Paste

New Work: Two weddings and a Christmas card

2012-01-02T18:27:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, pasties! I hope your holiday was filled with rest and renewal, plus lots of joy and laughter. Ours was very busy, as we were lucky enough to spend time with lots of family.

I just updated my site with a few new projects and wanted to share them here, as well. I have a few more small projects I still need to shoot and hope to post them soon. Thanks to Communication Arts for printing all of these jobs!

Calligraphy Christmas card and envelope for L. Thompson McMurtrie, LLC (my dear ol' dad's law firm!)

Calligraphy and watercolor invitation set for a Frida Kahlo-inspired wedding in Houston.

Oversized invitation, reply postcard, and program for our good friend Ashley's wedding in Sonoma.

Happy Monday! Now go take down that Christmas tree!

Charlotte's Big 0-1!

2011-11-03T12:16:00.000-07:00

You know when you see those signs that say "12 Months No Interest!" or "12 Month Tarot Card Reading," or, if you're really lucky in your nearest Mexican souvenir shop, "12 Month Mayan Calendar"?

Well, all "12 months" makes me think of lately is Charlotte, because she's officially one year old! She hit the big 0-1 on October 21st, and we had a little party on the 22nd to celebrate.

On her real birthday I couldn't resist buying her a mini cupcake to celebrate. She liked it, but she loved that candle even more.

I designed this little invitation for her party. It's a timeline of her first year, highlighting such things as "First Word (Ellis)" and "First Auburn National Championship."

We were so fortunate to have special friends and most of our family here to celebrate with us.

Charlotte, my mom and dad

I have such talented friends who helped make Charlotte's party so special. Laura Self Burton of Uprising Cakes blew us all away with her to-die-for almond cake, perfected with flowers on top, a dusting of fine gold glitter, and shell pink ruffles all the way around. Charlotte even got her very own baby smash cake! (Keep scrolling for more photos of her beautiful cakes.)

Charlotte, me, Laura

Laura Rowe has documented Charlotte's first year in photos every three months, and she brought it full circle by shooting the party. Below you can see some of her incredible talent. You can also see what a fun time we had! I made tissue paper pompoms and some fabric bunting banners to hang, and used some pale pink carnations, billy balls, and some kid of little green berry (not sure what it's called) in glass bottles and apothecary jars. For favors we had beautiful (and delicious) cookies by my cousin-in-law, Elizabeth, of swEEt thang cookies and more. I also put out some candy necklaces, rings, and watches (for the gentlemen) to get us spiffed up.

Happy Birthday, Charlotte Bethea! Your first year has been our sweetest year.

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Framed Calligraphy and Rebekah's invitation

2011-10-19T11:46:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon, Pasties! Lately I've been working on all things calligraphy, including a Frida Kahlo-inspired Houston wedding suite that I'm so excited to share with you! You'll have to wait a few weeks til the bride sends them out before I can make the big reveal. In the meantime, here are a few pics of some pieces I've been lucky enough to create for blushing brides and beaming babies.

Rebekah and Nate were married on August 27, and I was able to design the bridesmaids luncheon invitation for the bride, as well as do a custom calligraphy piece for her to display in their new nest. Lately I've been drawn to the look of handpainted type, especially script done in a continuous line of watercolor, so I had fun revisiting this technique for Rebekah's invitation.

And here's the calligraphy piece, framed, for their new place. I used a gold ink and lots of ornamentation and was really pleased with the way it turned out.

Welcome Baby Ford! McDonald Plummer IV was born this summer to some good friends of ours. I made him a little piece for his baby gift.

I was also lucky enough to do two more of these pieces in pink for the sweetest two little girls, Corinne and Kaitlin. I don't have those photos back so I can't post pics of those today.

Stay turned for a full rundown of Charlotte's FIRST BIRTHDAY on Friday and her party on Saturday!

Play Poll: Pick Your Party Kitchen

2011-08-16T20:11:00.000-07:00

Let's talk a little about kitchen aesthetics. Some people prefer white country kitchens with painted floors, some like clean, open floorplans and vaulted ceilings, other people love natural cabinets and dark granite countertops and industrial barstools.

Well, Charlotte told me she likes white and she likes pink. She loves a good clean, Swedish country look, but she is a little girl who likes people to know she's a girl, too! So she's pretty torn about which look to go for in her new kitchen. She'll be unveiling the new look on Christmas Day, but before then, she needs your imput! Which kitchen design should she choose?

KidKraft White Prairie Kitchen

KidKraft Home Cookin' Kitchen

While we're featuring great new kitchen looks, let's not forget about appliances. Here are a few sleek new products that would look great in any kitchen.

Don't forget about cute linens. Don this checked apron and you'll be whipping up a batch of cookies in no time flat!

I'd like to leave you with this image of such a breathtaking wedding cake. Maybe once Charlotte gets her dream kitchen, she'll have more time to devote to creating beauties like this! Don't forget to cast your vote for Charlotte's kitchen!

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New Work: Prime book and SL sell shirt

2011-08-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

Well, it's officially wedding season around here, and I literally can't even remember what year it is, because in addition to wrapping up some invitations for this fall, I'm also working on next year's season: invitations for 2012! But before posting images of work from upcoming nuptials, "I do" want to share some work I did in the spring. I had the opportunity to work with some friends from my old stomping grounds, Student Life. This year I designed the summer sell shirt and a 42-page section in Prime, the last Bible study book in a series of six.

The sell shirt was Andy-Warhol inspired and featured the "heart, soul, strength" concept found in Deuteronomy 6:5. I wanted to streamline those three ideas into a working icon which could be used for each--hands shown in three different positions. We used hot colors, halftones to simulate overprinting, and a grid to reference pop art screen printing.

Art Direction: Dana Humphreville, Events Resource Manager

Student Life Bible Study books hold a unique place in the market in that they are fully graphic. I had the chance to design a 42-page section on "misfits"--people in the Bible who walked by faith and were thus treated as outcasts. The art direction for this section called for a vintage circus/freak show look. We hit the jackpot and found high-resolution royalty-free vintage circus posters, many of which I was able to edit to show our section headers rather than existing headlines. This was such a fun section because I got to use great display typefaces, rich imagery, lots of overlays, and bold color. Each page represented a day's Bible study and thus had to work as a single page as well as part of a spread.

Project Editor: Jeremy Maxfield
Creative Direction: Drew Francis

Want to see more of my design work? Check out my portfolio!

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Charlotte's Baptism

2011-07-25T13:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Luke and I had the privilege of having Charlotte baptized at Briarwood. Luke read the blessing we wrote for her, and then Pastor Harry Reeder sprinkled her little head with water as he baptized her. We recognize God's work of salvation in our lives and Charlotte's need of it, too, and we look to God to grant her grace as we enter into this covenant with him.

Charlotte wore my little dress and a lace bonnet.

Here is the blessing Luke read to Charlotte:

Charlotte Bethea, truly the Lord blessed us with you as a “good and perfect gift, sent from above.” You have been born into a family that has a heritage of faith extending deep into past generations; this makes it all the more fitting that today we should recognize and respond to God’s covenant love for you. Our prayer is that you would quickly grow to “taste and see that the Lord is good,” knowing that in Christ you “might have life, and have it abundantly.”

Afterwards, we had a small lunch with family and friends at our house to celebrate. I had a lot of fun designing the invitations for the baptism and lunch, and I am so pleased with how they turned out! They were loosely inspired by the late Tasha Tudor, one of my favorite children's book illustrators.

We had pink punch, ham sandwiches, crudites with dill dip, spinach salad, and Laura's to-die-for tri-colore orzo. And as an extra sweet finish to a sweet day, Dreamcakes mini cupcakes sat on my grandmother's pretty silver stand for dessert!

I used extra-large antique hydrangea blossoms, pink carnations, and lots and lots of tinted glass. I loved the sweet, airy look that it gave.

I hate that our camera died before we got photos of everyone who came, but we still managed a few more:

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Charlotte's first year

2011-06-20T09:37:00.000-07:00

To keep record of Charlotte's first twelve months, I wanted something more than her little baby book. I really more blank space, free rein, a place to draw and write and include a few photos from each month, her birth announcement, handprints, lines from my journal, etc. Old-fashioned photo albums are beautiful, so I decided to buy a lovely handmade album from BlueRoofDesigns on Etsy.

A friend of mine wanted to see a little of what I had done with it, so here are a few photos. I apologize for the blurriness and the darkness!

This album was intended to feel sweet, romantic, and delicate. I wanted to use true materials and technique in the form of the handmade paper, photo corners, and calligraphy.

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Presto Chango part deux: Pink Meets Nest, cont'd

2011-06-20T07:13:00.000-07:00

You may remember my previous post about ditching the nasty green paint and curtains in my dining room in favor of lovely, light shell pink walls. The change made that little square room seem so much bigger, and the pale color capitalizes on all the light that we get in there.

Here is the before:

And here is the after!

I thought long and hard about a new light fixture. Something industrial? Something with lots of glass? Logistics and budget got in the way or changing the entire fixture. I wanted to transform a wine jug into a hanging pendant, but trying to find an antique wine jug, having the bottom cut out, wiring it, and hanging it so that it didn't collapse on the table due to its own weight was like trying to learn how to perform brain surgery. Not to mention the fact that it's hard to find wine jugs locally, and to have one shipped is expensive! So I decided to let blue-green and glass have its presence in the room in another, more sentimental way, namely, in the form of my grandmother's little glass bottle, vase, and antique telephone insulator. A quick fix to the dark light fixture was a can of white glossy spray paint, and voila! A whole new lightness came into the room.

I spy ikat! Ikat is everywhere nowadays, and it's such a fresh, natural alternative to fussy florals. I loved this dreamy, watery Robert Allen Khanjali in Glacier and had to have it in my house somehow. My wonderful mother-in-law sewed these curtains for my birthday, and I love the way the pink walls bring out the warm barely-pink in the ikat. The hardware got a "lift" with Crate&Barrel cafe rods in matte bronze.

Luke and I first saw the artwork of Scott Raimondo on our babymoon in St. Augustine, where he lives and works. Love his fresh, colorful landscapes and views of the water and area. I ordered these white frames and matts from framesbymail.com. They don't have a huge selection, and it is a risk not seeing the matts and frames in person, but if you don't need a specific color matte or a certain tarnished gold finish on your frame, for instance, you can get a great deal. The frames come assembled and you simply matt the artwork, and place the glass, art, and backing in the frame and put the hardware on top. I got all these framed for about $175 (including glass)--probably 25-30% of what I would have paid at a frame shop.

The little ladies and their fans above the sideboard are vintage placecards that belonged to my great-grandmother. I matted them and put them in $2 frames from Hobby Lobby. Not a bad deal! They make the ceiling seem so much taller and make that sideboard more of a focal point.

Check out the way the curtains bring out all the beautiful colors in this antique door that we use as a coat rack in the living room. Loverly!

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Clap your hands! Stamp your feet!

2011-04-15T12:23:00.000-07:00

“Nearly all our originality comes from the stamp that time impresses upon our sensibility.

--Charles Baudelaire

I love stamps. I love the history marked by a postmarked letter, the ubiquitous commemoration of a person, event, movement, etc, the tiny design so powerful in a little one-inch square.

Here are a few of my recent favorites.

the seen-everywhere king and queen stamps

the children's book illustrators stamps

the beautiful Winslow Homer stamp, part of the American Treasures series. I used this for Charlotte's birth announcements.

the abstract expressionist stamps, cleverly arranged on the pane to mimic a gallery-style wall of paintings.

In honor of the 150th anniversary of of the Civil War, the USPS is issuing two commemorative stamps per year of the war. This year's stamps feature the attack on Ft. Sumpter and the First Battle at Bull Run (or, to use the Confederate name, the First Battle of Manassas).

I quickly ordered my stamps, and they arrived yesterday. They're beautifully oversized and beautifully presented. Here's a little about the art direction:

Art Director Phil Jordan of Falls Church, VA, created the stamps using images of Civil War battles. The Fort Sumter stamp is a reproduction of a Currier & Ives lithograph, circa 1861, titled “Bombardment of Fort Sumter, Charleston Harbor.” The Bull Run stamp is a reproduction of a 1964 painting by Sidney E. King titled “The Capture of Rickett’s Battery.” The painting depicts fierce fighting on Henry Hill over an important Union battery during the Battle of First Bull Run.

For the stamp pane’s background image, Jordan used a photograph dated circa 1861 of a Union regiment assembled near Falls Church, Virginia.

The Civil War turned the Postal Service upside down. Here's an excerpt describing a little of the history:

The outbreak of the American Civil War threw the postal system into turmoil. On April 13, 1861, (the day after the firing on Fort Sumter) John H. Reagan, postmaster-general of the Confederate States of America, ordered local postmasters to return their US stamps to Washington DC (although it is unlikely that many did so), while in May the Union decided to withdraw and invalidate all existing US stamps, and to issue new stamps. Confederate post offices were left without legitimate stamps for several months, and while many reverted to the old system of cash payment at the post office, over 100 post offices across the South came up with their own provisional issues. Many of these are quite rare, with only single examples surviving of some types. Eventually the Confederate government issued its own stamps; see stamps and postal history of the Confederate States.

In the North, the new stamp designs became available in August, and old stamps were accepted in exchange until the end of the year. The whole process was very confusing to the public, and there are number of covers from 1862 and later with 1857 stamps and bearing the marking "OLD STAMPS NOT RECOGNIZED".

The 1861 stamps had in common the letters "U S" in their design. To make them differentiable from the older stamps at a glance, all were required to have their values expressed in Arabic numerals (in the previous series, Arabic numerals had appeared only on the 30¢ stamp). The original issue included 1¢, 3¢, 5¢, 10¢, 12¢, 24¢, 30¢ and 90¢ stamps. Numerals apart, several of these are superficially similar to their earlier counterparts, differing primarily in the design of the frame.

A 2¢ stamp in black featuring Andrew Jackson was issued in 1863 and is now known to collectors as the "Black Jack". A black 15¢ stamp depicting the recently-assassinated Abraham Lincoln was issued in 1866, and is generally considered part of the same series. Although it was not officially described as such, and the 15¢ value was chosen to cover newly-established fee for registered letters, many philatelists consider this to be the first memorial stamp ever issued.

The war greatly increased the amount of mail in the North; ultimately about 1,750,000,000 copies of the 3¢ stamp were printed, and a great many have survived to the present day, typically selling for 2-3 dollars apiece. Most are rose-colored; pink versions are much rarer and quite expensive, especially the "pigeon blood pink", which goes for $3,000 and up.

And now let's look at some stamps and postmarks from the time we are remembering. Here are a few from the Civil War.

Louisville, Kentucky, 1861.

Benjamin Franklin, issue of 1861

Thomas Jefferson, issue of 1861

Andrew Jackson, 1863. The "Black Jack."

The C.S.A. Stamp page shows stamps issued by the South, as well as a design showing J.C. Calhoun. This stamp was never issued by the C.S.A. government because the plates for the stamp were captured. Read more about it here.

This isn't nearly the first time there have been stamps issued to commemorate the war.

I hope you've enjoyed this brief foray into a tiny piece of paper that packs a lot of punch. Are you fascinated by stamps? Do you have any favorites?

New Work: March Madness

2011-03-22T16:42:00.000-07:00

I've kept busy lately, working on several projects, going to Lodi for my brother-in-law's wedding to my beautiful new sister-in-law, making over the house, as you've seen in my previous post.

I seem to have done a lot of stationery design recently, as well as a logo project and some apparel design. I haven't gotten the chance to update my portfolio yet, because the admin is being kind of finicky, so I thought I'd post some shots of some recent work here.

I had the opportunity to create a logo for a privately owned brand: Rocket City, Huntsville, Alabama. The client was going for a vintage/retro/comic book feel, which fit the project perfectly, as much of the space exploration was going on during the 60s.

In anticipation of the arrival of Baby Hess, due May 10 to our good friends Adam and Cile, I designed two shower invitations. The second one incorporates an old collage that I never ended up using for its original purpose.

We can't wait for the little babe to get here!

And the most recent stationery I've worked on is for Brad and Cambria, my brother-in-law and newest sister-in-law, for their wedding last Saturday, March 19 in Lodi, CA. I had the pleasure of designing the wedding invitation, program, and label for her candy buffet, as well as a luncheon invitation and the rehearsal dinner invitation.

Design Manifesto

2011-03-05T16:41:00.000-08:00

This afternoon, in the midst of cleaning out the attic (well, really I was just looking for picture frames I could spray paint white) I came across this project from school. It's tiny in size and easily overlooked...a set of seven small cards in envelopes. I believe this project is from my Typography II class with Professor Kelly Bryant. We had looked at collective thoughts and manifestos from different designers and were then challenged to write our own.

Forgive me if this post presents graphic design in an overly self-gratifying and self-reflective light. And forgive the height of idealism. I realize many designers have a similar process as I do. Four years later, despite my far-reaching confidence in design and lack of experience then, I do still strongly believe the principles behind the words I wrote in that type II class.
_____

Good design is close to perfection. Thus good design can be elevated above the level of normalcy or mediocrity--it is closer to God, as God is perfect and the beginning of creativity. Through this ability of design to supersede the usually mediocre state of our culture, we as artists can raise expectations and have the ability to meet those expectations.

Design can and must do the following:
1. tint the culture and the minds of its viewers
2. reinvent reality
3. maintain its responsibility of truth to ethics, issues and materials
4. bring necessity and quality to the work it presents to a culture inundated with images

We cannot produce excellence in the future without accrediting the past. Knowledge of art and design history and the presence of academic skill are vital to an artist's training and contribute to the scope of his work.

I want to show the human connection to design in my work; often I try to create a dialogue with the viewer, and at all times I endeavor to give the viewer an experience, often a kind of alternate reality. Freshness, imagination, and the unexpected are important in my work and process; materials speak for themselves to a large degree, and I act as the editor. Often my work has a tactile quality. I have an affinity for book design, book arts, illustration, and fine arts; flexibility, pacing, and narration are all important to me.

Fine art and graphic design begin in the same place, can and must coexist, and should influence each other when appropriate. Otherwise, fine art becomes chaotic and removed, and design becomes sterile and cannot appeal to our innate appreciation of an objective beauty.

I research circularly, exploring history, fine art, relevant aesthetics and ideas; I look for relevancy in everything: objects, atmospheres, situations, landscapes, personalities. I write profusely and explore and combine existing things. I often have materials in mind prior to having compositions set, sometimes prior to having my concept completely resolved.

To change the world, we must show the world excellence in the arts and teach the world to appreciate it. Our minds must understand the human experience in order to speak to it.

Presto Chango part deux: Pink Meets Nest

2011-02-26T09:23:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I did a presto chango on my great-grandmother's bench. It had been sitting at the foot of our bed for years, and I FINALLY livened it up with some new fabric, lots more batting, and a fresh coat of semi-gloss. Gosh, it was good for my soul!

Well, I've been wanting to do something to our breakfast room (dining room) for a long time now. We had actually left it the color it was when we moved in, and had kept the drapes that were here, too. They really started getting to me. I love fresh rooms---sea glass and Swedish colors: pale greys, blues, greens, and shell pinks, topped off with lots of white and paired with clean-lined, textural, industrial furniture (and beautiful family heirlooms) when I can afford it.

So Thursday my mom came down to see "me" (a.k.a. Charlotte!) and we had a fun day going around town. We went to the fabric store with the intention of looking at fabric for new drapes for the dining room, but as we were getting back into the car, I said that I'd really like to paint the room pink. So we went back in the store, looked at fabric again, and then went to Home Depot to buy a lovely, pale, glowing shade of shell pink flat paint. Thursday night and Friday morning I gave the little room two coats and voila! A breath of fresh air! Bye bye ugly green paint and gross curtains!

before

after! I love the way the color of the wood shines next to the pink.

Even Charlotte likes it!

It is a little bare right now, but I do like the spareness of it. Next stop: new light fixture and curtains.

I'd like to put in some kind of pendant light fixture that contrasts with the wall color. Either something industrial or some kind of white, modern orb.

Pottery Barn Exeter 5-Jar Pendant

love these chrome fixtures! Maybe too much bling for my little room, but I'm keeping these in mind for my future dream house.

Ballard Designs Eldridge Pendant

I want the curtains to be clean and fresh and not too girly. Check out the fabric I'm looking at now. Which is your favorite?

Graphic flowers on a natural white. Cool, or too frilly?

Love the cleanness of this.

LOVE this fabric, but is it too old-lady with the pink? Maybe I should use it for pillows somewhere else?

This fabric is by Anna Maria Horner. I love it!!

So that's what's new around here.

When people think of pink, they usually love it or they hate it. What about you? Have I turned you on to the power of pink?

Happiest Valentine's Day

2011-02-23T08:33:00.000-08:00

This year's Valentine's Day was filled with more love than we knew we had. Charlotte has opened up a whole new section of our hearts with a whole new kind of love.

To get in the spirit, I made a heart garland for our picture window. And it's not too pink and red, so I'm leaving it up for a long time!

Luke and I made valentine's cards for each other. He wrote the absolute best note in his card to me. He always does.

Charlotte so thoughtfully made Luke a valentine.

And I carved our initials in a piece of "wood."

Hope you were surrounded by love this Valentine's Day!

She's heeeere!

2011-01-04T13:15:00.000-08:00

Well in case you've wondered where I've been the past couple of months, the answer is here. At home, with my new baby. She keeps me busy!

Charlotte Bethea Powell was born six days late on October 21, 2010 at 3:15 pm. She was long and lean at 6 pounds 6 ounces and 20.5 inches, and she still is. Even her fingers and toes are long and graceful--she has "long, slender feet," as my grandmother said of my feet when I was a baby. In fact, she had almost the same measurements I did when I was born. I was 6 pounds even and 20.5 inches and came 2.5 weeks early, so had we both been born around the same day in relation to our due dates, we might have had exactly the same stats.

one day old

coming home!

three days old

with Granddarling (my mom)

in her room

Little Charlotte has big, wide set eyes, a cute little nose, and a pretty, full mouth. Her ears are very closely related to Luke's, but hers flop out at the top and not as much at the bottom, like flower petals. She looks like a little fairy baby.

getting ready for Thanksgiving

with Uncle Thompson (my brother)

Merry Christmas!

Her cry isn't very loud most of the time, and often she squeaks like a little mouse. Nowadays she smiles a lot. Her smile wraps across her whole face--so much glee! She is fascinated by her mobile and enthralled by lights and ceiling fans, and now the TV, too, and she has started holding on to her rattles more. She loves sleeping with her hands by her face or above her head. Lately she's more aware of noises and strange people, and sometimes they scare her. She pouts when she's scared--pokes that bottom lip out like a cartoon character.

Charlotte is such a delight, and she changes all the time.

I worked and worked on her birth announcement, and finally I finished it and sent them out! Here's the final product:

Handwritten with my calligraphy pen. Printed on a house dull bright white cover stock. Envelopes: Modtone in Blush by French Paper. Liners: Garden Roses wrapping paper via Paper Source. Labels: 2.5" round labels in eco-white via Paper Source. Printing by Communications Arts, Birmingham. Photography by Laura Rowe Photography.

New Work

2010-11-13T14:49:00.000-08:00

I've updated my portfolio to include some recent work as well as photography of some old work. I've been doing a little identity design lately, but primarily stationery and invitations. Right now I'm working on a wedding invitation for my brother-in-law and his fiance, as well as a personal project: our baby's birth announcement! (Stay tuned for a post all about little Charlotte.)

Check out some of the latest:

Full calligraphy 5x7" wedding invitation and outer envelope. Letterpressed in one color on Crane Lettra fluorescent white. Printing: Patrick Masterson / The Rest Press

Handlettered monogram influenced by the "organic geometry" of the Vienna Secessionists. Letterpressed on Crane Lettra fluorescent white 2.5 x 2.5" enclosure cards and white monarch-sized flat cards with coordinating envelopes. Printing: Patrick Masterson / The Rest Press

Logo and business card for a small business specializing in handmade eco-friendly jewelry made out of paper beads. See more of her work here. Printed on Mohawk Options Vellum crystal white. Printing: Communication Arts, Birmingham

Oversized postcard design and copywriting for a honeymoon shower. Handlettered with a calligraphy pen.

Logo and label design for a homebrewed beer.

Handlettered design for a group of apartments at University Corner: The "UniCorn." Inspired by 60s psychedelic posters.

Latest Project: Garden Roses Tea Towels

2010-09-02T13:03:00.000-07:00

For baby shower hostess gifts, I decided to try my hand at printing on fabric. I don't know why I haven't done it before now! For these prints, I designed and carved a stencil and either stippled or used a 4" foam roller to paint in the design on 24 x 26" Now Design floursack tea towels from Cook's Quarters.

Then I set the ink with an iron on high heat, front and back. After that, I folded them into thirds, rolled them, tied them up with yarn and a calligraphy nametag, and voila! Hostess gifts that were fun to make and are easy to use around the house.

Compendium

2010-08-29T18:08:00.000-07:00

Tonight, while looking through typefaces appropriate for wedding suites, I came across this beautiful script Compendium. It was created by the same designer who did Burgues Script, another great calligraphic typeface. I really might have to pay the $99 and buy this beauty. Read a little about it here.

images via the SCOOP

Easy on the eyes

2010-08-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of cleaning off my desktop, I'm posting other images I've collected through the months. Lots of great color and pattern, the wonderfully fresh style of artist Eric Ravilious, cool posters, etc. Like in my previous post, I apologize for not having sources for many of these. If something is yours, let me know and I will of course credit you!

Lombardy Poplars, a watercolor done in 1935 by Eric Ravilious (1903-1942). I might do an entire post on his work. His paintings have a wonderful cut-paper quality.

Scandinavian rug by Moroso

Flora & Fauna Marine Fish & Irish Algae Wrapping Paper from Paper Source

Garden Roses Wrapping Paper from Paper Source. Who knows? This might show up in our baby girl's birth announcement. ;)

Swedish pattern

2010-08-24T09:35:00.000-07:00

When I was doing this lino block project, I researched a lot of Swedish pattern and folk art. Here are some of the things I found. These have been on my desktop forever, so I apologize that I don't have sources for most of them.

Wallpaper by Hannah Werning

Baby Bookworm

2010-08-19T14:04:00.000-07:00

The other week I got really into finding the perfect baby book for our little girl. I searched high and low and found some great books, but in the end I really wanted one with vintage illustrations, and I bought THREE! Two of them were only a few bucks on E-bay, and the third I got for $20 from SophieHardy on Etsy. And that one isn't even a girl book--it's a book for a baby boy, but I loved it so much I thought that I'd still love it even if I never have a boy.

Anyway, I saw a lot of wonderfully illustrated books when I was searching, so I decided to feature several of them here.

The books above are the ones I bought. (Click image to enlarge):

I'm A Boy :: Vintage baby book from Etsy

Baby's First Diary :: Sweet little vintage book from Ebay. Shaped like a cradle!

Our Baby's Book :: I wish I had more images of this. It's got the best illustrations.

Above (click image to enlarge):

1. Tony Sarg's Baby's Book :: This book is out of print and I've found a couple of copies of this online. The illustrations are great and the copy is clever, too.

2. Baby Book by Sara Midda :: Charming watercolor illustrations, modern book.

3. All About Baby Journal :: Cute little book with flat color illustrations.

Above (click image to enlarge):

4. Petit Collage Deluxe baby BOok and Memory Box :: Cute book that comes in a neat box, too. Lots of pattern and lots of pockets and envelopes for storing little things.

5. My First Year by Beatrix Potter :: I've always loved Beatrix Potter's beautiful watercolors and the characters she creates. The baby book mom got for me was by Beatrix Potter, and I was very close to getting this one for our girl.
6. The Big Book of Me :: Contains lots of vintage-style illustrations.

Images from top: Etsy (3); Ebay (5); Flickr (4); Ohdeeoh (2); babble.com (2); amazon.com (7).

Love letter

2010-08-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

Tonight I wrote a letter to our baby girl. She was dancing and wiggling around the whole time. I love her now and can't wait to love her more when she gets here.

Image from Tash Tudor's Pumpkin Moonshine, via Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves

Happy Anniversary, Baby, I've got you on my mi-ind!

2010-08-09T10:56:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday (8.5.10) Luke and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary. I love you, babe!

Lola et Moi

2010-08-09T08:34:00.000-07:00

I love these little clothes by Lola et Moi on Zulily today. I'm going to have to get a second job just to feed my baby shopping habit! Anyone need their grass cut?

Growing like a Woodland Weed

2010-07-22T14:08:00.000-07:00

Remember the woodland growth chart from a previous post? The other weekend we put it on the wall in baby girl's room, next to where she'll lay her head in a little while crib. I love it!

Here are some of the things I want to hang in the corner over the chair and ottoman. I've got a few more little things to add (like maybe some prints I bought on our recent babymoon in St. Augustine), but I'd love to get some of these on the wall soon!

Palladian Blues

2010-07-02T15:46:00.000-07:00

Today I was off work for the 4th of July, and Luke and I painted the baby's room! We used Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue, and I can now safely say that nearly my entire house is blue...just the way I like it!

Thursday night we moved all the guest room furniture out and the baby things in. I tested out the paint on our butter-yellow wall... it was a perfect pale blue-green.

This morning, we went on a walk and then we got to work. Luke did the cutting in and I did the rolling.

And voila! Our beautiful new baby's room! You can see the mismatched chair and ottoman I picked up at the Jr. League garage sale and had recovered. I painted that little desk a glossy white and got milk glass handles for it.

This painting is by my mom--it is of my playhouse that Dad built it for me when I was little. The playhouse used to be pink. Funny enough, it's now Palladian blue.

(Here's the playhouse today! Back in action!)

Here I am cooking dinner at the party kitchen:

We put together the Ikea dresser a few weeks ago, and hung the shelf over it...baby girl's "wardrobe"!

Brooklyn Industries: Storytelling Campaign

2010-06-16T07:47:00.000-07:00

I found this a while back and forgot about it. I just love the photocollage that Brooklyn Industries did as part of a recent campaign. Love the idea of telling a story, showing a history, crossing boundaries of time.

I'm live! I'm really live!

2010-06-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

Well, my portfolio is FINALLY live, and I'm so excited, and I'm so glad to have it wrapped up. Many thanks to Jeff Williams for awesome photography and to Warren Moore and Tony Legrone for transforming my site design into something fluid and functional.

Check it out, and tell all your friends! I'd love to talk to you about a potential project or need you might have, or what it is that I do. sarahrobinsmpowell.com

Paperwhite Studio

2010-06-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

Lately I've gotten a super head start and been fiddling around with ideas our birth announcement. I really want to use calligraphy on a photo. I took a wonderful class with Deb Warnat last fall and I need to brush up on my skills.

Anyway, I discovered Paperwhite Studio a while back and then forgot the name of it, even though I could visualize the website in my mind. This morning, I remembered the name! Her website and her lettering work is beautiful. I especially like some of her logos.

Fairies

2010-06-01T13:12:00.000-07:00

Today my co-worker Janie sent me this awesome link where you can order a Fairy Door! How magical! It made me think about when we were little and mom would build fairy houses with us in the trees. We used twigs and shells and little stones, and covered the beds with moss. They were very complex and completely enchanting!

Mom has a book on fairy costumes called Fairie-ality. They are the most beautiful things you've ever seen, made of feathers and leave and flowers, and you wish every one of them was made for humans.

Here is the cover and some spreads from the book.

And now there is a companion book on Fairy style! Here are some magical photos from Fairie-ality: Style:

The baby's room

2010-05-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

I've been gathering ideas about what I want little girl's nursery to be like: cheerful, lighthearted, restful when it needs to be, a little Scandinavian, and a delight to the eyes. Here's my inspiration board. I already have the alphabet print and the pendant lamp (given to me for free) and the Pottery Barn bumper and sheets (thanks, mom!), and we're planning on buying the crib and dresser from Ikea.

Sources:

fabric swatches: all by Waverly, from left to right: Tonga Pina, Parterre Grass, One Wish Mint Julip, can't remember!, Pinwheel Parade

paint color: TBD aqua!

vintage alphabet print: by lovelysweetwilliam on Etsy

bedding: Pottery Barn Brooke Nursery Bedding

pendant: Ikea Knappa Pendant Lamp

crib: Ikea Ikea Hensvik

dresser: Ikea Hemnes 8-drawer dresser

A while back I finally ordered this West Elm rug I've been eyeing for weeks.

Several weeks ago at the Junior League yard sale, we bought a cute little tufted armchair and a small ottoman with a top that lifts off for storage. I'm having them recovered and I think I've finally decided on the Waverly Pinwheel Parade fabric! I want to trim it in some kind of piping that has aqua and maybe some green in it.

The other day I had to order this Woodland Growth Chart. It's removable, so you can take the pieces off and reposition them as often as you want.

I love these knobs from Anthropologie. Would love to get some for the Ikea dresser. But the question is, should they be hand-painted or the color of sea-glass? Maybe I'll mix them all up together! Hobby Lobby can sometimes be another good source for hardware. I think some of the pieces look contrived, but they usually have a few winners.

And I think these embroidery rings are such a great way to make a lot of impact on the wall without breaking the bank.

Left: Little P's nursery via Ohdeehoh. Right: Norah's nursery via Design Dazzle

There's a baby, and it's a girl!

2010-05-20T13:40:00.001-07:00

Well it's been a while since I've last posted. We found out around 14 weeks ago that I'm having a baby! Now, it was a surprise baby, for sure. But since the initial shock and panic have worn off, I've begun to realize that there will be nothing else more wonderful. What a wealth of blessings she will be to us. I'm so thankful.

And we found out Monday that she's indeed a GIRL! Of course, I've known it all along. The ultrasound just confirmed it! Even Luke finally conceded last week that he believed, deep down, it was a girl. But I still cried when we found out. It was so overwhelmingly true, and she is so absolutely perfect and beautiful, and the whole experience was like getting your ultimate wish come to life!

I'm about 19 weeks right now. Here are a couple of pictures of me at 18 weeks. Starting to feel a little like I have a water balloon in my belly. Almost halfway there!

And here is an ultrasound photo of the wonder child, beautiful thing.

La Femme D'Argent

2010-04-23T13:47:00.000-07:00

My mom sent me this video, sent to her by my great-aunt. It's a 35 mm film of San Francisco filmed in 1906, 4 days before the earthquake. It's just incredible seeing the pedestrians and cars and buggies, and some of the same architecture that is there now. I love the history here.

Here is some more descriptive copy:

This film was "lost" for many years. It was supposedly the first 35 mm film ever? It was taken by camera mounted on the front of a cable car.

The number of automobiles is staggering for 1906. Absolutely amazing! The clock tower at the end of Market Street at the Embarcadero wharf is still there.

This film, originally thought to be from 1905 until David Kiehn with the Niles EssanaySilent Film Museum figured out exactly when it was shot.

From New York trade papers announcing the film showing, to the wet streets from recent heavy rainfall & shadows indicating time of year & actual weather and conditions on historical record, even when the cars were registered (he even knows who owned them and when the plates were issued!).

It was filmed only four days before the earthquake and shipped by train to NY for processing.

or see it here on YouTube

Brownstone

2010-04-16T06:52:00.000-07:00

I like this new typeface designed by Alejandro Paul, "inspired by historic buildings in Brooklyn, NY." It looks handlettered. Check it out on Veer.

Latest Block Print

2010-03-28T08:05:00.000-07:00

This design was inspired by Swedish folk art (what else) and I originally planned the project so that I could donate 5 sets of 8 cards to the Etheredge Adoption Benefit tonight. The packaged sets are the ones up for the auction tonight. I think I'd like to give some of the remaining cards as gifts, or try to sell some on Etsy.

Mr Eaves

2010-03-08T17:25:00.000-08:00

I was pretty excited to get the newest Emigre catalog featuring their new font, Mr Eaves, a companion to the trendy Mrs Eaves designed by Zuzana Licko. Here's a little about the latest Mister:

Mr Eaves Sans and Modern

Mr Eaves is the often requested sans-serif companion to Mrs Eaves, one of Emigre's classic typeface designs. Created by Zuzana Licko, this addition to the Emigre Type Library expands the versatility of the original Mrs Eaves with two complimentary families: Mr Eaves Sans and Mr Eaves Modern.

Mr Eaves was based on the proportions of Mrs Eaves, but Licko took some liberty with its design. One of the main concerns was to avoid creating a typeface that looked like it simply had its serifs cut off. And while it matches Mrs Eaves in weight, color, and armature, Mr Eaves stands as its own typeface with many unique characteristics.

Read more here

Letterheady / Letters of Note

2010-02-06T14:45:00.000-08:00

Found Letterheady as referenced on the minted blog. It features famous letterheads both old and new. It's awesome! I especially love the pixel flicks design, where the different shapes trade places and reorganize to form the words on the last line. And look how much space many of the designs take up, as if they were braver and more confident than lots of designs nowadays are.

Here are a few favorites/shockers:

Letters of Note is the sister site, and features "correspondence deserving of a wider audience." Many "fascinating letters, postcards, telegrams, faxes and memos. Scans/photos where possible." It's definitely worth checking out. Read more in an interview here.

Wuthering Heights cover redesign: I hate you

2010-01-19T10:32:00.000-08:00

If you've noticed the earth moving and it hasn't been the devastating earthquake in Haiti, it is probably Emily Bronte rolling over in her grave.

HarperCollins has redesigned the cover of Wuthering Heights in favor of a new Twilight-inspired design. Wuthering Heights is a favorite book of vampey main characters Bella and Edward. So, a classic has been given the fresh young face of a badly written romance novel. Could it get any worse? you ask. Oh, but it can. If the Harper US version isn't bad enough, check out the Harper UK version with that pseudo-Art Nouveau/Curlicues typeface and cover shot that is inconsistent with the photography on the Twilight series. Oh, and let's not forget to mention that tag line: "Love never dies." Read more here at Media Bistro and here at Guardian.

Is this new cover design a smart move on part of HarperCollins in order to draw more teenagers to a classic, or it is another case of compromising great material in favor of extra sales? You know what I think. What do you think?

Left to right: Twilight cover; HarperUK Wuthering Heights cover; HarperUS Wuthering Heights cover

Give me a Treehouse, or give me Death.

2010-01-11T16:34:00.001-08:00

I want to live in a tree house. I once read a feature in a magazine that profiled several different real treehouse houses and rooms. That only fueled the 20-year old fire that grew out of the spark that was Swiss Family Robinson (and to add two more layers of destiny: my long-time crush Tommy Kirk and my ever-increasing desire to become a woodland creature or fairie, or both).

So for starters I want this book, The Treehouse Book, so I can learn how to build my own and live there. This book sounds good, too: New Treehouses of the World.

And I don't want some lame looking Hobby Lobby house on stilts. It has to be a new shape and creation all its own. It needs to either be elvish or be made entirely from salvaged materials, with circular doorways and lots of nooks and crannies for reading, storing, and looking out at the other trees and woodland creatures. Lots of details and opportunities for working by hand. But it can't be pretentious. It must be authentic, and it will be, if it's a true treehouse and not a faker low-level, crafty, perfectionist one.

Check out this lucky fella, the tree house guy.

Cole & Son

2010-01-06T18:02:00.000-08:00

Cole & Son has beautiful wallpaper. I've loved this Woods print for years. But the question is, which color scheme is the best?

Advent Conspiracy

2009-11-18T06:51:00.001-08:00

thanks to Cathy for showing this to me. It reminds me of the one for The Girl Effect. maybe the same people did both?

Advent Conspiracy from MBCC on Vimeo.

Cool New Artist: Erik Otto

2009-11-17T08:13:00.000-08:00

I especially like his installations.

He's got prints and other things available for sale, too, and 2 books (here and here) via Blurb. Maybe they'll go on my Christmas list.

No more Frostone?!

2009-11-14T07:24:00.000-08:00

I am so sad!!! I just found out that French Paper discontinued Frostone! Boo hooo!!! There was nothing else like it!

RSMc monogram

2009-11-10T18:25:00.000-08:00

I designed this monogram for my mom. It was influenced by the Vienna Secessionists and I wanted it to be more clean and architectural--drew it with my calligraphy pen and then scanned it. We're having it letterpressed onto 2.5" square enclosure cards and onto monarch sized white cards with cloud (pale blue-grey) colored monarch envelopes.

Cool New Artist: Carl Van de Roer

2009-11-09T17:16:00.000-08:00

I like this series by Carl Van de Roer. It was featured on 20x200, which is one my my faves.

Here's a bit about the series:
The term "orb" is typically used to describe circular artifacts in photographs—artifacts which have been interpreted by some as spirits. Despite being debunked and explained (most commonly as backscatter from precipitation or dust), there's a surprisingly widespread belief that orb photographs document the supernatural. There are organizations, conferences, hunts, field experts, detectors and websites dedicated to spiritualist orb photography.

This photographic search for something larger than ourselves was the starting point for this project. I photographed people in landscapes that are partly obscured by precipitation. The subjects are seen searching for or interacting with orbs, which are represented as dots covering parts of the scene.

Read more here.

Paste

2009-11-02T17:20:00.000-08:00

Ok, Ok, I know, I know, I am renaming the blog again! I really loved palate/palette and wanted a single word with a double meaning. Mom actually came up with Paste--Perfect!

And I know it's also the name of a magazine, but if it fits, it fits!

Avoca

2009-10-26T15:37:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad brought me back some great things from their trip to Ireland--two wonderful cookbooks and some local pottery! I love these Avoca cookbooks (or go to the Avoca store). Mom said that Avoca reminds her of an Irish Anthropologie. They sell home goods, food, accessories, etc. The cookbooks have beautiful one-color illustrations and expressive type as image throughout. I wish I could find some photos of the spreads on the web---either that, or a working scanner--so I could show you the inside.

1930s-40s in Color

2009-10-05T17:38:00.000-07:00

This wonderful set of photos on Flickr was posted on facebook by a co-worker of Roy and Holly and Jeff. I've loved looking through them tonight.
Here's a little about it:

These vivid color photos from the Great Depression and World War II capture an era generally seen only in black-and-white. Photographers working for the United States Farm Security Administration (FSA) and later the Office of War Information (OWI) created the images between 1939 and 1944.

The FSA/OWI pictures depict life in the United States, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, with a focus on rural areas and farm labor, as well as aspects of World War II mobilization, including factories, railroads, aviation training, and women working.

The original images are color transparencies ranging in size from 35 mm. to 4x5 inches. They complement the better-known black-and-white FSA/OWI photographs, made during the same period.

The Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division preserves
the original photographs and offers the digital copies to ensure their wide availability.

Local weather

2009-09-28T16:27:00.000-07:00

Brilliant!

Lifesized Farmhouse Dollhouse

2009-09-27T17:36:00.000-07:00

read the full story here!

via all the mountains...