Reading

That Nerdy Job Stuff I Love

Inspired

by Dooce and the way she blogs, or used to blog - before she was able to do the blogging thing full time I guess.

Adopting a simpler way of things. Like 2001 simple.

Thinking

Blogging could be so much easier...time for a change.

Thinking

Got on a tangent yesterday, with my blog research. It happens. First you're on one blog, then you're on 12. I was thinking way in the future, as I tend to do as well, and wondering how I would approach being a Mom blogger, if that in fact is what I want to be 5,7,10 years from now.

Disclaimer (not married, no kids, workaholic). Moving on...

So, how would I go about it? I went to the one mom blogger I love the most, along with the rest of the world - Heather Armstrong of Dooce - and I broke her down into little pieces. Sorry Heather.

What's great about Heather is her honesty and animated reaction to things. Most people have picked up on that and appreciate her filter on the world, or lack there of. She is consistent, entertaining, and totally in your face awesome all the time.

But, what I appreciated the most was how in 2001 she was actually using her blog like Twitter. This girl is way savvy and ahead of the times. She was making one sentence posts, or just putting a link, and making the titling of her blog posts her own organizing system, again in 2001 people! Do you remember what you were doing online in 2001? Probably just getting the hang of AIM if you were cool enough. She used titles like Thinking, and would make a funny comment; How to Charm Me, and hand out a compliment to her now famous husband Jon Armstrong for something cute he did; How to Annoy Me, and give him the opposite :) - or Reading, Listening, etc.

Great model. Makes blogging easier in fact. You can make 5 posts in one day, easy. Helping your google rank, freshness, etc. More enjoyable to read and follow than twitter too. It also let's you readers follow along with you as you research, think, learn about yourself and the world around you - creating a time line, throwing you back to the news, concerns, topics of choice in 2001, 2002, 2003, etc.

Very cool. Taking it all in. And then forgetting about it for a while since the mere commitment to a 40 pack of vitamins scares me, let alone a husband, child(ren) or a definitive career choice.

oooh, Gawker Artists

Wonder how long this has been around - cause only just found it. I like it. And love how the line between blog, magazine, mainstream media and network are blurring.

Via an ad on LifeHacker for Gawker Artists

Twitter Graphics Love...

Thank you boingboing for bringing me this lego interpretation of the twitter fail-whale. Thank you.

Research Week: Stationary, Part III

Oh PaperChase, how I love thee. Your partnership with Borders allows me to walk down the street and spend all my money. Gift bags, check! Notebooks, check! And can't forget the coasters I bought last week. Keep it coming!

Paperchase pattern eye candy below...

Research Week: Stationary, Part II

Today's post is dedicated to the lovely works of Snow and Graham. I first came across their work when a friend of mine gave me one of their wall calendars for my birthday. That year has come and past and I wish I could frame every month - in fact, I might just do that! Duh!

Warning: Tons of pics - couldn't resist


Website welcome page. Changes each time you go...



Website about page...


Calendar


Signature Stationary



Signature Blocks


Mini Blocks


Thank you cards



Notebooks


Greeting Cards


Wrapping paper

Research Week: Stationary

On a stationary kick and doing some research on my faves. Dedicating the rest of this week (one whole day, woohoo!) to posting them on my blogs. Stay tuned for some Snow & Graham, Paperchase, etc, etc...

First here is a letter box set I just bought from the SFMOMA store, by Grandy McFerrin

OneDrop Foundation

I was on the Cirque Du Soleil website earlier this week and came across The OneDrop Foundation. They had a really great animated video on their site calling all people to support the efforts for providing clean water access to the 8 billion+ on the planet that do not have it available to them. Funny thing - since I published this post - they took it down and put up a new video - but below are some images of the old one - and the new one is worth checking out here.

The whole effort reminded me of a design project my class did in school once, where the assignment was to convey a message about water, anything. Mine was focused on the contrast of torment vs. peace in portrayals of drowning in movies. Creepy, huh? It actually turned out kinda beautiful. But one of my friends did a piece on leaking faucets and how much water they waste over an hour, a day, a year - and how this could provide half the planet with clean drinking water. I could see her doing work for OneDrop - funny how school translate into real life in the end...

It is amazing to think about really. That we use fresh, clean water to flush toilets, water lawns, do the dishes - and billions of people can't even get their hands on a glass of clean water to stay alive.

The OneDrop Foundation has a beautiful logo, a beautiful animation asking people to act, and a beautiful goal to bring more clean water to those who need it. Check it out.











New Video:

Vintage Beer Cans

Not only amazingly authentic design and a throw back to hand crafted typography - but just as much a study on American culture. I love stuff like this. It's like a keyhole view into the past.

I always notice in films when they do scenes in specific time eras, and how all the props have had to have been preserved in a warehouse somewhere for the last 50 years. As a lover of brands, product design and package design - I am really happy there is a reason this stuff gets preserved.

I'm thinking someone should bring back that 'Lite Beer' design.

Via TheDieline

Package Design Admiration - Thomas Haas

And who doesn't love chocolate?

Country: Canada | Via Loveley Package via Chocolatierra

“At Thomas Haas Chocolates, we carefully choose our raw ingredients and select only the best. Our chocolates are perfumed with fine BC wine, oak barrel aged maple syrup from Quebec, vanilla beans from Tahiti, fresh citrus zest, loose leaf teas and organic herbs and spices. Our cakes and pastries are adorned with Fraser Valley hazelnuts and berries, Okanagan fruits and infused with fresh roasted coffee and liqueurs from Alsace and the Black Forest. Whenever possible we source our products directly from the farmer. There are no preservatives or artificial flavours in our kitchens!”

Ad Typography

Benjamin Moore just came out with a new ad campaign for their younger audience targeted paint line 'Ben'. The ads play with typography as much as humanly possible. A little busy looking - but certainly attention getting. I just like the colors :)

Cramer-Krasselt New York created the campaign and handled the media buy.

Love love love this campaign - go Conde Nast

This ad campaign is actually over a year old - but came across it when reviewing Heat's (formally Black Rocket) website and client work.

The campaign was launched by Conde Nast in early 2008 - and features some stunning images - and great tag lines pointing out that a magazine subscription is not just a subscription - but a passion and/or way of life.

The thing that was so catching was the quantity of images, and the emotional connection to the magazines they were holding. Unfortunately the print market is a dying breed - but if anything gives it a little boost again - it's a beautiful campaign like this.

Photographer Jonas Karlsson creative wonderful images. This last imagine below is my favorite out of all of them...























Longer write-up here 'If It's Hip It's Here'