60% Off at Whimsy Press

[I have my eye on this wrapping paper, I think it'd be really useful for our wedding, maybe even for our invites! The bonus is that it is printed on recycled paper with soy ink. You can check it out, along with other eco-friendly wrapping paper, here]

[How adorable would this be for a wedding gift or valentine or anniversary or I love you lots gift? You can see all of the love wrapping paper here.]

I'm a fan of Whimsy Press, a really creative design studio that makes all sorts of goodies, from wrapping paper printed with soy ink, to onesies with "Organically Cute" written across the tummy. Now you can receive 60% off every item on their website! Go check them out, maybe you'll see something fun for your next birthday, holiday, or wedding.

HEMA's Website

[Screenshot from HEMA]

Two summers ago the boy and I took a vacation to Europe as a big 'hurrah!' before he started school. We went to Paris, London, and to Holland to visit a good friend. She took us to HEMA, a store sort of like Target and IKEA with a lot of neat (and CHEAP) pretty items. I bought some decorative moving tape (I was just about to pack my bags for San Diego at the time,) and a lot of Miffy stickers.

Anyway, check out their home site! Keep it onscreen for about 3-5 seconds. Not sure if it's the most useful navigational design, but it sure does catch your attention.

"Pirate Chic" from flux

[Cover of The Dust of 100 Dogs, image from flux; catalog cover from flux via ShelfTalker]

One of my favorite blog reads is Alison Morris' ShelfTalker at publishersweekly.com. Alison is the children's book buyer at Wellesley Booksmith and has an eclectic mix of posts on all things children's books---including design! While I of course love reading the books, I can't get past my background as a graphic designer and picture editor and am constantly evaluating the cover art.

She posted a really fabulous catalog cover from flux, a new imprint for teens. It is a variation on the cover of the book The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King, and is what Alison describes as "pirate chic." I love the mix of visuals---that silhouette is so cliche in "chick-lit" but here it gets an unexpected twist (since it's a book about pirates) by being paired with a skull and a model ship. I like how simple yet bold the graphics are, and very fashionable. Our eyes aren't bombarded by too many elements, and I'm a big fan of books where there isn't a photograph of the main character so that the reader doesn't have an image of her right off the bat.

Check out flux here and Alison Morris' blog here.

DIY Kids

[Images from DIY Kids, by Ellen and Julia Lupton, published by Princeton Architectural Press, 2007]

This book came out more than a year ago, but it missed my radar and now I want it NOW! It looks like it's dying to be on my bookshelf next to my two other awesome Ellen Lupton titles, Thinking with Type and DIY (the grown-up version). The website already has a lot of useful crafts and tips for those who can't make it to the library or bookstore to get the book. This would be a great resource for anyone working with kids and looks super friendly for those who are art+design phobic.

Getting Organized

[Notebooks by Cath Kidston, images from Cath Kidston]

I somehow managed to survive the first part of 2008 without a daily planner. But now that I can see my old self coming back (ie, scary busy,) I decided I needed one and fast. Normally I would buy something online from an indie designer, but instead I drove to Barnes and Noble so I would have something in hand immediately.
To my surprise, Barnes and Noble had a pretty decent selection of interesting notebooks. One of my favorite illustrators, Jill Bliss, had a few products displayed in the store, and there were several Chronicle Book products featuring the work of Cath Kidston, mother of the "shabby chic" interior design revolution. I was pretty much crushed that there was no Cath Kidston day planner, only plain notebooks. But, oh, such pretty notebooks! I could probably just buy them to display on my desk instead of actually writing in them.
Still, I can't complain. I bought this awesome 18-month weekly planner designed by working class studio, a group of faculty, alumni, and students from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
I'm glad that places like Barnes and Noble are taking notice and buying more interesting stationery products for their stores. It's nice to see more colorful alternatives to the plain leather day planners that line the walls.

Judging a book by its cover

Designer: Peter Mendelsund
title: Trauma
author: Patrick Mcgrath
publisher: Knopf, 2008
available at Amazon.com

Designer: Jennifer Carrow
title: Against Happiness
author: Eric G. Wilson
publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008
available at Amazon.com

Designer: gray318
title: The Chess Machine
author: Robert Lohr
publisher: Penguin Press HC, The, 2007
available at Amazon.com

[All images from Fwis: Trauma, Against Happiness, The Chess Machine]

Fwis, the great team that also made the cut+paste pinhole cameras, has a great blog about book covers. Covers are posted and people post their thoughts and opinions about the design. It's also a special feature at Publisher's Weekly. I know that Julia Rothman's fantastic blog, Book By Its Cover, has a great section about children's book covers. Does anyone out there know of any blogs specifically dedicated to children's book cover design?

Space Book

[Images from Yanko Design; Space Book by Jin-Hui Kim]

A living pop-up book! I love pop-up books. Now it's possible to live (well, kinda sort of live) in one thanks to designer Jin-Hui Kim. My Space Book would probably have more pink in it. And more teddy bears. I just can't imagine cutting all of that cardboard.
[Found via Yanko Design.]

Dutch Door Press

[All images from Dutch Door Press: Mother's Day card (pink and green); Mother's Day card (pink and pink)]

Dutch Door Press just posted some beautiful Mother's Day cards that I'd like to snatch up for my mommy. While I peruse their website, I just can't help but be jealous of design duo Mara Murphy and Anna Branning. It seems too perfect to be making beautiful things with a good friend in a beautiful Victorian house in San Francisco and get paid for it. Where do I sign up?
Check out all of Dutch Door Press' cool designs here.

Whimsy Press

[All images from Whimsy Press]

Seeing the ultra-cute kid wrapping paper from Denise Lynn Studios reminded me of a studio I used to follow regularly but haven't checked up on in a long time--Whimsy Press! This team is amazing and produces some pretty awesome and quirky designs. And, what do you know, Whimsy Press has expanded their line of awesome wrapping paper to include notebooks, note cards, invitations, placemats, ribbons, bookplates, and even onesies! I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't find elephant-themed wrapping paper, but I think I'll live with the paper invaders.

I'm happy that they are doing so well. Check out all of their items here for a little bit of whimsy.

Tall Glass of CB2

[Images from CB2: milk carton vase, ice tray, pixie cups, beaker glass decanters]

The new CB2 Spring Catalog is out, and this adorable milk carton vase (designed by U.K. designer James Burgess,) is its star on the website. What a fun new twist on the typical, boring vase!
I also love all of the funky, quirky drink accessories. The pixie cups, which look like regular plastic dixie cups, are actually made from handblown paper-thin glass. And, I sincerely hope that my next drink is poured from one of these beakers and is filled to the brim with jewel-shaped ice cubes. Cheers!

D*Sponge DIY Contest!

[DIY Contest logo, picture from Design*Sponge, logo by Julia Rothman]

I am really excited to see the results of Design*Sponge's DIY Contest. I've been so lazy that I can barely finish my Valentine's Day Cards...which are all sprawled out on the living room table. See contest details here.

The Postcard Says : five and a half

I'm a big fan of five and a half, an awesome wife-and-husband team (Judy Lee and Shawn Liu) who make beautiful photo journals from recollected papers. I bought one for a friend last year and have been dying to get my hands on one myself!
I am really excited about their latest project, The Postcard Says. If you sign up (though I think they've reached the max,) you are sent a postcard with a creative task to execute, photograph, and share with the online world. I haven't received a postcard in the mail with what I am supposed to create yet, but I can't wait to find out! Hopefully a pretty postcard will make its way into my box amidst the bills and credit card applications. One can only hope.

Picapica Design

[All images from Picapica Design via Etsy]

I'm guilty of using way too much paper and stuffing the recycle bin full of sheets in which I have made typos, fed the paper incorrectly, etc. etc. I'm also guilty of buying way too many magazines and having a panic attack when they start to pile up on the floor next to my book shelf. So it always makes me happy when I see beautiful objects made from scraps that could have easily been garbage in the recycle bin. Picapica Design has some great stuff -- check out these vases made from recycled magazine pages, and these neat bowls made from an old map of San Francisco.

Meomi meomi, I love Meomi

In order to curb my excessive Internet research for all things cute and artsy, I've started this blog so I can catalog everything that inspires me and makes me want to blow all of my earnings. I'm really excited that it is February and that 2008 is finally getting started. This month's desktop calendar from Meomi is super cute. I pretty much worship them for their adorable, quirky, and over the top imagery. Plus I named my kitty cat after them, which is pretty scary in itself. I love Meomi!