I'm back!

Yes, it's true. My hiatus is over! I moved into my new apartment successfully with the help of a some very helpful cousin, sisters, and boyfriend. Thanks to everyone who was oh so helpful. I don't think I would have survived the 3 flights of stairs without you!

Moving!

Finally found a lovely place to move to in Long Beach. Things a re a bit busy, be back in a bit!

Ruven Afanador

These are beautiful and different and oh so captivating, don't you think? See more of it here.

Adina Organics

Tasty beverages, oh joy! I recently bought myself an Adina Organics Lavender Lemonade at Cost Plus and it was pretty tasty if I do say so myself. At first I was just attracted to the hand painted style of the packaging. but was pleasantly surprised at how good it was and by the good it does. Adina works with small farmers, co-ops and collectives to encourage fair trade and sustainable, organic practices.

Printing Ersatz

This is via the dailyheller. The piece you see above is a sample of ersatz created by Germany and Austria after WWI. After the war these countries experienced severe financial struggles. Cities began printing and distributing their own bartering money called ersatz. It helped a lot of designers at the time get noticed and it's really interesting to see these pieces now in our own time of financial struggle.

Hello Monday

This weekend was a busy one, lots of preparing for this week. One of my projects was designing some engagement announcements for sister. She's getting married soon, er...soonish in 2010 actually. But the wedding is going to be abroad, hence the early preparation. Here are some snippets of the engagement announcements I've designed for them. It'll be a beach wedding with bright tropical colors, love the hot pink and orange! You wouldn't think the combination would work but it really does. I've also made the whimsical little illustrations of the couple which really resemble them pretty well. I'm pretty happy with the result; we'll be printing on linen paper and enclosing them in mango hued envelopes. I'll post pictures of the finished product soon!

Friday Freebie!!

Found some lovely free wallpaper downloads by Marimekko. Very pretty, very simple, very free! Happy Friday!

John Stewart

Have I mentioned how I love John Stewart? I do. He was great last night the on The Daily Show as he analyzed Sean Hannity's interview with the could be President of the United States, Sarah Palin.

Rony's Photoshow

This looks intriguing...tonight at Royal on Main in Santa Monica BPM Magazine will be hosting a show featuring photobooth shots of celebs. Shots include everyone from Ozzy to Questlove. There'll be a free photobooth, open bar, and 20% off footwear! If you make it out let me know how it goes, go to BPM Magazine to RSVP.

Purell Ads

I came across these little lovelies via Design You Trust. Such cool ads, I love these. Done for Purell by JWT out of Sydney, Australia. Fantastic!

Birthday Shopping

My niece's 3rd birthday is coming up and I found some lovely things on etsy for her today. What do you think?
Fun Purple Stripe Tights by mamarunswithscissors $8.00, Orange Funk Skirt by Ekcole $26.00, Little Black Dot Dress by charity5 $27.00, Aviary in Almond Pinafore by threeyellowstarfish $24.00

Kara Walker Catalog

Kara Walker: My Complement, My Enemy, My Oppressor, My Love. Kara Walker's catalog for her Walker Art Center was featured in I.D. Magazines Annual Design Review. I think it's stunning! The catalog was designed to resemble a slave narrative from the mid 1940's: brilliant! Designed by Andrew Blauvelt and Emmet Byrne.

Addicting.

One Sentence is an incredibly addicting web site that allows users to post one sentence stories. It's amazing how you can just get stuck there reading and reading. Also I think it's an interesting way to simplify the creative process. Think of your goal in the simplest of sentences and it could very well reveal the perfect solution.

Beat the Mondays

This lovely necklace Rainy Days n Mondays by Arete can help you beat the Monday blues $24.00

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Awesome!

Love it. Love it. Love it!! Awesome job done by SNL this past weekend!
Sign the petition, No Way, No How, No Sarah Palin

The New Vibe

Luke Hayman, partner at Pentagram, strikes again with yet another great magazine
redesign. This time Luke Rami Moghadam teamed up to redesign Vibe for it's 15th
Anniversary. You can read all about it on Pentagram's blog.

Things to Smile About

Happy things I ffffound today.

Banksy Hits New Orleans

Just days before the 3rd Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, NoLA was bombed by famed graffiti artist, Banksy. On his site, Banksy explains that he originally came to NoLA "to do battle with the Grey Ghost, a vigilante who's been systematically painting over any graffiti with the same grey shade of paint since 1997". I think the pieces are very fitting and send a profound message all that hasn't been done since Katrina. The area is still very much devastated even now after all this time. Any attention that is brought to this situation is welcome and the pieces are great in true Banksy style.

Buy Vodka, Make a Donation

Absolut Vodka has launched an Absolut Cities campaign featuring different U.S. cities to be featured as the bottle's design and unique limited-edition flavor. Absolut Los Angeles is now available and when you buy the pomegranate flavored booze you'll also help do some good! Absolut will be donating $250,000.00 to Green Way LA from this bottle's proceeds. Plus, the bottle's pretty nice too.

The Goats Are Here!

Oh this is just too awesome! The lovely city of Los Angeles is trying to make "greener" efforts at clean up. Rather than the typical controlled fires burning on freeway embankments and empty plots the city has resorted to goats. Yes, a herd of 100 goats was released onto an empty plot on 4th and Hill. Wonderful!

Supermarket Finds!

Great Supermarket finds today! Stay Fresh Necklace by Melanie Favreau $50.00. Whirl Serving Dish by Kim Westad $200.00. Type Coasters by .acd $25.00. Great Ideas Bottle Journal by Andy Pratt Design $17.00. Rope Tape by BeBack/Soon $15.00. Awesomeness all around!

Iron Jawed Angels

HBO's new original film, Iron Jawed Angels. Very inspiring stuff. The Suffragist movement and all the courage they showed. In a time where women had no vote, no voice, and no rights they paved the way for women everywhere to vote and let themselves be heard in politics. I really want to check this out!

The Uncovered

It's no secret; many of us have no health insurance. 6.7 MILLION Californians alone to be exact. Blue Shield of California has launched an incredibly interactive web site to help solve this crisis. Let's Shield California offers two no-maintenance ways to help. You can record your thoughts or write a pre-written letter to Nancy Pelosi. Good stuff, check it out, get on it!

Threadless Loves Drawing

Threadless is hosting a tee design contest with yummy prizes! Hurry, deadline is September 15th!

The Living Tree House

The big brains over at MIT have developed this amazing fully biodegradable living breathing tree house suitable for human living. The Fab Tree Hab is made primarily of trees, clay, and other 100% living nutrients. Best of all it's cheap to er...grow! And once you purchase your living home you get to watch it's growth and progress until it's ready for you to move in! Fantastic!

Another Redesign!

Oh Luke Hayman what will you redesign next? Hayman just finished working on a lovely cleaned up redesign for Consumer Reports magazine. The new look was launched yesterday. Pentagram's blog has the whole story on the redesign, read up!
(Left Image is Before, the Right is After)

Negatives Are The New Positive

Tucson's Etherton Gallery opens a new project that focuses on the negative. The gallery has published a portfolio by photographer John Loengard. The collection of negatives captures beautifully eerie photos of 19th- and 20th-century negatives. Beautiful!

Rolling Stone Logo Sold to the Highest Bidder!

Designer John Pasche created the famous Rolling Stones icon more than 30 years ago as a student in London for $250. Last week the original print was sold at auction for $92,500. The piece is now in the permanent collection at the London Museum.

Target oh Target, what will you do next?

Target has announced that they plan to open a series of temporary shops in
New York beginning September 12th though the 15th. The shops will be called
"Bullseye Bodegas". Each shop will feature the lovely Target creations of a
different featured designer. How great is that? Oh Target, why not do this near
me and not quite so far away??

Rainbow Poop

I've often wondered, what would be the perfect way to decorate blank walls? The answer is here.
Of course! It's so obvious how could I have missed it??? Rainbow Poop! Perfect!

Oh Shepard Fairey

Shepard Fairey is upset over the unauthorized use of his now famous Obama poster.
Fairey is famous for making stencil art out of other artist's images/photographs. When
asked about the amount of "borrowing" done in his own art Fairey answers, "That's always
been my style," Fairey says. "I don't get permission. I just do it."

I Love Antigirl

The most beautiful imagery I've seen in a while. This piece and many more beautiful
things available here.

Lovely Tees

I found these great illustrations and tee designs by Neither Fish Nor Fowl based out
of Brooklyn. I think they're quite tasty...which shall I buy??