greeting cards

Check out these empathy cards by Emily McDowell. She is a cancer survivor who was inspired to create cards with these spot-on messages. They are honest, funny, and sometimes heartbreaking. Perfect for anyone going through a very hard time.

They're beautiful and I adore the hand-made feel. You can buy them from her website and be sure to check out her other gorgeous items!

If you need a creative designer to improve your graphic identity, contact me for a consultation.

logo design in 15 minutes

This guy. Come on! If you have 15 minutes and you want a peek into logo design, watch this video.



In his interview with lynda.com designer Aaron Draplin describes his process for exploring a new logo design. He's insightful and inspirational.

Enjoy!

If you need a creative designer to improve your graphic identity, contact me for a consultation.

flash cards

For the design-nerd in your life. Enjoy!

I saw these on Design Mom.  They were illustrated by Emma Cook of Behance. So fun!

If you need a creative designer to improve your graphic identity, contact me for a consultation.

knuffle bunny

As a mother of two little ones, I spend a fair amount of time reading (and re-reading and re-reading) children's books. I admire many authors and illustrators and I have long planned a blog series on awesomely illustrated and designed children's books. Today it begins with Mo Willems and his 3-book Knuffle Bunny series. (For a funny and simultaneously academic look at the danger of reading children's books be sure to check out my friend's hilarious, insightful, and intelligent blog.)

The Knuffle Bunny books were a gift for my daughter from my brother and his wife. The first book involves a pre-verbal Trixie losing her precious bunny at the laundromat - dramatics ensue. The second book examines what happens when Trixie brings Knuffle Bunny to school and another girl has the exact same bunny - a crisis we can all relate to. The series ends with an overseas trip to visit grandparents in Holland. I won't give anything away but I may or may not have gotten choked up at the ending.

These books are great. I truly don't mind reading them over and over and over and over again. Mostly because I'm totally absorbed in the illustrations while I read them. Mo Willems (author and illustrator) uses photography as a backdrop for his simple, colorful, and funny illustrations. I love the dynamic between the page background, the photographs, and the illustrated people. There is so much attention to detail - the photographs are manipulated to create a simple aesthetic for the background (no wires, no A/C units), shadows are added in under the illustrated characters, and the characters can walk right out of the frame of the photographs making them come to life.

Enjoy!

If you need a creative designer to improve your graphic identity, contact me for a consultation.

calendars - nature

2012 is rapidly approaching. Be prepared with a nature-inspired calendar!

Illustrated Owl Calendar by Gingiber. Who doesn't love owls?! I think these are so beautiful and delicate.

This one is from Modern Printed Matter. I love the way the type works into the illustration for each month. So beautiful!

If you need a creative designer to improve your graphic identity, contact me for a consultation.

book posters

Take a look at these divine, minimalist, posters based on children's stories. I think they are so beautiful and just the tiniest bit creepy. In a good way.

I saw these on Ohdeedoh. They are designed by Christian Jackson and you can buy them at imagekind.

If you need a creative designer to improve your graphic identity, contact me for a consultation.

book cover awesomeness

I have a big design crush on Jessica Hische. I absolutely adore this set of classics that she worked on for Barnes and Noble.

The simplicity of the colors, the elegance of the typography, the decorative details... they all work together so seamlessly.

Gorgeous!!

If you need a creative designer to improve your graphic identity, contact me for a consultation.

iphone covers

Yes, I'm iphone obsessed. But have you seen anything as gorgeous as these cases? They are made by a company called Grove and I can't get enough of them. They have amazing options for the ipad too. So cool!

They're not cheap but they're stunning. And they're hand made by a super cool company in Oregon. What more could you ask for?

If you need a creative designer to improve your graphic identity, contact me for a consultation.

incredible sketchbook

My friend from art school and super talented designer, Jessica Shiner, is always tweeting out links to great design work. One of my favorites involves awesome pen sketches by Irina Vinnik.

I am so inspired! I wish I had a sketchbook that looked this amazing.

If you need a creative designer to improve your graphic identity, contact me for a consultation.

fabulous packaging

Here are some gorgeous and truly inspiring package designs that I ran into at Creature Comforts. I don't have a lot of experience with package design but seeing things like this makes me want to branch out!

Designed for Marks & Spencer by illustrator Stuart Kolakovic. I feel soothed by this tea without even drinking it.

Designed for Life.NK from Space.NK by illustrator Mio Matsumoto. I love the simplicity of each illustration and the relationship to each product's intended affects. So cool!

Designed for 8th Continent by artist Ben Javens. I love the use of color and the consistency across the flavors while still having each one look unique and identifiable.

Great packaging makes my day.

If you need a creative designer to improve your graphic identity, contact me for a consultation.

zoo plates

I love finding beautifully designed everyday items for kids. These zoo plates and bowls from Skip Hop are adorable! I love the simplicity of the illustrations and the colors.


So much fun!

If you need a creative designer to improve your graphic identity, contact me for a consultation.

dinnerware

I've been thinking a lot about the design of everyday objects. I've been finding a lot of seemingly everyday things that are so well designed as to be superbly inspiring. Included in that is a line of dinnerware from Lorena Barrezueta called Burst.


I'm not sure I'd be able to use these. I would just want to display them somewhere in my house. They are so intricate, modern, and elegant.


Gorgeous!

If you need a creative designer to improve your graphic identity, contact me for a consultation.

calendars again

I keep seeing these beautiful calendars. I can't stop posting about them! Here are two that I saw on Design Sponge recently.






2011 Seasonal Garden Calendar - I love the format of this, that you can untie it and spread them all out. That at the end of the year you can trim off the calendar part and keep the amazing illustrations. Awesome.







2011 Botanical Wall Calendar - I love the simplistic design and illustrations on this one. And the format with the giant clip that holds it together. Simply gorgeous.

I'm still not feeling ready for a new year.

abstract vector art

This is an illustration I did after finding a cool tutorial on the Web Designer Wall blog that I read.

Happy Friday!