block shop textiles.

when i began studying textiles back in college, the very first thing we learned about in print class was the block printing method, one of the oldest and most direct methods of creating a pattern on fabric.  as long as you have a piece of wood that you can carve, some dye, and some cloth, then you're in business. the company block shop textiles, run by sisters lily and hopie stockman, is a textile company based in bagru, india that embraces and supports old school hand block printing - they work with a family of master printers who have been at it for hundreds of years.  each scarf design is stamped onto a cotton-silk blend with all natural dyes and pigments, so each one is unique.  while i'm bummed that everything on their site is currently sold out, i'm hoping they refresh soon so i can scoop up one of these gorgeous pieces of handiwork for myself!  learn more about block shop here.

meow mix.

just the other day i was looking into my closet and that's when i realized i may officially have a problem with printed shirts - i have many of them - florals, dots, stripes, and oftentimes some that are covered in tiny animals.  much to my dismay and horror, i realized that i am completely lacking in the cat print department.  that's where fellow illustrator and seeming cat aficionado leah goren comes in.  her scarves and simple tops feature her hand-drawn illustrations (a mix of old and new, above) which oftentimes end up being some version of a feline friend.  i love her loose, illustrative style that walks the line between playful and sophisticated, and i'd be happy to have any of these cats, panthers, or other furry creatures join the rest of the gang in my closet.  see more of leah's very lovely work here. 

eskayel.

as somebody obsessed with pattern, wallpaper naturally calls out to me, and i can't wait to one day have my own home so that i can experiment with using it in different ways.  when that day comes, these patterns by brooklyn-based company eskayel will definitely be on my list.  not only are the watercolor prints unique, ethereal, and gently aged, but they're also hand painted on natural and recycled grounds.  now that's beautiful in more ways than one.  see more from their collection here.

secretary.

i am oohing and aahing over the latest autumn/winter line by australian designer kate sylvester, inspired by the cult fim secretary. the collection is elegant while still being quirky, and despite the slightly risque origins each piece still feels completely wearable.  minus the restraints.  see more here.

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!

anthony burrill.

anthony, i couldn't have said it better myself, really.  get your print here.

new prints!

now that the sf renegade craft fair has come and gone (and was awesome, despite the chilly weather), i can finally catch up on some much needed posting - including some of my new prints that are now up in my etsy shop.  there will be more on the way soon, including a 2012 calendar, more prints and friendship badges, and some exciting new accessories!  stay posted!

flowers.

i just got my new deth p. sun "flowers" print from tiny showcase today, and it's even prettier in person.  swoon.  can't wait to add it to my tiny collection.