designsgirl

gibson- profile of a paperswell mascot

Gibson loves tennis balls and swimming; has an indifferent attitude toward her fellow canines but loves her big sister; possesses meaty thighs and beautiful feathers; and remarkably loves to have her teeth flossed nightly by the alpha male of our household.

pretty picture no. 1

I scour through heaps of magazines for design inspiration and find the most beautiful images.

Here, a fanciful dress by Manuel Canovas, a Parsons design student, caught my eye for its rich embroidered detail.

Image from the October 2011 issue of Veranda magazine

interlude: magazine mascot

 

Our Golden Retrievers love snow more than just about anything, except tennis balls and belly rubs.

Here is our girl Gibson, photographed by Laura Dombrowski Steele, on the set of a recent photo shoot for Laura's and my new magazine - paperswell - coming soon.

We look forward to telling you all about it on March 5th.

marvelous mantra

Everyone should have a mantra or precept.

Armed with this one, you can rise above any daily unpleasantries with aplomb.

floral submissions

I love fresh flowers so when I send submissions of my work, I include flowers, pine greenery or branches in each package.

studio view no. 2: january snow

Snow in Colorado takes your breath away, especially when the sun alights the frosty landscape with shimmering sparkles.

 

happy holidays

camera crazy

designsgirl is armed with a new camera and an unyielding desire to take pictures of everyone and everything.

My poor family. "Will the picture taking ever end?" asks an exasperated member above.

five

What a wonderful five years, Lamb Chops...

essay: "the lure of packaging"

"Packaging is everything" so the saying goes. It is generally true. I do not know what is within the beautifully packaged soaps but I know that the wrapping is what catches my attention and lures me into buying submission.

I contend that the purchase of a finely packaged bar of soap, a beautiful bottle of perfume with a fabulous logo or an article of clothing with a cool designer tag are all investments in my creative pursuits and must be procured for the sake of creative advancement.

It is a rational thought for the artist who seeks out design ideas in the thousands of objects, signs, and shapes she encounters daily. So, the next time she brings something new home, she can exclaim, "It is for art's sake, for pete's sake!"

interlude: purple tendrils & silver bells

The beauty of nature.

I took this photograph while strolling along Boulder's Pearl Street Mall. Among busy storefronts, there is a tiny, mysterious garden with the most beautiful iron fence and showy flora.

The purple jackmanii clematis vine beckoned me closer and, if you look close, you can see how the sun turned the flower's center into gilded silver bells. 

interlude: "mail appeal"

Unsolicited mail is usually uninspiring and wasteful but here is the most beautiful mailer I have ever seen- a huge fold-out poster announcing the new Gramery Park Boutique Hotel in New York.

The hand-drawn map on the back of the poster with the exquisite typefaces make this piece of mail an unexpected treasure.

photo by designsgirl