Monday Muse: Just Start

Our friends at seesaw spotted this lovely artwork by Elise Joy. I think it makes for the perfect motivation on a Monday.

Thursday Tidbit: Icons

Check out this project by designer Kyle Tezak. He took it upon himself to tell the story of some of his favorite movies and books through designing four icons. I think his work his great and very successful. You could very much guess the book or movie without seeing the text. If you had four icons for your life story what would they be?

Seen via ReadyMade.

Eleanor Grosch

Ah! Have you seen this line of fabroc from Eleanor Grosch called Zoo Menagerie? I just saw it on True Up and fell in love. I think the tiger print is my favorite. This also brings me to Eleanor's website which showcases her wonderful artwork. It is so fresh and fun...I could spend a while on there and want all of her prints. Go check it out.

Calendar giveaway!

Our friends at Seesaw are giving away two of their new calendars!!! They are simply beautiful. And who can't use a little gold in their life. Check out their blog to enter.

Oh tape again...

I heart this optical illusion tape. I think if I ordered every decorative tape I have spotted I would be in heaven....and in a room full of just tape.

Who doesn't love vintage....

Vintage internet ads? Love! How awesome are these advertisements for things such as Facebook and Twitter. I'm sorry to say but I think the golden age of advertising is long gone, but these give me hope. Seen via Design Mom.

Embrace the electronic.

I love getting mail...not bills and junk mail, but I just love getting a letter or a postcard. It is such a lost art these days so when something does arrive it just makes my day. With that said I am wondering if there is not a way to embrace the old and new. Check out the Cartolina iPhone app. I have not tried it yet, but basically there are some lovely designed templates which allow you to email or text a letter.

An email I don't find so new but receiving a "letter" text in the middle of my work day could make it that much better. Has anyone used it? Thoughts?

Head in the Clouds

Apologize for my lack of blogging. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend and was able to get back in the swing of their routines. The Cloudly Collection is basically a guys and his friends and a letterpress. Sounds delightful right? Every three months or so they make a new collection for sale and a percentage of sales goes to a charity. I wonder if I could take part sometime?



P.S. I heart their logo.

Studio on Fire Follow Up

Digging a little deeper at Studio on Fire's blog...Beast Pieces. I found these plaid business cards. I heart. Mucho.

Beautiful

Have you seen Studio On Fire? A letterpress printing and design studio out of Minneapolis. I really love their calendar from 2008. And their mixed tape wedding invitations. Oh, how I wish I could have a letterpress.

Inspirational

OMG! (I can't believe I just used that abbreviation but there are no other words to explain) Have you seen Jessica Hische?!?! She is a typographer and illustrater out of Brooklyn, NY. Her work is stunning, beautiful, awe-inspiring. The way she handles type is breath-taking. I only wish I had an ounce of her talent and the patience to draw like her. You must go check out all her work.

I heart.

Poster Cabaret. If you have not been there...go! You will have so much fun wasting time and being inspired by everything you see. A collection of modern concert posters and art prints, Poster Cabaret gathers them all in one spot for you. And makes is super easy to search or purchase. Oh what to buy?

Brainstorm

Have you seen Brainstorm Print and Design? They are a wonderful printing and design studio currently relocating to Philadelphia. The thing they are best at--show posters which I think would be the most fun job ever! I also like the fact that they will print your own artwork...go check 'em out.

Time to measure.

How adorable are theses measuring sticks by Studio 1a.m. found by our friends at SeeSaw Design? They are so graphically appealing and are nothing like any other growth stick...maybe someday I'll have one.

Haunting Posters

Graphic designer Nick Tassone designed some wonderful, simple posters for some of Stephen King's movies. Love the clean designs, straightforwardness and eerie nature of them.

Seen via Cool Hunting

Gocco Inspiration

As I was messing around and learning how to use my new toy (a Gocco printer) I came across Wonting NYC and I am truly inspired. A NYC illustrator/graphic designer/product designer who loves her Gocco printer and makes great prints, cards, felt ornaments and more.

Each is printed something like 3 times and you can buy them in her Etsy shop! Whew I can't wait to get the ink I am waiting for to make my holiday cards. And she inspired me to get the fluorescent pink because I think that is absolutely divine. The card and print shown are my favorites...do you have any inspiring gocco prints you want to share?

How sweet.

A cookbook of eight recipes each decorated with typography. By Woodward Design (hence all the w's) this is simply delightful and a perfect gift for any graphic designer.

You can see a preview of the book here, purchase here, and see the the original post on none other than Design*sponge here. It definitely gets me in the mood for xmas baking!

New member to PHX DIY

We are really excited to welcome a new member to PHX DIY! Sea Lemon is a graphic designer in the Valley who enjoys taking rejected paper (or lemons!) and re-purposing them into beautiful handmade books. Check out her work here.

House Industries

For all of you graphic designers out there I am sure you have heard of House Industries, a type foundry based out of Delaware. If you haven't you should, they do great work (they are responsible for Neutaface...a personal favorite of mine)

They have a small staff that spends anywhere from 18 to 24 months developed a font. Sounds fun and tedious at the same time. Can you imagine spending that long long developing type? I don't think I could do it. They also develop some awesome prints, shirts, accessories and books.

Don't you just love these baby blocks? I am keeping my eye on them for when I have a little one that needs them. Or maybe I'll just get them for myself.

And I want this iron ampersand. I have no idea what I would do with it, but it's fabulous. Make sure you check out the rest of their products as there are a lot of fun things.