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:)