Happy Weekend

01/ Make your own decahedron Himmeli mobile.
02/ Real gold or silver shoelaces. BLING.
03/ Can’t stop thinking about this solitaire rock ring.
04/ This is way too pretty to put in the backyard.
05/ From Below, shot through an invisible floor.
06/ Remember these from Lost In Translation? Yup.
07/ Blood oranges with dark chocolate + sea salt. WHOA.
08/ Making a pixelated Post-It staircase.
09/ 90 Days, 90 Reasons
10/ Custom video game covers that look like Penguin books.

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Iced Teas + Lemonades

The extreme summer heat we’ve been experiencing for the past few months has finally started to ease off, which ironically makes me feel more summery than ever. Patio weather just begs for grilled food and chilled beverages, like maybe some kicked up iced tea and lemonade (with an optional shot!).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All photos and recipes copyright of their respective source unless otherwise noted.

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New Addition

A baby in the form of a pup named Bebe. She started off as my foster dog six weeks ago and I knew I’d be keeping her almost from the start (as did my Instagram followers who nicknamed my feed Bebe-cam!).

I picked Bebe up at the animal welfare shelter as a terrified stray who had been brought in. She was so scared, in fact, that I had to physically carry her to my car because she wouldn’t walk. For the next few days she was glued to my side and her little body shook every time she exhaled. Lots of time was clocked with her sitting in one place staring at the wall. But little by little her personality came through, and my-oh-my what a little firecracker! We believe she’s a Yorkie/Cairn Terrier (ALSO SEE: Toto) mix, but can’t be sure. What we do know is that she’s roughly a year to year and a half old and tips the scales at 8.9 lbs. Some small dog syndrome definitely comes with this tiny package as Piper can attest to. They’re still getting used to being sisters with the occasional dog fight, but time should take care of that.

I think I’m now maxed out with my animal menagerie, two cats and two dogs seems like a good combination and the right place to stop. Of course I’ll still be fostering dogs, just not adding to the permanent residents. And PS: Rusty is still up for adoption!!

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HP Designer Matchup – Week 2

 

 

We’re one week into the HP Designer Matchup and it’s getting more exciting by the day! Last week you voted on adjectives that would influence Sarah Fox of Cursive Design as she brainstormed ideas for the necklace we’re creating to reveal at New York Fashion Week next month. The top three chosen words were geometric, edgy, and colorful (good choices if I say so myself!). Sarah used hand sketches, Adobe Photoshop CS6, the HP TouchSmart, and mad skills to come up with these four final design options! (Psst… pay close attention because you’ll be voting on your favorite. Poll closes Friday, August 24, 2012 at midnight CST.)

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s what Sarah had to add about her design process:
I do quite a bit of sketching while I design. For me, it’s an exercise in thinking and brainstorming more than a technical sketch. Right now, I’m determining the color pallete and shape(s). It’s shaping up to be a collar and, bonus: it will be reversible! A colorful silk print on one side and leather on the back. 

 

Disclaimer: HP provided both me and Sarah with a TouchSmart PC and Adobe provided Photoshop CS6 for use. All participants will receive a trip to New York Fashion Week. All content and opinions are mine.

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Sigils of the Houses of Westeros

PHOTOS + LINK via FPO

I’m a total Game of Thrones nerd. After watching the first season last year I couldn’t wait for the second. So I read the entire existing series in six weeks. Obsessed! You can imagine how thrilled I was when I saw this Sigils of the Houses of Westeros poster by Darrin Crescenzi. Crescenzi took the author’s – George R. R. Martin – descriptions of each house’s mark and created beautifully simplistic icons. (He spends his days designing for Nike, can you tell?)

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Kate Miss Jewelry Fall 2012

PHOTOS: © Kate Miss

I’ve loved watching Kate Miss’s jewelry evolve from friendship bracelet inspired necklaces to wildly popular brass drops to her first seasonal collection that was just released. Kate Miss Jewelry and the updated shop just opened for business today, in fact! Peruse the designs that range through beaded clay, cast bronze, and clay amulets. Then place an order and get a free mix CD tossed into your shipment! Gotta love that Kate.

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Send a Little Summer Love

Clockwise from top left: Cats Card by Becca Stadtlander, Little Notes by Paper & Type, Geometric Birthday Card by POKETONeon Orange Thank You For Everything Card by Banquet Atelier & Workshop, Boston Terrier Card by Rifle Paper Co., Crown Card by Present & Correct, Over the Moon Card by Rifle Paper Co., I Quite Like You Card by Sycamore Press, The Bear Postcard by lilimandrill

There’s nothing quite like real mail. A good email can be exciting, but being able to hold a tactile piece (that’s not a bill) is so much better. Opening your mailbox to a surprise card or letter can’t be beat.

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Happy Weekend

01/ Ever curious about secret staff communications in fancy restaurants?
02/ Stunning photo essay on people with albinism.
03/ When the Louvre’s statues wear modern street clothes.
04/ I want to wear one of these accordion party hats!
05/ Have a great glass bottle you’re saving? Make a lamp!
06/ A staircase made of optical glass that looks like ice.
07/ Big, beautiful head sculptures representing the four seasons.
08/ A real-life version of Super Mario. (Kinda creepy.)
09/ Color Pencil Tree, a proposed installation.
10/ Surf Pops!

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