scarfshop.

i'm loving these hand-dyed scarves by minneapolis-based scarfshop.  the beautiful color combos, the seemingly random application of color, the crinkly texture of the cotton - they're the perfect item to wrap up in for fall!

vintage camp invitations!

i am so stoked to finally share some pictures of another project i worked on last month - designing the wedding invitations for my good friends oliver and naya!  of course it doesn't hurt to work on a project for someone you already know, especially when they are planning an epic weekend-long wedding party set at a vintage summer camp, so there was no way this wasn't going to be fun.  naya and i have very similar color inclinations to begin with, a good starting point, but the rest of the inspiration really came from the camp itself - the rustic cabins are tipped in bright teal paint, and the archery targets pop out of the natural setting with their yellow, red and blue concentric circles.  vintage camp ephemera and signage also helped define the mood and typography choices. 

aside from the main invitation, everything was digitally printed, cut, and folded in house by me! the invite was printed on maple veneer by the lovely folks at cards of wood, located in western michigan.  the veneer is flexible, but sturdy enough to survive the journey that invites have to make through the mail, and the wood was a perfect material for the theme. the maple was nice because it had a distinct, noticeable grain that made each piece unique.

my favorite parts to work on were the fold-out map and wedding weekend checklist.  since this is a days-long event with loads of activities sprinkled throughout the gorgeous camp property, i thought it would be most fun to create a map and legend that guests could bring with them on their stay.  the layout was inspired by vintage travel postcards, though i took a more modern approach with the illustration itself.  for those staying at the camp, i created a small checklist with hand-drawn illustrations of the items needed to survive the weekend.  my favorite?  outdoor finery.  my feathery fascinator is lined up and ready to go.

last but not least, the icing on the invitation cake was a custom return address stamp, designed by me and made by los angeles based company paperwink (their made-to-order stamps are great as well!).  so now that the invites are out and there's less than a month to go, all i have left to do is sit back and look forward to the big event!  that, and practice my archery stance.  in heels.

a san francisco wedding!

i've been so excited to share a project i worked on recently - a set of wedding invitations for my coworker teresa, a super sweet girl planning a laid back san francisco-themed wedding.  teresa is classy preppy, but also very casual, so she wanted these to have a friendly and fun vibe.  we decided to go with a hand-done look, and there is literally no part of these invites, type or illustration, that i didn't draw out on paper first!  luckily she had already chosen a tight palette of red, blue, gray, and navy, with pops of yellow, so that dictated the colors for the invitations.  the san francisco theme (and location of the ceremony) made it incredibly easy to pull iconic landmarks for the illustrations.  the main invite was digitally printed with pigment inks on velvet matte fine-art paper, while the details and RSVP cards were printed on premium matte card stock.  

in addition to the invites, i also helped create some of the decorations for the reception and ceremony!  i'll update later with some of her professional pics from the big day, but for now i'll give you a sneak peek of one of the four banners that i worked on (carried by the flower girl!)...

i am increasingly more and more excited by the projects i take on in my personal creative business and can't wait to continue on at this pace.  keep posted, as i will be sharing more goodies soon!

systems of space.

i'm in love with alexander kori girard.  the abstract pieces from his "systems of space" series have an almost-symmetrical-but-not-quite quality that i love, and aside from the strong color combinations that he employs, i enjoy discovering objects in the abstractions, like fireplaces or pinball machines.  he also blends these techniques with collage using old photographs.  the "systems in space" pieces are done in gouache (one of my favorite mediums), which is even more impressive when you learn that the paintings are about 2' x 3' - no easy feat to get color that flat and even at that scale!  check out more of his work here.

burberry prorsum.

thank you, christopher bailey, for designing an entire line just for me this fall.  now all i have to do is start saving.  

you're just my type, anna garforth.

english artist anna garforth is just my type, using unorthodox materials such as tape, moss, plants, leaves, and even cookies, to make bold installations with simple typographic statements.  while her work is clearly well-thought out and has a refined finish, it still feels loose and organic.  and seriously, those cookies, with the slightly browned edges?  now those are making me drool in more ways than one.  check out more of her work here.

tonight.

was perfect.  thank you, bon iver. 

ann margret.

oh, ann margret.  this swedish-american actress and model was known for being one of america's 1960s sex-kitten sweethearts, and it's pretty easy to understand why.  that smile, that voice, and damn, that hair.  for mad men fans like myself, you may remember her charming song and dance from "bye bye birdie," but she also stars in one of my favorite dance scenes, from viva las vegas, where she nearly outshines the ridiculously charismatic elvis presley.  prepare to be charmed.

missoni for target.

if you were like me today, you may have spent the early part of your morning elbowing throngs of wild-eyed women who had clearly beaten you to the caffeine by at least five or six hours.  the reason?  missoni's collaboration with target launched today, featuring over 400 products in the brand's signature patterns and colors.  what i had seen online, and what i caught glimpses of flying through the air in the store, looked lovely, and i was even able to *politely* nab a few nice things for myself (like the dress and heels above).  the less cool part?  the people who frantically snatched everything up this morning just so they could sell it for tenfold on ebay.  

vintage lust.

today fab.com featured some gorgeous refurbished vintage typewriters by kasbah mod and it took everything in my power not to snatch one up.  even a simple note or letter feels more special as you click clack away on one of these beautiful machines, and they are so damned good looking that i'd feel obliged to pin up my hair and put on a pencil skirt if i was in the same room with one.  granted, most of them are sold out by now, but a girl can dream anyway, one carriage return at a time.

color study XI.

1. evolution titanium coated quartz.  2. essie going incognito.  3. alexis bitter alexandria gold encased bracelet.  4. the picture of dorian gray, cover by jessica hische.  5. anthropologie dots within blouse.  6. asos colorblock contrast satchel.  7. jeffrey campbell forest pump.  8. madewell sketched shapes scarf.  9. christine soccio esoteric 2011.

lanvin.

when i saw the new lanvin fall 2011 campaign video, a huge smile spread across my face.  beautiful caped girls, be-hatted boys, and a funky beat by pitbull?  thank you lanvin, and especially you adorable alber elbaz, for not taking fashion so seriously.  check out the collection here.

you're just my type, jon contino.

if you haven't noticed already, i'm a huge fan of hand-lettered type, and native new-yorker jon contino has it in spades.  he has fully embraced the old-timey, suspender-wearing, wartime-patriot, beard and tattoos aesthetic, but because each piece so clearly has his point-of-view, it still reads as modern and fresh.  the textures, the small details, and the imperfections make each piece so strong, it's no wonder he's such a success.  these are just a few of his pieces - the guy is insanely prolific - so check out more of his work here.  he's got a great blog too!  

tchmo.

these are not your grandmother's landscapes and portraits.  the pieces you see above are the work of australian mash-up artist tchmo, who clearly has an eye for unique texture and color.  his mixed-media pieces have a gritty, photocopied-feeling that suggests something more worn, while the candy vibrant color feels like something straight out of an acid trip.  either way, that's a trip i'd like to take.  see more of his work here.