, made by a really wonderful couple, David and Nicola, who live on a farm off the grid in British Columbia. They are some of the most inspiring people I've ever "met" and completely embody the idea of living simply so others may simply live.

But, now that we're getting into the spring humidity of Texas and know of the impending doom of summer, we've noticed a bit of wear & tear on our rings and are a little nervous about how they'll hold up summer after summer until we're old old old. SO, we've ordered ourselves some custom silver "summer rings" to keep our wooden rings beautiful as long as we can.

I'm so excited about our silver rings! They're both so unique and beautifully handmade. Justin's was made by ballandchain

and mine was made by Hannah Salomon of Kutuu Jewelry, based in the UK.

I can't say enough how sweet and accomodating Hannah has been in working with me in the process of making my ring. The kindness of the handmade community is amazing. If you've never bought handmade or worked with someone on a custom project, I really hope you will soon for a gift or a wedding or anything. Being able to connect with other artists, designers, and craftspeople online is the best part of the internet.

Be sure to check out the Kutuu flickr photostream and Etsy shop, too!

Sunday/Friday Favorites

2009-03-08T21:03:00.001-07:00

I completely forgot about Friday favorites this week. Good thing I'm not a professional blogger! Last week's favorites are a combination of flickr & etsy. Enjoy!

This is the funniest lunchbox I've ever seen. An example of truly maximizing potential of the relationship between a product & its use. Made by OnesandZerosFashions.

Completely out of my price range, but I absolutely love this vintage lace dress.

There's an amazing story behind the folks who made this wallet.
Transit Antenna is a mobile living experiment: seven people living and working while traveling the roads of North America. Bob, Dawn, and Taylor Snead, Jamie Self, Seth Gadsden, Josef Kristofoletti, and Amy McBrine live on a retired city transit bus, called Walter, that we converted into an RV that guzzles straight vegetable
oil. By dumpster diving for grease, we're reducing our carbon footprint and avoiding the diesel pumps.
Over the next two years, we will create writings, photographs and videos about our road experiences and our collaborative projects, and post them to our website for your enjoyment.

Another favorite from yodraws' photostream.

This polaroid by sarina cass has been on my favorites list for awhile. The little bit of pink in the corner set against the gorgeous green-blue water is so great.

Half Price Books Loot

2009-03-08T18:34:00.000-07:00

Its been awhile since we've searched through the endless aisles of the giant Half Price Books in Dallas. Found some great old stuff.

Nate Williams

2009-03-07T21:52:00.000-08:00

Some great illustrative work and a regularly updated blog from Nate Williams. If you've ever been curious about an illustrator's process from sketch to completed piece you'd enjoy perusing his blog. Apparently he also works under the name Alexander Blue.

Hoffice Wedding Buttons

2009-03-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

I made these buttons for a wedding-themed party that Switch+NarrowSearch is throwing in celebration of our partnership with each other and as a follow-up to our engagement party that was in November. We had a very official meeting of the Committee for Planning Committees (to plan committees, for party planning purposes) so I made a button for everyone and the committee they're in.
Check it out on my flickr to see which committee each button represents.

Orla Kiely for Target!

2009-03-05T20:27:00.000-08:00

I was SO excited last weekend when I saw the tell-tale Orla Kiely brand pattern on some fabric storage boxes at Target, I can't believe its taken me so long to blog about it. I was even MORE excited to find Orla Kiely housewares when I searched on Target's website! For some reason the fabric boxes aren't online, but I definitely saw them in the store, so you might want to go check it out for yourself. Maybe there are even MORE Orla Kiely products! (No, I have no affiliation with Orla Kiely, I just reaaaallly really love these products and I've never been able to afford them before!) All of these images are products available at Target.

National Student Show Blog

2009-03-03T07:06:00.000-08:00

Check out the official DSVC National Student Show & Conference blog! Add it to your RSS feed to be first to get updates on the Show & Conference and inspirational design tips & resources.

Neiman Marcus video

2009-02-27T14:28:00.000-08:00

Larry is the DSVC Student Show chairman this year. He's an art director at Neiman Marcus, who just released this fun little fashion video for Neiman's spring dress collection.

On the Table

2009-02-27T12:26:00.000-08:00

Pure fun from Italian design group On the Table.

Friday Favorites (flickr edition!)

2009-02-26T15:09:00.000-08:00

I'm posting this a little early so it actually goes up before 11pm on Friday.

something wonderful about the green of the trailer against this grey sky. the light leaks add a lot to this one. gotta love holga.

this shade of blue is fantastic. i'm pretty sure my parents have this pencil sharpener somewhere.

i love candid wedding photos, especially old ones.

almost identical to what i've been planning for my half sleeve (coming soon!)

So exciting!

2009-02-26T12:51:00.000-08:00

The work of one of my very favorite illustrators of all-time, Charley Harper, is going to be on exhibit right here in Dallas at The Public Trust (formerly Art Prostitute) gallery in Deep Ellum! If you've never been, you really really ought to go to the opening night reception. They're always good fun and the artwork is going to be AMAZING. There's also a little shop at the gallery with super rad t-shirts, books, zines, and other arty and designy things that you can't find anywhere else.

Opening reception is Saturday, March 7th from 6-9pm

Let me know if you're gonna go, maybe we can all grab some food and go to the show together!

this shot is from the first show (Kinsey) at the gallery space in deep ellum in 2006 (it began in denton a few years before).

Aliette prints

2009-02-25T11:23:00.000-08:00

Love this set of prints by French graphic designer, Aliette. The color gives it a great fantastical feel set against the subdued color palette in the background.

DSVC National Student Show & Conference Website

2009-02-23T10:54:00.000-08:00

For the last six months or so I've been working with a lot of other great folks volunteering their time to the DSVC National Student Show & Conference committee to put on the 5th Annual National Show & Conference. Our website (which has been the piece I've been working on, based on the super fun collateral designed by Jeff Barfoot) is finally up and running thanks to the awesome web extraordinaires at Old State.

Some exciting developments in the conference are underway, including a workshop and panel discussion called The Practice Sessions by Antonio Carusone, Frank Chimero, Duane King and Matt Owens. Duane King is the man behind The Practice Sessions and thinkingforaliving.org, a design blog that grew out of a breakout session at the conference a couple of years ago.

Natural Sculptures

2009-02-18T09:46:00.001-08:00

I really love these clay sculptures I found while browsing flickr today. I think I like them best as pictured here, scattered among some moss. Can I have a little backyard garden to put these in? Made by Harper Reed (awesome name, right?). Check out some of her other creations on Etsy.

Work Conversations #6

2009-02-18T07:47:00.000-08:00

(sorry for two so close together, but we won't be having many more of these, as justin will soon be my deskmate at Switch!)

hey question
hey what?
can i get a new pair of toms shoes?
if i get a pair of gray ones i can literally wear them with everything and then i won't have my morning shoe dilemmas.
oh shore.
i, however, need a gray telecaster. it will go with everything so i won't have my morning guitar dilemmas.

Pandora Fail

2009-02-18T07:30:00.000-08:00

(it was the talking heads that were actually playing)

Work Conversations #5

2009-02-16T14:56:00.001-08:00

justin and i decided that we're going to start doing some light exercising when we get home from work.

i'm kinda excited to exercise with you
that being a regular thing
i think it'll be good
yeah
soon we will be svelte.

Crooked Fingers & The Small Stakes

2009-02-12T12:18:00.001-08:00

We got to see one of our all time favorite bands on Tuesday night. There are just so many wonderful things about Crooked Fingers, you really should go on over to their site and have a listen. I bought this lovely screenprint by Jason Munn of The Small Stakes for Justin at Christmas-time. Also picked up this print he did for The National.

Friday Favorites

2009-02-06T11:03:00.001-08:00

I'm going to try to start making posts within certain categories throughout the week that I keep coming back to when I think of things to put on my blog. I think I'll start a regular Friday post about my week's favorites on Etsy because there really is just so much great stuff on Etsy. Here's this week's!

this little guy is precious, felted and stuffed with wool.

love the big bold type and vibrant color of this tea towel

i love this letterpressed journal. a great price for a beautiful place to jot down ideas and thoughts.

lovely letterpressed calendar full of woodland creatures

yeehaw, i love being texan.

delicate but fun

i really don't think i could handle wearing this, but its so original and quirky, i love it.

it's almost springtime, which means beautiful greenery and flowers everywhere! i love any kind of ornamental type, especially initials/monograms so i think i might try this idea out for myself.

That's it for the first Friday Favorites! Enjoy :)

Jack and Buckethead Discuss Diversity

2009-02-05T10:42:00.001-08:00

*Let it be known that "Jack" is an original character created in collaboration with Justin circa 2006. I was working at a daycare center that summer and Justin was interning at The Public Trust art gallery in Dallas. So, I spent my days bringing kids down from sugar highs and making up silly nicknames while Justin packed boxes and drew on scrap pieces of chip board. Out of these fun-filled days was born Jack--based on a rambunctious 6 year old at my daycare (who I thought very much resembled a dinosaur). Justin began drawing scenarios in which Jack stalked his prey (as dinosaurs are apt to do) and had philosophical conversations with his toilet. Jack loves to strike up conversation with waiters and provide comic relief in awkward situations. Jack will be your friend, as long as you don't taste like food.

Uppercase Gallery

2009-02-01T21:04:00.000-08:00

Eclecto Papergoods available at Uppercase Gallery

I've been following the goings-on at the Uppercase Gallery in Canada for the last six months or so and they're doing some really exciting things in 2009. They've begun a magazine of the same name and vein--sneak peeks into the lives and works of artists of all varieties and their inspirations. The images they feature on their site are imaginative and nostalgic at the same time, reminiscent of classic flat-color designs ala Paul Rand & other giants of mid-century modern design. Simple and clever, just the way good design should be.

Uppercase has also started a nice little flickr group called The Work-in-Progress Society which I'm excited to contribute to once Justin and I get rolling on our Etsy shop.

Go check out Uppercase if you haven't already!

A Bit of Rearranging

2009-02-01T18:10:00.000-08:00

We've been in our apartment for about 7 months with this as our studio setup:

I've been pretty claustrophobic about it for awhile, and the second Justin mentioned that he enjoys working better in the living room I started moving things around in my head.

So, after a long Saturday of cleaning and taking apart one desk and moving two others, we have a lot more space for screenprinting and letterpressing (if it EVER gets delivered)

We switched out the art table in our living room with Justin's desk in the studio.

And Justin and Ozzie were pooped from all their hard work!

The Book Cover Archive

2009-01-25T11:14:00.000-08:00

If there's such a thing as designer porn, I think this qualifies.

Cannelle et Vanille

2009-01-22T12:58:00.000-08:00

I saw this image in a flickr group I just joined (white space wednesday...if you're stressed out, just take a breath and look through these photos and you'll feel much, much better).

turns out there's quite a blog behind this photo full of recipes and many more beautiful shots of the tasty results.

How the Day Sounds

2009-01-21T23:27:00.000-08:00

How The Day Sounds from Miky Wolf on Vimeo.

i really like the symmetry and reptition in this video. that elijah wood is just so tiny! i really dig the song, too. anyone ever heard of this guy? i haven't.

via NOTCOT via via hellofrancis

Cactus pin-cushions!

2009-01-19T13:37:00.001-08:00

I'm having to look up pictures of cacti this afternoon for a work project and happened upon these adorable pin-cushions on flickr. I love when people think of visual puns like this.

Attila Design: "Truly Handmade Finnish Stuff"

2009-01-18T21:52:00.000-08:00

Came across this seller on Etsy today and my jaw dropped at this amazing (and quite unaffordable) bed.

Selling everything from furniture to jewelry to art and Buddhist couture, this shop has quite a range. I have to say though, that the furniture definitely stands out among the rest. (Not really a huge fan of a Ganesh-embellished t-shirt)

But, if you have a few thousand dollars lying around and are looking for a new bed (and don't have to share it with a man whose job it is to keep you from emasculating him with your decorating sensibilities), I'd go for this one.

My very own LETTERPRESS!

2009-01-18T16:44:00.000-08:00

I found this on Etsy tonight and after getting a quick o-k from the husband I bought it! I am SO EXCITED. Prepare yourself for some awesome things coming from Justin and me in the near future.

Canvas for a Cause

2009-01-14T22:31:00.000-08:00

ReelFX and Radium are hosting a charity art exhibit benefitting Children's Medical Center that opens Thursday night from 7-10 pm. The Switch crew are among the contributors, so if you have some free time you should definitely stop by to check it out. Tickets are $10 (all proceeds go to Children's Medical Center) and all artwork is priced at $50. More details here.

Here are mine and Justin's contributions to the show!

Tiny Whales

2009-01-14T15:12:00.000-08:00

looking at the adorable range of products at the Tiny Whales etsy shop does not help me ignore the baby bug one little bit. but isn't this stuff so cute?

RISD, MICA, grad school-ish thoughts

2009-01-12T14:21:00.001-08:00

Came across this on flickr and thought, "dude, how cool would it be to have a nature lab at your design school?" I've always been really interested in RISD. If I ever do go to grad school, this would be a great place. MICA is another school I would strongly consider cause, duh, Ellen Lupton and Abbott Miller are faculty members there! I got to meet Ellen Lupton at the DSVC Student Show & Conference a few years ago and let me tell you, she would be a great professor.

Abbott Miller also recently did the rebranding for MICA and I love it.

If you were to go to grad school (design or otherwise) where would you go and why?

Stefanie Posavec

2009-01-08T14:14:00.001-08:00

Projects like these are so interesting. I want to make time to do this kind of stuff.
Read more about the designer, Stefanie Posavec and the project on NOTCOT.

Sign-Language Buttons

2009-01-08T07:16:00.000-08:00

I had some fun with these great sign-language stamps from Chronicle Books (who have a rather nice site, btw) I got awhile ago and our new button maker.

My year in pictures: 2008

2009-01-02T20:57:00.000-08:00

New Year's 2008

Spring Break trip to Alamosa, CO to build a Habitat for Humanity house

playing a game at one of my bridal showers

my 22nd birthday

the first and only piece i got into the dsvc national student show. got the interview for my job at tractorbeam at this conference

hanging the senior show, aka the culmination of four years of graphic design at TCU

the night of the senior show. phew.

we got our engagement pictures taken.

graduated from college, magna cum laude!

six graphic design graduates. love these guys.

bachelorette party with wonderful friends!

my best friends in the whole wide world.

married! i love this guy.

our great honeymoon in yosemite

and san francisco in the summer of love room at the red victorian hotel

left tb and started working with these guys, the best people to work with in the world!

a great new neighborhood with lots of great people.

first Christmas with my new family! (all of justin's cousins and his grandma on his mom's side)

we got a new kitten. his name is buckethead.

first Christmas with my husband.

and his first Christmas with me.

all in all, a year full of transition, good friends, and great blessings.

New Pillow

2009-01-02T18:02:00.001-08:00

a fun little pillow i picked up at urban outfitter's after christmas sale. only $9!

I work with great people

2009-01-02T13:59:00.000-08:00

This is my Christmas present from Matt. He needs a name.

Amen.

2009-01-02T13:44:00.001-08:00

If you've never stopped by graphic-exchange you really ought to.

Brand New's Best & Worst

2008-12-30T14:10:00.001-08:00

Nice wrap up of the best & worst rebranding of 2008 over at Brand New.

Poolga: iPhone Wallpapers

2008-12-30T10:24:00.000-08:00

Finding it harder and harder to show how cool you are when all your friends have iphones?
Then download a super awesome cool wallpaper from Poolga to remind everyone you know that you like things that are cool, which, in turn, makes you cool.

Arcade Fire/Benjamin Button Trailer

2008-12-30T08:54:00.001-08:00

perfect? yes. except for the movie trailer guy voice at the end. here's a link in case the embedded video doesn't work.

Buttons!

2008-12-29T22:36:00.001-08:00

Justin and I are now proud owners of our very own button maker! These are a few festive ones we made over Christmas vacation.

So you thought you knew my husband...

2008-12-29T22:14:00.000-08:00

2008

2004

Here he is in all of his 128 pounds of glory in 2004.

(We call this the Merrifield era)

A Warning

2008-12-29T11:16:00.000-08:00

Friends, if you ever hire a designer to do anything for you, do NOT (i repeat) DO NOT make them design a word document for you. I don't care if you need to edit it. I don't care if you don't have Adobe Acrobat. DON'T DO IT. You will waste your money on all the time it will take and you will make your designer want to cut off her hands just so she has an excuse not to use Microsoft Word. the worst. program. in. history.

Bill Gates, you suck.

Ok, here's a kitten. Sorry for the rant.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-23T13:42:00.001-08:00

I'll be spreading Christmas cheer with these cute little cards from LemonLovesPaper on Etsy.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a relaxing long weekend. I'll leave you with a link to a flickr set of this great Golden Book from 1959.

ThePaperNut

2008-12-19T10:16:00.001-08:00

Total instant gratification buy for today:

I'll be framing these wonderful little letterpress cards and adding them to the collection (sorry to disappoint if you thought I was going to send you one), but you should definitely go pick up a few for yourself or a friend -if you're nicer than I am- at the brand new etsy shop ThePaperNut.

Things clients shouldn't be allowed to do....

2008-12-18T12:30:00.001-08:00

...ask you to have another go at a design and say "we give you total creative freedom" when what you're designing is their word document.

you want to give me creative freedom? how about i use a DESIGN PROGRAM to design?

Too Good.

2008-12-17T15:06:00.001-08:00

Nothing to do with art or design, extremely hilarious.

Work Conversations #4

2008-12-17T08:20:00.001-08:00

i sent my mom the picture of you and ruthie

oh my!

and then i said "we're having a baby"
"and we're moving"

did you reeeeeallly?
because that would be hilarious.
and would unleash a sh%# storm of epic proportions.

Gift Tags

2008-12-15T20:31:00.000-08:00

This is what I do when I have a million other things to do.

Picture Day!

2008-12-14T21:05:00.000-08:00

This morning I went with Cara to a park nearby and took some pictures of her as a Christmas present for her parents. The weather was beautiful today, so it was great to be outside for such a big chunk of the day.

i think this one is my favorite from the day.

these gorgeous swans swam together all across the pond.

this was the 'mary tyler-moore' graduation shot. cara performed with enthusiasm.

This afternoon we also finally got to meet our newest little neighbor, Ruthie! She's a precious little one who we've already seen laugh, cry, and make one heck-of-a fish face.

The Threadheads!

2008-12-13T18:50:00.000-08:00

Remember that old-lady crafty quilt group I'm part of? I finally made my quilt squares and we had a meeting! In a building! At a specific time! We also now have a blog, so be sure to check it out from time to time to see how we're doing. And if you ever want to get in touch with your own craftiness, come to our next meeting! Its full of fun and vegan snacks!

Norwegian Photographer: Hanne Hvattum

2008-12-11T10:30:00.000-08:00

Beautiful images of people and their stories. I especially like the project where she stayed in a train station in Copenhagen that sees 100,000 people go through in 24 hours. Photography like this reminds me why I love people.

Designing a Book Jacket

2008-12-06T20:56:00.000-08:00

Picked up this little tasty treat on ebay for a mere $8 after seeing it on this new blog, jacket mechanical. The only thing that could improve my current job is if I got to design book jackets every now and then. If any of you ever writes a book or knows someone who is, send 'em my way.

I Love Dust

2008-12-06T12:18:00.000-08:00

This firm out of England has a full portfolio with especially nice typographic work and illustration. A fun one to browse all the way through.

This is Where We Live

2008-12-05T20:26:00.000-08:00

This Is Where We Live from 4th Estate on Vimeo.
seen on NOTCOT this stop-motion video was made to celebrate the 25th anniversary of 4th estate publishers. Produced by the AptStudio.

Simple Shoes

2008-12-05T11:58:00.000-08:00

Just bought a pair of these to replace my completely worn out black chucks. Price is actually not bad at all for eco-friendly footwear.

Work Conversations #3

2008-12-05T08:52:00.001-08:00

Justin's response to finding out that a guy has been quasi-flirting with me:

now i'm distracted, gee thanks. i need awesome fist names.
hahahaha
you're hilarious
you don't need fists
man, "wind" and "fury" would fit perfectly as knuckle tattoos.

Yuken Teruya

2008-12-04T12:54:00.001-08:00

Caught a glimpse of this artist's work on one of my new favorite blogs Oh Joy! run by Joy Deangdeelert Cho (of Oh Joy! Studio, which is definitely worth a long look).

Every little bit helps

2008-12-04T09:27:00.000-08:00

GoodShop
My mom sent me this link today. If you do any shopping online its a great way to contribute a little bit to good causes.

Things that make me feel cozy

2008-12-03T11:38:00.001-08:00

For me, the winter season is all about things that make me feel cozy, like a warm drink and a good scarf, a soft melody and a warm embrace...

Hug Mug by Max Brenner (via Design Sponge) my favorite winter drink this year comes from Crooked Tree, a pumpkin spice latte. yum!

White rose scarf, anthropologie

really enjoying the title track from Sarah Jaffe's ep Even Born Again

this isn't a video of that song, but its good too, of course. and that's my friend becki in front of the texas flag! yeehaw!

detail of print by belleandboo

Caroline Hwang

2008-12-03T07:49:00.000-08:00

I first learned of Caroline Hwang and her lovely artwork during my time as an intern at Art Prostitute. Take a look at her intimate narratives made of cloth and paint. That's my poetic line of the day. She keeps a blog, too where I came across a link to Spoonflower, an online custom fabric shop. You can design your very own fabrics!

Space Alphabet!

2008-12-01T18:32:00.000-08:00

Take a look through this awesome children's book from 1964. Why oh why aren't there fantastic books like this for kids anymore?

Crafty gift ideas

2008-11-26T12:10:00.000-08:00

This afternoon is devoted to making Justin's birthday present. Its super top-secret, but I'll share images after he gets it on Saturday. For now though, in the spirit of crafty gifts for men, I found this on etsy and it made me laugh out loud. Made by Spamberly, who describes herself in these words: Pixilation fascinates me. Easy algebra problems get me hot. Needles and thread send me over the edge.

Books on Design

2008-11-26T08:04:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty excited about the release of the book Women of Design co-authored by Bryony Gomez-Palacio and Armin Vit (also co-founders of underconsideration.com) that's been in the works for about a year.

Take a look at the mini-website they made for the book and you'll find this at the top:
The immense body of work produced by graphic designers around the world is astoundingly varied, rich and widely celebrated. Yet in publications, conferences and other public realms, women designers tend to be outnumbered by their male counterparts whose appearances, work and achievements are constantly in the spotlight. Luckily, it’s a reversing trend. While this book does not attempt to relieve the imbalance, it does bring full attention to the wonderful work, careers and contributions of women designers, writers, teachers and entrepreneurs around the world.

Another nerd-tastic item on my Christmas list (thanks for the suggestion, Amazon!): 79 Essays on Design, by Michael Bierut

On Community

2008-11-26T07:31:00.000-08:00

These are a few random pictures from flickr that popped up when I searched "community".

I'm feeling an intense desire for community right now and I think it stemmed from one of my daily trips to Crooked Tree and a couple of articles I read in the latest issue of Paste magazine...which is sort of a strange way for that to happen. Apparently Paste named Denton, TX the best music scene of the year. The article talked about the hard work of artists and music enthusiasts who work together to make this fertile music community. Justin and I were part of the community for a brief summer in 2005 when we were the lowly interns of the Art Prostitute gallery. So I think that planted the seed. Then I read the article about The Welcome Wagon, a husband-wife/pastor-mom duo who love Jesus and the community that makes up their Presbyterian church in Brooklyn and who also happen to be on the Asthmatic Kitty record label with Sufjan Stevens as their producer. In the interview they talk about their community and its clear that the music is born from a love for Christ rather than a desire for recognition.

I want for us to find a church. I'm excited about one we visited a couple of weeks ago and I hope it works out. Church visiting is kind of like dating, don't you think? I guess we'll just know it when we find it. Seems like everyone we've met lately is Presbyterian though. Maybe its a sign....

Family photos

2008-11-25T17:02:00.000-08:00

Heather's business cards

2008-11-25T16:42:00.001-08:00

Its always nice to see your work printed out and all professional-like.

TOMS shoes

2008-11-24T16:16:00.000-08:00

Typographic social justice videos sure are in this year. But hey, its for a good cause. I love my TOMS shoes and I'm sure the child who got a pair for the ones I bought loves his too. There are a lot of new styles on the site, so if you haven't looked in awhile go check 'em out. They even have vegan options now!

Air Lines

2008-11-24T15:07:00.001-08:00

I was pretty excited to find this today via the Elle Decoration blog. Artist Mario Freese explains his work: Air Lines is an art project showing worldwide airliner routes. Every single scheduled flight on any given day is reresented by a fine line from it's point of origin to it's port of destination. Thereby forming a net of thousands of lines. Hubs like JFK, FRA or DXB turn into dark knots where lines meet, lesser served local services are only are a subtle hint.

My dad has worked for the FAA for a million years and has a hobby-like interest in informationalesque graphics, so I thought it was the perfect Christmas present for him. I'm pretty excited to see it in person. I'll have to force myself to wrap it up and give it to him instead of hanging it on my own wall.

Questionable Characters

2008-11-24T12:00:00.000-08:00

www.questionablecharacters.com
Our very own local Ben Barry (UNT alum) and Frank Chimero have teamed up to answer questions about design! How nice of them! Both of them have portfolios bursting at the seams with fantastic ideas. Take a look, but not at a time when you're worried about how you'll ever get a job after graduation. Its just not healthy.

"Imitation We Can Believe In"

2008-11-24T08:08:00.000-08:00

What happens when politicians start realizing that the branding of their campaigns makes a difference in public perception?

Pretty interesting to see sans-serif Hebrew.

via Brand New
witty title via this guy's comment on the original post

BarfootWorldwide

2008-11-21T11:11:00.000-08:00

My old boss Jeff of BarfootWorldwide just updated his site. Its full of great concepts and intriguing and clever imagery with a little hint of smart ass. You should definitely take a look..if you like that kind of thing.

Not getting much done today

2008-11-21T08:54:00.000-08:00

except for typographic designer jokes.

Burst of Beaden

2008-11-21T08:22:00.001-08:00

Quite possibly my new favorite illustrator, Jon Klassen of Burst of Beaden has created beautiful layered works full of texture and character. Be sure to check out the short films he's animated on his site. They're wonderfully clever and entertaining. My favorite title is "An Eye for Annai" (embedded below) for which Jon also created the soundtrack...on a recorder. Remember those from elementary school? Really great stuff.

If you're the gift-giving kind and want to support an artist, there are some very nicely priced prints of his available here.

The Girl Effect

2008-11-19T09:09:00.001-08:00

*I realized after reading N8's and Anton's comments that I probably should've given some context to this video. Here is the website on which the video is found: The Girl Effect.

I don't know if you can read the smaller text in the image, but it says that a woman or girl will reinvest 90% of her income into her family. A man will reinvest 30-40%.

The idea of "the girl effect" is in the context of socially and economically developing countries where women are not typically allowed to have a role in society outside of motherhood. The video is saying that if girls are given opportunities to participate in their societies that many of the social and economic issues that plague these societies will start to improve.

We watched this at work yesterday and it's incredible (visually and informationally). Please watch!

Old Navy Loves Charley Harper

2008-11-17T14:28:00.000-08:00

I got super excited when I saw a special Charley Harper display at Old Navy last weekend. So excited that I started trying to talk Justin into having a baby. Slow down, Christina. Charley Harper books will still exist in a few years.

Click here to see the full range of Charley Harper goodies.

HH identity

2008-11-12T17:34:00.000-08:00

business card front & back

letterhead

letterhead detail

Some recent freelance work I did for a friend's video production company. Please don't prank call Heather...more than once.

Picky picky

2008-11-12T17:26:00.000-08:00

My co-worker Jamie so nicely pointed out to me the blaring kerning error that I overlooked in my current blog header. So, after putting it off, I finally fixed it. There. I hope you're happy. You don't even read my blog.

Before:

After:

Ten points for spotting the BLARING kerning error.