Wear your true colors.

I love the new bracelet I received from my girfriend/sister-in-law. She knows me so well. I have been wearing it every day as I work at my desk, and it really gets me in a great mood. It is like a painting with all my favorite colors.

Yes, the writing's on the wall...

Not only do I love notebooks, but I also love textured surfaces, especially weathered materials, old floors, rusted metal. So when I came across this journal, I flipped. I bought two, one for me and one for a friend. I cannot wait to spend some time doodling, sketching, maybe using the book itself as inspiration. Each spread has a unique wall scene that just makes me itch to pick up a pen. It is published by Quirk Books, who I am just discovering, and distributed by Chronicle Books, an old favorite of mine.
By the way, I picked up my copy at Room Service, at their new location on West 25th St.

Everything I hope for in a cup of coffee.

"Warning: You may encounter unadulterated strong coffee, spontaneous enlightenment and/or unfettered optimism while drinking this beverage."

I was completed entertained for the first ten minutes of my flight the other day, studying this to-go cup from Phoenix Coffee. I love the illustration and colors, the coffee itself. And the words pretty much sum up what I hope to get out of a cup of coffee.

http://phoenixcoffee.com/

Just playing around...

Sometimes it's good to just let your mind wander a little. I haven't had a lot of time to play, lately, and I forgot how much I need that.

More Falling Water

This must be "one-tank-trip" month. Just after returning from my girl's weekend in Pennsylvania and touring Falling Water, my husband suggests we go up to Niagara On The Lake and check out the wine country and, of course, Niagara Falls. Another incredible fall weekend. Here are some of my visual highlights. The pictures just do not do The Falls justice, you really have to see it in person.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water - Incredible

I recently visited this famous summer home of the Kaufmann family, designed by the famous architect. I was blown away by how Frank Lloyd Wright was so far ahead of his time. This house would have been groundbreaking in the 60s or 70s, never mind that it was built in the 1930s. Too many cool things about it to relate all of them.

One of the things that fascinated me was the way the entire house was made with built-ins. Look closely at the photo above. Not only are the glass window panes built INTO the rock that makes up the structure of the house, where interior wall and outer wall are one, but the shelves in each room are built into that same stone.
The house was built around an existing boulder that makes a natural appearance in the "great room" by the fireplace. And almost all of the furniture and decor in the house today are the original pieces, including original artwork throughout, which was a bonus, to see a couple Diego Riveras and several other stunning pieces of art. I was literally in awe for the entire tour. If you ever have the opportunity, visit Falling Water. It is an incredible experience.

Tile I love, by a designer I love. Ann Sacks.

Aren't these gorgeous? I was searching for some basic neutral bathroom tile for a middle-american master bath, took a detour, and stumbled across these and was blown away! 24" x 24" Aura glass tile, by Ann Sacks.
www.annsacks.com

I want to go back to school!

Back to school used to mean fresh, new notebooks and binders with color-coded dividers, pink erasers and spiral notebooks. Today, in late July the back-to-school store flyers cater to the college student, and feature ipods, Tide and bedding sets.

I want to be a college kid again, for many (many, many) reasons, one of which is playful choices like this Peace Sign Comforter! I would definitely get some shag carpet remnants to go with it.

Comforter from Garnet Hill.

Morning coffee tends to bring inspiration.

My favorite part of the day. A cup of coffee, a window, and my thoughts. Today I was enjoying the texture of my patio table. It has been repainted several times, but I didn't paint it this year as I thought it was pretty done for. But I am starting to like the patina and texture that is developing.

SJP shows her true colors.

Well, we know Sarah Jessica Parker, aka Carrie Bradshaw, is not shy about mixing it up in the fashion department. Check out this packaging for her new perfume. Color, texture, pattern, even butterflies. All the things I love rolled up into one beautiful package.
Click to see more SJP NYC fragrance.

Beautiful Mothers

This Mother's Day morning, I was thinking of my mother and I started looking through old photos. How come everyone seems so much more glamorous in old pictures? The first one above is of my mother and I, maybe on my first birthday, because that is the Raggedy Ann doll that I received, which I still have. I am struck by how I always remember my mother wearing a wool skirt and blouse. I cannot imagine going through the day as a stay-at-home mom, with all she had to do, and on top of it having to dress up, probably wearing pantyhose to boot.
The next photo is my Grandma Corcoran, who was a very down-to-earth lady, but check out that outfit she wore to my parent's wedding! Gorgeous! And then there is Grandma Smith, trying out the new ride-on mower in her pearls and crisp, shirtwaist. I am pretty sure she never wore pants in her entire life.
Three beautiful, classy, funny, creative, loving women and I am so proud to be related to them! I miss them all!

Spring!

Not being the green thumb I wish I was, I have to depend on forced bulbs in colorful pots to brighten my world. These arrived about two weeks ago, courtesy of my husband, as a spring surprise. I said, Gee, honey, thanks for the pots of dirt. Within a day they had sprouted, and were in full bloom within a week. So wonderful to watch them come up.
If there is someone you want to inspire or cheer, think about getting them something like this. Such a treat. I am a huge fan of ProFlowers, where these came from. Always excellent quality, always fresh, unique arrangements, beautifully packaged.

Shelf Liners. They're not just for Grandma anymore.

I am in love with this surface design. It is a woven, bamboo-burlap pattern, printed on a cushiony plastic that comes in rolls, to be used as a shelf liner.
It has been sitting on my desk for the last two weeks, a product sample for some TV concepts I am working on. I have to say, although I love the pattern, I did not think I would love lining my shelves with it. But every day another drawer gets a mini-makeover, and I get a little lift. ( I like to clean out and reorganize, go figure).
The cool thing about this particular shelf liner is that it has a grip bottom (non-adhesive) and a smooth top that makes it easy to clean. AND you can even throw it in the washing machine.
OK, I stole a few lines from the TV script, but seriously, this product offers a fresh approach in an old category.
Check out the Smooth Top Easy Liner from Duck.

Transmoflection. Vancouver 2010 Graphic Identity.

Transmoflection. Transformation, fusion, motion, reflection, connection....these are the words used to describe the essence of the Vancouver 2010 Graphic Identity. I have been enjoying the backdrops at the events, the green, blue shapes, swirls and textures that are the core graphics and a visual part of each event. The process they used to get there seems intuitive, yet smart. I love the end result. Very unified. Strong identity, which of course is the point, but not something that has stood out to me in past Olympics.
Watch the design team talk about how they got there.

i heart pink!

Just one of the things I love about Valentine's Day.

GO WORLD.

2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. I am already glued to the competitions. But even more than the events, I enjoy the dramatic back stories, the lush scenery, better than going to the movies! And the commercials! Who needs the Super Bowl? So far, Visa, Coke and Nike spots have grabbed me.

My studio feels white, fresh and ready for what's next.

I like to be surrounded by things I love. Every wall in my studio gets covered with bits and pieces of inspiration that I collect along the way. It becomes a collage of color, type, quotes, messages, trends and things I feel I need to capture, before they slip away. In fact, it was the inspiration for this blog. To share the things draw me in, move me forward, or just make me happy. But, every once in a while, it's time to clean house. So today, I took down my wall. My studio feels white, fresh and ready for what's next.

Some of the things that showed up recently...

loose, hand-drawn patterns...

pinks...

deep plums and dark grays...

artwork featuring words...

organic shapes...

neutral color palettes...

birds...

I have a huge sketchbook I keep, a sort of visual log, into which some of these trends will get taped and saved for future reference.