Weekend Links 6/29

+ blueprint light fixture
From Anthropologie via Design for Mankind.
I love this. Too bad it's almost $2500.

+ hidden bed
Via Swiss Miss.
This very cool. It could make a bedroom into a living room or office or studio really easily.

+ herman miller wallpapers
Via Design Work Life.
These wallpapers are really fun (and free)! I have one up on my desktop now.

+ snug magnets
Via Swiss Miss.
These are really cool. I had something similar as a kid, but these versions are much nicer colors.

+ wood you guess it coasters
From ModCloth.
These are really funky. I like the photographic look.

Do you have a favorite link from today?

Fashion Fun

Every now and then I like to post some imaginary outfits from ModCloth. I like playing around with clothes, and this is a way I can do it without actually buying everything!

I loved the bright colored dress in this outfit, and of course the yellow sandals are right up my alley!

No. 1 // No. 2 // No. 3 // No. 4

Here's a more casual outfit. I like the idea of colored jeans (so fun!), and I like the yellow accessories too.

No. 1 // No. 2 // No. 3 // No. 4

If I had the $, I'd love to wear either of these outfits. Do you like them too?

Jenny Volvovski: From Cover to Cover

Thanks to Design Work Life, I recently came across a project called From Cover to Cover. Jenny Volvovski, one of the designers at Also, designs a new cover for books she reads. I haven't heard of all of the books she's read, so I'm not necessarily recommending them, but I love the idea of the project and it's fun to look at Jenny's different designs.

Here's a cover for a book I actually just finished, Crime and Punishment. I love the typography in this. I can't tell for sure, but it looks like she did some paper cutting with a craft knife and photographed it. The shadows in the title are definitely appropriate for the story line of the book.

I love the way she interpreted the title of this book using type. The thin lines of the font are really nice, and I love the way some of them extend so naturally. I like how the letters intertwine with each other while still being readable.

The illustration on this cover is really interesting. I love the overlapping, layered look. And I think it's really interesting that she put the text underneath the pattern. Usually I would tend to just stick the text on top, but I like that Jenny came up with a more interesting plan than that. And yet the text is still readable even though it's covered by the pattern.

I'm sure most of you will recognize this one! I really like the watercolor looking circles. When I think of watercolors, I definitely don't think of using all black, and I like that Jenny used a style with a color it's not typically associated with. I also really like the contrast in this cover.

What do you think of Jenny's book cover project? Do you have a favorite cover?

Romans 5:1–11

Romans 5:1–11 is such a wonderful Scripture passage. It's one of my favorites. So I thought I'd make a poster of it to share!

download:

romans 5:1–11 poster (JPG, 1.53 MB)

font:

tex gyre adventor

Weekend Links 6/22

+ clipboard wall
Via SwissMiss.
I love this idea. Maybe I'll do it in my bedroom.

+ diy cross-stitch cookies
From Design*Sponge.
What a cute idea! I love how they all make a pattern when they're put together.

+ crafty iphone case
Via SwissMiss.
Keeping with the cross-stitch theme, here's an embroider-able iPhone case. What a cool idea!

+ stendig calendar
Via Design*Sponge.
I love this calendar. To me at least, this would be like having a piece of art on the wall. Ah, all that Helvetica!

+ hand-drawn map of london
From Evermade via FormFiftyFive.
This is so lovely and cheerful looking! Jenni Sparks did some wonderful illustration here.

Do you have a favorite item from today's weekend links?

Polaroid Business Cards

I saw these Polaroid business cards on FPO, and I really love the idea and the personalized, handmade look.

The fact that these are actual Polaroid prints is way cool, and the white paint printed on top is very fun! I love the way the emblem is consistent but the irregularity of the printing makes each card unique.



These are one of the more unusual and aesthetically pleasings sets of business cards I've seen.



What do you think of them?

Artist Spotlight: Brent Couchman

It's been awhile since I've done an Artist Spotlight post, but I still love the concept of highlighting the work of skilled artists and designers that I come across online. Today's artist spotlight is Brent Couchman. I really like the work he's done for Fossil as well as some of his other projects. He has a playful, vintage, easygoing style.

Here are some notebooks he designed for Fossil. I love the color scheme and the down to earth style. These are just so cool. I'd love to have a set myself. Besides the actual notebooks, I love the idea of designing for stationery and other products. It's one thing to design a brochure that a business prints, but it's a different and  (I think) very exciting thing to design something that is mass-produced for people to buy. I'd love to do that one day. Like Brent Couchman did with these notebooks.

One of my favorite things in Brent's portfolio is this logo he designed for a custom tote bag maker. It's laid back and homey, but elegant at the same time. The color scheme is funky, and I love the custom lettering. It's fancy, but the slightly irregular lines make it seem a little retro and a lot down to earth, which I really like.

I love some of the things in Brent's play category, too. His West Coast typography piece is really fun. It looks like he crafted the letters in paper and then photographed it: way cool. I love the idea of using handmade elements in design. I like the way the paper makes shadows on the background.

This typography piece is really nice, too. I love the way the letters fit together to make a real piece of art. This is more than just words typed out (although those can be lovely); it's a purposeful arrangement.

This is a different style but also very nice. The tiles remind me of a pegboard toy I had as a kid. I like the precision of the curves on the letter forms, as well as the gradient-like color scheme.

One last thing: this bike illustration is just so much fun. I love the way the bikes are seamlessly intertwined. And the white pattern on the textured tangerine colored background is a subtle but pleasing contrast.

Do you like Brent Couchman's work?

HT: Design Work Life

Dana Tanamachi: New Work

I love Dana Tanamachi's chalk lettering work. It has been no stranger to my blog in the past! Chalk lettering is such a unique little niche, and yet Dana's work has many design elements. Her typography is stunning. Here are a few new pieces of hers I came across through Ampersand Design Studio's blog.

+ how magazine cover

I love this. The way the typography takes center stage on the cover is so cool and eye-catching! I love Dana's hand-drawn type. The precision of the letter forms mixed with the natural, almost messy chalkboard texture is an interesting visual contrast.

+ tommy store installations

Dana's wall-sized pieces for this store in Japan are also really cool. I love the way she mixed in those delicate flower designs. The swirly, elegant designs mixed with some bold typography are nice.

 

Do you like Dana's work, too? I'd love to know what you think!

Mash Creative: Grazing Flyer

I came across these flyers for a cafe in London's Design Museum on AisleOne. I saw them, loved them, and then realized that they were designed by Mash Creative, of State of the Obvious fame. No wonder I like them!

But really, aren't these flyers cool? The colors are excellent; so bright and cheery. They go well with a cafe with a playful name like "Grazing." I love that the same flyer comes in four different colors. It seems unusual to vary the color on a single consistent item, but why not do it? It really provides and interesting, happy twist to the design.

I think my favorite thing about this design though, is how the coupon for a free hot drink is incorporated into the design. Coupons in general don't have a reputation for being wonderfully designed, but this one flows seamlessly with the flyer itself and is actually quite lovely.

What do you think of these flyers?

Summertime

It's summertime, and I'm back to blogging! I can't wait to start sharing design inspiration with you all again. I have lots of cool stuff bookmarked that I'm excited to post about.

Now about the little blogging hiatus. I hit a little road block because I had just about run out of image hosting room on my account. But I found a way around the problem, so all is well and I can start posting again. It may or may not be every day; I have lots to say so I may end up posting more than I had planned to! Look for more posts in the coming days, but for now, I just wanted to say hello again. Also check out the free poster I put up earlier.

Faith & Sight

I read this quote by Spurgeon and so loved the concept of our faith being made sight. Faith and hope are precious gifts here on earth, but one day we won't need them anymore because we'll see our Savior face to face. We'll be able to behold instead of hope. "My faith shall be sight"—simple words from a hymn that remind me of this wonderful truth.

download:

faith & sight poster (JPG, 1.97 MB)
Personal use only, please!

credits:

font: theano didot
photo: yours truly