I am a magazine hound and I seek out unconventional magazines to broaden my design perspective.
This one certainly does this with its wild fashion and art profiles and artistic advertising. The highlight is the floral typeface gracing its pages throughout.
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People are clamouring for calligraphy rubber stamps this spring and I love designing them. Whether it is a monogram, return address or name, there is something special about having a custom stamp for correspondence.
One of my delightful clients has commissioned designsgirl to hand letter Coco Chanel's famous Chanelisms to sell in her beautiful store. I referred to Edmonde Charles-Roux's book "Chanel and her world" which lists some of her most famous and also lesser-known maxims.
Here are a few of my favorites...
"Coquetry. It's a triumph of the spirit over the senses."
"If you were born without wings, do nothing to prevent their growing."
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I have "btbpd" syndrome- "buy things because of packaging design".
It has been diagnosed by my husband and sheepishly confirmed by me- I buy things because of the packaging, not because I need the thing in question.
Case in point- these lovely miniature soaps that caught my attention because of the colorful and fabulous patterns on the soap wrapping. They were irrestisible to me and I brought them home to look at them for inspiration for new wedding invitation and wallpaper ideas.
There is creative inspiration every where you look so keep your eyes open. You may just find a treasure to spark your next masterpiece.
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Stationery Trends Magazine covers all the exciting trends in stationery and paper goods and designsgirl was pleased to see that her "Typology" wedding invitation design- available through Bella Figura- was featured in the winter edition.
Image from Bella Figura
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A favorite Christmas gift from my mom, "mt kamoi masking tape book" is filled with a bounty of ideas for using this versatile tape in all kinds of creative projects- large and small; from tape sculptures to mail art.
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For the past few years, I have made an effort to eat more healthfully but I did not think there was any way to make the inhospitable vegetable called kale edible in any form. I became hopeful when I saw kale chips in Whole Foods but just because kale is packaged as a chip, does not make it pucker-proof.
When I came across this recipe by chef Seamus Mullen in the April issue of Bon Appetit magazine, hope was regained. His parsley, kale and berry smoothie is one of the most delicious you will ever drink and it is a refreshing tonic on which I rely when I need energy.
From Chef Mullen's new book "Hero Food".
PARSLEY, KALE & BERRY SMOOTHIE
1/2 cup (packed) flat-leaf parsley (leaves and stems)
4 kale leaves (center ribs removed)
1 cup frozen organic berries (such as strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries, which I used)
1 banana
1 tsp. ground flaxseed
1 1/4 cups water
Pour all the above in a blender and puree until smooth.
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Today, I am in pure studio heaven.
After a lengthy home remodel, there is finally peace. No noise. No dust. No non-family members floating through the house. No joint compound stuck in our Golden Retrievers' fur. No drywall pieces to pry from our younger Retriever's extraordinarily cavernous and curious mouth.
Garner and Gibson are by my side; the birds are singing outside my window on a beautiful Colorado spring day and I am listening to the Masters golf tournament on television.
Life is always sweet. Today it is even sweeter.
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When my mom and I began creating mail art, we pushed the limits of our reliable mail carriers but we did not go to the lengths of author Harriet Russell of Glasglow, England who tested the United Kingdom's Royal Mail system with her enigmatic, often illegible and curious collection of envelopes to see if these unique envelopes would arrive to their destination.
They did.
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How swell!
designsgirl and partner Laura Dombrowski Steele, sublimely talented Denver photographer, are just weeks away from completing their premiere issue of paperswell: modern design ideas for paper goods and weddings.
It is not really a magazine. It is a beautiful book in magazine form. More like a sumptuous coffee table book with personality and bend that comes back for another timely issue. A "magazook" without advertising.
Blending the popularity of Laura's wildly successful lifestyle and wedding blogs "Couture Colorado Weddings and LifeStyle" and my designsgirl art blog, the magazine will be a celebration of design, letterpress, stationery, weddings, books, paper goods, crafts and photography and the clients and artists whose work we adore.
We are thrilled to support the Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies through proceeds from the magazine.
Laura provides the beautiful photography for the first issue-featuring modern wedding invitation design-which will be available at "MagCloud.com" on April 1st.
Future issues feature an insider's guide to calligraphy; top 50 art/design and weddings book club; declarations of love and paper goods; and creative gift wrapping.
We hope you will be our first paperswell patronesses and spread the word.
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Vera Wang shows her peerless wedding style in her first book, "Vera Wang on Weddings".
The striking photographs of wedding details and luxurious settings are presented among the pages of this beautiful coffee table book.
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Art is such a personal thing.
We may not know why we like something, but the reaction to a painting or an artist's work can evoke the most child-like reaction- "Wow, very cool!" or highly supercilious responses such as "While existentially nervous, the work possesses the gritty clarity of the irresolvable." (from Harold Pepperell's "Art Criticism").
It may be the striking colors, the message, the uniqueness of the piece, or the beauty of the subject. But it does not matter the source of the enthusiasm. Art speaks to us, giving us a sense of civility, heart-mending solace, and inspiration that takes us to new heights.
The next time you are visiting an art gallery, brush up on your witty art criticism retorts and show your companion your unrivaled sophistication or just exclaim, "Look at the vibrant colors!" and enjoy what art brings to each of us.
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