A couple weeks ago I was contacted by one of my favorite online vintage shops (School of Vintage) to help them rebrand their small business. They asked for assistance in finding the “look and feel” that could capture the soul of the company and set the tone for what they are doing. Since this is what I do at my day job, I jumped on the project and off we went.

Whenever I start a branding project I always start by gathering inspiration images from my client to get a feel for what they have in their mind. I then set off on my own and gather images that I feel fits within what they are asking . The images gathered have to have a consistent story, color palette, and typographic treatment. I then study my collected images to help me decide what elements fit the brand the best and use those during the redesign

We’re still moving through the process, but I wanted to share with you the start to something great. These girls are amazing to work with and because we have similar design styles, it has been and incredible journey and a ton of fun.

Looking for someone to help rebrand your shop or blog? Shoot me an email and lets talk. I might be able to help you out.

I really do love art. All kinds of art. I enjoy surrounding myself with beautifully made things, but its rare for me to find an artists that I just HAVE TO have one of their pieces. I’ve been doing a lot of searching online for artist prints that I could add to my art wall that I’m working on. I came across the illustrations by Elle Malan (Per Aspera) and fell in love. I scrolled through her entire blog that is filled with her work and perused her print shop on Society6.

I’m thinking about getting in contact with her to talk about some commission work. I’d love to do some portraits of the boy and I.  Can’t wait to see what she says!

Are you guys having a good Monday?

Yes, I call it that. My love affair with Pinterest is getting a little out of hand, but who cares. If you’ve joined in on the Pinterest craze you know exactly what I’m talking about. The scrolling through endless amounts of gorgeous photos, pinning this…pinning that. Collecting amazingness.

Click on above image to start to “follow” my pin boards!

1_Pinned from Old & New Blog 2_Pinned from Anthropologie.com

1_ Pinned from Early Electronics Blog 2_Pinned from Design Sponge

There are a lot of sites out there that basically do exactly what Pinterest does, but this site is gorgeous! Creating virtual bulletin boards couldn’t get easier and what a great resource to visit when the inspiration is lacking. I’m addicted and you should be too. haha

Go pin something!

Sometimes you just have to pick an idea and run with it. I don’t know about you, but I’ve got an inspiration book that is as thick as a dictionary and none of it is being put to use. I collect images here and there and say “someday…I’m going to do this/make this”.

Well this spring is time for me to jump in. I’ve narrowed down my home renters to-do list to a manageable 3 things that are all doable and should be relatively inexpensive to make happen. The list includes: art wall, dog bed & unique clothing storage. I’m excited!

*original image source*

*original image source*

*original image source*

I’ll keep you guys posted on the progress and hope to post some DIYs along the way.

Do you guys have any spring DIY projects that you are just dying to mark off the list? I’d love to hear all about them!

If you’re as goo goo ga ga over typography as I am, you’ll probably be drooling over this post. haha (messy) I was able to borrow this great book from my Group Creative Director at the agency this week and I’ve been sifting through the lovely visuals every since.

Emigre No.70: The Look Back Issue celebrates 25 years of fabulous graphic design in a 512 page book. (That’s a quarter of a century of Emigre magazine!) Emigre Magazine was one of the most influential design publications ever and I constantly refer back to the simplicity when working on my freelance projects.

* Love the colors throughout this book. LOVE!

The book was designed by co-founder of Emigre, Rudy VanderLans. Here’s where it gets a bit more nerdy…He used most of the magazines ORIGINAL digital files to bring the book to life! It’s a visual timeline from early bitmap design days, to experimental “Legibility Wars” layouts, and ending with the critical design writing of the early 2000s.

This book is a must have that will only set you back $50. You’re getting more than a fabulous coffee table book because it comes with a poster, CD with music and videos published by Emigre and a 32 page booklet of letters from the editor. I’d say that’s a steal!
Buy the book here–>

My Story: (abbreviated)
I went to Purdue University in Indiana where I got my BA in Visual Communication Design, which is a fancy way of saying Graphic Design. The first year was spend doing the normal undergrad requirements. Second year was spent perfecting my work so I would be accepted into the program. Third year was spent soaking up all the knowledge I could, and the last year was spent putting together a portfolio that would hopefully get me a job. All was successful and I now live in St. Louis working at an advertising agency as a Digital Art Director. Even though my passion is in the traditional print medium, everything is digital these days, so why not expand my platform to reach more people! So that my graphic career in a nutshell. (that just made me think of Mr. Bean)

There’s girls out there who drool over shoes or sunglasses, but I’d take a bag over anything else ANYDAY! I usually gravitate towards large bags that I can carry my life around in. I’m not necessarily an impulsive bag shopper because I tend to shop around for awhile until I think I’ve found the perfect one. Can’t have any top flaps, must have short and long handles, must not have too many inside dividers, must have a couple inside side pockets, must be able to zip close, and must not have any gold on it. That little list right there was determined over years of choosing the wrong bag and lots of “I’ll never buy a bag that has _____ again” kind of talk.

I just bought a new DSLR camera this weekend and guess what, I betcha it will need a bag to be carried around in. (excuse to buy a new bag) This bag wouldn’t replace my current BCBG purse/bag because I’m still in love with it. I’m looking for something in addition to the daily purse. I’d love to find a bag similar to the Ecote Tooled bags in a thrift or vintage shop that would be big enough for my camera gear. I definitely need to add it to my thrift list.

Bags shown above:
1. Patricia Nash Tooled Buckle Crossbody Bag
2. Ecote Tooled Lady Bag
3. PAP Leather Tote Bag with Braided Handle
4. Ecote Crossbody Surplus Bag

What’s your favorite bag above? Think functional but also “pretty”.

I’m a little upset that I wasn’t able to go to the Altitude Design Summit in Salt Lake City. I was able to take away highlights from this 4-day conference by following fans on twitter. Everyone was tweeting take away points from the speakers. Below is my visual interpretation of the days events. Enjoy! (click image to enlarge)

The Altitude Design Summit was a place where design and lifestyle bloggers come together to share their ideas. Many of the blogs I follow were guest speakers this year, which made everything that much better. ( Swiss Miss, Design Sponge, Nie Nie Dialogues, Oh Joy!, Design Milk, Pinterest, & Modern Kiddo) I could kick myself for not being there.

Jump on the band wagon next year so you don’t miss out on information about marketing, funding your site, blogging etiquette, blogging ethics and sooooo much more.  Find out a little more information!

Did anyone get lucky and get to attend? Would love to hear your stories and whether or not you felt it was worth the money and time investment.

This is one of those post that I’ve been trying to get done for some time now, but felt our place needed a bit of early spring cleaning before I give you a sneak peek. I plan on sharing our main living area and bedroom, but I’m holding off on our working studio for another time. (I’ve got an idea with that)

Here’s a little background to how we acquired out lovely loft with a beautiful and useful carpeting thanks to the joners dublin services.
About two years ago we found out were would be moving to St. Louis because I got a job at an advertising agency in town. We needed to find a place fast and drove the 7+ hours two weekends in a row searching at every possible loft space. The thing was that most of the spaces were not going to be available until months later or they came with a hefty price tag. We were on a budget and didn’t want to have my entire paycheck going towards rent. Any how, two weekends later we have a loft that is too expensive, but we love every part of it, including the beautiful neighborhood. (except that it doesn’t have an outdoor space/balcony. Oh and it has a beautiful carpet from carpet to go Seattle.

Since we are renting the space I have been limited on what I can do. I can’t alter the structure in any way and ripping up the ugly carpet really isn’t an option. Well Carpet Cleaning Adelaide can definitely improve looks and health of carpet. ( I know there is concrete under there that is gorgeous!!!) I’ve been slowing piecing the place together with hand made furniture, thrifted pieces and a lot of artwork/trinkets. Everything is a work in progress as it slowly shifts from college furniture to “grown-up” furniture, but the process has been fun.

Some of my favorite things about our space is that we have SUPER high ceilings that are covered from wall to wall in wood. We have Timber sash windows that are surrounded entirely in brick, exposed duct work and massive wooden beams that stand vertically to support the place. This type of windows will add value to your property as they’re going to combine performance and character.

They tend to be a far better alternative to uPVC windows also . uPVC windows can depreciate the worth of a property if they’re fitted on anything aside from a replacement build with a up to date design. While uPVC windows might sound a less costly option, they will cost you dearly by minimizing the potential asking price of your home, as purchasers will look to scale back the worth to catch up on having to exchange the windows with more traditional timber windows.

Timber windows and doors are far better for the environment as compared to other materials used; especially if they’re sourced through sustainable sources. they’re more attractive, they’re going to last for for much longer if taken care of properly and can create a more pleasant atmospheric living condition, also as increasing the worth of your property.

These days the foremost popular timber sash windows are built as vertical sliding box sash windows, combining traditional designs with the newest technology. If completed with a stained wood finish, the timber window perfectly suits and retains the character of the amount home.

They’re fitted by professional companies like Lomax & Wood – Timber Sash Experts which have a highly skilled and competent workforce, the experts will use the newest manufacturing procedures ensuring a chic , polished finish with classic lines. There are many good firms who provides Shelter services and having many lot experiences in this domain. The timber sash windows are going to be designed to possess extra seals to make sure smoother movement when opening/closing and can protect against harsh weather .

My favorite pieces of furniture include my mid-century style gray couch, white storage cabinet (where I keep all my magazine, photo albums and records), my Saarinen dining table, mustard glass lamp, and all my artwork. Some new pieces include my hand-made end table made up of a letterpress tray and some table legs found on ebay. ( x-mas gift from my dad) I could go on and on about the pieces I have since I only collect things that come with a story. It’s my way of making sure my place doesn’t get too cluttered.

I hope you enjoyed seeing a little of what we call home. Click the thumbnails below if you’d like to see more. I plan on showing my working space sometime in the near future, so look for that.

If you see anything you’d like to chat about let me know. I could chat all day about interior spaces!