| taste testing

Giver's Log is a site I follow via my lovely google reader (whatever would I do without that thing?), thanks to a friend of mine who thought I'd enjoy the gift wrapping ideas (which I do!). A few weeks ago, I happened upon a post requesting taste testers. I quickly commented, hoping I was speedy enough to be chosen. Sure enough, I was!

Amber, of Giver's Log, was kind enough to mail not only one but two tasting samples to a friend's address who we were visiting in Chicago the next week. Fully intent on documenting our mini tasting party, I brought my camera.

I'll let the pictures do the work, but I will say that we really should have tasting parties more often. Who knew they could be so much fun?

If our samples were any indication, you're going to want to hop on over to Amber's shop when it opens later this month and snatch up some hot chocolate for yourself! You can read more about it here and here. Yum! Seriously, it's like Europe style hot chocolate. Swiss Miss dreams of being this good.

Carefully reading the instructions.

Notice our excellent choice in milk, for those of you in the Chicago area.

Becky, nicely stirring the first sample, as it heats up.

Whoever said sake cups were limited only to sake?

Sample number two, er, technically number 13 as they were labeled.

Our very official looking notes.

Thanks, Amber, for some wonderful samples! Can't wait til the store is open :)

| Do Fun Stuff

I'm a few days behind on this because, well, life is just a bit crazy at the moment. But better late than never, right? (at least that's what I like to tell myself) I stumbled upon Pacing the Panic Room at some point during the first maternity series and have been hooked ever since. I loved the photography and the writing was just so honest and down to earth.

On Monday they debuted a children's album to benefit a rare genetic disorder called Smith Magenis Syndrome. At the very least, check it out and educate yourself. Just knowing it exists is a step in the right direction. Then, play a few tracks from the cd and if you think it's as fun and catchy as I do, pick it up on iTunes and know that your money went to a good cause.

Find out more here.

| a freshman again

[I debated over writing this post. I wondered if it would be better to not say anything, to make it seem like I had my act together, like it came easily for me. That was until I realized that I'm a horrible liar and the artists (and their blogs) that I respect the most are the ones who are willing to be vulnerable and share.]

{sigh} No, I'm not going back to school. But I feel like a Freshman all over again. Starting out on a new venture will do that to you. There's all the excitement of "the new" combined with the nervous butterflies (and slight urge to hurl) knowing that everywhere you look are people who are doing it better and longer than you.

This past weekend we drove up to Madison, WI to visit with some great friends who we hadn't seen in a while. They're an awesome duo with an even awesomer (totally not a word but I'm using it anyway) kid - she's way cooler than I'll ever be. He does videography and she's a photographer so together they're a one stop shop for documenting that special wedding day. So, of course our conversation often turned towards photography. I tried to glean as much of their professional wisdom as possible in a 48 hour period.

This is where feeling like a Freshman comes into play. I had a 300 level class my freshman year of undergrad that was probably a bit premature, but I did it anyway. I remember feeling so intimidated by the upper class men who understood the material and could ask in depth questions, all while I was still trying to figure out what page we were discussing. But every now and again there would be moments of "I get it!" where something would click and I'd actually feel like maybe just maybe I could hold my own if I was called upon. Welcome to my world. This is how I've been feeling lately. Immensely intimidated most of the time, with short bursts of confidence sprinkled in to keep me going in the right direction.

So... all that to say, the ball is rolling. Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but it's rolling. I'm going with it as best I can. There are some important things in the works this week. I hope to share a new online gallery with you, which will allow you to order prints and have them sent straight to your very own door. I'm going to put together a price list for sessions. I need to pull together forms for all the legalese which needs to be signed off on. Basically, the little things that can't be overlooked but often aren't thought about when conjuring up that "big picture" plan.

Stay tuned!

[Shameless plug: if you're in the Madison/Chicago area and have that big day coming, book Primavera Studios. They're great. Seriously. Go, call them, now.]

kjk : in pink

I had such a hard time picking which photos to post here. You have NO idea. It was proof that yet again, the best pictures often come at the end of the shoot, when everyone has relaxed, your guard is down AND you push the envelope, asking for things that seem ridiculous but in the end turn out awesome. I would like to publicly thank kjk for being such a good sport and for carting half her wardrobe (not to mention accessories) out to OP for this shoot. Also for being a spicy Asian, in addition to being a great friend.

Can you say, "Hot?"

And hotter.

Can't you just feel the grit?

This commences the "jumping bean" phase. Get ready. It's awesome.

I'm pretty sure in her other life she's an Asian Superhero.

Our spoils.

What's becoming my signature shot.

kjk : a sneak peek

Over the weekend kjk was kind enough to allow me to use her as a guinea pig for some photo shoot ideas that I had. It was hot, we had multiple bags of accessories, I made her wear heels and walk around OP, but she was a trooper and all I can say is that end of the shoot made everything worth it. Not only did I get a great series, we also did some crazy stuff that made us both double over in laughter. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. I'll show you why in a few days, but for now here's a glimpse from the start.

Etsy

I realize it's been awhile. I apologize, but KR has been here for the week and so I'm happily distracted with best friend things. I'm also consumed with making a gift for a friend who just had a baby boy last Thursday. K is helping me tremendously. Her experience with yarn and needles supersedes mine by a whole lot.

(Proven by the conversation we had about a week before she came out to visit, trying to determine what pattern to use:
K: So how much do you know about knitting?
Me: I can knit, or purl, it's one or the other, I'm not sure, but I can do one of them!)

But she's a fine teacher, so I'm hopeful I'll be done before she leaves. I'll reveal pictures later this month after I've gifted it to its rightful little owner.

My excitement for today comes in the form of Etsy. I've mentioned Etsy before, I'm sure. But today marked the day of my first Etsy purchase. This is a big deal folks. I've been working up to this for about 2 years now. Seriously. KJK is dearest friends with JL, who makes AMAZING things out of silver and stone. This is her Etsy shop: The Noisy Plume Check it out, it's wonderful. I've been stalking her shop for a good long while. Her creations are simply gorgeous and full of heart, but many of them are just a bit too big for my britches. I have small britches, they go with my small fingers and my small feet. So I waited, I waited for just the right piece that would cry "This is ME!" and fit my budget. And this morning, I found it! I actually found it earlier, weeks ago, but someone snatched it up before I could get to it. But not today! Today victory was mine! Pressing PayPal has never been so satisfying.

Baby Bonbon Earrings, welcome home. I can't wait to have you arrive in the mail. And then dangle you from my ears. We're going to be happy together, I just know it.

This is JL's photo from her Etsy shop. Have you checked it out yet? Go!
Then when you're done, go to her blog and see lovely tidbits from her silver-smithing life.

photography: Nick Cobbing

Since I don't have anything new of my own to post (I'm working on it, I promise) I thought I'd share with you this snazzy photographer I happened upon today: Nick Cobbing. He has some amazing pictures of glaciers (beautiful!) and of some other projects he's worked on like Kenya schools and an art installation of blue crystals (weird but cool). Check him out!

day three.

When you can't read things online, you start looking at pictures. Hello Flickr. Let me first warn you that hours, and I mean HOURS, can be lost on Flickr. Because of its addictive nature, I really must get off and back to work, but I wanted to share a photographer I found with you. I love what he's done with his son's play toys. It's just brilliant. Maybe one day I'll collaborate with a friend and do something similar. Might need a new lens for that occasion. Hmmm. Christmas list starting in June? I think so.



Seriously, check this guy out, Ed McGowan. That's one of his pictures above. He's the director of design at PlainJoe Studios in CA. Picked up a DSLR a little over a year ago. How crazy is that? Check out the PlainJoe website as well. They've got some great designs and branding. And whaddya know? They seem to have some faith based clients. Always nice to see the Christian realm opting for GOOD design (let's be honest, they're not always on the cutting edge, folks).

This excited me today, not entirely sure why, but it did.

Wonder if they'd hire freelance from Chicago?

a trend?

I found this oddly amusing so I just had to share. There are a big handful of design blogs I follow (thank you kjk for showing me the genius of google reader, how did I ever live without it?) and one of them happens to be Design*Sponge. A fun blog with lots of posts. Well wouldn't you know but this morning she posted about Dieline! I thought it ironic that I had just shared it with you yesterday. I guess great minds think alike, right?!

packaging

It's all about the presentation, at least that's what my mom used to say. I'm pretty sure she can gift wrap like no one else. If there was a gift wrapping competition she could do it with about three pieces of tape and perfectly folded corners. She could make a little 5 dollar gift look like it was meant for a queen. Seriously. It wasn't til I got to college that I realized that this phrase really rings true in design work. You could have a marvelous project, but if it's not displayed well, it detracts from the work. On the other hand, a good photograph can become great when it's framed in such a way to compliment it.(Don't get me started on the process of choosing matting and frames... I feel like I'm making a commitment akin to marriage every time I try to pick)

So without further ado, I present to you TheDieline.com. I found it last week as I was scouring for design blogs and sites to peruse on a daily basis. Boy am I happy I did. I have been known (on more than one occasion) to buy something merely because I am drawn to the packaging, doesn't even matter what's inside. I see the box, the jar, the lid, the bag, whatever it is, and I must get it. M, being the wonderful man that he is, has picked up on this and at times has even been able to say, "You just like what it comes in, don't you?" To which I gaze up at him with that grin that says, "I really MUST have this." The Dieline site is pages and pages of things like that. Let me show you a few:

Yael Miller of Miller Creative

Designed by Asprey Creative

Hattomonkey, a Russian design firm

enormouschampion Kingdom Animalia

an Easter treat!

Remember way back in November when I won a free photo shoot for my parents from Hoffer Photography? They got a chance to redeem it last Thursday and I think the results are just wonderful!

Check it out!

This is a BIG thanks to Tony, who took some awesome pictures of two people I love dearly. If you're in need of a photographer, Tony's your man.

featuring : Teri Lyn Fisher and others

Somehow I stumbled upon Teri Lyn Fisher last week and wanted to share her great photography with all of you. She also has a great food blog here. It combines great food with awesome photography... warning it may make you hungry. {Picture credit for above goes to her}

Then I wandered onto this little ditty: A girl and her polaroids. Fun stuff there too.

featuring : dogstardesign

| Rodney Davidson DOGSTAR Design |

My visit to the library last Saturday yielded some great books on design. While peering through numerous examples of branding, I came across the image above and thought it genius. Can you see the C and the A that stand for Cigar Aficionado? And yet, it's just a guy with a hat on, puffing away on his cigar. I love the simplicity of it. Clean, simple, clear design. I often strive for this but usually don't hit it on the mark as well as this does. DOGSTAR has some other great examples of design on their site. Like this one for a walk in clinic:

| Rodney Davidson DOGSTAR Design |

This one is amazingly subtle. Walk in. Okay, I get it, there are footprints. But look closer... do you see the "plus" sign in the middle that often stands for "hospital." That's the clinic part. I love how he used the negative space to convey the rest of the meaning. Brilliant!

Ironically enough, I went from reading through this book: "Business Graphics: 500 Designs That Link Graphic Aesthetic and Business Savvy"


to this posting by a friend this morning entitled, "Is Advertising Art?" What an interesting question to ponder. Especially in light of the fact that I'm trying to get ideas for a new brochure design for a client. And while of course I'd like to think of my work as "art" it also has a distinct purpose which is to "sell." In this specific case it's selling a service, hospice care, but it's still consumer based. It's not ars gratia artis (art for art's sake). It's trying to get something done, convey a message, invoke an action (in this instance hopefully choosing to go with this hospice over another). Is that art? I'm really not quite sure. It's hardly on the same lines as a Caravaggio painting or a Brancusi sculpture. But the most successful designs (or branding) make use of aesthetic elements in the best way, just like a good painting does. So maybe in the end they are based on the same set of "rules" but have a different purpose or intent.

Whew! That's enough deep thought for 8 in the morning. Thanks for letting me hash that out a bit with you. Now it is off to start my day!

link trails

Tonight, when I should have been researching prices of Herman Miller chairs, I was looking at blogs. And here's what I stumbled upon and how.

Satsuma Press blog > Seeing the Everyday > Seeing the Everyday blog > Take Out Photo blog > which has some great photography and an interview with Brad Slade who took some awesome pictures for the magazine. I want to post them but I'm not sure I'm really allowed. So you'll just have to go check them out for yourself! (My favorite is the one kneading bread)

color

What a busy, fun, traffic filled, full of friends and food weekend it was! Hope yours was just as enjoyable.

Here's a little something to distract you from the "back to work Monday blues." I found this test browsing this blog and thought it was quite fun. You know you want to try it!


The lower the score the better. Your results show you what areas of the color spectrum are the hardest for you to differentiate. It's pretty hard. I had M do it as well and we both scored the same, with our weakness in the same hue.

Go and do it and come back and share!

sunny day

In Colorado a sunny day usually meant warmth. No matter how cold it might be, if the sun was out you could warm up in it. You are a mile high, it makes a difference. But here, in Chicago, no such luck. Now that winter has really sunk its teeth in, sunny days are deceptive. The appearance of sun and a crystal clear sky typically mean it's colder out than it looks. And today is no exception. It's currently 9 degrees. (sigh)

A friend passed along a link that I wanted to share because I enjoyed it so much. It was a post from The Girl Project blog about felt cameras. How cool are these?

They're sewn by a girl, Blythe and you can see more of her stuff here. She has an etsy shop, but currently there's nothing listed. They're just so cute!

The Girl Project is pretty cool as well. Via the site: "The Girl Project is a national collection of photographs taken by teenage girls. The photographs represent teenage girlhood and life as seen through the eyes of young women in America. The strongest images will be edited into a book and a traveling exhibition on female adolescence." Fascinating for me the psych/art major.

I hope you're having a wonderful Friday. I don't know about you, but I am ready for the weekend. My "to do list" is quite long as we're having some friends over to watch the super bowl and I really need to get our place in order! (and food made - of the potato soup variety) Stay warm!

I love how the sun reflects off our warm wooden floors!

inspiration

One of the lovely gifts I received on my birthday was this mug from PaperSource. Unbeknown to the giver of this gift was the fact that I had actually had my eye on this mug for some time, secretly wanting to take it home with me. On Monday it came decked out in a Chinese New Year bag (as it was the Chinese New Year of the Ox) with some very yummy fair trade tea to accompany it.



This morning seemed a good time to try out my new mug and tea. I was not disappointed. The Ceylon Chai is quite lovely, with or without milk. And I fear I may have a new favorite tea company. You can find them right here at equalexchange.coop They even have a blog where you can read more about small tea farmers and fair trade.


It'll be a nice way to remind myself to "create" even on the days when I don't feel I have anything to contribute. Sometimes it's just a matter of getting the juices flowing. Or in this case, tea.

new background for the blog

I realize that this may not be as exciting to you as it is to me. For a while now I've been wanting to "spice up" the background of my blog and make it look a bit more three dimensional. Today I finally threw together an image using photoshop, a few varying brushes, two colors and some drop shadows and "whaa-laaa!" I've got a new background. I think I like it. We'll have to see, now that I have the right code in the style sheet and I can play around with the image anytime I want. What do you think?

um... it got colder?

It does not seem to be warming up yet. M got up at 5 to go to the gym, until we realized it was -15ºF out and I made him crawl back in bed to keep me warm for another hour or so. And then it dropped another degree. I may try to venture out for yoga tonight, since I promised a friend but it's going to take layers of scarves and mittens to keep me warm.

On a warmer note: I stumbled upon this kitchen remodel yesterday via Design*Sponge. And I can't decide if I love the refrigerator or not. I love the idea, I love how it looks, but I realized that it would require keeping a very organized (and clean) refrigerator. I do have a knack for keeping a fairly tidy ice box and have been known to hunt down moldy, expired objects in others' kitchens while house-sitting, but this would take it to a new level.



See what I mean? Could you keep it clean enough?

okay, i'll tell you now...

Now that the cat's out of the bag, I can share it with the rest of you.

Courtesy of Hoffer Photography (their link is over on the right down there) I won my parents a free 2 hour photo shoot along with $25 towards prints they like. The contest started a few months back and I toyed with entering, but figured there was no chance I could win, so I put off putting an entry together. Then one week before it was to end, I had a few spare hours one evening and decided, "what the heck, it's worth a try!" With the help of some scanned in pictures and iMovie I put together a little video pleading my case. And it worked!

Tony is an old high school friend of mine (in fact, I believe we even went to nursery school together) and he's been doing some amazing photography work, so I'm very excited to have the Hoffers capture some great shots of my parents.

You can see the entry here on Hoffer's blog. Go check it out! And while you're at it browse through some of their recent shoots...great stuff!