Home Art & Projects

Here are 2 links I'd like to share with you crafty artists...

1) ReadyMade
Have you ever heard of this? It's a magazine that features projects you can make for your home.
http://www.readymade.com/

2) Wallblank
Art is sold on this site on a per week basis or until it runs out. After that it isn't sold again.
Might be a great place to get art for your home.
http://wallblank.com/

some good logos

if you want some inspiration, take a look at this woman's site: http://louisefili.com/bio.html. She has great style and you can tell she really has studied her art history.

k:)

DAYTUM

An interesting way to track your day...

http://daytum.com/

See how this guy does it...

http://daytum.com/blankenship

Sewing is fun!

I just finished sewing my first cuppy cake! What fun! And then. . .I found this adorable little elephant online. I think I may have to make my own pattern and sew a little pet elephant for Keegster. Why, with all this snow, I can see a whole herd comin' on.

Women of Design and the "Should Be's"

Have you heard of this book? It caught my attention for two reasons. I first thought, "Wow! I'd love to learn more about the women who have led the way for people like me." I also subconsciously wondered why they MUST have a book specifically about women in design, "women in anything" for that matter. Why must we separate?

In an effort to learn more about it, I did a Google search which led me to a blog about an issue from STEP magazine from December 2005, which was devoted to the same topic. The cover alone spurred major debate in the design world, so I gathered from also reading Armin Vit's blog on Speak Up. It was from Armin that I retrieved the list of recognized women, but it was through the comments that I gleaned the names of the should be recognized women.



Although I am interested in all the names, it's the "should be's" that caught my attention. In fact, some posted comments concerning the whereabouts of design's famous female trailblazers throughout the publication, like Sister Mary Corita Kent, "the most famous nun of the 1960's and one of the most famous graphic artists." (Her work is below.)



I haven't read the articles from STEP, so I don't techinically have a viable opinion. However, my impression is that they breech the subject of comparing men and women. The topic of the magazine seems directed at female readers, however the message may be primarily for men. I find that I don't want to know what it's like to be a woman in the design field, I want to know how these women think as designers, specifically those trailblazers. Mabye men feel the same way. Wouldn't that discussion gain women more ground in the field anyway?

I wonder if Armin Vit, a founder of UnderConsideration, contributor to Speak Up and co-author of Women of Design with Byrony Gomez-Palacio, addresses the issues that surfaced from his blog entry. I wonder if that insprired the need for this book in the first place. But what I wonder the most, is if this book pays tribute to the women who "should have been mentioned." Like Sister Corita.

I hope he does, because as a young designer, I sure don't want to be ignorant to the standards these women have set for me.

puppy

Adam and I have been looking at puppies! Every where I look I run in to something that has to do with cute little dogs. We found this picture and it is just too cute I had to share you've got mail puppy.

Fireflies and Pop!Tech

I guess this is also a reply to the "Last rose of summer" post.

I'd like to say I have a very specific and special thing I do to get the creative juices flowing. But I don't. I always say I have interests, but they don't technically drive me to the point of: "can't go on without it!" Instead, I find inspiration in little bites throughout my day.

In fact, inspiration for me is a lot like fireflies. A small flash of light catches my eye. Then it disappears. Inspiration only lasts a second and is flickering all around us. The question we face is: Should we bother to grab it and hold it?

I am constantly absorbing things I see, read or experience. Every now and then, something flickers. However for me, I am overwhelmed with how much is all around me because I want to catch them all! A little overstimulated I guess.

I do get antsy about doing actual tangible art, but really, I enjoy just mentally chewing on it all. What sticks with me will eventually come out in the work I do in the time I can.

One little flicker of light I want to share that has really got me thinking are these online popcasts from the Pop!Tech conference. I enjoy listening to different approaches to thinking and questioning purpose in the work we do, and these speakers address that very thing.

If you have time, I recommend listening to Marian Bantjes, Benjamin Zander Jonathan Harris and Bill Shannon.

Crafty things

When I ran in to this cake on flickr I just had to share. There are some pretty sweet guitar cupcakes from this baker too!




I have been very crafty lately. I guess one thing that has been inspiring me (with all this cold weather) that did not in the past is going to the library. I have been getting knitting, ribbon, and crafting books. Anything that looks inspiring by the cover. I know don't judge but really I have to like the cover to get in to a book. I have learned a bunch about ribbon and made soon fun things. Like ribbon flowers. I have also been dabbling in little knitting projects.

Last rose of summer

Because of the warm fall weather, the roses in my garden are getting a second life. Without the threat of japanese beetle attack and disease they have bloomed remarkably well even after several hard frosts. So I have been snipping them off as they bloom to bring inside to enjoy their fragrance and color before the end of their show.
I am reminded of a trip I've taken on several June and July mornings to the Rose Garden at the OARDC in Wooster. Even if I don't paint roses it's a place that feeds my soul. I have read that it is good for an artist to feed her creativity a least once a week. It might be related to our art--or not. Just something that gives you that 'feeling' inside by doing, seeing, reading or listening to.
Now that the cold, dreary Ohio weather is upon us, it's more of a challenge to find that creative 'food'. So, I'm curious. What does it for you?

C

non profits

Here's a way to get connected with a non profit to do design work.

K

The MUT

Just like you guessed it, The Museum of Useful Things is what MUT stands for.

It's one place where you'll see form and function thrive.

**I just gotta have that spork!**

card idea

You could check out blanckslate.com they have great ideas for diecut cards that can be adapted for christmas.

Cards for the Holidays ideas

I am always thinking of new Christmas card ideas, or possibly even gifts. When I saw this I thought it would fill both of those perfectly. Now I have no idea what mimix is, but that doesn't matter the idea is very cute. Morshmelo (click here) has some pop up cards that are very adorable too.

Has anyone else seen any cool card ideas or projects?

Mr. Squirrel

This little guy has been jumping around a tree in our back yard for a while now. I got a couple great shots of him. Here is one of my favorites, Mr. Squirrel.

Power of Nice

This book is on my Cmas List. "Nice" doesn't really come naturally for me. I have to work at it. I'd rather tell people what I really think, or at least snort at their comment. But then I stop. B/c just being honest, there's a whole lot that could be said/snorted about me. I'm human right? : ) It's a side quest I'm on: To be Genuinely Nice.

Here's a site that testifies to this mindset and how Nice can change the world. (And, probably a lot faster than either of the running candidates.)

fb

Deciding to branch out on facebook is always a little risky. i've started to request friendships with other like-minded people whether they be moms and designers, or designers and crafters, etc. It's been inspiring to become friends with other people cross the country with whom i've never met but who have somewhat of the same life veins that I do.

This cold weather is making me want to curl up with some material and sew to my heart's content! Hope you all have a good week!
K

Time Screams

Stunned-- time screams to a screeching slow motion. Words escape the open mouth. Heart buckles. Knees crash. A child that I watched suck in it's first breath of this earth's air has been diagnosed with Leukemia. The little chunk who laughed at development charts b/c he was off the top healthy. . .strong. . .bursting with life n energy .

Join me in praying for Von Rovenstine's life to be made WHOLE again and restored with the future he once embraced as much as a 3 year old can.

Subway Life

This is a very interesting link, the artist travels to different cities drawing people on subways. http://www.subway-life.com/ London is my fav... check it out

Print your own fabric

Check out this site!

Flat Betty

Check out this Blog. Betty has been all over the country and even in some other countries visiting designers and doing all the things girls love to do! Besides hosting Betty, the host gives to baby nighty and book to a charity. . .love this concept.

A few Super fun links:

http://www.portabellopixie.typepad.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/76163917@N00/1544932761/
http://pinksandneedles.blogspot.com/
http://www.feelingstitchy.com/

More Inspiration

Last winter I read a book by Madeleine L'Engle called Walking on Water. One comment from the book has become a part of how I work since then. It was so helpful as I look for inspiration for "the next piece". I hope it will be helpful to some of you as you stare at the dreaded blank piece of paper or when beginning that new project.

"Inspiration far more often comes during the work than before it because the largest part of the job of the artist is to listen to the work and to go where it tells him (her) to go."

So let's get started! Have a great week!

inspiration!

I've been on an inspiration quest lately to revive my juices. Here is a site of interest.

Also, if you need inspiration for your next logo, check out Jeff Fisher's site.

And, for fun, check out this site. They sell something different everyday for a supper low price. But, if you are interested, hurry, b/c they have a limited number to sell!

Lynda.com gift

I have 2 free access (for 30 days) training coupons to Lynda.com if anyone is interested in having them. Each is valued at $25. Send me an email for the activation code if you would like one.

Karen

nothing like a good friend!

Jenny Sweeney greeting cards are so cute I can't stand it! They're great for girlfriends...I know just who will get this one...

Lee Silber was probably my favorite speaker at the CFC conference. Here is a link to one of the pages on his site. I so needed his article on breaking through creative blocks. This week was the toughest one yet with absolutely no desire to show up at work. Admitting it to myself was the hardest part. After a pep talk (thanks R!) and reading this article i think there's hope for me. : )

Hope you all have a gorgeous fall day.
Karen

A year of... 3191 Miles Apart

Well, I checked out the post on PoppyTalk and found on that site a video from a Martha Stewart show about blogging. She featured these 2 friends that started a blog called "A year of Mornings: 3191 miles apart". In this blog they both take a picture of their morning and post it side by side. Sometimes their photos even looked like they belonged together. They turned this blog into a book and are now doing "A year of Evenings." Very neat way to connect with a friend.

Click on either one of the logos to see the different blogs.

poppytalk

I'm really liking this blog too! Great design ideas for home...I really want to decorate and paint things now!
...time to get some work done today. The sushi buffet I had for lunch is going to hit hard and without mercy. Better opt for some caffeine to go with my productivity.

soak it up!

This blog is a cool design about great design. You can track trends see before and afters and well, there's a lot in there...

Studio Clips

So I saw these here and found them an easy DIY too. I've been needing to get magnets for my fridge and love magnets that have a dual purpose: stick and clip. These studio clips aren't magnets but I figured that using some adhesive magnetic strip on the back of clothespins, decorated of course, makes for a perfect solution.

the kindness of others

I have been going through a particularly tough time lately and have been feeling rather depressed. I am truly overwhelmed at the incredible outpouring of assistance by so many that I feel so blessed and loved. This morning when I got in to work, my friend Gary had set up a beautiful rock garden fountain right beside my computer and a lovely note encouraging the peaceful calm that will help me feel better.
I know this too shall pass and when it does, my gift is to return the generous favor to others in their various life struggles. One act of kindness, small or large makes such a difference!

Just a few things

Hi everyone! Hope your having a great week. I have a few things to share.

A week ago this beautiful butterfly was showing off in my garden and I got some great shots. Here is a link to a few pictures butterfly picture, the butterfly and the bee

Also at work today we have been passing around this link seeing what all of our "color IQ" is. It takes a few minutes but its fun. Color IQ Test

Sorting through Conference stuff

As I shift through my conference material, I'll post some of the things I've learned, or people I've talked to, or web sites I learned about. Can't promise how fast it will happen. : )

The Communicatrix lady is pretty cool. She's a copywriter/actor/marketor/etc. Sign up for her newsletters.

http://www.communicatrix.com/

Here's to a good start for the week! : )
Karen

Quilts for Karen

Today I went to Pittsburgh to visit my brother. He just moved there and has a great apartment right across from an art and garden center. It was also my lucky day because there was an art show going on. I wondered over and through all the tents of pottery, paintings and jewelry. I also ran in to one booth that had these very color full quilts. I took a few pictures to share. The gardens were also very beautiful. To see more check out my flickr account.



Sandi Garris Quilts

Quiltology

S l  o    o    o    w l y     c  o  m i n g    u p    o u t    o f   p i l e s   i n   l i f e. :   )

Chicago was amazing to be honest. I had driven through it, but never really visited. It is so much nicer than New York. Oh, they don't have a cool little SoHo section or impressive financial district, but it was cleaner, more open and MUCH easier to navigate. 

Conference was good. There were about 300 people there, so I got to know people better since we saw the same people every session. Plus, we actually got to interact more with the speakers. If you go to Flicker and search for CFC08, you'll find some pictures of the conference. 

After the conference Karl and I did some sight seeing and relaxing. Karl kindly took me to a quilt store and patiently waited until I was "all done." : ) Quiltology focuses on modern patterns using some very sweet material. I bought the "Urban Amish" pattern and some fat quarters to make it. I'm so excited! A quilting group from my church is just starting up, which has been a dream of mine. I just think it's so good for women to get together to do hand work and chat about life. If anyone wants to join me, I'd be delighted. : )

www.quiltology.com

Cupcake Madness!

At logo lounge you can find a few links to a new branding crisis! Check it out here: http://www.logolounge.com/todaysnews/
The last three links on the page are to what is going on. One of my favorite cupcakes places Sprinkles has great branding! I love their site, cupcakes are cute and the thought that was put in to putting the company together is just perfect. (I have watched a lot of videos on their site). Now Famous Cupcakes has come out and they look oddly familiar... o-yes they have copied the big Sprinkle empire of cupcakes. Well its a big to do in the cupcake world. Hope you all enjoy. Have a super Friday!
http://www.sprinklescupcakes.com/index.html
http://www.famouscupcakes.com/

Etsy

I am just now discovering Etsy. I'm not sure if any of you have ever heard of this site, but it seems marvelous. It's a place where you can sell your handmade goods or buy someone elses! I seemed to stumble on this site frequently when I found illustrators I liked on Flickr.

They have several categories to peruse including jewelry, art, furniture, crafts, quilts, books, candles and pottery.

What a great place to find inspiration even if you aren't interested in buying.

http://www.etsy.com/index.php

backgrounds for designing websites

This is just a fun website I ran across today http://www.bgpatterns.com/.

Josh Spear, Trendspotting

Have you ever heard of someone who's profession is just to spot trends? I haven't and would have loved to have thought of the idea, but Josh Spear is someone who did. He came up with the idea in his journalism class and now his opinion is very saught after.

Click the image to read the about section and be inspired by the trends:

swap meet!

If you draw something and send it, your sketch will travel to someone else and you get a neat little sketch drawn by another person:) fun diversions.

http://www.sketchswap.com/

Artist Stephanie Fizer

Searching through flickr I found artist Stephanie Fizer. Her work is whimsical and cheerful. Check her work out @ flickr.com/photos/fizerfaeryart.
Her work is also for sale @ http://www.etsy.com.

I love the poca dot tea cup, its just adorable.

Carlo Rossi & wine jug uses

So I had an empty Carlo Rossi wine jug and wondered how I could make use out of such a unique container. Of course, I searched online for what other people might have done and found that their website alone gives suggestions.

Hmmm...I'm thinking I might try the lamp idea.


On top of that, the website is pretty nice. More modern than I expected from an old world style wine.
http://www.carlorossi.com/

The Daily Monster

A monster a day will keep the chills away... ok cheeseeee. Anyways this dude started making one monster a day and it turned it to something huge! The book is really cool, and the videos entertaining.

http://344design.typepad.com/

Moo print and Cupcakes

http://www.moo.com/
This website is fun, I just ordered a sticker book, I will share images when I get them.

Also I had my first wedding this weekend for a cupcake order. It was really fun and the bride was very happy. It was a green daisy themed wedding, just beautiful! They had a perfect day too for an out side wedding!

??

why aren't my websites link-able?

Creative Retreat

Artist's Way Women's Retreat at Lakeside, Ohio - 2008
September 19, 20, & 21

There's still spots available, I believe, for this retreat.
I'm going...

http://wfedan.webs.com/theartistswayretreat.htm

color-tastic!

amy schimler's color is to die for! her illustrations are wonderfully whimsical, but whenever I need a color pick-me-up, I can always count on amy!

http://www.amyschimler.com/index.html

print & pattern

I love this blog!
http://printpattern.blogspot.com/

they have tons of snapshots of cool gifty product pattern and design.

Sunday

Hi Everyone!
I was just thinking, it would be super fun, if everyone made a flickr account and uploaded pictures every once in a while that are inspiring as well. I'm pretty much obsessed with flickr so I don't know if anyone else will share this interest. I thought I would just through it out there. What do you all think?

Cake Spy

This is one of my favorite blogs http://www.cakespy.com/
Her paintings always are fun to look at. In one of her interviews on another site she said she makes about eight a day. How fun would that be! Talk about endless possibilities.

Marian Bantjes: Illustrator/Typographer

I keep coming across this lady. She does some pretty cool stuff with Typography. I am amazed at her typeset sugar. Seems so time consuming, but rewarding. Wouldn't it be nice to be commissioned to do this?

http://www.bantjes.com/

Take care of yourself

Yeah, it's Friday! Happy August 1st too. Hard to believe we're this far into the summer. I wish it was June 1st!!

A reality check is my inspiration/encouragement for the day. Take time to do something really special this weekend. Whether it be pampering yourself, spending time with someone special in your life, sleeping, exercising, reading--whatever! Do something that you couldn't pay a million dollars for. 

I'm planning to go to a parade with Keegan and then go swimming with him. Maybe we'll even jump in a sprinkler. :)

Love yourself and others well.

K:)

Friday... very early Saturday

Since I think that flickr is the best thing since sliced bread I have a link from there as well:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cupcakeenvy
These little cakes always amaze me.

Also I suggest you all try this really fun add on for firefox:
http://www.piclens.com/
Its really awesome to use when scrolling through flickr images, plus it has its own flickr search bar in the upper right had corner. So sweet! You can also look at news ect. Its fun times, try it out.

woops

winesofsubstance.com

wine architecture

Happy Friday!

pretty cool site my cousin sent me : www.wineofsubstance.com

a friend of his got to work on a labeling system - won an award  "coolest wine label in washington state" for a month. 

Because it's been a long day...

...here's a Double Friday Inspiration:

One:
I came upon this website and actually subscribed to their e-newsletter. It's nice to get a few ideas for where you live. There are also other links at the top for kitchen, nursery, tech, and green home.
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/

Two:
I found this illustrator on Flickr not too long ago and just loved her style! I really like the other knick-knacks she makes with her art. Check out Theodesign---> http://www.flickr.com/photos/theodesign/

-R

Photography

Here is a photographer that I just came across. Her work is so inspiring and refreshing. People are captured for who they are. . .their spirit. Photoshop can do amazing things, but it definitely cannot capture/correct a person's inner beauty.

jenthompsonphotography.com

Happy Friday! :)

Art by Linzie Hunter

Hunter has a unique style I love to look at, She was recently featured in HOW magazine. Here is a link to more of her work. What do you think? http://www.flickr.com/photos/linzie/

Hi Everyone,

I have sent out invitations, if you make your own gmail account and sign in using that you will then have credit for the posts you make. If you have any questions or want to add anyone else let me know. Thanks!!

Well, first things first. Welcome to all the women who are artists of some type. I'm so excited about having a community of just women who are artists. I think most of us work with a lot of men and it's very refreshing to have a community of just girl talk. I'm really looking forward to developing these relationships.

This week I was designing a postcard and wanted some cheap vintage artwork. I found this site: www.missmary.com. She has a good amount of artwork and it is very reasonably priced. It was just fun to browse the images as well. 

TGIF!!! :)

TGIF!

Here is a great design links to start this off. Hope you enjoy! http://www.smashingmagazine.com/