Posted by admin on Mar 7, 2013 in
Artists,
design,
Interesting Article This video absolutely blew me away… Sure, John Mayer is a great musician, and the artwork for his latest album is gorgeous, but keep watching — after you learn all about the thought that went into it, learn about the craft. David A. Smith has a talent that I can barely comprehend and the skills to match. He specializes in high-quality ornamental hand-crafted reverse glass signs and decorative silvered and gilded mirrors. You have to watch to understand what goes into his art. Grab some popcorn and enjoy!
The Making of John Mayer’s ‘Born & Raised’ Artwork from Danny Cooke on Vimeo.
Posted by admin on Aug 16, 2012 in
Artists,
Cats!,
design,
Friends Life can get busy. I don’t know many people who would disagree with that statement, especially right now. It seems as though life keeps getting busier and busier with each passing year. So, that’s why it’s so important to stop and appreciate special projects that friends make the time to produce — and Matt Lolli’s Zine is a great example of that. Matt was a college buddy and we stay in touch via Facebook. That’s how I found out about his latest side project — a hand-drawn magazine that he created. I was pretty stoked when I got my copy, and of course, it was the cat-themed spread that I liked best. So, props to Matt for taking the time to make something special — I know I wasn’t the only one who enjoyed it.
Matt Lolli's latest project
Of course I like the cat-themed page -- Thor is awesome!
Posted by admin on Mar 5, 2012 in
Artists,
design,
Great Finds,
Inspiration I love Etsy. I’ve said it before so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. I love anything handmade as it has a story and a uniqueness that other things don’t have. So, I browse the site often looking to see what’s new, and happily my latest find combines two things I adore — good design/illustration and books. Literary posters — what’s not to adore?
Obvious State is the shop of Evan Robertson who is a writer and illustrator in NYC. Visit his shop to see the fantastic work — I can’t wait to buy one as soon as I can pick a favorite!
Literary Posters by Obvious State
Posted by admin on Feb 16, 2012 in
Artists,
design,
Inspiration,
Photography A couple of months ago I received a very flattering email — a marketing agency in St. Louis had seen The Shelter Me Project and it was one of a handful of projects that had inspired them to start something similar in their own city — and what could I tell them about how and why I started it.
Wow. Not that I was the only influence, but to be on that list was exciting and an honor. So, what ensued was a lovely afternoon conversation about shelter animals — how wonderful they are and what we can all do to help them find their forever homes. I got off the phone from my conversation with Andi Garavaglia with such enthusiasm for what she and her colleagues were planning to do. And then yesterday I just got the big news — their project has officially launched! “Pics of the Litter” was born!
Pics of the Litter
Check out the website (the design of which I am in love with!) and all of the great images of the animals they photographed (with the help of photographer Lynn Terry). It’s a fantastic project and already has made great impact just out of the gate! Can’t wait to see where it goes from here! And yes, they have now inspired me in return to give even more energy to my project, too. Hey, what wouldn’t you do for faces like these:
Pics of the Litter
Pics of the Litter
Posted by admin on Feb 13, 2012 in
design,
Great Finds,
Inspiration I’m guessing you’ve heard of it by now — the visual pin board site on the web, the latest addiction where friends need “Pinterventions” — yup, Pinterest. If that word doesn’t ring a bell, then you’re in for a treat. While some people are groaning at the idea of yet another social media site, take a minute with me before you dismiss this one.
Pinterest, in one sentence or less, is a place for you to create your own virtual pin boards and “pin” images found on the web to them for future use. It’s your own inspiration scrapbook, but without the mess of glue. It’s the one-click wonder that will let you keep those passing visual thoughts in a place you can find later without a new search. Yeah, obviously I’m a fan.
But, what sets Pinterest apart from the other social networks out there is the fact that there’s no “social pressure”. You can follow other people’s pins, and they can follow you. Or you can just go in and do your thing. The root of Pinterest is you — these are your pages for your inspiration. It’s a different kind of social.
I will most likely be writing more on this subject soon — especially on how Pinterest should be worked in your social media plans — but for now, let’s stick with the basics and just have fun. So, go ahead — jump in and start pinning. I’ll be right behind you.
(View my pin boards here!)
My Pinterest Boards
Posted by admin on Feb 9, 2012 in
design What is the expression — “the landscaper’s yard is never the greenest”, right? Well, that can easily become the case for anyone’s own portfolio. When work gets so busy clients become the priority — as they should be! But, projects like updating my own website sometimes get pushed down the list. Well, I am happy to announce that the site has officially been updated! Not just a bunch of new work, but also with some new technology. I’ve deleted the Flash slideshow and replaced it with jQuery — we all know Flash is on its way out and isn’t mobile-friendly so it had to be done. Plus, I’ve decided to continue that jQuery throughout the portfolio section of the site — no more rollover-to-view needed — just kick back and enjoy the show! Hope you enjoy the updated site as much as I do! www.thumbnail-designs.com
thumbnail designs website
Posted by admin on Aug 17, 2011 in
design,
Inspiration I was waiting in line at Stop and Shop recently and happened to spy this display of Old Spice products… Now, my first reaction was to their beautiful, colorful redesign, as it’s been years since I last looked at their products. But, on closer inspection, I noticed the Scratch N’ Sniff label, which I thought was just brilliant! Not only was it functional, but it also had an element of nostalgia that brought me back to being a kid again. Oh yeah, and when I scratched it, it smelled really good. :)
Posted by admin on May 9, 2011 in
Artists,
design,
Great Finds Check out this absolutely beautiful work by Perch Paper Co. I’m so jealous of their amazing talent and this is just a small sample! Check out their shop on Etsy and see all of the wonderful work. Makes me want to throw a party just to send out custom addressed envelopes. :)
Perch Paper Co.
Perch Paper Co.
Perch Paper Co.
Perch Paper Co.
Posted by admin on Mar 24, 2011 in
Artists,
design,
Great Finds Another Etsy find that I just have to share. So incredibly sweet, too. “Artist & poet, Fréya Eté creates work with a purity of vision and a forever optimistic view of the world. Her quirky, heart warming and thought provoking pieces are much loved and sought after and held in many public and private collections around the world.”
Visit her Etsy shop to see all of her work — I had too many ‘favorites’ to choose from!
Let's Plant Our Dreams in this Garden
Strange and Magnificent
Emerge
Home
Our Harbour
The Tiny Little Adventurous Bird
Posted by admin on Mar 16, 2011 in
Artists,
Cats!,
design If you haven’t been to theoatmeal.com, then you’d better schedule some time to get there. And you’ll need more than just five minutes, just fyi. The Oatmeal is really Matthew Inman who’s based out of Seattle. The site is full of his comics and quizzes (and his new book, too!) which will have you laughing in no time. While you should explore the whole site, here are a few more of my favorites in case you don’t have time to check everything out:
http://theoatmeal.com/blog/obama_meeting
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/bobcats2
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/design_hell
(That last one could be a whole post on its own, lol…)
Below are a few images from “Cat vs. Internet“, one of my favorites. You’ll have to visit the site to see who wins in the end. :)
"Cat vs. Internet" from The Oatmeal
"Cat vs. Internet" from The Oatmeal
"Cat vs. Internet" from The Oatmeal
"Cat vs. Internet" from The Oatmeal
"Cat vs. Internet" from The Oatmeal
