shore society

cupid's arrow

2012-01-19T10:49:00.020-05:00

1) Arrows Print by Julie Kostreva 2) Choose Your Own Path Print by Small Talk Studio 3) Mini Pastel Arrows by Verla Ivans 4) Arrow Cupcake Toppers DIY from Creature Comforts Blog 5) Arrow Cuff by Odette NY

I love Valentine's Day—not so much the holiday itself, but the colors, the candy, the hearts...it's cute and fun and reminds me of being a kid. I also love arrows (see my blog background!), and love that I've seen them crop up more for everyday, not just from Cupid's bow. Here are some of my favorite arrow pieces, although there are too many to list!

recipe: michael symon's chicken + goat cheese mac 'n' cheese

2012-01-17T16:43:00.009-05:00

Last night I made one of my absolute favorite meals, from Michael Symon's Live to Cook. There isn't much I love more than mac 'n' cheese, and this gourmet twist on it is delicious and still a staple comfort food. I was really excited to see this recipe in his cookbook, because I ordered this once at his restaurant, Lolita, and now I can have it whenever I want!

Serves 6-8

(I usually cut this in half, it makes enough for two people plus one leftover serving for lunch)

I N G R E D I E N T S :

Kosher salt

1 Pound dried rigatoni pasta

1 Quart (4 Cups) heavy cream

1 Cup (8 oz) goat cheese

2 Cups shredded roasted chicken (either leftover, or when I don't have any, I pick up a small rotisserie from the store and shred it)

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

D I R E C T I O N S :

1) In a medium saucepan, heat the cream, rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon salt over high heat. Bring just to a simmer to reduce mixture by half. Keep an eye on the cream, when it heats to a boil it will quickly climb the sides of the pan and could bubble over onto your stove. I speak from experience.

2) Add the goat cheese and chicken to the cream mixture and bring back to a simmer. Continue cooking until mixture thickens a bit and coats the back of a spoon, about 30 minutes.

3) While the cream is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.

4) Drain pasta, return it to the large pot and add the cream sauce. Toss the pasta to combine it with the sauce and bring the whole pot back to a gentle simmer.

I never make anything else with this, because I just eat a whole big bowl and it's totally all you need. Plus a glass of wine ;) Perfect for a cold, dreary night!

up & coming: lana del rey

2012-01-12T23:43:00.006-05:00

When I first heard of Lana Del Rey, she was "Lizzie Grant" and kinda looking nothing like she does now. Plastic surgery aside, she has a beautiful voice and seems to be finding more success now that she has been repackaged for all of us to enjoy. Ha. Props to her record company.

If you watch Gossip Girl, you also might recognize this song from the season 5 trailer.

This is her first single off of Born To Die, which releases in the US on January 31st. The song totally got into my head and I've had it on repeat ever since. She's doing performances on the late-night circuit and I imagine she'll be touring this year...so I don't think this is the last you'll be seeing of her. Some of my other favorites of hers are Video Games, Diet Mtn. Dew and Blue Jeans.

new year, new workspace

2012-01-11T13:49:00.021-05:00

My workspace goods (clockwise from top left): Urbanears headphones; Jon Contino print; Geo Triangle print; Corkboard; House Industries Valentype Woodblock Initial; Water Hyacinth Small Milk Crates; Tread Bowl; Rutger Chair (best chair-stool EVER); Jonas desk; Black, White, and Gold Washi Tape; Metallic Baker's Twine; Titanium Non-Stick Scissors; Maize Woven Storage Basket

I've been wanting to revamp my workspace for quite some time now, and just randomly got the bug to do it last weekend. I had this small, old corkboard hanging above my desk, and it always falls down (the adhesive sucks), and it finally fell down for the last time. Enough! I threw it away and decided it was time to start over.

I moved into our place a year ago and never really gave my work area the attention it needed. It worked sometimes, but I also found myself using my dining room table to spread out and draw because I just had too many things cluttering up my desk. I got this Ikea desk years ago, and I love it because it's just a big, flat work table, which is really what I need. I have to be able to easily push my computer to the side when it's time to draw or paint.

I also had a messy collection of art paper and wrapping paper shoved along the side of my desk, and my cards and envelopes were all over the place. So I headed to Target to solve my problems :)

My favorite purchase has to be this woven black and white arrow basket. We were looking for something to store my paper rolls, and I spotted it in passing on a random endcap. I basically started jumping up and down because it was so perfect.

*p.s. YES I know, it's time for us to take our Christmas tree down.

My desk surface is now much clearer, I'm no longer storing bills and coupons and junk that only gets in the way, and everything has a place. Joy!

And my corkboard is now bigger, better, and actually functional! Now I can just sit back and let the organization vibes transfer into productive energy...

new year

2012-01-03T21:40:00.009-05:00

Welcome to the new year! 2011 went crazy fast, didn't it?

I had a great run this past year, I accomplished a lot of forward movement both personally and career-wise, and I have a lot of big things planned for this upcoming year. I am still on a mission to continue growing Shore Society as much as possible. There are some really exciting things coming up that I have to keep to myself for a bit longer (I am so not good at this!) and I'll be sure to share as soon as I can.

I never make solid resolutions, I find them impossible to follow up on and they only end up making me feel lazy/apathetic. I know what my goals are, so I don't feel the need to hold myself to a timeline or standard. My own standards are enough. Most designers and creatives are their own biggest critics, and I am no different. To this point, I've put together a little list of things that I've learned in the last year that will hopefully help you to have another creative and productive year, too.

Be kind to yourself.

It's easy to get caught up in comparing your work to the work of others. Hell, I'll spend hours online looking for inspiration for my job or for fun, and it's always an endless spiderweb of stumbling upon talented people and beautiful design. And there's nothing wrong with that, as long as you keep the comparison part of your brain in check. You have no idea who might be looking at your work and thinking "I wish I would have thought of that" just as you are to theirs, so it's best to accept someone else's ingenuity and move on. Allow it to inspire you and nothing more. Don't beat yourself up. You are the only you, and that in itself is valuable.

Work outside of your medium.

Sometimes I find myself working only digitally for months, and other times I am fully drawing by hand. Never feel like one way is "your" way and that you have to stick to it. That's an ongoing struggle for a lot of illustrators—the age old "do I have to have a 'style'?" question—but I think whatever your hand touches will likely bear enough similarity to hold together. Plus, it shows you are capable of working many ways, which can attract different types of clients or projects.

Play.

Have fun. Don't critique it, just do it. Don't feel like you have to publish everything you do. Keeping some of your work to yourself prevents you from thinking "what if it's not 'good enough'?" which we all know is the force that crushes our ability to create. Don't feel like designing/drawing/writing? Build a shelf. Bake a cake. Paint some shoes with glitter. Do anything that allows you to play and enjoy yourself. That attitude will carry over into the way you work, allowing you to loosen up and enjoy the process rather than focusing on the end result.

Reach out.

I have to say, Twitter is awesome. I cannot even express how many valuable connections I've made through something as seemingly stupid as Twitter. It's so easy to not only follow the designers and brands you love, but to give them a shout whenever you have something to say. I've found that people are highly responsive to praise and feedback, and it's probably because many of the designers you love and respect are just like you. They put their work out there for the world to see, and of course they're going to love hearing that you're a fan, who wouldn't? People are usually much nicer than you'd ever expect. So if you have a question, ask. If you like something, say so. Give someone props, share their link, post some of your own inspiration. This to me is the right way to use Twitter. Some people may care that you're tweeting about being tired or that you had a fabulous dinner, but you have to turn your focus outward in order for that energy to make its way back to you. Same goes for your favorite blogs—visit them when you can, comment often, feed their network and they will eventually start feeding yours.

I haven't written a long post like that in a while, so I hope I didn't lose you there ;) Everyone's path is different, but these are some of the things that have worked for me and hopefully they can help you in some way. What have you learned in the last year? Any tips to share with the peanut gallery?

My biggest wishes to all of you for an awesome 2012...after all, it's our last year to make something happen before the Mayan calendar runs out!*

*Actually, this means the world will enter a new era, and this is considered a lucky time to be alive. Don't believe me? There's an episode of the podcast "Stuff You Should Know" all about this, you can listen to it here.

recipe: pomegranate champagne punch

2011-12-30T23:48:00.006-05:00

I made this punch for our Christmas party with friends and it was totally delicious (and packed a good buzz too)! It would also be perfect for a New Year's party, so here I am, posting the day of, for all your procrastinators out there.

Recipe via Bon Apétit. Serves 12.

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

2 bottles chilled brut champagne

1 cup Bacardi or other white rum

1 1/4 cup pomegranate juice

1 lemon, thinly sliced

Sprigs of fresh mint

Pomegranate seeds (if you'd like, I didn't use any)

D I R E C T I O N S :

1) In a small saucepan, boil the water and sugar and stir until sugar dissolves and simmer 5 minutes (you're basically making simple syrup). Cool it completely.

2) Combine champagne, pom juice, and rum in a large punch bowl. Stir in syrup to taste. Garnish with mint leaves and lemon.

3) Cool with an ice block or serve with ice in punch glasses.

This was light and bubbly and a definite crowd pleaser.

So from here, I sign off for 2011, and will be back with you after the ball drops. Hope you have a lovely New Year's Eve and I'll see you in 2012!

christmas wrap-up

2011-12-29T18:45:00.011-05:00

Wrapping with glitter ribbon

My sugar cookies finally came out perfectly! (We had some trial + error)

My sister + I on Christmas Eve

My ornament for Jim...we always get Chinese food + keep the good fortunes

Bailey loves sitting by the fire!

She + Ernie got new Jonathan Adler collars too

My Max & Chloe necklace from Jim...obsessed.

Felt fox from Jim...I love this little guy!

Thought I would pop back in and say hello though I've been quiet the last few days. I had an awesome Christmas and am still enjoying my break! Thought I'd share some photos from the past week and weekend in case you don't follow me on Instagram (you can do so here). I'm prepping for a little NYE party and have a great recipe to share tomorrow in case you find yourself entertaining as well, so stop by again.

Hope Santa brought you everything you wished for + that you're enjoying time with friends and family!

first snow

2011-12-20T14:59:00.004-05:00

Nothing like the first snow to put you in the Christmas spirit! Counting down the days...

christmas buzz

2011-12-14T10:19:00.008-05:00

I have been so busy lately that I'm clinging to the light at the end of the tunnel—ten glorious days of Christmas break. There's so much to buy, wrap, bake, clean....all while keeping up with holiday shop orders. It's exhausting, but in a great way!

I also want to say a HUGE thanks to designworklife and Burrs & Berries for featuring my holiday gift tags on their sites...thank you, thank you, thank you!

Shore Society is also now selling in Poppytalk Handmade's Holiday Market, which has been both exciting and inspiring—there are so many talented makers selling their goods, I encourage you to head over there and check out all of the amazing shops that are participating. I want to buy everything!

Sets of the aforementioned gift tags are still available in my shop, in case you are a procrastinator and haven't started wrapping yet. I still have some last-minute things to grab but I'm in the home stretch...have you finished your shopping yet?

After I finish my shopping, the holiday parties and get-togethers begin! I'm so excited to hang out with all of my amazing friends and family coming in from out of town, and to take a break from working and sitting behind my computer. Sigh...won't that be nice?

recipe: jalapeño cream cheese poppers

2011-12-06T11:01:00.004-05:00

I never shy away from trying a new bite-size recipe. I am a perpetual snacker (I would never eat meals if I didn't have to) and these looked perfect for a lazy Sunday during the football game. They were really easy to make, and totally pop-able and delicious. I am not ashamed to admit we ate every last one of these (I mean, they probably wouldn't reheat well...that was my excuse).

Recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen. Great recipe but I found her instructions really annoying to read (sorry!) So these are much simpler.

Makes 32 little poppers.

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 package cream cheese (8 oz.)

1/4 cup diced canned jalapeños (mine were in a jar and I diced them myself)

1 package refrigerated crescent rolls (8 oz.)

1 Tbsp. sugar

D I R E C T I O N S :

1. Preheat oven to 375° F

2. Cut about 3/4 of your cream cheese off and place that portion into a bowl. Add in your jalapeños and the sugar and mix with a fork. Be sure to incorporate the sugar very well.

3. Do a little taste test. The sugar adds a nice little sweet element to the spice, so add less or more depending on what you prefer. Add more jalapeños if you prefer a little more heat! I used mild jalapeños and it was a mistake, they weren't flavorful enough, so be sure to get ones with gusto.

4. Once you get the right mixture, set it aside while you prep the dough.

5. Open your crescent rolls, the dough should come out in 2 flat rectangles (with the perforated triangles still attached). Place one of the rectangles on your cutting board and pinch the perforated triangles together to make one solid rectangle of dough. Take a rolling pin and smooth it out a bit.

6. Now, evenly spread half of the jalapeño cream cheese mixture onto the dough.

7. Starting on the long end of the dough, start rolling until you have a little dough log.

8. Using a sharp knife (sharp is key), cut the log in half. Then, cut the halves in half. Continue until you have 16 little pinwheel poppers.

9. Place on a greased baking sheet. Then, repeat the process with the second dough rectangle that you set aside. You should now have 32 little poppers. Bake them for about 13 minutes, keeping an eye on them. They should be golden brown when they come out.

10. Once they're done baking, slide them right off the baking sheet and onto a plate. Serve with an ice cold beer or margarita, and watch them disappear :)

DIY: Christmas Decorating

2011-12-05T08:24:00.000-05:00

I do realize I'm jumping full-force into Christmas right from Thanksgiving, but I'm in the spirit so I hope you won't hold it against me! I spent the weekend hauling out the boxes of last year's decorations, and decided to make some new mantle decor (aaaaand this is how everything I do turns into a craft project).

I'm not a huge fan of traditional Christmas colors, so I kept everything gold and glittery and added a touch of soft vintage aqua. Our walls are already very colorful so including a lot of white-on-white helped keep things light and wintery.

I already had a few bottles and jars on the mantle, so I filled them with some aqua glass beads and gold glitter branches. We put the beads in our fishbowl too, so Vince could match ;)

I made three garlands; one of white pom poms threaded on a string, a beaded one that I strung by hand (I recommend patience for this) and a third garland of gold circles that I punched out of glitter paper.

I also picked up some plastic pears at the craft store, first painted them white, then with a thin layer of glue, and dusted them in an iridescent fine glitter. They are really sparkly in person, it reminds me snow!

Our final impulse idea was to write or draw on the mirror, and I'm so glad we decided to do this because it just ties everything together. We picked up a white glass paint marker and after a few rounds of practice on the bathroom mirror, I got it juuuust right on the second try. Thankfully this stuff erases easily! This was really fun, after I finished I started thinking of what else I could draw on.

Our fireplace is non-working, so unfortunately we can't have any cozy fires in our living room. It still felt like we needed something in the hearth, so we added some logs anyway. I can use just a little bit of imagination to see them in a crackling fire ;)

I'm glad that our decorating is finally done, our tree is up, and all I have to do is finish my shopping. Christmas is totally sneaking up on us now...have you started decorated yet?

Thanksgiving Weekend

2011-11-28T08:41:00.007-05:00

Hey everyone! Hope you all had an awesome Thanksgiving weekend. I had four glorious days off to enjoy it with family and friends who were back in town.

Friday night was also the opening of Made in the 216's Holiday Shoppe, so Jim and I stopped in to check it out, then had a nice dinner at Greenhouse Tavern. There were a ton of awesomely unique items for sale so I'll have to go back when I'm ready to do some major Christmas shopping!

Thanksgiving plate with a side of our famous family cranberry sherbet, mmm

Thanksgiving outfit

Waking up with Jazz

Getting polished up for dinner and the Made in the 216 opening

Beautiful feather tree in the window at Room Service

Framed prints by Grey Cardigan

My holiday mini-prints...

...and tags

Cleveland neighborhood prints

Ohio prints by Northcoast Zeitgeist

Some bonkers cupcakes at Campbell's on W.25th

After all of that, I'm so not ready for the week to begin. Let's hope it goes fast! How was your Thanksgiving?

recipe: beer mac 'n' cheese

2011-11-23T08:40:00.001-05:00

I love beer. I love cheese. Together? You had me at hello.

If you love cheddar beer soup like I do (try Great Lakes Brewing Co's...it's one of the things on their menu I love) then this will make you drool. And just in time for the season of comfort food, I bring you this tasty dish.

I found the recipe here and knew I had to try it, and use Great Lakes' famous Christmas Ale for maximum flavor and holiday warmth. YUM. Okay, on with the directions...

I N G R E D I E N T S :

2 1/2 cups uncooked whole wheat elbow noodles

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

8 ounces milk

8 ounces beer

8 ounces freshly grated cheddar cheese

4 ounces freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

pinch of black pepper

pinch of nutmeg

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

10 large basil leaves, chopped for garnish

D I R E C T I O N S :

1) Preheat oven to 375°F

2) Boil water and cook pasta as normal, shaving 1-2 minutes off of cooking time since pasta will continue to cook in the oven.

3) While the pasta is cooking, heat a saucepan over medium high heat and add butter. Once melted and sizzling, whisk in flour to create a roux and cook until bubbly and golden in color, about 2 minutes. Add milk and beer into saucepan whisking constantly, then add cheeses and stir until melted. Turn heat down to medium and continue to stir, cooking for 5-6 minutes while mixture thickens. It will most likely NOT thicken like regular mac and cheese because of the beer, but you want it to thicken a little bit. Stir in pepper, paprika and nutmeg.

4) Add pasta (once cooked and drained) to a casserole dish, then pour cheese over top, mixing gently to combine. Top with panko bread crumbs and an additional sprinkle of cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

5) Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then top with fresh basil if you'd like. I didn't have any on hand but it would have been a nice touch!

I loved the crispiness that the panko added on the top, but definitely felt that this could have used a little more cheese. The flavor was great but I definitely thought it could have been more ooey-gooey. Next time, I would probably have made a bit more of the cheese sauce by just increasing the cheese and milk amounts a tiny bit.

Pop on over to How Sweet It Is for more savory step-by-step pics. Enjoy!

holiday gift tags

2011-11-22T09:02:00.002-05:00

Feeling too lazy to make your own gift tags this year? Never fear. I've made my first set of gift tags this year and they'll be available at Made in the 216 as well as here in my shop. I love wrapping gifts and hope that these will add a nice final touch to your wrapping as well.

Hope your holiday shopping is coming along...I have started picking up gifts here and there and it's making me feel much less rushed.

Are any of you going to brave the crowds on Black Friday? Participating in the new "Midnight Madness"?

recipe: pumpkin pull-apart bread

2011-11-20T22:09:00.034-05:00

Even though retailers everywhere are begging us to start thinking "Christmas Christmas Christmas!" I'm still holding onto fall. I mean, we're not quite to Thanksgiving yet, so let's enjoy it while we can.

That being said, pumpkin anything makes for a signature fall treat. And this pull-apart bread is as close to autumnal ooey-gooey heaven as you're going to get. This was by far one of the most delicious things I have EVER tasted, I kid you not.

It wasn't hard to make, but it definitely took time, and lots of it. Lots of time to pass while the dough rises, then gets kneaded, then rises again. So be patient when you make this, and know that it's all sooooo worth it.

So here we go: (recipe from Sunny Side Up in San Diego)

I N G R E D I E N T S :

Bread:

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups bread flour

1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Buttered Rum Glaze:

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp rum (can substitute vanilla if desired)

D I R E C T I O N S :

1) In a saucepan over medium-high heat, brown 2 tablespoons of butter, letting it bubble up and turn a dark golden brown but being careful not to allow it burn. Once browned, remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the milk (room temperature, not cold, that's important!), return to stove and heat through.

2) Pour the milk and butter into the bowl of standing mixer and allow to cool so it is no longer hot but still pretty warm. Then, add the yeast and 1/4 cup of sugar and allow to proof (this can take up to 8 minutes, the top will look foamy and the liquid cloudy).

3) Add the the pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Stir until combined then add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time and knead for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky. If the dough is too moist, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

4) Move dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.

5) When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and flip out onto a clean floured surface and knead with hands for 1-2 minutes. Roll dough into a 20x12 inch rectangle.

6) Brush the dough with 2 tablespoons melted butter, and sprinkle with a mixture of the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and press mixture into dough. Cut the rectangle into 6 strips.

7) Lay strips on top of each other and cut each strip into 6 even squares (I cut it into more squares for smaller pieces, as shown below).

8) Stack strips vertically into the loaf pan. Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes (more waiting...tick tock...) Preheat oven to 350 while you wait.

9) Once risen, bake bread for 35-40 minutes until dark golden brown on top. While bread is baking, you can prepare the buttered rum glaze: heat the butter, milk, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to boil then immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum and powdered sugar.

10) When the bread is done baking, allow it to cool for a few minutes, then pour glaze over top while still in the pan. I did it this way, but you could also flip the bread out of the pan, plate it, then drizzle the glaze, but I felt like by keeping it in the pan, it allowed the glaze to coat the bread more evenly and get into the nooks and crannies (yummmm!) I let it cool for 15 minutes while the glaze settled, then flipped it carefully onto a plate.

While still warm, pull apart these gooey pieces and enjoy. Pure pumpkin bliss.

new holiday prints

2011-11-17T08:53:00.004-05:00

I'm finally able to share some new holiday prints that I've been working on! These two little guys will make an appearance at Made in the 216, so stop by if you'd like to pick one up, or you can head to the shop if you're feeling lazy (who doesn't love online shopping?)

made in the 216 holiday shoppe

2011-11-14T09:16:00.011-05:00

I am so happy to be part of another wonderful Made in the 216 event! This year's Holiday Shoppe takes place inside Room Service and lasts for a whole month—so there's plenty of time to get in and snag your gifts for the season. I'll have some new mini-prints for sale as well as some gift tags to add the final touch to your wrapping. There are so many other talented vendors participating, you're sure to find something wonderful (and locally made!) for everyone on your list.

The event kicks off on Black Friday with a DJ and some good drinks, with an after-party to follow down the street at Market Garden Brewery. It's always a good time so I hope to see you there for the opening!

aerie holiday trunk show

2011-11-11T10:25:00.020-05:00

Last night, I was lucky enough to attend Aerie's first-ever trunk show to debut their new holiday collection! My lovely friend Carolyn is a designer at Aerie corporate and was able to invite myself and a friend to attend and shop the collection—on the house!* Not to mention all of their bras were on a special promo sale for 40% off. Too. Cool.

Sequins!!

Matching undies

So many pretty holiday prints!

Sparrows

Fuzzy slippers

Snagged this pretty little thing

My loot

I have actually never been to an Aerie store before and was really blown away by how much I LOVED everything. I probably tried on 20 bras in all different styles, colors, and shapes just to get a taste of everything. The quality was awesome, they fit great, I was really, really impressed. There were barely any that I didn't like (which made it really hard when I got up to the register) but I ended up with four very different bras that fit like a dream. I also picked up a super fuzzy reversible cable knit/fur snood that I want to wrap around my face and fall asleep in. Mercedes came with me and got some great stuff too. We had a great time, got into the holiday spirit, and I cannot say THANK YOU enough to Carolyn and Aerie for hooking us up. I will definitely be back for more!

*Aerie did not pay for this post. I just wanted to spread the love!

jonesco beer: frenchy

2011-11-10T13:29:00.009-05:00

Remember my Frenchie illustration from a little while back? Oddly enough, I was recently contacted by Wes from Jonesco Beer about doing a label for his latest brew, a French-style Saison called "Frenchy."

He thought a bulldog with some quirky French accessories would make for a perfect label. Even more strange, I thought this was all because of my illustration, but he hadn't seen it. At all. So it was a weird coincidence that worked out, because we adapted my existing drawing to suit the label, and above is the finished piece. Just one of those serendipitous design moments, I guess! You can check out his full variety of beers and labels (he has designed most if not all of the other labels) here.

new SS stamp

2011-11-07T08:58:00.003-05:00

Last week, I ordered a custom Shore Society stamp to use on business cards, new products, envelopes, etc. and it just came! Super fast turnaround and the stamp itself is perfectly detailed and exactly what I wanted.

I decided to go with a stamp for my business cards as opposed to printing them so I can switch up the ink and paper colors (and be able to use white and metallic inks on darker paper)!

I used to have handmade cards with fabric, they were awesome but were very time consuming to put together. I've decided to move on and do something different. Do you make your own business cards, or find it easier just to have them printed and done?

happy halloween

2011-10-31T09:50:00.006-04:00

mexican sugar skull makeup - for halloweening saturday night

another shot

chocolate-dipped peanut butter pretzel sandwiches to snack on (recipe here)

baked fontina with herbs for Sunday's Browns game (recipe here)

I had a great weekend full of costumes and Halloween fun, and tonight I'm heading to my parents' house for chili, donuts, cider and trick or treating. How was your weekend?

stay creative.

2011-10-28T09:05:00.003-04:00

Really love looking over this list I found over at Sterling Style. I can definitely say I do a lot of 26 (don't force it) and 33 (finish something). I go crazy if I start something and don't finish it! I do some of the others but those resonated with me. What do you do to stay creative?

fall weekend snapshots

2011-10-25T15:44:00.008-04:00

Perfect cocktail for a Friday night in, carving pumpkins: apple cider, ginger ale, spiced rum

Muddy buddies (recipe here)

Our pumpkins - mine goes with my sugar skull costume for next weekend!

Brewzilla on Saturday night - part of Cleveland Beer Week

Baked Chex Mix for Sunday football (recipe here) and yes, I had an abundance of chex laying around!

I can't wait for Halloween this year (well, or any year), I am totally in the fall spirit. What are you dressing up as?

*all photos are now extra beautiful thanks to my new iPhone 4S, which I want to marry.

welcome to ss!

2011-10-25T13:32:00.012-04:00

After months in the making, my blog relaunch is finally finished! (Well, for now, we all know there's always work to be done). The relaunch not only effects the design of the blog and shop, but I have some new business cards and packaging for my prints in the works. I'm so excited that everything will now be cohesive, and can't wait to roll out the new identity in the upcoming holiday shops I'm participating in.

I'm now running my blog and shop as Shore Society, which is a nod to my love of lakefront living as well as all things of high design. You can read more about me and SS here.

Hope you guys like it, and continue to follow along. Also, although my old web address will forward to this new one (blog.shoresociety.com), if you have linked to this blog on your own site, kindly update your link to reflect the new name and web address. Thanks!

sweet surprises

2011-10-20T14:18:00.002-04:00

I found this today on Pinterest and immediately thought if there ever was a way to say "I love you" to me, THIS would be it! After the initial "aww"/surprise reaction, I would probably dive face first onto this bed and start eating all of that amazing candy. This comes from an entire book by Brusse called "Love Injections" that depicts 100 creative ways to say "I love you." So adorable.

recipe: spiced pumpkin cupcakes

2011-10-16T23:09:00.014-04:00

I realize the top photo makes the cupcake glow like a beacon of light, but it's slightly appropriate because these truly taste like fall heaven. I made them for a work party because a) I wanted to eat them; b) I figured other people would too; 3) I never miss an excuse to try baking something new. They taste like a pumpkin roll in a perfect no-utensil-required form...bonus. I found the recipe over here on 6 Bittersweets. Here's how to make them for yourself! Yield is 12-14 cupcakes.

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 cup PLUS 2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 scant cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree [1/2 of a 15 oz. can]
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup PLUS 2 Tbsp sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature

D I R E C T I O N S :

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the top of a standard 12-cup muffin pan, line pan with 12 baking liners.

2) Sift the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.

3) In a separate bowl, whisk to combine pumpkin, milk, and vanilla; set aside also.

4) In a large mixing bowl, use mixer on medium-high to cream butter and sugar together until light in color and fluffy.

5) Turn mixer down to low, and add the eggs and one yolk. Beat well to combine.

6) Next, add 1/3 the flour mixture, then 1/2 the pumpkin mixture, another 1/3 of the flour mixture, the remaining pumpkin mixture, and the last 1/3 of the flour mixture, mixing to combine after each addition.

7) Fill baking liners about 3/4 full (I did have some leftover batter, so I filled some extra cups and baked those too). Bake 20 to 27 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before you frost with...

The most perfect CREAM CHEESE FROSTING ever!

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 1/2 to 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
8 oz. (1 block) cream cheese, cold and cut into 6 to 8 chunks

D I R E C T I O N S :

1) In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, and vanilla until thoroughly blended and fluffy.

2) Add the cream cheese, a chunk at a time, beating after each addition (just enough to mix it in each time).

3) Taste, and beat in more powdered sugar if needed. *Be careful not to overbeat the frosting or the cream cheese may start to break down. If not using immediately, chill until needed, then beat again until smooth just before using.

I piped the frosting onto the cupcakes using a homemade parchment paper cone (see a video how-to here) and topped with little pearl sprinkles. Hope they bring some fall joy to your home (and mouth)!

new prints + blog announcement

2011-10-11T11:37:00.018-04:00

Just listed: Lake Erie Love prints in three new color schemes with filled lettering (as opposed to the original outline lettering).

My Frenchie print has also just been added to the shop, and I will be adding some more dogs as I finish them :)

Also, I've been making some changes to my shop (as you'll notice) which will soon be trickling over to the blog. I will be keeping this blog, but it will operate under a new name, new design, and include a bit more personal posts and inspiration. I hope the re-launch will allow this little corner of the internet to serve as a one-stop holding station for all of my news, photos, sketches, and artwork, and that you're just as excited about it as I am! This has been in the works for months — the product of many conversations, brainstorms, and design attempts, but I'm finally so happy with what it's becoming.

So keep your eyes peeled, pardon my dust as I get things up and moving, and I'll hopefully be finished after this weekend.

frenchie

2011-09-29T12:25:00.007-04:00

A little French Bulldog with a touch of red for the holidays (gotta start early!) Hoping to do more dogs, what breeds would you like to see?

recipe: apple crumble

2011-09-28T09:44:00.009-04:00

Last night I was craving something distinctly fall, so I made an apple crumble (or, Allie, should I say, CRAMBLE) and had it over ice cream. It was ridiculous and yummy and seasonal and I thought I'd share the recipe (from here).

I N G R E D I E N T S :

10 cups all-purpose apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup water

1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, melted

D I R E C T I O N S :

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2) Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.

3) Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apples.

4) Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes

5) Serve warm over ice cream

Enjoy!

happy pants

2011-09-23T09:51:00.004-04:00

You can't wear pants this color and not smile. Wishing you smiles this weekend - happy Friday!

recipe: brie + apple flatbread

2011-09-20T08:36:00.006-04:00

I made this on Sunday as an afternoon football snack after seeing it posted here on Sugarlaws. It sounded so good and perfectly seasonal for this time of year, and ended up being really, really easy.

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 small whole wheat pizza dough (picked it up pre-made from Heinen's)

1/2 lb brie cheese

1 large tart green apple

2 tbsp honey

D I R E C T I O N S :

Preheat oven to 400° and roll out dough on pizza stone/pan (or baking sheet if you don't have one).

Bake the pizza dough about halfway, about 5-8 minutes (or follow instructions for the dough you purchased), remove from the oven.

Lay slices of brie on pizza dough, then layer thinly sliced apples on top.

Drizzle with honey and pop back in the over for another 5-8 minutes.

By then, the apples should be warm and maybe browning a tad at the corners. I added a bit more honey after the bake since it dried up a little.

Slice like a pizza or however you want, and enjoy with a good beer or cider. This was totally drool-worthy, and convinced me that a football snack doesn't have to be greasy and artery-clogging. Plus, anything with cheese on it? Who can resist.

DIY: glitter wedges

2011-09-18T14:46:00.024-04:00

I have a love/hate relationship with the star shoe of the season: Miu Miu's glitter heeled booties. They come in so many sparkly, magnificent colors and I just want to squeal when I see them. I mean come on:

They're amazing. And since they cost more than my rent, I'm left emulating them at home. I've found quite a few DIY posts (namely this one) floating around and finally decided to try them with Brigitte.

S U P P L I E S :

Paintbrush

Gesso

Mod Podge or Glue

Paint - waterproof acrylic - ours was actually very cheap from the craft store

Painter's Tape

Glitter

Clear Spray Fixative

We looked for a cheap pair of heels, but ended up with wedges and thought this would be an interesting way to bring in the accent of color (like in the Miu Mius) by painting the sole and wedge a color, and applying the glitter to the upper. We found these wedges at Target, they were about $25.

Wipe the shoes clean, and brush one coat of gesso over the sole and wedge. We painted the bottom of the shoe as well so the black was totally covered.

After the gesso dries (about 30 minutes), apply two coats of paint, allowing them to dry in between.

This process takes some time, so I recommend a glass of wine and a good show.

I used a coral pink paint (to go with gold glitter) and Brigitte used turquoise to go with silver glitter.

*In retrospect, we should have added a step here. After finishing, we both realized we should have also painted the upper of the shoe to match the color of the glitter, so the black gaps weren't as apparent. We solved that with metallic paint pens at the end, but I would recommend painting the shoe just to make it easier, and to give it a solid colored base for the glitter.

Next, mix the glitter and glue together in a bowl. You can use whatever ratio you feel is best, ours was about 1:1. By mixing the glitter in with the glue, it won't shake off and make a mess. Brilliant!

Tape off the painted area, then brush the glitter over the shoe. Here is what it looked like after one coat.

And here they are after 3 coats. Starting to lay on thicker (and taking longer to dry). We did about 4 coats, and on the last coat, shook some loose glitter onto the shoes to fill in any gaps. Be light-handed about the loose glitter, as it will be more likely to fall off.

After the final coat dried, we shook off any loose bits and sprayed the shoes with a light coat of spray fixative to seal them.

Then they're done! And you've just saved yourself about $850. High five.

GFDA

2011-09-16T09:16:00.003-04:00

Two of my friends and former Kent State colleagues formed Good Fucking Design Advice a year or so ago and have been growing and inspiring others ever since. They just posted this lovely video about their process and about pursuing passion projects—advice I feel we all should take. Enjoy.

missoni madness

2011-09-14T00:20:00.006-04:00

The ubiquitous partnership between Missoni and Target launched today after months and months of hype and anticipation. Since the Target site was crashed for most of the day I managed to scoop up a lot of pieces at our local store (since apparently no one in Cleveland seems to know—or care—about Missoni...oh well, bonus)! The knitted flats and silk scarf were at the top of my list, as well as some dinnerware which I ended up not purchasing (my cart was so full and...I panicked and put it back), but I had some pleasant surprises come home with me, including the suede pumps (which I actually LOVE), the silk lounge pants, and a bunch of office supplies, mugs, and a cosmetic case. I am on chevron overload. OH and a got the black wool floppy hat too (hidden in the bottom picture). Some of the clothing was a tad disappointing, the cotton knits were nice but the cardigans, skirts, etc. felt poorly synthetic, which I guess is to be expected with Target fabrics so I just passed over those pieces.

I love the colors and the different palettes offered...will definitely add a good dose of brightness as we head into fall.

Did you get your hands on anything? What are your favorites?

welcome, fall

2011-09-08T12:32:00.003-04:00

Falling leaves, apple spice, crisp cool air, pumpkin treats, cozy days...around the corner!

ekko & panda

2011-09-06T21:59:00.008-04:00

My friends Nathaniel and Val have two completely gorgeous Siamese cats, Ekko and Panda. I always thought they'd be so fun to draw, and recently they asked me to illustrate them. It was an interesting challenge..not only was it important for the cats to look right, but also to get their different personalities into the piece. Panda (on top) is a super fluffy lover who is always laying on a windowsill or dangling her paw from a shelf. Ekko (bottom) is sleek and aloof and is always flipped on his back or laying in a box. There were a lot of other layouts I considered but liked this the most. They aren't the most playful of cats, so drawing them just chilling out in their favorite spots made the most sense.

I did their fur with watercolor washes that I did by hand, which I picked apart and collaged together digitally to get their markings right. The linework and the rest is all digital.

I'm so happy with how it came out, and that Nathaniel and Val loved it!

The two kitties are below so you can see how cute they are in real life :)

shoreline

2011-08-31T14:40:00.004-04:00

this is a little sketch/collage something that is sort of a mess but there's something I liked about it...so I Ieft it alone.

there's something to be said about the moment when you know when to stop working on something...you can work it to death and you end up "ruining" the essence of what it was in the first place. does that ever happen to you?

french navy

2011-08-29T16:08:00.001-04:00

stuck in my head and perfect for this weather...

recipe: classic mac 'n' cheese

2011-08-28T22:55:00.015-04:00

I had a really lazy Sunday yesterday, and with the mild, back-to-school weather I started thinking I might actually be ready for fall. I love love love fall but am still clinging to the little shreds of summer that remain. We don't have air conditioning, so for the last few months I haven't made anything that required the oven to be on for more than a few minutes. Now that it's cooled down I was ready for some comfort food and made my mom's mac 'n' cheese. I got a few requests for the recipe after I posted a picture, so here it is. I normally don't post recipes since I'm no Michael Symon, but it's too good not to share. (And yes, thanks to a particular pizza at Danny Boy's, I have discovered that potato chips and mac 'n' cheese is close to heaven).

I N G R E D I E N T S :

2 cups elbow macaroni
2 cups milk
2 cups land o' lakes sharp american cheese, cubed (you can get it at the deli, I usually ask for them to cut a 2" thick chunk)
6 cups water
salt
pepper
paprika

D I R E C T I O N S :

1 | Preheat oven to 350.

2 | Boil 6 cups water, salted very generously.

3 | Pour macaroni in water and stir constantly for 3 minutes. Then cover, remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.

4 | Drain macaroni and rinse in hot water.

5 | In an oven safe dish, layer macaroni, cheese, and milk in alternating layers. Top with a little salt, pepper, and paprika.

6 | Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour. The mac should be bubbling and browning at the top, and not too milky underneath the top layer. It will thicken up upon cooling, so I usually allow mine to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

And that's it! It's my ideal lazy workweek dinner, as long as you can wait an hour to eat.

You can see other things I make (food and otherwise) by following me on Instagram, which I am completely addicted to.

better things

2011-08-26T07:48:00.001-04:00

Here's the song (it's the first line):

DIY: tissue paper flowers

2011-08-15T08:05:00.001-04:00

My mom is starting back to school (first grade!) in a couple weeks, and is having a garden theme in her classroom. I learned how to make these tissue paper flowers at work and offered to make her some for her bulletin boards and activity tables. I thought I'd share how to make them since they're easy and you can use them to decorate for basically anything.

Start with tissue paper, whatever colors you'd like. I got a multi-pack so I could make a lot of different color combos.

Cut the paper into squares and sort by color.

Choose three colors for a standard size flower (my squares were about 8x8"). You can do four or two if you're doing a larger or smaller flowers (I also made some that were 5x5 but still used 3 layers...it's really up to however you want them to look).

Stack the sheets and start accordion folding. My folds were about 3/4", you can fold smaller if you'd like more/tighter petals or larger folds for a bigger, less defined shape.

Keep going until you reach the end of the sheet.

Fold the paper in half.

Cut a rounded edge along the open side.

Wrap a piece of yarn around the fold and tie in a knot. You could also use garbage bag ties or wire if you plan on attaching a stem and making a bouquet.

Fan the flower out

Fluff the three tissue layers apart from each other until they start to make a flower shape. Decide which layer you'd like as the bottom color, and hold the flower there, where the yarn is. Pinch the center and form the layers away from where your fingers are. You almost want to make a "nub" at the center base of the flower so you have something to attach the flowers with.

Keep arranging and fluffing the layers until you fill in the gaps. Repeat as you'd like!

workshop at zygote press

2011-08-11T08:29:00.001-04:00

This week, myself and a small group of my co-workers got to take an all-day screen printing workshop at Zygote Press. I had never been to Zygote before and...it was awesome. I felt totally transported back to the KSU art building (ah yes, the beautiful dilapidated warehouse...fond memories).

I brought a couple images to print and ended up just printing a one-color silkscreen of my bow design.

It took a while to mix the perfect orange, but it came out awesome. Some of us had issues with the tub of white ink that we mixed our colors with, so some of our inks got a little fluffy and thick and we could only get about 8 prints out of it.

Here's the inside of the work room. Anthony is helping with the registration of Kelle's print (in the foreground).

Using your head comes in handy.

Kelle's 3-color print of Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty with squirt guns...she used a pink shimmer ink for Faye's. One of my favorite things about printing (any type) is the array of inks you can use. Neons, shimmer, metallic, opaque whites—it's really wide open. You can't get impact like that with digital printing. There were a lot of other awesome prints but only got a picture of these two.

It's not often we get out of the office to do something fun and free-form like this (for work!) so I'm really glad we went. And for anyone interested, Zygote has a ton of workshops and open studios with different rates available, so it's a great place to even just go and use their facility and tools. Now that I've been, I know I'll be going back and will be doing a little giveaway with the bow prints I have. Yay!

splash pages

2011-08-04T10:31:00.006-04:00

When we have clients who are thinking about Flash splash pages, we tell them to go to their local supermarket and bring a mime with them. Have the mime stand in front of the supermarket, and, as each customer tries to enter, do a little show that lasts two minutes, welcoming them to the supermarket and trying to explain the bread is on aisle six and milk is on sale today. Then stand back and count how many people watch the mime, how many people get past the mime as quickly as possible, and how many people punch the mime out. That should give you a good idea as to how well their splash page will be received.

—Jared Spool

the big 2-5

2011-08-01T08:06:00.004-04:00

So I turned 25 on Thursday (cue sad violin) and even though I had mixed feelings about reaching this particular milestone it was still just as nice as every other birthday. If not nicer! I took two glorious days off work so I could enjoy a long weekend with family and friends.

I did some shopping on Thursday, which is how I wound up with this striped dress...I had been drooling over it since I saw it on the cover of last month's J Crew catalog—as if I need any more stripes—but while waiting for it to go on sale, they were all snatched up. Then they came back, but still full price. So when I was out, I popped into JC to see what they had, walked to the sale section, and sticking out like a sore thumb, there it was. I went over to it, and did that close-your-eyes, please-please-be-my-size prayer to the gods, and flipped over the tag—and it was. Oh my goodness. To top it off, it was marked down and they were offering an additional 30% off that markdown price. So I tried it on, it fit, I did a happy dance, and walked out feeling like I stole it. It was a birthday gift I was meant to give myself ;)

After I left, I spent the day with my mom, who gave me these awesome sunflowers and made a really nice lunch. I got a couple good gifties too...thanks mama.

A card from my sister, signed by our dogs, of course.

Got this rose gold beauty from Jim :)

Love this card too from Brigitte, which is fresh from AG's new line justWink.

We had some friends over for celebrating on Saturday, and I paid for it yesterday. At least I don't mind spending the day on the couch, watching bad TV. Now that the week is starting I am getting back into some personal projects that I'll be sharing soon, and I just finished an illustration of my friend's two Siamese cats which I'll post once it makes its way into his hands.

For everyone who sent birthday wishes, thank you, and I hope to have a very happy, not-too-grown-up year 25!

swagger supermarket

2011-07-14T11:33:00.013-04:00

I have a not-so-well-kept secret: I love Lil' Wayne. I love Drake. I love hip hop. I am a human lyric dictionary. There's just something about a good verse that makes me feel like I want to listen to it over and over...good timing, puns, a good rhyme...I just get hooked.

I've been toying with the idea of doing a bunch of lyric-based lettering illustrations for a while and finally did one just for fun. This is one of my favorite segments ever, it's from Lil' Wayne's part in the Drake song "Uptown." You can hear it below at the 4:44 mark.

I tried to give the right visual tone to the words that got the most emphasis in the verse, and just played with the layout from there. This particular part seemed to lend itself perfectly to just a black and white treatment so I kept it simple. I want to do a bunch more now that I've broken the ice with my first. It's nothing special but was really fun to do!

Made in the 216 Wrap-Up

2011-07-13T22:48:00.000-04:00

Made in the 216 has wrapped and I wanted to share some photos from the ah-mazing opening party at the brand new Dredger's Union store. The event had a circus theme so there were banners, balloons, and a bigtop to bring it all together.

The place was totally packed (a good sign)!

I found my framed prints...

...and the unframed ones too.

Really liked these Cleveland neighborhood/street name prints.

Loved that they had a circus photo-op booth (complete with clown noses)! Brigitte and I got a few good pictures.

Brigitte and Dave...this is so cute!

After we sifted through the product for at least an hour (there was so much!) we headed over to Greenhouse for the after party. Unfortunately we couldn't get on the roof to see the bands—they were at capacity—but we posted up at the bar and still got to enjoy the crowd. Congrats and thank you to Danielle, Jennie and all involved for all of their hard work...the opening was awesome and I was so happy to see so many people excited about the new retail coming to downtown.

And with that, I'll leave you with this (awesome) message:

Made in the 216 Opening!

2011-07-08T09:02:00.001-04:00

Opens tonight!! I am beyond excited to be a part of 216 again this year, and can't wait to see everyone out on E. 4th tonight. I'll be out there for a few hours so please be sure to say hi (and of course buy some amazing Cleveland-made products)!

Made in the 216 Prep

2011-07-01T13:23:00.024-04:00

It's that time again—for this year's Made in the 216! I am the master of working under pressure so of course I finished all of my prepping in an exhausting weekend-long stretch. I not only finished a few new pieces but also had to package and frame everything, and print/assemble a ton of business cards. Above is a new piece and an homage to the place I call home :) You can buy it here.

I made some little orange bow stickers to seal the overwrap of my unframed prints.

I usually adhere my business cards to a fabric-covered backer, but in the spirit of saving time, I used different colors of washi tape to spice them up.

I reworked a zig-zag print I had done and framed it differently...I like this way a lot better.

My bright bow in print form. You can pick it up for yourself here in my shop.

The event is next weekend, July 8–10, at the newly opened Dredger's Union store downtown on East 4th. If you live here and haven't stopped in yet, RUN—don't walk—and do some shopping. The store is amazing, full of apparel and gifts and it's a visual treat. The handmade event will add another amazing element to the store. It's going to be awesome. I'll post the flier and more info as it gets closer.

bright bow

2011-06-23T09:22:00.004-04:00

hello summer

2011-06-21T15:01:00.004-04:00

Today is the first (official) day of summer! So I made a little grapefruit.

stickies

2011-06-20T10:08:00.003-04:00

Bored...doodling on sticky notes. I love skinny sharpies, and they look even bolder on hot pink stickies!

happy father's day

2011-06-19T15:09:00.004-04:00

Happy Father's Day to my dad—without him to raise me on college radio and Buddy Holly, I wouldn't be quite the girl I am today.

iLTHY at WMC Fest

2011-06-17T12:04:00.004-04:00

iLTHY at WMC Fest from iLTHY on Vimeo.

In case you couldn't make it, check out this video of iLTHY at WMC Fest. The clip shows the whole setup in the Wall Eye Gallery and some of the other designers' work all over the walls. Simply awesome!

Weapons of Mass Creation: Weekend Wrap-Up

2011-06-15T15:10:00.031-04:00

I'm still digesting everything from last weekend's Weapons of Mass Creation fest, which I'm so, SO glad I was able to attend. The event was well organized, well-run, and thought out. Now, I've seen a lot of designers speak. Big guys, like James Victore, Robynne Raye, Karlsson + Wilker...we all have. But there was something about the speakers at WMC, something that made me feel like we were more alike. That someday, we could be on the same page. All these designers have found so much success in their various specialties, all were very different. But they were younger, humble and honest, easy to feel connected to. Mig Reyes of Threadless even showed some of his college work and gave us all a chuckle by admitting that like most of us, we had no idea what we were doing freshman year. Manipulating type in Photoshop? Yeah, exactly.

I didn't take a lot of pictures so I won't give a play-by-play, but I did take notes. So here are my main takeaways from what the designers had to say:

QUITE STRONG: My favorite all-girl design collective. Discussed how their individual strengths give them a group advantage, which allows them to work with a wider range of clients/project. Also explained the importance of knowing how to just hang out and have down time with other designers. Eating Cheez-Its is also an important part of this process.

KEN HEJDUK of LITTLE JACKET: Talked about the revival of the creative high standard here in Ohio and the Midwest. The trend is that smart=cool. If you give a damn, raise the standards. If you raise the standards, the bar is raised. Attention to detail is key.

MIG REYES of THREADLESS: Talked about how to not make crap and still make money. Passion projects are important—do work on your own, no matter how small or how free. Keep it loose and enjoy the process. Passion projects can actually lead to more work than a school or day-job portfolio because your strengths really shine when you're steering the ship. "Fuck the police, make whatchu wanna."

DAN CASSARO of YOUNG JERKS: Anything > waiting tables. There are two types of designers: you're either a John Lennon or a Paul McCartney. John Lennons are heavy on social responsibility and substance. Paul McCartneys are heavy on style and not so much on substance. Johns=Tibor Kalman. Paul=Joe Duffy.

ALEX CORNELL of ISO50: Always be picking up kernals of advice along the way. Also, emulation is futile. As designers we all compare ourselves to others, but emulating them won't get you anywhere. Do what you do best, because no one else can be you.

JESSI ARRINGTON of WORKSHOP: "Doing good" as a designer can be ambiguous and overwhelming, which leads to frustration and inaction. Make it less about good, and more about better! Think of your life as a design project: how would you arrange the elements of your life, as if elements on a page? Also, she got everyone to dress up and lead a color-coordinated rainbow parade for WMC founder Jeff Finley's birthday. It was a sight.

JOSEPH HUGHES of NORTHCOAST ZEITGEIST: Talked about the struggle we all have with comparing ourselves to others, but layered on how tough that can be if you don't have a formal design education. Gain respect by pouring yourself into those personal projects. And, you just have to find someone to take a chance on you. Prove they were right to hire you, every day. Kick ass and own it.

MIKEY BURTON: Further reiteration that self-initiated passion projects can lead to clients and work you'd never imagine. Adapt "will work for work" as your motto, allow even your smallest projects to hold importance in your heart. Also, dicking around screenprinting with your buddies can lead to big things. Case and point: Mikey himself.

AARON DRAPLIN: I mean really, where do I start. If anyone can light a fire under your ass, it's Aaron. Aaron's near-hour-long presentation was funny, heartwarming, and insanely inspiring. As with many of the other speakers, Aaron emphasized how important it is to do what you love, and don't say no to free projects. Do that stupid poster for your buddy's band. Do a free logo. Don't sweat it for days, but give it the effort. He's also got a thing for estate sales and digging around for old stuff with awesome packaging—not only for work inspiration but also to "rescue" all of these amazing American relics from the garbage heap. A message I can totally get behind.

Though there was a strong common thread between everyone's messages, it was so nice to hear all of their amazing and personal stories of success. The festival felt so intimate that I walked away feeling like I now know all of these designers very personally. They're no longer just these design giants that I google or tweet at or drool over from behind my laptop. Plus it was great to pop over to the Happy Dog and see the festival bands, and visit the Wall Eye poster gallery where I got to have a conversation with Aaron Draplin (starstruck!) and see Dan Christofferson paint a totally badass mural. I couldn't be happier with my experience there and I ALREADY cannot wait till next year.

'sup dude

2011-06-10T13:28:00.005-04:00

When I paint, I end up with so many little washes and shapes on the side of my paper that never get used. I've been keeping them, scanning them in and making something out of the little washes...so here is a funny little dude for you today.

let's have a great summer

2011-06-08T09:44:00.005-04:00

Hand-lettered chalk sign, with a fun message I thought I would share with all of you as warmer temperatures arrive. Finally!

(via Scouts Honor Blog)

marimekko + converse

2011-05-25T11:43:00.003-04:00

Coming this spring, Marimekko for Converse. How cute are those shoes? It's also nice to hear a little bit of background on the brand and their philosophy as well. That would definitely be a dream, to someday design prints for them.

wrap up: T O R O N T O

2011-05-17T21:21:00.033-04:00

A slightly overdue Toronto wrap-up...

Naturally, we stopped in Niagara Falls after we crossed the border. I had never seen the falls before, and it was a lot more magnificent in person than I imagined. Thankfully the sun came out for us, even though it was insanely windy (all those tornadoes had ripped through the midwest the night before) and we got pretty wet from all the water spray. We took a lot of pictures, but I was clinging to the camera as if my life depended on it—I am pretty clumsy with phones, devices...basically anything expensive, so of course I was just waiting to drop it in the water and watch it float away.

There's the US portion of the falls, viewed from the Canadian side.

A glimpse of our room in the Gladstone—we would definitely stay here again. Great location on Queen Street, super friendly staff, unique rooms and galleries on each floor...it was a total experience.

We used our second day to just walk around and shop, so we had breakfast at Niche before we got moving. I had the deep dish french toast with bananas and burnt sugar sauce and I'm basically drooling just talking about it. We noticed over the course of the trip that we always got a green salad with our eggs and toast, so...must be a Canadian thing.

Yes, I realize there are a lot of pictures of food in this post. Sue me. It was good!

Out on Queen Street.

We stopped back at the cafe in the Gladstone after all the walking for a beer and some classic Canadian poutine. I mean, put a plate of gravy cheese fries in front of me and I'm definitely going to do some damage.

Out for Japanese at Momiji.

Breakfast on our last day at Raging Spoon...just look at that vintage tabletop—rooster napkin holder and all. The inside of the place was very kitsch and cute.

We had originally planned to spend our last day riding bikes out on the islands, but the bike rental place was closed (it was still freezing) so we just walked to the harbor instead.

The whole lakefront area was so clean and bright, and reminded me a little of Chicago's waterfront (minus Navy Pier...I didn't see any amusement parks). There were kayak rentals and a lot of restaurants along the water, and a private airport was just across the lake so we got to see a lot of little planes fly across the water.

Some general observations: The city is very walkable, and also very drivable, but we saw LOTS of bikes. I haven't seen so many since I went to Amsterdam. For every parking spot on the street, there were at least two bike racks, always occupied by at least 2-3 bikes each (and many were super rusty?). We saw so many variations on the bike basket, different messenger bags, backpacks, safety accessories...naturally we stopped in a bike shop, and I ended up buying a helmet (finally) and I actually really like it. The cable cars that run through the street make you feel like you're in Europe—I can't imagine how much stronger that feeling must be in Montreal.

It all went too fast..I can't wait to go back.

*photo of our room from the Gladstone's site

not in love

2011-05-13T16:14:00.001-04:00

a song for your friday. happy weekend! I have some fun projects to share next week so be sure to visit me again.

I need some...

2011-05-06T13:19:00.004-04:00

Hopefully we'll get some this weekend.

packing up: toronto

2011-04-25T14:13:00.015-04:00

I am heading out for a much needed getaway tomorrow, to T O R O N T O ! I have never been and I'm really excited the check it out. We're driving up, so we'll be stopped at Niagara Falls too (which I have also never seen). The photos above are all of the Gladstone Hotel, where we're staying. It's a historic Victorian hotel that has been revived with a lot of creativity—each room was made over by different local designers and architects. The rooms are just stunning and some are tightly themed (see: Teen Queen room). You can see photos and even some video tours of the rooms on their site. I won't tell you which one is ours but I'll post pictures when we get there ;) I'm looking forward to being away from work, doing a little shopping, hitting up the casinos for some slots, eating (of course), and exploring the islands off Toronto. I'll be taking lots of pictures (we basically got a new camera for this trip) so I'll post them when we get back.

Cross your fingers that the rain stops for us!

DIY: pom pom flowers

2011-04-18T08:14:00.004-04:00

Since winter, the glass jars on my mantle have held some white glittery berries and branches, and now that it's warming up outside they looked really out of place. I saw a post somewhere online about making pom pom flowers and have been meaning to make them ever since. This weekend I finally had the time, so I made them today and included photos so you can see how I did it.

My living room walls are a pretty bright pear color, so I chose a summery orange and offset it with white. I might add some other colors in eventually but wanted to start simple. In case I was inept at making these, I didn't need five pounds of yarn laying around :)

First, wrap the yarn (loosely—don't cut off your circulation!) around two fingers for a medium 2" pom pom. Three fingers will give you a larger pom pom, and one finger makes a smaller pom pom.

Keep wrapping. For a two-finger pom pom, I wrapped the yarn about 60-70 times; 50 for a small; and 80-100 for a large. It's really up to you—the more you wrap, the fluffier the pom will be.

Carefully pull the yarn from your fingers and set it down. Cut a 4-6" length of yarn from the spool and lay it flat on the table; place the wrapped yarn on top in the center.

Wrap the string around the bundle and tie it as tightly as you can—this is key. Double knot it to secure it, and trim the excess of the strand.

With a pair of fabric shears (or sharp scissors) snip the loops along the edges; go all the way around to cut all the loops.

Fluff the pom pom to fill any gaps. The edges will be shaggy—you can leave them as is, or trim them like I did to make a cleaner shape.

To make the stem, I used dowel rods and wrapped them in the same color yarn as the flower. You can really use whatever you want for the stem—a stick from outside, some thick wire, etc. I used double-sided tape at the both ends of the rod to secure the yarn. I trimmed them into all different sizes, as the jars I have are different heights.

Use a hot glue gun to glue the pom onto the stem; I put a wad of glue on the stem and stuck the pom on wherever there was a sparse area that I didn't want showing.

Repeat as needed, and you're done. You get a cheery bouquet that never dies or needs water! The poms alone would also make great gift toppers or look cute all strung together in a happy banner. Now that I know how to make them I'm hoping to try some other variations.

the morning

2011-04-15T13:29:00.005-04:00

The perfect Friday night song, it's oozy, dark and nocturnal, and sexy as all hell. You can download The Weeknd's full mixtape, House of Balloons, for free here. You're going to want to pay attention to these guys, the hype is going to get crazy.

inspiration is for amateurs

2011-04-11T14:52:00.006-04:00

stars

2011-04-08T15:21:00.004-04:00

I love everything about this band and have serious girl crushes on all of them . This is a personal fave and this video is so pretty.

Happy weekend!

in love with: my windsor oxford

2011-04-03T17:57:00.030-04:00

I've had my eye on the elusive Windsor Oxford since the girls over at Design Sponge mentioned it in a bike-centric post. It seemed the perfect combination of good looks, classic styling, and FUNCTION—which for me is the winning combo. I already had a bike, a beautiful black and white Schwinn cruiser, that I got as a birthday gift from my mom back in college. It was love at first sight with it. I rode it around campus all the time.

(nice right? the thing rides like a Cadillac)

But within the last few years, I've gotten accustomed to riding farther and farther, and more often, for all those short trips and errands. I need to be able to conquer hills, feel nimble and quick riding in the streets, and be able to pedal my ass off when Jim is flying ahead of me. So when I saw the Oxford, it felt like a true match for what I needed. But I didn't buy, I just looked and drooled and coveted and hoped I would win the lottery.

Then Friday, I did.

I thought it was an April Fools joke. Somehow, my sneaky little boyfriend had ordered the bike, taken it to get assembled, and rolled it into our apartment without me having the slightest clue. I guess I had talked about it enough that he knew the color I wanted (a classic navy), and got help from my sister in getting the right size.

There were obviously a lot of tears at first but then I got really excited to ride it. We had plans on Friday night so we decided to take it out for its maiden voyage the next morning. We rode to Century Cycles to get some accessories, and then rode back to Lakewood to get brunch. The whole ride was about seven miles, and the bike rode like a dream. It was amazing to have different gears to ride in, and to have a frame that was light enough to not wear me out (my cruiser weighs a whopping 40 pounds). This is definitely a bike for getting shit done.

(headband, hood, scarf, gloves...it was cold)

My new-bike-joy is in full swing and it's perfect timing for the (albeit slowly) warming temps. So if you see me on the road this summer, 1) wave 2) don't hit me 3) meet me at whiskey island, that's probably where I'm headed.

prints now at NATIVE Cleveland

2011-03-25T12:44:00.010-04:00

I'm happy to announce that my work is now being carried by NATIVE Cleveland, a shiny new shop in the Collinwood Arts District. It's only a couple doors down from the Beachland and it's among a few other vintage shops and record stores. NATIVE carries jewelry, photography, handmade items, and art as well as the full line of C.L.E. Clothing Co. apparel (and much more). In the bottom two photos you can see a few of my pieces hung with Lauren Beacham's polaroid night lights and ceramic clocks. I have both framed and unframed prints available there. So if you're headed to the Beachland (like I am tonight, for Warpaint!) stop in and find something for yourself.

(all photos courtesy of NATIVE)

takeshita street

2011-03-23T11:33:00.002-04:00

A drippy song for a rainy day.

swimmers

2011-03-22T10:01:00.011-04:00

Paintings by Samantha French, via Poppytalk Handmade. In her words:

"My current body of work is focused on swimmers underwater and above. Using vague yet consuming memories from my childhood summers spent immersed in the tepid lakes of northern Minnesota, I attempt to recreate the quiet tranquility of water and nature; of days spent sinking and floating, still and peaceful. These paintings are a link to my home and continual search for the feeling of the sun on my face and warm summer days at the lake. At the same time, I am drawn to an idealistic time before my own, where swim caps and wool swimsuits were commonplace. This combination of memory, observation and photography (old and new) has allowed me to preserve the transitory qualities of water and remembrance."

spring thaw

2011-03-21T10:15:00.010-04:00

Yesterday was the first official day of spring, and I'm so excited that it actually feels like it's true. There aren't many things I love more than that first day that you DON'T need a coat! It was so nice here last week on St. Patrick's Day, that we were able to walk to the bar with only light jackets, and there was hardly any chill in the air.

We thought it was appropriate to christen another year on our balcony with our new chairs and table that we bought months ago. Last year we had some old green and white director's chairs but the weather pretty much destroyed them. The new ones are at least made to be outside, so thankfully we can just leave them out.

I didn't waste any time, and reclaimed my spot on the balcony and watched Jim break in his new softball glove. We spent so much time out there last summer and it felt good to be back.

I'm also ready to pick fresh flowers, and we're going to be planting lots of herbs on the balcony too. Jim's dad built us a custom little potter box that runs along the railing at one end, and just kind of hangs in thin air. It'll be perfectly convenient once it warms up enough to plant them :)

more fabric business cards

2011-03-14T19:08:00.003-04:00

The time finally came to make another round of business cards, so this time I used a different fabric, which is part zig-zag, part Easter egg (perfect timing for spring). Producing these each time is a pretty laborious process—so I keep wondering WHY don't I just go to a printer—but I love the way they come out. Plus it's fun to give some of my grandma's fabric a new life.

snow tracks

2011-03-08T12:14:00.004-05:00

Not to revert back to winter mode, but we got a dusting of snow the other night, and I loved the shape of these tire tracks.

you & i

2011-03-04T16:26:00.002-05:00

Just try NOT to feel this song.

model magic

2011-03-03T12:17:00.005-05:00

Playing around with some model magic, and made a little "making of" movie with a stop motion iPhone app. We made a DQ cone and this little monster guy below:

Kind of dorky but fun, and I love the way this stuff dries but still feels foamy.

IT'S COMING

2011-03-01T11:42:00.005-05:00

I heard a mourning dove cooing outside this morning, the first one of the year. It's a sign.

chevron print

2011-02-25T11:42:00.005-05:00

I have been seeing zig zags and chevron patterns everywhere lately and was inspired to try my hand the striking pattern. After a lot of noodling around and trial & error, what resulted was a super bright, tribal-inspired, looks-like-a-blanket-my-grandma-crocheted art print with white lacy details. I usually work on a light or white background so it was a challenge to work with so much color. I tried tons of combos and am pretty happy with how vibrant this came out. You can snag it here.

You can see some of my inspiration in my chevron brights treasury on Etsy.

The Muppets do Dance Yrself Clean

2011-02-25T10:16:00.003-05:00

This is fantastic. Haha. Would have been so fun to experience this in person! [Here, the Muppets are in Brighton]

(via Brooklyn Vegan)

A Very Valentine's Market with Room Service, Salty Not Sweet, and Bazaar Bizarre!

2011-02-02T16:26:00.007-05:00

I have some NEW (!) work in this weekend's Valentine's Market, along with other artists and makers from Room Service, Salty Not Sweet (their soon-to-be next door neighbor on W.25th) and Bazaar Bizarre. It's this Saturday, from 10-8 in the lobby of the United Bank building (I hear it's gorgeous). I think the weather is supposed to be decent, maybe the sun will even come out. Hope to see you there!

sailor love

2011-02-01T11:56:00.006-05:00

I love color but damn, I enjoy black and white too.

color couple: pink & olive

2011-01-30T18:25:00.011-05:00

I am totally loving the combo of pink and olive right now. I never used to be too into pink but when paired the right way, it can look much less pretty-pretty-princess and more powder room chic. Something about the olive with it makes it feel very Art Nouveau:

Alphonse Mucha, the Czech king of Art Nouveau. I went to the Mucha Museum in Prague

a few years ago, it was completely stunning.

I think a much paler powder pink and orangey salmon pink also looks great. Might be my next obsession for a little while, but it's a combo I haven't explored much so we'll see where it goes.

fight your way through

2011-01-25T09:26:00.000-05:00

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.”

— Ira Glass

home is with you

2011-01-23T19:27:00.005-05:00

"Home" is an ever-changing place and idea for me—in the last year and a half I've found myself in three different places—and the things that signified "home" for me in each was different. There's always a palpable feeling of relief no matter where you are, of walking in the door, putting your things down, and having your time back to yourself. Especially after a long day at work—BONUS!

What I loved about living in the first-floor of a double was having a yard and a big front porch with an antique bench swing. I had quite the summer of leisure in that house—I was still unemployed at the time—and spent a lot of time on that porch.

My apartment after provided me with a great work area—it had an entire wall of built-in shelves and drawers in pretty classic old-Lakewood fashion. The shelves were able to hold everything, all of my books, papers, envelopes, supplies, photos, it was pretty insane. The setup allowed me to have my desk right there, surrounded by the shelves, and I could just focus and have everything at my disposal.

I love so much about my current place I don't really know where to start, but my favorite thing about it has got to be coming home in the summer, sitting on my balcony and cracking open a beer. I can look down at everyone who's still on their commute home and (literally) put my feet up (suckas!)

I like being in a busier area. There's lots of people (and dogs!) to watch going by, and almost everything is a short walk away. It's also easier to be spontaneous when going places doesn't require any planning or effort. There were many times last summer where we'd be on a random bike ride and just pop into a place we'd never been to, because we smelled the food from outside, or because it started pouring (def got stuck once in a bar for hours waiting out a downpour). As peaceful as it is to be in the quiet sometimes, it's always made me unsettled. Open spaces creep me out. The country creeps me out (I think I owe this to Texas Chainsaw Massacre).

Of course, the only true thing that makes "home" what it is is who you're surrounded by. Hence, the little piece I just did. And no, it has nothing to do with the Edward Sharpe song that I could really do without hearing anymore.

What's your favorite thing about being home?

sweet honey pie

2011-01-09T21:07:00.008-05:00

I love Valentine's Day and it's right around the corner. It's not the actual day that I love, so much, but the colors, the hearts, the CANDY (duh) and giving of notes and cards to friends. My mom always sends me treats, I send them to my sister, and I always make something for myself and my main squeeze :) I'm getting cavities just thinking about it.

I'm also making some new pieces for a special Valentine's event with Room Service, Salty Not Sweet, and Bazaar Bizarre, coming in February. I will post the exact dates and times once they are finalized. The above piece is also available in my shop for $12, ready to give or frame.

enceladus

2011-01-06T17:49:00.000-05:00

will be waiting patiently till (if) he comes to cleveland...!

in retrospect

2010-12-20T13:13:00.023-05:00

I get really reflective this time of year. I guess most everyone does, it's the closing of the year and time to make plans for a new one. Oddly enough, I started my job on the first Monday in January last year, so the new year also marks my one-year anniversary here at AG. Doesn't seem like a big deal, but after bouncing around a lot and freelancing/trying to make ends meet, the "one-year" marker is a first for me, and a welcomed dose of stability.

I think this year marked some significant growth for me—personal and professional—and it always helps me to make lists to visualize what those things were.

This year I:

- learned to pick my battles. I'm not always good at this—I am a pretty vocal person.

- tried sushi, it was good

- had my first featured gallery show, and showed in Made in the 216—twice :)

- made homemade oreos

- biked—a LOT more than usual, and farther distances

- paid off my laptop—damn it feels good to cut up a credit card

- saw my cards for sale at Target—pretty fun moment

- had my first Browns tailgating experience and it won't be my last

- discovered that I am much more of a dog person after some terrible cat-owner incidents

- expanded my Etsy shop

- saw Lady Gaga with a great crew of people—probably one of my favorite, most epic nights ever

- illustrated for Project Openbook

- quit smoking—7 months cig free :)

What's your favorite accomplishment of 2010? I'm thinking 2011 is going to be pretty badass. Only one more year 'til the world ends...!

*image from confettisystem

snow cats

2010-12-09T21:22:00.003-05:00

hope everyone is staying cozy and warm...

holiday shoppe prep

2010-11-19T10:33:00.003-05:00

spent a lot of last week getting ready for Room Service's Made in the 216 Holiday Shoppe—lots of prep to do since the event is a whole month long! I am used to only prepping for a weekend when '216' comes along, so this was a little different. had lots of fun creating new art for the event, including a holiday card that will also function as a promotional mailer for me for the season. making handmade business cards a while back also bit me in the ass since I ran out and had to make more—a painstaking process. but worth it once they're done. check out more info about the event below and be sure to attend the opening party on black friday. everyone should have a little handmade for the holidays :)

helicopter

2010-11-18T10:47:00.002-05:00

a favorite of my favorite—deerhunter's new album finds them exploring a cryptograms-era ambient sound, but re-imagined in a new way. the perfect song for this chilly weather.

into the sea

2010-11-11T12:46:00.000-05:00

adore

2010-11-03T09:21:00.004-04:00

yearbook editor

2010-10-25T13:10:00.002-04:00

feeling very fall, and nothing says fall like the return of the school year, and all things collegiate.

sweet love

2010-10-19T14:02:00.001-04:00

phoneless and mute!

2010-10-05T15:19:00.007-04:00

A little while ago, I completed a spot illo for Project Openbook—a wonderful organization that seeks to build a community-authored children's book to benefit girls in Nepal. Contributors post poems, and illustrators then create the pictures for the book. Then, people like you vote on which poems make it into the book. The poem I illustrated for, "A Phoneless Lament" by Marcia Schwartz is below, along with my art. Enjoy, and be sure to head over to Project Openbook to cast your vote or donate for the cause :)

A PHONELESS LAMENT

Oh, my poor little heart

would go flutter-flitter

if only someone could send me

a text or a twitter.

The other girls are so happy

with their little phones so cute

while I’m a social outcast

because I’m phoneless and mute!

I’m like a dog without a bone–

like a queen without a throne–

all because you’re so STUBBORN

and won’t buy me a phone!

It’ll be all your fault

when I’m sad and alone–

a spinster forever

because I have no telephone!

I work with art/copy tie-in on greeting cards all day, every day—and designing for children's book writing takes a little different approach. I went though multiple scenarios, sketches, and layouts before I reached this solution. The book will also likely be printed in black and white, so working with that in mind requires some foresight—it's not wise to work in color and just "convert to grayscale." Besides, working in b&w is an important part of the process. You really can't deal with color properly until you understand how your design will look in shades of gray, and it's always helpful to work this way when developing your layout. I actually had fun with this—going back to just b&w helped me use a different process :)

On to the next poem...I will post when it's finished!

mexicali rabbit

2010-09-28T10:03:00.001-04:00

thinker

2010-09-26T19:18:00.003-04:00

yeah...he has no hands.

asteroid flowers

2010-09-01T14:06:00.004-04:00

A wallpaper design I did for fun for The Donut Project, which will be up for download (in many sizes!) very soon. I'll let everyone know when it's up :)

...and so was I

2010-08-25T15:09:00.000-04:00

sunflower

2010-08-03T16:12:00.002-04:00

Something about this feels very mid '90s, very Babysitters Club. Probably because everyone had a denim floppy hat with a sunflower on it...including myself.

showing out & about

2010-08-02T13:34:00.000-04:00

I don't know why I never posted about the shows & events I did this spring/summer, but I wanted to post some photos from Made in the 216 as well as my 3-way group show "Characters" at Jefferson Studio in Tremont.

Made in the 216:

Danielle from Room Service did an amazing job merchandising all of the handmade goods and art that was available. I saw a ton of jewelry that impressed me as well...there's some serious talent here in the cleve!

Funeral Girl is below:

this was sort of the 'kids corner':

framed zoo prints...these are prints but are hand-stamped with 'zoo' and signed, the green/blue one also has ink drawings added. they'll be up for sale in my etsy shop soon:

"Characters":

(Paintings by Susan Hlaudy and installations by Don King)

my stuff was on this wall, as well as the opposite wall:

Hopefully the fall will bring more! Just need to get some new work done. The summer's been too nice to be cooped up at my desk...

southwest flowers

2010-07-21T16:44:00.003-04:00

I don't work digitally very often, it has it's advantages...I'm really starting to like it though. just playing around here...really like the way the palette ended up. going to keep posting more of these.